Host Neil Patrick Harris promises surprises on Oscar Sunday

LOS ANGELES -- Oscar host Neil Patrick Harris admits he's a little bit nervous for Oscar Sunday, but in a weird way. He thinks that could be a good thing.

"I think nerves fuel you. That being said it's hard to not be a little overwhelmed by the enormity of all of it," Harris said.

Harris has wholeheartedly jumped into the preparations. His goal is to be respectful and to make everyone feel comfortable, while keeping a slight edge. He also promises surprises!

"They love the phrase 'only on the Oscars' and that's been a mantra that's been in my head for a long time. It's now a tattoo on my lower back," Harris joked. "There's some interesting surprises. There will be unexpected people showing up and I have some things that I am planning on doing that are unusual for the host's canon."

Harris hopes to come up with just the right balance.

"I'll have options, multiple options, and a real sense of where it's going. If people are liking the dark humor we can try that option, and if it gets a little too 'hey' then we'll go back and forth. I'm going to do game day decisions a lot."

The all-star list of nominees and presenters will be fun for the TV fans to see. Believe it or not, Harris counts himself as one of those fans!

"I'm very star-struck," he admitted. "So it's going to be interesting to stand out there and look right down 7 feet away from people that I would normally have some sort of restraining order against me if I got too close to them."

Harris says he's just like everyone else in that he grew up watching the Oscars.

"Everyone watches the Oscars year after year after year," he said. "It leaves a real strong mark. It makes you want to see more movies. It makes you want to become an actor."

Harris will dazzle the crowd, both in the Dolby Theatre and in millions of TV homes, on ABC Sunday night.