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Tag: today show

  • Nia Vardalos on Kissing “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” Costar John Corbett: Not Always Easy

    Nia Vardalos on Kissing “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” Costar John Corbett: Not Always Easy

    Nia Vardalos opened up to Today Show hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb on Monday, and the talk turned to kissing her on-screen husband John Corbett.

    Nia Vardalos admitted it was incredibly easy to kiss Corbett when production began on My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, but it wasn’t that way at the beginning–back when My Big Fat Greek Wedding was filming. She explained to Kathie Lee and Hoda how she waited outside the makeup trailer for John Corbett one day, and took matters into her own hands–or lips, as it turned out. Nia Vardalos had never kissed anyone in a movie before.

    “‘Can you just kiss me right now and we’ll just get it over with, just by ourselves?’” she explained asking Corbett. “And he goes, ‘Sure.’ Kisses me right there, and I was like, melt. Got it over with and then I was embarrassed.”

    Their kiss wasn’t as private as she planned, however.

    “The man who does our hair had opened the door of the hair and makeup trailer and seen us and went, ‘They’re having an affair!’” she said.

    Nia Vardalos went on to explain that My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 features not only romantic scenes, but fabulous lines from its many female characters.

    “It was as my personal goal to write very, very strong roles for the women because we are an under-served gender in Hollywood,” she said.

    Fans can check out Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, and their later-in-life kissing scenes when My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 hits theaters nationwide on March 25.

  • Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton: Pharrell Williams Calls Their Relationship a “Miracle”

    Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton began dating this past fall. Blake’s fellow coach on The Voice–Pharrell Williams–thinks the two are great together.

    Pharrell appeared on the Today Show Thursday, and chatted about his good friends.

    “It’s poppin’ off!” the “Happy” singer said of Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton. “It’s so beautiful, because being there, I watched both of them go through a lot, you know. You hate to see your friends go through something so heavy, and it’s kind of like a miracle, man–just watching that.”

    Pharrell told Savannah Guthrie and Carson Daly he was shocked when he first found out.

    “I had no idea,” he said. “And then Blake sends me a text message, and I’m like, ‘Whoa!’”

    Carson Daly swears he didn’t know Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton were an item for quite some time either.

    “We were all like, ‘Whoa!’” he added. “None of us [knew], but we’re glad that it happened.”

    Some fans wondered if Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton’s relationship would last after season nine of The Voice was over. Without Gwen returning as a coach this season–Christina Aguilera has returned–many wondered if things between the two might fizzle out.

    That couldn’t be further from the truth. Even Christina Aguilera gives their relationship her seal of approval.

    “I’ve known Gwen for a really long time,” she said this fall, when Stefani’s rep confirmed the relationship. “We went to each others’ kids birthday parties, we share the same management, and Blake I know now from the show.”

    Blake Shelton announced this past summer that he and Miranda Lambert were divorced. Gwen Stefani announced not too long afterward that she and husband Gavin Rossdale had split.

    It seems like fans aren’t the only ones who love seeing Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton together. Even their cohorts at The Voice think they make a remarkable couple.

    Do you think Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are in this for good? Might there be wedding bells ringing for the couple in the future?

  • Charlize Theron Visits ‘Today’ To Spread Awareness On AIDS, Actress Believes Epidemic Can Be Eliminated

    Decades ago, condoms were perceived merely as a method of contraception as opposed to a means to prevent sexually-transmitted disease.

    But for actress Charlize Theron, it’s an important tool that could possibly end AIDS in the coming years.

    Theron visited Today last Monday to raise awareness about AIDS and how we could end it.

    According to Theron, the statistics in Africa shows that girls are eight times more likely to acquire AIDS than boys. ‘When I was growing up (in South Africa) in the late ’80s and early ’90s, an epidemic really hit and we had little information on it,’ Theron revealed.    

    “I remember being a young girl growing up with this petrifying fear because people were dying and nobody knew why,” Theron said. “Today we know why, and it’s completely preventable, and yet more young girls are dying today than 20 years ago and something is wrong with that.”  

    Theron said the reason why the infectious disease is not ending is because people have been complacent and the issue is just being curbed instead of being eliminated completely. Charlize Theron also founded the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project in 2008, which is an organization that helps African youth keep themselves safe from HIV infection. Charlize Theron said she believes that youth of today should be taught how to prevent the illness instead of seeking immediate care.  

    Theron added that she is aware that her efforts and other organizations are not enough, and that all of us should work on this fight.

    AIDS remains the leading killer among adolescents in Africa and the second leading cause of death among all adolescents globally.

    “That should be something we should all be concerned about,” Theron said of how AIDS disproportionately affects women. “That affects me. That affects you. That’s not just an African problem. That’s not just as Asian problem… that’s all of us.”

  • Meredith Vieira Gets Black Eye; Even Her Husband Has Jokes About It

    Meredith Vieira showed up on the Today Show, ready to fill in for Kathie Lee Gifford, whose husband died recently. But something was amiss. Vieira was sporting a pair of dark sunglasses.

    Hoda Kotb had to ask.

    “Okay, one question because you are so not pretentious and you have on sunglasses in studio,” Hoda Kotb began.

    “If you’re going to laugh, I’m not going to tell you,” Meredith Vieira warned. She then removed her sunglasses to reveal a black eye. Immediately, some guy in Jersey tweeted:

    “What can you say to a woman with two black eyes? Nothing. You already told her twice.”

    But Vieira had a good explanation for her injury. Apparently it was a nighttime potty trip and she tried to make it in the dark.

    “I had to go to the bathroom and I didn’t put the light on,” Vieira said. Apparently she had left a suitcase sitting in the way to the bathroom.

    “The suitcase is black, and the room is black. It’s dark. … And I go to the bathroom and forget the suitcase is there,” she said. “And I fell over the suitcase and I hit my head on the rim of the dressing room table.”

    Meredith Vieira later tweeted about the incident:

    “The doc says I’m ok,” she wrote. “But 3 lessons here: turn on the light, ALWAYS get head injuries checked out, and never marry a writer!”

    Vieira’s joke about the writer is about her husband, Richard Cohen. Cohen blogged about Meredith’s trip.

    “I am the one in my house who has multiple sclerosis. I am the only one who is legally blind. I have limited depth perception and glance off doorways if I am not careful – and I am very cautious – because my lateral perception also is deficient,” Cohen write. “Yet I survive because I have learned self-preservation. I am married to a woman who has not.”

    Cohen proceeded to joke about the fall at Vieira’s expense.

    “Last night, while paying a visit to the bathroom, Meredith fell over a suitcase, slamming her head against a dressing table as she plummeted south. The dog was so embarrassed for her he did not even bark.”

    He was not the only one. Some joked that Meredith Vieira may have been gunning for Kathie Lee’s job and found the task more of a challenge than she had counted on.

  • Meredith Vieira: How Did She Get That Horrible Black Eye?

    Meredith Vieira joined Hoda Kotb–filling in for Kathie Lee Gifford–on the fourth hour of The Today Show on Friday. Sporting a horrible black eye, she arrived on set wearing dark shades.

    The sunglasses quickly alerted Hoda that something was amiss.

    “Okay, one question because you are so not pretentious and you have on sunglasses in studio,” she said to Meredith Vieira.

    “If you’re going to laugh, I’m not going to tell you,” Vieira cautioned.

    She then took off the sunglasses and revealed the black eye they were hiding.

    “I had to go to the bathroom and I didn’t put the light on,” Meredith Vieira said.

    She continued, explaining that she’d just returned from a cross-country flight and had forgotten about the suitcase that was blocking the walkway.

    “The suitcase is black, and the room is black. It’s dark. And I go to the bathroom and forget the suitcase is there,” she said. “And I fell over the suitcase and I hit my head on the rim of the dressing room table.”

    Meredith Vieira alluded to an injury in a couple of Tweets on Tuesday.

    On Friday, Meredith Vieira pre-empted her appearance on The Today Show, as well as her black eye.

    After the show, Meredith Vieira shared what that horrible black eye was looking like as of Friday–for those who didn’t catch her on The Today Show.

    Later, she shared how much she loved her time with Hoda Kotb, but wished it wasn’t due to Kathie Lee Gifford’s loss of husband Frank.

    So now everyone knows the reason Meredith Vieira is sporting a nasty looking black eye. It didn’t keep her from co-hosting with Hoda Kotb and it’s not likely it will prevent her from doing anything else, either–except for going to the bathroom with the light off.

    Meredith Vieira will no doubt make a quick and full recovery from her black eye.

  • Kathie Lee Gifford: Colleague Al Roker Talks of Her Strength Following Frank Gifford’s Death

    Kathie Lee Gifford is “distraught,” but “strong” in the wake of her husband Frank Gifford’s passing last Sunday, according to her Today Show colleague Al Roker. Roker chatted with the HuffPost Live on Friday about Kathie Lee and her devastating loss.

    “You know, we reached out [to Kathie],” Roker said. “And she is very strong but obviously, very distraught. The thing I love about Kathie Lee is that she jokes around… at her core, she is such a woman of faith. And while this is a tragedy for her and her family, I know she knows it’s God’s will. While she’s sad, I think she rejoices in the time she had with Frank and these two beautiful children they had together.”

    Frank Gifford died of natural causes at home in Connecticut at the age of 84. Earlier this week, Kathie Lee Gifford’s co-host and dear friend Hoda Kotb weighed in on Frank’s death.

    “Kath said something to me yesterday,” Kotb shared. “She said, ‘This is not a tragedy.’ I was holding her hand, and she said, ‘A 4-year-old girl having cancer is a tragedy. Frank lived to be almost 85.’ She said, ‘He lived an incredible life, has an incredible family, had an incredible legacy.’ She said, ‘His life is a triumph.’”

    Al Roker paid tribute to Frank Gifford, too, saying, “Here’s a guy I grew up watching him play football when I was a small kid, and then watching him on Monday Night Football. He’s pretty much what you see on television, this self-effacing, low-key guy is who you see in person. So vibrant!”

    “I’d been out to Kathie Lee’s maybe about six months ago,” Roker added, “and he comes driving up in a convertible with his sunglasses on, and it’s like, ‘Geez, it’s Frank Gifford. Frank Gifford!’”

    Kathie Lee Gifford has long been a devout Christian, and she has relied on her strong faith to see her through this difficult time. She has taken to Twitter to share words of Scripture with her followers.

    On Friday, Kathie Lee Gifford sent a warm congratulatory Tweet to Today Show colleague Jenna Bush Hager on the arrival of her new baby girl, Poppy Louise Hager.

    As both Al Roker and Hoda Kotb can attest, Kathie Lee Gifford is grieving, but thankful, too–that she had a life with Frank Gifford. She realizes how blessed she was to have had him until he was nearly 85 years old.

    Faith is clearly helping Kathie Lee Gifford put Frank’s passing into perspective. It will no doubt continue to strengthen and guide her in the days to come.

  • Jenna Bush Hager Tears Up As Mom, Laura Bush, and Grandmother, Barbara Bush, Call In To “Today”

    Jenna Bush Hager Tears Up As Mom, Laura Bush, and Grandmother, Barbara Bush, Call In To “Today”

    Jenna Bush Hager got an unexpected surprise on Monday’s episode of Today.

    Monday was Jenna Bush Hager’s last day on the set before she goes on maternity leave.

    Jenna Bush Hager is getting ready to have her second daughter with her husband, Henry Hager. Their daughter, Mila, is 2.

    Jenna Bush Hager’s co-hosts sent her off right with gifts, including diapers, books, and other gifts.

    But, the best gift was a phone call from Jenna Bush Hager’s mom, Laura Bush, and her grandmother, Barbara Bush.

    Laura Bush said on the phone, “We’re calling in just to give her lots of love, and tell her we can’t wait to see that new baby.”

    The ladies said that everyone was anxiously awaiting the 13th, which is when Jenna Bush Hager is due.

    Family of before we become family of . Not sure our M knows what she's in for!

    A photo posted by jennabhager (@jennabhager) on

    Jenna Bush Hager was clearly emotional and teary, as lots of pregnant women are, and kept saying, “I can’t handle this!”

    Barbara Bush told her granddaughter, “Good luck to you and we know you’re getting ready to go on maternity leave and so we’re thrilled to have you around.”

    Missing Maine on a rainy NYC Monday after a wonderful week.

    A photo posted by jennabhager (@jennabhager) on

    Savannah Guthrie chimed in “One thing we know the Bush ladies know how to do is raise beautiful little girls.”

    To that, Barbara Bush replied, “Wait a minute. We’re not bad on boys!”

    Happy Birthday to my fiesty, funny, smart Ganny. Tune into @todayshow at 8am.

    A photo posted by jennabhager (@jennabhager) on

    Clearly they’re not bad on boys. With two former presidents in the family and a possible presidential candidate, not to mention a slew of other politicians, the Bush family isn’t lacking.

    What did you think of Jenna Bush Hager’s surprise phone call? Wasn’t that a sweet moment?

  • Kathie Lee Gifford Embarrasses Daughter Cassidy On National TV

    Kathie Lee Gifford Embarrasses Daughter Cassidy On National TV

    All thanks to Kathie Lee Gifford’s constant anecdotes on Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee, America now knows everything about her daughter Cassidy.

    The up-and-coming actress revealed in the latest issue of PEOPLE how Mom embarrassed her through an on-air overshare on Today.

    Cassidy, 21, says to the mag, “Oh my god, don’t get me started!”

    “I can’t even watch the show anymore.”

    “One time I called her, and she just happened to have her phone for a Today show segment and held it up and was like, ‘Oh, Cassidy’s calling me!’” the young actress gushes.

    “She opens up her old, little, dinosaur flip phone, and of course the cameras zoom in, and there was my number! All of a sudden I had hundreds of creepy texts,” she continues.

    “Like, ‘Really, Mom?!’”

    This mortifying moment not only caused Cassidy to receive creepy text messages from unknown numbers, it also nearly cost her the role for the found-footage horror movie, The Gallows, which was produced by The Purge’s Jason Blum.

    “That was right before I went to do my audition for The Gallows, and I almost didn’t get the film because of that: They just wanted to do a cast of unknowns,” she says.

    At that time, Cassidy was just launching her career. She was also just a student from University of Southern California during her mom’s accidental blab on her show.

    “So that was a huge thing going on, whether they’d give me the role or not: Whether or not she could keep her mouth shut,” the leading lady continues.

    Glad that Kathie Lee “has proven that she kind of can, at least for a little bit,” or else we wouldn’t have been hearing of Cassidy’s leading role on The Gallows which premiered on July 10.

  • Regis Philbin, Kathie Lee Gifford Together Again on ‘Today’ Show

    Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford are back together again. This time the stars of Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee have come together on NBC’s Today Show after spending 15 years apart.

    Kathie Lee Gifford stars alongside Hoda Kotb on the fourth hour of Today each morning. Regis Philbin was just named a contributor to the fourth hour of the show.

    “Regis brings his legendary charm and humor each time he visits Today,” Tammy Filler, the co-executive producer of Today, said in a statement. “His energy is infectious, and when Regis is around, you never know what will happen.”

    No stranger to the Today Show, Regis Philbin has appeared on the morning show several times in the past few months. He was a huge hit in Today The Musical–a sing-along that aired back in December.

    When Kathie Lee Gifford left Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee back in 2000, Regis Philbin brought in Kelly Ripa as his co-host. When he retired, the show became Live! With Kelly and Michael, with Michael Strahan serving as Kelly Ripa’s sidekick. Ripa and Philbin have lost touch since he retired from the show.

    During a segment on Thursday’s Today Show, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb appeared in a skit with Philbin announcing his upcoming appearances on the show.

    “Reg, what are you doing here?” Gifford exclaimed when Regis Philbin was seen tending bar.

    “I’ve got a job here!” he replied.

    “We thought [he] would be the perfect person to join our motley crew: Regis Philbin is joining the fourth hour,” Hoda Kotb said.

    “I wish we could have him every day, but he’s very busy,” Kathie Lee Gifford added.

    What’s your take on Regis Philbin joining Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb as a fourth-hour contributor on Today?

    Regis Philbin is 83 years old.

  • Kathie Lee Gifford Defends Kris Jenner Amid Bruce Jenner Transition

    Kris Jenner’s long-time friend Kathie Lee Gifford weighs in on Bruce Jenner’s 20/20 interview and says that she was “shocked” that he was transitioning.

    The 61-year-old revealed to her Today co-host Hoda Kotb that “I never saw this coming, I’ve got to tell you.” She added that “It would have shocked me as much if Frank had told me [the same thing.]”

    Gifford also mentioned that she had a deep conversation with Bruce before his 20/20 interview and stated that she will never reveal what they talked about. She admitted to being grateful for the talk because it prepared her “for everything he was going to say and even more.”

    Gifford and her husband, sports commentator Frank Gifford, have been friends of the Jenner family for a long time and remain supportive of the former Olympian.

    “How do you deal with that [the news]?” she asked. “The way you do, ultimately, is when you put love first, and try to put yourself in someone else’s high heels I suppose.”

    The TV host also came to the defense of her best friend, Kris Jenner, who’s been unnaturally quiet since Bruce’s revealing interview came out.

    “She’s trying to get her act together, trying to be a good friend to him or her now, trying to be a good parent,” Gifford said of her friend. “And it’s complicated in ways that we cannot even comprehend.

    Gifford also pointed out that while Bruce’s 2 ex-wives (Chrystie Crownover and Linda Thompson) had years to get used to the idea of Bruce transitioning, the idea was still new to Kris.

    This was contrary to Bruce’s claim that Kris knows his secret and that she had seen him cross-dressing. He even added that they would “probably still be together” if she had been more accepting of his situation

  • Kathie Lee Gifford Defends Kris Jenner During Bruce Jenner Transition

    Kathie Lee Gifford has come to the defense of Keeping Up With the Kardashians matriarch Kris Jenner in light of Bruce Jenner’s recent interview about his transition from a man to a woman, and how Kris has been dissed in the media for not supporting him.

    Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford have long been friends with Bruce and Kris Jenner. It was Frank who told Kathie Lee about Bruce’s transition and his interview with Diane Sawyer.

    Kathie Lee Gifford had a conversation with Bruce Jenner just a week ahead of last Friday’s interview.

    “Nothing I said, or he said to me, will ever be revealed,” she told viewers on the Today Show segment she shares with Hota Kotb. “But, I’m glad that we did have a long talk because I was prepared for everything he was going to say and even more, and I am grateful for that because we all want to know how to go forward. We all want to love him through this.”

    Kris Jenner has been under fire since the Bruce Jenner and Diane Sawyer interview on 20/20 Friday night. Bruce’s two former ex-wives issued statements about his transition, while Kris refused to comment.

    “The other [wives Chrystie Crownover and Linda Thompson], both fine women, had a long time to get used to this,” Kathie Lee Gifford explained. “This was new to Kris. She’s trying to get her act together. She’s trying to be a good friend to him. Trying to still be a good parent. It’s complicated in ways that we cannot even comprehend. Frank and I send our love and prayers to Bruce and his family. God loves you and so do we.”

    Do you think people will go a bit easier on the Keeping Up With the Kardashians matriarch in light of Kathie Lee Gifford’s remark?

    Gifford also lauded Bruce Jenner for being brave enough to go forward with his huge life change.

    “We also know that there are children who are…that have to learn how to deal with this,” shesaid. “If you could imagine the surprise– mean how do you deal with that? The way you do is ultimately when you put love first and try to put yourself in someone else’s high heels, I suppose, and Louboutins in their case. The story isn’t over obviously. The transition goes on.”

    Kudos to Kathie Lee Gifford for supporting both Bruce and Kris Jenner during this time of significant change. Are you surprised–given the strong Christian faith that Kathie Lee Gifford practices–that she so easily accepts what Bruce is going through?

  • Savannah Guthrie Holds Her Own Against Rand Paul in Today Show Interview

    Savannah Guthrie interviewed Senator Rand Paul on The Today Show this past week, and proved that she could hold her own against the presidential hopeful–even when being bashed by him on live TV.

    This is the second time Rand Paul has spoken rather abruptly (read: rudely) to a female TV anchor. CNBC anchor Kelly Evans came under his fire prior to his blast at Savannah Guthrie.

    The tongue lashing Savannah Guthrie received from the senator came when she noted his shift in positions on the threat posed by Iran and on the U.S. providing foreign aid to countries–including Israel.

    “You have had views in the past on foreign policy that are somewhat unorthodox, but you seem to have changed over the years. You once said Iran was not a threat, now you say it is. You once proposed ending foreign aid to Israel; you now support it, at least for the time being. And you once offered to drastically cut…,” Guthrie said.

    “No , before we go..,” Rand Paul said.

    “Well wait, wait, wait,” Savannah Guthrie interjected. “So I just wonder if you’ve mellowed out.”

    “Yeah, why don’t we let me explain instead of talking over me, OK? Before we go through a litany of things you say I’ve changed on, why don’t you ask me a question: Have I changed my opinion?” Paul said.

    “Have you changed your opinion?” Savannah Guthrie politely inquired.

    “That’s a better way to approach it,” Rand Paul said in a rather patronizing manner.

    “Okay. Is Iran still not a threat?” Guthrie asked.

    “No, no, no, you’ve editorialized it. No no no no, listen. You’ve editorialized. Let me answer a question. You asked a question and you say ‘Have your views changed?’ instead of editorializing and saying my views have changed,” Paul continued.

    When Rand Paul had his run-in with Kelly Evans back in February, he even had the audacity to ‘shush’ her–yes, he actually put his fingers to his lips and say ‘shush,’ before lighting into her even further.

    Wouldn’t you have loved to hear what both Savannah Guthrie and Kelly Evans had to say following their interviews with Rand Paul? Do you think the networks will all seek out their toughest anchors to interview the presidential hopeful in the future or will each of these women go back in for more?

    Certainly Rand Paul and all other interviewees have the right to speak their minds, but the way he spoke to both Savannah Guthrie and Kelly Evans reeked of condescension. No one has the right to do that–not even if they’re running for president.

  • Jenna Bush Hager Expecting Baby Number Two

    Jenna Bush Hager–daughter of former President George Bush and Laura Bush–is expecting her second baby. The Today correspondent is reportedly 20 weeks along.

    “We’re so excited,” she confirmed to People magazine. “I’m ready to tell the world!”

    Jenna Bush Hager and her husband Henry Hager are already the parents of two-year-old daughter, Mila.

    Her baby bump got a kiss blown in its direction when Mila announced via video that there’s a baby in her mama’s belly.

    “I appreciate life so much more as a mom. And I feel so lucky,” Jenna Bush Hager, who is 33, says. “I know how wonderful motherhood is and that makes it so much sweeter.”

    So far this pregnancy has been an easy one.

    “My husband even said, ‘I keep forgetting you’re pregnant,’” she jokes.

    Jenna Bush Hager and her hubby shared their exciting news with George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush the day after Christmas.

    “They were thrilled!” she said.

    This time around the couple believed they were having a boy–and were quite surprised when Mila was born instead. Therefore the parents have decided to learn the gender of this baby ahead of time.

    “We didn’t find out with Mila and we were convinced she was a boy, to the point that we painted the nursery a pale blue. And it was a girl! We were thrilled, but shocked,” Bush Hager says. “So with the second, we decided to find out.”

    Little Mila is excited about being a big sister.

    “We started talking [to her] about it,” Bush Hager says. “And she’ll say, ‘Hi baby!’ to my stomach. She is very precocious. I think she’ll be a great big sister but there may be a learning curve. She definitely likes attention!”

    Jenna Bush Hager is even thinking as far ahead as baby number three.

    “I want a big family. We’ll see what happens,” she shares.

    Congratulations are no doubt going around today for Jenna Bush Hager and hubby Henry Hager, as well as to former President George W. Bush and wife Laura. The arrival of a new baby is a joyous occasion. How wonderful the entire family has this to anticipate in the coming months.

  • Kathie Lee Gifford Kisses Matt Lauer For Charity

    Kathie Lee Gifford locked lips with Matt Lauer on the Today show.

    But, don’t worry, it was for charity.

    Why anyone would kiss either one of those two for ANY other reason, I do not know.

    Kathie Lee Gifford was partaking in the latest do-something-make-it-go-viral-challenge-friends charity push.

    This time, Kathie Lee Gifford and Matt Lauer were supporting autism by chomping on opposite ends of a Twizzler until they met in the middle, Lady and the Tramp style.

    The whole thing started at Jon Stewart and Comedy Central’s “Night of Too Many Stars” autism event two weeks ago.

    During that event, Willie Geist was challenged by a Twitter follower to do the challenge with Uzo Aduba in exchange for a monetary donation.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojbrolOWSj4

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUjrYOCJneM

    Now Kathie Lee Gifford and Matt Lauer, along with the rest of the world, are smooching for Autism in a move that is highly reminiscent of 2014’s ice bucket challenge that raised millions for ALS.

    Hopefully, this charity drive will be just as successful.

    Eating a Twizzler and kissing a friend is way easier than taking a bucket of cold ice water on your melon.

    Along with Kathie Lee Gifford, Meredith Vieira also took the Twizzler challenge with Geist on her show, The Meredith Vieira Show.

    They ended up donating $5,000 towards programs that help those with autism.

    What do you think about the Twizzler challenge? Do you think that the momentum of the ice bucket challenge still runs deep enough to motivate people to support autism by nibbling Twizzlers and kissing people?

    It will be interesting to see just how far it goes.

  • Jennifer Garner’s Love For Her Mom and Sisters Brings Her to Tears

    Jennifer Garner was brought to tears Wednesday when speaking about her family during an emotional appearance on the Today show.

    The love Jennifer Garner feels for her mom, Patricia, and sisters Melissa and Susannah was touchingly apparent after a photo Savannah Guthrie shared from a recent Southern Living photo shoot brought the Danny Collins actress to tears.

    “It makes me cry to see their faces, so I won’t look,” Jennifer Garner said as the photo appeared on a screen behind her.

    “There’s just nothing like sharing the spotlight or anything else with your sisters and your mom,” Garner said as she began to tear up and slow her speech. “It’s always fun for me to get my sisters dolled up and my mom… I can’t even take it, Today show is too tough for me.”

    Savannah Guthrie saved the day by changing the subject, but her tears returned when Matt Lauer took a moment to praise the actress for her emotional honesty.

    “We just put Jennifer on the list of best guests ever… Fantastic, she’s unbelievable,” said Lauer.

    “I’m so sorry!” Jennifer Garner said, looking beautiful as ever as she wiped more tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. My mom is under the weather and it just… I didn’t realize I would get emotional.”

    Jennifer Garner, who is the middle daughter of Patricia and Bill Garner, didn’t specify her mother’s medical condition.

    Jennifer Garner explained the importance of her relationship with her sisters in the Southern Living interview.

    “Being the middle sister of these three girls is the relationship that defines me more than anything else. More than being my kids’ mother, more than being my husband’s wife, I’m first and foremost the middle Garner girl,” she said.

  • Savannah Guthrie Subs for Lester Holt, Who Subs for Brian Williams on ‘NBC Nightly News’

    Savannah Guthrie filled in for Lester Holt on NBC Nightly News Monday, as Holt had a ‘family emergency’ he was called away to handle. Lester Holt has been named as the substitute anchor for Brian Williams, who was suspended by the network for six months, pending an investigation into his habit of not-quite-telling the truth.

    It was speculated back when the whole Brian Williams debacle reared its ugly head that Savannah Guthrie might be the one to fill in for him at the NBC Nightly News desk, but her contract with the Today show won’t allow that. She is under contract for three more years with the morning news show.

    Lester Holt, in the meantime, has done an impressive job of filling in for Brian Williams–something he had, of course, done on several occasions prior to Williams’s suspension. In addition, Holt is keeping the NBC Nightly News ratings high enough to surpass those of all the other networks.

    Savannah Guthrie certainly has the capability to have subbed on a regular basis for Brian Williams. Do you think she would have kept those ratings high, however? CBS thought they were going to win the ratings war when they put Katie Couric behind their evening news desk, and that didn’t work out the way they’d planned.

    Do you think Savannah Guthrie could do the job–and maintain the ratings–that Lester Holt is achieving thus far in Brian Williams’s seat?

    It is uncertain thus far what Lester Holt’s family emergency is, or even if he will return to NBC Nightly News on Tuesday. It’s unlikely Savannah Guthrie will sub for him again, however, as she will have spent Tuesday on the Today show. Not only does that mean she has put in many hours since Monday at the crack of dawn, but she also has a baby at home–little Vale–awaiting that precious time with Mom.

  • Savannah Guthrie: Three More Years at ‘Today,’ and Interview With President Obama

    Savannah Guthrie can honestly say that 2015 is off to an excellent start. Earlier in January her contract as Matt Lauer’s co-anchor at the Today show was extended for three more years. And next week–on Super Bowl Sunday–she’ll conduct her first interview with President Obama during the pre-game show.

    On the two days leading up to the Super Bowl, Savannah Guthrie, along with Today show colleague Al Roker, will host the show from from Block 23 in Phoenix, Arizona. NBC will begin coverage of the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 1st at noon. The game begins at 6:30 PM ET.

    President Obama is expected to talk with Guthrie about his “State of the Union address, the growing threat of ISIS, and what laws the country can get passed as Obama works with a fully-controlled Republican Congress.”

    This is a huge step for Savannah Guthrie, who came on board the Today show at a time when many viewers were upset about Ann Curry’s firing from the show.

    “It required a delicate touch,” Guthrie recalled. “My own approach was not to go in there with guns blazing, saying, ‘Pay attention to me.’ It called for someone to come in, put their head down and do the work. I tried to be a credit to the show and not another problem.”

    The past two times President Obama was interviewed during the Super Bowl pre-game show, it was Matt Lauer at the helm. Do you suppose this weighs heavily upon Savannah Guthrie?

    “I hope to leave a favorable impression,” she said.

    And she’ll no doubt do just that. Guthrie, a new mom to baby Vale, has a way about her that appears to make her interviewees want to open up to her. That’s key in the job she holds–one she’s likely thrilled to learn she’ll be holding for at least three more years.

    Will you be tuning in to the Super Bowl pre-game show this coming Sunday to see Savannah Guthrie interview President Barack Obama?

  • Kate Gosselin: Does She Need to Grow A Pair?

    Kate Gosselin has long been known as a fierce mom-warrior. Just watch old episodes of Jon & Kate Plus 8, and you’ll see there’s no question that this woman has a plan, the energy to carry it out, and the voice to let anyone know if they stand in her way, they’ve had it. Ask Jon Gosselin if you have further questions.

    So what happened to Kate Monday night on Celebrity Apprentice?

    Spoiler Alert. If you didn’t watch Monday night’s episode of Celebrity Apprentice, you might want to stop reading. Right here.

    Kate Gosselin heard those infamous words spoken by Donald Trump–the ones no contestant on Celebrity Apprentice ever want to hear.

    “Kate, your fired,” the Donald told her on Monday night.

    Did she deserve to go?

    Kate hasn’t been what anyone would call a powerhouse throughout the season, but she’s been a ‘slow and steady wins the race’ kind of team player. She hasn’t succumbed to the ridiculous drama that has been all-encompassing between Brandi Glanville and Kenya Moore. On Monday night, Brandi steered clear of all drama, but it ensued–this time between Kenya Moore and Vivica A. Fox. In fact, Vivica delivered one zinger to Kenya that will no doubt go down in the books as the funniest–but true–line of the season.

    “Stop it, baby. You sittin’ over there with a badonkadonk that’s fake as hell, so don’t go there. Don’t go there. She doesn’t have them boobs done? Come on, stop that, Kenya. Sittin’ over there with a seven-pack of lashes on. Stop that,” she said.

    Kate Gosselin, meanwhile, became lost in the drama. Instead of using that time to line up her soldiers for battle with Donald Trump, she grew weary of the fight, and appeared like she hadn’t a clue about what to say to defend herself and her team–the losing team.

    The old Kate Gosselin would have raised her voice, turned red in the face, and fired back at the silliness that took place between Kenya Moore and Vivica A. Fox. Even if it had little to nothing to do with why their team lost the challenge, she could have at least tried.

    Kate appeared on the Today show on Tuesday morning–a morning-after tradition this season for those fired from the show.

    Does Kate Gosselin need to grow a pair?

    Celebrity Apprentice was filmed last fall, so in reality, Kate has long since healed since getting the boot from Donald Trump. She is also rumored to be dating a millionaire.

    Hopefully she’s dusted herself off and unearthed some of that former assertiveness that made people either really love her or really hate her. Without it, however, she just isn’t Kate Gosselin. And Kate is a force to be reckoned with.

  • Ann Curry Leaving NBC News and Starting Production Company

    Ann Curry is reportedly leaving NBC News to start her own production company. Variety claims an official announcement will be released later today.

    Curry was the news anchor on Today from 1997 until 2011, when she was named co-anchor alongside Matt Lauer following Meredith Vieira’s decision to leave the show. Curry and Lauer never quite seemed to meld, and Ann had a hard time transitioning from hard news to lighter stories–as happens on the morning news shows.

    NBC handled the firing of Ann Curry from her Today post in a most inappropriate manner. Many believed Matt Lauer was behind her firing, but that was never backed up. Nonetheless the show lost lots of viewers when Ann left, and they have never regained their number one morning news show spot. That was quickly usurped by Good Morning America. They have held the title since then.

    Variety says Ann Curry will soon start her own production company, and they site a person ‘familiar with the situation’ as their source.

    Since Curry was fired from Today, she served as a special news correspondent from time to time and occasionally appeared on Dateline NBC.

    An NBC insider told Fox News, “Ann has been unhappy for a long time because she’s basically doing nothing, while NBC is unhappy that she has been paid a lot of money to do nothing.”

    Hopefully once out on her own, Ann Curry can utilize her many talents to their fullest extent.

    Does word of Ann Curry leaving NBC News come as a surprise to you?

    It will be interesting to learn how NBC responds.

  • Amy Adams ‘Confused and Definitely Frustrated’ Over ‘Today’s Decision to Cut Her

    Amy Adams is “frustrated” after an appearance scheduled on the Today show was cancelled after she refused to discuss issues pertaining to the Sony hacking scandal.

    The actress was slated to appear on Monday to promote Tim Burton’s Big Eyes, but producers pulled the plug on the segment after the actress said she wasn’t willing to answer questions that were likely related to the revelation that surfaced through hacked emails that she and her American Hustle co-star Jennifer Lawrence were paid less than their male counterparts in the Academy-Award nominated film.

    “As a news program, the ‘Today’ show doesn’t allow guests to put restrictions on interviews,” the show said in a statement on Monday. “In this case, after hours of discussion we felt uncomfortable with the demands being made and we determined the best course of action for all parties involved was to cancel the interview.”

    The actress told USA Today that she told the NBC morning news program that she was “uncomfortable” adding her voice to the conversation about the hack and Sony’s subsequent decision to pull The Interview from theaters.

    “But it was clear they were drawing a hard line. That this would be part of the conversation,” she said. “I walked away from the conversation and went up to the room to do the interview. I assumed they were going to ask me about [the Sony hacking]. And I was prepared for that, to whatever degree I was prepared.”

    Adams said when she “was informed that they had decided to pull the interview. I was confused and definitely frustrated. I still don’t understand.”

    The studio that produced the film, the Weinstein Company, supported the actress’ decision to remain quiet about the Sony hack and said her opinion should be respected.

    “We firmly stand behind Amy Adams. We’ve been lucky enough to have had her talents grace several of our films. We are certain her fellow actors and directors would all agree, she is nothing but the consummate professional both on and off set,” they told Just Jared. “Amy decided to speak up for herself and express her disappointment that Today would feel the need to ask her a question she did not feel comfortable , and rather than respect her opinion or continue the discussion, the reaction was to pull her appearance from the show.”

    Today reps declined to elaborate any further on the incident.

  • Amy Adams Cut from ‘Today Show’ for Not Talking Sony

    Amy Adams spent the past several days in New York City, hosting SNL this weekend and promoting her upcoming film Big Eyes. She was supposed to appear on the Today Show, too, but when she refused to discuss the recent Sony hack during her interview she was cut from the show.

    One of the emails revealed during the hacking scandal stated that Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence made less money than their male costars, Bradley Cooper and Christian Bale. It seems when Adams refused to discuss it, she was out.

    “As a news program, the Today show doesn’t allow guests to put restrictions on interviews. In this case, after hours of discussion we felt uncomfortable with the demands being made, and we determined the best course of action for all parties involved was to cancel the interview,” a spokesperson for the show told the Hollywood Reporter.

    Amy Adams was wholeheartedly supported by the Weinstein Company–the producers of Big Eyes.

    “We firmly stand behind Amy Adams. We’ve been lucky enough to have had her talents grace several of our films. We are certain her fellow actors and directors would all agree, she is nothing but the consummate professional both on and off set. Amy decided to speak up for herself and express her disappointment that Today would feel the need to ask her a question she did not feel comfortable, and rather than respect her opinion or continue the discussion, the reaction was to pull her appearance from the show,” they said in a statement released on Tuesday.

    Do you feel the Today Show was right or wrong in cutting Amy Adams from their show this week? Surely while promoting Big Eyes there was plenty she could have discussed besides the Sony email hacking.