Transcripts For KNTV Today 20120906

and, oops, a building implosion goes off without a hitch until a huge cloud of dust and debris engulfs a crowd of onlookers. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is a special edition of "today" at the democratic national convention with matt lauer, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza, and savannah guthrie, live in charlotte, north carolina. and welcome to a special split edition of "today" on this thursday morning. good morning, everyone, i'm savannah guthrie at the democratic national convention in charlotte. >> and i'm matt lauer in new york. savannah, you look at that implosion video. someone clearly forgot to do the old which way was the wind going? we'll show you more of that in just a little while. meanwhile, president obama already had a lot of pressure on him with his speech tonight. now he's got a really tough act to follow after what was an enthusiastic and powerful endorsement from former president bill clinton. >> this was a speech that was supposed to last about 28 minutes. it went on for 48 minutes, and that's because he ad libbed quite a bit of it. i'm told by those who worked with him he actually added back in things that had been taken out for time. the former president vowed the economy would get better in a second term. chelsea clinton was there in the audience. hillary clinton was traveling and did not see the speech live but later watched it from the ambassador residence on a computer via slingbox. i was told can you see the picture of her expression there that she may not have blinked during the entire speech. she didn't know president obama was coming out and nearly jumped out of her chair, i'm told, when she saw it. following that speech, the democrats formally nominated president obama. the question is, can the president electrify the crowd like he did four years ago in denver? and we'll have another "today" exclusive. we will reveal the new ad from the romney campaign aimed at voters who have fallen out of love with the president. matt? >> savannah, it's amazing that president clinton doubled the length of the speech. it's kind of like you in the opens. i'm kidding. also, two stories of real importance to parents. one has tied with kids playing football and the other are these laundry pods and that it may look like candy to kids. and we'll have an interview with jessica simpson on the difficulty losing her post-baby weight. we'll begin though, with that speech by former president bill clinton at the democratic national convention. david gregory is moderator of "meet the press ". good morning to you. >> good morning, savannah. bill clinton simply owned the room here, stayed longer than he was supposed to, but nobody seemed to mind. this was a speech that was a pitch to swing voters. he makes a positive reference to president bush about aid to africa but it was also brutally partisan. he talked about the hatred the republicans have for this president. above all it was an appearance that was the height of political stagecraft. this was the moment, a surprise showing by the president and a political embrace for the predecessor that was designed to speak volumes. here's one of the party's biggest heroes, to vouch for president obama. a candidate that once opposed a president that he's whom he's had a distant relationship. >> i want to nominate a man who is cool on the outside but who burns for america on the inside. >> president clinton mocking the republican pitch for change. >> we left him a total mess. he hadn't cleaned it up fast enough so fire us and put him back in. >> criticizing governor romney's plans. to cut taxes. >> as another president once said, there they go again. >> clinton, his voice weaker than in years past, was nevertheless happier than ever in the spotlight, covering the broad sweep of campaign debates and speaking longer than his allotted 28 minutes. he ad libbed often, here taking on paul ryan for attacking the president's medicare cut, while incorporating that same cut in his own budget. >> you got to give him one thing, it takes some brass to attack a guy for doing what you did. >> and with the first lady looking on, he hailed the president for embracing his rivals. >> heck, he even appointed hillary. >> through it all, the economy was the focus. clinton argued the president needs more time. >> president obama started with a much weaker economy than i did. no one could have fully repaired all the damage that he found in just four years. >> and promised millions watching on television that he believed with all his heart americans would feel an economic turnaround in an obama second term. >> if you want a winner take all, you're on your own society, you should support the republican ticket. but if you want a country of shared opportunities and shared responsibility, a we're all in this together society, you should vote for barack obama and joe biden. >> so tonight it is president obama's moment. aides say that he is going to lay out some of the pillars of a second term, try to become a little bit more specific. republicans i spoke to after the clinton speech said, look, this is a president who still has to answer for poverty in the country, historic job losses and president obama will deliver that address now here in the hall because of the threat of severe weather. they don't want to do it in the stadium anymore. >> nbc's david gregory, thank you. it's a big morning for davids around here. david axelrod and david plouffe, white house advisers. >> good morning. >> i know you were here in the hall, watching the speech last night. some had said he made the kate for president obama better than president obama makes the case for president obama. >> we were thrilled with the speech. you want the strongest speeches. he talked about how it has been, how his policies affected the country, republican policies, and president obama's policies and where we're going from here. he set up that choice. now the president can talk about the future, having cleared some of that underbrush out of the way. >> when you see the president, former president clinton ad libbing like that, you're a famously disciplined guy, are you biting your nails, david plouffe? be honest. >> not at all. that speech was a remarkable argument about the job the president has done. it could have gone another 10, 15 minutes. we were captivated by the argument that he made. >> one argument that stood out was no one could have repaired what the president found in just four years. he said if you renew the president's contract, you will feel the economic recovery. does that basically boil down what president obama's argument is, hang tight with me and the economy will get better and is that sufficient? >> i think what you'll hear the president talk about tonight is where we need to go. the big point that president clinton made is there are things we need to do to move things along and shore up the middle class. >> is the president going to be specific? about a policy agenda, because that's been a criticism. you don't hear an affirmative case of the unfinished business. david brooks wrote it's not clear what he will do if elected. >> i think it will be clear where he thinks we need to go and this whole week also has laid out a choice, which it's a question for the american people, who do you trust to build the kind of economy that's going to work for the middle class. we think the republican ticket of romney and ryan are going to bring us back to the same policies that failed the middle class. but president obama's on the right path, wanting to stick with it. >> you two are the architects of the 2008 campaign, the hope and change campaign. at his convention speech four years ago, the president said change happens because the american people demand it, rise up and insist on new ideas, new leadership and new politics. guy, we do not have a new politics. plenty of blame to go around for that. but it was the president who promised that. are republicans right to hold him accountable for delivering that new politics. >> what he also said is change is hard, change takes time, we have to are persistent, we have to stick with it. and, you know, a lot has been accomplished. we ended a war, health care reform, financial reform and we stopped the free-fall, as president clinton said, in our economy. we do have work to do in our politics and we think the verdict of the american people on november 6th is going to help change that. >> you had to move this venue indoors, it was unplanned. there will be no balloons as i understand it. are you desperately searching for something festive since you've had to move inside? >> we think this is going to be the perfect capstone of a tremendous convention. i think the american people are getting out of this week is, a clear sense of where we are, where we've been and where the president will take the country. we think democrats and independents and republicans will be energized. >> the president will provide the festivities. >> i was just going for an answer about the balloons. thanks so much. on the republican side, the romney campaign is not laying low this week. they're out with a new ad that we are showing exclusively this morning and here it is. >> listen, this just isn't working. it's been four years. you've changed. your spending is out of control, you're constantly on the golf course and you're always out with hollywood celebrities. you think i didn't see you with sarah jessica parker and george clooney? your jobs council said that you haven't even showed up in six months. you're just not the person i thought you were. it not me, it you. >> i want to bring back in david gregory. no doubt about who this is is targeting, single women voters. >> there's no question. it benefits president obama among women. they understand in the romney campaign that it's crucial to try to mitigate that as best they can. single women are going to be an important voting bloc, they always are. i think there's a larger point about this, savannah, those voters who like president obama a great deal, but simply are skeptical and don't think he can deliver the change he's talking about. and even president clinton was talking about last night. that's a big target of opportunity for governor romney, those loosely committed voters. that's who he's trying to reach. and we should mentn that mitt romney will be david's exclusive guest this sunday on "meet the press." you can see president obama's speech here at the democratic national convention tonight starting at 9:00 eastern time, 6:00 pacific. right here, on nbc. we want to go back to natalie morales with the top stories at the news desk. natalie, goiod morning to you. >> good morning, everyone. a federal court has now cleared the way for the most contentious part of arizona's controversial immigration policy. officers can now check the immigration status of people during legal traffic stops if they have reason to suspect they're in the united states illegally. critics who call the measure "show me your papers law" say it will lead to racial profiling. two bank robbers are on the run after they allegedly kidnapped a bank manager and strapped what they said was a bomb from her waist. a bomb squad detonated the device which turned out not to be an explosive. fortunately no one was injured. nbc tom brokaw was taken by an ambulance after an appearance on "morning joe." he complained of feeling light headed. nbc said that he's being evaluated at the hospital. >> dramatic video from china this morning. a young girl riding her bike became pinned beneath a bus after it went out of control and hit her. rescuers had to carefully dig beneath her head to pull her to safety. amazingly, she escaped unharmed. now, we want to go to wall street with kayla tausche, at the new york stock exchange. >> traders expect a measured, not blowout solution to be announced. meanwhile here at home it a big week for jobs today. the number of americans filing for unemployment benefits is expected to fall ahead of tomorrow's all-important jobs numbers. traders looking for a hint in president obama's speech tonight. natalie? >> we'll all be watching. thanks so much kayla tausche. now to france where a crowd watching a standard building demolition got a little more than they bargained for when the wind changed direction, pushing the dust toward them. spectators quickly began running for cover with their hands over their mouths and noses just trying to breathe. not at all what they expected. >> the cowboys waited all year for another shot at the new york giants and last night they got it, beating the super bowl champs, 27-14, and a stellar performance by dallas qb tony romo who threw for three touchdowns and 307 yards. and it's not the way he wanted to end his professional career but andy roddick bid an emotional good-bye to fans. after losing in the fourth round at the u.s. open on wednesday, holding back tears, he waved to the crowd. and his famous wife covered her face as she watched sadly from the stands. classy guy, he did a lot for u.s. tennis, but he does get to go home to brooklyn decker. so, there's a positive. >> always looking for the silver lining. aren't you? and you found one. >> i just said what you guys wanted to say. >> i'm glad you said it. >> much better. >> mr. roker, what's happening? >> well, we've got a couple of systems to talk about out into the atlantic. we've got michael, which is a category three storm. that's not going to cause any problems. we are watching leslie, a category one storm, which could become a category two, right now about 140 miles south, southeast of bermuda. it has 75-mile-per-hour winds. track of the storm will bring it close to bermuda. it's also going to be causing dangerous rip currents up and down the eastern seaboard. this is actually remnants of isaac out in the gulf. if it becomes a tropical storm system, it will become nadine. the national hurricane center >> 7:16. a live look at oakland. all is calm. we have low clouds that we're tracking some strong thunderstorms on the radar. mostly in the south bay, a cell is here about to make its way into discovery bay in the next 15, 20 minutes. the activity will be very, very spotty in nature as we head through the first part of the day and we should be clearing out by about noon. mostly clear over the bay area. 80 today in san jose. not as muggy tomorrow. calm this weekend. >> and that's your latest weather. matt? >> thank you very much. an alarming new study is out that says nfl players are dying at a much higher risk of alzheimer's and other brain diseases. here's nancy snyderman. >> reporter: america's game kicked off last night. a study published online this month shows nfl players have a significantly higher risk of dying of of the degenerative brains brain diseases alzheimer's and als, commonly known as lou gehrig's disease. >> the common theme is repettive head injuries. by the time you're at the national football league, they've added up to many, many thousands if not tens of thousands of blows. >> reporter: professional football has long been a violent game. in recent years the nfl has taken aggressive measures to protect players from some of of the more serious head injuries and upped the ante to those who break the rules. wednesday on "today," roger goodell announced the league's partnership with the u.s. army and nih to study the effects of traumatic brain injuries. >> we're going to be funding $30 million to fund new research that will hopefully help and accelerate the understanding of brain injuries. >> reporter: but for some players the research comes too late. steve gleason, formerly of the saints, has als, as does ex-nfler kevin turner. once forces on the field, they're struggling to make it through the simple tasks of daily living. this doctor wants to stop the disease. >> they have coaches that are least experienced, they almost never have any medical personnel on the sideline. >> reporter: as kids across america suit up to play like their nfl heros, parents have to consider the implications of this recent study. the price of playing today could man a tragic struggle tomorrow. for "today," dr. nancy snyderman, nbc news, new york. >> mike is a radio host and columnist for the new york daily news. good to see you. this is a tough study. football players almost four times more likely to die than the general public from als or alzheimer's. what's the impact on the sport sp. >> it's profound. this is me is the single greatest health crisis in sports. it's not going to go away. if you were buying a car and somebody said this is a great car but if you buy it you're four times more likely to die, are you going to buy that car? >> but you listen to the commissioner. he was here announcing a $30 million grant for the studying of brain injuries. first of all, was he trying to get out ahead of bad news with good news? and, secondly, how do you change the game itself to prevent this in the future? >> you can build space age helmets. they talk about all the improvements at the helmet companies, it's still going to be a violent sport. the tipping point is going to be when parents start saying i am not allowing my child to play this game anymore. >> does a study like this in your opinion take a lot of parents and push them over that line? >> oh, i think without a question. there's a great loon that arthur ashe once had about john mcenromcenro mcenroe's tennis game. he said "a nick here, a nick there and pretty soon you're bleeding to death." you're going to suffer over time. >> you can make the helmets space age but the fact of the matter is the culture of the sport is about dominating and intimidating your opponent if physically. that has to change? >> how many hits where the guy still leads with his head? we've had three suicides of ex-football players. concussion sounds like a benign expression. eight brain wound. you get practically one a game now in the national football league. >> 190 last year for 320 games played. >> any rational person looks at boxing and says why does this sport even exist? we're not there obviously. adam schefter from espn said there's one thing that can kill the golden goose in the national football league and it's what we're talking about. >> always good to get your perspective. thank you very much. >> it's 22 after the hour. will these findings make you less likely to allow your child to play football? let us know on today.com and we'll have the results tomorrow. >> coming up, another important warning for parents about so-called laundry pods that can look like candy to your kids. so-called laundry pods that can look like candy this is kids. an rc robotic claw. my high school science teacher made me what i am today. our science teacher helped us build it. ♪ now i'm a geologist at chevron, and i get to help science teachers. it has four servo motors and a wireless microcontroller. over the last three years we've put nearly 100 million dollars into american education. that's thousands of kids learning to love science. ♪ isn't that cool? and that's pretty cool. ♪ want to start the day with something heart healthy and delicious? you're a talking bee... honey nut cheerios has whole grain oats that can help lower cholesterol. and it tastes good? sure does! right... ♪ wow. delicious, right? yeah. it's the honey, it makes it taste so... ♪ well, would you look at the time... what's the rush? be happy. be healthy. still ahead, jessica simpson's revealing battle about losing her baby weight. >> plus we'll talk to the woman behind michelle obama's dress. and we'll have the school on her nail polish as well after your local news. 12 grams of whole grains and a creamy yogurt flavored coating. quaker yogurt granola bars. treat yourself good. the next generation and then countless more. how do you kill them? frontline plus. it uses two ingredients. one to kill adult fleas and ticks. plus another to eliminate flea eggs and larvae, annihilating the next generation of fleas. and, frontline plus works non-stop for thirty days. no wonder it's the number one choice of vets for their pets and yours. ask your vet about frontline plus. accept nothing less. ask your vet about frontline plus. try our new lunch-size grilled chicken fajitas, with sauteed onions and peppers, served with soup or salad. lunch break combos, starting at 6 bucks. enjoy them with friends, because a lunch together feeds the friendship. >> 7:26. good morning. i'm jon kelley. chp officers in martinez having a rough day returning to work one day after the death of officer kenyon youngstrom. hundreds taking part in a candlelight vigil in honor of the officer. he was shot on tuesday morning after pulling over a driver for an obstructed license place. family took him off life support last night and news of his death is hitting students especially hard at oak brook elementary, the school where one of youngstrom's four children is said to attend. >> his family would pick me up and we would go to church on wednesdays. it's a real friend. his dad was a cool dude. hate that he lost his life. >> so tough. the officer marks the 223rd chp officer to be killed in the line of duty since 1929. he was just 37 years old. >> just in, look at this. you can see rain there, it's close, a wet start to the day in san jose. you can see the raindrops building up. showers could just be starting. meteorologist christina loren is here now to tell you how wet it's going to get. >> good morning. two weeks away from the official start of fall and we're getting pretty good rainfall activity this morning. i want to show you where the showers are headed and where we're experiencing them for the past hour or so. in the south and the east bay. right now the most significant cell we're watching is on its way as we head through next 20 minutes so keep that in mind. throughout the first part of the day we'll be dealing with these isolated cells moving on shore, mostly in the east and the south bay until about 10:00 a.m. we'll start to clear out. 67 degrees, a different story in san francisco, flight delays due to fog. here is mike. >> it's jammed north 880 approaching the toll plaza after an accident cleared from the lanes, also slow off of the berkeley curve. very slow out of san leandro south and down to fremont. an earlier accident kicked it off but it's jammed over toward the dumbarton bridge. the effect of the rain. >> check us out on facebook. we're back in a half hour. here you go little man. [ humming ] [ babbling ] the cheerios bandit got you again? [ both laugh ] ♪ the one and only, cheerios ...and now... you! [ giggles ] ♪ the one and only, cheerios you're looking at a picture of jessica simpson before, during and after her baby. now she's admitting to some real struggles losing her post-pregnancy weight. i think a lot of women are going to say that what she's saying is very revealing and refreshing to hear from a celebrity. we'll tell you more about that in a little while. 7:30 now on a thursday morning, september 6, 2012. i'm matt lauer in studio 1a in new york city, savannah, as she has been all week, is down in charlotte, north carolina at the democratic national convention. hi, matt. president obama was supposed to deliver his acceptance speech tonight at a 70,000-seat outside stadium but with thunderstorms in the forecast, last-minute decision was made to hold it here at the time warner cable aren a much smaller venue. we'll have more from here in charlotte just ahead, including a live interview with the president's brother-in-law and his sister, too. also ahead, savannah, an alert to parents on these things right here, these detergent pods. they're convenient but your kids can confuse them for candy. it's been a problem and coming up, what manufacturers are planning to do about that problem. and a little later on, we'll get the lowdown on michelle obama's fashion choices at the democratic convention from the woman who designed her dress. that is tracy reese, savannah. >> all right. let's begin this half-hour with two other people who have made an impression here at this convention, president obama's brother-in-law, craig robinson, and his sister who spoke to the delegates on tuesday evening. actually, craig, i'm just going to start with you. i hear you're a little bit of a fashionista. did your sister talk to you about what she should wear on tuesday night? >> absolutely, all my decision. no, she's her own woman and it was -- i was just so proud to see her. she looked great. she did a great job and i wish i had her fashion sense. >> yes, me, too. >> maya, let me ask you about your brother. one thing people have come to know about him is that he is fiercely competitive. i think you know this, craig, from the basketball court. do you think he's really thought about what happens if i lose? what happens if i don't win a second term? is that a motivating thing for him? >> i mean i think he's a pragmatist on some level so he has had to consider the possibility. that being said, he's not operating with the assumption that he will be leaving any time soon. he really feels that the second term is needed to implement his vision and he's confident that people will recognize the difference between the two platforms and find that the democratic platform and his vision is much more inclusive and supportive and hopeful. >> craig, your sister was very candid in her speech about the fact that she was something of a reluctant political spouse. she wasn't sure this was the road she wanted to go on. can you talk about that transformation and why you think she's more willing to embrace it now? >> yes, savannah. i think from the very start, she was concerned about her family. i mean growing up in our household, we are a very normal childhood and she wanted that sort of normalcy full of down home values, education, hard work. she wanted that for her girls and there was some question about whether can you have that if you were a first lady or your children lived in the white house. i think once she realized that she could have some semblance of that in the job she has as mom in chief, i think she became much more comfortable and just began to thrive. >> we're out of time but very quickly, it is impossible to think that experience like this wouldn't change these people that you know so well. do you see big changes in them? >> not at all. not in the fundamentals. i mean they touch ground and find their center and the rituals that they have to spend time with family and spend holidays in hawaii and in the normalcy that they provide their kids and they ren tirl thare en themselves. thanks so much. we'll now go back to new york for a check of the weather from al. >> thanks so much, savannah. the heat continues in the midsection of the country. look at these temperatures. the toasters are working overtime in oklahoma city. 103. memphis at 100. kansas city looking hot, too, as well. san antonio, 100 degrees. high humidity. brownsville and houston with a high of 97. the rest of the country, we have a risk of strong storms in the midsection there. beautiful day in the pacific northwest. portland, oregon -- up to 87. same temperature in new york city. dangerous rip currents from leslie along the carolinas and making their way into the mid-atlantic today and into tomorrow. gorgeous in los angeles. 85. chicago, 84 by sunday and you'll be looking at temperatures in >> 7:35 now on a thursday morning. this is a picture coming to you from oakland looking over toward san francisco. what a beautiful start here. what you can tell is it's not the low clouds we're dealing with, we've got a couple of low clouds but mostly we have mid level and high clouds courtesy of an area of high pressure bringing in subtropical moisture. we're tracking showers and thunderstorms on the radar but most of the activity has moved into the east bay. about 5 to 10 minutes from heavy downpours in discovery bay. temperatures in the 80s in san jose. and don't >> don't forget, check the weather any time you need it -- go to weather channel on cable or weather.com online. now an alert for parents on a new kind of laundry detergent that's become a dangerous hazard to some toddle ers. mara, good morning. have you a young one at home. >> this hits close to home for me. these are called laundry pods. they're tiny little detergent packets that are small, shiny and brightly colored and it is causing a lot of children to confuse them with candy, sometimes with devastating consequences. they're the latest in laundry. detergent pods. tiny packets that go right in the wash. no pouring or measuring needed. a time saver for busy parents. >> put one in, close the laundry and you're all set. >> when these guys take the plunge they dissolve quickly and completely. >> reporter: but grown-ups aren't the only one attracted to these pods. >> it looks like candy. >> their shape, their bright colors. >> reporter: with their shiny packaging and candy coloring, an alarming number of children are accidentally eating these detergent packets, confusing them with sweet treats. this spring jessica sutton's then 20-month-old daughter isabella found a laundry pod on the floor and tried to eat it. >> vomiting, she had diarrhea, she was -- it was pretty much the symptoms of a stomach virus. >> reporter: thankfully isabella recovered quickly but she's part of a growing number of children who are getting sick this way. >> i've never seen a consumer product that had that degree of injury in a small child. >> reporter: the pods, made by several different companies, came out just this year. already there have been almost 3,000 cases reported of accidental ingestion. mostly in children 5 and under. that's approximately 13 cases per day reported to poison control centers nationwide. almost half vomited. other effects include drowsiness and respiratory problems. sometimes requiring hospitalization and a ventilator. >> it's very, very concentrated. when little kids bite into this concentrated detergent, it really reacts within their bodies in a different way than regular detergent does. >> reporter: in a statement to nbc news, the american cleaning institute said, "detergent manufacturers are re-emphasizing the importance of keeping single unit dose laundry packets out of the reach of children. we are obviously very concerned whenever these situations occur." now several of the manufacturers say they are a's redesigning the packaging so it is harder for those little hands to get into. safety experts say parents should keep these detergent pods high up and in a locked cabinet if possible, or, matt, they suggest parents simply not buy them until their kids get older. >> appreciate that. coming up, savannah will chat are eva longoria in charlotte. but up next, jessica simpson opens up about losing her post-baby weight and the challenges she's faced, something a lot of women will be able to identify with this. right after this. able to identify with. that's right after this. brain freeze cake donettes rolling hot dogs bag of ice anti-freeze wash and dry diesel self-serve fix a flat jumper cables 5% cashback sign up for 5% cashback at gas stations through september. it pays to discover. chase scene netflix coming soon extra butter tickets swoon penguin journey junior mints movie phone evil prince bollywood 3d shark attack ned the head 5% cashback sign up for 5% cashback on movies through september. it pays to discover. ♪ [ female announcer ] with its rich, silky smooth taste there's magic in every piece of dove® dark 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"i didn't realize it didn't all come off with the baby," she tells "usa today." the pop star and actress admits it's been a challenge to lose the baby weight. i let myself indulge in everything i wanted because it was the first time i was pregnant and i wanted to enjoy it. >> she admittedly overindulged, she said, eating a lot of macaroni and cheese. she's a southern girl, she likes fried foods, fried chicken. >> reporter: while simpson won't confirm how many pounds she gain or how many she now wants to lose, she's getting down to work to shed the weight. she hit the gym this week in los angeles and has been holding weight watchers meetings for 14 friends and family members at her home. she'll also serve as a spokes person for the weight loss program with her first commercial airing next week. >> she did say, i'm not a super model. my body isn't bouncing back like a super model's body and i think a lot of people can relate to that. >> reporter: some other celebrities, like hilary duff, also a new mom, agree. losing weight takes time. >> everyone wants their body back but it's like -- all in time, you know? took nine months to get there, and so hopefully won't take that long to get it off. >> reporter: moms at a los angeles playground appreciate the reality check. >> if you're going to have a baby your body is going to change. it will take a while to get back. >> nobody can put that pressure on me because it is about me and my kids. >> reporter: for simpson, it is now her family that's the motivation for losing the weight. i'm just your every day woman who's trying to feel good and be i had for her daughter, her fiance and herself. those moms we talked to say they love jessica simpson because she's refreshingly honest. they said it is time to give the girl a break. so she ate too much mac and cheese. haven't we all, matt? >> diana, thank you very much. up next, a family of ducks pull off a harrowing highway crossing. we'll show it to you right after this. ossing. we'll show it to you right after this. 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[ bridesmaid ] blacked out... but i'm a bridesmaid. oh! "x" marks the spot she'll never sit. but i bought a dress! a toast... ...to the capital one venture card. fly any airline, any flight, anytime. double miles you can actually use. what a coincidence? what's in your wallet? [ all screaming ] watch the elbows ladies. with more birthdays.ng ] join the american cancer society making strides against breast cancer walk and help us get there faster. sign up at makingstrideswalk.org. we test-drove the camry, took it on the freeway, and it was just like -- this was the car for me. [ ryan ] it has stuff that guys like, like the rims and the sleekness to the body. and, then, had the bluetooth and the navigation that diana really wanted. [ diana ] and it was a sport edition, so it felt really grounded to the ground. [ man ] grounded to the ground? yes, yes! grounded to the ground. 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[ male announcer ] mcdonald's meaty, melty mcdouble with 100% beef and cheese. and the juicy mcchicken. just some of the irresistible choices on the dollar menu. only at mcdonald's. they're whole grain good... and yummy good. real fruit pieces. 12 grams of whole grains and a creamy yogurt flavored coating. quaker yogurt granola bars. treat yourself good. quaker yogurt granola bars. i'm one of six children that my mother raised by herself, and so college was a dream when i was a kid. i didn't know how i was gonna to do it, but i knew i was gonna get that opportunity one day, and that's what happened with university of phoenix. nothing can stop me now. i feel like the sky's the limit with what i can do and what i can accomplish. my name is napthali bryant and i am a phoenix. visit phoenix.edu to find the program that's right for you. enroll now. >> 7:56. good morning. i'm jon kelley. we're happy to report highway 17 is back open this morning after a big rig caught fire overnight. the tractor-trailer was pulling a tank of liquid nitrogen when the cab caught on fire heading south the driver was able to escape. the fire quickly consumed the cab and spread to the hill before firefighters got everything under control. the tanker was sealed and was not at risk for exploding. highway 17 was shut down for several hours but this morning all lanes are reopened and smooth sailing. right now let's check in on weather to see if it's smooth sailing with the rain. >> something we haven't seen in a few months, rain on the radar and quite a bit from time to time with stronger cells. thunderstorm cells, mostly the south and the east bay. the bulk of the precipitation has moved to the central valley but we're fair game for cells and areas of cells to stream on shore as we head through the next few hours but the activity looks like it's starting to wind down. 80 degrees in san jose, 87 livermore, right around 71 degrees so warm even with the showers, they are tropical showers so 71 degrees, you might want to hit the beach in santa cruz. our beach days are numbered. temperatures drop off, we're close to fall now, as of tuesday of next week just two weeks away from fall. let's check your drive. here's mike. >> the south bay a mess, the left side as you take the map, 280 at 85, an accident is clear from lanes but debris across three of four lanes. that's causing a distraction, slow out of san jose. north 680 from the same area, slow, accident moved to the shoulder. south 880 slow all the way down in through fremont and the maze, 880 at 580 there is a disabled vehicle. back to you. >> thank you. for the latest check us out on facebook. [ male announcer ] the magic of nature blooms in every seed, in deep red apples and in each golden bead. it blends into a perfect crunch you'll savor, giving us the most perfect lesson in flavor. nature valley, nature at its most delicious. 100% natural ingredients like roasted peanuts, creamy peanut butter, and a rich dark chocolate flavor. plus, 10 grams of protein. so it's energy straight from nature to you. nature valley protein bars. 8:00 now on thursday morning. the 6th of september, 2012. we say a good morning to everyone gathered on our plaza in new york city. good morning. i'm savannah guthrie at the democratic national convention in charlotte, north carolina. matt and al are back in new york city and guys, things wrap up here tonight. of course with president obama's acceptance speech. he's not the only person who will address the delegates tonight. eva longoria is slated to speak and here with us. we will catch up with her and get a a preview in a moment. also, guys, you really have to stop sending me e-mails asking about michele obama's convention dress. we are going to talk to the woman who designed it, so finally all your questions will be answered. >> so far you have handled nail polish and fashion in one show. >> yes. >> i know. what can i -- >> in politics. >> trying to work here. >> there you go. >> we're really into tracy reese. come on. >> that's right. she's right there in the studio as you mentioned. also into the kitchen with giada. here's what she's going to do today, going to make one roast chicken and turn that into three distinctfully different dishes. >> very nice. >> okay. >> and then a little later on, we'll get the latest in the hollywood buzz including the story of a leading hollywood man who has taken the word sobriety and how hard it's been for him. >> all right. before we go further let's go inside natalie is standing by at the news desk and a check of the headlines. take it away. >> good morning, matt, al, everyone. president obama takes the stage at the democratic national convention tonight to accept his party's nomination for a second term. the president's handling of the nation's economic recovery received a powerful defense wednesday night from former president bill clinton. the president then joined the ex-president in an unscripted convention appearance. the crowd roared with approval. you can see president obama's speech tonight in coverage starting at 9:00 eastern, 6:00 pacific time here on nbc. well there is more economic concern today. the government says the number of americans getting food stamps reached 15% in june. that is a record high. economists say they don't expect any improvement until more people find jobs. former baltimore ravens owner art modell has died. the team says he passed away early today of natural causes at johns hopkins hospital in baltimore where he was admitted wednesday. he was 87. jurors will try for a second day today to reach a verdict in the murder trial of former suburban chicago police officer drew peterson. peterson has pleaded not guilty to killing his third wife kathleen savio in 2004. on wednesday, jurors asked to see pictures of her body again to help determine if her death was homicide or an accident. two people watching workers demolish a parking garage in south florida were hurt by flying debris when all four floors started to buckle. this happened wednesday afternoon at a south florida courthouse complex. and now here's brian williams with a look at what's coming up tonight on "nbc nightly news." >> hey, natalie. good morning, coming up tonight on nightly news, michele obama, you know she wowed this audience on tuesday night, it's her husband's turn tonight, we'll talk to her about the challenges in her role during our interview today, we'll have that for you coming up on "nightly news." for now back to you. >> thanks, brian. for a look at what is trending today. our roundup of what has you talking on-line. this photo sparking a lot of chatter across facebook and blogs about whether it is acceptable behavior. it was taken by a woman who at first thought she was looking at booster seats but was stunned to see the mother was actually potty training her two daughters at a dining table at a popular utah eterry. well, this video is gaining a lot of interest on-line. a brooklyn-based photographer has taken a picture of himself every day for 12 years and then you see he strung them altogether in a rapid time lapse for a mesmerizing montage of his age progression. the video amounted to more than 4,000 photos. he started when he was 19 years old. and the entire "mad men" cast has been rolled and the video is racking up the likes on the facebook. the '60s era actors appeared to sing along to the 1987 hit single "never going to give you up." take a look. >> no strangers to love. >> you. >> know. >> and. >> i. >> for those of you who may not know, rick rolling involves posting a link to a video only to have it played baaing to the hit as you -- back to the hit as you hear. back outside to matt and al. >> took a lot of work to do that. >> it does. i've played that album to death when it came out. that was a good album. >> me too. >> a check of the weather from mr. roker. >> you just played it this morning. >> i did. it's on my ipad. >> that's right. we have nice friends here. you got r done. gold all 57 states is. >> yes, i did. >> president obama said there's 57 so he's right. >> if you say so, all right. quad cities. let's check it out and see what we've got going on. we'll show you for today, our pick city, detroit, michigan. local, warm, partly sunny, 82 degrees, a nice day today. we've got remnants of isaac down in the gulf. we've got wet weather making its way through the mid-atlantic states park of a front pushing through there. another front from the plains. we're looking at a risk of some strong storms in the mid plains. hot again in texas, dangerous rip currents due to hurricane leslie out in the atlantic stretching from the florida coast all the way up into the mid-atlantic. those rip currents and heavy surf advisories will move up into the northeast later on this week. and look for some more showers hanging around the northern plains. that's 8:06 now on a thursday morning. getting some phenomenal live pictures into our newsroom. this is actually from san brew know looking down over the bay. we have got gray skies and showers coming down. yes, showers in september! as you can see right now, most of the activity is racing into the east bay. we got some showers coming down over discovery bay. all of this activity will start to wind down as we head through the next couple of hours and we are expecting clearing noon today and 5:00 p.m. rule out the chance of thunderstorms. 80 san jose toot today and tomorrow, temperatures rise just a little bit. hat's your latest weather. matt? >> al, thanks. we have the associate dean for student affairs for oklahoma university. who you guys playing this weekend? oh, are you going to have a long trip home. let's get a check of the weather from -- osh, no, we just did that. when we come back, we'll meet the lady who designed michelle obama's dress she wore at the convention. that's tracy reese. she's inside our studio. and also we're going to take a look at savannah's interview with eva longoria down in charlotte. but first, these messages. letter... he's built a rket ship to travel into space. google, how far is earth to the moon? moon is 238,900 miles... the great moment had come... ...3...2...1 to make just about anything delicious. introducing new jif chocolate flavored hazelnut spread. whatever you put it on... reaches a whole new level of deliciousness. choosy moms choose jif. flawless skin doesn't have a reaches atime limit. evel of deliciousness. revlon® colorstay™ makeup has 24-hour coverage that stays fresh without feeling heavy. ♪ [ female announcer ] with its rich, silky smooth taste there's magic in every piece 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>> we had no idea. we were warned there might be a possibility. they weren't sure until the last minute. until she stepped down at the stage, we didn't know. we were still at the office because it's fashion week so we're prepping and i got a phone call from our controller and she's like "mrs. obama's wearing our dress." we got online immediately and streamed the whole speech. we were all crowded around listening to every minute. it was such an amazing night. >> when you saw her wearing that particular dress, what did you think? >> i thought that she made the right choice. because i didn't know what she was would need or how she would feel or what she was planning the moment to be so i just wanted her to have choice and i wanted her to choose us. but she made an excellent choice because she looks gorgeous and the color looks so pressure. >> how would you describe -- what is that material? it looks almost satiny. >> it's actually a silk jacquard and it's a blend silk. >> is it red or coral? >> it's hot pink with rust and copper mixed all together. >> this is not a dress setting just yet. it's a future collection. >> it was something we were doing for later. >> and price range retail? >> under 500. >> so affordable for some. >> for some, exactly. >> who want to look like mrs. obama. >> another thing, the sleeveless look, she's made it her signature trademark to wear sleeveless. but some people may question the choice of on a night that is perhaps one of the biggest nights in this term certainly for her to go sleeveless, what did you think of that? >> i just thought she looked beautiful. she was showing off her assets. i there's nothing wrong with having great arms and showing you're a beautiful, strong, powerful woman. >> course her nails made a big statement as well. we have discovered, as you heard, the nail polish cover, the artistic gloss color gel and the color here that i have it is vogue. nail polish is not something that you think of so much but in this case it seemed to complement the dress, right? >> we think about nails all the time. we develop exclusive colors for our show every season. it's become the next accessory. it's something that almost everybody can access. you can get a bottle of nail poll, for $5, $6, $9, $3. >> this one is selling out apparently. >> i'm sure. it's a great accessory. the sky is the limit with colors so it's a lot of fun to play with. >> we're looking forward to the tracy reese dress soon. soon you say? >> very soon. >> congratulations to you. have a great week at fashion week. your show is sunday. good luck with that. breen wi brian williams will have an interview with michelle obama tonight. >> and eva longoria works with a number of political groups. good morning. it's good to see pup. >> good to see you. >> you look all relaxed and happy. are you nervous about tonight's speech? >> very. to have the honor to speak to the american public is daunt bug i'm ready. >> we've seen in this convention there's been a real emphasis on getting women voters, getting latino voters. you happen to be both. do you think there's an enthusiasm gap in those communities this time around? >> no, no. i think what's important is that the campaign, our campaign has not taken these for granted. i think everybody assumes women are going to vote democratic and a latinos aren't but if you look at obama's track record in his first term, he has really spoken to these communities. obviously with women he's just moving us forward, moving the country forward for women, whether it's equal pay for equal work or small businesses which women open a lot of businesses and health care, access to health care. as far as hispanics, doubling the pell grant allows more his pans iks to go to school, the april fordable care act has allowed 9 million more hispanics action ses to health care. >> he did tackle with the dreamers and the people who have come here by no fault of their own. a comprehensive no. he needs the cooperation. immigration is not the top issue for latinas. it's the economy and health care. immigration is on the list but it's not at the top. and coming and hearing marco rubio's and governor martinez and how their parents came. we'll heard julian speak and we saw him tell us his american dream story and how he was able to achieve what he has and how obama has treated immigrants in this country and knowing that this is a market within our own borders that we need to pay attention to, the latino market is very important to us. >> you're obviously well versed in these issues but you know the criticism. any time you have a celebrity and actress come out and talk about politics, there are people thinking, okay, come on, what does an actress know about politics. what's your response to that? >> i'm very literate on policy, i'm very literate on the issues and i'm an american first. i've been involved in politics long before i was an actress. i just happen to have a platform now. i happen to have a voice. watching clinton last night, he was the first campaign i volunteered for in 1992. so i've been involved for a very long time. i care deeply about our country. i find it irresponsible for people to go she's an actress, what does she know. if you're a dentist what do you know? if you're a lawyer what do you know? it's our profession, it's not who we are. >> what did you think of clint eastwood's speech last week? >> i still have not seen it because of excerpts on shows. i'm like a news junkie. i haven't seen the whole speech. he had a different narrative. everyone keeps comparing us because we're in the entertainment industry. i've been out there speaking on behalf of obama's record, i've been in the trenches. so my narrative tonight with my speech and what i'm going to tell the american people is very different than what clint did. >> no empty chairs? >> no empty chairs. >> eva longoria will be speaking right behind us there. i gave you a little burst of nerves, didn't i? >> yes. >> coming up next from new york, roast chicken three ways wi. ver. likes 50% more cash. but, i have an idea. do you want a princess dress? yes how about some cupcakes? yes lollipop? yes! do you want an etch a sketch? yes! do you want 50% more cash? no you got talent. 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>> yes. >> a tip, do you have to wash this off first? >> yes, just make sure you dry it very well otherwise it staeas in the oven. >> you're going to mack ke it w root vegetables and then you're going to turn it into three dishes. >> you're going to take the softened butt are and add the herbs. i am in the cavity of the chick i don't know putting lemons and herbs. this will steam in here and give lots of flavor to the meat of the chicken. a lot of stuff they put stuff on the outside but you got to flavor the inside as well. >> all right. now where is this going? >> i don't have any twine so -- >> just pretend. hold it with your hand. we won't do it in the oven but we'll put it together like now. >> you probably don't want to get your hands dirty. >> are you going to do it under the skin? >> you stick your fingers underneath the skin a little bit, we take this butter. since you don't like do this -- >> as long as you're already doing it, go ahead. >> exactly, let me do all the work. you stick it underneath there and then you put it on top. >> we're going to pretend you've done that whole thing here. >> you're going to do that. those are the veggies. you have potatoes, carrots, parsnips, add shallots, parsnip. there's my chicken. legs are closed. add olive oil, salt and pepper. the broth is for when you're getting everything in the pan. i'm getting your glasses and notes all wet. >> that's okay. >> so we put those right in the roasting pan? >> yes, with the chicken and then add the broth. this is good. i'm just going to stand here and let you do it. >> there you go. go with the broth. did you add salt and pepper to the veggies? >> i did. >> excellent. goes in the oven at 400 degrees for an hour and a half. it's about 20 minutes a pound. that goes for turkey as well. >> this is what it looks li like when it comes out. if i'm going to make a chicken, i'm going to go for a 5 or 6 pounder so there are leftovers. >> you have to taste the chicken. >> dish number two is one of my favorites, risotto. >> brown the bacon, saute the onions. then i add lemon juice and wine to keep it fresh, a cup of our b borio rice. >> most people think hisotto is on the stove, stir, stir, stir, this one goes in the oven. >> put the lid. this goes in the oven for 20, 5 minutes. you think think it looks a little brie drye. we add about a couple of broth to listen it up a little bit. >> do you put it back on the stove? >> yes. usually the heat from the pan will wilt the kale and add the other ingredients. >> your they're dish would be? >> a light salad with chicken and i make a roasted root vegetable dressing to go over the top. >> very gom. new details this morning about last month's fire at the chevron refinery. a flash fire was actually discovered and put out about ten minutes before the more significant blaze. chevron submitting 30-day report to contra costa county officials yesterday. it details the flash fire, air quality data, and air emergency response action and includes an event time line of the incident which starts with the discovery of a leak three hours before that massive fire. let's take a look at the morning commute now with mike. >> south bay a tough drive and slow on the northbound routes but the accidents have cleared the last half hour. northbound 101 north of that 680-280 interchange. map shows a widespread slow down. into mountain view. 280 still from 680 up to 85 but the lanes are cleared and 85 slow from 87 all the way up in towards couper teno. no accidents there in san mateo. 880 starting to clear. jam you wanted towards oakland. >> can you check out nbcbayarea.com for more traffic updates. another update in half an hour. so the 9:15 meeting looks like it's going to start a little late... um, but i uh... (interupting) oh okay - okay yup that's fine. excuse me - sorry. yes! vo: from the new, to the hard to find: when it's on your mind, it's on ebay™. want to start the day with something heart healthy and delicious? you're a talking bee... honey nut cheerios has whole grain oats that can help lower cholesterol. and it tastes good? sure does! right... ♪ wow. delicious, right? yeah. it's the honey, it makes it taste so... ♪ well, would you look at the time... what's the rush? be happy. be healthy. it's 8:30 now on a thursday morning, the 6th day of september 2012. rockefeller plaza filled with a lot of happy faces this morning. we're happy to give them a moment to shine, even on kind of a cloudy day in new york city. earlier we had a little fun with our friend from oklahoma university, one of the deans of student there is. i asked him who the sooners were playing this weekend. he had a brain cramp. go ahead, sir, give it to me. >> florida. >> you can now go home. perfect. >> savannah is down in charlotte covering the democratic national convention. more from her in a while. and look who is working the crowd over here, comedienne and actress wanda sykes. she'll give us her own talk on presidential politics in a couple of minutes. >> and then we're going to go face to face with the rodney dangerfield of the animal world. we're talking about snakes and all kinds of creepy crawly things. >> ooh! >> a bat, yikes. >> bat boy. >> okay. and then later all that is new and noteworthy from hollywood, including a new role from katie holmes following her break up from tom cruise. >> meanwhile you've have a check of the weather? >> i do indeed. starting with tomorrow we'll be looking at a risk of strong storms, sunny and hot out west, hot along the east coast. saturday rain up and down the eastern sea board, western two-thirds of the country, sunny to hot, cool up in the great lakes. sunday, sunday morning showers in new england, hit-or-miss thunderstorms around florida. gorgeous in the texas raejon, sunny and hot there. afternoon s 8:32 now on a thursday morning. take a look at the spectacular live picture over san francisco. you can see we have some mid level clouds out there this morning. still dealing with a little bit of fog but the showers are significantly winding down at this point. the only activity we are trackizing in san jose light scattered activity along 101 along san jose and morgan hill. throughout the day 83 in san jose and 74 fremont and 78 redwood city and touch warmer tomorrow and seasonal averages on saturday and sunday. latest weather. >> people just tuning in may think what the heck are they doing now? we would like to say hi to the emmy award winning host of survivor and now the new host of a new daytime talk show called the jeff probst show. ladies and gentlemen, jeff probst. >> how are you doing? >> these are from our lighting director. >> we're carrying a torch for you. >> you're going to turn them over to me? i think you should hold them. >> the show starts monday, right? >> yeah. >> how long you have been wanting to do a daytime talk show? >> i thought about it for a while. when i got married and became part of this family with these two kids calling me daddy, it all shifted and i started realizing i think i have something to connect with now. >> "survivor" fans, it's important to note, you are not giving up survivor. >> no, it continues on the 19th, our 25th season. >> that's unbelievable. >> it is crazy. and this next season is as good as anything we've ever done. >> going back to your talk show, what are we going to see? what's the focus going to be? >> i realize doing daytime i have a very short attention span. the show is really designed to check in with different stories every day that are all united by a theme. it could be inspiring women working in television or it could be stories having to do with bank, a bank robber, bank robber and piggy bank. three different types of stories relating to interesting, entertaining people and then we have a couple other segments on the show, guys on the couch. >> you have your wife working for you? >> yes, she's working on the show as well. she'll pop in and check me, tell me when i'm doing it right and when i'm doing it wrong. >> the jeff probst show debuts monday. check your local listings. >> you should. it will help if you find it. thanks, guys. >> when we come back, wanda sykes will give us her take on politics and a lot of other things. there she is. but first, this is "today" on nbc. hmm, it says here that cheerios helps lower cholesterol as part of a heart healthy diet. that's true. ...but you still have to go to the gym. ♪ the one and only, cheerios back now at 8:37 with award winning comedienne and actress wanda sykes, a woman who pulled no punches when she performed president correspondents dinner in president obama's first year in office. >> first black president. that's unless you screw up. and what's up with the half white guy? what's up with you and joe biden getting the hamburger? you can't hang out together. whose idea was that? nancy pelosis? you over there patting the queen on the back like she just slid into home plate. way to go, queen. >> we're still laughing about that one. sykes is going up to moderate a series of election specials for the logo network called "new, now, next, vote with wanda sykes." when you look back at that performance, first black president, you're the first african-american woman set to perform before this white house correspondents dinner, also openly gay. was all that of in your mind? were you nervous? did you feel the pressure? >> i was very nervous when i got the phone call to do it. but then i just approached it as i am a comedienne, just show up and be funny. at first i thought i have to be presidential, a lot of important people. and i said they asked for wanda sykes so i'm going to show you. >> thank goodness you showed up. you gave us all a good laugh. the democratic platform now includes same-sex marriage equality so strides have been made but a lot of people in america still don't want to go there. what do you say to them? >> that's the thing, no one has given me a good reason or even a sound reason of how my marriage affects your marriage. you know? and then people get all uptight about it. i hear when they hear "same sex," maybe they just hear "sex," and they hear i bet their life is 90% sex and 10% parades. sex and floats, that's all it is. we're having all the fun, all the fun. sex and parades, that's it. but i like to say that, you know, we go through the same problems and everything. then i go maybe they think it going to be mandatory. maybe they think -- i don't want a same sex marriage. fine, you don't have to have one. it's not going to be mandatory. if you don't want a same-sex marriage, don't marry someone of the same sex. it very easy. >> you are married to your partner. you were married to a man once, you're divorced. but now you're married to alex. you talk about the challenges of not just being black, you say it's harder to be gay in america than black. tell us about that. >> i never had to come out black. i didn't have to sit my parents down and go, mom, dad, i got something to tell you, i hope you still love me, i'm black. you know. oh, god, not black, anything but black, lord! >> now, this election special, i know you're there, you're going to be moderating it for logo television. i want to throw out prominent campaign names for you. bill clinton. big speech last night. >> a great american. one of the best speeches ever last night. he just loves this country. he's such a great president. like i said, that speech, he is -- >> went long but didn't matter. >> i don't care. he could still be talking, i'd listen. >> paul ryan. >> paul ryan. eddie haskell. >> for whatever reason. eddie haskell. mitt romney. >> forrest gump. he's like the forrest gump of candidates. whatever situation he's in, he adapts. he was in michigan. he was like, i like cars. he's in wisconsin. i had a cheese sandwich. that was good. and that's it. it's whatever. he's like a chameleon. >> and he's still going and going so it's no stop mitt, right? >> and michelle obama? >> oh, wow. i mean, her speech was incredible. she's such a beautiful woman, a great first lady and, man, nice biceps. >> and that dress, too, right? >> yes. >> and barack obama. >> that's my president. you know, i think he's doing a great job considering what he was left with and, you know, i'm not going to say who i'm going to vote for but you know i'm going to vote for barack obama. >> i'm guessing that just based on what we've said here so far. meanwhile last time you were here you had newborn twins, they're now 3 years old, going to school for the first time? >> today's the first day of school. i can't believe how fast it goes by. but at 3 i don't remember going to school when i was 3. >> well, they start younger now these days. >> it's because we want them out the house. that's what it is. it's parents going, hey, get out the house. but they're great. my son, his head is -- he's catching up to his head. he had a giant head. and i was nervous. i said first day of school, i might have to put a helmet on him just because he bumps off the wall and everything. >> you said it's like his gps, right? >> it is. the head just tells him which way to go, he heads that way. hopefully the kids won't tease him too much. he's going to be great. he's going to be fine. >> good luck to them. so great to have you here. you're going to be helping us host the next hour. we appreciate you sticking around. the new election special airs on september 10th. still ahead, everything that is new and noteworthy in hollywood. first, this is "today" on nbc. ie it writes so effortlessly, it's soon to be the world's most stolen pen, don't...it's a trap. find your inkjoy. and these are the ones you'll love on a school night. pillsbury crescent dogs with just a few ingredients you have an easy dinner... pillsbury crescent dogs... school night ideas made easy. that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun. back at 8:45. a respected radio show host and book author. his latest book "true legend." good to see you. 16th book? >> 16th book. it's been the most amazing thing in my life is finding out how much kids still want to read. >> is this your main gig? >> i'm hoping that this -- the books on the shelves are going to be the thing that i'm remembered best for. >> you know what i think of, i was thinking of this has a guy, who grew up reading matt christopher books, i think the young people reading your books today will store them away and give them to their kid and that will be the greatest compliment. >> when i was reading to my boys, i didn't realize the kind of books i read as a boy, i'm writing them now. >> not only are these books about sports and they have a sports angle but there's a lesson in these books. what is it in one? >> that it's as important to be a great friend and teammate as it is a good player. the thing about lebron is lebron is known as being a great teammate and he is not at the start of this book and he learns the value of friendship by the end of this book. >> you bring in a bit of the super natural in this book. you introduce a character who is kind of a ghost until he's revealed more to the reader. tell me about him. >> he was informed by the great david thompson, who was michael jordan before michael jordan and his career got side wears because of personal problems, he finally fell down steps at studio 54 and that was pretty much the end of his basketball career. he informs the character of urban sellers, urban legend, hence the title of the book. and what he tells this young man is how quickly it can go away from you if you don't keep an eye on what's important. >> so the main character, drew robinson, is he a good kid or is he just a confused kid confused by his talent? >> he's been confused by his talent, begins to believe his own hype and takes his eye off the ball and start to believe -- build goldman once wrote a great thing. he said movie stars are exactly the same as the rest of us, september all day long nobody ever says no to them. that's what's happened to this boy. >> when someone like you comes on the show, often the publicist will send as you bioabout you so you're better informed. lupica has been a regular on the cbs morning news, good morning america and the macneil-lehrer newshour. is anything left out there? >> this book is about accountability and i had nothing to do with writing this bio. >> we're not even mentioned in the bio? not even a foot dpnote? >> let me tell you something, there's a bat flying around the studio. >> it's a vulture, by the way. >> it's a thing i don't want to come over here. >> not even a mention, lupica? >> that's just wrong. this new book is a great one. it's your last appearance here so the book is "true legend." up next, we'll answer the call of the wild with that bird that just freaked mike out. i didn't know strawberries where in season right now. shh's no no no no no no.. rosco ..no, no, no... ♪ opera love it. (crying) ally, ally oh, same dress yeah, you want to get up off the floor? i do. okay. vo: from the new to the hard-to-find: when it's on your mind it's on ebay™. this morning on today's "call of the wild," misunderstood animals that we'll deserve our respect. julie, good morning, i am looking at this bat, which is kind of freaking me out. all of these animals today are going to freak a lot of us out. >> that's exactly why i brought them. so many people misunderstand and don't appreciate so many of the beneficial animals that actually help us out so much. and this bat is a great example. it's probably one animal that is the most misunderstood. >> is this a vampire bat? >> no. and out of the 1,200 species of bats that there are, there's only three that actually drink people's -- they don't even drink people's blood, usually cattle or something like that. this is a fruit bad from africa. >> apparently not a banana fan. >> doesn't like bananas. >> what most people don't realize is just how amazing these animals are. but there's a lot of myths. let's have a pop quiz. >> are they rodents? >> they're primates. they're in a class all their own. >> are they blind? no. they use eco location. >> he's digging into your arm. >> these are his thumbs. >> and they're insect eaters. in texas there's millions of mexican free tail bats. these bats go out every night and actually consume 200 tons -- >> ooh, there goes the bat. >> 200 tons of insects every night. and when they're fruit eaters -- we'll put him back up here. when they're fruit eaters, they actually disburse all those different type of seeds and they pollenate as well. one more thing we have to say, not all bats have rabies. it is found that less than 1% of bats have rabies. >> do we know about this one sp. >> didn't know you were going to go to the rabies. >> these guys are adorable. not so little. >> they're only four months old. these two live right now at bush gardens, williamsberg, where they are helping to dispel myths about wolves. >> like what? >> we all grew up with wolves eating grandma. we think they're going to attack us. they are actually very timid, which is one reason we have their companion dogs with us. dogs are calm, they're dommest ka -- domesticated. >> what about the lone wolf? >> doesn't want to be one of the pack. >> if you do find wolf pups, better to stay away, right? >> yes. we have a wolf pup that a tourist unknowingly picked up thinking the mom wasn't around, the pack wasn't around. well, later it was determined that, you know, it needed a home so these two pups are its pack mates. it will be introduced to adult wolves. >> really quickly can we bring in the vulture? >> matt, you put on this glove and one of you guys put on this glove. >> why are vultures so important to us? >> vultures -- people think vultures are disgusting and dirty but nothing can be further from the truth. >> i'm standing far back. these are actually the birds that clean up the environment. they are nature's recyclers. >> come on, violet. >> very gentle, huh sp. >> you're going so cautious good thursday morning to you. i'm laura garcia-cannon. this morning san francisco's board of supervisors is trying to figure out what to do about possible radiation contamination on treasure island. the city is buying the island from the u.s. navy for $100 million. the deal requires the navy to clean up any toxic contamination beforehand but a recent report suggests more radiation than first thought. the board will meet tuesday to discuss the issue and options of moving forward. right now, we want to check the forecast with meteorologist christina loren. nice behind you. >> yeah. clearing out nicely. we had showers and thunderstorms earlier and light showers in the south bay but wind down the next few minutes. next hour, looking clear. good morning! wow. want to start the day with something heart healthy and delicious? you're a talking bee... honey nut cheerios has whole grain oats that can help lower cholesterol. and it tastes good? sure does! right... ♪ wow. delicious, right? yeah. it's the honey, it makes it taste so... ♪ well, would you look at the time... what's the rush? be happy. be healthy. we're back now with more of "today" on a thursday morning, 6th day of august 2012. that's what i said. september 2012. it's not a bad day here in the big apple. slightly cloudy, temperatures going up into the mid 80s today. summer hanging on, which we like. >> nothing wrong with that. >> what else we like. >> wanda sikes hanging out as well. you're going to help out in this hour, since savannah is down in charlotte, income. i'm curious why you didn't help us out with the vulture and things like that. >> well, i like my eyes. i like to see. >> sure. >> and wolves, i'm a little nervous because i think a friend of mine picked up a stray and i think it's a wolf. >> really? >> thinking it's a dog. >> yeah. >> really? >> i'm about to talk to her. >> have you called that person recently? >> yeah. i'm going to call her. i call, the wolf answers the phone. she's busy. >> especially if it's wearing a grandma outfit. >> you're going to co-host with us in this hour, which we're looking forward to. >> in fact, wanda, first segment she's going to help us on is the e-buzz. we're going to get the inside scoop of everything hot in hollywood, kim kardashian. she's going to be revealing makeup secrets in a new gig with katie holmes. >> do you eat well when you're on the go? >> i try to, which means no. >> yeah. you're not a healthy snacker? >> no. i like chips, anything salty. fries. >> me too. >> it's hard. >> fritos? >> oh! and chilli fries. >> oh! >> anyway, we'll help you get health yearer when it comes to the snack foods you pick up on the go. natalie has a check of the headlines. >> good morning, everyone. tonight in charlotte, president obama will accept his party's nomination for another term. last night his name was placed into nomination by former president clinton, who called him a man who's cool on the outside but burns for america on the inside. he also said no one could have repaired such a weak economy in just four years. the two later embraced on stage. you can see president obama's speech at the democratic national convention tonight with coverage at 9:00 eastern, 6:00 pacific time here on nbc. >> a federal judge has cleared the way for police in arizona to begin enforcing a controversial part of the state immigration law. the measure requires police to check the immigration status of people they stop while enforcing other laws. if officers suspect they're in the country illegally, critics fear the law will lead to racial profiling. >> officials in costa rica are still assessing the damage from a massive earthquake wednesday. the magnitude 7.6 quake struck deep underground, followed by several strong aftershocks. it collapsed some homes and one bridge and is blamed for 20 injuries. it was the strongest earthquake to hit costa rica in more than 20 years. >> beloved author judy blum announced wednesday she was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this summer and underwent a mastectomy and reconstruction. she's the author of "are you there god it's me margaret." the cancer discovered a routine ultrasound and said the cancer surprised her and she sprang into action and says the surgery went well. there is no let up in the spread of the west nile virus. federal health officials say the number of reported cases jumped 25% in a week to almost 2000 cases nationwide and at least 87 deaths. about half of the deaths are in texas where it is the worst year ever for the mosquito-born virus. a look at another amazing video of a determined mother duck and her eight ducklings in a tough nail-biting trip. they all made it safely across four lanes of busy traffic in toronto with cars speeding by and coming so close at times that some of them were actually knocked off their little feet. it was a real life case for make way for ducklings with a happy ending and relieved mama duck, they make it across the web generating lots of web traffic. get it. today pippa middleton celebrating her 29th birthday. the sister of the duchess of cambridge has been spending several days taking on manhattan and perhaps doing some apartment hunting. on wednesday she went to the u.s. open. watching fellow britain andy murray win his match to make it to the final semifinals. and andy roddick's pro tennis career has come to an end after announcing he would retire at the end of the u.s. open and he lost in four sets to juan martin dell poreto as his wife looked on. roddick thanked his fans at the end of his career saying i have loved every minute of it. he finishes with 32 tournament titles including one in the 2003 u.s. open. so congratulations to him. it's going to be a great life ahead for him. still probably a lot more tennis to go, i'm sure. >> he did such a great job representing the u.s. in the davis cup. just a great athlete. thanks so much, natalie. we have a cutie here. who is this? >> mila. >> all right. >> from australia. >> i like the sunglasses. very nice. >> let us see what we have as far as your weather today. we've got hurricane michael, category 3 storm, earliest category 3 storm since we've been keeping the records. hurricane leslie, category 1, we're keeping an eye on because it is going to be moving to the north as we see during the week and into the weekend. affecting bermuda. it's also going to be affecting the east coast with rip currents and dangerous surf and then we've also got some activity going on in the gulf. this is remnants of isaac. if it becomes a tropical entity it will be named nadine. probably flying some hurricane hunters into this later today. and who is this young man? >> this is tanner. >> tanner, who wants a career in broadcasting. very nice, tanner. all right. that's what's going on around the thank you, tanner. good morning to you. temperatures are looking good. we have got overcast conditions but you will notice these layered clouds are starting to thin out and we have improvement when it comes to the shower activity winding down. the only action right now in the eastern facing slopes. surround livermore. today, temperatures are going to be comfortable. 78 degrees in redwood city and 74 fremont and 80 in san jose. a touch warmer tomorrow but we lose that humidity so it won't feel as sticky icky. >> that's your latest weather. natalie, wanda? >> thank you, al. and now to today's e-mix. since we're talking about celebrities, we have one with us right here, wanda sykes sticking around to help us out this morning. let's get started. wanda, i love this because this is a part of our segment we call the "say what" when she tells us what the celebrity said and we have to guess who said it. >> the only problem with that voice mail was that people made it out to be a way bigger dan than it was. for me it was, okay, whatever. >> i'm guessing c. >> natalie, you always get it. >> this is an interesting nt view that ireland, kim basinger's daughter gave to page 6 magazines. she's 16 years old and she said my dad and i are really, really tight. it wasn't a big deal. >> say what? >> being sober he is a great deal. i remember looking at my life, my apartment, my dogs? >> johnny depp? >> i was thinking johnny depp. >> wrong, ladies. this is bradley cooper, which is interesting because he stars in "the hangover" but he's really candid, he said he got sober at 29 because he wanted to live to see his fullest potential. >> i did not know he has a problem with the -- >> she's in a new phase in her life. katie is really embracing the f fashion community. katie says she's excited about this. >> she should make a line of capes. >> like the paparazzi is always chasing her. she can just -- >> the cape crusader. >> i like that idea. >> wanda, i like it. >> i throw 'em out there. >> i like it. the video -- >> the vmas are tonight. >> water cooler moment. mtv moved up the program so it ends at 10:00 p.m. eastern. rihanna is opening with two songs. rihanna is sitting by chris brown, who is very close to drake. remember a couple months ago the alleged brawl over briana. caty perry will be there, taylor swift. >> our girl beyonce celebrated her 31st birthday. she celebrated in style on the yacht? >> a year ago she announced she was pregnant and now she's celebrating on a yacht. gwyneth paltrow -- >> it's really cute. highlighting top celebrity to the owes here. kim kardashian showed us some of her make-up secrets. >> there it is. it's just a way to enhance your cheek bones. >> it looks like cat woman. >> i like that she showed this. we think, guys, it shows up l k look. >> oh, in is like special effects. special effects. >>. >> prosthetics, everything. >> thanks so much. >> smarwe'll be back right afte this. when i got him those dcs, my credibility crawled out of the basement and got all street up in here. 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[ male announcer ] fiber one. never ending pasta bowl is back! you certainly are. endless combinations of pasta and sauce for just $9.95. plus, all the unlimited crisp salad or homemade soup and warm breadsticks you want. the pasta never ends but the offer does. only at olive garden. this morning, snacking on the go when you're out and about. you don't have to reach for high-calorie foods. we're here to help you find some healthy choices. good to see you. >> nice to see you, al. the deal is you're out there, snacking is not a bad thing, is it? >> it's not a bad thing if you see how often you do it and you monitor the calories. we know the drill, have a bottle of water, have some fruit but sometimes you can't find it. >> going to the mall. >> late afternoon, you're shopping you're thinking what am i going to get? the things that are good are the soft serves. this container is about 200 calories. you can cut the calories in half by sharing. >> because sharing is caring. >> the other thing is soup. >> we don't think about getting vegetable soup or tomato soup at about 12 ounces is going to be a good thing. >> one of the areas that you really have problems with is when you're traveling, you're at the airport. you tend to get really bad choices. make bad choices. >> the airport is tough. and people say the minute they walk in they're like starving, you always forget food. we're talking about a snack new york city -- a snack, not a meal. 225 calories or less. you can get a latte. or if you're looking for fruits and nut, people like that. the bags are giant. you can stick with a bar like kind. you can see all the ingredients. under 200 calories. >> i've noticed a lot of airport concession stands nor now carrying things like this. >> if you can't find it easily at an airport, you're not going to be able to get them. kind is sold with the newspapers and kiosks. >> you go to the movie theater. this is where you can really do some damage. >> people will have a full dinner, go to the movies and have popcorn and raisinettes. so let's admit it. something that's good is a slushy. this has about 150 calories or so, a medium size. if you're looking for a choice in the movies, get this because it serves a lot of purposes. >> bottle of water, which i'm not advocating people rip off the movie theater, but if you can hide that and bring it in, what is it like $4 for a bottle of water in the movie theater? it's almost more than the freakin' tickets. >> the other option is to get the kids meal. around 200 calories you get a little popcorn, a little candy and a diet soda. and it's downsizing and taking a look at this saying that's not nice for a snack. it's actually a nice snack. >> and at a carnival or football stadium. >> you're thinking what do i want to eat. you want to stay away from the nuts in the shells. stick for something like crackerjacks, which you can take a zip log back, 150 calories or so. and the final -- >> candy coated popcorn, pee puts a and a prize. >> so you can always have a plain hot dog on a small bun, regular size. that's going to be 225 calories or so. that's a fairly substantial snack. i rarely would recommend a hot dog but at the ballpark it's a good choice. >> or you could have some potato chips. but you have to share. >> you have to share. >> would you eat any of this stuff? >> very informative. >> these are good. >> all right. >> no bad food. >> coming up, answers to your household mysteries. you know what's exciting? graduation. when i look up into my students faces, i see pride. you know, i have done something worthwhile. when i earned my doctorate through university of phoenix, that pride, that was on my face. i am jocelyn taylor. i'm committed to making a difference in people's lives, and i am a phoenix. visit phoenix.edu to find the program that's right for you. enroll now. 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[ boy ] slurpably fun and a good source of calcium. dads who get it, get go-gurt. everything that's in their products. but sc johnson isn't just a company. we're a family who cares about yours. that's why we're working to share all of our ingredients, right down to the fragrances and dyes. so with products like windex, you know what you're bringing into your home. going beyond the industry standard -- that's the family standard. ♪ coming up, a new twist when entertaining. >> we'll show you how to throw a fun and flavorful fiesta. >> plus when is the best time to book a flight? how about a hotel? travel myths and facts after your local news and weather. think twice. it may be a sign that your digestive system could be working better. listen to this. with occasional irregularity, things your body doesn't use could be lingering in your system, causing discomfort. but activia has been shown in clinical studies to help with slow intestinal transit when consumed 3 times per day. 7 out of 10 doctors recommend activia. and the great taste is recommended by me! ♪ activia try our new lunch-size grilled chicken fajitas, with sauteed onions and peppers, served with soup or salad. lunch break combos, starting at 6 bucks. enjoy them with friends, because a lunch together feeds the friendship. as part of a heart healthy diet. that's true. ...but you still have to go to the gym. ♪ the one and only, cheerios good morning. 9:26. i'm laura garcia-cannon. chp officers in martinez returning to work after the death of kenyon youngstrom. he was shot on 680 tuesday morning after pulling over a driver for an obstructive license plate. youngstrom's family took him off life support last night. news of his death is hitting students especially hard at oakgrove elementary. that is a school where one of his young four children is said to attend. >> his dad was real cool and he was doing his job. hate that he lost his life. >> officer youngstrom is the 223rd chp officer to be killed in the line of duty since 1929. he was just 37 years old. interments the motive behind the shooting is still not clear but learning more alleged gunman. lacy was a computer program who lived for many years in salsa lee to sals lee tow. neighborhood said he was private and never seemed private but police say lacy was well armed on tuesday and they found a semiautomatic handgun and two clips of extra ammunition and a knife in his car. we will have a look at weather and traffic after the break. have you heard of the new dialing procedure for the 408 and 669 area codes? no, what is it? starting october 20, 2012, if you have a 408 or 669 number, you'll need to dial 1 plus the area code plus the phone number for all calls. o.k., but what if i have an 408 number and i'm calling a 408 number? you'll still need to dial 1 plus the area code plus the phone number. so when in doubt, dial it out! welcome back. 9:28 now. taking a nice clear look. you can see for miles here mt. tam is visible and a lot of that cloud cover is clearing and clouds lingering over the south bay where thunderstorms did roll through at this point. bone dry radar which is good news because as we head throughout the rest of the day, we will continue to clear out and our fire danger will not be as elevated. 79 degrees in redwood city and 74 fremont. your seven day in two minutes. the south bay over the last five minutes a big, big improvement for north 280. accident finally cleared at 87 and almost the backup is moving much better off of that 680 interchange. still there as well as for 101. look at the san mateo bridge. slow heading over on the peninsula side for 101 both directions and more traffic heading to the scene of an earlier accident there. but it does move smoothly across the water. >> thank you. thank you for joining us. another local news update in half an hour. have a great day. you're just not my type. >> i just sat down. give it a little bit of time. >> i believe in animal attraction. i believe in love at first sight. i believe in this and i don't feel it with you. >> that's emmy award winning actress ellen barkin. now you see her performing in "the new normal," a role that's a bit of a turn for her from the more serious and steamy roles. >> it looks hilarious. >> i'm al roker along with natalie morales and our session co-host wanda sykes. are you having a good time? >> yes, i am. i would lie if i wasn't because my mother raised me right. >> just ahead, quick cures for all those strange sounds, smells -- >> aren't you glad you're here, wanda? we're going to sort through your household ills. >> you've been a lot of traveling. do you consider yourself a bit of a travel expert? >> yes, i'm an expert at traveling. >> we are going to put you to the test on the best airfare, ways to use your frequent flying miles. >> and later, a great idea for your next party, how to throw a mexican fiesta. margaritas, baby. >> tequila! >> first, though, al, you have a check of the weather for us. >> i sure do. starting with tomorrow, we'll be looking at sunshine up and down the eastern sea board. beautiful weather out west. hot in the southwest. on saturday, wet weather along the eastern sea board. high surf advisories as hurricane leslie makes its way to the north. cool around the great lakes. sunday we have more showers in new england, sunny skies 9:32 now. good morning. i'm meteorologist christina loren. this is high above san bruno mountain. a beautiful day shaping up' temperatures comfortable and done with the showers and the radar is now bone dry. 67 degrees in san francisco. we might see a pop-up cell from time to time as we head through the next couple of hours. i'd say at 5:00 tonight temperatures will be comfortable and we will rule out that chance. we will be done with the showers. seasonal conditions saturday and sunday. a. >> fix it for things that go wrong right after this. -[ taste buds ] donuts, donuts! -who are these guys? 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[ italian accent ] 50% more dough! what's in your wallet? this morning on "today"'s homes, the things that bug, from creeking floor boards to a spontaneously flushing toilet. sarah, good morning. let's get right to it. every house has quirks. the trick is fixing them yourself. >> right. >> easy, fast. >> old homes have those squeaky floor boards. what's the fix? >> heat and humidity are going to make this shrink and rub up against each other. you take talcom powder, you want to to protect your floor with the dish towel. and put the powder between the wood. >> and you set a glass down and you get that white right there. >> we all do that. you take a white cotton cloth, put it over the stain. i iron over it. it's drawing out the moisture because the moisture has penetrated the wax. we dry it out depending on how big your stain is. you can also pour salt over the same -- >> we had a woman write into us and sap this saved my dining room. >> this is another great one one to know. >> you get the finger sprint smudges all over it. >> stainless steel is a magnet for fingerprints and smudges, no matter how immaculate you. coffee filters and glass cleaners. use those to wipe down -- >> they are very, very strong fibers tightly woven. they pick up dirt and don't dry with streaks. that's another problem with stainless steel, right? >> often times you discover your freezer doesn't seem to be as cold. >> why is yource cream melting? >> so what do do you? >> here you go. >> to test if your --you stick a piece of paper in there. if it's easy to get out, you get a new gasket. >> all right. to the spontaneously flushing toilet. >> this has happened to me. you're in the other room, your toilet flushes and what's the deal? >> that's weird. >> the water from the tank is linking into the bowl and trigging an automatic flush. probably the culprit is the a faulty flapper. first you want to try to clean it. that might do it. take the water -- shut off the water to your tank, drain your tank o flush it out. use a paper towel to clean it off. >> they're usually universe al. you attach it by the sides. it's easy to reattach the new one. you're back in business and you've saved hundred, of dollars without calling a plumber. >> sometimes you get that smell that permeates in the bathroom. what do do you about that? >> that usually happens in bathrooms you don't use very often so the pipes aren't getting enough water passing through. to stop that, every few days run every drain, run the inning, flush the pout tout let. you can add a table voon vegetablele down every drain, down the sink, down the toilet. it seals the gasses out so they can't evaporate out. >> good. speaking of stink, sometimes attics or areas with moisture tend to have smells. >> the attic, the smell, musty. check and make sure all the vents are not locked. you want clear air ways. then can you buy some odor absorbing gel, which are really great for attics. you want to check the packaging for how much you need per swear footage. >> only a couple of these. >> where to put them. if it still smells musty, it's probably time to bite the bullet. consult pros. you might need to install fans or roof vents. >> great stuff. a lot of solutions here. thanks. >> coming up next, true or false? how to make the most when planning your next vacation right after this. ♪ olive garden's never ending pasta bowl. endless combinations of pasta and sauce for just $9.95. plus, unlimited sausage and meatballs for just $2.95 more. the never ending pasta bowl. from your eyes, causing irritation and dryness. really? 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[ male announcer ] visine® with hydroblend. call it 'mother's intuition' for up to 10 hours of comfort. aaaahhh... but somehow i knew that these bright pink sperry top-siders were the right choice for my daughter. daughter + friend: *screamsá (in her head) nailed it. how'd you know mom? the styles they really really, really want for back to school are here. famous brands. famously easy. famous footwear. victory is yours. that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun. pillsbury toaster strudel. - hugs from beneful baked delights... - [ barks ]rs ] are crispy, oven-baked dog snacks with soft savory centers, made with beef and cheese. beneful baked delights: a unique collection of four snacks... to help spark play in your day. mmmm, just how satisfying of new light & fit greek? morning donut cookies chips, chips,...! silence those tempting thoughts with new light & fit greek. its creamy thick texture helps satisfy you. it has twice the protein of regular lowfat yogurt. and at 80 calories it's the lightest greek yogurt with fruit. cupcake! it's not gonna happen. new light & fit greek. be light and fit and satisfied. this morning on "today"'s travel, myth versus fact. you're here to test our knowledge. >> i am. you guys are going to play a game to figure out whether we really know our stuff. >> we don't know ythe questions. >> it's all up to you. >> if you have enough frequent flyer miles to pay for your next flight, you should use them? >> myth. >> oh, wanda. >> no, no, not to you. >> okay, okay. >> we're not in your head. >> across the board, you're correct. it's about the value of of the frequent flyer miles. it should be 1.4 cents per mile. if you're getting a $300 flight and they're offering it to you for 50,000 miles, run away because that's $700. >> search your flights on tuesday and wednesdays just after midnight. >> no, that's a myth! the trick part is that is when the advertised rates go up but these days it's all about last-minute rates and sudden rates. you need to help yourself by signing on to things airfare watch dog has a great fare alert and follow on twitter fly.com and follow your favorite airlines on twitter. >> when booking a cruise, your best bet is to use a travel agent. >> true. >> smith. >> i don't like cruises. >> you're opting out. >> we have half and half. this is actually true because -- >> what disad i say? >> if you can get it online, can you get it, too. plus travel agents can tell you which cruise is right for you, perk, upgrades and the cruise lines actually pay the commission so you won't get charged an extra fee. this is a big deal. once you book a flight, you can't make any changes without paying a fee. >> myth. >> you are 100% right. >> brand new rules this year means can you still within 24 hours of booking your flight change that flight for no fee, which is huge, big deal. >> way to go! >> w >> if you pay for your hotel room in advance, you may still be able to get a lower rate if that rate drops. >> that's fact. >> you guys are really good. >> we travel a lot. >> there's new web sites that make this possible. one called tingo. they have money-backhoe tells. they track it. if the rate drops, they track it and refund your money and rebook your room. >> you're more likely to be bumped from your flight if you check in early. >> true. the earlier you check in the better off you are. there are so many great apps on the web site, the airlines -- i definitely recommend you to check it. the best day to fly in major airports are tuesday, wednesdays and saturdays. >> it is a fact and it's not only do you get cheaper flights, you get less crowds and pick the earlier flight in the day and you'll be set. >> what does wanda win? >> she wins a trip on a cruise. >> she win as mexican fiesta and we're going to show you how to make that looking for a new or different idea for your next party? how about hosting a fiesta. it's good to see you. >> it's good to see you, too. >> what's the one big tip for the host or hostess? >> i think the tip is to keep the recipes simple and keep the decor fun and then i think you've got a party and of course the cocktails yummy. >> for example? >> for example, this is actually a salty dog. it's hugh acheson, who is a buddy of mine, decided to throw a party and we documented it for "better homes & gardens" magazine. >> what goes into the salty dog? >> it's this soda, which is delicious. eight grapefruit mexican soda. there's gin but we've made a virgin one here. >> sorry. >> come back, wanda. >> we can do one for you. this is a clever idea is to salt half the rim of your glass, put ice in it, put your drink in a pitcher and you can help yourself in you walk in the door. you can eat or drink from the salty said -- side. >> are you crafty, wanda? >> no, not at all. >> okay. these are down loadable. we're going to make these cool pockets. you each have a little station here. >> all right. >> we have data lines on ours. it's like a cheat sheet. you're going to follow me. fold it in half. >> fold it in half. >> wanda, you're doing great. so far. you can fold the piece of paper in half. >> i went to a fancy school. >> fold it again on the back. turn it over, fold it again. and then you're going to fold it again. then we're going to use something called washy tape. i call it happy taken. you have all different colors to use. >> what are you rolling? >> you're rolling? >> oh, sorry. bad habit. bad habit. >> you put your tape on and you have this cute little pocket that you can put your napkins in. oh, gosh, oh, golly. >> holy schmoley. holy molet. this is my favorite. you use a very saturated dye. eight great way to freshen up your old linens you have sitting around. if you have some old linens sitting in a drawer, can you pick a color you like and do some of these saturated dyes. it's something you can do with your kid who are a little older like around 10. >> you have a lot of free time on your hands. >> a lot of free time. >> okay. our centerpieces are really cool. what's cool about these is we pick out the inside. and then we keep this on there and we do these cute little arrangements with them and you can use an old fashioned muffin tin to do some candles. >> and you have a pinata. >> mila is going to try it. >> we'll spin you around. >> oh, no. give it a whack. time is 7:56. actually, 9:56! i'm jon kelley. highway 17 is back open this morning after a big rig caught fire near the summit overnight. the tractor-trailer was pulling a tank of liquid nitrogen when the cab caught fire heading south. the driver was able to escape and it consumed the cab and spread to the hillside before firefighters got it under control. firefighters say the tanker was sealed and not at risk for exploding. highway 17 was shut down for several showers but this morning all lanes reopened. in some areas, rain is out there. christina loren is here to tell us what is happening. >> as we are tracking these showers, what is left over is just to the west of livermore. not seeing a lot of activity. showers will deteriorate throughout the day and temperatures will be comfortable. 87 degrees inland and 76 bayside and 67 at the coast. we still have that tropical feel out there. you can feel the moisture as you walk out your front door and not as muggy friday and temperatures up a touch but back to the dry heat we're accustomed to. seasonal conditions saturday and sunday. make those outdoor plans. get out the door right now. mike is here to help you out. there are problems still for system. take you out to the maps where we see the red and orange on the peninsula in san mateo. we have an accident at peninsula avenue and heading northbound and it is still blocking one lane. has been for over 20 minutes. basically, half an hour. look at the backup as you approach. basically, south of hillsdale creeping near the scene. 101-92 a disabled vehicle may be sticking out into the lanes as well. slow but a very light flow of traffic coming off the san mateo bridge. southbound side still has trouble there. the peninsula is slowing. east better approaching the bay bridge and easy drive there and slow south out of hayward and 880. >> make sure to check us out on facebook. back in 30 minutes. 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[ megan ] at&t u-verse: tv like you've never seen before. ♪ captions paid for by nbc-universal television hey, everybody. we're so glad you're with us today. it's thirsty thursday september 6th. we're just barrelling along. >> we certainly are. i feel good. >> good. very good. >> we are going to begin our show with a kind of disgusting photo. >> but hodi wanted to. >> okay. there was a family dining at a restaurant in utah, okay? they brought their children, young ones. they were apparently being potty trained while at the restaurant. take a look. it looked like a booster seat, but no indeed, it was a potty on the chair. the kids, according to whoever was snapping the photo, saw these children being potty trained at a restaurant. the restaurant is called thanksgiving point deli in utah. a spokesperson for that restaurant told the local cbs affiliate they have received several complaints. i think state and local health codes were probably at issue, as well as social norms. >> you think? >> the mother and children are not being revealed. >> what is happening in that situation? what is going on there? >> she is very serious about potty training here children. i don't know. i can't even imagine. >> then you hoist the potty and take it out? >> you see one of the what iters coming out with food and she is coming out with -- excuse me. what goes in must come out. >> that is nasty that whole thing. >> i agree with you. you wanted to start with it. >> because it's surprising. >> this is on the other end of the spectrum as a great story this couple was getting on the plane with their 14-year-old twins, i believe. their very first plane ride. >> it was from san francisco to d.c., a long ride. >> they decided to ease the tensions, because you know how everybody feels when you see somebody coming on with babies and all their stuff. what they did was passed out a note that every single person, apparently on the plane with a little bag of candy attached saying, "hello, we're twin baby boys on our first flight and we are only 14 weeks old. we'll try to be on our best behavior. but we would like to apologize in advance in case we lose our cool, get scared or our ears hurt." >> isn't that precious? passed them out to everyone on the plane. they said if by chance the kids get out of control, we have ear plugs for everyone at our seat. >> yes. apparently they are still on vacation. now the return flight coming, so they are shopping right now. >> i can't believe they have time to make candy bags. >> who has time when you have twin newborns. i told you this story. when cody was going to be circumci circumcised. on the eighth day of a little boy's life that happens. i put a little note in his diaper for the doctor. the nurse came to take him away and the note said, "dear dr. langon, please take a tad and leave me most that i had. life is too short so don't make me that way. please hold steady and be ready." the doctor said he never, ever found a note in the baby's diaper. i asked for the note. he said absolutely not, that's going up in my office. he had it framed and put up in his office. sometimes it helps to write little notes. >> that's very sweet. >> jessica simpson had a baby and has been struggling to take off the baby weight. it's interesting because a lot of women have a difficult time losing that baby weight. she is with weight watchers. some people are describing her as a breath of fresh air. often we see these celebs who have babies, a couple of weeks later their stomach is flat and they are at the gym and it's annoying. >> they shall remain nameless. gisele and victoria beckham. >> jessica said, i didn't realize the weight didn't all come off with the baby. >> does she really want to say that? if you gained 70 pounds, you're not going to have a 70-pound baby. i don't think she meant it that way, right? >> she said i'm not a super model, my body is not bouncing back like a super model. i'm an everyday woman who is trying to feel good and healthy. she said her boobs, that is a quote, being are too big to run. you have to get a double jog bra. >> you need a harness and a crane just to get into your sports bra. it's ridiculous. >> she did admit she ate a bunch of mac and cheese and ate pop tarts with butter on them. >> she is a sweetheart. the people that lose the weight quickly are usually the people that exercise during their pregnancy and ate in a fashion that was not going to add that much weight. >> how long did it take to you lose the baby weight? >> i did not exercise at all with cody. i think about two months. with cassidy i gained 23 pounds with each baby. they were big babies. with cassidy i started to exercise during my pregnancy. i had to host "miss america" pageant six weeks after she was born and had to get into a size whatever. >> you were crashing it. >> i was crashing it. >> this is cool video. it's adorable. everyone turned out okay in the end. there is a mother duck and ducks lings trying to cross a major highway. a lot of close calls. here they are all following mom. you don't even want to watch, but you can. you can't go back now because you're already in the middle. there is no returning. i think one is gone. >> they're okay. >> they're all okay. please go across the street. >> we heard an earlier report quite a few potential accidents were averted at the last second, but that turned out to not be true. this is nothing short of a duck miracle. >> that is a lot of blow back. what's on the other side i want to know. what is over there? >> home. >> they made it. that was sweet. >> only for a biker -- never mind. >> stop. it was sort of a sad day at the u.s. open yesterday for andy roddick. >> he announced he is going to retire. >> he is only 30. he played his last game at the u.s. open. he lost to a seventh seed. he was very emotional at the end and so was his wife brooklyn decker. you can tell how much in love they are. >> it's an emotional bittersweet day, but at the end of the day he takes a shower and goes home to her. there is bad news and really good news. >> i wonder what you do after that when you're a tennis player and you retire? >> he's so adorable. maybe he goes into common tating. i have my own career. i can't help andy roddick. >> how is your show "scandalous?" >> it is great. i'll tell you something when i have something to tell you. >> you're going to love this one. let me tell you what it's all about. it's all about the shoulders. just remember that. this guy's name is connor maynard. the song is called "vegas girl" and it's shoulders. go. please. ♪ ready? ♪ this is for the girl that can get down low ♪ the whole club wanna see you go ♪ ♪ hey shake shake like you're famous girl ♪ head back laid down like a vegas girl ♪ >> you know what they're talking about? >> yes. isn't it awesome? connor maynard. he's like a kid. he's british. >> that's harry's theme song. >> when i hear a song, i have shazam on my iphone so i can download it. >> do you have "everyone has a story" on there? >> no. >> because today is "everyone has a story." we've got an exciting contest. 1.5 million tweets? >> i can't believe how many college kids are grooving on this. virginia tech is very highly represented. >> did we get any oral roberts university? >> we want to go back to college. we are asking colleges and campuses to tweet their spirit on our twitter page. klg&hodau. whoever is the winner at the end, we'll do our show from their school. is that going to be crazy? >> that sets education back about 100 years. >> sara, you had some tweets? >> we had good ones. >> i was working at the age of 18. some people actually struggled in life, okay? >> we did. we had over 1.5 million people see this in one day. you saw the numbers jump during the hour, so this is huge. we've got laura finley tweeted us. "let's get hoda back to virginia tech for a hokey football game. klg, you are wearing eli's jersey on the show today, come experience where he went to college. you need to experience the number one college in campus beauty and student beauty, ole miss rebels. and north dakota state, three of your biggest fans are in thompson hall floor five. creighton university, university of tennessee, west virginia. >> it's going to be fun. how long do they have till? >> september 17th. >> that's around the corner, people. >> it is. is it okay or not okay to bring babies to fancy restaurants? >> usually they tag them for us. we don't have a tag. >> you said as long as they bring along fancy manners there is no problem. >> that's right. hoda said it's okay, as long as you bring them for the early bird special, let the grown-ups have their time later. he survived "survivor." now he tells is about his latest challenge, the drama of daytime. >> scandalous, he's eating an apple. >> and today's ambush makeovers. and "everyone has a story." ♪ i'd like to thank eating right, whole grain, multigrain cheerios! my bowl, my spoons! mom, are those my jeans? 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[ female announcer ] olay regenerist. when he's not hanging around the camp or tallying votes on "survivor." jeff probst will be hosting a talk show called "the jeff probst show." >> it premieres on monday. >> it's funny, do you have discussions. should it be the probst show, the jeff probst show. >> the probster. >> you've been wanting to do this for a long time. >> it shifted when i got married and my wife lisa brought these two amazing kids into my life. i have these kids calling me dad. all of a sudden i started -- >> what a great-looking family. >> they come from good stock. >> you were just telling us earlier you met her at mark burnett's christmas party. i was just out in malibu. what a beautiful place to fall in love. >> he changed my life twice putting on "survivor" and having this christmas party. i live my life pretty much from the philosophy that life is short, at best. i want to get as much out of it as i can all the time. i realized in daytime i have a short attention span. we built this show that will have three different stories every day off the top. that are connected by some sort of a theme. it could be on the nose, it could be stories about women like you making huge impact in television, it could also be three stories connected by a word, bank, bank teller, bank robby and a piggy bank. >> that will make it different from some of the other talkers, right? your wife is going to be working for you. what is she going to be doing? >> lisa is on the show. she is the talent coordinator. we decided to put a camera up in her office so that whenever we are talking -- one of the segments we do is guys on the couch. i bring two guys up and we answer questions from women in the audience. >> you stole that from our show, too. >> it's not a new idea here either. been around for a while. but yes. lisa will pop in every so often. then we have another segment which is a nod to "survivor" which is ambush adventures. where we literally take somebody from the show, born within the show, that we find might have a problem or something they need to do and put them on the spot to confront this thing live. it is the riskiest thing i've been a part of in that we start the show not knowing who we are going to pick to do it. we had a woman the other day that -- it's so funny. i am so self-conscious of time right now because the last month i've been shooting shows. i want to look at my camera and go, isn't this a great story. you get into a totally different mode. we had a woman at the end of the show. she asked a question about her relationship with her boyfriend. she said i think we broke up because i make more money and i'm not sure if that's the right thing. at the end of the show, the adventure is we take here's the deal. say yes before you know what the adventure is. >> what was the adventure? >> i've got a phone in my back pocket. we are going to call him. >> and ask him if it's the reason? >> i would hate that. >> it was beautiful. a, it was dramatic. she calls him. he has to say yes to going on the air. he says yes. then she asked him the question. do you love me because i love you and if we should be together, let's be together. why did you break up? there is this long pause and he says -- >> i would get nauseous. >> he says i didn't trust myself. i thought i was going to cheat on you. i broke up before i hurt you. at the end of the show she says i needed this you were like a father figure to me. i don't have one and i was killing myself waiting on this guy. now i know i'm free to meet somebody else. that happening is so fun in the moment. >> well, that one worked out. if you had done that to hoda woman -- >> would not have been good. >> one big one right between the eyes. >> so much of television is so predictable. >> we wish you great luck on monday. >> and "the jeff probst show" starts monday. we've got one fantastic video. hey, becky. hey....uncle steve. for life's bleachable moments. almay primer the first step to a beautiful look a swirl of green correcting your color a twirl of lavender "...brightening your glow" together, these two colors create the perfect canvas there's no subtext... just tacos. yeah, it's our job to make you want it. but honestly... it's not that hard. old el paso. when you gotta have mexican. but honestly... it's not that hard. fighting it with every muscle on his teen face. every urge to be happy. because i didn't just get him a pair of nikes, i got him the pair of nikes. look - he can barely control himself. (in her head) i'm amazing. the styles they'll totally freak over for back to school are here. famous brands. famously easy. famous footwear. victory is yours. it is time for webtastic when sara haines digs up the next video. >> this adorable video features a very expressive baby. >> that's right. 2 1/2 month old oliver wakes up with almost every possible emotion. check it out. >> they have been asked multiple times if certain things are happening and dad brian says that is not the case. watch this though. >> good morning. >> he starts to get a little angry. >> who is this strange person talking to me? okay, daddy. >> he wakes up with a smile. mean look. smiling. >> they said he wakes up like that a lot of times. are you sure he's not gassy? he's not. that's just him in many stages of waking up. can you imagine seeing him in college when he tries to get up for a class at friday at 8:00 a.m. >> thank you, sara. >> two ladies get ready to strike a pose. the spectacular results of ambush makeover. >> an air force vet renn with hodge-ins are one of the most beautiful couples. [ female announcer ] back to school means back to busy mornings. that's why i got them pillsbury toaster strudel. warm flaky pastry with delicious sweet filling my kids will love. plus i get two boxtops for their school. toaster strudel. the one kids want to eat. good thursday morning. it's 10:26. i'm laura garcia-cannon. new details this morning about last month's fire at the chevron refinery. a flash fire was actually discovered and put out about ten minutes before the more significant blaze. chevron submitting a 30-day report to contra costa county officials yesterday. the seven-page report details the flash fire and emergency response actions. the leak started three hours before the eventual massive fire. a look at weather and traffic after this break. 10:28. welcome back. a live look at a clear sky over mt. tam. skies are clearing and lingering low mid clouds and cumulus clouds the south and east bay but the thunderstorms have come to a close. 79 degrees in san jose today. 87 livermore. 67 degrees still a great day to hit santa cruz. 71 degrees. we'll have your full forecast at 11:00. first, let's check your drive with mike. the weather calms, so does the drive. it did have an impact on the south bay roadways but right now, we are having this accident which is clearing south through sunol. clear through milpitas. san mateo the accident cleared. southbound just has that volume of traffic. it continues to palo alto and folks straggling both directions and see that all day. >> thank you for joining us. we will have more of the day's top stories coming up in half an hour at 11:00 a.m. hope to see you then. it's thirsty thursday. that means it's time for today's plaza ambush makeovers where we pluck two lucky ladies from the crowd outside. >> a few hours later, our makeover team,s stylist to the stars louis licari and "today" contributor and "us weekly" editor and author jill martin. >> today it was excessively humid so it was easy to pick. a lot of bad hair day. >> karen brown is 65 years old from the bronx. she never wears make-up and only colors her hair for special occasions. she was thrilled to have the opportunity to receive a glam new look. let's listen to her story. >> retired and ready for the next chapter, right? this is for karen. >> karen is a lot of fun. if you're around her you will laugh all the time. she has a wonderful shape, wonderful personality, why not have a new look? >> and engaged. we are going to give you a hot new look. what do you think? >> i'm ready for it. bring it on. bring it on. >> karen is ready. she is joined by her girls myra, geri and hope. please keep your blind folds on till i give you my green light. let's see the new you. >> wow! come right over here. perfect. take off your blind folds. >> wow! >> karen, are you readyspin right around, sweetie. put your glasses on. i know the feeling. >> oh, my goodness. >> you look hot. >> beautiful. >> bouncing and behaving hair. tell us about the hair, louis. >> obviously, it was touch-up time. it was special for me. she's got a smile on her heart and smile on her face. this is a very special lady. i lightened her hair and they gave her this great haircut, simple, chic, timeless. >> what do you think? >> she looks fabulous. >> being myra is always crying. why don't we learn to have kleenex around? >> you like it? >> i love it. she deserves it. >> he like the outfit, too. >> this is a dress and about subtle color blocking. this is from london times. how to wear white after labor day. go with a little bit of a darker bottom. >> thank you. go and join your friends. nice job. >> our second lady is cindy. 52rom winnipeg, canada. after towering she allows herself one to three minutes to get dressed and get ready. let's hear her tell us her story. >> you want this because this is a major sign with a graphic from three years ago that you found. >> yeah. le i put a lot of effort into it because i wanted her to get it. she does a lot for everybody else. i thought she deserved it. >> holding back tears. must be so nice to hear. >> it is. she is such a good girl. >> are you ready to be pampered for three hours? >> i definitely am. >> i miss my daughter. all righty. she is here with her daughter jenny. let's take one last look at cindy before. bring out the new cindy. >> don't go anywhere. right there. >> let's see. >> oh, my god. >> turn around and take a look at yourself. >> oh, my gosh! this is so different. it's wonderful. >> you look beautiful. >> there goes jenny. tell us about the hair. >> first of all, she had beautiful hair. so we gave her this great haircut with magic fingers. i added a little warmth, a little lightness to make her hair soft and put it all together. just put on a pinch of make-up and make it all work. >> look at that smile. the outfit, where is she going? >> she doesn't own any dresses. i wanted to give her one. this is her new lvd for fall and winter. >> what do you think of mom? >> i love it. i absolutely love it. >> everybody looks gorgeous. come on out, karen. applause for both of our ladies. >> all righty, coming up next, "everyone has a story." >> this will inspire you so much. you're going to love these people. we set our goals higher than anyone. perdue is the first and the only chicken company to have usda process verified programs for fresh, all natural chicken. our chickens are not fed steroids or hormones. 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[ male announcer ] eggo nutri-grain waffles. you know it's made with 8 grams of whole grain and is a good source of fiber. all they know is it tastes great. eggo nutri-grain waffles. ♪ everyone has a moment ♪ that changes their life >> it is time for our newest "everyone has a story" connest winner. it is jo draper grantee. >> before we meet the couple, let's listen to the letter jullian wrote us honoring this amazing lady. >> i want to tell but this story woman in my life, my wife jo draper grante. i'm an air force veteran who proudly served my country with two tours in vietnam. i was diagnosed with active hodgkin's lymphoma. the cancer is because of my exposure to agent orange while at vietnam. it moves through my body and can appear at any time. my lovely wife jo has been my primary caregiver. she sacrificed so much to take care of me. i don't have the adequate words to explain to her the way we love and devotion. over the years i've been in the hospital for critical carr or many surgeries, jo has always been by my side. when i go to bed at night, she is beside me sleeping in aare kleiner. when i awaken in the morning, she is there holding my hand. last year i was diagnosed with colon cancer. i was unable to care for my personal needs. without hesitation she would bathe me. it was a very humbling experience to have your wife take care of you like she was taking care of one of our six grandchildren. i'm so blessed to have a wife, a friend, a partner like jo, who is honest, compassionate, faithful and caring. >> jo is here with jullian who wrote the letter. it was easy to fall in love with the two of you. >>ing what a beautiful love story. >> thank you. >> we saw your wedding picture. everybody starts off on that day with such promise. the fairy tales are just not true. you don't live happily ever after. you go through a lot of stuff. you say this lady has been your strength, right, jullian? >> absolutely. that and our faith in the gospel jesus christ which kept us going. >> sometimes it's not easy to take help. i know because you're a strong guy, you've been through the wars and now you're very dependent on your wife. how difficult was that? >> it's been very humbling. the first morning i woke up after having my colon removed, and i was dealing with two cancers at one time, colon cancer and hodgkin's lymphoma. i couldn't get out of bed and she said, i'll take care of you. i looked down and i had on a depends. it was like, oh, my god, this can't be happening to me. right away she went into action started taking care of me. >> that's real love. that's unconditional love. that's not what we see in the movies so much. >> how is it from your perspective, jo? >> well, jullian is very easy to love. christ has given us the strength to do this. we took wedding vows that said for richer and poorer, better and worse, sickness and health, and we've been through all of that. >> that's right. >> full measure. >> yes. but it's been an incredible life with him. we believe that we are going to have lots more of that, life to the full because god has made us promises and he has kept so many promises for us. our faith is just increased tremendously because of the promises he made and shown us in real life miracles that happen right before our eyes. things that we were in situations where we never thought we would be. there were no answers, but miracles through christ happens. it's just been amazing. >> you guys are such an example for your kids, as well. i can only imagine. we have something fun coming up for you. >> david friedman and i have written you a song all because of that beautiful letter you wrote us. >> thank you. >> and we have this very, very handsome michael park who is going to sing it for you. we'll be right back. mmmm, just how satisfying is every spoonful of new light & fit greek? morning donut cookies chips, chips,...! silence those tempting thoughts with new light & fit greek. its creamy thick texture helps satisfy you. it has twice the protein of regular lowfat yogurt. and at 80 calories it's the lightest greek yogurt with fruit. cupcake! it's not gonna happen. new light & fit greek. be light and fit and satisfied. but lately she's been coming in with less gray than usual. what's she up to? 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[ male announcer ] taste it and describe the indescribable. could've had a v8. woooo! we are back with "everyone has a story." jullian grante who wrote the letter honoring his sweet wife jo draper grante. >> it's time for you to hear the song we wrote just for you. here is the wonderful and talented, and did i say gorgeous, michael park. the song is called "my angel." ♪ ♪ all my life i strive to be a man ♪ ♪ the best soldier ♪ the best husband ♪ the best father that i can ♪ but nothing can prepare you for that dark and fateful day ♪ ♪ but something unexpected takes your health and strength away ♪ ♪ all my life i thought that i was strong ♪ ♪ i was faithful ♪ i was careful ♪ did my best to move along ♪ i made it through a war ♪ yet there came one dreadful day ♪ something unexpected took my hopes and dreams away ♪ ♪ but god didn't leave me alone on this new battlefield ♪ ♪ he left me with an angel who became my hope my strength my shield ♪ ♪ i know without my angel i don't know where i would be ♪ ♪ so today i sing this song to tell her what she means to me ♪ ♪ you're my angel ♪ so much more than just a wife ♪ you're my angel ♪ and your love has saved my life ♪ ♪ you have seen me through the darkest nights and been there during dawn's early light ♪ when life went wrong you made it right ♪ ♪ you're my angel ♪ when i sleep i know just where you'll be ♪ ♪ when i wake up you're beside me to calm and comfort me ♪ ♪ and when i am in pain you're always there to hold my hand ♪ ♪ so i sing this song today to make you understand ♪ ♪ you're my angel ♪ so much more than just a wife ♪ ♪ you're my angel ♪ and your love has changed my life ♪ ♪ you've seen me through the darkest night and been there in dawn's early light ♪ when life went wrong you made it right ♪ ♪ so today i will say all those words i long to say ♪ you're my friend ♪ my wife ♪ you're my love ♪ you're my life ♪ so to me you'll always be my angel ♪ ♪ my angel >> beautiful, michael. thank you. >> we'll be right back. we are back with "everyone has a story" honoring a very, very, very special couple. michael park performed "my angel" for jo draper grante. with us is david friedman composer. taking hollywood by storm. michael, that was gorgeous. our rarely see our performers tearing up. >> you just can't look to the left because they are sitting here and you realize what a special message this is. what a beautiful song. >> what did you think of your song? >> it was wonderful. the words were just so moving, so touching. they were real. we lived that. that's what made it so special. >> we got them from your letter. >> we like to give things away because that's how we are. >> we thought you two would like to spend some time together. >> i know you are in doctors' offices a lot. the folks at royal caribbean international would like to provide you with a seven-night western caribbean cruise onboard your choice of ship. that includes airfare and a bunch of other stuff. your experience will continue on broadway. you'll be able to see a show on there. >> i'm coming with you. >> he'll be singing to you. >> have you ever been on a cruise before? >> we did a long time ago. we haven't had a chance for a real vacation. >> you're going to take one and we pray you have good health on that trip. heal together and continue loving each other the way you do. you're a real inspiration to us all. >> have a great one. see you tomorrow. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

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