Transcripts For WRC Today 20110602

life of pope benedict xvi. and the story behind matt's unforgettable audience with the holy father himself, today thursday, june 2nd, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to a special edition of "today" on this thursday morning inside studio 1a i'm meredith vieira and matt at at the vatican looking very spiffy. good morning, matt. >> good morning to you, meredith. welcome to rome. the holy see as it's more formally known. it's home to more than a billion catholics all around the world. it's not a very big place. vatican city, only about 100, 110 acres making it smaller than the average municipal golf course, making it the same size as the pent gob in washington, d.c. this is one of the most powerful sovereign nations than anywhere on the planet. pope john paul paul is on the of e'er everyone. he has embraced things like solar power. as a matter of fact, if you look around vatican city, you'll see solar panels on the rooftops of some of the buildings. he's embraced social media. we'll be talking about that specifically coming up. we're going to take you inside st. peter's basilica, the building behind me. we'll get a tour of one of the art world's greatest treasures, and then we'll take a look at the daily life of the pope himself, rare footage taken inside his private residence, private gardens, the pope taking his meals, and we'll talk about the people the pope surrounds himself with. yesterday he was in bad company because he was in the audience of me. we're going to tell you more about that coming up in just a couple of minutes. and we're joined here in rome by ar archbishop of new york. your excellency, thank you very much. >> delielted to be part of this. >> we're going to be with him throughout the program. a couple of quick notes. he turned us all only these paper hats. very necessary. what do you think, about 130 degrees? >> gentile to be. even more with outfits like this. >> al roker also made the trip to rome. he took us to one of his favorite places in rome. >> again, thank you. meredith back to you. >> matt, why do u sense the wine was flowing. thank you so much. we're going to begin this morning on a very serious note that ripped through parts of massachusetts. nbc's mike taibbi is in springfield with the very latest on that. mike, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. in the most recent briefing he confirmed the four deaths, 40 injuries that were serious enough to require hospital treatment. more than 200 were moved to homeless shelters. the numbers could have been much higher. some were in the range of 135 miles. people around here had not seen anything quite like this in almost half a century. this dramatic footage captured as the first tornado touched down in springfield, whipping debris a mile into the air. >> holy [ bleep ]. >> reporter: a driver stopping in disbelief to document the twisted disaster as it clawed everything in its path. >> this is a 22 storm team weather alert. >> reporter: it was just after 4:30 in the afternoon when this volatile weather system struck the southwest corner of massachusetts. >> at least one tornado has touched down. >> reporter: in the end, two fully formed tornados had scraped the urban landscape of springfield and more than a dozen other nearby towns leaving everyone shaken. >> all the buildings collapsed. my aunt's house, the whole back of her house is gone. >> it was like "the wizard of oz." i was waiting for the witch to fly buy. >> i thank god. he protected us. >> reporter: it went right down main street collapsing several buildings and ancient trees were yanked from the ground. roofs badly damaged. highway signs down. even a trailer on its side. the destruction and damage so widespread that massachusetts's governor called for a massive response. >> we have an emergency on our hands, and so i have declared a state of emergency across the entire commonwealth. we've called up to a thousand national guard members to help with the search and rescue. >> reporter: by day's end an army of clean-up crews were responded and fire and rescue crews came in from all over. it wreaked havoc and cost lives. a season of pier illess weather that has seemed relentless. one resident told me the sight of it was frightening enough but the sound is what she'll never forget it was like a low-flying jet line. really terrifying. meredith? >> i can only malk. we're going to get to al's forecast in a moment as well. now onto politics regarding racy pictures. he said he was the victim of a prank. luke, good morning to you. >> good morning, meredith. congressman anthony wiener did his best to put this issue behind him but in the process left open the possibility that the lewd picture in question could, in fact, be him. on wednesday congressman weiner tried a different tactic, to end the controversy that's been plaguing him all week. he decided to sit in on int interviews saying that he was pranked but leaving questions unanswered. was pranked, punked. i'm an easy name to be made fun of and i think that's what happened again. >> reporter: he denied the picture again that he sent this pier of him in briefs to this 21-year-old. >> it's a terrible thing this woman got dragd into it. i don't know anything about it. i didn't send that picture. >> reporter: he left one question unanswered, refusing to say that picture was not him. >> that's not a picture of you? >> i'm not sure with servitude. my computer was hacked. someone got access to my twitter account and put out a picture that made fun of the word weiner. >> you would remember if you were to have taken a photo like that of yourself. >> one reason why we sent someone to come in is we don't know what happened here. >> you will not flat out deny that that photograph is not you. >> here's what i will say. we're trying to figure out exactly what happened here, whether a photography was manipulated that was found in my account, whether something was dropped into my account. >> even if it was of him, computer expert anthony derosa says the congressman's computer account could have been hacked. >> it could be in his favor but everything coming out of his mouth is putting him in worse condition. >> reporter: weiner says this has taken a toll of his wife. >> this has been a befudling experience. the implication is i somehow did something wrong to someone else. i was the victim of a prank, okay? i was the victim of a prank here, and the fact of the matter is that's the bottom line here. >> reporter: now, this prank is testing the patience of weiner's fellow democrats. we'll keep you updated on any developments here on capitol hill. meredith? >> luke russert, thank you very much. chuck todd is with us. chuck, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> the people at the headlines in new york city are having a heyday with this. beyond all that, beyond the laughs here, this guy is a rising star in this state, truly in the city of new york and considered a front-runner for the next mayoral campaign. what about the political toll? >> this is a guy that is known for being straightforward, a little bit of a straight talker, sometimes too much so for some people. and yet on this episode he sounds evasive. he sounds exactly opposite of the guy who's built a reputation for being a little in your face sometimes, telling you things you don't want to hear, and that's what's made this episode odd. the answers to him are unweiner-like. at the end of the day i think he's probably answering tougher questions at home than he does in the interview. >> when you talk about the fact that he is at the very least being evasive, how does he get ahead of the story or get it behind him? >> here's the thing what we don't know. we don't know what's going on in his home. we don't know the answers he's dealing with there, and think that's the problem at the end of the day is he's dealing in a public forum when he may be dealing also with his crisis at home in some form or another, and i think that's what may be obvious to us in dealing with the public problem. it may not be so obvious at home. >> i'm going to get off that now because everything you say is a double on entundra. later on sarah palin's tour bus is entering the state for a clam bachlkt rudy giuliani is holding a fund-raiser there tonight. how does mitt romney regain the story or steal back the spotlight or can he not do that until the field settles in. >> he's going to have a hard time. it's a slap in mitt romney's face on the day he's trying to lay out the case. he's front-runner. he may be a fray jagile front-runner. he's going to be making two case, one, that president obama has failed america and, two, because of his business acumen he can turn the economics around. and this reinforces this message that he's hoping carries through. he's got a lot of hurdles to get through. but watching what palin's doing today -- and, again, she may not have intended this. she doesn't coordinate anything, as we found out within the republican party -- she looks like she's doingering she can to almost undermine romney, this front-runner. look. everything she's done this week, meredith, has left the impression that this field is not acceptable yet. that she wants more candidates. what does that say? that's sending the message mitt romney the front-runner isn't doing it. >> all right. thank you very much. let's get a check of the rest of the top stories from ann curry. good morning to you. >> good morning. we begin with that lethal e. coli outbreak spreading across europe caution growing concern now that the world health organization says it involves an extremely dangerous mutant strain never detected before. so far the back tear yas has killed at least 18 people and sickened over 250 people, including americans who had recently returned from europe. most fell ill in germany. they suspect that cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes may be the source. in a development that could be considered thawing of relations. they're forming an anti-terror intelligence squad. it comes after secretary of state hillary clinton visited there last week. relations have been particularly tense since last month's raid on osama bin laden's compound. there's flooding that could continue into july. the worries have homeowners in north dakota building sandbag walls and the governor of south dakota is urging residents to evacuation in the floodwaters' immediate path. despite the dow on wednesday, the government reports that the u.s. job market may be rallying, seeing its best hiring stretch in five years. reports say that the boost isn't only helping job seekers. it's also helping state governments, budget gaps with strong tax revenue increases. with that hopeful news we go to wall street and cnbc's mandy drury is live good morning to you. >> good morning to you. we're hoping today's sentiment in stock markets is better than yesterday. since the earning season has opened we're focusing on the economic fundamentaling, how fast or slow the u.s. economy is recovering and really the score on that is looking a little patchy day by day. i should also tell you about an interesting story from google. google says hackers tried to break into hundreds of g-mail accounts including those of officials. the chinese government is rejecting accusations that the hackers with china saying china is also a victim and hacking is an international problem. back to you. >> interesting. thanks. the battle for the stanley cup is on. last night the vancouver canucks shut out the boston brewers 1-0. and though it was only game one of the series, he was accused of biting a player. he denice it. the game airs saturday here at 8:00 p.m. on nbc. here's what the road to the world guinness record looks like. he's zipping down a 66-foot ramp sand into a triple the first pe complete the death defying stunt. yes! it's now 7:16. come on, meredith, let's give that a shot? >> yeah, you'll do it for sure. >> we'll do it together. come on. >> i don't think so. let's get a check of the weather from al roker. hey, i might do it, al. >> no, way, meredith. we have a lot of americans that came here and they're all gathered around from students who are study here in italy to just plain tourists having a good time. we have storms in the midwest. a high dew point, a lot of humidity, and colder air slamming into that. you can see showers and thunderstorms firing up from wichita and kansas and heavy thunderstorms around st. louis moving into illinois. a risk of strong storms from bismarck all the way down to missouri. we have a secondary of strong storms possible later today making their way through the southeast, and the main threat is rain and damaging winds. that's what's going on around the country, and here's what is happening in your neck of the woods. >> and the air-conditioners will not be working as hard today and might get a chance to turn them off tomorrow. it's 76. morning side of riverdale, current currently 74 degrees. a high temperature today will be 86 degrees, down from yesterday's record-high of 88. >> and that's your latest weather. mr. lawyer. >> all right, mr. roker. thank you very much. as you well know 40 million people travel from all around the world to come here to st. peter's square. some of those people if they're lucky and the timing works out just right may actually get the see the pope in person. a luckier few get to meet the pope if everything goes just right. from new york it's eight hours to one of the world's oldest cities. i have two hours to get to the vatican. which should be plenty of time. it's been said that all roads lead to rome. some days that still doesn't seem like enough. but there are plenty of sights to pass the time. and the singular destination that is simply timeless. from almost every part of the globe, the old and young, the joyful and the solemn, the faithful and the simply kurrous come to see the leader of the catholic church. this wednesday audience began over 80 years ago and is a weekly event at the vatican. it's where the catholic church's highest human authority touches base with his congregation at ground level. speaking to the crowd in seven different languages he welcomes different groups and gives them his blessing. some react with unchecked enthusiasm. others burst into song. ♪ the holy father as he's called begins his personal greetings. first the arch bishops and cardinals, then the rest. a gift of thanks in hand. and a very helpful archbishop alongside. >> this is matthew lawyer with the "today" show in the united states. almost e'er american family watches him in the morning. >> reporter: what a pleasure. it's an honor to meet you, your holiness. thank you so much. do you have a message for the people in america? thank you so much. please accept a gift of my gratitude. it's wonderful to meet you. thank you. >> gracia. >> reporter: you know, i will tell you that as long as i've been thinking about that meeting, it was even more special when it actually occurred. a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. i'm joined by archbishop timothy dougherty. i did it one time. you do it routinely. does it ever get old? >> did you mind that i introduced you as matthew? >> no. it's biblical. it's great. the gift that we gave the holy father was a crystal cat because he apparently has an affection for cats. >> he does indeed, which is endeared to the people of rome because they love cats as well. >> reporter: he's a very warm person in person. i think that might surprise people. >> i'm glad you picked that up. that's true. we know he's very professorial and cerebral, but you got it. when you meet him face to face, he's intense, wants to know who you are, very interesting. up close and personal he's very warm and gracious. >> you're going to stick around. >> i hope so. >> reporter: and talk about the issues faces the church at this time. and we're going to go behind t skroohe scene s of the pipe's residence, his gardens and the people he surrounds himself with. but first this morning on a split edition of "today" in rome, this is "today" on nbc. just ahead, casey anthony's brother takes the stand. plus al and matt's local tour after your local nur news. wel, getting handling and steering lessons on those sporty eean roads. it went back to school, got an advanced degree in technology. it's been working out -- more muscle and less fat. it's only been two years, but it's done more in two years than most cars do in a lifetime. now use the best suncare recommended most by dermatologists. neutrogena®, with technologies like helioplex... it provides the highest average spf and unsurpassed uva protection. get the best. neutrogena®. so let's plant some perennials that'll turn up every year. trees and shrubs to give us depth. and fill it out with flowers placed in just the perfect place. let's start at the place with the best plants, people, and prices. what do you say we plant a weekend, water it, and watch a summer spring up? more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. right now, roundup weed & grass killer or ortho weed-b-gon max is just $8.88. good morning. i am joe krebs. it's 7:26 on this thursday the 2nd that june. the power is still off for a lot of folks along capital street. as a result wilson elementary school is closed and the d.c. housing is closed and the equal employment opportunity commission is closed. buses in the area have been there all night for people to go inside the buses and cool off. we'll it will be warm today, but it's not going to be hot. 76 is the current temperature. humidity down in a big way. we have a wind out of the west northwest at 6 miles per hour. turning breezing and gusty later today in the afternoon. temperatures will rise to 86 degrees. an accident involving a pedestrian, 17th and u street. and then over to springfield, traffic moving slow heading towards us. 395 slow up towards the 14th street bridge and into the distri 7:30 now on a thursday morning. it's the 2nd day of june, 2011. here in the vatican city. a place filled with rich history and remarkable works of art. by the way, why is it called vatican? vatican was a term used to describe a marshy area near the river. i'm matt lauer. meredith is back in new york city. meredith, good morning to you. >> good morning to you, matt. >> and i want to tell you that just to the side of me here is the centerpiece of vatican city, st. peter's basilica. its dome or cupola was designed by mikkel angelo when it was designed in 1590, some 20 years after mick oh angelo had died. i think after his death only the drum of the dome was completed. it's the second largest church in the world. it's a monument to the apostle peter. remember, god said the church would be built on the rock peter was built. the basilica sits on the hallowed grounds of an earlier church built by em per or constantine in the 14th century. below it lies the vatican any crop lus. it's a maze of mausoleums and crypts and was only first discovered during an excavation in 1939. and at the end of this narrow underground passageway, a small tomb was discovered, and in 1968 pope paul vi announced that the tomb did, in fact, hold the bones of st. peter. and that altar, by the way, was built so it's directly above the tomb of st. peter. we're going to take you more inside for a tour in just a little while. also a rare behind t-the-scenes day in the life of the pope, x. we're going to bring back archbishop timothy dolan back in a few minutes and talk about the things affecting the catholic church. >> here in new york we're gearing up for a live concert with "american idol's" scotty mccreery and lauren alaina. but we begin with serious news revealing new testimony from the trial of casey anthony. kerry sanders is following the proceeding for us. kerry, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. today begins the eighth day of testimony in this case and the prosecution has announced they're halfway through all of their witnesses. the trial has include casey's mother, father, and now her brother, detailing casey's lies and erratic behavior. >> nothing was making sense to me. >> reporter: lee anthony, casey's older brother told the jury wednesday his mother cindy called casey's pregnancy a mistake. his sister was 19 years old, unwed, living at home with her parents. >> my mother had also referenced k caylee as being a mistake but the best mistake or greatest mistake that casey's ever made. >> reporter: the 28-year-old said he had become the family negotiator, often negotiating peace between his mother and sister. >> and she just looked at me, really, no reaction. >> reporter: including the day caylee was reported missing. >> when you asked your sister why won't you allow us to see caylee, what do you recall her saying? >> i told detective edwards that she said -- paraphrasing -- because maybe i'm a spiteful [ bleep ]. >> he said the story that the nanny took her baby is a lie but there's one thing the defense does not want the jury to hear or see. five hours of jailed recordings, moments what the defense team says will prejudice the jury, but the judge says based on the rules of evidence, the defense would have had to petition too keep the videos out months ago. the judge will rule later today. >> let's move on. >> for a lawyer to say he's too busy to meet court deadlines on matters that are important to his client are matters virtually unheard of in a high stakes murder case. >> reporter: and then there's the theory of the accidental drowning in the backyard pool allegedly covered up by her father george, a claim he denies. they never even inspected the pool for clues. >> what evidence, mr. baez, would one glean from inspecting the pool? >> if you never look, you never know. >> yeah, but let's say you look. what would you see to determine whether someone drowned? >> well -- >> if a body's not found in a pool, how do you determine fit was drowned in that particular pool? >> reporter: that accidental defense, accidental drowning defense has yet to begin, but it's unclear, aside from casey or her father george, who could testify to that. and george, as we said, has already denied any knowledge or involvement in a cover-up. meredith? >> and the judge seems to have his doubts as well. kerry sanders, thank you very much. now let's get a check of the weather with al. he's at the vatican. good morning to you, al. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. thank you so much. in 1540 the pope at the time hired a swiss mercenary i force to become the guard for the residency. today, to this day, the swiss guards in elite forces continues to guard the pope. this is matt and peter. how are you doing, gentlemen? >> good morning. >> what is the requirements to be a swiss guard? >> you are not allowed to be married and you need to be of age, 18 years. >> do you have to be swiss? >> yes. >> how long you have been a swiss guard? >> for a year, joined the force february of last year. >> the uniforms are quite colorful. tell me about these? >> one family, rich and powerful family from italy, and a lot of popes originated from them, and they're colors were red, yellow and blue. so that's -- >> how long does it take to get this thing on? you have ribbons and stuff here? >> it takes two minutes. in the beginning, like half an hour. >> a day like this, is that helmet hot? >> yes, it is. especially in rome where it's always hot. >> you look fantastic and you have done a great job, and these guys don't move. do you practice that? >> no, we don't. >> you just do it. >> we just do it. >> we have better air quality across the area. we will stay out of the 90s today and rise into the mid-80s. 76 is the temperature right now. 73 in herndon. low >> that's your latest weather. matt, i'm scoring us a couple of these outfits. we'll wear those back home. >> there's no question. those are the coolest things we've seen since we've been here. thank you very much. back when joseph ratzinger took the pope. he took the name benedict xvi. this morning a rare look behind the scenes at day in his life. he is the public face for the faith of over a billion people. from his home in vatican city, pope benedict xvi shapes the catholic mission in the 21st century. not long after 5:00 a.m. the pope's day begins in meditation and prayer. daily mass is a fund mental ritual in the catholic church and is practiced in the pope's surprisingly modern chapel. despite shepherding millions across the globe, the pope's daily congregation is made up of just his closest staff member, aides, cooks, and keepers of apartments. having served as a parish priest for less than a year, pope benedi benedict's career was given to the intellectual pursuits of academia. he's authored over 30 books. in the morning he reads, prepares sermons and tends to the abundant work of his leadership. the quiet of his day is regularly broken. by public duty. vatican city consists of just over 108 acres. some of those covered by gardens that supply the pope's kitchen. though for centuries, tradition dictated that the pope eat alone, benedict is occasionally joined by a guest and he always dines with his personal secretaries. having grown up in the mountain villages of ba vash ya, the holy father is a walker, a rooftop stroll through his sanctuary is later followed by a walk three the vatican gardens, an opportunity for exercise and the rosary. from the privacy of his living quarters, he travels by somewhat modern convenience to the formal rooms of the apostolic palace. here surrounded by the art of his faith, benedict meets with the dignitaries, both spiritual and political. like many of us, the pope ends his day with the push of a button, a nightly italian news program fills the hour from 8:00 until 9:00 before the pope retires to his rooms. it's an ordinary moment in the life of an extraordinary man, one whose quiet devotion has delivered him to the forefront of a passionate movement. moving, in the past, and with its eyes on the future. and we would like to say a very special thank-you to the vatican for sharing that footage with us and sharing a day in the life of the pope. when we come back we'll focus on the issues facing the catholic chore. . more in a moment right after this. 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[ female announcer phillips' colon health. i love your work. your favorites, in pieces. we're back with a special road cast from rome, vatican city. now it's time to talk about issues facing the catholic church. we're honored to be joined by the archbishop from new york, timothy dolan. >> i'm the one who's honored, matt. >> let's talk about the things that are in the headline. one saying i'm an ex-catholic. 42% say they don't attend services on a weekly basis. that can't be good news for the church. have you been able to get your arms around the main reason, the main reason why it's happening? >> those are chilling, sobering statistics and we bishops have to look at it square in the eye. no pastor is going to be content with statistics like that, to get our people back, to excite them about the faith. that remain as high pastoral problem. for the first time there's a sizeable group of catholics who say i'm no longer catholic. we've always had a group of catholic who say, i'm kind of lax but -- >> these are people leaving. >> one of the things i think we've got to do, matt, i i had to use a modern word, but maybe some type of marketing to find out why. why are people leaving? i think some of them are leave because of scandal. i think some of them are leaves because of materialism and temptations to the life. i thinking some are leaving because they're on one side or the other that maybe the catholic church has modernized too much and others because it hasn't modernized too much. >> when you talk about scandal, one that comes to mind is the sexual can zal of children by a priest. >> you bet. >> you said something fascinating rae cefascinate ing recently. you said you don't want it to be over. it haunted the church and it's so painful you think it should continue to haunt the church. can you explain that? >> yeah. thanks for recalling the situation. it was so horrible, tragic, nauseating, we need to keep remembering it so the steps of purification going on in the life of the catholic church continue. this isn't an issue of, oh, good, that's over with, let's move on. it has to continue to haunt us we can't let up our vigilance or let it happen began. >> there was a study release add short time ago. they said they couldn't put their finger on one reason why the priest abused children. maybe it's because the priests were not prepared for the revolution of the '60s and '70s that a lot of us lived through. this was less about a lifestyle but about predators. >> yeah. you're talking about a sin, but also a krierjs pre r r -- crime predation. that study was good. it showed contributing factors. le what caused it, they can't give a real crisp answer to. we can. sin causes it. they said here's some contributing factors. you mentioned some of it. maybe from the '60s and '70s, maybe a lack of screening and preparation. those are things that might contribute to it. what causes it? i think we've got to delve into the study, glean reasons and see -- >> you don't feel as if there could be direct correlation as celibacy and homosexuality. >> i was grateful to see celibacy was not the contributing factor, thanks be to god. >> you were recently -- you are the highest profile person of the catholic church in the united states. you have enormous charisma, a great personality. >> thanks. >> you are being charged with the task of bringing trust back and convincing catholics that the church does, in fact, serve their needs. how do you go about it. >> i don't know, matt. thanks for the compliment. one of the things is you a have to be honest. every morning the most important thing we do is mass and every mass starts with through my fault, through my fault, through my most degree vogrievous fauch we are sinners. to say that very humbly and say come on in, you're in a family of imperfect people, we're all trying for virtue, for sanctity, we're alli trying to be saints. let's do it together. let's say with the grace and mercy of jesus christ and together as a spiritual family with common values that we cherish, we can make some progress here. i don't know. that's my posture, anyway. >> i wish you luck. >> thank you, matt. good to be with you. >> don't go away. we're going to spend more time. we're going to have much more from vatican city and new york city right after these messages. fact -- chicken mcnuggets are great. here we go. add the sauce, it's like the tick to the mcnugget tock. it's like the ping to the pong, the ding to the dong. and now with the new sauces, lips are even smackier, our sweet's even spicier, slam's even dunkier. ♪ [ male announcer ] made with white meat chicken and now new sauces -- the biggest thing to happen to chicken mcnuggets since chicken mcnuggets happened. i totally hear what you're saying. 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[ female announcer ] lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision, or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. i found answers about fibromyalgia. then i found lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today. coming up al and i hit the streets with the archbishop. >> we have scott scotty mccreery and lauren alaina. [ richard ] i've never tasted anything so delicious. richard, why are you wearing grandpa's jacket? i'm not richard. i'm grandpa smucker. [ male announcer ] tim and richard smucker knew that just like their grandfather they too would make the world's best jam. with a name like smucker's, it has to be good. it works great on wet or dry skin because it's seriously waterproof and ultra sweat-proof. coppertone protects across 100% of the uva/uvb spectrum. coppertone sport. embrace the sun. so let's plant some perennials that'll turn up every year. trees and shrubs to give us depth. and fill it out with flowers placed in just the perfect place. let's start at the place with the best plants, people, and prices. what do you say we plant a weekend, water it, and watch a summer spring up? more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. we're lowering the cost of keeping the pests away, with ortho home defense max now just $5.88. we're lowering the cost of keeping the pests away, [ man ] ♪ trouble ♪ trouble, trouble trouble, trouble ♪ ♪ trouble been doggin' my soul ♪ since the day i was born ♪ worry ♪ oh, worry, worry worry, worry ♪ [ announcer ] when it comes to things you care about, leave nothing to chance. travelers. take the scary out of life. you gotta try honey bunches of oats with almonds! it's got real, sliced california almonds with a third less sugar per serving than honey nut cheerios. wow! delicious! try honey bunches of oats with almonds! you know that comes with a private island. really? no. it comes with a hat. you see, airline credit cards promise flights for 25,000 miles, but... [ man ] there's never any seats for 25,000 miles. frustrating, isn't it? but that won't happen with the capital one venture card. you can book any airline anytime. hey, i just said that. after all, isn't traveling hard enough? ow. [ male announcer ] to get the flights you want, sign up for a venture card at capitalone.com. what's in your wallet? uh, it's okay. i've played a pilot before. we have 78 degrees here in the nation's capital. it's 7:56. beautiful bright sunshine out there. bluer skies and lower humidity. news for today, investigators are saying little about the death of a 12-year-old girl. she was found dead in a town house on tuesday night. police have not said whether [ male announcer ] hey michelle, whatcha doin'? i'm serving delicious athenos hummus to my friends. i've got -- [ male announcer ] that's great. let's see what yiayia thinks! you dress like a prostitute. did she just call me a pros-- [ male announcer ] noooo, yiayia would never do -- prostitute. [ male announcer ] never mind that, michelle. at least yiayia approves of you serving athenos hummus. mmmmmm! because only athenos is made the greek way, with 100% olive oil. athenos. maybe the only thing approved by yiayia. a beautiful day and it's going to feel nice. let's get a check on temperatures throughout the area. centerville at 73. and we'll be going up to a high temperature today of 86 degrees. low humidity throughout the day. breezy for the afternoon. great conditions coming our way tomorrow. low humidity, and the high only 82 degrees. the weekend not too shabby, either. veronica, heavy and slow on the beltway in college park. traffic barely moving toward us as they try to get past an accident on i-95. and then sunshine delays from college park around to the vp parkway. ♪i love you this big 8:00 on this thursday morning, june 2nd, 2011. our plaza is packed for a special concert from this year's "american idol" scottie mccreery and runner-up lauren alaina. i'm meredith vieira out alone on the plaza except for all of these fans. matt and al are lucky enough to be at the vatican. hey, guys. >> hey, meredith. nice to see you. we're in the beautiful rome. everywhere you look around the vat scan city there are images of pope john paul ii. there are images on t-shirts and mugs. however, not all images are being received very well. take a look at a new statue erected outside the train station here in rome. it depicts the pontiff with a large cloak with his arms outstretched to embrace the broken. some call it hideous, another ugliness with another adding it's a permanent and sack religious mud stain on pope john paul ii. what's going to happen? the mayor of rome has put together a commission of experts and they'll decide whether it stays or goes. >> a lot of controversy. later on wrks're going to give you a tour of the secret archives of the vatican. we're going to show you the secret archives. we're going to show you how the church is using social media to attract new members and give you a special tour. >> a lot to get to. we're going back to new york. ann curry is back at the news desk with all the headlines. >> i do. let's look at part of news. a part of the country where tornadoes are exceedingly rare is recovering. jeff rossen is live in massachusetts. hey, jeff, good morning. >> reporter: hi, ann. good morning. just to give you an idea how forceful this church was. this church is about 250 years old. there was a steeple twice the size of this building. knocked right to the ground. ann, take a look. this is the church clock nearly standing still at the moment in time the tornado hit. homes on either side are just fine, but you can see the path of destruction came right through here and up into this neighborhood where homes were knocked off their foundations. i'm not sure you can see, but large oak trees have been seared off on top. the funnel cloud pictures were have dramatic. at least two tornados in this state, some say as many as seven. at least four people are dead by the latest estimates. dozens more injured or hospitalized. emergency crews are coming into the area today to go house to house to figure out if there are more fatalities, if there are many injured or people or children trapped inside. the governor is touring it today. it will be a clean-up and a collect on victims. also in the news, treasury secretary tim geithner meets with influential lawmakers today as he tries to sell his case for raising the nation's debt limit. they told president obama they will not raise the debt ceiling until he providies a detailed list of spending cuts. kan says he will consider resigning anyway once japan begins to recover. federal transportation officials say they were on the verge of shutting down a bus service involved in a crash in vurs on tuesday that killed four people. they had numerous violations but was granted a ten-day extension to file an appeal. a delta charter flight carrying the los angeles angels baseball team was forced to make an emergency landing last night after the plane experienced a mechanical problem. about 60 people were on board. they were redirected and landed safely at los angeles international airport. some good news may be coming out. the balloon boy hoax that captured the attention of everyone in 2009, they say they are now auctioning the aircraft off on a private website with the net proceeds going to japanese earthquake and tsunami relief. it is now 8:04. let's go back to al at the vatican for a check of the weather. hey, you. >> thank weather. hey, you. >> thank you so much, ann. we have students here from walsh university. we want to tell you about a mysterious place that a lot of scholars go to. it's the secret vatican archives. one of the most valued historical research centers in the world. it dates back to the beginning of the roman church. documents sits on 52 miles of book shelves and covers 800 years of religious history. and even hen tree the viii's request for a marriage annulment. more than 1,000 scholars take a look from 50 countries every year. jacksonville, florida, today's pick city. sunny and hot and 84 degrees. and today you can see we have a risk of strong storms streching from the mid-mississippi river valley, and rains in the pacific northwest. and much cooler in the northeast after the tornados went through. and then we have a risk of strong storms in the east, and here's what is happening in your neck of the woods. >> here we're not expecting high heat or storms today. the temperatures should stay well under the 90-degree mark. your high in d.c., 86 degrees. and humidity is low. it will be a nice day today, with sunshine throughout the area. and then a breeze coming our way today later. and then 82 is the temperature tomorrow after a cool overnight period. and for your weekend, 86 on sunday, and may have a passing showerhank you very much. coming up, for better or for worse, how america is changing mesh, getting people in trouble one character at a time right after this. my recipe for french toast? 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[ female announcer ] lenscrafters has the styles you love at the lenscrafters style event! save up to 50% on eyeglasses and sunglasses made with your prescription. hurry in! lenscrafters. back at 8:10. how twitter has changed america. they use it to communicate with the world and each other, but is that also such a good thing? here's nbc's lee cowan. >> reporter: when it started, twitter was criticized. the fear, become a venue for the self-absorbed clutter with news of their sock drawer. but twitter isn't all. some have credited twitter with reinventing social activists. take the uprisings in egypt for example. others have pressed twitter into public service. the mayor of newark helped find and dig out snowbound residents. while arnold schwarzenegger issued a press statement, his children from the next generation used twitter instead. and on wednesday, nba great shaquille o'neal announced his retirement via twitter. >> i know you heard i just announced i'm retired. i need your help. help me come up with a new nickname. >> reporter: it's a way to instabtly connect with the somebodies. it has an allure and a danger. >> there's laevl of false intimacy. to thing there is a mistake. >> reporter: congressman anthony weiner was famous for using twitter. now his twitter trouble is the butt of jokes. >> i've got to tell you this twitter is something else. >> reporter: an embarrassing picture was sent to one of the congressman's followers. he insists it was a prank. tweets have no editor for taste. when remiami rimes tweeted herself in a spring bee keyy. one fan wrote, whoa, you're scary skinner. rimes used twitter to defend herself. those are called abs, not bones. . believe our standard for what is proper conversation is beginning to singer in response to all this unmediated communication. >> reporter: for all the good twitter offers, clearly some twitter hool'ics haven't learne to mediate themselves. >> lola is a pop culture expert. care line noor is a editor of "common sense." there's no question twitter has revolutionized the way america communicates but how has it altered things. >> it's man public figures a lot more accessful and i feel that people feel there's a sense of intimacy that they've never had before. what happens is the boundaries that skpiftd before no longer exist. people feel like they can speak directly to leann rimes. she bypasses her handlers and speaks directly to her fans and detractors. where we used to have barriers and we go to the conversation, it can be no longer. >> it can be nice. shaquille o'neal spoke directly to his fans and said help me out. i think's a dark side of salina gomez and the death threats she's received from these justin bieber fanatics who's dating a heartthrob. >> he's spoken about directly to his fans through twitter, which is like getting a fan letter from michael jackson or a handwritten note from michael jackson in the '80s which is a great thing. if you're salina gomez, can you imagine a note from a 12-year-old who wants you dead because you're dating her man? >> if you have children who are interested in going on twitter, what advice would you give to parents? >> i think the number one most important thing parents can do is know what your kids are doing on line. kids under 3 aren't supposed to be on twitter but everybody knows they rchlt it's easy enough to fake your able. so i think if your teens are on twitter, you should follow them and if your kids are on facebook, you should friend them. know what they're doing. >> if you're making threats, can you be held accountable for that? >> you kchlt actually threats do go against twitter's terms of service. those comments are out there. they're very public, and they last a long time. that's why it's just so important for parents to know what their kids are doing and help teach them safe, responsible, respectful interaction online. >> i think that's a good point. people assume it disappears into the ether. once it's on the internet, it's not going anywhere. once you put a picture up, it's up there and lasts for a long time. i think for privacy what parents can do is help kids to understand what's okay to share and what's inappropriate. some things should be private. >> people have different assessments as to what is okay and what isn't. i think of arnold schwarzenegger's family. he might not like the fact that his son tweeted about his affair. >> yeah, i know. >> can you imagine john f. kennedy jr. going online and tweeting about what was going on in their household? it just wouldn't have happened. >> it's really a different world. >> i'm sure arnold is mortified. >> thing what parents can do is use the online tools to help protect their online privacy. they're easy to use and there to protect people. >> thank you so much. and speaking of social media, up next, how the catholic church is embracing it to attract a new generation of followers. we're going to have more on that live from the vatican right after this. [ female announcer ] there's nothing we won't do for our health or our skin. now there's another way to support skin from within. introducing one a day women's plus healthy skin support. a complete multivitamin plus lutein and other anti-oxidants... to help support skin moisture, elasticity and smoothness. new from one a day. so let's plant some perennials that'll turn up every year. trees and shrubs to give us depth. and fill it out with flowers placed in just the perfect place. let's start at the place with the best plants, people, and prices. what do you say we plant a weekend, water it, and watch a summer spring up? more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. right now, roundup weed & grass killer or ortho weed-b-gon max is just $8.88. took some wild risks when i was young. but i was still taking a risk with my cholesterol. anyone with high cholesterol may be at increased risk of heart attack. diet and exercise weren't enough for me. i stopped kidding myself. i've been eating healthier, exercising more, and now i'm also taking lipitor. if you've been kidding yourself about high cholesterol, stop. along with diet, lipitor has been shown to lower bad cholesterol 39 to 60 percent. lipitor is fda approved to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease. [ female announcer ] lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems and women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant. you need simple blood tests to check for liver problems. tell your doctor if you are taking other medications or if you have any muscle pain or weakness. this may be a sign of a rare but serious side effect. lets go... haha. if you have high cholesterol, you may be at increased risk of heart attack and stroke. don't kid yourself. talk to your doctor about your risk and about lipitor. this flat-out delicious -- the new $3 flatbread breakfast combo. a toasty 6-inch flatbread breakfast sandwich and a 16-ounce cup of freshly brewed seattle's best coffee. all for just $3. build your better breakfast today. we're back with a special split edition of "today" on this thursday morning coming to you from vatican city. the roman catholic tradition is filled with many traditions but the church is also embracing the modern world. nbc's anne thompson is joining us with that side of the stoifrmstory. >> it's eroding in the u.s. so catholic leaders are looking for ways to reengage the formerly faithful and the answer may be just a click away. >> reporter: for religions steeped in ancient traditions, critics would say stop. the high-tech informal 140-character world of social media might seem to be the devil's playground. i think again. this is father dave dwyer, host of the busted halo show. five nights a week on sirius xm radio's catholic channel. >> so what is the different between eucharist and communion. >> reporter: carrying on the interactive tradition is as old as the church itself. >> if you never interact with the people, then you're not really a minister of god. jesus didn't do that. he didn't stand on the mountain and say no incoming please. what do they say and how do we respond to that? >> reporter: this 2,000-year-old institution is gone. need a prayer? there's an app for that. want to know what pope benedict is doing? follow youtube. follow christopher coin. he blessed the cars at the indy 500 and provided a response. some believe the 24/7 of social media can reconnect catholics with their faith and move them out of the cafes and back into the pews. chronicling the entries to the church is rocco. he blogs. >> the whole mission of the church is mission by communication. >> reporter: braid 25,000 people today it's efing actually irrev >> how do you refer to him? >> b-16. one has referred to him as his fluffiness because of his fluffy white hair. >> reporter: yet the vatican is paying attention. asking him to blog in may. >> sometimes it can be considered livness and that means the church is not doing its job. >> reporter: now, while the church is using social media as father twieer puts it, don't expect the church to play to the crowd. while the delivery may change, the message stays the same. >> anne thompson in rome, thanks for your help. i appreciate it. monsignor, it's pleasure to see you. thank you for joining us. for years it seems the church has been criticized for dragging its feet in the area of social media. now it seems you're jumping all in. why now? >> i think we're realizing social media is creating an important debate, discussion. it's a growing realization on the part of the church. but when many young people are relying on social media, if we're not part of that, then we're not part of their world. >> there's an upside to this. there's also a potential downside. we've talked about that in the show for other reasons. social media brings with it certain risks. are you worried about that? >> i think we're aware of the risks, but above all we want to say celebrate the positive. we can use the media for good things and because we can use them for good things, ill would be a shame to waste them on less worthwhile activities. >> there's a facebook page for john paul ii, a youtube site. when it comes to facebook people can log on and make their commenting about john paul ii. if they're great comments, that's wonderful. as we all know, people can log onto the site and say just about anything. how can you handle that? >> we're not just interested in talking to people. we also want to listen and sometimes listening to them may help you understand why they're critical and maybe you can address them in a different way, addressing their concerns and maybe answering some of those concerns they have. >> will there be any attempt by the church to sensor the comments that may show up on a page like that? >> i think there are a range of levels. some are open, some are more moderated. if somebody offends somebody else, we have that out there. we have to have a policy. we're interested in listening. we want to be part of a conversation. >> you're about to take a next step. you're going to launch that, i think, in the coming month. what's your goal with that? >> our goal is news.va. we're going do it using video, pictures. we're going to be doing it so that people can share it with their friends. they can use facebook, tweets. >> are we far from the day where benedict xvi tweets to his followers. >> i think we'll have something sign. >> thank you very much. we appreciate it. we're going to have much more ahead from rome even as these >> we will have much more as these people tweet to the people back home, and first, these messages and your local news. 8:26 is your time now. 79 degrees out there. warm but less humid. veronica will have your forecast after the news. it's thursday, june 2nd, 2011. the lights are still out for some people along north capital street in northeast. wilson elementary school is closed and the housing authority and equal employment commission [ male announcer ] with the most branches and atms in the dc area, it's hard to miss a capital one bank. alright, let's get ready to work alex. rosslyn! ♪ arlington! ♪ falls church! nice save! 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[ female announcer ] yoplait light. withlicious flavors all around 100 calories each. yoplait. it is so good. good morning. we're warming up, and unlike the last couple days, we're going to warm only up to 86 or 87 degrees. humidity will below and at 79 degrees right now. expect a high today of 86 and sunshine. breezy too later today. steve? >> delays on the beltway. traffic heading toward us, and this is the outer loop of the beltway, and from the washington parkway to connecticut avenue. two separate incidents off the road. [ female announcer ] keurig brews more than just hot coffee. now you can brew over ice for delicious iced coffee or tea. hot or cold, keurig is the way to brew everyone's favorite cup in under a minute. choose. brew. enjoy. keurig. 8:30 on a thursday morning. the 2nd day of june, 2011. it's beautiful day in rome and a beautiful crowd gathered at rockefeller plaza in new york city. actually a huge crowd. they're there because the newly crowned "american idol" scottie mccreery is putting on a live performance along with runner-up lauren alaina. that's a huge event and people have turned out for it. matt lauer along with al roker. it's a beautiful afternoon here. coming up we're going to take a look at the first-hand look at the beauty, sights, sounds of it here. >> he took us on a great tour of some of his favorite spots but he also took us inside st. peter's and we got a first-hand tour and a close--up, matt, i think you would agree, at something that would take your breath away. greatest pieces of art a man has ever seen. >> no question about it. and we are virtually alone in st. peter's basilica along with the archbishop. it was extraordinary. >> a lot of people are sending e-mails about the hats. explain the story behind the hats. >> we got here yesterday and it's very warm here and the sun glares down in st. peter's square. and so the archbishop said you can go out and buy the hats. they costs about $11. well worth the investment. >> to paraphrase will smith from "men in black," we make this look good. >> and it's catching on. because we have them. >> you are starting a trend, you guys. you are the beginning. >> hold on just a second, guys. we want to show you something. our crew has them as well. take a look! >> very nice. >> now, all we need is the italian wine and we will be all set, guys. >> uh-huh, strutting your stuff. all right, guys. >> the "american idol" stars are going to be performing for us in just a moment. >> i don't know if anybody wants to stick around, but if you do want to stick around, you're invited to, because we're going to have another great concert from two of the most popular boy bands ever. backstreet boys, and that's coming up. but we will throw it back to you, al, for a look at the weather. >> much cooler in the northeast. a break. unfortunately, the frontal system that caused the tornados in new england, we have a strong storm risk. record heat continues down through the gulf. for tomorrow, we have got more rain in the pacific northwest. afternoon showers, and northern california, a slight risk. sunny and mild up and down the eastern seaboard. the record heat will continue from texas the gulf coast and on into the southeast. that's what's going on around the country and here's what is happening in your neck of the woods. >> our heat wave is finally over. we will say in the 80s in the next couple days. no high humidity or extreme heat expected. you will notice the winds picking up out of the northwest. breezy to gusty afternoon, from 86 today to a high of 82 degrees tomorrow. still refreshing. friday is looking gorgeous. the weekend, 88 to 86 >> and that's your last weather. matt, it really has been a pleasure having ampbishop dolan give us a tour and be our guide in this beautiful city. >> he gave us a beautiful tour of the sights and sounds of rome and of the magnificent st. peter's basilica. >> they used to love to come here because it just has a sense. so you have great little pizzas and fine souvenir shops. >> you were how old? >> 1972. >> so you left the family behind in the midwest. >> oldest of five. did not hide the fact that i was homesick. rome eased it. rome itself is so welcoming and especially for a catholic, everybody feels -- >> what about the --. was going to say that. >> you knew where i was going. >> did you take a kind of culinary tour of rome also? >> yes. my physical exercise was going that far. that was my daily workout. >> arch bush op dolan introduced us to the fine art of food in rome. >> your favorite italian food. >> favorite italian food, you may not believe this, the older i get, the more i like a simple pasta with just a little sauce. >> have you heard of this stuff, je gelato. every once in a while i'll have a little taste of it. i throw that away and get a snow shovel out. >> do you think every american catholic should come to rome? >> it would be great. no huh man being can walk into st. peter's and not feel overwhelming. for a catholic, it's like going home. >> and so archbishop dolan gave us a personal look of one of the most holiest sites. st. peter basilica. >> this is the altar above the tomb of peter. now only the pope uses this. this is called the high altar. it's a literal fulfillment that jesus made. you, simon, peter, which means rock, on you i will build this church. rising up, if you look above, rising up all the way to the heav heavens, you talk about gee sez keeping his promise. this is the promise he made to peter. >> you said you could get this place all to ourselves and if you stop and look around, the we're basically all to ourselves at st. peter's basilica. arch bi archbishop dolan, there are a lot of americans who have been but very few have seen what we're standing in front of. >> you're right, matt. may 1st, john paul ii beatified. this has only been his tomb for a month and it right now is probably the most popular spot in st. peter's basilica. this moves me. this is the first time i've seen it. >> archbishop, what is it about john paul ii that to this day people still relate to him? >> john paul, i think, gave a human face to the payppalcy. the world watched, laughed, prayed, cried. he head a magnetic personality. he was himself, a choreography between the divine and human. >> the whole world recognizes the piata of michelangelo. it means mercy and compassion. you can see it in the face of maifrmt it said michelangelo pictured our blessed mother at the time jesus would have seen her at birth. this transforms tourists into pilgrims. once they see the piata, they almost become children of god. you can just see them admire not only a masterpiece of art but just the fact that it represents so passionately the tenderness of god's mercy. >> i've been to rome a lot of times in the past but on about this trip, a couple of things i'll never forget, the tour request with you. and it has been a joy and we thank you so much. >> see you back home. thank you, matt. it's so good to be with you. god bless you and our wonderful listeners. >> thank you. i'm going to head off to hit a plane and come home. we'll go back to you. you've got a big concert. >> thanks to you. safe travels. up next, scotty mccreery and runner-up lauren alaina. first this is "today" on nbc. [ male announcer ] hi lauren and greg, what's up? we're getting the day started with athenos greek yogurt. later we're gonna ride bikes and go to the -- [ male announcer ] wonderful! let's see what yiayia thinks. are you two married? um, no. but you living together, ah? yeah. you are going to hell. [ male announcer ] don't worry, kids. at least yiayia approves of you eating athenos greek yogurt. mmmmmm! because athenos is made the traditional greek way, never using preservatives or artificial flavors. athenos. maybe the only thing approved by yiayia. the toyota concert series on "today" brought do you by toyota. >> at just 17 years old scotty mccreery is the youngest winner in the "american idol" history and the first to take the title. good morning to you. >> good morning to you. >> i feel like i know you so well. a few months ago you were a high school student in north carolina, bagging groceries on the side, watching sports, eating chips on the couch, playing baseball. has this sunk in? >> oh, no. this is pretty wild for me. it's -- it's not going to sink in for a while, i don't think. >> are you used to people sinking, we love you, scotty? >> it wasn't like this before. >> so truth be told, throughout the entire competition, you were never in the bottom, so was there a moment when you said to yourself, i think i'm going do this? >> i don't know about that. it was about top five or top four that i looked at my mom and said, mama, i think i'm going to learn this thing. i knocked it up a gear. >> that's when you knew you had picked it up. everyone wants to know where that voice of yours comes from? >> i'm not really sure. i grew up singing elvis and i tried to sing deep in elementary school chorus and i guess it stuck with me. >> do you have singing in your family? >> both my parents sing in the choir. my dad since both. maybe i got some from him. >> what do you hope for when you look ahead to your future? >> i hope i can get out there and put out a good album and cover songs. it's going to be fun. >> who is your idol? >> a lot of people know i'm a fan of josh turner. he's a good guy. i sung with him in my home town and it was a lot of fun. >> are you looking forward to getting back on the couch and eating chips and watching sport is? you got that right. >> you're going to sing your debut single, "i love you this big." >> yes, ma'am. >> take it over, scotty mccreery. ♪ i know i'm still young but i know how i feel ♪ ♪ i might not have too much experience but i know when you love is real ♪ ♪ by the way my heart starts pounding when i look into your eyes ♪ ♪ i might look a little silly standing with my arms stretched open wide ♪ ♪ i love you this big eyes have never seen this big ♪ ♪ no one's ever dreamed this big ♪ ♪ and i'll spend the rest of my life explaining what words cannot describe pl but i'll try ♪ ♪ i love you this big ♪ eyes have never seen this big ♪ ♪ no one's ever dreemd this big ♪ ♪ and i'll spend the rest of my line explained what words can not describe but i'll try ♪ ♪ i love this big eyes have never seen ♪ ♪ this big no one's ever dreamed this big ♪ ♪ and i'll spend the rest of my life explained what words cannot describe pl b describe, but i'll try ♪ ♪ i love you this big eyes have never seen this big ♪ ♪ no one's ever dreamed this big and i'll spend the rest of my life explaining what words cannot describe ♪ ♪ i've love you this big [ applause ] >> scotty mccreery, thank you so much. up next, runner-up lauren alaina takes to the stage. first this is "today" on nbc. not that long ago, many families were priced out of an overheated housing market. but the times have changed. get the facts at remax.com. it's a great place to see all the listings in thousands of cities and towns. with lots of houses to chose from and down-to-earth prices the dream of owning a home seems more attainable than ever. find out what an experienced re/max agent can do for you. nobody sells more real estate than re/max. visit remax.com today. we're back with "american idol's" scotty mccreery and lauren alana. they are the youngest to ever face off in the "idol" competition. good morning once again to you two. i want to get right to it, lauren, the big salute you gave to scotty. everybody wants to know what's going on? >> that was to me. >> you kissed him. he kissed you. >> yeah, yeah, yeah. >> now don't protest too much. >> what did you say? >> i don't know. >> anyway, so -- >> is there a little something, something here? >> friendship. >> friendship. >> good for you. >> i have to point out that your moms, judy and christy are here in the audience. they basically dropped their lives in the past four months to spend time with you. what have your moms' sacrifices meant to you? >> i'll -- >> your mom is judy. >> yeah. she's been great for me. >> what about your mom, christry. >> my mom is my best friend. she sticks with me through everything. i give her a hard time somewhat but no matter what, she's always there. let's give a round of applause to the moms, all right? absolutely. you know, meredith was asking scotty about how he's made this transition. you've had your home town named after you. what's keeping you two grounded given how fast this is going, how young you two are? >> i think it's our faith in god because if we are the same people we were before this competition and we'll always the same people. people think we're different, but we're not. we're smalltown people. >> you guys, we're going to get off the stage. we want to thank "american idol's" michael. sco sco scottie and lauren, take it away. ♪ suppose i called you up tonight and told you i love you ♪ ♪ and suppose i said i won't come back home ♪ ♪ and suppose i cried and said i finally learned my lesson i'm tired of spending all my time alone ♪ ♪ if i told you that i realized you're all i ever wanted ♪ ♪ would you tell me that you love me too would we cry together ♪ ♪ or would you simply laugh at me and say i told you so ♪ ♪ o i told you so ♪ i told you some day you'd come crawling back asked me to take your hand ♪ ♪ i told you so but you had to go ♪ ♪ now i found somebody new in you and you will never break my heart in two again ♪ ♪ now i found somebody new and you will never break my heart in two again ♪ >> thank you. [ applause ] >> scotty mccreery and lauren alaina. thank you is much. we've got one more song, but first this is "today" on nbc. you guys sound so great together. >> i don't want people to forget you have another fantastic show tomorrow. new kids on the block and back street boys here on the plaza. i have to point out, you were 16 years old. scotty, you're 17 years old. you have your whole lives in front of you. we're so proud of what you've accomplished. you should be too. we'll be right back after the local news. your local news. 8:56 is your time now. 78 degrees out there. much clearer skies and less humidity means a nice day. veronica will have your forecast after the news. it's thursday june 2nd, 2011. it could be next march before d.c. police could use breath liesers to nab drunk drivers. the breath test program needs to be overhauled and that could take ten months. a contractor discovered the machines had been miss calibrated and overstated calibrated[ man ] i goted this new citi thankyou card and started earning loads of points. you got a weather balloon with points? yes i did. [ man ] points i could use for just about anything. ♪ ♪ there it is. [ man ] so i used mine to get a whole new perspective. ♪ [ male announcer ] the new citi thankyou premier card gives you more ways to earn points. what's your story? citi can help you write it. it's like frozen hot chocolate. ah! ah! you got it! yeah, i was just reading what was on the cup. try our new dunkin' donuts frozen hot chocolate. it's like frozen hot chocolate. america runs on dunkin'. finally a day easy on outdoor activities. humidity will remain low and temperatures will rise out of the upper 70s where they are right now to a high of 86 degrees. sunshine and breezy. we have a tough ride this morning on the outer loop of the beltway to connecticut parkway, with four separate accidents all back now with more "today" on this thursday morning, 2nd day of june, 2011. it's gorgeous day in new york city. these people on the plaza look happy to be here. 2011 "american idol" scotty mccreery. also later we've got the runner-up lauren alaina from georgia. she's going to sing her solo to her mother on the concert stage. >> hearing them outside, a lot of people see the two of them singing their duets together. >> they have great voices. being discovered as young as they are, i'm ann curry along with natalie morales. there's more terrible weather in news, because this time in southwest massachusetts, four people at least have been killed after a rare tornado ripped through the area. so we're going to have more on this in just a moment in our newscast. also ahead a medical miracle. he was 18 years old, about to get his driver ice license and his world closed in because he was going blind. he couldn't afford the treatment to save his sight but then a generous doctor answered his father's plea for help and now sean can see a new life ahead. we're going to be talking to him coming up in the new hour. and we saw al and matt enjoying the beautiful city of rome. if you're planning a big trip this summer, what if something goes wrong. without divine intervention, maybe you should think about travel insurance. some think it's a no-brainer but you need to be careful and read the fine print. we're going to have excellent pointers coming up. first, thoerks you have a check of the top stories? >> i do. we're going to turn to the storms. in a part of the country where tornadoes are exceedingly mary, jeff rossen has the story from massachusetts. hey, jeff, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. an absolute disaster zone in this town. really many are looking that kind of devastation this morning and neighbors are beginning to survey the damage and seeing things like this all over the place. i mean, enough said about the power of tornado ripping trees right out. we have new numbers. they've reported four people dead but they've upped the injured in hospitals to over 200. about 40,000 are without power. the other danger here is that power lines, ann, keep coming down. this line is not hot. we're told by the electric company that's why we can get so close. this one down here, this high voltage power linemate still be hot and the investigation remains. they're going house to house to see if there are still victims trapped inside to make sure there aren't more fatalities and injuries. as those twisters came down yesterday, as you can see in the dramatic pictures yesterday afternoon, the news broke in with storm alerts, but for some people it wasn't enough time to get to their basements or emergency shelters. and so, ann, today they begin that long clean-up work as you can see behind me. the wood chippers are up trying to take some of these trees down before they do any more damage, in many cases hanging over homes that are currently still standing, the homes that are standing at least. >> jeff rossen, thank you so much for reporting on this story. another story, lethal e. coli concern now that the world health organization says it involves an extremely dangerous mutant strain that has never been detected for. it's killed a few people including two americans who recently returned from europe. officials say they suspect cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes may be the source. in a development that could save a throng of relations, they're forming an anti-terror intelligence squad. secretary of state hillary clinton create add list of most wanted terrorists. a qantas jet grounded by rats was scheduled to go back into service today. a slight from sydney to brisbane was cancelled on tuesday when five rats were founder in the 767 just before takeoff. the rats were removed and the mechanics made sure they had not chewed through any wiring. these adorable twins may resemble rats but they were found in an abandoned house. they're called rufus and ranger. they're living at a nature park and gaining weight after they're learning to drink from a bottle. >> they do look like a rat. you don't want to see them on a plane that is correct's for rat. >> let's go to al roker who has a check of the weather from rome. >> thank you so much. we have a lot of warm moist air coming up ahead of that, and behind that cooler air. we are seeing severe thunderstorms. and we can see them currently making their way from kansas city, waterloo, iowa, and a risk of strong storms stretching from missouri up to bismark, and fargo. and then another area of risk of storms back into the southeast, and the main threat for that later this afternoon. heavy rain and damaging winds. that's what's going on around the country and here's what is happening in your neck of the woods. >> right here, without the haze, and a nice clean sky. the air is a refreshing 78 degrees. reagan national there. and then a high of 86 degrees. we could see gusts up to 30 miles per hour. your friday high, just 82 degrees. it's going to be a gorgeous day coming up tomorrow with low humidity, and the weekend not too >> and that's your latest weather. natalie? >> al, thank you. now on "today's" travel, with the security risk, high priced tickets and unpredictable weather, ticket insurance may be a smart thing. good morning, ladies. >> good morning. >> a good time to be talking about this because a lot of us are booking our trips. as we start out, jean, tell us, when should you consider traveler's insurance? >> you want to consider it like any other insurance where paying for it again would be a real hardship. if this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip or more money than usual -- >> you've saved for it forever. >> yes, by all means. or if you think you're getting older and you might not go on the trip for health reasons, then you need a specific kind of a policy. >> and there are a lot of other reasons, too, as well. we're going to get to them in a minute. let's talk about the different plan options out there. you say a good place to start out is by comparison shopping. there's a website for that called insuremytrip.com. >> exactly. it allows you to compare different plan. so spend a bit of time on there and then go to the one you like and shop direct with them, i think, and really do pick up the phone armed with a list of questions and don't just read the fine print. make sure that they're offering you what you want because they are riddled with exclusions, travel insurance policies. >> how much more is it -- how much are you talking about about when buying travel insurance? >> when buys a basic policy, you're looking at 3%, 4%, but if you want a policy that costs for any reason, you're looking at twice that. >> 3% to 4% of the cost of the total trip. >> yes. >> you're going to make sense of all of this. first you say know your existing credit card coverage because i think a lost us think we're going to be covered in some extenuating circumstances with our credit card. >> there again you have to read the fine print on your credit card. if you have american express policeman numb, you're covered for many more things. generally the credit cards are going to kick in to fly you home and certain things like that, but they're not necessarily going to kick in if you're unable go on the trip. >> okay. very important to read the fine print. when you're talking about committing to a superintendent mental policy. what are some policy insurance gotc gotchas? >> exclusions include pre-existing medical things and pregnancy or perhaps if you're doing a linky sport like scuba diving or skiing you might not be covered. >> you need to consider your health as well for those things. and you recommend, jean, that travelers consider some basic things. for skpexample, if you're looki for plan that's going to be much more -- if you're going on a high-priced trip that you consider looking into the cost associated with that. i could cost you a little bit more, but it may be worth it. >> it may be worth it and these are policies that have far fewer exclusions. the problem is with all of these policies is whether you're talking health exclusives, who you're talking exclusions for particular kind of weather, i mean some policies will discover a natural disaster, some policies won't cover a natural disaster. the more comprehensive you go and the more expensive the cost of the trip in general, the more you're going want to actually kick in that 6% or 7% to get one of those more comprehensive policies. and you look at yourself as well. i mean we started buying trip insurance for everything as my father was getting older and not well and we knew that he might not be able to make that trip. so it's yourself as well as the trip. >> and it's important to look into health insurance plans as well, kate, which brings us to our next thing, right? you need to know if you are going oversees what things are covered. >> it's likely to cover you domestically. if you live in new york, traveling to california, you'll be okay. some cover you internationally. some don't. you need to check that. >> there are a different form of trip insurance you can buy. >> last but not least, leave all valuables at home. an important reminder. say it every year, but we're saying it again. >> a basic reminder and take all but one or two credit cards out of your wallet. if your wallet gets stolen you don't want to have to ruin a whole day of vacation by calling to cancer. your homeowner's insurance poll circle your auto poll said and your own policy may kick. so you want to know what you've about got before you buy extra. >> thanks, ladies. coming up next, defig the odds. a young man going blind now can see thanks to a compassionate doctor. and later on hourks to get your man to the doctor. first, these messages. ♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] bursting with mouth-watering real fruit and refreshingly blended with creamy low-fat yogurt, mcdonald's strawberry-banana and wild berry smoothies are 100% pure sipping fun. the simple joy of real fruit smoothies. ♪ the simple joy of real fruit smoothies. what makes hershey's s'mores special? 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erika: i'm a pc, and i got what i wanted. jesse: as usual. this morning in our special series "defying the ods," a young man is literally seeing the world in a whole new light thanks to a doctor's generosity. we'll talk to him in a moment, but first here's our chief medical correspondent dr. nancy snyderman. >> dear doctor, i'm hoping for a miracle for my son. i'm hoping you can help us. >> he's always had a passion for cars but at age 18 he still doesn't have a driver's license and h can no longer do to school. >> one day he turned to me and he said, dad, i did some tests, and, dad, i'm blind. i got some cold chills. i said, blind? >> sean was quickly losing his vision, his world becoming darker and darker. >> i was terrified that i couldn't do my normal activities and do what i want to do for getting a job or driving. >> with the left eye completely blind and the right eye rapidly declining, sean was forced to drop out of school just months shy of high school graduation. sean has a condition which occurs when the dome-shaped cornea begins to bulge outward into a cone, causing vision to deteriorate. there are procedures that can help reverse the problem but with both parents out of work ing the family had to file bankruptcy leaving sean with few options. >> we couldn't afford it. it was too expensive. we are always low on money, trying to pay the bills, electricity, food, so we didn't have much money left. >> they were running out of time, so sean's father put out a cry for help. >> i want him to have the same opportunities that any young man wants, the chance to get a driver's license, to get a job, to be successful one day, to be independent. >> and someone answered. >> we wanted to give sean that opportunity because we really believe in him. we know that he's determined, that he doesn't want to let this get him down. >> dr. brian boxer is an eye surgeon who has invented a procedure. >> the way we're going to treat sean involves applying vitamin applications combined with light. that transforms the cornea making it strong and therefore for the first time in history we can stabilize it. >> the doctor performed the procedure on sean at no cost to the family. >> it's a miracle day for us. >> it's a painful procedure that lasts less than an hour and with his family anxiously looking on, sean's world is already becoming clearer. >> 39. >> 39? exactly. yeah. >> he is then fitted for special contact lenses shaped specially for his eyes. >> really good. the sky, the towers, everything. >> now that he can read, sean is excited for his new life, studying for his driver's license and finishing school. >> there you go. >> i'm going back to school. >> sean is now with us along with his dad james and also joining us now is dr. nancy snyderman. thank you so much. sean, let me start with you. i saw you watching that piece. i say watching really purposely because you were smiling, enjoying it. how has your life changed now that you can actually see this far? >> a lot. i'm studying the driver's license book to learn how to drive, finishing school, looking for an apartment, looking for a job, and hopefully start my life up. >> your whole life has begun again. >> yeah. >> and, james, you know, watching you watch that piece, i mean you were getting misty-eyed, even seeing yourself in the operating room. you wrote the let their gave your son this new life. >> that was a letter of desperation. i didn't know what else to do. i didn't know what would happen after i wrote the letter, if anybody would answer. i thank god for dr. brian answering that. it's been a miracle for me to watch my son see again. >> he answered the letter. he donated his services. this is an expensive surgery 20rks$,000, is that right, dr. nancy? >> it can go up that high. the problem is the sooner you intervene, the better the outcomes. so with this -- i've seen cases where the eye almost looks like the tip of an ice cream cone and at that point the corn a ya is allowed to stretch like that, the risk of scratches to the eye and poor vision, it can literally mean blindness. there was at one point -- i know we have an eye chart over here. sean couldn't read the "b," "e" on the line chart. now he can read seven lines. even with my glass for me, that's a little blurry. he's got 20/40 vision which is madsing. >> this is what it used to look like and now you can read seven, which is seven feet. which is pretty remarkable. my good lord. what do you want to say to the doctor, sean, who was willing to do this for you. >> thank you for giving me my life back, for being able to see. >> a reminder for everybody if all of a sudden someone says your eyes look funny or kids are struggling in school, i think the child might be struggling with vision and get a vision test early. schools can do that. and you can pick up cases like seans early in childhood. we don't really know the cause but some of these are congenital and at least there's early intervention. >> watch for the ripping of the eye. >> you learned from a doctor on a tv show and you're on this tv show. >> definitely. i felt so inadequate i wasn't aware of my son. he would say i think something's in my eye and this is happening in elementary school. had i been aware and had the other people been aware who examined niz eyes and gave him glasses. >> i don't know, james. i think you made up for it. >> i think you did too. >> sean, good luck to you in everything. dr. nancy, great story. thank you so much. we've got more stories including ideas for decorating your home for summer on a bunt. but first these messages. twice! we get double miles every time we use our card... i'll take these two... ...no matter what we're buying. ...and all of those. and since double miles add up fast, we can bring the whole gang! it's hard to beat double miles! whoa dude [ male announcer ] get the venture card from capital one, money magazine's best rewards card if you aim to rack up airline miles. what's in your wallet? 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(announcer) every smucker learns to wait for fruit to reach the peak of perfection to make extra delicious jam. - definitely the one on the right. - yeah, are y-- - seriously, the clorox one. - oh, okay. the difference is obvious. for the whitest whites, use detergent, plus the advanced whitening formula of clorox bleach. now you can apply sunblock to your kids' wet skin. new neutrogena® wet skin kids with helioplex. the first sunblock designed to be applied directly to wet skin. ordinary sunblock drips and whitens. neutrogena® wet skin kids instantly cuts through water. forms a broad spectrum protective barrier. with wet skin kids, your kids have full strength sun protection. try new wet skin sunblock for adults too. neutrogena® #1 dermatologist recommended suncare. this coming sunday maks the anniversary of the first reported case of hi visit aids. and volunteers are going to start a five-day ride from san francisco to los angeles. >> they're going to help raise money for the 1.1 million americans who are still living with the disease. among the riders -- good morning, gentlemen. >> good morning. >> i know you said you've grown up with aids. >> i've grown up in a world with aids and hiv/aids. i'm bringing awareness that it's still out there. >> jim, i know you are hiv positive. what is the most important message you think needs to be heard today? >> the biggest is stick machlt people just need to realize that although we have hiv/aids, we are not lepers. we can lead normal lives if we get the medication. that's the most important thing. get tested, get your medications, and you will live a long healthy ride. >> good luck. >> we'll be rooting for you. thanks so much. still to come "american idol's" laura allainlaina. my students are amazing. but to be there for them, you've gotta feel your best. kids can tell. that's why i love eating activia every day. so delicious activia help me feel good inside which helps me be my best... positive, cheerful and on top of things. help regulate your digestive system. love how you feel or your money back. ♪ activia 9:26 is your time now on this thursday, june 2nd, 2011. the lights are still out for hundreds of people in northeast washington. last night the fire department treated people. 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[ male announcer ] mach tower. heart racing. jaw dropping. coming soon to busch gardens williamsburg. we'll be able to get back outdoors today and maybe get a run in or yard work. 78 is the temperature. humidity will below throughout the day today and tomorrow. we will get up to a high today of 86. later today they'll be a nice breeze coming through the area. traffic is still crawling from route 1 all the way around connecticut avenue passing several accidents all out of the roadway. springfield roadwork northbound 95 starting to slow down again as you head up from newington to the boys are back in town. two bands, one great show. new kids on the block. they've sold 80 million albums and they're teaming up with the backstreet boys. and some dates are already sold out, if you can believe that. but you, if you're lucky enough, can see them perform live here on the plaza tomorrow on "today." i can only imagine the crowd that we're going to have outside. >> i want dance lessons from them. >> you want to do that move? >> i'm not going to even try because it will be ugly. we heard "american idol" winner scotty mccreery sing earlier. coming up, the runner-up lauren alaina. she's a southern belle. we're going to hear her sing coming up in just a second. also this morning we've got some health news. >> that's right. if you've had trouble getting the man in your life to get to the doctor, you're not alone. research shows that men are 24% less likely to see a doctor in the past year than women. we're going to have some strategies for how to get your man there and what they need to be checked out for. >> we're going to nag them. they love that. >> yes, we do. if you want to get a new look for sumner your home, we've got budget-minded ideas with elizabeth. but first let's get a check of the weather from al who's joining us once again this morning in that hat, joining us once again this morning in that hat, we think, from vatican city. >> you feel like crying about the weather, but it's not all that bad. let's check your weather. we'll show you for today, we have the risk of strong storms stretching from the plains on into the central mississippi river valley, and along the southeast coast. and then more rain in the pacific northwest. for tomorrow we have that mild weather in the northeast. gorgeous, lots of sunshine. record highs continue. gulf coast in the southeast, hot weather there. and then afternoon showers making their way into northern california with more showers in the pacific northwest. that's what's going on around the country, and here's what happening in your neck of the woods. >> the wind is picking up a little today. dry air, so it will be refreshing. 78 degrees is your current temperature with relatively low humidity. and then it's 79 in quantico, virginia. we will see a high temperature today of 86 degrees. and that's your latest weather. natalie? >> thank you, al. coming up next, how to get your guy to actually go to the doctor right after these messages. announcer ]o prevent toilet rings from building up, you'd have to clean your toilet every time you flush. that's over thirty-six hundred times a year. who would do that? it's scrubbing bubbles toilet cleaning gel. just stamp it in. its formula is flush-activated to prevent buildup of lime scale and hard water that cause toilet rings. and it keeps working, flush after flush. scrubbing bubbles toilet cleaning gel. the freshest way to keep a toilet clean. 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[ male announcer ] new chips ahoy! chewy gooeys filled to perfection with delicious creamy fudge; every cookie is crammed with joy! ♪ it's made with tender white meat chicken. zero grams trans fat. mcdonald's chicken mcnuggets. crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and made just for you. ♪ "today's" health is brought to you by biotene for soothing relief of dry mouth. now to "today's" health, getting guy in your life to go to the doctor. psychiatrist gail saltzman is with us and chief internist. good morning to both of you. 24%. pretty strong number. men are 24% less likely to go to a doctor in the past year than women. gail, what explains this behavior? >> it is a feeling amongst men, and there's been a number of stois and polls looking at this that real men don't. real men don't complain, they don't experience pain, they don't -- they don't want to dig in because partially it's denial. it's the feeling that if i go, if it's bad news, i don't want to know about it, if it's good news, it was a waste of time and i don't want to be poked and prodded because this doesn't feel manly to me. >> i can hear that. dr. benizan, is it your sense that one of the reason men don't live as long as women, is it because they don't go to the doctor? >> there certainly is some connection. a lot of these illnesses that end up killing us we don't feel until it's too lachlt so if they don't go to the doctor, they're not going to know they have the problem. >> we want to keep them around, or presumably we want to keep them around as long as possible. how do you get things started? you actually suggest we make their appointments for them. is that our job really? >> you can evaluate that and say does this feel fair to me or you can decide it's more important that this man you love, whoever he may be, your husband, your brother, your father, you want to stick around. so i say should you pick up his underwear, no, but when we're talking about, you know, going to the doctor -- >> i've got to stop doing that. >> you need to stop doing that. when we're talking about going to the doctor, if you had something come up medically, right, you might ask your spouse to go with you. i would say if he's not doing it, make the appointment to go with him. i tell you the other reason. when someone's nervous, they don't hear what the doctor's saying in the moment. so another set of ears, if he says you need to follow up with this or that, someone who can bounce it off someone, even though you were nervous, the other person was helpful. the honest response is it's not just for them, it's for the family. >> you agree with this, this idea of having a conversation. what would be the conversation you would encourage us to have? >> i see this in the office. so motivation does work. the top two reasons they end up in my office is my wife told me to get this checked or i woke up and realize my family needs me and i want to see my kids grow up. it does help motivate them. there are a lot of other ways. >> psych lodge ukly is you're taking the onus off their manly man issue. it's saying you are manly man but being a manly man and a protector and a protector and provider as and of these things, you need to take care of yourself. >> making appointment is actually helpful. it sounds like you're taking the step one too far. if you find it, present it, even go with them, make it easy, i think -- >> i think what you're also saying is you want to give them a reason, this great meeting in terms of how it's a benefit to the family. i think that's a very good point. the other idea you suggest is to basically lead by example. in fact, my husband is always worrying is something wrong with you, why all the medical bills. i say, honey, i do this stuff because you're supposed to. >> if you don't do it yourself and you're nagging, you have to be a role model. >> it has to be a situation where you're a partnership. >> it's the family message, the family message is we take care of ourselves because we want to stick around for each other and have a good quality of life. >> it's hard to bring up sometimes. you sound like a nag. >> i think we are going to sound like nags. we're going have to accept that. we nag because we love. dr. tanya beneson and dr. gail saltzman. first these messages. feeling of a dry mouth? 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[ male announcer ] for the most slam-dunk whites, it only takes three-quarters cup of clorox bleach. in the game. [ cheers and applause ] ♪ just love me ♪ oh oh oh ♪ just hold me ♪ oh oh oh ♪ just kiss me ♪ oh oh oh ♪ just want me ♪ l-o-v-e ♪ love, love, love ♪ it's made with tender white meat chicken. zero grams trans fat. mcdonald's chicken mcnuggets. crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and made just for you. ♪ and made just for you. we know you did it. it's obvious. announcer: sheer blonde go blonder, shampoo, conditioner and new lightening spray is the only line that gives you the control to gradually lighten for a sun-kissed blonde. where is the sun? sheer blonde go blonder. from john frieda. so we started with a free trial and we were hooked instantly! 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[ female announcer ] do you know scott? scott extra soft is softness, done right. now use the best suncare recommended most by dermatologists. neutrogena®, with technologies like helioplex... it provides the highest average spf and unsurpassed uva protection. get the best. neutrogena®. this morning on "today's home," elizabeth is here, editor of "woman's day." good morning. >> good morning. >> is this a trend, seasonal decorating, decorating for the seasons? >> it really is. you go into any home store or catalogue, you're going see things inspired by this season. that being said this might be the look you're wanting all year round. some would like a beachy look all year long. >> i'd love that. you don't have to do this to spend a lot of money. this is going to be low cost because it really is about the accessories, right? it. >> is. we always said, accessory,s, accessorie accessories, accessorieaccessor. it doesn't involve a rot of paint or contracting. the other thing when you're talking about this kind of decorating, easy comfort, easy care. let's start off, take this chair for example. comfortable. it looks like a nice chair. it's actually a recliner, so more comfortable. also you want to look for inspiration. look to pictures for inspirat n inspiration. so we took some pages out of our magazine. >> and it help use visualize and helps you get the idea. >> this room was inspired by a beachy cot taj. we're going show you a picture, blue and white. very comfortable. slip covers. we have an otoeman covers in a slip cover. it's a great thing to do because you can throw it in the wash. this rug is interesting. it's from mohawk. it's 100% stain-resistant but it's made of corn. this is $40 from home goods. >> that's as beachy as it gets. >> blue and white is a crisp pattern in a crisp palette for this kind of look. shells for accessories. >> such a cheap way to do it. >> this whole bag is $10. you can fill the bowl or -- >> and trace and you created this nice little centerpiece. >> trays are great because what it does is corral your collection. the wreath just to say i saw one of these in a catalogue for $50. we did it at dyi. >> and screens, too, as we move into our next room. you see more of these screens which is a great way to create different rooms, right? >> right. this is our island feel. we have a picture, took that we were inspired by. it takes you away. screens are a great way. they can hide stuff in your room, kids' toys or ugly window air conditioner. we started with a west elm day bed. what's great about it particularably when you have summer guests, it's a per place to sit, at night, a bed. we filled it with pillows. they're a rank from pottery barn to world market. e-mail not going to let al roker down. >> if you're short like i am, you need it to boost your seat. they're outdoor fabrics so they're completely durable. nothing can happen to them. >> good support for your back. >> that's what i need. there's a lot of woven -- we mix together a lot of natural fibers. that's a huge trend. >> it gives the island feel. >> these are $2 from pearl river, the lanterns that, again, takes you away and transforms you. the rug, too, is an outdoor rug. again, it's thinking in terms of durable. what happens is people are realizing that kids, dogs, families, all are really durable. love this. this is a storage area too. hide the kids' toys again o. >> or the pillows. >> it's about mixing fabrics and textures, things that are durable and comfortable. >> thanks so much. and still to come, we've got one more song from "american idol" lauren alaina, but first coming up, hoda and kathie lee and the sexiest shoes for under a hundred bucks, plus everybody has a story. and don't forget new kids on the block and backstreet boys will be live in concert on the pla zachlt get here early. if you're in the neighborhood, be sure to drop in. first, she came this close but she won millions of hearts. first runner-up, lauren allaina with "like my mother does." ♪ people always say i have a knack like my mother does i guess that makes sense ♪ ♪ she taught me how to smile when things get rough ♪ ♪ i've got her spirit she's always got my back when i look at her and think i want to be just like that ♪ ♪ i give it all i've got like my mother does ♪ ♪ when i'm scared i bow my head and pray like my mother does ♪ ♪ she's a rock she's grace she's an angel ♪ ♪ she's my heart and soul ♪ she does it all ♪ when i love i give it all i've got like my mother does ♪ ♪ when i'm scared i bow my head and pray like my mother does ♪ ♪ when i feel weak i know i'm beautiful and charmd because i see myself like my mother does ♪ ♪ like my mother does like my mother does ♪ [ applause ] >> thank you. > beautiful morning in washington. right now in the 70s. we'll check the weather coming up. it's 9:56, thursday, june 2nd, 2011. hundreds of people still without power along north capital street in northwest d.c. ems and the fire department had to treat people overnight because of heat-related issues. buses have been around the block for residents to go in and cool off. today some district and federal officers are closed because of the loss of services. let's head over to veronica johnson who has good news about the weather. >> i like the fact that we will get a chance to cool off, and by the afternoon there may be a bit of a breeze coming out of the northwest with dry air, mother nature's ac. and then up into sterling, areas around loudoun county there, the temperature there 39. going up to a high of 86. and better tomorrow, the high of 82, with still dry air. the inner loop of the beltway and the express lanes heading towards alexandria, not moving quickly, and looks like roadwork set up in the right lane across the wilson bridge heading into alexandria. and then the 14th street, the far center lane is only getting by. [ female announcer ] keurig brews more than just hot coffee. now you can brew over ice for delicious iced coffee or tea. hot or cold, keurig is the way to brew everyone's favorite cup in under a minute. choose. brew. enjoy. keurig. captions paid for by nbc-universal television hey, everybody. i am not sure there's ever been a more beautiful day. >> no. >> it is thirstday. it is the 2nd of june and that's wonderful. it is glorious outside. >> there is no humidity. it's gorgeous outside. >> that means your hair is going to look good. >> i know, for the whole weekend, i think. >> quick birthday to my niece. you love your niece. her name is shanny. today is the day and she is also my goddaughter. >> big day for matt lauer and "the today show" at the vatican. matt had a special meeting with the pope. i turned on the show this morning. i wanted to see what that was like. he talked about it being one of the most extraordinary moments of his lifetime. >> that surprised us here because he's met everybody. >> he's been all over the world. he came bearing a gift for the pope. >> what do you give the pope? >> he thought of something. watch this. >> holy father, this is matthew lawyer with "the today show" in the united states. almost every american family watches him in the morning. >> what a pleasure, it's an honor to meet you. thank you very much. please accept a gift of my gratitude. thank you very much. >> he ended up giving the pope a glass cat. >> because i guess it's well known that the pope loves cats. that's beautiful. is that baccarat? >> that's beautiful. >> it's called "the curious cat." matt was surprised. >> i hadn't seen that yet. that was very, very sweet. >> matt was wearing a hat, not in that moment. matt, al and the bishop were all wearing these hats. which became quite the conversation topic. >> if you've ever been on that plaza in the summer, it is so hot there, you could have a stroke. apparently those are paper. but they do protect you from the sun. >> timothy dolan is such a great -- >> love him. >> he was showing matt and al around the vatican. >> he is a big fixture here in new york. first time i met him was at one of the giants football games. he's the biggest party animal there is. he is so much fun. he never stops making everybody feel good. >> it was quite the party on the plaza earlier today. our two "american idol" winners both performed. first they performed individually. let's listen a little. ♪ suppose i say you want to come back home ♪ ♪ and suppose i cry ♪ and say i think i finally learned my lesson ♪ i'm tired of spending all my time alone ♪ ♪ if i told you i realized you're all i ever wanted ♪ >> they should get married. >> i think everybody wants them to. 16 and 17. any idea how accomplished they are at that age? it's extraordinary. >> and they are so humble and adorable. the crowd really came out for them. >> had a chance to say hello to them downstairs. they are darling. it's not such a great day for one of our congressman from here in new york. anthony weiner. that's the most unfortunate thing about the whole thing because the newspapers and the late-night comics are having a field day with this. they can't help themselves. they consider this a gift from heaven. >> there is a picture of a man in just a man's underwear. we have of course smudged out the critical part. >> not enough. >> funny how we pixilated. they said they are wondering where it was sent some. anthony weiner said someone hacked into his twitter account and sent that picture around. on the front page it says here, "it could be my weanor." "battle of the bulge. weiner exposed. then "the daily news" trying to one-up them. >> weiner's pickle. >> he's sure he didn't send it. he says, i cannot say with certitude. >> he's not sure if it's his. john stewart had a little -- >> apparently they had been roommates in college. he's probably seen the pickle. it's hard to live with somebody that long and not get a glance at the pickle. he said there are three things he is certain of. "empire strikes back" is the best movie ever, o.j. killed those people and what his wang looks like from a bird's eye view. i think the more he is trying to say what is obvious to most people is getting him in more of a pickle than anybody could hope for. >> isn't that funny? jon stewart says that's the thing, he knows what it looks like from a bird's eye view. who pays attention -- >> men. they've seen it from every angle and can't get enough. i think you and i were saying earlier, if i had to go if a lineup of ten -- >> i wouldn't know mine. >> i wouldn't know mine. i wouldn't have any idea what's mine. >> i hat going for a bikini wax. is it good? it's fine. i don't want to ever look down there. >> i've never seen mine, as a matter of fact. >> guys are so focused. we don't get it. >> the more he tries to deny it's his, the deeper mr. weiner gets in trouble. >> i wonder if there will be an investigation into his twitter account. >> if he knows it's his, if he wants it ruled out by having it investigated. that is a criminal offense. you can't make an untrue statement to federal police. don't try it. >> you can't believe this is a front page deal. >> this is too amazing. >> the folks in grand rapids have a bone to pick. >> stop it. stop it. now you've gone too far and enough's enough. >> here is the deal. people in grand rapids are upset. in a "newsweek" article they called grand rapids one of america's dying cities. "newsweek".com says they didn't say that. they took it from mainstreet.com. residents got upset. >> knowing some of the residents, good for them. i'm not surprised. >> they all came out together. they lip-dubbed the song "american pie." it has 1.5 million hits. ♪ as i watched him on the stage ♪ my hands were clinched in fists of rage ♪ no angel born in hell ♪ some break that satan spell ♪ and as the flames climbed high ♪ into the night ♪ to light the sacrificial rite ♪ i saw satan laughing with delight ♪ the day the music died ♪ we were singing ♪ bye-bye miss american pie >> i was so blown away how this city put on this incredible exhibit that went on for several weeks. it was not great weather. the whole town came out for it. it got everybody excited about art. it brought in tons of money and commerce into the inner city there. >> i love it. >> it was brilliant. hats off to everybody in grand rapids. >> i felt this way when i lived in local cities. the national media doesn't know what's happening. they come in, parachute and write a story. >> it's fly over country to them. a lot of great people live in that country, everybody. >> yes, they do. there is a new poll out by 60 minutes/"vanity fair." it's what americans think about things. majority of americans never, ever lied about their age. >> they are lying when they say they never lied. >> or they know they can be googled. >> i'm still amazed by the people who lie about their age and think nobody will find out. you know who you are. >> majority would find it easier to live without air travel than the internet. >> i'm not one of them, as you know. >> you're not one of them. >> 30% of all americans have passports. surprised at that, especially now because they made it more difficult. you can't go to the caribbean, you can't go to canada, mexico without it. all right. they don't want to get on an airplane and go there anyway. you'd rather google grand rapids or the caribbean than go there and have an authentic experience. >> it's cheaper to google it, too. 3/4 americans said prosecuting professional athletes for cheating like steroids and all that stuff was a waste of tax payers' money while only 21% thought it was worth it. >> i think the 21% see how much these sports figures, whether -- it can be women, as well, are role models to our children. that bothers a lot of people. a lot of people are sports purists, as well. they don't want people to set records and be in the history books when the people that came before them did it the right way. i understand that. i do. >> i have a little tune for you today. >> a little present for me? >> this is our i-hoda play list. >> is it the legend messy m'cheanie? i love that song. >> we'll play that later in the show. this is by a guy marc cohen. >> i love marc cohen. is it memphis? >> hit it. ♪ put on my blue suede shoes and ♪ boarded the plane ♪ touched down in the land ♪ of the delta blues ♪ in the middle of the pouring rain ♪ >> this is a good one, hodie. >> let's get to the chorus because it's so perfect. ♪ i got a first class ticket ♪ but i'm blue as a boy can be ♪ i'm walking in memphis ♪ walking with my feet ten feet off of the earth ♪ walking in memphis ♪ but do i really feel the way i feel ♪ >> do you know marc cohen is married to elizabeth vargas from abc? >> my old colleague from over there. >> when you sing that messy m'cheanie song, it got so much play on our facebook page. people like to hear you sing your little tune. >> i'm so grateful everybody is responding the way they are. thank you to everybody coming out to see me last night. it's two hours away from new york. >> look at the line. i'm sorry. >> you've got to go there. they said you didn't go there. they are the nicest people in the world. they brought so many kids out. >> how fun. >> i'm wearing bobbie thomas' outfit from the other day. today i'm going to be at mendham books in mendham, new jersey. >> this is amazing to me. kim kardashian, they say she is having a baby. i spoke to chris, that is not true. brad and angie getting married. that's smaller news. >> shocking. how about breast-feeding. how do you feel about breast-feeding in public. kathie lee says it's the most natural thing in the world to feed your child, but always use discretion in public. >> hoda said yes, it is okay, as long as your child isn't over 5. >> i thought that was fair. >> i think that's still pushing it, so to speak. coming up next -- who doesn't know at times "love bites." >> a new romantic comedy about love, sex, marriage, dating and anthony's weiner. [ chanting ] do it! [ chanting ] do it! [ all cheering ] [ female announcer ] it's fun to get dirty when it's this easy to get clean. that's because clorox 2 stain fighter & color booster works better than detergent alone at removing the toughest stains. let's do this. you're a little early! [ female announcer ] prepare to ace your dental check-up. fight plaque and gingivitis and invigorate your way to better check-ups. new crest pro-health invigorating clean rinse. you've been there. you pick out a makeup thinking it's your shade... until you actually try it out. now, i have a makeup that always gets it right. smart shade makeup instantly adjusts to match perfectly to your skin. almay smart shade makeup. only from almay. only for me. there is a new romantic comedy in town at a name at one time or another we can all relate to "love bites." >> a guy is faced with a tough decision, to stay true to his wife or join the mile high club with a hot actress from his celebrity exemption list. >> i have a "to-do list." as in places i would like to do it. >> wait, what? >> guess what's first on my to-do list? >> i don't know. >> on an airplane. >> you don't have to say one word. >> congratulations. >> thank you very much. >> he said he wanted a little glass of wine. we like to be friendly. apparently this was announced from last year. >> they held it in the fall. cindy chupac is amazing creator of the show. becky newton who plays a virgin on the show got pregnant. >> that happens to virgins sometimes. >> yeah. >> i was reading. i love that movie "love actually." but one of your actresses was saying it's like "love actually" with little vignettttes. >> it's like "love american style" or "love boat." >> sing again, come on. ♪ the love boat >> there you go. >> or "cheers." no. great people coming out. we had sheryl hines, jeffrey tambord. tells us to try igasms. we are a married couple trying to keep things alive. >> we call that poughkeepsie around here. those are funny vignettes. >> and this. mark buckland directed and executive produced this. he said do you want to be in an airplane bathroom with jennifer love hewitt. >> how many cast members are permanent? >> three permanent. you've got the married couple becky and a story in between beau bridges did a great thing. it's craig robinson from "the office." hot tub time machine. then you've got the married couple. i play a big dumb married guy. >> which is what you are in love. >> exactly. >> married in real life 18 years? >> 18 years. i have three beautiful daughters. >> how are the kids? >> they are great. >> they can't watch this. >> no. felici felicity, "alias" two violent and now i'm in a bathroom with another woman. >> what did you tell them you do, a plumber? >> exactly. they see the crack of my ass and say you're a plumber. >> how old are your kids? >> 15, 11 and 7. >> any interest in acting like you? >> yeah. my little guy, the youngest two. they all dabble. they haven't expressed a passion. >> they have to have a passion for it. >> they have to earn their own way through college. i'm not going to pay for that. they'll find something to do. >> when can they see the show. >> they can't. everybody else can see it tonight at 10:00/9:00 central. >> it premieres tonight. >> i smell another hit for nbc. >> "love bites" and i've got the charity stuff with my band. you have to sing. >> i don't sing unless i'm really asked. >> and get paid. >> thanks so much. >> thanks, greg. how one father and daughter made sure no one would forget their weddin fact -- chicken mcnuggets are great. here we go. add the sauce, it's like the tick to the mcnugget tock. it's like the ping to the pong, the ding to the dong. and now with the new sauces, lips are even smackier, our sweet's even spicier, slam's even dunkier. ♪ [ male announcer ] made with white meat chicken and now new sauces -- the biggest thing to happen to chicken mcnuggets since chicken mcnuggets happened. i totally hear what you're saying. [ male announcer ] the simple joy of making "oohs" ahh-ier. ♪ creme body wash with nutrium moisture. after 1 week we took their close-ups. when they saw how much more beautiful their skin looked they had only one question... ♪ new dove visible care creme body wash. ♪ hey, honey, we're all out of toilet paper. can you toss me a roll? your toilet paper shouldn't be too rough. we're out of toilet paper. can you toss me a roll? your toilet paper shouldn't be too soft. we're out of toilet paper again. fortunately, angel soft is an ideal balance of softness and strength. unlike other toilet paper that has just one ply, angel soft has two. and it's strong, yet gentle on your skin. ♪ angel soft ♪ an ideal balance of softness and strength ♪ [ bird chirps ] [ snoring ] [ clears throat ] hop to, gang. it's showtime. uh, do you know this guy? i'm not gonna cry, am i? only if you don't believe in the power of friendship. really? you guys are good. [ male announcer ] your favorite movies right when you want them. watch unlimited tv episodes and movies instantly through your game console or other devices. all for only 8 bucks a month from netflix. that's so cute, it's stupid. we are back with our special called webtastic. >> since it's june, it's only fitting sara takes us to a wedding. >> the father/daughter dance is a wedding tradition. the bride brooke and her dad bill decided to do a rather untraditional dance. ♪ only want to say i love you ♪ had the time of my life ♪ and never felt this way before ♪ and i swear ♪ this is true ♪ and i owe it all to you >> that is so cute. >> they did a more traditional song before that but to avoid crying they wanted to segue into this. >> they did the whole -- >> they busted out old school moves. >> the groom is loving it. >> no one had seen it before that day. she ripped her dress because she had never done it in her dress before the day. >> she did rip it, yeah. >> the video was posted on youtube may 18th. it has almost 140,000 hits. >> that is adorable. >> i love to see that. >> our facebook page blew up with your book the other day. >> i'm so glad. >> "the legend of messy m'cheanie." >> we want to give away ten more autographed books. go to our facebook page and talk us to. >> apparently showing pictures of cute children has been helpful in the pickings. somebody has a real soft spot for an adorable child. >> we include all time zones. talk to us on facebook. we have great discussions on there. >> thank you, sara. still to come, the best deals on must-have summer heels. >> and everyone has a story. [ male announcer ] there's a place where everyone feels at home. where the company, the conversation, and the food make all who enter feel welcome. a place that feels as warm with a crowd... as it does with just a friend. it's a place you'll find town house crackers. because they're part of what makes your place the place. ♪ welcome to town house. where good times reside. with olay challenge that and give drastic measures a rest. regenerist night elixir gently resurfaces for the smooth skin of a light chemical peel. sleep tight. regenerist, from olay. the best in nutrition... just got better. high in vitamins d, e, and b12. plus omega 3's. there's one important ingredient that hasn't changed: better taste. better taste. yum! [ female announcer ] eggland's best. the better egg. kufrned this morning, police are dealing with a higher number of homicide cases this year. coming up, what law enforcement is doing to keep crime from skyrocketing this summer. we'll sit down with the police chief and state's attorney. also we are back on this thirsty thursday. we have sexy shoe styles. >> and relatively inexpensive pairs. samantha franks has five must-have heels. all for under 100 bucks. >> not collectively, but each. >> there may be multiples under $100. if you're going to update your wardrobe this summer with one heel, it's the kitten heel. these are so adorable. they are $59. last season was all about the gladiator, this season is all about the buckle. >> she hated the gladiator. >> there you go. i remember we talked about it. are we good with the buckle? >> it's all right. >> these might be more up your alley. it's summertime. weather is gorgeous today. if you want to have a coral punch, these are amazing. they are $59 from macy's. >> are they comfy? >> they are super comfy. >> they are like a suede. >> i like the no rules. >> no rules. it's all about the clog. i don't know how this is going to weigh in for you, but it's all about the clog. >> this is what i like. >> these are from the gab, $69.95. i love you have a little bit of black, but it's patent. >> nothing says summer to me like patent. >> what would you wear these with? >> a little cropped pant, short, mini skirt. so cute. >> the wedge. look how high that is. what is going on with this wedge? >> everyone likes a boost. these have a little cushion platform on the bottom so it compensates for the height. >> starting to get a little gaga -ish. >> the espadrille is a staple in our wardrobe, not a friend. it's about injecting color. >> they go with just about everything. look how high those are. >> this is like a cushion on the bottom. they are super comfy. >> maybe not so comfy, we were talking about the clog. super cute. the platform clog. these are from chinese laundry. so affordable. $55. >> wow. they look a lot more expensive. >> they do. >> for a beach party, you should not wear heels? >> that is our question next week for "okay" magazine. is it okay to wear heels on the beach? >> it is not okay. first, you sink into the beach. right? so a wedge is fine. not a stiletto. >> listen to sam. >> that is the exact answer i gave. i don't want to give it away for next week. >> have a great weekend. >> thank you so much. >> up next "everyone has a story" honors a woman who survived the odds. [ male announcer ] it's simple physics... a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. and celebrex is not a narcotic. when it comes to relieving your arthritis pain, you and your doctor need to balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen, and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, including celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. do not take celebrex if you've had an asthma attack, hives, or other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history and find an arthritis treatment for you. visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. for a body in motion. wonder where the durango's been for the last two years? well, it toured around europe, getting handling and steering lessons on those sporty european roads. it went back to school, got an advanced degree in technology. it's been working out -- more muscle and less fat. it's only been two years, but it's done more in two years than most cars do in a lifetime. it is time to meet our newest "everyone has a story" contest winner. paula jewel wrote us about how against all odds she survived her 11-year battle with panceatic cancer. >> everyone has a story. mine begins with four words i hear at least once a month, "you should be dead." i'm an 11-year panceatic cancer survivor. most believe it is a death sentence. my story is filled with surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, feeting tubes, illness, pain, tears, rinse and repeat. my story is also filled with a cancer-fighting arsenal. family, positive attitudes, humor, love, laughter and our belief in god. basically, hope. this arsenal of hope is what i chose to focus on and carried me along this journey to defeating my death sentence. my caregivers never let me forget this arsenal. because of them, words like hope and happiness actually mean something. when i had outlived all known survivors of this disease and doctors started to give me blank stares and no answers, my daughter scoured resources and dug up a doctor willing to venture into this unknown territory. my husband has been nurse, doctor, cook and maid. i was told horrifying news. my other daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer. suddenly, i found myself in the caregiver role. we fought together and with true perseverance, she came out a survivor, as well. my message to pancreatic cancer patients is to believe in their strength and the power of carrying an arsenal of hope in their journey. most of all, i would like all cancer fighters to know the end is only as near as you believe it to be. >> paula is here with her husband douglas and daughters nicole and colleen. we are delighted to have you here. you gave david friedman and me a lot to work with the way you wrote this letter. i look for certain words that will give us inspiration as songwriters. you had such a spirit of joy and triumph over this. you couldn't have done it alone, right? >> absolutely not. if it weren't for my wonderful family, all of my family, extended family and all the caregivers i had over the years and the wonderful doctors i had all throughout this 11 years. >> how are you doing now? with doctors looking at you with that blank stare, we all have that. >> right now, believe it or not, since they removed 95% of my stomach, i'm feeling very well. >> they took out the feeding tubes, right? >> feeding tubes left in may. >> you must feel so free. >> i do feel very free. >> nicole, looking at these pictures, the irony of you getting sick while your mom is sick was difficult to handle. did you get strength from her? >> i did. when i was diagnosed, we were about five, six years into her battle. i thought, we used up our family miracles. too bad for me. nope. we're fighters. we got through it and it's all good. >> douglas, they give you a lot of credit for this. >> they sure do. >> we just did what we thought we needed to do next. next month, next six months. >> you did what families should do, right? >> what went through your head. when you heard your five of 40-plus years was diagnosed with the disease. many said she wouldn't be surviving, how did you handle it? >> we just -- we trusted her doctors and said, what do we do next and get to the next appointment, the next ordeal. >> you knew pancreatic cancer odds. >> sometimes it's harder to watch and feel helpless is more difficult than to actually go through it. colleen, how did you manage to get through it? >> my main goal was to get her quality of life to be more manageable level. i would look up the gastroparesis and research that and find doctors at wake forest to help her get off her tubes. >> finding the right doctor was the key. that was such a big step. you get such love from your whole family. >> an awful lot of people are sitting at home right now or in hospitals or rest homes, whatever, thinking, wow, this is going to give me hope, as well. >> that's the goal. give other -- all cancer patients the inspiration to move forward. >> well, guess what? >> there is going to be inspiration. >> we have inspiration out the wazoo coming out the moment. we have a wonderful linda hart here with a new song called "believe in you." it's not a tear-jerker. amy, you're gonna love college. best seven years of my life. i know, dad. your comforter. okay. mr. cuddles... toilet paper? oh, hey, scott. here, scott extra soft tissue. it's their softest roll ever. check out the pattern. it's softness done right. same soft rolls we use at home honey! one more thing, guys. oh nice a shoe rack! actually, it's a toilet paper rack. sweet. huh. huh. [ female announcer ] do you know scott? scott extra soft is softness, done right. [ female announcer ] do you know scott? you've been there. you pick out a makeup thinking it's your shade... until you actually try it out. now, i have a makeup that always gets it right. smart shade makeup instantly adjusts to match perfectly to your skin. almay smart shade makeup. only from almay. only for me. [ chanting ] do it! [ all cheering ] [ female announcer ] it's fun to get dirty when it's this easy to get clean. that's because clorox 2 stain fighter & color booster works better than detergent alone at removing the toughest stains. >> we are back with "everyone has a story" honoring wonderful paula jewel and her family. >> it's time for the song written just for you. please welcome broadway performer linda hart in a song we call "believing in you." ♪ ♪ if i believe what they told me ♪ i wouldn't be here today ♪ and if i accepted the things that they said ♪ i long ago ♪ would have thrown all it away ♪ but i had a family to hold me ♪ and friends to remind me what's true ♪ so today i'm still here ♪ after so many years ♪ i kept on believing in you ♪ well i kept on believing in you ♪ ♪ every time you told me that i could live ♪ ♪ you and your cars nal of hope pulled me through ♪ the more that you gave ♪ the more i had to give ♪ so when it was my turn to hold you ♪ ♪ i had the strength ♪ i knew what to do ♪ because i kept on believing ♪ what i knew to be true ♪ i kept on believing in you ♪ every time we reached into our arsenal of hope ♪ ♪ we found the strength we needed ♪ and it helped us cope ♪ we learned to help each other ♪ so we could learn to see ♪ the end is only near as we believe the end to be ♪ ♪ if we believe what they told us ♪ ♪ that we couldn't be here today ♪ ♪ and if we accepted the things that they said ♪ we long ago would have thrown our lives away ♪ so i'm here to say thank you ♪ cause that arsenal of hope's now in me ♪ and every time i think i'm at the end of my rope ♪ i reach inside that arsenal ♪ and find my hope ♪ you proved it to me ♪ and now i proved it to you ♪ there's possibility in everything we go through ♪ at end's only near ♪ as we believe it to be ♪ if you keep believing in me ♪ well i'll tell you what i'm going to do ♪ ♪ you know i'll keep believing ♪ i keep believing in you >> come on over, linda hart. >> we'll be back. 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[ male announcer ] mach tower. heart racing. jaw dropping. coming soon to busch gardens williamsburg. and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for just $99.99 a month for a year. call now and you'll get this special bonus: $100 back. but hurry. this offer ends soon. fios is a 100% fiber optic network that delivers the best channel lineup, superior picture quality, and more hd, plus the fastest internet in the u.s., with no term contract required. why keep paying for cable? get fios tv, internet and phone for just $99.99 a month for a year. plus $100 back. don't wait. this incredible offer ends soon. call 1.877.827.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's 1.877.827.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. get the network that delivers more. get fios. a network ahead. >>. >> we just listened to a wonderful broadway star linda hart sing a special song to paula jewel. >> you can see this fantastic woman in "catch me if you can" at the neil simon theater here in new york city. also the composer david friedman. >> what did you think of your song? >> it was great. it was wonderful. >> it was upbeat and happy. >> it was upbeat. that's good. >> you're tired of tears. you've been through that. i guess you saw linda last night at "catch me if you can." what did she ask you, linda? >> she asked me, actually it was the daughters that said, arsenal of hope, that isn't in the song because we tried to sing that. it didn't quite work. i said yes, it is, it's in four times. >> you did it beautifully. >> we've got something for you. this is our favorite part of the show where we get to give you something. we know traveling hasn't been easy because you were having surgery and all that sort of thing. we decided it was time for you to travel and dining out with your husband. folks at royal caribbean want to give you and your husband a special experience. they will provide you and douglas with air travel to ft. lauderdale where you aboard "oasis of the sea" or "allure ""for a seven-day caribbean cruise. >> thank you. >> does that sound like fun? all you can eat, paula. >> can't eat much at one time. >> and "the allure" it's huge. it's like a mall. you'll get lost. it has everything on it. there is a little gift bag for you guys. >> thank you for shaving your amazing story. david, thank you for the great beat. and linda hart in "catch me if you can." dave, what are you working on? >> tons of stuff. >> every l'oreal commercial you see david. >> that's right. >> tomorrow we do our plaza ambush makeovers because it is friday. we'll do that tomorrow. >> what else? >> i don't know. who can remember? >> i'll be in mendham, new jersey. i think i'll be signing a book called "the legend of messy m'cheanie." 3:30 at mendham books in mend ham, new jersey. if you beg me, i might sing for you. come on. see if i'm good for it. thank you, everybody. got bless you all. >> bye-bye. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

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