Kathie Lee Gifford Not Shaking Hands Anymore, Bumping Butts Instead

FishbowlNY editor Amanda Ernst appeared on the "Today" show Monday morning and wrote about the experience for her blog.

The most interesting detail? Kathie Lee Gifford — who co-hosts the fourth hour, when Ernst appeared — is no longer shaking hands, preferring instead to "bump butts."

Ernst writes:

After I was made pretty and mic'd up, I was all ready to be interviewed by Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford. Gifford is not shaking hands anymore because of swine flu, so she wanted to bump butts, which was hard to do while I was sitting down.

The ladies of "The View" recently had a similar discussion about how to greet guests without contracting swine flu, which led to Joy Behar planting a surprise kiss on Whoopi Goldberg's lips.

Earlier this year, the "Today" show canceled its planned vacation series over fears related to the swine flu outbreak.

Watch Ernst's appearance below:

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Comments

[brady61995]

i am sure her guest are pelased with that. god only know where those hands have been,

[Sheldon101]

There's a more reasonable behavior change recommended by public health officials. Don't sneeze into your hands. Instead sneeze into your elbow.

[jennylynn]

Bumping fists looks just as weird.

[tmo7734]

For about three years now, the Today Show's segments and on-air talent have become incredibly unimaginative and downright boring (Matt and Al are the exceptions). During the cooking segments, Natalie Morales doesn't even try the food and appears totally disengaged. And while the show is on for three hours, their hosts routinely race through segments like it's a 1/2 hour show. Maybe the show needs a new programming director. What do you think?

[Phxflyer]

I think Kathy Lee would really prefer to bump uglies.

[LiberalBuzz]

I've always wondered why they call them uglies.

Personally I would think they would like to bump kitties.

Or at least that's how I view them.....

[lukebenward]

Howie Mandel is absolutely correct in doing that on his 'Deal Or No Deal' game show to his contestants. Shaking hands is an absolutely gross way to communicate with someone. Should have left that practice waaaaaaaay behind in the 16th Century.

[Margo Arrowsmith]

So now paranoia is replacing civility? Don't these people have soap?

http://www.squidoo.com/alexandra_pelosi

[Norak]

Oh, who can blame Kathy Lee? if I were in a high profile job where not being there means losing viewers, I'd do the same. I'm afraid not shaking hands is the reality of all of us avoiding the N1H1 flu and could be the wave of the future.

[Clovie]

So the solution would be to expect people to "bump butts" with you? That's kind of odd and a little too personal for a first time meeting. She could do a fist bump or keep Purell right there and shake their hand, but then use sanitizer and offer it to the guest as well.

[GraceNotes]

The question remains, Is Kathie Lee Gifford really there, any time?

[DeeW]

Hoda used to do serious interviews, like Barbara Walters shes' now becoming a joke. I don't get why women who reach a peak in their professions want to go backwards.

[balancedsolution]

Kathie Lee get help!

Frank did this to you!

Think about your kids, whatever their names are.

[ChiGuy]

Why anyone would want to touch KLG in the first place is beyond me.

[PatA]

Today a memorial service was held for a 5 year old girl that died from "swine flu"......­..central Texas

[Clovie]

Reason #486 why Kathie Lee shouldn't be on national television. I can't watch her without cringing.

[oakley9]

i never could either. i never understood the appeal and she earns so much money being totally obnoxious.

[zodaone]

Me too. Poor Hoda doesn't get a word in with Kathie Lee constantly interrupting her. NBC could do much better than this gal.

[rockyrococoAZ]

Well, if she wants to offer me her butt... I'd be happy to shake IT instead of her hand. ;-)

[zodaone]

gross!

[MarsAmbassador]

The Swine Flu is just the latest government/media creation to scare us stoopid so we do whatever they tell us and feel The Fear. Remember West Nile? The summer of the shark? Hurricane season? Killer bees? The Bermuda Triangle? It's all ridiculous and is crafted to keep us all in fear, acting emotionally instead of thinking rationally.

[JFaye]

Tell the families of over 20 young children who have died in recent weeks the H1N1 "...is the latest government/media creation to scare us..."

A neighbor just got out of the hospital after nearly a week and a young teen in our community died last week; County health officials confirmed H1N1.

[MarsAmbassador]

Oh please. Do you know how many THOUSANDS of Americans die every year from the regular flu? 36,000. FAR more than the H1N1 strain. More people will die from Tylenol than the H1N1 virus. And you don't see the ridiculousness about that at all. In fact, you'd never even know the regular flu existed as a public health threat if it wasn't for the inoculation drives this time every year. The whole H1N1 thing is a puffed up threat, created larger than life to scare us. End of story. Do you not remember the silliness over West Nile? All the drugstores had West Nile sections and everything. Do you know how many people died from it? About 20. More people died from having canoes fall on their heads.

[helgathewitch]

I was going to ask what planet you come from but the funny thing is you obviously already think you come from Mars.

[StacyJ]

"Bumping butts " is not a good replacement for a handshake, unless everyone's been drinking first.

[JFaye]

Possible hip injuries as well ... how about the terrorist fist bump?

[Harlyridr]

You of course mean the Fox News Terrorist fist bump, right?