the way "today," friday, july we're with them every step of the way "today," friday, july 1st, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and good morning, welcome to "today" on a friday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> i'm ann curry. you're about to see the townhouse where dominique strauss-khan is living under house arrest right now. but that could change, matt, when he appears in court later this morning. >> it certainly could. this is a man who was in charge of one of the world's most powerful financial institutions, and he was also considered a strong contender for t ee eer t presidency but that all changed when he was accused of sexually assaulting a housekeeper here in new york. now the accuser's credibility has been called into question. did she make a false claim about a rape in the past? we'll get the latest details straight ahead. also this morning, matt, did a hazing ritual lead to a tragic death of an ivy league student. the mother of a cornell university sophomore who died of alcohol poisoning is now suing her son's fraternity for $25 million. coming up, she'll speak out in a live exclusive interview. a little later on, on a much lighter note, it is like having four great concerts in one. we're going to get a jump on the fourth of july weekend with an amazing show. pitbull, who's at the top of the charts right now, is set to rock our plaza and those people filling the plaza -- with the help of marc anthony, t-pain, and ne-yo. that takes place in our 8:30 half-hour. we begin this half-hour with the stunning new developments in the dominique strauss-khan sex assault case. jeff rons hssen has more. >> reporter: all along prosecutors in new york have been very clear the skas against dominique strauss-khan was very strong, that the evidence was piling up and that they believed the victim. but this morning what appears to be a total reversal. law enforcement sources now tell nbc news the entire case may be falling apart because the victim lied about her past. he's been hauled in to court, charged with sex crimes, and placed under house arrest, living under armed guard inside this $50,000 a month townhouse in trendy tribecka. but if this latest twist is true, experts say dominique strauss-khan could be released from house arrest as early as today. he was one of the most powerful men in the world, head of the international monetary fund, and possible candidate for french president -- until a maid in this luxury manhattan hotel told police strauss-khan sexually assaulted her twice in his room. but now "the new york times" reports she repeatedly lied to investigators and prosecutors don't fully believe her. >> several people who we've talked to have said the case is on the verge of collapse. >> reporter: the maid is from guinea, a source familiar with the case tells nbc news she lied on her asylum application, claiming she was raped in the past, and now admits it was all made up. according to the "times," she may have ties to drug dealing and money laundering. the paper reports within a day of her alleged assault, she spoke with an accused drug dealer and discussed the possible benefits of pursuing charges against strauss-khan. that conversation was recorded. and the "times" says that man was among several people who deposited $100,000 cash in her bank account. >> the blows to her credibility now make her -- or may make her an untenable witness, according to many people we've talked to. >> reporter: the lawyer who represented the maid appeared last month here on "today." >> she has been in a whirlwind since this has taken place. this is a woman who is a rape victim, the victim of a physical assault, who since this has taken place and since she reported it to security at the hotel, has not had a moment of peace. >> reporter: police did find dna evidence in the hotel room and last month in court prosecutors seemed confident. >> the proof against limb is substantial. it is continuing to grow every day. >> reporter: but from the start, strauss-khan's defense team called the sex consensual. >> forensic evidence we believe will not be considered as a forcible encounter. >> reporter: a source familiar with the case tells nbc news, while the maid admits she lied about her past been, she still stands behind her story about this attack, insisting strauss-khan sexually assaulted her. >> now this turn of events five weeks in to what looked like it was going to be an ongoing case is stunning. >> reporter: dominique strauss-khan is waking up this morning where he has been for at least the past month, at that townhouse in tribeca under house arrest. he's wearing an ankle bracelet, he's under 24-hour surveillance with an armed guard standing outside. but once again, strauss-khan will come down to court here this morning, just blocks away from that townhouse here in lower manhattan, and when he appears in court, according to reports out this morning, both sides, both the defense and the prosecution, will agree to a substantially reduced bail, which means he could be out of that house arrest by lunch time. one other note. the d.a., according to sources, is not ready to drop the charges entirely yet, matt, but that could happen down the line. we did reach out to the maid's lawyer for comment but did not hear back last night. >> jeff rossen reporting from here in new york, thank you very much. joe tacopina is a criminal defense attorney here in new york. joe, good to see you. the prosecution often says we prosecute the case we're given, we don't get to choose the victim. but if this victim has lied about her past, how damaged is she? >> the case is over. i mean if she's lied about her past, that's bad. if she's lied about a past allegation of rape? then that's game over. >> so it is the subject matter. because this is somebody who is alleging a rape and she's lied about rape in the past, her credibility is done. >> it's out the window. without question. that coupled with all the other things. she's told inconsistent versions of events regarding this allegation. she's involved apparently in criminal activity regarding laundering of drug money. it goes on and on. it is unbelievable how quickly this is unraveling. >> we have to remember though, there's an important factor here. there is dna evidence that indicates there was sexual contact between dominique strauss-khan and this housekeeper. but now if you're the defense attorney -- and you're one the best -- you're just saying that was consensual sex as we've been saying all along. >> here's the thing. they've been saying it from day one. had they been saying this woman is making it up, they were never in the same room together, the dna would be very damning. in this case they've said sexual encounter since day one. >> jeff rossen just said it appears the prosecutors are not prepared to drop the case at this stage. why? what are they hanging on to? >> it is a matter of pulling the band-aid off slowly, as opposed to just ripping it off. nothing more than that. he will be ror today, released on his own recognizance. >> the ankle bracelet will come off. >> here they asked initially for full-time detention to where now he'll walk out without any bail. >> is he going to be allowed to leave the country pending any further legal action? >> if he's released on his own recognizance, he can go anywhere he wants as long as he returns to court. this case will be dismissed within a matter of a month. >> i think back to the headlines over this past month and a half or so -- first of all, all around the world but here in this country and particularly here in this city. those headlines were pretty damning for dominique strauss-khan. where does he go -- again, keeping in mind, this guy may have had consensual sex, a married man, with a housekeeper. does he have legal recourse in this case? >> unfortunately, no. that's the problem with our system. he was painted as a fraud. some of the headlines in new york city where they mocked him and calling him a rapist. the presumption of guilt sometimes overpower is the prujs of innocence. >> no legal recourse against prosecutors because they were simply going on the story they were told by the accuser. >> right. it is almost impossible to sue a prosecutor for bringing a charge that subsequently becomes false as long as they are acting in good faith. >> again, you think this is done, just the prosecution hasn't admitted it yet. >> matter of time. >> joe tacopina, thank you. appreciate it. 7:09 right now. let's get the other morning stories from natalie morales at the news desk. good morning. good morning, everyone. minnesota's state government has shut down, politically deadlocked over a $5 billion budget deficit. talks degenerated ahead of a midnight deadline as the governor demanded tax hikes on the state's wealthiest residents. top republican state lawmakers balked. crews in new mexico are optimistic that they've stopped the advance of that massive wildfire that's been menacing the los alamos nuclear lab. crews thind out brush and laid down a line of fire resistant foam to help contain the fire but residents are not expected to go back to their homes until sunday at the earliest. treasury secretary timothy geithner is rejecting speculation that he could leave his post after this round of budget negotiations. geithner said he will stay in his job for "the foreseeable future." venezuelan president hugo chavez revealed he's battling cancer. addressing his nation on thursday he says he's recovering from successful surgery in cuba last month to remove a malignant tumor. the upcoming basketball season could be in jeopardy. nba owners and players began the league's first labor lockout in over a decade today after a three-hour bargaining session failed. now let's head to wall street again. cnbc's mandy drury is at the new york stock exchange. mandy, we closing out on a good week there? >> yeah, that's absolutely right. kicking off the new quarter with a pile of economic data, both local and global, to sift through and to guide the markets. yesterday we closed out the quarter. it was a volatile quarter but we did end on the biggest four-day rally since september, and partly thanks to some better economic data. manufacturing data here at home which is encouraging. and are you driving this weekend? well, here's some good news for drivers. gasoline, the national average for a gallon, is sitting at 3:55 right now. that is of course a lot higher than this time last year, but it is lower than a week ago. happy fourth of july. >> to you too, mandy drury at the new york stock exchange. thanks. snakes on a plane only happen in the movies but a scorpion on a plane was all too real. jeff ellis was stung by a scorpion while napping on a flight to alaska. a doctor on board examined the sting and said ellis wouldn't die -- probably. on the ground -- that's reassuring. on the ground, alaskan emts had to google how to treat the sting as they never encountered a scorpion before. fortunately for ellis, he's doing just fine. alaska airlines said the scorpion probably crawled on board during a stop in austin, text. there it is on his phone. that's kind of creepy. they did give him frequent flyer miles and two round-tip tickets. >> i found a scorpion in my shoe at a hotel one time and mr. roker told me i was crazy, that it wasn't a scorpion, until he came to my room and began screaming like a young girl. standing on the toilet while it was running around in the bathroom. >> that picture's on your iphone. >> and there it was. >> i only had to scream louder than you. >> you only had to be on the toilet faster than me. exactly. >> that was a good shot. you forgot to mention bryant gumbel was in the bathroom with us, too. >> oh, man! >> it's true. >> call page 6. >> it's a story we just don't even want to give up. let's show you what's happening. the heat continues. an extensive upper level ridge upper level ridge building, pushing the jet stream up north. we have got heat watches, heat warnings and advisories from texas, southwest, all the way up into the minneapolis. 96 degrees in minneapolis. 92 chicago. the 999 in kansas city. strong storms in the upper midwest, minneapolis. that's the only rough weather today if you're traveling. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> a fresh and cool morning on this first day of july. sunshine, we're in the low 60s to near 70 close to washington. some of t rural areas in the upper 50s. later today, we'll climb into 80s, near 90 by midafternoon, sunshine, low humidity. the same on saturday, more humid, but not bad. sunday, quite humid and hot, mid 90s. late afternoon into the evening could get thunderstorms. for the fourth of july, partly cloudy, near right now to hit the road for the 4th, you're not alone. aaa predicts nearly 40 million americans have the same idea. tom costello is at the national mall in washington with more on this. tom, good morning. >> reporter: hey, ann, good morning to you. this is going to be a very busy place. we got the folk line festival under way behind me, also the big fireworks show they're getting ready for on monday. two concerts on the steps of the capitol, also at the washington monument. but from coast to coast, we're talking beaches and barbecues and camping and celebration. july 1st and the 2011 great escape is on. ♪ hot fun in the summertime >> reporter: from yosemite in the west. >> i like the girls the best. >> reporter: aaa says 39 million americans will travel 59 miles or more this long weekend. that's 1 million fewer than last year. >> reporter: you can blame the pain at pump. the national average for unleaded now $3.54 a gallon, down from the high of $3.98 on may 4th. but still 80 cents higher than a year ago. >> it's still tough because we're still kind of transitioning from how high the gas prices were so we've got in the habit of not traveling as much. >> reporter: the big surprise? while fewer people are driving than a year ago, more people are flying. air travel is up 9% this summer. >> for some people, it actually may be more convenient and cheaper to fly than to drive this year. >> reporter: and airline ticket prices are also up, 11% on average. >> we're cutting back on trips and staying home more. >> reporter: >> it is a pretty exciting trip. the first time that anna and i have ever been anywhere together on a trip like this over the big pond. >> reporter: the top family destination this summer -- orlando. the top destinations for singles and couples -- las vegas, new york, chicago, and seattle. the good news? experts say there are plenty of flexible hotel deals out there, especially orlando, reno, portland, seattle and colorado. >> free nights, free room upgrades, kids stay free, resort credits. take advantage of all of those offerings to offset higher gas prices and higher airfares. >> reporter: back on the maryland shore, a yearly ritual -- >> every year i bring my kids here just to hang out and have a good time, eat pizza, have popcorn. >> reporter: sounds like fun. all right, if you haven't yet booked your travel plans for the summer, maybe an air trip, couple pieces of advice. they say book on tuesdays, wednesdays or saturdays. those are the least traveled days and usually the least expensive days for air travel. and also, try to catch the first flight of the morning if you can get the kids out of bed, because you're more likely to have your plane there. it's not going to be delayed or canceled, hopefully. ann, back to you. >> some good tips this morning as we head to this holiday weekend. tom costello, thanks. 7:17. here's matt. it will not be much of a celebration on capitol hill after being called out by president obama, the senate has now canceled its planned july 4th recess. but not before republicans fired off some choice words for the president. kelly o'donnell is nbc's capitol hill correspondent. kelly, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt. the summer heat must really be getting to them around here with more than the usual frustration in both parties over the debt limit showdown and more personal comments directed to the president from republicans. there's a kind of one ip about which party is working harder and acting more seriously. visiting a south philly favorite, the president ordered up a campaign style photo-op and a lemon ice. >> outstanding. i strongly recommend it. >> reporter: but that won't beat the political heat. republicans took offense at president obama's swipe at congress for not working hard enough to solve the debt crisis. >> absolutely disgraceful. he should be ashamed. >> reporter: republicans made it unusually personal. >> i respect the office of president of the united states, but i think the president has diminished that office and himself by giving the kind of campaign speeches that he gave yesterday. >> reporter: jumping on the president's challenge, democrat harry reid canceled the july 4th break. >> we'll do that because we have work to do. >> reporter: and republican leader mitch mcconnell made his own offer. >> i'd like to invite the president to come to the capitol today to meet with senate republicans. >> reporter: to explain to the president directly that a deal with tax increases is doomed. >> we know what that position is. and he also invited them to hear -- invited the president to hear what would not pass. that's not a conversation worth having. >> reporter: republicans were so irked, kansas senator pat roberts suggested the president needed a pill. >> i think he should just take a valium and calm down and come on down to talk to us, it might be helpful. >> reporter: the president already had other plans. >> hello, philly! >> reporter: he attended campaign events expected to raise $2.5 million. republicans complained that the president had "lectured them" to cancel events. >> i'm here today though, mr. president. where are you? my understanding is the president's campaigning, has a fund-raiser in philadelphia tonight. >> reporter: and mitt romney, who is also campaigning in pennsylvania, joined in. >> the president ought to be in washington meeting with republicans, meeting with democrats. he shouldn't leave that town until he has an understanding of what it's going to take to get this economy going again. >> reporter: and another unusual twist -- republicans boycotted a senate finance committee meeting dealing with trade agreements they actually support. they said that they were tired of the white house "jamming them" with some last-minute additions that they didn't get a chance to thoroughly review. none of them showed up. it was quite a sight and a sign of how tough things have gotten. matt? >> kelly o'donnell on capitol hill this morning, kelly, thank you very much. 20 after the hour. here's ann. now to the throngs of royal watchers turning out for prince william and catherine's first overseas trip. nbc's special correspondent ben foegle is following them on their journey. hey, ben, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. it's already being billed as the most watched canadian royal tour. thousands turned out to see this glamorous couple who will one day preside over canada. from the minute the superstar royal couple landed, it was a rush to identify kate's dress. in a polite nod to her host country, the duchess chose a canadian designer. the couple's first stop -- canada's national war memorial. said to be william and kate's personal request to pay tribute to the country's combat role in afghanistan. >> i'm really excited. yeah. >> reporter: canada rolled out the red carpet for these royals. spectators, young and old, showed up for a glimpse of the glamorous pair. some waiting more than six hours. and kate's fashion influence filled the crowd. how important is she as a fashion icon? >> pretty important. >> pretty important. >> reporter: from fascinators to a tennis dress, and of course there were plenty of flowers for a potential future queen. >> she bent down and chatted with you, didn't she? >> she asked us what's our name. and she said the flowers were very pretty. >> reporter: would you like to look like her when you're grown up? >> yes. >> reporter: william and kate's trip reminded more than a few here of another royal couple, prince chalks and diana visited the country in 1983 just a couple of years after they married. >> i was here covering charles and diana's trip to ottawa and william was just a baby at that time. so for me, it's quite poignant to come here, seeing him now married and representing his country. >> reporter: catering to the bilingual country, william spoke in english, and french, to show his dedication to the commonwealth. it will >> it will improve as we go on. >> reporter: their trip was designed in part to strengthen bond between the monarchy and canadians whose head of state is queen elizabeth. but william and kate are a modern royal couple hoping to live as normal a life as they can. bringing a fresh new look to britain's future monarchy. >> i do believe that the tour of canada and the united states of america is the beginning of a real change for the royal family. >> reporter: well, it's canada day here. people are already turning out for the festivities and of course with the hope of catching a glimpse of william and kate. they may have already charmed english speaking canada but their next more significant challenge will be french canada. >> sounds like you better brush up on your french, ben fogle. [ speaking french ]. >> we'll make due. good luck. nbc news has put together a dvd of the event, the ceremony and procession, that balcony kiss. for more on this, go to our website and "today."com. we will atalk about why the defense rested in the casey anthony trial without calling her to testify and what it was like to live in the anthony family home. we'll talk exclusive to casey's one-time bodyguard. but first, this is "today" [ male announcer ] we are americans. we know right from wrong. and we know the ads blaming president obama for the economy are politics at its worst. the republicans have opposed economic reforms at every turn. and now they have a plan that would essentially end medicare for future retirees... slash education... while giving huge tax breaks to big oil and the wealthy. we can't rebuild america if they tear down the middle class. priorities usa action is responsible for the content of this advertising. other royal wedding in monaco begins. >> pitbull and friends. good morning, 7:26 on friday, 1st of july. i'm joe krebs. hyattsville and prince georges county investigating a deadly stabbing in 6500 boulevard for a report of a fight. when they arrived they found a man with stab wounds tra s trand to a hospital where he died. four other people are treated for nonlife threatening injuries. we'll look at weather and we'll look at weather and traffic. my hero! anyone can be a hero with the new captain america cherry coolatta from dunkin'. america runs on dunkin'. good morning. 60s with sunshine. later 90. saturday and sunday, afternoon and evening storms. >> slow outer loop of the beltway in maryland, slow from "mr. popper's penguin new hampshire avenue. coolsville road, 26 miles an hour. live look, 495 and coalsville road, slow this time of day. back to you. >> thanks a lot. we'll have another local n ♪ 7:30 now on this friday morning, july 1st, 2011. a great day for the kickoff of the long holiday weekend and a concert. our crowd is here. they've been camping out all night for the hottest act right now, pitbull is here to perform with his special guests. we're talking about marc anthony, t-pain and ne-yo. excited crowd. great way to start a holiday. i'm ann curry inside studio 1a alongside matt lauer. just ahead, a serious topic. the latest developments of the casey anthony murder trial. >> so the jury in that case could have the case by the weekend after the defense rested on thursday. they rested without calling casey anthony to the stand. she said it was totally her decision, but was it the right one? we'll ask our legal team of savannah guthrie and star jones that question. >> we're also going to talk to a woman who served as anthony's bodyguard and actually lived with her day and night. this woman will be sharing her story for the first time in an exclusive live interview with us coming up. also, two months after william and catherine's big wedding, another big royal wedding is getting under way. we're live in monaco with the latest, and new details on that report that the bride to be actually had cold feet. we'll talk about that. >> she's really beautiful. we begin this morning with what could be the beginning of the end at the casey anthony trial. nbc's kerry sanders has been covering this trial every step of the way. kerry, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. the defense called 49 witnesses, some took the stand several times. but the one person who will not testify in this murder trial is casey anthony herself. a choice the judge wanted to make sure indeed was her decision. the defense case wrapped up. >> your honor, the defense rests. >> reporter: but not before the judge asked casey anthony if she planned to testify herself. >> you understand that your decision to testify or not testify is solely your decision, and your decision alone? >> yes, sir. >> and it is your decision not to testify? >> yes, sir. >> reporter: in all, the judge asked casey six different ways if she wanted to testify, and while she won't take the stand, there were still several final witnesses on this, the 32nd, and last, day of testimony. among the witnesses -- crystal holloway, a volunteer who once searched for 2-year-old caylee. holloway testified she and casey's father george became intimate, and during a romantic moment once he shared a deep secret about caylee's death. >> he had said it was an accident that snowballed out of control, but i was in shock. and by the time i looked up, his eyes were filled like with tears and i didn't elaborate. i didn't ask him anything further. >> reporter: a powerful suggestion of reasonable doubt? the state argues casey murdered her daughter caylee so she could live the care-free life of a party girl. but now here at the end of trial, was someone telling the jury george had a secret? remember, the defense claims caylee accidentally drowned in the backyard pool. >> they need to know right now that statement is no proof of how this child died. >> reporter: the jury also saw george anthony's eight-page suicide note. his failed attempt to kill himself a month after caylee's remains were found. and in that note, there was no mention of a drowning or a coverup. but it did say, "i am sorry. i love you, cynthia marie. caylee, here i come. lee, i'm sorry. casey -- and it ends there, with no comment to his daughter. a case ready for closing arguments. but for this moment, a spectator who gave the prosecutor what the judge called his middle finger of affection. the judge said those antics could have jeopardized the jury's impartiality so judge belvin perry took the 28-year-old, matthew bartlett, a server at tgi fridays brought him up and sentenced him to six days in jail and fined him plus court courses, all made sure to do it all in front of the jury. >> kerry, thank you. star jones is a veteran legal commentator and savannah guthrie is "today's" legal correspondent. scale of 1 to 10, 10 being total shock, how do you feel about casey anthony not taking the stand? >> it's a 1. >> 1 or 2. >> there was no way it was going to happen. >> under no circumstances. they had literally months and weeks of lies that casey anthony told as it related to thedy appearance of her child. we would have been watching this brutal cross examination of a pat logical liar for days and days. >> not only that, the jurors have actually heard her lie in real-time. they've heard the tapes, seen the videos. so therefore, they know how she sounds when she's telling a lie, a lie that she's now admitted. why would they believe her when she takes the stand? >> let me go back to the defense's opening statements in this case. all right? they said that caylee died accidentally in the family swimming pool and that george anthony helped cover up that situation. they also accused him of sexually molesting casey going back to when she was a child. then they didn't call one single witness to the stand during the trial to back up those claims. so when they set out for their closing arguments, do they have the legal right to bring any of that back up? >> i think they'll be very, very limited in what they can argue. as you say, there isn't really one scintilla of evidence of sexual molestation. in opening statements, you say what i intend to prove at trial. in closing arguments you're confined to what you have proven at trial. and the lawyers' questions, george anthony for example? that's not evidence. >> you are allowed to draw logical inferences of the evidence that's been presented. no evidence has been presented. >> so that's done. okay. crystal holloway took the stand yesterday, a/k/a river cruise. was she credible? >> she sounded credible and believable if you think that was only about her wanting to get the truth out. but if you believe that this is the kind of woman who attaches herself to high-profile incidents, which she even had to admit on the witness stand, then you would not find her credible. >> i would add, even if you do believe her, and you believe that george anthony said that key statement, "this was just an accident that snowballed out of control," number one, i think jurors could think, well maybe that's what he believed at the time. it's not exact ly a smoking gun statement. and number two, i bet star was going to say -- the judge gave a limiting instruction saying you can't use this. >> when the jury could start deliberating this weekend, has the prosecution laid out an adequate case or are there major holes in this the jury will pick apart when they start deliberating? >> i think there may be some holes for first degree murder. but i do think that she is going to be convicted ultimately. i think they showed that forensically they had a tight enough case that she's going to be looking at the charge. >> all right, star jones, savannah guthrie, thank you, ladies. appreciate it very much. let us swing over to ann. thanks a lot, matt. in august of 2000, casey anthony, then a person of interest in her daughter's disappearance, was released from jail on condition that she would be monitored at all times. for nine days tracy mclaughlin lived in the anthony home and spent every moment with casey. tracy is here now joining us now exclusively along with a fellow member of the security team. good morning to both of you. tracy, you say that when casey came home, she was treated like a war hero returning. why do you say that? >> it was the last thing i expected. i came to the house a few minutes before she got home and she comes in, excited to see everybody, wants to give me a hug. i'm the baby-sitter. hi, how you doing. oh, cindy tells her, your hair stinks. let's get you in the shower. there was no -- i just thought there would be a meltdown. let's find caylee, let's do everything we can to get her. but that wasn't even brought up. no one looked for caylee. >> no one looked for caylee. >> no. >> did casey ever talk about during those nine days you were with her soon after this story broke, ever talk about her daughter? >> no, she didn't like to talk about caylee being missing. just seemed like it was a bother to her, like that part of her life was over. so i brought up -- i had her do an interview with leonard because i was telling her that this is -- come on, we have to find her, rights of she was kidnapped. we have to find this baby and come do this. i understand the reasons she blew up at leonard it because it was a lie. >> leonard being your boss who was a bounty hunter. but you kept -- are you saying that you were pushing more than casey anthony to -- >> oh, casey didn't want to bring caylee up at all. and i pushed to have her talk to leonard, then that didn't work. she blew up at him. i said okay, tomorrow, talk to rob when we're driving to jose's office. she actually wrote notes to him and changed her story. she wanted to have fun. she liked the media. she didn't want the storms because helicopters wouldn't be showing. she just had so much fun, like she was a very likable person. she's a nice girl except if you realize what she did to her daughter. >> what she did to her daughter. you're saying what you've come to conclude based on your experience with her for those nine days? >> yes. yes. yes. >> you believe what? >> i'm not sure how she did it. i do believe it was chloroform because that came up at times in conversation between us. and the biggest factor watching the case and knowing casey, there was a time that leonard, we all went out there, did a search because of some of the things she said to me, we thought maybe the baby was in the water there. we did a search. it was shot on the media and she was in jail and does her little smirk, laughs, and goes back in her cell because they tell her they might have found a body. the next time when they did find the remains of caylee on suburban street, they told her remains were found there and she lost it, had to go to medical, had to be medicated. that tells me right there she knew exactly where that baby was. and if you knew her dad, george was a very nice man. the family's a very nice family. i mean i don't know what functional is. i know they call them dysfunctional, but casey kind of threw them all for a loop, i think. >> you were talking a little bit about this idea in terms of the dysfunctional -- when you gave our produceary detailed account of what happened in the anthony home. >> i think george and cindy knew what they were dealing with with casey. she's lied for so long. george wanted to force it out of her and cindy wanted to treat her with kid gloves and have it come -- it was a game. >> did you ever have a sense -- anything in your experience tell you why? why -- if you were right, why would a mother do this. >> she doesn't care about -- maybe she got mad. i don't know. i have a lot of different theories. maybe she got mad at cindy. >> you don't have any evidence. you're guessing here. >> this is my guess. this is my guess. she got mad at cindy, there was fight before she took off with caylee. i really do think she was chloroformed because she did know a lot about it and whether she gave her too much on purpose or just, here, i'm going to put her to sleep, i'm not sure which one happened but when she died, that's just a fact in casey's life. so she goes to the next thing. whole duct tape and little heart sticker, that was her being motherly. making it look like a kidnapping and the heart sticker was her little motherly touch. she doesn't think like normal people. she's unfeeling. >> she's unfeeling. >> unfeeling. she's caring but she -- once something happens, she's done. doesn't turn the page. >> i know you haven't spoke publicly in this way before. >> no. >> thank you so much for giving us these gleanings and tracy mclaughlin, thank you. robert, we didn't get to ask you any questions but i know you're here for moral support. you were helping drive during this time. thank you so much, robert dick for being with us this morning. >> thanks. coming up next, we'll get new details on reports that the bride was dealing with cold feet as monaco kicks off the celebration of prince albert's royal wedding. the latest live from monte carlo after this. thchevy event is here. turn it up in a malibu. 33 mpg, over 500 highway miles a tank. one of our 9 models over 30 mpg highway. fuel up, rock on. very well qualified lessees can get a low mileage lease on a chevy malibu ls for around $179 a month. fuel economy based on epa estimates. count on chevy for more out of every mile. as long as there's sun, you and your family can go have fun. because banana boat blocks up to 96% of harmful uva and uvb rays. so you can go, go, go, confident you're protected from sunburn and long-term skin damage. banana boat. we've got you covered. introducing honey bunches of oats, raisin medley. there's nothing like it! the only cereal with 1, 2, 3 kinds of raisins and crunchy multigrain flakes. you gotta try new honey bunches of oats raisin medley. ♪ hershey's chocolate syrup. stir up a smile. you carry them around everywhere. yes i do, because cravings are everywhere. would you take a craving for me, cartwright? how would i -- exactly. [ male announcer ] nicorette mini goes wherever you go, to help make quitting suck less. 7:46. ahuge crowd for our pitbull concert. al is somewhere in that crowd. al? >> matt, thank you. not just pitbull, t-pain, ne-yo, marc anthony. this is huge. whoa! you're excited. wow. what time did you get here? >> 4:00 a.m. >> ever seen a concert this big? >> never. >> never. >> you're going to see it now. pot just now, but soon. let's check it out. show you what's happening as far as fourth of july is concerns. . strong storms upper mississippi valley saturday. sizzling and hot. sunday, showers and thunderstorms in the northeast. screaming for the sizzling weather. monday, july 4th a fabulous day a chance of showers and fireworks going off though we don't see them. that's what's go on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. here bright sunshine, we're in the 60s throughout the region now. low humidity today. lots of sun with highs near 90. more of the same saturday. more humid by late sat afternoon. sunday, 90s. late afternoon and evening thunderstorms likely. monday, partly cloudy, up near 90. great weather around the region for festivities on the fourth of july. and at the beaches, though, there might be thunder showers. tuesday, wednesday, >> and that's your latest weather. matt? >> al, thanks very much. coming up, another big party. today is day one of prince albert's royal wedding extravaganza. we're going to go there live. that's monte carlo. that's monte carlo. [ male announcer ] summer belongs to the doers. those of us who know grass doesn't turn green just because the calendar says to. and that a big difference can grow from a small budget. for those of us with grass on our sneakers... dirt on our jeans... and a lawn that's as healthy as our savings... the days are about to get a whole lot greener. ♪ more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. make even more of your long weekend with a two-pack of kingsford charcoal, just $7.97. can your moisturizer do that? [ female announcer ] dermatologist recommended aveeno has an oat formula, now proven to build a moisture reserve, so skin can replenish itself. that's healthy skin for life. only from aveeno. to come and try coffee-mate's new cafe collection flavors. then we asked them to show us how the taste inspired them. new rich caramel macchiato. one of three new ways to add your flavor. with coffee-mate, from nestle. one of three new ways to add your flavor. discover customersl are getting five percent cashback bonus at the pump... and at many of the places their summer plans take them. it pays to switch, it pays to discover. i didn't understand it. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia -- thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and less pain means, i can feel better and do more of what matters. [ 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. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] and just like that, it's here. a new chance for all of us: people, companies, communities to face the challenges yesterday left behind and the ones tomorrow will bring. prudential. bring your challenges. just ahead, the tragic death of an ivy league sophomore tied to an alleged case of hazing. now his mother is suing for $25 million. we're going to talk to her exclusively. and we are going to lighten things up with a great concert on the plaza after your local news. what?! -match it! -match it! match it! -match it! -match it! 20 cents less. what?! just match it... -match it! -match it! -match it! -match it! -[ horn honks ] -match it! -match it! -match it! thank you, got it. i'll match that price right here. oh! cool. [ male announcer ] we won't be beat. we have low prices every day. on everything, backed by our ad match guarantee. save money. live better. walmart. on everything, backed by our ad match guarantee. ♪ that comes fromove a little green leaf ♪ ♪ zero-calorie, guilt-free no artificiality ♪ ♪ my skinny jeans zipped in relief ♪ [ announcer ] truvia. honestly sweet. ♪ there's a change in the sea ♪ so from now on ♪ there'll be a change in me ♪ and my walk will be different ♪ ♪ my talk and my name [ male announcer ] rust-oleum ultra cover 2x gives you twice the coverage, twice as fast as any other brand. ♪ ...changes made for nearly 100 years, we've been giving people the power to change. ♪ ...changes made challenge that with olay regenerist night elixir. its gentle glycolic formula resurfaces at night for the smooth skin of a light chemical peel. sleep tight. regenerist, from olay. with aveeno nourish plus moisturize. active naturals wheat formulas target and help repair damage in just 3 washes. for softer, stronger... ... hair with life. [ female announcer ] nourish plus. only from aveeno. a fiber that dissolves completely, is clearly different. benefiber. it's the easy way to get more fiber everyday. that's the beauty of benefiber. [ female announcer ] now, just pop, click, switch your lids whenever you like! choose from over 20+ colors and designs. the new dell inspiron r series laptops with switchable lids, powered by the 2nd generation intel® core™ processor family: not just smart, visibly smart. powered by the 2nd generation intto get this fully loadedly: and totally protected inspiron 15r today! ♪ [ intel bong ] to your kids' wet skin. new neutrogena® wet skin kids. ordinary sunblock drips and whitens. neutrogena® wet skin cuts through water. forms a broad spectrum barrier for full strength sun protection. wet skin. neutrogena®. good morning. i'm joe krebs. 7:56 on this friday, the first day of july. in the news4 today, 500,000 vehicles expected to cross the bay bridge this holiday weekend. if you leave today, aaa says the best time is before s10:00 this morn organize after 10:00 tonight. delaware should be less painful this weekend. testing new high speed ez pass lanes, letting drivers are go through tolls at h good morning. sunny in the 60s now. later today around 90, bright sun, low humidity. more of the same saturday. hot and humid sunday. afternoon and evening storms likely. fourth of july partly cloudy, near 90. great weather for festivities. and now, danella, how's the traffic? >> if you travel on the rails a light delay on the bruns week east, 894, delay is six minutes. 395 north of duke street, i am seeing volume in this area. nothing too significant. look what happens as you go over the 14th street bridge. is it a smooth ride for you this morning. i absolutely love it. joe, back to you. >> nice picture. thanks. another update in 25 minutes. . >> have a wonderful day. a great holiday week ♪ 8:00 now on a friday morning, first day of july, 2011. just stop for a moment and take a look at how many nice people are jamming into rockefeller plaza on this summer concert morning. we have the number one performer of the summer on stage in just about a half-an-hour from now. we're talking of course about that man there, pitbull. but he's not alone. he's brought along a few friends of his, people like marc anthony, ne-yo, and t-pain. this is going to be a very big deal. >> you know what? it's interesting because every time we have a concert -- we have college students, young people, they're very exuberant this morning already before the concert starts. a lot to get to this morning, including the question about whether the bride got cold feet or didn't she get cold feet in monaco because of course there is a big wedding celebration that's about to kick off for prince albert and we're going to go to monte carlo for the latest coming up. then we've got more of what's just been a terrific series jenna bush hager's been doing, "america the beautiful." today jenna's going to take us to the beauty, splendor, grandeur of glacier national park. we have a lot to get to. let's go inside and start this half-hour off at the news desk with natalie morales. good morning, everyone. the senate has canceled its fourth of july recess to work on the nation's debt crisis. republicans reacted angrily to president obama's accusation this week that congress is not working hard enough and that republicans are blocking progress by refusing to back tax increases. and they criticize the president for leaving washington thursday to attend fund-raising events in philadelphia. former boston mob boss james "whitey" bulger flown by helicopter to a massachusetts jail on thursday will get a taxpayer funded attorney to defend him in 19 murder cases. the long-time fugitive had $800,000 in his california apartment when he was arrested last week, but that money was seized by the government. and some haunting new 3-d images of the tie antic were displayed for the first time this week in a virginia courtroom part of an ongoing salvage case. they show the ship's rusting hulk and even the captain's bathtub there in amazing detail. now here's brian williams with a look at what's coming up tonight on "nbc nightly news." brian? >> hey, natalie. good morning. we have a story you won't want to miss tonight -- the story of a man in minnesota giving the gift of hearing to less fortunate kids. half a world away. it is why we call the segment "making a difference." that's tonight on "nightly news." back to you. >> thank you, brian. for a look now at what's trending today, a quick round-up of what you're talking about online. facebook boss mark zuckerburg told reporters his company will "launch something awesome." speculation is it could be facebook's long-awaited ipad app. join line, people are looking up researchers in australia injecting the wrinkle drug directly into vocal cords to keep them from tightening up. popular on google, the royal newlywed's trip to canada. duchess catherine debuted waring i navy and white beautiful dress. a young crowd, larger than the one for queen elizabeth's visit last year chanted "kate, kate, kate." it is now 8:04. let's go outside, once again to al, and with a check of the weather. al, al, al. >> hey, hey, hey! we wanted to give you a bird's-eye view of this crowd from three stories up all the way from 51st street to 48th street. they are here for pitbull, t-pain, ne-yo, and marc anthony. let's check your weather and show you what's happening. a big one today, of course, july 4th, you can see, there's a pick city, weather looking good as far as satellite radar, not much going on. showers and thunderstorms back through chicago. for today we have a rick of strong storms in the mississippi river vally. otherwise sunny, hot, thunderstorms throughout the gulf coast today. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> great weather starting the holiday weekend. now climbing into the 70s with sunshine, sunny today, low humidity, high around 90. more of the same saturday. sunday hot and humid, highs into the mid 90s. sunday afternoon and evening an increased chance of scattered thunderstorms, as a front drifts through. then on monday, throughout most of the region, partly cloudy for the fourth of july, around 90. at the beaches, on monday afternoon, could be some lingering thunderstorms heading east. >> in a half-hour these folks belong to pitbull, but for right now -- you are my people! are you my people! you are my people, ann curry! >> al, thank you so much. coming up, the other royal wedding to talk about. and have you heard? we've got a big concert coming up. but first -- [ female announcer ] we asked coffee lovers to come and try coffee-mate's new cafe collection flavors. then we asked them to show us how the taste inspired them. new rich caramel macchiato. one of three new ways to add your flavor. with coffee-mate, from nestle. challenge that with olay regenerist night elixir. its gentle glycolic formula resurfaces at night for the smooth skin of a light chemical peel. sleep tight. regenerist, from olay. every day you live with the pain of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis could be another day you're living with joint damage. help stop the damage before it stops you by asking your rheumatologist about humira. for many adult patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis humira has been proven to help relieve pain and stop joint damage. humira's use in patients with ra has been evaluated in multiple studies during the past 14 years. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events can occur such as, infections, lymphoma or other types of cancer, blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. make today the day you talk to your rheumatologist. and ask how you can defend against and help stop further joint damage with humira. i bet it could last through some artsy foreign film. good idea. let's go. did i just say that out loud? [ female announcer ] feel fresh up to 5 times longer with scope outlast. still feeling fresh? oh, yeah. [ female announcer ] what will you outlast? we are back at 8:08 with the tragic story of an accomplished cornell student who died, his mother says because of a hazing ritual. now she's filed a $25 million lawsuit against the fraternity. we'll talk thoo her exclusivelyn a moment, but first nbc's michelle franzen has details. >> good morning, matt. family and friends say george made a big debut in his brooklyn neighborhood as a member of his church and as a student who earned scholarships. no one expected he would die of ha hazing-related incident. a sophomore at new york's prestigious cornell university had a bright future ahead of him with hopes of becoming a doctor one day. his life, family and friends say, cut short this past february following a drunken hazing ritual at his fraternity. >> he just had this way that was so, you know, giving and loving. just very unusual in some ways for a teenage boy. there are week, his mother filed a $25 million wrongful death suit against sigma alpha epsilon and the former pledges she says are responsible for her son's death. the suit claims her son was involved in a mock kidnapping by pledges during their initiation. the complaint alleges they bound his wrists and ankles with zip ties and duct tape and compelled him to consume alcohol until he lost consciousness. back at the frat house, he was dumped on a couch and left to die. an autopsy later showed his blood alcohol was five times the legal limit in new york. cornell university took action and is not named in the lawsuit. >> since george's death, we've quickly acted to remove this fraternity from the campus for a period of not less than five years, and to re-emphasize the policies that were already in place about hazing and against these high-risk behaviors. >> reporter: the lawsuit claims the kidnapping was part of a long-standing fraternity ritual, authorized and encouraged by sae. in a statement on its website, sigma alpha epsilon's national headquarters says the fraternity "maintains stringent policies and guidelines for its chapters and re-affirms its zero tolerance policy for actions that do not comply with our regulations." in may, sigma alpha epsilon settled with a family in a hazing related death at another university. dedun's mother hopes her lawsuit will be the last. >> this lawsuit can be a powerful mechanism of communicating to other parents and other students, fraternities and universities, dangerous behavior takes place under the you a spin sauspices of good cl it is not. >> three other fraternities all pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor hazing charges. >> michelle franzen, thank you very much. george's mother marie is with us exclusively along with her attorneys. good morning to all of you. marie, i hate to take you back to february, but i want to know, when you found out the circumstances of your son's death, what was your initial reaction? >> the police in brooklyn came and told me cornell had just called them to tell them my son died in his sleep. i couldn't believe it because i spoke to my son the day before and when i realized they were really telling me the truth, i collapsed. then they called 911, the ambulance, and i end up being in the emergency room. >> he had pledged this fraternity the year before. he was a member of sae. had he ever talked to you -- because all indications are, this is a very well-rounded, grounded young man. had he ever talked to you about concerns about drinking within that fraternity, about hazing rituals, anything like that? >> no. actually, he told me it was a great opportunity for him to find job right after college and it was opening several doors for him. >> gentlemen, to file this lawsuit, you had to go and do some digging. are you comfortable with the idea that you know everything that went on that night at that fraternity? >> absolutely not. typically in the lawsuits that we've had against fraternities across the country, there's a code of silence that all of the members abide by immediately after the tragedy. we've spoken to one individual from the fraternity, but when it was clear to him that we were actually seeking substantial information on behalf of the family, he stopped talking. >> sigma alpha epsilon, that's the local and national fraternity named in the lawsuit released a statement saying, they maintain strict policies and guidelines and that it actively promotes an anti-hazing program. based on what you know, do the words match the actions in this case? >> it's interesting, matt. because sae's implementation of their act of anti-hazing policy, the implementation is by 18 and 19-year-old members. and in order for the policy to be implemented, they rely on the 18 and 19-year-old members. that's something that we are trying to change with this lawsuit. >> we heard from the president of cornell in that piece. he said that they took immediate action against this fraternity and banned them from campus for a period not less than five years. the president of cornell also told us that prohibition simply doesn't work. do you think that drinking should be prohibited in these fraternities? >> i think it should be banded, drinking and hazing. and the kids who did it, they have to face the consequences what they did -- >> well, four of the young men involved in this death have been charged with misdemeanors. misdemeanor counts of hazing. do you think those penalties are severe enough? >> no. it's not severe enough. >> and it's true that -- it is not true what cornell says a ban on alcohol would be ineffective. in fact the fraternity zone research indicates for a ten-year period for fraternities that have gone dry, the risk of injury and death is reduced by 98%. >> this is a $25 million lawsuit, marie. you, more than anyone, know that that money will not bring george back. so what do you want the outcome of the lawsuit to be? >> i want hazing and alcohol to stop and i want those kids to face -- to take responsibility of their action, because i don't want other parents to go through what i'm going through right now. george was a good kid. he was a great son. and i don't want anyone to go through that. if they don't stop hazing and alcohol, another parent will go through that. >> marie, thank you for being here. we appreciate it. our condolences and thanks for sharing your story. doug and william, thank you very much as well. we're going to be right back after this. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] say hello to the new mango pineapple real fruit smoothies from mccafé, bursting with fresh flavors and blended with creamy low-fat yogurt. the simple joy of exotic refreshment. ♪ the simple joy of exotic refreshment. 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! yep! (mom) i'm so proud of you. the bus is here, gotta go mom. okay hunny, have a great day. look in your bag, made you something. (announcer) it's more than just that great peanut taste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone how much you care. choosey moms, choose jif. thankfully, there's new crest pro-health clinical gum protection toothpaste. it helps eliminate plaque at the gumline, helping prevent gingivitis. it's even clinically proven to help reverse it in just 4 weeks. new crest pro-health clinical toothpaste. life opens up when you do. ♪ that comes from a leaf sweet surprise ♪rue love ♪ ♪ it's natural, guilt-free no artificiality ♪ ♪ it won't land on my hips or my thighs ♪ [ announcer ] truvia. honestly sweet. the most fuel-efficient full-line automaker? maybe it's because toyota offers 25 vehicle choices highway rated 30 mpg or better. with so many gas-saving options, it's no surprise we're the #1 choice among consumers. and right now, get 0% apr financing on a new 2011 camry. plus, every new toyota comes with toyota care, a complimentary maintenance plan with roadside assistance. we have lots to choose from, so hurry in today. ♪ festivities are getting under way in monaco this morning for the next big royal wedding. perennial bachelor prince albert is tying the knot at the age of 53. nbc's michelle kosinski is in monte carlo this morning with details. hey, michelle, good morning. >> reporter: hi, ann. a big sigh of relief that this is actually happening. but isn't it a shame that on this happy occasion, the first time in 30 years this tiny exclusive principality will have a reigning princess, some say the biggest thing to happen to monaco in a half century, the palace has had to do some damage control. in a few hours, monaco will have its princess. south african swimmer charlene wittstock. what has really been going on behind palace doors? the highly respected french news magazine is staunchly defending its multiple sources on an explosive story. soon to be serene highness charlene was far from serene last week, that she rushed to the airport to leave. the palace has just as adamantly denied it. but a highly placed source here says, yes, it did happen and there's been tension. the controversy reportedly involves another woman now claiming to have a child out of wedlock with the prince. he already has two. still, a friend of the couple, royalty expert stefan burn says he talked to charlene -- >> she said, okay, give me a break. >> reporter: and says she denies wanting a one-way ticket home. >> everything is okay. she never thought about leaving the country. you don't wait so long before you get married, then the day before you quit. no. >> reporter: whatever the details, the wedding starts now. reports also claim it will cost around $70 million, which the palace also denies. but, hey, this is monaco, playground of james bond and other international men and women of mystery. expect glamour. charlene's gown will be armani. the dinner by an ub he cher che. and last night they met with the eagles. >> we've all been waiting for this moment, always teased him about it and he's finally doing it. >> reporter: a bit bittersweet for those who knew and loved albert's mother, princess grace. kate powers, the american owner of the famous stars and bars restaurant here in monaco, will attend the wedding. her mother gene kelly was a best friend of the princess. they called themselves "the kelly girls." >> i think she is so approving of charlene. i am sure. i feel her. i always felt like she's still here. and i just feel very close to her spiritually and i just feel like i know that she would be so happy. >> reporter: no, we didn't seat kind of wild excitement or hype that we did before britain's royal wedding. but in this less than one square mile land of billionaires an hedge funders, kind of a cooler personality. in fact, one royal watcher called it a tough crowd and said a lot of people here don't even clap because their jewelry's too heavy and it gets in the way. i assumed he was joking but he said, no, no, he's serious. >> michelle, we don't have that problem. well michelle kosinski, thanks so much. by the way, you look beautiful this morning. let's now go outside to matt, al and natalie now. >> thank you very much. we've got a big pitbull concert coming up. right now we're joined by another talented musician. after months of battle rounds and blind auditions, javier chj cologne was just crowned. have you really started to think about how your life's about to change? >> it's all happened -- it took a long time for it all to happen but it feels like it all happened so quickly. it's amazing. i'm just kind of trying to take it all in. but it's a good feeling. >> you say this happened just at the right time because were you thinking about getting out of the music business. you'd had a record deal, didn't work out. were you looking at a different way to support your family. >> i was because it was getting to the point where i wasn't able to make a living enough to raise my two beautiful girls and support my wife. i wasn't going to let that happen. so if i had to do something else, i was going to do something else. >> you were the front-runner really though all season long. but then dia frampton kind of put on a really tough competition for you. were you confident though by wednesday's finale show that it was yours? >> there was never any confidence. i actually honestly thought -- i was fully prepared for carson to say and the winner "the voice" is dia frampton. i was going to turn around and hug her and tell her how much i love her because she's absolutely amazing. honestly, the votes were so close. i feel like we all should have won at that point. hopefully we all get the record deals and the same happens to all of us. >> no one jumped out of the seat faster than adam levine. he seemed awfully happy for you. you guys developed an awfully close relationship. any plans to work together down the road, do a duet? >> absolutely. we already talked about it. we're going to do some things in the studio together. we actually also talked to c-lo. >> when are you going to come and do your "today" show concert with us? >> whenever you ask me. >> she just did. >> we're going on tour on july 22nd with the top eight finalists from "the voice." you can get tickets at livenation.com. >> javier, congratulations. much more after your local news and weather. 8:26 is your time now. 75 degrees out there. beautiful summer day. we're going to hang on for a little while longer. we'll check your holiday weekend forecast after the news. good morning, i'm eun yang. in the news4 today, hyattsville and prince georges county police investigating a deadly stabbing. called to the scene of 6500 block for a report of fight. when officers arrived they found one man with stab wounds, transported to a nearby hospital where he later died. we'll take a quick [ male announcer ] we are americans. we know right from wrong. and we know the ads blaming president obama for the economy are politics at its worst. the republicans have opposed economic reforms at every turn. and now they have a plan that would essentially end medicare for future retirees... slash education... while giving huge tax breaks to big oil and the wealthy. we can't rebuild america if they tear down the middle class. priorities usa action is responsible for the content of this advertising. good morning. sunny in the 70s now. later today around 90. sun, low humidity. more of the same saturday. little more humid. sunday, hot and humid, low and mid 90s. afternoon and evening thunderstorms likely. then for the fourth of july partly cloudy, high near 9 pop danella, how's traffic. >> watching new york avenue i had an accident here inbound new jersey avenue. it's cleared. but take a look right here. 459 outer loop of the beltway, slow as you make your way from colesville ♪ 8:30 now on a friday morning. july 1st, 2011, the start of a long fourth of july weekend. we are in a party mood and we've got the man sitting at the top of the charts. he's pitbull, standing by for a full half-hour of music, along with some special guests. very exciting morning. mark anthony, t-pain, ne-yo. >> all taking the stage with pitbull. >> look at you. >> it is going to be a great show coming up in just a couple of minutes. >> that's right. > coming up in the next hour, we'll help you get ready for your fourth of july weekend. >> but first, how about a check of the weather? >> all rie weather. >> let's show you quickly what's happening for your weekend. tomorrow, sunshine, risk of strong storms upper ohio river valley, slight risk in the northern rockies. sunday sunday, hit or miss showers and thunderstorms. and on july 4th, hotter than the fourth of july, we've got plenty of sunshine. afternoon showers, hit or miss. other than that, looking good. some areas canceling fourth of july celebrations because of the fire danger, too darn dry. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> 70s now and later today around 90. not humid as well as saturday. more humid tomorrow. sunday hot and humid, mid 90s. afternoon and evening thunderstorms likely. monday for the 4th, partly cloudy neeshg cloud y near 90. beaches, afternoon storms. tuesday, wednesday, thursday, into next week, partly cloudy each day highs near 90. only a small chance of afternoon >> that's your latest weather. we have a big weather weekend coming up. check out the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. >> mr. roker, thank you very much. when we come back, the hottest performer of the summer, pitbull. but first, this is "today" on nbc. >> announcer: the "toyota concert series" on "today," brought to you by toyota. kicking off our party with the number one song all around the world -- ladies and gentlemen, here is pitbull featuring ne-yo with "give me everything." ♪ ♪ ♪ give me everything tonight ♪ give me everything tonight ♪ give me everything tonight ♪ give me everything tonight ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ tonight give me everything tonight ♪ ♪ for all we know we might not get tomorrow ♪ ♪ let's do it tonight >> are you ready? >> everybody ready? hands up! ♪ grab somebody sexy tell 'em hey ♪ ♪ give me everything tonight ♪ give me everything tonight ♪ give me everything tonight ♪ give me everything tonight ♪ ♪ put it on my life baby ♪ i can make you feel right baby ♪ ♪ i can't promise tomorrow ♪ but i promise tonight ♪ excuse me ♪ but i might drink a little bit more than i should tonight ♪ ♪ and i might take you home with me if i could tonight ♪ ♪ baby i'm gonna make you feel so good tonight ♪ ♪ we might not get tomorrow ♪ tonight i will love love you tonight ♪ ♪ give me everything tonight ♪ for all we know we might not get tomorrow ♪ ♪ let's do it tonight >> new york city! let's go! ♪ tonight i will love love you tonight ♪ ♪ give me everything tonight ♪ give me everything tonight ♪ give me everything tonight ♪ give me everything tonight >> i might drink a little bit more than i should tonight ♪ ♪ i might take you home with me if i could tonight ♪ ♪ baby i'm gonna make you feel so good tonight ♪ ♪ might not get tomorrow >> this is "today" on nbc. ♪ pitbull, a/k/a mr. worldwide. he's everywhere these days. "planet hit" just been declared the best party album of the summer. he's gracing the covers of a lot of magazines but right now he's gracing the stage here at rockefeller plaza. pitbull, welcome back. >> thank you for having me. >> the question is did you get up early for us this morning or just stay up late? >> you know what? you know, actually i stayed up really late. >> did you? >> yeah. >> you got pitbull, mr. 305. mr. worldwide. what's that mean? >> mr. worldwide shows the growth, evolution of global music throughout the whole world. we just thank god everywhere. >> there's something about the kind of magic touch that you've got right now, not only with your own music, but when you collaborate with other people. you seem to be a hitmaker. have you stopped to try and analyze what's going on? >> no. i look at it this is a great opportuni opportunity. good friend of mine that's actually going to grace the stage with us, ushers, t-pain, everybody, it's good to have them giving me opportunity to work with them. >> do you feel more pressure now? because it does seem to be when you jump on to a song with someone else it goes to number one, or close. do you feel pressure to make that happen on every occasion? >> none of us really go in the studio looking for a hit. we just do what we love, love to be creative and work with creative people. the minute you start feeling the pressure is when i think you don't perform. >> the first two singles off this new album went to number one. now you've got the debut of your third single, "today." talk to me about the collaboration on this one. >> this right here was definitely something that came 13th hour on this album. got a chance to work with the living legend marc anthony. it is a great opportunity. [ speaking spanish ] >> you've never actually taken to the stage with marc anthony. >> no. this is going to be the first time me and marc perform. >> so right now? >> yes. >> ladies and gentlemen, let's bring up marc anthony. >> that means i get out of the way. ladies and gentlemen, pitbull and marc anthony. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> pitbull and marc anthony, thank you. up next, t-pain joins the pitbull party. but first, this is "today" on nbc. once again, pitbull, along with t-pain with her hit "mega baby." hey, baby! ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> pitbull and t-pain. guys, thank you very much. good to see you. let's bring marc anthony and ne-yo back up on stage. t-pain, come on over here. come on over here. all right. ne-yo, thank you. so the first thing we have to talk about is this. we have got to get some of those for the "today" show. >> it takes a special kind of person to hold one of these. you know what i'm sayin'? knock yourself out and not knock anybody else out. >> obviously it says a lot about the way you guys feel about him and his music that you woke up early this morning. what is it about his music? anybody, jump in. >> oh, man. >> really appreciate that. thank you so much. >> you're a two-time grammy winner. what is it about collaborating with this guy, with pitbull? i can't get over that mike. >> it's something that had to happen. you know what i'm sayin'? when you collaborate with pitbull, it just takes to a whole nother audience. you know what i'm saying? people just love pitbull. >> i must say they love all of you. marc, you were in puerto rico greeting president obama during his visit to the island. that's a very important moment. >> it really was. being invited by the white house, spend some time with the family, absolutely amazing. both for me and puerto rico. >> yeah! ne-yo, you're now working on your fifth album. tell me about what you can expect. >> it is going to be the most honest album. it is the good, bad, ugly and ne-yo. >> pitbull, t-pain, marc anthony on one concert stage. >> thanks for being out here. >> back with much more on a friday morning. first these messages, your local news and weather. good morning. 8:56. we have 75 degrees on this friday, 1st of july. good morning, i'm joe krebs. in the news4 today, police are looking for two people who may have tried to rob an armored xar. yesterday a suspect approached guards in an armored guard at the trinity shopping center northeast washington. guards opened fire and killed the man. police are looking for two men who they say sped away in a gold cadillac after the shooting. investigators don't know whether the man who drove off are connected to the robbery. we'll take a break. somebody help! [ gasps ] my hero! anyone can be a hero with the new captain america cherry coolatta from dunkin'. get yours for a limited time only. america runs on dunkin'. hurry in today for your first avenger tri-cup while supplies last. good morning. temperatures in the mid and upper 70s now, low humidity, sun on tap for today and tomorrow. we'll reach near 90 each day. sunday it's going to be partly cloudy, hot and humid. highs sunday into the mid 90s. could get afternoon or evening storms sunday. and on the fourth of july, looks like partly cloudy, temperatures reaching near 90. and great weather for the parades and picnics. danella, how's the traffic now? >> i am seeing volume coming out of virginia traveling on 95 north. look at this, a live look at the fairfax county parkway. let's go even bigger than that. here we go. joe, back to you. >> thanks, danella. more news, weather and traffic more news, weather and traffic in 25 minutes. denny's new tour of america menu. 50 star cuisine. the new tour of america menu. starting at $4.99. only at denny's. america's diner is always open. we are back now with more of "today" on a friday morning, the first day of july. boy, we have started the month off with a bang in our summer concert series. pitbull, ne-yo, t-pain, and marc anthony. you are going, you're half-way there. we'll have more music from pitbull a little bit later on. i'm matt lauer, al roker, ann curry andgu guthrie. >> did you guys make new year's resolutions? get healthy? work out? brush your teeth every day and you're having a problem with that -- >> who doesn't brush their teeth? >> that's not a resolution. >> i'm just saying. >> that's a requirement for good hygiene. >> whatever your resolution might be, we're going to get some advice. don't give up hope. >> and jenna wolfe has been traveling the country showing us america the beautiful. jenna bush hager. >> well jenna wolfe isn't. but jen ma buna bush hager is ar country, at glacier national park. >> she's traveling with pit-pain. it's friday. >> we need to go to the news. natalie's standing by. natalie, save us from ourselves. good morning, to you guys. the case against former international monetary fund chief dominique strauss-khan may be on the verge of collapse today. nbc's jeff rossen joins us from lower manhattan with the very latest. jeff, good morning. >> reporter: hey, natalie, good morning to you. all along prosecutors here in manhattan, new york have said that they believed the victim in this case, that the case against dominique strauss-khan was strong, and that the evidence was piling up. but this morning what appears to be a complete reversal and has a lot of people around here talking, in that law enforcement sources now tell nbc news the entire case could be collapsing because the victim lied about her past. he's been hauled in to court, charged with sex crimes and placed under house arrest, living under armed guard inside this $50,000 a month townhouse in trendy tribeca. but if this latest twist is true, experts say dominique strauss-khan could be released from house arrest as early as today. he was one of the most powerful men in the world, head of the international monetary fund, and possible candidate for french president. until a maid in this luxury manhattan hotel told police strauss-khan sexually assaulted her twice in his room. but now "the new york times" reports she repeatedly lied to investigators and prosecutors don't fully believe her. >> several people who we've talked to have said the case is on the verge of collapse. >> reporter: the maid is from guinea, a source familiar with the case tells nbc news she lied on her asylum application, claiming she was raped in the past, and now admits it was all made up. according to the "times," she made have ties to drug dealing and money laundering. the paper reports within a day of her alleged assault, she spoke with an accused drug dealer and discussed the possible benefits of pursuing charges against strauss-khan. that conversation was recorded and the "times" says that man was among several people who deposited $100,000 cash in her bank account. >> the blows to her credibility now make her -- or may make her an untenable witness, according to many of the people we've talked to. >> reporter: the lawyer who represented the maid appeared last month here on "today." >> she has been in a whirlwind since this has taken place. is a woman who is a rape victim, the victim of a physical assault, who says this has taken place and since she reported it to security at the hotel has not had a moment of peace. >> reporter: police did find dna evidence in the hotel room and last month in court, prosecutors seemed confident. >> the proof against him is substantial. it is continuing to grow every day. >> reporter: but from the start, strauss-khan's defense team called the sex consensual. >> forensic evidence we believe will not be considered as a forcible encounter. >> reporter: a source familiar with the case tells nbc news, while the maid admits she lied about her past, she still stands behind her story about this attack, insisting strauss-khan sexually assaulted her. >> now this turn of events five weeks in to what looked like it was going to be an ongoing case is stunning. >> reporter: dominique strauss-khan will appear here in a manhattan courtroom behind me a little later on this morning. we're told by sources that the prosecution and the defense, both sides, have agreed to a substantial reduction in bail which means strauss-khan could now be out of his house arrest situation by lunch time today. we should mention the d.a. is saying he's not ready to fully drop the entire case yet, dismiss all the charges, but that could happen down the line. we should also mention we've reached out to the maid's attorney overnight but did not hear back. >> jeff rossen with the stunning developments again in lower manhattan, thank you. the senate has canceled its fourth of july recess to work on the nation's debt crisis. republicans reacted angrily to president obama's accusation earlier this week that congress is not working hard enough and that republicans are blocking progress by refusing to back tax increases. they also criticized the president for leaving washington thursday to attend fund-raising events in philadelphia. minnesota state government has shut down politically deadlocked over a $5 billion budget deficit. talks degenerated ahead of the midnight deadline as the governor demanded tax hikes on the state's wealthiest residents. top republican state lawmakers balked. and for all of you women who have ever told a man, well, you should try this in heels, well, now they have. take a look. men in madrid went for a high-heel race down the cobblestone streets of the spanish capital. they're moving along pretty quickly there. it was all followed up by a silent disco. residents in the past complained about the noise so revelers enjoyed their own private dance party with headphones. not like our party here out on the plaza. it is now six minutes past the hour. let's go back out to matt, ann i think they're tonight something in madrid. >> sometimes we say ann dances to beat of her own drum, that might be fitting. >> complimentary when you do. >> where did al go? >> he's back there somewhere. >> hello. hello. enjoy the concert? all right. we've got one more song, one more song coming up. let's check your weather. we'll show you for today, big area of high pressure dominating upper level ridge pushing the jet stream up to the north. and so we've got heat warnings, watches, and advisories from minneapolis all wait down to the southwest. temperatures in the upper 90s to low 100s. risk of strong storms up through minneapolis. that's the only airport hub that's going to have problem. rest of the travel will be great. temperatures, 90 and 100s through the southern tier of states. picture perfect day in the northeast. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. sunny in the 70s now, 79 at reagan national. later today, up around 90 degrees and not humid. lots of sunshine, more of the same saturday. and sunday, hot and humid, into the low and mid 90s. a front coming through, trigger scattered storms from late afternoon into the evening. then for the fourth of july, partly cloudy, highs around 90. and a chance of maybe storms at the beaches. and on tuesday, wednesday, thursday, we'll still be >> and that's your latest -- you're getting sleepy, natalie. you're getting sleepy. . >> announcer: "today's" 12 steps to a healthier you is brought to you by walgreens. there's a way to stay well.to ao you by walgreens. there's a way to stay well. thank you, al. this morning on "small steps to a healthier you," reviving those new year's resolutions. remember all those get-fit goals that you set back in january? we're now half-way through the year. if you started to lose some motivati motivation, we've got some strategies to get you back on contribute. dr. peterson, good morning. not too late. still have half a year to go. you can get back on the wagon. right? >> absolutely. >> first one is i think a lot of people set the goals that they want to hit the gym every day. first of all, what's wrong with making that your goal? >> i think if you commit to doing anything other than eating or drinking every day, are you setting yourself up for failure. it is just not realistic. >> what should we do? >> commit to four days a week. that gives you three days of wiggle room to build in business meetings and social events and can you maybe get a workout in one of those three days but you have to look at those four days as none negotiable. people look at them as optional. consider it like a lunch date or business meeting and put it in your calendar. at "women's health," we say put specific times and dates and the exercise. monday 7:00 p.m., spin class. wednesday 8:00 a.m., aerobics class. >> those days are necessary off. your body needs to recover. >> you need 24 hours for your muscles to repair themselves. >> the next resolution goal that's fizzling, i'm going to weight train more often. i'm one of those people, i'm a cardio aaholic. but that's not true. >> a lot of people have your mind set, they're too cardio focused. they think i've got 30 minutes, i'll burn more calories doing cardio than weight training. but that's not true. if you do circuit training, which is back-to-back exercises without a break, you not only get your heart rate up and burning the same amount of calories if not more, but you're also building muscle so then your metabolism goes up and you are burning more calories at rest than when you're not doing anything. >> worth it to incorporate it. how do we get more into weight training? >> i would recommend -- our website has great suggestions at womenshealthmag.com. but basically go from machine to machine. >> circuit training. >> over and over and it gets your heart rate up without a break in between. >> next, working out in the morning is a goal i think a lot of people say, "i'm going to set my alarm clock, get up and go." problem is the alarm clock goes off, we hit snooze. how do you really get yourself to get out of bed in the morning and work out? >> so tempted to hit that snooze butt button. not everyone is a morning person -- and that's okay. listen to your body. your muscle strength really peaks in the late afternoon so it is an optimal time to work out later in the day but that's not realistic for everyone. if you want to work out in the morning, how about working out with a friend? ocreate a financial incentive by hiring a trainer or paying for a boot camp class. that way again have you an accountability to show up. >> always hard to cancel when you can't cans it will on the credit card. okay. next thing, lose 10 to 20 pounds. maybe people started off pretty well but have now fallen off that. how do they get them back on track? >> if you want a sustainable weight loss you've got to create a plan of action. so it is important, not only to say what you want to do, but how you're going to achieve it. rather than saying i want to lose ten pounds, say, i'm going to take my lunch to work every day and work out four days per week. that way you have an action plan. then monitor it. keep a diary. write it down. again, accountability. >> all right. and folks at home, you have a half a year to work on this. dr. peterson, great tips, as always. coming up next -- anyone say road trip? jenna bush hager heads to glacier national park in our continuing series, "america the beautiful." and a little bit later on, on the road with the royals. we're live in canada where the duke and duchess are dazzling spectators ahead of their cal vis california visit next week. verybody ♪ ♪ gonna have a good time tonight ♪ come in for a great time at olive garden. enjoy our new carbonara ravioli with chicken for just $10.95. pancetta and parmesan-filled ravioli served with pan-seared chicken in creamy parmesan sauce. ♪ family affair or with sauteed shrimp for $12.95. both with unlimited breadsticks and salad or homemade soup. a great meal sure to end with a smile. olive garden. when you're here, you're family. ♪ that comes from a leaf sweet surprise ♪rue love ♪ ♪ it's natural, guilt-free no artificiality ♪ ♪ it won't land on my hips or my thighs ♪ [ announcer ] truvia. honestly sweet. you want that? you want a warm, super-delicious strawberry toaster strudel yeah but now i have nothing to eat sure you do. hey! you can have the pop tart! pillsbury toaster strudel. the one kids want to eat express hydration. the fast absorbing body lotion with breakthrough 24 hour hydraiq. absorbs in seconds. lasts for hours. express hydration with hydraiq. nivea. express hydration with hydraiq. [ female announcer ] shake a leg! you only have four days to get to the... ...4th of july sale at petsmart. save up to 50% on hundreds of items. and select tropical fish are only $1 each. at petsmart. new newtons fruit thins. real blueberries and blueberry brown sugar... crispy whole grain. newtons fruit thins, one unique cookie. now you don't have to wait 6 weeks to get it. introducing natural instincts with our first color refresher. get healthy looking, ammonia-free color, then let the new refresher boost your healthy look 2 weeks in. it helps restore color pigments, so you can get a freshly colored look once again. natural instincts. it's all good. now get all the healthy looking color of natural instincts in our new vibrant shades. back now with our final day of "america the beautiful." she's taken us to the swamps and to texas, and this morning contributing correspondent jenna bush hager gives us perspective on one of the country's most popular parks. jenna, good morning. >> good morning, ann. each year more than 2 million people make the trip north to glacier national park. recently a group of school kids showed me the beauty of this famous place. the crown of the continent where two countries unite above land carved by glaciers. gleaming lakes near storied mountain peaks along the foothills of the continental divide. glacier became the country's tenth national park more than 100 years ago. a century before that, black feet indians roamed this corner of northwest montana and named their land the backbone of the world. and it's easy to see why. glaciers crest in valleys span over 1 million acres. and on this trip, i explored just a few through the eyes of children. the glacier institute funded solely by donations knows the importance of inspiring our next generation to get off the couch and into the parks. >> right here this tree might be 600, 700 years old. >> reporter: we met the kids for a two-mile hike to avalanche lake. this 12-year-old hasn't traveled much outside his hometown of spokane, washington. what do you think about that tree? he came to glacier with his friends from a children's homer with lives with other underprivileged kids and teens. with every turn, every step, every glance, the children, many of whom haven't spent much time outside of spokane, were overcome by the beauty of the water, the woods and the wildlife. after a final view of the breathtaking view and crystal clear lake, it made the trek worp worth the work. this 10-year-old, the youngest of the group, lived at the settlement for three years after spending some time in foster care. >> i'm taking pictures and then like bring it home and make it look exactly the same. >> what's your favorite part of glacier national park? >> that. >> reporter: the director of education at the glacier institute. how important is it do you think to get these kids in to national parks? >> mostly just getting them outside, showing them around and showing them that it's a good time. when we're hiking, when we're teaching, when we're talking about this stuff, you kind of forget everything else and you can get centered and who you are, what's really important. >> reporter: these 15-year-olds agree. >> it feels nice to do something different like have something good in your life, not just like the bad things that have happened in your past. >> there's better things in this world than just a couple pine trees out in your backyard. >> two! three! ♪ >> reporter: when the day ended, the sunset behind the rockies, the kids hope for a brighter future was ignited by the grandeur and spirit of the land. >> when i first came here i didn't think i would learn how to do the compass or know what are mountains on a map. you snow but, you know, just learning that, pretty much proves that you can do anything. >> there are about 25 glaciers in the park which makes it truly magnificent. but i have to say, ann, the best part was seeing it through the resilient eyes of these amazing kids. >> it's been a great series, jenna. >> it has. thank you. >> for more on the hutton settlement children's home and the glacier institute, visit today.com. still to come, miami superstar pitbull rocks our plaza one more time with another performance. but first, these messages. ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] and just like that, it's here. a new chance for all of us: people, companies, communities to face the challenges yesterday left behind and the ones tomorrow will bring. prudential. bring your challenges. 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®. and unsurpassed uva protection. like many chefs today, i feel the best approach to food is to keep it whole for better nutrition. and that's what they do with great grains cereal. see the seam on the wheat grain? same as on the flake. because great grain steams and bakes the actual whole grain. now check out the other guy's flake. hello, no seam, because it's more processed. now, which do you suppose has better nutrition for you? mmm. great grains. the whole whole grain cereal. [ 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. works better than detergent alone can getting enough vegetables make you feel good? oh, yeah. v8 juice gives you 3 of your 5 daily servings of vegetables. v8. what's your number? challenge that with olay regenerist night elixir. its gentle glycolic formula resurfaces at night for the smooth skin of a light chemical peel. sleep tight. regenerist, from olay. we've all watched al roker say for years on this program you may think you know all there is to know. >> al reveals 25 things in this edition of "us weekly" magazine. first on the list, i'm extremely shy. now come on! give plea a breme a break! >> i really am. anybody who really knows me, i shy away from people. >> you're really quiet. i wouldn't say shy. >> until that red light comes on! >> we just showed a picture of brian williams, not a mistake. because you stha brithat brian is 1 of the 3 funniest people on earth. >> he's actually now number two because he killed a guy. >> that begs the question. >> well, i don't want to say. >> al roker would be number one. al, i was shocked to learn that you were willard scott's love child. >> i am. >> tell us more about that. >> willard and carmen miranda got together. the rest is history. >> the rest is history. do you get a little more serious. you say even though i lost 140 pounds i still think of myself as fat. >> i really do. i buy these suits and they feel tight, it just drives me nuts. >> you ran marathons. you run also so you can eat pie. >> right. >> i like pie, i hate to run. but i run so i can eat. >> it makes sense. pie and everything else. >> finally what i consider to be the doozy, you are lenny kravitz' cousin? for real? >> i wasn't supposed to say but now i give up the monthly stipend. back with more after this. it's the best job in the world. 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 light every day. so delicious activia light helps 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 that's what people could say if you're still using a liquid foundation that can settle into your lines and wrinkles and make you look older. like an apricot... or a prune. and i like both, i just don't want to look like one. covergirl and olay simply ageless foundation has regenerist serum and floats above lines and makes you look younger. you will look so young people will be like "how is that baby driving a minivan?" "who let the baby into the bar?" and so on. can your anti-aging makeup do that? ♪ simply ageless from olay and easy, breezy beautiful, covergirl. good morning. it's 9:26 on this friday, july 1st. i'm aaron gilchrist. 500,000 vehicles expected to cross the bay bridge this holiday weekend. if you leave today, aaa says the best time to leave is either before 10:00 this morning, or after 10:00 tonight. driving through delaware newark toll plaza should be less painful this holiday weekend. testing new high speed ez pass lanes that allows drive to go through tolls at highway speed. a look good morning. temperatures upper 70s, near 80 now. sun today. it's a dry heat with low humidity today and tomorrow. sunday, hot and humid, mid 90s. likely afternoon and evening thunderstorms for the fourth of july. partly cloudy, highs near 90. and slight chance of maybe few storms at the beaches on the 4th. tuesday, wednesday, thursday, highs near 90, partly cloudy. >> accident outer loop of the beltway in maryland university boulevard. you can see police are on the scene and your left shoulder lane and left lane blocked. i have been watching this nor a while. ambulance was there, fire was there. they've left. but your delays are going to be as you approach new hampshire avenue and they will continue on the outer loop of the beltway as you make your way to georgia avenue. back to you. >> another news update in 25 minutes or so. for now, back to new york. what is that? oh, we call it the bundler. let's say you need home and auto insurance. you give us your information once, online... [ whirring and beeping ] [ ding! ] and we give you a discount on both. sort of like two in one. how did you guys think of that? it just came to us. what? bundling and saving made easy. now, that's progressive. call or click today. ♪ ♪ ladies and gentlemen, conway twitty! no, country superstar blake shelton, fresh off his hit, as a coach on nbc's hit show "the voice" he's going to pick up the mike and join our concert series next friday on "today." yes! country coming to the city. but our party on the plaza isn't over just yet. miami's own chart-stopping superstar pitbull burned up our summer stage this morning with his hot sound. he's going to be performing one last song to kick off our holiday weekend. >> along with marc anthony, t-pain and ne-yo, yesterday we were talking about we needed a name for savannah. i came up with it. savvy g! yes! from now on, that is your rap name. savvy g. >> that's perfect. now we >> perfect. now we have blake shelton. >> you have the guthrie. >> how about susquehanna. >> i'll answer to it, keep it clean. >> coming up in this half hour we've got the royals on the road of course. william and kate wowed spectators on the first official overseas trip as a married couple. heading to the states. next week we'll be with them on the north american tour every step of the way. the latest from canada. >> nothing like yummy carnival food, car val fare. oh, madeleine. >> a candy apple. >> she's going to help us. >> now we're talking. so we'll get to enjoy the carnival fare. >> that's how you lose weight, can't open it up. >> she'll get that all straightened out and we'll do that late. >> thanks. jenna wolfe's got a preview. >> or j-wow. >> you guys take it all. good morning, we'll slate of the on the duke and duchess of cambridge on the tour of canada. the case of casey anthony. the defense has rested its case. live from the courthouse with the latest on that. also, a father's mission, a texas man says his british fiancee kidnapped their daughter, he's vowing to do what it takes to bring the child home. we'll have that story. and made in america. celebrate the fourth of july holiday weekend with us, whether grilling or going to the beach. we've got fun ideas to make your independence day more memorable. stories and more this weekend on "today." >> all right. >> have a good weekend. >> a check of the weekend forecast for us, holiday forecast. >> here we go. starting off with tomorrow. we've got sunshine up and down the east coast. a risk of strong storms, upper ohio river valley. sizzling in the south, sunday, sunday, hit or miss showers and thunderstorms in northeast and new england. sizzling through the gulf coast. on our july 4th, beautiful weather, though, much of the country. again, showers and thunderstorms. >> watch out for fireworks. >> that's right. that's right. okay. i'm going to hold you up using this forecast. that's what's go on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. here we've got bright sun, temperatures are near 80 degrees, throughout the region with low humidity. high around 90. sunshine, sunny tomorrow. up around 90. a little more humid by the afternoon. sunday, hazy, hot, humid. highs mid 90s. late afternoon and evening storms likely on sunday. for the fourth of july, partly cloudy, highs around 90 degrees. might be storms at the beaches. monday night into tuesday, wednesday, thursday, little bit >> it's a big weather weekend. get your weather any time of the day on weather channel on cable or weather.com. all right, hal. thank you so much. coming up next, the royal couple takes canada by storm. we'll go live to ottawa for the latest on will and kate's visit. after this. the pain was so frustrating. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia -- thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and less pain means i can feel better and do more of what i love. [ 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. but sometimes i wonder... what's left behind? [ female announcer ] new purifying facial cleanser from neutrogena naturals. removes 99% of dirt and toxins without dyes, parabens, or harsh sulfates. so skin feels pure and healthy. [ female announcer ] new from neutrogena naturals. [ 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. caw caw! [ director ] what is that? that's a horrible crow. here are some things that i'll make as little portals. honestly, i'd love to do this for the rest of my life so i've got to take care of my heart. for me, cheerios is a good place to start. [ male announcer ] got something you'll love to keep doing? take care of your heart. you can start with cheerios. the natural whole grain oats can help lower cholesterol. brrrbb... makes you feel ageless. [ male announcer ] it's time. love your heart so you can do what you love. cheerios. [ bob ] squak. i'm gonna use less honey. i'm gonna text less. well, i'm gonna use less bath tissue with charmin!!! [ female announcer ] charmin ultra soft's ultra-cushiony design is soft and more absorbent. so you can use four times less versus the leading value brand. charmin ultra soft. the royal couple is getting rock star welcome there in canada. prince william and princess c catherine arrived in ottawa, the first stop on their nine-day american tour. nbc correspondent ben fogle is with them every step of the way. good morning, ben. >> good morning, natalie. it's already being billed as the most watched royal tour in canada's history. thousands turned out to see this glamorous couple who will one day reign over canada as part of the commonwealth. from the minute the superstar royal couple landed, it was a rush to identify kate's dress. in a polite nod to her host country, the duchess chose a canadian designer. the couple's first stop -- canada's national war memorial. said to be william and kate's personal request to pay tribute to the country's combat role in afghanistan. >> i'm really excited. yeah. >> reporter: canada rolled out the red carpet for these royals. spectators, young and old, showed up for a glimpse of the glamorous pair. some waiting more than six hours. and kate's fashion influence filled the crowd. how important is she as a fashion icon? >> pretty important. >> pretty important. >> reporter: from fascinators to a tennis dress, and of course there were plenty of flowers for a potentiafuture queen. >> she bent down and chatted with you, didn't she? >> she asked us what's our name. and she said the flowers were very pretty. >> reporter: would you like to look like her when you're grown up? >> yes. >> reporter: william and kate's trip reminded more than a few here of another royal couple, prince charles and diana visited the country in 1983 just a couple of years after they married. >> i was here covering charles and diana's trip to ottawa and william was just a baby at that time. so for me, it's quite poignant to come here, seeing him now married and representing his country. [ speaking french ] >> reporter: catering to the bilingual country, william spoke in english, and french, to show his dedication to the commonwealth. >> it will improve as we go on. >> reporter: their trip was designed in part to strengthen bond between the monarchy and canadians whose head of state is queen elizabeth. but william and kate are a modern royal couple hoping to live as normal a life as they can. bringing a fresh new look to britain's future monarchy. >> i do believe that the tour of canada and the united states of america is the beginning of a real change for the royal family. >> reporter: well, it's canada day here. huge crowds have turned out for the festivities hoping to catch a glimpse of william and kate. they've already charmed english speaking canada but their next slightly more significant challenge will be to win over french canada. i've no doubt william and kate have been practicing their french overnight. >> nbc news has produced a dvd of the event, the ceremony, the procession, the highlight, balcony kiss, just head to today.com. coming up next, the good, the bad and the best bet when it comes to your favorite carnival food. and then we've got one more hit from pitbull right after these messages. ♪ ♪ i'd do anything for you dear ♪ anything cause you mean everything to me ♪ ♪ i'd know that i'd go anywhere ♪ ♪ for your smile ♪ anywhere ♪ yes i'd do anything ♪ anything for you ♪ has twice the calcium of the leading yogurt. that's 50% of the daily value. pass on the news and make sure you and everyone you know is getting the calcium they need. ♪ so my old contact lenses would sometimes move out of place and blur my vision. my eye doctor said there's great news for people with astigmatism. acuvue® oasys for astigmatism. he said it's the only lens of its kind designed to realign naturally with every blink and created with hydraclear® plus. i'm seeing more clearly, crisply, comfortably, all day long. now life doesn't have to be a blur. [ male announcer ] learn more at acuvue.com. acuvue® oasys for astigmatism. ♪ that comes fromove a little green leaf ♪ ♪ zero-calorie, guilt-free no artificiality ♪ ♪ my skinny jeans zipped in relief ♪ [ announcer ] truvia. honestly sweet. express hydration. the fast absorbing body lotion with breakthrough 24 hour hydraiq. absorbs in seconds. lasts for hours. express hydration with hydraiq. nivea. and we got onesies! sometimes miracles get messy. so we use tide free. no perfumes or dyes for her delicate skin. brad. not it. not it. just kidding. that's our tide. what's yours? i grew up wearing lots of hand-me-downs. bell bottoms in the '80s? not pretty. then she found them. she loved them, so i washed them in tide with downy and they're still soft and fresh. right? i'm blogging. really. i'm talking. that's my tide. what's yours? this morning on "eat smart today," summer carnival food. whether you're hitting a baseball stadium or county fair this weekend, you may want to stop an think before you grab that chili cheese dog or funnel case. "today's" diet and nutrition editor madelyn berdstrom has the skinny and the fat. good morning. let's start with these main dishes. this philly cheese steak. that's not on the "eat this" list. >> it is not about deprivation. just be mindful. people say how many calories could it be? in this case, a lot. but we can cut the calories in half by just splitting it in two. >> this probably has 10,000 calories? >> the whole thing -- >> just taking a guess. >> 500. that's a wild guess. when you see these things you can indulge smartly. >> chili cheese dog also on the banned list. >> right. share it with someone or just know you're going to have to balance it out with something else later. you're not going to go to an amusement park and say i'm not going to have anything. but make a smarter choice. >> you do have alternative ideas. and i am thrilled -- thrilled -- to see that the hot dog makes the cut. >> hot dog makes the cut. if you get a regular sized hat dog, skip the cheese, skip the chili, 300 calories. >> mustard's okay. >> of course. anything you like of condiments but you don't want like a deep-fried corn dog. >> i have never seen a plain grilled piece of chicken at a carnival. what carnival this? >> you got to go to -- sometimes they're on a long stick. it is a nice thing to walk around with. you can eat anything on a stick, it is a good sign if it is not fried. >> back to the banned list. some side dishes. fries covered with meat and cheese. not good? >> when you have things coupled with cheese, that's going to be a red flag that, gee, maybe this is something you should limit. not eliminate. when you get chili trees fries or nachos, share them. don't be a hog and say i just want this for myself. two or three people can really work on this as a side dish. >> nachos as well. >> nachos as well. >> but here's some alternatives. corn, plain corn. watermelon. this is really awesome. >> when you look at something like corn, give it a little brush of butter, it is fun to walk around. with watermelon, timing is everything. if you eat some nachos and a hot dog and you're really thirsty, it is really refreshing. it is almost like having a glass of water. sometimes you want some of these things. you're going to go on some rides and you don't want an upset stomach with a really big fat load. >> little sweet tooth satisfied. >> segue to our desserts. funnel cake is a no-no. >> well, here's the thing with the funnel cake. it is more than half your calories for a day and more than half the fat in just one thing. people go, how many calories could it have? way too much. if you get a funnel cake, this is for four people at least. this is not a one-person -- >> just have a little bite. >> just because it looks like one serving doesn't mean it is. >> i was absolutely shocked to learn the fried candy bar made the list of items not to have. >> gee, what a surprise. >> you shouldn't even have a bite of that. right? >> you really don't want a bite of this. just eat a candy bar. deep frying candy or twinkies or doughnuts or even spaghetti and meatballs -- >> what about oreos? >> oreos the same thing. there's nothing redeemable with a deep fried candy bar. >> these look good. >> cotton candy. there's a lot of air spun into this. 200 calories, you can have a sweet treat. not much more sugar than in a fruited yogurt. you're doing well here. caramel corn because it doesn't have all the butter that is used with regular popcorn, it is fat-free. >> is that about the portion you want to have of it? >> this is two or three cups, two or three big handfuls. and the candy am, if you've got the teeth for it, if you can get that wrapper open. >> what about drinks? a lot of people get some of these items an then they get a big old sugary soda. >> stick with water or club soda. that's going to be the best. if you're going to get a milkshake or soda, thing like that, share it with someone or downsize. >> madelyn, see you at the fair this weekend. >> and how. >> eating salad. up next, our summer concert with pitbull next. but first, this is "today" on nbc. >> announcer: toyo"toyota conce series" on "today" brought to you by toyota. still to come on today, red, white and blue for adults and kids. enjoy these at your fourth of july party this weekend. hot new looks for two lucky ladies in our crowd. they got picked for an "ambush makeover." first though, here again is superstar pitbull singing his hit song -- enjoy your holloway weekend, everyone. stay safe. [ speaking spa ining spanish ] see you next week. ♪ good morning. i'm aaron gilchrist. 9:56 now on friday, july 1st. headlines, 500,000 vehicles expected to cross the bay bridge this within. leaving today, best time to leave is either before 10:00 a.m., and you've missed that boat, or after 10:00 p.m. driving through delawardelaware plaza should be less painful this within. testing new high-speed ez pass lanes that will allow drivers to go through the tolls at highway speed. we'll take a look -- we'll take a look at your forecast. tom? >> beautiful day under way. bright sunshine, and we're near 80 degrees throughout the region. low humidity today. highs around 90. lots of sun. more of the same on saturday. though it may be more humid by late afternoon. sunday, partly cloudy, hot, humid, mid 90s by midafternoon. late afternoon and sunday even, scattered storms likely. for the fourth of july, partly cloudy, highs near 90. slight chance of storms on the 4th at the beaches but elsewhere, dry. tuesday, wednesday, thursday partly cloudy, near 90. how's the late morning traffic now? >> earlier accident on the outer loop of the beltway university boulevard is clear but you are seeing delays from new hampshire avenue as you pass the mormon temple. 95 south, jammed at lorton. heads toward dale city you'll see relief. back to you. >> thank you. if you are -- coming up on news4 midday -- hitting the road, few from nbc news, this is "today," with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb. from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hello. >> hello. >> guess what today is, hoda, besides july 1st? >> what, try-day, friday? >> it's canada day. we've got a lot of good friends in canada and guess what we're coming to see you in two weeks. we're going to be in montreal. >> that is exciting. >> we're going to be doing two shows there. i guess you go to our website. >> and you'll figure out where to go. here's the thing you caused some controversy, as usual. anyway, so yesterday on the show, you explained to everybody that your crown, your tooth fell out. >> my temporary crown. >> and you've got a hole back there. >> i'm toothless. i'm having a lot of fun with it, with my tongue. >> people at home are very innovative and they have also lost crowns and they have ways that you can put it back. first of all, i want to point out you're holding it in your hand. it is a nasty, nasty-looking thing. >> oh, i'm sorry! >> they make up a mold to your tooth and you wear this temporarily. >> i didn't want to go around with food in my teeth so a friend gave me a toothpick. >> and i popped it right 0-. >> and boom, right in -- and i got on a plane and came back home. >> so, anyway, here are some suggestions. ron says you can often pop the temporary back in. until you get to the dentist. he's saying -- he said this happened to him all the time. how many crowns does he lose, i've never lost one before. >> okay, this one comes from pam. she's a practicing hygienist. she tells kathie lee to use sugarless gum to stick your crown back on temporarily. >> first of all, i don't know which direction it goes. >> i'll tell you, ooh, that's the outside. >> we'll do did in the privacy of a bathroom. thank you very much. >> here's julie's idea, she says put vaseline on the inside so it slips in and then you just pop it right in there. >> i'm going to try, because guess what, my dentist is gone for the holiday, dr. larry rosenthal. i'll be toothless until wednesday next week. >> oh. >> oh, boy. the good old days are gone, you know? they're over. they're over. >> here's a question, people have been asked and this is a no-brainer for you. it's the question about polished or unpolished toes. okay. "in style" magazine they asked people about a pedicure when wearing open-toed shoes. 73% said yes and 27% said if your feet are natural, it's okay. >> do we have natural toes over there. here's natural. >> they look great. >> let's see tammy's toes. >> i love tammy, but not so crazy about her toes. >> let me get the shot. and here it is, hoda. >> is mine chipped? >> just a tad. >> anyway. tammy's toes are natural. she does no polish. they say -- that the polish color you choose tells a lot about you. >> really? >> it tells your person at. if you choose hot pink -- >> you're a bombshell? >> you're chic, sexy, bold and confident. >> is that bobbie thomas. is that what you choose? >> i have pink on my toes right now. >> would beie is wearing a lot of bold right now. >> here's my toes. >> bobbie's got hot pink. >> there's nothing about bobbie that the guys don't love. >> yes. >> they particularly love your balls today. we'll get to you in a moment, missy. >> if you like yellow, it means you're bohemian, kind of a little rocker. >> trend-setter. coral, you love summer, very feminine, you're summer, want to be happy. >> off-white, classic, confident. you don't want to be bothered with chipped nails. >> light pink, likes to look perfect. and red is elegance, power, romance and she wants to attract her man. and browns, you wear brown on your fingers. >> bold and authoritative and toothless. >> let's get that thing snapped back in. >> it doesn't matter how good your nails look, baby, if you don't have teeth. yousn need it all at the same time. >> just put a chicklet in. >> i feel like i want to start stroking a banjo. >>]án here's a question about and -- plastic surgery and manscaping. vuf seen guys, i'm not talking athletes who would shave their legs or their chest because they are body-builders or bike riders. just guys who like to be clean. >> it creeps me. >> because when it starts growing back -- your eye is leaking. >> i know, i'm sorry, i've got an allergy and i'm toothless. keep america beautiful, kathie lee, go home. >> there's a phenomenon, by tá way, of guys who are shaving their legs. >> it's just troubling. i understand getting it off your back. nobody wants to look at that. >> come on, just -- go get waxed or have your wife shave you or something, i don'tu! know. but the back thing -- you know. >> but the legs and the chest. >> it looks like a rug on the beach. >> but the rest of it, you say no? >> i don't like it. i just don't. i think it's narcissistic, it seems to me. but they say it's faster healing and easier cleaning of road rash. which -- i think that's just an excuse. personally. >> so a lot of guys just so you know are getting plastic surgery and botox. they say there's a 14% increase in guys getting facelifts. the second-fastest growing procedure for men is getting their ears pinned back. third is -- >> i thought it would be hair. you know -- >> i don't think they considered that one. because third is fillers like botox, restylene. >> i was with a young man in los angeles, who shall remain nameless, who is only 28 and has already been doing the bro-tox. he looks great, it's a personal choice. i mean i can't say it's good for me and not good for someone else. i don't mind that. it's the waxing thing. i don't want a man who has got smoother legs than i've got. >> or nails that are buffed, fingernails. i don't like guys with buffed fingernails. >> i don't like the polish. please, guys, don't put the polish. >> don't even buff. it looks shiny and not cool. >> don't go around carrying -- >> this is the hot ticket. >> ooh. >> these things, do you know what this is? >> no. >> deep-fried koolaid. it is the hottest thing at all the fairs. they are frying the koolaid powder. >> we have got an epidemic in our nation of obesity. we don't need fried koolaid. >> do you want the purple? >> yes. no, i'm not going to eat that. i'm not. it will get stuck in my tooth. how is it? >> it's very sweet. it takes like really sweet bread. i thought it was the powder. let me try the pink one. oh, god, it's too sweet. sugar-sweet. >> it's time for -- >> your friday funny. >> let's do it. >> and this came from our facebook fan, from arlene robinson. a child attended a horse auction with his father. he watched as his father moved from horse to horse, running his hands up and down the horse's legs and rump and chest and after a few minutes, the child asked, dad, why are you doing that? and his father replied, because when i'm buying horses i have to make sure that they're healthy and in good shape before i buy. the child, looking worried said, dad,:lañ i think that the u.p.sy wants to buy mom.v >> oh! [ laughter ] >> thank you. i love that one. it is time for our favorite part of the day today is -- "bobbie's buzz." >> i feel so bad i want to give you a hug. you're tearing up. >> hi, honey, what are you wearing? >> just the name alone -- of this had me at hello. hot girl's pearls. because this is something that you put in the freezer next to your popsicles and they get cold. so if you're out at the barbeque or if you're suffering enter hot flashes -- >> hot flashes! >> you can wear this and stay cool. i thought this was a clever idea. >> a cute idea. >> they are cold, they feel good. >> they stay cold, they keep you cool. >> on you, bobbie, they look good. >> for the grill master who wants to stick the probe, put this probe inside their meat while they're cooking on the barbeque. >> we've got balls and probes here today. >> can you have a conversation and not overcook. and if you're lazy and hanging out at the pool, someone is kind enough, it's a floating tray for snacks that has a remote control and you can make it come to you beside the pool. all the information is on klg&hoda.>7tì(lc& >> we have a fan update. >> yes, we do. >> where's sara. >> talking to the fans about the man scaping, we have a mixed reviews and evelyn wrote in, i've been trying to get my man shave his legs, not that i want him with shaved legs, but looking at all that hair makes me want to shave it because it is there. i have hot pink nails, fyi. >> we loveq you, sara. zach from "scrubs" is going to broadway stage. and today's amazing results from the ambush makeover. - excuse me, which sock is whiter? - oh, that one. - 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. what?! -match it! -match it! -match it! match it! -match it! -match it! 20 cents less. what?! just match it... -match it! -match it! -match it! -match it! -match it! -match it! -[ horn honks ] -match it! -match it! -match it! thank you, got it. i'll match that price right here. oh! cool. [ male announcer ] we won't be beat. we have low prices every day. on everything, backed by our ad match guarantee. save money. live better. walmart. on everything, backed by our ad match guarantee. purina cat chow helps you well-being. we're all striving for it. nurture it in your cat with a full family of excellent nutrition and helpful resources. purina cat chow. share a better life. funny man zac braff is known for his performances on dr. j.d. dorian on the long-running comedy, "scrubs" and "garden state" which he wrote, directed and starred in, opposite none other than natalie portman. and is now bringing his talents to the stage with his new offbroadway play called "all new people." which he wrote. >> that opening made me feel good this morning. >> it's true that people that are talented, one section of the arts often have talents in other sections. >> you kind of become known for one thing. in my case i was blessed to get "scrubs" and you want to show people you can do other things. so that was the idea behind the movie and the play. >> you take a liking to jersey from your movie "the garden state." tell us the genesis, how did this start? >> i went down to long beach island. when i say the jersey shore everyone makes a snippy joke. >> you have to be very specific. >> i don't want to make snooki jokes, so i say long beach island. i went down there in the winter to rent my father a beach house for the summer. you look at them in the winter. >> picture them in your mind how beautiful they're going to be. >> but it was so desolate and bizarre, because there was no one down there, it was like a ghost town in the dead of winter. the idea began to form for a play that took place in a beach house in the dead of winter, all in real-time over the course of 90 minutes. so the play is a comedy. about four strangers that come together in this desolate house. >> and these strangers -- >> got weirdos if they're -- >> they have no place else to go. >> what types of people are the four? >> well one of them is a very depressed man. and one of them is a prostitute who has been sent to cheer him up. >> of course she has. >> she could lift his spirits. >> and a local fireman. and a realtor who is trying to rent the house for the summer. >> and hill aarity ensues. >> it's so exciting. we've had two previews and the laughs are just hearing people, a whole audience of people laugh, it's something i wrote and worked on for so long -- >> it works. are they laughing at the same places, same jokes? >> we've had two previews, you know how it is in theater, if they just move their arm a little differently than the laugh is in a different place, the fun in previews before you're officially reviewed and have critics is to kind of shape it. okay, what if we did this, that might make the laugh better or i bet we can beat that joke. you're tweaking and manipulating, that's really, really fun. >> it's scary as all get out for the actor, they're amazing. can you put in a new song that day. >> we'll say, hey, try this monologue tonight instead of that one. >> are you enjoying this more than films and other things? >> it's totally different, it's a lot of fun. it's a blast. >> and it's your baby. >> it's my child. i've worked on a lot of projects since garden state. this is the first time since garden sta has been truly that came 100% from my brain. so it does feel like my child. >> what is the official opening night? >> the official opening night is july 25th. we're in previews and you can come see it any time from now until august 15th. >> a limited run. >> what else do you have cooking? >> i'm about to go -- i was cast in sam ramae's prequel to "the wizard of oz" which is called "oz." it's an amazing movie starring james franco and michelle williams. >> what's your role? >> i'm not allowed to say too much, because it's one of those top-secret things. but i'm james franco's assistant. >> where are you shooting that? >> detroit. >> how's the rest of your life? >> i thought we were going to have some wine. >> i'm highly medicated these days. >> i told my girlfriend i was coming to do the show with you and she goes, that's the one where they get drunk every morning. >> what? >> because don't you guys often drink wine on the show. >> we have a sip occasionally. my gosh. >> tell your girlfriend -- >> i was told there would be like a buff faye of wine and we would be drinking a little bit. >> we wait for lunch to do our heavy drinking. next time we'll have a nice cocktail for you. >> i would love it, thanks. >> 43 rd and 2nd avenue. >> no, 43rd and 8th. >> i'll do the plug for you, the second stage theater at 43rd and 8th. the play is called "all new people." coming up next -- >> you don't need to be violent about it. >> the right mix of red, white and blue spirits for your fourth of july drinks. >> oh, drinks! wait a minute! a vacation on a budget with expedia. make it work. booking a flight by itself is an uh-oh. see if we can "stitch" together a better deal. that's a hint, antoine. ooh! see what anandra did? booking your flight and hotel at the same time gets you prices hotels and airlines won't let expedia show separately. book it. major wow factor! where you book matters. expedia. your favorites, in pieces. [ female announcer ] now, just pop, click, switch your lids whenever you like! choose from over 20+ colors and designs. the new dell inspiron r series laptops with switchable lids, powered by the 2nd generation intel® core™ processor family: not just smart, visibly smart. call or click to get this fully loaded and totally protected inspiron 15r today! ♪ [ intel bong ] if you're gearing up for the big fourth of july bash. we have the perfect cocktails for your party. >> look who stayed around to enjoy it. >> i heard there was booze. i'm here. >> serving up festive drinks for you and the kids is maureen petrovsky. founding editor of food for public.com. >> you'll have drinks for grown-ups and kids? >> something for everybody at the party and zach the crasher. >> for him the party has already started. >> for red he started on the sangria. we're putting a little fresh thyme from the garden for the garnish. the thing for sangria, is it continues to get more popular. it's a fun thing to drink. it doesn't have to be that sugar-laden, heavy hangover drink. >> this tastes very good. >> this is with rose wine. you can any kind of wine. chardonnay, champagne, even with peaches, blueberry, whatever you like. so sangria can be sophisticated. >> we're doing red, we're sticking with the berries. we've got a slushy here, kids love slushy drinks. now i'm going to have you pour this, hoda, come on up here. >> i can't do all the work. >> all right. there we go. and then for the kids, this is just strawberries, raspberries, there's some ginger ale, white cranberry juice, throw in a bit of a fun straw and easy enough and healthy. >> so zach is draining his very quickly. >> that's good. >> we're going to the white now, we've got to stick with our theme. can you see the blenders, this is frozen coconut. coconut ice cream is already in here. you can add the frangelico. that's a hazelnut liquor. and there's one serving in there. and this is coconut rum. and just white rum. obviously this is the adult version. >> you don't have to explaind that. >> we'll mix it up. >> you're going to love this. >> that looks really good. >> okay. >> this is decadent, it's indulgent. there is ice cream in this drink. so jump in there, hoda, you can pour. we've got nice little glasses. >> she likes a big serving. >> that's heavy handed. >> that's how i do it. >> you want to try this. >> i think it's for the best. >> your girlfriend is going to be so proud of you. >> uh-huh. >> wow, this is delicious. >> that's very good. >> it's like pina colada, but without the pineapple. >> for the kids -- >> you can mix it in with a little bit of that. >> that's not good. >> this is another one for you. >> for kids this is a better alternative than the sugar sodas and the blue. at food republic.com we skip the festive stuff, but we want it to be simple, blueberries and we've made blueberries into the ice cubes. >> that looks adorable. this is a meyer lemon vodka. i'm going to pour it halfway and zach is going to top it off with the club soda. this is a lemon spritzer. i cheated the first drink there a little. so there you go that is if you're watching your waistline. no sugary mixers or syrups, no sugar rim, it's delicious. >> i may need help getting out of here. >> for the kids we did a blueberry lemonade. blueberries, fresh lemon juice. >> thanks for sticking around. still ahead, james patterson, the great novelist shares his latest thriller with us. >> and how these lucky ladies did after their ambush makeover. and giada is going to cook us up some hamburgers. and music. match it! -match it! -match it! 20 cents less. what?! just match it... -match it! -match it! -match it! -match it! -match it! -match it! -[ horn honks ] -match it! -match it! -match it! thank you, got it. i'll match that price right here. oh! cool. [ male announcer ] we won't be beat. we have low prices every day. on everything, backed by our ad match guarantee. save money. live better. walmart. on everything, backed by our ad match guarantee. lights, camera, activia it's the best job in the world. to be there for them, you've gotta feel your best. that's why i love eating activia light every day. activia light helps me feel good inside. which helps me be on top of things help regulate your digestive system. love how you feel or your money back. [ male announcer ] for the most slam-dunk whites, it only takes three-quarters cup of clorox bleach. in the game. [ cheers and applause ] thousands of drivers preparing to hit the road fourth of july weekend. coming up, live from the bay bridge with what you need to know to make the trip easier. good morning, i'm eun yang. coming up, celebrating the 4th here in washington. what's going on at national mall from the folk light festival to fireworks on news4 midday at 11:00. what is that? oh, we call it the bundler. let's say you need home and auto insurance. you give us your information once, online... [ whirring and beeping ] [ ding! ] and we give you a discount on both. sort of like two in one. how did you guys think of that? it just came to us. what? bundling and saving made easy. now, that's progressive. call or click today. today's ambush makeover is brought to you by nivea. 100 years of skin care for life. we're back on this friday try-day with another installment of today's plaza ambush makeovers and we have a surprise two unsuspecting ladies in the plaza with brand-new looks. >> and here to show them off is our crack makeover team. louis licari, and "today" and "us weekly" contributor, jill martin. >> how was it today? >> beautiful day, beautiful women, easy pick. >> let's start out with miss colleen bruining, 43 years old from tip city, ohio. she never wears makeup. she wears a ball cap to work every day and she decided it's time to get a glam new look. let's take a listen. >> all right. i know you tell me your wife deserves this. so tell me why. >> well, we're going to go out to a show tonight. so i think if she gets made up like that. it will look really nice to go out on the town tonight. >> are you ready for her to look hot? >> absolutely. >> why does mom deserve this? >> she does my dinner and does my laundry when i come home. >> good enough reason for me. are you ready to go? >> i'm ready. >> we're fired up. okay she is here, colleen is here with her husband, greg, her son chris and daughter megan and we're all blindfolded. keep them on until we give you the green light. here's colleen's before picture. let's see the new colleen! ♪ >> wow! >> gang, you guys ready? greg, are you ready? take off your blindfolds, everybody! >> i think they like it. >> they look astonished. are you ready to see yourself. >> oh, my gosh. >> you look gorgeous. >> you sure do. >> wow, wow. >> so different. >> turn around. >> show the camera. >> let's show the split screen. louis, tell us about the hair. >> colleen had great hair. but she didn't show it. she had a haircut that was a little bit too layered. lena cut off the tail. gave it great volume. she can wear it wash and wear, a made it a little warm and you look gorgeous. >>p >> it makes the skin color come alive. >> what are are we thinking over here? >> she doesn't even look like my wife. >> how fun is that going to be? hello! >> so, jill, tell us about the outfit. >> i put a little something underneath for you. well she actually was >> a big round of applause! >> our second lady heather gray, 30 years old. this is her first time out since having her baby. she is here with her best friend, stephanie. let's take a listen to her story. >> i cannot believe you had a baby nine months ago. tell us your trick. everyone wants to know. >> just eating right, it was -- exercising, best i can. >> breastfeeding? >> i did do that for a few months before i went back to work. >> i've heard that's the trick and tell me why your best friend deserved this? >> she just had a baby nine months ago and she doesn't always get time to take care of herself. so i think she really deserves this. it will be a good thing for her. >> are you ready to be the hottest momma in the country? >> i am, definitely. >> stephanie has got the blindfold on. let's take a last look at heather gray before. and let's bring heather gray out now. >> wow. wow! >> she was anxious to come out. all right. stephanie, want it take off the mask >> oh, my gosh! wow! you look beautiful. >> wow, indeed. >> here you go, heather. >> whoa! >> you look great. you look great. >> this is awesome. thank you. >> what did you do, doll? >> heather had the typical problem of a woman who had recently had a baby, she's losing her hair. it's coming back now. the best haircut solution is a bob. i gave her a few highlights around her face because she has the perfect color to highlight. >> and the outfit is from talbots, this is her first day out since having her baby. look at these great shoes she can wear. >> those are great. really pretty. >> all right. we love it. >> where's colleen. >> come on out, honey. a big round of applause. >> come on out, colleen. coming up next, a great mystery writer, james patterson. will tell us about his latest thriller. >> a double-whammy. express hydration. the fast absorbing body lotion for moisture that lasts all day with breakthrough 24 hour hydraiq technology. ♪ absorbs in seconds. ♪ lasts for hours. ♪ new express hydration with hydraiq. part of the essentials range. nivea. a hundred years of skincare for life. imagine your teeth are giant glass sculptures covered in yellow graffiti. ♪ most whitening toothpastes only remove stains from the surface of your teeth, but there's also a layer beneath called dentin. dentin discolors over time. rembrandt deeply white toothpaste uses the same enamel-safe whitening ingredient dentists use to noticeably whiten teeth from the inside and out. rembrandt deeply white. whiten inside and out. [ male announcer ] for the most slam-dunk whites, it only takes three-quarters cup of clorox bleach. in the game. [ cheers and applause ] in the game. 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 ♪ ♪ gonna have a good time tonight ♪ come in for a great time at olive garden. enjoy our new carbonara ravioli with chicken for just $10.95. pancetta and parmesan-filled ravioli served with pan-seared chicken in creamy parmesan sauce. ♪ family affair or with sauteed shrimp for $12.95. both with unlimited breadsticks and salad or homemade soup. a great meal sure to end with a smile. olive garden. when you're here, you're family. what if you found out your perfect husband isn't perfect at all and you may be next on his list. >> that's what happens in james patterson's new thriller, "now you see her." this is number how many for you? >> i have no idea. >> you've lost track? >> i don't count any more. >> you have two out. >> this is unique because i don't think, has it ever been done before that you had two books on the same day that are out. >> i don't know if it's been done before. but the reason that we did it is, i really think this is so, so important for parents and grandparents, moms and whatever. to understand when they go into the book stores, think about buying a book for your kids. so that's why we put out middle school. >> because your son didn't particularly like to read, right? >> when he was around eight. he's a bright boy, but not a big reader. we said jack, you don't have to mow the lawn, but you do have do read every day. at first, it was like, do i have to. but by the end of the summer, he had read six books that he loved and his skills went through the roof. >> and you took this on as a cause. this is more than you put a book out, it's called "middle school is the worst years of my life." >> which is funny, funny. you try to encourage young people to read on your website? >> readkiddoread.com. there's nothing on there that isn't a turn-on for kids. lot of teachers and school librarians go there, anyway. but it's cool. >> and you often co-write with people. >> i do, you want to do something? >> i would love to. >> here's how it goes. blah -- we alternate words. >> the eagle has landed. >> this one, james, is a stand-alone, it doesn't have the standard characters. >> right. >> so -- >> so that's the end of it. >> you come up with the idea. >> that was the lead, i got it. >> you come up with the idea, right, for the, for the whole story, basically. >> how does it work with a co-writer? >> i will write the story out in terms of a long outline, maybe 40, 50 pages in this case, michael will write the first draft and i'll write subsequent drafts. which in some cases have been eight or nine. >> so it's always different, each one? >> same with "middle school." and "middle school" has a lot of illustrations in it. and i'm passionate getting kids reading. but, but, here's the key. it's the parents' job. it's not the school's job to find books for the kids. it's the parents' job. it's our job -- >> james, we wish you great luck with both your books. you can read an excerpt of "now you see her" on our website. >> up next, miss giada puts a twist on some fourth of july classics. ♪ ♪ what?! -match it! -match it! -match it! match it! -match it! -match it! 20 cents less. what?! just match it... -match it! -match it! -match it! -match it! -match it! -match it! -[ horn honks ] -match it! -match it! -match it! thank you, got it. i'll match that price right here. oh! cool. [ male announcer ] we won't be beat. we have low prices every day. on everything, backed by our ad match guarantee. save money. live better. walmart. on everything, backed by our ad match guarantee. what makes hershey's s'mores special? hershey's chocolate goodness, that brings people together. hershey's makes it a s'more. you make it special. pure hershey's. can getting enough vegetables make you feel good? oh, yeah. v8 juice gives you 3 of your 5 daily servings of vegetables. v8. what's your number? - 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. ♪ we're back and we're cooking with giada today, giada de laurentiis wants to add a little fireworks to your all-american meal. >> it will give your burgers, watermelon and the apple pie a lot of extra zip. >> it sounded so strange. anyway -- >> that's what you do. >> that's the way i roll. so everybody makes burgers, right? i'm going to do a little italian twist. a caprese burger, taking all the flavors of a salad and put into a burger. buy store-bought pesto, add it to a pound of ground beef. add it all together. buy the ground meat, make the pesto, add it to it. keep out about a quarter-cup and mix it with the mayonnaise. three-quarters goes into the ground beef, it goes on the grill and a quarter-cup goes into a bunch of mayonnaise. what you do with the burger is i add a little slice of mozzarella. you've got to have the tomato, basil and meozzarella to have a caprese salad. what i like to do is you can spread some basil mayo on a focaccia. >> where is kathie lee going? >> do blow her nose. >> excuse me. >> a little trick to slicing mozzarella is to freeze it for 15 minutes before you slice it. it makes it a lot easier to slice it. and that's it. can you make a burger. so we've got a little focaccia. you take a burger, put it right on here, baby. a slice of this. or two. that looks delicious. and then on top. and you've got your little caprese burger. >> and i like that you cut it on the diagonal. >> i can't get that whole thing in my mouth. >> careful, careful. >> but you two can. >> i didn't say that. >> come on. >> i thought it, but i don't say everything i think, you see. >> i edit myself. so then -- i'm trying over here. i'm trying. >> spiked watermelon pops. i make little baby ones for the kids that have no vodka. and i have adult ones that do have vodka. so it's watermelon that you puree. and then you add some watermelon vodka. watermelon-flavored vodka. >> they have that? >> at the grocery store. and then mint and some sugar. so basically -- go. all the mint, the watermelon vodka. >> hoda's cooking. >> and sugar. >> and then you mix it all together in the blender and you can drink it just like this. or you can turn it off -- >> you pour it in here and you freeze it for ten hours. >> and apple pie of course. >> apple pie with a spin. it's basically apple pie with the traditional flavors with sharp cheddar cheese inside. >> that's so good. i didn't hear what you said. >> giada, you rock. >> happy 4th everybody. >> brain freeze. >> coming up next, a live performance with three-time grammy winner, jill scott. but first, this is "today" on nbc. i'm laura, and this is my cvs. i just transferred a prescription to cvs because they have care 1on1. it's where the pharmacist stops and talks to me about safety and saving money with generic prescriptions. laura, let's talk about possible side effects. it's all about me. love that. get care 1on1 and talk savings, safety, and side effects when you transfer or fill a new, ongoing prescription. i'm laura, and this is my cvs. it's all mine. ♪ ♪ the toilyota concert seriesn "today," brought to you by toyota. >> she is a three-time grammy award-winning singer-songwriter, "new york times" best-selling poet. critically-acclaimed actress, philanthropist, and mom. >> and she's here. >> jill scott has just released her fourth cd, "the light of the sun" the first to debut number one on the charts. congratulations, girl. >> we're so happy for you. >> i love the process here. you said you hit a little bit of a roadblock in your head with writing. so you brought people into a room to let the creative juices flow. >> i had a bunch of great guys come in and emcees and muszicians and play and sometimes we get so caught up in the work of it all, that it becomes a chore. instead of just breathing and having fun and being silly and going deep as we were saying. you know, just -- >> what are you going to sing for us today? >> i want to sing a song called "shame." >> well, girl, we want to hear o it. >> you got nothing to be ashamed of. >> thanks for being here. >> thank you. ♪ ♪ ♪ i'm the one you really want ♪ but you just can't see it ♪ i tried and tried to make you understand ♪ ♪ you won't believe it ♪ so shame ♪ shame ♪ you're missing out on me ♪ and it's a shame, shame ♪ you can't see a damn thing, uh-huh ♪ ♪ what you so scared of me for ♪ i'm just a woman ♪ baby i got it all together, baby ♪ ♪ maybe i do ♪ yo i'm fresh and cool ♪ i can stand on my own ♪ i'm magnificent ♪ check it out check out it out ♪ ♪ i'm a queen on a throne ♪ i'm magnificent ♪ i'm magnificent ♪ say ha say what ♪ oh whoa whoa ♪ you're standing against the wall ♪ ♪ baby why you fronting ♪ when you could take my hand and we could get into something ♪ ♪ it's a shame, shame, shame, shame ♪ ♪ you're missing out on me ♪ and it's a shame, shame, shame, shame ♪ ♪ you can't see a damn thing uh-huh ♪ ♪ 'cuz i can stand on my own ♪ i'm magnificent ♪ i'm a queen on the throne ♪ i'm magnificent ♪ i'm a magnificent ♪ say what say what ♪ i'm a magnificent ♪ say what say what ♪ i'm your sunshine ♪ and your rain ♪ my heart is doesn't tie ♪ another name ♪ why you can't see me ♪ why you blame ♪ i'm just saying ♪ i'm just saying ♪ mmmm ♪ it's a shame, shame, shame ♪ and it's a shame ♪ shame shame shame ♪ and it's a shame ♪ shame shame shame ♪ you can't see a damn thing ♪ and it's a shame ♪ shame shame shame ♪ you're missing out on me ♪ ♪