♪ and take a look at this. the real-life joy ride straight out of "ferris bueller." the valet parker taking this for a sneaky spin. how it was caught on camera, and what you can do to keep your car safe when you turn over the keys. ♪ and we do say good morning, america. that was straight out of a scene from "ferris bueller," seeing it like that. you know, it's a holiday season, and many people, many families are heading to the movies. >> they are going to have to think twice because of the fallout from this massive cyberattack. new threat today, threatening to attack theaters playing "the interview." sony saying they don't have to show the movie, some are backing out. abc's cecilia vega is with the latest. good morning. >> good morning you to. one of the largest theater chains is pulling the plug on "the interview." this is hitting sony in the wallet. what was a corporation under siege is now hackers threatening an entire nation. overnight, sony telling theater owners they do not have to run "the interview" when the controversial comedy about north korea is released on christmas day, and so far, at least one theater chain already reportedly canceling all showings. this, following the most dangerous warning yet from the group that claimed to be responsible for the hack cawing themselves guardians of peace. issuing a threat invoking 9/11. implying there will be attacks at theaters showing the movie. saying in a taunting online message, we recommend you to keep yourself distant. if your house is nearby, you better leave. and promising soon, all the world will see what an awful movie sony has made. the world will be full of fear. so far sony not commenting on the latest threat. but the film's stars, seth rogan and james franco, called off their promotional tour after telling george stephanopoulos -- >> we set out to make a movie that was really entertaining to audiences. and i generally think we did that. and that's -- that's where my job ends. >> the company has to work with law enforcement to decide how seriously to take this threat. >> reporter: the fbi investigating and the department of homeland security saying at this time there is no credible intelligence to indicate an active plot against movie theaters within the united states. now the movie giant is facing even more fallout, lawsuits. one from two former employees claiming sony failed to protect confidential information, calling it an epic nightmare. private information like social security number, salary, e-mail, embarrassing hollywood, and the hackers promising there is more to come. >> it's absolutely impossible at this point to calculate the amount of damage that's been done. i mean, sony has now been opened up to potentially years of litigation. >> reporter: by more to come, the hackers reportedly have released the entire e-mail account of sony entertainment ceo. george, this has just been one taunt after the next. >> sure has. and bring in pierre thomas. this may be one of the biggest cyberattacks ever. are officials getting any closer to figuring out who is behind this? >> good morning, george. this is a top priority at the highest levels. and my sources say they're closing in on who did it. everything is being looked at, including the chance that someone inside sony could be involved. but i can also tell you that the north korean government is a prime suspect. the attack was so sophisticated and brazen, they didn't just post embarrassing e-mails from high-level company official, they deleted files. they stole sensitive information about company plans and projects. they really damaged sony. a number of my sources are wondering if we are in a new era of economic blackmail, george. >> yes. we've never seen anything like this before. how capable is north korea or the people behind this of carrying out the threats they're saying? >> they are still assessing the credibility and they found no evidence to support the movie theater threat. my sources say this could be a bluff, but because it might be north korea, might be, there are truly a lot of unknowns, george. >> sure are. thanks very much. now to the latest on the school tragedy in pakistan. the death toll from the taliban's horrifying attack topping 140. almost all of them young students. and abc's mohammed leila is there for us this morning. good morning, mohammed. >> reporter: good morning, i'm outside the entrance of the school where the massacre took place. the scope is almost unimaginable. this morning we got a firsthand look right inside where so many innocent children were killed in cold blood. this morning, we're learning new details about the massacre in pakistan that left more than 130 children dead, after several taliban gunman with bombs strapped to their bodies stormed the army's public school. >> this act of terror, angers and shakes all people of conscience. and we done dem it in the strongest terms possible. >> reporter: we got a firsthand look inside the school where it happened. a hundred children were in this room when the taliban stormed in all wearing explosive vests. >> you can see the splinters on the roof and the wall. >> reporter: this is what's left of the principal's office. torn to pieces by one of the suicide bombers. the carnage began in a packed auditorium. bullets flying in one classroom after another. the taliban going room to room, hunting the students down. >> they started shooting and after that they started spreading into other wings of the school where they were contained. >> reporter: some children survived by playing dead. >> i was hiding. >> reporter: terrified parents rushing to the school before troops ended the eight-hour siege. all seven taliban attackers died, but it's unclear how. president obama's called this attack heinous and horrific. and the big concern is that as american troops continue to wind down the war right next door in afghanistan, the taliban could use it as an opportunity and feel even more emboldened to launch more attacks like this in the weeks and months to come. robin, george? >> hard to get your head around that. >> it sure is. such horror. we're going to turn to politics now and the first race for the white house has its first major candidate. jeb bush announcing he will actively explore a presidential run. as our abc news washington post poll shows he's an early front-runner in what could be a crowded republican field. abc's jon karl here with more. jon, a bit of a surprise that bush is first out of the box. >> reporter: this is a genuine surprise. there's a lot of speculation about jeb bush. but most republican operatives assumed he would not run. now he comes out and is the first republican to formally say he's exploring a run for the presidency. now, there was an early indicator, though. if you remember, back in october, his son, george p. bush, told me that he believed that his father was going to run for president, or was likely to run. at that time, a lot of people dismissed it as wishful thinking by his son, but it turns out the son may have had inside information. >> his dad dismissed it at the time. a lot more was going on. jeb bush, small front runner according to our poll. but he's going to have some real challenges with the republican base right now. >> reporter: he will face real obstacles. he was a genuinely conservative governor of florida but a lot of conservatives see him as too moderate on a whole range of issues. immigration, taxes, immigration reform and then there's the bush name. listen to what donald trump told me about this latest bush news. >> i think the last thing we need right now is another bush. i'm a republican. i'm a republican. the last thing we need right now is a another bush. >> and, you know, a lot of folks agree with that. george, think about it, george. this would be the third president named bush in 25 years. >> and the possibility of a bush/clinton race already has people saying, it shouldn't happen. we shouldn't have these kind of dynasties. >> early front runner. very early. now to the flu season hitting some states early and hard this year right ahead of the holiday, and there are growing concerns just how effective this season's vaccine really is. abc's dr. richard besser, you're going to be here right now. so, tell us, where is the flu right now and how bad is it? >> it's hard to predict when it's going to start and where. but it's already hitting some states. take a look at this. the cdc says there are six states that are already being hit hard. most of them are in the southeast and the midwest. illinois saying they're already getting hit very hard. one school district there, 600 children, 10% of the kids out with the flu on monday. when it comes early, it's a problem. because the holidays here and people bring flu with them. >> yes, they do. you told us before, this batch of vaccine, not very effective. and now we find out it's even worst than first thought? well, they have to pick what is in that vaccine way back in february. what we talked about before, only half of the strain out there causing the disease which is covered by the vaccine, but the latest data says it's probably closer to only a third of the strains that are covered. so, you know, i think some protection is better than none, but don't count on the vaccine giving you full protection. >> and we have little ones over there right now with us. and parents are concerned about their kids in schools and being all together. >> they are. i see some schools have been closing and doing these major decontamination at night. you don't need to do that. flu virus only survives on surfaces overnight for up to eight hours. overnight, it dies. what you want to make sure is that your school is sending kids home if they're sick, make sure the kids are washing their hands regularly, and encouraging vaccination. they are going to help, but won't eliminate it, you can actually spread flu the day before you're sick. >> i see a lot of people doing the elbow bump. >> i think it's a great idea. yeah. >> you can't wash your hands enough. i know you're going to be on twitter? >> i am. i'll answer questions all morning. >> all right. thank you, rich. and now to another major sport dealing with domestic violence. nascar superstar kurt busch in court this morning accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend. she took the stand tuesday, pleading for the court to step in and protect her from busch. mara schiavocampo is here with the story. good morning, mara. >> reporter: good morning. busch was in the courtroom during that testimony. his ex-girlfriend saying he was struggling with alcoholism and depression when he violently attacked her with her young son nearby. >> and the outlaw wins the battle at martinsville. >> reporter: and with a 12th place ranking -- >> i didn't know if we were going to be able to do it. >> reporter: -- and worth a purr reported $25 million -- >> we were racing those guys to try to win. >> reporter: but this morning kurt busch's life in the fast lane is taking a scary turn. he's in court facing accusations of assaulting former girlfriend patricia driscoll. >> in court, the atmosphere was heated. it was emotional. >> reporter: a newspaper reporter inside the delaware family court where driscoll sought a protection order against busch, testifying for six sometimes tearful hours. >> at several points, she got really emotional while describing the alleged assault. saying holding her hands up and kind of mimicking how he had allegedly how mr. busch allegedly wrapped his hands around her and kind of smashed her head into the wall. >> reporter: driscoll claims the incident happened when she and her 9-year-old son went to visit busch during a race at the dover international speedway last september. his attorneys denying the allegations which are also subject of an ongoing criminal investigation. busch, who's sponsors include chevy and monster energy, has continued racing since the allegations surfaced in november. causing many to wonder why nascar doesn't have a strict domestic abuse policy like the one adopted by the nfl, in the wake of its recent scandals, involving stars like adrian peterson and ray rice. >> the get-tough policy is something that should be emulated by every other sports entity. my sense is that is where we are going. >> reporter: nascar declining comment overnight. as for busch, his rep telling abc news, we are trying this case in the court of law and not in the media. in addition to the protection order, discoal also wants busch to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. testimony is scheduled to resume today. it's unclear when the judge will rule. george? >> thanks. now the other top stories. good morning, everyone. we begin with breaking news that alan gross, held in a cuban prison for five years has been freed. jim avila has the story. >> reporter: this is a historic day between the strained relationship between the united states and cuba. alan gross who was arrested and convicted of espionage inside cuba has been released. he's a free man and en route right now via a private plane to washington, d.c. to andrews air force base, we're told. this is not only a prisoner p swap today, the united states giving up three cuban prisoners arrested for spying. this is a much bigger day. the president holding a news conference to announce what this means for the united states/cuba relationship. >> that news conference noon eastern. abc news will bring you live coverage. in the meantime, investors fear the fed could raise rates earlier than expected because of economic growth and plummeting oil prices. russia's oil-dependent economy is in crisis, it's currently in free fall. in fact, it's so bad, one money exchange booth in moscow, you see right there, stopped displaying rates all together. bill cosby will not be charged with the sexual assault accusation dating back to the '70s. the case involved a woman who claimed cosby molested her at the "playboy" mansion when she was just 15. prosecutors determined the statue of limitations has run out. new pictures from inside an american airlines plane that hit severe turbulence on its way from dallas to south korea. food, drinks and electronic gadgets went flying. one flight attendant was thrown into the ceiling. four passengers and one crew member had to be taken to the hospital when the crew made an emergency landing but the injuries were not serious. scientists call it a major discovery. a potential sign of life on mars. nasa says its mars row very found evidence of methane gas in the martian atmosphere that could be from living microbes. 246789 and finally, men, when you're trying to impress a woman, don't do this. watch this guy at the gym. oh, he gets distracted by a women. see, when he falls off, he pretend the like he present to do that. >> totally did. >> hi, i'm just here doing pushups. i'm sorry, are you looking back at me? >> come on, george. the woman, amazing. like, whatever, dude. >> that is the best i have ever, ever seen. >> whoever you are, you are our idol. >> you know what is happening -- >> and you should get a date. >> -- his wife was behind him. >> poor thing. >> oh, that was great. >> make it -- >> that's got to make it in the countdown. >> a late entry. >> all right, lara, top that. >> i meant to do that. that's amazing, amy. we turn now, though, to a real-life castaway story. rescued after being stranded on a deserted island in the bahamas. this started as a camping trip in florida and clearly went very wrong. abc's matt gutman has our story. >> reporter: this is the moment larry sutterfield saw salvation. the castaway desperately waving his arm, stumbling from his makeshift beach camp. pilots flying a routine mission near the florida keys monday, by chance noticed something on an uninhabited bohemian island. >> came out waving his arms. >> reporter: they drops food, water and a radio to this real life robinson caruso. here you see 39-year-old sutter field hauling that barrel to shore and using the radio to tell the pilots he's been stranded for six days, after setting out from the florida keys. five days adrift at sea on this dingy, before miraculously coming aupon this tiny spec of an island, cay sal bank between t bahamas and cuba. >> how far did he drift? >> would i say 70 to 80 miles? >> reporter: what was he wearing? >> he was naked. >> reporter: he was like in castaway. but he was better prepared. >> he was supposed to be camping off an island in marathon, florida. believe it or not, he was actually in relatively good condition. >> reporter: this morning he's recovering in the florida keys with a bad sunburn, but one heck of a story to tell. for "good morning america," matt gutman, abc news, miami. >> well, i can't think of anything worse than that, except maybe this. >> oh! >> we just have to -- i was wondering how we were going to bring that back in so quickly. good for you there. all righty, then. ginger? >> sure. we can play that six more times. i would be fine with it. let's start with the west, though. we have had heavy rains. this is torrance, california, more than 2 inches. you can see the car, mudslides, flooding and mandatory evacuations lifted in camarillo springs and other burn areas. and look at that. north and west of santa barbara, on tuesday, a funnel, seen from vandenberg air force base. it's very unsettled in the west and going to be for the next 12 hours or so. look at this. locally, you could see over a foot of snow in big bear. the snow levels, dropped to 5,000 feet. albuquerque, just west of there, and parts of flagstaff, looking for that winter storm. very cold this morning. kansas city, 17, 3 for minneapolis for windchills. your local forecast in 30 seconds. ls. your local forecast in 30 seconds. hello, i am meteorologist mike nicco with the by area forecast. today, we have random light showers through the morning. then we will have rain to showers developing in the evening and overnight. half what we got yesterday. in terms of rain and wind. the last storm effect is friday, dry, bright, warmer this weekend. today is in the mid-50's to increasely 60 and tonight is cooler with a lot of to low 50's. the spend seven winter starts on sunday still to come on "gma," the texas mother in prison for seven years for poisoning her foster child. well, that mother is freed, after her conviction is overturned. the dramatic union with her family. and look at the joyride caught on camera. a corvette taken for a high speed ride by a valet. what you can do to keep your car safe when you turn over the keyes. and "gma" investigates pick-pockets. how you can protect your personal items during this busy holiday season. ring ring! ...progresso! you soup people have my kids loving vegetables. well vegetables... shh! taste better in our savory broth. vegetables!? no...soup! oh! soup! loaded with vegetables. packed with taste. yes! let the holiday season begin! i'm on the roof, you're in the attic. hon, i can't even tie my shoes at this point. okay, i'll tie your shoes, i'll go to the attic, and i'm on the roof. finding some gems up here. who's this little girl? stay focused please. bingo! merrrryyy christmasssss! just bring him downstairs. ♪ ...for a sleigh ride together with you ♪ (ringing) how's it going up there? do you have enough lights? uh, yeah, i don't know if we have enough roof. you think a little more snow would make it look real? okay, so full blizzard? well, that might be too close to the tree, huh? what is that? it's mistletoe. deal with it. that's cheating. ohhhh, it's beautiful! you know what this gets me in the mood for? oh, absolutely. (mrs. griswold) clark! we'll start looking for an suv... "fire' by firenze" "sir?" start your search online with over 35,000 carmax quality certified used cars. carmax. start here. i've had moderate to severe plaque psoriasis most my life. but that hasn't stopped me from modeling. my doctor told me about stelara®. it helps keep my skin clearer. with only 4 doses a year after 2 starter doses... ... stelara® helps me be in season. stelara® may lower your ability to fight infections and increase your risk of infections. some serious infections require hospitalization. before starting stelara®... ...your doctor should test for tuberculosis. stelara® may increase your risk of cancer. always tell your doctor if you have any sign of infection, have had cancer, or if you develop any new skin growths. do not take stelara® if you are allergic to stelara® or any of its ingredients. alert your doctor of new or worsening problems including headaches, seizures, confusion and vision problems- these may be signs of a rare, potentially fatal brain condition. serious allergic reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you or anyone in your house needs or has recently received a vaccine. in a medical study, most stelara® patients saw at least 75% clearer skin... ...and the majority were rated as cleared or minimal at 12 weeks. stelara® helps keep my skin clearer. ask your doctor about stelara®. good morning, i'm eric thomas. some menlo park residents this morning are being advised to check for sediment before drinking their tap water. it's because of a water main break in the university heights area. water officials say the ground became saturated and the weight of the soil put too much pressure on the pipes. right now crews are flushing the system and taking water samples. let's get a check on the morning commute. sue hall is here. >> good morning, eric. good morning, everyone. yes, we do have some backups remaining out there. this is the bay bridge toll plaza and it is easing up just a little bit. we had it backed up onto 85, 80 and 880 but it's improving somewhat. still a nasty commute out of the san leandro area, westbound 580 at bennett, that accident just cleared. >> when we come back meteorolog where you live will get wet at some point today and tonight more so. the south bay clearing out a little bit but look at this next line moving all the way through martinez and down towards pescadero and we do have light scattered showers moving through the north way. our next storm comes in late this afternoon through the evening. it's not as strong as last night. we'll get about a half inch to ♪ ♪ applause, applause look at michael strahan. talk about renaissance man. >> that's true. >> football player, talk show host, sports analyst, and now a rockette. look at those legs. just incredible. he went behind the scenes at radio city. and look what he learned. ♪ >> oh, my. now he's just showing off. >> whatever he does, he has a good time and he's good at it. also this morning, wild ride caught on camera. the valet that took a corvette for a high-speed spin. what you can do to make sure it doesn't happen to your car. and an important story for parents to be. unnecessary ultrasounds. why those keepsakes might be putting your child at risk. and the surprising way thieves can make off with your wallet. "gma" investigators how you can protect yourself. first, a legal victory for the mom convicted of killing her foster child. hannah overton has been reunited with her family ahead of a new trial. juju chang has been following this from the start. she joins us now. good morning, juju. >> reporter: her defense team argues that she was wrongly convicted because the child had a condition that caused him to eat peculiar things. but the testimony that might have proved it was never heard by the injury and after all these years, abc news there exclusively as she emerged from behind bars. this is the moment hannah overton and her family fought for and dreamed of for seven years. tuesday night a texas judge releasing her on bail after her conviction and life sentence was overturned in the bizarre salt poisoning death of the little boy she was trying to adopt. she was there with the emotional reunion with the five children she hasn't been able to touch. the saga starting in 2006, the 37-year-old mother accused of force-feeding her foster son, andrew bird, enough salt to kill him. she first sat down with "20/20" in 2008. >> it's something's worst nightmare. after your child dies, thing it's your fault. >> reporter: convicted of capital murder, her husband stand i by her through it all. what was your truth in all of this? >> my wife did nothing wrong. andrew had something going on, something happened that we don't know. >> reporter: they never heard from this salt poisoning expert who long-believed that the 4-year-old ingested the salt on his own due to behavioral problems. but after he testified during hannah's appeal, her conviction was reversed. >> even with today's medical technology and under the best care, even when it happens in the hospital, you die. >> reporter: prosecutors stand by their case and plan to try hannah again. her current defense team, led by cynthia orr says they will continue to fight to clear her name. >> we are so thrilled she stands her innocent and we're very confident the state doesn't have a case. >> just before her release, hannah told abc news she had one thing on her mind, catching up on the years lost with her children. what do you want to do with them? >> anything they want to do. i mean, just day-to-day things. just being a mom. cooking dinner and watching tv. whatever. all those things that i have missed out on. >> reporter: i spent time with hannah's five kids in texas just after her conviction was overturned. what i asked how they were preparing, they had so much to say. but the first thing was clean their rooms. they didn't do any holiday decorating, they wanted to save that for when mom came home. >> one was a newborn, now 7 years. >> she was nursing him when she went to prison. he's now 7. >> and you will have a special on this on "20/20" after christmas. >> got it set. thank you. and now a story that may have you thinking twice about using valet parking. one driver taking a california man's corvette on a joyride. and thanks to surveillance cameras in the car, all caught on tape. abc's nick watt has that story. >> reporter: dan cole has just handed the keys of his new corvette to a valet in costa mesa, california, who has no idea the stingray is equipped with a so-called valet mode camera. >> this is the first time i've -- we've tried the valet mode. just got the car. >> reporter: dan reviewed the car's footage at the end of the night. hang on, he stopped. and he's off. oh, my. check the speed top left. 50 miles per hour. and there's the valet checking for damage. the valet was, apparently, fired. is valet high jinx commonplace? remember that delicious scene in "ferris bueller's day off." >> you have nothing to worry about. i'm a professional. >> reporter: the evidence is all over youtube. hence the new valet mode. >> we have her horror stories about valets behaving badly. >> reporter: the car locks the glove box and disables the entertainment. i valeted a $70,000 tesla fitted with our own rudimentary valet mode, hidden cameras. if i was a valet parker, i could not resist doing this. now, if you don't have a new corvette with valet mode, can you keep your car safe? >> start out by putting a tip on the dash. >> reporter: before -- >> yes, when you arrive. >> reporter: preemptive tip. >> it helps to influence the level of care your car is going to receive. >> reporter: what will dan coles do after seeing this? seeing his new baby put through new paces. >> turn on the valet cam and let them know this is recording. be on your best behavior. >> reporter: for "good morning america," nick watt, abc news, los angeles. >> you shouldn't have to say it. >> no. >> you shouldn't have to. >> never thought about tipping before. tipping after -- >> preemptive. >> please take care of my car. isn't that bribery? >> that's it. oh, ginger, we have been marveling at this picture behind you. >> you have so spend time looking at this. western nebraska, this is hoarfrost. it's interlocking ice crystals that hang on trees and power lines. it can be slightly -- but mostly very pretty. thank you to judy for sending that in. that comes, cold, moving to the east. you can see the winter weather advisories here. kansas city, start overnight. so this is a late event. and it's going to effect your commute tomorrow morning. inches of snow from wichita to springfield. and you can see it developing in the overnight hours. kansas city, only 35 for the high today, dallas, 47. amarillo, 49. that's a look at that kind of plains area. one thing we. been is cold along the east coast. it's rain and raining this morning over boston there. mild temperatures. high temperatures, 51, d.c., these are highs for today. 80 for miami. doesn't last long. the cold is coming. good morning, keep the umbrella many. we have scattered showers today. a little bit of sunshine. mid-to-upper 50's. heavy showers in the 67 overnight and half the strength and half the amount of rain last night. our last storm >> all that weather brought to you by microsoft surface. and there are the cold numbers. so, 51 today. but look at new york city by frid friday. 40. now closer to average. this has been spoiling us. and, yes, hoarfrost is h-o-a-r. >> thank you for the clarification. >> correct. no? you were all laughing. >> no, it's good. we are all learning. >> i needed the clarification too. >> thank you, ginger. coming up, the simple high-tech tool that can save your life. the new service revolutionizing how we call for help. and an inside look at pickpocketing. how you can prevent it from happening to you this busy holiday season. >> say that five times fast. mac: you can you write with a pen? surface: you can say that again. surface: i really like my surface pro 3. mac: hey what's that, is it a kickstand? surface: touchscreen too, it's pretty slick, man. mac: it comes apart i see. surface: it's got a usb. mac: i think i like your surface pro 3. surface: no seriously where can i get one. we're not just selling the at famohottestwear, shoes of the holiday season. we're selling straight up "i'm going to kiss sara marcus under the mistletoe" confidence. this year give them converse from famous footwear. victory is yours. only abreva can heal it in as few as two and a half days when used at the first sign. it penetrates deep and starts to work immediately to block the virus and protect healthy cells.. don't tough it out, knock it out, fast. abreva. his love by offering thehows female... ...a pebble. ♪ some male penguins, however... are a little smarter than others. this christmas. everyone loves a gift from kay jewelers. right now, save 25% on any bulova watch. just one more reason why kay is the number one jewelry store in america... and, apparently antarctica. ♪ every kiss begins with kay. >> it is 7:42 and we are back with "gma" investigates. and this morning protecting yourself from pickpockets. we're reaching for our wallets a lot this time of year. how can you keep yours from being stole someone abc's cecilia vega with what you need to know. >> reporter: well, you're busy running last minute holiday errands, make sure someone isn't running away with your wallet. watch as this unsuspecting shopper turns away from her cart. the man on the right, sees her wallet and hides is under a tote bag. he hands it off to his partner. watch again as these thieves play a game of double distraction. one talks to this store employee to get him to turn away as the other approach this is woman who's not looking at her cart. san diego police released these videos hoping they'd lead to arrests. >> you have got to do it just when she's reaching. >> reporter: professional pickpocket bob knows the game. she's getting her fruit, he's getting her purse. bob's not a thief, he gives expert advice to law enforcement on how to catch crooks. he showed "gma" investigators just how easy we can make it for pickpockets. take a look at he and his wife, bambi, distract these people. the woman on the right leaves her purse hanging on her chair. bob swoops in and steals her wallet. >> did you have any idea what he was doing? >> no. >> reporter: as he explains how he did it, watch as he takes the other woman's purse. now check out these cell phones. after a quick conversation and a carefully placed menu, the one on the left is going, going, gone! >> oh. >> oh, my phone. >> reporter: think men's wallets are harder to swipe? think again. while i talk with this man, bob slides his wallet right out of his front pocket and hands it over. so how much of this is about your quick fingers and how much of this is about them just not paying attention? >> i think it's more about them not paying attention. >> reporter: tip number one, don't be distracted by nice conversation from someone who appears well-dressed. how do you not become a victim? show me your purse. >> this one is very safe. it's always here, never behind me like this. never. >> reporter: that's tip number two. always keep your belongings in your line of sight. >> i think having as few credit cards as possible is important. >> reporter: tip three, keep your wallet and phone in the bottom of your purse, not the top. if it's easy for you to access, it's also easy for thieves. these folks found out. you're clutching your purse. >> now i don't trust you. >> reporter: cecilia vega, abc, phoenix. >> great tips. you have to be so diligent. right. coming up, a new warning for expectant parents about ultrasounds. don't miss it. plus the epic viral video countdown. and number three is sure to lift your spirits. >> oh, no. mom? dad? big uncle wayne?nut. hot chocolate. green tea. uh, decaf, cuz. wow. i'm dying for an herbal tea. the all new keurig 2.0. it's the purple pill, the #1 prescribed acid blocking brand, available without a prescription for frequent heartburn. get complete protection. nexium level protection™ at kohl's find great gifts under $20. this tuesday through thursday plus, everyone gets kohl's cash. find your yes. kohl's ♪ ♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] get your taste of the season, at raley's, bel air, and nob hill. back with our epic viral video countdown. the top five videos of the year. and we have a write in vote. i know it's late in the year -- >> yes. >> but can we, amy? can we? >> i absolutely agree. >> we have to make it -- but we are at number three. the nun with the voice of an angel who became a global sensation. covering songs from artists such as alicia keys and madonna. t.j. holmes has the story. >> reporter: she's the soul singer with the heavenly voice. sister cristina scuccia's angelic first performance on italy's version of "the voice." one of italy's most-watched youtube video of the year. sicily native winning the spring season. and ever since, no one can slow her down. ♪ no one no one >> reporter: the now 26-year-old nun releasing her self-titled debut album next month. including spins on songs by alicia keys, pink and an unlikely classic. ♪ like a virgin touched for the very first time ♪ transforming madonna's provocative lyrics into a heavenly hymn. and sisters for life. and even meeting pope francis. she slipped him a copy of the cd. she continues to live and teach at her convent in milan. the sales from the cd going to her order's charitable work. ♪ living on a prayer >> reporter: if heaven looks anything like this, she might be on to something. ♪ living on a prayer for "good morning america," t.j. holmes, abc news, new york. >> good to know where the money is going. >> exactly. >> for a great cause like that. >> living on a prayer. >> uh-huh. like a virgin. coming up, michael with the rockettes behind the sces. showing off spectacular moves. come on back. off spectacular moves. come on back. with all the presents you have to wrap, how do get organized ? use a hangar for the ribbons. tack up the ribbons, and you're ready to wrap. go to goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo for more. give the gift of portable power this season with instaboost, now only $79 at lowe's. and there are some people you shouldn't. people you should. shouldn't. janice! should. shouldn't. yes. no. should. no way. should. no. definitely not. ha ha, nay. you shouldn't give underwear to everybody. but for those you do, give them fruit of the loom. the mercedes-benz winter event is back, with the perfect vehicle that's just right for you, no matter which list you're on. [ho, ho, ho, ho] lease the 2015 ml 350 for $579 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. ghirardelli squares peppermint bark.zvous ♪ rich chocolate layers and festive peppermint. a ghirardelli original. ♪ a little reward for all the things you do ♪ get them before they disappear. good morning, i'm eric thomas. how long is this break in the weather going to last? meteorologist mike nuke oicco i here. >> just some scattered showers this morning. they're all the way down to the summit and a few across the north bay but these aren't causing any damage. that will be a possibility when this next storm comes in tonight. it won't be quite as strong as last night's storm. we have one more chance of rain friday in your accuweather seven-day forecast. still a backup at the bay bridge toll plaza. metering lights on at 5:41 and now there's a stall lane three just past the metering lights so expect delays there. better news for the sunol grade. we had an earlier accident that has now been cleared. it is out of lanes. still a little slow out of dublin, but improving. eric. >> sue, thank you very much. the news continues now with "good morning america." we'll have another news update for you coming up in about a half hour. start a revolution a revolution in coffee quality with the finest nespresso coffee blends. a revolution in technology with unique centrifusion. a revolution in taste with a naturally formed crema on both coffee and espresso. nespresso vertuoline. experience the revolution of coffee. good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. and shocking new warning about the dangers of fetal sonograms. why those cute keepsakes could be hurting your little one. what expecting parents need to know right now. smart 911. when every moment counts, you won't believe how this simple high-tech tool could save your life. the new service revolutionizing the way you get help. and britney's hot bod. how she gets to work. the star revealing her fitness and diet secrets right now. and oprah opens up to robin about the key to her own success. and the huge buzz around her golden globe-nominated film "selma." plus michael strahan kicks it up a notch with the world-famous rockettes. >> i want to be a rockette. >> as we say -- >> good morning, america. and that nice crowd out there in times square. inside we have the newest rockette. michael strahan. there he is right there. >> that's unbelievable. >> that's got to be seven foot kick. >> well, the girls -- the rockettes, they really worked with me. >> actually must say, i surprised myself. >> surprised all of us. >> can't wait. >> how much stretching did you do ahead of time? >> we didn't stretch that much. they showed me the stretches. but we didn't stretch that much. i wish i had the day after. we really didn't stretch that much. but they're really good. but they work hard at this. >> they're athletes. >> they are. >> 300 kicks a show. three shows a day or more. >> you're hanging in there. >> look at him go. >> we'll have much more of that ahead. and it's glamour time here. our final 60 minutes to party-ready holiday makeover. that's ellen stepping into the time machine a little while ago. >> good luck. . i always wonder, why is the smoke and all that? you know -- >> it's disturbing. i know. i asked that too. the orange -- >> doesn't work without the smoke. >> no. the clock is ticking on our glam squad. they are going to get this done and share their secrets in the meantime with all of you on how you can get party-ready. >> she's an emt. we thank her for the work that she does. >> and a fire fighter. >> right. glad to be able to give her a little attention like this. >> the results in less than half an hour. now the news from amy. george, we begin with breaking new, historic shift with cuba. alan gross was released who had been detained for five years on espionage charges. now there are reports that u.s. and cuban officials can start talked aimed at restoring diplomatic talks. cuban leader raul castro is expettinged to speak this afternoon and president obama will speak from the white house at noon eastern. abc news will carry his remarks live. and authorities arrested people for a nationwide me meningitis outbreak. it's because of steroids from a massachusetts company. the owners and employees of the compounding center was accused of producing them in unsean tear conditions. overseas video coming from a gunfight in afghanistan. the bank is where afghan soldiers are paid. at least ten people have been killed. ing coming one day after children were killed in a pakistani school. and one of the largest theater chains in the u.s. is pulling sony's new interview after threats made by hackers. the homeland security department said there's no credible intelligence to indicate an active plot but but it caused them to cancel the tour. there's word sony's ceo contacted them about safety concerns stemming from that movie but the movie was given a green light despite all of those concerns. and finally, how embarrassing is this? being scolded by mom on national tv. two political pundits known as the woodhouse brothers were debating on c-span. brad is a liberal, his brother, dallas, is a conservative. the discussion got heated and that is when they took a call from a viewer. >> you're right i'm from down south. >> oh, god, it's mom. >> and i'm your mother. and i'm hoping you'll have some of this out your system when you come here for christmas. >> we were not together this thanksgiving. we are most years. i would really like a peaceful christmas. i love you both. >> but she loves them enough to tell them what they shouldn't be doing, which is fighting on national television. she said i'm glad you spent thanksgiving with your in-laws. because i had a peaceful thanksgiving. we're hoping she can negotiate for congress, if she can bring those two together. >> helps sells the book. thanks, amy. we have a health alert now about the keepsake sonograms. the fda warping that those first pictures could actually be dangerous to your unborn child. our medical contributor jen ashton is here to explain. we love the pictures. >> the technology, you guys, is absolutely amazing. 3-d, 4-d, people say it helps bond with the baby. but remember, this is a medical test. when medically indicated, it's fine. but should be done in the hands of trained medical professionals. >> so, what are the health concerns here? >> if you think about ultrasound technology, the way it works is sound waves. no radiation. but as the sound waves encounter different structures, bones look white, amniotic fluid looks black. they're worried about thermal effect. heating the tissue. and if it's done too much, too often for unindicated reasons, we don't know the long-term effects of that are. >> when is it okay to use a sonogram when you're pregnant? >> we use this every day in ob/gyn. it's important for pregnant women to understand it's used to date the pregnancy, to confirm the due date. to look at fetal anatomy, fetal growth, to check the amniotic fluid. we even use it in labor and delivery to confirm the position of the baby, totally fine. it's not a sight-seeing tour, shouldn't be done at parties. you'll have more than enough pictures for the photo album at the end. >> thanks very much. >> thank you. >> you can ask her questions, tweet her, dr. j. ashton. lara's in the social square. i am, george. here's what is coming up on our gi gma mark menu." what do willy wonka, ferris bueller and private rain have in common? we'll tell you what? >> and the new technology that you call for help and save lives. and britney spears, she looks unbelievable. and the an, the only, the lovely ivanka trump talking about women, working and all things fabulous. and the one and only ivanka trump. stay with us coming up on "good morning america." good morning. how much are co2 emissions reduced? up to 30%? 45%? 60%? the answer is... up to 60% less. and that's a big reason why the u.s. is a world leader in reducing co2 emissions. take the energy quiz -- round 2. energy lives here. ow... my scalp hurts. my hair hurts. this is what it can be like to have shingles. a painful, blistering, rash. look at me. she's embarrassed by the way she looks. if you had chickenpox, the shingles virus is already inside you. 1 in 3 people will get shingles in their lifetime. as you get older, your immune system weakens and it loses its ability to keep the shingles virus in check. well i had to go to the eye doctor last week and i have to go back today. the doctor's worried its so close to her eye. the shingles rash can last up to 30 days. it hurts. it's hard. don't wait until you or someone you love develops shingles. talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your risk. thanks for inspiring me to be as good as you think i am. this holiday season, give thanks to the pets who inspire you. at petsmart, save up to 20% on select greenies® packages! petsmart®. there's our glam squad working on their final makeover for our 60 minutes to party ready series. getting ready to reveal more secrets you can use for your holiday parties. come on, go girl. 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[ tapping ] sounds good. campbell's healthy request. m'm! m'm! good.® campbell's healthy request. for all those last-minutet to walmgifting occasions.eat stuff thanks melissa! it's so great! you're welcome. great gift! love this! happy holidays! you didn't add my name to the gifts? sorry do you own shopping! walmart's got you covered on all your last minute gifts. i have the worst cold with this runni better take something. dayquill cold and flu doesn't treat your runny nose. seriously? alka-seltzer plus cold and cough fights your worst cold symptoms plus your runny nose. oh, what a relief it is. at famous footwear we're not just selling the hottest shoes of the holiday season. we're selling "here comes your future daughter-in-law" confidence this year give exclusive carlos santana boots. only from famous footwear. victory is yours. 8:13, here's what's popping 8:13, here's what's popping this morning on "good morning america." a brand new list of movies set to go down in history. after reviewing hundreds of nominees, the national film registry of the library of congress announced the annual selections. this is sort of like a hall of fame. the winners, "ferris bueller's day off," "private ryan," "the big lebowski." that's the coen brothers. and i can't believe this one hasn't been chosen before now. "willy wonka and the chocolate factory." >> classic. >> and many others. a bunch more. dy not have time. those were the notable ones for me. to make the cut, you need to be at least ten years old if you're a film and be culturally, historically, aesthetically significant, again, if you're a film. being selected helps to preserve the film. and the members was public nominate them. and they are now accepting suggestions for the 2015 list. so, i ask you, if you are nominating -- >> from ten years ago? >> have to be ten years old. >> "overboard." >> that's so good. >> love that movie. >> every time. >> i don't know if -- >> it's culturally significant for me. >> great movie. a rob lowe movie. set in chicago. one of the greats. it's older, then. >> older than ten years, though. >> it's got to be -- >> anyway, get your submissions in, everybody. fun to think about that. and then also in "pop news" this morning, you know, you guys, i was reading this morning, no surprise to you, but sleep deprivation is a huge problem. 40% of adults are getting less than the recommended 7 to 9 hours. 7 to 9 hours? 7 to 9 hours? what? scientists have run the numbers on the ideal time. they say the ideal time we should be talking about is not when to go to bed, it's when to start work. listen up, abc executives. when to start work, it's not 4:30 a.m. if you're getting ready to leave the house right now, take a breather. the study shows the perfect time to clock in at the office is actually 10:00 a.m. >> good luck with that. >> wow. >> that's so good. the american academy of sleep medicine says a 10:00 a.m. start time could dramatically change the lives of the 40% not getting enough sleep. if your boss is scoffing, please note, this is an eight-year study. and i believe very pertinent and important to discuss. >> file that under the category, who's that going to help? who's going to use 10:00? >> i think good afternoon, america, sounds really good. >> sounds good. >> thank you. and finally, you might remember munchkin. take a look. that little shih tzu. getting the workout on the treadmill wearing a teddy bear suit, of course, why not? this morning, sleigh bells ring, are you listening? there she is. this is your final smile of "pop news" for the day. that's not an ewok, that's munchkin lighting up the internet. and that's "pop news," everybody. >> we love munchkin. thank you, lara. heat index coming up. now to ginger with some weather. you hear those screams? yeah, this is happening out here. my ladies from virginia just met. i love this. you have been waiting 20 years to be on here. so happy you are with us. we do have to have some weather headlines. that's including the west coast. we have been talking about the mudslides and the burn areas. go straight to the graphic, and we have the video of mudslides shutting down parts of highways. a real quick look how the storms are going to play out. we still have it in southern california throughout the morning and early afternoon. and moves to the east, creating winter weather advisories in arizona and new mexico. but washington state and coastal oregon get the heaviest rain. that's through the end of the week and the start of the weekend. quick look. and kansas city, you're about to get some snow overnight into hello, i am meteorologist mike nicco with the by area forecast. today, we have random light showers through the morning. then we will have rain to showers developing in the evening and overnight. half what we got yesterday. in terms of rain and wind. the last storm effect is friday, dry, bright, warmerthis weekend. today is in the mid-50's to increasely 60 and tonight is cooler with a lot of to low 50's. the spend seven winter starts on sunday and it is >> hi, daddy. >> she's saying hi to her dad. hi, tony. all right. he's at fire station 7, apparently. let's get inside. >> so cute. thank you. and today's "gma" heat index, a new high-tech tool that could help you in an emergency. the personal safety game changer is called smart 911. and abc's abbie boudreau has all the details. >> reporter: a mother's frantic search. >> my daughter is missing. >> reporter: a woman stranded in her car with poor cell reception. >> your location, i can't hear you at all. >> reporter: and a man trapped inside his burning home. >> i can hear you coughing. is this dan? >> reporter: all of these are actual 911 recordings. all of them with happy endings thanks in part to smart 911. an enhanced 911 system where you can prepare for an emergency before it happens. >> i like to describe smart 911 as 911 on steroids. >> reporter: lieutenant jason sims from sul very city police department in california said they are the first city in california to use smart 911. >> it dramatically increases the amount of information that we have available to our first responders. >> reporter: here's how it works. you create a safety profile online which can include your name, home address, photos of family members and even your medical history. your profile is then stored in secure national databases. and if you call 911 from an area that uses the smart 911 system, your profile will instantly pop up on the dispatcher's screen. >> they can take the information and pass it on to the first responders and have them on route much faster. >> reporter: and remember this 911 caller? choking on the smoke from inside his burning home? >> dan, your smart 911 that you signed up for has your address and we have help coming for you. >> reporter: and that smart 911 profile, it cut 11 minutes off the response time. >> it saved me. saved my life. every day i'm here is a blessing. >> reporter: for "good morning america," abbie boudreau, abc news, culver city, california. >> 11 minutes. >> life-saving technology. >> it is. >> when every minute counts. and next up in the "gma" heat index. a lot of people are talking about britney spears' latest photo shoot. she looks fantastic. she's now sharing her secrets to staying in shape in the new "women's health" magazine. so many things you can do at home. sara haines has more. >> reporter: there she is, britney spears, the queen of pop. showing off her sculpted abs on the brand new cover of "women's health" magazine. looking just as great as she did when she hit us one more time. ♪ hit me baby one more time standing at just 5'4", the pint-sized superstar and 33-year-old mother of two says she works hard for these killer results. i started noticing changes in my body. my hips are a little bit wider, because i've had kids. so it was crucial for me to be continuous with my exercise. so, what's her secret? spears, so seen in this behind the scenes shoot, says she likes to work up a sweat by attending group fitness classes and yoga. and get this. she doesn't have a personal trainer. saying i don't mind working out. trainers keep you motivated, but i didn't have a problem being motivated. >> her workouts are very attainable for real women. she does a 45 minute workout. 20 minutes of cardio, running, and then moving on to free weights, or squats, pushups. situps. things we can all do. >> reporter: but it's not just about working out. ♪ zpeers says her svelte physique is also because of healthy eating. >> one was things she makes is scrambled egg whites with whole wheat toast. she eats a lot of sue sushi. she eats nut thins as a snack. >> reporter: but there's one indulgence she can't give up. sweet tea. >> you don't need a personal trainer or a diet coach. what you need is a lot of discipline and motivation. >> reporter: simple steps to a simply intoxicating figure. ♪ but you know that you're toxic ♪ for "good morning america," sara haines, abc news, new york. >> nothing toxic about than. wow. >> she looks great. wish her the best. the moment we have been waiting for, michael strahan kicking it with those rockettes. he's here now to take us behind the scenes. michael. >> thank you, robin. this is what i call a news kicker. i spent 15 years in the nfl. but this was a kickoff line like none other. this is the ultimate dancers work out. and let me tell you, these rockettes are serious athletes and they're taking things to new heights every time they hit the stage. so take a look at this. the radio city rockettes make it all look so easy. the kicks, the costume changes. but how hard is it really to be a rockette all day? lucky me, the ladies invited me to find out. "gma," i'm here at radio city music hall. i'm so excited. you know why? because i'm about to become a rockette. hello, ladies, how are you? >> hi. >> reporter: first step to being a rockette, warming up. kick the bum. they are in up to four shows a day. kicking more than 300 times per performance. to prepare, they stretch. >> get the arms pumping. >> reporter: and they stretch. i don't know about this. and they stretch. >> doing awesome. >> reporter: there are perks to all the hard work. the rockettes say there's no need for a special rockette diet. they burn up to a thousand calories each performance. once we're all stretched out -- 15 years of football, i think you're better athletes than we are. >> you're not done yet. >> reporter: it was time for the dancing to begin. >> stop at three, hold four. jump, one, kick your right foot, together, jump. kick your left foot. and then you're going to do a big pose at the end. >> reporter: and with the steps down -- right, center, four times in the center. well, pretty much down, it was time to add some music. i'm so nervous. the music is going to be so fast. my head's going to be spinning. check this out. ♪ ♪ okay. i don't know what just happened. a day with the rockettes. now that's what i call kicking the holidays into high gear. >> all right, guys. what do we think? what do we think? yeah. yeah. >> take that. i will take it. i will say for about three days i could not move. my hamstrings were killing me. [ phone rings ] >> excuse me. i think the phone is ringing. it's the bat phone. >> one, ringy, dingy. ringy, dingy. >> oh, boy. >> who's there? hello, hello. >> hello, this is tony from "dancing with the stars." >> you guys did not do this. >> so, tony, what do you think about michael? why am i talking into this? >> i have to be honest. i expected him to really knock it out of the park. he did exactly that. but i have to say, i was a little worried when he started stretching. but the only thing is, you know to be a rockette, you have to wear the outfit. >> well, tony, we discussed that, and they said i could wear tights. >> what happened, you didn't shave your legs? is that right? >> did i shave my legs? well, "magic mike," who knows what i did. that's all i have to say. it wouldn't be the first time i've had to shave my legs. i'm comfortable with it. >> do you think he has a future with "dancing with the stars"? >> i'm very surprised he hasn't done it yet. that's his calling. football first, you've seen the record of football players on "dancing with the stars." >> that's true. >> they do really well. >> but every football player and said it's the hardest thing they have ever done. and anything harder than football, i want no part of it. >> tony, thank you very much. thank you very much for weighing in. and he's also with dance with me studios. check that out. all right. and check this out. props -- can you get a more modern phone? i didn't know we had a rotary phone anymore. all right. hey, michael, that was great. >> thank you. it was fun. had a great time. thank you to the rockettes too. had a great time. >> check it out. we are just moments away from the big reveal of our final 60 minutes to party-ready makeover. our glam squad putting on the finishing touches and sharing the secrets you can use at home. good morning, i'm eric thomas. american officials say the u.s. and cuba will be starting talks about normalizing relations for the first time since 1961. the announcement comes after an american contractor was released from being held in cuba for five years. alan gross walked off air force one moments ago. president obama will speak about the foreign policy shift at the top of the hour. right now let's find out how the morning commute is going. that's sue hall. there's a bit of a minor b.a.r.t. delay. daly city trains due to a medical emergency. no other delays on mass transit. this is northbound 880 towards 101. there was an earlier accident at the junction there. that has been cleared out of lanes and a sig alert just lifted in the sunol area with a mudslide blocking lanes, nile canyon road. that area is shut down until further notice. eric. >> sue, thank you very much. good morning, our best radar returns just south of the dumbarton bridge, fremont down towards 237. some more lining up from los altos hills through san mateo. a few more light showers from novato all the way up to santa rosa. the next system is going to come in right towards the evening commute. it won't be quite as strong as last night but we'll still have urban flooding and mud and rock . ♪ i got the eye of the tiger great crowd that we have here with us in times square. thanks to everyone for coming out today. it really means a lot. people who spend their holidays and make time to share it with us here. i know. we see you and it's great to have you here with us. >> you know what's great? we have ivanka trump joining us. for the latest installment of our girl power series. we are looking forward to hearing about her new movement, women who work campaign. very important message. >> can't wait. >> very inspiring. and oprah winfrey is opening up to robin about the emotional connection to her new role in "selma." >> and she is emotional. she can't say thank you enough to all -- everyone who came before her, paved the way. >> gratitude. >> and that movie sells that message so well. >> you saw it. >> very powerful. and spending quality time with my wife yesterday. >> i did. >> on aol build. you talked about writing books, your mutual love of design. i heard you had some laughs as well. >> we did. unscripted, george. >> she's never scripted. >> we were at the ready. and it was great fun, and you can watch it on aol. thanks, ali. >> that's right. >> love the jacket you were wearing for that. >> thank you. hey, it's time, speaking of fashion, for the big finale of our seize series, 60 minutes to party ready. the reveal is unbelievable. ellen, an emt, walk into the "gma" time machine, high-tech. we told her we would do it for her. we're going to see those results. we did not let her down. but first, let's hear her story. decked out in a hard hat and combat boots, this is what 29-year-old fire fighter and paramedic ellen wears every day. >> i wear pants that come in a men's size. i wear shirts that are not cut for a woman. >> reporter: she comes to people's rescues almost daily, leaving little time to spend on herself. when she heard about the 60 minutes to party ready makeover series, she jumped at the chance to score a new look for the holidays. >> i would love to be more feminine. i spend so much time feeling unattractive. >> reporter: ellen has been a bridesmaid time and time again, hoping that the new look will help her find a boyfriend in the new year. her goal for 2015? lasting true love. >> i would love to find mr. right. i'm putting myself out there and i'm trying. however, i don't know if it's me, if it's my outfits. >> reporter: and her friends say a makeover is just what the doctor ordered. >> she is always taking care of other people. i don't think she has a lot of time to spend with herself. >> reporter: standing by, the "gma" beauty dream team, stylist greta monahan, stylest to the stars ted gibson and makeup artist carmindy. she can't wait. >> i'm a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl. it might change my life in the way that i see and do things. >> reporter: all right, so the time is here. and this is robin, ellen's mom. ellen, come on out. >> oh, my gosh. >> what do you think, mom? there you see ellen before. before -- look, mom. >> yeah. >> oh, crying. i think you better take a look, ellen. >> stunning. >> oh, my gosh. oh, my goodness. i -- i feel like jessica rabbit. >> let me tell you, jessica, you are looking fantastic. do you like the look? >> oh, yes. i'm so sorry. >> go right here. greta, talk to us about the style of what you did. >> for every woman, everyone can do this. go for a maxi. you want your red carpet moment, you don't have to wait for something to go to. this is holiday party time. rock it in a bold color. she wants to find love. love will find her in this dress. >> red really does make a statement. >> gorgeous, right? red carpet ready. she said veronica lake, right? >> she said jessica rabbit. >> that's the same gorgeous girl. red carpet. one of the things you want to always do is make sure you have your curls ready. how you do that is with hair spray. spray it on each strand of hair because it holds really well. >> i like the sweep. it adds -- i see a sneaky little bobby pins. easy tip to do at home. >> diy. >> carmindy, it's smokey, but not too much. >> right. tip number one, go with the smokey eye and opposites attract. go with the opposite eye color. played up her blue eyes using shades of brown. and false lashes in party season, instead of wrestling with the full one, snip them in half and just use the outer corner. just to give a little lift. anybody can do it. it's easy. >> so, mom, i see you have been in tears. i hear you sniffing behind me when you look at your beautiful daughter and know she's looking for love in the new year. what do you want to say to her? >> i wish her the best. she's an absolutely wonderful woman. i'm so proud of her. this is great. >> this is great. enjoy it. keep us posted. watch out. here she comes. and thank you for the work you do with your day job. when you're not this glamorous. and you can find tips for your do it yourself makeover at goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo. i'm getting out of here, she's too pretty. >> nice. >> outdoing ourselves with those makeovers. so nice. good morning. what's your name? >> charlotte thomas. >> well, charlotte, welcome. i love your hat. having a little holiday fun. >> i'm jingling bells. >> she is jingling bells. how about we go ahead and do the forecast too. social stream, what you have been sending in. this is tim in pennsylvania. and in san diego, a rainbow between the storms. but dealing with the rain this morning. i was looking at the radar. throughout the morning hours. you'll do that. and then move farther north. you know what's going to move in? cold air. today is mild, and then colder and colder. pittsburgh, down close to freezing on thursday. philadelphia, 43. makes me want to close my jacket. good morning, keep the umbrella many. we have scattered showers today. a little bit of sunshine. mid-to-upper 50's. heavy showers in the 67 overnight and half the strength and half the amount of rain last night. our last storm >> all that weather brought to you by massage envy. and i just want to say good morning to panama city. i am crying, we have a little breeze. >> all right, thanks, ginger. don't be sad. coming up, you will love this. robin and oprah winfrey. (vo)rescued.ed. protected. given new hope. during the subaru "share the love" event, subaru owners feel it, too. because when you take home a new subaru, we donate 250 dollars to helping those in need. we'll have given 50 million dollars over seven years. love. it's what makes a subaru, a subaru. good morning, america. and oprah was fighting a little bit of a cold right there. but she was battling through it. oprah and her director ava duvernay. their new movie, "selma," telling the story, beautifully, of dr. martin luther king jr. in a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. the film picking up four golden globe nominations, including best picture and an historic best director nod. >> mr. president, in the south there have been thousands of racially-motivated murders. we need your help. >> dr. king, this thing is going to have to wait. >> it cannot wait. >> you have one big issue. i have 101. >> selma it is. >> "selma," directed by ava duvernay, chronicles the 1969 selma to montgomery marches led by dr. martin luther king jr. to face the brutal violence and discrimination black americans faced when they tried to register to vote. >> we're not asking, we're demanding. give us the vote. >> why did you want to be part of this project? >> i said yes to producing, i love ol ol david. we became friends during the butler. he showed me this tape of himself on his phone. of him doing an audition, sort of, for martin luther king. david, i'm going to tell you the truth, in order to be your friend, i have to tell you the truth. i said it's really good, but it's not there yet. you're not there yet. and i would like to do whatever i can to help you get there. oprah winfrey also stars at annie lee cooper, a little-known hero of the voting rights movement. repeatedly denied and humiliated when she tried to register. >> she sent me a link. service story about her online. she made the selma newspaper when she hit 100 in 2010. and every day watched the oprah show -- >> and ate a tuna fish sandwich. >> and ate a tuna fish sandwich. something about that tuna fish sandwich. i know what that's like. it was white bread, it wasn't whole wheat. and ava said, you know, what do you think it would mean for her for you to play her? >> i'm just here trying to register to vote. >> recite the constitution's preamble. know what a preamble is? >> "we the people of the united states, in order to form a more perfect union" -- >> how many county judges in alabama? >> 67. >> name them. >> i did it for everybody who's taken that walk. and who literally took that walk for me. so that i could, and you could, be sitting here today. >> the first march came to be known as bloody sunday. protesters trying to cross the bridge were beaten back and tear gassed by police. it would take two more attempts before protesters would safely make the 54-mile journey to the state capital in montgomery. >> we were born with a faith that non-violence and its power can transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows. >> there dr. king gave his famous "our god is marching on" speech to a crowd of 25,000, reaffirming the power of peaceful protest. and you felt that when you were there on the bridge? going back. that had to be a moment for you. >> i was literally thinking, their feet were on this same bridge. and what it would take to put your little backpack on and to know that you were going to march for the next 54 miles. but i might not even get home. you know, i can't say thank you enough. i try to say thank you to those who paved the way for me by living an honorable life. but i truly cannot say thank you enough. >> you have said this about your life, divine timing. >> oh, divine timing. >> this film -- >> we weren't making it for any other reason than we wanted people to know the story. but i think all the people protesting now could benefit from seeing the strategic intention that had to happen in order for real progress to be made. you can't just be marching without an intention. you have to have a clear strategic intention of what it is you want to accomplish. and you cannot be heard unless you come in peace. that was the power of that movement. the power was, this. en masse, disciplined, rigorous intention to come in peace no matter what. >> "selma" found its biggest champion in its director who took on the project after five other directors, all men, passed. >> action. >> now with four golden globe nods, ava duvernay has made history as the first african-american woman to be nominated for best director. has it sunk in a little bit more now? >> it has. it's fun. >> good. >> it's bringing attention to the film, which is the most important thing. truly my desire's just that the film be widely seen. we're on our way. >> we shall be victorious in our quest. we shall cross the finish line hand in hand. for we shall overcome. all right. >> and next week we're going to hear much more from ava. she has a lot to say. but strategic intention. the strategic intention. >> it shows that, it shows how powerful king was in facing down those who wanted to resort to violence. >> exactly. >> i had the best experience. i sat down with my daughter and watched it. and living that history through a young person's eyes is so fulfilling. >> she taught you some things. we don't want to be a spoiler. we had forgotten something, and she learned in school. >> yeah. really great. >> i'm telling you. "selma" marches into theaters on christmas day. i'll have more next week. coming up, ivanka trump joins us live. it's the time of year for making lists... at chevrolet, we've made it onto a few lists ourselves. in fact this year, we've been at the top of more awards lists than any other car company. now during the chevy year end event, put us on yours. choose an impala in stock the longest and get cash back for 20 percent of the msrp. that's over sixty-five hundred dollars on this impala lt. find new roads at your local chevy dealer. series, girl power. real estate mogul and lifestyle entrepreneur ivanka trump is launching a new initiative aimed at empowering women in all aspects of their life, #women who work. we're so happy you're here. >> so excited to be here. >> i love the name of the nicth tiff. women who work. i heard it was met with resistance that made you more determined. >> absolutely. to me it made me more bold. i met with some of the top ad agencies in new york when i was thinking about how to formulate a brand around my apparel and accessories collection. i really wanted to create an aspirational brand for today's modern professional working woman. the first thing everyone said to me is that working and women isn't aspirational. it's not sexy. it won't resonate. they wanted me to change the hashtag of my company to women who do. >> they felt it was a negative. >> yes. i thought that was hilarious. and, you know, all the women i know, this next-generation, they're working hard, not just in a professional capacity, but really at all aspects of their lives. they're not one-dimensional, doing things inside and outside of the offense. or office. living in the digital age where we live one life 24 hours a day. i wanted to celebrate that. >> you're a living, breathing example of that. and i want to ask you, how many times someone has asked you how do you do it all? is that offensive? do they and your husband that? >> less frequently, for sure. you know, it's amazing. i think the reality is there isn't this clean compartmentalization that used to exist where it was work and home. now it's just one life. and i think that's something that's really unique to my generation coming up in the workforce. on the phone with our kids in the office, at home at 3:00 in the morning catching up on the work because we made time to put them to bed. it really about a celebration of architecting the lives we want to live. >> you ask women to give their extended job title. tell me what yours is to explain what that means. >> it's really putting our professional titles last. that's one part of what represents who we are. mine would be first and foremost a mother and a wife. i'm an aspiring golfer, an aspiring gardener, aspiring pretty much everything else. i love to ski. all of these passions make me who i am. and some of the women that i selected to help me launch this campaign are amazing. they've created unbelievable companies. they're some of the great young entrepreneurs. but they're so much more than that. >> and your two young children at home. what are you hoping to give to them through this initiative? this is a gift to them as well, i would imagine. >> well, you know, really that is supposed to be an inclusive conversation. everyone's working on something. i'm not here to tell people how to work the hours they should work. and i hope my children just grow up happy and pursue their dreams. that's all i can ask of them. having this full life. finding what their passionate about both in a work capacity and i've certainly found that. both in my role at the trump organization as a real estate executive and also with this -- this brand as well. >> you are an inspiration. these guys should've gone to my place, cuz right now, i have two breakfast croissants for just four bucks. they're both made with a freshly cracked egg and melting cheese on a buttery, flaky croissant. try the supreme with bacon and ham, or the sausage. they'll fill you up for - whoa hey! what are you doing? you can't make a commercial for your restaurant at my restaurant! not if you keep interrupting me, i can't. ♪ ♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] get your taste of the season, at raley's, bel air, and nob hill. [ female announcer ] get your taste of the season, which means it's timeson for the volkswagen sign-then-drive event. for practically just your signature, you could drive home for the holidays in a german-engineered volkswagen. like the sporty, advanced new jetta... and the 2015 motor trend car of the year all-new golf. if you're wishing for a new volkswagen this season... just about all you need is a finely tuned... pen. get zero due at signing, zero down, zero deposit, and zero first month's payment on select new volkswagen models. many of us are getting our last minute shopping done for the holidays, but looking for the best savings, timing is everything. abc's rachel smith tells us how. >> reporter: snagging that stylish sweater, or scooping up the perfect pair of pumps, is better when you get them for a steal. for super savings secrets, i met up with charlie graham, founder and ceo of shop it to me. when should we shop online? >> tuesday, wednesday and thursday, the most items on sale. >> reporter: he says shop in the morning when they post the markdowns. you will nab that little black dress. when do they show i? >> april and october, friends and family. the great amount of inveteran toir. november and january. in november, getting the first major pushes on the holiday sales. and in january, the last major push. >> reporter: what about the staple seasonal items, coats, buy now. you'll save 50% when you purchase it before if gets chilly. and ladies, listen up, that handbag you have been coveting, you can get an average of 43% off from january to june. now don't forget the men in our lives. charlie says buy button down and casual shirts before the holiday season. prices drop around 50% when temps are on the rise. how do you collect the data? >> we check sites every morning and looks at items it to see what's on sale and what's not. >> reporter: you're doing the legwork for us. >> we are. >> reporter: love it. makes shopping that much easier. rachel smith, abc news, los angeles. thanks for joining us. tomorrow on "gma," deals and steals for the last minute holiday gifts and jaime foxx. we'll see you. ♪ ♪ ♪ start a revolution a revolution in coffee quality with the finest nespresso coffee blends. a revolution in technology with unique centrifusion. a revolution in taste with a naturally formed crema on both coffee and espresso. nespresso vertuoline. experience the revolution of coffee. good morning, i'm eric thomas. breaking news out of sunol this morning. a live picture from sky 7 hd showing a mudslide briefly closed nile canyon road in both directions. the road was closed from main street in sunol to mission in fremont. let's get a traffic update now from sue. >> that is pretty much the big traffic news now, eric. they have just lifted that sig alert on niles canyon road so you can see that purple. that is probably the worst thing you want to see on a traffic map. that is just reopened and trickling through, so expect delays through the area. here's a look at live doppler 7 hd. you can see the heavier rain around milpitas and cupertino and that is sliding towards the southeast towards . >> announcer: this is an abc news special report. now reporting, george stephanopoulos. and we're coming on the air now, because president obama about to announce a dramatic change in u.s. relations with cuba. one of america's oldest adversaries 90 miles from our border. it all began to unfold this morn when alan gross was set free from prison. that story broke first by abc news. gross is now on u.s. soil. three cuban prisoners held in the u.s. on spying charges hs

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