Page 22 - 2017 Official CMA Program

As Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood prepare The fact is, I believe in us as a team.
for their 10th year hosting the CMA Awards, To give you a peek behind the curtain, the very first thing we discuss
Executive Producer Robert Deaton pauses in our meeting is what has transpired over the past year in pop
HOSTS
to reflect on the comedic process, sports culture, politics, and Country Music. At this point, nothing is off limits
and everything said in the room is always confidential. The best ideas
metaphors, and a little yellow house that end up in the monologue are usually the ones where each of us
Every year at the end of August, I start getting excited about going contributed something to the idea. An example would be “Tim and
to the yellow house. The yellow house has become – over the years Faith Barbies.” Carrie had texted Brad that Tim and Faith had Barbies
– a kind of a clubhouse. The club doesn’t have many members, in their likeness coming out. Without knowing that Brad and Carrie
but the members are completely honest, fiercely loyal, and have were already talking about this, I had seen the announcement in the
become like a second family. Each time I go back to the yellow house newspaper and immediately called my assistant and ordered two
I am reminded of how lucky I am to be a part of this club. Each sets. By the time we got
visit to the yellow house is an adventure filled with laughter, tears, to the yellow house all
apprehension, frustration, inspiration, and just about every other of us were separately
human emotion. To look at the yellow house from the outside, it just excited about doing
looks like an old 1920s farmhouse, but inside, MAGIC HAPPENS. a skit around the
Barbies. Come on, it’s a
The world gets to see and hear the result of this magic and creative no-brainer! But how do
mash-up each year on the annual broadcast of the CMA Awards. The we make it funny and
yellow house sits on the property of one Mr. Brad Paisley, and every relevant to the show?
year for the past 10 years, this club meets at the yellow house 10 to How do we get into the
15 times between late August and early November. The members of joke? How do we make
the club are Ann Edelblute, Kendal Marcy, Brad Paisley, Bill Simmons, more than just one
Carrie Underwood, David Wild, and yours truly. comedic beat?

One by one we drive down the winding road to the yellow house I suggested that Brad
filled with great anticipation: Can we make the opening monologue and Carrie each bring
as great as last year? Is this bit funny? Is this bit going too far? What the Barbies, wrapped
will we choose for the song parodies? as a surprise gift to the
other, celebrating their
All these questions have uncertain answers. But once we get in the fourth year hosting. ┴ The yellow house where Robert Deaton,
room and this small group gets in rhythm, those feelings of insecurity Brad suggested that Ann Edelblute, Kendal Marcy, Brad Paisley, Bill
– for the most part – recede. That does not mean that the job is they react like children Simmons, Carrie Underwood and David Wild
easy. Simply stated, the work is exhausting and receiving Christmas meet every fall to write the CMA Awards
mentally challenging. Most years we gifts, completely over
are making changes to the script right the top, screaming with joy, “TIM McGRAW BARBIE!!!!” We then
up until airtime. But the reason the get into the dolls’ “anatomical accurateness” part of the joke. Carrie
nerves and fear go away is because threw out the line, “But there’s nothing there.” And that’s a perfect
of one simple factor: TRUST. We example of the dynamic of our team, fully engaged and in total sync.
trust and believe in each other.
My first year producing was 2007. Most people don’t remember, but
I know that Brad will come we didn’t have a host that year. We used multiple artists to introduce
with a thousand brilliant ideas the performers and presenters. The following year I proposed to the
and a million song parodies. network and CMA that we ask Brad and Carrie to host.
I know that above the clutter
and noise Carrie can change the I had multiple reasons for my choice. First, Brad at the time seemed
direction of a joke or bit, making to me like a modern-day Roger Miller. Brad, like Roger, IS a storyteller
it feel so fresh and unique, it’s of the highest degree, both funny and clever. I had asked Carrie to
beyond genius. I know that Bill, do a few intros on the CMA Music Festival special and to present the
Ann, and Kendal will pull us all Horizon Award on the 2007 CMA Awards telecast. I was awestruck Host photo credit: Bob D’Amico/ABC; House photo credit: Courtesy Robert Deaton
back to earth when we begin to by how she lit up the screen. In my estimation Brad and Carrie
lose our focus, and I know that represented the best of what Country Music had to offer and, quite
David will take what is two frankly, still do.
hours of material and cultivate
a 10-minute monologue and 18 After 10 years of seeing Brad and Carrie become the backbone of
introductions. the Awards, it seems like a no-brainer, right? But not in 2008. Both
ABC and CMA wanted to continue with the no-host format. But I felt

20 THE 51st ANNUAL CMA AWARDS