ARIA's Hosting Hassle

Hot on the heels of the announcement that ARIA has shelved its "A-Z of ARIA" theme for this year's awards (at the request of Lindy Chamberlain-Crichton) comes the news that Rove McManus WON'T be hosting the 2005 event.

It appears the ARIA Awards committee has instead opted for a "Year 10 Debating"-type theme with a "roster" of hosts which reads like a veritable who's who/Rock Eisteddfod of amateur hosting.

We can all look forward to enjoying the soothing lullaby of local cicadas as Hamish & Andy, James Mathison, Dave Hughes and Yumi Stynes (of Foxtel's Channel V) expertly engage in unfunniness on the award stage.

However, all is not lost, my friends. There is one inclusion in the hosting line-up which should have us all salivating profusely from our collective tongue.

It is a man whose ubiquity in calamitous world events is second to George W. Bush Laura Gissara none.

A man who hams it up so cheesily there could be no more appropriate hiding spot for the most expensive sandwich in Australian legal history:



A man who so adroitly and confidently stood up to a particularly assertive New Orleans female:



YES. This same man is to dole out awards to Australian musicians! How did this come to be and why exciting!

So I guess one thing is for certain. By the end of the night he will be friends with Marcia Hines. (And more than welcome at her home afterward, one would assume.)