ACM hosts Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan as comedic duo
ARLINGTON, Texas — Expecting music at Sunday’s Academy of Country Music Awards? You should be ready for comedy.
Hosts Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan held a news conference Friday at the AT& T Stadium and offered a preview of what’s to come when the ACMs celebrate their 50th anniversary in Arlington, Texas.
The show, where Miranda Lambert is the lead nominee with eight nominations, will feature 23 performances, including a kickoff from Keith Urban and Eric Church. Garth Brooks and Taylor Swift are among the A- list attendees. The show will air live on CBS at 8 p.m. EDT.
“I don’t even know who’s singing. That’s just the god’s honest truth,” Shelton said to laughs. “I know Miranda is and I always look forward to that.”
Here’s a breakdown of the banter between Shelton and Bryan, who are hosting the ACM Awards for a third year.
When ACM Awards executive producer R. A. Clark said he thought for a second that the production at the AT&T Stadium looked like the MGM Grand Garden Arena, where the awards show is usually held, Shelton said: “In other words, you’re just using Luke’s normal production.”
“I want something to go wrong today so I know something won’t go wrong during the show,” said Clark, son of the late Dick Clark.
“That will be Blake’s rehearsal,” Bryan replied.
Both stars are nominated for male vocalist of the year.
“We can duke it out right now,” Bryan said when asked who should win.
“I’m going to take the high road here,” Shelton said, “and I say I do.”
Shelton doesn’ t hold back when he tells jokes, even if it’s about Taylor Swift or Garth Brooks — two of the seven recipients of the 50th Anniversary Milestone Award.
“Being it’s the 50th, it’s cool we’re going way back and we’re honoring some of these artists that have been here like Taylor Swift and Miranda Lambert — digging way back,” he said to laughs.
Other honor- ees include Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn.
“You’re probably an icon award guy, too, aren’t you?” Shelton asked Bryan. “No, you’re too new.”
Brooks wasn’ t off-limits either.
At the conference, they announced that the awards show will set a Guinness world record for most attended live awards show ever. When Bryan asked if their picture with the new record would be in the Guinness book, Shelton replied: “It’ll be Garth.”