The Television Critics Association Awards just got several thousand times more awesome with the news that “Parks and Recreation” star Nick Offerman will be this year’s host for the event, which will take place on August 6, near the end of the TCA summer press tour.
Offerman, ever the dry wit, said of the gig, “I am mighty flattered to be invited to speak in front of a crowd like this. The last time I was awarded such a privilege was in front of the Eagle Scouts disciplinary board, concerning what came to be known as ‘The Astonishing Cowsh*! Incident of 1987′ in Grundy County, Illinois. I presume this engagement will end in a friendlier fashion for all concerned.â€
Offerman joins an eclectic tally of past TCA emcees. Some other recent hosts include Dax Sheppard, John Oliver, Chelsea Handler and Craig Ferguson.
Unlike most showbiz awards shows, the TCA Awards aren’t televised. E! actually carried them once a long long time ago, and everybody hated how it turned out, so it went back to the loose, rambling, relaxed affair in which everybody gives long speeches where they don’t have to worry about thanking their agents, nor about being cut off, and can actually say substantive things about the work they’ve done. As always, I’ll be doing a write-up of highlights from the ceremony the next day.
This year’s nominees will be announced sometime next week. I’m hopeful that Offerman’s name will be there, as well as on the winner’s list. (He was nominated last year but lost to Jane Lynch from “Glee.”)