Transcripts For KNTV Today 20140118

Make her big debut today, saturday, january 18th, 2014. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to today on a saturday morning. Im lester holt. And im erica hill alongside jenna wolfe and dylan dreyer. And we want to get right to todays top story, that suicide bombing in afghanistan. Annabel roberts is following developments for us from london. Annabel, good morning. Reporter good morning, lester. Well, it was friday night, the restaurant was busy when a suicide bomber burst in and detonated explosives. Eyewitnesses say two gunmen followed, firing indiscriminately. At least 21 people were killed, 13 of them foreigners. Among them, two u. S. Citizens from the American University of afghanistan. That organization has issued a statement, saying they are devastated by the news. Also killed, the imfs top representative in the country and four u. N. Personnel, making this the deadliest attack against foreign civilians in afghanistan since the war began nearly 13 years ago. The restaurant was considered relatively secure. Its situated in a district thats home to several embassies and is popular with diplomats and aide workers and journalists. Of course, most Foreign Forces are planning to withdraw later this year, so an attack like this in an area thought to be fairly safe raises, yet again, concerns about the afghanled Security Forces capabilities when it comes to taking on the taliban. Lester . Annabel roberts in our london newsroom this morning. Thank you. Turning now to a situation that is getting more desperate by the day out on the west coast, as firefighters contend with a wildfire there that continues to burn. That fire is being fueled in part by a drought sweeping the state, and that could impact people, ultimately, all across the country. Joe fryer is following this for us out of los angeles. Joe, good morning. Reporter good morning, erica. Governor jerry brown made it official, saying the state is in the midst of perhaps its worst dry spell in a century. Its a pronouncement that comes as firefighters battle a wildfire in the middle of january. The stubborn flames typically associated with summers brutal heat refused to concede this battle of the season. This morning, californias latest fire is slowed down but is still burning outside los angeles, a destructive symptom of a larger problem, extreme dry weather. Parts of 11 droughtridden states have now been deemed Natural Disaster areas with california experiencing its driest year since the state started measuring rainfall in 1849. On friday, governor jerry brown declared a drought emergency, asking everyone to cut their water use by 20 . Hopefully, it will rain eventually, but in the meantime, we have to do our part. Reporter with the jet stream seemingly trapped to the north, california is missing out on muchneeded rain and snow. We dont just need a normal rainfall, we need above noermal to get back to zero, were so far behind. Reporter rancher justin greer tells nbc no rain means no grass for cattle to graze on, and that means spending more on feed. A lot of guys are going to have to reduce their cow herd by significant amounts, 20 , 30 , 50 , just to continue moving forward. Reporter for californias vibrant vineyards, less rain means fewer grapes. The availability could become less. It might mean that i produce a little less wine until we get some decent rainfall again. Reporter in a part of the country known for growing food, the impact of an extreme drought runs deeper than the flimsy snow pack now lining the Sierra Nevada mountains. It does affect you, if you want low food prices and highquality food. Reporter californias governor is asking people to voluntarily conserve water, but he is considering a mandatory conservation order. Some cities are already placing strict restrictions on water use. Erica . Joe fryer in los angeles. Joe, thanks. Want to talk now about sweeping changes that could be coming to the way this country spies on its citizens and allies. Reactions pouring in fast over president obamas recommendations to change the governments controversial intelligencegathering methods. Kristen welker is live at the white house to tell us more about that. Kristen, good morning. Reporter lester, good morning to you. Well, president obama is hoping the changes hes announced to the governments Surveillance Program will reassure critics at home and also abroad, but this morning, some argue the president actually punted on real reform. Trying to pivot away from the thorny issue of surveillance, president obama is back talking up the economy this morning in his weekly address. Were going to have to act to create good jobs that pay good wages and to offer more americans a fair shot to get ahead. Reporter but the debate in washington is still swirling around the president s call for changes to the governments Surveillance Programs, much of it exposed by Edward Snowden. I believe we need a new approach. Reporter speaking at the justice department, mr. Obama announced several reforms friday, saying the government should no longer store mass phone records and calling on the attorney general to recommend an alternative method. He also announced records can only be accessed through a court order, and he banned spying on foreign allies, unless there is a National Security risk. The reforms im proposing today should give the American People greater confidence that their rights are being protected. Reporter reaction was swift. House Speaker John Boehner accused the president of failing to adequately explain the necessity of these programs. Privacy advocates, senators ron wyden and mark udall, called for more restraint on the nsa and some in the Intelligence Community expressed concern that National Security could be weakened. This is fraught with peril for anyone in the private sector to do this. Reporter the vast collection of data was put in place after the september 11th attacks, and as a candidate in 2008, mr. Obama was a harsh critic of the program. Now, as president , he is learning how hard it is to rein in entrenched techniques and to quiet search a large political firestorm. The white house really viewed it as urgent to get this nsa issue, if not completely resolved, bottled up, contained and moved into some other forum so the president can get on to talk about the other issues he wants to address. Reporter now, some Edward Snowden supporters say the president s announcement is vindication for snowden. In his speech, the president said snowden had brought more heat rather than light to the debate, and he defended the Surveillance Program, saying its never abused its power but said change is necessary to prevent the possibility of future abuse. Lester. All right, kristen. Thank you. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is in florida this morning on a Fundraising Mission for the republican party. It is his first trip out of his home state since the bridge scandal broke earlier this month. The question now, will the investigation into that scandal hurt his chances of a potential run for president as he meets with the donors who could help fund a White House Campaign . Kelly odonnell is in ft. Lauderdale this morning. Kelly, good morning. Reporter good morning, erica. A brief getaway for new Jersey Governor Chris Christie from the chilly, Winter Weather in new jersey as well as the political environment there. He will have five events across two days here in florida. These are private fundraisers, so we wont get to see the donors hes mixing and mingling with, but youre right, theyre the very people who could be very important if Chris Christie decides to run for president in 2016. He has this new job, and thats part of why hes on this mission this weekend, as chairman of the republican governors association, where he will be trying to raise attention and Campaign Cash for governors across the country. So, hes here to help republican governor rick scott. But back home, there has been that widening investigation, and the impact of that comes with him. There are 20 subpoenas that go after the governors office, some of his current as well as former staffers, his campaign and the port authority, where a new select committee in the new Jersey Assembly is trying to find out who ordered and why those bridge lane closures that caused so much trouble and erupted into this scandal. And while Chris Christie is trying to get back to the normal daytoday business of his job and political trips like this, that scandal has grown and will follow him for some time to come. Now, while were here in florida, erica, i can tell you that democrats are paying attention to this, too. The chairman of the Democratic National committee, Debbie Wasserman schultz, she represents florida in congress, shell be doing some of her own Public Events to try to counter christies message. Erica . Kelly odonnell in ft. Lauderdale for us this morning. Kelly, thanks. And as we just heard from kelly, congresswoman Debbie Wasserman schultz is in florida. She is chair of the Democratic National committee and author of for the next generation. She joins us this morning. Good morning. Nice to have you with us. Good morning, erica. Thanks. Great to be with you. As we heard from kelly, youll be making your way around the state to try to counter that message from governor christie. What specifically is it, though, youre trying to counter . Is it what hes saying and what may be related to new jersey, or is it any potential president ial moves that could be coming up . Well, i think, actually, former National Republican Committee Chairman Michael Steele said it best in florida yesterday when he said on the day that Chris Christie gets 20 subpoenas dropped on him, including a subpoena of his own gubernatorial office, instead of staying in new jersey, hunkering down, focusing on the priorities of his constituents, whose ability to traverse the George Washington bridge was blocked, hes in florida, campaigning with another scandalplagued governor and doing no Public Events, answering no questions. And you know, the real question is, is are they only doing private events because rick scott doesnt want to be seen with Chris Christie or because Chris Christie doesnt want to answer any questions . Its probably a little bit of both. We should note in this new nbc news marist poll, nearly 70 of americans say this entire scandal has not changed their opinion of governor christie. Do those numbers count for anything when youre looking at this, that americans really arent that fazed by it at this point . You know, i think were just scratching the surface of the investigation. The new Jersey Assembly is rightly taking a hard look at just how deeply this goes. Chris christie spent two hours after ignoring questions for more than 120 days and not wondering at all why four lanes of traffic were closed on the busiest bridge in the world and mired his constituents in traffic, blocked ambulances from being able to get their emergencies to their destination. Its stunning, and i think were just scratching the surface here, and well see whether how close this actually got to Chris Christie being directly responsible for this. I want to move on now. I know you have a book out. One of the things in the book that you write is that passing obamacare was the political sacrifice of losing the house in 2010. Theres an important election, obviously, coming up in 2014. Democrats trying to hold on to their majority in the senate. The rollout of obamacare has been bumpy, to put it mildly. Are you concerned at all that this may mean you could lose that majority in 2014 . Well, erica, im a mom of three young kids, which i think you know, and i wrote for the next generation because i really thought it was important to lay out for americans, particularly those who are just living their lives every day, parents like me who are balancing work and family, the really Critical Issues that are facing us, and health care is certainly one of those. As a Breast Cancer survivor, i can tell you that i was absolutely thrilled that january 1st, other Breast Cancer survivors like me no longer have to worry about an Insurance Company dropping us or denying us coverage for preexisting conditions. Yes, the rollout of the Health Care Website was bumpy, but weve had 6 million americans able to set up for health insurance, quality, Affordable Health insurance. And you know, as somebody whos been through a health care crisis, i know that if you dont have your health, you dont have anything, and giving that peace of mind to americans is critical. And the republicans have forced us to vote nearly 50 times now to try to take that peace of mind away, and i think our candidates are going to be able to run on the Affordable Care act as an asset, because when push comes to shove, they want to make sure at the end of the day that they can focus on staying healthy so that they can continue to focus on achieving the american dream. Debbie wasserman schultz, good to have you with us this morning. Thanks, erica. The olympic winter games in russia are just 19 days away, and now russian president Vladimir Putin is making headlines once again for what many are calling an insensitive comment about gays. We get the latest from our chief foreign correspondent, richard engel. Reporter theyre still digging in sochi, with just three weeks to go until the olympics, as Vladimir Putin moved to diffuse a controversy over a russian law that bans socalled gay propaganda, promoting homosexuality to minors. We arent banning anything, he told olympic volunteers. We arent rounding up anyone. We have no criminal punishment for such relations. Everyone should feel at ease, he added, but please, leave the children in peace. An insensitive comment, but these are putins games in his city. Sochi isnt the most natural place to host the winter olympics. There was no infrastructure here. It isnt very cold. More palm trees than snow. And its not very far from the caucuses. The most dangerous part. But putin likes sochi. It would be like an american president hosting the olympics in crawford, Marthas Vineyard or kennebunkport. Putin denied that the olympics are his pet project, but thats not the way many see it in russia. Where putin is president and athlete in chief. Putin is a big sportsman. Hes very active in judo, hes very active in skiing and his athletic abilities mean that he has something more than the country at stake here. He wants the world to see that he is not only running a country, but he is running a country that is interested in sports. Reporter the olympics are coming. Putins personal prestige is on the line, as he hosts the games in his favorite retreat and according to his rules. Richard engel, nbc news, sochi. Let us get a check now of the rest of the mornings top stories. Jenna is here with all of those. Good morning, again. Good morning, guys. Good morning, everyone. Two teenagers are recovering today as Police Continue their search for a boy they say opened fire at a high school in philadelphia. Police say two students were shot friday inside Delaware Valley charter high school. One was hit in the arm. The other appears to have been grazed by the same bullet. Police questioned, then cleared one boy that they originally thought was involved. A second boy has turned himself in. A new document revealed nearly 400 priests were defrocked in two years for allegedly sexually abusing children. The Associated Press got a hold of information showing Pope Benedict defrocked them between 2011 and 2012 than in two years before in 2010. There is speculation the increase may be linked to the explosion of cases reported in the media in 2010. The Company Behind the chemical leak that left some 300,000 people without water in West Virginia has filed for bankruptcy. The chapter 11 filing will allow Freedom Industries to cope with about a dozen lawsuits its facing, possibly protecting its assets against court judgments. So, five more states are now reporting widespread flu activity, bringing a total this morning to 40 states. What does widespread mean . It means more than 50 of the regions in a state are reporting the flu. And finally this morning, im not spreading rumors here. Its not what i do, but i totally overheard at the water fountain when i was pretending to get water the other day that sweet pea is pregnant. Also, the Newport Aquarium in kentucky exclusively told me this information. Who is sweet pea . Sweet pea is a shark ray, a rare animal that looks like a cross between a shark and a stingray. We first met her back in june 2005. Aquarium Officials Say this is the first time a shark ray has become pregnant in a controlled environment. You saw the ultrasound there, which oddly enough looked just like harpers ultrasound, which was weird. There it is. There it is. Biologists say sweet pea could have about a dozen pups, which, again, is what they told me when i went in for my ultrasound, and that didnt happen. So, stingray and sweet pea, good luck to you. Wait, a baby stingray is called a pup . A baby shark mixed with a stingray is called a pup. Did they find out who the father was . Yes, popeye. Popeye, nice. And we have it all figured out. Perfect. Done. Except for the weather. We need that now. Yes, and a lot of interesting weather going on. We have these clipper systems. We have this dip in the jet stream that is dragging down some colder air in parts of the midwest and into new england. We have an area of low pressure producing some snowfall in the midwest and also a second area of low pressure thats producing some snowfall in especially central and northern new england. These are going to race through the area. Theyre shortlived. They dont last that long, but they do produce a little bit of snow, and we will, perhaps, see most of our snow back through portions of minneapolis, just to the southwest of chicago. We could end up with about 3 to 6 inches. Same goes for parts of the ski resorts in new england. Good morning, 5 48 the time. Cool conditions right now and grab the jacket if you are heading out. Clear skies, a little bit of traffic on the bay bridge but what youll find is well see temperatures warm once again back into the 70s across most of the board. That does increase our fire danger and well have to spare the air once again. Otherwise enjoy the mild temperatures, low to mid70s everywhere today. And tha and that is your latest forecast, erica. Dylan, thanks. We want to bring you a follow up to a story we have been covering here on today. Its about a 70yearold murder conviction that some people are hoping could soon be overturned. She was just 14 years old when he was executed in South Carolina. But now all of these years later, advocates and relatives of one of the victims are still arguing over his fate. Mark potter has more. Reporter in the town in South Carolina in the spring of 1944, the murders of two little girls, 11yearold betty binniker and 7yearold mary emma timbs shattered a community. Their bodies were found in a ditch. Their bodies were found in a little creek of water right behind me in that wood line area. A few Hours Later Police took the 14yearold into custody. Officers claim he gave an oral confession but theres no written record of that. His family members that claim he was with them at the time of the murders were run out of town. He had absolutely no chance. No chance whatsoever. His murder trial in this courthouse lasted only about three hours. The all white jury took just ten minutes to convict him. He was then sentenced to die. No physical evidence was presented. The defense put on no case and filed no appeal and wilfred Johnny Hunter who says he was his cell mate after the conviction said he never confessed. He said johnny, i didnt do it. I didnt do it. He said why would they want to kill me for something i didnt do . Reporter but on june 16th, 1944, the 90 inmate on the right was executed in the electric chair. Now a law firm is trying to clear his name claiming he was framed. I dont believe he did it because of the evidence we are uncovered. It was a sad thing to happen. But along the relatives and friends of the murder victim theres strong opposition to clearing him. She said the day before the murders he threatened her. He said well if you dont get away from here and if you come back, im going to kill you. Her nieces are convinced of his guilt. He committed the crime and confessed to it. He was sentenced and he was put to death according to the laws in 1944 and i think they need to leave it alone. Reporter he is buried in an unmarked grave in this cemetery. On tuesday a judge will be asked to revisit that past and decide if the guilty verdict still stands. For today, mark potter, nbc news, South Carolina. Still to come, the man who paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to hunt a rare black rhino. We told you about him last week. Well now he fears for his own life. But first, this is today on nbc. You know that awards season is in full swing when three shows happen in one week. So far, weve had the golden globes, the critics choice awards, tonight its the Screen Actors Guild or s. A. G. , and there is plenty of speculation about who will go home a winner. Jenna has all the details. Every year i promise myself ill watch all five movies that are nominated. So, the s. A. G. Awards are tonight and i have four more movies to watch, so thats probably going to happen. The s. A. G. Awards are usually considered the precursor to the oscars and we wanted you to be film critic for a day, so we had you logon to today. Com to pick outstanding performance for a cast in a motion picture. Here are your choices american hustle, august osage county, Dallas Buyers Club with matthew mcconaughey. Hes not goodlooking, what . The butler and 12 years a slave. So, we logged on, and, ooh, do you guys hear that . Here we go. You guys chose american hustle, 33 , followed closely by 12 years a slave. As luck would have it, this is the only one i actually saw. I was going to ask which one you saw. I saw this one. It was very good. Lester, you voted, right . You participated. Im a longtime s. A. G. Member and i voted. Namedropper namedropper. Connected, connected. I voted 12 years a slave as best film. I did not love american hustle. I was just reading a similar review of that the other day in variety. Good morning to you looking live at the bay bridge from our emeryville camera and the city there in the distance. Thanks so much for joining us, im kris sanchez, and anthony slaughter has a look at what you can expect this weekend. It will be a nice weekend, unfortunately, it will be warm and thats not what we need. We do need some rain in here, it will not come in the next seven days unfortunately. The good news it will be warm if were going to get the sun we might as well be able to enjoy it. Light traffic on the bridge and out on the area roadways, but overall what well find is plenty of sunshine. Really clear skies once the sun does come up all the way through sunset. Temperatures today will be in recordsetting territory as they have been all week long. Low to mid70s in the inland valleys and we are talking about sparing the air and poor air quality and, again, the potential for a few records today. And well be tracking at least the potential for some rain as we head through february and well talk about it at 7 00 today. Start changing your ways. Governor brown using executive powers has declared a drought emergency, calling on all californians to cut water use by 20 . He also warned that mandatory e restrictions could be coming soon. Were facing a aphenomenon o nature that makes us dependent on rain and one another. The governor also outlined 20 steps to deal with the drought including asking for federal help and hiring more firefighters to help protect the extremely dry landscape. The call to conserve has put many Restaurant Owners into worry mode, restaurants like tony albas in san jose use 40 gallons of water every day to cook the pasta, with Governor Brown asking everyone to cut back their water usage by 20 businesses are looking at ways to try to reduce and they say it will be a challenge. Places like a slice of new york also trying to figure out where it can cut back where the san jose pizza joint wont cut back, however, washing their hands and plates, thank goodness. Bottom line low rain has a potential to cut into profits. Now to our coverage of the 49ers quest for six. Partys already started in seattle and the 49ers arrive for duty last night. The players and coaches checking into the team hotel about 800 miles from the bay area but still getting plenty of 49er love. Dozens of fans waiting in 40degree weather to cheer on their favorite players. A familiar drill for the 49ers. This is their fourth road game in the last four weeks. Coming up this morning on today in the bay 49ers fever. More on that and more local news for you in just 30 minutes. We are back on this saturday morning. We have princesses on the plaza. I love it it is january 18th, 2014. A brighteyed crowd, staying warm out there on Rockefeller Plaza this morning. Nice to see them. Well be saying hello in person pretty soon, especially to those 10yearolds there. It is already the third weekend of january, which is a little crazy. I cant. I cant. How did we get here . Im not sure. Wasnt it Just Christmas . It will be valentines day tomorrow, followed by easter, and now its christmas already. And your birthday. And my birthday, what . Lets move on, fast. But who among us has stuck to their new years resolutions already . I gave up on mine. I was never put on the spot. I never made one. Oh, you never made one publicly. No. Mine is a long one that you cant really well . I said this year my older son has become so passionate about football. Oh, football, yeah. You wanted to watch football. I want to learn. You want to learn football. I want to learn and better understand the game of football. And you three are actually very well versed, so i need your help. Theres a big game tomorrow. I know that go, pats dylan, come on. We know a few things. We know where that goes. But the whole point, in denver. Yeah. Sticking to resolutions, it really shouldnt be that difficult, but i recently sat down with a group of second graders in texas, and they had some pretty good advice to make it all a little bit easier, because you know what . They come from such an innocent, easy perspective. Theyre like, i dont understand, its black and its white and heres one and theres the other one, just do it. And most of the time, theyre smarter than us. Its really cute, so well see what they had to say. Also ahead, live from new york, a very big night for saturday night live. The shows newest member is making her debut in a matter of hours. This, of course, after plenty of controversy about the show not having a black actress in the cast. And a bit later on, well introduce you to a teacher whos been battling a devastating brain cancer diagnosis, but he is still able to reach his students in a way that, frankly, no one ever expected. Love that story. We do begin this half hour, though, with an update on a story we first brought you last week. You may remember that auction we told you about that was auctioning off the chance to hunt an endangered african rhino. Well, the man who made the winning bid of 350,000 now says he has fulltime security for him and for his family because hes received Death Threats since winning that auction. Charles hadlock has our update. Reporter professional hunter corey noton may feel a little bit like the hunted. An avid outdoorsman with a Hunting Consortium and cohost of a hunting show on the outdoor channel, nolton placed the winning bid for a permit to hunt a rare, black rhino in africa, all in the name of conservation. Since then, his Facebook Page has exploded with Death Threats and anger. One poster said, i can only hope that some day, somehow, a beautiful wild animal will cut your life short and hang you on a trophy wall. Another said, donate the money and let the rhino live. Nolton says hes hired 24hour security, and the fbi confirms its investigating the threats. I dont think i should be hated because i lead my life a certain way. Reporter he told piers morgan on cnn he fears for his familys safety. I had no idea that it would be this visceral. I had no idea that they would be attacking my 2yearold daughter and my 7yearold daughter and my beautiful, young wife, and they would want to kill us all and burn us. Reporter the hunting permit was sanctioned by the country of namibia and auctioned off by the dallas safari club, which says the money raised will go to save the black rhinos, whose numbers are dwindling due to poachers. Nolton will get to shoot an aging, nonbreeding black rhino, but with fewer than 1,000 black rhinos in the world, opponents say there is no valid reason to kill one. The first rule of saving rare species is to save the individuals. Please dont rush to judgment, he wrote in part on his Facebook Page, i deeply care about all of the inhabitants of this planet. For today, charles hadlock, nbc news, dallas. Dylan has made her way outside for another check of the weather. Dylan . Good morning, guys. Good morning, everyone. You guys sent me a twit pick yesterday with these signs, so im so happy to see them on the plaza. Happy birthday. Whos older . Me. Youre older. By one minute. By one minute. So, youll go through 10 years old first and then let her know how it is, and then report back to me. We are looking at some snow showers today across parts of the midwest and up into new england. They should produce about 3 to 6 inches of snow into minneapolis and just to the southwest of chicago, also through the ski resorts in new england, but the rest of the country actually looks really sunny and dry, mild, too. Temperatures in oklahoma about 62 degrees. We should even be close to 60 degrees in denver today. Tomorrow the mild airs still across the western half of the country. Those snow showers move into the appalachians, into the new england area, but they should be lighter than what well see today. Also nice and mild down through southern florida and a couple of lingering snow showers through the midwest. Good morning. 6 05 the team right now, were tracking very warm temperatures once again for today. Clear skies overhead as youll see. Temperatures in the 30s and fres for the most prt. We do have a light wind but well find that temperatures will be back to the 70s. Thats recordsetting territory unfortunately. We do have to spare the air for today with a lot of this unseasonably warm air. San francisco, youll be at 69 degrees for your high today. And we are heading to a snowy minnesota for todays top spot. This comes to us from our friends at kttc in rochester, minnesota, as they host their 60th annual eagles cancer teleth telethon. It is the regions longest running telethon that goes more than 20 hours and features performers from musical acts to Poetry Reading and even some toetapping senior citizens. I love it proceeds go to support cancer research. Sounds like a great event out in minnesota. Erica . All right, dylan, thanks. Just ahead, admit it, theres probably a good chance that if you made a resolution, you may have, you know, moved on from it at this point. Just ahead, jenna talks to some very wise children about how to stay strong in 2014, right after this. Y need. Every age, every stage. At petsmart, we care about your pets happiness as much as you do. Thats why we carry a wide assortment of premium foods, with formulas to meet his specific needs all with our unbeatable price guarantee. Nourish a lifetime of health and happiness at petsmart®. Suddenly youre a mouthbreather. Well, put on a breathe right strip and instantly open your nose up to 38 more than cold medicines alone. So you can breathe and sleep. Shut your mouth and sleep right. Breathe right. Life with crohns diseasesleep. Ois a daily game of what ifs. What if my abdominal pain and cramps end our night before it even starts . What if i eat the wrong thing . What if . What if i suddenly have to go . What if . But what if the most important question is the one youre not asking . What if the underlying cause of your symptoms is damaging inflammation . For help getting the answers you need, talk to your doctor and visit crohnsandcolitisadvocates. Com to connect with a patient advocate from abbvie for onetoone support and education. If youre just waking up and you want to get fit today, you may already have a workout plan for this morning. Congratulations, because youre probably sticking to your new years resolution. But were not even three weeks into january and already millions of people have abandoned theirs. Why is that, jenna . It is a very tough question. Some people go too big, and thats their problem on their vows to get fit and eat better, and they set lofty goals that they have a hard time sticking to. Or maybe its that were all trying a little bit too hard. I decided to ask the experts, the real experts, even if they are only 8 years old. Its become a right of new years passage, make your resolutions, flip the calendar, break your resolutions. My new years resolution for 2014 is to lose 10 pounds. I dont make new years resolutions because i dont stick to them. People choose to make new years resolutions because the start of the year feels like a beginning. So, why make them only to break them . Why do most of us fall short less than three weeks into the new year . It got me thinking, maybe we make our resolutions too late in life. So, to get a different perspective, i went to a younger age. Mrs. Andersons second grade class at Roscoe Wilson Elementary School in lubbock, texas. Are you guys making new years resolutions at this age . Yes. Yes. You are . Yes. For real . Yes whats your new years resolution, jack . Mine is to eat less. To eat less, okay. Might as well be, say, an adult. [ inaudible ] oh, wow, thats not too bold. That is fantastic. This years listmakers include all your basics, like saving money and getting organized. What do you think an adult means when they say, for my resolution, i want to get more organized . Like one side of dolls and one side of cars or something. Exactly. Now, what if i said that your parents are talking about becoming more fiscally organized . What do you think i mean there . Its hard to save money, right . What advice would you give to an adult whos having a hard time saving money . I would tell them to just ignore what they want for a while. Only 8 of americans will be successful in achieving their resolutions in 2014, which brings us to january 17th. Ditch new years resolution day. People have difficulty sustaining resolutions because it takes tremendous willpower, and willpower ebbs over time. The number one new years resolution is to lose weight. How many of you guys have heard your parents talk about wanting to lose weight . A thousand times. A thousand times youve heard it . What do you think is so hard about losing weight . They forget . And eat junk food. That is just digging into the mindset of an adult. Now, do you have any advice . I think the other grownup that is skinnier should hide all the junk food. And theyll lose weight. And they will lose weight. If only it was that simple. Just want to clear this skinny person hides all the junk food from the bigger person and the bigger person loses weight. Thank you so much to Roscoe Wilson Elementary School for having us. They are amazing there. As you saw, the kids really seemed to have all the answers. Maybe we can actually learn a thing or two from them. Well, you have changed, so you want to teach a couple things or two to help people stick with their diets and their resolutions. Youve got a couple tips. Yes, i have two tips. All right, two things i do every morning as part of my daily wakeup routine. Number one, this is an easy one, water intake. First thing i do, i drink 20 sips of water. I dont need to count ounces or cups. 20 swallows of water wakes up your body from the inside out. It will leave you feeling ready for an active and energyfilled day. I do this. It feels good. Number two, a quick exercise of your choice to wake the muscles up. Let them know that youll be needing them all day. Heres a way to work your gluts, your shoulders, thighs, out obliques all at one time. Its called a modified burpees. I do ten of these before i start my day. Please, make sure you warm up, your muscles are warm and you want to get yourself into it nicely. This is a modified walkout burpee. Sort of get your hamstrings going. You walk yourself out over here, i go out in, i come, get my left knee to my left elbow, right knee to my right elbow. I do this twice, and then i walk myself back. You come up, you go right back down. So, youre going to walk yourself out, youre going to go out, in, in a nice plank position. Youre going to touch your elbow once and twice, and then youre going to walk yourself back up. You feel energized, you wake up. We did these recently. We did. And what you dont realize is shes doing get the camera on her. Hey, you know what . A, b, c for effort, joelle. That was fantastic all right its not hard, but it will wake you up. You combine that with all your water and you are you go, joelle rearing to go for the day. We did that yesterday, training together. That is a good workout. And when youve done ten of them, im telling you, your body feels ready to go. Just make sure you hydrate. Lets not go that far. But yeah, it does. I feel great. We are partnering with a community to shine a light on healthy living. If you live in a community that needs help with health and fitness, go to our Facebook Page and tell us why we should pick your hometown, then well be showing up there, hopefully, and all of us getting in shape together. Up next, saturday night lives newest member prepares to make her big debut. Well tell you more about it. But first, these messages. And were going to do some burpies now. Here we go. [ male announcer ] walgreens understands being at the corner of looking for a good deal and sheesh, i shouldve looked some more. Thats why walgreens makes it easy to save even more on your Medicare Part d prescriptions. Just stop on by and leave all the legwork to us. Switch to walgreens today where you could save with copays as low as zero dollars on select Medicare Part d plans. At the corner of happy and healthy. [ sarah ] with an egg white delight mcmuffin. [ jill ] 1 cream, 1 sugar, 1 egg white delight mcmuffin. [ sam ] large mccafe coffee and an egg white delight mcmuffin. [ male announcer ] Mcdonalds Mccafe coffee made just the way you like it with an egg white delight mcmuffin. So, how do you take yours . Natural energy from tea packed with real juice from delicious fruits and veggies. Its what you need for that extra boost oh and did we mention its only 50 calories . Need a lift . Couldve had a v8. In the juice aisle. But you can do it. Stay active. Get outdoors. Eat healthy. And choose colgate total®. It does more than protect, it actually helps improve mouth health. [ male announcer ] it fights germs for 12 hours, in 24 hours starts to fortify enamel, and in 4 weeks helps improve gum health. You can do it with colgate total®. [ male announcer ] do more than protect. Improve mouth health with colgate total®. And use the whole line for even better results. Afghanistan, in 2009. On the u. S. S. Saratoga in 1982. [ male announcer ] once its earned, usaa Auto Insurance is often handed down from generation to generation. Because it offers a superior level of protection. And because usaas commitment to serve current and former military members and their families is without equal. Begin your legacy. Get an Auto Insurance quote. Usaa. We know what it means to serve. Time for a check of todays hollywood headlines this morning, from saturday night lives newest cast member to feathers falling over the rating for the duck dynasty clan. And alicia quarrels will take us through it. Welcome back. Thank you, im tired from thank you, thank you i was in l. A. Glad to be back with you guys. Excellent. Lets start with the first one, big night for saturday night live, because the first black female cast member in six years makes her debut tonight, Sasheer Zamata. Did i say her name correctly . You said it correctly. This is a big deal, but for a number of reasons. Its a huge deal. So, shes, as you said, fifth black cast member. Lorne michaels got a lot of flack for hiring six new cast members, none of them of color. In addition, he hired two africanamerican women to write on the show. Snls always been a reflection of society, and in order to do that, you have to have a diverse group. So, its a big deal. The crowds are waiting outside. I dont know if theyre waiting for her or for drake, but maybe both. Yeah, maybe both. Shes kind of showing up drake. Drake is hosting and performing this week, but shes getting all the attention. Thats right, and shes got the chops. Shes a member of the Upright Citizens Brigade, has her own weekly show, has been on shows like inside the mind of amy schumer, so shes talented, has been around and is getting a lot of attention. More on her story is coming up later in the broadcast, but lets transition to duck dynasty, season five they return. Whats been the fallout from the controversy in terms of ratings . Well, the fallout is ratings drop, and when i say ratings drop, its still huge numbers. They made about 11 million in the debut last season, this time 8 million. Those are still numbers networks die for, but it goes to show you that not everybody was on phils side. So, those people watching the show that enjoyed the family that didnt appreciate the comments that he said, maybe didnt back down from, arent tuning in. Hmm, interesting on that one. And american idol, meantime, had its lowest rating since season one. Its just come back on the air for its newest season. Boy, remember that was king . Oh, my gosh, for a long time. It was king. The voice um, you do love the voice. I do, and not because its on nbc, but its a great show. But you make a great point, because the voice people think is doing so well because the judges get along. Its still good tv. Yeah. I idol this time, 15 million viewers, last season 17 million in their debut, but in their heyday, 37 million viewers. So, the voice is beating idol and theyre taking a page from that with the judges getting along. Looks like theyre trying to emulate it a little bit. They are, and make it more about the contestants and less about the drama of the judges. Remember nicki minaj and mariah carey. Do we have to remember that . It was fun, good to talk about. I remember way back there was going to be this batmansuperman movie. I forgot about it, but now there is buzz overnight that its been pushed back, right . Pushed back by nine months. Now the new date is may 2016. And this is rare for a movie that hasnt been shot yet. Usually its a movie thats been shot and pushed back, you know, it doesnt bode well because its going to have to be rewritten or something. We dont know why this is being pushed back. The studio just says its to achieve the visualization that we want it to, but this movies already marred in controversy. Of course, when ben affleck was cast, people were upset, a lot of people. So, hey, i guess if its got us talking, all press is good press, right . There you go. Thats what they say. Im okay with ben affleck being batman. You know i am, too. Alicia, thanks. Watch e newsweek nights. We know youre okay with it. Absolutely. Just ahead, shes ready for her closeup. The National Zoos baby panda preparing for her first day in the public eye. But first, this is today on nbc. [ laughing ] want to play hide and seek . Yeah 1. 2. 6. 10 [ female announcer ] pina colada yoplait. It is so good when you need a little escape. [ mom ] still counting. More than a feeling when i hear that old song they used to play more than a feeling [ female announcer ] yoplait light boston cream pie. At 90 calories it is so good when you want more than a feeling. Still to come on today, california dealing with one of the worst droughts in history with effects that could be felt all across the country. Plus, a popular teacher bringing wisdom far beyond the classroom, all in the face of brain cancer. Classroom, all in the face of brain cancer. But first, these messages. Lets do this carpet. Classroom, all in the face of brain cancer. But fyeah, lets do durable. Lets do different. But mostly, lets do soft. Like this, no, its gotta feel like this. Lets touch this. Touch that, save a ton, then, lets get on it. Lets see the big game. And lets do floor seats. Lets do this. More saving. More doing. Thats the power of the home depot. Get 10 off installed carpet with your home depot Consumer Credit card. [ male announcer ] wintcannot take a sick day. [ coughs ] [ male announcer ] so when he catches a cold, hes got to power through it. Vicks dayquil. Powerful nondrowsy 6 symptom cold and flu relief. Winter olympian ted ligety cant take a sick day tomorrow. [ coughs ] [ male announcer ] so he cant let a cold keep him up tonight. Vicks nyquil. Powerful nighttime 6 symptom cold and flu relief. Well l adie s, now in controlling your Overactive Bladder symptoms. The new oxytrol for women patch. The first and only over the counter treatment for Overactive Bladder. Put the control back in your go with new oxytrol for women. Now in the feminine care aisle. All the goodness of milk, all the deliciousness of hersheys syrup. Good morning. Looking live at just a little bit of the bay lights show as the sun prepares to come up in just about half hour or so. It is very good to have you with us this morning. Im kris sanchez along with anthony slaughter who says unfortunately possibly record warm this weekend again. Yeah, and no rain unfortunately. Thats the thing we are honing in on here. Definitely need some rain and in the sevenday forecast we wont find it, however, we may get fog and drizzle by midweek and well count every little drop. Your microclimate forecast shows temperatures in the south bay in the low to mid70s for morgan hill over to san jose, belmont, san mateo over towards palo alto youll be near 70 and same for san francisco. Youll notice off toward the north bay and east bay and trivalley everybody expecting a good mix of low to mid70s so it will be warm, recordsetting territory and, again, we have to talk about the spare the air, that is in effect for today and, of course, not only records but the potential for no rain in the sevenday forecast, well talk about the longrange forecast at 7 00 and let you know if theres a passern shift if we are going to see any rain as we move into february. Well talk about it in 30 minutes, kris. As anthony said that drought declaration is official. Governor brown says start changing your ways. Using his executive powers the governor declared a drought emergency making that announcement in san francisco, calling on californians to cut water use by 20 . He warned that mandatory restrictions could be coming soon. He outlined 20 steps including asking for federal help and hiring more firefighters to help protect the extremely dry landscape. The call to conserve has put a lot of Restaurant Owners into concern mode, restaurants like tony albas use 40 gallons of water every day to cook pasta, with the governor asking for water usage to be cut down, businesses are looking at ways to reduce and say it will be a challenge. Places like a slice of new york also in san jose is trying to figure out where that restaurant can cut back. The pizza joint says it will not cut back, it cannot cut back on the water it uses to wash hands and keep a clean kitchen, so theyll have to look elsewhere. Now to our coverage of the 49ers quest for six. The party has begun in seattle and the 49ers arrived for duty last night. Players, coaches, checking into the team hotel. Theyre about 800 miles away from home but they still had a nice big group of fans willing to wait in 40degree temperatures just to say go get em, boys. Coming up this morning, not all of the bay area is full of 49ers fever. Well show you an east bay family who has an understandable reason to root against san francisco. See you in half hour. Good morning. Its saturday, january 18th, 2014. Heres a look at the top stories from today. Civilians under attack. A deadly suicide bombing overseas killed two americans when terrorists went into a popular restaurant in kabul, killing 21 people in all. The u. S. Citizens were employees at the American University of afghanistan. No relief in sight as firefighters continue to battle a wildfire thats been burning for days. Californias governor declares a drought emergency for the entire state, and the residual effects of that dry weather in the west may be felt across the country. And in the spotlight, saturday night lives newest cast member getting ready for her debut with the sketch comedy show. Shell be the first black female cast member in six years after a public outcry over the shows lack of diversity. Good morning, everyone. Im lester holt. And im erica hill alongside jenna wolfe and dylan dreyer. There is a lot coming up in this half hour. We begin with what were learning about the two americans, private citizens, who were killed in afghanistan. Annabel roberts is in london this morning with those new details for us. Annabel, good morning. Reporter erica, good morning. We know the two u. S. Citizens were on the staff of the American University of afghanistan and had been at a restaurant in an area that is for kabul considered reasonably safe. The restaurant was packed last night when a taliban suicide bomber detonated explosives at the entrance. Eyewitnesses say two gunmen then ran in, firing indiscriminately. The Security Forces, the special units out here, they have surrounded the area completely. Reporter at least 21 people were killed, 13 of them foreigners, 2 u. S. Citizens from the American University of afghanistan, also the imfs top representative in the country and four u. N. Staff. Its the deadliest attack against foreign civilians in afghanistan since the war began nearly 13 years ago. Were very shocked and were very sad and its a very heavy day here for us, for the u. N. And afghanistan. Reporter the restaurant is situated in a district that is home to several embassies and popular with diplomats and aide workers. One of the chefs survived by hiding on the roof. We escape, all the guys escape up. And after that, i go to the roof. I stay back of the chimney, like two, three hours. Reporter in a statement, the American University of afghanistan said such senseless violence flies in the face of the sentiments of our students and the Afghan People who share our grief. Now, president karzai has called this a brutal attack which he strongly condemns. Remember, most Foreign Forces are due to withdraw later this year, so this attack in a socalled safe zone of kabul really does throw the spotlight again on the afghan Security Forces ability to take on the taliban. Erica. All right, Annabel Roberts in london this morning. Thank you. Back here at home, california residents are dealing with one of the driest winters theyve ever seen, and now the governor of the state is stepping in, asking people to conserve water for the time being. And joe fryer is following this for us this morning. Joe, good morning. Good morning, lester. This morning, california is officially in a drought emergency. This comes as firefighters continue battling a rare january wildfire outside of los angeles. The santa ana winds that were fueling the flames have died down, but the larger issue, extreme dry weather, is still a huge problem. In fact, the governor is urging everyone in the state to cut back on their water use by about 20 . Its not a mandatory demand, but if things get worse, it could become one. Water restrictions are already under way in some cities. The droughts impact is being felt by farmers and by ranchers. The lack of rain means less grass for cattle to graze on, so some ranchers are actually selling parts of their herd to stay afloat. Even some California Vineyards are seeing a slight impact. Fewer grapes could mean less wine, something consumers would see a few years down the road. Bottom line, experts say, even though this drought is taking place in the western part of the country, if the fruits and vegetables that are grown here end up costing more, everyone across the country could feel the impact. Lester. All right, joe. Thanks very much. Dylan is tracking the situation out west. Dylan, any relief in sight . No relief in sight. Thats whats unfortunate about this whole setup here. And you know, this is the driest they have seen since 119 years ago. Thats how bad this is. This is something we havent seen in quite some time. And looking at Drought Monitor for this week, you can see most of california is under this extreme drought. 62 of california is seeing extreme drought conditions, all because of this huge ridge in the western half of the country, an area of High Pressure an area of High Pressure producing these easterly winds. Its a very dry wind. A closer look shows you the santa anna winds are producing conditions very favorable for fires to spread. Were not going to see any rainy time soon because the wind coming in over the mountains just helps fuel the fires and they can spread very easily because not only is the wind dry but without much rain recently. President obama outlined new changes to the countrys Surveillance Programs. He defended the collection of phone records during his 45 minute speech but said the government should no longer store the data. He is calling on the attorney general to recommend alternative methods. He also banned spying on foreign allies. The leaders of our Close Friends and allies deserve to know that i want to know what they think about an issue, ill pick up the phone and call them. Critics on both sides of the aisle are still concerned that collecting such vast amounts of information violates personal privacy. As workers put the finishing touches on venues in sochi just three weeks ahead of the olympic games, russian president Vladimir Putin is down playing fears that gay visitors will be discriminated against. Putin said gays can feel safe and free in russia but he also said, quote, please leave our children in peace. This comment was in reference to a russian law that bans gay propaganda. It looks like rios landmark statue christ the redeemer will have to undergo reconstructive surgery. It was struck by lightning. You can see it there. The tip of the thumb on the right hand of the statue was damaged. Repairs are planned for february. A big change is coming from prince harry. He is quitting his day job for a desk job in london. Now the prince is going to work to bring the Warrior Games to his home city. And nothing says saturday morning like some dramatic video. A Daring Rescue in the atlantic ocean. Be ware of seasickness when you watch this but check it out anyway. Started out as smooth sailing for this couple in their new sailboat until they wound up stranded about 300 miles off the coast of virginia with a damaged rutter and some really rough seas. They were headed to the Virgin Islands with two other people aboard. The coast guard plucked them from the raging waters. Said the couple afterwards, we could have been in the Virgin Islands . That was all safe which was the take away and good news. Hope that new sailboat was under warranty. Right. Jenna thanks. Its a big morning for the newest member of the smithsonian zoo in washington. He captured hearts on the zoos webcam and today her adoring fans will get to see her in person for the first time. She was born in august and spent the last few months getting used to her new world. Tom costello was able to make sure she was ready for her big debut. She is a little sleepy. Early morning at the national zoo and shes getting a weigh in. Lets see how much you weigh. 7. 9. Thats more than 12 pounds. After a few measurements. That is like 8 and 9. Reporter it means precious in mandarine and gets oneonone time with two of her personal trainers. Are you going to play with us . Do you want to try sweet potato. By using this tactile stimulation its a reward for her being comfortable being close to me. Reporter she is now almost five months old. She sleeps about 20 hours a day and then explores her new world slowly and deliberately. With each struggling pull she finds her way and like any toddler she takes a tumble. But zookeepers insist she is strong. Shes a little tank. Reporter this little tank was only about five ounces at birth. A few weeks ago she was introduced to snow in a bucket for the first time. Enjoying recent private time with mom, shell meet her public this morning at the national zoo. For today, tom costello nbc news washington. Dylan has made her way outside for a check of the rest of the countrys forecast and hopefully its looking good. It is. But check this out. You have chosen lester to celebrate your 80th. Now we need him to come outside. Yes. Im looking forward to it. Lester, thats for you. No pressure. And we also have your moms birthday. Where is she . Bellevue, michigan. Happy birthday, mom. Lots of birthdays today. Thats a wonderful thing. Were looking at warm temperatures out in the western half of the country. Look at that. We are running about 5 to 15 degrees above average. Good news for the eastern rockies and the plain states but not so much for california where we could use a cool down and much needed rain. Weve got snow showers through the midwest today up and around the great lakes and into the northeast. About 3 to 6 inches in some of your highest elevations in new england and through minneapolis and to the southwest of good morning. 6 40 the time right now. We are waking up to clear sky for the most part, very light winds as you can see as the sun is about to come up across the bay area. We have to spare the air once again and unfortunately with temperatures warming back into the 70s, well, thats recordsetting territory, so it will be a warm day by far and, again, with plenty of sunshine sparing the air, light winds, we definitely have to make sure that we Pay Attention to any outdoor burning, definitely do not want to do it today. Well talk more about the temperatures and if theres rain in sight coming up at 7 00. Your latest that is your latest forecast, erica. Dylan, thanks. We want to share with you a story of a teacher in the fight of his life as he battled brain cancer. Despite his challenge he hasnt stopped teaching and he hasnt stopped learning either. Kristen dahlgren has his story. Good morning. Good morning. What would you do if you had a short time left . Its a question we dont want to face but for a popular teacher the answer came for his students and now he may be teaching all of us his most important lesson yet. He was just 34 when he was diagnosed with brain cancer. Initially i was only given two months to live. The tumor took most of his sight and a seizure left his partially paralyzed. He could no longer work in the classroom. But instead of giving up on life, he set out to see his f m former students. He announced his quest on facebook and had places to stay in 50 cities. It just melted me. This idea that these kids were going to open up their homes to me. Over 101 days, the teacher who wasnt supposed to be alive crossed the country from florida to california. The pacific. So nice to see you. Along the way he learned from those he once taught. You encouraged me to be a writer. Reporter when he was a teacher, one of his favorite lessons was the priority list. He had students rank a list of words to learn about who they were and what was important. Its now the title of his book. I came back from the trip with the knowledge that i had made a difference and it was a positive one. Reporter Jennifer Brewer was one of his students. She now takes care of him while she is finishing college. He didnt let cancer decide the outcome of his life. He decided to take it with a grain of salt and continuing to do what he loved and see the people that he loved and that meant most to him. Reporter the internet is full of tribute videos from students he touched. I want to personally say thank you. You have changed my life and showed me how much strength a human being can have. Reporter but he says in reality, they rescued him and taught him some of lifes greatest lessons. You cant control the cards you are dealt. Just the way you play them. Im still playing. And he says his tumor is stable. Its not getting smaller but its not growing either. He is back in chemotherapy. He cows to keep fieging. He says the most important thing he can tell people is live every day like its your last. You just never know. I love what he has to say in his whole anlage about you cant control the cards youre dealt but you can control how you play them. Thats what he is doing. Such a great story, kristen, thanks. Well be back after this. A can of del monte green beans . If i was a flower growing wild and free all id want is you to be my sweet honeybee and if was a tree growing tall and green all id want is you to shade me and be my leaves grown in america. Picked packed at the peak of ripeness. The same essential nutrients as fresh. Del monte. Bursting with life™. A body at rest tends to stay at rest. While a body in motion tends to stay in motion. Staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. But if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. Prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. Because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. Plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. Celebrex can be taken with or without food. And its not a narcotic. You and your doctor should balance the benefits with the risks. All prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. They all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. This chance increases if you have Heart Disease or risk factors such as high Blood Pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. Nsaids, like celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. Patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. Dont take celebrex if you have bleeding in the stomach or intestine, or had an asthma attack, hives, other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. Get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. Tell your doctor your medical history. And find an Arthritis Treatment for you. Visit celebrex. Com and ask your doctor about celebrex. For a body in motion. Ive quit for 75 days. 15 days, but not in a row. For the first time, you can use nicorette. Even if you slip up. So you can reach your goal. [ male announcer ] now, quit on your own terms with nicorette or nicoderm cq. And were back with more on the newest member of saturday night live. Thats right, snl returns tonight with live episodes after a brief hiatus, and all eyes will be on Sasheer Zamata. Joelle garguilo has more. Good morning. Hey, good morning, guys excuse the voice. I think it was from jennas workout that we were doing. Thank you. Thank you very much. Must have been. Listen, there was a huge public outcry over this, specifically the fact that snl did not have any female black cast members. So, after a coasttocoast search, Sasheer Zamata is ready to make her debut. Theres a new kid on the snl block, but the casting didnt come without controversy. I think theyre not doing the work to find funny women of color. Reporter 39 seasons, only four africanamerican female cast members ever and a sixyear gap since maya rudolph left the show, a combination catapulting the longstanding sketch comedys lack of diversity to the forefro forefront. Two of its male members addressing the issue. Keenan thompson playfully vowing not to play any female characters anymore, and jay ferrell saying they need to Pay Attention. Even snl pokes fun at snl. The producers at saturday night live would like to apologize to Kerry Washington for the number of black women she will be asked to play. Reporter the answer to the backlash . Sasheer zamata. A relative unknown likely to become a household name. Shes a standup comedian, shes an improvisor, shes a sketch comedian, which are three very different skill sets, so somebody that can do them all is pretty impressive. Lorne has a great eye for talent. Reporter she saz spent years perfecting her skills and does a mean beyonce, a wonderful lady obama and has performed with the Upright Citizens Brigade. Good thing i practiced that reporter an improv group whose influence is everywhere. Im not a regular mom, im a cool mom. Thats where she met fellow comedian kisha zahler. Its her talent and work ethic, all that combined with all the Natural Beauty she has that makes her just meant to be a star. Reporter while drake is the host and musical guest tonight, all eyes will likely be on sasheer. I dont think youre ready for this i love that dont you love that . This girl is a rising star. She graduated four years ago from uva, which is tina feys alma mater, and the Upright Citizens Brigade where she performs was founded by amy poehler, so this is true. She threw a Going Away Party for herself because she was moving from l. A. , and then snl came calling. Well, shes going to do great. Looking forward to it. Thanks for sharing her story. You can watch the allnew saturday night live tonight on nbc at 11 30 10 30 central time. Well be right back, but first, this is today on nbc. Oh wow. You look incredible right . is this the bacon and cheese diet . This is the creamy chicken corn chowder. I mean, look at it. So indulgent. This is so much more. Whats different . Oh, its my chicken and cheese enchilada diet. Well keep it up, honey. Its working. Oh, gracias did i tell you i am on the. [ both ] Chicken Pot Pie diet me too lisa, did i tell you im on the. [ male announcer ] soups so indulgent, youll never believe theyre light. 100calorie progresso light soups. Almost going to do it for us this morning, but i think we have a quick hello to say, right . This is the nice lady that dylan introduced us to. You asked me to sign this and i would be happy to do that. Where are you from . Springfield, virginia. Springfield. Well, welcome to new york. Thanks for coming by. I think you made a great choice. Not that thats not cute. We love lester thank you. Tomorrow, well go behind the scenes of hollywood game night. Improving your health isnt always easy, but you can do it. Stay active. Get outdoors. Eat healthy. And choose colgate total®. It does more than protect, it actually helps improve mouth health. [ male announcer ] it fights germs for 12 hours, in 24 hours starts to fortify enamel, and in 4 weeks helps improve gum health. You can do it with colgate total®. [ male announcer ] do more than protect. Improve mouth health with colgate total®. And use the whole line for even better results. [ ding ] losing your chex mix too easily . Time to deploy the boringpotato chip decoy bag. Then no one will want to steal the deliciousness. [ male announcer ] with a variety of tastes and textures, only chex mix is a bag of interesting. [ male announcer ] at some point, everyones been at the corner of new years resolution and maybe i need a new new years resolution. At walgreens, we know that starting healthy routines can be tough. Thats why walgreens makes it easier with realistic and real simple solutions. Everything from great deals on vitamins, supplements and fitness monitors to helpful online tools. At the corner of happy and healthy. [ sarah ] with an egg white delight mcmuffin. [ jill ] 1 cream, 1 sugar, 1 egg white delight mcmuffin. [ sam ] large mccafe coffee and an egg white delight mcmuffin. [ male announcer ] Mcdonalds Mccafe coffee made just the way you like it with an egg white delight mcmuffin. So, how do you take yours . Good morning, im kris sanchez, coming up next on today in the bay a wildfire burns in Northern California as the governor declares a drought emergency. The call to conserve water and the impact on you and the local economy. Also the south bay arson suspect goes before a judge. The surprising move police say he made after confessing to setting several of the fires. And the quest for six heats up as the 49ers touch down in seattle and rowdy niners fans stay up late to meet them. [ wind howling ] [ female announcer ] it balances you. [ water crashing ]. It fills you with energy. And it gives you what you are looking for to live a more natural life. In a convenient two bar pack. This is nature valley. Delicious granola bars made with the best ingredients in nature. Nature valley. Nature at its most delicious. What a beautiful way to wake up. Were watching the sun rise over oakland this morning and the bay lights just turned off on the bay bridge. Very clear skies this morning. Thanks for joining us, im kris sanchez along with meteorologist anthony slaughter. And the good news is, beautiful weather. The bad news is, not supposed to be happening today