Trace Adkins Steps Outside Comfort Zone for ACA Host Gig

Trace Adkins is gearing up to host the inaugural American Country Music Awards show on Monday, December 6, but he says he has not done a lot of preparation to get ready for it, except for a few "conference calls" with the writers and producers to go over the script. Still, he has been enjoying the few preparations he has done for the show.

"It's actually been fun to talk to the writers and get some sense of direction as to which way we're going to go with this thing, and have the most fun we could possibly have," Trace tells The Boot. "But I'm looking at it as a challenge because, of course, I've never done anything like this before. But I always find it stimulating when you get outside of your comfort zone and do something different, and this is certainly that!"

Trace, of course, has penchant for speaking his mind in most public forums, and he's pretty sure that Monday's awards show -- even though it will be scripted -- will present him with a few opportunities to go "off script." "I probably will speak my mind at some point," Trace acknowledges. "I don't know what to expect either. I may very well see something come up on the [Tele]prompter and go, 'I'm not going to say that!' And go off-the-cuff and point to somebody that I think looks ridiculous in the audience. I don't know what I'm going to do, but I'm going to have a good time with it, and hopefully, I don't get them in trouble with the FCC. That would be bad."

Trace admits, however, that there's one aspect of the awards show he's dreading more than any other -- and one thing that will make it all worthwhile. "Getting dressed up is the thing I'm least looking forward to," he tells The Boot. "I may not even do that, because it's my awards show. I can dress however I want to. I could set the standard, if I choose. The thing I'm most looking forward to is the trophy girls."

The American Country Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Monday, December 6 from 8:00 - 10:00 PM (ET/tape-delayed PT) on FOX.