How insanely awesome was LL Cool J as the host of the Grammys 2012 last night? Go ahead and admit it already -- you were drooling during the entire show too. There really couldn't have been a better person to host the Grammys this year than LL, especially after the sudden death of Whitney Houston the day before the show. (Seriously, can you believe that Whitney is gone?)

The Grammys are always a huge deal, but this is the first time that I can ever remember a music icon passing away right before they aired. I was a little bit nervous about how the whole thing would be approached, and whether or not it would make the Grammys a bit tough and emotional to watch. But LL Cool J set the tone for the night the minute he came out on stage -- and he nailed it. He totally made us fall in love with the Grammys all over again. And I think it's safe to say that we're all going to be a little ticked if he isn't the host again next year.

LL seemed to know that the best possible way to honor Whitney was to make the audience and viewers at home remember her incredible legacy instead of focusing on the tragedy of her passing. I loved how after reciting a small prayer in her honor, LL turned the focus of the night back over to what the Grammys is really all about -- celebrating music and the effect it has on our lives. He showed us that the night is supposed to be about how music makes us feel and the emotions it stirs up instead of being about a bunch of people jumping up and down on stage with a bunch of fancy lights shining down on them.

More from The Stir: The Real Reason Adele's Grammy Performance Was the Most Memorable (VIDEO)

Aside from the classy way that LL addressed Whitney Houston's death, he also breathed new life into the Grammys in general. The show has been kind of "blah" in recent years, and I've often sat there and watched and wondered just what in the hell happened to people who actually know how to host a show and keep a crowd's attention without being cheesy and boring. LL managed to be funny and charming, but still incredibly composed and controlled all at the same time. Let's be honest -- not many hosts of ANY awards shows have been able to find that kind of balance in the past few years.

Let's just hope that whoever is in charge of booking next year's host was paying attention last night. LL's shoes are going to be pretty tough to fill. And if for some reason the Grammy people do book someone else for 2013, I can already see the stream of complaints rolling in on Twitter asking, "Where the hell is LL?"

Do you think that LL Cool J did a good job hosting the Grammys?

 

Image via Kevin Winter/Getty