By Adam S. Levy

Breaking Celebrity News Staff Writer

Howard Stern hugged and kissed Matt Lauer at the end of a hilarious interview on Thursday’s Today show as the King of All Media talked about replacing former judge Piers Morgan on NBC’s America’s Got Talent.

The Private Parts star said it's "very silly" people are already making predictions he'll be bringing a lewd and crude schtick to primetime.

"Why don't you tune in Monday night and see how I am as a judge?" he said. "I think what you'll find is that we have a panel that, unlike these other judging shows --  I watch American Idol sometimes, and those three judges, they don't have a word of criticism. And I think that's selfish: I think you owe it to the contestants to offer criticism."