Hosted by 10-time KCA winner Will Smith, the awards were broadcast from the Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles where kids' top choices in television, movies, music and sports were revealed through a flying blimp, silver robot and sword swallower.

Smith made an aerial entrance onto the venue by parachuting down from the official KCA blimp, a 246-foot orange airship situated above the arena. After rappelling to the stage and deactivating a booby trap set by a mysterious Creepy Voice determined to stop the show, Smith kicked off the silver anniversary celebration with a performance of "Can U Handle This" and balloons filled with confetti and slime.