The Rock to be Kids' Choice show host

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Hollywood actor and former wrestler Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson has agreed to be host of Nickelodeon's 22nd annual Kids' Choice Awards, the network said Friday.

The family-oriented event is slated to take place March 28.

"We customarily break records at Kids' Choice, and in 2009, the show is certain to be the biggest, loudest and messiest yet. For the first time, Dwayne Johnson will host the ceremony, and we are very excited for him to make his mark with his big presence and kid-friendly style," Marjorie Cohn, executive vice president of development and original programming for Nickelodeon and an executive producer for the awards show, said in a statement. "Dwayne is a pop culture icon and a Kids' Choice veteran who has been a presenter and a nominee for Favorite Male Movie Star. Our audience loves him."

"Every spring, I look forward to three things: the Easter Bunny, bass fishing with my bare hands and the brilliance of fluorescent green slime flying through the air at someone's face. That's why it's so cool for me to be hosting this year's Nickelodeon's Kid's Choice Awards!" said Johnson.

"What's great about this event is that it honors kids by honoring their opinion. The best way to do that is by me leading millions of kids into total chaos, crazy fun and endless buckets of slime!"