emotional embrace with his wife, amy, who is waging her own battle against breast cancer. the most talked about golf tournaments of all time today the most talked about golf tournaments of all time today monday, april 12th, 2010. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to "today" on a monday. phil mickleson story is amazing. the other story, a week of mourning in poland for president kaczynski. it could be several days before all the victims are identified. >> an initial look at the flight's black box indicates there were no technical problems with that airplane. now they're concentrating on why the pilot was trying to land, despite reports of bad weather in that area. also ahead for the first time, we'll be hearing from the family of wayne treacy, the florida teen accused of beat in ratley. treacy's mother will be joining us for an exclusive interview. tv producer for shows like "survivor" has now been labeled a person of interest in his wife's brutal murder. her body was found last week in a sewer near the cancun resort where the couple was vacationing. also, we'll talk to kitty kelly. she has written about some of the major people and controversial, unauthorized new tell-all on oprah winfrey's life and career. a lot to get to on a monday morning. let's start over at the news desk. natalie morales is filling in while ann is over here. president obama meets with top officials from more than 40 nations on a summit on nuclear weapons. savannah guthrie joins us. what is the goal here? >> reporter: good morning, natalie. this is the largest gathering of world leaders in the u.s. since the u.n. was formed. the goal is to stop the threat of nuclear terrorism. since the end of the cold war, the threat of nuclear war has diminished, but the threat that terrorists could get nuclear weap weapons has increased. it's well known, for example, that al qaeda has sought a nuclear weapon. the president is also having a series of meetings with these leaders on the sidelines of the summit, including a meeting with china's president, the key issue getting tough new sanctions against iran. natalie? >> thank you, savannah. today, federal investigators begin looking into last week's explosion that killed 29 miners in west virginia. sunday's effort to recover all the bodies had to be halted because of high gas readings yet again in the mine. dramatic rescue sunday in northern california after a car flipped into a creek. a woman who was swept away was later pulled out, but another person died and a third is believed to be missing. as you heard it, phil mickleson this morning, celebrating his third title of the masters, a tournament that also saw tiger woods returning to golf after five months. peter alexander is in augusta, georgia. what a tournament. >> reporter: natalie, good morning to you. they're going to be talking about the tournament for a long time. tiger woods said he was coming viously, that didn't happen.ta the champion may be the game's true family man. it was the green jacket tiger woods hoped he would be wearing. instead, crowd favorite phil mickleson was the one celebrating his third masters championship. woods was erratic on the course during sunday's final round. there were glimpses of brilliant but the world's top golfer mostly seemed defeated. >> it was god awful. nothing was going my way early. i came here to win the event and i finished fourth. >> reporter: since his return to the game last week after a selacious sex scandal, woods went from being a source of curiosity to a contender. people realize my god, he didn't lose his golf swing. he lost his way. golf is so much more boring without him. >> reporter: still, his off-course affairs are providing late-night punch lines. >> you, yourself, have not slept with tiger woods? >> i have not, but in fairness to me, that is probably because i have never met him. >> reporter: phil mickleson shared a heartwarming embrace with his wife, amy, who stood by his side during breast cancer. >> it feels terrific and it's very emotional. >> reporter: woods' comeback on the way left the course alone. >> tiger could learn a lot from phil mickleson. >> reporter: after the final round, tiger was asked when we could see him compete next. natalie, he said he is going to take some time off off from the game to re-evaluate. >> let's go back to matt, ann and al. such a great scene seeing him sharing that embrace with his wife. means a lot to share some joy together, his wife and mother battling breast cancer. >> personal stories aside, it was great, just great golf. >> that's your latest weather. matt? al, thank you very much. the black boxes have now been recovered from the tragic plane crash that killed poland's president and other top leaders. jim maceda is in warsaw with the latest on the investigation of the jim, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt. from outside the presidential palace, where the crowds of mourners this morning are slightly smaller, this being a monday. as poles return to work and try to piece together their lives after such a trauma will likely never be the same. a sea of candles burned outside the palace as poland began its week of morning for president lech kaczynski and 75 others, including some economists who were all killed in an air crash in russia. his coffin will be displayed to the grieving public tuesday. we're all very sad, says this polish woman, a great patriot has passed away. ironically, the group was on its way to commemorate the anniversary of another trangedy when 22,000 polish officers were shot and killed by soviet secret service in world war ii. this amateur video shows kaczynski boarding that flight and inside the plane before it crashed only hundreds of yards from the runway in dense, thick fog. they've been combing through 154's black boxes and no signs indicate technical error. this particular plane was recently repaired and refitted with new parts. some political reporters say the polish president was known to order pilots to push on, leading at times to arguments when pi t pilots refused to land. >> there was a certain amount of pressure to get there on time. there were people there waiting for the ceremonies to begin. >> reporter: grief over the much admired staunch communist kaczynski has been felt worldwide. flags waved in silver spring, maryland, and at st. patrick's cathedral in new york. millions have paid their respects, including secretary of state hillary clinton at the polish embassy in washington. >> the united states and poland have much work to do together to build that future that the people on that plane gave their lives for. >> reporter: at the crash scene in smolensk, russians were mourning as well. that goes for the poles themselves. one polish man told me nothing makes us stronger or more united than a shared tragedy. the question, of course, is whether that feeling is going to last. matt? >> jim maceda in poland for us this morning. it's now ten minutes after the hour. once again, here's ann. >> matt, thanks. back in washington, president obama is pondering who he should pick to fill the seat of justice john paul stevens and he could be in a fight to get his eventual nominee confirmed. pete, good morning. >> reporter: justice stevens hoped to give the president and the senate a head start, by announcing his plans to retire two months before the court term ends. democrats say they hope that will be enough time. aides say the white house has a list of around half a dozen names for president obama to consider as the successor to john paul steve ns, when he leaves the court this summer. so far, republicans in the senate, which must confirm a nominee, are holding off from predicting an all-out battle. even so, the top-ranking republican on the judicial committee refuses to rule out the ultimate weapon, a filibuster. >> somebody like that, clearly outside the mainstream, then i think every power should be utilized to protect the constitution and not confirm somebody like that. >> reporter: but the judiciary committee's chairman says a filibuster is not what the public expects. >> actually, that's a lazy person's way out. the american people pay us and elect us to vote yes or no, not to vote maybe. >> leadership in a democracy can only -- >> reporter: only one supreme court nominee in american history has ever been subjected to a filibuster. president lyndon johnson's choice, defeated in 1968. but the election of republican scott brown from massachusetts in january has deprived the democrats of a filibuster-proof senate. elena kagan, justice department's top courtroom lawyer, two federal appeals court judge, diane wood of chicago and merrick garland of washington, d.c. and janet napolitano. one of the most conservative members says at first glance they seem acceptable. >> it will depend upon the analysis of what they've written, what they've said, judicial decisions they've made and what they say in hearings as to whether my colleagues and i would reach that conclusion. they are all nominally qualified. >> reporter: the choice of his replacement by a democratic president probably will not change the court's ideological makeup. white house aides suggest the president will make his decision by early may. his first choice for the court, sonia sotomayor was confirmed in 72 days. ann? >> i'll take it, pete. thank you very much. pete williams at the supreme court this morning. patrick leahy is the chairman of the judicial committee and senator oren hatch of utah is a member of that same committee. good morning to both of you. what considers to be the hangover in washington over health care reform, is that timetable realistic? can this really get done by summer? >> oh, of course. it would be the same time schedule that the republicans had for john roberts as chief justice, democrats had for sonia sotomayor. it works very well. the irony is, matt, when a republican president nominated john paul stevens, heavily democratic senate, we confirmed him in about 2 1/2 weeks. so, actually, we're spending a lot more time now -- i'm the only member of the judiciary committee who voted for justice stevens. >> right. >> who is there. it can be done. it's the same schedule as the roberts and sotomayor hearings. >> we have what's left over from the health care reform and a mid-term election. how are those races at home going to affect the way members of congress will vote on this supreme court confirmation? >> well, i don't know. if the president picks somebody who is clearly qualified, i think there's no question we can get that person through in a relatively short period of time. for instance, so far in the obama administration, we have been confirming president obama's nominees to the various courts 40% faster than president bush's nominees were confirmed. so, i don't see any problem if the person is highly qualified. on the other hand, if he picks somebody strictly on -- if he picks an it activist judge, i don't care whether the activist judge is liberal or conservative, we ought to do everything in our power to defeat that person because they should not sit on the court if they are acting in their own self interests and according to what their own predilictions rather than having the law control them. the law should control the ju e judges rather than the other way around. >> elena kagan, diane wood, merrick garland, janet napoli n napolitano. anyone that jumps out that you would like to see nominated to the supreme court? >> i've discussed possible names with the president and i'll keep those suggestions for him. obviously, all those four people are well qualified. it's going to ultimately be his choice. i would disagree with one thing with senator hatch. in 17 months during president bush's first term with democrats in control, we confirmed 100 of president bush's nominees. in 17 months with the republicans doing filibusters, of course, we confirmed far less of president obama's, but i'm going to assume that everybody is going to be responsible. we can move forward with this nominee and we should. we have a very activist -- very conservative activist supreme court that ruled that women can be paid less than men, given a $2 billion windfall to exxon and now said corporations can be involved in elections. the supreme court really does count. we should get down as soon as possible and get to work on confirming somebody. >> senator hatch, you just heard the names. i'm not going to mention them again. anybody jump out on that list? does anyone send up a red flag, in your opinion? >> let me just say this. i'm not going to prejudge anybody now. supreme court confirmation proceedings have to be thorough. it's going to take some time to look at each one of these people, if they're nominated. i even heard the name hillary clinton today. and that would be an interesting person in the mix. but, look, i have to say that i think this business of filibuster is a way of recharge -- senator leahy and even the president, senator leahy filibustered -- voted for filibuster 25 times on various nomin nominees. >> not so. that's okay. >> he knows that i do not believe that we should be filibustering judges. we ought to have a vote up or down. let's hope -- >> let's at least agree on that. >> well, the president himself -- the president himself voted against closure on a number of occasions. they're hardly in a position to say republicans can't filibuster. >> obviously the facts are the facts. when republicans were in charge, they pocket filibustered 61 of president clinton's nominees, but that's in the past. >> instead of going back and forth on that -- >> let us get the supreme court nominee. that's what the american people want. >> let me say this. senator hatch, by the way, you mentioned secretary clinton. in your opinion, would she be qualified? >> i'm not going to judge anybody right now. i happen to like hillary clinton. i think she has done a good job for the democrat secretary of state's position, and i have a high respect for her and think a great deal of her. i'm not going to prejudge that. we'll have to look at it. we'll look at it very carefully and be very fair about it. >> i think she has done a good job for the country, not just for democrats. >> i think so, too. >> i think for the whole country. >> i think so, too. >> an interesting couple of months come iing up. senator leahy, senator hatch, once again, thanks. it's now 18 after the hour. once again, here's ann. >> matt, thanks. now to the international outrage over heartbreaking and controversial case. last thursday, a woman from tennessee put her 7-year-old adopted son on a flight back to russia alone, with a note saying the boy was violent and suffered psychological problems. nbc's ron allen is in shelbiville, tennessee, with the latest on this story. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, ann. torry hansen has disappeared, her house shut down for several days. even before this happened, the neighbors say they rarely saw the family or rarely saw the boy, 7-year-old justin. no one can understand how any mother could put a boy on a plane with a note saying she doesn't want him anymore. 7-year-old justin is being cared for in a russian hospital. the outrage still simmering in a proud nation that calls what the mother did cruelty. she paid a tour guide $200 to meet the boy at the airport after sending him back. at the orphanage where torry hansen met justin, the staff remembers a happy mother and son, beginning a new life together seven months ago. now the boy tells caretakers that while hansen did not beat him, she often pulled him by the hair. the family claims he was violent, unstable and even threatened to burn the house down with the family in it. still, families like the kilcoynes with two children adopted from russia simply cannot understand how a mother could resort to abandoning a child on an airplane. >> it's shocking. your agency is there so that once you get home you should be able to go to them and say we're having problems. >> reporter: they worry that thousands of american families, adopting russian orphans now will not be allowed to bring those children home. >> my heart is just breaking for those families, because they're so excited and they're just ready to, you know, get those children in their arms. >> this is so true. >> reporter: it all brings back painful memories for james and barbara diggs, who adopted an 8-year-old russian girl with severe emotional problems and who never bonded with them. >> she has a problem with compulsive lying, of severe disobedience. >> reporter: eventually, they made the decision to relinquish their daughter to a family better able to cope. several russian families want to adopt justin. experts say it's unclear how what's happened will affect him. >> we just don't know yet. the kid is probably a bit traumatized and shocked. i mean, a pretty weird thing just happened to him. >> reporter: as for hansen, many in the adoption community say they see an obvious case of child abuse. authorities here have not been pushing hansen to come forward. they say no one has accused her of a specific crime. today we understand her lawyer is going to meet with local investigators. it's unclear whether the mother herself will also show up. ann? >> ron allen this morning. thanks, ron. just ahead, authorities name a producer on the hit reality show "survivor" as a person of coming up, an exclusive live interview with the mother of the florida teen accused in the alleged text rage beating of a 15-year-old girl. plus a controversial new oprah winfrey biography. we'll talk to the author. have you tried honey bunches of oats yet? every spoonful is a little different. mmm. they got three kinds of flakes. this is delicious. it's the perfect combination of sweet and crispy. i love it. this is so good. this is great. the magic's in the mix. - gps: turn left ahead. - ...i mean left. woman: but gps changed our lives. turbotax does the same thing for our taxes. it answers tough questions in simple language, getting us to our maximum refund. guaranteed. announcer: try turbotax now. 7:30 now on a monday morning. it's the 12th of april, 2010. supposed to be another beautiful day here in the northeast. cooler than we had last week, but still nice and sunny, and that's great news for these people out on our plaza. people we'll get out to say hi to in a couple of minutes. morning, lenny. meanwhile, i'm matt lauer along with ann curry as meredith takes the day off. just ahead this half hour, inside the world of oprah winfrey. celebrity chronicler kitty kelly explores the woman in an unauthorized biography. she is here to tell us what she found out about oprah in a couple of minutes. for the first time we'll be hearing from the family of that 15-year-old florida boy, who is accused of murder in the brutal attack of josie ratley. the mother and stepfather will be joining us in an exclusive interview this morning. coming up tomorrow on "today," kate go sselin. we'll talk to her about everything going on in her life from jon's latest lawsuit to dancing with the stars and her new book. that's kate gosselin tomorrow on "today." a person of interest in his wife's murder in mexico, miguel almaguer is in cancun this morning. >> reporter: ann, good morning. bruce beck told police he last saw his wife before she went shopping but investigators tell us he's their focus because of his, quote, inconsistent story. her body was discovered in the sewer not far from the hotel room she shared with her husband and children. according to investigators, she was likely strangled. her husband, bruce, who reportedly has scratch marks on his neck, was questioned by police in cancun, released and told not to leave the country >> translator: without a doubt, we have him as a person of interest because of his contradictions in his statement. >> reporter: friends say they had a strained marriage. bruce was a producer for cbs' smash show "survivor" and helped create mtv's hit "pump my ride." monica ran a successful brazilian restaurant in los angeles for more than a decade. families say they came to cancun to reconcile their marriage. the day before she was reported missing, hotel guests heard a loud confrontation in the couple's room. >> some time during the evening, i was awakened by a violent argument with a man and a woman shouting at each other, screaming. >> reporter: when detectives found monica's body on her 42nd birthday, investigators spent days combing the crime scene and their upscale hotel room zplt reason we came here, it was probably the most secure place we could find. it can happen anywhere, i guess. >> reporter: while bruce has avoided media attention in mexico, court documents in los angeles show his parents moved quickly to take temporary custody of his children, 3 and 5. the kids, likely unaware their father is being questioned in their mother's murder. he has a lawyer here in mexico, who is in contact with the u.s. consulate's office, but investigators say they have more questions for the producer at his own real-life drama. >> clint van zandt is an nbc analyst. good morning. >> hi, ann. >> they're keeping this man in mechani mexico under suspicion. how long can they keep him? >> they're working the with the u.s. consulate, u.s. government right now. basically they have a lot of things to resolve, ann. they need to do the autopsy, crime scene, dna analysis. there's quite a bit. i would suggest easily, they may want to keep him at least four weeks or more until they get these results back. >> already, he has moved from cancun, reportedly, to go to a place in mexico to engage a high-profile mexican attorney. what does this tell us about the situation, that he would go to a mexican attorney, clint? >> the charges are going to be in mexico. we have agreements with mexico where if a mexican citizen is sentenced, perhaps they could serve their sentence in mexico and vice versa. but right now, there's a lot to do in this investigation, ann. a lot of it centers around a timeline, because it appears from witnesses' statements that what the husband, what bruce says was going on, the contact he had with his wife in these two or three critical days doesn't seem to jive with what the authorities are getting from witnesses. it's those contradictions they're concerned with. >> how quick will the autopsy be, which i understand is about to be conducted? >> one important part of that, the victim, we know, she was strangled, has scratches on her and her nude body was found in this sewer. the reason to perhaps remove the clothes would be to make sure any linking physical evidence between the assailant and the victim was lost, carried away. of course, you would want the clothes of any potential suspect. in this case, she has a large wound on her head and part of the question is, did she sustain that in this argument, perhaps, that this witness heard in a room that was shared with her husband or is that an after-effect from having been dropped in that terrible sewer? >> you're a profiler, so you've seen tons of cases. in looking at what we know so far in this case, what is your bet on whether or not charges will be filed against bruce redmonday? >> you know the husband and boyfriend are always the first person police look at. they try to rule that person out and move on. it looks like with all the challenges in mechanixico, drug cartels fighting in wars and murders along the u.s./mexican border, the mexican government really works to keep cancun a safe place. chances that an unknown assailant got into the apartment, committed this terrible crime and why wouldn't an unknown assailant just leave the body where it was, as opposed to dump it some place? there seems to be a lot of behavioral evidence that points to the husband. what it's going to take, of course, is linking physical evidence. right now authorities seem to be focusing in on bruce, the husband, to the lack of anyone else. >> we'll see how this goes. clin van zandt, thank you for joining us this morning. >> always a pleasure, ann. >> let's get a quick you can go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. >> al, thanks. extreme coopening. you won't believe how much the coupon mom has saved at the drugstore. a tell-all on oprah winfrey. we'll talk to the book's author, kitty kelly, right after this. with two scoops! of raisins harvested at the peak of sweetness, and golden flakes of bran with 28% of their daily fiber, nothing gets your family's day off to a brighter start... than the goodness of kellogg's raisin bran cereal. feed their sunny side. hey, aren't you... supposed to be following that fidelity green line? well, yeah, but it keeps leading me back to my old office. i think it might be broken. or maybe it's trying to tell you something. yeah, but what could it be trying... oh, i left my 401(k) at my old job. and i left a jacket on the back of my door. but i think the line is talking about my 401(k). leave a 401(k) behind? roll it over with the company that's helping more people reach retirement than anyone else. when it comes to investing, never settle. fidelity investments. ♪ could open a world of wonder ? ♪ ♪ so sensory ♪ so satisfying ♪ the discovery ♪ never seems to stop ♪ ♪ it's the magic friskies ♪ ♪ makes happen ♪ every day ♪ in so many ways ♪ friskies ♪ feed the senses ♪ ♪ ♪ we get double miles on every purchase. so we earned a ski trip twice as fast. we get double miles every time we use our card. ( thuds ) i'll take this. ( crashing ) double miles add up quick. and all of those. so we brought the whole gang. one adult, one goat please. it's hard to beat double miles. everyone knows two is better than one. introducing the venture card from capital one... with double miles on every purchase every day. go to capitalone.com. what's in your wallet? oh, poor baby. it is now 7:41. we're back with kitty kelly's controversial unauthorized biography of oprah winfrey. it's called simply "oprah: a biography." kit kitty, good morning. welcome back. >> hi, matt. >> i'll ask the most obvious question first. why oprah? one of the biggest, most popular celebrities in this country, perhaps around the world. is that the reason to write the book? >> asked and answered. >> that's it? >> i can't think of a better life story, really. she gave me a gift. she has a fabulous life story. when you finish reading it, no matter what's inside, you come away being inspired. >> how much of it is a math game also, kitty? she's got millions and millions of loyal fans and you have to -- do you look at each one of those people as a potential book buyer? >> oh, i hope. i really think the fans will love it. this book is like high definition television. they know the story, the outlines of the story, but this gives them greater detail, more understanding. >> it's funny your spin on that. those of us in television, we don't love high definition television all that much. i've been kind of amused by the fact that i'm hearing that no publishing company wanted to take on this project because they were afraid of a backlash from oprah, who is so powerful in the industry. no media people or a lot of media people shied away from even interviewing you. >> you're very brave. >> well, no, because they didn't want to run the risk of running afoul of oprah. is it try troou? >> it is true. it is absolutely true. >> give us some name. >> barbara walters won't have me on her show because she doesn't want to offend oprah. >> did she say that to you personally? >> to the publisher. larry king, i don't want to see kitty kelly. a friend of oprah. >> not to you personally? >> no. >> you've never talked to him about it? >> no, i haven't. i don't book myself. the publisher. rachel ray, which is kind of understanding, she's a oprah accolade, even david letterman, who has had a 16-year feud with her, says i don't want to disrupt the relationship i now have with her. >> which tells you -- if that is true, it tells you how powerfully she is perceived. >> there's no question. i don't think for a minute that oprah got on the phone and said, barbara, don't have kitty on. she doesn't have to. she is that powerful and it is true, matt, about publishers. >> you had to struggle to find somebody who wanted to take this on? >> even within random house, i think they were a little bit nervous, because they rely on oprah. she makes books big. >> she sells a lot of books. when i think of oprah winfrey, the years i watched her on tv, i think of someone who shares an awful lot of herself with her viewers. everything from business to romance to relationships to food and weight. yet you described her recently as someone who is choked with secrets. why? >> because there are so many secrets in her life, secrets about her relationship, secrets within her family. even when she was writing her own auto biography and she was going to finally come forward, she described herself in her auto biography as a prostitute, which is a rather harsh description, i think. >> a prostitute at what period of time? >> teenage. >> not a prostitute in life now. >> no. >> right. >> no, no, no, no, no. she had talked about her teenage promiscuity, which is a natural outburst of a terrible, terrible sexual molestation that she endured. >> there are a lot of stories in here. i'm not going to get into the minutia of them. if people want to read them, they'll read them in the book. there's the triumphs, tragedies, relationships and romance. what i'm curious about -- you did something like 850 interviews. did you learn, in your opinion, one thing that jumps out that explains to you how she got to be the person she is today? and i mean the successful person she is today. >> i don't think there's just one thing. i interviewed her father, vernon winfrey, and he feels that it was a matter of timing, that she came on the upswing of the civil rights movement. i said, but mr. winfrey, she brought great talent to the table. he said, yes, she did. she has more focus and drive than anybody i have ever written about. this woman is driven. >> how difficult is sourcing a book like this? i mentioned 850 interviews. i think some of the more titillating things in the book come from people who have had rather strained relationships in one way or another with oprah over the years. so, as a writer, as a journalist, how careful do you have to be when you're dealing with those people and you're calling these stories about someone like oprah winfrey? >> you have to be very, very careful. of the 850 people i interviewed, most of the sources are on the record. the best source of the book was oprah herself. >> you said that. you went back and looked at all the interviews she has done. >> i tried to talk to her. i called many times. i wrote letters. finally, i assembled every single interview she's ever given in the english language for the last 25 years. it took me a year to do it, but once they were cataloged, according to subject, date and name, then i had oprah in her own words. but the sourcing, i have to tell you, the anonymous sources were either present or former employees, because they signed binding confidentiality agreements and i just couldn't name them. and the other sourcing that had to be anonymous was within publishing. >> let me ask you more of a conceptual question. in your opinion, kitty, when someone in this society, in this country accepts the mantle of celebrity to whatever degree, great celebrity, minor celebrity, do they give up the right to hold some things as personal? >> no, i don't think so. in oprah's case, though, she has put it out there. i mean, i don't think anybody -- for instance -- >> not all of this. she hasn't put all of this out there. there are things you write in this book that she has not put out there. >> that's right. >> so i'm curious, i don't begrudge you the right to write about this, but i'm wondering how you figure out that that goes against oprah's right to retain some sense of privacy and a personal life. >> well, i'll tell you, the hardest thing was getting drawn into the secrets myself, when i interviewed her aunt katherine in mississippi, i spent three days with her. over that time, she told me who oprah's real father was and swore me to secrecy. here i am, writing a book about a secret keeper and i get pulled in and i keep the secret myself. >> but you feel comfortable -- >> and i have to. >> -- that you've stayed on the correct side of the line by allowing oprah winfrey her right to some sense of privacy? >> i do, matt. i absolutely do. although i am -- biography is an intimate portrait of someone's life. and that is what i've given you here. >> the book is called oprah, a biography, in simple terms. kitty kelli, it's good to see you. >> you see, there are people who will interview you. >> you're so brave. >> nice to have you back. still ahead, the mother of a 15-year-old accused in the alleged text rage beating of a florida teen. it's a terrible story. she'll speak out for the first time and her husband will talk to us as well in an exclusive interview. first, these messages. [ sneezing ] ♪ [ male announcer ] what are you gonna miss when you have an allergy attack? benadryl® is more effective than claritin® at relieving your worst symptoms and works when you need it most. benadryl®. you can't pause life. nutri-grain -- one good decision... can lead to another. ♪ made with real fruit and now with more... of the whole grains your body needs. nutri-grain can help you eat better all day. [ female announcer ] have you ever seen a glacier while sunbathing? why not? have you ever climbed a rock wall in the middle of the ocean? or tried something really wild? why not? it's all possible in the nation of why not. royal caribbean's floating nation where you're free to do anything you want. which may be nothing at all. royal caribbean international. visit royalcaribbean.com today. you should be. there were over 1700 tax law changes last year. but, h&r block knows them all. with over 10 million hours of training we'll get it right... we guarantee it. make an appointment -- now. h&r block. tina fey returned to "saturday night live" this weekend. so did her classic impression of sarah palin. take a look. do you hate gotcha journalism? wait for hey journalist, i gotcha where i make them look like they were the ones who were woefully unprepared. so, katie, what newspapers do you read? it's an easy question, katie. well, better luck next time. gotch gotcha. >> and she went on this entire network she was doing, the palin network. it was hysterical. >> the amount of material that has been mined from that interview, that one interview is enormous. >> by the way, i saw "date night" this weekend. >> did you like it? >> hilarious. i recommend it. is it okay to friend your own kids on facebook? >> pros and cons. we'll talk about those after your local news and weather. some bright-coloured rings ♪ ♪ these are a few of my favourite things ♪ ♪ when the curls break, when the ends split ♪ ♪ when my hair goes mad ♪ i simply remember my favourite thing ♪ ♪ and then i don't feel so bad ♪ because we all damage our hair, we've invented new... dove damage therapy with fiber actives in every product. dove takes care of the damage. [ buzz! ] 1... 2... 3...lift! ha-ha ha ha ha! [ slam! ] [ ding! ] [ chirp! ] [ stomp! stomp! stomp! stomp! ] [ beep! crank! ] [ pop! pop! pop! ] [ ding! ] [ girl ] ha-ha ha ha ha! [ clank! fizz! clink! ] it's... time! [ click! click! click! click! ] [ indistinct conversations ] shh! [ girl ] it's on! [ female announcer ] walmart presents "secrets of the mountain." friday, april 16th, 8/7 central on nbc. family movie night is back. with thousands of rollbacks, it's rollback time. save money. live better. walmart. that was the pizza guy! and baby, he was messy. come on. you said you bought a digiorno. but the pizza came with cheesy breadsticks. breadsticks? i guess there was a pizza guy. yes there was... me. ( laughs ) new digiorno pizza & breadsticks. unbelievable fresh-baked taste, now with a full order of soft, cheesy breadsticks. taste. believe. it's not delivery. it's digiorno pizza & breadsticks. she found the box. maybe 'cause you left it right on the counter. christopher columbus sailed the ocean blue... in 14 hundred and 92. nice! follow me, the missouri river is this way! lewis and clark expedition of 1804. oh, he'll never get this. magellan, 1520. awww, my 8 layers must've given it away. help keep your kid full and focused with 8 filling layers... of whole grain fiber found in kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal. this is one giant leap for mini-kind. keeps 'em full. keeps 'em focused. hoo hooo! 8:00 now on a monday morning. it's the 12th day of april, 2010. we've got a really nice crowd out here on the plaza on another beautiful spring morning in new york city, about 52 degrees right now, going up into the 60s. maybe a little bit higher. these are the nice people enj enjoying it with us. >> yes. >> we appreciate that. these people here, those ladies in those blue vests and sparkling hats, i saw them get out here at 4:45 this morning. >> wow! >> bless their hearts. we're so lucky. >> we are. i'm matt lauer, along with ann curry. ann is filling in while meredith takes a day off. mr. roker joins us as well. coming up this half hour a very serious story, an exclusive interview with the mother and stepfather of wayne treacy, the florida teenager accused of beating 15-year-old josie ratley into a coma after the two had exchanged text messages. it's the first time they're speaking out. we'll talk to them in just a little while. >> on a much lighter note, we'll be talking about an increasing trend where women are earning more than men. so, we'll be talking -- whoa! and we'll talk about the challenges and the opportunities that might present in your relationships. later on, take some of that money and save some with extreme couponing. we'll show you how she saved 80 bucks. >> i like the way you say coopen. >> coupon. >> that's it. >> as opposed to grey poupon. investigators say flight recorders indicate there was nothing wrong with the plane that killed the polish president, his wife and 90 others. they're now questioning why the pilot did not listen to warnings of not to land the plane in bad weather in russia. paying respect to president lech kaczynski, public viewing will begin tomorrow. officials struggle to identify the remains of others, including top officials from poland. the delegation was flying to russia to commemorate the massacre of polish soldiers in world war ii. the two-day summit seeks a common strategy for keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists. the president will push for new economic sanctions against iran over its nuclear program. china has opposed those sanctions. federal investigators arrive today at a west virginia coal mine, the site of the worst u.s. coal mining disaster in 40 years. they'll search for the cause of an explosion one week ago that killed 29 men. the last four victims were found saturday. high gas readings have prevented the removal of some of the bodies and could force investigators to wait before entering the mine. a landslide fell on to a train this morning in northern italy, knock iing it off the rails. officials said at least 11 people lost their lives. more than 20 others were injured, some seriously. a transport official said the landslide was caused by an irrigation pipe that burst. foreign markets are mostly lower this morning. cnbc's melissa lee is at the new york stock exchange. what's driving the market today? >> natalie, investors are focused on grease, starting to get details of a bailout plan at a 5% rate lower than what greek debt was trading at last week. they may also approve a $15 billion euro loan. will greece actually take the money? with the first component to post results after the bell today, of course, is alcoa. natalie? >> melissa lee, thank you. at the box office over the weekend, early estimates show "date night," which ann loved, taking in $27 million. "clash of the titans" took second and "how to train your dragon" came in third. tampa bay, mystery of the monkey added to his own legend, spotted raiding a bird feeder in st. petersburg. he began showing up in backyards more than a year ago. he has more than 60,000 followers on facebook. yes, even has his own facebook page. some wildlife experts believe he descended from experts from the tarzan movies in the '60s. that one keeps getting away. we love that monkey. >> a pretty monkey. >> that's cool. would freak you out if you're looking at your bird feeder. >> totally, totally freak you out. anyway -- >> let's get a check of the weather from mr. roker. >> the aforementioned blue >>. >> good monday morning. i'm chuck bell. monday off to a beautiful, bright, and sunny start with the capitol building and the temperature sits at a nice 58 degrees. 58 in annapolis and 49 in winchester, virginia and 56 in falls church. temperatures climb into the high 60 and low 70s. a risk of showers in the second half of the day tomorrow. a brand new teenager. who's 13? >> we all are. >> all of you? big headaches for all of them. now let's head back down to matt. ann. >> just me. thanks, al. for the first time, we'll hear from the family of that florida teenager, who has been accused in the alleged text rage beating of 15-year-old josie ratley. the boy's mother and stepfather speak out in an exclusive interview after this. [ male announcer ] aquafresh iso-active whitening. a breakthrough gel that transforms into an active foam. it not only helps prevent cavities, it whitens 33% better between teeth. aquafresh iso-active whitening. amazing. where do you want to go? nowhere. who do you feel like seeing? no one. depression hurts in so many ways. sadness. loss of interest. lack of energy. anxiety. the aches and pains. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is a prescription medication that treats many symptoms of depression. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens, you have unusual changes in behavior, or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin or eyes. talk with your doctor about your medicines, including those for migraine, or if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles, to address a possible life-threatening condition. tell your doctor about alcohol use, liver disease, and before you reduce or stop taking cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. side effects include nausea, dry mouth, and constipation. ask your doctor about cymbalta. depression hurts. cymbalta can help. [ children shouting ] come on, kiddo, let's go. [ laughs ] hold on a second... come on up here where your brothers sit. [ birds chirping ] wow! did i ever tell you what it was like growing up with four sisters? that sounds fun. yeah...fun for them! [ male announcer ] chevy traverse. a consumers digest best buy. with a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. it seats eight comfortably -- not that it always has to. ♪ [ sniffs ] morning. you got in pretty late last night. dad, i'm not sixteen anymore. still, it was late. well... you're not gonna have to worry about that anymore. yeah, why's that? ♪ todd's a lucky man. ♪ the best part of wakin' up... ♪ that's what i told him when we talked last week. ♪ ...is folgers in your cup we're back now at 8:10 with some new insight into wayne treacy, the florida teen accused in the text rage beating of josie ratley. his mother and stepfather are speaking out for the first time. we'll have our exclusive live interview with them in a moment. first, here is nbc's mark potter. >> reporter: 15-year-old wayne treeacy is being held in juvenile detention, waiting word as to whether he will be charged as an adult, accused of attempted murder by allegedly beating josie ratley in a dispute over text messages nearly a month ago in deerfield beach, florida. another girl, 13-year-old kayla manson is accused of being an accessory to the beating, by helping treacy find ratley. she is still in a coma in the hospital. the public defender said the incident might be linked to a horrible family tragedy involving the suicide of treacy's older brother, michael. >> last october, the day before mr. treacy's 15th birthday, he found his only brother hanging from a tree. and that's what we're exploring. we think that that event is what triggered what happened. >> reporter: officials say before she was beaten, josie ratley made a disparaging remark in a text message to treacy about his late brother, michael. family and friends were surprised by his arrest. >> he has never been arrested. he has no history. he was a student at deerfield. he was in good standing there. he was a good son, and there's more to come. >> reporter: in south florida, there have been several fund-raising events to help josie ratley's family. treacy's family says the boy is devastated and extremely concerned about her and the mother says if the lawyers allow it, she would like to visit with josie ratley and her mother in the hospital. for "today," mark potter, nbc n news, miami. >> we are joined exclusively now by wayne treacy's mother, donna powers and stepfather, kerry smith, along with the treacy's attorney, mark williams. good morning to all of you. thank you for join iing us. >> good morning. >> donna or kerry, either one of you can take this. i know you were somewhat nervous about doing this interview, as wayne sits in that juvenile detention center. i'm curious why you decided finally to appear. >> just to get wayne's side of the story out. >> what is wayne's side of the story? i mean, at face value, the facts in this story are not pretty. your son, you know, severely beat this young lady. she is in a coma, a medically induced coma. he had to know at the time, while he was beating her, that he was inflicting terrible harm. so, what is his side of the story? >> well, i don't think that he really knows why he did what he did. i think there are a lot of issues that manifested itself over a period of time, starting with the death of his brother and then continuing on, which went unrecognized by not only his -- donna and kerry, but also by school officials. >> but, again, this beating didn't just take three seconds. this took a lot longer than that. are you contending, donna or kerry, that he simply snapped? >> i believe so. that's not -- that's not wayne's nature. he's not -- he's not a bully. >> talk to me a little bit about the changes that you've seen in him over the past six months. you lost another son, michael, who took his own life about six months ago. how did that impact wayne? what changes did you see in him? >> it didn't impact him very well. i mean, how would you like to be 15 and find your only brother hanging in a tree? so, i think the impact, you know, kind of hit him hard. and he was questioned about it and, you know, he talked to me a little bit about it and he dealt with it day by day. >> did he lash out on any other occasions following the death of his brother? >> no, sir, he did not lash out at anybody. like i said, he's a good kid. he's well liked in the neighborhood. everybody in the neighborhood likes him. he has never been in trouble with the law. he's good in school, you know. he's a normal 15-year-old boy. >> so why do you -- >> he went through a lot in october. he didn't just go through the death of his brother in october. he lost a schoolmate four days later and he -- almost lost four people in the month of october 2009. >> however, you say he has not acted out before. >> has a lot on his plate for a 15-year-old. >> i understand. you say he hasn't acted out before. so, what was it about this incident involving this young lady that you think caused him to snap? >> well, evidently, she must have said something very derogatory about his brother's death. >> that's what we're trying to get some mental health profession professionals in, to find out what flicked that switch in his head and made him from a rational 15-year-old child to an irrational 15-year-old child. and i'm hoping that at some point during my representation of him, we'll be able to figure that out. >> wayne knows or knew that this interview would take place. in the times you've spoken to him over the last couple of days, is there anything that he asked you who convey to the people who might be watching this? >> yeah. he would like to apologize to josie and her family. he's real remorseful about it. >> he wishes that -- one of the things he said to me on friday is that he wishes he can turn back the hands of time to the day before his brother died, and he thinks that none of this would have happened. >> we've had josie ratley's mom on the show on a couple of occasions. donna, if you could speak to her, what would you like to say to josie's mom? >> i am so sorry. my heart and prayers go out to you, and to kayla and her family. i know the pain that you're going through. i'm just sorry. >> donna powers and kerry smith. mr. williams, thank you all for joining us this morning. i appreciate it. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> we're back, right after this. ♪ something funny happens when you cross over from land to sea. you beco a different person. ♪ are you ready? you taste foods you've never tried. ♪ i want to bang on the drum all day ♪ you swim with animals you've only seen in aquariums. and somewhere out on the high seas, you get your first water wedgie. ♪ i don't want to play ♪ i just want to bang on the drum all day ♪ [ ship horn blows ] to finish what you started today. for the aches and sleeplessness in between, there's new motrin pm. no other medicine, not even advil pm, is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. new motrin pm. is more effective for pain and sleeplessness. have you tried honey bunches of oats yet? every spoonful is a little different. mmm. they got three kinds of flakes. this is delicious. it's the perfect combination of sweet and crispy. i love it. this is so good. this is great. the magic's in the mix. hey what's going on? doing the shipping. man, it would be a lot easier if we didn't have to weigh 'em all. if those boxes are under 70 lbs. you don't have to weigh 'em. with these priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service, if it fits it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. no weigh? nope. no way. yeah. no weigh? sure. no way! uh-uh. no way. yes way, no weigh-ing. priority mail flat rate box shipping starts at $4.95, only from the postal service. a simpler way to ship. you've got things to do. we've got the tools and hardware to get 'em done. and with new, lower prices all through the store. so you can do more fixing... replacing... fastening... and updating... for less. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. right now, get a ryobi 18volt starter kit, with drill and circular saw, for the incredible price of just $99. it's the chevy spring event. and everyone deserves a car they can count on. one that's backed by a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. and named a consumers digest best buy, two years in a row. discover malibu for yourself and see why over a thousand people a day are switching to chevy. during the spring event, qualified lessees can get a low mileage lease on this new malibu ls for around $199 a month. call for details. the switch to chevy starts at chevy dealer dot com. yeah. that and a dollar gets you a cup of coffee. ( scoffs ) premium roast coffee. or a breakfast burrito. or a piping hot sausage mcmuffin. or hash browns. good for sully. introducing mcdonald's new dollar menu at breakfast. try a sausage mcmuffin, premium roast coffee... or any of these morning favorites for just a dollar each every day. and you'll see why nobody makes breakfast like mcdonald's. ♪ ba da ba ba ba you guys hear about sully? ( mockingly ) you hear about sully? this morning on "today's" consumer, coupons are not just for the grocery store anymore. consumer correspondent and reader's digest contributor janice lieberman is here to tell us about something called extreme couponing. good morning. >> good morning. coupon clipping is up 30% this year. i have to admit i'm not a coupon clipper, but after a recent shopper with an expert, i might just become a coupon convert. by now, we all know you can save big bucks at the supermarket with the right game plan and a little bit of homework, but who knew about drugstores? all the big national drugstore chains, cvs, rite aid and walgreens are now getting in on the coupon craze. we challenged stephanie nelson, aka the coupon mom, to prove to us how much you can save using coupons and rebates at the drugstore. the ground rules are simple. you do it your way, i'll do it my way. >> let's go. >> let's go. >> both of us, armed with the exact same shopping list. we go head to head. one with coupons and, well, one with none. stephanie's first stop, the in-store circular. >> she's already starting. next, the coupon kiosk. >> sometimes you can get a high-value coupon for something you're already buying. that's like free money. >> who doesn't love freebies? all the national drugstore chains have a wide array of discounts with automatic rebate programs to price matching. sprinkle in a dose of high tech, brand new to target and the past few weeks, the store can now scan downloadable coupons directly from your smart phone. with all those giveaways, it just doesn't seem like a fair fight. this is the true test. >> all right. let's see how you did. >> yeah. i think i'm going to fail. let's see. my total? $83.01. the coupon mom's? >> $1. >> i paid $83 and you paid $1. i'm sticking with you. wow, i've been ripped off. if you figure out how to work the system, you can almost get free or almost free items at drugstores using their courtesy cards and combining them with manufacturer's coupons and the coupon mom has got it down. $83 compared to one buck. >> i'm having to go like this, because my jaw is dropping. that is really -- p.s., i don't think most people realize, i certainly didn't, that there's a high tech way to get coupons and use them. show us this. >> this is an app, if you have any kind of smart phone. they will actually download it. you don't have to clip coupons anymore. go to the register, show them this. they'll scan it. you get the discount immediately. >> via e-mail? >> either via e-mail or sometimes you can pull up different coupons from manufacturers if you forget them. target has just announced they will text you coupons. now you just look at your app, see if there's anything you really want, take it to the register, coupon free. >> some stores do that. meantime others are still sending out these kinds of coupons. people worry about how much time it takes t does feel like it's going to take -- it feels like drudgery. you say maybe 30 minutes a week? >> 30 to an hour is what the coupon mom suggests. if you get organized and make sure what's expired, what's not expired in categories, you really can make money. it's better than a part-time job when you really think about it. >> i've clipped coupons and then forgotten them at home. >> mine are at the bottom crushed in my pocketbook. get an organizer and keep it with you. don't leave it at home. you do it according to foods, dates, drugstores. especially if you combine it with double coupons. sometimes they double up to 75%. you're going to get $1.50 back on something. in some cases, she was almost owed money. she had to get a pack of gum so they wouldn't give her money. she actually feels a little bad. >> you worry that maybe there will be things that you're buying that you don't really want. >> right. >> that's the other factor, but you're saying these are are coupons for good quality things you'll really want. >> shampoo, cleansers, toothpaste. we weren't talking about junkie candies and things you don't really need and you're just getting it because they're free or cheaper. admittedly, they'll put out new products, but what's wrong with that if you're getting $4 off an order and you know the company? it's real money, not pennies. >> i like what you call this a little bit of a part-time job. if you can save -- how much did you say you could save a year? >> first of all, it's about 25% per order. that's a lot of money. if you are smart about how you do it. she's extreme. even if you do a little bit of that, that's like 50 bucks a week. that's a vacation at the end of the year or help for school tuition. this is big money we're talking about, with not a big investment. >> well done. janice lieberman. >> see you at the counter. coming up next, friending your kids on facebook. 8:26 right now. the sun is shining and look at the picture of the white house. a beautiful spring day in the area. in the news for today. it's going to be a rough commute for a lot of folks trying to get interest downtown washington. several streets of closed at the washington convention center. many veits were closed last night and will remain closed until 8:00 p.m. on tuesday. it's from o streez to massachusetts and new york avenues. it's bounded from 11th street to 6th street. weather and traffic are next. if i had to sit on a bench during the middle of a game due to diabetes it would frustrate me. in a basketball game a couple minutes could mean a big momentum shift. my bayer meter is very important. (announcer) only bayer's contour meter has programmable personal high low settings. it allows me to be able to look at my highs and lows to make sure that my diabetes is being controlled as tightly as possible. with my bayer meter i don't miss valuable game time. i'm alana burns and staying in the game is my simple win. (announcer) the contour meter, only from bayer. >> temperatures mostly in the mid-and high 50s under a clear high. high near 72. clouds return tomorrow with a risk of passing showers. >> a quick check, 395 and moving pretty well across the 14th street bridge and travel lean lanes are open. the beltway in maryland and i-270 lighter than normal as the monday morning commute continues. aaron? >> you are waking up earlier so we are too. tune in at 4:30 and wake 8:30 now on a monday morning. it's the 12th day of april, 2010. you know what? we're saying it's a beautiful day here. it is beautiful. it's a little breezy. >> yes, it is. >> and a little chilly because of that. thanks to these people for stopping by and sticking it out over the long haul. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry because meredith is taking the day off. we have natalie morales here as well, and al roker. coming up this hour, the hot lit list. conde nast traveler with their hot list of resorts and hotels, talk about where you can get a good bargain as well, which is always nice. >> did you know that nearly a quarter of women between the ages of 30 and 44 earn more than their husbands? >> yeah. >> that's a -- it's part of a trend. we'll be talking about how that affects your relationship, maybe some tips on how you can improve your relationship and make that work for you. by the way, i need a group hug. i'm sorry. it's too cold. >> it is chilly. thank you for that. >> yeah. also, are your kids old enough to be on facebook? >> yes. >> yours are. have you friended them on facebook? >> yes. they have denied me. >> they've denied you? wow, access denied. >> millions of followers except her own children. >> wow! >> is it okay -- >> they follow me on twitter but it's different. >> the question is, is it okay to become their online friends and should you be concerned what they're up to if they don't want you to be their friend? >> i'm watching that segment then, okay. >> parents should know. >> no, you know, they want to be with their friends and i think it's their space. it's sort of like saying i want to hang out with you guys when you go to the movies. >> yeah, but you've got to watch what they're doing online. >> why are you looking at me like that? >> is this the segment? >> i think this is the actual segment right here. >> we'll tackle that one. by the way, it's our second round of semi finalists for "today's" top dog. we'll meet some new pooches we want you to vote on. >> all right, cool. >> i love that dog. >> lot to get to. we're now canceling that facebook segment. no reason to go any further into that. al has a check of the weather. >> and we'll good monday morning. i'm chuck bell. sunshining here in northwest washington as well as across the west of the region. mid-to high 50s and 55 in frederick, maryland and 59 in virginia and 58 degrees in southern maryland. the forecast with plenty of sunshine and cooler than yesterday. highs upper 60s and low 70s. enjoy it because the clouds come back tomorrow. >> and that's your latest weather. ann? >> good daughter. >> ann? >> yes, i'm so sorry. oh, al. >> ann? >> it's her mom's birthday. >> ann? >> i'm sorry al. >> ann? the hottest travel destinations of the year courtesy of our friends from conde nast. right after this. nast's annual travel "hot list" issue is up. kate, good morning. nice to see you. >> nice to see you. >> i need criteria. i want to know what makes something hot, is it new, trendy, what? >> first of all it's got to be within the last year and a combination, really, of surface, style, amenities, somewhere you want to go back to. also we're not interested in the 17th hotel on the block unless it really does something new and different for the area. >> your upbeat on the industry despite some report that is things haven't come back and are a long way from back. >> exactly. a lot of openings this year. a long list of thousands from which we picked hundreds and sent reviewers to them and we ended up with a short list of 134 hotels in 55 countries. >> what's cool is that michelle obama, when we get to washington, gave you her own hot list. >> she did. >> in terms of what she likes in washington. >> lots of people come and visit and particularly the white house. she wants to make it the people's white house. during our shoot, she surprised , you never know.. you just might find that if you go and visit the white house you'll meet her, the first lady. >> not bad. a nice little perk. let's stick with washington, d.c. for a second. you guys like the jefferson hotel, which is not a brand new hotel. >> no. >> but a newly renovated hotel. >> first opened in 1923, a huge refurb, 29 rooms. a french feel, which is appropriate. thomas jefferson was ambassador to france. chandeliers, parquet floors. real grown-up feel. >> this is a small hotel, almost a large boutique hotel. >> only four blocks from the white house. if you're going to visit the white house, this is the place to stay. >> the other end of the spectrum, a hotel that has 99 rooms to sin city, las vegas. >> aria, part of city center, huge new complex with several hotels. this has 4,004 rooms. >> people wonder if a hotel like that can get all the details right. >> this one does, floor-to-ceiling windows, 16 restaurants. it's got john george, a fantastic spa, casino, which is the size of four football pitches. >> 500 and some suites. >> exactly. >> it's a huge hotel. country music capital of the world or the country, nashville, tennessee. what do you guys like there? >> nashville hasn't had great hotels. it's $180 a night, eco credentials, you leave the room and all the lights turn off. bamboo furnishing, hybrid car to take you along. >> and pet friendly. >> we love pet friendly hotel in the magazine, as you know. >> ritz carlton, very familiar name to most viewers. there's a new one in arizona you like, not far from tucson. >> 30 minutes from tucson. yes, it's dove mountain. the first folds, classic cactus country, views from the spa, firepits you can sit around and only $169 a night. >> is that cheap for ritz carlton? >> it is for ritz carlton. outdoorsy place, biking and hiking trails, golf course. >> it's always nice when you come here to talk about a couple of splurges. one moderate splurge and one mega splurge coming up. moderate splurge comes in south africa in cape town, the one and only resort. >> yes. cape town is hosting some of the world cup games in june, the one and only place to stay there, it's not cheap, $600 a night. that's their special deal for the world cup. that includes breakfast. it's on the victoria and alfred waterfront, it has wonderful views of table mountain. again, the great spa. it's a lovely place to stay. if you can't afford it, perhaps stay somewhere else and have a spa treatment or eat at one of the restaurants. >> i was reading the notes for your segment last night and that is a tip that i don't think a lot of people think about. you've got this amazing hotel. you can't afford to stay there, but it doesn't mean you can't take advantage of some of its facilities during your vacation. >> exactly. the restaurants and the spa is its own island. check those out instead. >> when it comes to the spa, do they care at all if you're not a guest? they give you second priority to the guest, i would imagine, but you can still get in. >> yes, exactly. >> let's talk about the ultimate splurge. this is something you say if you have some monstrously important event and want to celebrate it in the right way. let's go to fiji. >> laucala island, fiji, owned by the ceo of red bull, 25 villa s. our pick there is 6,400 a night for a two-bedroom over-water villa. >> $6,400 a night. >> yes. >> for two bedrooms. >> yes. it's absolutely over the top. it has everything you could possibly expect from the paradise island. even a hangar for your private jet, spa, vegetable garden, stables, james bond boat to take you to the reefs, remortgage the apartment, the kids. book it for a week. >> if you're on the eastern half of the united states here in the country, that is a long, long haul. >> it's a long way but this is bucket list. this is once in a lifetime, as you say. >> kate maxwell, as always, nice to have the hot list with you. >> thank you. >> appreciate it. 8:41. up next, alpha women. impact on the relationship when the woman makes more than the man. we'll talk about that. first this is "today" on nbc. so i told the guy i wanted yeah. a convertible. and this is what he had in my budget. aw! well, the top is down. the top is gone! lots of head room... tons of head room! --careful! that's sharp. jeez! yeah...sorry. narrator: settling for less is not smart. what is smart is getting more car for your money at carmax. guaranteed-quality used cars can cost a lot less than new cars. so you can get more car for less money by shopping at carmax. now more than ever, the smart choice is carmax. the way car buying should be. >> announcer: "today's" working woman is brought to you by mcdonald's. i'm lovin' it. we're back at 8:44 with "today's" working women. what happens when a woman earns more than her partner? marie claire tackles this issue in this month's issue. good morning to all three of you. by the way, i love marie claire. >> thank you. >> let's move on. outside, we were talking about, when i was mentioning, something like 22% of women between the ages of 30 and 44 actually earn more than their husbands. i heard a woman go whoo! it seems like we've sort of arrived. it's not just something we've seen in movie stars like madonna and julia roberts. it is something that seems to be such a trend. >> the reason we did the piece about young alpha women is that we were hearing from readers who said we have these issues. i'm earning more than my husband. and it's complicated. it doesn't mean that our marriage is going smoother because i'm earning more. i'm not sure if i find my husband as sexy if i've had a tough day at work and i come home and he's moaning, i don't feel as sympathetic. the biggest social change on impacts to marriage in the last 50 years and women are really wrestling with it. >> you experience this in your own family, deborah? >> i wear three hats here. i'm doing a book, researching this topic for a book. i teach women in gender studies in new england and i'm also -- i've been living with this for -- i've always made more money than the men in my life. and in my 20s, it was different than it is now. now i'm married to a man who is now comfortable with it, but it was rough in the beginning. it was definitely rough in the beginning, especially when i would say what i just said to you that i've always earned more money than the men in my life. at one point he would say, why do you always have to say that? there was real tension around that. we talked about it a lot. i told him i was coming here, he was running around telling people my wife is going to be doing this and he discovered all these men now starting to say to him, yeah, my wife earns more than me, too. >> part of me thinks what's the big deal? women have dealt with men who historically have made more than women. now a quality potentially in pay. what's the problem? is it really how men react or is there a problem for women as well? you also have had this experience. >> right. i've been married and divorced not -- i mean, this was an issue. and now i have a partner that i've lived with for ten years who actually is a younger man is, so he's a lot more open to whatever kind of financial arrangement we might have in the house. >> that's interesting. >> i think it's a matter of my mother was essentially martha stewart without the media empire. i was raised in a household where there was supposed to be a certain amount of domestic tranquility and we weren't supposed to have salad dressing bottles on the table or anything. so, i'm fine with working and making the money but i expect my house to be kept in a certain way. of course, that's not fair to whoever my partner is, right? so, i think i've had to adjust but also he had to adjust, or didn't, as the case may be. >> so we're hearing there are a lot of little -- there are levels of expectations by the women and by the men that have to be sort of rethought. it sounds like it's transformation that each one of us has to make to make the readjustment. you have tips on how to do that. first you say we have to clearly define financial boundaries. how? >> it's complicated. one of the things we're talking about, there is a power struggle in marriage and often or traditionally, the person that earned the most had the sort of dominant partnership, was the dominant partner. and what we're saying to people or what we've found is that women say it's very helpful to make sure you might have your own money stream, that maybe your husband doesn't have access to everything. some people won't share everything and that's fine. a lot of women said we feel better if we have our own bank accounts. a lot of women don't find it sexy to say to their partner if he's not earning very much, oh, honey, here's the housekeeping for the rest of the month. i'm going to write you a check or i'm going to put the money in your account. >> right. >> we're not finding young women who want to do that. they're saying, guys, you need to get out there and start pulling some dough in, too. >> be realistic about future expectations. what are you saying there? >> one of the things we discovered that women felt more comfortable earning more money than their husband, if this was a temporary situation. often what happens is the woman starts off like that, and then it becomes clear that this is going to be permanent. so, sometimes you have to readdress your expectations. if you wanted to marry the partner of a law firm or partner of a bank or as you were growing up, that was your cinderella type expectation, then that may have to change. >> lastly, debra, maybe you want to take this one. avoid using money as power. >> we never argue around money. the reason it works in my marriage is because we do keep our money separate. we divide up all the bills, but money isn't -- we understand that it's my money, but it's our money. it benefits our family. so, it's not about -- i control what i earn, but the first thing i do when i get a little windfall is i say what should we do with it? there are discussions around it. if you're having an argument, that's not the time to throw that trump card up in the air. >> ever. >> never, ever, ever. i'm very lucky. my husband does not take his sense of masculinity from me or how many zeros come after his name. >> good. >> but you work at that every day. >> it seems to me that, you know, if we want to really be breadwinners as the women's liberation has helped us to be, then we have to relax on our expectations that men have to earn more than we do. >> men can't expect us to do everything. and there's still a lot of expectations that you earn the money and then you come home and do all the child care or you're organizing all the child care, you're organizing all the food, you're still doing the domestic role and that's what we're hearing from readers, that they're not up for doing both, they don't have enough time. they're stressed and they're stretched. >> we've all been there. >> my husband will say he's my wife sometimes and i'm his wife sometimes. >> and we all need a wife. >> obviously we could keep going. we've run out of time, i'm so sorry to say. thank you so much, joanna, debra and karen. a warning before you friend your kids on facebook. maybe i should have heard this before i tried to. first if i had to sit on a bench during the middle of a game due to diabetes it would frustrate me. in a basketball game a couple minutes could mean a big momentum shift. my bayer meter is very important. (announcer) only bayer's contour meter has programmable personal high low settings. it allows me to be able to look at my highs and lows to make sure that my diabetes is being controlled as tightly as possible. with my bayer meter i don't miss valuable game time. i'm alana burns and staying in the game is my simple win. (announcer) the contour meter, only from bayer. four busy parents, social networking sites like facebook are a way to keep in your children's lives but also it can be a problem. janet shamlian. >> reporter: call it an invasion of privacy. some kids say a parent following them on facebook is kind of like reading their private diary. >> can you change your picture on your facebook page? it's only because we love you. >> love me less. >> reporter: a lesson 26-year-old learned a hard way after accepting a friend request from his dad. he kind of nudged me and said are you going to accept my friend request? i kind of rolled my eyes and said no. i decided to, thinking it was going to be a bad idea and i was going to regret it and he grinned. >> reporter: that's when it started running rough. >> a great picture of him going like this when he was probably 6. >> reporter: he posted the photo on his son's facebook page. he didn't stop with just one. soon there were a number of personal photos posted, including one of a very young nate sitting on a toilet. did you ever think your dad was spieg on you? >> spying, no, deliberately trying to embarrass me, yes. >> reporter: that's when nate issued his dad the electronic version of a breakup. >> he unfriended me. initially, i didn't notice. then i went looking for something he had written and it was like, he's not here anymore. he unfriended me. you weasel. i don't believe you did that. >> reporter: father and son are speaking again but the old fashioned way, only in person or by phone. as both realized friending a child or parent isn't always being a friend. janet shamlian, chicago. >> i think it is a good way to check on your kids. i just feel like at some point you have to trust them. >> it is like your diary, in a way, as they said. >> a diary millions of people can look at. >> you should never put something on facebook that you wouldn't want a potential employer to see. >> i tell them that all the time and careful about posting their pictures. >> right, definitely. >> of course, you can't do that since they won't friend you. >> i can still pose their pictures. anyway, the best products on the market still ahead. 8:56 and brilliant sunshine giving way to a beautiful spring day across the capital. welcome back to news 4 today. in the headlines, it will be a rough commute into downtown washington, a lot of streets are closed ahead of president obama's nuclear summit at the washington convention center. most streets were shut down and will remain closed until 8:00 on tuesday. it stretches from o street down to massachusetts and new york avenues and bounded from 11th street to 6th street. the metro station is closed and trains will pass through, but riders cannot get off. weather and traffic are next. >> good morning. i'm chuck bell. temperatures in the upper 50s to near 60 at 9:00 on a beautiful monday morning. plenty of sunshine and high near 72. a chance of light passing showers tomorrow. >> a live look along 395 doing fine into downtown. no late issues and lighter than normal around the area. 270 southbound below the speed limit down to rockville and lanes are open there. >> we are waking up earlier now. you can get your news, weather, and traffic at 4:30 a.m. wake up we are back now with more of "today" on a monday morning. it's the 12th day of april, 2010. it's another bright and crisp morning here in the northeast. and we don't get tired of that. that's really nice for these people, standing outsid some of them have been here for three hours. >> days now. >> yeah. some got here friday. anyway, thanks to them. i'm matt lauer, along with ann curry, who is here with us. this has nothing to do with meredith in this half hour. she's not usually here this half hour and mr. roker is here as well. >> what it time is it? >> it's -- with more of "today," as we like to say. coming up, more on the uproar surrounding a story we talked about a little earlier. this is a boy, 7-year-old from right shouldera, who was adopted by a woman in tennessee. she cared for that young boy for several months and then sent him back, claiming he was troubled and violent. sent him back on a plane with a note saying i don't want him anymore. a lot of people are really upset about this story. >> yeah. >> we'll have more on that, coming up. meantime, over the weekend, i don't know if you guys watched it, but phil mickleson won his third masters in augusta. and watching -- my husband watched this final. when he's hugging his wife who, by the way, is battling breast cancer, she came in to give him a big hug. you know, we're looking now at tiger woods on your screen. he wanted that win. we'll find out what he had to say about phil mickleson's win coming up. >> it was a great, great tournament. >> wasn't it? >> on so many levels. then your real estate taxes. a lot of people don't know that they can actually fight their real estate assessment. a lot of them don't realize, 60% of homeowners are actually overassessed by their property, in part because the local real estate hasn't caught up with the downturn. who doesn't want a good night's sleep? after you cut your tax, you want a good night's sleep. key to health and happiness. buying a new mattress set can be expensive. consumer tips are out to finding the best mattress at the best price. ann curry and her husband, just about to buy a new mattress. >> yes. i'm going to be paying a lot of close attention. having a good night's sleep, that's it. that is it. >> it's better than anything. >> you want that. >> dave is saying how would i know that? i just know. ann and i share these kinds of things. >> it's a single bed, too. let's go inside. natalie has a check of the headlines. natalie? >> good morning, matt, ann and al. poland is united in grief as that country deals with the loss of its president, first lady and 90 others in a plane crash in russia. mourners gathered outside the presidential palace in warsaw where the public viewing of president lech kaczynski's coffin will be available tomorrow. investigators are questioning the pilot's decision to land even after he was warned not to because of bad weather. president obama is meeting with world leaders in washington, on a strategy to keep terrorists from acquiring nuclear weapons. and also plans to have talks with china over new sanctions on iran's nuclear program. meantime, iran says it has started production on what it called an advanced air defense missile system. it says it expects a large number of medium-range missiles to be ready this year. gas prices are up almost four cents a gallon in the last three week, according to the lundberg survey. $2.89 a gallon for regular is the average price now. fewer passengers complained about late planes and lost bags last year but it also found fewer people were flying. dramatic rescue sunday in northern california after a car flipped into a creek. a woman who was swept away was later pulled out. but another person died, and a third person is believed to still be missing. as you've heard, golfer phil mickleson's wardrobe has a third green jacket this morning after he won the masters on sunday in a tournament that also marked the return of tiger woods. more now from nbc's peter alexander. >> reporter: it was the green jacket tiger woods hoped he would be wearing. instead, crowd favorite phil mickleson was the one celebrating his third masters championship. woods was erratic on the course during sunday's final round. there were glimpses of brilliance but the world's top ranked golfer mostly appeared defeated. >> so battled every golf shot today. it was god awful. nothing was going my way early. i came here to win the event and i finished fourth. >> reporter: since his return to the game last week after a salacious sex scandal, woods went from being a source of curiosity to a contender. >> people realize, my god, he didn't lose his golf swing, you know. he lost his way. golf is so much more borie i bo without him. >> you, yourself, have not slept with tiger woods? >> i have not but in fairness to me, that is probably because i have never met him. >> reporter: on the 18th green, phil mickleson shared an emotional hug with his wife, amy. >> it's very emotional. it feels terrific and is very emotional. >> reporter: woods, his comeback under way and his marriage still up in the air left the course alone. >> tiger could learn a lot from phil mickleson. >> reporter: after sunday's final round, tiger woods was asked when we will see him compete again next. he said he is going to take some time off from the game and re-evaluate. peter alexander, nbc news, augusta. now five minutes past the hour. let's go back outside once again to matt and ann. you guys were glued to the masters. i know matt was probably. >> i wasn't. >> no? >> i watch ed a lot of it. mr. roker now with a check of the weather. >> thank you very much, mr. lawyer. some birthday girls here. your birthday wish is to come to new york city. what's your name? >> good monday morning. i'm chuck bell. bright and sunny on your monday. temperatures are climbing into the low 60s. 60 if fairfax and loud on. 61 in springfield, virginia and our forecast for today, plenty of sunshine and highs into the 60s and low 70s and a chance of light rain the second hastful day tomorrow. >> that's your latest weather. natalie? >> al, thank you. new questions surrounding a tennessee woman's decision to send her 7-year-old adoptive son back to russia after deciding she couldn't deal with him anymore, claiming he was violent. the case is now threatening the adopti adoptions of many more russian children. nbc's ron allen is in shelbyville, tennessee, with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, natalie. the mother, torry hansen has disappeared, her home behind me has been shut down for several days. before this happened, neighbors say they rarely saw the family or the 7-year-old boy named justin. no one can understand why any mother, for any reason, could put a child on a plane with a note saying she doesn't want him anymore. thousands of miles from tennessee after ten hours alone on a flight, 7-year-old justin is being cared for in a russian hospital. outrage still simmering in a proud nation that calls what the mother did cruelty. she paid a tour guide $200 to meet the boy at the airport after sending him back. at the orphanage where torry ann hansen met justin, the staff remembers a happy mother and son, beginning a new life. the boy tells his caretakers while hansen didn't pete him, she often bulled him by his hair. the family claims that he was violent, unstable and threatened to burn the house down with the family in it. still, families like the kilcoynes, with two children adopted from russia cannot understand how a woman can put a child on a plane. >> your agency is there. once you get home, you should be able to go to them and say we're having problems. >> reporter: they worry that thousands of american families, adopting russian orphans, now will not be allowed to bring those children home. >> my heart is just breaking for those families, because they're so excited and they're just ready to, you know, get those children in their arms. >> this is so true. >> reporter: it all brings back painful memories for james and barbara diggs, who adopted an 8-year-old russian girl with severe emotional problems and who never bonded with them. >> she has a problem with compulsive lying, of severe disobedience. >> reporter: eventually, they made the decision to relinquish their daughter to a family better able to cope. several russian families want to adopt justin. experts say it's unclear how what's happened will affect him. >> we just don't know yet. the kid is probably a bit traumatized, in shock. a pretty weird thing just happened to him. >> reporter: as for hansen, many in the adoption community say they see an obvious case of child abuse. we just had a conversation with a local shif here, teriff here, investigator on the case. he hopes to have a meeting with the family and even the mother might show up. natalie? if you own a home, you may be paying too much in property taxes. we'll tell you how you may be able to lower them. and then later, taking care of your health and well-being by finding the perfect mattress. we'll tell you what you should look for. first, these messages. [ male announcer ] bobby sinclair. trugreen lawns are easy to spot. that's the hasskamp house. great-looking lawn... hi, bobby. hi, bobby. ...better-looking daughters. i got a solid business plan, too. take the walker's. no trugreen. no thanks. trugreen treats every lawn special. they call it customized service. i call it my ticket to the cover of forbes. [ male announcer ] call 866-trugreen and get a customized plan for a healthy, green lawn, guaranteed. more green, means mo green. [ male announcer ] get a healthy, green lawn today. call trugreen. go greener. to cover up flaws and make skin look pretty but there's one that's so clever, it makes your skin look better even after you take it off. neutrogena healthy skin liquid makeup. 98% of women saw improvement in their skin's natural texture, tone, or clarity. does your makeup do that? neutrogena® cosmetics recommended most by dermatologists. we get double miles with every purchase. so we earned a tropical vacation in half the time. we earn double miles every time we use our card. ( shouts ) double miles add up fast so we can bring the whole gang. ( grunting ) awesome! it's hard to beat double miles. everyone knows two is better than one. introducing the venture card from capital one... with double miles on every purchase every day. go to capitalone.com. ( gasps ) what's in your wallet? wait up! you said you bought a digiorno. but the pizza came with cheesy breadsticks. new digiorno pizza & breadsticks. taste. believe. it's not delivery. it's digiorno. she found the box. maybe 'cause you left it right on the counter. this morning on "today's" real estate, slashing your property taxes. according to the national taxpayers association, 60% of homes are overassessed. what can we do to start saving? brick house real estate contributor barbara corcoran has the answer. good to see you. >> good morning, al. >> why is this happening? 60% of homes estimated are over-taxed? >> towns across america hasn't kept pace with what's going on with real estate values. values have jumped down more than 30% nationwide, yet people are being charged based on what their home used to be worth. you don't have to moan about it. you can do something about it. >> you don't necessarily have to hire an attorney to do this. >> no, you don't. a lot of people think you need an attorney or professional whose line of business it is. attorneys usually charge anywhere between 10% and 15% of the first two years' savings. >> money out of your pocket. >> if you're not going to do anything, that's a better course of action than doing nothing at all. >> first of all, you say you should know how your town assesses your property. >> the reason for that is every town is different across america. most towns, a great majority of them, do it every three to four years and use the month of june to do the reassessment. you usually have a one-month window to file your reassessment. >> the idea, if they do it every three to four years, like you say, they've missed this had whole economic down tls durn. >> definitely, and then some. even ones that have reassessed recently and know about the economic downturn are very much in need of that tax revenue and they're not quick to do it unless you're asking. >> once you find out how they do it, you say go to your assessor's office and get something called a property card? >> all a property card really is, exactly what it sounds like, a log of how the assessor priced your house based on other comparables. if you simply ask for that, even if they say they don't want to show it to you, it's public record and you have a right to see it. >> do a lot of these assessors' offices, do you have to physically go there? >> larger towns you can go online. sometimes by walking into the office, asking for the card and seeing a blatant mistake on it, you can change it right on the spot. >> what kind of mistakes are we talking about? >> the three most common are the easiest ones to find, bedroom count, bathroom count or whether or not your basement has been improved or not. >> when they say they make a mistake on the number of bedr m bedrooms, how do they make a mistake on bedrooms? >> what happens, an assessor, when they come into the house usually at a point of sale they often don't go upstairs and do a bedroom count. they go in, based on old information. they don't want to disturb people and often don't go down to the basement. it's easy to take a quick walk through and decide what it is. >> is there different criteria for what makes a bedroom or certain room of the house? >> not really. a full bedroom must have a window. if you have a little cubby hole that has no window, that's not a bedroom. >> check for houses that are currently on the market, similar houses to you. >> it's so easy to do today. what's wonderful is all that information is online. go to any large website like zillo.com or trulia.com and as long as you're looking for sale prices not ask prices, you can pick up all your neighborhood sa sales and do your own assessment. >> so you go and you contest your taxes. and they say, sorry, no can do. you're done. is that your last recourse? >> in many towns, it is the last chance. remember, 30% to 40% of the people who actually do this win. if you don't win and you're still not happy with the results, can you sue your municipality in their small claims court, which everyone knows is for free. >> what do you recommend as far as looking for help? if somebody says i just feel overwhelmed by this, is there free help out there? >> the best help in the world comes in the form of information. i think the single best organization out there is national taxpayers' union. if you go online it's called ntu.org. they have all the information you'll need to take care of it yourself. >> can people talk to others who have done it themselves? i'm sure you have neighbor that is have done something like this. >> surprisingly only 2% of americans do this. if you go to a help group where everyone in that help group is doing it nationwide, that's your best shot at help. >> not a lot of towns are going to be happy with you. >> i'm sorry. i'm moving out of my town right away. >> better you help us than the town. up next, their competition is rough. our next round of semi finalists in our search for top dog. later on, valerie harper has a lot going on these days. she'll tell us all about it. [ male announcer ] where are people with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis going? they're discovering the first self-injectable ra medicine you take just once a month. it's simponi™, and taken with methotrexate, it helps relieve the pain, stiffness, and swelling of ra with one dose a month. visit 4simponi.com to see if you qualify for a full year of cost support. simponi™ can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious and sometimes fatal events can occur, such as infections, cancer in children and adults, heart failure, nervous system disorders, liver or blood problems, and allergic reactions. before starting simponi™, your doctor should test you for tb and assess your risk of infections, including fungal infections and hepatitis b. ask your doctor if you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, or develop symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start simponi™ if you have an infection. [ female announcer ] ask your rheumatologist about simponi™. just one dose, once a month. not anymore. now it describes everything we choose and buy. eat and drive. well, what if green could be simple again? as simple as say doing the laundry. presenting future friendly from p&g. the products you use every day designed to do one of three simple things: save water, save energy or reduce waste. because when green is user friendly... we can all be future friendly. future friendly from p&g. we can all be future friendly. can you believe how fast kids grow these days? and since 90% of bone strength is developed before adulthood... it's so important that they get enough calcium every day. that's why there's new danonino. danonino! unlike leading kids yogurts, danonino has twice the calcium of milk, ounce per ounce, with vitamin d. so it's power packed for healthy growth. and its rich creamy taste is... yummy! so they can start building strong bones today... for stronger bodies tomorrow. new danonino from dannon. power packed to help kids grow. >> announcer: "today's" top dog is brought to you by the makers of zyrtec. love the air. so this morning on "today's" top dog, round two of our semi finals. last friday, jami became our first finalist, and the dog from pennsylvania is best known as mom's little helper. now it's time to give her competition. we'll take a look at other dogs. bix is first up, named after the jazz musician bix beterbeck. she couldn't master the wind instrument but has pawed her way to piano. >> that's very good. can you play a little more piano? more piano. piano. more piano. encore? okay. take a bow. up. good boy. >> very dramatic piano playing. >> wants a snack for that. >> there you go. next, this dog is going green, 10-year-old jake is a rotweiler with a soft spot for the environment, helping to keep his park litter free. ♪ feed jake he's been a good dog my best friend right through it all if i die before i wake feed jake ♪ ♪ if i die before i wake feed jake ♪ ♪ if i die before i wake >> we need more people to do that. that would be much better. >> he should have been taking that to the store. he would have made 30 cents right there. our third semi finalists, 15-month-old sammy, this colorado rescue pooch has made it her mission to help her puppy pals find loving homes of their own by going to weekly adoption events and blogging about it online. >> what? >> yes. >> how cool. it's up to you to decide which one should move on to the final round of "today's" top dog. logon to todayshow.com or text your vote to 622639, one for bix, two for jake, three for sammy. voting continues until thursday noon eastern. increase in 6 months. pete, back it up! ( marker squeaking ) when business travel leaves you drained, re-charge with comfort suites. spacious rooms, free hi-speed internet, and free hot breakfast. comfort suites. power up. now stay two separate times with comfort suites... or any choice hotel and earn a free night. book at choicehotels.com. key lime pie, pineapple upside down cake, raspberry cheesecake... ...yeah, every night it's something different. oh yeah yeah...she always keeps them in the house. no no no, i've actually lost weight... i just have a high metabolism or something... ...lucky. [ wife ] babe... ♪ umm, i gotta go. [ female announcer ] 28 delicious flavors at around 100 calories each. yoplait, it is so good. indulge in new blueberry pie and new red velvet cake. yoplait light. it is so good. 9:26 is the time. we will have the forecast after the news. monday april 12th. 2010. getting around downtown washington could be a challenge. many streets are closed because of president obama's nuke liar summit at the convention center. most streets were shut down and will remain closed until 8:00 tuesday night. it stretches from o street to massachusetts and new york avenues. it's then bounded from 11th street to 6th street. the metro station is also closed. trains pass through, but riders will not be allowed to get off. we will have weather a >> good monday morning. temperatures out of the way up into the 50s and 60s thanks to sunshine. it will be i lovely day. temperature is 72 and cooler with clouds and a chance of light rain. jerry? >> taking a on the beltway and sluggish from springfield. despite closures around the convention center, particulars like for the most part all traffic is in fine fashion. >> a reminder to get your morning news 30 minutes earlier. jo don't say the word. do not say the word. >> okay. >> when you pull into the party store and you're unloading your kids and your 5-year-old joel yells oh, there's the paparazzi, then you know you've been followed for a while. >> a busy single mother once "jon & kate plus 8" with a different reality show. e's here to talk about "dancing with the stars" and what's going on in her life now tomorrow on "today." coming up this half hour, something we all know a little bit about, or maybe we want to know more about. >> yeah. >> basically getting a good night's sleep. >> how to get a good night's sleep around here. there's never enough sleep. studies show it is the key to overall health, weight loss and well-being. >> weight loss? >> yes. i'm not a health expert but they say it's true. when it comes to beds, one size does not fit all. consumer reports are out with advice on how to find the perfect mattress and pillow for your sleeping style at a price that won't make you lose any z's. in "today's" kitchen, banana bread pudding kicked up a notch. >> that sounds really good. >> yes. two of new york's top chefs, happen to be brother, are here to show us how to make the classic comfort recipe with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream. >> heaven. >> we're going to attack it. before we attack it, let's find out what the weather is going to be. >> i like how ann said we're going to attack it! >> a little violence. but then she kind of calmed it down. let's check your weather and see what's happening. for "your weather today," sunshine up and down the eastern seaboard, thunderstorms good monday morning. i'm chuck bell. bright and sunny outside and absolutely beautiful monday. everybody goes back to work and school and temperatures are in the 50s and 60s. a hint of an april chill left, but it will be a wonderful day to be outside. temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s later this afternoon. cooler weather with clouds and a risk of light showers tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow night before warm weather by the middle of the week. have a good day. >> that's your latest weather. >> al, thank you so much. >> coming up next, rest easy. we're going to have some tips, coming up on how to get a good night's sleep. that's coming up next. hi, may i help you? yes, i hear progressive has lots of discounts on car insurance. can i get in on that? are you a safe driver? yes. discount! do you own a home? yes. discount! are you going to buy online? yes! discount! isn't getting discounts great? yes! there's no discount for agreeing with me. yeah, i got carried away. happens to me all the time. helping you save money -- now, that's progressive. call or click today. diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating. that's me! can i tell you what a difference phillips' colon health has made? it's the probiotics. the good bacteria. that gets your colon back in balance. i'm good to go! phillips' colon health. so kate you were stressed, a lot of junk food on the go and you were... a little irregular, sluggish. my daughter needed activia! so i gave it a try and wow. it works. now she has a spring on her step. i'm loving it, every morning. mmmm. avo: help get your system back on track. activia with bifidus regularis helps regulate your digestive system would you recommend activia? i already have. she recommends it. what are you waiting for? singer: activia. what are you waiting for? our chefs learn secrets cookinof italian cooking., like how to blend four artisanal cheeses to create our new creamy fonduta sauce. in our new steak fonduta and grilled chicken fonduta. at olive garden. hundreds of bacteria. the new lysol no-touch hand soap system senses hands and dispenses soap that kills 99.9% of bacteria to help stop the spread of germs. the lysol no-touch hand soap system. never touch a germy soap pump again. explorers, great thinkers. they're the future of america, so let's bring them up right and give them our cheese. ♪ kraft singles. the american cheese. to learn to deal with other kids. you know, when they get out here... unbelievable. he has a sienna? i thought we were friends, gary. i really needed the space. you got the same carseat in there, gary. wait right there while daddy puts all this stuff back in the car. when this kind of thing happens, when another parent tries to copy your style, you just have to be the better man. [ male announcer ] meet the family and the new sienna on youtube. toyota. nutri-grain -- one good decision... can lead to another. ♪ made with real fruit and now with more... of the whole grains your body needs. nutri-grain can help you eat better all day. this morning on "today's" consumer, sleeping your way to better health with the perfect mattress. finding the right bed at the right price could have you tossing and turning. consumer reports senior product editor todd marks has the advice for us this morning on how to fit your style and budget. good morning. >> good morning. >> you say it's one of the most popular topic s in consumer reports. >> aside from car. >> you don't rate mattresses like television and cars. why not? >> people are furious at us sometimes. >> give me the number one. >> we hear that all the time. the problem is, there is no magic bullet. there's no best mattress type, firmness level for anybody. it's what you find most comfortable. >> people find that hard to accept. >> it is but the good news is we've durability tested mattresses for years. they're all apt to stand up unless you buy an el cheapo. you might find a mattress not comfortable long before they wear out. >> when is it time to get a new mattress? >> as you age, would your body becomes more sensitive to pressure points. it's more important to find a mattress that's comfortable. mattress you found comfortable at one point may no longer find that adequate comfort and support. every five to seven years after age 40, you should look at t don't keep a mattress longer than eight years because, again, it's not giving you what you need as your body changes. >> giving you the support. if you're waking up in pain it's not always the mattress that's the problem. you have to factor in other things first. >> a lot people think it's the mattress. that's what you hear in all the ads. but it could very well be the pillow. people never put as much oomph in their decision about pillows. if you're a side sleeper, you need a fairly firm pillow. what you really want to do -- think of yourself standing with good posture. >> you want your head to be the same. >> you want your head to be in alignment with shoulders and spine, the same way if you're stand iing up. a side sleeper, fairly firm pillow, sleep on your back, moderately firm but softer, stomach sleeper, you want a soft pillow. a lot of times you get neck aches, backaches, it's not the mattress. >> you have the good pillow. let's talk about the mattress. where do you start if you decide you need a new one? >> you decide what am i -- what kind of mattress do i want? what size? believe it or not, queen is the most popular size and it gives you enormously a lot more room than you would get with a standard full sized bed. five to seven inches. it may not sound a lot, but it really does. then you want to choose the type, you know. inner spring, memory foam. maybe even a waterbed. there are a lot of hybrid models out there. the inner spring is still the main model people buy. today's inner spring mattresses have more high-quality foams, be it resilient latex foam or heat-sensitive memory foam that allows your body to be cradled by it. >> be careful if you're a hot sleeper, right? if you tend to sweat when you're sleeping. >> yes, because there's no breathability or a lot less breathability in a memory foam type mattress. if you're a hot sleeper, you might want to think twice. that doesn't mean you can't get a topper that doesn't incorporate a little bit of memory foam. >> the inner spring is the best seller. does coils -- >> coil count is a big myth. >> there's nothing to that? >> it's not that there's nothing. all mattresses, except the cheapest ones, are apt to be over-engineered for the job they're asked to perform. you can find a mattress less comfortable sooner than it wears out unless you use have a kid t uses it as a trampoline. >> mattresses can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. >> absolutely. we use consultants, people that have been inside industry. for $1,000 list price queen-sized mattress you're getting a lot of bed. start when you're doing your shopping. a number of brands, start at the lower end of the price scale and then work your way up until you find one that's comfortable. then compare products in that same price range. if you start at the top and work your way down, that's a big mistake. you'll find this $10,000 bed. i like that. no. start at the bottom and work your way up. there's no reason to over-spend. >> is price somewhat negotiable? >> oh, gosh, it sure is. >> really? >> 72% of people who tried haggling for a mattress got a better deal. it's a really weird -- one of the most profitable products if not the most profitable product. >> even at department stores? >> yes. go into a furniture store. they make morme money on mattresses than almost any other product. sales of 50% to 60% are common. never buy a mattress -- i was shopping, i would never buy a mattress for anything less than 50% off. >> you say it's most important to test drive a mattress. what are we talking about when you're going to the store, really give it a good test. >> yes. >> how long should you lay in it and be comfortable in it? >> obviously you can't stay there overnight. >> right. >> they're going to throw you out. you want to spend five minutes on each side that you sleep. typically on your side, back, maybe your stomach. you need that much time. your body has to relax to be able to determine if you're going to find it comfortable. the good news is when we've surveyed people and we have our own sleep lab at consumer reports where people did -- >> i want to be on that sleep lab. >> you're hired. we did a preliminary test where th mattresses long term. home there is a very strong correlation between short-term testing and long-term satisfaction, meaning if you find a bed in a store that you like, chances are if you try it out you're going to be happy not all the time, but there's better odds. >> what if you're not happy? you can, but there's a big urn fat caveat. you look for a company or retailer that offers a comfort exchange program. that's great. but don't expect to haul that mattress back to the store and get your money back. you'll get a replacement bed, usually just one. but you have to pay for shipping and another -- kind of like a trade-in fee, like a restocking fee. and that fee can be anywhere from 15% of the cost of the mattress to $400. if you're spending a lot of money on a bed you want to have that kind of confidence that you can return it if you're not happy. >> quickly, brands? >> brands don't really matter. >> what's consumer reports favorite top line? >> we asked people about all kinds of brands. tempurpedic is very popular. >> 60% said they would buy it again. >> that's true. but when we did our most recent test we found that 40 some odd percent really liked it but 36% didn't. memory foam is a highly subjective product. you know, again, it's heat sensitive. your body molds into t it's hard to flip and turn. it's very different. if you don't like tempurpedic, but like memory foam, try another one. then they tried the sealy version and they did. >> sheet counts, does that matter, cotton and all of that? >> one of the great myths again, thread count, horizontal and vertical number of threads per inch. we found a great sheet from l.l. bean that had a 280 thread count for 100 bucks, it was better than those that had two or three times that amount. >> we love your work at consumer reports. >> thank you so much. a show-stopping banana bread we can't wait to sink our teeth into. banana bread pudding, that is. [ woman ] nine iron, it's almost tee-time. time for new zyrtec® liquid gels. they work fast. so i can get relief from the pollen that used to make me sneeze. with new zyrtec® liquid gels, i get allergy relief at liquid speed. that's the fast, powerful relief of zyrtec®, now in a liquid gel. zyrtec® is the fastest 24-hour allergy medicine. so i'm ready by the first hole. with new zyrtec® liquid gels, i can love the air®. [ male announcer ] this week only, save up to $12 on zyrtec® products at zyrtectv.com and in sunday's paper. with new air wick aqua mist. its propellant-free trigger mists fragrances inspired by the freshest places on earth. air wick aqua mist. release the freshness of nature in your home. still haven't tried activia? listen to this story. my problem was occasional irregularity. my commercials didn't convince you? i'm definitely a skeptic. actually, my mom convinced me. and i have activia every morning for breakfast. activia definitely helped with my occasional irregularity. help get your system back on track. activia, with bifidus regularis helps regulate your digestive system. chances are someone you trust can recommend activia. ♪ activia! and try activia fiber. a delicious blend of cereal, fiber and activia yogurt. special k protein shakes -- ♪ a truly great-tasting breakfast shake. with 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, it's the creamy, delicious way to satisfy... your hunger to help you lose weight. ♪ so you can kick the tin can habit. try special k protein shakes today. hi, jay bush and duke here to introduce new bush's black bean fiesta....whoa... you can't tell everyone about new black bean fiesta. but it's perfectly cooked black beans, in a zesty "south of the border" chipotle sauce with red and green peppers, onion, and crisp corn. a bold new taste. i know. but i want people to think i'm a great cook. so hide. delicious! can i have your recipe? your secret is safe with me. hello... new bush's black bean fiesta. and try new texas ranchero, along with our other grillin' beans flavors. this morning in "today's" kitchen, satisfying our sweet teeth with banana bread puding and butterscotch sauce. mmm. chefs of the popular blue ribbon restaurants here in new york city. bromberg brother's blue ribbon cookbook, better home cooking. good morning. >> good morning. >> eric, you didn't want to rush right into this. you've been working on this book about 18 years? >> just about 18 years. we started out with small restaurant on sullivan street. >> right. >> and it's taken us a long road, nine restaurants and now a cookbook. >> it's a beautiful cookbook. >> thank you. >> there are a lot of comfort foods in here and there's nothing more comforting, bruce, than bread pudding. >> we cook a lot from memories we have when we were growing up and bread pudding, our dad took us down to commander's palace in new orleans many years ago when we were scouting out schools for eric and it stuck with us. now we make our own version. >> what goes into this? bread, obviously. >> obviously bread is the main ingredient, but as most desse desserts, we'll start with egg yolks and sugar. >> does it matter what kind of bread you use in this? >> it really -- the general rule is for french cooking that you use pandeme which is a loaf bread. we use baguette, country white bread that's here. we use any crusty white bread. >> it has to be white bread? >> well -- >> well, if the -- >> you can do anything. >> okay. you're whipping up the egg yolk and sugar. >> egg yolks and sugar. this is a great job for an electric mixer. >> so you're not one of those that has to do it by hand? >> no, no, no. we'll take a vanilla bean, which is this beautiful thing here. we'll scrape the inside of the bean out and put that into the eggs and the sugar. >> right. >> then we'll take the bean and we'll put that into this pot of cream. >> that's all heavy cream in there? >> exactly. and a little bit of sugar. and the vanilla bean. then we'll whisk this until it's thick and white and we'll combine these two. >> do you have to be careful about cooking the egg? >> absolutely. you want to put just a little and then stir it around well and then finish with the rest of it. >> ah. >> as soon as that's done, we'll move to pour this through a strainer and then we'll move on to bruce. >> all right. moving on to bruce now. >> while eric is straining, we have caramel, sugar and water. we've brought that up to a slow simmer. >> careful because you don't want that to burn. >> you don't want it to burn. this is a rich, amber color. as soon as it gets to the rich amber color, we take our cream. it may splatter a tiny bit. >> more cream? >> more cream. bread pudding. and then what we'll do is we'll add our cream in to the caramel and you see you get -- >> splatter. >> you have to be careful. >> that's pretty hot. >> the sugar is extremely hot. you have to be a bit careful with it. you can take it off the heat a few minutes and add the cream. once the cream is added and it gets smooth and rich, we're just going to take white chocolate. this is in addition to a butterscotch recipe that we decided softened the recipe a little bit. >> you've also cubed up the bread? >> we have cubed the bread. take the bananas and walnuts and toss them in there. give them a bit of a mix. >> i'm going to add a little more bread on top. >> okay. >> we can kind of mix that around. >> all right. because we're running out of -- we want to get this in. >> okay. then the caramel is going to go right over the white chocolate. >> we pour this in here? >> this, we pour in just to cover the bread. we'll let that sit overnight. >> we come back here. >> yep. >> then you put this -- do you put this in the oven? >> you put it in the oven for about an hoir and a half. it comes out looking like this. we cool it, cut it into portions and scoop ice cream on top. >> why not? and then you've got -- >> we top it with the beautiful sauce. >> we're going to try this out in just a little bit. the book is bromberg brother's blue ribbon cookbook. we'll bring the ladies in. we'll be back in a moment. first this is "today" on nbc. cakathie lee and hoda here. what do you have coming up? >> let the games begin, baby. >> we have valerie harper in the house. >> awesome. >> looks terrific. >> we'll have all the buzz over the weekend. so much is going on with tiger and elizabeth taylor, perhaps, being engaged. >> that's number nine. >> i have a little interesting tidbit on that. what else, hoda woman? >> there's a lot. >> so much. just stay tuned. >> and it's fun day. >> they always drink. >> what? >> after your local news and weather. blue skies and spectacular sunshine greet us and on what will be a beautiful day. it is monday, april 12th, 2010. here's a look at what's in the news. getting around could be a challenge. many streets are closed because of president obama's nuclear summit at the convention center. most streets were shout down and will remain closed until 8:00 tuesday night much the security zone is from o street to massachusetts and new york avenues. it has been bounded from 11th street to 6th street. the convention center metro also closed. trains pass through, but riders will not be allowed to get off. a good day to walk. let's check with chuck. >> a beautiful day for wandering about. whether you are eating lunch or looking at the sunshine, a high near 72 and clouds return with a chance of showers. before more dry weather returns for wednesday and thursday. >> let's take a look along 395 and moving nicely. shirlington across the 14th street bridge and no active work zones so that is hopeful. if you are heading downtown, the hop side is heading out quickly. no late accidents to report. >> a reminder to get your news, weather, and traffic at 4:30. wake if i had to sit on a bench during the middle of a game due to diabetes it would frustrate me. in a basketball game a couple minutes could mean a big momentum shift. my bayer meter is very important. (announcer) only bayer's contour meter has programmable personal high low settings. it allows me to be able to look at my highs and lows to make sure that my diabetes is being controlled as tightly as possible. with my bayer meter i don't miss valuable game time. i'm alana burns and staying in the game is my simple win. (announcer) the contour meter, only from bayer. from nbc news, this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. ahead, everybody, we're so glad you're with us for another manic monday. this is april 12th. we're going to have a ball today. we just decided it's all about attitude. >> yeah, we don't care if it's monday and people are cranky, because we're not. >> no matter how much sleep one had over the weekend. >> or didn't. >> you were off to l.a. >> i had to fly to l.a., i did a "dateline" on michael buble. i got to see him in concert. genius, brilliant, great showman. i cried through two of the songs. listen to this one. crank it up. ♪ i would give at this moment ♪ if you would just stay ♪ i'd subtract 20 years from my life ♪ >> the reason i was -- it was a beautiful concert. and i interviewed him after the show. we have a couple pictures of him and his agent. >> about 3:00. >> he's engaged, by the way, his agent, liz rosenberg. >> taking a breather from madonna to work with the buble man. >> how was your weekend? >> a lot of tiger and the masters. i watched most of it with frank. he says, you never do anything with me. okay. i'll watch a couple of holes. it got compelling. >> what did you think? >> i'm thrilled that phil mickelson won. i think everyone is. tiger got off to a great start on thursday. he just deteriorated. >> he had some funky swings, which i never thought i would say, but they were sort of -- phil mickelson, this is a guy who you sort of wand to model your career when you watch him. >> such a fine example of a man to me. his wife and his mother are battling breast cancer. he went up to her afterwards. >> that hug was amazing. >> the contrast between what tiger is going through in his life, and this, a solid relationship with several children. that was not for the cameras, you could tell. >> she had not been out to any of his matches in 11 months since the diagnosis. >> congratulations to him. >> we saw some behavior from tiger over the weekend that i thought, i don't know how much he's learned about being a gentleman on the course. i know it's frustrating, and all of that. but that's what people are looking for, any discernible change. >> i think that's the thing. when you are under a microscope, anything you say or do, any comment, anything, will be mike low managed. >> it's not fair, but -- >> jim carrey -- >> who just recently broke up with jenny mccarthy. >> wrote this series of tweets. he who -- to police his father he gave up his childhood and free doll. in the world, that's enough. this is what got controversial. no wife is blind enough to miss that much infidelity. elin had to be a willing participant on the ride, for whatever reason, kids, lifestyle. no woman just stays at home with her kids anymore. tiger was wrong and elin was ignoring the obvious. i want to make it clear i do not condone infidelity, but to some degree, the responsibility is shared by both people. >> that's a heck of a comment. i'm sure tiger is grateful for the support, he hasn't been getting a lot of it, but to say that elin is responsible for everything -- or at least in some way. >> he was saying she was in it for the money or status or something. >> yeah. yeah. i don't know why we have this cocktail -- >> because. >> it won some big award. it's sitting there beckening. you know me, i'm no a mixed-drink person. >> this is the champion. this is called i have too much time on my hands at this point in my life. >> lime apple bitters compressed with apple-tine balls. >> that's what it says. >> congratulations to the winner. >> congrats to you. it's a big fried chicken day. >> it's a big fried chicken day. >> kfc is introducing a new sandwich, but there's no bun. >> though the chicken is deep fried. >> inside is bacon and cheese. two different kinds, a grilled one and fried. >> this one has 540 calories. >> and yours has less. >> the chicken is the actual what holds it together. >> we found out a mcdonald's fried chicken has how many calories again? 530 this one has how many? >> 540. >> this one has ten calories more. so what's the point? >> that's good. for 100 extra calories, if i'm going to be bad -- >> i think the point is you don't have the bread, but you still have the calories. >> 23 grams of fat. >> and lots of sodium. >> the point it is delicious. if you've been watching your weight and bread intake and all that. >> we're going to talk about your favorite things. >> while i chew, you go ahead. >> we're going to bring out our favorite things on mondays. mine is there's a book i've had -- >> i actually read. >> it's not look yours. >> it's called "the rhythm of life." when i give speeches and stuff, i always take this book, bass it has inspiring, terrific stories in it. >> i have two other books that i have nod read. >> this is one of those ones, if you ever feel like you're too old to do something, people say i'm past my prime, listen to this. jack nicklaus was, henry ford was 50 when he started his first manufacturing assembly line. ray acrock 52-year-old salesman when he bought out mac and dick mcdonald adopt perignon was 62 where he would when he first produced champagne. that's -- >> that one you could have gotten to. >> mike angelo was 62 years old when hi designed the ba sill. franklin lloyd wright was 91 yefrld when he completed his work at the guisen hype. and urondis was 98 when he ran a marathon in athens, greece. >> probably died the next day. >> you are such a negative nelly. >> how long did it take? >> i already told you. forget it. >> now i'm impressed. i'd like to know how long he lived. would you find that out? >> he honestly has terrific stories about life. when you read it -- get it. it's probably out of print. >> oh, good, you can't have it. this is my favorite lipstick. it's not out of print. the color is neonude. you know i always have lip issues. my lips are always chapped, and i don't like to wear chapstick. this is the creamiest, most scrumptious lipstick i've ever had in my life. >> what is it about it. >> thick and creamy, and beautiful. i go through one of these a day. >> how much is it? >> 24. you weren't listening. it's $24. a little note. there's a friend of mine battling -- my assistant for many years, as so many people know, we used to call her the warden, she is mickey farley. he son has had a aneurysm, he did have a terrible experience when he was in north carolina, so she said kathie, he's in charlotte, north carolina. mickey is a psychiatric nurse herself, so she doesn't find much good about many hospitals. she's never been more impressed with a medical facility. the doctor is dr. hunter dier, but thank you for taking care of not just our friend, but everybody there. when somebody is doing a phenomenal job, you have to let people know. >> i agree. sara, what's cooking? >> that comment about jim carrey is sparking quite a dialogue. linda wrote -- drew carey is out of his mind. it's not drew. curtis goes, he's doing it -- people have to go to klgandhoda.com. >> this is a big deal. >> you can show up that day and be there with curtis stone. >> is it already if we recommend our own mothers if there's nobody out there? >> yeah, you have to go to your website. >> how sad. >> get on it! coming up next, she kept millions laughing and taught -- >> valerie harper, what a brilliant actress. love her. right after this. rainbow, why so blue hmmm, i'm losing energy this morning. did you have a good breakfast? nooo. here, try this, it's under three hundred calories and pretty satisfying. mmmm! tasty! looks like everything is back to normal. fight the morning fade in under three hundred calories. jimmy dean d-lights. shine on. a few slike thisches can country living bedding. it transformed my room with delicate blooms of beautiful flowers. shop kmart this week and get $30 off any home items purchase of $100 or more. [ mr. bluelight ] there's smart, and there's kmart smart. 100% natural nuts and granola in bite sized clusters. it's a little bit of nature... a little bit better. and nature approves. granola nut clusters from nature valley. it makes my skin really silky and velvety. this is my body wash. what do you mean? this is it? why?! oh, don't do that to me! dove creamoil body wash. now with nutrium moisture. nutrium moisture. i'm a believer. the nourishment in dove creamoil goes somehow deeper. i'm happy about the change. change is good. dove creamoil body wash. four-time emmy winning abtres valerie harper, probably best known for her portrayal of rhoda morganstern. >> but valerie has a lot of sides, playing the wildly irreverent actress in "luke." she is so, so much fun in this. >> my gosh. >> valerie, welcome. >> we came to see it a couple weeks ago. >> and you sold a lot of tickets. your viewers buy theater tickets, and thank you so much for being so supportive. >> our pleasure. >> we were so happy the show did so well. there's chat about you and the tonys, but for some reason they decided this wasn't going to continue on broadway. >> it's the issue of budget, you know? some of these good shows are wonderful. they have to make a million a week, because it costs close to that to run it. and we had an investor drop out at the last minute, half a million. >> in terms of cast and everything, that's a huge part of the nut. >> yes, and tony, my husband is the lead producer, who produced the show in so many places. we are very sad, but we're excited, too, because there's talk about a tour. several people are talking about taking it out. >> you play her so well. >> oh, i had a ball doing this. >> describe her character a bit. >> wildly extravagantly outrageous, an excellent actress, a real fabulous theater person, but she was so singular in her -- and she was very flamboyant and open at a time when the country -- >> she would an the door naked, which hoda finds nothing wrong with. >> yawn. >> a budding lula. >> and quite a few lovers. >> there are no tell-all books about telula, because she told all. she was quite a lady, came from a political family, and -- but it's a great exciting person and great to play. >> you smoke a lot. i was thinking, wow, are you taking -- >> fake smoking. i'm going to give it away, because the show closed. the thing to do, first of all, it's noto, because it's not allowed inned theater. it's an herb thing. i'm not sure -- i think it was called -- it has a butterfly and says ecstasy. i thought, i'm not smoking that, but it's an old cigarette name. >> were you pretending? >> yes, i take a good long drag into my mouth and raise my chest and exhale. smokers say it looks like you're inhaling. i can't, because i don't smoke. that would be a coughing fit. >> she does more than smoke. a couple bottles of bourbon through the whole thing. >> dyed water. >> maybe that's why we like the show so much. it feels like home. >> and the cocaine isn't even there. >> i know, it's so messy. >> like you know. >> what's next for you? >> i have a couple television -- i've gone approached about several things, which is great, but i am really keeping my eye on where "luke" is going to go. we all put our heart and soul -- the director, the playwright and wonderful other actors. >> here's the deal, banana peel. tony season is coming up, and i believe your name totally deserves it. i would say win it, but definitely nomination. >> i think the nominating committee, they all came and saw it. >> it was a spectacular performance, but broadway comes and goes. valerie harper is here. we wait for your next one. >> i'm a real broadway baby. >> will you read that up next? >> oh, sure, darling, this is how it is, next we're going to take you back 25 years for a walk down memory lane, right after this. [ barks ] dog. that's why purina fit & trim is specially formulated... with high-quality protein, including delicious real chicken, to help him maintain lean muscle and a healthy weight, so he can make the most of every day. long live your buddy. long live your dog. purina fit & trim. because right now it's rollback time at walmart. which means thousands of rollbacks all over the store. it's another way to master your budget. and another great day for the savers. save money. live better. walmart. kids are hungry after school. that's why i always have totino's pizza rolls. big pizza taste. in a bite size roll. kids can't resist their delicious pizza flavor. totino's pizza rolls. the pizza way to snack. now i just follow the steps and i can get anywhere i want to go. turbotax lets me do my taxes the same way. searching over 350 deductions. which helps me to my maximum refund. guaranteed. announcer: try turbotax now. with two scoops! of raisins harvested at the peak of sweetness, and golden flakes of bran with 28% of their daily fiber, nothing gets your family's day off to a brighter start... than the goodness of kellogg's raisin bran cereal. feed their sunny side. where were you when you tuned into "the cosby show"? here's a hind -- it was 25 years ago. >> "elle" is about to give you back a quarter century. and robbie meyers is editor in chief, is here to help celebrate the anniversary. welcome. >> thank you. >> and happy anniversary. thank you. we're all 25. we launched it, we came to america from france with this idea. the founding editor said she wanted to open women's appetites. >> and we know about the french women. >> but it turned out american women have pretty healthy appetites as well. >> we just didn't know it. >> we needed to launch out. now 25 years in we'll be doing this incredible survey. >> you sort of want to compare what women were like -- >> how we are evolving, right? >> or not. >> we've evolved quite a lot. >> we're still not making as much. >> no. >> except for oprah, who makes up for everybody else. >> when you put her on the average, the whole thing comes up, but 25 years in, we're about to launch a survey with msnbc.com and elle.com. >> what questions are you asking? >> what does happiness look like right now for young women in america. what do they care about? how much money do they think they'll make? when will they get married? how many children will they have? >> i thought -- back then -- i don't know if they always told exactly the truth. >> i think we were under less pressure. i remember very well what i was doing 25 years ago. it's a lot less stress, it seems. >> isn't it amazing, we have all these opportunities now, so many more than 25 years ago, yet we're reporting that we're less happy. >> we did that recently. very, very few people are truly, truly happy. >> we wondered if people always told the truth, because earp supposed to be just right. >> now women tell the truth? >> i think we're more open. >> isn't it interesting that men are getting happier as women are feeling a bit less happy? >> well, more women are in the workplace for one thing. a lot of women are able to keep themselves more fit and more attractive, lots of things women can do to stay more, shall we say, youthful? >> true, but i'm sure you know this. after work we go home and are expected to do -- >> still do the stuff at home. >> that cave family you're married to. >> one of things you're going to talk about is music, so what was going on 25 years ago. >> the numb we are country song was "careless whisper." >> talk about george michael's life, what a roller coaster. >> the best new artist was sade. she's back again. >> the number -- did that win the oscar? >> no, "out of africa" won the oscar. isn't it interesting that "avatar" is the number one which is kind of futurist tick, too. >> what about tv shows? we started off with "the cosby show. ". >> and betty white. >> interesting, that you think about, all the things that were old are new again. >> i so loved that. >> and look who else is back after all these years? >> i think that actually we have some pictures of "back to the future" maybe 25 years ago? >> we only have a few seconds. >> apparently not. >> what a tease. >> there it is. >> and michael has a new book. nice! follow me, the missouri river is this way! lewis and clark expedition of 1804. oh, he'll never get this. magellan, 1520. awww, my 8 layers must've given it away. help keep your kid full and focused with 8 filling layers... of whole grain fiber found in kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal. this is one giant leap for mini-kind. keeps 'em full. keeps 'em focused. hoo hooo! ♪ ¿por que no probamos esto? [ male announcer ] old el paso. a special blend of seasoning for especially delicious tacos. feed your fiesta. a a few slike thischessoning can country living bedding.cos. it transformed my room from winter to spring with delicate blooms of beautiful flowers. and i just love how my new jaclyn smith patio set was built to last. which is pretty important -- since we practically live out here. you know -- it's amazing, that a little addition like these soft and colorful cannon towels can make such a splash. top brands, uncommon style, and surprising details all at a kmart price. [ mr. bluelight ] there's smart, and there's kmart smart. slim-fast gives you proven weight loss, not celebrities. introducing the new slim-fast 3-2-1 plan. the clinically proven way to lose weight now. slim-fast. who has time to slim slowly? we're back on this monday with "today's styles." >> you looked at anything that would give you better biceps or firmer triceps. but "more" feature editor susan swimmer has some advice. hello, susan. >> great to see you. >> arms is always an issue for most women. >> not everybody has the best arms. you ladies have the best in the business, but not everybody feels that way, and as you get older, it's one of the tougher parts to firm up. >> and your arms take you by surprise, don't they? you're looking down at your gut, you know that's not where it's supposed to be, you're feeling the jeans don't fit, but the appears, it's not like something gets tight overnight. >> it's a gradual loss of firmness. >> you can tell us what's wrong and bring out the after. first up is laura, her major complaint is her arms are big are than she used to be. >> she looks terrific. >> i think so, too. here's the problem, the thing, horizontal stripes is tough, but the top is too smalls. . the top is boxy, and the arms are kind of pressed together. wait until you see this. >> this is what laura did. >> with the tunic top. >> this is a canary yellow tunic. it's a hot, hot piece for spring and summer, but it lets the skin shows through. the detailing is this eyelet fabric, and then we've also layered some long necklaces which draws the eyes in. >> next you have lavell, a medical administrator, and mother of three. here's her before picture. >> she's wearing a square top. she loves sleeveless things, so we found a way to do almost sleeveless. >> let's see what we have done here. >> here she is. >> oh, yeah, i love that. that's so beautiful. >> i have to say it is one of my favorites. >> the color is fantastic. >> it's a coral knit top by lane bryant. it's almost sleeveless. and the best thing is the knit kind of cinches her at the waist. the cowel neckline frames the frame. >> you like it? >> i love it. >> she even has her lipstick and fingernail polish to match. >> you look darling. >> so pretty. >> that's gorgeous. >> my mom would look pretty in that. >> it's a great, great color. >> next is adel. in her photo, she's wearing a print top with a poofy sleeve. >> the little puffed sleeve, it creates a band at the widest part of her arm. the print is in the wrong spot. this is not the best way to do it. >> i think it's almost impossible to wear that type of top that gathers there. >> who can do it? >> six or younger. >> here's the before -- let's look at how adel looks. >> come on out. >> adel. >> oh, yeah. that's lovely. >> we're creating magic here. this is a knit top by benetton. so many are afried of knits, but a very diaphanous knit moves. >> diaphanous? that's crazy. >> and it's so flattering. this flutter sleeve is a great way, it's movement and covering. >> jennifer is a makeup artist. >> she says she's not happy with her arm. >> jennifer told us a very funny story, when she's applying makeup, her arms are up. she's learned to dab, not swing. we get it. the problem is this is a great burst of color, but too much volume. she's swallowed in that material. >> let's see the before picture. >> let's see jennifer. >> oh, my gosh, this is awesome. >> here's the thing, don't be afraid of prints. a small print is very, very camouflaging. this plunging neckline shows the best part of most women's bodies, which are the collarbone. just keep the print small. >> i like that these tops are all affordable. >> absolutely. bring all these models out here. >> i always say, it's little tweaks that make a big difference. you don't have to overhaul anything. just little tricks. >> you're so right about the fit, you know. if it's pulling on you, get one size a little bigger. >> please, i wish everybody would cut the size out of their clothes. accentuate the best of you. >> great job. >> thank you so much. up next, elizabeth taylor's latest love -- >> or is it? [ cat meows ] ♪ [ male announcer ] cats everywhere are using fresh step with carbon because it doesn't just mask odors, it eliminates them. so don't be surprised if your cat needs help finding her litter box. fresh step, the only clay litter with carbon. it's paw-activated, to eliminate odors. so it's almost like not having a litter box. join fresh step's support of the aspca. time for new zyrtec® liquid gels. they work fast. so i can get relief from the pollen that used to make me sneeze. with new zyrtec® liquid gels, i get allergy relief at liquid speed. that's the fast, powerful relief of zyrtec®, now in a liquid gel. zyrtec® is the fastest 24-hour allergy medicine. so i'm ready by the first hole. with new zyrtec® liquid gels, i can love the air®. [ male announcer ] this week only, save up to $12 on zyrtec® products at zyrtectv.com and in sunday's paper. right now, walmart has rolled back prices on top lawn care brands like poulan pro, brute by briggs & stratton, pennington, scotts and spectracide. along with thousands of others all over the store. it's rollback time! save money. live better. walmart. this bar is an excellent source of fiber. there's no fiber in this. it tastes too good. they have 35% of your daily value. oh, samples. mmm. fiber one. cardboard no. delicious yes. still haven't tried activia? listen to this story. my problem was occasional irregularity. my commercials didn't convince you? i'm definitely a skeptic. actually, my mom convinced me. and i have activia every morning for breakfast. activia definitely helped with my occasional irregularity. help get your system back on track. activia, with bifidus regularis helps regulate your digestive system. chances are someone you trust can recommend activia. ♪ activia! and try activia fiber. a delicious blend of cereal, fiber and activia yogurt. all right. it's time for "today's buzz." a roundup of the people making headlines. >> from oprah's unauthorized biography to tina fey's big week, andy cohen is here to fill us in. >> hi, andy. >> busy weekend for those interested in anything buzz-worthy. >> is the book out today? >> i'm excited to see you ladies with her. first of all, the john tesh revelation that oprah and john tesh had a relationship. >> when? how long ago? >> in the '70s. >> we all did. come on. >> is that true? >> no. >> john tesh in the '70s i think was kind of really handsome. >> he was, and a different kind of john tesh. he's very married now, very -- very much a family guy, very spiritual. >> is there anything we need to know about you and john tesh. >> no, no, no. >> it's in kitty's next book. >> i am really interested in this oprah book. the "new york times" really kind of trashed it today. >> she says she did 850 interviews, but so many people wouldn't speak to her. >> and gayle king says oprah is not close to 850 people. she has very few people in her inner circle. >> but she did interview some of her family members. >> she did. >> and last week there was so much speculation about what was going to be on the oprah winfrey network, and she announced three of the new shows on the network will feature her, oprah, a nighttime interview show, and search for the next great talk show host, and then a show that is a reality show documenting her final season on "the oprah winfrey show." >> and something with shania twain. >> tina fey had a big weekend. >> i didn't see it. i saw you tweeting. >> this is what people responded, don't tell kathie lee, because she'll wonder if you're going by herself. >> it's so sad. >> is it sad to see a movie by herself? >> no. we've had this discussion. >> she really thinks it is sad. >> she just wants you to be madly in love. >> so sad. >> anyway, the movie did great. tina fey came back and did some funny skits. there she is as sarah palin, dos a takeoff on the oprah winfrey network, the sarah palin network. this was one of the top primetime shows not in primetime. so it was a big week for tina fey. >> and she got back at katie couric pretty well on that. >> it was hilarious. >> tiger, tiger, tiger. >> it reminded me how boring golf is. >> i weren't excited about tiger being in it. >> i'm excited about the victory and drama surrounding that. i think golf is quite boring. the jim carrey tweet, which you mentioned earlier, that the wife must have known that something was going on. >> what did you think of that? >> i actually thought -- >> careful. >> i know, the two of you are looking at me like -- -- i thought it was an interesting point of view. i'm not forgiving tiger. i just thought, you know what? there had to be something wrong in the marriage is what i think he was saying. >> she was saying she was in it -- it made it seem like she was in it for money or something else. >> i think he was bringing up another point. >> no, no, you're scaring me right now. >> here is what many of us are scratching our heads about, and that's the elizabeth taylor, supposedly the ninth roll down the aisle. >> right. >> she is in a wheel chair now. >> when i heard about this, it was reminiscent of the whole martha raye thing a few years ago. she was marrying a younger guy at the end of her life. i thought, don't let this be what something happens to elizabeth taylor. i spoke with someone who knows jason winters, and said this is not something happening. >> jason is -- has got a partnership with a gentleman where the sterling winters comes from, they've been in business together for many years, and the minute i read it, i thought, that ain't true. >> it explains why liz taylor tweets so much about kathy ireland. i fold her on twitter. >> and we follow you on twitter. >> and i follow both of you on twitter. i tried to start a twitter war with you. >> i call it tweet. i think it funny. >> i tweeted you last week that your wig was aexcuse. >> that's not funny enough. >> all right. thank you, andy. >> oh, gosh. >> a mini-money makeover. er nut- high in vitamins d, e, and b12. a good source of vitamin a and b2. plus omega 3's. and, 25% less saturated fat than ordinary eggs. but there's one important ingredient that hasn't changed: better taste. better taste. better taste. yum! [ female announcer ] eggland's best. better taste -- and now even better nutrition -- make the better egg. imagine that kind of vitality... in your skin. aveeno introduces ageless vitality. as skin ages, elastin fibers break down. this exclusive biomineral concentrate system... has active naturals ingredients shown to multiply... elastin's elements. i'm impressed. the study showed improved firmness, texture, wrinkles, or spots in 100% of women. how uplifting is that? new ageless vitality. save $15 at aveeno.com. that's the beauty of nature and science. that, on the list of things kids love, our party pizzas have just passed toy robots. awkward. kids love totino's party pizzas. - knock, knock. - who's there? interrupting cheese. interrupt-- - cheese! - i should have seen that one coming. you should've, 'cause that was-- i even told you i was gonna be interrupting you. ( snickering, laughing ) morning sir. beautiful day, isn't it? we take the time for our cheese to mature... before we bake it into every delicious cracker. because at cheez-it, real cheese matters. we are back with our continuing series "mini money makeover" and how to plan for the financial future of your special-needs child. >> sara's 30-year-old son brad has downs syndrome, but it wasn't until she was in an auto accident where she would wonder what would happened to him? >> jean chatzky had some answers for her, and they're both here with us. we're so delighted. >> good morning. >> what prompted you to call jean? >> brad turned 30, and this is something chuck and i, my husband, had been researching for a long time. we wanted to make sure that brad's financial future would be taken care of. jean posted something on facebook about a mini money makeover, so i asked her for help. >> he was in your general will, right? >> i didn't even have a will. >> you didn't even have a will at all. >> look, we know, this is a big problem. 70% of the adults in this country don't have a will. we don't like to think about things like dying, for example. >> when did you first do yours? >> definitely when we were first married, but i had one before that on my own. >> and most people don't, but when you've got a special-needs child in the family, and 1 in 5 families actually does, then you have to think carefully, because you can't put too many assets into that child's name. when they grow up, they're likely to receive income through social security and through medicaid, and they could lose it if they have too much money, so you have to be really careful. >> you're saying it's important to have a trust of some sort. >> it's called a special needs truth. what we did with sara is introduce her to an attorney, lori steiner, who helps us out. she and her firm set sara and chuck up with the wills and the trust that they need. >> how emotionally has this changed you? you sleeping better at night, knowing that all your kids will be cared for? >> we didn't like to think about the fact we might not always be around to care for him, but we know at least now he'll be financially taken care of. and once they have -- brad is used to doing a lot of things. >> first, should they establish a trust? >> first it depends on whether they will be able to be self-supporting. not all special-needs kids are in the situation where they'll need one, as lori told me, it's really important to talk to someone in your state, because state by state the laws can be very different, and then you make sure you have what you need and you can sleep a little better at night. >> if cost is a situation people are concerned about, would you suggest a legalzoom.com or something? >> it's definitely enough as far as a basic will is concerned and as far as powers of attorney are concerned. when it comes to the special needs trust, i would make an effort to consult a lawyer. >> well, good luck with everything. we're glad you teamed up. >> it's been wonderful, and lori did a wonderful job for us. >> there are good attorneys in this world. there are lots of them. >> thank you, jean. we love having you on. see you soon. >> okay. we'll be back all right. it's time to check in with miss sara. >> the the fans are writing in, john says "the rhythm of life" is still in print. >> so that other one she hasn't ready. >> the kathie lee book? >> yes, excellent book. >> the cookbook. >> no, it's not a cookbook. >> can you imagine kathie lee in the kitchen? >> that's not funny, sara. >> i tried, hoda. you see what happens? >> do you have a similar book that's made that kind of difference in your life? >> not like a general help book. there's a book i read every single day and sent out probably 20 of them called "jesus calling." that's one of the most profound beautiful little books for devotion every morning, so that's the one i would say that keeps me centered for sure. >> we have another book tomorrow. >> a big book. >> it's not -- it's mine, i've got a book called "party animal." i'm going to sing on the show. >> yes. >> hide the children. it's going to be one of those shows. >> have a great day, everybody. >> i didn't even know you sang. that's weird. >> tomorrow is booze day, something to look forward to. >> bye-bye. having a child with diabetes, i'm nervous about her going away, but i know that she wants to be able to do things on her own. (sunny) the bayer meter helps me become more independent. (announcer) only bayer's contour meter has programmable personal high low settings. (sunny) the hi/lo settings gives you a good idea of where your blood sugars' at and what you need to do to control it. the bayer meter will give me peace of mind. i want you to be happy. don't cry. my name is sunny and independence is my simple win. (announcer) the contour meter, only from bayer.