Updated April 4, 4:05 p.m. ET:
"I'm proud to be the 'Charmin Tissue' of the TODAY show!," said Matt Lauer, the winner of Arrow Senior Management residences' most huggable anchor contest. "And I intend to defend my title with gusto!"
And well he should: He only beat Ann Curry by one vote, despite his fans' best efforts. That narrow margin hasn't gone unnoticed by Ann.
"ONE vote?" Curry said Wednesday afternoon. "I demand a recount! I want a hug, dag nab it."
Ann Grimmer, a resident in St. Louis, Missouri, said she wanted Matt to win so much she voted for him “a couple of times.” The residents were told of the winner at a Hug an Anchor party Tuesday. “It’s always fun to win,” Grimmer said. “It’s always a big deal.”
Original post:
It was a tight race for the title of most huggable anchor on Hug an Anchor day, but frontrunner Matt Lauer managed to secure the nomination and win the title.
Voters at the Arrow Senior Management residences, which have been spearheading the movement in their communities across the U.S., chose Matt Lauer to beat out his rivals for the title.
As TODAY.com previously reported, Lauer was tipped as the probable winner as he had been in the lead in both the TODAY.com poll and in the unofficial exit polls that had taken place throughout the Arrow communities.
The team at Arrow have published several videos documenting Hug an Anchor Day festivities, which have featured residents and staff members dancing with cardboard cut-outs of their favorite anchor.
Among the seniors, Kathie Lee Gifford came in third, with 28% of the vote. The Kathie Lee Gifford team were fierce competitors, said Amanda Tweten, Arrow's COO, rallying their base through cocktail parties fueled by pink martinis.
In an extraordinarily tight race for the title of America’s most huggable anchor, with Ann Curry coming in second, beaten by only one vote by Lauer.
In the TODAY.com poll, Matt Lauer came in first with 28% of the vote, and Ann Curry came in a close second. A TODAY family group-hug came in third, with 14% of the vote.
When a resident at Arrow was asked what he’d be doing during Hug an Anchor Day he said, “I’m going to watch the TODAY show.”
How will you celebrate the big day?
More: Hug an Anchor Day is coming!
Anticipation builds on the eve of Hug an Anchor Day
Matt to Ryan Seacrest: Are you taking my job?
TODAY.com contributor Jillian Eugenios celebrated Hug an Anchor Day by watching TODAY.
