Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt have teamed up with Taco Bell for the Reality Check Challenge 2008 in an effort to raise funds to alleviate world hunger … apparently by signing autographs and posing for semi-goofy photos. Hey, whatever works, right? Here are a few pics and some info on this year’s Reality Check Challenge:

Taco Bell joined Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt for the second consecutive year in an effort to raise awareness of global hunger. “Reality Check Challenge” 2008, which was held at a Los Angeles-area Taco Bell restaurant, in conjunction with World Hunger Relief Movement, is part of a larger global hunger-relief campaign by Taco Bell’s parent company, Yum! Brands Inc., to raise funds for The World Food Programme. For the event, Heidi and Spencer served up Taco Bell fare to customers visiting the Taco Bell restaurant, took pictures with and signed autographs for fans in attendance, and invited customers to join in the effort to alleviate world hunger by donating at all participating domestic Taco Bell locations. Donations for the World Hunger Giving Cards begin at $1 and all proceeds raised in the U.S. go directly to The Friends of World Food Programme to help combat global hunger. At the conclusion of the event, a $10,000 donation was made by Taco Bell to the World Food Programme in Heidi and Spencer’s name. “The reality is that hunger is a staggering problem and is responsible for more deaths each year than war, malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS combined, “ said Greg Creed, president, Taco Bell Corp. “Even though this is an epidemic of global proportions, people can do something about it. I encourage everyone to get involved in the ‘Reality Check Challenge’ and donate to this year’s World Hunger Relief Movement. A dollar donation will help feed four people stricken by hunger. You can make that difference.” Prior to “Reality Check Challenge” 2008 and as part of World Hunger Relief Movement, Heidi and Spencer joined Taco Bell last week at Los Angeles’s Union Rescue Mission to serve food to the hungry and homeless in the “Skid Row” area of downtown. During this visit, the couple spent three hours helping feed hundreds of men, women and children stricken by the effects of hunger. At the conclusion of the visit, a $15,000 donation was made by Taco Bell to the mission in Heidi and Spencer’s name. “Heidi and I know the importance of bringing awareness to this global problem, and are extremely grateful to partner with Taco Bell and the World Food Programme for the second straight year,” said Spencer Pratt. “Last year, Taco Bell and Yum restaurants raised more than $16 million globally, and our goal is to help surpass that number for 2008.”

While some might argue that the mere sight of Speidi at their friendly neighborhood Taco Bell might actually inspire an immediate loss of appetite, you kinda gotta admit that it was really dope of them to come out and use their notoriety for a good cause. Whether you love to hate them or hate to love them, they deffo deserve some measure of credit for their philanthropy when it comes to issues of World Hunger. I salute them for their efforts and encourage all y’all to support the cause. That being said, they really are a bit RIDICULOUS with these photo ops … I’m not sure it’s entirely necessary to kick up one’s heels while munching on a taco but … so be it. I think it’s actually a good idea that Speidi remain in Taco Bell’s good graces … after all, if their reality TV thing ever falls thru they will prolly need a Plan B ;)

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]