Kathie Lee Gifford, Matt Lauer kiss for Twizzler Challenge

NEW YORK, March 18 (UPI) -- Kathie Lee Gifford and Matt Lauer shared an on-air kiss this week on Today.

The morning show co-hosts puckered up as part of the Twizzler Challenge. The campaign seeks to raise funds for autism awareness and programs, and sees two people nibble a licorice wand à la the spaghetti strand in Disney film Lady and the Tramp.

Talk show host Meredith Vieira kicked off the challenge with Today co-anchor Willie Geist last week, and dared Gifford and Lauer to do the same on Tuesday's episode. The pair nominated Regis Philbin and Hoda Kotb to participate.

Geist and Orange is the New Black actress Uzo Aduba inspired the campaign by sharing a similar kiss at the Night of Too Many Stars fundraiser in February. Donations go to the New York Collaborates for Autism, which has raised over $18 million for autism programs since 2006.