Kathie Lee Gifford and Matt Lauer shared a sweet on-air kiss Tuesday while carrying out the Twizzler Challenge on the Today show.
Kathie Lee Gifford locked lips with co-host Matt Lauer after the twosome nibbled opposite ends of the red licorice candy until their lips met for the Twizzler Challenge, is a campaign to raise funds for autism awareness and related programs.
The challenge involves two people nibbling the ends of the red licorice wand until lips meet, much like the spaghetti scene in the Disney film Lady and the Tramp.
Kathie Lee Gifford and Matt Lauer were not the first Today show hosts to lock lips for the charity. Last week, Meredith Vieira completed the challenge with Today co-anchor Willie Geist last week, and then challenged Gifford and Lauer to do the same on Tuesday’s episode.
Kathie Lee Gifford and Matt Lauer awkwardly take on the Twizzler Challenge http://t.co/s1zaMhJlXX pic.twitter.com/vsrZKLvsx2
— Mashable (@mashable) March 17, 2015
Pucker up: @TODAYshow lip-lock gone viral. Hear why on #TodayinLA http://t.co/VX4g7Sb5zl pic.twitter.com/BLlOB3IAFp
— NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) March 18, 2015
Willie Geist and Uzo Aduba of Orange is the New Black inspired the campaign by sharing a similar kiss at the Night of Too Many Stars fundraiser in February.
Kathie Lee Gifford and her partner in the challenge, Matt Lauer, nominated Regis Philbin and Hoda Kotb to complete the challenge for autism.
All donations for the challenge goes to the New York Collaborates for Autism, which has raised over $18 million for autism programs since 2006.