Transcripts For WRC Today 20111205

that newt gingrich is leading in iowa and his lead is very likely to continue to grow when you factor in voters who were supporting herman cain before he suspended his campaign over the weekend. >> we understand today gingrich will meet with donald trump who's become a big voice in the republican race and a man who may still be flirting with a run of his own. gingrich is the only candidate to sign up for trump's debate in iowa coming up on december 27th. two candidates have already said no way. the event is being blasted by conservative critics. we'll talk about that and much more with donald trump when he joins us live in just a couple of minutes. but we begin with nbc news political director and white house correspondent chuck todd. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt. by just about every measurement it's safe to say for the moment that newt gingrich has surged to the top with mitt romney. when you dig deep within the polls in new hampshire, a strong argument can be made that it's gingrich and not romney that may deserve to be called front runner. herman cain's campaign is nearly in the history books. >> i am suspending my presidential campaign. >> reporter: but cain's use of suspension and plan b make it clear he has no plans to leave the gop stage for good. he's even keeping a prior commitment, a rally with oklahoma republicans, tonight. the biggest beneficiary of the cain collapse is newt gingrich. with just four weeks until the first votes are cast, two polls show gingrich's surge in iowa and new hampshire. in iowa with cain included, gingrich leads the field with 26%, mitt romney and ron paul behind him and herman cain in fourth place with 9%. when you redistribute cain's vote total among its supporters second choices, gingrich's lead grows to 28% with paul pulling into a second place tie with romney. in new hampshire mitt romney continues to lead the field with 39%, but gingrich is also surging there with 24%. up nearly 20 points since october. the results are also a red flag for mitt romney, who has seen his support slip significantly in both states since october. he's down seven points in iowa and six points in the state he's made a second home, new hampshire. as for gingrich, in another sign that he and not romney has become the man to beat, opponents and even his former colleagues whom he led as the leader of the 1994 republican revolution are starting to attack. >> he's as establishment as you get. his address is located on the rodeo drive of washington, which is k street. >> i think character is definitely an issue. there's all types of leaders. leaders that instill confidence, leaders that are somewhat abrupt and risk, leaders that have one standard for the people that they're leading and a different standard for themselves. i just found his leadership lacking. >> reporter: today gingrich becomes the latest republican hopeful to meet with businessman donald trump, just after trump announced that he'll moderate a republican debate on december 27th in des moines. so far gingrich is the only candidate to commit. some conservatives aren't happy about trump's involvement. >> surely it is time for these candidates to do something presidential. stand up and say we're not going to be hijacked. >> reporter: even the rnc chairman is distancing himself. >> it's up to the candidates. i mean i don't make those decisions. >> reporter: and it's unclear whether a donald trump endorsement would actually help. it could hurt in both iowa and new hampshire in our polling, matt, by nearly a two to one margin. in new hampshire voters say they are less likely to support a candidate who gets the support of your next guest. donald trump is our next guest and joins us exclusively. he's out with a new book called "time to get tough, making america number one again." donald, it's good to see you. >> good morning, matt. tell chuck todd it will only help. >> you said you were going to host this debate december 27th. you heard george say people should say away from this. ron paul says it's beneath the office of the presidency. he went on to say it contributes to a, quote, unwanted circus-like atmosphere and people surrounding jon huntsman called this the presidential apprentice debate with the donald. do you think other candidates will stay away? >> no, i don't. i think most candidates will join and i think those two candidates have zero chance of being elected so it makes no difference. ron paul says iran should have nuclear weapons are can have nuclear weapons and doesn't even think in terms of israel. i think they are joke candidates and they are doing poorly. mr. huntsman is doing extremely poorly in the polls and gives more air time to those that have a chance of being elected. >> do you think the other candidates might agree you have them exactly where you want them? a lot of them stop by looking for your approval or support. that would be a wasted effort if they snub you or don't show up at your debate. >> a lot of top rips ask-- republicans asked me to do the debate. we're doing it with news max and i have millions of people that follow me because they're tired of seeing this country, our great country, the united states, getting ripped off by china, by opec, by almost every country, matt, that does business with us. i'm tired of it and a lot of other people are tired of it. i think the candidates know. i mean i left when i left because of the equal time provisions i'm not allowed t. e have a show and run. when i left i was leading in the polls. >> i've known you for a long time. let me tie this up by asking you this isn't going to be all about donald trump. you're not going to use this as a way to get on center stage and talk about what you believe, this will truly be about the candidates, right? >> i want a great candidate, a candidate that is going to beat president obama. it's very important. it's vital for this country. if we don't get that candidate, we are in big, big trouble because the country is in big, big trouble. it's being led down the drain. >> let's talk about newt gingrich surging to the top of the polls in iowa. you're going to meet with him a little later today. as i already mentioned, he's agreed to show up at your debate. he made some controversial comments lately about the poor and jobs. i'll play them for you and get your reaction. >> really poor children in really poor neighborhoods have no habits of working and have nobody around them who works. so they literally have no habit of showing up on monday. they have no habit of staying all day. they have no habit of i do this and you give me cash unless it's illegal. >> maureen dowd in the "times" on sunday has he not heard of the working poor? the problem isn't that these kids aren't working, it's that they don't have time with their parents who often toll day and night at more than one job and earn next to nothing. difficulties newt gingrich mischaracterize what's happening? >> no, it may not be politically correct but it's the truth. one of the reasons he's surging is because he says it like it is. i like maureen dowd very much but in terms of what newt said, that's the way it is. he's looking at the inner city where obama has done nothing, he has done nothing for the inner cities and he wants to do something to get them going. >> but the children in those inner city areas really have no role models who work? >> well, i think you have a role model in president obama. let obama be the role model. >> in their own families, though? >> it hasn't turned out to be much of a role model. no, they don't have in many cases role models, matt, it's very sad. they do not have role models. so i know it's not a popular statement, but it happens to be true. >> let's talk about mitt romney. obviously he's someone who has had a difficult time breaking through in the polls. he's going to be on the cover of "time" magazine this week and it says something to the effect of why don't people like me. what is it with mitt romney? why has he had a difficult time either getting to or maintaining front runner status? >> well, i'm actually a little surprised. he's a very attractive guy. i've gotten to know him very well. he's been up to the office a number of times. he really is a very good, solid person. he doesn't get traction. i've actually spoken to him about it. i don't understand. he's not getting traction. >> does he have a problem with flip-flopping? >> well, i don't think so. look, everybody changes their mind. we have, you have, i know for a fact you have over the years. we all change our minds or things. i think people have done a good job in saying that, but for some reason he doesn't get the traction. when herman goes out and herman i got to know very well and he's a good guy but has suffered greatly over the last few weeks. when herman, now you take those votes and divvy them up, in theory he should get a lot of those votes but he just doesn't seem to get traction. i don't know what it is. >> you write over a lifetime i've seep many people who don't change and they always get left behind. smart people learn things and change their minds. only stupid people never change their minds. is it more important to you that you have a candidate that can beat barack obama or someone that sticks to conservative principles? >> well, i actually think it's going to be a combination of both. i think you're really going to have a combination of both. but you do have to -- you know the fighters, you learn a lot from boxing. they have an expression. you have to go with the punches. you sort of have to go with the punches. and it's true. life changes, the world changes, things and events change. sometimes you change your mind. if you don't change your mind, you're stuck. >> you are someone who's changed your mind as well and you're right, i have as well. have you completely ruled out a run for president even as a third party candidate? >> well, as you know, and again the equal time professions don't allow me to run until may, when i'm a free agent and you happen to like because i have a very successful show on your network. i hope that's the reason you like me. anyway, but the fact is if the wrong candidate is nominated to run, if i think it's a candidate th that's not going to win and not very good and that could happen, i'm seeing some very good people an talented people and if the economy continues to be bad and i think it will because i think we have incompetent leadership i would certainly think about running. >> you flirt wed this a lot in the past. i was in your office when you talked about it. but do people have a right to say at some point you talk the talk, roll up your sleeves and walk the walk? >> absolutely. but i never really looked at it seriously until this year. people thought that i looked at it years ago because people wanted me to do it, twice. i looked at it once for a period of one week. i love what i'm doing, i love the real estate. in fact in my book which comes out today, i actually disclose the financial disclosure. i give it, and it tells my network. >> how many billion dollars? >> $7 billion and almost $300 million in cash. nobody ever knew that before. i've never disclosed it before. frankly i did it because i'm very proud of what i've been able to build. i built a great company and i'm proud of it. >> donald trump, good to have you with us and thanks for your time this morning. >> intense interview. now let's get a check of the other top stories. we've got savannah guthrie at the news desk. in the news today we'll start with mounting tensions with iran this morning after an unmanned u.s. drone went down in the eastern part of that country. iran says it shot down the drone, but the u.s. denies that claim. nbc's chief pentagon correspondent, jim miklaszewski has the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. not surprising that the u.s. and iran would publicly fight about something, but u.s. officials strongly deny that the iranians shot down this drone. the officials say this unmanned drone was on a retuneen surveillance mission when operators lost control. it appears the drone veered off course and fell into the lapse of the iranian military. the problem is this is not just any drone. the iranians claim it's an rq-170, a super secret stealth drone that looks more like a flying wing than an airplane and the same kind of drone that secretly circled over that compound in pakistan where osama bin laden was killed. but the concern here, though, is that this could be a technology bonanza for the iranians, that they could try to retrieve the drone's high-tech cameras and sensors, even its stealth technology to try to develop it for themselves. but even if they can't, this episode in itself could prove to be a huge propaganda coup. >> mik, thanks. a standoff between occupy washington protesters and u.s. park police ended last night when officers used a cherry picker to remove a half dozen protesters from the roof of a wooden shack. police say 31 people were arrested after they refused to dismantle that structure. the last friday and cyber monday have not drained online shoppers' drives. last week shoppers spent some $6 billion online, a new record. and cyber monday turned out to be the biggest online shopping day in history with sales reaching $1.25 billion. an exuberant victory for oklahoma state university's football team turned into a riot on the field. 12 people were injured, one seriously, when the osu cowboys beat their rival, the oklahoma sooners. students and fans stampeded onto the turf, tearing down the goal posts and trampling people who had fallen to the ground. the material girl is headed to the super bowl. madonna will perform the halftime show during football's biggest game in indianapolis in february. the halftime show is the most watched musical event of the year. by the way, you can catch it right here on nbc on february 5th. and five of this country's finest performers are now kennedy center honorees. president obama saluted meryl streep, sonny rollins, barbara cook and neil diamond last night but it was a sing-along of "sweet caroline" that got the crowd moving with the help of smokey robinson, lionel ritchie and some red sox fans from boston where this song, as everyone knows, is an eighth inning tradition. ♪ sweet caroline, i believe they never could ♪ ♪ sweet caroline >> and of course you see there caroline kennedy had to join in. she is the song's inspiration as well as the host of th kennedy center honors in memory of her . president obama said, quote, everybody sings to neil diamond, no matter how many drinks they have had. it is now 7:17. it is kind of irresistible. al, actually -- >> it isn't that irresistible. >> you don't need any drinks, al, you've done this. >> fortunately we burned the of . stuff to talk about in the midsection of the country. stretching from texas all the way up into new england and canada bringing rain from upstate new york and heavy rain all along cleveland. we've got flood warnings, flash flood watches as well. rainfall amounts from two to four inches of rain. some areas could pick up to five inches. one to three inches of snow back through texas and parts of new mexico and arkansas -- i should say arizona, looking from three to eight inches of snow. that's what's going on around the country. >> gorgeous sunrise underway. it's partly to mostly cloudy now, but few breaks in the clouds giving us that colorful sunrise. now it's chilly and it is humid. we're in the mid to upper 30s to low 40s throughout the region now. patchy dense fog near the bay. watch out for that this morning. later to and that's your latest weather. now to the child sexual abuse scandal at penn state. did former assistant football coach jerry sandusky hurt his case even more by speaking out in a long interview with "the new york times." michael isikoff is in state college, pennsylvania, with more on this story. michael, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. sandusky's lawyer says he gave the surprising interview because he wanted the public to learn more about the positive aspects of his life. but a lawyer for one of the alleged victims tells nbc news that some of what he said raises new questions about whether sandusky tried to tamper with witnesses before he got indicted. >> that he didn't know -- >> reporter: it seems an unusual legal strategy, giving public interviews while facing major criminal charges. >> these allegations are false. i didn't do those things. i don't know. >> reporter: accused child molester jerry sandusky wants the world to hear his side of the story, but that carries risks. >> are you sexually attracted to young boys -- >> reporter: last month sunshine dusky stumbled when nbc's bob costas asked him if he was sexually attracted to young children. a "new york times" reporter gave him a second chance to explain but he wound up needing help from his lawyer. >> if i say, no, i'm not attracted to boys, that's not the truth because i'm attracted to young people, boys, girls. >> reporter: sandusky's lawyer interrupts and speaks with him off camera. >> yeah, but not sexually. you're attracted because -- >> right. that's what i was trying to say. i enjoy spending time with young people. i enjoy spending time with people. >> reporter: many legal analysts say sandusky's attempts to explain himself in public while facing 40 counts of child sex abuse are an unusual strategy and some of what he disclosed could complicate his defense. sandusky said he has stayed in touch with some of his alleged victims, even inviting him to dinner, just months after it was reported a grand jury was investigating him. >> i had dinner with one of -- you know, this past summer, whose father and he were in my home in the fall, in the previous fall. >> reporter: but the lawyer for that alleged victim, known as victim six, tells nbc news that when he got sandusky's dinner invitation, his client was so nervous he went straight to the police. >> one of the questions it raises in my mind, was this an effort on his part to tamper with witnesses? was it or wasn't it? >> reporter: the police encouraged victim six to attend the dinner and bug sandusky. >> they went so far as to inquire if he would be willing to wear a wire. >> reporter: the alleged victim balked at bugging sandusky, fearing something could go wrong, but agreed to go to the dinner and report back to the police. sandusky's lawyer told nbc news that two of the alleged victims were actually at that dinner, but nothing improper took place. it was, he said, totally social in nature and pleasant. victim six is now prepared to testify, along with other alleged witnesses, at a crucial hearing in sandusky's case next week. ann. >> all right, michael isikoff this morning. michael, thank you. and coming up, new details on the troubled past of the primary suspect in the disappearance of a florida mother named michelle parker. we'll have an exclusive interview with the family of dale smith. but first, this is "today" on nbc. get the technology they love, on the network they deserve. like the powerful droid charge by samsung, or get the samsung stratosphere, and for a limited time, get twice the data for the same low price. verizon. still to come, she joined us in october when she revealed that she was battling breast cancer. this morning, e! news host giuliana rancic is here with her husband, bill, to share a significant new development in her fight. >> we look forward to hearing from them. first these messages and a check of your local news and weather. great prices. i just wish you could guarantee me they won't be beat. oh, actually... then i'd be like, you rule! and my kids would be like, you rule! i'd be like, yes, i do rule! ohh! that rules! oh, load up the sleigh; this is going to be a great christmas. yeah. ring dinga-ding, ring 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[ male announcer ] no need to wait with our christmas price guarantee. we're so confident in our prices if you do find a lower one between now and christmas, we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card. save money. live better. walmart. we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card. hey babe... oh, hi honey! so i went to the doctor today, then picked up a few extra things for the baby. oh boy... i used our slate card with blueprint. we can design our own plan to avoid interest by paying off diapers and things each month. and for the bigger stuff, we can pay downalance faster to save money on interest. bigger? bigger. chase slate with blueprint helps you save money on life's little surprises. trip...lets... start your path to saving today, call 855-get-slate. good morning. i'm joe krebs. it's monday, december 5th. you may encounter some problems as you enter the district on the 14th street bridge. let's check out things. >> police right now are investigating a suspicious package and cause you some delays as you make your way across 14th street bridge towards pennsylvania avenue. use caution traveling in the area. still have the accident at route 1. it's taking up the right side of the roadway. it looks like the car is about to get towed out of the way. hopefully you'll get your lanes back. joe, back to you. [ female announcer ] more people are using wireless devices... in more ways than ever. and our networks are getting crowded. but if congress frees up more wireless spectrum... we can empower more people to innovate... putting momentum behind our economy. and we can reduce the deficit... with more than thirty billion dollars paid by america's wireless companies. it's simple -- more spectrum means more freedom. for everyone. good morning. a colorful sunrise underway. live picture from the sky center. under this partly to mostly cloudy sky, it's a cold morning. down in the mid-30s to low 40s throughout most of the region. we have dense fog near the bay. that should dissipate by mid-morning. rain likely tomorrow into midday. >> thanks very 7:30 now on this monday morning the 5th of december of 2011. we are in the thick of the holiday season here at rockefeller plaza. the tree is lit. and we have a big crowd gathered outside our window and you can see everyone is very happy, waving to the people back home. meantime inside studio 1a, i'm ann curry along with matt lauer. meantime, we've got a very serious topic we'll be addressing. we'll be talking about e! news host giuliana rancic. she received an outpouring of support when she announced her battle with breast cancer. now seven weeks later, her treatment is taking a new turn, and this morning giuliana is going to be here along with her husband, bill, to share a rather big announcement about her treatment, matt. >> and some very important information. we've all been on flights and look at that passenger safety card that's in the seat back pocket ahead of you. some people pay attention to it, others don't. what about the flight attendant safety briefing. do you pay attention to that? well, would you really know what to do in case of an emergency? coming up, we'll talk about the information that could save your life and why it's important to pay attention during those things. >> very important information. and also her first aerobics video changed the way millions of americans work out. well, now, nearly 30 years later, jane fonda is out with two new exercise videos geared towards the boomer generation. she's in her 70s now. >> 73, and she's also had some of the problems a lot of us have had with surgeries and hip -- all kinds of things, so we'll talk to jane about that. >> she's a good example about how we should all continue to move. but we begin this half hour with new details on the man identified as the prime suspect in the disappearance of a florida mother, michelle parker. lillia luciano is here with more. >> reporter: good morning to you, ann. michelle parker was reported missing 18 days ago today when she didn't show up to her bartending shift here at the barn. now this parking lot serves as a gathering site for rescue crews. few questions have been answered in terms of her disappearance, but we are learning a lot more about the man police say is the only suspect in this case. 33-year-old michelle parker disappeared on the same day she was seen on a taped episode of "the people's court" fighting with her ex-fiance over an engagement ring. >> i felt somebody grab me and yank me around. >> reporter: police have searched on land and underwater finding no trace of the missing mother of three. >> that's when she came home from college. >> reporter: over 300 miles away the collins family said michelle's disappearance reopened a painful wound. the link, dale smith, michelle's ex, and according to police the only suspect in her disappearance. >> he's the link and unfortunately he has linked our families through crisis. >> reporter: dale smith was married to april collins' sister-in-law, shannon. records show she died of an ecstacy overdose in april of 2001 after a night of partying in orlando. smith was not there that night. in fact he was in jail serving time for a different incident involving shannon. the collins family says shannon was partying with dale's closest friends and they still have questions surrounding her death. shannon was 26 years old and living in orlando with dale smith's parents. the two met in 1999 when dale was a u.s. marine in north carolina. they married soon after. that's when shannon's family says smith became violent. >> one, the physical and mental abuse that he gave to her, she was -- she was pretty upset. she had never been treated like that by anyone. >> reporter: on september 15th of 2000, shannon was treated at a south carolina hospital for head injuries and smith was arrested for criminal domestic battery. >> i remember when she came home there was a cut on her head, and her feet were cut up. and it was through some concrete where she had been -- i don't know if she was dragged or what, but her feet were bloody. >> reporter: in a military court smith was convicted of domestic battery and drug possession and was dishonorably discharged from the maerps. when shannon died, smith was still serving time for both charges. that was not the first time he had run-ins with the law. in 1992 he pled no contest to attempted aggravated battery after a fight in orlando. he was given two years probation. in 1997 he pleaded guilty to battery charges and served jail time. in 2009 michelle parker filed a restraining order against dale smith which a judge later resolved. >> if i'd have known more about this guy before, he'd have never stepped inhe house, let alone seen my sister. >> reporter: now ten years after shannon's death, the collins are coming forward to shed light on the man linked to parker's disappearance. smith denies any involvement. >> our hearts go out to michelle's family. with shannon, we knew where she was. she was brain dead on life support, but she was in a hospital bed and we could go to her. i can't imagine what they're going through. >> reporter: we reached out to dale smith's attorney for comment, but received no response. ann. >> all right, lilia luciano, thank you so much. clint vanzant is a former profiler. good morning. >> hi, ann. >> with dale smith's domestic violence be enough to name him as a suspect in the disappearance of michelle parker? >> well, it's a logical reason to look at this guy. obviously he has a history of anger management, he has a history of violence against women, he's someone who feels that he should get what he wants, and if he doesn't, he's willing to do something physically. and when we see these incidents where he's railed against women, where he's physically hurt them, i think it's logical when you look at him, when you say he's the last person on earth that we know had contact with michelle parker, that would make him an obvious suspect in anyone's mind. >> what does it say to you that police have not arrested their prime suspect in this case? >> you know, these are the frustrating things for law enforcement. whether you look at the natalee holloway case or the recent robyn gardner case in aruba or now michelle parker, you've got someone who was with that person when they disappeared. it appears they had means, motive, opportunity, and for law enforcement you know that you know that you know that person logically has something to do with it, but if we go all the way back six years ago to aruba when we're told no body, no case, that appears to continue today. without either the body of a victim or some massive amount of physical evidence to suggest what happened to that victim, the person that law enforcement feels is closest, perhaps involved in that disappearance many times goes free. >> in trying to create a timeline, investigators seem to be monitoring the pinging from her cell phone, clint. could that in itself be misleading? >> it really can. there are so many csi-type stories on television today. you're not going to find anyone who doesn't know that law enforcement is going to look at pings, so what can happen, ann, is that, for example, where i had kidnapped someone, i could take them to one location, north of town, i'd take their cell phone south of town, let it ping and power it down, throw it away, trying to create a red herring and point law enforcement in another direction. so as police pursue these pings on a cell phone, they also have to know that it could be someone trying to point them in a whole other way as opposed to where the victim might logically be. >> meantime, clint, on november 18th, smith posted on his facebook, i'm with my babies holding them tighter than ever before. i haven't slept in two days. i hope they find her and bring her home. her kids miss her. he's talking about the twins he had with michelle. why does the law allow smith to have these children when he has been named the prime suspect in their mother's disappearance? >> you know, this is something that frustrates so many of us, ann. we're parents, we're grandparents. but as far as the law is concerned, children belong with their biological parents unless you can prove that person presents a danger to the children. did he present a possible danger to their mother? absolutely. but does he present a danger to the children? it appears that at least one judge has ruled he doesn't. and in one more case, ann, the investigation continues and we've got more children who likely will not be with their mother on christmas day. >> all right, clint, on that moat we must leave it. thank you so much this morning. >> thank you, ann. now let's get a check of the weather from al. >> today's weather is brought to you by advil. make the switch to advil now. >> and good morning. we've got a nice story. it's your 80th birthday. what's your name? >> mary. >> and your husband? >> bob. >> you guys gotten gauged when you were 22 at the top of the rock? >> right. >> oh, that's wonderful. and now you're back. >> 58 years ago today. >> congratulations. >> thank you. >> happy birthday. let's check your weather and see what's going on. wow, talk about wow. talk about texas two step. in amarillo it's going to be 23 for a high. in port arthur, 64. laredo, 59. that's a big change there. that's a difference of the cold front coming in. look at the rest of the temperatures around the country. teens and 20s through the plains as far south as the southwest. pacific northwest on the chilly side, temperatures in the 40s. only warm in florida with temperatures in the 70s and 80s. wingdy there. rain stretching from texas to new england. heavy snow in the southwest. plenty of sunshine. that's what's going on around this country here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> hello. we got a lot of clouds this morning. passing gracefully over the metro area. live picture from the sky patcher camera. it's chilly under those clouds. in the mid and upper 30s in most of the region. and there is some fog around the bay. that should dissipate by mid-morning. occasional rain likely tomorrow and when wednesday. dry and cold into the weekend. >> and don't forget you can check your weather any time of the day or not at weather.com online. >> coming up next, here's a question. in an emergency would you really know what to do to survive a plane crash? 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[ male announcer ] levian jewelry featuring levian chocolate diamonds at kay jewelers. levian. one more reason kay... is the number one jewelry store in america. these are for me, right? ♪ every kiss begins with kay we are back now at 7:44 with information that could save your life. we're now in the middle of the busy holiday travel period. while airline accidents are extremely rare, would you know what to do if the plane you're on is involved in an emergency? nbc's tom costello went to the faa research center for some answers. tom, good morning. >> reporter: hi, matt, good morning to you. you know, by any measure, flying has never been safer. planes are better designed and built than ever before, cockpits have advanced avionics and computers, air traffic controllers better trained than ever before, but would passengers know what to do in an emergency? crash and safety experts learn a lot by studying accidents, but the miracle on the hudson landing revealed something surprising. many of the passengers who read the passenger safety card just minutes earlier admitted they could not remember what to do as the plane headed for a river landing. >> when the captain said brace for impact, they did not know what that meant. >> we recommend you review all of the safety information. >> reporter: while the flight attendant's demonstration doesn't include showing the brace position, it is on the briefing card. >> read the briefing card. >> reporter: in oklahoma city we asked veteran faa safety researcher matt mcclain to demonstrate the brace position to us. >> when the flight attendant says brace, cross your arms on the seat back in front of you and push your head tightly against your wrist. >> reporter: and if you're in an exit row, hundreds of passengers could depend on you. don't bring the door into the plane, throw it out. >> right. reach up, grab it, throw it out. >> reporter: if there's a crash, getting out of the plane could include moving through a dark, smoke-filled cabin. follow the floor lighting to the nearest exit. if you have to make an emergency exit, the key is to move fast. you have to jump, slide on your rear and lean back, then keep moving and get out of the way. from the exit door of a jumbo jet, it could seem like a big drop but the slides are wide enough to carry you to safety. whatever you do, don't waste precious time grabbing for a carry-on bag or laptop. >> the briefcase, the books, clothes, none of that is important. >> reporter: faa research has shown that panic can often set in, with passengers literally climbing over the heads of other passengers to get out first. but the goal, say crash experts, is to get everyone out safely in just two minutes. all the more reason to read that safety briefing card. >> chances are you will never need this information. but when you need it, you really need it. >> reporter: this all comes under the heading of being prepared. about two and a half billion people fly worldwide every year. matt, the chances of dying in an accident right now, about one in ten million. flying, again, has never been safer. back to you. >> tom costello, tom, thanks for the information. coming up, giuliana and bill rancic make a big announcement about giuliana's battle with breast cancer. we'll hear from them live. but first, these messages. hershe y' s bliss. hershe one square inch of incredibly smooth rich chocolate. one square inch of joy... fun... indulgence... one square inch of bliss. hershey's bliss. so you don't have to deal with this. 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[ female announcer ] the newest seasonal flavors are here. ♪ express yourself ♪ [ female announcer ] because coffee is like the holidays. ♪ oh, do it [ female announcer ] it's better when you add your flavor. coffee-mate. from nestle. well, it's the holiday season and that means shoplifters are out in force. ad week magazine has come up with the top items to be targeted this year. this list apparently says basically that shoplifting is up about 6%. one in every 11 people shoplift. >> one in 11 people shoplifting? that's crazy. >> they say 75% are not troubled teens but actually are adults. as an unscientific list, we should mention, but basically the number one thing is up 21%, is grade a meat. >> luxury meat. you can understand if it was just plain meat, people in this economy need to feed themselves. luxury meat number one, pricey alcohol number two. >> and not just teens looking for drinks, but adults. >> exactly right. >> power tools, one of the most -- >> i've got a power tool in my back pocket. hello. it's not battery operated and goes off. >> electric tooth brushes big items, razors, and not just any, apparently the gillette fusion razor. >> that's why they're literally locked up at the drugstore. >> is that a badge of honor for gillette, we've got the most shoplifted razor in the country? >> it sounds like men items. meat, gillette. >> but one of the most poignant things is the rock elmo, a hot toy for christmas. that's almost kind of sad. it is very sad in fact. still ahead, we'll be talking to jane fonda about working out and staying in shape. >> first your local news and weather. 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[ male announcer ] online bill pay. easier banking. standard at citibank. good morning. i'm meteorologist tom kierein. quite a bit of cloudiness this morning. it's chilly in the 30s and hoz. we have dense fog near the potomac that should be dissipating in the next couple hours. rain likely from time to time tomorrow into tomorrow night and through wednesday. wednesday much cooler. then perhaps some lingering showers thursday morning. then dry and cold after that into the weekend. joe? >> thank you, tom. another news update we're back now, 8:00 on a monday morning. it's the 5th day of december, 2011. a little bit overcast here in the new york city area, but pretty moderate, about 46 degrees, and a big crowd lining our plaza this morning. these are all holiday revelers, a lot of people have been in town the past couple of weeks and we're happy to see that. out on the plaza, i'm matt lauer along with ann curry and al roker. coming up in this half hour, we're going to spend a lot of time getting to hear the latest on giuliana rancic. >> she announced on our broadcast that she has breast cancer and since that time in october when she was here, she's undergone a double lumpectomy. well, this morning there is a significant new stage in her treatment and we're going to find out what that is. >> that's her husband, bill, obviously. >> absolutely. then a little bit later on jane fonda, we know her as author, actress and fitness guru. she is out with a new fitness video, the first one in more than 15 years, aimed at the boomer generation. jane is in fantastic shape. we'll be talking with her and getting tips for exercising smart, as you get a little bit older. >> that's pretty cool. >> she looks so great! >> she does. she looks fantastic. we also have a little bit of good news for you. on friday we had our latest installment of from bow to wow with jill rappaport. one of the dogs was walked out by olympic great michael phelps. well, apparently it was love at first sight. michael memberships has decided to adopt penelope, which is really cool. so michael, congratulations and thank you very much. we wish you a lot of good times together. >> they can dog paddle together. >> there you go. let's go inside. natalie is on assignment. savannah guthrie is standing by at the news desk. >> good morning, guys. in the news, the collapse of her man cain's presidential campaign appears to be benefiting newt gingrich the most. a new marist poll shows gingrich surging to the front in iowa and new hampshire. gingrich is meeting today with donald trump to announced plans to moderate a republican debate december 27th in des moines. a crucial week for europe could also be a critical week for wall street. cnbc's courtney raeagan is at te new york stock exchange in morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. after last week the stock market gained more than 7%, many investors are hoping a santa claus rally has begun. but as has been the case lately, a lot of the week's trade will depend on crucial meetings between european leaders. today the german chancellor meets with nicolas sarkozy to discuss differences in their debt remedy proposals and the italian prime minister submits his economic plan to the country's parliament. back to you. >> thank you. country singer mindy mccready is due in court to fight for custody of her 5-year-old son. tamron hall has more her 5-year-old son is now in the custody of the arkansas department of children and families after being found with mccready over the weekend. mindy mccready has fought a very public battle with drug addiction. a battle that has caused her to lose custody of her 5-year-old son. last year a missing person's report was filed after mccready took her son from his fatheres home. the 36-year-old country singer who's now pregnant with twins has been in a legal battle over zander since her mother won custody of the boy in 2007. she spoke to nbc news about her daughter over the weekend. >> she's very talented, but there are some underlying problems and, you know, the only time a person really gets help is when they want help themselves. >> reporter: mccready told the associated press said she believes her son suffered abuse while living at her mother's home, allegations her mother denies. recently mccready was attempting a career comeback after a battle with drug addiction. >> mindy mccready suffered a severe generalized seizure. >> reporter: even appearing on the show "celebrity rehab." but it appears that comeback will now have to be put on hold once again. we reached out to mindy mccready's attorney and publicist for a comment and did not hear back. >> now here's brian williams with what's coming up tonight on nbc "nightly news." >> good morning and thanks. coming up tonight a big concern for a lot of parents of young athletes, protecting them from devastating concussions. we're learning a lot more on this and there's a lot more being done. we'll have an update tonight on nightly news. savannah, for now back to you. now for a look at what's trending today. our quick roundup of what has you talking online. the world's most costly car crash. eight ferraris, three mercedes and one lamborghini were mangled in a smash-up in japan. the cars may have been speeding on their way to a car show when that lead ferrari spun out. there were ten injuries, but they were minor. early damage estimates range from 1 to $3.8 million. facebook is abuzz about tiger woods' first tournament victory since his personal scandal broke two years ago. woods birdied his last two holes on sunday to capture the chevron world challenge by one shot. and former miss usa tried to tweet her way out of a public relations disaster after a drunk driving arrest near detroit this weekend. she posted a tweet claiming she wasn't even in michigan, let alone in jail, but that tweet was removed after her lawyer confirmed the story. it is now 8:06. back to matt and ann. let us get a check of the weather all the way at the other end of the plaza. mr. roker has taken up residence with some of his fans. >> we've got a great spell of the holidays here. happy holidays. are you all from pittsburgh? >> gettysburg. >> oh, saw the pittsburgh steelers stuff. where are you from? >> texas. >> where are you from? >> southlake, texas. >> south lick? >> lake. >> oh, lake. sorry. big difference. let's check you let's check your weather. see what's going on. wisconsin, scattered morning snow showers. 26 degrees. as we check out the rest of your day today, ve a a front from texas up to new england. snow into the southwest. heavy rain in the mid-mississippi river valley from 2 to 3 inches of rain. west coast sunny. santa ana winds will be dying down. windy conditions down along the florida coast. that's what's going on around this country, here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. good morning. i'm tom kierein. live view from the cam showing a mostly cloudy sky over the area now. temperatures are chilly. we're in the mid to upper 30s to low 40s throughout most of the region. reagan national is at 44. later today we'll climb to near 60. then after the fog dissipates around the bay mid-morning, we'll have a cloudy afternoon. then tomorrow rain off and on in the morning into wednesday and midday thursday. >> and that's your latest weather. thank you, al. when we come back giuliana rancic will open up about her battle with breast cancer. she'll we joined by her husband, bill. we'll talk to them right after these messages. it's like this... now you do it... ♪ dinner with the girls tonight. i really want dessert. i better skip breakfast. yep, this is all i need. [ stomach growls ] [ female announcer ] why skip breakfast when you can start your morning with special k multigrain oats and honey, a wholesome blend of rolled oats and honey kissed multigrain flakes. it's a delicious way to get your whole grains and make your breakfast beautiful. ♪ and make your breakfast beautiful. twizzlers. the twist you can't resist. ♪ [ male announcer ] it's movie time. with a wii twist. netflix now delivers unlimited tv episodes and movies instantly through wii and nintendo 3ds. all for only 8 bucks a month. be five percent more merry with the target red card, i love it! by getting an extra five percent off our already low prices. plus free shipping at target.com ♪ back now at 8:11. in october, giuliana rancic came on this broadcast on "today" to share a very personal struggle, her fight against breast cancer. in a moment we'll find out how giuliana is doing. but first, her story. for nine years, she has been the e! network celebrity news personality working the red carpet. and co-hosting the popular e! news, reporting on the latest celebrity scoops. >> they saved their biggest secrets for us. >> it was here she interviewed bill rancic. >> bill, you're hired. >> they fell in love, married, and since 2009 have chronicled their lives in the show "giuliana and bill." the reality show highlights the couple's married life and their struggle for infertility. >> thinking about having a kid again. >> on the season finale they went seeking treatment from a top ivf clinic in denver, leaving viewers would they have success this time. >> bye, wish us luck. >> but just a few weeks later giuliana shocked everyone on "today" when she revealed some very personal information. >> i have early stages of breast cancer. >> the next day giuliana underwent a double lumpectomy and had lymph nodes removed. bill joined us with a follow-up. >> she's a trooper. she pulled through it and was kind of relieved to get it over with and get the cancer out. we're hoping that we get a good report tomorrow, god willing. >> and giuliana and bill rancic, good morning to you. >> good morning, ann. it's great to see you. >> you look really well. >> thank you. >> we know that you've had lumpectomies. >> mm-hmm. >> but now there's a new decision, a major decision you've had to make about your treatment. what is your decision? >> last time i was here, i told you that i was getting the double lumpectomy and radiation. now instead of radiation, i'm going to go ahead and move forward with a double mastectomy. >> yeah, and i think when you saw in that report, the next day we were going into the doctor hoping for some good news. unfortunately, the one breast they weren't able to clear the margins and get all the cancer out, so we were then faced with a decision to make. do you go back and do another lumpectomy and try to clean it out or do you go for a more radical procedure. >> this is a very dramatic decision. it's a drastic decision. to what degree does wanting to have children play into your decision to go for a double mastectomy. >> that was actually a big part of it. not all of it, but a big part. if i had chosen to just do another lumpectomy and then do radiation and then do anti-estrogen therapy, which means two to five years of medication, that basically puts me into early menopause, then i would have to put off having a baby for several years. so that was something we took into account. but to be honest, at the end all it came down to was just choosing to live and not looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life. > >>. that's really what it came down to. >> and that isn't a decision we made lightly. we talked to as many experts as we could, we got the best information available to us. one of the other factors that came into play was quality of life. if she would have gone with the lumpectomy and radiation, then you have to go in every six months for the rest of your life getting mammograms. knowing giuliana, she's going to be worrying three weeks before the mammogram, waiting for the results worrying and you're always looking over your shoulder. so i think in this particular case this was the best option for giuliana. >> and it could have come back more aggressively next time. so for me it was just very important to get the cancer out. that's what i wanted to do is just get it out. >> what did doctors tell you about the chance of not ever getting it back? with the double mastectomy. >> with the double mastectomy i have less than a 1% chance of getting it back. with another lumpectomy, radiation and medication, i could have seen 20 to 30 to 40% chance in my lifetime. and for me it just wasn't worth it. and like i said -- like bill said, it was a very hard decision to come to, but really in the end what happened was, you know, bill said to me, i think this definitely got me. bill said to me i just need you around for the next 50 years, kid. that's what he said. he goes i don't care what you look like, i don't care about the physical portion of this, i just need you around for the next 50 years, so let's just get you healthy. and that certainly helps me come to the decision. >> beyond that, what do you want to say about how important bill has been, having a spouse who is supportive, who's there for you can be in your personal and emotional survival going through all this? >> oh, my gosh. bill has been the world to me through this. i couldn't have done it without bill. even right from the beginning when we found out we had the option about mastectomy, we went in the backyard and i remember -- in typical bill fashion he pulled out a yellow legal pad and made a pros and cons list of the mastectomy. and he just -- he brought some laughter to the process, some light to it and just kept reminding me who we are as a couple and that none of this is going to break us apart or get us down or affect our love for each other. in fact it's just made it stronger. and i couldn't be more at peace with the decision, but it was hard. and i still break down some nights, you know, when it's quiet in bed. it's easy to just start crying and be very sad. but i'm okay. >> i know from my own family's experience that it's also hard to be the spouse. what is getting you through this, bill? >> well, i'm focused on the finish line, and i'm thinking our goal is to be done with this by christmas time and then we don't look back. my role was to make sure that she was armed with as much information and the best information possible so she could make the right decision. and i tried to take the emotion out of it a little bit, that's why i pulled out the legal pad and we put pen to paper and when we looked at it, it made the decision i think a little bit easier because in our particular case, and i think the message here -- there's no right or wrong answer, it's an individual decision that each person has to make for themselves, but this is the right decision for giuliana. >> i tell you, i had to see it as well. i think that was very important. when they first told me mastectomy was an option, i said absolutely not. absolutely not. i am 37 years old. i don't want to do it. because to me the word was very scary and it meant i would be disfigured. and so a very, very wonderful friend of mine who actually has been on this show, she's in an organization called bright pink, she had a mastectomy in her early 20s when she found out she had the breast cancer gene. she said not only am i going to tell you what a mastectomy is but i'm going to show you what a mastectomy is. and when i saw it and she was wonderful enough to share that with me, i thought, okay, this is okay, she looks beautiful, she's healthy, she's vibrant and doesn't regret her decision and i think that is very important. that girls, women stick together and we share our experience with each other because that helped me i think more than anything was to get to the decision was to see another woman, similar age as me, who had been through it. >> well, we found from our website and the e-mail that we've been getting about you, that you've been helping a lot of women. so coming up in just a few moments, we're going to call in a breast cancer specialist to join this conversation and sort of see what more we can learn that might benefit other women from your own personal experience, so stand by and we'll be right back right after this. ♪ laces? 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[ male announcer ] get low prices on this season's hottest games. like the black eyed peas experience for kinect for xbox 360. rated t for teen. backed by our christmas price guarantee. save money. live better. walmart. backed by our christmas price guarantee. twizzlers. the twist you can't resist. back now at 8:22 to talk more about giuliana and bill rancic. we're also joined by dr. kathy ann joseph, a professor of surgery at new york university's medical center and the director of the breast service southern manhattan. dr. joseph, welcome. >> thank you. >> good morning to all you have once again. dr. joseph, what are the choices, as this is a very personal decision. what are the factors that a woman must weigh before she decides to foe with a double mastectomy. >> almost all my patients that have to undergo a mastectomy, i always refer them to a plastic surgeon for reconstruction. you know, and then they decide -- the plastic surgeon decides what type of reconstruction options they can have and if they can have reconstruction. most women, if they're healthy, they can undergo reconstruction. sometimes they can't if they're very ill or so forth, but almost all women can have reconstruction and we do like them to have it immediately. i think that's so important for their psychological well-being. >> what giuliana was mentioning is that she was able to see someone's breasts after reconstruction and that that took a lot of the fear away. is it fair to say that reconstruction today, double mastectomies and reconstruction today are not the same as they were for our mother's generation? >> it's so much different. it's come such a long way. we have much more options. the surgery itself is not as morbid as it was 20 years ago. and the reconstruction itself just looks so much better. it looks so much more natural. so i think it's so -- it was such a good thing that you did, giuliana, to look at someone's reconstructed breasts. it takes -- it doesn't look -- you were worried about what it looked like. >> sure. >> that you would be mutilated. it's not. it looks very, very natural. so the options that we can do for a patient is so much better now. >> we've been overwhelmed with e-mails from our "today" show viewers as a result of your being on the broadcast and being so public about it. but have there been moments as you've been going through this process where you wish you had not chosen such a public life, given how personal and painful this really is to kind of go through this? >> yeah, it is very personal, but at the same time it's just the way we've chosen to live our life, you know. we see it as an honor to be able to share our story and help people and let them feel less alone. so my gosh, i mean i've been given this incredible platform and you allowing me to be here on the "today" show to talk about this issue that affects so many people. all of us are in it together. it's like you, i think we love helping people. >> it's a privilege. >> it truly is a privilege. i'm happy to do it. >> on twitter kristi is writing women all across the country are standing behind you. >> so there is this kind of opportunity. you talk about it being a platform. we should remind people that you discovered your breast cancer because of a mammogram. >> correct. >> because it was required by the ivf doctor. >> correct. >> what do you want to say about that? i can see that there's an emotion right now. >> yeah. i think when i hear from those women and especially after the double lumpectomy, that's what got me through my recovery so quickly is reading those messages. but the most important thing is my gosh, was i fortunate that i went to my doctor, i got a mammogram and i am choosing to get the mastectomy because i can and it will save my life. i just beg all women to get checked. >> giuliana, bill, dr. joseph, thank you so much all three of you. we're back right after your local news. 8:26 is your time now on this monday, december 5th, 2011. let's go to meteorologist tom kierein with a look at the weather today. >> it is cloud and chilly on this monday morning. live view from the sky watcher camera. few breaks in the clouds. but it's chilly. only in the upper 30s and low 40s. there's fog around the bay eastern shore that should dissipate in the next hour or so. rest of the day, cloudy and 60 during the afternoon. some rain off and on through the morning tuesday into tuesday night and wednesday. chillier weather then too. ending on thursday. now back to you. >> thanks so much. we'll take a quick break. ♪ [ male announcer ] from our nation's networks... ♪ ...to our city streets... ♪ ...to skies around the world... ♪ ...northrop grumman's security solutions are invisibly at work, protecting people's lives... 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[ male announcer ] ...without their even knowing it. that's the value of performance. northrop grumman. good morning. couple closures in d.c. the first 3700 block of o. street. traveling on l street, closed between 18th street and 20th due to an accident there. traveling 66 southbound. back to you. >> thanks so much. more news, feeling in the holiday spirit? it's monday, the 5th of december, 2011, and we have actor jason lee, there he is, collecting toys and books. >> i've got a big bag. >> that's right, for the annual holiday toy drive. this morning they were going to homeless families in south louisiana and also disadvantaged kids. we have one group that actually gave us a check for $1,500 today, and they have had a little fund-raiser. and just ahead, we've also got another star, jane fonda, is stopping by. >> she's an icon, obviously. she helped revolutionize the fitness industry with her workout videos back in the 1980s, getting everybody to feel burn. remember she used to wear those leg warmers? now at 73 she's got some new videos out for baby boomers. we'll talk to jane fonda in just a couple of minutes. we've got another big name in the house, mr. harry connick, jr., he's currently in a play on broadway -- is he alive? he's written a new holiday book for kids. he's going to tell us about it coming up. >> he's a musician and musicians don't like to get up early in the morning. >> i think we should just stay on him. >> let's give that man a cup of coffee and a massage. not everyone is al roek'. also michael buble has a special that will air on nbc. remember, you can catch the michael buble christmas tomorrow night 8:00/7:00 central time right here on nbc. now let's go back to one of our aforementioned stars. jason lee is joining us now. co-starring in the new animated movie called "alvin and the chipmunks, chipwrecked." they donated 400 alvin toys to our toy drive. can you just do one thing, can you say alvin really loudly? >> alvin! >> there you go. that just made my day. >> what does alvin get himself into this time? >> we go on a cruise. not a good idea. i lose the boys and i have to go find them on a deserted island. this was definitely the most adventurous of the three, very exciting. >> in fact this is listed as an action adventure. >> absolutely. it's an alvin action adventure. >> which means much trouble. >> high jinx, as they say in the business. >> with life lessons involved. >> life lessons, absolutely. >> the third time is a charm. of course the first two were also charms. all of these were so popular. i still wonder how is it possible to act with chipmunks in this particular regard? >> do you know jason? >> i mean it seems a challenge. >> yeah, they can be a little bratty sometimes. no, they're -- you know, it's a lot of very technical things. antennas and tennis balls. that's when they aren't there. >> and they also remember you from "my name is earl." do people come up and say hey, earl. >> yeah, less without the mustache, which i miss. i used to not miss it, but now i miss it now that the show is no longer. i'm fond -- i have fond mum res of that mustache. i miss it. >> well, congratulations on another one, i'm sure it will be a block buster. >> thank you very much. >> chipwrecked openschipwrecked. it opens on december 16th. now a check of the weather with you. >> that's right. as we show you what's happening as far as the week ahead. heavy snow through the southwest where it's going to be much below normal through the western two-thirds of the country. still stays warm and wet along the coast. cooler from the mid-mississippi river valley to the southwest with snow in the plains. and in the latter part of the week, temperatures get a little cooler here in the east with a mix of rain and snow. normal out west. but much below normal texas into the southwest. that's what's going on around the country here's here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> it is a mostly cloudy, gray monday. temperatures are rather chilly in the upper 30s and low and mid 40s. 44 at reagan international. what other uplifting thing can i tell you? rain on the way tomorrow. we'll have afternoon highs around 60, occasional showers in the morning into the evening hours. and maybe fog tomorrow morning as well as on wednesday morning. and chillier weather on wednesday too. and then it' >> and don't forget you can check your weather any time of the day or night, go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. by the way, congratulations to this sweet young couple that just gotten gauged, i want to say hi to them. coming up next, we've got jane fonda in the house showing us how to get back in shape. but first, this is "today" on nbc. today's health is brought to you by united health care. >> and that morning on "today's health," jane fonda. she conquered hollywood as an oscar and emmy winner and in 1982 she revolutionized fitness with jane fonda's workout which remains the top grossing video of all time. now at 73 years old jane is out with two new fitness dvds for baby boomers. jane, welcome back, it's good to have you here. >> thanks, matt. >> it's been since 1995 since you released a fitness video. why did you put the leg warmers back on? actually you didn't, but why again? >> i spent four years researching a book called "primetime" about the latter part of life. when it came to researching the role of exercise and aging, it just blew me away. it's important to exercise when you're younger, but it's like the number one ingredient for successful aging. it makes a difference for all aspects of your life and your body. >> but a lot of people are frustrated and i wonder if this has occurred to you. what are your limitations today? i have a hip replacement, a knee replacement, all kinds of things. nobody is doing videos for people like me who can't do what they used to do or maybe people who have never exercised in their lives. it's never too late. >> do you think it's possible that you've had these orthopedic problems with the back and the hip and the knees because you worked out so much? >> no, it's genetic. my father had it, my brother has it. no, i don't. >> so nothing to do with wear and tear? >> not really. i think it would have happened anyway. >> you have not always had, although you've become known for these fitness videos, you have not always had a positive body image. you talked about dealing with things like anorexia and bulimia. what allowed you to change the way you viewed your own body and in some ways is that always a part of you? >> you can really get over food addictions, you can 100%. and i think it was just a matter of deciding that i was either going to live or die. and i went for the light, i went for living. and right after that is when i started my workout business. and, you know, it's -- it gives you a sense of power and of control. you know, i realized when i started the business that it was much -- it wasn't just about being thin or something, it had to do with your brain, your attitude about yourself, the sense that you had some control over your life. and now i've made these new videos under a new brand, the primetime videos, and the new one, the two that i just -- are now coming out, they're more like the ones i used to do in the sense we are in a studio, i have other people working out with me and this time we have a live band. it's really fun. >> you said it's about what's inside not as much as outside. i remember years ago you said no plastic surgery, i'm not going to do it. and now you've admitted that you in fact have had plastic surgery on your neck and your chin. >> and under the eyes. >> why change your mind? >> i was walking down the street one day and got a glimpse in the window and was like who's that? and i thought oh, my god, it's me. i feel so great and rested and looked so different and i just decided -- i'm not proud of it. i decided i wanted to look more about how i feel. >> were you feeling pressured to maintain a certain image? >> no, i just decided that i wanted to buy myself some time and look more like how i feel. but the new workouts are more functional. it's less about trying to look a certain way as being able to get up and town out of a chair, carry your grandkids, look over your shoulder when you're backing down a driveway. everyday life things, you want to stay as independent as you can. you know, you can maintain muscle mass, make strong bones, make a healthy heart, and the brain -- people don't realize when you get older your brain shrinks. by staying physically active, you can minimize the brain shrinkage and postpone alzheimer's and things like that. >> reading about you last night, one of the things that struck me, for all the success that you've had, the awards and the recognition, you say that you have always had low self-esteem. >> not always. >> but why did you for a while? what caused that? >> oh, i don't know. it all has to do with how you're raised, right? the way your parents were with you but not necessarily they're bad people. it took me a while to sort of move back into myself and become an embodied perpendiculson. it really didn't happen until i started to get older, until i passed 60. so the message of my life is it's never too late, it's a hopeful message. i'm happier now than i was before. it's not exactly what i expected at 73. >> you mentioned a second ago that you were going to take your boyfriend to an event last night. you didn't, but you are very much in a relationship. three times married? >> three times married. >> what did you learn about love through those marriage sns. >> well, i learned that for some people, me included, it's hard to find somebody that is able -- not be afraid to really show up, not be afraid to be really intimate. that has nothing to do with sex, it means being able to be fully present in a relationship. sometimes you need a little mileage under the belt to get there. i feel i've gotten there. and i feel really good and i'm very proud of these videos. oh, they're not videos, anymore, they're dvds. >> we have to get with the program. jane fonda, it's always good to have you here. >> thanks. >> it's 8:43. up next, we'll catch up with harry connick jr., but first this is "today" on nbc. ♪ rudolph the red-nosed reindeer ♪ >> that song you hear is the happy elf by grammy and winner harry connick jr. his new holiday children's book tells the story of you'll be the happiest elf in the north pole. it's called, appropriately, "the happy elf." harry, good morning. >> good morning, ann. >> it's just amazing to me, here you are a movie star, a singer, a broadway star, we'll get to that in a moment and now the author of a children's book. what, are you going to run for politics next? >> that i won't do. >> you're drawing the line. what is it about you that makes you keep broadening, reaching out for new things? >> i think everything i do is based on the same sorts of creativity and inspiration. it's just sort of slight variations of it. this book, "the happy elf" is based on a song that i wrote which led to an nbc animated special which led to a workshop that we're going to try to get eventually on stage as a children's musical. so it's all kind of coming from the same place, it's just slightly different takes on things. >> it's a sweet story to read to your chipper aboldren about an s very happy until he discovers one town where everyone is naughty and not nice and he sets out to correct the situation. >> yeah. oh, that's a cue for me to tell you what it's about. yeah, it's really a fun story. he is super, super excited about christmas and even a little too excited for santa. you know, he goes down to this town called bluesville and tries to come up with some innovative ideas to inspire the people there to get on santa's nice list. >> and interesting you call it bluesville, because that is kind of the connecting piece of tissue in all of your work, the idea of jazz and blues. >> yeah. we just put out a cd from the children's music with my trio, which is not children's music in a sense that it's very accessible. it's a jazz trio. some of the music is a little bit complicated, but, you know, i grew up listening to jazz music and i loved it so we thought we'd put it out there and maybe give kids a chance to hear some christmas music performed in a different way. it's no singing, it's very different from the book which is geared for children. this is more adult music but we think that kids can enjoy it too. >> speaking of adult, your appearance in this -- in broadway, this musical revival of "on a clear day you see forever" we've got "the new york times" writing about your performance. you may think you know harry connick jr. as a performer, but "on a clear day" presents a different sort of harry because you play -- it's a very dramatic role. it's a musical, obviously. >> yes. >> and it's also different from the film version of "on a clear day". >> yeah, it's very different. in that show barbra streisand plays two characters, a modern woman and a woman that is a regression of her former -- of her present self. in this show i play a psychiatrist who regresses a young man and his former life as a woman, and i fall in love with the woman. the only way i can get to her is to keep hypnotizing this young man. so it's kind of an impossible love triangle. it's really, really interesting the way it's presented, i think. >> it sounds like a huge challenge to take on. it sounds like it's almost a struggle to take on that kind of a role. >> it is. >> so why did you decide to do this? and what is it that you're getting out of it? >> oh, i get so much out of it. the thing i get out of it the most is the honor of being with the people i'm with on stage. i mean every night, really that's what this show for me boils down to is sharing the stage with david turner, who plays daisy, and this young woman i'm dancing with there on screen, jesse mueller, i try to be eloquent about it but she's a super freak. i mean she's just a crazy talent from chicago. and i get to spend my time, eight times a week with these people on stage, among the other cast members. it's really a great honor. >> one might say that you have some crazy talent because you are actually one of the few people who could be in line to get an egot. a tony, emmy or grammy. all you've got to do now is get an oscar. >> that's all i've got to do? >> work on it. harry connick jr., nice warm handshake. good luck to you. >> thanks, ann. >> and again the book is called "the happy elf" and you can see harry in the musical "on a clear day you can see forever" on broadway at the st. james theater. we want to thank you once again. coming up next, being smart. this is "today" on nbc. we're back now at 8:52 with eat smart today. when it comes to eating healthy, you typically think of colorful foods, leafy green vegetables, things like that. sometimes good nutrition is as easy as black and white. here to explain is madeline furnstrom. black and white don't get enough attention. >> right. >> let's start with the white. potatoes get a bad rap, why? >> because they're nature's perfect carbohydrate. we load them up with oil, butter, cream, everything else so that's why they get a bad rap but they're really a nutritious item. something about the size of your fist, 100 calories. >> leave the butter, sour cream and bacon bits out. we've got cauliflower, my favorite crew sif russ vegetable. >> it has cancer-fighting properties. it's good for you, a lot of fiber and other nutrients. you can eat it raw, steam it, puree it, chop it up and roast it as we have it here. >> when you roast it you can use things like onion and garlic with it and you want to talk about onion and garlic. why are those so good? >> these are fabulous. they have a plant nutrient that's a cancer fighter, good for the immune system. this is something you use all the time. there's not a cuisine that doesn't use garlic and onions. >> down on the end you've got par snips. we use them in my family like mashed potatoes. >> parsnaps are great. one cup has a third of your fiber for the whole day. they're not like white carrots, they're really nutrient. when you roast them and cook them, they're delicious. mix them with anything. >> white mushrooms are also great in terms of nutrition. when we get over here to the black foods, you love black beans. >> black beans are great because they're inexpensive, packed with nutrition, there's a lot of fiber. the blackness comes from a plant nutrient that is good for your immune system, cancer-fighting, good for your heart, good for your brain. >> i love black olives but never thought of them as health food. why are they good for you? >> pot of that whole mediterranean diet. antiox dapauxoxidan antioxidants, and black oils. >> better than green olives? >> they are picked when they're ripe from the tree. they're really fruit. >> black rice? >> black rice is a variant of rice where the hull has this nutritious pigment so it's going to be chewier and dense and you can blend it with other rice. something else that's not black rice, you may have heard of wild rice. it's full of b vitamins. to mix and match grains is a good thing. >> i love blueberries. strawberries, raspberriesraspbe blackberries are high on your list. >> because they have that deep pigment so they're full of those antioxidants but also have a ton of fiber. just one cup of them fresh or frozen will have a ton of fiber, a ton of b vitamins and also  because they're pricey, you can get them frozen in a bag and use them just the same. >> i think green tea gets a lot of attention, but black tea, what are the health benefits of that? >> that's got some flavonols but you need to have four or five cups a day. it does have a little bit of caffeine. >> that's going to juice you up, isn't it? >> not that much. it takes four cups of black tea to have the same caffeine as one cup of coffee, so that's not very much. >> don't forget the black and white foods. madeline, thank you very much. good information. still ahead, from escalators to the fitting room where hidden germs are lurking at the mall after your local news. 8:56 is your time now on this monday, december 5th, 2011 i'm eun yang. temperatures there are in the low to mid-40s. elsewhere we're in the upper 30s and low 40s throughout much of the region. we got quite a bit of cloudiness around that will be with us through the day. highs in the 50s to near 60. then light rain tuesday into tuesday night and wednesday too. cooler weather wednesday. and maybe a lingering shower thursday morning. chilly and dry after that into the weekend. >> we'll take a quick break. back with a check of your traffic. -dad, why are you getting that? -that's my cereal. is there a prize in there? oh, there's a prize, all right. is it a robot? no. is it a jet plane? nope. is it a dinosaur?] [ male announcer ] inside every box of heart healthy cheerios are those great tasting little o's made from carefully selected oats that c help lower cholesterol. stickers? uh-uh. a superhero? ♪ kinda. [ male announcer ] and we think that's the best prize of all. ♪ you can choose your channel package. ♪ you can choose your own internet speeds. ♪ you can even choose to chat with a live person. ♪ now you can choose to save $35 a month for fios tv, internet and phone for just $79.99 a month, plus get a $300 verizon visa prepaid card with a 2 year agreement. but hurry, offer ends soon only at verizonfios.com. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v. good morning. traveling in d.c. l. street still shut down between 18th street and 20th street northwest. also traveling 395 southbound, there's an state farm. this is jessica. hey, jessica, jerry neumann with a policy question. jerry, how are you doing? fine, i just got a little fender bender. oh, jerry, i'm so sorry. i would love to help but remember, you dropped us last month. yeah, you know it's funny. it only took 15 minutes to sign up for that new auto insurance company but it's taken a lot longer to hear back. is your car up a pole again? [ crying ] i miss you, jessica! jerry, are you crying? no, i just, i bit my tongue. [ male announcer ] get to a better state. state farm. and we are back with more of "today" on a monday morning, december 5th, 2011. the skies are brightening some here in new york, and we've got some very nice people gathered on the plaza, as they enjoy some of our christmas decorations and bring us some of the own. we've got the little trees in the foreground, a 74-foot norway spruce in the background and we're in full holiday swimming. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry, al roker and tamron hall. meanwhile, coming up we'll be talking about something near and dear to at least our hearts and that is avoiding germs during the holiday sgleeceason. >> just in time for the holidays, we go on germ patrol. we take a look at what's happening in the malls. do you put your hand on the escalator? >> i don't. >> i know you don't. a lot of people do. we'll look at the most, i guess, germ-prone places as you do your shopping so we can try to keep you safe. >> thank you. with all the money you're going to spend on shopping, it might be nice to save a little cash. we'll show you how you can save up to $1500 by trimming your medical bills. everything from the medicine you take to where you get treated, all without compromising your health. >> very nice. and if you still need some ideas for the perfect present for the special someone in your life, well, jill is coming to your rescue. jill martin has some of the hottest gifts that all the celebrities are buying. i don't know what that is, but we'll find out. >> angry birds. >> oh, angry birds, from clothes, jewelry, angry birds, and the best news, they are all affordable. >> do you ever get out of the stores? that girl can shop. we mentioned natalie is on assignment. savannah would normally be with us but she is at the news dechk with all headlines. u.s. military officials are denying iran's claim that it shot down an american spy plane. but officials do acknowledge that an unmanned surveillance drone veered off course over afghanistan last week and apparently came down in iran. u.s. officials are concerned the iranians could get crucial intelligence from studying that plane. a major shakeup this weekend in the race for the white house. her mman cain has suspended his presidential campaign after a georgia woman came forward alleging that he had engaged in a 13-year extramarital affair with him. this as a new nbc news marist poll shows that newt gingrich is the front runner in the key states of iowa and new hampshire. gingrich meets with businessman donald trump today. earlier on "today," matt spoke exclusively to trump about the 2012 race and whether or not he's really out of the running. >> have you completely ruled out a run for president, even as a third party candidate? >> well, as you know, and again the equal time provisions don't allow me to run until may when i'm a free agent and you like it because i have a very successful show on your network. but the fact is that if the wrong candidate is nominated to run, if i think it's a candidate that's not going to win and not very good, and that could happen, i guess, i mean i'm seeing some very good people and some very talented people, and if the economy continues to be batted, and i think it will because i think we have incompetent leadership, i would certainly think about running as an independent, yes. >> trump will moderate a republican debate in des moines on december 27th. so far, though, only one republican candidate, newt gingri gingrich, has agreed to participate. black friday and cyber monday apparently have not drained online shoppers dry. just last week alone, shoppers spent some $6 billion online. a new record. and cyber monday turned out to be the biggest online shopping day in history with sales reaching $1.25 billion. an exuberant victory for oklahoma state university's football team turned into a riot on the field. nbc's thanh truong is in stillwater this morning with more. >> reporter: hey there, savannah. it's a sober aftermath to what was supposed to be a victory celebration here at oklahoma state university. the school's big win on saturday night stained in a way after a mob scene got out of control. in all, 12 people were injured in the postgame pandemonium. one student suffered injuries described as serious. this was the scene as the game ended. the osu cowboys beating their arch rival oklahoma sooners 44-10 and winning the big 12 conference championship. >> the students are storming the field. >> reporter: fans stampeded onto the turf boy the thousands to salute the winning players and tear down the goal posts. >> i have never been more packed into one area and getting pushed and shoved and just all over the place. people were so excited and just -- the atmosphere was ridiculous. it was awesome. >> reporter: but not so awesome was the fact that some people got trampled, and others were seriously injured when they tumbled out of the stands. >> i was scared that this guy had just died and i had a lot of things going through my head. i was just terrified and kind of wanted to cry in the middle of all the excitement. >> reporter: the university president issued a statement saying, quote, our policy is that no unauthorized persons are allowed on the field at any time. despite the efforts of the security team, fans rushed onto the field causing several injuries. one person fell at least 15 feet onto concrete. the critical patient was airlifted to an oklahoma city hospital, while others were hauled away by ambulances. and most of those fans injured are now out of the hospital. their injuries range from sprained backs to broken ankles. the student that was airlifted is still in the hospital in guarded but stable condition. >> all right, nbc's thanh truong in stillwater this morning. thank you. "twilight" is lingering at the weekend box office. "breaking dawn part 1" was number one for a third straight week taking in almost $17 million. "the muppets" held on to second place and "hugo" finished third. it is now 9:06. back to al with a check of the weather. >> we've got some nice folks hanging out. where are you guys from? >> massachusetts. >> very nice, all right. there you let's check it out. see what we've got for you. for today we're looking at some wet weather from new england to texas. snowy behind that system with a lot of cold air coming in. we have flash flood watches, flood warnings and watches all the way up to cleveland with the possibility of anywhere from 2 to 3 inches of rain. some areas may pick up to 3 to 5 inches. and then on into arizona we're talking 1 to 3 inches of snow. some areas may pick up 8 inches. that's what's happening around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. i'm meteorologist tom kierein. there's a live view from the sky watcher camera into fairfax county. we've got a lot of clouds. temperatures under the clouds in the upper 30s, low 40s. the fog that was around b the bay and the eastern potomac beginning to dissipate. later today in the upper 50s near 60. cloudy tomorrow with rain likely near 60. >> and -- it's your birthday? >> my friend's. >> your friend's birthday. do you want to wish her a happy birthday. >> happy birthday, sophia. >> very nice. hopefully she'll do the same thing for you. savannah. today's health is brought to you by the american cancer society, the official sponsor of birthdays. there's even a song for it. this morning on "today's health" you can tell holiday germ patrol as folks get serious about hitting the malls. you'll want to stay healthy and enjoy it all. a contributor and medical contributor of "health" magazine, dr. raj, good morning. >> good morning, savannah. >> it's quite a germy world. the bathroom an obvious place but where the germs lurk maybe not so obvious. >> many people think the toilet area is the worst place but really it's the sink and the faucet. when you think about it, people will wash their hands right after they use the bathroom and their hands are dirty. if you're touching those faucets and the sink, moist areas where germs love to grow and multiply, be careful that you wash very colorly afterward. then use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the door. you don't want to regerm your hands. >> i wondered if it would be better to skip the sink and do one of those sanitizers but is soap and water still the best? >> soap and water is better than using a hand sanitizer because you are physically rubbing a lot off. however, if you don't touch anything in the bathroom, you might be okay with just the sanitizer. >> we know the malls all have those escalators and you say don't hold on to the rails? >> i don't want people to start falling all over the place and blaming us for that. if you're feeling up steady, certainly hold on. maybe if you have mittens, use your gloved hand or use a wipe or if you're feeling pretty stable don't touch it at all. as you can imagine, everyone is touching those handrails and you don't want to catch germs from anyone else's hands. >> good to seep tkeep the sanitn your purse. toy stores and gadget stores. where are the dangers there. >> toy stores, you have all these toys that say press here to try me out. you can imagine all those runny-nose little kids pressing there. gadgets too, ipads, phones, people are touching them. keep a hand sanitizer to wipe down the toy or the gadget or your hands afterwards. if you buy a toy that's not wiped up or sealed, wipe it down with an alcohol wipe before your kids start playing with it. >> fitting rooms. now, it's really not the hooks and the chairs, you say, but the clothes? >> the clothes themselves can hold on to dead skin cells, perspiration, especially when we're talking about undergarments and things like that. you want to wear your full undergarment before you try it on. if you take it home, if it's not sealed, you want to wash it before you wear it. >> would you say that about all clothes or just -- >> i would say the ones that are touching your undergarments. if you have any open cuts or sores, make sure you're wearing band-aids before you try on any clothes. our next one, makeup counters. a lot of folks like to go to the department store because you can try on the foundation or lipstick or whatever. >> it's very hard to buy something without trying it on when it comes to makeup, however, you don't want anything touching your lips action eyes or even your face. you could have some microscopic cuts you don't realize. these days many stores are good about letting you buy it, letting you try it and then return it. >> all that shopping and germ collecting makes a person hungry. so if you go to the food court, what should we watch out for? >> well, it's interesting. you'll be sitting at those tables. most people look out for the ones with the obvious crumbs on it. even if there's no crumbs on it, many times when they clean those surfaces they're using a rag they used ten other tables. bring your own wipe, just give it a quick wipedown with an antibacterial and make sure that it's safe. >> every time we do these segments, good to be aware of this but we don't want to be paranoid. >> we're strong, your immune systems are good, just wash your hands frequently and you should be fine. coming up next, how to save as much as $1500 a year on your health care costs. and later, stress-free holiday entertaining. what you need to know before you raise your glass after these messages. at is that? it's you! it's me? alright emma, i know it's not your favorite but it's time for your medicine, okay? you ready? one, two, three. [ 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? [ female announcer ] to nurses everywhere, thank you, from johnson & johnson. and this time of year, i send out a lot of gifts. sweater for mom, free shipping from brian. i'm brian andrews. i ship the gifts that last. the holidays are made here at l.l.bean. [ female announcer ] let betty crocker do the measuring and get a head start on delicious homemade cookies. ♪ just pour, mix...love. that's why there's crest pro-health clinical gum protection. it helps eliminate plaque at the gum line, helping prevent gingivitis. it's even clinically proven to help reverse it in just 4 weeks. crest pro-health clinical gum protection. here you go. driver's license. past five years' tax returns. high school report cards. and i'm gonna need to see a receipt for that watch you're wearing. you know, you really should provide us with a checklist of documents we're gonna need up front. who do you think i am? quicken loans? at quicken loans, we provide a checklist of the mortgage documents you'll need up front. it helps keep you in the know every step of the way. one more way quicken loans is engineered to amaze. st of quitting smoking stop you from trying? try the (new) affordable nicorette gum pocket pack each pack has twenty pieces to help you get started, smoking is expensive, quitting doesn't have to be. try the new nicorette pocket pack this orange morning on "today's money" cutting your health care costs. a lot of people are seeing big increases in out of pocket expenses. here with ways to save money is our personal finance expert and the host of "financially fit" on yahoo! finance. good to see you. >> good morning, al. >> we're talking about some big chunks of change in these increases. >> americans are seeing their out of pocket medical expenses, their premiums jump by about 9%. that was just this year alone. so that's individuals paying upwards of $900 a year, households, families paying more than $4100 a year so it's really necessary to learn how to save. >> you say one of the places you need to start with is your primary care physician. >> absolutely. people don't realize that your physician has a fiduciary responsibility to meet your medical needs and that not only includes prescribing you the right medicine and right treatment but also meeting your budget. now, your doctor can't read your mind so you have to be up front and dpoesnegotiate with your do say that you want alternative prescriptions, generics, perhaps. i actually negotiate with my dentist. i had a dental procedure that required two visits. he said why don't you spread this over this year and next so you can maximize your insurance allowances. >> so he gave you some alternatives. >> he did and he saved me $300. you can actually make appointments to just talk to your physician. >> and you also said some doctors give free samples. >> you should always leave with something in your hand. my dermatologist gave me samples upon samples of skin care. whether you're going to your dentist get toothpaste, tooth brushes, floss, they have closets full of this. do not hesitate. >> you also said consider some of these big box retailers. >> walmart, target, and others are getting more and more into the pharmaceutical industry and are offering generic drugs for $4 for a 30-day supply or $10 for a 90-day supply. this compared to the co-pay which is $35. if you switch to walmart or target for one drug you could save well over $350 a year. >> which brings up the importance of comparison shopping do. this online. whether you're looking for prescription drugs. i like pillbid.com and bidrx.com which has local pharmacies bidding for your business. you're in the driver's seat there. if you're looking for supplements, health supplements, vitamins, check out shopping.com, bizrate.com, pricegrabber.com. you can comparison shop. i did this for some health supplements and saved 50% off retail price. >> you mentioned the big box stores a moment ago. a lot of them have a walk-in health clinic. >> yes. >> are these a good alternative? >> they say 17% of e.r. visits can be handled at in-store clinics. they're available at cvs, walmart, it's a booming business. they treat earaches, stomach aches, allergic reactions. you don't need an appointment, you're usually out within 15 to 20 minutes and it costs 25% less than getting the same service at your doctor's office. >> and you mentioned earlier about your dentist giving you the idea of spreading it out. it's important to pay close attention to the calendar. >> absolutely. because especially as the year winds down, depending on how much you spent on out of pocket medical and dental expenses, you may qualify for a tax deduction. so i always tell people if you're thinking about an expensive, elective procedure or surgery like lasik surgery, you might want to schedule it before the end of the year because that on top of your out of pocket co-pays, your premiums, could add up to 7.5% or more of your adjusted gross income. if you meet that threshold, anything you spend beyond that is tax deductible. >> you also say the money-saving tip, visit your local university. >> i used to do this all the time. the school of optometry, you can go and get really great comprehensive exams, contact lenses for a reduced rate because their students, premed students have to work on real patients before they can graduate so they're willing to provide their services at a sglount and also check your bill when you get it? >> 80% of hospital bills have some error which results in a 25% increase in bills, in billing. so check your bill versus your record of what you've done at your doctor's office. >> a lot of great advice. thank you so much. >> you're welcome. still ahead, the holiday gifts all the celebrities are after this year. our own celebrity, jill martin, has the most affordable finds. but first, these messages. gives you a 50% annual bonus! so you earn 50% more cash. according to research, everybody likes more cash. well, almost everybody... ♪ would you like 50% more cash? no! but it's more money. 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[ indistinct shouting ] simplify your shopping at walgreens. find great gifts and earn up to $20 in jingle cash good on your next purchase of $30 or more. shopping. simplified. that's walgreens. keurig has a wide variety of gourmet coffee and tea to choose from. keurig is the way to brew fresh, delicious coffee in under a minute. way to brew. so with keurig, every cup tastes like it's brewed just for you. because it is. ♪ barnes & noble nook sellers at your service ♪ ♪ friendly folks with just one purpose ♪ ♪ to help you fall in love with nook ♪ ♪ for movies, music, apps, and books ♪ ♪ and another thing for you and me ♪ ♪ nook support ♪ is always free thanks! ♪ nook by barnes & noble. starting at just $99. our 18th annual toy drive has hit the $18 million mark. that is so cool. jason lee is here. all these gifts help hundreds of charities. >> and if you can't come to the plaza to donate, amazon.com has made it very easy for our viewers to donate. good morning to you. >> hi. thank you so much. this is our 11th year with you guys and it's just a great partnership. >> tell us how people can get online and donate. >> it's really easy. customers go to our gateway page, our home page, find the "today" show icon, click on that. it takes them to the holiday toy list, a wide range of prices for toys. just click on however many you'd like to donate and we'll take care of the rest. >> and these are hot toys. >> this is $25.99 today so it's a great deal. they made angry birds into a real game, not just a virtual game. this is one of the most popular toys of the year. you squeeze it and it turns on and makes noise. >> i do the same thing. it's just another story. >> you can actually pick the charity you want to donate to, right, online? >> right. there's a number of charities. helping hands, the humane society. >> thank you so much. >> we appreciate it. coming up, holiday dessert after your local news and weather. and i were going on vacation, so i used my citi thank you card to pick up some accessories. a new belt. some nylons. and what girl wouldn't need new shoes? we talked about getting a diamond. but with all the thank you points i've been earning... ♪ ...i flew us to the rock i really had in mind. ♪ [ male announcer ] the citi thank you card. earn points you can use for travel on any airline, with no blackout dates. in 15 minutes, you can serve some warmth with your bread. and some flavor with your bread. and some layers with your bread. if you're serving bread honey, then serve it. grands! dinner ideas made easy. 9:26 is your time now on this monday, december 5th. i'm eun yang. let's get a check of the weather now. >> good morning. starting off with cloudiness. this is looking toward the west from upper northwest washington. and we'll have these clouds in and out throughout the rest of the day. right now temperatures around the region are in the 30s and low to mid-40s. and the fog that was near the bay is beginning to slowly dissipate. later today up around 60 with a lot of clouds. tomorrow rain likely from the morning off and on into the evening as well as on wednesday. cooler weather wednesday. then drying out thursday. then cold, dry weather into the weekend. eun? >> thanks, tom. we'll i'm serious, we compare our direct rates side by side to find you a great deal, even if it's not with us. [ ding ] oh, that's helpful! well, our company does that, too. actually, we invented that. it's like a sauna in here. helping you save, even if it's not with us -- now, that's progressive! call or click today. no mas pantalones! in more ways than ever. and our networks are getting crowded. but if congress frees up more wireless spectrum... we can empower more people to innovate... putting momentum behind our economy. and we can reduce the deficit... with more than thirty billion dollars paid by america's wireless companies. it's simple -- more spectrum means more freedom. for everyone. good morning. in northwest d.c., l street is shut down due to the accident there. also if you're taking 395 southbound on the right side of the roadway, still have an accident in the process of cleaning up. as you make your way towards the 14th street bridge. and heading into the city, you're slow. look at this 30 miles per hour as you make your way from the beltway into the 14th street bridge. back to you. >> thanks so ♪ >> the king of pop, michael jackson, loved by millions of fans and now you can own items from jackson's home that he shared with his kids in his final days. furniture and other items going on the auction block. before they do, we're going to have some of them here wednesday on "today." >> all right. also coming up, we're all about the holiday planning this half hour and we will start with a celebrity gift guide. jill martin is here with the hottest jewelry, gadgets and accessories that all the stars are buying up, but guess what, they are affordable. not star's prices. >> and if you're throwing a holiday soiree but don't want to spend the whole time pouring cocktails, we'll tell you how to plan ahead so you can mix with your guests. this happens to me all the time, have a party and you're making the drinks and don't get a chance to socialize. >> why don't you give out those beer helmets. >> you know what, i did that a couple years ago. >> if any of those guests drop by unexpectedly, it's always nice to have some homemade desserts on hand to serve. we're in "today's kitchen" going to show you holiday sweet treats that you can make ahead of time, freeze and then pull them out when you need them. it's like magic. genius! wily coyote, super genius. >> oh, why did i start. >> let's get a check of the s g weather. >> what we're looking for today. we've got wet weather stretching to texas. snow through arizona, cooler in the pacific northwest. then for tomorrow we're looking at the rain moving here in the northeast, mid-atlantic states into the gulf coast. going to be frigid out through the rockies and the plains. temperatures 30 degrees below normal. nice and mild into california into the northwest. that's what's going on around the country here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> right now climbing into the 40s. a lot of clouds around. high today near 60. then occasional showers likely. then chillier wednesday. the rain should end midday thursday. sun back during the afternoon. then colder weather into friday, saturday and sunday. it should be sunny. and that's your latest weather. >> all right, al, thank you very much. up next, hollywood's hottest guests. look at her. jill martin, 1985. >> run dmc. 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[ green giant ] ho ho ho. ♪ green giant 's [ green giant ] ho ho ho. new baked pasta romanas. these warm hearty creations are only here for a limited time. ruffled lasagnette pasta, layered with creamy fontina and asiago cheeses with roasted garlic and oven baked just for you. try it topped with pan-seared chicken and toscano tomatoes. or with slow-cooked beef braised in a chianti wine sauce. both served with our unlimited fresh salad or homemade soup and warm breadsticks. get together tonight at olive garden. when you're here, you're family. this morning on "today's holiday gift guide" what celebrities are swooning over this season. it turns out some of the hottest finds are budget friendly. today jill martin is here to show you how to shop like a star but not spend like a star. good morning. i see we have some sequins to start with. >> these are from express, $60. you're going to a friend's you know they love passion. this is so soft but it has sparkles so you can wear it around the house. on to the pg information of the program. look, we always come back with swatch watch. heidi klum a big fan of these. they come in a variety of colors and patterns. $60. >> these are cute iphone cases. these are fashionable. >> usually expensive items but $48. torre birch.com. what a great gift to give a friend. >> it's one of the splurge items you might not get for yourself. >> they come in a beautiful bag and the whole thing. >> tell us about these jewels. >> we'll start up here, which is just a beautiful monogrammed necklace. this is actually emma roberts, so it's big with celebrities. and then starting at $25, you can get in on this. bobblebar.com. what a great gift to give a little sparkle to someone over the holiday, maybe for new year's, if you're going to someone's home. just a little different gift but a bold statement. >> now, these are beautiful fragrances. they have these smaller ones and you can put in your purse. >> all are unisex and j. lo, reese witherspoon, victoria beckham. because it's unisex, you can bring it to someone's home and it's a great gift for everybody. >> what do we have over here? >> this is coach. starting at $38, a gift for everyone, including your pooch and key chains. i mean this is amazing because you, again, a high-end designer that you can get in on, gwyneth paltrow, eva longoria all fans. >> nice quality. little ipad holders, very fashionable. now, what do we have right here? these have ear buds in them? >> these not plugged in. you can plug it into your ipad or ipod. american eagle starting at $19.50. something for the guys with these hats that plug in so the speakers are built into the earmuffs so when you plug it into your ipod it's not like a fashion disaster, it's all in one. i think these are great gifts for everyone for the whole family. >> functional as you're walking around. angry birds is huge but what is this? >> bieber fever. justin bieber is a huge fan. these are speakers and it works with almost all mp3 players and charges your device. what a great fun speaker. everyone on the crew is a fan of angry birds, all ages, i didn't realize. >> our our crew is childish, either way. >> this, discovery.com, $25. it's actually a pinball game. >> that is so cute. >> so you download the free app and you can actually play pinball with this. >> is that a speaker? >> it's really fun with the lights. >> oh, great. okay. next? >> going back to classic film, this is $109, 35 millimeter film, remember that? how much fun for a party or as a gift for someone who's into fla photography. i love this, it comes in a beautiful box. >> i love how it looks. it would be cute to put on your desk. >> finally the boom box, we saw you jamming with it earlier. >> i love this. this is a splurge gift. denise richards, brooke burke recently photographed with it. you can put it on your shoulder. >> is it heavy? oh, no, you can do it. >> and it charges your device. this is a great gift for someone that loves music. >> jill martin, great ideas as always, thank you so much. and for more celebrity gift ideas, you can check out this week's edition of "us weekly. ". coming up next, throwing a stress-free holiday party. we'll drink to that next. yourself sometimes cleaning up after your dishcloth? bounty extra soft can help. in this lab test bounty extra soft leaves this surface three times cleaner than a dishcloth. super clean. super soft. bounty extra soft. in the pink pack. [ female announcer ] kleenex brand tissues are america's softest... no wonder people want to share them on and on. send a kleenex brand share package for free today at kleenex.com and start your own chain of sharing. in return, you'll receive a sample of new kleenex cool touch tissues... the only tissue that activy releases a cool sensation to soothe a sore nose on contact. kleenex. softness worth sharing. dad. did you know it's 22 days, 11 hours and 2 minutes to christmas? [ mumbling ] ...enny days, 8 hours, 9 minutes... 18 days, 17 hours... [ mom ] let's go, young lady. [ female announcer ] they're for building excitement for christmas. 12 days, 18 hours... come on. it's no days! [ female announcer ] the hallmark countdown to christmas ornament. 5 hours and 59 minutes and 41... 40...39... 38...37...36... mmm... pillsbury crescent wrapped brie just unroll, wrap the brie and bake. it's so easy. now this might even impress aunt martha. pillsbury crescent wrapped brie. holiday ideas made easy. yep! (mom) i'm so proud of you. the bus is here, gotta go mom. okay hunny, have a great day. look in your bag, made you something. (announcer) it's more than just that great peanut taste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone how much you care. choosey moms, choose jif. if you're planning a holiday cocktail party but are stressing over what to serve and the idea of playing bartender all night, we've got some tips to make you the toast of the town. rosemary, good to see you. >> good morning. >> a lot of people make big mistakes, myself included and you say this happens. >> it happens to everybody and it usually happens because they make things too complicated, don't think about logistics and end up spending way more money than they plan to. first of all, look at the space and think about where people congregate when they come into your house and think about where you want them to be. you may have to move furniture around. you want the drink station not in the front of the room where it will block the traffic and not at the end but in the middle. >> so move the furniture and make it accessible. moving down the line you say we should gather all of our cocktail fwegear in one spot. >> right. >> what do we need to do? >> you need a bigger ice bucket or cooler that you put in all the way up so you can put drinks in the top. a separate ice bucket for ice and drinks. or you can use tongs or a spoon. but you don't want to use a glass because it will break and you'll have to throw the whole thing out and suddenly you'll be the maid at the party. >> and you don't want that. you also point out bottle opener, have a good one ready. >> this one is great. this is a winged cork screw. we tested it with the good housekeeping research institute. as the cork goes in, the arms go up. pull them down, pop the cork out. >> nothing is more embarrassing than struggling to open your wine in front of your guests. >> unless you're a professional waiter, that is what you want. >> you drink and realize it's not your glass. >> so here's how you avoid that. you mark the glasses. these were designed for good housekeeping. they're reusable. it's 12 for $5. you just let the drinks -- this goes right on the drinks. guests pick their own but you can also do snippets of ribbon you lay out, colored rubber bands, whatever works. >> and that way everyone keeps with their drink all evening long. moving on, more accessories, stirrers and all these things that you need at your station whachlt do we need most? >> spread them out so at least two people can get to them. you want to stir, not a shaker. unless you've hired a professional bartender, it just makes a mess. >> so we don't want a shaker. >> no. when you go to james bonds' party, you'll have a shaker there. but all sorts of fun garnishes. a nutmeg grater is great and spread it out so a couple people can get to it at a time. >> and it makes the table look pretty so it looks nice. now to our mixers and how to balance that. >> yes. so what you want to do is you need a liter bottle will serve about 20 drinks. you want twice as many mixers. so club soda, cranberry juice, whatever like that. you also want a lot of that for people who don't drink. more than a third of americans don't drink any alcohol at all so make sure you have that on hand. >> and that's good to always consider those people. so what's the formula mixers? >> these make about 20 drinks apiece. you want double the amount of these. >> and what do you do for beer options? everyone has their favorite beer. >> what you want to do is just have a light option and a dark option, keep it simple. most liquor stores will take back beer and sometimes even bottles of liquor -- >> i didn't know that. >> that are not chilled and not open so you may want to ask about that pr you buy. >> i never knew that. so light or dark. and what do you do for wine? >> you serve a red and a wight and just keep it simple. you can also mix in like flavored vodkas, you can make a drink for the party like a signature cocktail or put out hot chocolate in a slow cooker. >> oh, very nice. and of course stains do happen, so have your stain remover on the ready. >> so you want a couple of cloths to brought. you want a spray bottle of water to spray on top and a tied to go pen to pick up the stain and you're done. >> so do you want me to crack this with my teeth? no, i can't do that on tv. up next, another easy party idea. sweet treats you can make now and serve later. first, this is "today" on nbc. cheers, rosemary. ok, trevor where's the big dipper? over there! trevor is a space wiz and he's battling a brain tumor. he came to st. jude children's research hospital where our pioneering research helps save kids, with brain tumors across america. how many stars are there? oh, that's easy... one... two... three... get outta here. give thanks for the healthy kids in your life and give to those who are not. go to st. jude.org or shop wherever you see our magnifying glass. 5,000,001... 5,000,002... this morning on "today's holiday kitchen" holiday desserts you can make ahead of time. the author of "in my mother's kitchen" has three sweet recipes you can bake now, then freeze and pull out later for last-minute guests. trish, good to have you. these are terrific because people drop by, especially during the holidays. >> unannounced, uninvited. >> you've been to my house, you know my family! in any event, these are three great ones. >> hello dolly. great things to make ahead of time and freeze. graham cracker crust, walnuts or pecans, crushed, sweetened or unsweetened coconut. all things we have on hand in the pantry and my kids can make this. there you go, teamwork, i love it. so coconut, nice, shredded coconut and chocolate chips so it's about a cup, a cup, a cup. generous cups, and very old school. so condensed milk. >> is that sweetened condensed milk? >> sweetened condensed milk. >> i keep a can of this in the pantry. >> for your coffee? >> no, you can make caramel sauce by boiling it in a pan. >> so this goes in the oven 20, 25 minutes. then when they're cool, you cut them and these are great gifts for teachers, for parties you go to, cut them up. so for you i would give you the little ends here. >> the crunchy part. >> that's the part that -- >> when you're going to freeze it, what's the best way to wrap it? >> tight in plastic wrap, then in tin foil. keep it flat in the freezer. pull it out, you know, you want to make it -- i think that's a good size. ready to go. these are nostalgia. everything in my cookbook is harkenning back to grandma. >> what's next? >> macroons. this is just stove top, sugar, chocolate, which is cocoa, then this goes off. this also has butter in it too, of course, oats, three cups of oats. >> so we're healthy? >> it's like breakfast. not exactly. i'll let you stir that one. we've got three cups of oats and again, coconut is a big theme at holiday time. once these are cool enough to handle, my kids made these for the school bake sale. you can put them in cute little boxes, sell them by the dozen, give them to your neighbor, your mother. >> you form them and then freeze them? >> i would form them and then freeze them and then you're ready to go. this is what's going to make you look like a pro. using the ice cream scoop really is what makes it look like it's coming from a professional kitchen. isn't that quick? >> just on parchment paper? >> no bake. i put them on my deck. when it's cool enough. >> hopefully no woodland creatures come. >> exactly. this also comes from my cookbook, ginger cookie. santa loves these. you can have the dough done the night before, you can go ahead and roll those in sugar so the dough can be made the night before. you can have these all done, ready to go. pop them in the freezer at this point and then pull them out and bake. so you've got your unexpected guests and you say let me just whip up some homemade ginger cookies. >> how do you prep this? >> this goes in the oven for eight minutes. you can press chocolate into it. >> do you flatten these first? >> no, no. except if you want to put a little chunk of chocolate inside. you can also do crystallized ginger. total holiday. so these are all easy-peasy things i can bring to your house on the holidays. >> can we try? >> dig in. >> hello dollys and macaroons. >> trish, thank you so much. great, easy recipes. we appreciate it. what's coming up. awkward holiday situations like eating with your mouth full and talking with your mouth full. >> online gifts for the hard to shop for on your gifts. >> but first we've got your local news and weather. tamron is going back in. yeah! [ screaming ] [ zapping ] there goes dwayne's car. oh, man. there goes dwayne's house. whoa! whoa! and there goes dwayne. man, that thing does not like dwayne. [ male announcer ] state farm's got you covered. nice landing. it was. [ male announcer ] get to a better state. morning, everyone. 9:57 the time. monday, december 5th. let's go to storm center 4. meteorologist tom kierein with a look at the forecast. >> good morning. we've had a little bit of sun this morning. some fog around the bay. the sun has gone away. the fog is slowly dissipating around the bay. and temperatures are hovering had. the upper 40s right now. it's 48 at reagan international. and it should be climbing into the 50s over the next couple hours. hitting 60 or so by this afternoon. a lot of clouds around. a cloudy night tonight. rain off and on tomorrow all the way to the evening. chilly will showers late. l street still shut down due to the accident there. and on the beltway and 66 it's slow as you travel eastbound. making your way on 66 east you're at 14 miles an hour. barbara, back to you. >> coming up mid date at 11:00, >> coming up mid date at 11:00, the hottest trends of he holiday captions paid for by nbc-universal television hello, everybody. welcome to fun day monday here at nbc news. >> what does that mean? >> it's december 5th. it's just, believe this, 20 days left until christmas. >> less than three weeks to shop and do everything. >> you can sense the momentum in town. it's getting heavier and heavier. more people, more stuff going on. you have to plan ahead because of the traffic. >> map out your traffic. >> map it out. how was your weekend? >> it was very nice. something unique happened. >> unless it's me singing, can we cut the music? >> that is rude. had a fun weekend, dinner, this is the most surprising thing about my weekend. jay and i are walking down broadway in the 70s. >> jay, love him. >> we go into duane read. you're not going to believe what we saw. will you show this picture? there is a bar in duane read. look at it. it's only beer. i think because they can sell beer, okay? >> not to minors. >> they have set up a full-on bar. you can get your prescription filled from upstairs and go down -- is that unbelievable? am i the only one shocked? duane reed has a beer bar in the drug store. >> is that your favorite thing? >> no. i'm shocked. we saw "life with marilyn." loved it. >> you had a pretty big night last night, fancy. >> i don't like big weekends because i have a big week so, yeah, i recuperate. but saturday night we went out to dinner with regis and joy. hadn't seen him since his last day. >> how is he? >> are you kidding? he's reg. he's been on the big book tour. everywhere he goes they are getting record crowds, 700 books. he says it's upset him because how much more can regis do? but the truth is i think it's touching him how people love him. >> are people coming up to him? >> one woman shall remain nameless except her name was sunday. we are sitting there in this booth, great new restaurant called gabriel's. beautiful. banquets so you can sit back and hear everybody. this sunday shows up and she is beautiful. reminds me -- tells us off the bat her name is sunday, she is lit like a christmas tree and she is 62 years old. the woman looks 20. she's beautiful. >> really? >> she is, shall we say, a healthy woman. you know? she is wearing a low-cut dress and leans in like this to tell us all these things. >> no, she didn't. they were hanging out? >> they are getting quite a view back there. merry christmas. didn't realize. anyway, frank and joy and i were talking to frank and regis were like dumb-founded. what are we going to do with sunday? she stayed a while. people like that always have to come up and tell you something. everybody is saying, sorry you're retiring. he is sick of saying i'm not retiring. i left the show. right now he's on the book tour and going to take time for the holidays like everybody else. and recuperate and in january find out way was going to do. >> you were busy last night. >> it was a big, big -- yeah, there we are. last night we went to the premiere of "war horse" the new stephen spielberg film based on the children's book that i guess was very successful, not originally when it was first written, but became like a classic. never read it as a child, did you? >> no. i didn't. >> hoda and i, whenever it first came out went to see "war horse" at lincoln center. it's still running. if you ever want to give yourself the greatest treat in the world theatrically. >> it didn't sound like my cup of tea, but going to the show, you are literally crying at the end. i couldn't believe it. >> hoda and i are never at a loss of words. we walked out of the theater and walked back to our apartment, stunned. tears streaming. it was so beautiful. spielberg had a huge job to capture. for people who have never seen the play, they will be so moved by the movie. people who see the play will say he did a great job, but he doesn't quite reach to that standard. everything spielberg does is -- >> a home run. >> a home run. he is our greatest export. think of the movies stephen has made through the years that represents the best of us, the best of the human spirit. this movie represents the best of the animal spirit. the relationship between joey and the other horse is just unbelievable. >> i'm dying to see it. >> hi, jer. jer is lurking over there. we don't know why. it's a beautiful film and opens christmas day. >> here is something new happening in theaters around the country and in play houses and things. you're not allowed to get on your blackberry or phone. they are strict about that. >> they almost kicked me out of lincoln center. lights up, people are coming in and i'm expecting a message from a friend, you know who it is, a serious thing going on in her life. i said it's a voice mail. i bet it's from, it was. doing nothing, not talking, obviously, being quiet. this woman comes and rails me out. i felt like i should go to jail or something. >> they have prison. broadway houses, things like that, there is nothing like that. things are starting to change. they are putting in certain play houses tweet seats. they set you aside from everybody else and tweeting is a form of pr. you tweet, i'm at this show, what show, where are you going? >> what if you're tweeting this extinction? >> that's risk. >> this is the worst thing i've ever been at. how about that? >> i went to see "lion king" with my niece. people are snapping pictures of their kids in the theater. people get upset. they jump on them saying, you're not supposed to take a picture. >> i understand during the show. i don't think you have the right to man handle people because they are not hurting anybody. to go to a premiere now you have to go through security, leave electronic stuff there with your name. >> give it up. >> you know what it makes you want to do? stay home. it does. home is looking better and better. >> if you were watching the kennedy center honors, they honored a bunch of people. meryl streep, neil diamond. >> barbara cook, yoyo ma. >> neil diamond was singing "sweet caroline." >> lionel richie. >> i did not know "sweet caroline" was about caroline kennedy. >> she doesn't seem to know the lyrics. >> there's been a big story in new york that caused a lot of controversy. there is a second grade teacher having a geography class. 58-year-old teacher. she were talking about the north pole. a kid yelled out, that's where santa lives. the teacher shot back, no, no, i can't believe she said this. there is no santa, she said, it's parents who leave the presents. first of all the fact she doesn't believe in santa makes her out. >> she's dead us to. >> she spent all weekend calling par parents and apologizing saying that to kids. i cannot believe for second graders she said that. >> i can imagine what it cost them. there is magic this time of year. if we didn't have little julia and isabella around our house all the time, they are 10 and 6. i keep christmas in my heart. i believe christmas is about the savior of the world coming, i believe all of that with my heart. it's a sacred time of year for me and my family, but when there are little ones around, you get caught up in the tree and get caught up in the santa and all of this stuff. you know what i did this year? we decorated our tree on saturday. for the first time we put all, i love all white lights. we left it that way. we all decided this year it feels like get rid of the stuff and just keep it simple. >> i like that. >> ornaments were thrilled. they were happy, like "toy story" -- well, that's the opposite of "toy story." >> i like that. this may be our last show and i'll tell you why. >> because i mentioned the true story of christmas. >> here is why it might be our last show. my favorite thing is something called "lucky scratcher." look at it. are you tired of using a coin to scratch off your lottery ticket? >> yes. it's one of my biggest pet peeves. >> why not get the lucky scratcher, $4.29. it holds like a pen. hold on. do yours, this could be your last show, too. >> if we win, we are out of here. >> yes. >> this doesn't work that well. oh, mine works. if we win the lottery on our show right now, would that not be a youtube moment. >> i would give everything to charity. >> you just said that out loud. >> what would you do? >> how do you know if you win? >> these are our numbers up here. start erasing them. this one is worth $3 million, mine is. >> that says what you win. >> i think you won. >> did i? >> we'll go over the cards. what is your favorite thing. i'll let you know if you won. >> this is called vitacare. as you get older, everything starts to fall apart. i would like to keep what i had, my original teeth. this is sugar-free and gluten-free and has vitamins in it, a, c, d, e and calcium. i like it. it also comes with a mouth wash and tooth paste, comes in different flavors. i'm trying to do anything i can do to keep what i have. >> isn't this a good stocking stuffer, back to me. you put in a scratch-off and this in someone's stocking. >> you win money. sara. >> i have this really cute bracelet. this is my favorite thing. they are about $15 on a website called live in grace, livngrace.com. it's a sweet story. there was a girl that passed away at 15. her friend had a hard time dealing with the death. all the proceeds go to the mckenzie foundation which helps kids recognize their dreams. i love the bracelet, but the story added. >> you sent some along to us. thank you. sweet guy. >> daniel baldwin on his new movie, his life and that thing they call the scog kettle bell workout. >> he lost 50 pounds. hollywood buzz. hoda is a lucky millionaire. 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[ male announcer ] for a smoothie with real fruit plus veggie nutrition new v8 v-fusion smoothie. could've had a v8. they won't be beat. oh, actually... then i'd be like, you rule! and my kids would be like, you rule! i'd be like, yes, i do rule! ohh! that rules! oh, load up the sleigh; this is going to be a great christmas. yeah. ring dinga-ding, ring dinga-ding, ring, ring, ring me up. [ male announcer ] no need to wait with our christmas price guarantee. we're so confident in our prices if you do find a lower one between now and christmas, we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card. save money. live better. walmart. we are back with one of the famous baldwin boys, they're all men now. daniel is second born to the baldwin family and has been surrounded by a lot of drama in his life. >> the newest drama is in the form of a movie where he plays a lawyer who threatens the traditional spirit of christmas. like a scrooge character. >> it was. >> he is a bitter guy. he's been hurt by religion, hasn't he, and hypocrisy. >> he has a chip on his shoulder. the great thing was getting involved in the christian film market for me. to do a movie where there are no foul words, there was no violence. >> and there is a message. >> it had a definitive message. >> i thought the dialogue was smart. a lot of these movies are not very sophisticated. they are afraid even starting out because it's a film, but this one had some really smart dialogue. you and ted magillie were going after it. >> he is such a great guy. >> did you actually shoot it in alaska. >> we did. >> you're looking very buff and thin. >> i brought you gifts. >> why, because we are not buff and thin? >> that is just mean. >> no. >> what is this? >> for people challenged in this department? >> this is the scog system, he is a fitness guru. they came to me and asked me to produce this video. i got the dreaded 50-year-old physical. my doctor said you need to do something. >> your triglycerides were off the chart. >> this is the kettle ball deal. >> the iron ball with a handle on it. >> what do you do, swing it around? >> it's a little more into it than that. >> i see people go like that with it. >> he refined it to a master science. i lost over 50 pounds in less than five months. >> that is amazing. >> now i'm going to building lean muscle mass in my body. >> you're part owner? >> i am. i got so interested i'm part owner. >> last time i looked capitalism is still around. >> god wants us all to make money, too. >> to give it away. >> exactly. >> did you lose weight because of working out or change your diet and life? >> it's a system. you can check out www.scog system.com and live well. >> ufr's been living well. >> it's been five years now. >> five years sober. that is such a milestone. you're going through something in your personal life that is tough. you've got two little ones. >> i do. they are 3 and 2. my ex is getting help now. she is at a sober recovery center in malibu and trying to get the message. >> you are going through a divorce, right? >> yeah. >> daniel, that's tough, especially during the holidays. how can people see your movie? >> on dvd? >> check it on dvd. it's released on the 10th. "cistmas with a capital c" and see a fine christian film. >> great. wish you and your family all the best. >> you look terrific. >> thank you. >> hot. >> up next, we are going to meet our fan of the week and "today's buzz." ♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] what if we could keep enough plastic waste to cover all of manhattan out of landfills each year? the equivalent of 140 million trash bags, gone. by using new glad trash bags, designed with reinforcing bands to be stronger with less plastic waste, we can. ♪ it's a small change that can make a big difference. ♪ ♪ hark how the bells, sweet silver bells ♪ ♪ all seem to say throw care away ♪ ♪ from everywhere, filling the air ♪ [ female announcer ] chex party mix. easy 15-minute homemade recipes you just pop in a microwave. like caramel chocolate drizzles. happier holidays. chex party mix. ♪ [ male announcer ] it's movie time. with a wii twist. netflix now delivers unlimited tv episodes and movies instantly through wii and nintendo 3ds. all for only 8 bucks a month. we are back to meet our newest fan of the week. >> first before we go to sara, fix the bangs. >> you don't like them again? >> there you go. >> okay, gorgeous. >> our winner is, drum roll, please, erica kemski, from farmington hills, michigan. she considers kathie lee and hoda her most worthwhile guilty pleasure. >> why guilty? >> i'm tired of people saying we are their guilty pleasure. >> she is a working mom who devotes most of her free time to her husband and two children. she loves ambush makeover so much she gave herself a makeover and bobbed her hair on her own. she says kathie lee and hoda are a jewel on morning television. >> that is sweet. >> i agree. you are jewels. we are sending you and a companion to florida space coast, the trip will include a two-night stay provided by the hilton melbourne beach oceanfront. two admission tickets to the kennedy space center, admission for two at the kennedy space center upclose tour. delta airlines provided airfare for two. enjoy your trip and keep watching. >> have a wonderful time. >> if you want to be our next fan of the week go to klg&hoda.com. invited to a holiday party but an awkward situation keeps from you going? our etiquette team is ready for solutions. >> and today's buzz. it's that time of year. give gifts that spread good cheer. your friends and family gather all around the tree. no one does christmas like you do christmas. under the mistletoe whether it's beach or snow, you sparkle and you shine because it's christmas time. no one does christmas like kmart does christmas. kmart. smart. all-natural benefiber, the fiber supplement that's taste-free and dissolves completely. so you can put it in whatever you like, even water. benefiber. makes taking fiber easier. hi. looking good! you've lost some weight. thanks! you noticed! you know these clothes are too big now, so i'm donating them. not going back there again. good for you! how'd you do it? eating right, whole grain. whole grain? whole grain. [ femalennouncer ] people who choose more whole grain tend to weigh less than those who don't... multigrain cheerios has five whole grains and 110 lightly sweetened calories per serving... more grains. less you! multigrain cheerios. hey, jessica, jerry neumann with a policy question. jerry, how are you doing? fine, i just got a little fender bender. oh, jerry, i'm so sorry. i would love to help but remember, you dropped us last month. yeah, you know it's funny. it only took 15 minutes to sign up for that new auto insurance company but it's taken a lot longer to hear back. is your car up a pole again? [ crying ] i miss you, jessica! jerry, are you crying? no, i just, i bit my tongue. [ male announcer ] get to a better state. state farm. and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement. it's an amazing holiday deal. but don't wait. it's only available for a limited time. so go to verizon.com/superoffer to sign up. act now and we'll add a special bonus -- $300 back. fios delivers the best picture quality, plus america's fastest, most consistent most reliable internet. spend the holidays saving money. switch to fios and get our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement when you order online. save $840 in your first two years. and don't forget your special bonus -- $300 back. hurry, offer ends soon. go to verizon.com/superoffer. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's verizon.com/superoffer. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. fios. a network ahead. it's fun day monday which means it's time for "today's buzz." >> whether it was shopping or celebrating that caused you to lose touch with tinseltown this weekend, bonnie and roseanne are with us. >> happy post thanksgiving. >> you, too. >> today julie came on with her husband and made a big announcement about her breast cancer situation. we knew she was getting lumpectomy and said she was going to get a double mastectomy. >> that is right. what struck me so much was her courage and the intense love. >> when you watch them sitting together, so supportive. >> a very supportive man sitting beside her. this says a lot to women. you are very fortunate if you don't have to go through something like this alone and you have your loved ones supporting you. >> rather than her being fearful and disfigured, how it keepened the love they already have for one another. that's true love, not the story wees talk in hollywood, someone who falls in lust for 72 days. >> behind this decision was the couple wants to have children. that also says something about the commitment that's there. >> i loved how they were sitting together on the couch. that told me everything the way he is protective of her. >> bill said he wants julianna there for 50 plus years. he doesn't care about a mastectomy. >> we wish them such love and happiness in the future and health. >> let's move on to brooke mueller. >> one is a felony charge with cocaine possession. apparently, she slugged a woman at a night club in aspen, then moved on to another club where she was then arrested. >> what is going on there? >> that picture tells it all, too. >> she is clearly not in good shape. it was in aspen two years ago at christmas she originally called police and said charlie sheen assaulted her. here she has been in rehappen four times. now charged again. her parents have the kids, apparently. they didn't pay her bail, we hear. >> charlie paid her bail, $11,000, according to a source on radar online. her parents wanted her to stay in jail. >> news from madonna. she is going to be performing halftime at the super bowl. >> big show. >> she had an event last night. her movie "we" was appearing. have you heard how that went? bonnie and i were at the stephen spielberg. >> it's a movie about the duchess of windsor. i heard different things. i heard it's fabulous, then i heard it's terrible. the movie is going to open two days before the super bowl. that will be great publicity. >> she is nothing if not quite good at marketing things. >> and you know it's going to be wild. >> good news for tiger woods this weekend. he finally won. >> i'm glad. he's been beaten up a lot. >> third time is a charm. he was on or close to winning twice this year but didn't hit the mark. it's a personal victory. >> he needs to get back that mojo. >> exactly. it's been two years 26 days since he won a tournament. i imagine that this will give him the confidence. it's such a mental game of golf. >> mindy mccready, i hadn't heard of her until this controversy came up. >> about the fact she had an affair with roger clemens. >> when she was 15. >> so what happened with the baby. >> her first multiplatinum was 10,000 angels. she will need that on her side right now. she had such a history of drug abuse. she had the boy zander 5 years old. for three days she wouldn't return him home. >> where did they find him? >> in a closet. it was actually in a home they believe is owned by her current boyfriend. >> the father of the twins she is pregnant with? >> yes. she is 7 months pregnant with twins. and the father is her former boyfriend. he previously also had been acharged with assaulting her. this woman has such a terrible history. >> you know what she will probably be offered? a reality series. >> she's already been on a reality series, "celebrity rehab." >> i feel bad for her. she is a talented young woman could have the world by the tail. >> you never know the demons people have. >> thanks, ladies. >> that's why i want to know what roseanne colletti does. then picked up a few extra things for the baby. oh boy... i used our slate card with blueprint. we can design our own plan to avoid interest by paying off diapers and things each month. and for the bigger stuff, we can pay downalance faster to save money on interest. bigger? bigger. chase slate with blueprint helps you save money on life's little surprises. trip...lets... start your path to saving today, call 855-get-slate. revlon just bitten. it's a two-in-one lipstain and balm. the lipstain gives me a light flush of color while the moisturizing balm softens my lips. have you ever been bitten? revlon just bitten lipstain and balm. have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then get lunesta for $0 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. time to deploy the chex mix boring potato chip decoy bag. now no one will want to steal the deliciousness. with a variety of tastes and textures, only chex mix is a bag of interesting. and this time of year, i send out a lot of gifts. sweater for mom, free shipping from brian. i'm brian andrews. i ship the gifts that last. the holidays are made here at l.l.bean. come soups that you'll love getting to know. new slow kettle style soups from campbell's. extraordinary taste sensations crafted from premium ingredients. slow kettle. new from campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do. we all have to deal with automatic ward situations, especially during the holidays. whether it's about gift exchanges or awkward invitations, there is a solution. >> philip galanes writes the social q's for the sunday style section of "the new york times." harriet cole is an etiquette expert and very good crocheter. >> question number one, my boyfriend and i have been going out three months. we have good jobs. last week he told me he wanted to place a $25 cap on our christmas gifts to each other. this seems way too low to me. should i go along with this or speak up? >> i know somebody who is not getting a sabel coat for christmas this year, i think. relationships, whether they last 90 days or 90 years, it's about communication and compromise. in a not hostile way she should say that seems low to me, what gives? because maybe he's under a mountain of debt or he's got credit card problems. >> over the holidays it could be 10, 12 people you're buying gifts for. i know a couple that did this once. they used the number to get creative. i think if you ask why, why is it you want to do this, then together you figure out let's be the most creative we can, it could be turned into a positive. >> question two, we've been invited to a party at a friend's house, a couple. the girlfriend has not spoken to us in six months, but my husband works with the boyfriend and we think he is the one who invited us. i don't want to go because it will be awkward seeing her, but my husband wants to go. if we don't, it will be the first time in ten years we haven't attended. >> you go to the party. if you feel you want to call in advance and check in, you can. as a united front, the two of you go to the party. >> how do you act? >> as you normally do. >> it didn't say they had a fight or anything. life gets busy. some of my best friends i don't see. >> and you can leave early. >> my family has holiday dinners at our mother's house with my brother, his wife and me. my mother does all the cooking. afterwards i tell my mother to relax while i clear the table and load the diswasher. my sister-in-law never helps. is this me? this drives me crazy. >> some think they are to be served. >> some people don't think about it. the oblivion is part of it. i used to be that girl and realized i should help. >> the girl powerpoint here, what's the brother doing? he is just sitting there like an oaf. is the wife supposed to get up and clean the dishes? >> everybody. this is a joint venture, people. >> how about, easy answer, how about i wash, you dry. >> last quick would be. no one in my office ever exchanged gifts until last year when an annoying new secretary arrived and bought gifts for everybody and make us feel guilty. >> why annoying? no, you don't have to. cards would be nice. >> good enough. >> 200 people work here at the "today" show. >> e-mail, use e-vite. >> gifts for people you care about. absolutely. >> thank you. >> up next, shopping for the challenging ones on your list. great prices. i just wish you could guarantee me they won't be beat. oh, actually... then i'd be like, you rule! and my kids would be like, you rule! i'd be like, yes, i do rule! ohh! that rules! oh, load up the sleigh; this is going to be a great christmas. yeah. ring dinga-ding, ring dinga-ding, ring, ring, ring me up. [ male announcer ] no need to wait with our christmas price guarantee. we're so confident in our prices if you do find a lower one between now and christmas, we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card. save money. live better. walmart. prego?! but i've been buying ragu for years. [ thinking ] i wonder what other questionable choices i've made? [ '80s dance music plays ] [ sighs ] [ male announcer ] choose taste. choose prego. you noticed! these clothes are too big, so i'm donating them. how'd you do it? eating right, whole grain. [ female announcer ] people who choose more whole grain tend to weigh less than those who don't. multigrain cheerios... five whole grains, 110 calories. [ gasp ] [ mom ] my husband -- he thinks it's a 3-sheeter. i say 1-sheeter. bounty can clean the mess with less. 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[ male announcer ] get to a better state. we are counting down to the holidays with online gift ideas for people hard to buy for in your life. >> every year you try to figure out the perfect gift for the problem person. stop the insanity. shopping expert jen fallick is here. >> is she here after having that baby? >> she did and she is skinny as a rail. >> everybody has the people that are impossible to buy for. >> it makes it unfun. the first category is the friend who gets bored quickly, she unwraps it, loves it, wears it the next day and next time you go to her house it's in the closet. botox injections or the gift of the month club. every month you get beauty samples from birchbox.com. there are tips in there, too. teaches you how to use things. for parents, citrus lane is a monthly club. it's a great gift for a new mom. every month you get new things. >> that is a great idea. >> and snacks. >> snacks. if someone loves healthy stuff, lollihop.com, every month you get new snacks that are approved by nutritionists. i think there are gluten-free options in there every month it's something new. >> what is this the fashion section? >> you've got the friend who is the scorekeeper, looks at the box, looks at the label. you can't go to an offsite retailer. >> you need a new friend. >> you don't have to spend full price. you can go to shopittome.com. it can come wrapped. shop from there, you still save a lot of money like you were going to an off-price retailer. >> what's happening here? >> munchies. >> you have people you have nothing in common with. you have to get them a gift, but you don't know what they want. >> why are you buying for people you don't know and don't know what they like. >> maybe it's a mother-in-law, a teacher. opensky.com has favorite honeys, favorite salts, vegan cookies. >> look at the decanter with the ice on the inside. >> that is really pretty. >> it doesn't get watered down. if your friends are into beauty and fashion, joyous.com is a site that is curated. you can get fun things like these cool necklaces. >> cute. >> they are unique brands and finds approved by fashion and beauty insiders. >> lastly -- >> the friend who doesn't want anything someone else has, of a kind.com is so cool. they have unique and limited editions from upcoming brands. everything is numbered and sized. you can sound like you know what you're giving. there are runs of 5 to 50 pieces so everyone will not have it. this is made by scientists who create these out of resin and make it look like gemstones. >> thank you. >> you look great by the way. >> thank you. >> i thought it was sara jessica up here. up next, prep yg your house for easy holiday cleaning. [ male announcer ] are you paying more and more for cable and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement. it's an amazing holiday deal. but don't wait. it's only available for a limited time. so go to verizon.com/superoffer to sign up. act now and we'll add a special bonus -- $300 back. fios delivers the best picture quality, plus america's fastest, most consistent most reliable internet. spend the holidays saving money. switch to fios and get our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement when you order online. save $840 in your first two years. and don't forget your special bonus -- $300 back. hurry, offer ends soon. go to verizon.com/superoffer. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's verizon.com/superoffer. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. fios. a network ahead. if you're hosting the holidays, but dreading the cleanup, we have prep work. >> the accidental housewife julie edelman has ways to save money, time and your manicure. >> much of the time we spend is in the kitchen. within 24 hours before you can do a few things to get rid of some of that hassle. >> show us. >> i was waiting for that. turtle wax. be sure to check it and make sure it doesn't say flammable. use turtle wax and put it on your stove ahead of time and let it dry to a haze. when it's done, buff it like you would on your car. i'm sure you buff your cars. >> only every other week. >> what does it do? >> when you have those splatters, it makes it easier to clean up. another great trick is baking soda. repurpose. >> i can see that being trouble. >> it's not trouble. it's a deoderizer. >> i'm saying someone might put it on their eggs. >> but if they do, it won't hurt you. vinegar can cut the grease. all natural, easy and inexpensive. i put a bit of baking soda in the sink. it's great for a lot of things. i put 1/4 of baking soda, four ounces. this is like mount st. helen's. this is a great way to test if your baking soda is still good. if it doesn't fizz, it isn't good. when that stops bubbling, put in a kettle of hot water to really clean it. you've got to wait until it all stops bubbling. a great way, and i know we love vodka for so many reasons, but you can actually, would you like to spray? >> no, thank you. i'm a wino. >> we've got that, too. you can clean the sink with vodka. >> why vodka? >> it's the cheap stuff. you want to enjoy the holidays. have some for yourself and clean at the same time. >> where else would we learn these helpful hints. >> another is baby oil. if you put baby oil around, it will help from collecting the dirt on the sides and bead up. rub a rilt bit of baby oil around your sink. >> less than a minute. >> here we go. stuff marks. put this on. like joan rivers said, we were not put on earth to get down there unless there are diamonds down there. >> look. >> nothing but the tennis ball. >> lemonade, premix. it will clean your dishwasher. >> really? >> yes. because of the sit rick acid. it works. >> lastly. you don't have any dishes, scoop and serve. get squashes, put in cranberry sauce and dips. then when you're done, you just toss those away. maintain the manicure. of course, i hate wasting anything so vodka and lemonade. we have lemon drinks. happy holidays. >> tomorrow, al roker is going to stay late with us. he has a book out. >> ten secrets of happy people. see you tomorrow. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com [ gargling ] oo-ay-ow. savings. savings. savings? progressive was the first to offer online quoting. you can do better. first to show comparison rates. ding! the "name your price" tool. oh! gosh, don't mind if i do. who was the first to offer pet injury coverage? we were. and when did you know you wanted to sell insurance? i said i wouldn't cry. um... whee! it's flo time. now, that's progressive. call or click today. good morning, everyone. welcome to "news4 midday." i'm barbara harrison. it is monday, december 5, 2011. right now, two firefighters are recovering after colliding with a car on their way to an apartment fire. the accident shut down the intersections of l street and 18th. >> reporter: you can take one look at the

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