Awards Shows Honor Tops in Video, Soul and Soaps

The awards shows just keep coming. There are three this weekend--two in the field of music and the other honoring the stars of daytime drama.

The irreverent Chris Rock hosts the “1997 MTV Video Music Awards,” at 8 tonight. The 14th annual event will be telecast from Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Chaka Khan, Bill Bellamy and Erykah Badu host the “1997 Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards” Friday at 8 p.m. on Channel 5.

Emma Samms and Kristoff St. John host “The Eighth Annual Soap Opera Update Awards,” airing Sunday at 10 p.m. on Lifetime. Telecast from New York, the ceremony honors actors and actresses from each of the daytime dramas.

Today

U.S. Open tennis coverage continues at 8 a.m. on USA. CBS will air the women’s singles semifinal Friday at 8 a.m. and the men’s singles semifinal at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Coverage of the men’s and women’s finals begins at 11 a.m. Sunday on CBS (Channel 2).

Friday

After two decades, Joan Lunden bids adieu to ABC’s “Good Morning America,” at 7 a.m. on Channel 7. She’ll continue to work for ABC on a variety of specials.

Award-winning naturalist David Attenborough travels to New Guinea to look at the shy birds of paradise on the PBS special “Attenborough in Paradise,” at 9 p.m. on KCET-TV Channel 28.

Saturday

There will be extensive live coverage of the funeral for Princess Diana, but because of the time difference between here and London, it will air in the wee hours of the morning. The funeral itself begins at 3 a.m. Pacific time, although CNN, for one, will begin its coverage at 1 a.m. For those who only want a wrap-up, CBS will broadcast a one-hour special, “Farewell to Diana,” at 8 p.m.

ABC kicks off its new fall season for children with three new animated series: “101 Dalmatians: The Series,” at 7 a.m., followed by “Pepper Ann” and “Recess,” beginning at 7:30 a.m.

Fox debuts its new “Space Goofs” at 8:30 a.m. on Channel 11 and “Ultimate Goosebumps” at 9 a.m. and NBC premieres its live-action comedy “City Guys” at 8:30 a.m. on Channel 4.

Charles S. Dutton (“Roc”) directs HBO’s latest original movie, “First-Time Felon,” at 9 p.m. Omar Epps stars.

Sunday

“Religion & Ethics Newsweekly,” at 10 a.m. on Channel 28, is a new series providing coverage of the top stories of the week relating to religion and ethics. NBC News correspondent Bob Abernethy hosts.

“Los Angeles Times High School Sports Show,” premiering at 5 p.m. on Channel 2, covers the week’s most exciting high school sporting events.

WB unveils the season premieres of “Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher,” at 7 p.m. on Channel 5; “The Parent ‘Hood,” at 7:30 p.m.; and “The Jamie Foxx Show,” at 8 p.m.

Tom Arnold gives series TV another shot with his new WB sitcom, “The Tom Show,” at 9 p.m. on Channel 5. Following “Tom” at 9:30 p.m. is “Alright Already,” starring Carol Leifer.

“Brandon Lee: The E! True Hollywood Story,” at 8 p.m. on E!, looks at the life and tragic death of the actor.

Gregory Hines stars in Showtime’s racial drama “Color of Justice,” at 8 p.m.

Barbara Walters hosts ABC’s “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus--But We Have to Live on Earth,” at 9 p.m. on Channel 7. “Sister Wendy’s Story of Painting,” at 9 p.m. on Channel 28, features the popular British nun Sister Wendy Beckett highlighting the great eras of Western art.

“The Italians,” airing Sunday at 9 p.m. on the Discovery Channel, is a two-hour portrait of Italy and the people who capture the country’s spirit.