Countdown 2000

By Jeffrey Ressner/Los Angeles

This New Year's Eve is being touted as the wildest, most hellacious bash of all time. For DICK CLARK, however, it won't be quite as rocking. Clark, the former American Bandstand host who has virtually cornered the market on TV specials, including the annual 90-min. New Year's fest, is being downsized to make room for daylong ABC News coverage of the millennial turnover, anchored by PETER JENNINGS. President Clinton is expected to address the nation near midnight, potentially bumping other programming off the airwaves. Clark--who has been host of New Year's Eve specials for the past 27 years--is still scheduled to count down the traditional ball drop in Times Square, but he won't be producing entertainment segments. "I've been relieved of those duties and just assigned to the ball," says Clark, who declined to discuss specifics about the network's decision. Guess that's one fellow who won't be partying like it's 1999.

--By Jeffrey Ressner/Los Angeles