Photo by Michael Patrick, copyright © 2012 // Buy this photo
Pat Summitt was a surprise guest for NBC's 'Today' show broadcast from atop 'The Hill' on the University of Tennessee's campus in Monday, Oct. 1, 2012. The show's fourth hour, hosted by Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb carried on despite the steady rainfall. Gifford chose to wear a Peyton Manning jersey for the show, while Kotb wore a Justin Hunter jersey. (MICHAEL PATRICK/NEWS SENTINEL)
KNOXVILLE — Declaring it "Moonshine Monday," "Today" show personalities Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb brought their Volunteer spirit this morning to the University of Tennessee with makeovers, music and other college hijinks.
Increasing rain and falling temperatures didn't deter the fourth hour of "Today" when it broadcast live from the UT campus, just outside Ayres Hall on the Hill. Around 600 spectators, mainly students whose mass created a sea of vivid orange, flanked the stage from where Gifford and Kotb hosted. The general public was also represented in the crowd, with fans coming as far away as Michigan just to stand in the rain to see the two women.
Among the show's guests: Pat Summitt, Derek Dooley and country star Kip Moore.
Though UT is a dry campus, Gifford and Kotb said they had been offered booze. They said they declined.
"Technically," Gifford said backstage in a hair and make-up area, "we're not allowed to drink on the job, not that we care about technicalities. But, no, we haven't (accepted the offers)."
Kotb said she'd like to have moonshine sometime.
Being told that the local moonshine is strong, Kotb quipped about any ensuing inebriation, "I like to get there. I don't like the process."
For all their talk of drinking, Gifford and Kotb say it's mainly all in jest.
"There's a big difference between downing something and sipping it on occasion," Gifford said. "All things in moderation, as they say."
The show chose UT last month for the special live feature after holding a competition that included online voting. UT beat out universities that included Ohio State, Syracuse and Creighton.
More details as they develop online and in Tuesday's News Sentinel.
© 2012, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 7
ActorMikeBiddle_com writes:
Lol dry campus, it is practically a blue law. I guess they should have came on gameday.
Glickfix writes:
AWESOME Romney/Ryan sign in the background! Great to see our students are getting involved in such an important election!
mnvol writes:
Would you be as excited "to see our students getting involved in such an important election" if they were holding an Obama/Biden sign?
I purposely did not designate a political party when I registered to vote, so I don't feel obligated to sing the praises of one political party while automatically dispising the other - and will most likely vote for Romney, but in my opinion, this event was all about promoting UT on a national stage, not an opportunity for people to display their personal agendas. People seem to be incapable of participating in a public event without having to promote an agenda that's totally unrelated to the event itself.
GoodScout writes:
Too bad your students may not get to vote for Romney Ryan due to the restrictive Voter ID laws being enacted around the country!
leprechaun writes:
It's too bad that anyone came out for the Today Show.
These same Today Show clowns will ridicule and make fun of people from East TN when they are back in New York, but they come down here like they are our best friends.
My grandad used to call people like this scoundrels and carpetbaggers!
BRUCEpart2 writes:
Actually, ALL U,T. students who are registered will get to vote since they all have to have student I.D.'s w/pictures to attend the university. I think it's utterly partisan non-sense that there are those who feel that these laws are restrictive and discriminatory. Every "citizen" (citizen being the key word) is supposed to have valid state issued identification on them at all times anyway. The main jist of the law is to keep those who are undocumented or otherwise ineligible from voting, from attempting to vote...and certainly not more than once!
bob.lee#266593 writes:
There is no voter fraud, knucklehead. You'll probably be among the first in line to line up and have an RFID implanted in your forearm by Homeland Security or your local Election Commission
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