By now you have likely seen the infamous photo of Dick Vitale planting a kiss on Kentucky super fan Ashley Judd at the SEC Tournament over the weekend. The original photo sure makes it look like Dickie V. caught the 46-year-old actress off guard, but Judd insists that was not the case.
During an appearance on MSNBC Live with Thomas Roberts, Judd explained that she and Vitale were simply having fun together.
“Dick Vitale is one of my favorite human beings,” Judd explained. “He is an advocate for a sport that I love and he has been an unflinching voice for a long time. We became friends at the SEC Tournament and he’s covered some road games for Kentucky, so I had a chance to meet him there.
“My mother and sister used to always do this thing when they were taking a picture with someone. Right when the snap was made they would kiss on the cheek. So I did that with Dick. He’s like an uncle to me. I adore him. His wife is one of the most lovely human beings. So I’m disappointed that it’s been misinterpreted.”
For what it’s worth, that explanation seems to make sense for the photo you see above. But what about the lip smooch? Did Judd and Dickie V. both go for the kiss on the cheek at the same time and surprise each other? We may never know.
