Matt Lauer Raised Nearly $70,000* For Charity After Agreeing To Donate Whenever Someone Thanked Him At The Daytime Emmys

    *It depends on how he counts, but we're dreaming big.

    Jaimie Etkin
    by Jaimie Etkin

    BuzzFeed News Reporter

    Matt Lauer and Ellen DeGeneres kicked off the 2015 Daytime Emmys with a very important announcement.

    View this video on YouTube
    youtube.com

    They're ending their long-running prank war...or at least Matt is.

    PopTV
    PopTV

    Part of their truce involves Matt making this promise, which we hope, unlike Ellen, he does keep.

    PopTV

    Note: Ellen did not say it had to be a winner thanking Matt, nor was it clear if it only counted once per person or once per award. Thus, this tallying dreams big.

    And before any winners were announced, Matt reminded them to thank him.

    PopTV
    PopTV

    And they did not forget. Host Tyra Banks came out and thanked him 12 times as she dropped it low.

    PopTV

    So, we're starting with $12,000. How generous of YOU, Tyra.

    Then Entertainment Tonight host Nancy O'Dell said his name three times when she took the stage to accept the award for Outstanding Entertainment News Program.

    PopTV

    Yes, yes it is, Nancy.

    And Craig Ferguson, who won Outstanding Game Show Host for Celebrity Name Game, also thanked the Today host.

    PopTV

    Another $4,000 for the charity of Matt's choice!

    Charles Osgood, who took the stage to accept CBS Sunday Morning's Outstanding Morning Program win, also thanked Matt twice.

    PopTV

    Another $2,000 from Charles Osgood!

    The Young and the Restless star Daniel Goddard thanked Matt Lauer's parents, which we hope counts.

    Jesse Grant / Getty Images

    "I’ll like to thank Matt Lauer’s mother and father for having him," Daniel said. Let's say that's an additional $1,000.

    Then Tyra Banks thanked Matt en español before introducing presenter Mario Lopez.

    Jesse Grant / Getty Images for NATAS

    $1,000 more!

    While accepting the Outstanding Morning Program in Spanish award for Un Nuevo Dia, Maria Alvarez, Telemundo's SVP of alternative programming, thanked Matt too.

    Jesse Grant / Getty Images for NATAS

    "Thank you, Matt Lauer. We love you too, NBC," Alvarez said. Her colleague to the left said, "Thank you, Matt Lauer," as did the gentleman on the right. So that's $3,000 more.

    Before he thanked his family, colleagues, and fans, Days of Our Lives star Freddie Smith thanked Matt Lauer after he took the stage to accept the Outstanding Young Actor in a Drama Series award.

    PopTV

    Another $1,000.

    In between announcing the Young Actor awards, presenters Karla Mosley, Jacob Young, and Linsey Godfrey also thanked Matt Lauer.

    Jesse Grant / Getty Images for NATAS

    Linsey said Matt Lauer's name five times, Jacob said it twice, and Karla said it once, for another $8,000. (Linsey, who recently broke both her legs after a terrible accident, joked, "I feel like that should count for at least six, cause I got hit by a car, you know?")

    And Chrissy Tiegen, who stepped on stage to present with her Fab Life co-hosts, said, "Thank you, Matt Lauer. Thank you so much."

    Jesse Grant / Getty Images for NATAS

    That's $2,000 more, right?

    Then, when Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan weren't there to accept the award for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host, the Fab Life co-hosts thanked Matt on their behalf.

    PopTV

    That's one from Joe Zee, two from Chrissy Tiegen, two from Lauren Makk, and one from Leah Ashley, which is $6,000 more.

    All of the The Bold and the Beautiful Outstanding Drama Series Directing Team recipients thanked Matt Lauer in unison.

    Jesse Grant / Getty Images for NATAS

    Which is at least $10,000 more.

    And so did the six The Bold and the Beautiful Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team winners.

    Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

    Another $6,000.

    And Jeopardy! executive producer Harry Friedman, who accepted the Outstanding Game Show award.

    Jesse Grant / Getty Images for NATAS

    "I would like to thank my wife Judy for reminding me to thank Matt Lauer," he said. Another $1,000.

    The Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host winners for The Chew, Daphne Oz and Carla Hall, only had 15 seconds, but they too thanked Matt.

    PopTV

    Another $2,000!

    Nancy O'Dell took another opportunity to "donate" when she and her Entertainment Tonight co-host Kevin Frazier presented the award for Outstanding Culinary Program and accepted it on behalf of Barefoot Contessa.

    Jesse Grant / Getty Images for NATAS

    They brought in another $3,000 when Kevin said, "And we also thank Matt Lauer. Thanks, Matt." Nancy reiterated, "Thanks, Matt."

    When The Ellen Show executive producer Mary Connelly accepted the award for Outstanding Talk Show/Entertainment, she too thanked Matt.

    PopTV

    And thank YOU for another $2,000, Mary.

    General Hospital's Anthony Geary won the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and thanked Matt as soon as he stepped on stage.

    PopTV

    Another $1,000.

    And after tying with Days of Our Lives for Outstanding Drama Series, actor Melody Thomas Scott tried to thank Matt Lauer, but the mic cut her off.

    PopTV

    A $1,000 effort.

    That's $69,000. Pay up, Lauer.

    NBC / Via today.tumblr.com