Blake & Luke Ready For ACMs
When the Academy of Country Music Awards kick off Sunday night, there’ll be a new duo at the hosting helm: Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan. Gone is longtime host Reba McEntire. She will be back as a presenter. But the focus will be on the two unpredictable friends, who have guaranteed to provide laughs and surpises. Blake spoke with Country Countdown USA’s Lon Helton about the partnership: “If there’s anybody I know in this business who’s just as comfortable making an idiot of himself as I am it’s Luke Bryan, he’s just crazy and goofy and doesn’t care, and I love that about him.”
Blake first heard about the host change an entire year ago: “I was at an ACM event last year, and the top people from the ACM had a conversation with me. At that point they knew Reba was going to step down, and they said, ‘What do you think about getting Luke?’ And I loved that idea. I had assumed that wanted a female, but I think they knew Luke and I could have some chemistry. So I said I’m on board, and they said, ‘Can you talk to him and talk him into doing it?’ And I said, “Isn’t that what YOU do?’ I was prepared to do it, but they decided it would be best to come from them, and I guess he jumped at the opportunity, and now that it’s coming closer, he’s ready.”
Lon asked Luke how he first heard about the co-host plan: “The guys that run the ACM came to me and it was presented to me like ‘Do you want to host,’ and I didn’t think I was ready. But then they said, ‘It’ll be you and Blake,” and I felt it was something the fans would love, even though I’ll be the brunt of a lot of jokes and ridicule from Blake, I think it’s going to be fun. A lot of people have told us we’re like brothers from another mother, and any time we’re around each other, we wind up cracking each other up, and drinkin’ into the night. So we’ll keep it fresh and funny, and we’ll have a great time with it.”
Lon spoke with the co-hosts of the CMA Awards, Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood, for their thoughts about the new hosting duo. Brad said, “You gotta find your own groove as hosts. Carrie & I have a thing we’ve figured out who’s who and what we do up there, and it really works. It’s going to be a whole different dynamic with two guys. They can get away with so much. I really hope one of them wears a dress.” Which one would you prefer to see in a dress? Brad replied, “I think Blake. He’s the more feminine of the two.” Hearing that, Blake’s response was, “I agree, and also I’ve got some serious ‘man-boobs,’ so I think I wouldn’t look half bad in a dress. Glad to know he’s put so much thought into it.” Lon also spoke with Carrie Underwood, and asked what tips she’d give Luke: “I might try to sabotage him. I don’t want anybody being cooler than me & Brad. I think it helps that Blake has been doing it, and he was taught by the master: Reba. She’s been doing it for so long. But I think it’ll be interesting having two dudes up there. They both have a good sense of humor.”
Lon pointed out to Blake that the CBS-TV censors will be busy. Blake responded: “They know I’m an NBC guy, so they’re really worried I may pull one out.” To quote Blake’s latest hit, it sure be cool if he did. The 48th annual Academy of Country Music Awards take place Sunday April 7th on CBS-TV.
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
