Brent Butt of Corner Gas hosts Winnipeg Junos; shift from usual musician host
WINNIPEG (CP) – The Barenaked Ladies. Shania Twain. Alanis Morissette. Brent Butt.
Think one of these people doesn’t belong? Not anymore. The Juno folks have enlisted comedian Butt, of TV’s Corner Gas, to host this year’s festivities in Winnipeg. “It’s high time the Junos were handed back over to someone who has no idea about music,” said the popular joker, tongue presumably planted in cheek.
Selecting Butt as host is a bit of a departure for the show’s producers, who’ve prided themselves on landing pop stars to host the evening ever since winning broadcast rights from CBC in 2002.
Insiders said producers tried again this year, but weren’t able to book an internationally known star because of timing issues.
Even though he doesn’t have his own CDs, Butt says he’s not intimidated by the A-list music shoes he’s going to be filling.
“How big are Alanis’s feet?” he said Thursday, referring to last year’s host. “I wear a 12 . . . Why not (a comedian?). It’s just a matter of saying stuff. I can talk.”
His plan is to keep the show moving with short bursts of comedy.
“Award shows, generally speaking, are long and as a result have the ability to be tedious. That’s the thing to fight against,” said Butt, whose hometown is Tisdale, Sask.
“I’m going to hearken back to Bob Hope doing the Academy Awards. A couple of gags and keep it moving.”
The show airs April 3 on CTV. Nominations will be announced on Feb. 7.
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