Plenty of Festivities Ready to Welcome the New Year

Television is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the final moments of 1998 with countless New Year’s Eve celebrations, closely followed by the Tournament of Roses Parade, which kicks off the New Year.

“Top 100 of 1998 Countdown,” today at 1:30 p.m. on MTV, is a 10-hour request-a-thon.

The Disney Channel’s “Zoogin’ New Yearz Eve Party,” tonight from 7 to midnight, features movies, shows, stars and music videos chosen by Disney Channel viewers.

Kurt Masur conducts the New York Philharmonic in a New Year’s Eve concert highlighting the music of Johann, Johann Jr. and Richard Strauss on “Live From Lincoln Center,” tonight at 8 on KCET-TV.

Veejay Carson Daily and his significant other, Jennifer Love Hewitt, host MTV’s “New Year’s Eve Party,” tonight at 11:30. Music guests and person-on-the-street interviews will be included in this celebration from the channel’s Times Square studio.

Hootie and the Blowfish appear in a New Year’s Eve concert from New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom, tonight at 11:30 on VH1.

Fox’s “Billboard New Year’s Eve Live,” tonight at 11:30, features an encore of “The 1998 Billboard Music Awards,” special appearances by Hanson and LeAnn Rimes and coverage from Times Square.

Tom Jones and Carrot Top help ring in the New Year on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” at 11:35 p.m. on NBC. Rebecca Romijn-Stamos will be in Times Square.

The ever-youthful Dick Clark hosts the Times Square coverage on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve ‘99,” tonight at 11:35 on ABC. In the studio, D.L. Hughley and Elise Neal of “The Hughleys” present the Backstreet Boys, Monica, Barenaked Ladies, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, Fastball and Chicago in performance.

Shawn and Marlon Wayans and Caroline Rhea and Kevin Meany appear in the charity concert “Comics Come Home,” tonight at midnight on Comedy Central.

“After New Year’s Eve With David Sanborn,” early Friday at 1:05 a.m. on ABC, features the popular saxophonist and his band wailing in 1999.

TNN offers viewers an 18-hour “flashback” marathon of classic “Dallas” episodes, beginning Friday at 6 a.m.

“Echoes of the Century” is the theme of the 110th “Tournament of Roses Parade,” Friday at 8 a.m. on CBS, NBC, KTLA, ABC, KMEX and Home & Garden cable channel. KTLA will again present a commercial-free broadcast featuring hosts Bob Eubanks and Stephanie Edwards.

Brian Boitano, Kristi Yamaguchi and Todd Eldredge take to the ice on NBC’s “Brian Boitano’s Holiday Skating Spectacular,” Friday at 1 p.m.

PBS’ “Great Performances” presents Lorin Maazel conducting a performance of Strauss waltzes, polkas and marches in “From Vienna,” Friday at 9 p.m. on KCET-TV. Walter Cronkite hosts.

Court TV will present a New Year’s Day marathon of the first 24 episodes of “Homicide: Life on the Street,” beginning Friday at 9 p.m.

John Henson picks the best talk-show moments on “Cream of Talk Soup,” Friday at 10 p.m. on E! Entertainment Television.

The History Channel’s “American Eats: History on a Bun,” Saturday at 5 and 9 p.m., looks at the history of fast-food.

Victims of injustice perform comical stings on those who wronged them on NBC’s “Payback,” Saturday at 8 p.m.

Sports

USC meets Texas Christian at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, today at 11 a.m. on CBS.

New Year’s Day college football bowl games feature Georgia Tech and Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl at 9:30 a.m. on NBC; Michigan vs. Arkansas in the Citrus Bowl at 10 a.m. on ABC; Wisconsin vs. UCLA in the Rose Bowl at 1:30 p.m. on ABC; and Texas A&M; and Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl at 5:30 p.m. on ABC.

ABC presents two NFL wild card games, Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Syracuse meets Florida in Miami’s Orange Bowl, Saturday at 5 p.m. on ABC.

Series

Jeff Nathan hosts the cooking series “New Jewish Cuisine,” Saturday at 11:30 a.m. on KCET-TV.

A&E; ring-ding-a-dings in the New Year with a four-hour “Biography” on “The Rat Pack,” Sunday at 5 and 9 p.m. The documentary concludes Monday at the same time.

“Siskel & Ebert” name the “Best Films of 1998,” Sunday at 6:30 p.m. on KABC.

PBS’ “Masterpiece Theatre” premieres a six-hour adaptation of Charles Dickens’ most obscure novel, “Our Mutual Friend,” Sunday at 9 p.m. on KCET-TV. The series continues through Tuesday.

“NYPD Blue” director Paris Barclay is featured on “In the Life,” the national gay and lesbian newsmagazine, Sunday at 11 p.m. on KCET-TV.