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The moment Dick Clark kicked off his first rockin' New Year's Eve TV special 31 years ago, going out for New Year's suddenly became SO 1972. The apparently immortal former ''American Bandstand'' host will return once more this year -- along with some young pretenders to his confetti-strewn throne. Here's what to expect on New Year's Eve:
MTV's New Year's Eve Pajama Party
DICK CLARK WANNABE Carson Daly, along with celeb helpers Brittany Murphy and Ashton Kutcher
MUSICAL GUESTS Avril Lavigne, Foo Fighters, Busta Rhymes, Good Charlotte
LIVE FROM TIMES SQUARE? Yup
TARGET AUDIENCE Too young for champagne, too old to be asleep
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH To see Avril celebrate the year she bumped Britney aside
WHY YOU SHOULDN'T To avoid seeing Good Charlotte celebrate the year they annoyed everyone over the age of 14
America's Party
DICK CLARK WANNABE ''American Idol'''s Ryan Seacrest (where have you gone, Brian Dunkleman?)
MUSICAL GUESTS Ja Rule, Ashanti, Sheryl Crow, Sugar Ray
LIVE FROM TIMES SQUARE? Nope. It'll be broadcast from the top of Las Vegas' Venetian Hotel & Casino.
TARGET AUDIENCE Whoever's available
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH To see if Ashanti and Ja Rule can handle their choreography better than they did at the VMAs
WHY YOU SHOULDN'T To avoid seeing Ryan Seacrest attempt to be charming
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2003
DICK CLARK WANNABE The man himself
MUSICAL GUESTS Kelly Clarkson, Missy Elliott, Third Eye Blind, B2K, Nelly, Rod Stewart, Uncle Kracker, Las Ketchup
LIVE FROM TIMES SQUARE? Of course -- plus segments from Hollywood
TARGET AUDIENCE The whole darn family, especially anyone who watches ''American Dreams''
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH To see Kelly Clarkson diss Fox and Ryan Seacrest by performing on a competing show
WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Las Ketchup!
Adult Swim's New Year's Eve Bash!
DICK CLARK WANNABES Two animated characters: Space Ghost's former sidekick Brak and the obese Brooklyn native Carl from the cult hit ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force''
MUSICAL GUESTS None -- Carl and Brak will introduce episodes of Cartoon Network favorites including ''Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law.''
LIVE FROM TIMES SQUARE? Yes, supposedly (the network claims we'll see Brak and Carl mingle with the assembled masses on the streets)
TARGET AUDIENCE Hip, ironic types -- and children up past their bedtimes
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH To see ''Aqua Teen'''s grotesque hero Meatwad -- a human-size wad of meat -- ''dropped ceremonially'' into Times Square at midnight
WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Psst... Cartoons can't actually host live TV.
