Straight TV Hosts Make Out for $50,000 Charitable Donation

Two male TV personalities in Australia locked lips on a broadcast over the weekend in order to collect a donation of 50,000 Australian dollars for flood victims.

In a live fundraiser for the Red Cross called Australia Unites, an anonymous "major Australian corporation" pledged the funds if TV host Gran Denyer and sports reporter Ben Fordham "pashed," which is Australian slang for a passionate kiss.

As the two decided where on the set they should kiss, cohost Amanda Keller asked, "What does 'pash' involve? Are we talking mouth open, closed?"

Natalie Barr, another cohost, replied, "I think open mouth."

Seconds later, the two straight, married men were on the floor with their lips locked.

"That just happened, Australia. If you can't donate $5 for that you don't know what quality entertainment is," Denyer said, his face flushed.

The fundraiser collected more than AUS$25 million -- or about $18 million --according toQ News.

The outlet also notes that the two have pashed in the past for charity.

The kiss, however, has drawn some criticism from LGBTQ+ people who have said the kiss was trivializing or mocking same-sex relationships.

One Twitter user wrote, "I'm uncomfortable about the way that men kissing men and people cross-dressing is being encouraged as a joke for charity on the Australia Unites."

The user added, "Please don't mock and joke about these things in the name of entertainment."

Another user responded, "I feel you! I'm annoyed about Grant Denyer's comment about the kiss being worth $5, like the LGBT community haven't been fighting for rights for years."

Others cheered on the kiss.

"Locking [lips] for #AustraliaUnites is taking it to a whole new level! Well done guys definitely donated just in time," one user wrote.

Fordham also took to Twitter to thank Genyer "for the pash rash" as well as those who donated.

"Thanks to everyone who has supported the flood telethon #australiaunites and thanks @grantdenyer for the pash rash," Fordham wrote.

Watch the "pashing" here: