Dick Clark Readying 'The American Music Awards'

- (LAUNCH) - Dick Clark, executive producer of the American Music Awards, is readying a spectacular ceremony to air live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on ABC at 8 p.m. ET/PT Monday (January 8). Clark, who has just over one week to recover from his New Year's Rockin' Eve television special, tells LAUNCH he's ready for the first big musical event of 2001. "Well, as usual, it's sort of wall-to-wall entertainment," he says. "We have 13 acts performing, maybe 14. At this point I'm waiting for one more to fall in. [It's] hosted by Britney Spears and LL Cool J. [It features] performances by Toni Braxton, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Martina McBride, Shedaisy, Billy Gilman, Pink, Marilyn Manson--of all people, Aerosmith, Outkast, 3 Doors Down, Jessica Simpson, and we may have a very special duet, but I won't know that until later today."









Clark adds that one thing that will make this year's awards interesting is the diversity of the nominees. "If you look at the favorite male artist in pop/rock, you've got Marc Anthony, Eminem, and Kid Rock-- that's a pretty unusual conglomeration of people," he notes. "When you turn to the favorite female, you've got Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion, Faith Hill, and Britney Spears--it's all over the place."