nk previews "so many surprises "and top moments as she prepares to host Tony Awards Grammy Award winner P! nk is preparing to host the Tony Awards on Sunday on CBS. The singer speaks with "CBS Mornings" about what to expect and why she asked her daughter for permission before agreeing to host.
GAYLE KING: On the frickin' floor, aerial acrobatics, is hosting the 7– look at her– the 79th Annual Tony Awards this Sunday on CBS. And so we are so happy that she's joining us first on CBS Mornings. Did I mention, we are so happy?
Congratulations– – Thank you. to you, Pink. When I heard you were doing this, I thought, lucky us– PINK: Aw, thanks.
that you agreed to host the Tonys. So when they came out to you, I'm assuming it was immediate yes. It was an almost immediate yes.
It was a "yes, but "or "yes, and let me get permission from Willow, "because this is her lane. I try to stay out of her lane. She's all about Broadway.
She goes to performing arts high school. And she was like, do I get a seat? I was like, I think so.
So here we go. Also, it's– yeah, I'm in a yes place. GAYLE KING: What does this mean, "I'm in a yes place"?
What does that mean exactly? I've always just been a touring artist. I put my head down, and I beat the pavement.
And I do it all over the world and back again a thousand times, and I don't really do a lot of other things. And this year, I was like, you know what? We're following Willow to New York City.
GAYLE KING: Yes. I'm going to just say yes to things that I wouldn't normally say yes to. Talk about the decision– I love that you guys have done this– to follow Willow to New York City.
She– – Why? What's her dream? Her dream is to be on Broadway.
She is musical theater obsessed. She has followed me around the world her whole life, on and off tour. And I told her, it's your turn.
We'll follow you. And that's what we do for our kids. We show up if we can– if we can.
And I'm lucky that we can. And she's phenomenal. And I would tell– she's very talented, and she's also– – Now, are you just saying that because you're her mother?
No, she's– no, I would be– I would be like, you can't do that. You're not– GAYLE KING: Would you say that if– – I would say it in a nicer way, but I– – How would you say it? Maybe also science.
GAYLE KING: Yeah. [LAUGHTER] Dentistry is good. PINK: But she's more talented than I ever was at her age.
Where were you guys watching the Tonys last year? How did you– – Last year, we were at home. Willow was watching the Tonys on television from the coffee table.
She was stood up on the coffee table. She was dressed in her Gatsby costume that she designed herself on tour, which is four quadrants, the four main characters of Great Gatsby. And she was just bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
And now she'll be in the seat watching– – Yeah, watching Mom. making fun of her mama. Yeah, watching Mom, also watching the show.
What are you most excited about? Because number one, everybody judges from the opening number, Pink. PINK: Oh, yeah.
Our opening number– – Do you have plans for that? it is goofy and over the top. And it's sort of a nod back.
It'll all make sense. And there's going to be 170 people on stage. It's going to be so fun.
And I'm an idiot from the very first moment, which was very important to me. To make fun of yourself? To make fun of myself.
Why did you want to do that? Because I haven't been on Broadway. And I wanted to just speak to the– GAYLE KING: You want people to know I know I haven't been on Broadway.
I know I haven't been here. I know that I'm an absolute idiot. And my whole point this year is to celebrate all of you.
And we're just going to have fun. We're going to have so much fun. I am, too.
I am, too. What are you most looking forward to of the evening? Because they always think there's got to be surprises.
They always think there's got to be– – There's so many surprises. There's a lot of really cool anniversaries, The Book of Mormon. And there's A Chorus Line.
The in memoriam is going to be amazing. And– – 'Cause Leslie Odom Jr. is doing that.
That'll be good. And also all the shows that are on this year. No, I– – It's going to be a really fun year.
I love Broadway. I love a good musical. I love that it can transform you and take you to a totally different place.
And all the kids– just think of all the kids like your daughter, who was sitting there dreaming of, one day, I want to do this. And now, she gets this opportunity that a lot of people would think, I would kill to do this. I want theater to be available for every kid because I think more than most things, our art classes and theater classes are the first things being stripped from our schools, and I find those to be the only places in towns and cities where kids can be goofy together.
And they can be in a safe space, and they can be fully themselves, or they can be fully something else other than themselves. And they come together as this group of supportive– nobody's a weirdo. And it's just the most wholesome, beautiful thing.
I want it for every single kid. And that's, again, why Broadway is always– theater has always been really important to me. Can you just say, will there be any acrobatic moments?
There will be acrobatic moments, but not in the way that you would normally see me doing acrobatic moments. I don't know what that means. [LAUGHS] Neither do I yet.
I don't know what that means. But I know there's a harness or two. Thatta boy, I don't know what that means.
Just know, very excited– – Thanks. GAYLE KING: –cheering you on. I can't wait for Sunday.
Thank you [INAUDIBLE]! GAYLE KING: I cannot wait. It's going to be awesome.
GAYLE KING: I cannot. You can watch Pink host the 79th Annual Tony Awards live this Sunday. Tune in at 8 o'clock Eastern, 5 o'clock Pacific, right here and streaming on where, Pink?
PINK: CBS and Paramount+. GAYLE KING: There you go. That'll do it for us.
We'll see you tomorrow on CBS Mornings.