Transcripts For WRC Today 20110620

is it real or a photo shop trick? an exclusive live interview with the kissing couple today, an exclusive live interview with the kissing couple today, monday, june 20th, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and good morning. welcome to "today" on a monday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> i'm ann curry. the wildfires out west have again become a big story because strong winds come over the weekend dealing another setback to firefighters. thankfully, forecasters are expecting things to be quieter today. >> good news from al. we're going to hear more about that. the area around the town of si air va vista, arizona, nearly 7,000 residents have been ord ordered to flee. we're going to gettest in a live report. a warning, matt, about the above ground portable pools that are popular with families. you may think they have harder to fall into. if you do, just ahead, alarming research on how deadly the pools can be and what you can do to keep your family safe. sarah palin's 20-year-old daughter bristol releases her memoir this week and it paints a less than flattering portrait of her former fiance levi johnston and details about their relationship and how he first reacted to news that palin was pregnant. details of that coming up as well. >> let's begin with the wildfires raging out west. nbc is in sierra vista with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: the flames are just of sight behind me. this morning firefighters tell us they have r. just as worried about the wind as they are the fire itself after scrambling to contain two major wildfires in the southwest. progress was hampered by high winds which fanned flames across containment line, towards homes and community. the monument fire was 27% contained when it hoped a highway with 60 mooil pr hour winds to its back. with the city of sierra vista near its path, 10,000 people in all have been evacuated, 44 homes destroyed, 33 square miles charred. meantime, in eastern arizona, the largest wildfire in state history rages on. the wallow fire was also fueled by strong winds, although that blaze is 51% contained. it did, too, also overrun a containment line and force some 200 people near the new mexico border to evacuate. now, winds. >> reporter: absolutely brutal this weekend, gusting at about 60 miles per hour. but good news today, winds are expected to die down to about ten miles per hour, but it's certainly going to be a long week for firefighters who expect to be on their heels today and over the next couple of days but do plan to make progress. >> it's great they're thinking they're going to make progress, miguel. aren't they concerned about the fuel that's lingering there, the continuing threat there? >> yeah, the state of arizona has been in a drought for some time. there hasn't been rain on the ground since december. it's certainly a try, tender box here. the conditions are right for that fire to spread. >> miguel, thanks so much. let us go over to the news desk. natalie is off today, savannah guthrie is standing by, excuse me, with all the headlines. all choked up over you, savannah. >> i'm touched, really. >> welcome. >> matt and ann, good morning to you. in the news this morning, nato has acknowledged for the first time one of the air strikes killed several sevilliae i civi libya on monday. stephanie goss is in tripoli this morning. >> reporter: good morning. nine civilians were killed, including two small children. 18 were injured. they are losing no time to take advantage of this incident if foreign minister is calling for a global jihad against what he calls the criminal west. now, this rocket attack happened early hours of sunday morning and hit a residential hear. nato says it regrets the loss of life but suspects a weapons system failure is to blame that a rocket veered off and struck that housing development. this comes after several tough days for nato. two days ago they had to admit that they accidentally hit a column of rebel forces in eastern libya. savannah? >> stephanie gosk in tripoli for us. bashir al azad delivered a rare public address today blaming the crisis in syria on rebels. 1400 civilians have been killed. some 10,000 detained as part of the government's crack down on protesters. regulators of the nation's nuclear reactors have repeatedly relaxed safety regulations or failed to enforce them, according to an investigation from the associated press. the probe found records showing officials responded to problems in aging nuclear plants by changing rules and tests governing them. residents along the swollen missouri river are bracing themselves after after several levees failed sunday and several are to be breached today. there was a moment of hope early on when the river dipped by the foot but it rose once again this time overflowing the levees. officials blame recent rain and last week's levee breach in hamburg, iowa. now to wall street. cnbc's melissa lee is at the nrk stock exchange this morning. good morning. >> good morning to you, savannah. markets around the world are jittery this morning because of greece after a marathon seven-hour meeting yesterday european finance ministers failed to approve new aid for the country. this is demonstrators continue to gather in athens central square. no new clashes have been reported. on the back of the news, watching oil prices hitting four-month lows, erasing all of 2011's gains. >> melissa, thank you. and 22-year-old rory mcelroy putted his way into the record books sunday when he won the u.s. open with a record tournament score of 16 under par, breaking the previous record held by tiger woods. he dedicated the win to his father saying, this one's for you, dad. and a sweet father's day in the nation's capital. the first dad grabbed cookie doen and vanilla cones with daughters sasha and malia and his nieces and nephews. it is now 7:07. back to matt, ann, and al. >> it was fun with the whole family to watch roy mcelroy win because of his background. he was the son of a janitor on the golf course growing up. >> he was there, a great pictures in the paper this morning of them hugging. just the way that he went about doing it. so impressive. it was great. meanwhile, we had a little shot earlier in the program you may have noticed. we hope you did. we've got three new friends in the studio this morning. we received three daytime emmy awards over the weekend. one for best -- or outstanding morning program, which was very nice. the award accepted by natalie morales who is out at the ceremony. more importantly for us, director joe michaels, one, directing emmy for best talk morning program. first individual emmy. and outstanding audio deem of dave levins and matt rovino. and our emmy award winning forecaster al roker is back from lend a hand. >> our producing staff and all the fine folks out there who donated. thank you so much, over $9 mimillion to donate. we're really thrilled especially in this economy. let's show you what's going on. we have some more severe weather to talk about. ft. worth, texas, to southeast bogey up into the plains, strong risk of storms throughout portions of nebraska, iowa, on into parts of the northwestern missouri. we've got the chance of some tornadoes there, so we are really watching that. you can see the storms firing up from chicago back into rapid city. we have some severe thunderstorm watches in effect this hour anywhere from one to three inches of rain. we're really worried about the winds and the possibilities of tornadoes. that's what's going on around the country, here is what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. a wet monday morning around the region. we've got areas of light rain in washington points west and north. south and east heavier rains in southern maryland, lower part of the eastern shore. later today, some sun out after midday and light rain. then we'll be near 80 degrees as we get into the afternoon. tomorrow we'll be up near 90 and more humid. could get storms on tuesday night and again wednesday and thursday, hot and humid both those days. and that's your latest weather. >> al, thank you very much. now to washington, what is shaping up to be a hectic week for president obama. near the top aft ajeof the agen bringing the war in u.s. and afghanistan to an end. chuck, good morning. >> good morning, matt. president obama is facing a big decision about the troop issue with afghanistan. how many to bring home and how fast. the bin laden killing combine with war fatigue, even in the republican party, may give them the political room to go do more quickly. it's a decision that could come this week. as america's longest war approaches its tenth year president obama is about to decide how quickly to start bringing home american troops. on sunday out going defense secretary robert gates previewed mr. obama's thinking. >> that whatever decision the president makes it's going to be a decision that is based on the games that we have made on the grounds, success on the ground. >> reporter: gates said preliminary talks with the taliban have begun. the war has become a surprisin surprisingly diseasive issue in the republican party followed by these comments by mitt romney last week. >> i think we have learned some important lessons in our experience in afghanistan. our troops shouldn't go off and fight a war of independence for another nation. only afghanis can win afghan independence from the taliban. >> reporter: romney's description didn't sit well with the 2008 republican nominee. >> he talked about the lessons of history. we abandoned afghanistan once and we paid a very heavy price for it in the attacks of 9/11. >> reporter: republican nor lindsey graham was more blunt about romney. >> if you think the pathway for 2012 is to get to barack obama's left on libya, afghanistan, and iraq, you're going to need a lot of head winds. >> reporter: as budget negotiations continues this week, president obama engaged in fairway diplomacy on sunday, joining john bane we're a round of golf with the president and speaker squaring off vice president biden and ohio govern governor. they won the match on the final hole for the prize of $2 each. bipartisan ship was nowhere to be found in new orleans at the republican leadership conference as gop presidential candidates fired up base conservatives. >> get ready 2012. the tea party will be bigger than ever. >> reporter: the biggest draw was a non-candidate, texas governor rick perry who now concedes he is seriously considering a presidential bid. >> let's speak with pride about our morals and our values and redroubl our effort to elect more conservative republicans. let's stop this american downward spiral. >> reporter: perry's audience was thrilled, shouting perry 2012 as governor left the stage. >> perry 2012. >> reporter: it was another texas company though, congressman ran paul, who walked away with the straw poll victory in new orleans, with second place going to jon huntsman who announces tomorrow. >> chuck todd at the white house this morning. thank you very much. texas congressman ron paul joins us now. congressman, good to see you. good morning. >> thank you, good to be with you. >> so congratulations.you win t. you beat jon huntsman, you betemit romney and the others who are considered front-runners. there seems to be a contradiction here because nationwide poll taken just last week when likely voters were asked if they would vote for you, only 7% said yes. why the disconnect? >> well, it's hard to say. you know, there are a lot of different polls done and some are done, you know, for different reasons and different questions. and it is true that we're not at the top of the national polls but, you know, if you can go into a group like we did in new orleans and organize and get people's enthusiasm, i mean, you've got to get a couple of points. you can't just dismiss it. you know, all the others had their names on the ballot for nine -- nine people on the ballot. so just to say, well, there was another poll you didn't do as well therefore this doesn't carry much water i don't think is quite correct. >> okay. you have said recently that the, quote, the time has come around to where people are agreeing with much of what i've been saying for 30 years. the time is right. i might adjust the word much of what you had been saying to some of what you had been saying. but what do you think is the one specific issue that is connecting you to voters at this time that makes this the right time for ron paul? >> well, it's hard to do one, but i can do two. it's endless, undeclared, unwinnable wars dumped on the young people and also the financial crisis that we have related to the foreign policy and we're dumping that debt on the young people. that's why the next generation, the current young people between the age of 15 and 25 or 30, they're with me because they're getting dumped on and that, to me, is the big issue. if people want to live in the past and think we can perpetuate this welfare state and continue with this foreign policy, it's going to doom us and just end badly. >> congressman, your name comes up an awful lot when i talk politics with friends. one thing i hear about you over and over again is people say i like some of his ideas but i'm nervous about the total package because you're a guy who is called for legalizing all drug, including cocaine and heroin, legalize prostitution, you want to eliminahieliminate half the agencies, health and human service, department of homeland security. how do you tell people you're not just an interesting fringe candidate. >> so to not portray it as you have just done. i want legalized freedom, what's wong with that? what's wrong with legalizing choices about your life and liberty and religious values? what's wrong with legalizing the constitution in i defend everything i do by the constitution in why can you turn this around and say everything he's doing is nuts and crazy. >> i didn't say everything you're doing is nuts. i say some people worry about some pieces of the total package. >> yeah. yeah, i know. but the portraying of this as something weird or unusual, and i think a growing number of people are starting to realize what i'm talking about is pretty sound. it's very american. it produces prosperity and peace. and i'm always bewildered why anybody would reject it. i mean, it is the american system. we shouldn't be the warmongers. we shouldn't be the policemen around the world. we shouldn't be in 130 countries and 900 bases and nighting undeclared wars and look at what we're doing in libya. at least now. look at how many people have joined us in this effort and is trying to stop another war in libya. so i would say we're making great progress and a lot of people are starting to talk about big spending and deficit. so the direction is certainly in our way. >> let me just ask you a quick question to end on. you are by my calculation 75 years old right now. if you are elected president you will take the oath of office at 77. that would be the oldest president by a long shot. is it too old? >> obviously i don't think so. and a lot of young people don't think i'm very old. i think it's the ideas that count. it's your general health that counts. it's your enthusiasm for liberty. that's what's counts. the nominal age is secondary to the age of the individual who knows how to think and knows how to believe in something. right now we have a lot of old people around that has endorsed the status quo and i am older, i have more time behind me, but i endorse very young ideas because the ideas of liberty are very young. we've only tested them a couple hundred years. they're fantastic. i think this is why people have become enthusiastic and they don't want bits and pieces because this is a package. economic liberty and personal liberty are one in the same. foreign policy that defends america and not police the world, that's part of the package as well. >> congressman ron paul joining us this morning. it's nice to have you with us. congratulations on your victory in the straw poll. >> thank you very much. it's 18 after the hour. here's ann. >> matt, thanks. there's been a dramatic peel in appeals trial of amanda knox. in court over the weekend the witness testified he can absolutely clear knox of the crime. nbc's jenna is in italy with the details. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. it was a key dma court. and amanda knox's family says for the first time they feel like they're getting the kind of witnesses that could overturn this conviction and they say amanda believes it, too. and while the testimony was very compelling, legal experts caution that there may be good reason not to believe what was said. as amanda knox made that familiar walk from her jail cell into an italian courtroom over the weekend, new testimony that could change it all. knox is serving 26 years for the murder of her british roommate meredith in 2007. while they both studied in italy in what was said to be a sex game gone wrong. knox's boyfriend and another man were also convicted in the gruesome slaying. >> it is significant testimony that's being presented, that's consistent with all the other evidence in the case, that amanda knox has been wrongfully convicted. >> reporter: the information is compelling but is it credible? it made mario, himself serving a life sentence from murdering a toddler, told the court he knows knox is innocent because she confided in him when he was in prison together that knox and her boyfriend was not involved. knox's stepfather tells nbc news the new testimony has given amanda new hope. >> the new testimony from the people who have corroborated his story is definitely going to boost her spirits. it's a confirmation of what was stated in the beginning and certainly it's an amazing thing to finally have out. >> reporter: in all, five felons testified on knox's behalf. prosecutors say they shouldn't be believed. yet in recent months doubts have grown over knox's conviction. a knife prosecutors said was the murder weapon has been retested by an independent panel. and while that evidence won't be presented until july, there are reports it does not contain the dna of amanda knox. >> we're really hopeful. we don't know what's in that report but we have a little bit of an idea, given the leaks that have come out and we hope that it's at least as goods a those leak railroads and then there's the involvement of about a dozen italian lawmakers. now calling for a review of the prosecutor's office. and whether knox was treated fairly during her trial. a decision on this appeal is not expected to be announced until the fall, but there is another key court date coming up one week from today. as of today, amanda knox has spent 43 months here in a jail cell. ann, back to you. coming up, that photo of a couple kissing during the riots in vancouver? is it the real deal? we'll talk to the couple coming up. but first, this is "today" on nbc. just ahead, casey anthony's attorney threatened with contempt. plus, bristol palin's tell all about hers fiance levi all about hers fiance levi johnston. i fou that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia -- thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and less pain means, i can feel better and do more of what matters. 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[ male announcer ] discover you time anytime. mccafé your day with a mcdonald's frappé. smooth and icy caramel or mocha blended just for you and topped with a decadent drizzle. what helps keep her moving? caltrate soft chews. ready-to-go, delicious, and packed with 20% more calcium than viactiv. strong bones. strong convictions. caltrate soft chews. because women move the world. good morning. it's 7:26 on this monday, 20th of june, 2011. i'm joe krebs. police found a man dead in his home with duct tape wrapped around his head. he lives in a basement apartment in the 1300 block in northeast washington. police released very little information other than to say he's 61 years old. residents tell news 4 the man was beaten in his home a couple of days ago. police have not identified suspects or a good morning, light rain in washington points west. points east getting heavier downpours. those heading north and east. later today sun breaking out with highs near 80, partly cloudy near 90, storms wednesday and thursday. danella, how is traffic. >> ramps closed because of of an accident on omega drive at research boulevard. a look at 270. you're backed up from gaithersburg, 124 all the way to the spur when traveling on 270 south. back to you, joe. >> thanks very much. you're watching "news 4 today 7:30 now on this monday morning, june 20, 2011. look at this. spectacular shot of manhattan from the top of the rock on what is sure to be a beautiful day in the big apple. down below our plaza crowd is soaking up the sunshine. and inside studio 1-a, i'm ann curry alongside matt lauer. ahead, warning for parents. >> this one is tied to those inflatable above ground pools. you see them in back yards across the country. straight ahead, what you need to know if you own one or even if you are thinking of buying one for your family. all right. and also, when it first hit the web a lot of people thought it was fake. we've been talking about this. what's the real story behind this kiss photographed during last week's riots in vancouver. we're going the ask the now famous kissing couple in an exclusive live interview coming up. also, what could possibly be wrong with constantly showering your kids with love and affection? well, one therapist believes it could cause your children to actually be unhappy when they reach adulthood. we'll have details. let's begin this morning in orlando and the murder trial of casey anthony. the defense has started to present its case but but not without problems. kerry sanders is joining us once again. kerry, good morning. >> good morning, ann. in the real world, as you'll see, the thin the courtroom is not just about law, it's about personalities. casey anthony chose her lead defense attorney jose baez three years ago on the recommendation of another inmate in her jail cell. now, her life rests in his abilities. >> what happened was -- >> reporter: it's his first capital murder case. and while the judge has given b, az leeway in courtroom procedures, that apparently has ended. >> what you're basically saying, sir, is that you can pick which court orders you comply with and which court orders you don't comply with. okay? and this is not a game. >> reporter: belvin perry was once a prosecutor. he won the murder conviction against judy, the first woman to die in florida's electric chair. his anger directed at baez for not sharing a defense expert's opinion about the alleged murder weapon, three pieces of duct tape. >> it appears to me that this was quite intentional. this was not some inadvertent slip. >> reporter: that all happened with the jury out of the courtroom. one defense expert told jurors his study of a pig's decaying carcass suggests caylee's body was not in the trunk of casey's car as prosecutors allege. >> we can assume that none of your studies involved a child wrapped in a blanket stuffed in two garbage bags and stuff in a laundry bag. none of your studies involved that, right? >> i think that's a fair asuffer shun, yes. >> why didn't you wrap your pigs in a blanket? i promised i would say that, judge. but seriously, why diplomat you wrap your pigs in a blanket? >> thank you for saying that. >> that's okay. we needed that. >> that smile was in sharp contrast to casey's look when a forensic expert testified with a skull in his hands. he said the medical examiner's autopsy was -- >> a shoddy autopsy. >> reporter: and he believes the duct tape was put on her mouth long after she died. >> it is my opinion the duct tape was stuck on thereafter the skin had deteriorated. >> reporter: dr. werner spence was also a defense expert in the o.j. simpson trial and in the murder trial of music producer phil spector. earlier in his career he sat on the panel that investigated the assassination of jfk. ann? >> kerry sanders this morning. thanks. savannah guthrie is back in her role as "today's" legal correspondent. good morning once again. the judge criticizing casey anthony's defense attorney for not sharing information. important information. how significant? >> it's very significant. potentially for casey anthony. the judge is in a situation here where he's clearly angry at this lawyer. he accused him of intentionally withholding information. that's a serious ethical charge against this attorney. at the same time, the judge doesn't want to make case sy anthony pay for the misdeeds of her counsel. the opportunity to depose this witness on saturday afternoon, and later i suspect the judge will allow this witness to testify. after the trial he may have words, perhaps a contempt charge for jose baez. >> is the defense term serving casey anthony well? >> jose baez is not an experienced attorney in a capital case. i think there had been moments in this trial where that inexperience shows. i would say what the judge has accused baez though goes beyond just a slip-up. it accuses him -- the judge accuses him of intentionally withholding information. that's an ethical breach. in trials you're not supposed to have perry mason moments. they're not supposed to be surprises. both sides are supposed to know what's coming. serious. >> in terms of what's coming, do you expect casey anthony take the stand this week? >> if she does it could happen as soon as this week. i think the defense is from our reporters on the ground seems to be going a little bit slower than anyone anticipated because of things like this. h is the fundamental question that the defense has. it bears repeating, though, that the ultimate decision of whether to testify, it lies with case say anthony. if she wants to testify it's 100% her right to do so and no one can stop her. >> savannah, thank you. now let's get a check of the weather from al. and good morning, everybody. got some friends here from the national weather service. what's happening? >> national lightning safety awareness week. we're here to remind everyone when thunder roars, go indoors. >> very nice. we like the little hats, too. they have a slogan and everything. very nice. let's check your weather and see what's happening. how hot, from odessa, texas, to columbia, south carolina, as far north, temperatures 5 to 10 degrees above normal. look at the heat. toasters rolling from odessa, 108 laredo, 8 columbia, heat extends to central and northern california, inland, 60s in the michigan. that's what's going on around the country. here is what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. here we've had rain off and on since late last evening. we have light rain arrange the metro area, steadier on the eastern shore north and east. temperatures upper 60s to near 70, closer to washington. later today sun should break out this afternoon. highs near 80. tomorrow partly cloudy near 90, could get storms around tuesday evening. off and on wednesday and thursday hot and humid both days. all right, al. there's a new warning this morning about the dangers of those portable inflatable pools that have become so popular. tom costello is in a public pool in bethesda, maryland. that is not the case in both back yards. >> reporter: yeah, exactly, right, matt. good morning to you. nationwide there have been 81 drownings. 113 near drownings just since january 1st. that can happen in all kinds of pools. when you have the swim team moving behind me, people watch that water all the time. portable, inflatable backyard pools have become a very big concern. the tragedies come every summer, last year in ohio it was 3-year-old jacqueline mckenney who drowned after being left unattended in a inflatable pool. it happens every five days in the summer, often in bigger portable pools that hold 500 to 2,000 gallons. these pools are so large it's unlikely you will dump the water out regularly, so it leaves a drowning hazard up all summer long. the consumer product safety commission found from 2001 to 2009 there were 209 fatal drownings and 35 nonfatal drawnings in portable pools. 94% involved kids under the age of 5. 73% occurred in the child's own backyard. now the american academy of pediatrics concluded portable pools pose a significant risk of drowning for kids 2355 and oftu >> parents need to know it's quick, final, and silent. it can occur in a few minutes and a few inches of water. >> simple steps save liveses. >> reporter: beverly's 3-year-old daughter drowned in a neighbor's pool more than 20 years ago. she has sense required four-foot inches with latching gates around every pool, even if it's portable. >> if you buy it without a fence, it's a very dangerous thing. don't buy it. save the money and take your children to a swim club where they can learn swimming lesson railroads the association of pool and spa professionals agrees that layers of protection are key, telling nbc news, without constant adult supervision, strong-willed toddlers will eventually overcome a fence, enter a gate inadvertently left open, or bypass it all together. fences, gates, pool covers, alarms and detachable ladders and vigilance. the trouble is most people don't think of layers of protection but, matt, as we have seen, if you don't have them it can prove to be deadly. back to you. >> tom costello in bethesda for us this morning on an important story. up next, vancouver riots kissing couple revealed. we'll talk to them, find out what was happening there in just a couple of minutes. what makes hershey's s'mores special? 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[ hero dog ] i'm gonna need a bigger mouth! we're back now at 7:43 with a kiss that is seen all around the world. the young couple appears to be locked in a passionate embrace. but it's in the middle of a riot. >> we're going to talk to them exclusively in just a moment. but first, the story behind the smooch. in the middle of the mayhem as thousands rioted in the streets following van koufer's loss in the stanley cup finals, torching cars, it is this image of the so-called riot romeo kissing his girlfriend that has captured worldwide attention. >> when we first saw it, it was funny. >> reporter: but scott jones and alexander thomas says their kiss wasn't a joke or a moment of passion even though their pose on the pavement does look a lot like the famous kiss from "here to eternity." here you can see what really happened. riot police running down scott and alexander has the couple tries to escape from danger. >> started beating was the shields, trying to get us to move. i don't know why. we weren't being aggressive towards them. >> reporter: alexander is knocked to the ground. a moment later scott lies beside her, comforting his girlfriend with a kiss. a split second captured by a camera. >> it's not embarrassing at all. it's actually a really beautiful shot. >> reporter: their kiss now joining other legendary lip locks. ♪ you must remember this ♪ a kiss is just a kiss but unlike any other smooch in history. scott jones and alex thomas is joining us exclusively. good morning to you. >> good day. >> good morning. >> scott, why did you decide at that moment to give her a big kiss given all that mayhem that was going on around you? >> yeah, well, that was on the video what happened. i was just trying to calm her down, you know. it was pretty scary for her. seemed like the best thing to do. >> i think i need to find out here, were you guys participating in some of the mischief or even worse that was taking place after that hockey game or were you simply peaceful bystanders caught in the wrong place at the wrong time? >> i would call myself a tourist. it was game seven, you know. stanley cup final. something was going to happen, whether we won or loss, something big. so i just wanted to bear witness to what was going on. i never felt in danger while we were down there until the riot police came along. >> it happened so fast that -- >> things changed really fast. >> never expected it to turn into that situation so quickly. >> alex, i -- >> there's -- >> alex, i understand you guys have only been dating for about six months, if i'm not mistaken. when you saw how he reacted, that he threw his body over to protect you. how do you now, when you think back and look at these images, what are your thoughts that go through your mind about that? >> well, that's exactly the reaction i would like to have. you know, it's good -- if you're going to be caught up with something, have someone with you when you're caught up in it. i would never have expected anything less. you know, we've had a great six months. so it's kind of amaze that there was somewhere there to take a photo of that and capture that. i would always know those feelings and emotions from that, but there's a photograph that so clearly shows it is just pretty incredible. >> he sounds like a keeper. no question about it, alex. but i will say, just quickly, what was your reaction when you started to hear people question whether this was a real photo or someone had photo shopped it and stuck it right in the middle of that riot? >> that only really haepd like in the first day or so, like before anybody knew any background of the video, of the shot. and i guess it was just such a good shot people couldn't believe that would happen. it was just like the perfect lighting, perfect focus. richard who took the photo said he didn't even know he took the photo when he did because the police were coming at him and pushing him down the street. he took a few shots because he saw somebody down there injured. he just wanted to capture it. >> it is a memorable, memorable image. more importantly, we're happy you two are all right. we thank you two for joining us, scott and alex. coming up next, we're going to switch gears and talk about br bristol palin's tell all memoir right after this. at bayer, we're re-inventing aspirin for pain relief. with new extra-strength bayer advanced aspirin. it has microparticles, enters the bloodstream faster and rushes relief to the site of pain. it's clinically proven to relieve pain twice as fast. new bayer advanced aspirin. sir, can you hear me? just hold the bag. we need a portable x-ray, please! [ nurse ] i'm a nurse. i believe in the power of science and medicine. but i'm also human. and i believe in stacking the deck. that can go the distance. that's why we gave the chevy equinox an epa estimated 32 miles per gallon highway. but do passengers appreciate all of the comfort features we put in the equinox? hey. want me to drive? we'll take that as a yes. the count on chevy event is going on strong with a full selection of chevys to choose from. come claim yours today. visit your local chevy dealer. sarah palin's daughter bristol has written a tell all memoir. in it she opens up about her former fiance, he vie johnston, how he handled her unexpected pregnancy and famous mother. >> reporter: what do you say about a life that spanned only 20 years? well, if you're bristol palin you've apparently got enough to write an memoir about life's journey. in fact, that's the title of her book, due out this week. >> a lot of disappointment, a lot of resentment. >> reporter: according to the associated press, bris tall's tell all tale takes unflattering aim at the boy she met in seventh grade whom she now describes as the gnat named levi johnston who she alleges was constantly spreading false accusations against our family. johnston most recently a "pl "playgirl" fame is the father of 2-year-old son tripp who comes ouch as a sufl absorbed villain. he cheated on me about as frequently as he sharpened his hockey skates, she writes. where johnston found out bristol was pregnant she claims the soon to be father's response was, better be a [ bleep ]ing boy. the young couple was first revealed to the world at the gop convention, bristol palin thought that it ledge mized us as a couple. very public engagement and their unengagement got bumpy and nasty and their son got caught in the mid. >> he's not a mistake at all, he's a blessing, but it's just a lot of hard work, a lot of responsibility. >> reporter: no palin book is complete without talk of her mother's political life. don't look for any hints on sarah palin's intentions on running for the white house. instead, she's largely described as a doting mother, grandmom. >> whether this book is a part of a propaganda machine for sarah palin's ambitions, we will have to wait and see. >> reporter: johnston's attorney says palin's book will make interesting read. declined further comment saying levvi johnston will offer his on version in "deer highlights" due out in fall. thrust in the spotlight apparently has no design to leave. for today, lee cowen, nbc news, los angeles. just ahead, why being obsessed with the happiness of your children could hurt them when they're adults. vo: so to show her what she's missing, we built a pc store in her house. erika: (gasp) employee: come on in. make yourself at home! erika: this is my home! employee: let's take a look! erika: (lifting laptop) it's really light. honey, help me shop! employee: you can get up to seven hours on this battery. jesse: the color really pops out. employee: everything's wireless. wireless keyboard. jesse: that's impressive. i like this one better. erika: and i like this one... vo: new pc. what's it gonna be? erika: i'm a pc, and i got what i wanted. jesse: as usual. ♪ now the healing power of touch just got more powerful. introducing precise from the makers of tylenol. precise pain relieving heat patch activates sensory receptors. it helps block pain signals for deep penetrating relief you can feel precisely where you need it most. precise. only from the makers of tylenol. precise. new revlon age defying with dna advantage makeup. its powerful skincare ingredients and spf 20 help protect skin's dna and reduce the visible signs of aging. 96% of women saw flawless, younger-looking skin in just 2 weeks. age. defy it! of your pet's fleas and ticks. and that's with the highest quality medicines available. so, for years, i would offer frontline. but now i have a new recommendation one that can be found right in this store. petarmor plus. it has the same active ingredients and the same flea and tick protection as frontline, but costs about half the price. always give your dogs and cats the best. and now, for a lot less. new petarmor plus. same protection as frontline, at about half the cost. only at walmart and sam's club. 66 degrees outside right now and rain around the region. you can see the heavy traffic and wet roadways out there. good morning to you. i'm joe krebs 7:56 on this monday the 20th of june. in the news for today, police looking for suspects in a double stabbing, a father's day cookout in northeast washington. it happened last night at the marvin gaye recreation center on banks place. police say the fight started as ending. one taken to the hospital in critical condition, the other in stable condition. we'll take a break and come back good morning. we'll get some sunshine back this afternoon after the morning and midday rain ends near 80, tomorrow near 90. could get storms tomorrow night into wednesday and into thursday. danella, how is traffic. >> an accident on 95 and po hick rid, but continues on the way to 395. joe, back to you. >> danella, thanks very much. another news update in 25 minutes. now back to the "today show" after this short break. have a wonderful day. 8:00 now on a monday morning. it is the 20th day of june, 2011. that makes it the last full day of spring 2011. summer rolls in in about 1:30 in the afternoon tomorrow. >> that's right. >> makes it the longest day of the year. sflith. >> but it's going to be a good one. >> out on the plaza, beautiful morning here. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry. al roker just back from traveling from all around the country from lend a hand. we're all parents, which means we want the best for our children. but if you're the kind of parent who is always trying to soften the blows of life for your kids, whether it's a cut or scrape at the playground or a loss in a baseball game or bad grades at school, you can actually be doing harm to your child. that could surface later in life. we're going to explain that coming up in a couple of minutes. >> on some level it makes sense. something a lot of us don't think about because we're so bessie trying to protect our kids. also coming up, marlo thomas in the house because she's here to kick off a special series that's aimed at women who may feel stuck in a rut and want to take their life in a new direction. this morning we're going to help us, to kick start our lives again. >> when you go to buy something, do you haggle? >> no. >> i don't, either. or do you make your coffee instead of -- do you buy it at the drive-thru instead of making your coffee? >> sometimes. >> yeah, well, these are things we shouldn't be doing because we should be saving money instead of being lazy and taking the easy way out. how to save money by extra effort. >> a lot to get to. savannah guthrie in fortunately this morning. >> good morning. and in the news this morning, new evacuation orders forced 3,000 more residents from their homes sunday in southern arizona. as a wildfire pushed toward a heavily populated area. a total of 10,000 people have now been forced to flee in sierra vista. dozens of homes have been destroyed. meantime, in the eastern part of the state officials say arizona's largest wildfire ever is now more than 50% contained. nato is acknowledging that one of its air strikes in libya sunday may have caused civilian casualties. the first such admission of the libya campaign. libya says the problem may have been a weapons system failure. libyan officials claim the strike killed nine civilians including two children. international lenders will visit athens this week after european finance ministers withheld a decision on providing new aid to greece. that country is trying to advert a catastrophic default on debts. concern that greece will backslide on economic reforms which have triggered riots and strikes. arizona congresswoman gabrielle giffords is returning and spent father's day in her hometown of tucson. and now here's brian williams with what's coming up tonight. >> savannah, good morning. coming up tonight when we nine you for "nightly news" we're going to check in on the beat you covered for years and the first lady's trip to africa, the next front for her will be chronicling that trip all week long. for now, back to you. >> all r that trip all week long. that's tonight on nightly news, back to you. trending, a quick roundup on what you're talking about online. fans taking to facebook to remember clarence the big man clemmons, the legendary saxophone player. bruce springsteen said he's honored to stand beside him. he was 69-year-old. on yahoo! looking up the miss usa, the california girl, self-described history buff will compete in the miss universe pageant this fall. the web is abuzz about 22-year-old rory mcilroy who won golf's u.s. open sunday by beating tiger woods record score. after the father's day game mcilroy hugged his dad and told him, this one is for you. now back to al with a check of the weather. >> announcer: today's weather brought to you by advil. take the switch to advil now. >> and we've got the nice couple here. been married 30 years. you guys look terrific. >> thank you. >> were you married when you were 12. >> not quite. >> what's your name? >> mabel and my husband joe. >> happy anniversary. >> thank you very much. check your weather. pick city today, right here, manhattan, new york, wnbc, partly sunny, 82 degrees today. as we check it out and show you, we've got strong storms stretching their way from the plains all the way back into the ohio river valley. strong risk of storms there. sunshine in the northeast, gulf coast looking pretty good. a strong risk of storms in the mid to upper mississippi river valley, beautiful weather up and down the west coast and another couple married 30 years of what's your name? >> robert and maria, 30 years today. >> you never had a fight. >> never. >> all right. there you go. that's what's going on around the country. here is what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. we've had some occasional light rain around the metro area and much of the region overnight and through the morning commute. it continues. it's tapering off on the eastern shore, though, they are getting some heavy downpours as is the northern neck of virginia. later today some sun should break out. temperatures right now in the 60s to near 70, later today around 80. tomorrow partly cloudy up near 90 during the afternoon. tomorrow night might get a thunderstorm. on wednesday perhaps a morning shower and afternoon sto we've got some ladies from south carolina here and over here. all right. ann? >> all right, thank you so much, al. coming up next, are we doing too much to protect our children? may that affect their happiness later on in life? we've got that story, but first, these messages. ♪ [ male announcer ] every day thousands of people are switching from tylenol to advil. to learn more and get your special offer, go to takeadvil.com. take action. take advil. go to takeadvil.com. we know you did it. it's obvious. announcer: sheer blonde go blonder, shampoo, conditioner and new lightening spray is the only line that gives you the control to gradually lighten for a sun-kissed blonde. where is the sun? sheer blonde go blonder. from john frieda. purina cat chow helps you well-being. we're all striving for it. nurture it in your cat with a full family of excellent nutrition and helpful resources. purina cat chow. share a better life. or maybe 8? my me time...is when everybody's takin' shots at me. 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[ male announcer ] to get the flights you want, sign up for a venture card at capitalone.com. what's in your wallet? uh, it's okay. i've played a pilot before. we're back at 8:09. this morning on "today's" family, over-parenting. we ail want our kids to be happy children, but are our obsession to our kid's happiness doom them as their happiness in adults? >> good morning, matt. every mom wants to protect her kids from getting hurt, physically or emotionally. some experts insist that parents are doing such a good job it may eventually backfire. >> reporter: when it comes to being a good parent, how much is too much? >> this is something i just never allow. >> mom, i'm 18 years old. >> yeah? >> i won't even be living here in a month. >> yeah, well, you're living here now. >> reporter: for many mothers finding just the right balance is a real challenge. >> what are they eating, who are they hanging out with, what television shows are they watching? >> reporter: like almost every mom, lori wants her children's days to be nothing but perfect. >> you just so want them to be happy. you so want them to be -- everything to go smoothly for them. it hurts to see them fall down. it hurts to see them fail. it hurts to see them be upset or even bored sometimes. >> reporter: but some studies suggest that the pursuit of non-stop joy could ultimately become a recipe for disaster. an article in this month's magazine raises the question, could bit that by protecting our kids from unhappiness as children, we're depriving them of happiness as adults? >> as parents it's tempting to protect your child from every negative emotion but it's porchtd to have feelings like anxiety and regret and guilt and remorse and envy because they're very helpful in teaching you how to grow up. >> reporter: for plenty of parents it's a constant struggle. >> i see a lot of parents being over involved and it doesn't give the children a chance to be who they are. >> reporter: and for moms, letting your children experience pain, regret, failure, our disappointment is easier said than done. >> i think instinctually we don't want them to feel the disappointment in life because adults disappointment is hard to handle. as little people, it's even more difficult. >> reporter: it's one of life's tough realities and, in the end, one of its most important lessons. >> if my son falls and hurts himself, we get up and brush it off. life goes on. we have to teach our kids resilience at a young age so they can face disappointment as adults. >> well, many experts say it's important and healthy to teach their kids that they are not the center of the world even if that might contradict parental instincts. tough assignments from the experts there. >> lori is the author of "how to land your kid in therapy." ladies, good morning to both of you. got to define this for me, okay? a lot of people are going to be watching this thinking i am a loving, attentive parent. what's the line between loving and at tentative and overparenting? >> as a parent i have trouble with that line, too. and one of the things that i think i struggle with, which a lot of people are also struggling with, is this idea of we want our kids to be happy all the time. but our definition of happiness has changed recently and you can see over the decades that it used to be, you know, we wanted our kids to be generally con tentd. now they have to be happy at all times. >> perfection. >> in every way. >> here's a scenario. we're in the park. i've got my little 4-year-old there, running to catch a squ e squirrel, he falls. hits his nose. my instinct is to run over and scoop him up. >> that instinct entirely comes from love and devotion. but i think as parents these days as good parents gone bad because we are so devoted and so concerned that we see something like a scraped knee or a skinned knee as the end of the plan fets we know it. >> we try to make it better and perfect and pretend it didn't happen in the first place which is not the right way to go about it. >> as they get older we're calling the teachers and saying can't you find a part for my kid. >> because i don't want my child to experience the pain of rejection. >> exactly. exactly. >> let me talk about another scenario. kids in sports. it seems the current philosophy, i want you both to jump in here, is no kid gets cut from the team. every kid gets a trophy at the end of the year. we don't talk about winning and losing. someplaces in soccer games they don't even keep score because they don't want one team to be depressed by the outcome. how bad an idea is this, in your opinion? >> then what happens is these kids get older and they think we're always saying good job, and if they fail at something they get good effort and then they get into the workplace and their bosses aren't giving them a trophy just for showing up like they did in soccer. the kids don't know how to deal with that. >> is it causing problems later in life? >> it is causing problems because it's almost as though when they're young we say, look at you, you breathed in, then you breathed out. and then what happens when -- >> and you get a trophy for it. >> when they win a nobel prize or academy award it's a calm down from childhood. >> if you could offer one piece of practical advice, what would it be? >> i would say if you want your kids to be resill yept and function in day to day life they need to experience challenge, struggle, and disappointment along the way. >> thank you very much. >> you're welcome. >> this is something a lot of people are going to be talking about. up next, marlo thomas on how to kick start your life. good to have her with us. to kick start your life. good to have her with us. but first, these messages. e anno ] why is toyota the number-one choice among consumers? 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[ female announcer ] nutri-grain -- one good decision... can lead to another. ♪ ♪ with real fruit, more of the whole grains your body needs, and a good source of fiber. nutri-grain can help you eat better all day. launch a special new series called "kick-start your life today" with marlo thomas. the goal to help women get unstuck and move forward with the next phase of their lives. author and actress marlo thomas is here to explain this. good morning. >> good morning. this exciting because one of the biggest transitions that people face is the empty nest. can be an extremely difficult time. for one florida woman it was her daughter's big day that turned her life around. >> my daughter had a beautiful, beautiful wedding. and basically i was her wedding coordinator. and i just discovered, oh, my gosh, i really like this. >> reporter: it was a pivotal moment for kathie who just is a few short years before poured much of her energy into raising two children. >> i was very active in their school things. i was room mother all the time. i coached soccer. >> really? you couldn't find a passion? >> never. >> reporter: despite helping her husband gary with his business kathie had a tough time finding a career she truly loved. it must have been hard when they went off to school. >> yes, it was very difficult because it was like, what do i do now? that's where her cocktail hour was. >> that's beautiful. >> reporter: but her daughter jennifer's engagement and nuptials helped kathie uncover a passion for wedding planning. what made you realize that this is such a good fit for you, this career? >> all of her vendors told me, you have to go into this. you are perfect for this. i'm very organized, and i'm very much in detail. >> reporter: now at age 52 kathie's gone back to school, taking a class at broward college to become a certified wedding planner. what do you think is the big challenge then? >> my age. >> reporter: really? >> my age, because i'm thinking, does someone in their 20s or 30s want to go to someone who is 50 or would they rather go to someone who is young? >> we've enlisted wedding designer david tutara to help kathie kick start her new career. >> you look spectacular. >> reporter: so what we are planning is for you to meet with david. >> oh, my gosh. >> yes. i'm so thrilled. ♪ >> kathie is here along with the wedding designer david tutara. we want to welcome you. before we get to talk to you two, let's find out from you, marlo, what gave you the idea, really just thinking about how to kick-start people's lives? >> my feeling is it's not over until it's over. we can make new dreams all the time. you know? and new plans. and i think people get stuck they're in a dream that's not working anymore or it's kind of tired itself out. the kids are gone. now what do i do? and this is a whole idea is there's something else, you can live another 40, 50 years. let's come up with another dream. and that's exactly what happened with kathie. >> kathie, this is the thing. what is it like at 52 to for the first time find what you're passionate about? >> i'm excited. ve i'm very excited because finally i feel like this could be what i've really wanted to do for the rest of my life. >> part of it is really listening to yourself. in other words, it was when you're daughter was getting married. you heard yourself feel, you felt your feelings about how -- and you listened to it and you followed it. and you actually wanted to meet david. >> yes, i did. >> in a big way. >> so, david, she's thinking being 52 is going to hurt her. we just heard her say that in the piece. it's going to hurt her dreams to be a wedding planner. what is your response to that? >> i have to tell you if first of all, i think that you are in a great place in your life. first of all, you've done your daughter's wedding. being a successful wedding planner comes from having heart. and investing yourself emotionally into other people's weddings just as you've done for your daughter. i think often people as wedding planners, those who want to be wedding planners are doing it because they want to create a career, of course, but for you, remind yourself that you're changing people's lives. it's one of the most important days for families, for friends, of course for the bride and the groom. you've got somewhat of an advantage. you've put that together for your daughter. you know what it takes. you know the trials and the issues that come across with it. so i want you to sort of treat every we'd that you do for your clients, because you're going to have clients, you're going to have clintsz, treat them as if they're your daughter. the most important thing is don't be so emotional that you can't see the clarity on executing it as a wedding planner at the same time. >> you're saying her age is an advantage and experience as a mother. also, just look at her. i want her to plan. if i were getting married, still, just because you look like you're interested and engaged. what kind of training, retraining do you have to do or are you done? i'm. >> i'm currently enrolled in a local college course as a wedding planner. i just started it a couple weeks ago. >> what is that like? >> the instructor is unbelievable. she's been in the business for 22 years. it's very intense. i'm learning quite a bit. i think i'll be prepared when the class is over. >> was it scary to think about going back to college? >> no, not at pull. i was looking forward to it. >> you knew what you wanted. david, among your advice you say as a businessperson it's very competitive. >> very. >> you say don't ever say no to a customer. >> yes. >> ever. >> i learned that from my parents. i started my business when i was 19. the biggest advice i can tell you is, that these girls and families are coming to you, you have a dream to come true. we are dream makers in this industry. when someone asks for something, never tell them no. find a way to make it happen even if you think it's challenging because there's something out there, somebody else in this competitive industry who will say yes. grab it and hold on to it. >> making the customer happy is something that plays for virtually every other business. you also say join industry association, network, and keep up on the latest trends. that's advice for anybody out there who is thinking about a career change and thinking about going into business. marlo, what do you want to say to kathie in terms of this big journey she's on? >> what i think is great, first of all, she's really preparing herself. but also she has -- as she was doing this, the people she was working with, the vendors said to her, you're really good at this. you're very organized, you're very detailed. so my feeling is that she should feel good about what her age is because if i was planning a wedding for my daughter i would want to be with someone who has experience. >> all right. well, this is the bottom line, your value is greater than you might guess. kathie, david, marlo, thank you so much. and coming up next, we've got a woman that marlo is going to be talking about actually tomorrow here on "today" who made a career break to have kids. 8:26 is your time now. 65 degrees. lo look at that traffic out there. the rain didn't help the situation. tom will have the forecast of a the news. i'm eun yang, monday june 20, 2011. police are trying to figure out if an overnight shooting in northeast d.c. is connected to a robbery. officers found a man shot. he's expected to be okay but did not want to offer much information about who may have shot him. meanwhile police arrested two people after an armed robbery nearby. after questioning the pair, investigators believe they could have been involved in the shooting. we're going to take a quick ♪ [ female announcer ] have you ever seen a glacier while sunbathing? why not? have you ever climbed a rock wall in the middle of the ocean? or tried something really wild? why not? it's all possible in the n. royal caribbean's floating nation. where you are free to do anything you want. which may be nothing at all. royal caribbean international. why not cruise from baltimore? visit royalcaribbean.com today. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] with amazing innovation, driven by relentless competition, wireless puts the world at your command. ♪ good morning. a chance of rain until about noontime and sun back this afternoon. highs near 80, 90. storms tomorrow night off and on wednesday, thursday, danella, how is traffic. >> in maryland southbound, germantown as you make your way to the spur, 270 shady grove, heavy volume. danella back to you. >> thanks so much. >> thanks so much. another news updat i'm drinkin' dunkin'. dunkin' iced latte. iced dunkin' decaf. estoy tomando café helado. large caramel iced with skim. one shot of hazelnut, iced, cream and sugar. i wouldn't want it any other way. get your iced coffee your way. america runs on dunkin' coffee. 8:30 now on this monday morning. the 20th of june, 2011. a great day to be out and about early in rockefeller plaza. the weather is so nice and we're so happy that these folks are stretching out their weekends to join us this morning. i'm ann curry along with matt lauer and savannah guthrie. also we've got al roker. and it's good to be together. coming up, lessons learned from the biggest natural disaster in american history. >> in our studio rights now we have ray thnagin. you will remember him. he was the mayor during hurricane katrina. we're going to talk to him in just a couple of minutes. a little bit later on, they call him the king of the infomercial. well, he's been indicted for defrauding customers out of $52 million. we're going of go to details coming up. but wait, there's more. >> yes. >> yeah. maybe the kind of more they don't really want. also ahead, we're going to talk to saudi princess. she was at the royal wedding. she's push for a big change in her country. she's speaking out in her first ever american interview. >> sounds interesting. but first, a check of the weather with you. >> yes, indeed, you do. let's take a look at the week ahead. we're starting off with strong t the week ahead. starting off with strong storms in the midsection of the country, above normal temperatures in the east, above normal temperatures out west. chillier in the mid plains for the midweek period warm along the east coast. a lot of wet weather. above normal in the west, below normal in northern plains, below normal ohio river valley, mississippi river valley into the plains and the wet weather will continue along the eastern seaboard with below normal temperatures in southern california. that's what's going on around the country, here is what's happening in your neck of the woods. good morning, some more light rain likely through noontime and sun back later this afternoon with temperatures reaching around 80 degrees. and as we look at the radar, seeing the heaviest rains south and east of washington, now those moving out as the day progresses. tomorrow partly cloudy skies, up around 90, storms tomorrow night, maybe afternoon storms wednesday and thursday, hot and humid both days. friday and saturday could get some more storms. sunday sun returns, highs mid-80s. that's your latest weather, you can check your latest weather by going to weather.com online. now let's head to uncle willie scott with the sma smuckers birthday. >> you want to see some strawberry, stop by the smucker place. jam. what a nice comp harry johnson, from newberry, michigan, 102. decorated world ward t ii, a veteran. still kooks acooks and cleans h place. and finally, mary salmir sarks from boca raton, florida. 109. loves to knit. watch television. she loves game shows. no smoking. a little touch of drinking. that's all. >> all right. thank you so much. coming up next, former mayor of new orleans, ray nagin is opening up about hurricane katrina and what was going on behind the scenes a lot of people don't know about leading up to that disaster. ♪ [ male announcer ] spare toothbrush, just in case: $4. ♪ home cooked meal: $28. ♪ first date finest: $33. ♪ having time on your side: priceless. mastercard paypass. bringing you the most convenient ways to pay. learn more at mastercard.com/paypass. into new orleans on august 29th, 2005 and forever changed the city and this country. more than 1,000 people died. 80% of that city was flooded when the levees were breached. mayor ray nagin was thrust in the national spotlight as he struggled to handle the disaster. now after a year of leaving office he wrote a new book "katrina's secrets, storms after the storm." ray nagin, good to see you again. >> you, too, matt. >> it's a pleasure. this is katrina, probably the most written about, talked about, argued about, analyzed storm in american history. so what are the secret wes don't know? >> well, matt, you know, after i got out of office, i had a chance to go back and look at this story. and it's amazingly complex. so i tried to bring my experiences, the front row journey that i had, i interact we'd just about every level of government. so i try and bring that perspective. >> you are very honest and open in this. you do not spare criticism. you blame president bush, fema director michael brown and others for slow federal response. in the book you write this, quote, the million dollar question is why didn't they take effective action immediately? was it partisan politics, were there racial considerations, my humble opinion is that it was all of the above. now, this is that kanye west moment here, ray. you know you remember president bush in the interview he did with me and in his book that there was any consideration of racist. >> i look at the response that happened during katrina. i look at subsequent events like there was some fires in california, and it was a much dicht response, a much better response. now, i'm not telling you that president bush was a racist or what have you. but i think race and class and politics played in just about every aspect of this disaster. >> on the political front, it's no secret, doesn't have to be a katrina secret, you did not have a very good working relationship with the governor of louisiana at that time. as a matter of fact, when she ran for office you crossed party lines and you supported her opponent bobby jindal. when you called to bring the news to her, she said, according to you, quote, there will be hell to pay. do you think that that actually contributed enough friction to where she was uncooperative with helping you and the city of new orleans? >> i don't know about that but i think there was some residuals. our relationship was not the best. but there were some things going on above me that i think contributed to her hesitancy more than anything. arguing on the act passed way back who knows when. >> president bush worried that a republican president coming into a state with a democratic governor and a largely african-american population and declaring marshal law basically would be viewed very badly. >> yeah, but americans were suffering. i thought that at that particular point in time the president, in my opinion, should have stepped in, categoryized this as a catastrophe and do what he had to do to bring in troops. >> in a radio interview you did, i think, three day afters the storm hit, you started to talk about the response. i just want to play you that clip of that radio interview. >> don't tell me 40,000 people are coming here. they're not here. it's too doggone late. now get off your [ bleep ] and let's do something and let's fix the biggest [ bleep ] crisis in the history of this country. >> you had reached a tipping point. what was it that put you over the edge? >> well, i was sitting in new orleans and i was watching the people suffering. i kept getting promises and nothing was going to happen. and then i was listening to these radio interviews where they were saying that everything was okay in new orleans. you were covering it. your network was covering it. people knew that it was different. so i just had had enough. and my temper took over. >> and even as i sit across from you, ray, and at the time as mayor you had your critics. >> oh, yes. >> and there were people who said that he was part of the problem, not the solution. so i know you admit in the book that you made mistakes. >> absolutely. >> what was the biggest mistake you made? >> it was a catastrophic event. we all made mistakes at every level of government. the thing that i worry about and i think about the most is could i have called a mandatory evacuation much earlier. it was the first one in almost 300-history. i had eight- to ten-year window overnight i could have called it. >> do you think you could have changed the scope of the suffering? >> i'm not sure. it was overnight, so most people were preparing to leave that next morning anyway. but it was a window that i think about a lot. >> former new orleans mayor ray nagin. ray, it's always good to see you. >> self published on amazon. >> "katrina's secrets." coming up next, the television pitchman accused of defrauding customers out of tens of millions of dollars. we'll have details on that. i have fallen in love with making bird houses. caw caw! [ director ]what is that? that's a horrible cr. here are some things that i'll make as little portals. honestly, i'd love to do this for the rest of my life so i've got to take care of my heart. for me, cheerios is a good place to start. [ male announcer ] got something you'll love to keep doing? take care of your heart. you can start with cheerios. the natural whole grain oats can help lower cholesterol. brrrbb... makes you feel ageless. [ male announcer ] it's time. love your heart so you can do what you love. cheerios. [ bob ] squak. i just transferred a prescription to cvs because they have care 1on1. it's where the pharmacist stops and talks to me about safety and saving money with generic prescriptions. laura, let's talk about possible side effects. it's all about me. love that. get care 1on1 and talk savings, safety, and side effects when you transfer or fill a new, ongoing prescription. i'm laura, and this is my cvs. it's all mine. a popular television pitchman known for his get rich infomercials is under indictment for defrauding consumers out of tens of million of dollars. tom, good morning. >> good morning, ann. investors say the pitch was simple. spend less than $50 on this product and make thousands in return. they say donald lapre was convincing on tv, so convincing it was criminal. he's now being charge with several crimes including money laundering and telemarketing fraud. >> the vitamin industry is a multi-billion dollar business. >> reporter: he's a late night infomercial king pitching a way to make big money in little time. >> you're going to wish you got started doing this ten years ago. >> reporter: donald lapre's ended up on "saturday night live." it's no joke to federal prosecutors who say lapre's so-called greatest vitamin in the world business is a scheme, charging he intentionally ripped off more than 200,000 people. >> i cried a lot of tears. and you know, makes me emotional now to think about it because you know, i was mad at myself, i was mad at don lapre for taking advantage of me. >> reporter: lisa says it was 3:00 in the morning when she was touched by lapre's tv pitch to make a profit. >> the way he presented it, he was good. it sounded believable. >> reporter: lapre sold sites like this to customers who hoped to become internet-based vitamin salesman. she said her initial investment buzz less than $40 but that soon ballooned to $6,000. >> the salesman called me several times. said $1,000 for the website. $1500 for a tracker, it's $1,000 for the 800 number. >> reporter: lisa says for all that time, money, and confusion, she lost her savings, all to sell one single bottle of vitamins for $40. indictment states lapre knowingly misled investors like lloyd by using words like amazing, unbelievable, inand incredible to describe how much money they could make. allegedly without telling them they would be competing against over 200,000 others offering the same product advertised in the same manner on the web. >> if you look at these infomercials most of them are focused on that. you never have to leave your house. it's your own business and your own boss. that's what they're appealing to. >> reporter: now that lisa knows she's not the only one who listened to lapre's pitch, she has advice for them. >> you should be refunding us our money back. i'm not a woman of means. most of the people that invest their life savings into this probably aren't people of great means. and you should be ashamed of yourself. >> we reached out to lapre and his attorney but they did not return our calls. the fed said lapre made more than $2 million off the scheme. the company, more than $51 million. and some investors over $6 million total. that still leave $40 million unaccounted for and feds are looking for that money to repay victims if they win this case. ann? >> tom, thanks. coming up next, a rare interview with the princess who has a bold vision for the future, but first, this is "today" on nbc. during the so-called arab spring of uprising saudi arabia remained relatively quiet. but friday some saudi women launched a campaign to secure more independence. >> that's right. nbc nancy snyderman recently traveled there and met one of the newest members of the kingdom's royal family. good morning. >> this is a country of a lot of contradictions, as we know. in a royal family of almost more than 7,000 there is one particular woman who is grabbing the spotlight in her first ever american interview. her heinous princess ameerah al taweel wants us to know there's a lot more under the veil. in a country where women's rights are often subordinate to men, a country where women can't drive and have to be covered head to toe there is one woman who thinks today's norms are going to be saudi's past. 27-year-old princess ameerah al taweel is the wife of one of richest men in the world, entrepreneur and international investor prince alwaleed bin talal. he has large shares in citi corp., apple and four seasons hotels and is said to be worth more than $19 billion. similar to another princess in the spotlight, princess amerrah was born and raised as a commoner. >> i'm a girl from a middle class family. i married a prince, but i haven't changed. >> reporter: but if you walk around her private barn where she's agreed to our interview, the word simple doesn't come to mind. you have an international stable. it's like the u.n. of horses. >> yes. >> reporter: and although she likes to think of herself as a saudi peoples princess, her decision to go unveiled in public isn't always popular. what's the significance of not wearing it? >> you find some women wearing it, you find some women wearing a veil, you find some that are not. for me, i respect them. as long as you live islam, the true meanings, our religion is from within. >> what do you think the biggest misconceptions might be about saudi arabia and a woman of your age in this country? >> i think that there's a lot of misconceptions. and you have seen great saudi ladies and very smart, very educated, very independent, and that's the truth of all this. >> reporter: when it comes to independence, her heinous has made a bold statement about women and driving. >> you want to be the first. >> yes. >> why is it important for women to be able to drive? >> for me, i don't care if i was the first or, you know, the 60th. as long as we drive. it's a social need. but looking at the other side, there are priorities for us women here in saudi other than driving. we care about laws, women in the workforce, basic rights. >> reporter: the princess herself is setting an example as vice chairwoman of the al taweel bin talal education for women's rights. when it comes to the future of sau saud women, she says she does not stand alone. >> i have a el tooing you're going to keep chipping away at the rock and just keep chipping and chipping as you move saudi women forward. >> you will see a whole movement. i mean, it's not only we're fighting for our rights and we are getting them. we are getting them. if we are not getting them, you didn't see me talking with you today. >> but she did talk to you today. obviously word is spreading on her views and other views. so how influential can she hope to be? >> i think she's extraordinarily influential. everyone is looking at saudi as being a stable monarchy with a lot of turmoil around it. yet, women, whether they were professor or members of the royal family, talked to me about the importance of driving because while it is law that a woman make the same salary as men for any given job, a woman can spend 30% of her salary for a driver. if a driver doesn't show up, you don't make your doctor's appointment, you don't make to it work. economic stability, i really do think you're going to start to see this get chipped away. a lot of women at night are sneaking out and driving anyway in dedefiance. last friday a lot of women drove, waiting or arrested. interestingly, a lot of men just turned away. >> woman's movement in saudi arabia. >> yes. >> thanks so much. >> good stuff, nancy. before we leave you on this monday morning, just a quick congratulations once again. we're very proud that we won the emmy award over the weekend. daytime emory award for outstanding morning program. congratulations to executive producer and entire staff. but also -- >> the orchestra that we have. great, guys. >> couple of people downstairs also need recognition. >> yes. >> we've got joe michaels. he won. just took a shot of himself. >> he finally called the shot right. >> he won for outstanding directing. joe, congratulations. do we have a camera in our audio room, as well? >> yes. >> there we go. >> congratulations to matt and david in there. they won the emmy award as well. guys, well-done. >> that's great. >> cool. >> i think i've only been here a week. >> they're saying our mikes weren't on. >> and scene. >> congratulations. really good stuff. >> that's great. the thing that really makes our show, the people behind the scenes. that's the big difference. >> no question about it. >> true. we'll be back with much more after your local news. 8:56, your time now, 67 degrees. a rainy soggy start to your workweek. tom will have the forecast of a the news. i'm eun yang, monday june 20, 2011. police found a man dead in his apartment with duct tape wrapped around his head. it happened 1300 block of levis. very little information, the man was 60 years old. was 60 years old. the man was beaten i man: we need a sofa. something i can stretch out on! woman: ooh... that will go with those lamps my mother gave us. or we could get some new lamps. or we could get no sofa. negotiating, eh? you got it! is fios really america's fastest internet? as fios installers, we get a lot of questions we like to say yes to. but one question we get asked more than any other... do i have to sign a term contract? and the answer simply is "no." because service this good doesn't need a term contract. [ male announcer ] get 100% fiber optic tv and america's fastest internet. switch to fios tv, internet, and phone for just $99.99 a month for a year plus over 60 premium channels included for 12 months. call 1.888.get.fios today. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities fios. a network ahead. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. the rain has temporarily stopped here right around the immediate metro area. however, we still have showers to the west and heavier downpours on the eastern shore. we could get a few more areas of light rain until noontime and sun back this afternoon, high near 80. near 90 tomorrow. tomorrow evening could get storms. danella, how is traffic? >> traveling in maryland, a look at the beltway jammed from college park as you make your way to georgia avenue. a live look, 495 at new hampshire avenue. eun, back to you. >> thanks so much. another news update in 25 minutes. for now back to the "today show" after this short break. have a great day. we're back on "today" on a monday morning. it's june 20, 2011. last full day of spring. a great group of people on the plaza. although it's clouding over a little bit from what it was later on, nice cool temperatures. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry. tamron hall and al roker, natalie is off today. coming up, talking about something we talk about a lot around here, not getting enough sleep, being tired all the time. >> they have kron techronic fat. the question is how to get diagnosed, how do you get diagnosed correctly. we're going to hear one woman's story to make sure you're not misdiagnosed for something that could really affect your life. later on we have always heard the saying it's the little things that add up that can mean a lot. when it comes to savings and spending, that is true, whether you're paying bills a few days late, you hate bargain hunting or you would rather buy your morning cup of coffee than making it at home. it could be cost you. we're going to show you how these small changes could make a big difference. it is the kiss seen around the world. i know you know the kiss we're talking about. the vancouver couple caught smooching with the riot just behind them. the now famous duo is telling exactly how this all went down. what the parents thought. that's what i thought, what does he dad think. >> he's thinking i wish shed worn pants. >> she wore -- she had underwear on, that's good. >> some of us were focusing on the kiss. >> i'm a dad. >> i would think the dad would say that, how great that she was with a guy who protected her. >> i agree. >> yeah. yeah. >> that's how i would feel. >> that's right. >> a lot to protect. we'll talk about how it went down. before we go any further, savannah guthrie is filling in fortunately today. >> good morning. in the news this morning more residents were evacuated in arizona and along the new mexico border as high winds whipped up two massive wildfires in the area on sunday. the flames have already consumed dozens of homes and sent thousands fleeing. but today winds are expected to die down. a forecast that would greatly benefit firefighters there. residents along the swollen missouri river are bracing themselves today after several levees failed sunday. and more are expected to be breached today. there was a moment of hope early on when the river dipped by a foot, but it rose once again this time overflowing its levees. officials blame recent rain and last week's levee breach in hamburg, iowa. a new study finds twice as many children in the u.s. have food allergies than government health officials earlier estimated. it says one in 13 children has some type of food allergy with 40% of them suffering severe reactions. the study in the "journal pediatrics" says peanuts and milk are the most common sources of food allergies. the woman accuse of making a bomb threat against a us airways plane sunday is being examined at a mental health facility. the fbi says the suspect made the threat in person at an airport ticket counter in dayton, ohio, where the flight originated. it landed safely in washington, d.c., and no explosives were found. well, that young couple whose photo during last week's rioting in vancouver is speaking out this morning. the photo shows scott jones and alex thomas kissing after they were knocked to the ground in the rioting that followed vancouver's loss in the stanley cup finals. earlier on "today" the kissing couple talked about what led up to that now famous photo. >> i was just trying to calm her down, you know. it was pretty scary for her. seemed like the best thing to do. >> it's kind of amazing that there was somewhere there to take a photo of that and capture that. i would always know those feelings and emotions from that, but that there's a photograph that so clearly shows that is pretty incredible. >> as for the internet sensation over the photo, scott jones said, quote, i guess it was a good shot. "green lantern" took over the top spot at the box office taking in more than $52. "super 8" was second with $21 million. and "mr. popper's penguins" was third with $18 million. what's more extreme than rinking your neck to make a splash in look at these cliff divers swrumping from the 14 century prison tower in france this weekend. triple quads and terroristing somersaults in the middle of a ten-story fall. in germany, the world's best wakeboarders drew a crowd of thousands as they performed classic skate park moves on the water. germany, wakeboarders performed classic skate park moves on the water. it's now 9:05. back to ann, matt and tamron. >> go ryan reynolds with the "green lantern." >> 57 million. >> 52. >> wow, okay. >> let's get a check of the weather, shall we? >> i myself saw mr. popper's penguins this weekend. awfully cute. speaking of awfully cute, who is this? >> this is alex. he's five weeks old. >> he is beautiful. he kind of looks like our director. not quite sure. there he is. where are you guys from? >> st. louis, missouri. >> he really does look like joe. almost bold and no teeth. let's check your weather. we'll see you right now. we've got a risk of strong storms from the southeast all the way through the upper ohio river valley up through the plains, a strong risk from nebraska on into iowa, also parts of northwestern missouri. a chance for some large tornadoes. you can see already a line of thunderstorms stretching from virginias back into southern minnesota. anywhere from one to three inches of rain before this is all over. again, strong winds, isolated tornadoes and hail possible. that's what's bog on around the country, here is what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. we could get a little more light rain until around noontime. we will have the steady rain we have on the eastern shore continuing to move off to the north and east. the radar showing that's pulling away from the metro area now. later today some sun ought to break out near 80 by the afternoon, tomorrow partly cloudy skies high near 90 by the middle of the afternoon. tomorrow night a thunderstorm, could get a storm wednesday, thursday afternoon, hot and humid both days. a few more storms possible where are you guys all from? >> montgomery, alabama. >> montgomery, alabama? >> yeah. >> yeah, wow. savannah, another state. all right, al, thanks. this morning on "today's" health, a debilitating but often undiagnosed condition, chronic fatigue syndrome. we all get tired and feel tired from time to time juggling work and family, but imagine feeling that every day of your life. here's one woman's story. >> it began a year and a half ago when i got very ill with pneumonia and a couple other things. and never really recovered my strength tr fr that. and then six months ago the fatigue factor got reay bad. you can get up feeling absolutely fine after eight hours' sleep, lively, perky, normal and all of a sudden it's like you flipped a switch and you can just feel that fatigue coming over you and your vision starts to get a little bit blurry. it comes over you in great sort of waves of sleepiness and tiredness. it's not like the normal kind of fatigue. i went to our regular family doctor, who is also internal medicine, he ran all kinds of tests but could not figure out what was going on. then i saw a couple other doctors, same thing. couldn't recognize it. it was not great news to hear that you have chronic fatigue syndrome. but on the other hand it was a relief to know now finally what we're dealing with and then be able to take steps to move forward and get past it. i had a positive diagnosis for about three months. and i'm feeling better today, just because with my doctor's good advice and the help of the wholistic medical person, it's mildly disruptive. i can't get around that. but i'm just determined that it's not going to rule my life. and so i've learned how to manage it. >> and here now with more on this syndrome and how to recognize the symptoms, nbc's chief medical editor nancy snyderman. i wondered if the stigma is now gone. there was a time where a lot of doctors thought chronic fatigue syndrome, this is some kind of mental illness, it's all in women's heads. >> when i was practicing medicine when we would basically say to women, oh, you're just hysterical, something going on in your life. then we started looking at viruses causing it. what really impressed me in the early days is these were welcoming in mot malingers. these were high-powered women, didn't have time to be exhausted, who would say over and over again, i can't get out of bed, i don't feel good, i ache all the time. and i think over time, doctors took this diagnosis out of the waste basket and started to give it validity. >> is it so hard to diagnose because these are jenner rec symptoms, when you say i'm fatigued, what could be any numb beverly hills number of things. >> one, it takes women speaking up a saying, no, it's different. it takes doctors really listening. now there are real criteria for diagnosing it. >> that leads me to my question, what are the symptoms? >> prolonged major exhaustion, a lot of women will say their memory isn't exactly what it was. this exhaustion that is bone weary exhaustion. even after seven or eight hours of sleep, interrupted sleep, good sleep, doesn't matter. but this muscle and joint pain, women will complain and a lot of times when you get worked up for arthritis because of that. a lot of times nothing more than a crumby score throat, lumps in your throat. but if you have four or more of that laundry list, plus debilitating exhaustion, doctors will dig moagnose you with chro fatigue syndrome. by too time they see doctors they've had it for months and years and it's gone undiagnosed. sometimes teenagers can have it. it doesn't have to be adults. we used to think it's a mono like illness. some girls who have had monday now numono, something like a co, flu, pneumonia, mono, it will go away and then this deep exhaustion comes. and that's what makes them think it may be a virus. >> we see that word chronic and it's a scary word. does that mean there's no real treatment for it? >> it means the treatment varies. for some women it may be some kind of medications. there is no cure, i should say. pain therapy usually, sleep hygiene. i mean, going to bed one time and getting up at the same time. sometimes antidepressants play a role. any one of those things you see matters. at the core of it though is getting the right diagnosis. many times seeing a therapist and then figuring out how you're going to alter your life so that you can work around it. this does not go away on its own. you have to modify it to fit. >> dr. nancy snyderman, good afgs this morning. thank you. coming up next, in "today's" money, small changes that can actually add up to huge savings. and later, from video games to texting and television, how to limit your child's digital distractions this summer. but first, these messages. ♪ [ bird chirps ] [ snoring ] [ clears throat ] hop to, gang. it's showtime. uh, do you know this guy? i'm not gonna cry, am i? only if you don't believe in the power of friendship. really? you guys are good. 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[ both ] ♪ emma, emma bo-bemma ♪ banana-fana-fo-femma ♪ fee-fi-fo-femma ♪ em-ma very good sweety, how do you feel? good. yeah? you did a really good job, okay? let's go back to drawing. hebrew national hot dogs are the best of the best of the best. they don't get any bester than this. omg, it's kosher! with no fillers, by-products, artificial flavors or colors. hebrew national. the better than a hot dog, hot dog. introducing honey bunches of oats, raisin medley. there's nothing like it! the only cereal with 1, 2, 3 kinds of raisins and crunchy multigrain flakes. you gotta try new honey bunches of oats raisin medley. this morning on "today's" money, converting slackers into savers. putting a little extra effort and making small changes in the way you handle money and your behavior can make a huge impact on your bank account. >> good morning. >> first of all, you say we don't make a plan. that's right off the bat, lazy and not making a basic plan. >> you've got to have that financial plan. a lot of us lead that spend as you go lifestyle which is completely not productive. you've got to take a look at your short-term goals, long-term goals, where do you want to be in five years, do you want to be debt free, do you want to own a home? put the plan in motion because studies do show that ear more inclined to save when we're saving for something specific. >> this next one is something i'm guilty of not doing. it says you should haggle. >> you got to do it. we're getting better at doing the comparison shopping a lot of us are still squeamish about the haggling. >> it's a wide range of thing. >> consumer reports found an over 80% success rate on some things, from. >> caller: phone bills to hotel room rates, over 70%. >> clothing? >>ette clo i ettett ettclothing. furnitu furniture, electronics. >> other thing is you've got to get organized. >> yeah. here i'm talking specifically about people who pay their bills late. you know who you are. if you pay your bills late you're hit not only with a late fee but also higher interest rates and it damages your credit which, in turn, affects your ability to get a job, to rent an apartment, to buy a home. so you've got to set the system that works for you. text message alerts to your phone. >> speaking of credit you say you need to check your credit report. >> a lot of people are overlooking this one, too. the credit is going to affect what you can and cannot do financially. get a copy of your credit report for free once year from an newcreditreport.com. check it for fraudulent behavior, inaccuracies because the error rate on these things, anywhere from 3% to 25%. some studies say as high as 80%. one small error can cost you a lot in interest. >> out shopping for a loan you need to check your loan options. >> you do. interesting survey, found we're spending twice as much time researching a car purchase as we are loans even though the average cost of a home is about five times more. so this disparity can cost you literally thousands of dollars. >> your lifestyle can cost you, too. over eating and smoking? >> bad habits are very costly. if you look at over eating, two-thirds of americans are overweight or obese, astounding statistics. obesity, overweight can cost you $260,000 over a lifetime. you've got health related problems, shorter lifespan, workplace discrimination which leads to lower wages. smoking, another big one. couple thousand dollars a year on cigarettes, life insurance, homeowners, auto insurance, all this stuff, up, up, and away. >> update your beneficiaries. >> a lot of people overlook this. do this on a regular basis after a life-changing event, marriage, divorce, birth of a child. beneficiaries your honor life insurance, 401(k)s, retirement plans. you've got to do it? >> financial security, especially as a retirement is a etch proing. >> a lot of people are relying on government programs or other financial crisis to get them through it. you cannot do that. you've got to be captain of your own financial ship. the reality is we're either going to have to work longer in this environment or scale back or both. >> teach your kids about money. they will do as they see. >> set a good champexample for kids. coming up, live performance from michael bolton. yeah. the ladies like michael. up next, savannah takes on two tennis greats live on the plaza. way to go. yeah! a dog is not merely a pet. a dog, well, a dog is family. and when it comes to your family's health, you want the best. now you can have it without paying the most. new petarmor plus flea and tick protection. it has the same active ingredients as frontline plus, so it's just as effective against fleas and ticks, but costs about half as much. sure our dogs may be called pets, but we all know they're family. new petarmor plus. same protection as frontline at about half the cost. only at walmart and sam's club. you can do this... get the ball, girl. hmmm, you can't do that. but you can do this. bengay pain relief + massage with penetrating nubs plus the powerful pain relief of bengay. love the nubs! with[ male ♪ nouncer ]plus the ziploc presents ziplogic.engay. 4 lbs of sirloin, but only wrap half, i'll just throw it out anyway. 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[ male announcer ] to get the flights you want, sign up for a venture card at capitalone.com. what's in your wallet? uh, it's okay. i've played a pilot before. what's in your wallet? the difference between my pale dry skin and glowing moisturized skin? jergens natural glow daily moisturizer. it gives you natural looking color, guaranteed. jergens is the difference between landing and making an arrival. jergens. the beautiful difference. we're celebrating the 125th anniversary of wimbledon, nbc began covering on saturday. and this morning two former world champion players are here to help us kick off a week of free wimbledon activities here at rockefeller center. i've got my sneakers. i've got my racket. i don't know if i have any skills. jim and monica, good to see you. >> thanks for having us. >> tell us about these activities that people can enjoy at the plaza. >> this monday through friday it's going to be here right at rockefeller. big screen with live coverage all the matches going on all day long. free strawberries and drecream. this is the only grass court in manhattan. >> just like wimbledon. >> that's right. you can come down and do what we've been doing which is to look really fabulous looking on the grass courts. you're dressed for the occasion. >> not exactly. monica, what does it mean to you to be involved in this tennis education. getting kids excited about tennis? >> exactly. it's important to get kids involved and into the sport. having hsbnc bank puts it down in the heart of new york city. jim and i will be playing here with some lucky fans. we encourage anyone who wants to come out and play with both jim and i on a grass court will join us this afternoon. >> that's good. i'm warming you up. i'm sure you guys are watching wimbledon. any picks this year? >> i like nadal. he's defending champion. i'm interested in what she thinks about the women's side because i think it's wide open. >> i have to agree with you there. it's great to have maria sharapova back playing so well after a long injury and having both serena and venus back, serena being the defending champion. i think it's wide open. >> in the spirit of wimbledon, shall we do our thing here? >> put the papers down. >> this time i'm going the try not to hit you. >> okay. >> we're ready. >> let's see if i can do it under pressure. >> you've got it. >> so how's my stroke? is it okay? >> your stroke is good. keep it short. the key to a good volley is keep it very short. you don't want to swing too much. >> step into it. >> just like that. that's perfect. beautiful. you look good. 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[ male announcer ] new chips ahoy! chewy gooeys filled to perfection with delicious creamy fudge; every cookie is crammed with joy! can the 9:26 is the time. good morning, i'm u.n. yan, monday june 20th, 2011. in the news for today police are trying to fig out if a shooting in northeast d.c. is connected to an armed robbery. officers found a man shot. he's expected to be okay. investigators say he did not provide information about who shot him. people arrested after an armed robbery. after questioning that pair, officers believe they coul good morning. radar showing some scattered light rain across virginia, maryland, the eastern shore. we will have this area of light rain off and on all the way until early afternoon. then a little sun should break out later this afternoon, highs of upper 70s to 80. near 90 tomorrow. daniel ark, how is traffic. >> near the beltway an accident blocks two lanes on woodrow wilson. rails running on time. back to you. >> thank you. for now, back to the "today show" after this short break. hope you have a great day. we'll see you soon. two years ago this week while the world lost the king of pop, la toya jackson lost her brother. she's out now with a new book and has a lot to share about michael jackson's life and death and restarting her own musical career. we're going to hear from la toya jackson tomorrow on "today." meantime, jenna bush catches up with special high school graduate who face tough times. not only got their degree but they beat canner along the way. jenna will be sharing their remarkable stories a little later on. you mentioned graduation, with school out for summer, the kids will likely be all about screen time, from their laptops to tv to their gaming consoles. and digital distractions are just endless these days. we have strategies for parents to limit the media overload. not take it away but limit it. and find some alternatives that will turn into your kids learning something online. you can balance it out. and in "today's" kitchen we're getting ready for the summer heat with light and fresh seafood dishes with a thai twist. but first, al, let's get a check of the a thai twist. first a check of the weather. >> all right. show you what we're looking for as far as our week ahead. starting off warmer, weather along the eastern seaboard. strong storms in the plains out west above normal temperatures. midweek, storms move east, looking at warmer weather but stronger storms. above normal temperatures in the west, below normal temperatures in the plains. it continues as we get into the latter part of the week and more wet weather along the eastern seaboard. cooler as well in southern california. that's what's going on around the country. here is what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning, radar showing some scattered light rain across northern virginia, maryland and on the eastern shore they are getting heavier downpours. right now that's moving north and east and pulling away from the bay. later today, sunshine breaking out by midafternoon, highs reaching upper 70s to near 80. highs near 90 tomorrow, could get storms tomorrow night and maybe a passing storm wednesday and thursday. mainly afternoons hot and humid both days. more storms possible friday and saturday. and that's your latest weather. >> we have special guests with us today. gabriel and patrick, they play lawyers in the new series "suits" on the usa network. patrick, you really play a lawyer because even on this show all about lawyers, you're not really a lawyer. you didn't go to law school and yet you just have a knack for it. >> that's right. i didn't go to law school. he's a character who is kind of stumbled his way into the high-profile corporate law firm. and now finds himself having to pretend every day that he's got a law degree even though he doesn't. >> gabriel, you play a hot shot slick lawyer type of guy. are you playing the type? >> i am absolutely nothing like the character that i play. i wear my heart on my sleeve. this guy is tough as nails. and you know, gives this guy a hard time. rides him throughout the entire show. >> you guys wear beautiful suits there. now gabriel, you look hot and i'm just complementing. >> this san interview, tamron. >> you wait until after we're off the air. >> as i transition to a legitimate question. patrick, your character has a photographic memory, does that help you at life at all? >> i do very well with lines. we talk about that onset all the time. i actually have an amazing ability to retain some of the legal jargon. that comes in handy. >> you have to have latin if you're a lawyer. >> we're working on it. season two maybe. >> i know the two characters have something of a bromance. you guys just clicked onset? >> we hate each other. >> why you got to -- >> don't worry. because she loves you enough for the beth of you. >> i love the show. i saw the previews. >> we're both really excited that it finally finds an audience. we've been working on it a long time. >> al, you, too, you're a some man. it's called "suits." catch the premier 9:00 central, usa network. coming up next, jenna bush hager and remarkably grave graduates. money on our car insurance. great! at progressive, you can compare rates side by side, so you get the same coverage, often for less. wow! that is huge! 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founder and psyche terrorist gayle, "today's" contributor. good morning to both of you. this is a hot topic. a lot of people can relate to it. gayle, when we were kids. tv was the big enemy. now you've got smart phones, dvds, you name it. >> social networking. >> what is the challenge for parents right now? >> i think the time involved in limiting kids. that limiting the amount of time they spend, limiting where they are based on their age, it takes time as a parent and it's easier to plat them in front of or let it go, but kids can becomed ed a addicted to these things, kids can get in trouble, be made anxious. it has to be supervised. >> kids ages 8 through 18, 7 1/2 hours a day with media. they have overload. i was at dinner the other day and saw parents whip out a little mini dvd player so their child could be entertained while eating dinner. what are some of the obstacles that kids will face later if we don't limit them? it. >> changes their brain. i think it actually changes the way they behave and interact with other people. you said 7 1/2 hours a day average kids spend with a media. multi-tasking, includes watching tv and being on your computer and phone at the same time, 10 1/2 hours per day for a kid. gayle is exactly right. the first rule of parenting with media and technology today is to set clear limits. in the summertime, that's a critically important thing to do. >> i'm startled. some of the experts say it leads to unhappiness, obesity, low grades. i get the obesity. but low grades, you would think technology makes you smarter. >> you're involved here with things that are not academic. that's the point. they're games. they're social networking. kids can spend incredible amounts of time on certain social networking sites. that's time they're not spending doing studies or engaged in work or creative thinking. for young kids that involves play. having time to go it of and play and are to use their own imagination. >> let me ask you though. this technology is not going anywhere, jim. how do you avoid a civil war in your home? how do you not look like the mean parentnd balance it? >> a couple of things. first of all, i think you have to be honest and have an ongoing dialogue with your kids. i have four kids, gayle has three kids. we talk with our kids about this all the time. >> all the time. >> we set limits. we also choose quality in addition to quantity limits. so that you can use common sense. you can go find out what movie or video game or tv show is okay for your kids. you have to have an on going discussion about it. this device here, the cell phone, we saw it, is such an important device for kids today. they can getted a dited ed add cell phone. if you sit there at the dinner table and you are using your phone all time or your crackberry then your kids -- >> you can't say do what i'm telling you to do, not what i'm actually doing. that doesn't mean you have to get off it but it means while you're interacting with your child and with your family, don't be on those devices. >> what about social websites and especially when you think about older kids. >> reality today. facebook is the predominant social website for kids 13 and up and as gayle i know, 10 and up. kids oftentimes will tell me that i that waste a lot of time just looking at pictures over and over again. social emotional imbalance. >> how do you turn it from that to quality educational things that might be on these apps or websites? >> first of all, you have rules about delaying when they can do these things. kids are going on younger than they should be and then you have to set time limits. you have to set where they can go and give them options to do some educational things. >> you have options. star fall website, stack the countries and scrabble website. >> they're all examples of educational websites that you can find. go to common sense and find all of those. the bottom line is this. media and technology are part of parenting today. during the summer, it's critical that you stay involved with your kids' media and technologies. set the limits. help them make good choices. parenting is hard. the summer is great time. >> asking parents to do something very difficult. that is part of the job. the truth is if you do it up front, you will have an easier time later. if you let go, believe me, when the fall starts and school starts, you're going to have big problems. >> sounds like it's about balance, which is the key to life. >> it is, you're right. >> great information. up next, a taste of thai for a fresh summer menu. but first, this is "today" on nbc. what makes the sleep number store different? 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>> no, we just bang it on the three lines and then it goes exactly in half. what we're going to do now is we're actually going to -- place that here. >> okay. >> this is the new dish that we're going to have them try this week. we're going to be serving a coconut like that. this is a thai zester from thailand. >> scraping it out. >> scrape it out. it's very thin strands of fresh coconut. >> get to that later. then we do the sauce. >> now we do the sauce. lemongrass, ginger, garlic, a little bit of salt for an abrasive. >> okay. >> turned into a fine paste. >> okay. >> many people donhave these in their home but i don't think they use them very often. >> the lemon juice? >> lime juice. freshly squeezed lime juice. >> it cures it. fish sauce for a little bit of taste. >> is that a special kind, thai fish sauce? >> thai fish sauce. it's anchovies. actually dried anchovies. >> what was that, sugar? >> a little bit of sugar. couple of pinches of sugar. mix that? >> you pour that into the fish. you have red snapper but would any fish work? >> depending on any flavor you want. a nice white fish. this is what we're going to be using at work. >> pour that on to the fish? >> you. >> you say that cures it. i say cooks it. >> 15 minutes. curing is cooking it in a way. we mix that up like that. >> and 15 minutes. how do you know it's done? >> it turns white. as we move on to the one we've already done here, see how it's actually turned white? it's cured. it's ready to be served. >> then we add these things? >> freshly grated coconut, cilantro leaves, mint leaves, some diced red -- and 30 seconds left, let's make sure we get to our second appetizer, which is a mouthful. you use the leaf because that's the japanese -- you can't find the thai leaf here. >> yes. we use this leaf but in thailand you use their leaf. >> lastly, what do we have over here? >> we have prawns with a red coconut curry. >> sounds like a great summer meal. >> it's still looking at you. >> i believe this is sydney. encapsulates summer, i mean. summer in new york city. >> thank you. at 190 miles per hour, the wind will literally lift ordinary windshield wipers off the glass. so, did we build a slower car? or design wipers that could handle anything? what do you think? the cadillac cts-v, the world's fastest production sedan. we don't just make luxury cars, we make cadillacs a rainy day here in the nation's capital. we'll check the weather for you coming up. 9:56 the time. monday un 20th, 2011. i'm barbara harrison. in the news police are investigating the motive for a murder in northeast washington. a man was found dead in his home with duct tape around his head. he lived on levis street. investigators have not released his name but do say he's 60 yeerds. the man was beaten in his home a few days ago. president and vice president will hear from local leaders about efforts to create jobs and boost their area's economy. many of the same mayors spent the weekend at their annual conference inside baltimore. now a look at our forecast. tom. >> the steadier rain we had earlier is tapering off. just scattered areas of light rain across northern virginia, maryland and district of columbia. the heavier rain on the eastern shore, northern neck of virginia and southern maryland moving north and east. a little sun ought to break out this afternoon. temperatures near 80. highs near 90 tomorrow during the afternoon. could get storms tomorrow night. off and on wednesday and thursday, friday and saturday isolated storms possible. danella, how is the morning traffic. >> beltway an accident blocks the lanes on the woodrow wilson bridge. outer loop of the beltway, 495, new hampshire, delays continue to georgia avenue. back to you, barbara. >> thanks, danella. curly, frizzy hair, you know who you [ female announcer ] welcome to busch gardens williamsburg, where d.c. goes to get away. maybe it's because washington d.c. loves the legendary coasters. or that your entire family will have fun, even the little ones. it could be that water country usa has more of the waves, slides and rides everyone wants. so plan your getaway and come play. you never know who you'll run into. get started at buschgardens.com/dc. from nbc news, this is "today," with kathie lee gifford, and hoda kotb. live if studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hello, everybody, we made it back from beautiful, beautiful aspen, colorado. it's fun-day, monday, june 20th. we're so glad you're with us today. hello, hoda-woman. >> we had quite a weekend together in aspen. i had never been before. we were out at one point and you said, this looks like a coors beer commercial. and it really did. it's those beautiful mountain peaks. >> those are a few friends we picked up along the way. >> those mountains behind were so breathtaking i just couldn't believe how gorgeous. >> what is going on with that? >> that needs an explanation. i like to go bicycling. but i hate helmets, i just hate them. and you know you got to wear them. i said fine, but i'm going, i'm not taking off my cowgirl hat. so i have the helmet and i taped the cowgirl hat with the top. because i wanted to look good. >> we had, it was beautiful. and the best part about aspen, there were so many great parts, is your hair never looks better than aspen. >> there's no humidity. >> it's shocking, i woke up out of bed and usually i look like a freak when i wake up. and i woke up and i was like, oh my god, this is the best ever. >> she actually canceled cecilia, this beautiful young woman who was going to do her hair. she canceled her because her hair was perfect. >> we have a piece from our antics from the food and wine classic. >> and cassidy went with me and every single day she dragged me out for the longest hikes at that altitude. but it's really gorgeous. >> you feel it. >> but you don't care, it's so beautiful. everything you're looking at. and the air there is so clean. what i love so much about colorado, you're at an altitude where there's no pollution. and there are no bugs. >> so the flowers are like daisies, this big. everything. i love colorado, anyway, but summertime -- is magnificent. >> and the food and wine, we saw a bunch of our old friends there. >> we ran into a few -- it's ray's fault we went to begin with. we love our ray. we'll show you that a little bit later. but in the meantime. we had a very big event on friday that natalie was there to represent "the today show." >> it was the daytime emmys, and there's certain times where you like to say wow, we did well as a group and this is one of those times. "the today show" as a group won an emmy for outstanding morning program. and in addition, you know, you know that all the guys behind the scenes make this work. director joe michaels won one. >> the first time he's gotten the individual emmy for outstanding direction. and dave levinson, mat ruffino, won for outstanding achievement in sound mixing. so congratulations to them. that was pretty cool, right? >> i felt like the susan lucci of morning television, for years and years, because every year rege and i would get nominated for best host and best show. never won one in 15 years. come over here, sit down next to hoda and boom, we got our second emmy, baby. >> and regis didn't get one? >> no. and it's his last year. i think dr. oz won one. don't cry for regie, he'll be just fine. >> we have a new show on nbc, called "love bites." >> because it does. >> we heard rumors, the thing about twitter and facebook is if there's any kind of buzz about something -- people will tell you right away and we heard there was something about this program. on the show "love bites." >> we haven't seen it but we're going to see it when you do. >> look, guys, relax. i'm not going to call her. okay? did we have a good time? yes, we had a great time. but that's the whole point. we're supposed to have a great time. we're not in a relationship just because it's built into the morning and we watch kathie lee and hoda together. >> wait a minute, you watched kathie lee and hoda together? >> oh! >> guys, i have the number -- >> does that mean he's gonzo? does that mean it's a relationship? or is that the biggest cut in the world? >> that's the biggest cut. if that's all you got to do? >> if that's all you got to do at 10:00 in the morning, baby, it's over. >> we hope everyone had a good father's day and it seems like president obama had a really nice one. he was with his two girls, malia and sasha and they got ice cream and they went to this cool place called thomas sweet cafe in georgetown and apparently the girls got that cookies and cream. >> no, cookie dough. >> but whenever they go to a spot, it becomes the hot spot. so that place will inevitably become a hot spot. >> we got home just in time to see a thrilling finish of the u.s. open. this incredible irish kid named rory mcilroy. i guess just set all kinds of records. >> 22-year-old. >> 22-year-old kid. he really -- i guess lost one of the last majors at the very end. he was leading by four. at the masters, by four strokes he was leading. and i guess, the pressure of it at the end, he sort of fell apart. but not this time. he learned, boy, this time. >> he's the youngest guy to win since 19 23. >> 22 years old. >> 16 under par. i would have 16 on each hole. >> i don't know what that means, so there. >> if it's a par 3, that means it's never been done before. >> whatever, he's cute and we're glad he's won because he's 22. and by the way, it's nice to have a new face. that's the other thing. >> golf certainly needs it, since tort has sort of been out of the scene. >> i don't know who's at fault here, but apparently there's a lawsuit. this woman claims that her bikini burned her. she's 50 years old. >> she had one of those bikinis with underwire under them. she's laying out in the sun, she's a long island woman. she's getting sun and she goes into the shower and notices two burn marks. >> blisters. >> third-degree burns. >> she decided it was her bathing suit. she wants to sue apparently the bathing suit company. >> because she can't sue mother nature for the sun. >> no, she can't. here's the thing, if i wear a chain and i'm in the sun, i know it's hot. i immediately take it off. i don't know how she wouldn't realize she was getting burned under there. you would think she would notice. >> depending on, depending on your cup size, you don't see down there, if you know what i mean, it's all tucked away, right? so we don't know. but we wish her all the best. here's another one i wasn't in it, although i think you deserve to be the best beach bodies according to "people" magazine. >> let's keep in mind their age, best abs, 23-year-old zac efron, cassidy completely agrees with that. and 26-year-old audrin audrina patridge. >> best arms are 26-year-old kellen lutz, from the "twilight" movies and 42-year-old jennifer aniston. although 42 sounds so relative to me. >> and she does a lot of yoga. >> and the best beach butt is 23-year-old minka kelly. and best legs, rafi nadal. and 41-year-old jennifer lopez. >> we're being told that regis and kelly did win? >> they tied. they tied dr. oz. okay, good, wonderful. >> we're getting good information right now. >> we don't always get the information quickly. good for them. so that's kelly's first, i think. good for her. >> good. >> all right. now if you're out and about and you don't have one of the best beach bodies and you don't want to basically be seen, this is for you. these are called paparazzi shades. you know, they black out, they look like, they make you look like a "glamour" don't. >> they're $12, from fashion do's and fashion don't's. >> first of all, it would make more people look at you because they're so weird. >> you know who is here today, hoda woman. i've november him forever. michael bolton is here. i'm happy for michael, he's getting a whole lot of buzz again. he's going to perform with, i just met her downstairs. she is gorgeous, her name is delta godrum, i believe. a huge, huge star in australia. they're making music together. new album is out. >> he's got all sorts of duti d out with rascal flats and a whole bunch of people. >> they're going to sing for us in a little bit. >> we have favorite stuff today. >> this is one you'll want to get, between $10 and $20, in everyone's price range. if you want to work out and lose weight. sometimes people who work out zip up those hot suits and they're so sweaty. this is, you get this at model's or sporting goods stores. you put it around -- your waist. hold on, right under here. and you put your t-shirt over it when you work out. you work out. when you take it off -- it is soaking wet. you burn off a lot of extra water weight. >> it would be water weight, but still. >> but you're not burning up. >> it's $10 and not bulky. light, cool. >> while we were in aspen you're always tempted to order up room service from the beautiful little nell where we were, at the little nell. but cassidy said, no, mom, we're going to go on great walks and i want to you eat your cashi bars every morning. these are terrific, too, these are called go lean, crunchy. but these, these are so good. these are the honey-toasted and grain crunchy. here's one for you, hoda and one for me. >> you get two? >> yes. >> nice. >> they're just delicious. i had so much energy. so they -- i don't know how much they cost. can we go back a second, you guys? >> they're not much. inexpensive. >> these are a fan favorite. we asked our fans to post on our walls so we could feature. this is ali from long island said yoga toes they're $40 you can get them at yogapro.com. a lot of the tightness you get in your legs, hamstrings and lower back. they trace it down from the foot. so a lot of the pressure points, by sitting around in these, the bottom of your foot, it holds it stretched out. >> is it comfortable? >> it's weird because i don't have things between my toes too often but over time it does relax them. he said, you should be able to put your fingers between your toes without trying and i can't. >> do you know how many people with foot fetishes are going crazy across america right now? absolutely bonkers. have a good time. we have a birthday in the house, delicious. >> yes, we did, christine kataldi. she's in our control room. happy birthday to you. there you go. thank you. >> you're welcome. all right, up next, we're going to join a lot of other winos and foodies in the rocky mountains. ♪ ♪ [train whistle blowing] we're here because we wanted to come as much as they did. 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[ male announcer ] new digiorno pizza and nestlé tollhouse cookies. it's not delivery, it's digiorno pizza and cookies. what comes to mind when you think of the rocky mountains? the crisp clean air? the purple's imaginety? >> i think about wine. this past weekend was the annual food and wine classic in aspen, colorado. they invited us. what were they thinking? >> they had no idea. >> we took a camera along to show you the aspen adventure. talk about a rocky mountain high. we're here in gorgeous aspen, colorado where it doesn't get prettier than this. >> we've been waiting for this food and wine festival forever. >> we have to find it to enjoy it. >> we can drink in the meantime, can't we? >> why don't we drink along the way. i've been especially outfitted with a bottle of wine. >> i have -- provisions. hello. >> let's find it, hoda. >> why are we riding our bikes? >> you got to get a little exercise when you come. let's go. >> what do you think, hoda woman? >> oh, yes! [ yodelling ] >> what do you think? >> i'm pretty thirsty. too. >> how do you get off these bikes? >> i can't get off. >> hey. there you go, baby. >> pop that cork. >> chardonnay. >> mmmmm. >> we're practicing. >> we gotta go. >> brace yourself, ladies, this is a marathon, not a sprint. >> uh-oh, trouble. hey -- >> hey, are you all right? >> good now. >> where are you going? >> to the food and wine festival. >> you're kidding. >> we've been lost, looking for it. >> get off that bike for a minute. wow. >> this is so much better than that. >> don't worry about me, i'll be fine. >> oh, hey, guys. >> hey, how are you? >> catching anything? >> not at all. >> nothing? >> nothing. >> we're going to the aspen food and wine classic, want to go? >> let's do it. >> hey, hey, guys, the party is this way, the party is this way! ♪ she says, rocky mountain oysters, i love seafood! [ laughter ] >> thanks, guys. the festival is that way. ♪ sunshine >> woo woo! >> see, hoda? ♪ makes me happy >> ahhh! >> lyle! >> we made it! >> i know, now you're here. >> and now you get to work. >> we've got wine to load in. >> all right, everybody, ready, set -- wine! >> woo woo! ♪ ♪ >> nobody told us about this. >> hey. >> better than disneyworld, yeah, baby. over there, the pinot grigios are over there. oh, no, the cabs, the roses! go, hoda, go! >> cheers. >> get in there, get in there. >> that's good. >> cheers. >> cheers to everybody! >> can you make sure we get not a sample, but a tasting portion? like -- that big. >> oh. wow -- >> hey, salut! >> hoda, we have to thank them for inviting us. this has been one of the great weekends ever. >> and this is the perfect way to wrap up. our weekend right here, right now. >> this is it, the perfect way to wrap it up. i'm so thrilled you guys came. >> we're going to be opening up a bottle of wine that is worth half a million dollars? >> yeah. a nine-liter bottle. >> you're going to share it with everybody? >> absolutely. >> who's going to pop the cork? [ cheers and applause ] >> that was fun. >> you could see how dull the whole weekend was. it was so awesome. >> thank you to jk for doing the spot. >> who, by the way, just won a murrow award. >> and many things to ray aisle and the good people at "food and wine" magazine and the aspen chamber of commerce, they put the "rock" in rocky mountains. >> that was fun. >> yes. and you know what, we really probably had less wine because we were working so hard, than -- >> we kind of got sick of wine. we got to be honest. >> i wouldn't go that far. up next we meet our fan of the week and michael bolton belts out a love song with the lovely australian singing sensation, delta gudrum. but first these messages. and permanent mounting tape. have you seen my phone? no... [ siren wailing ] that's my phone! [ cellphone rings ] no, that's her flat screen... she lives in malibu. hello, mr. stockton. yes, i have the agenda right here in front of me. 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[ male announcer ] new digiorno pizza and boneless wings. it's not delivery, it's digiorno pizza and wings. it's time to surprise a lucky viewer at home in our series we call "fan of the week." >> sara sifted through the files until she found our lucky winner. >> cue the drum roll, without further ado, we have lynnette ebbers. she's from alexandria, virginia, she watches on nbc wrc tv, she's been watching the show since the beginning. her favorite part of the show is the talk. she loves to hear about how klg and hoda spend their weekends and what's going on with their families. she checks out their bling and lives vicariously through them when they go to broadway shows. >> that's me with my chihuahua. she watches the show because kathie lee and hoda make her laugh. they inspire her and refresh her spirit and they make her want to jump right in with a glass of wine in hand. we think you're great and want to thank you for being such a loyal fan. pack your bags, we're sending you to send to half moon, a resort in montego bay, jamaica. >> we love it there. >> including round-trip airfare for two. airfare furnished by the jamaica tourist board. don't miss your chance to be our fan of the week by logging on to klg &hoda.com. >> she needs to watch this thursday, we're going to air our trip to jamaica. >> smile jamaica. we had a ball down there. >> i wonder -- lynnette had all of those cut-outs, those life-sized cut-outs. >> we probably don't want to know too much more. >> still to come, with reraising our kids to be dependant and unhappy? >> talk about kids, where to visit to see the three cutest zoo babies this summer. >> and michael bolton will sing a love song. my students are amazing. but to be there for them, you've gotta feel your best. kids can tell. that's why i love eating activia every day. so delicious activia helps me feel good inside. which helps me be my best... positive, cheerful and on top of things. help regulate your digestive system. love how you feel or your money back. ♪ activia [ female announcer ] now, just pop, click, switch your lids whenever you like! choose from over 20+ colors and designs. the new dell inspiron r series laptops with switchable lids, powered by the 2nd generation intel® core™ processor family: not just smart, visibly smart. call or click to get this fully loaded and totally protected inspiron 15r today! ♪ [ intel bong ] summer all over the country, small portable pools set up in the back yards, a first of its kind study on their dangers. what you should be doing to protect your children. good morning, i'm barbara harrison. coming up, curly, frizzy hair, you know it in the summer. smooth and straight. are straighteners saf hi, we're looking to save some money on our car insurance. great! at progressive, you can compare rates side by side, so you get the same coverage, often for less. wow! that is huge! [ disco playing ] and this is to remind you that you could save hundreds! yeah, that'll certainly stick with me. we'll take it. go, big money! i mean, go. it's your break, honey. same coverage, more savings. now, that's progressive. call or click today. you walk into a conventional mattress store, it's really not about you. they say, "well, if you want a firm bed you can lay on one of those, if you want a soft bed you can lay on one of those." we provide the exact individualization that your body needs. this is your body there. pressure in the shoulders and in the hips. then they start telling us, "well, yeah, i feel sore righ there in the morning." my lower back. that's right where i've be experiencing pain. now you can feel what happens as we raise your sleep number setting an allow the bedcontour to your individu shape. oh yeah. it's really molding to my body. when you find someb perfect level of comfort, that may be the first time they've ever felt a bed that feels exactly like they're hoping it would. you can adjust it weer you want so you don't have to worry about buying the wrong mattress. your sleep number's a 30. my number is 50. i'm a 45. once they get our bed, they're like, "why didn't i do this sooner?" fourteen-hundred sleep number experts and the number that can change your life. only at the number store. forstore, visit sleepnumber.com now. we're back on this fun-day monday, with a subject that's not funny at all and that's over-parenting our kids. so all the attention we're paying our children, turning them into little monsters, maybe? actually hurting their chances for happiness later. >> it could be. lori gottlieb is the author of "atlantic" magazine's cover story "how to land your kid in therapy." and we have the psychologist and author of the book "blessing of a b-minus." hello and thank you for being here. >> a lot of parents, i think it's a natural thing. you don't want to see your child hurt. so your natural instinct is to swoop in and make sure you catch them before they really fall. what kind of problems is that really causing? >> what happens, if you don't let your children experience any kind of sadness, when they get out into the real world, it doesn't work ha way, as we all know. >> it sure doesn't. >> so we're handicapping them in essence, aren't we? >> we're treating them like handicapped royalty. on the one hand we act as though they can't do anything on their own. and on the other hand, we expect them to be perfect in every area. so they're kind of confused. >> if they're trophies instead of little human beings. >> my dad used to say to me, i love you too much to deny you the privilege of making mistakes, was that the right way to go? because god knows i've made a lot of them. >> there's a saying on my son's preschool on the wall. if you want to make your kid's life too hard, make it too easy. >> is this something that's unique to a certain generation? and when and why did this thing even start? >> i think part of it is that we want our kids to be happy. but happiness has taken on new meaning. it's kind of like they have to be happy all the time and in every way. if they're bored, oh, no, let's fix it for them. if they didn't get into the school play, let's call the school and see if we can fix it. >> it's an injustice. >> it is. >> what about when kids play sports and they don't keep score any more, they don't want anybody's feelings to be hurt? >> right. >> my favorite new development is that in preschools they stock red washcloths. in the closets. so that if a child skins their knee or gets a bloody nose, the teacher can quickly grab the red washcloth, so the child won't be afraid of the sight of their own blood. >> this is ridiculous. >> this is going on and parents are calling colleges to figure out why their kids don't get in. some parents are even calling jobs and saying, why didn't my child get that job. what's the advice for parents who are, are guilty of this? >> what i say to parents very often is, you want to learn to love the words "trial and error." you want to prepare your child for the road and not the road for your child. and that they need to be unhappy, frustrated, disappointed. before they go off to college. >> we're supposed to raise them in the nest so that they fly away from the nest. if we haven't taught them to fly, that's when they're going to fall and kill themselves. >> part of the thing is that some of us, we have trouble letting them leave. because we are so worried about them taking care of themselves. and yet, we didn't prepare them. >> i really notice it as a generational thing. i get very frustrated. i do all of these book signings and children are so ill-mannered today. it's unbelievable. and yet, they say don't try to teach other children, you know, manners, because that's the parents' job. what do we do when say we have a friend and you see this trend? how can we be helpful to that friend and ultimately that child, if we see something like this happening. >> i think the best thing to do is lead by example. you start messing with your friend's child and that friend is going to get really defensive towards you. and if you want to preserve the friendship, then you set an example in your own behavior and the way you treat your kids. >> is it possible to unring the bell? if you're one of those parents and you're watching, and say, oh, my gosh, that's me. is it too late to say, you know what, it stops right now. i'm not going to do it any more. >> i don't think it's too late. i'm one of those parents, too. and when i reported the article, i noticed all the ways i had to catch myself and it actually made things better at home when i wasn't overparenting. it actually made my son happier. the way to make your child happy is to actually be a parent. >> and not their best friend. >> you have to be like a salmon swimming against the tide. it's really counter-cultural to be a strong parent and kids don't need two more tall friends. by the time they're in sixth grade all their friends will be taller than you are. >> and it makes them feel loved. >> it's so important. up next, some of the cutest zoo babies in the country and where to find them. right after this. let's do this. you're a little early! [ female announcer ] prepare to ace your dental check-up. fight plaque and gingivitis and invigorate your way to better check-ups. new crest pro-health invigorating clean rinse. how cool is that? bang boom! ha ha. let's do this! we got milk! awesomeeeee! [ male announcer ] new digiorno pizza and nestlé tollhouse cookies. it's not delivery, it's digiorno pizza and cookies. [ male announcer ] new digiorno pizza and nestlé tollhouse cookies. a vacation on a budget with expedia. make it work. booking a flight by itself is an uh-oh. see if we can "stitch" together a better deal. that's a hint, antoine. ooh! see what anandra did? booking your flight and hotel at the same time gets you prices hotels and airlines won't let expedia show separately. book it. major wow factor! where you book matters. expedia. ranks quicken loans "highest in customer satisfaction in the united states." and if we're this happy about providing great customer satisfaction, imagine how happy you'll be receiving it. one more way quicken loans is engineered to amaze. time for today's travel. and the cutest little zoo babies in the country. >> if you're looking for a family vacation, but you just can't seem to decide on a destination, these cute, cuddly creatures, may just do the trick. >> the folks at "budget travel" magazine took a look at the most adorable animals in america's zoo and the editor will tell us how to get there. we met your lovely husband at the food and wine classic. you should go with him next time. >> i'll have to get an invitation. >> it's a coo idea what you decided to do something, you came up with a poll. >> what great excuse to go traveling to visit some adorable animals. we have a poll on budgettravel.com where we sort of are thinking of it like a cute contest. you can see three of our favorite cute animals and vote on your favorite. three of them today, i'd be curious to know which are your favorites, too. >> the first is the cheetah. >> right. >> tell us about kazi, the cheetah. kazi is at tampa, at busch gardens. and kazi, this is sad, rejected by his mother and in jacksonville. they took him over to tampa, now he's living with a labrador puppy. because apparently cheetahs and puppies do very well together. >> where can you see this? >> at tampa, busch gardens. and if you want to visit kazi, you can stay at the wingate at windham at tampa, a rate for $120 a night and a shuttle bus takes you to busch gardens and free wi-fi. next up, aurora, the orangutan. >> i love aurora. she's a the houston zoo. and aurora, when baby orangutans are born, they have to be held by their mothers 24/7 for six months straight. but since aurora's mom is nowhere to be found, the zoo keepers and volunteers are holding aurora around the clock. >> isn't that precious. >> something so cute about it. >> with a stuffed animal. >> so cozy. >> she feels loved. >> she wins so far. >> you can see her at the houston zoo and stay at the hotel icon in downtown houston. $135 a night. >> let's talk about the owl. >> this is a controversial choice, currently the owl is winning in the budgettravel.com poll. not my favorite. >> that is not cuddly. >> the oil is at the cincinnati zoo. meet caspian, caspian is the favorite right now. if you disagree, go vote. >> i'm sorry. >> not happening today. we say aurora! >> aurora's my favorite, too. >> but anybody that's been abandoned by their mom. >> where do you stay for that one? >> in cincinnati, you can stay at the garfield suites right downtown, a special cincinnati zoo package, $129 a night. per person, and that includes tickets to the zoo, the hotel has a kitchen, it's a great family-friendly option. it's really fun adventure. >> thanks so much. >> coming up next, simple summer dinners, just add tuna. >> really? >> right after this. your favorites, in pieces. but sometimes i wonder... what's left behind? 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[ female announcer ] cascade complete pacs. love it or your money back. time for today's kitchen, getting saucy with a mediterranean meal made easy. and who doesn't want easy in warm weather. and look who is with us, dominique is here the author of "pure food kicking program" she's here to bring her ideas to us. >> she's started. >> what are you doing? >> we're doing a fantastic beautiful tuna pasta. a couple of anchovies, some garlic, a little parsley. >> it smells so good. >> doesn't it, we're going to saute this for a few seconds and straight in with some tuna. >> that's precooked tuna? >> this is the tuna in olive oil. >> packed in olive oil. we drained most of the oil off and then just break it up with a wooden spoon. >> this seems like this is a low-calorie dish. is it? >> well -- hoda, can you leave out, it's a little bit of butter and olive oil to start. but can you leave out some of the butter and white wine in. >> now we're talking. >> good job. and then the cherry tomatoes. and you can use fresh tuna if you don't have tinned or you wanted to go a little more glamorous. fantastic. just sear the tuna off beforehand in chunks. you want to saute it for a few minutes. >>ky tell you how quick that is? >> opening the can of the tuna is the hardest part. >> the sauce actually takes less time than what the pasta does to boil. it's a fantastic dish for one of those great mid-week meals and also for the next day. it's great for lunch the next day. >> and over greens as you said. >> over greens, if you don't eat pasta or you're kind of gluten-free, you can use rice, quinoa, any of those grains. do you want to throw in some basel, a little oregano to finish it off. >> i like how you talk. >> a little bit of the pasta water. a little pasta water kind of just kind of develops the sauce a bit. i throw that in. now we're using a little spiral. but you can use any short pasta that you like. fettucini, spaghetti. >> any kind. >> we better stir it. and a good amount of salt and pepper. >> i'm surprised because the tuna is sort of salty. >> you've got a little salt and anchovy. >> we have a little bit of that. we want to see your steak. >> we'll sort that out later on. this one here, this steak basically we've seared the steak off. we're going to use the same pan because of course it's got some great flavors in it. i want to get you to turn that on. >> okay. we got it. just tv, no one knows. you've got those carmelizing onions in the bottom. and red peppers. regular fresh peppers, celery. capers. a little of the oregano. >> and you want to sweat all of this off until it's really nice, flatly softened. the tomatoes, the recipe on the website says use fresh tomatoes that have been blanched and peeled? buy tinned and diced. >> and that looks really good. >> girls, all you need to do is top the steaks and straight into the oven. just to finish off the steaks to how you like it and it's done. >> it looks good. >> awesome. thank you so much. >> that looks amazing. >> coming up next, grab the tissues, michael bolton will sing a powerful duet with a singer you'll learn more about. >> she's gorgeous. >> thank you, dominique. [ female announcer ] welcome to busch gardens williamsburg, where d.c. goes to get away. maybe it's because washington d.c. loves the legendary coasters. or that your entire family will have fun, even the little ones. it could be that water country usa has more of the waves, slides and rides everyone wants. so plan your getaway and come play. you never know who you'll run into. get started at buschgardens.com/dc. and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for just $99.99 a month for a year. want to save evemore? call now and we'll add over 60 premium channels, including showtime, starz, epix, and more for 12 months. fios is a 100% fiber optic network. it delivers superior picture quality, the best channel lineup, more hd, plus america's fastest, most consistent and reliable internet. and there's no annual contract required. why keep paying for cable? move up to the best. get fios tv, internet and phone for just $99.99 a month for a year, plus over 60 premium channels for 12 months. don't wait. call 1.877.729.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's 1.877.729.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. or for other great fios offers, visit us online. get the network that delivers more. get fios. a network ahead. we're back with a performance we have been waiting for. michael bolton has sung with everyone from luciano pavarotti to lady gaga and he's penned hits for streisand and kiss. now michael's on a 115-city tour, spanning several continents as he gets ready to release his 21st studio album. called "gems." he's here with us with a beautiful lady he's going to sing with, named delta gudrum from australia. >> how did you two team up? >> fortunately we got a call that i had an opportunity to meet delta and that she was phenomenal. i heard some songs and i was blown away by her voice. she came into the studio and she said, i just wrote the song. we're almost done with the album. played us this incredible song she wrote with her partner, vince. i said, i think i have to cut this song. would you do this as a duet? and she said sure. >> wow. >> that night, she left. >> i had only just written it. i had only just written it. >> fresh out of the oven. meant to be. >> we want to let people know about what you're doing tomorrow night. >> we're doing a charity for women at risk, performing at bushnell hall. >> you've been doing that for a long time. >> yes, 20 years. partnering with travelers and doing a golf tournament as well. but the performance, delta has graced us with her presence for that. >> terrific. >> and ariante, another australian. >> it could be worse, couldn't it? >> you're going to sing this fantastic new song. we'll be the judge if it's fantastic, all right, delta. just trying to take america by storm, great to have you. >> all right. here it is. ♪ ♪ ♪ broken, there's a stranger on the phone ♪ ♪ something's missing from seven years ago ♪ ♪ you tell me baby don't you cry any more ♪ ♪ that's the past and not what we've become ♪ ♪ but i know i am shaking not a breath left to me ♪ ♪ i can't speak ♪ so lk me in the eyes ♪ you know it's okay that we're going to make it forever ♪ ♪ come hold my hand ♪ so hold let's hold on to this last minute we have together ♪ ♪ because i'm not ready to say good-bye ♪ ♪ you and god both know all the years i've tried ♪ ♪ and if it's over ♪ give me the strength to go ♪ 'cuz i know i'm never gonna be ♪ ♪ i'll never be ready to say good-bye ♪ ♪ to you ♪ my bags are all packed ♪ they're waiting at the door ♪ it's hard to imagine i won't live here any more ♪ ♪ i'm scared of tomorrow ♪ and the emptiness to come ♪ i'll change for the better ♪ since i've known your love ♪ so look me in the eyes ♪ you know it's okay ♪ we'll make it forever ♪ come hold my hand ♪ let's hold on to this last minute we have together ♪ ♪ 'cuz i'm not ready ♪ to say good-bye ♪ you and god both know all the years i've tried ♪ ♪ and if it's over ♪ give me the strength to go ♪ 'cuz i know i'm never gonna be ♪ ♪ i'll never be ready to say good-bye to you ♪ ♪ i'm not ready ♪ 'cuz i'm not ready to say good-bye ♪ ♪ you and god both know ♪ all the years i've tried ♪ and if it's over ♪ give me the strength to go ♪ 'cuz i know i'm never gonna be ♪ ♪ i'll never be ready ♪ to say good-bye to you ♪ say good-bye ♪ i'll never be ready >> that's a hit. >> i got to say, i was just looking over at you guys on camera, it's like having olivia newton-john all over again. it's like seeing a star being born. >> where's the next spot you're singing? >> we're in hartford in two nights, at the bushnell. and then off to europe. >> thanks, guys, that was terrific. >> thank you.