Comedian Ricky Gervais will host the Golden Globes Awards show in January

LOS ANGELES -- Ricky Gervais is known as an edgy comedian, and the Golden Globes are considered the least stuffy of film and television awards shows. So it's little wonder that Gervais sees his hosting job for the 2010 ceremony as a match made in Hollywood honors heaven.

"Everyone is sitting around and drinking. I'm going to be drunk, and I'm not going to rehearse. So, it's the perfect gig for me," Gervais said Tuesday with a laugh.

Monday's announcement that Gervais would host the upcoming show surprised many industry watchers because the Golden Globes have not had a host since 1995. But it also delighted those who see Gervais as a strong choice.

The Golden Globe Awards, which will be given out on Jan. 17, are one of Hollywood's biggest awards shows, but the atmosphere is less formal than the film industry's Oscars or TV's Emmys. Winners in both film and TV categories, who are picked by members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, are named after a fine dinner where cocktails and champagne flow freely, and the ceremony is often dubbed Hollywood's biggest party.

Gervais is known for off-the-cuff remarks on awards shows that tweak the sensibilities of industry executives, such as playing up the rivalry between film and TV stars.

The comedian said he does not yet know what he will do as host because he hasn't had much time to think about it.

"Just keep it loose, keep it fun," he said. "I'm not going to try to offend people. I'm not going to try to go for controversy. I'm going to do my brand of humor, and I think people know that when I say something off color or cheeky or a little more cutting edge than you might see on network TV, it comes from a good place."

One thing is certain: There will be no Ricky Gervais singing and dancing, like recent Oscar host Hugh Jackman.

"Uh, no, I won't be doing that," he said. "It's too much effort."

The British comedian, 48, created hit mockumentary show "The Office," about workers in their humdrum jobs. A U.S. version, starring Steve Carell, is a popular and critical hit.

Gervais still jokes that people think Carell created the show. He recently left David Letterman's talk show and overheard a man say: "There's Ricky Gervais. He played the Steve Carell part in the English version of 'The Office.' "

Gervais says: "Oh, I don't care, as long as I get my 50 percent of everything."