WORTH NOTING ON TV
This guide is designed to alert readers to the scope and variety of programming coming up. Listing is not meant to represent blanket endorsement. Viewers are urged to be selective. FRIDAY Richard Tucker Gala (PBS, 9-10 p.m.): Joan Sutherland and other opera stars perform in Carnegie Hall in this one-hour version of the annual musical gala named for the late American tenor.
SATURDAY Indy 500 Time Trials (ABC, 1-3 p.m.): Object of this race: to qualify for pole position in the Indianapolis 500, coming up May 29. Diving Championships (ABC, starting 4:30 p.m.): Two-time Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis is among the divers in this international event on ``Wide World of Sports.''
SUNDAY Grand Prix of Monaco (ABC, 1:30-3:30 p.m.): Hotel Paris and the glorious Mediterranean can be viewed by drivers - if they get a chance - in this renowned European auto race. Beverly Hills Cop (ABC, 9-11:07 p.m.): The abrasive, hugely popular Eddie Murphy film - with some of its many expletives deleted - makes its TV debut.
MONDAY Bob Hope Salute (NBC, 8-11 p.m.): Fifty stars perform and pay tribute to the great comedian on his 85th birthday and his 50 years with NBC. Ring of Fire: Spice Island Saga (PBS, 8-9 p.m.): Second season of the ``Adventure'' series begins with this first of four films about the journey of two brothers - Lorne and Lawrence Blair - in the Indonesian Archipelago. An Ocean Apart (PBS, 9-10 p.m.): Premi`ere of seven-part series about British-American relations. First show deals with America's entry into World War I (see stories at far right). The Hero's Journey (PBS, 10-11 p.m.): Bill Moyers plays host for a film about the ideas and career of Joseph Campbell, whose writings and teachings about the universality of myth have influenced poets, artists, and philosophers.
TUESDAY American Comedy Awards (ABC, 9-11 p.m.): From Jack Lemmon to Whoopi Goldberg, comic talent will be on display in this live tribute to the world of humor. Frontline (PBS, 9-10 p.m.): ``Guns, Drugs, and the CIA'' looks at the intelligence agency's alleged relationship with world drug dealers in the name of national security.
WEDNESDAY In Performance at the White House (PBS, 8-9 p.m.): ``A Salute to Broadway: Show Stoppers,'' hosted by President and Mrs. Reagan, features a tribute to Mary Martin. Why We Fight (A&E cable network, premi`ering 10 p.m. Check local listings): Frank Capra directed and Walter Huston narrates this fascinating example of American World War II documentary style covering the rise of fascism and America's entry into the war.
Schedules may vary in some time zones. Please check local listings, especially for PBS, where individual stations air programs on differing days and times.