One of the most cringe-worthy late-night antics of all time was the near-kiss moment between Jimmy Kimmel and Rihanna.
Late-night shows are home for some of the memorable musical performances, tense interviews that led David Letterman’s guests to almost walk out on him, and games celebrities are willing to participate in for the sake of entertainment. These challenges don’t always end up on the positive side, as seen with Tom Cruise’s embarrassment after a misstep on Jimmy Fallon’s show.
But maybe one of the most cringe-worthy late-night antics of all time was the near-kiss moment between Jimmy Kimmel and Rihanna. While it may have been for a good cause, the Twizzler Challenge Fallon initiated left the audience squirming in their seats.
How Did Rihanna React To Jimmy Kimmel Almost Kissing Her?
In an April 2015 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Rihanna was invited by Kimmel to participate in the Twizzler Challenge. Kimmel initiated this to raise awareness and support a charitable cause for the New York Collaborates for Autism Organization since the United Nations has sanctioned April as World Autism Month.
Similar to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, this social media challenge aimed to generate donations and funds to further support the research and facilities that help families and those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Kimmel seized the opportunity to get Rihanna involved. He humorously explained that the spaghetti-eating scene from The Lady and the Tramp inspired the way they would do the challenge.
As Kimmel and Rihanna slowly chewed opposite ends of a Twizzler, the atmosphere turned light-hearted when Rihanna playfully mentioned Kimmel’s wife. The near-kiss between them sparked laughter and applause after it initially generated squirming reactions from the audience. Overall, it seemed like Rihanna had good-natured fun participating in the charitable challenge.