Repeat after me: There is no shame in staying home on New Year”s Eve. There is no shame in staying home on New Year”s Eve.
If you are hanging at home as 2011 rolls over into 2012, here”s a list of artists you can see on various New Year”s Eve specials as the ball drops. By the way, did you know that Dick Clark started “New Year”s Rockin” Eve” in 1972 so that the crazy kids would have something to watch on TV besides bandleader Guy Lombardo”s Dec. 31 specials? If none of these appeal, there”s always “The Walking Dead” marathon on AMC or perennial favorite the “Twilight Zone” marathon on Syfy. A number of the programs below break for local news from 11 p.m.-11:30 p.m.
“Dick Clark”s Primetime New Year”s Rockin” Eve with Ryan Seacrest” (ABC, 10 p.m.-2 a.m.): The granddaddy of them all will feature performances from Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber, Pitbull, Carlos Santana, Robin Thicke, will.i.am, The Band Perry, blink-182, Christina Perri, Florence + the Machine, Gym Class Heroes, LMFAO, OneRepublic and Taio Cruz (To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Clark”s NYE celebration, Jenny McCarthy and Fergie will host a countdown of the top 40 performances from the show”s history from 8 p.m.-10 p.m.)
“MTV New Year”s Eve” (11 p.m.-12 a.m.): Hosted by “Teen Wolf”s” Tyler Posey and Demi Lovato, MTV will ring in the new year with performances by Selena Gomez, J Cole, Jason Derulo, Mac Miller and Lovato.
“New Year”s Eve with Carson Daly” (NBC, 10 p.m.-12:30 a.m.): No surprise that Daly, who hosts “The Voice,” recruited fellow judges Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton here. They are joined by a number of other folks who are affiliated with NBC, including Jimmy Fallon, The Roots, “Smash” actress Megan Hilty, and Drake, Tony Bennett, and Jessie J. No, NBC”s hyping and promotion doesn”t stop just because it”s New Year”s Eve.
“106th & Party” (BET, 11 p.m.- 1 a.m.): Young Jeezy, Wale and Diggy Simmons.
“Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m.-12:30 a.m.): Coldplay in a concert taped in September.
“American Country New Year”s Eve Live” (Fox, 11 p.m. -12:30 a.m.) Hosted by comedian Rodney Carrington, the show features Toby Keith, “American Idol’s” Lauren Alaina, Rodney Atkins, Joe Nichols, and Eli Young Band.
What are you doing New Year’s Eve?