starting kentucky are the only 20 available -- eligible to run in all three races. this is the coward's way out. >> some hard feelings there. many folks attached to that great back story. california chrome bought for just $10,000. for his part, the official california chrome twitter says it just wasn't my day. he thinks his chromemies and hinted maybe he'll be back to race in the fall. people aren't giving up hope some day maybe we'll see a triple crown winner in our lifetime, lester. >> all right, kristen. >> california chrome's owner steve coburn is with us this morning. mr. coburn, good morning. >> good morning. >> we just heard a little bit of the comments you made after the race, we heard them from kristen. a lot of talk about specifically you calling some of the other owners cowards for only racing their horses in this race. do you stand by those comments this morning? >> sure. >> why is it that you feel they're cowards? >> well, because you know what? there was only three horses in this race that had run in all three. there was california chrome, general a-rod, and ride on curlin. the other horses hadn't competed in the other two races. so you keep these horses out of the game. and then you bring one in to upset the apple cart when they haven't raced in the derby or the preakness. so when you nominate your horse for the triple crown, that means three. not one out of three, but three. so that's what i meant by it. it's a coward's shot at people or horses. because they don't have the -- they don't want to see a triple crown winner. because they get to have their horse in the other two races. >> there has been -- >> i hope you can hear me. >> we definitely can hear you, sir. >> go ahead. >> i was going to say, there has been some support for your position. people have said maybe this wasn't the right way to go about it, in a rant after the race, there has been some support for that position. realistically, do you see that changing? >> well, if it does not change, i will never see a triple crown winner. because that's just the way it is. there's more trainers and owners that do not want a triple crown than there are trainers and owners that do. yesterday was a fine example of that. >> why would they not want a triple crown? >> well, where was he at the kentucky? where were they in the preakness? they weren't there. we were there. there was three horses in that race yesterday that were in all three races. none of the other ones were. >> do you think that those owners then believe it's better for the sport to not have a triple crown? is that what you're saying? >> yes, i do. it's all about money anymore. it's not about the horse. or the sport. it's all about their pocketbook. >> does it make you want to continue with racing? >> you know, we -- we discussed this last night. and if there's ever a chance that we have another horse that has earned his way to the kentucky derby, we'll run in kentucky. and then the hell with the rest of them. >> so you would only do the derby. you wouldn't try for another triple crown? >> why? there's too many people out there that -- that doesn't want a triple crown. >> mr. coburn, we appreciate you being with us this morning. we appreciate your time. >> thank you. >> we brought on carolyn manno who covers horse racing for nbc sports. good morning. >> good morning. >> you heard that interview. i think we get the idea that the fresher horse might have a better chance. is that something new to the sport or is that something we deal with every year? >> we've been dealing with it for generations. what we saw in the '70s was that horses used to run a lot more often than they do. you would see more horses run at the derby, in the preakness and then come to the belmont. lately, it has been that some horses will skip the preakness. in speaking with our racing analyst last night after steve cobu coburn's comments, the problem with the comments are three-fold. one was the timing. it was really poor sportsmanship after the belmont when all was said and done to come back around and start talking about the derby and the preakness p. the other was calling somebody a coward. that's probably not the right word choice. the third was if you had a horse that had to run in the kentucky derby and preakness, between injuries and defections that wouldn't be that many horses running in the belmont. there would only be a couple. >> he's going against some fresh horses right now. this is a longer shot. >> sure. this is a grueling stretch not just for the horses but for ownership. for the jockeys. for the trainers. it's a lot of pressure. and there was so much pressure on steve coburn and his family and california chrome. and he is a genuine and authentic man. what you see is what you get. that's what we just saw in that interview, you know. so he has a right to feel that way. but, yeah. you know, to comment at the belmont when it's said and done is probably not the right way. to make a case people have made in the past, this is a difficult thing for a horse to do when there are new shooters and spoilers coming into the race who have fresher legs. that's a legitimate argument and a conversation that's been had. a lot of people have been talking about spacing the races out. giving a chance for a horse to recover. the horses aren't just really engineered to run the distances that they were at one point. but that's a different conversation. this conversation is forcing a horse to run all three legs. it's just not realistic. >> it'll be interesting to see how that does impact that other conversation. >> sure. >> enjoyed your coverage. >> thank you. >> thanks very much. appreciate it. actor tracy morgan remains in critical condition in the hospital this morning a day after he was involved in a deadly six-car pileup on a new jersey highway. morgan was a passenger in a limo on his way home from a comedy show in delaware. ron allen is here to tell us more about it. ron, good morning. >> good morning to you, lester. that 35-year-old truck driver from georgia was charged saturday with causing the pileup that critically injured tracy morgan. his name, kevin roper from georgia. he was driving a walmart truck that police say failed to observe slower traffic ahead on the new jersey turnpike, slamming into morgan's chauffeured limousine, flipping it, hitting another truck and suv. in addition to morgan two others remain in critical condition. roper is expected to surrender to police. walmart has said in a statement saturday that we're praying for the family and friends of the passenger who lost his life in the terrible accident in new jersey. if it's determined our truck caused the accident, walmart will take full responsibility. morgan's family remains at his bedside according to his agent. no details about his treatment or his injuries. but a very serious situation. >> ron allen, thanks very much. let's get a check now of the morning's other top stories. jenna is following those for us. good morning, again. >> good morning, everyone. hundreds of unaccompanied children who illegally cross the border from mexico into the u.s. are being taken to a makeshift detention center in southern arizona this weekend. the move has delayed the effort by the obama administration to deal with the influx of people from central america streaming into texas in recent months. mark potter is live in arizona with the details. mark, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, jenna. we're at the u.s. border patrol in nogales, arizona, about a mile north of the u.s./mexican american. inside some 760 children are being held in a refurbished warehouse where cots and portable bathrooms are being brought in. they also have been given vaccines. more children are expected to arrive here today and in the days to come. they're all picked up crossing the u.s. border in south texas recently. part of the surge of central americans the white house is now calling a humanitarian crisis. since october, more than 47,000 unaccompanied children have been picked up at the border. that number is expected to climb dramatically as many try to flee the poverty and violence in central america or simply try to reunite with family members already in the united states. many are even being held in military bases as officials try to stay ahead of this crisis at the border that shows no signs of letting up. jenna? >> all right, mark potter, thank you very much. police in canada are on the hunt this morning for three inmates who escaped from a prison near quebec city with the help from a helicopter. it happened saturday night making it the second time in two years that a helicopter was involved in a prisoner escape in quebec province. last march a helicopter pilot was forced at gunpoint to pluck two inmates from a prison. again, the rangers and kings played. again, the rangers jumped out to an early commanding lead. and, again, they blew it. game two of the stanley cup finals. lots of scoring in this one but in double ot when scoring was most important, los angeles kings' dustin brown scored at 10:26 giving the kings a 5-4 win over the rangers. double ot. and a 2-0 series lead. game three is monday night here in new york. finally this morning, has it always been your dream to be a polar bear for a day? no? cool. check this out anyway. back in april, scientists attached a camera to the collar of a female polar bear in alaska to see what life is like on arctic sea ice, obviously. okay. so watch this. the bear sees a potential mate. how you doing? how you doing? okay. acknowledging the awkward moment, polar bear is mortified. jumps in the water. this is a riveting soap opera. i could go on all morning. just know the point is they did all this to see how polar bears are dealing with the loss of sea ice due to global warming. perhapsmy commentary was a little more than what you saw in the pictures. just know that's what happened. >> i appreciate the commentary. >> erica totally gets it. >> i know because i have always wanted to be a polar bear. >> exactly. this all comes full circle. you guys are my audience right here. thank you. >> jenna says, you're welcome. >> yes. 100%. you got it, guys. >> still catching up on all this. >> polar bear. >> and some ice. or lack of ice. and a camera. >> basically polar bear adult film. got it. we're going to shift gears a little bit. president obama is back home at the white house after his overseas trip. and his administration this morning still doing damage control over that controversial deal to bring sergeant bowe bergdahl back home. kristen welker is at the white house this morning. she joins us. good morning. >> reporter: erica, good morning. president obama is hoping to pivot back to his domestic agenda this week. jobs, immigration, education. questions surrounding the release of bowe bergdahl continue to loom large. president obama facing increasing anger this morning after a week of defending his decision to swap five taliban prisoners for sergeant bowe bergda bergdahl. he spoke exclusively to brian williams. >> when somebody wears our country's uniform and they're in a war theater, and they're captured, we're going to do everything we can to bring them home. >> reporter: but members of congress on both sides of the aisle are furious they weren't consulted about the swap as required by law. >> we're very dismayed about it. >> reporter: another problem? shifting stories from the administration about why it kept the operation secret from congress. first saying bergdahl's health was deteriorating. but later asserting there were concerns the taliban would kill bergdahl if news leaked out. >> we had to act fast in a delicate situation that required no publicity. >> reporter: national security adviser susan rice is also on the defensive after saying this about bergdahl last sunday. >> he served the united states with honor and distinction. >> reporter: but the department of defense is investigating allegations that bergdahl may have deserted his unit. on friday, rice tried to clarify. >> this was a young man who volunteered to serve his country in uniform at a time of war. that is itself a very honorable thing. >> reporter: meantime, a new reuters poll shows 78% believe the u.s. should make every effort to recover prisoners of war. but only 29% think trading taliban prisoners for bergdahl was the right thing to do. >> the worst thing for the white house at this point is the clock is ticking. every day he's been talking about an issue he doesn't want to talk about is a day that's lost to talk about something that he wants to achieve or some part of his legacy that he wants to burnish before he leaves office. >> reporter: and this week will undoubtedly be overshadowed by bergdahl as well. secretary of defense chuck hagel is set to testify on capitol hill on wednesday. erica? >> all right, kristen welker this morning, thank you. dylan is here with a check of the forecast. you were at the race yesterday. >> i was. >> beautiful out there. >> it was beautiful and it was so intense because i was right at the turn. i couldn't really see what happened. but then you judged by nobody cheering that california chrome didn't win. >> didn't win. you saw the top of the show. >> yeah. this is where i found out. but the weather was gorgeous. not so nice down in dallas, texas, where we do have pouring rain. add oklahoma to that as well. you can see all the flashes of lightning. we have flash flood watches in effect because it is pouring and it is going to stay very wet down there. that whole area in red from colorado right over into parts of alabama we could end up with some strong some strong storms this that's your latest forecast. erica? >> dylan, thanks. up thnext, rising to the to. a high school graduate who wouldn't let any obstacle get in his way of achieving success. that's right after this. after people find a dentist through us, they often say, "i wish i'd done this sooner." don't let that be you. you know your teeth are important. so don't put it off any longer. call 1-800-dentist today. ♪ we're back on a sunday morning with the inspiring story of a high school valedictorian who wouldn't let major obstacles in his life to keep him from achieving his dreams. here's rehema ellis with his story. >> reporter: graduation is a monumental achievement for all students, but especially for griffin furlong. he managed to earn a 4.65 grade point average. he was named valedictorian and was accepted to college. all the while his family life was in turmoil. >> i never really wanted to show my face. i was just really down on myself because people didn't understand, like, my fears. they didn't understand. they didn't understand what i was going through. >> reporter: his mother died of cancer when he was just 6 years old. soon afterward, griffin, his father and older brother ended up living in homeless shelters. tell me about your mom. >> she wanted the best for me and my brother. that's what i remember most. her spirit. >> reporter: for a while the family had a rental home. but the financial hardships persist persisted. in april just before finals and a.p. exams, griffin was homeless again. >> i would just think to myself at night, like, do i continue to do this or do i make something of myself? >> reporter: his girlfriend's parents put him up for a while. then he moved in with an aunt and uncle. >> he never asked anyone for anything. he did this all by himself because he wants a better life. >> reporter: through all the ups and downs, griffin never missed a day of school and kept his struggles to himself. >> he is a remarkable kid. he loves to learn. >> reporter: and he loves baseball. you even have a noble idea of hard work right in your cap. >> yeah. never give up. inspires me to do great. >> reporter: griffin was accepted to florida state university. and friends set up an online fundraising website to help him pay for college. overwhelmed, griffin says the only thing missing now is his mom. >> i just want her to hear my speech. i know that without her, none of this is possible. it's amazing what you can do with your life when you have motivation, ambition, and most importantly, a purpose. thank you. >> reporter: with his purpose clearly defined, griffin furlong is well on his way to even greater success. for "today," rehema ellis, nbc news, jacksonville, florida. >> great kid. great story. still to come, levar burton on bringing back "reading rainbow" and the unbelieving outpouring of support that's helping him do it. but first these messages. still to come this morning, an update for you on the young victim who was nearly stabbed to death by two classmates. police say the classmates were trying to please a fictional online character. a day that changed history. first, these mes 4:25 on your sand morn. a 5 picture of san jose. we exto have a hey dan day on our hands in not to laumg. >> we're seeing some areas of patch ehlo loudz cl misch along the most and then mostly sunny sighs sd warming temperatures soaring into the niept. essentially theivalies and the east bay and south bay. we'll hold on to thosethi temperatures. he's nire 90, in fact, the five-day temperature trend will show you the next two days look downward hot. and then the soo breeze toibs to cool us off as we approach the middle part of the week. >> a fire in a metal yard is renewing questions about the company who own s it. this is the third fire at the bay area in just seven months. latest blaze broke out at the receiver facility on industrial parkway and heyward at 1:third yesterday afternoon. people were called and warned to shelter in place. firefighters had the plames within control within 20 minutes. two have been deems arson, including december 17th fire in redwood city. we have less than two months to serve this morning. that inmate is on the run. he's identified as 40 yeert timary midgett. he escaped by taking out a trash. a deputy tries to cash hem but lost him on a creche trhrough te city. >> furious allegations of a back room deal of sorts from the city of san bruno. it was the site of the 2010 gas, ploekz that kills eight. it's a halt into the velz into missing p g e & durments. they're calling on them to immediately reopen their investigation into thousands of missing pipeline strength reports. p gg&e said we can't speak abou the actions they have faken, adding we are oaken to trangs parent communication with the cpuc, and anything else is not factual. >> we'll have local reaction to the disappointment of california chrome's run. and we'll hear from one of his co-owners and why this was an unfair race from the get go. for now, we remember you to the 250d show. we'll learn you in a little bit. we are back on this sunday morning. it is the 8th of june, 2014. nice folks out there on the plaza enjoying a beautiful sunday morning. looking forward to going out and saying hello to them in person in just a little bit. let's get you caught up this morning on the headlines. california chrome failed to win the triple crown after coming in fourth place at the belmont stakes on saturday. his owner told us he doesn't believe it was a fair competition because tonalist, the horse who won, hadn't raced in the other legs of the triple crown. a historic meeting will take place later today when pope francis holds a special prayer session at the vatican with israeli president shimon perez and palestinian president mahmoud abbas. families of the victims of malaysia air flight 370 say they want to raise $5 million to create a reward for any information that will help them figure out what happened to the missing plane. today is the three-month anniversary of the plane's disappearance. still to come in this half hour, we have much more for you this morning on the debate over sergeant bowe bergdahl. the american p.o.w. who was recently released after a swap out with the taliban, a prisoner swap. this morning we're asking whether people see him as a hero or trader. levar burton is talking about the overwhelming support he's received to bring reading rainbow into the digital age. with begin this half hour with a serious story we've been following all this week on "today." one that has really shocked parents. it has to do with a fictional online character known as slender man. this morning the 12-year-old wisconsin girl who police say was stabbed repeatedly by two classmates fascinated with that fictional character is out of the hospital. as nbc's mike taibbi will tell us, the ultimate tragedy just barely averted. >> reporter: the evented villain slender man may have inspired the attack by two preteens on their classmate and friend. the victim only saved when a passing bicyclist found her and called police. >> she said she was stabbed multiple times. >> reporter: but the parents of the 12-year-old girl now out of the hospital say she was able to crawl out of these woods inspired by an authentically human instinct. i wanted to live, her parents quoted her as explaining. adding, she is excited to be out of the hospital, see her pets and continue along the road to recovery. in the milwaukee suburb on saturday, expressions of thanks and love over a victim who escaped death. >> really it's about hope for the future and letting her know that she is loved by the community, people that she might not know, and people that she knows and loves as well. >> reporter: police say the two 12-year-old girls now charged as adults with attempted murder had hoped to prove themselves to the mythical slender man. who they'd come to see as based on a real figure. >> one suspect held the victim down while the other suspect stabbed her 19 times in the arms, legs and torso. >> reporter: the slender man character created about five years ago became the favorite spook for many younger followers. some both young and gullible. >> there's no question that fantasy and reality can blur in a 24/7 media world. >> reporter: in fact, though, our mass entertainments often aim for the slippery line between fantasy and reality. sometimes with real world consequences. the 1938 radio broadcast "war of the worlds" caused an actual panic. creators e eors orree eor orson to apologize. >> we'll have to think carefully about future broadcasts. >> reporter: in this real life chapter of the slender man saga, bloggers like parent amy hatch are on the alert. >> i don't think anyone needs to freak out. but i think it's a really sobering moment to take stock of what's happening in your home. >> reporter: and especially on your kids' computers. for "today," mike taibbi, nbc news. let's head outside to the plaza for another check of the weather. dylan has made her way out there. hello again. >> hello. good morning. everyone got the memo that we're on for two hours today. so where are you from? >> st. louis. >> are you having fun in new york city? >> yes. >> well, that's all that matters. we're enjoying some gorgeous weather in the northeast. it's going to stay pretty nice around here. but it is hot in the southwest. look at all the excessive heat warnings, the red flag warnings because of the hot and dry, windy conditions. temperatures will be about 10 to 20 degrees above average. that means fresno tops out at 109 today. vegas, 106. palm springs, 112 degrees. it is scorching out in the southwest. then across the rest of the country, we are looking at the chance of some stronger storms from colorado through texas, right over into parts of mississippi and alabama. it's an area not so much for tornadoes, but we could end up seeing some large hail and also some damaging wind gusts and torrential downpours. it is pouring right now in dallas. so keep an eye out for that. that water could pile up on the roadways pretty quickly. tomorrow that threat spreads just a little bit to the east. still most of texas looking for some p and for today's top spot, we are heading to beautiful michigan. it is coming from our wbiv affiliate in michigan. it's the yasu greek festival in ann arbor. this festival has everything you could want from greek dancing to amazing greek meals and pastries. there will also be jewelry and souvenirs. a portion of the proceeds will be donated to therapeutic riding, inc. which provides horseback riding for disabled children and adults. so a lot of fun, greek traditions going on in ann arbor, michigan, today. lester. >> dylan, thanks very much. in a courthouse in michigan there is an iron fisted judge who goes by the nickname scary mary. judge mary uses a combination of fear, tough love and humor to try to save the addicts who come into her drug court. and that includes a 15-year-old who has a pot habit and a tumultuous relationship with her mother. >> the philosophy for me is to get into their lives to help them understand that they've got a problem, that the problem is ultimately going to kill them. i'm not your mother. i am not your friend. i am your judge. >> i really am so sorry. you don't want to hear sorry, but i am sorry. >> the whole concept of a drug court is a favor to help you. to teach you humility z. >> we're documenting everything. >> for the better part of a year "dateline" producers and crews were imbedded with three addicts from judge mary's drug court. we watch mary cajole them. and cheer them on as they struggle toed to stay clean and fought quite literally for their lives. 15-year-old danielle bergel. she's been battling her mom, blowing off classes and doing drugs for several years. >> i want to smoke weed really bad. because, like, when me and my mom will be driving, we'll see people smoking. they're just having a good time. i miss being able to do that. >> reporter: it's november 2012. and danielle is being driven by her mother to a drop. that's street slang for peeing in a bottle. something scary mary makes danielle do three times a week. but judge mary knows that she's also dealing with a dysfunctional family. if i had met you at the beginning of you entering this program, describe where you were in life. >> i wasn't doing good at all. i had a really bad attitude. i didn't really care about anybody or anything. >> she told me she hated me and she wishes i would do. just hurtful things like that. she treated me like her enemy. >> i need two people who are committed to the program. you agree that you are going to become part of this team and try to assist your daughter. you are enabling her, and it's got to stop. >> reporter: in 2012, police caught danielle smoking pot in a park. that's what landed her in drug court. but that didn't stop her from using again. >> i started drinking. and then there was weed on the table. i was like, why not? >> reporter: judge mary threw her in juvenile jail for three weeks. >> and i saw her with -- i'm going to cry. with the shackles on her legs. and that was the hardest part for me. she's such a free spirit. and for them to have her chained, it broke my heart. >> she needed to learn i meant business. we meant business in the drug court. the team works hard with you. we're not fooling around. court's adjourned, folks, thanks. >> see our full story tonight on "dateline." that's at 7:00/6:00 central right here on nbc. >> looking forward to that one. turning now to a story of perseverance in the face of a huge struggle to get back to life as normal. for one new mom, she suffered a medical emergency when she was pregnant two years ago. here's janet shamlian. >> reporter: balance is still pretty new for 2-year-old adeline scott. but she's learning fast. >> look at those steps today. those are looking great. >> reporter: balance is an old skill for adeline's mom, amber. she has to relearn it. >> beautiful steps. >> reporter: but she's making progress every day. >> there you go. >> reporter: and getting stronger with each step. and she's finally able to experience some of the simple joys other moms do. like adeline playing with her bunny, minnie mouse. >> push, push, push, push, push. >> reporter: with physical and speech therapy, amber scott has come a long way in two years. >> i just remember talking on the phone. i don't remember anything after that. >> reporter: in may of 2012 amber was nine months pregnant when she suffered a blood clot on her brain. doctors performed emergency surgery and delivered adeline. but amber remained unconscious, missing the first precious few weeks of her daughter's life. now, she doesn't want to let go. >> i want to get down. >> no. not yet. not yet. >> reporter: at times, adeline seems unstoppable. >> stand up and get on the bed. >> reporter: just like her mom. >> that was good. >> that was pretty good. >> it's amazing to see the progress she's made. she's very determined. she doesn't give up. i've never really seen her come in and have a really down day. she's always giving her best. >> reporter: her husband tommy has been with her for every step, every victory. >> that was a good one with the left knee. good. >> reporter: you see the progress in therapy, you see how good she's doing. i really think one day she'll have a normal life. just her being part of adeline's life and being more independent. that's what i'm most proud of. >> reporter: amber is determined to walk again and some day go back to work. but for now, she has a message for her young daughter. >> never give up on whatever you want to do. never, ever give up. you can do anything you want, you put your mind to. >> reporter: a mother full of life. and hope for the future. for "today," janet jshamlian, nc news, houston. just ahead, remembering maya angelou as politicians, celebrities, family and friends come together to honor a woman that they say changed lives. and up next, a big debate across the country. is former p.o.w. bowe bergdahl a hero or a traitor? that's right after this. welcome back. a deal that freed former p.o.w. bowe bergdahl has people more than angry. the fbi says authorities are investigating threats against bergdahl's family. in the meantime we wanted to get an idea of what some people had to say about him. sparked a lot of emotion. some people think of him as perhaps a traitor. something else. we sent nbc news military analyst colonel jack jacobs to georgia to talk to some folks. >> reporter: at this atlanta health club, sergeant bowe bergdahl was a hot topic of conversation. we sat down with club members, a former marine, a woman with two nephews currently serving in afghanistan, and a retired attorney to hear their opinions. marty, what did you think when you first heard that bowe bergdahl was coming back? >> kind of happy to hear that we were getting one of our guys back. and i understood that there was a trade for five other guys who were in prison down in gitmo. and that really didn't bother me much in the moment. >> rob, what did you think? >> i got marine buddies talking about it. you know, i just -- i want to know the truth, i guess. if it's all true or if it's -- if it's something else going on there. because if it is true, then actions need to be taken. >> reporter: leann, how about you? what do you think about that? >> i was happy to hear that, you know, he was coming home. it just -- it seems like the right thing to do. >> reporter: when you heard that he came back as a result of a trade of taliban, what did you think of that? >> first reaction was, probably not right. >> i have no real problem with the concept of trading our people for some of the, quote, others, unquote. >> i think it's okay to trade for him no matter what. you know, i'm all about getting our men back. >> reporter: at any cost? >> at any cost. >> reporter: are we giving up too much because we want him back now? >> i do feel that we -- we're giving up too much. you know, when you sign that contract, you understand. especially during a time of war that things can happen. >> reporter: if our policy is, if the white house's policy is nobody left behind, in these circumstances, do you think we need to think that over again? >> i like the policy. i like the nobody left behind. i just think there's other ways of going to get him. >> how about you, leann? >> absolutely not. you would have a hard time to get people to volunteer for volunteer army if they didn't have that guarantee. i mean, i wouldn't leave my child behind. >> reporter: so bergdahl, hero or traitor? >> traitor. >> neither. neither a traitor nor a hero. >> how about you, marty? hero or traitor? >> he has done nothing by any account to be called a hero. whether or not he was a traitor or just a jerk remains to be decided. >> colonel jacobs is with us now. recipient of the medal of honor and two purple hearts for his service in vietnam. interesting discussion. i think everybody feels they have to have a reaction to what happened. the fact is we don't all have the facts right no w. the army is going through the process. can the army go through the investigation process in a vacuum or are they painfully aware of the politics around this? >> we like to think the army is going to be in a vacuum and establish the facts and make decisions based on the facts unimpeded by any other influence. but at the top of the food chain in washington, all those generals are breathing rarefied air that's infused with politics. it's absolutely impossible for them to ignore it. no matter what happens, whatever happens, even if bergdahl gets convicted of something, in the end the president of the united states, the political apparatus has the last word. because the president can always pardon him. but it's all politics in washington whether you're wearing uniform or you're not. >> jack, you served in combat around 18, 19, 20, 21-year-olds. a lot of stuff going around. did you ever get the sense that someone was about to go over the wall or, you know, expressing regrets about the situation? how was that handled? >> you know, it's really kind of interesting. because life there is in two bits. there's the life before and after an actual combat engagement. in which there are frequently people who look a little sketchy and they might be leaving. and you've got to deal with them and their emotions very, very directly. and then there's the middle of the combat operation when the bullets and shrapnel are flying around and everybody is depending on everybody else. and in all the combat i've ever been in, i've been in plenty, i've never seen anybody break under those circumstances because they're all fighting for each other. >> all right. colonel jack kjacobs, thanks vey much. up next on today, hundreds of paratroopers recreating the d-day jump to honor the troops that help save the world. but first, these mes we are back on a sunday morning on "today" with a very special jump to show you that happened earlier today by american and french paratroopers. one more celebration of the mission to save france from germany's clutches 70 years ago on d-day. peter alexander is in normandy this morning with more for us. peter, good morning. >> reporter: erica, good morning to you. the commemorions, the celebrations continue here through this weekend. but what strikes you most is the number of french you see wearing u.s. world war ii military uniforms and draped in american flags. the sacrifice for these two countries was immense. but so, too, now is the affection that they share. in the small town of picoville, 91-year-old jack schlegel is bigger than life. 70 years ago private schlegel was among the paratroopers who dropped from the skies above normandy. >> remember, i can call you a youngster. i'm old. >> you're one year older? >> i'm older than you. >> reporter: for this mnative nw york, these french villages feel like a second home thanks to the warm reception and the bond he's built with the people here. >> i like to say thit's the 51s >> he's dedicated his life to schlegel and other veterans who return here year after year. he remembers clearly the lesson his father forgot him. >> we must never forget what these young soldiers did for our freedom. >> reporter: and the people here didn't forget. schlegel showed us the road that now bears his name. all these people knew you were coming. look at this. they all came to greet you. what do you think? [ applause ] >> for my comrades that died in some of this action, that they are not here to get the welcome, the type of honor. and it is very honoring for me to have all these people here. and they appreciate what the americans did. >> reporter: we appreciate you. >> thank you. >> reporter: that gratitude on display again this weekend for the banquet celebrating this enduring friendship. how do they greet you? >> you feel like a rock star. >> to see these veterans. >> they're like our real life heroes. they're real life heroes. >> reporter: today here above the first town liberated, a new generation honors that legacy. hundreds of american and french paratroopers jumping side by side. after all these years, still standing together. the good news is, today's flight went off without a hitch. you see that? that's a mannequin of a u.s. paratrooper. that's the good news. it does celebrate the story of the u.s. paratrooper who in 1944 actually got caught on that steeple here. 70 years later, erica and lester, they still celebrate his story. >> all right. peter alexander for us this morning. peter, thanks. up next, he is bringing back "reading rainbow." we'll talk to levar burton about the childhood classic and why he's determine the popular children's show "reading rainbow" that ran for more than 20 years starting in the '80s is coming back. it won't exactly be the "reading rainbow" your kids might remember. >> it's all happened because of levar burton's passion for education and thanks to millions of dollars in donations that people from around the world are pledging to help bring it back. levar burton is here with us this morning. >> good morning. thank you so much for the invitation to be here. >> i love the reaction when you hit the million dollars in a single day. how surprised with ed were you? >> we had no idea. we set our campaign for 35 days hoping if we needed the extra time towards the end of the campaign we could really push it over the top. we never in our wildest dreams could ever have thought we'd reach our goal in 11 hours on the first day. >> this is a kickstarter campaign. >> a kickstarter campaign we raised to have every child everywhere have access to "reading rainbow." the ipad app came out two years ago. and our goal for raising the money was to have a larger footprint. to put it on the web and then create a specific product for teachers. "reading rainbow" is loved by teachers. we wanted to put our app in their hands in the classroom so that they could have access to the library of books and video field trips that we are. >> can i just say, by the way, you haven't aged since the '80s? you look like the exact same person you were back in the '80s. this is the logical next step for you. this was probably the plan all along? >> it was. it absolutely was. we are thrilled to be able to carry on the mission of the show. look, television was the technology that we used in the '80s and '90s to -- you know, to reach kids about our message of magic of the written word. if you want to reach today's kids, you've got to be in the digital realm. we've got to be on one of these very engaging devices that we are all fascinated by and love to spend time on. >> is this something, too, that could go -- you talk about these devices we all have. is this something you could eventually see, too, as an app for a phone or are you looking s stricting at t inly at tablets. >> at $5 million, that gets us on phones. it gets us on mobile. it gets us on android. people who really want the "reading rainbow" brand on their android devices. it gets us on gaming consoles. how many kids in america today are on the xbox or the playstation platform? >> lester is on two of them. >> right now. >> everyone has so many wonderful memories of "reading rainbow." what does their support mean to you and the history of the show? >> this is the amazing thing to me. the millennials and gen xers. they have made this possible. they have gone into their pockets. they have said "reading rainbow" really important to me. i want to make sure future generations have "reading rainbow." as well. i'm so proud of them. >> i have the song in my head right now. >> it's a very cool thing you're doing. so glad you came by to talk about it. >> thank you, lester. thank you all very, very much. >> we look forward. >> we'll be back with more after this. good morning. triple crown. california chrome, the latest horse to make that historic bid, only to fall short at the belmont. >> it won't be a triple crown this year! it's going to be close! it's going to be very close! and tonalist got there! >> the horse's owner lashing out at the competition after the race. >> this is a coward's way out, in my opinion. this is a coward's way out. >> this morning in an exclusive interview, he tells us just what he meant by that. critical condition. actor tracy morgan surrounded by his family at the hospital this morning as the man who police say was responsible for the deadly pileup that killed one man and seriously injured several others faces criminal charges. honoring a legend. hundreds turn out to remember and to praise the life of maya angelou and the legacy she leaves behind. band of brothers. this morning hundreds of paratroopers recreating that historic jump that so many brave men made during the invasion of normandy. today, sunday, june 8th, 2014. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with lester holt and erica hill. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning. good sunday morning. i'm erica hill. >> i'm lester holt and long with jenna wolfe and dylan dryer. dylan who was at belmont yesterday. i almost heard the air come out of the crowd when there was no triple crown. >> it's almost like a wave of cheers. they're cheering and cheering. all of a sudden it stopped. i guess he didn't win. >> kind of like watching tv. anyway, california's loss at belmont is our top story today. kristen dahlgren was also at the race on saturday. i'm starting to feel a little left out here. kristen, good morning. >> i know. dylan and i watched. our hearts were beating, we were so excited. then, like you said, the air just out of the crowd. but there's a reason only 11 horses have won the triple crown. it's hard. and it was hard on the crowd who had such high hopes for what's being called america's horse. >> it won't be a triple crown this year! it's going to be close! it's going to be very close! and tonalist got there! >> reporter: it wasn't the ending so many had hoped for. >> we thought that would be history. we thought that would be california chrome doing it. >> reporter: california chrome's co-owner steve coburn, as crushed as anyone. and angry that tonalist, a horse who didn't run in either the kentucky derby or preakness, came out on top in the belmont. >> i'm 61 years old and i'll never see -- in my lifetime i'll never see another triple crown winner because the way they do this. it's not fair to these horses that have been in the game since day one. this is a coward's way out. >> reporter: belmont is traditional where triple crown dreams are put to the test. 13 horses have now gotten this far and failed since affirmed won in 1978. >> around the far turn! >> reporter: the 1 1/2 mile race is much longer than the derby or preakness. and for horses going for the triple crown, it comes at the end of an exhausting five-week stretch. >> he was not the same like before. that's why i decide just to wait a little bit longer and behind all the horses. >> reporter: california chrome had all the makings of a cinderella story. the colt with blue-collar beginnings was bred for just $10,000. in a sport where top horses cost hundreds of thousands. even his name was luck of the draw. literally. picked out of a hat. his colorful owners and a little colt that captured hearts and a legion of chromies on twitter. a record 120,000 packed into belmont. while his place in racing history may remain elusive, win or lose, there's no doubt california chrome earned his place in the heart of millions. >> i think everybody still loves him. we still love him. >> some may wonder if the current system may leave us without a triple crown winner. others say they're not giving up. one thing is certain, there will be another field of horses trying again next year, erica. >> that is for sure. kristen dahlgren, thanks. earlier this morning i spoke exclusively with steve coburn, california chrome's co-owner. i started off by asking him why he chose that word "coward" last night and whether he still stands by those comments. >> well, because you know what? there was only three horses in this race that had run in all three. there was california chrome, general a-rod and ride on curlin. the other horses hadn't competecompete ed in the other two races. so you keep these horses out of the game and then you bring one in to upset the apple cart when they haven't raced in the debrb or the preakness. so when you nominate your horse for the triple crown, that means three. not one out of three, but three. so that's what i meant by it. it's a coward's shot at people, or horses. because they don't have the -- they don't want to see a triple crown winner because they didn't have their horse in the other two races. >> there have been -- >> i hope you can hear me. >> we definitely can hear you, sir. >> go ahead. >> i was going to say there has been some support for your position. while people have said maybe this wasn't the right way to go about it in a rant after the race, there has been some support for that position. realistically, do you see that changing? >> well, if it does not change, i will never see a triple crown winner. because that's just the way it is. there's more trainers and owners that do not want a triple crown than there are trainers and owners that do. >> why -- >> yesterday was a fine example of that. >> why would they not want a triple crown? >> well, where was he at the kentucky? where were they in the preakness? they weren't there. we were there. there was three horses in that race yesterday that were in all three races. none of the other ones were. >> that was just a portion of my conversation with california chrome's co-owner, steve coburn. >> some of what he's saying has touched raw nerves out there. dylan is in the orange room with what people are saying on social media about california chrome's loss. dylan. >> no surprise here, california chrome and the comments made by his owner are trending on twitter. there were 150,000 tweets about california chrome last night. while most of those tweeted agreed that the system is stacked against horses like california chrome, they didn't like the owner's use of the word "coward." let's take a look at some of the comments coming in on twitter. understand that he was very upset, but that was absolutely, positively, uncalled for, the way he did it. others are saying, his argument holds common sense weight. he's not complaining about the race circuit, he's talking about fairness in competition. and vanessa says, he was angry, but he was right. we will never see a triple crown winner this way. so people do agree with what he's saying and the gist of what he's saying. but maybe not so much the way he said it. guys? >> dylan, thanks very much. we're learning new details this morning about that terrible accident that left actor tracy morgan in critical condition at a hospital. as morgan fights for his life, the driver of the truck that crashed into morgan's vehicle now faces charges for the accident. ron allen is here with the latest. ron, good morning. >> good morning to you, lester. yes, the latest word we have is that morgan remains in critical condition. the comic actor and several other performers on their way home to new york after a show in delaware. police say the driver of a big truck rear-ended a limo that morgan and the others were riding in on a new jersey turnpike, setting off a deadly chain reaction. >> i'm going to the suburbs. >> here's comedian tracy morgan at a delaware casino friday night. >> [ bleep ]. >> reporter: a provocative performer who first made it big on nbc's "saturday night live." and then on nbc's hit "30 rock." >> you can read about that on the interweb. >> it must be true if it's on the interweb. >> reporter: hours after his sell out performance at 1:00 a.m. saturday, police say the driver of a walmart truck failed to observe slower moving traffic ahead on a new jersey highway, swerved but still smashed into morgan's chauffeured limo. the mercedes spun around, hit another truck and an suv in a six vehicle accident. the limo driver was not seriously injured. >> just heartbroken right now. i saw traffic and i stopped. and i was upsidedown. >> reporter: word and worry withette kei oo sprot mal frer sprolen are twotb sprofrten bol are are twoling brog thaelg eel to treegb are chb nob are morgan killed in the crash, jamed mcnair, 63, close friend of morgans. the driver's now chase faces charges. a comeendian who also has ignited controversy in the past with offensive bye-bye public comments and has naced drunk driving cants, now an out pouring of support. >> ntsb is also on the scene fwraup washington, helping new jersey investigators. an accident that was so intep, it closed a busy highway for five hours. lester. >> thanks very much. tribute for one of this generation's greatest writers and poets. on saturday, hundreds came out to honor and to remember the woman who has touched so many lives with her words. here's kerry sanders. ♪ >> reporter: hundreds gathered to remember dr. maya angelou. a celebrated national treasure, who as a child was raped and for five years did not speak. >> the loss i feel, i cannot describe. >> reporter: but at wake forest university, where she was a long-time professor, the one time mute was memorialed in dea death by the powerful words she did speak. >> i'll fly away, when i die. hallelujah, i will fly. >> i was a devoted student of maya angelous. learning up to our very last conversation the sunday before she died. >> she touched people all across the globe. including a young white woman from kansas who named her daughter after maya and raised her son to be the first black president of the united states. >> reporter: former president bill clinton was born 25 miles from stamps, arkansas, where angelou's book "i know why the caged bird sings" was set. >> i knew the people she was talking about. the problems she was talking about. >> reporter: her son chose his own melody of words. >> there is no mourning. we have added to the population of angels. ♪ i hope you dance >> reporter: maya angelou once said, try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud. at her memorial, she was that rainbow. ♪ i hope you dance >> reporter: for "today," kerry sanders, nbc news. ♪ i hope you dance >> looked like a beautiful service. >> it really -- yeah, it did. she touched so many people. let's get a look now at some of the morning's other top stories. jenna is following those for us. good morning. >> good morning. an historic prayer summit set to take place in the vatican gardens later tooed. pope francis has invited israeli and palestinian presidents to join him in pray b for peace. chief environmental affairs correspondent anne thompson is in vatican city with more on the significance of today's meeting and joins us now. an anne, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, jenna. pope francis says that many people build peace every day in small gestures and acts. and today it is his turn. he will pray as he did this morning, marking the end of the easter season in the catholic church. and he will pray tonight in the vatican gardens where he will be joined by israeli president shimon perez and palestinian authority president mahmoud abbas. the three together will pray for a peaceful end to the israeli palestinian conflict. they will spend about two hours together, including that one-hour prayer service where prayers will be read in the jewish, christian and islamic faiths. including the prayer of st. francis, which begins, lord, make me an instrument of your peace. it will be recited in arabic. the three men will exchange a sign of peace, they will each speak and they will plant an olive tree. then they will meet privately. the vatican says don't expect peace to break out after this meeting. instead the goal is to try and galvanize public opinion to push for a peaceful solution to a situation pope francis calls unacceptable. jenna. >> anne thompson, thank you very much. we are hearing this morning what it was like at the scene of the shooting at seattle pacific university now. seattle police released three 9-1-1 calls recorded shortly after thursday's rampage. officials say the calls show remarkable calm and resourcefulness of students, faculty and other witnesses. one student hiding in a professor's office gave directions to the dispatcher. >> he's in the lobby. he's in the lobby. >> what's going on there? >> somebody shot someone. >> police say the suspected gunman, aaron ibarra, killed one student and wounded two others. he was arrested after a student tackled him while he was reloading his gun. it's three months to the day since that malaysian airline jet vanished. this morning relatives of those aboard are launching an online fund to raise money for a reward and private investigation. family members released a statement saying, the project aims to encourage a whistle blower to come forward. the effort is being launched on the fundraising website indygogo.com. malaysia airlines flight 370 disappeared march 8th with 239 people aboard. finally, the next time your kids complain about going to school, share this little nugget with them. genevieve johnson is 94 years old. all she wants to do is go back to high school and get her diploma. johnson had to drop out back in the 1930s to work in a mill to help her family during the great depression. she says she knows she doesn't have many more years left. this is something she wanted to do. she always wanted to earn her diploma and she did. she said, quote, if i go to heaven i'm taking my diploma with me. that is the news. let's send it over to dylan. great story. >> great. love it. as you mentioned dylan is here with a check of the forecast. i was getting a jump ongoing over to dylan. >> it was unofficial. >> story of my life. >> now that it's official, talk about some torrential downpours. look at the heavy rain moving through oklahoma and just to the west of dallas. it's lightening up a little bit. you are going to see a round of really heavy rain in dallas shortly. flash flood watches are in effect in a good portionood porn that's your latest forecast. jenna. >> well played. >> i already ran out of words. >> dylan, thanks. still to come, will miami heat player lebron james ever be able to live this one d wondering what that is? that, my friends, is everything. and with the quicksilver card from capital one, you earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on everything you purchase. not just "everything at the hardware store." not "everything, until you hit your cash back limit." quicksilver can earn you unlimited 1.5% cash back on everything you could possibly imagine. say it with me -- everything. one more time, everything! and with that in mind... what's in your 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[ whirring ] [ train whistle blows ] she makes trains that are friends with trees. ♪ my mom works at ge. ♪ the miami heat take on the san antonio spurs for the game two of the nba finals tonight after a near meltdown during game one earlier this week. >> kind of literally and figuratively in some cases. the person getting the most heat for what happened at that game, lebron james had to be carried off the court when he started cramping after the air-conditioning went out. hasn't really been able to live that one down yet. jenna is in the orange room with more. this is getting a fair amount of play, i would say. >> are you surprised? it has so obviously become the latest social media sensation. it's called lebroning. it all started when that air-conditioning went out in san antonio's arena. it was hot, it was crowded, it was stuffy. lebron james seemed to be affected the most. with only minutes left in the fourth quarter his leg cramped up. he had to be carried off the court by two people as you see here. as you can imagine the twitter tweets ran amok. even the big corporations get in on the craze. jeff lou tweeted, enjoy the most legroom in coach. particularly if you're traveling between south florida and texas. #cramps. they went on to say, best cure for leg cramps more leg room. gatorade tweeted the person cramping wasn't our client. our athletes can take the heat. ouch. gatorade's leader apologized but they didn't delete the tweet. take a look at this. so many other people took to social media posting hilarious photos of themselves, #lebroning with six minutes left mowing my lawn and i couldn't continue. he had his daughters pull him off here. a couple more great pictures. this one tweeted by priscilla. this one by claire. lebroning. lester and [person]you know why so many of us here sleep on a tempur-pedic [person]it's all because of... sharon! 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[ all ] we're the pearsons, and we love chex! like a security camera. still to come on "today," a heartwarming story of a world war ii veteran who was determined to be at the 70th war ii veteran who was determined to be at the 70th anniversary of the d-day ♪ ben! well, that was close! you ain't lying! let quicken loans help you save your money. and her dad shared a special moment during our daddy daughter night. and chili's helped a pee-wee football team raise money to get to state. and that was just at one table, at one chili's, in one community. they weren't looking at me. ♪ i can't believe i still have acne at my age. i feel like it's my acne they see...not me. 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[ female announcer ] ask about a free sample size of aczone® gel. aczone® gel. see a dermatologist and see for yourself. 5:26 on your sunday morning. we begin with a look in the northern bay. that's a liveback chj from san rafael. the sun starting to peek out there, and it will be wek well on it way to a ha dhot day. >> some areas of patchy low clouds and myg. and warming temperatures soaring into the 90s in the east bay and southi. we'll hold into the laurm permtures into the east pay and soth way. the 70s closer to san francisco. around the north bay and try krara, we'll show you the hex two day look down right heart. and then the sea breeze begins to cool us off. >> a fear at aimatal yard renewing concerns about the company thas operates it. sims company quased questions about two fires last month. this broke ought the receiving facility in heyward,b ubd welcome back:30 saturday afternoon. peach who live east of the sea where robocalled to stay in place. two of the fires have been deemed osterucaer including the october 18th sire sgln aman fire from san francisco is on the run. the sheriff's department says he aeescapes from san franciscohaul of justice saturday, bt lithaush lim. he was arrested last summer on a nartotics warrant. he was dug for release last month. furious algaugzs of a gakyard deal from san breno. it killed 8 and devastated an enti entire narktd. city leaders are slamming a sudden and shocking halt into the investigation of missing pg sknrx e documents. the statements, pg, and e noted, quote, we can't speem for them for any acs they have taken, we are open to transparent communication, and anything contrary is simply not factual. coming up alt avenue:00. local reaction to the disappointment outcome of california chrome's run to higry. and why his cokoe-owner said th roswas cut peoplely unfair from the start. we'll see you in about an hour and a half. ery bottom, jenna, sharks. >> before we can get to that shark dylan has a final check of the weather for us. >> speaking of the beautiful weather, it's going to last up and down the east coast today. warm temperatures to in the south and southwest. that's where it's going to be exceptionally hot. temperatures about 10 to 20 degrees above average. look at those high temperatures. topping out around 111 degrees in palm springs. we do have an area of very strong storms from colorado stretching east through texas through oklahoma and right over into mississippi and alabama. we could see some of our strongest storms producing isolated tornadoes. but it's more or less just the hail and the damaging wind gusts downpours.tial downpours. and that is your latest forecast. lester. >> dylan, thanks. this morning an incredible scene over normandy as hundreds of paratroopers jumped over the first town to be liberated on d-day. recreating that infamous day in history. that famous day in history. the paratroopers both from the u.s. and france honoring the legacy of the 70th anniversary of the invasion in normandy. many of the heroes of that day were on hand on friday for a special ceremony. that includes one veteran who was absolutely determined to make it back to france, even though he was told he wouldn't be able to make it. annabell roberts is in london with his story for us. good morning. >> reporter: lester, good morning. it's another great escape. the veteran who snuck out of his home and vanished. showing at 89 years old, he is still full of that indominabled-day spirit. buddy jordan waved cheerfully to the crowd. 70 years before he'd crossed the english channel in the opposite direction. a royal navy officer taking part in the normandy landing. he wanted to return to france this past week for d-day commemorations. when he finally got back to britain, he was happy. >> marvelous. absolutely marvelous. >> reporter: but just how he got to france this time, well, that was an adventure. staff at his care home in brighton couldn't get him a place with an official group of traveling veterans, so bernie decided to go it alone. thursday morning mr. jordan walked out of his home as he does most days to get the bus into town. the only hint he had a plan, under his coat. he was wearing his medals. he boarded a ferry, joining up with fellow veterans and others making their way to normandy. but back at home when he hadn't returned by evening, the search was under way. eventually word got through, bernie had crossed the channel and gone awol to join his brothers in arms. >> bernie, come the morning, he thought, it's d-day now. i'm off. i'm going. >> reporter: proof the d-day spirit lives on. >> are you going to be in trouble when you get back to the home? are you going to face the music? >> yeah. i'll have to face that. but there we are. it's one of those things in life. you get good things, you get bad things. you do your best in whatever your situation. >> reporter: a hero's homecoming for a veteran still with a bit of fight. now, lester, the ferry company has offered bernie free travel to normandy for the rest of his life. and i reckon if he wants to go next year, no one's going to try and stop him. what do you think? >> i don't think so. annabell roberts, thanks very much. time now for a look at the latest hollywood headlines. "orange is the new black" is back. there are a few surprises at the weekend box office as well. >> alicia, good morning. >> good morning. >> we have to start out with the sad news about that horrible crash in new jersey, fatal crash. we know tracy morgan was injured. you spoke to him recently. >> i did. a couple of months ago. we just had an hour conversation just off the record, relaxing. we were just talking about life. what a good of place he's in. my husband was with me, my brother-in-law and a friend of ours. he said the birth of his baby girl, his fourth child, his only girl, has really changed his life. he talk eed about his father di of complications of aids and his comedy was born out of that. tracy used comedy as a weapon when kids would talk about his family situation. this is just really sad to see. >> twitter has been such a great place for people to express their thoughts. >> outpouring from comedian friends. just people that have watched tracy for years on "snl" and "30 rock." prayers and thoughts to tracy and his family. as we move on, a little tough turn here. we do need to take a look at the weekend box office. "the fault in our stars," which if you have not read the book, by the way, it's phenomenal. it's just blowing it out of the water. doing so well. >> this movie was made for $12 million. expected to bring in $52 million opening weekend. huge returns. as you said, the book, john green's book about two people that meet in a cancer outpatient center. this one is just sh-- it has always makings to be a success. the producers that did "twilight." a young hot star. based off of a hit novel. >> even though the novel essentially was a young adult novel, it really -- i'm proof. my mother loved it. it has such wide appeal. it's something so many people if you've ever watched a loved one suffer can relate to. >> are you going to see the movie? >> yeah. >> people looking for binge watching opportunities, "orange is the new black" started season 2. i got through two episodes yesterday. >> lester. season came out friday. >> what do you think so far. >> first episode i was a little bit thrown. you go into the second one and it's back totally to what it is. for those who have not seen season 2 yet, the first episode is all about piper. you're wondering, where are the other characters. in episode 2 it starts to come in. >> the whole thing for those who don't know, all 13 episodes are posted at one time. if you have the stamina, you can watch it at one time. >> i was talking to some of my girlfriends. some of them have started watching it as we have. they were saying they love this because there's not another show that has such strong female characters from different backgrounds. >> you start to see people who they are. in good ways. except for the fact they're all felons. >> minor detail. no one's perfect. >> this does. it flashes back to their childhood. you find out exactly where these characters are coming from. it's more about character development. >> isn't it fun anyhow we operate now in terms of binge watching. when a show ends, what do i do now? you need a show. >> you go through withdrawal. >> a lot of my shows ended this fall. i've been in this hunt. >> you were right for season 2. >> how many episodes will you be watching today, lester? >> i work two shows today. probably none. >> i'm still working on "house of cards." i'm going to watch that on my ipad later. >> still on season 1? >> season 1. >> no spoilers. still to come here on "today," we are celebrating fatherhood with a dad and daughter duo behind these photos. no, no children were harmed or fathers in the making of these photos. they're with us right afte nineteen years ago, we thought, "wow, how is there no way to tell the good from the bad?" so we gave people the power of the review. and now angie's list is revolutionizing local service again. you can easily buy and schedule services from top-rated providers. conveniently stay up to date on progress. and effortlessly turn your photos into finished projects with our snapfix app. visit angieslist.com today. ♪ a long term struggle...needs long term relief.in. eucerin calming creme. used everyday... it's triple ingredient formula is clinically proven to provide 24 hour moisture and to relieve dry, itchy skin, with 92% of people reporting improved overall skin condition overtime. eucerin calming creme. experience the difference that over 100 years of skin science makes. calm, healthy skin starts with eucerin. modern dads is brought to you by dove men plus care. celebrating the many ways dads care. father's day is just a week away. we're celebrating all things dad by kicking off a week long series on "today" called "modern dads." dove men plus care just released new research taking a closer look at the ever changing role of fatherhood. this morning we celebrate our "today" fathers through your home videos and photos. #fatherhood. millions strong. the tenderness of fathers and their children shown in these private moments. yet according to some recent findings by dove men plus care, 3 out of 5 dads say the media portrays them negatively. >> i. >> i. >> love. >> love. >> you. >> you. >> in the same research of 1,000 dads, 80% of fathers say they're proud to be a strong presence in their children's lives. with words like caring and loving most commonly used to describe their roles as dads. and while an overwhelming majority of dads surveyed say their prioritize families over work, they're still torn between providing financial versus emotional needs. a stress those same dads agree is much greater than it used to be. love that laugh. one dad with a humorous take on fatherhood is dave engeldow. he's compiled his first few years of being a dad with his book. good to have you here. every new father knows there's a real stress you don't want to get this wrong. you kind of parodied those fears with these photos. how did it begin? >> it began when alice was about 9 weeks old. i was feeling clueless and exhausted. i wanted to create an image that would capture what i was feeling and make fun of myself. we took a picture holding alice using his milk for my coffee. created a coffee cup that said world's best father. >> there she is sitting on a toaster. none of this happened. this is photoshow pped. >> we'll shoot my shot first. then alice second. >> you guys can appreciate the first time i pick up this book and i look at those pictures, i'm like, no, they didn't. people are shocked sometimes, right? >> yeah. sometimes. >> i want to see. >> you want to see? do you have a favorite picture? >> jen, you help stage these photos as well? >> i do. i try to keep everything safe and sane. so keeping alice happy. making sure dave's not going over the top with the pictures. and then just keeping everything working. >> originally this was something you just shared among family and friends. it went viral. >> yes, that's right. >> but i do want to get back to that question. for people who look at this and go, i don't know. i know this isn't real. but it's still disconcerting. >> yes. we were really surprised when the images went viral that the majority of folks have been really positive. we found a lot of other parents have a really similar sense of humor. we do get people unfamiliar with our work. we had a woman a couple weeks ago who saw a picture of alice on the barbecue grill and said if you want to teach a baby how to use the grill, there's safer ways to do it. >> again, not real. but you spent an awful lot of time doing this. >> yes. >> you want to see the fishy? we have some fish you're going to see in a minute. we have sharks. a pelican. does chefshe have a favorite? >> which one is your favorite, alice. do you like this one? >> you like that one? you got to have a lot of patience. >> we do have a lot of patience. >> doing those photos. >> getting back to your question about the length of time, it can take a couple of hours to do the shoot. and then, you know, another five to ten hours in editing afterwards. >> i think we've lost her. dave, alice and jen, great to have you. she wants to go over and see -- we've got penguins in t studio. we'll tell you what that's about in a few minutes. we're all going to be locked on to that as well. great to have you here. congratulations. be sure to tune into "today" all week long for much more of our "modern dads" series. find out a lot more about modern dads and our survey on the new today parent section of our website, today.com. then very special father's day celebrations right here next sunday. now over to dylan in the orange room. she's with the plaza fan of the day. >> i am with leigh and craig zimmerman from spencerville, maryland. 35th anniversary and they're both still mile ismiles. >> still to come on "today," from under the sea to studio 1a. >> celebrating world oceans day with sharks, penguins and more. but first these messages. coach, making decisions is a big part of your job. so, which would you choose? this one that cleans or this one that cleans and protects against dryness? that one. that's it. you got one question for me? dove men+care bodywash cleans and protects against dryness. ♪ [ male announcer ] fresh, local milk, real cream, and no preservatives. from the farm to our fridge in just six days. philadelphia® cream cheese. ♪ so rich, creamy, and delicious. only philadelphia®. so rich, creamy, and delicious. you best settle in for the most dependable relationship of your life. so bring on your smelly things... ...your dirty things... not your electronic things. you're welcome. but most definitely your delicate things. because with maytag, all kinds of things can get the best cleaning in the industry*. (bell rings) may is maytag month. shop now and grab big savings on dependable maytag appliances. to prove to you that aleve is the better choice for him, he's agreed to give it up. that's today? [ male announcer ] we'll be with him all day as he goes back to taking tylenol. i was okay, but after lunch my knee started to hurt again. and now i've got to take more pills. ♪ yup. another pill stop. can i get my aleve back yet? ♪ for my pain, i want my aleve. ♪ [ male announcer ] look for the easy-open red arthritis cap. this morning on today's call of the wild, we are talking about world oceans day. that's today. we have a few sea creatures in the studio to help us learn a it will little bit more. world oceans day was designated by the united nations to raise global awareness to raise challenges facing our oceans and ocean dwellers. we've brought along friends to honor the day and give a little lesson as well. nice to have you back. >> thank you. of course, every day is world oceans day at seaworld, right? >> there you go. >> when you go to places like seaworld, people get a chance to see under water and learn all about what is this extraordinary life that is living under there. >> it is so extraordinary. the colors are just almost something that you can't imagine. but these are also endangered populations. both the fish and the coral reef. as we're talking about this awareness, what's being done at this point to preserve some of these different habitats? >> well, you know what? things that those at aquariums are doing right now is looking at sustainability. that's really what it all revolves around. everything needs to stay in balance. all the life. even the chemical properties of the water with acid rain and things like that. so what we've kind of concentrated on are -- rather than collect those fish. there's so many hobbyists. we're working with universities. we're working with public aquariums and hobbyists. >> rather than take it out of that natural environment. >> rather than take it out of the natural environment, we're raising them. clown fish is probably one of the most popular. >> because we all know nemo. you also have -- >> also really very well done in terms of raising these fish in captivity. >> you also have penguins today which is, i think, where dylan is going to take over. she's been practicing her walk. >> showing the penguins right now. they are the most popular ocean ambassadors. what a lot of people see is the penguins on the ground, of course. but penguins spend up to 70% -- be careful, though. >> oh, be careful. >> stay down with him here. there we go. penguins spend up to 70% of their time in the water. they're very much ocean dwellers. >> we kind of compete with them, don't we? >> that's exactly right. penguins are coastal animals. we oftentimes are going out there and doing our fisheries. we're collecting anchovies and sardines for people. >> i don't eat those anyway. that's good. >> the exact same places these guys would find their food as well. penguins are having to swim farther and farther out to find food to bring back for their chicks. one of the things we can do is make sure we only buy sustainably harvested fish. there's the food. >> lester, now is a good time. >> with that, do you have any birds that fly, by chance? >> we do, actually. we're going to bring out panama. >> look at him. >> this is a rescued pelican from seaworld in orlando. we've rescued over 4,000 pelicans as well as 23,000 marine animals. >> i've read these guys are taking it on the chin from pesticides. >> that's exactly right. they've done the same issues also with finding enough fish in the ocean as well as one of their big problems is getting caught up in fishing line. so something that people can do is make sure that they always put their fishing line that they cut up -- come on up here, panama. come on. do you want to fly? fly up here. there you go! >> nicely done. >> we're going to have to leave it there. thank you. panama, it was nice having you here. be right back after this. [ jennifer ] i was not aware of how much acidity was in my diet. i was so focused on making good food choices, i had no idea that it was damaging the enamel of my teeth. i wanted to fix it. i wanted to fix it right away. my dentist recommended pronamel. he said that pronamel can make my teeth stronger, that it was important, that that is something i could do each day to help protect the enamel of my teeth. pronamel is definitely helping me to lead the life that i want to live. so do tire swings! this is our ocean spray cran-lemonade. it's good, old-fashioned lemonade. only better! whoa! [ splash! ] ocean spray cran-lemonade. a bold twist on an old favorite. [ girl ] my mom, she makes underwater fans that are powered by the moon. ♪ she can print amazing things, right from her computer. [ whirring ] [ train whistle blows ] she makes trains that are friends with trees. ♪ my mom works at ge. ♪ on the hit usa show, gina torres plays jessica pearson. a no nonsense attorney who will do pretty much whatever it takes to make sure her law firm always comes out on top. take a look. >> where is he? >> donna said he had a morning meeting outside of the office. >> and where is donna? >> right here. >> i prefer to appear at the exact moment i'm needed. >> i wish i could say the same for harvey. >> oh, harvey has a very -- >> i know that morning meeting doesn't mean morning meeting. >> gina is with us this morning. good morning. >> good morning. how are you guys? >> good. great to have you here. fiercely loyal. there's a little personal issue, little conflict of interest coming in the beginning of this season. which is a little fun but could change things. >> it could change things. yes, i know. jessica finally, finally has a little bit of a love interest. i think it took three seasons to just find the right guy. >> she is such a calm, cool, collected, sharp dressing woman. is there part of you when you play a character like that that parts of her you'd like to incorporate in your own life. >> absolutely. she is an inspiration. there are things she gets away with and the way that she gets away with things that you go, you know what? i bet i could talk to the plumber that way. i would actually get this stuff done faster. >> she doesn't question herself. >> no. that's the beauty of her. she is completely comfortable in her own skin. she apologizes for nothing. >> you know, we had some boys on the show. they said behind the scenes it's just like a mad house. practical jokes after another. you all have so much fun it's barely work. do you really have as much fun off screen as we see on? >> we do. i wouldn't say a mad house. >> that was their word. boys. >> i think they're easier on me. i think the persona of jessica pearson sort of carries over. they don't mess with me too much. >> that's good. >> but it is great. and they're fantastic. and it's a great cast. we get along beautifully. >> and real quick, i just have to ask, what is it like playing with your husband? playing a married couple on "hannibal"? lawrence fishburn. >> this is a great place for a joke. but the fact is, it's wonderful. he's amazing. >> gina torres, great having you on. thanks so much. no season of "suits" starts wednesday 9:00/8:00 central. in paris, championship sunday afternoon dons with the match most anticipated an nothing has anticipated no one has anticipated this match more than one man for the last year as novak djokovic awaits his chance to walk on this court. court phillippe-chatrier to try to win the french open championship. a quest to find a long and difficult road to do something, that would be an understatement.

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