history is happening in cuba as we speak. we plan to go there in just a moment. for now our top story, politics when you thought this presidential race could not get more interesting speculation is growing that al gore might be thinking about jumping in as many confirmed candidates head to iowa for a time-honored campaign tradition this weekend. >> the buzz about al gore considering a run is still just simmering this morning and still under scores a broader point that some democrats are worried their party's front runner is vulnerable. with ongoing questions about hillary clinton's private e-mail new reports that former vice president al gore could be considering getting back into the game. buzz feed reporting that gore who lost to george w. bush in 2000 is having conversations with supporters to see if there is a path financially and politically but a high level source tells nbc news there is nothing substantive happening. the current vice president seems to be giving it some serious thought according to democratic sources vice president biden has started to reach out to close friends and allies to discuss a possible run including what it would take to start this late. still all of the quiet conversations aside, hillary's e-mail ooish left some democrats jittery. >> do you think the clinton e-mail issue provides an opening? >> i think people are hungry for an alternative. >> reporter: the republicans wasted no time capitalizing on speculation the democratic field could get bigger. >> there is a lot of disarray in the democratic party. i'm sure people like joe biden and al gore are seriously considering it. >> for her part clinton will have plenty of company with most candidates expected to turn out and perhaps enjoy signature treats. this morning the a.p. reports two of the e-mails on hillary clinton's private server, quote, include a discussion of a news article detailing a u.s. drone operation. the report states that clinton did not send the e-mails and clinton said she never knowingly transmitted classified information. just to put the speculation about al gore into context his name has been floated as possible candidate since he lost in 2000. chuck todd is in des moines at the iowa state fair. we spoke to him a little bit earlier beginning with this speculation that al gore could be considering getting into the race. >> i think what you have going on here is you have democrats and gore loyalests looking at facts. fact number two, what was half of the report? it was about hillary clinton and e-mails. fact number three is if you look at where the democratic party is i think you do have some people that would like to see hillary clinton more challenged to make sure that at a minimum all of this baggage gets litigated in the primaries a little bit or worst case it doesn't get behind her but they find somebody else, not bernie sanders but somebody maybe a gore or biden. >> all of this unrest and chatter points to two things. are democratic voters dissatisfied with the hillary clinton candidacy so far? do top democrats, potential candidates smell weakness and see problems in that candidacy? >> i think a bunch of people have not signed on to the clinton campaign that do see weakness, that are concerned and think she could be a general election liability y. don't think that the democratic party rank and file is dissatisfied with hillary clinton. i think they are uninspired by her. you talk to people that are saying they are for sanders they will tell you i will vote for hillary clinton if she is the nominee but they are not so in love with her that they want to caucus for her. i think that is sort of the disconnect right now and something hillary clinton has to deal with when she comes to iowa today. tom harkin doesn't endorse in every primary. having him on board is one less person to rally around a gore or biden. >> if you want a lot more on this race check out meet the press this sunday. to china and scenes of utter devastation. nearly two days later the fires are still smoldering. overnight a survivor was pulled from the wreckage. ian williams has the latest. >> reporter: at least one piece of encouraging news, a 19-year-old firefighter pulled out alive. nobody expected that. at the same time bio chemical specialists have arrived here. officials admitting that they still don't really know precisely what deadly toxins they are dealing with. the fire rage on this morning. hundreds of firefighters are battling the inferno today pulling out alive one of their colleagues treated at a nearby hospital. more than 20 firefighters died in the blast. officials say firefighters may have triggered the blast by hosing water on an initial fire in a warehouse containing a chemical. that triggered the first blast. as other chemicals caught fire shooting this cell phone video shot by american dan van buren. he continued to shoot until it became too terrifying. he told me they thought they were going to die. >> i thought it was a nuclear bomb going off in my face. >> reporter: officials tried to reassure nervous residents that pollution levels are normal. they told people to move out of apartment blocks and into shelters. the police have cordoned off the blast area which resembles a post apocalyptic waste land. a local clock frozen in time marking the deadly moment the city will never forget. this is a city in shock after the explosion and also in fear as people look at the smoke and wonder what toxins they are breathing. natalie has the other top stories. >> the u.s. believes isis may have used chemical weapons against kurdish fighters in iraq. richard engel is in istanbul. >> reporter: if confirmed this would be significant. in the past isis has been accused of using chlorine. now talk the group used mustard gas. a senior official told us three days ago in northern iraq p projectile were exploded. several suffered from dizziness and burns on their skin. the kurds believe a chemical weapon was used and a senior official believes those claims are legitimate and the substance may have been mustard gas but seems an investigation is still underway. >> richard engel, thank you. a new brush fire near a freeway in ventura county, california. flames climbed a hill. police believe the fire started when a car went over an embankment. it comes as excessive heat advisories were going into effect. a man is in custody in washington after a frightening incident. surveillance video shows a driver hitting at least seven cars on thursday but then the driver gets out and goes car to car opening doors and banging on windows allegedly trying to carjack a vehicle. he was surrounded by a car and tackled and held until police got there. he is now facing multiple charges. a crash caught on camera. a school bus crowded with children hit an suv then smashed into a liquor store on thursday. 11 children and three adults were taken to area hospitals with nonlife threatening injuries. the bus driver said the brakes failed. tragedy at an amusement park in ohio. police say a man finished riding a roller coaster entered a restricted area to look for his cell phone that he dropped during the ride and as he was searching he was struck and killed by the roller coaster. for the first time since deflate gate the brady suspension moved to the courts tom brady back on the field unexpectedly starting in exhibition game against green bay. he played briefly, completing one of our passes. some fans holding up their signs reading free brady. and it was an emotional first pitch in cleveland as the crowd roared. the first ball to her father. the 4 year old diagnosed with leukemia. her twin sister, maya, also got to throw out the ball. aviles says his biggest joy comes from their kids. >> what a darling little girl. let's get a first check of weather. >> we are going to look out west. if you took a roll of the weather dice and bet on bad weather you would have been a big winner yesterday. over three quarters of an inch falling in three spots even a lightning strike that ignites a palm tree. this was crazy weather and we may see a little more of that again today. monsoonal moisture being developed. out west a little bit of a spin. a frontal system pushing across the pacific northwest bringing weather and cooler weather. as you get in interior sections of southern california 90 degrees downtown los angeles. phoenix 114. f vegas will be 104. all of that rain will dry. few showers in seattle. billings, montan imagine - she won't have to remember passwords. t security. she'll log in with her smile. he'll have his very own personal assistant. and this guy won't just surf the web. he'll touch it. scribble on it. and share it. because these kids will grow up with windows 10. get started today. windows 10. a more human way to do. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. it's in the mid 60s across the bay area, in some spots it's clearing and we will get a lot of sunshine all across the bay today. a high of 81 degrees in the east bay, san francisco 74 degrees, the north bay we will see a high of 90 degrees, we will see some 90s on the map today, tri-valley topping out at 91 degrees, and the south bay 89 degrees. pens will be 84 and get ready for a sizzling weekend. have a great day. >> and that's your latest weather. now to the historic moment unfolding in cuba. for the first time in 54 years the american flag is about to be raised at the u.s. embassy in hava havana. lester holt is there to witness it all. lester, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning to you. secretary of state kerry arrived on cuban soil a little before 6:00 a.m. pacific time. he has now gathered with other american digniitaries. you have to go back to 1945 the last time an american secretary of state stood on cuban soil. so this is a day steeped in history, of course, and the world is watching. today marks the promise of a new day for the united states in cuba. workers at the u.s. embassy building have been sprucing it up, getting it ready for today's ceremony. >> this is obviously an historic meeting. >> reporter: it has taken months of negotiations between the u.s. and cuba first set in motion last year and culminating today when john kerry, the first secretary of state to visit the island since 1945 raises the american flag over the embassy. 50 years is a long time for two feuding neighbors and there was a lot of pain to overcome. >> along the way we are sure to encounter a bump here and there and moments even of frustration. patience will be required. >> still when nbc news sat down with america's top diplomat in cuba he called this day diplomatically seismic. >> i didn't think i would see this day come for a long time. but it's here. we are excited about moving forward and we want to get out and meet as many of the 11 million cuban people as we can and act much more like a normal embassy. >> reporter: hundreds wait in line every day hoping for a visa to travel to the u.s. >> i am glad relationships are established again. >> reporter: cubans all news radio station had an editorial in which this was noted as end of hostilities. it is not burying of the hatchel. significant issues remain and u.s. continuing to call for broader human rights in cuba. >> a historic moment. a secretary of state hasn't been there since the mid 40s. who else do you expect to see today? >> three important people we have seen are the three marines who lowered the flag in 1961 vowing they would return to bring the flag back up and are part of the ceremony. they are expected to take part in the actual flag raising ceremony minutes from now. >> lester holt who is going to anchor nbc nightly news tonight from havana including interviews with secretary kerry. coming up, the decision that just pulled two convicted killers off connecticut's death row. the outrage being voiced by the father who lost his family in one of the most brutal crimes. new concerns for anyone with unpredictable work schedule. the impact those odd hours could be having on your family. first this is "today" on nbc. coming up when to exercise and when to be intimate we are revealing the best times of day to do just about everything. care to guess. ♪ ♪ you're unpacking already? yeah, help me find some mugs. sure. 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the san mateo bridge is really slow because of a couple of accidents, one right when you get on to the toll plaza and once you get towards the westerly span things do bog down. not only there but we also have mother stall on the dumbarton bridge and accident right on 880 just before you get on the dumbarton bridge. 880 going to be a slow go. in the south bay no major concerns, we do have a small accident on 280 past share towing da georgia and 101 past tully. palo alto slow going there, a little bit of sunshine. back to you. thank you very much. we will be back in 25 minutes with another local news update. we will send you back to "the today show". this is an nbc news special report. here is lester holt. >> a historic day here at the u.s. embassy in havana reopening its doors after 54 years. secretary of state kerry is speaking to a gathering of d digniitaries here. in a few moments the u.s. flag will be raised here. already the secretary noted we are here today because president obama and president castro in his words made a courageous decision to stop being prisoners of history and focus on the opportunities of today and tomorrow. it was a long and windy road to get here. >> it was indeed and already criticized by at least two republican candidates today and is going to be an issue in this campaign. jeb bush and marco rubio both from florida very critical. this was brokered in part by pope francis who secretary kerry is thanking today. this is secret negotiations that went awry in the '90s. there were problems on both sides, the shooting down of american protesters against fidell castro, their plane and that led to the trade embargo and that has been in place as a matter of law since bill clinton signed it into law. >> there has been pushback and criticism that cuban dissidents have not been invited to the ceremony. >> a smaller event and one without press coverage. there is criticism of that today. he is acknowledging that this relationship will not heal. his point is that you have diplomatic relations with almost 200 countries including enemies of the united states and that people to people relationships will only improve as will government to government relationships. >> the secretary is nearing the end of his remarks. he will then raise the u.s. flag. he will have with him three former u.s. marines. the marines who were here in 1961 who lowered the flag and made a vow to come back and will be taking part in the ceremony. >> it was lowered on january 3rd. >> what changes now for americans and cubans? what changes at this stage in cuban-american relations? >> there are promises from internet companies, banks are getting in. you can use credit for the first time and not just cash. there is still travel. if you have a member of church, health group you can easily get a treasury waiver under the embargo. the president has done just about everything he can administratively. the embargo for real trade relations will continue until congress lifts it. >> the streets are filled with cubans and an awful lot of americans who are here, some waving their own american flags throughout the morning in preparation. it is a hot day as every day in august is here as people are standing out to be a part of this historic moment. officially the embassy has been open for several weeks. this is the ceremonial raising of the u.s. flag. we got here a little before dawn. overnight they put at the actual embassy signage. let's go to secretary kerry. >> with the friendships we have begun to forage. we are certain that the time is now to reach out to one another as two peoples who are no longer enemies or rivals but neighbors. time to unfurl our flags, raise them up and let the world know that we wish each other well. [ speaking foreign language ] it is with that healing mission in mind that i turn now to larry morris, jim tracy. 54 years ago you gentlemen promised a return to havana and hoist the flag you lowered on that day long ago. today i invite you on behalf of president obama and the american people to fulfill that pledge by presenting the stars and stripes to be raised by members of our current military detachment. larry, jim and mike, this is your cue to deliver on words that would make any diplomat proud just as they would any member of the united states marine corps, promise made, promise kept. thank you. [ applause ] >> ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the raising of the flag and the national anthem of the united states. [ cheers and applause ] ♪ ♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> a huge ovation not only from the gathered guests on the grounds of the u.s. embassy but the hundreds, perhaps thousands gathered as the stars and stripes lifted over the american embassy, a new chapter, a new era in u.s./cuban relations. as we have noted some things won't change. the economic embargo is still in place. that will have to go through congress. still a long road ahead. >> just a personal note, my first trip here was in this very spot and thousands of anti-american protesters were here because of elian gonzalez. it was 1999 and has taken a long time. i think kerry and president obama's bet is that with diplomatic relations it will be easier to open communications. there will be wifi hot spots. with information will come they think more democracy. >> this is the era in the shadow of the light of a political race back in the united states that will have a huge effect really on issues like the embargo cht. >> so far all of the democratic announced candidates are in favor of this new policy and all of the republicans are against it. you see a real dividing line in the general election campaign. >> a dramatic moment. the u.s. flag now waving over the united states embassy in havana last lowered in 1961, 45 years after the last secretary of state stepped on this soil, secretary kerry with a full day ahead of him. he will be meeting with his cuban counter part here in a short time and greeting cuban citizens at a reception including some cuban dissidents and i think will take time to meet folks on the streets of cuba. we will have a lot more on this coming up tonight. andrea mitchell, thanks very much. for now i'm lester holt, nbc news, we are back at 7:40 with new concerns over your work schedule. could your family be suffering if your hours don't fall into the normal 9:00 to 5:00? here's nbc's joe fryer. >> i want a high five! >> reporter: like any mom renee wonders how much her work life impacts her family life. as a nurse her schedule rarely stays the same. >> it puts a toll on my relationship with my kids and husband because i'm so tired. >> reporter: a new study focuses on the children of parents with irregular work schedules, schedules that vary weekly with shifts that rotate and hours that fall mostly outside of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for toddlers with mothers who work those schedules the study says the language and problem solving skills may suffer. teens are more likely to be depressed, engaging in risky behavior like drinking and smoking when their parents work nights. what's the headline? >> parents need to have regular schedules. children need to be read to before bedtime. they need early childhood experiences. >> reporter: the group found at least 17% of the u.s. work force has an unstable schedule. as a nurse, ingram works overnight hours and occasional weekend shifts. she's returning to work now after taking time off to spend with her baby girl. >> it worries me. i want my children to be successful in life. i want them to be great at communicating with other people. >> reporter: it's a topic that's gaining attention when it kooms to low wage workers at restaurants and retail stores. the attorney general asked retailers about their use of on-call shifts which can be cancelled with little notice. several of the companies say they don't use on-call scheduling. abercrombie & fitch said they will eliminate the practice saying few of their workers are parents. if hours are consistent and predictable, does that make a difference? >> it makes a difference. it allows a child to know at least if mom or dad isn't home they will be home. >> reporter: there is a growing conversation about giving families more stability by giving their schedules more stability. for "today," joe fryer, nbc news, los angeles. >> i know a lot of people who work one shift one week and switch to almost the opposite schedule the next week. it's tough. >> it makes sense. for kids it's unpredictable. they don't like that. >> coming up, life lessons every participate should teach their children. >> and dylan is in the orange room with the great panda watch of 2015 after this. what do you think of when you think of the united states postal service? exactly. that's what pushes us to deliver smarter simpler faster sleeker earlier fresher harder farther quicker and yeah, even on sundays. what's next? we'll show you. 1,100 meals a year,... 300 stressful decisions... no wonder our digestive system sometimes acts up. try the activia challenge! enjoying activia twice a day for 4 weeks may help reduce the frequency of minor digestive issues. try it! did you know that meeting your daily protein needs actually helps to support your muscle health? boost® high protein nutritional drink can help you get the protein you need. each serving has 15 grams of protein to help maintain muscle, plus 26 vitamins and minerals including calcium and vitamin d to support strong bones. 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okay. but i don't know if the panda even knows at this point if she's pregnant. that's the mystery. officials at the national zoo in washington say one of the famous residents is showing signs that a baby could be on the way. >> panda watch. the mood is tense. i have been on serious, serious reports but nothing quite like this. >> reporter: we have been here before. >> early morning at the national zoo and bao-bao is getting a weigh in. >> reporter: panda watch. >> the panda bear getting out, rolling down the hill. >> reporter: now her mother mei xiang keeping everyone guessing. is she or isn't she pregnant again? on thursday, mei was giving clues, enjoying her summer with a midday nap inside the panda house. in may she was artificially inseminalted twice with frozen sperm from a panda in china and fresh sperm from the national zoo's tian-tian. confirming she's expecting isn't that easy. even ultrasounds can't provide the answer yet. >> the challenge with panda is the fetus is so tiny you can only see it almost at the end of the development. >> reporter: her hormones are rising, she's staying inside more, eating less and sleeping more. behind this door and down a hallway, mei is building a nest. >> she takes bamboo into her den and shreds it into a nest. >> reporter: sparking hopes for a baby panda. >> pandas are really cute. baby pandas are the cutest. >> reporter: they are the cutest. we are hoping for a baby panda. we have a live cam on the national zoo's streaming website here. i swear it gets more interesting when she wakes up. >> she's nesting. that's a sign. >> she could either give birth or end her pseudo pregnancy between late august and early september. they will provide updates using the hashtag # panda story. we are all over it, watching and seeing if she wakes up and if anything will happen. >> a little bit of a mystery but we ek now officially confirm that jenna bush hager was pregnant. >> even more exciting she's now had her baby, everyone. jenna and her husband henry welcomed their new addition on thursday. take a look at poppy louise hager. she's gorgeous. 20.5 inches, 7 pounds, nine ounces and perfect. >> poppy is such a cute name. >> love it. >> named after her fwrograndfat george herbert walker bush. he was called poppy growing up. >> she said when poppy was growing up in connecticut he was known as smart, loyal and humble. she said she had big socks to fill. >> reporter: and mila can't stop talking about baby sissy. >> adorable. >> congratulations. >> coming up, fighting fat or carbs? which is better if you want to lose weight? we may have the definitive you're all excited to book that vacation flight. plenty of seats to choose from, right? buuut the minute you try to use reward miles from your airline credit card... it's slim pickins! the flights you want -- sorry, they ask for a ridiculous number of miles. time to switch to the capital one venture card. with venture, you'll earn unlimited double miles. and using those miles 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handle on the jerusalem fire burning in lake and napa counties this morning. now a little more than 50% contained. 24,000 acres have burned with no homes did destroyed. firefighters are bracing for triple digit temperatures this weekend but not just yet. not today, kari. >> not food. we will still have some 90s in tomorrow and continues for a few days. so a high of 91 degrees, that's still warm in gilroy, half-moon pay bay is where you want to go to cool off 74 degrees, outer sunset in the upper 60s, a wide range in temperatures from the 60s along the coast to 91 degrees in santa ramone. penitentiary lum ma 84 degrees and once again that heat hits you starting tomorrow. let's see how traffic is going with anthony. we have the sunshine hitting us this morning coming in from palo alto. the sunshine slow down there. we are seeing the typical build heading into the south bay and north bay for 101 northbound. as we move over forwards the east bay we are seeing slowing coming in from fremont where we had a couple of accidents. those have been cleared. we are starting to see another one -- it looks that i can that one got cleared again. in fremont you can see it's not all that bad but do have that sunshine out will so remember those shades here on had friday. >> always looking for its sunshine. thanks a lot. we will have another local news update in half an hour. in the meantime hope you have a great day and a fantastic weekend. ♪ sugar yes please it's 8:00 on "today." which one should you slash, fats or carbs. the research that could settle the debate. my big fat greek sequel. 13 years after the crazy wedding, the family is back together. >> we're calling this the gee u greekuel. the electric lady. janelle monae hits the plaza for a live concert today, august 14, 2015. we love you janelle monae. >> celebrating my bachelorette party with janelle monae. >> janelle monae and wonder land. >> from minneapolis from janelle monae. >> we're walking in tightrope with you, baby. we're back now, 8:00 on a friday morning. it is the 14th day of august 2015. look at the crowd that's gathered on our plaza. they're about to get great music from janelle monae and wondaland. >> they put on a great performance. they are so energetic. you can burn 500 calories just by watching. >> looking forward to that. >> on a beautiful morning. spectacular. a lot to get to in this half hour. let's start with the headlines. for that we go to natalie. good morning. once again for the first time in more than a half a century, the american flag being raised today over the u.s. embassy in havana cuba. secretary of state john kerry leading the u.s. delegation which includes three u.s. marine corps veterans who last lowered the flag in 1961. that's when cold war tensions led to a diplomatic break. president obama first announced plans to restore relations with cuba last december. the flag raising will be followed by the hope for tourist dollars. gabe gut ais in havana. >> reporter: even though the embargo is in place and there are travel restrictions, more americans are visiting this island. that number up 54% so far this year. it's long been the forbidden island, virtually off limits to american tourists. >> it was important to see it before it changed and to show it to my kids. >> reporter: carnival cruise lines is planning its first cultural exchange trips next year pending final approval from the cuban government. >> it won't have a casino. we won't have broadway. it's not a typical cruise. but we believe there's a real market for this type of experience. >> reporter: to accommodate more visitors, cuba is sprucing up the port of havana. this market filled with hundreds of private entrepreneurs eager for more tourist dollars. >> more money. >> reporter: for first time in decades, american luxury yachts will be docking in cuba with high-end u.s. travellers on board. >> the phone hasn't stopped ringing. i think it's a sense of adventure, visiting the forbidden land. >> reporter: the short term rental website air b and b launched in april and its listings have more than doubled. >> it has been a crazy revolution. >> reporter: this woman and her husband rent out rooms in their renovated havana home. >> we feel everyone wants to come to see our country. it's great. >> reporter: of course, there are many challenges. that family said it's extremely difficult to find supplies and reliable internet access for businessowners and tourists is still a long way off, natalie. >> gabe, thank you. a firefighter who was trapped under debris for nearly 30 3 2 hou 32 hours is recovering in a hospital in china. he was one of the first responders at the massive explosion at a warehouse. it left at least 50 people dead and injured more than 700. hillary clinton's e-mail con trelectro electroversy is fuelling speculation that al gore might enter the race. supporters are talking with the former vice president about a possible run. however, a high level party source tells nbc news there is nothing substantive happening. sources also say that vice president joe biden has not ruled out a bid. frontrunner clinton joins most of the other declared candidates this weekend making campaign appearances at the iowa state fair. in chile, rescue efforts paid off after a horse fell into a well. dreamer had bolted from its owner when it was frightened by a car. the horse was given a sedative to calm it down then police and firefighters used ropes and a backhoe to haul dreamer up to safety and back to its owner. you are up to date now. happy ending. >> thank you. if you are trying to drop a few pounds, is it better to cut carbs or fat? and when it comes to keeping your diet on track, how much of a help or hindrance is a scale? the answers may surprise you. joy bauer is here with more. this is the age-old question. it's a medical journal called cell metabolism which i'm leafing through myself. they have this study. what did it find? >> this is an interesting study. it's very small. the researchers took 19 overweight people and they had them first follow just for two weeks a low carb diet, then a low fat diet. during the diets they were exercising for about an hour. they were doing everything right. it was very controlled. it turns out they lost weight on both of the diets but they lost a little bit more on the low fa because carbohydrates have been demonized. >> so you are our expert. what do you think of this? does this answer the question low fat better than low carb? >> to put it into perspective, they only lost the equivalent of a little more than an ounce. both diets work as long as you watch your calories, you. er size, you eat balanced foods, you will lose weight. for some people low fat, some people low carb. choose what works best, stick with it. >> if you wanted to go down the low fat road, would that mean the good fats like avocado would be out? >> absolutely not. you can embrace fats. you just have to watch the amount. things like nuts and seeds and vegetable oil, even a little buttered spreads, when you talk about avocado, two tablespoons -- i know you love it. if you have a cup of quack mow lee, 400 calories. it's all about the amount. >> we haven't talked about the chips. the other big headline has to do with the scale. what does the study say about weighing yourself every day? this is a great study. it's out of cornell. he took a whole large amount of people, half of them he gave them a scale and he said, weigh yourself, track it, lose weight or maintain. let's see what happens. the other group was more controlled. he gave them the scale and said, i want you to weigh yourself every single morning. graph it. then he looked at the results. the people who weighed themselves every single morning, not only lost weight, but they had a greater percentage of keeping the weight off. because it's a reality check. there's a lot of pros to skeping on the scale each morning. it shows you where you are. we are goal oriented people. it encourages you to continue with your program. however, there's a down side. >> i was going to say. i have to be honest i avoid the scale because i don't want to be depressed. >> you have to know your personality. first we're not robots. right? you might be constipated, have water retention. we will have flexations in our weight. if you feel like that will ruin your mood, the scale is not for you. people that have obsessive compulsive disorder or you obsess over the number, skip the scale. know yourself. figure out what works for your lifestyle and then proceed. >> the scale in moderation, too. >> right. fats, carbs, the scale, moderation. >> thank you so much. if you want to learn more about these studies, we have more information on our website. coming up, we will do pop star. get ready to have your life flipped, turned upside down. is will smith about to revive "the fresh prince"? the sequel to my big fat greek wedding. i'm out here with the woman of hour, janelle monae. she has -- she has brought the avengers of music with her, wondaland. >> in the house. >> that's all coming up. first these messages. together, we decided aczone® gel was right for me and my acne got better. acne is a medical condition that can happen at any age. fortunately, your doctor can prescribe aczone® gel, fda approved for the topical treatment of acne and proven in clinical studies with people 12 years and older. talk to your doctor about any medical conditions you have, including g6pd deficiency, and any medications you are using. use of benzoyl peroxide with aczone® gel may cause your skin to temporarily turn yellow or orange at the site of application. the most common side effects with aczone® gel are dryness, redness, oiliness, and peeling of treated skin. now you could pay no more than $10 for aczone® gel. get your coupon and learn more at aczone.com aczone® gel. prescription treatment. proven results. look more like a tissue box... you may be muddling through 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clicks. and check out. simple as that. ♪ no re-entering payment and billing info. ♪ you feel like you're one-step ahead. say hello to visa checkout. visa. everywhere you want to be. it is now 8:12. time to clear out your social media feeds. or as we like to call it time to trend. first up, "sesame street's" new address. starting this fall, sesame street will start airing new episodes on hbo, nine months before they appear on pbs. why hbo? the channel best known for "game of thrones"? as i mention the sopranos. the word is money. sesame street upped its production values and double the number of episodes they produce each season from 18 to 35. one guy on twitter said hbo found its new cast for "entourage." >> the plot lines will get a little different. cookie monster, something like that. here's how to have the best day ever. thank you daily mail for compiling studies that look at our internal body clocks. ready for this? your happiest time of day, 8:00 a.m. >> we're over it. just past it. >> according to researchers at cornell. the worst time to drink coffee, 9:17 in the morning. our bodies are naturally caffeinated in the morning. it's better to do it later in the afternoon. you look your best at 10:06, at least if you're a woman. that's when most women reported they felt they look their physical best. >> 10:06. >> when we're off the air. they've been to the gym at that point and showered maybe. >> best time to clean the house, 3:13 in the afternoon and hard/eye coordination is best. >> we reveal the best time of the day to be intimate. >> i know the time. >> do you want me to tell you? >> yes. >> 5:48 a.m. >> this is not good for our schedule. i don't know if that lines up with anything we do. >> we're not home at 5:38. >> we're having coffee at 4:30. >> don't come knocking on the dressing room door. >> don't even think about it. >> it is locked and double bolted. >> if that dressing room's a rockin', don't come a knockin'. >> for men it's 5:48 to 5:49. researchers polled parents in the uk and came up with a list of 59 things, many what you'd expect, always say please and thank you, followed by respect your elders. but then there are some unexpected lessons like teaching your child how to read a traditional map. >> yes. >> great idea. >> how to change a flat tire. >> yes. >> the importance of a firm handshake. love that one. telling time from a traditional clock. one that actually still has the hands on it and how to open a champagne bottle. what are some of the ones you think are important? >> for young buys, how to tie a tie. right? >> maybe a bow tie also. >> that's a tough one. >> stick shift. i think it's a good mental challenge. >> they'll have yet to learn that. >> nice table manners, have to be excused from the table, say thanks to mom and dad for cooking dinner. >> writing a great thank you note. >> holding doors for ladies. now to the tv classic that could be getting flipped turned upside down. >>en >> carlton may be making a come back, this is the story about how my live got tuflipped, turn upsi upside down. we are talking about "fresh prince of bel-air" back to tv. unclear if he'll star in the show but jada pinkett smith are on board to produce it. it's been almost 20 years since fresh prince left the airwaves. reruns are constant. next we have nbc, rihanna is joining carson this fall. she'll help adam, blake, pherrell. >> that's a big deal. >> that's a huge deal. >> that's going to be great. >> i can't believe it's the ninth season, too. finally, the movie that could rule the box office this weekend. we're not saying that because it's from universal, our sister company, it's called "straight out of compton" all about the rise of n.w.a. some systems say the film could make up to $50 million this weekend. ice cube's son will play him on screen. definite resemblance there. and the movie already inspiring internet news, believe it or not from the white house. this is one from their twitter account saying the administration's will leave iran straight out uranium. they should stay out of the rap game. >> getting critical review already. >> people are loving it. >> four stars across the board. >> do the fresh prince. ♪ this is a story about how it turned my life upside down ♪ mr. roker, check of the weather. >> let's see what we've got, our friends in florida have been dealing with rain. guess what this weekend, going to be dealing with even more. there's extreme drought in southeastern florida, showers and thunderstorms will be firing up, stationary front will lay right there and bring that moisture over the weekend. clouds around, lightning, damaging winds, rainfall amounts, generally about 1 to 2 inches. some areas 3. and locally could be 4 to 5. but we're going to continue to track that. that good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. still dry in the bay area, and we're starting to see the clouds rolling out of here. still holding on to the bay. it will be in the lower 60s to start but warming up into the lower 80s in the east bay. san francisco, a high of 74 degrees. breezy winds. north bay, 90 degrees. 89 degrees in the south bay. peninsula, expect a high of 84. in the tri-valley, 91 degrees. a lot of sunshine today and a very hot weekend headed in. and that's your latest weather. >> thank you very much. not a lot of people in this world want to go one on one with lebron james. willie was willing to give it a shot. he's in cleveland with an announcement from king james. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, guys. in case there was a doubt whose town it is, there is a ten-story tall mural in downtown cleveland to remind you. lebron james from akron. he's done a lot of charity work for disadvantaged kids there. he's taking the commitment to a different level. i spent the afternoon with him at cedar point amusement park where he made a big announcement. lebron james just can't mis. carrying the cavaliers to the nba finals in his return to cleveland. showing off his comedy chops in one of the hit movies of the summer. >> i'm sorry to interrupt. we watched "downtown eed "down later? >> reporter: through his charity, lebron vows to send qualifying students from akron to college on four-year academic scholarships. >> at this rate we have 1100 kids in the program. if i can put 1100 kids in college free, i have done something great to give back. >> reporter: as an akron teen, lebron skipped the awkward years and jumped straight to the cover of "sports illustrated" where he was anointed as 17 the chosen one. are you able to look back now at 30 and say, that was a surreal childhood, a surreal high school experience? >> absolutely. i know i had some things that are not going to happen a lot. we are not going to see it a lot. one thing that blocked me from that was the friendships i had and the mentors around me. >> reporter: somehow he lived up to the impossible hype. at 30, he's already played in 11 all-star games, won four mvp awards, two nba titles and a pair of gold medals. do you start thinking despite the fact you are still in your prime about the end of the run? >> you can never not think about what happens next. for me, i have been able to check off every goal i have had in the league. you know, now just trying to add to it. >> reporter: off the court, lebron has become a media power house with his hollywood coming out party alongside amy schumer and bill hader in "trainwreck." and a production company that just signed a partnership with warner brothers. >> what's up? >> reporter: is that where you see the post basketball life for you as a media mogul? >> we hope. it's a passion of mine. everything i do, i have a passion about it. if we could continue it, i know i don't have to dribble a basketball and fly through the air to do those things. >> reporter: james made no secret of his love for "space jam," the 1996 warner brothers movie that starred michael jordan with the looney tunes gang. you talked about doing "space jam 2." will it happen? >> i hope so. we definitely miss some bugs and daffy and every one of them. >> reporter: on the subject of jordan. >> lebron in his prime, mike until his prime, one on one. >> i'll take myself, for sure. i will tell you they will need wheelchairs and ambulances there to get us off the floor. >> reporter: two pretty competitive guys. the question came off the fact that michael jordan said last week he in his prime would beat lebron james in his prime. you have to think about what happened yesterday. lebron james, a kid who didn't have a lot growing up able to stand on stage and tell a thousand kids if you meet certain goals i with the help of other groups will pay for you to go to college. >> amazing. >> really great. by the way, there was a hoop right behind you. no moment did you grab a ball? >> reporter: i did. going one on one with lebron james, it turns out, is a mistake. you think it will be friendly. it gets competitive very quickly with lebron james. >> we'll see that at a later date. thank you very much. coming up, savannah goes behind the scenes on the set of the long awaited sequel to "my big fat greek wedding." dylan? >> we've just catching up here with janelle monae. she's performing live with wondaland. first, these messages. i'm ... =opvo== avy heas thmorninat a very good morning to you. 8:26 now. i'm laura garcia-cannon. heavy hearts this morning at the contra kosta sheriff's office. one of their own died yesterday in lake tahoe trying to save a life. the department has not released a photo of the deputy, but we know he was on vacation at the lake yesterday when he jumped into the water to save someone from drowning. he tragically lost his own life. the sheriff issued a statement late yesterday, reading in part, deppty carlos francies died doing what he was sworn to do, putting himself in harm's way to protect the lives of others. he's a hero and an example of exactly what is right in law enforcement today. our condolences, of course, to his family. all right. let's switch gears, take a look at the morning commuter. anthony is in for mike. >> good morning. things are slow across the peninsu peninsula. two accidents this morning. let's take you outside and show you what it's looking like in palo alto. it's a slow go getting into the south bay. you can see we have a couple accidents. 87 just past 280. and 101 just past 85. stop and go right now because of an accident that's been cleared. you can see the residual effect. very slow. >> all right. let's hope it clears up soon. another local news update in about half an hour. hope you have a great friday morning. [ cheers and applause ] 8:30 now on this friday morning. beautiful day. the 14th of august. we've got a puppy party going on. we'll tell you about it in a second. we have a toilet concert coming up. janelle monae getting ready. she's going to get this plaza stomping. we are out on the plaza. i have to say we are in a tangle of puppies. going puppy crazy here. >> all right. this is an awesome initiative. we have eight beautiful dogs. they are from the spca of westchester, here with usle. this is a fist of its kind nationwide pet adoption drive. i'm sorry, bud ti. his timing is a little off. >> oh, poor thing. >> oh, no! oh, boy. >> no! >> just another day on the "today" show. >> oh, boy. >> can i tell you about this initiative? clear the shelters to help pets find happy homes. even these little guys will go up for adoption. shelters will be reducing or dropping fees across the country. call your local shelter to find out. there are so many beautiful fur babies that need loving homes. don't step in that. >> that was mine, by the way. that was mine. al, how about a check of the weather? quickly. >> aw. >> for your weekend planner, you can see for saturday, wet weather in the gulf coast southeast. also around the western great lakes into central ohio. southwest looking on the wet side. a risk of storms in the northern plains. sunday, we are looking at a beautiful day throughout the east through the great lakes. hot down through southern california. pacific northwest looking a little on the toasty side as well. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we still see some clouds in some parts of the bay area. here's a look from sunol. dark clouds there. highs reaching 86 degrees today in los gatos. north bay, petaluma, 84. some 90s in the tri-valley. some lower 90s today, even hitting 100 degrees for tomorrow. >> that's your latest weather. dylan. >> janelle monae and wondaland are ready to rock the plaza. to see her live on tour, toyota is giving you the chance. one lucky winner and a guest will win a trip to atlanta, georgia, for the final stop of the eephus tour. submit a photo doing the yoga sway. use the hashtag wondaland goes places sweeps. put in your entry and good luck. guys? >> okay, dylan. thank you very much. it's been called the little movie that could. "my big fat greek wedding" charmed audiences bringing in record numbers at the box office. >> audiences have been clamoring for a sequel ever since. now the wish is coming true. 13 years ago we fell in love -- >> did you want to see some brochures? >> with win desk. bundt cake. >> and now the bundt cake. >> and a family throwing a wedding, a big fat greek wedding to be exact. >> what do you mean he don't eat no meat? oh, that's okay. that's okay. i make lamb. come. >> the movie was the brain child of the star who turned the story of her outlandish but lovable greek family into one of the most successful independent films of all time. >> i'm a snow beast. >> raise your glass and shout opa because the family is coming back for the long awaited sequel. >> so what took so long? >> the reason i didn't want to do the sequel is at the end of the first one i had written that we were parents. and though i make stuff up, i couldn't write from a place of emotions that i didn't know because i wasn't a mom. then i became a mom so suddenly. >> she and her husband, actor ian gomez, adopted a little girl in 2008. she was ready to head back to the screen but would her on screen husband john corbitt be on board. what did you think? >> i didn't think it was over. after a decade of hearing, mm, i don't know. i don't have any ideas really. she called and said, i got an idea. what do you think, do you want to do it? nobody on this team was happier than me. >> she didn't have to convince you? >> no, no. i think there are more stories after this one just to be selfish and greedy about it. >> i hear he wants another sequel and another. >> i did whisper an idea for number three in his ear. we are calling this from greekuel and the third will be the threequel. >> the plot of the new movie is being kept tightly under wraps. >> i know you won't tell me what happens but this is called "my big fat greek wedding 2" because it's not my big fat greek divorce or funeral or marital therapy session. can you give me hints about what might happen? >> if we tell you what the sequel is about then we have to stuff you in our trunk of a or and take you back to arizona. and you have to live in mom's basement until march. >> sounds unpleasant. >> rest assured the clan is back. >> everyone looks -- i would say better than 15 years ago. >> it's ridiculous how good everybody looks i.'s silly. >> even her real life family has come along for the ride. >> look at the extras. wait a minute. this is your mom and your cousin. >> hello. >> my sister, my brother, my cousin. >> when it comes to revisiting this beloved film she has no fears. >> were you at all intimidated to write the sequel? so many people have so much riding on it and love it so much. are you scared to say, okay, here it is. >> i consider myself a fearless idiot. i think you have to jump in and just if you have tried to be authentic you have already been successful. >> i can't wait. >> i love the movie. it was fun to be on the set. every single cast member came back. do you remember grandma from the old country? she's back. she looks better than ever. >> they all look the same if not better. >> seeing the clips of the original makes me want to watch it again. >> it's great. it holds up. "my big fat greek wedding 2" hits theaters march 2016. >> good to know you don't have to li in your mom's basement. up next, janelle monae and wondaland live in concert on the plaza. first, this is "today" on nbc. >> announcer: the toyota concert series on "today" brought to you by toyota. [ cheers ] >> all right. this young lady and wondaland are moments away from performing live on this concert stage. but first, how about a look at the rise of the electric lady? ♪ >> reporter: janelle monae strutted onto the scene on a tightrope. ♪ >> reporter: the kansas city native's inventive mix of pop, jazz and funk got her to the top of the charts. ♪ electric lady >> reporter: leading to collaborations with artists from prince to the band fun. ♪ >> reporter: earning her six nominations along the way. ♪ >> reporter: janelle monae is a multi talented power house, singer, songwriter, trendsetter, cover girl and as of this spring, add music mogul to the list. she launched wondaland records, a small collective of five artists. with the latest hit "classic man" by jidenna at number 24 on the charts they are a force in music. ♪ i'm a classic man >> reporter: let's not wait any longer. ladies and gentlemen, here they are. janelle monae and jidenna. [ cheers and applause ] >> new york city! are you ready to party? [ cheers ] >> here we go. ♪ ♪ let your booty do that yoga ♪ party at the beach down in copacabana ♪ ♪ sipping, got my black yoga pants on ♪ ♪ me and brittany we've been down in atlanta sweating in the club, call me dirty diana ♪ ♪ flexing like a yogi ♪ drop it down with your hands up ♪ ♪ do a handstand ♪ bend it back, put your legs up. i ain't got no worries ♪ ♪ i'm my own private dancer ♪ my own private dancer ♪ baby bend over ♪ baby bend over ♪ let your booty do that yoga ♪ flex it, flex it ♪ crown on my head ♪ but the world on my shoulder ♪ i'm too much oh rebel ♪ never do what i'm supposed to ♪ ♪ bend it never break it ♪ baby watch and i'm a show you ♪ ♪ stretching on my cash ♪ got my money doing yoga ♪ sometimes i'm peachy ♪ sometimes i'm vulgar ♪ when when i'm sleeping ♪ i got one eye open ♪ you cannot police me ♪ so get off my areola i want to last ♪ ♪ want to last forever ♪ i want to dance ♪ want to tans all night ♪ i want to last forever ♪ i want to dance all night ♪ baby bend over ♪ baby bend over ♪ baby bend over ♪ let me see you do that yoga ♪ baby bend over ♪ baby bend over ♪ baby bend over ♪ let your booty do that yoga ♪ flex it, flex it ♪ flex it, flex it >> ladies and gentlemen, jidenna ♪ i said yoga ♪ she did that yoga ♪ looking for my loafers ♪ man, i woke up in a toga ♪ she left my collar on me like she my owner ♪ ♪ when she downward dog i jump up on her ♪ ♪ i love the way you end it ♪ oh, lord ♪ i eat love to break you in ♪ oh, lord, i'd stretch you ♪ oh, lord baby, do that yoga want to last forever ♪ ♪ i want to dance, dance, dance all night ♪ ♪ i want to dance, forever ♪ i want to dance, dance, dance all night ♪ ♪ baby bend over ♪ baby bend over ♪ baby bend over ♪ let me see you do that yoga ♪ baby bend over ♪ baby bend over ♪ baby bend over ♪ let your booty do that yoga ♪ flex it, flex it [ cheers and applause ] is. janelle monae, more music ahead on a friday morning. first, this is "today" on nbc. we want to tell you, janelle monae and wonderland's compilation. >> they are performing at secret shows all across the country. we're lucky they stopped by our plaza. wonderland is janelle monae as well as the others. good morning. what inspired to you to put this group of artists together, janelle? >> it was justined. these artists are visionary artists. they write, record, produce, play instruments. they complete the solar system that is wonderland. i love them so much. and they inspire me to stay on my a-game. as a movement, that's what it started out first, a movement to want to help uplift the community with our music and show a different perspective of young, black artists. >> i like the title wonderland presents the ephis. i'm a sports fan. >> tell them what it is. >> you throw a fastball and then you throw a way off-speed pitch that crosses people up. >> the game-changing pitch. we've come to change the game. >> you do think a little differently. you are having secret shows. how do people find you then? >> it's all a mystery. you know? we tell them right before the show and they find their way. >> for those of you who can't come, yahoo! live, you can watch it online august 24th. >> okay. i've been given one job this entire morning, watch it, here it is. take it away, folks. >> all right. we'll be doing "tight rope." ♪ ♪ some people talk about you they know all about you when you get down ♪ ♪ they talking about you ♪ baby whether i'm high or low ♪ i have to tip on the tightrope. ♪ ♪ baby baby weather i'm high or low ♪ ♪ i have to sit on the tightrope ♪ ♪ ♪ people talking about you ♪ talking on the tightrope note note ♪ keep dancing on it getting funky ♪ ♪ baby whether i'm high or low ♪ baby whether i'm high or low ♪ you gotta tip on the tightrope ♪ ♪ baby whether i'm high or low ♪ high or low ♪ i'm going to tip on the tightrope ♪ ♪ ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen! ♪ ♪ yay yay yay ♪ if you know what i mean ♪ i said ♪ i said one more time for the tightrope ♪ ♪ i said one more time one more one more one more time ♪ ♪ one more time ♪ one more time one more time ♪ ♪ one more time one more time ♪ ♪ tightrope ♪ ♪ no matter how high i fly ♪ no matter how low i go ♪ i always stay on it ♪ i always stay on it ♪ tightrope >> god bless america. god bless. we want all of america to know that we stand tall today. we want black america to know we stand tall. >> much more from janelle monae from wonderland coming up. from wonderland coming up. first, this is "today" on nbc. i'm lika small boxer. ring. you don't expect much... and then, wham! i hit 'em with huge creamy goodness! alright round two! bring it, girlfriend! rich, creamy, 100% natural cheese. mini babybel. snack a little bigger. a new sea chance to tryew look. something different. this summer, challenge your preconceptions and experience a cadillac for yourself. ♪ the 2015 cadillac srx. lease this from around $339 per month, or purchase with 0% apr financing. ♪ electric lady >> we are back. somebody has got to get janelle monae a little energy. >> oh, my goodness. talk about a big finish. >>i'm ... ==am== followp: ==topvo==and a ceo go wi an unul good morning. it's 8:56 on your friday. i'm sam brock. a follow-up now. an unusual case. authorities have identified the woman they believe jumped from the bay bridge wednesday to escape chp officers. 25-year-old erlin sanchez edwards is from richmond. she's accused of crashing a stolen car on the bay bridge. she then fell off the bridge as a chp officer tried to grab her. investigators believe she swam to shore and was picked up by a truck driver. that woman has not yet been found. attention foodies in the bay area. the san francisco street food festival is returning this weekend. the celebration is at a new location at pier 70. the venue is going to offer a wider menu, its largest lineup ever. keep that stomach empty. we'll see you in 25 minutes. the drought is affecting all of us. at pg&e we've definitely put a focus on helping our agricultural customers through the drought. when they do an energy efficiency project and save that money they feel it right in their pocket book. it's exciting to help a customer with an energy efficiency project because not only are they saving energy but they are saving water. we have a lot of projects at pg&e that can help them with that and that's extremely important while we're in a drought. it's a win for the customer and it's a win for california. together, we're building a better california. this morning on "today's take," janelle monae kicking off the weekend with a special performance by wondaland. and come along for the thrill of your life on the first ever go cart coaster? and we'll answer the burning question -- who is jesse's girl? that and more coming up now. [ cheers and applause ] >> all right. we are coming off of a fantastic janelle monae and wondaland won kre -- concert on a friday morning. august 14, 2015. we traded out willie for a beautiful young lady. >> giada. this is my dance partner for the janelle monae. i know maybe a child of a certain age shouldn't wear lipstick maybe. you were inspired by janelle monae's red. this is my tuesday trend. >> she's the daughter of our head of wardrobe here. >> she's spectacular. >> looks beautiful. >> did you have fun? i love the robot dress. her mom made it. >> her mom made the dress and that could be the tuesday trend. the little temporary tattoos for women. i think i will do it. much more elaborate. this is my demonstration model. >> very nice. >> thanks for joining us. >> this is just got paid. johnny kemp just passed away. this is the anthem when i first got, you know, the first real paycheck. it's friday. you don't have -- >> how old was he? >> he was in his early 50s, i think. the song lives on. that's the great thing about music we love. somewhere, somebody is just getting paid. friday night and you will get it popping. >> that's right. >> speaking of popping. >> i can escort you over. >> nice job to hang out all day long. >> not that my current company isn't fabulous. >> speaking of popping -- we want to welcome poppy louise hager, our good pal jenna bush hager and her husband had a baby girl. poppy born yesterday, weighing 7 pounds, 9 ounces. dad henry and of course the lovely jenna bush. of course big sister mila is very excited about this. >> aw. >> what's cool. poppy is jenna bush's grandfather's name. former president george h.w. bush. he was called poppy when he was growing up. her middle name is louise. middle names louise and lewis. >> in honor of somebody they love to dearly in life. amazing. congratulations. so excited. i can't wait to meet little poppy. >> she was just here getting the great phone call from her mother and grand mom. she said, i don't know when this baby is coming. >> there you go. >> they may grow up to be young girl scouts, coming up. >> what do we have? >> home made girl scout cookies you can make, too. girl scouts now have a mini oven where you can make your own thin mints. look at this. >> from the girl scouts. >> these are the trefoils. put it in, click. >> if you get a craving and you don't have a box or a girl scout around. >> these will be ready in eight minutes. >> and they wion't taste exactl like the cookies you know. they are inspired. >> these are the samoas. >> they're good. >> delicious. >> these are like a chewier thin mint. >> fresh out of the oven. the oven is $59.99 and i guess you buy -- >> $6.99. when you get a craving. >> that's good actually. >> wicked cool toys in early september. >> great for the holidays. >> coming outs with a breaking bad oven. >> okay. so you have heard different songs like "sara smile" or, i don't know "mandy" and you wonder who the inspiration was for the songs. >> sure. >> one of the mysteries has been revealed regarding the song "jesse's girl." rick springfield -- ♪ >> i love this song. >> mtv days. people say they used to play a lot of music. a huge hit in 1981. rick springfield back in the news. he's in ricki & the flash. >> he's great. >> he is indeed. >> the singer said in 1979 he signed up for a stained glass class. it was popular. >> he liked a girl in his class. the girl had a boyfriend. she wanted nothing to do with rick springfield. i can't imagine it. she was spoken for. >> she regrets it now, i'm sure. >> he started writing a song about it. the boyfriend's name was gary. if but he said gary doesn't rhyme or work with anything. >> i wish i could marry. >> he just wanted her. he changed it to jesse, inspired by an l.a. ram, ron jesse, t-shirt he owned. >> hilarious. >> so jesse is ron jesse, but not. >> not, no. >> sort of. >> he just revealed this which is interesting. i love behind the music on vh-1. you can see the inspiration. especially when it's a song. >> jesse's girl now. >> did she end up with jesse? >> where's gary. >> what's gary doing. >> so many questions, so little time. >> okay. this caught my eye this morning. >> can you see that? okay. look at smoking hot sharon stone. >> i can't believe we don't have a ribbon. >> my finger is doing the trick. sharon stone posing nude for harper's bazaar. she's 57. she's more stunning than ever, if that's possible. >> there you go. >> what's interesting is she tells the magazine she never gets asked out. she's trying to get a date. she's trying to get -- she said i have been getting more brazen with flirting but i don't think men realize that i'm flirting. >> maybe she should hand those out as business cards. >> hi, i'm sharon stone. you know me from fatal attraction. >> exactly. >> i can't believe she has a hard time getting a date. i don't know if she's intimidating or -- what do you think? >> i think probably not maybe the dates she wants. she's a sophisticated lady. a lot of men want to go out with sharon stone. it's about matching. she's probably not getting the dates she wants. sharon stone could get a lot of dates. it's the one she wants. >> i don't doubt it. >> you're telling me not one guy will ask sharon stone out? there are a lot. it's just the match. she's 57. a little bit more refined on what you want. it's not necessarily. >> she can afford to be picky. >> she should be. >> with a body like that. >> oh, my, she's amazing. harper's bazaar hits the stands august 18. read more there. >> or just look. >> just go to the news stand. flip through and put it back and walk away. >> how long do the trefoils take? >> eight minutes. >> they have been in four. >> four minutes. >> in the meantime, i will saunter over here. smelling good. let's check your weather for "today." the big area of rain will be through southern florida. we have a stationary front in there. we'll see rain and monsoonal moisture in the desert southwest. a cold front in the pacific northwest bringing showers. on the coast, chilly. inland we'll see temperatures in the 90s well over 100. 90s through the gulf coast. hundreds in central texas. for today, showers and thunderstorms around the central great lakes. upstate new york and northern new england, showers right around new orleans. also much of florida looking on the wet side. out west, gorgeous weather. showers and cooler in the pacific northw good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. still some clouds hanging around some parts of the bay area. but look at the east bay. now already up to 70 degrees. it is 65 degrees now in san francisco with a high of 74. 81 in the east bay. north bay today reaching 90 degrees. those temperatures starting to heat up. and then the south bay expect a high of 89. tri-valley 91. and the peninsula reaching 84 degrees today. and get ready for a hot weekend across the bay. that's your latest weather. we are all raving about the thin mints. >> amazing. >> i have never had a samoa from the real cookie boxes. these are amazing. >> if you are a fan, a part of the cult of mcrib, later in the broadcast in our restaurant redo, i will show you how to make the mcrib at home. >> that's a serious face. >> have you had a mcrib? >> i have never had a mcrib. >> no. >> this is a fresh mcrib. >> have you ever had a mcrib, janelle monae? >> i did when i was growing up. >> when you were growing up. >> now she's all grown up. >> we'll get her a real mcrib. coming up. >> we can't wait. >> up next, we are talking to singer-songwriter and hit-maker, shaker on the plaza, janelle monae bringing her funky style to the plaza along with wondaland. we'll catch up with her and get another song after this. ♪ to feel this special... you need to eat this special. ♪ start your day... with 150 nourishing calories in a bowl of special k. eat special, feel special. how do they clean the toilet, grin at it. 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exactly. here, try some... mmm, it is real milk. see? delicious. hoof bump! oh. right here girl, boom. lactaid®. 100% real milk. no discomfort. and for a creamy and delicious treat, try lactaid® ice cream. we are back now with the electric lady, singer-songwriter janelle monae. >> she's taking the music world by storm with her new partnership wondaland records. >> the five artists are out with the first ep, wondaland presents the eephus hitting stores today. good morning. >> good morning, al. good morning, beautiful lady. >> oh, thank you. >> i love how you describe this group. the avengers of music. >> yes. >> that's fantastic. >> absolutely. >> how did you come about putting the group together? >> each artist, visionary artists. i could not pass up the opportunity when i had an opportunity to start my own label of visionary artists. they have such a unique presence. they are writing, producing, playing instruments live. i feel so complete now. if i had to describe them they have their own planet. we complete the solar system, seriously. what i love the most is they bring a unique and different perspective to the music industry. the thing we have in common is community. most of the community is to uplift, inspire and do it in a jamming -- way. >> i love the whisper. >> i follow you on instagram, of course. i twitter stalk you. >> i love you, tamron. >> i love you, too. you brought jidenna and he just performed with you. this woman has the midas touch. you have been so committed to keeping it real from your roots to where you are now. how have you found the ability to be a strong woman in the music industry that can change you, over sexualize you and do things where you become unrecognizable? >> one, you can't debt too high or too low. tightrope is all about balance. it took me a while to get it, but i was fortunate. i was an independent artist when i came in. i didn't care about a major label deal. as long as i have 500 people coming to my church in atlanta which is my stage, i'm fine. sean puffy combs saw what we were doing as a team, as wondaland in atlanta and said, listen, i don't want to be involved creatively. i care too much about what you're doing. i want people to know about it. so really, honestly. the things that happened for me and the protection i have had over the years. >> we have word on the web. tell us if it's true or not. the first one, we can see it's true. >> oh, lord. >> that reaction. >> you only wear black and white. >> that is -- >> mostly true? >> very true. that's pretty true. but not as of late. with the eephus project. you know when you're around artists who inspire you? what we did with eephus and how the project came about as we were recording, everybody could not come into the studio as themselves. jidenna couldn't come in with the classic man suit, i couldn't come in with the tuxedo, black and white. it was shedding that. we all wore tunics and we would make food, record music all night long. we would do yoga. >> we wear togas. >> and do yoga. >> this experience has changed me. i love evolving. i'm a complete woman. not just, you know, one thing. i will never be one thing to any one person. >> yeah. >> it's all about being complete and whole. partying and pondering. when it comes to black and white, i think the wondaland records artist eephus has helped give me color. >> we are looking forward to more color. janelle monae, looking forward to seeing you. you will be back with jidenna to perform "classic man". >> absolutely. >> prince harry scruffing it in the i do it.... take the nature's bounty hair, skin and nails challenge. if your hair, skin and nails don't look more beautiful, we'll give you your money back. i did it... and i feel beautiful. visit naturesbounty.com for details. soil is the foundation... for healthy plants. just like gums are the foundation for healthy teeth. new colgate total daily repair toothpaste. it helps remineralize enamel and fight plaque germs for healthier teeth and gums. strengthen the foundation for healthy teeth. new colgate total daily repair. ♪ [ male announcer ] sweet sun ripened strawberries. now we've added even more of them to philadelphia® strawberry. rich, creamy, and delicious. only philadelphia®. time in the service... community college... it matters. it's why we, at university of phoenix, count your relevant work and college experience as credits toward your degree. learn more at phoenix.edu. i try hard to get a great shape. this... i can do easily. new benefiber healthy shape helps curb cravings. it's a clear, taste-free daily supplement that's clinically proven to help keep me fuller longer. new benefiber healthy shape. this, i can do. >>mine hurt more.. >>mine stopped hurting faster! neosporin plus pain relief starts relieving pain faster and kills more types of infectious bacteria neosporin plus pain relief kills the germs. fights the pain. use with band-aid brand. behold the power of protein in new birds ok. protein blends. they're delicious side dishes with the protein of beans, whole grains... ...and veggies! mmm good. my work here is dooooone! new bird's eye protein blends... so veggie good. made a simple tripvere chto the grocery storeis anything but simple. so finally, i had an important conversation with my dermatologist about humira. he explained that humira works inside my body to target and help block a specific source of inflammation that contributes to my symptoms. in clinical trials, most adults saw 75% skin clearance. and the majority were clear or almost clear in just 4 months. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened; as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common, and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. ask your dermatologist about humira. because with humira clearer skin is possible. ready? got your drink? it's friday. somebody just got paid. tgif. a little pop fix to kick off your weekend. there is a new pop star in town. do you know hailey steinfeld from the cohen brothers western "true grit" and from joining the bellas in "pitch perfect 2." after appearing on taylor swift's "bad blood" video she's about to conquer the music world. she has a new single called "love myself." we have the exclusive world premiere. ♪ ♪ i love myself ♪ i don't need anybody else ♪ gonna love myself ♪ i don't need anybody else ♪ i can't help myself ♪ no, i don't need anybody else ♪ ♪ anybody >> nice little girls' anthem there. >> you can head to today.com to watch the full video. it could be anyone's anthem. love yourself -- boys or girls. >> she has the singing chops. >> definitely. the royal beard has returned. do you know about it? prince harry is keeping a low profile since june. now new photos show him getting up close and personal with some of africa's wildlife. there is a full beard. i can't see it. >> which one is he? >> that looks like willie's beard. >> that's hot. >> not the fist time he's rocked the scruff. in 2013 harry went on an exhibition to the south pole. >> feeling lucky? >> what's it called? >> the dirty harry. >> he wants to go out with dark natalie. >> remember the whole thing. >> a familiar face returns to nbc. tina fey teamed up to develop a new comedy. the plot centers around a mother-daughter relationship that's put to the test when an over involved mom gets an internship at a cable news network her daughter works at. sounds like my life. fey and carlock worked on "30 rock" and are the team behind "unbreakable kimmy schmidt" starring our gal ellie kemper. we'll be sure to tune in for the comedy that will ensue. it feels like my life because i have a cable news show and my mother texts me throughout. why didn't you ask that? do that? i don't like your lipstick. >> ask her to come down. >> she asked me to get a the "today" show mug. in the middle of my pop fix. one last summer get away. the first of its ooh, i thinki saw dessert!... hey! steven stay strong! what's that? you want me to eat you?... honey, he didn't say that!... don't fight your instincts. with each for 150 calories or less, try our lemon bars, brownies and new cheesecakes. fiber one. is morng at thcontra sta county good morning. it's 9:26 on your friday. i'm sam brock. there are heavy hearts this morning at the contra costa county sheriff's office. one of their own died yesterday at lake tahoe trying to save another person's life. the department has not released a photo of deputy carlos frances, but he was on vacation and off duty yesterday when he jumped into the water to save someone from drowning. he tragically lost his own live. sheriff david livingston issued this statement yesterday and it reads in part, quote, deputy carlos francies die ds doing what he was sworn to do. he's exactly what is right in law enforcement today. also happening today, the controversial debate over a person's right to die heads to court in san francisco. several terminally ill patients and their doctors are suing the state of california. they're seeking protection for doctors who help patients end their lives. now, the state attorney general's office is arguing against that request. kamala harris saying california law prohibits assisted suicide. this comes after efforts to pass the death with dignity act in the legislature stalled. after the break a look at weather and traffic for the weekend. weather for the weekend. right after this. weather ts ttraffic good friday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. a live look at belvedere. you have seen it cleared out. sunshine is in the forecast for today. and it will be warming up in spots, a hot weekend headed into. it will be 86 in los gatos, mountain view also 86. financial district topping out at 74. 84 in the north bay and p petaluma, more 90s as we head into tomorrow. now let's get a look at how traffic is moving with anthony. things are picking up pretty good across the peninsula. we don't have any major concerns flt earlier accidents have cleared from 101 and 280. things moving smooth through palo alto. some sunshine slowdown. 101 there was an obstruction in the roadway. same deal for fremont. we're seeing some slowing here because of a cat in the road according to chp. so maybe watch out for your feline friends on the roadway. upwards emeryville you'll notice seeing slowing as well. an accident near gillman you can see coming around the curve still stop and go at the bay bridge toll plaza. >> was it a black cat? bad luck on 280. see you again in 20 minutes. . >> taking a look at the headlines, history takes center stage in havana with the american flag being raised for the 50 time in more than a half century. cold war era travel restrictions remain, but more americans are visiting. with a 54% increase this year. luxury ships will be docking and carnival is a wading for cultural exchange trips next year. a new poll shows a lot of you are not taking vacations. the poll by travel insurance finds 135 million americans have not taken a vacation in the last year, up by 9 million from the year before. they find vacation of at least a week 100 miles from home and only about half are confident they will take a vacation before next year. a lot of americans are supporting adult children and aging parents. the study by tv ameritrade shows they have provided financial help to adult children and millennials gave the most, more than baby boomers and gen-xors provide. a study by researchers at the university of pittsburgh finds at least 20% of americans use some type of technology to keep track of health data. the most common apps, count steps and track exercise. researchers say those who combine technology and lifestyle programs are more successful than those who try to do it on their. for the first time since the deflate gate suspension, tom brady back in uniform and back on the field. unexpectedly starting in an exhibition game. he played briefly completing one of four passes and they lost to thegns reading "free brady." he can play in the preseason but faces the four-game suspension in the regular season. for now. now it's get a check of the weather from my dancing partner, mr. roker. >> by the way, want to tell you about a big surprise for folks coming to see our program. we are teaming with the travel channel to give lucky viewers the trip of a lifetime. next week, two fans from the plaza will join me on an epic adventure. if you are coming to see the show next week, bring your passports. head to today.com/visit to rsvp. the destination is a big surprise. trust me, this is a trip of a lifetime. all right. let's show you your weather now. for saturday, showers and thunderstorms through the southwest. a lot of eh rain through florida. they have been getting dumped on. western new york, pa, parts of ohio seeing rain on saturday. sunday, more rain for florida. gorgeous weather in the northeast. a heat wave setting up. great beach weather on the east coast. the heat is on in southern california. good friday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. yeah, great beach weather here as we head into the weekend. and it's already up to 70 degrees right now in the east bay. the peninsula at 66. skies will be clearing, a high of 74 in san francisco. a breezy wind in the east bay 81 degrees. tri-valley today topping out at 91. 90 in the north bay. and 89 today in the south bay. it will be a hot weekend as the peninsula sees a high today of 84. expect it to reach into the 90s in some spots. and that's your latest weather. >> people from all over the country flock to maryland's beach front town of ocean city every summer. >> we found out there was a new thrill ride that opened. we had to try it out so we sent lilliana vasquez. where are you? >> hi! >> oh, hey! >> cool. >> that's pretty cool. >> i'm basically like a go cart pro at this point. >> you are. >> did you see that move? >> in heels. >> i got to experience the world's first ever cart coaster along with a few of ocean city's hottest attractions. >> reporter: with ten miles of beautiful beaches, a bustling boardwalk and nonstop night life it's no wonder ocean city attracts 8 million visitors every year. this summer, there is one more reason for vacationers and locals to cruise into town. standing more than five stories high and over 1500 feet long, the cyclone is the first ride of its kind, combining the thrill of a roller coaster with the adrenaline of a race. this is built for drivers with a need for speed. today, that's me. the cyclone's super charged go carts top out at dizzzying speeds as drivers compete for the checkered flag. my opponent today, the mayor of ocean city. >> it's not fun to race unless you have a wager. what should we race for today? >> i brought a key to the city with me. >> mr. mayor, i am up for the challenge. >> i'm on. let's get them. >> 3, 2, 1. go! ♪ >> oh, no. i have to get across! >> wasn't even close. >> with all the winning i worked up quite an appetite. summer isn't summer in maryland without tasting the blue crab bounty of the chesapeake bay. we hopped over to blu crab house and raw bar where the owner showed me the ropes. >> cole says you need the right tools. mallet, picking knife and in my case, rubber gloves thanks to an unfortunate shell fish allergy. >> you can just snap. >> oh! jackpot. >> despite not being able to indulge in the fruits of my labor my picking skills had me feeling like a local, sort of. >> there's nothing in mine. >> you pulled it out already. >> oh. as the sun set i knew my adventure wouldn't be complete without a pit stop at this super sized tiki bar. brings a little slice of heaven to the eastern shores. >> cheers. >> this is my speed. >> a little adventure. >> your key to the city. >> i'm excite. they put my name on it. i never win anything. this is my cherished prized possession. >> awesome. >> we need a road trip. >> i love that idea. >> don't leave us behind next time. >> i won't. i promise. >> up next, al's dream has come true. not to have a beautiful wife and loving children. >> which i have. >> that was on the list. check, check. his real dream -- a kitchen filled with mcribs. al will share his famous sandwich, personal recipe you can make at home in our restaurant redo week as it rolls on after th progressive insurance here, and i'm a box who thrives on the unexpected. ha-ha! shall we dine? 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crispy bacon, of enticingly tender turkey, and deliciously rich guacamole together on freshly baked bread for one truly amazing sandwich: the new subway turkey & bacon guacamole. only at subway. we are wrapping up restaurant redo weekend. the "today" food team actually gave me the ultimate green light to make the ultimate sandwich -- the mcdonald's mcrib. a lot of times it's either on a limited menu or your mcdonald's has to decide to put it on the menu. i'm going to show you how to make one. >> i have never had one. >> for people who love it -- >> they're loyal. >> you have a pound and a half, two pounds of pork shoulder. you will have sugar, water, salt. this is heinz -- hunt's? which is it? >> hunt's. hunt's original barbecue sauce. h hoagie roll, onions, pickle. put it in the food processor with salt, sugar and water. put it in the food processor. >> pork shoulder, right? >> pork shoulder. anyway, you get the idea. put it in. pulse it and grind it up until it gets into these nice little -- form it into four balls. four patties. >> how do you make the mcrib shape? >> press it down flat. get it into a rectangle. then -- because if you had the mcrib it is like a boneless rib patty. >> there is no bone in it. make little indentations so they are mini riblets. take those, put it on a sheet with parchment paper, put it in the freezer until it's frozen. >> why? >> just so it firms up. we have one here already. they will keep their shape. now heat a pan. >> you can take them out whenever you are ready. a cookout or whatever. >> put it in a nice nonstick pan. >> i don't know what the mcdonald's one tastes like but this is amazing. >> put them in the oven, bake them for a little bit but first put on barbecue sauce. then you have the patty. meantime you're browning your hoagie roll. take the roll, put the patty on top. very important -- pickles and raw onion. >> raw. >> raw onion. that's pretty much it. you can spoon on a little bit more sauce if you like. >> this is really good. >> you have your home made mcrib. to get the recipe, go to today.com/food. click on restaurant redo tab. >> this is so good. >> awesome. >> so good. >> look. you can't get the mcdonald's fries with it. >> why? >> because you can't make them at home. >> we should extend the redo week and do fries. and a shake. >> hot fries with that. >> i will work on it. meantime, janelle monae and wondaland hitting the stage again for "classic i guess i never really gave much thought to the acidity in any foods. never thought about the coffee i was drinking having acids. it never dawned on me that it could hurt your teeth. my dentist has told me your enamel is wearing away, and that sounded really scary to me, and i was like well can you fix it, can you paint it back on, and he explained that it was not something that grows back, it's kind of a one-time shot and you have to care for it. he told me to use pronamel. it's gonna help protect the enamel in your teeth. it allows me to continue to drink my coffee and to eat healthier, and it was a real easy switch to make. a scary proposition. you walk onto that lot and immediately you are surrounded, like a guppy in a shark tank. it just feels like, car salesmen want to sell whatever car is best for them, not best for me. there's gotta be a better way. ♪ as long as people drive cars carmax will be the best way to buy them. look more like a tissue box... you may be muddling through allergies. try zyrtec® for powerful allergy relief. and zyrtec® is different than claritin®. because it starts working faster on the first day you take it. zyrtec®. muddle no more™ . ♪i can't find my way through the trees♪ ♪ ♪so so so so don't don't don't don't wait wait wait wait♪ ♪for for for me me me me me me me to get home♪ a the toyota concert series on "today" brought to you by toyota. janelle monae has come to our plaza this morning here are the artists performing their classic song "classic man." ♪ my name calling all night i can pull the wool while i'm being polite ♪ ♪ i can pull the wool oh me oh my any woman want to be in life ♪ ♪ why can't ever end up being my wife ♪ ♪ even if she going even if she going ♪ ♪ i'm a classic man you can be me when you look this clean i'm a classic man ♪ ♪ calling on me like a young i'm a classic man ♪ ♪ oh, flashing man i'm a classic man ♪ ♪ i burn through the hood ♪ everybody feeling like so cool a fool like that can't cope ♪ ♪ i got charm and we don't live by the law ♪ ♪ even if she going even if she going ♪ ♪ even if she going ♪ i'm a classic man you can be me when you look this clean ♪ ♪ i'm a classic man calling on me like a young og ♪ ♪ i'm a classic man oh, flashing man ♪ ♪ i'm a classic man i burn through the gate ♪ ♪ loving life and then they try to get in my code i got love i'm the man who are you ♪ ♪ shining bright like a jewel even under fire i'm cool ♪ ♪ even is she going even is she going even is she going ♪ ♪ i'm a classic man you can be when you look this clean ♪ ♪ i'm a classic man calling on me like a young og ♪ ♪ i'm a classic man you need give me oh, flashing man i'm a classic man ♪ ♪ keep the blood dirty but my hand clean keep the business in the family ♪ ♪ i go and below ladies on my elbow ♪ ♪ gotta be ready ♪ i know we will get them because i lived through this all before ♪ ♪ i'm a classic man you can be when you look this clean i'm a classic man ♪ ♪ calling on me like the og i'm a classic man ♪ ♪ oh, flashing man i'm a classic man ♪ >> yes. thanks so much. back in a moment. ♪ o ur erica hill with a previewf what's coming up on this weekend. >> thank you, al. we have dylan's adventures in sweden. she took her game to a mountain where you can get a hole in one at midnight. play almost 24 hours a day. she teed off at 10:30 p.m. and it was bright daylight. she will show us that. the other thing that they did -- they did a couple things. she went in this climate chamber. you can go in -- it's at the airport in stockholm. you test the climate of where you may be headed and get a real sense of what it feels like. she said it -- it was cold. we know she knows cold. it felt hot. it's really cool. >> i would love that. i would be right all the time. >> you would be. we need to get you a climate chamber. >> thank you. >> christmas. >> we will watch this weekend. you are never going to believe who is co-hosting with hoda. don't go anywhere. >> this weekend make al's mcribs. have a great weekend. i'm ... ==am== newetails a massi wdfire. topvo== 9:56. hello everyone. i'm scott mcgrew. new details on one of our massive wildfires. firefighters gaining a handle on the jerusalem fire that's burning in lake and napa counties. as of this morning it's a little bit more than half contained. 24,000 acres have burned, no homes destroyed. firefighters bracing for triple digit temperatures this weekend. in fact, let's get a check of your weather. >> good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. today's forecast will be a touch warmer than yesterday. in the east bay a high of 81 degrees. tri-valley a high of 91 degrees in spots. in the peninsula 84 degrees. south bay 89. san francisco get ready for a high of 74 degrees today in the north bay topping out at 90 degrees. let's see how the traffic is moving this morning with anthony. hey, well, things are pretty good across the south bay. we had earlier accident on 101. we're still seeing slowing there. things pick up once you pass sunnyvale into palo alto. we had an issue near fremont, still seeing slowing but not all that bad. hop towards the bay bridge. this is where we have a couple accidents. take you outside and show you emeryville, just about 15 minutes ago you can see those cars there there was an accident in the fast lane. and so because they're off to the shoulder now things are starting to move. but it's still congested headed towards the bay bridge toll plaza. things not that bad. wipe open lanes on this friday. folks get an early start this morning. back to you. >> anthony, thanks. another local news update coming in a half an hour. we'll see you then. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> oh, yeah, it is tryday friday august 14, 2014. this doesn't happen everyday. >> no, it doesn't. >> we have an a-list star sitting next to me. her shades prove it. meredith vieira is in for kathie lee. kathie lee is coming back to work on monday. >> i'm glad to hear that. >> hi. >> hi. >> first of all, that's robin thicke, nicki minaj and a song called "back together." >> why are we playing that? >> i don't know. >> is he on toy?

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