There won't be any crass insults, ego-driven stage invasions or embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions at this year's Gemini Awards if everything goes according to Ron James' plan.
The veteran Canadian funnyman is hosting the 24th annual Geminis Saturday night and says viewers won't have to worry about crude sexual innuendo of Russell Brand proportions.
"Russell Brand is a tool," declares James, adding that he's not surprised the two-time MTV Video Music Awards host appeals to the "punks" who watch the channel.
"I've done enough corporate speaking in my day to know you can only push the envelope so far."
It's James' first time hosting the broadcast portion of the Geminis (he has previously emceed the non-televised technical awards) and he admits he's starting to feel a few butterflies in his stomach.
"I always get nervous though," he says.
The Nova Scotia native is enjoying his own success on Canadian television. His new Friday night CBC program, The Ron James Show, attracts upwards of 800,000 viewers a week.
"It took me 30 years to get my own show," he says. "Now I need a nap."
The Ron James Show is the latest in a string of successful Canadian-made programs in recent years.
Heartland, Flashpoint, Degrassi: The Next Generation and Being Erica are just a few of the Gemini nominees that have found not only a large domestic audience but also success south of the border and abroad.
