hoffman as another woman comes forward for matt lauer. why some believe it's an alien spaceship. and in force, fans rushing to theaters overnight. the new "star wars" officially open, friday december 15th, 2017. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today," live from studio 1a is rockefeller plaza. so nice to have you with us on a friday morning. what a beautiful shot. >> yes, and more importantly, busting for "star wars." >> yeah, seeing it at theater tonight. let's get to the news. the tax bill is back on shaky ground this morning. nbc white house correspondent, kristin welker has the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, savannah. the high stakes fight on tax reform will enter a new phase today with the republicans set to unveil their final version of the bill in a few hours, and the president and republicans sounding optimistic, but this morning a roadblock with the final vote approaching next week, marco rubio said he will vote against the gop bill until the child tax is expanded for families, and families playing little or no income tax will pay $1,100. he says that should be higher. >> unless they can find a way to make it more, i won't support the bill. >> i think we will do very well on the tax, we will see what happens, and it's something that will be monumental and it will be the big egest tax decrease o cut in history. >> and mike lee is also concerned with the child tax credit and undecided on the bill, and all raising the stakes for republicans who can only afford to lose two votes, and corker is already a likely no adding to the uncertainty two republicans facing health problems, 80-year-old senator cochran, and senator mccain in walter reed to deal with the side effects of his treatment. his close friend, lindsay graham, providing an update. >> he has had a busy schedule and then come back and participate in only a way senator mccain can participate. >> politico citing sources saying the speaker is considering retiring after next year's mid-term elections, and ryan says he's not going anywhere yet. >> you are not quitting anytime soon? >> reporter: having fun with those questions. the president answered reporters questions before leaving to speak at the fbi academy, and today saying he will rebuild it. a few other headlines, the president said he and russian president, vladimir putin, had a great call yesterday. savannah, hoda. >> all right, kristin. thank you very much. let's turn to a mystery a top aide to kim jong-un has not been seen for weeks leading to speculation about what has happened to him. nbc's chief correspondent has that story. >> president trump may have called him a sad puppy recently, but we know kim jong-un has a bite, executing them that betray him. one of his closest aides has vanished. he was elite, usually seen next to kim jong-un, his top general, close aide, and central committee member and now one of the disappeared, last seen two months ago. south korean intelligence reporting he's been purged for getting kickbacks and having an impure attitude to north korea's leader. charges serious enough to justify speculation he's been executed. crossing kim can be deadly. kim's uncle, also once his right-hand man execute for treason, allegedly shot. and then his brother poisoned by two women attacked in broad daylight at an airport. so we know kim has form and executed dozens of general, and many that were close to him. he's a young leader ruthless in stumping out any sign of disloyalty. >> thank you. a lot to get to, including the massive wildfire burning in southern california. 32-year-old cory iverson was assigned to the fire burning north of los angeles the circumstances of his death are still under investigation, but his body was taken in a procession to a corner's office with firefighters standing in salute on city streets and on a freeway overpass. iverson leaves behind his wife, five months pregnant, and a 2-year-old daughter. the thomas fire is the fourth largest fire in california history. now to a move by the federal government sparking protests and threats of lawsuit. the fcc voting along party lines to have the rules designed to keep the internet fair and open. >> it could mean big changes, from streaming services, and stephan ste what does this mean? >> it's a fancy way of saying everything on the internet is fair and treated equally. netflix should be treated the same way as a mom who sells cookbooks -- >> the internet speed? >> correct. >> in 2015, the government said everybody is going to be treated the same. now yesterday they voted to repeal that. what could that look like? it could mean that netflix, for example, your internet provider, at&t comcast, it could say netflix needs to pay more because youtube videos is only two minutes long, and netflix could say okay, they will pay the cost but really they may not paying the cost, you will. f >> i woke up this morning wondering if anything new would happen with my wi-fi and phone. nothing changed. when will this happen? >> we know people are going to repeal it and fight it and it could end up in the courts, and congress could end up changing the rules. remember, the internet does need regulation, probably more or different regulation, because it has moved so quickly. government has not moved in time with it. we know repealing it could be good for big business and could be bad for you and i, because if you are the big guy you could pay up and get the fast treatment and then charges passed on to the consumers, and that's the concern. >> yes. >> thank you. the wife of a state representative in kentucky is speaking out for the first time since his death. officials say he took his own life just days after being accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl. here's nbc's blake mccoy with the story. >> i'm at the age where i am supposed to be able to enjoy my husband. >> reporter: this morning a kentucky widow is calling her husband's suicide a high-tech lynching based on lies and half truths. >> i am confident if that little greasy reporter had not done what he did, my husband would be alive right now. >> rebecca johnson blames her husband's death on an explosive news report accusing him of drunken sexual misconduct in 2012. police investigated it at at the time but did not file charges. johnson was a pastor and he denied the allegations before his congregation on tuesday, just before his death. >> this allegation concerning this lady, this young girl, absolutely has no merit. we are in a position right now as a nation where, i think, everybody in public office or in public work is at risk of an accusation. >> reporter: johnson died from an apparent gunshot to the head and posted a statement on facebook. the investigative team that broke the story is standing by its reporting, and louisville public media says they are deeply saddened by johnson's death adding their aim is to provide the public with facts, and they said they reached out to johnson numerous times and he declined requests to talk about our findings. >> i will be nice, but that's [ bleep ]. you know, these guys do not represent our values, so how could they even be fair? >> reporter: johnson's widow calls the allegations unfounded. she said her husband is the real victim and hopes kentucky's governor will appoint her to fill his seat. for today, blake mccoy, nbc news, chicago. now to disturbing into allegations on sexual misconduct against actor, dustin hoffman. good morning. >> good morning, hoda. this morning a number of allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior by dustin hoffman is growing. they are being made by women saying they left traumatized by their encounters by the actor, and some saying his unwelcomed advances happened when they were teenagers. a growing specific list of allegations against actor, dustin hoffman. a playwright saying hoffman exposed himself to her in the '80s. thomas was in high school at the time and a friend of hoffman's daughter. another woman telling the "hollywood reporter," she was just 15 when he invited her to his home and exposed himself to her in his daughter's bedroom. one woman saying he forced his hands down her pants while in the recording studio, and another describing an assault in a station wagon, and telling "the hollywood reporter," he would sexually assault her with his fingers regularly while waiting on cues to go onstage. and earlier, hoffman was confronted about accusations that he groped a teenager in 1985. >> do you believe this stuff that you read? >> i believe what she wrote, yes. >> why? >> because there's no point in her lying. >> nbc news reached out to hoffman for comment but his team has not responded however in a letter to "variety"'s owner, called the accusations falsehoods, and this morning outrage against hoffman building online, a online. >> for this interview he gave to the american film institution, tearing up of how dismissive he has been over their looks. >> too many interests women i have not had the experience to know in this life because i have been brainwashed. >> meanwhile matt damon addressing the scandal rocking hollywood, and the oscar winner comparing harvey weinstein and harry kay, saying not all men being accused belong in the same category. >> there's a difference between patting somebody on the butt, and assaulting somebody. they should not be conflated. >> several of the women coming forward say they did it in solidarity, and one of the women writing, quote, it was my teenage daughter giving me the last shot of courage saying, mom, you have to do it for the sisterhood. >> thank you. 7:14. if you are wondering where alabama al is this morning, he's near trenton, new jersey. you have a good crowd. good morning. >> good morning, guys. this is going to be a great morning. as you said, we are at joint base mcgwire, and this time of year we owe a special debt of gratitude to the women of our armed forces, and their families. we have a screening of the movie "pitch perfect 3" in a little bit at the base, and for you a great morning of music, and some of the groups that perform in the movie, it's going to be a fun, fun morning. we are inside of a huge hangar -- what is this hangar called? i don't feel so bad. it's a big hanger. it's a big hanger, and it's not so bad but outside we could be looking at snow in new jersey. let's show you what we have going on. basically we have winter weather advisories and lake-effect snow warnings from michigan all the way down to the snow from philadelphia and atlantic city and back into washington. probably problems along the commute. this is going to move from the carolina coast off of the coast of new jersey bringing snow this evening for the evening rush and into the afternoon. lake-effect snow will cause anywhere from six to eight inches of snow, and here along the coast it is going to be one to two inches but around the great lakes, it could be up to a foot. we will get to your forecast in the next 30 seconds. ♪ hi. hi. ♪ good morning, i'm meteorologist, kari hall. it's a cold start and mostly clear sky. temperatures in the tri-valley only at 35 degrees. 34 in the north bay. san francisco, mainly clear, 48 degrees as you get ready to head out the door with the high temperatures 66 degrees in san francisco, 68 degrees in santa rosa and 68 in san jose. livermore and morgan hill, expect a high of 70 degrees with winds picking up later on this evening. more from joint base mdl and the cast of "pitch perfect 3" a little bit later, guys. >> al, thank you so much. still ahead, the new accuser coming forward against matt lauer as the attorney for the first woman to level allegations against him is speaking out in an interview. and then the mystery surrounding the strange object that recently passed the earth. just what was it? and could it be proof that aliens really do exist? first, this is "today" on nbc. for mild-to-moderate eczema? it can be used almost everywhere on almost everybody. the face of a fisherman? the hand of a ranch hand? the knee of a needle pointer? prescription eucrisa is a nose to toes eczema ointment. it blocks overactive pde4 enzymes within your skin. and it's steroid-free. do not use if you are allergic to eucrisa or its ingredients. allergic reactions may occur at or near the application site. the most common side effect is application site pain. ask your doctor about eucrisa. straight ahead, an historic holiday delivery. we'll meet the proud parents who just welcomed sextuplets into the world. wow, and more fun and surprises from al and the cast of "pitch perfect 3." they are going to have a uso show for the ages, and we cannot wait to be a part of it. wait to be a part of it. first on friday i just finished months of chemo. wait to be a part of it. first on friday but i don't want to talk about months. i want to talk about years. treatments have gotten better, so... i'm hoping for good years ahead. that's thanks to research funded by the american cancer society. the same folks giving me free rides to treatments, insurance advice, and a place to stay during chemo. i need that stuff like you don't know. and now that you do, please give at cancer.org. seed to the oat ♪ ♪ to the o, to the bowl, to the spoon ♪ ♪ bowl to the spoon ♪ ♪ to the mouth for the boy in a room ♪ ♪ room for that goodness inside the bloom ♪ good goes around ♪ ♪ and around and around ♪ ♪ seed to oat, to o in the first day of school ♪ ♪ schoolin yo sister on why ♪ and just how to be cool ♪ ♪ cool if she hangs ♪ ♪ you can show her what's good ♪ good goes around ♪ ♪ and around and around ♪ speaking of good you'll love new chocolate peanut butter cheerios ♪ ♪you are loved ♪ giveshop early to save big! kohl's super saturday! and get kohl's cash! present for them, kohl's cash for you! give joy with a sweater for her a star wars toy or a diamond bracelet plus take an extra 20% off when you spend $100 or more! give joy, get joy at kohl's. lips lose natural color lackluster lips? don't think so. over time. chapstick total hydration moisture + tint. our 100% natural moisturizing formulas enhance your natural lip color. chapstick. put your lips first. ♪ when food is good and clean and real, it's ok to crave. and with panera catering, there's more to go around. panera. food as it should be. ♪ ladies and gentleman this is a robbery. what are you doing after this? ♪ i want ycome on mom!t easy. go slow. ♪ let's go! ♪ mom! slow down! for the ones who keep pushing. always unstoppable. in this home we make breakfast. sometimes messes! but always masterpieces ...together. what matters most is made at home. ♪ ♪ give extra. get extra. see ya. -take care. ♪ so probably take it at night. and if you have any questions, the instructions are here in spanish as you requested. gracias. ♪ at walgreens, how we care will change over time, but why we care remains the same treating everyone with the care and attention they deserve. walgreens. trusted since 1901. ♪ a very good friday morning to you. it's 7:26. i'm laura garcia. in about a half hour, people will be able to pay their respects to late san francisco mayor, ed lee. pete suratos joins us live at san francisco city hall this morning where the mayor's body just arrived, right pete? >> reporter: yeah, good morning to you, laura. that's right, his body arrived in the past 30 minutes or so. we are still here on the steps of san francisco city hall. the memorial has been growing over the past few days still there. we'll see more of that later this morning. let's show the video when the coffin was brought in. he was brought in by the honor guard into san francisco hall. the body is going to be here from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. there will be a public viewing. expecting an emotional day, a very busy day. the folks planning to attend this public viewing, officials are saying you need to arrive on the polk street entrance because they are expecting big crowds. more coverage on this later in the morning. pete suratos for "today in the bay." >> nice tribute there. thank you so much, pete. let's get a look at the forecast with meteorologist kari hall. it's another cold start. >> the temperatures will be warming up into the upper 60s for the south bay as well as palo alto. livermore, expect a high of 70 degrees and 65 today in napa as well as oakland. let's get an update on the commute from vianey arana. >> heavy delays from the bay bridge. there is the crash that is blocking the middle lanes east of the toll plaza. we are seeing a stalled vehicle on westbound 80 before harrison. a live look at the bay bridge. you can see heavy delays out of that area. we're back at 7:30. it's friday morning, december 15th, 2017. friendly reminder, ten days until christmas. you've still got time to get out there and get some stuff for your loved ones. >> we're going to begin this half hour with a check of the headlines, including the speed bump facing president trump. >> hitting a snag. president trump's key tax bill hangs in the balance as senator marco rubio pulls his support, threatening to vote no unless the child tax credit is expanded. >> unless they can figure out a way to add to the 1,100 figure, i won't support the bill. >> the president insisting the republicans will rally. >> senator rubio will be there for sure. we're doing very well on the tax front. >> north korean mystery. the rogue nation's second most powerful official vanishes, amid fears he's been executed. upping the charges. the white nationalist accused of ramming his car into counterprotesters in charlottesville killing a young man now facing first-degree murder charges. losing control. surveillance video captures the moment a man tackles a woman and throws her phone in a missouri parking lot. police saying road rage is to blame. and out of this world. a galaxy far, far away arrives in theaters overnight as the much-anticipated "star wars, the last jedi" opens around the country. >> it's the camaraderie when you meet people who are just as passionate about "star wars" as you are. >> today, friday, december 15th, 2017. also new information is coming to light surrounding the allegations against our former colleague, matt lauer. nbc's stephanie gosk joins us now with that story. stephanie, good morning to you. >> guys, good morning. since matt lauer was fired by nbc, there has been enormous speculation about who made the complaint that led to disaster. the accuser has maintained her silence but we sat down with her attorney who has been working on cases of sexual misconduct for 20 years. to those searching for his client, he says please stop. he told us, she is terrified. in his 20 years at the "today" show, matt lauer had become one of the biggest names in the media world, but it took one woman coming forward with her story, according to nbc news, and roughly 24 hours later, he was gone. her attorney, ari wilkenfeld spoke with us sclusly. >> she told her story, she was asked what do you want. she said i want you guys to do the right thing. and also i'd like you to maintain my confidentiality. >> what was it like emotionally for her? >> i think it was difficult, like it is for all victims of sexual harassment. it's scary. and that's why many women want to have those meetings and then want to go home, close their door and never be heard from again. >> does she live with this fear that she's going to be found out? >> my client is terrified. and she does live in constant fear that people are going to track her down and figure out who she is. she feels badly for the many other women who are suspected of being her, who are also being hounded and harassed. >> little has been made public about his client's relationship with lauer, but according to nbc executives, the misconduct began during the sochi olympics. nbc hasn't done enough to protect her identity. >> can you be more specific on where they have fallen short? >> i can say that nbc has a duty to maintain confidentiality. that means to maintain secrecy over her name and to hold to themselves the details of her story. they have not done a good job of doing that. they know exactly what they have done and they need to stop. >> in a past statement he wrote that nbc acted quickly and responsibly an nbc news spokesperson said the network has protected the employee's anonymity all along and will continue to do so. >> there's a hunt under way to figure out who she is. i think that's going to have a chilling effect on other women who might want to come forward and tell their stories. >> he would not specify how nbc failed to keep his client's identity secret. >> she's been incredibly brave, and she's helped protect the other women who work at nbc. she's also shined a light on the different ways women can come forward. >> do you think that we are at an inflection point right now for our society? >> i really hope so. i hope we have the ability to go beyond outrage and beyond take-down jobs to fundamentally altering the way our culture works and the way our workplace culture works. i think men need to be -- men need to step forward and start protecting women in the workplace when they see them being harassed. >> and this morning another woman has come forward. a former production assistant for the "today" show said she had a month-long sexual relationship with lauer in 2000, right before she was about to leave the company. lauer began sending her flattering messages, messages she printed out. then he invited her to his dressing room. it was a consensual encounter, but she was 24 and he was one of the most powerful men in the company. even though my situation with matt was consensual, i ultimately felt like a victim because of the power dynamic. nbc news declined to comment on the "variety" story. matt lauer has been terminated by nbc for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace. i spoke with zinnone directly and she told me she had an amazing experience until that all got annihilated when her affair with lauer began. we reached out to lauer's representatives who said he had no comment right now. let's get another check of the weather from al from the joint military base in jersey. hey, al. >> that's right, we're at joint base mdl. behind me really any kind of military action needs great weather information, and this is the 305th oss weather flight group. they fly into front line areas to set up so that our troops know what kind of weather is going to be happening as they need it, and so they are a very important group. they have this portable weather device that they set up in these cases, get everything they need to know to get that information to our troops. all right, let's bring you what -- this information you need as far as your weather is concerned. we've got some cold air coming in. out west it's nice and mild, but here in the northeast and mid-atlantic we'll see temperatures way below normal. 13 degrees below average for philadelphia. richmond 11 below average. only 30 degrees in boston. look at the warm air that's coming from des moines to kansas city, oklahoma, memphis, anywhere from 5 to 20 degrees above average on saturday. by sunday that makes its way to the east and we'll see temperatures that start to get above to at least seasonable good morning, i'm meteorologist, kari hall. a live look outside in san francisco on this cold start to the morning. it is very smokey out there. as we go through the day, unhealthy air quality in the north bay and the peninsula. if you have breathing sensitivities, limit your time outside. as we look at the high temperature, mid to upper 60s for the bay area. up to 70 in livermore. san jose, 68 degrees and more cloud this is evening. >> announcer: this sunday night football weather is brought to you by verizon. the best network and the best unlimited. >> well, we're at joint base mdl where the nation's finest take place while this weekend on sunday night, football night in america, football finest. let's take a look. oh, yeah, them boys are going to be working there way down under as we move into oakland territory. that's right. they're both in the playoff hunt. oakland coliseum, clear, mild, 59 degrees. let's hear it for the cowboys. let's hear it for the raiders. on sunday night football night it begins at 7:00. it will be music to your ears. speaking of music, we've got some a capella singers in honor of the pitch perfect 3 cast. the u.s. army voices. they're all going to be singing together a little bit later. oh, yeah. back to you. >> that is -- a ca-awesome. >> we want to keep listening to it. straight ahead this morning, including a mystery in space after this cigar-shaped object passed earth. could that be an alien spaceship? >> interesting. plus, imagine going for baby number four and finding out you're having sextuplets. we're going to meet one very happy and very big family. and could destiny's child be getting back together? and sweet, savory, spicy, the best mail order food gifts that you still have time to get. ? i want a rabbit! (train whistle blowing) hey, thomas. that's not how you get a rabbit. if you want a rabbit, you ask for a pony and then let them work you back down. mm-hmm. you're up! what if aunt joy wants the new iphone? you make this your final offer: ask for it on verizon. it's the most awarded network ever. that's why more people count on it. i'd like a giant singing rabbit in a rocket ship, please. she's a shrewd businesswoman. (vo) give the gift of iphone 8 and get one on us with verizon unlimited. only on the best network. ♪ america's favorite cookie ♪ delicious chocolate candy ♪ oreo chocolate candy bars ♪ now also available in mint flavor ♪ giveshop early to save big! kohl's super saturday! and get kohl's cash! present for them, kohl's cash for you! give joy with a sweater for her a star wars toy or a diamond bracelet plus take an extra 20% off when you spend $100 or more! give joy, get joy at kohl's. when food is good and clean and real, it's ok to crave. and with panera catering, there's more to go around. panera. food as it should be. ♪ ♪ we're back. 7:43 with a mystery that is out of this world. >> it is, indeed. astronomers just found this odd-shaped object from another constellation through our solar system. tom costello covers space for us. >> this is what we're talking about. the first inter stellar object ever to enter our solar system. it's about the size of a football stadium whizzing right by earth without anybody noticing. a chance encounter, listen to this, as improbable as throwing a pebble from 75 miles back and hitting something as small as a nickel. this weekend as the new installment of "star wars" rockets to a theater near you, something else born a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away has also arrived in our solar system. this interstellar interloper about the size of the rose bowl or maybe the starship enterprise. >> very strangely shaped and it comes from another star. that's what has everybody looking at it with every telescope they can find. >> .that odd, oblong shape has some here on earth wondering, is it a rocket or a rock spp. >> anytime we see something that is really outside of the range of observations of what we've seen in the past, it's not unnatural on to speculation that something like this could be artificial. >> but so far, scientists listening with these big telescopes say they aren't detecting any unusual signals. no alien voices, at least not that they recognize. >> it has been traveling through interstellar space for hundreds of millions of years, billions of years. aerodynamic, a quarter mile long, 130 feet across and shaped like a cigar, likely from a cans at t constellation likely 25 light years away, speeding past us before anybody on earth spotted it with a telescope. above the clouds in hawaii where astronomers named the asteroid oumuamua, hawaiian from a messenger from afar arriving first. >> there's still quite a lot to worry about this interstellar object and limited time because it's on its way out of the solar system. >> now some are wondering whether this close encounter may be a sign of life from somewhere out there. and if so, should we consider our own message? >> just come and see us. we are very friendly he peoples. >> i would just probably call the president and be like, you've got to take care of this. >> it's traveling so fast it's already swinging past jupiter. but listen, as for advertising our whereabouts to aliens, i once asks neal degrass tyson about that. his reply, listen, i don't even tell what human strangers i live on. why would i tell aliens? >> don't they already know because they're so much smarter than us? thank you, tom. >> thanks, tom. carson, what's shaking over here on earth in the orange room? we have a big debate. it hats nothing to do with tax reform or net neutrality. this holiday season, are you for or against eggnog? we're going to settle it once and for ul. >> right after this the. if you have moderate to severe plaque psoriasis,... ...isn't it time to let the real you shine through? maybe it's time for otezla (apremilast). otezla is not an injection or a cream. it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. with otezla, 75% clearer skin is achievable after just 4 months,... ...with reduced redness,... ...thickness, and scaliness of plaques. and the otezla prescribing information has... ...no requirement for routine lab monitoring. don't use if you're allergic to otezla. otezla may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. tell your doctor if these occur. otezla is associated with an increased... ...risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have... ...a history of depression... ...or suicidal thoughts,... ...or if these feelings develop. some people taking otezla... ...reported weight loss. your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. other side effects include upper... ...respiratory tract infection and headache. tell your doctor about all the medicines you take... ...and if you're pregnant or planning to be. ask your dermatologist about otezla today. otezla. show more of you. give joy with 25% off nikeoy. and get joy with kohl's cash for you! take 25% off select nike hoodies, shoes and more for the whole family! nike presents for them, kohl's cash for you! give joy, get joy with nike at kohl's. still get a refreshing any size soft drink for just one dollar at mcdonald's? with the days getting shorter and your to-do list getting longer, you'll enjoy this ice-cold deliciousness more than ever. hurry over to mcdonald's. ♪ ♪ ♪ welcome back. carson is in the orange room with a raging debate. >> i've been waiting for this segment all week. good morning, guys. we're all familiar with eggnog, that creamy holiday drink that shows up this time of the year. well, the beverage has sparked quite the debate online. it turns out you either love eggnog or despise it. jaroshi says the greatest five things on the planet, eggnog, eggnog, eggnog. dave says hot take, eggnog is garbage. james posts you know it's just sweet drinkable mayonnaise, right? that will ruin it for you. robin adds me every year, maybe i should try eggnog and see if i like it. also me, takes a sip and literally gags. so we took the debate to twitter. what do you think, guys? 53-47 of the most people think it's disgusting but it's pretty darn close so we need to settle this once and for all. go to our twitter page. vote. guys, i don't care where you fall on the eggnog thing, it does go well with something dark, okay? >> carson -- >> so if you just add a little something to that warm mayonnaise, you'll never know. it really won't matter, folks. family is coming to town. you're behind the amazon shopping for kids, have a little warm mayo. >> do you just want any delivery vehicle for the makers mark? >> anything dark works. it can be a brandy, a bourbon, a little makers, whiskey. >> do you like it, though? >> yes. this is the floater, it sits right on top. do you guys like it? yes or no. >> i think i'm a no too. >> yeah. >> more for me! coming up, the surprise guest who made quite a splash at the queen's birthday party. >> and al's in central jersey. ♪ america's favorite cookie ♪ delicious chocolate candy ♪ oreo chocolate candy bars ♪ now also available in mint flavor ♪ (hard exhalation) honey? can we do this tomorrow? (grunts of effort) can we do this tomorrow? if you have heart failure symptoms, your risk of hospitalization could increase, making tomorrow uncertain. but entresto is a medicine that was proven, in the largest heart failure study ever, to help more people stay alive and out of the hospital than a leading heart failure medicine. women who are pregnant must not take entresto. it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren. if you've had angioedema while taking an ace or arb medicine, don't take entresto. the most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure, kidney problems, or high potassium in your blood. ♪ tomorrow, tomorrow... ♪ when can we do this again, grandpa? well, how about tomorrow? ask your doctor about entresto and help make tomorrow possible. ask your doctor about entresto give joy with 25% off nikeoy. and get joy with kohl's cash for you! take 25% off select nike hoodies, shoes and more for the whole family! nike presents for them, kohl's cash for you! give joy, get joy with nike at kohl's. ♪ wherever life takes us, we go together. interwoven... ...exclusively at kay, jared and zales. ♪ 7:56 on your friday morning. in moments, people will start to pay their respects to late san francisco mayor, ed lee. pete suratos joins us live at san francisco city hall where the crowd has been gathering most of the morning. pete? >> reporter: good morning to you, laura. the public viewing for mayor ed lee will begin momentarily at 8:00 a.m. there's already a line behind me. i counted over 50 people already in line for the public viewing. not too long ago, we had the police motorcade here at the city hall steps. you had the coffin brought in by the honor guard. it was brought in as the coffin will be lying here at city hall from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. i did get a chance to speak to the chief of staff, of course a very emotional time for him. here is ha he had to say. >> i'm -- i'm sad. we are shattered. the mayor was our friend, he was our boss and our leader and he set the tone for us. it was really hard watching him come into city hall this way. >> reporter: take you back out here live. folks are lined up, getting ready to go inside for this public viewer at 8:00 a.m. they are lined up on the polk street entrance. you have to go through security. there's a memorial here, you have to drop off your flowers to go through security. more coverage of this in the next hour. live in san francisco, pete suratos for "today in the bay." >> thank you very much. happening now, we have full coverage as we remember mayor ed lee. as you saw pete suratos live at city hall, he's been tweeting all morning, videos of the procession arriving, the crowd gathering. i'm laura garcia. another update coming soon. to honor san francisco )s late mayor. reaction - following ed lee )s weekend memorial. and commuters ... making people prisoners in their own homes! the action one local community is taking to stop the problem. today in the bay - monday - 4:30 to 7. it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, tax bill trouble. senator marco rubio comes out against president trump's signature legislation. >> unless they can figure out a way to add this to the 1,100 figure, i won't support the bill. >> what he is demanding and why the gop bill could be derailed. we're live at the white house. plus, six bundles of joy. meet the couple that just welcomed sex tuplets into the world. they're speaking out about their new life ahead. >> when they grow and we are responsible for feeding them and changing them, that's when it's going to get real. al gets pitch perfect. ♪ come on, come on >> we're on location at a military base in new jersey where the stars of "pitch perfect 3" are putting on the ultimate uso show for our servicemen and women today today friday december 15, 2017. >> we just got engaged. >> and we're celebrating on "today." >> hey, america, it's my 18th birthday. >> pittsburgh! >> my dad, my brother and my dog. ♪ >> 50 years of waking up with "today" and i'm finally on the plaza. >> we're turning 6 0 on "today" show. >> go hawks! >> we have to get out there and see you guys. we will do just that in a little bit. the news first. your news at 8:00. the republican tax overhaul. the deal has hit a new snag. a key senator is threatening to vote against it. nbc white house correspondent kristen welker with the latest on it. good morning. >> good morning to you. republicans are expected to unveil the final version of their tax reform bill in just a few hours. the president and white house sounding confident heading into the home stretch, but on capitol hill there are some unexpected hurdles that could derail everything. senator marco rubio saying he will vote against ithe gop bill unless it is expanded for low-income families. his fellow republican senator is also demanding more money for the child tax credit and currently undecided. president trump insisting they will be able to turn those no votes into yes. republicans can only afford to lose two votes in order to pass the legislation. now, adding to all that uncertainty, senator john mccain and 80-year-old thad cochran are facing health problems. in fact, vice president mike pence even delaying a planned trip overseas in case he needs to cast a tiebreaking vote. meanwhile, house speaker paul ryan is dismissing reports that he's considering retiring after last year's midterm elections. ryan insisting he's not going anywhere. as for president trump later today he'll speak at the fbi national academy graduation against a somewhat tense ba backdrop. mr. trump recently said the bureau's reputation is in tatters. savannah. >> all right, kristen, thank you. this morning, the kremlin says president trump and russian leader vladimir putin have agreed to share information about north korea. they pledged to corporate on strategies for easing the north korean crisis. the two leaders spoke by phone on thursday and thanked putin for praising his handling of u.s. economy during putin's annual year-end press conference. an alabama couple celebrating a holiday miracle. they just welcomed six new babies into their family with help from a hospital dream team. this amazing story. >> reporter: three boys, three girls and each weighing less than three pounds. the little bundles of joy born just under 30 weeks. >> boys the names are tag, blake and blue and the girls names are rivers, rollings and rain. mom who already has three children, says the hardest part of her preg nenancy was not bei able to give her other kids the level of attention. >> still to be a good mom for them and grow these six babies and get them to where they needed to be. >> reporter: a team of nearly 40 medical specialists delivered the tiny tots at the huntsville hospital for women and children. the group had been rehearsing for the complicated delivery. doctors say all that practice paid off and everything went according to plan. >> so, there were six people there waiting, you know, as dr. rushing delivered, they took them to their designated bed and that's where we had more team members there to help stabilize the babies. >> reporter: they say they're tired now and that's with the sixtuplets still in the nicu. >> when they grow and we're responsible for feeding them and changing them and still taking care of our other three and trying to work and make money to raise them, that's when it's going to get real. >> reporter: six more mouths to feed and six more hearts. >> that is incredible on every level. happy for them. we have the morning boost. >> here we go. christmas came early for a high school football coach in tennessee. all right. the man you see there is a guy everybody calls coach squeaky he turns out the school community pitched in and they bought squeaky a new car to replace his old one that had tons and tons of miles on it. overcome with emotion. the head coach wrote that he is so deserving and we are so blessed to have such a great man around our program. how about some love from bristol, tennessee, this morning on your friday. >> i love him. i'm so happy for him. i don't want to be a story topper, but i have a morning boost of my own. >> what are you doing on may 19th? will you be my date for the royal wedding? >> we have a date. >> st. george's chapel, windsor castle. be there, if you can't be there, we will be there outside like stalkers. it was just announced prince henry of wales and ms. meghan markle will marry on may 19, 2018. >> that is a saturday. in case you're trying to plan your schedule out. if you want to be home the saturday 19th. >> did you just do that calcu s calculation in your head? >> yes. >> you are a human calendar. including a celebration of our troops with al and the cast of "pitch perfect 3." is destiny child reuniting? >> i can't take all this good news. >> why the beehive is buzzing this morning. hi, ladies. you just heard tom costello's report about a possible alien spacecraft spotted in outer space. an astronaut joins us today on whether we should be expecting visitors. i don't know about you, but i am appropriately dressed. >> a very spacy outfit. >> i love that. >> nasa casual. but, first, a heartwarming holiday surprise for a grandmother you just have to see right after this. hmmm... ( ♪ ) ♪ give a little bit ♪ give a little bit hello. ♪ of your love to me hee-hee! haha! ♪ there's so much that we need to share ♪ ♪ so send a smile all: whooo! ♪ and show that you care ♪ give a little bit of my love to you ♪ give joy with 25% off nikeoy. ♪ and show that you care and get joy with kohl's cash for you! take 25% off select nike hoodies, shoes and more for the whole family! nike presents for them, kohl's cash for you! give joy, get joy with nike at kohl's. outer layer of your enamel tooth surface. white, the thing that's really important to dentists is to make sure that that enamel stays strong and resilient for a lifetime the more that we can strengthen and re-harden that tooth surface, the whiter their patients' teeth are going to be. dentists are going to really want to recommend pronamel strong and bright. it helps to strengthen and re-harden the enamel. it also has stain lifting action. it's going to give their patients the protection that they need and the whiter teeth that they want. ♪ ( ♪ ) welcome back, everybody. guess who joined us at the table? miss >> ges who joins us at the table. she is going to be here and co-host with me. >> did you put your order in for your drink? >> no, carson just said i looked like santa's helper. >> you look so beautiful and smart. >> we have a remarkable family making headlines for finding the silver lining amid a devastating diagnosis. and that's going to start us off this morning. good morning. >> this is a sweet story. christine stone's mother has been battling and every time she told her mom she was expecting a baby the grandmother to be was surprised. it started off as a private family video showing the love between three generations. >> mom, do you know i'm having a baby. >> you? you? >> i was starting to make a video on my cell phone just to have as a momento for my daughter when she was born because my mom can't remember and she probably won't be around when she's older. >> reporter: that's because christine stone's 77-year-old mom has alzheimer's disease which affects her short-term memory. >> did you know i'm having a baby? >> no, you? >> do you know i'm having a baby. >> what? when? >> october. >> oh, good, christine. that's so good. >> she was surprised, shauocked every time. my belly would be out to here and until i pointed it out, she wouldn't -- >> no. when? >> october. >> soon after posting the heartwarming videos, they went viral and people wanted to know how she would react when her granddaughter finally arrived. >> do you know who that is? >> no. >> it's my baby. >> your baby. >> your granddaughter. >> okay. >> sometimes on very few occasions she'll remember that that is my daughter. if we tell her a few times over and over again she'll remember. >> your granddaughter. >> she loves sadie and she wants to get here as fast as she can to hold her and play with her and love on her like a grandmother does. >> although she has to be introduced to her granddaughter every few minutes, sadie gives new life to her grandmother each and every time. a former pilot and ace ping-pong player would, at times, refuse to leave her house after being diagnosed with alzheimer's eight years ago. >> i think sadie motivates her to do things. to get out of bed, to get in the car to come visit. interacts with her mind to keep her mind active. singing songs and just playing with her. >> reporter: being around little sadie has even helped grandma get some of her game back. >> it's not all happy. it's not all fun. there's a lot of aggravation and annoyance that goes along with this disease. a lot of heartbreak. i just wanted to bring awareness that it's not all bad. you can find good in a bad situation. >> that's your granddaughter. >> you are lucky. >> it's beautiful. it struck a cord. in that moment, it's just joy. people like to focus on that joy. >> some moments you would repeat over and over and over again if you could. >> maria, you said something interesting. >> i think it reminds us that we only have the moment that we're in, right? i think it's so great that she's wanting to spread awareness because so much of alzheimer's is heartbreaking and sad and people are devastated and then you see the joy, right, of the moment and reminds us that we only have what we're having right now. >> my grandmother had alzheimer's my senior year of high school and i went to her house every day after school and i said, okay, grandma, i'll see you tomorrow and the next day i would ring the bell. when she saw her grandson that renewed joy every single time. it was priceless. >> it is beautiful. thank you. >> thank you. we'll take a turn now and do trending. now, "new york times" has a year in review and this one will make you smile, we hope. the top viral internet moments that brought us joy in 2017. top viral, not top best. number five, the dancing hot dog. the snapchat filter that took social media by storm. people couldn't get enough of the dancing hot dog. >> coming in at number four, the #nugsforcarter. teenager carter tweeted wendy's how many retweets before getting free nuggets. wendy's replied 18 million. he accepted the challenge. he didn't reach 18 million and he got 3.6 million but he did break ellen's record for the most retweeted record of all time. >> chicken nuggets. >> do you remember number three? remember when all eyes were on the georgia dome implosion. the weather channel had a front row seat to watch it come down but then -- >> this is great. >> watch what happens. the bus drive right in front of the camera. >> i would have loved to been -- >> can you imagine. right as soon as it goes down, the bus keeps moving. number two on the list one of our favorite daily click videos. every parents' night mare. the young boy known as knife kid. >> let me see what you have. >> a knife! >> let me see what you have. >> a knife! >> he's got scissors. he's got a knife. stop that kid. we should mention, he's totally fine. >> drum roll, please. >> the top viral moment of the year, the innocent mistake that sent us all into fits of laughter. participating in news interview from his home, his entire family stole the show. the bbc dad. >> my children just walked in. shifting, shifting -- >> what was crazy is -- >> wait, mom coming around. >> this is the best. >> but this conversation was a heavy handed, political, about north korea and he was trying so hard. >> watch when she closes the door. >> look at her. >> if you wanted to write or create a funnier moment, you couldn't. that's my favorite part of the whole thing. >> like every mom, on the floor. mr. carson, pop start. megham markle will celebrate christmas with the royal family and she attended her first royal christmas party. the queen's annual staff party. prince harry looked so proud of his fiancee and many said they were blown away by her confidence and elegance. and, again, we're just learning this morning the big day for the wedding, when, guys? >> may 19th! >> a saturday. >> get it on your calendar. >> that's right. book your flight. now to kevin hart the comedian join ed -- >> give a warm welcome to the one and only kevin hart! >> that is pretty good. dancing with the radio city rockets and sat down with jimmy and talked about his new born son and there's this adorable photo. that is actually my bed kevin is saying. finally, destiny's child. there is potentially a reunion in the works. at least twitter users taking a lot of time to put together clues on social media. got the whole talking about it. the theory is they're going to reunite when beyonce headlines coachella. i have so much to tell you guys. all i'm allowed to say right now, never mind. latoya who shared a throwback photo of the group back in october and just wrote mood heart. >> the boots that she wore during destiny child's reunion at the super bowl. a lot of these things collect e collectively have gone viral. are you convinced destiny child reunion? it does make some sense. >> i wasn't convinced until right now watching those clips. otherwise, why would they do that? >> you made a very compelling case, carson. >> the royal wedding. >> let's get to our daily click. we all know and love the famous scene from "christmas vacation" have you watched it yet this season? get a little ambitious with their tree selection and end up making for quite the site on their way home. as you see there, clark grabbed the whole darn thing. check out this scene captured for real on a street in montana. >> oh, i wish that was me. long island express way. root still attached and everything. >> the tree has lights on it. the wood panelled station wagon mirrors the griswold car. but it caught a lot of people's attention. a lot of fun and made for a good daily click today. >> that's a good one, carson. let's check in with al having a fun morning hanging with members of our military and the cast of "pitch perfect 3." >> hey, guys. how are you doing? this is so exciting. we're here at joint base mdl and we've got, before i introduce our next guest, i need a little help. we have a beat boxer from the "pitch perfect 2" cast and we have one of the guys from the u.s. army voices. guys, could you give me a little beat? >> all right. joining me now, the captain, the commander, the general, the star, the producer, "pitch perfect 3" ladies and gentlemen, elizabeth! we salute you. >> wow. that's an intro, al. i'll take it any time. thanks, guys. >> we're here the uso a big part of military life and so vital. and pitch perfect 3 cast on a uso tour. how did you get that idea? >> i went on the tour about two years ago exactly this time of year. we went on the chairman's tour for the holidays and visited troops all over the world and ended up in afghanistan and went to bahrain, germany, sicily and, you know, the united service organization, the uso. they do an amazing job bringing a little bit of home to the troops abroad and people who are aware from their families especially at christmas time. i'm so excited that we're here today bringing a little bit of holiday joy to these guys and get to be some of the people to see "pitch perfect 3." >> really excited about that. your dad was in the navy and the uso was a big part of his career. >> my dad was in the navy and i asked him if he remembered the uso and the main thing he remembered was meeting david nivin who brought a very good-looking girl on to his boat in malta back then. >> wow. >> so "pitch perfect 3" you directed 2 and you're the producer of these. these movies have set all sorts of records. why did you think these movies have so resonated with people? what is it it that we love about it? >> a group of misfits who come together. we love things that are about team work. there's a lot of beautiful harmony in the movies and some great female empowerment that i'm most proud of. >> i watched it on the way down here and it's terrific and meet the cast in a little that's what's going on around the military base. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> it's very hazy in the bay area and we have a high level of pollutants being trapped here, around the valleys especially. we will have another spare the air day. wood burning illegal. the air quality is unhealthy in the north bay and peninsula. with our high temperatures today reaching into the upper 60s and low 70s, it will be very nice by this afternoon after a very chilly start this morning. and that is your latest weather. all right, time to get a little aca crazy with the rest of the "pitch perfect" team, the bellas. besides elizabeth banks, we've got hailey steinfeld, britney snow, chrissie fit, esther dean and hannah malee. welcome, ladies. the bella's are back together and still a team and this time they are underdogs. when do you guys get to be the guys? >> 4. >> it wouldn't be fun if they were already on top, the movie would be over in the first five minutes. >> what is the best part of making these movies? >> being with the girls. >> being together. we have become like a family, i think, and we love each other a lot. i am staring at you lovingly. >> you guys got to go to some milita military bases and interact with the troops. what was that like? >> it was amazing. it was nice to be on, like, a real uso -- >> a real base. >> thank you. >> it was just amazing, meeting all the troops and hearing their stories and having them in the scenes. they were amazing. >> we had two amazing pilots that flew these great planes. >> yeah. >> we had some great pilots. when they took off after they were with us on the shoot, they did these aerial tricks to sort of impress all the ladies. >> we were impressed. we were impressed. >> what is the hardest part about being part of the bellas? >> the hardest part is leaving each other. i don't mean to be mushy, but we have a great time and do a lot of fun things together. >> as we will see in the movie, which we will be screening a little later on for the folks here at the base at the uso, and thank you so much and merry christmas. >> merry christmas. >> we want to remind you "pitch perfect 3" opens nationwide december 23rd, and it's from our parent company, universal. ladies and guys, here we go. everybody! ♪ i )m - - - -. people are paying their respects to late san frais good morning to you, everyone, i'm scott mcgrew. you see people paying their respects to the late san francisco mayor ed lee. these are live pictures this morning from inside the rotunda at city hall where mayor lee is now laying in repose. pete is live at san francisco city hall. pete, doors opened about half an hour ago, right? >> reporter: yes, good morning. actually, the doors opened just now, and that's why we're seeing this group. i counted about 200 people walking in right now. you see the line coming in. a number, just talking to them in line, that may have either met mayor lee at one point or may have worked with him at some point, but they're walking inside here, as his casket was brought in here about an hour ago, about 7:00 a.m., about an hour and a half ago, so we're expecting this big crowd to show up. you're looking at video of when that police motorcade arived and then they brought his casket inside. now, it will be there until 7:00 p.m. we're expecting big crowds. of course, emotional time for a lot of people that i spoke to. including a member who's a member of a union who said she worked with him during contract negotiations. they called him the people's mayor. this is going to be here, this line is around the corner, guys, and it's going to be here. good morning, everybody. it's 8:30. it's friday morning. and we are getting so close to christmas. a beautiful day out on our plaza. we've got a great crowd, a little chill in the air, lots of christmas spirit. we've got maria busy this morning. she did trending, now she's gathering donations for our toy drive. thank you, maria, for doing the honors. >> so we have a huge crowd. i see a princesses wear pants book. hi, merry christmas. number one christmas wish, meet hoda. >> i'm going to meet you. hold on. where is emma? okay. so everyone in the "pitch perfect" theme there's been a lot of carolling out here i understand. where are you from, emma? >> i'm from charlotte, north carolina. >> i know it's freezing and you're an eighth grader. will you sing me a little we wish you a merry christmas ♪ we wish you a merry christmas ♪ ♪ we wish you a merry christmas ♪ ♪ we wish you a merry christmas ♪ ♪ and a happy new year >> will everyone join in together. 1, 2, 3, everybody. ♪ we wish you a merry christmas ♪ ♪ we wish you a merry christmas ♪ ♪ we wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year ♪ >> that was awesome, you guys, you made our day. thank you, sweet girl. thank you, thank you. how about that? that's awesome singing. >> nicely done, emma. guys, also coming up, fresh off her latest golden globe nomination, the great jessica chastain is here and we're going to talk about her movie that looks so good, "molly's game," her performance in it. a great supporting cast. we look forward to checking in and catching up with jessica. >> we love jessica and she's nominated again because she's a superstar. also we'll check out fashions to dress up your family for all those holiday parties an events that you have. first megyn is here. what have you got coming up? >> speaking of fashion, i am dressed for you know what? >> megyn's month of merry? >> space aliens. >> are you ready? >> i am ready. >> what did you call it, savannah? >> i said you were wearing nasa casual. >> space chic. i'm ready, mothership. we'll talk with a real live astronaut about whether this thing is real, are aliens coming to visit us or not. we'll follow up on that. patti labelle is performing live. >> patti labelle is performing live? >> yes. and then megyn's month of merry. >> what will you get today? >> you have to tune in for that. let's go out to al in new jersey with some of our great service members. hey, al. >> hey, guys, thanks. at joint base mdl, a uso tour. we'll get to that in just a second. let's look at your weekend outlook. starting off, of course, with saturday. we expect to see, again, a little snow making its way across the great lakes, lake-effect snow. mountain snows in the rockies. it's been very dry, they need that snow. unfortunately, red flag warnings continue in southern california. plenty of sunshine in the southeast. sunday, sunday, we're looking at a little more cold weather continuing in new england and the northeast. heavy rain down through the gulf. wet weather through the mid-mississippi and ohio river valleys. unfortunately, strong santa ana winds kick up again in southern california. more wet weather that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we will have a cold start, warming up into the upper 60s. even a few low 70s today. later on tonight, more clouds move in and our winds will be increasing. giving us a high fire danger, especially for those inland areas in the hills. elevations above 1,000 feet. we will have to watch out for that red flag warning. it stays breezy through at least sunday morning. our weather cools off just a few degrees. and there's rain in the forecast. on the first day of winter. >> and that is your latest weather. well, you know, after the show this morning we are going to actually go on tour here at joint base mdl with the cast of "pitch perfect 3" and there's going to be a screening of the movie as well. we decided since of course it's a movie about a cappella teams, we've got the philharmonic from the cast of "pitch perfect 2" and the u.s. army voices to perform a little holiday magic for you. guys and ladies, take it away. ♪ ♪ when tomorrow comes, tomorrow comes ♪ ♪ when tomorrow comes ♪ i look around me and see the sweet ♪ ♪ it's getting me through the night ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> yeah, all right. the philharmonic u.s. army voices. the uso, the cast of "pitch perfect 3" altogether. back to you, carson. >> al, thanks so much. there are few actresses who can command the role the way that jessica chastain does. her new movie "molly's game" is based on the true story of a woman who ran an exclusive high-stakes underground folk po game. >> donnie silverman, my brilliant find, he lost $6 million on my table. >> stop. >> moved to florida, got a job as a substitute teacher and then hanged himself. >> oh, and that's your fault? that's not your fault. >> harlan is in jail in nevada wishing he was but that's not why i'm saying no. >> you're not saying no. >> i was named after my great grandmother, molly bloom is my name. >> you're so good in this movie. congratulations. >> thanks. >> good to see you. >> good to see you. >> on monday you were in paris doing press with aaron sorkin. you released a little video on instagram and you could see how genuinely excited you guys were. >> i was doing press and my publicist ran in and said, hey, you got a golden globe nomination. she said aaron is going to come in and congratulate you. i was like okay, great. he also got nominated. i could hear him down the hall going who's a golden globe naum me, who's a golden globe nominee. and i pulled out my phone and secretly videotaped him. >> you know, in l.a., there are a few roles, but this one in particular from what i understand, this was one that a lot of big-time a-listers wanted this role. i read what aaron sorkin said about you. he said, listen, a number of great women would have done great playing the role of molly but i wanted jessica chastain. one of the things that he said that struck me, and i'll paraphrase. it was something to the effect of jessica is strong without acting tough. and this role needed that. >> oh, that's interesting. i didn't know that. that's a nice compliment. it's -- i have a feeling like all women are strong and in our films and media, we don't show that part of women. this was a character when i read it on the page i was so blown away by, yes, that she is strong, she is intelligent, but she's also -- she has vulnerability and fragility. because it's aaron sorkin, there's social commentary in this film and that was really inspiring to me. >> important to you, i'm sure. >> yeah. >> let's go back to 1998 because you in your own life were making your your professional stage debut in shakespeare's juliet. how did this go from the high ranks of skiing into this world of underground poker? >> she was ranked third in women's moguls and she had a terrible accident that derailed her plans. she had her life planned out for her. she was heading to law school, she was going to go to the olympics, and then fate intervened. she found herself in los angeles and she became an assistant for someone who asked her to help out with the games. it just -- she got the idea, you know what, this is a business that i can scale up. and that's what put it all into her mind. >> she scaled it up in l.a. and brought it here to new york to the high list and the mob is involved. how did this story go from her in real life, i'm sure you spent time with her, not going into prison but here a big movie premiere. >> unbeknownst to her when she went to l.a., she let in members of the russian mafia so she was indicted by the fbi. she had started to take a rake in the game to cover her debt sheet. so, listen, she did some terrible things. she made some bad mistakes. and the government definitely went after her for it. but also this film is about a woman, i guess, in any industry. you know, trying to become successful in an industry where men are creating the rules. the film really explores pat arcy. >> and that's poignant at this time. you've been very vocal on this anti-sexual harassment in hollywood and put yourself out there front and center. some people are applauding by the sidelines. why was it important to be front and center for you? >> because it's more than just a hollywood issue, it's a society-wide issue. i think a lot of attention is in hollywood because we're in the media and actresses and we have a very large platform. but i think it would be a grave injustice to ignore other women in other industries because it's -- like i said, it's a society-wide problem. there was a beautiful letter win to the actresses of hollywood from women working as farm workers. and what they go through every day. they were saying, listen, we don't have the attention that women in hollywood have, but please don't ignore us. this is something we face every day too. so it's important that we re-examine how we perceive gender in our society. >> it's very cool. congratulations on the film, the nomination. hope you have a good holiday and get a little time off. >> you too. happy holidays. >> "molly's game" is in theaters on christmas day. coming up next, we have holiday fashions on a budget for the whole family, but first this is "today" on nbc. for mild-to-moderate eczema? it can be used almost everywhere on almost everybody. the arm of an arm wrestler? the back of a quarterback? the face of a fairy? prescription eucrisa is a nose to toes eczema ointment. it blocks overactive pde4 enzymes within your skin. and it's steroid-free. do not use if you are allergic to eucrisa or its ingredients. allergic reactions may occur at or near the application site. the most common side effect is application site pain. ask your doctor about eucrisa. we are back with "today style." festive dinners and gathering for parties. keeping your family looking sharp on a budget. "in style" magazine editor at large. when you come, i know good things are going to follow. >> thank you, hoda. >> we'll start out with the harris family. they're going to a dinner. let's bring the harris family in. ding-dong. okay. >> how cute are they? >> hello, you guys. tell us what they got going on. >> they want to be stylish but not too overdressed. mom, camilla. she is wearing this jacket and my favorite piece and you can wear it as a dress. pairing it with a tank from our label. pair of levis boyfriend style and the must-have accessories. look at her cute daughter. >> she is adorable. she is in black and silver from head to toe. her cardigan is from h&m, skirt from gap and shoes from zara. dad is in j. crew. j. xru is hacrew is having a bi right now and his son is in the cutest stuff and shoes from old navy. >> so cute and come to our party any day. >> follow us. a little bit of a swankier party. we have the weeks family all gathered together at our holiday shind shindig. >> so, mom, laura, she's in silver and gold. her top is from a brand called in other stories and her pants are from h&m. i love the gold metallic. super chic. head to toe. the son is in the velvet blazer, which i love. so, so cute and jeans and then he has his little shoes on and her daughter is in this really, really cute plaid dress, tights and mary jane's. over there we have little lily in a dress from j. crew. gold metallic with tights and these cute sequin booties from zarra. >> how old are your twins? >> 10 months. >> you're unbelievable. come on, why don't we stroll over here to our next party. i love this. >> this is all about when you take your holiday picture whether it's a card or taking a picture for facebook or instagram. you want to be cheerful and fun and prints and patterns and also kind of casual. as you can see with beth so chic sitting there with her sweater from the gap and her pants are track pants and that is like the style right now. >> by the way, those pants are awesome. i don't know if you can see the detail on the side. would you wear those in real life? >> her daughters are so cute. emma is in a cute little outfit from gap. her top is really sparkly and her pants are sparkly and then the converse are the kicker. like, put on some sparkly converse and that makes everything festive. >> those pop. i love the red sweater. >> and this really cute sweater and her pants from j. crew. they're plaid and she also has on the converse and the sparkly converse. >> by the way, beautiful. every single one of these looks terrific. thank you so much. for even more inspiration follow "today style" on facebook. tasty holiday gift ideas. you still have time to order. first, this is "today" on nbc. we're back with today's hassle-free holiday. if you're in need of last-minute ideas, we have the solution. mail order food. >> and all sorts from savory to sweet, fried to frozen. "today" contributor elizabeth mayhew has picked some of her favorites. by the looks of it, you've done an incredible job. good morning, time is ticking. let's start with the coffee. >> the coffee is great. it's called fire department coffee started by firemen. some of the proceeds go back to not only helping charities of firefighters, which as we know there are a lot of people working really hard right now, and also veterans. so fire department coffee, four different flavors. it's roasted to order, delicious. >> that's a nice thing to spend your money to knowing it's going to a great cause. that's an added bonus. >> what is this? >> this is from a company called mouth.com. this is their meat lovers platter, so go for it. what i like is you can also go to the site, pick how much you want to spend, whether you want sweet or savory and they put it altogether. it even comes with the cheese board so that's really nice. >> that's really cute. >> now, for the health conscious person, as you go into the new year, it's daily harvest. actually someone in the food department is a huge fan. you get these prepackaged frozen smoothies. it's healthy. some of them, like try this one, savannah, i think you'll love this one. >> it needs the makers mark i put in the eggnog earlier today. >> it comes in these cups. you put them in the freezer. take them out and throw them in the blender with coconut milk. you can put the straw in it and it's good to go. >> it tastes healthy. >> okay. so this is this gooey caramel that has mexican spices so it's got a little hint of cayenne and cinnamon. made by a 70-year-old chocolate maker. >> i like everything about mexican spice caramel bars. >> a little salt. >> everyone is going crazy here for this. this is barbecue from texas. you can get here -- go for it. >> among the best. >> this is their family pack. it comes with the giant brisket, an entire rack of barbecue. >> this comes, what, how does it come? >> it comes frozen. all you have to do is defrost it in your refrigerator and put it in the oven. >> these are great to go to places like salt lake and have these packages that you can just buy and send. >> what's great about mail order food is it does come overnight so it is a great last-minute gift. now, i love this company, i'm moving you guys away from the barbecue. this is called lucky guy bakery. it is in bloomington, indiana. and they hand make all of their brownies, they're absolutely delicious. they come in different varieties. there's one that's gluten-free and vegan as well. you can customize your panels to different sizes. delicious. okay, well, this is actually a spice company called pecaned post. and what they do is they send you four packets of spices and it's great for somebody who's like either really an adventuresome cook or somebody just starting out. it sends you the recipe and you can make it. it's a subscription order and about $12 a month. >> by the way, that's my cousin. my cousin's business. >> it is really? >> yes. >> e-creamery. what i love about this ice cream company is you can customize it. there's a label here for savannah's sweet treat. you can customize the label and customize the flavors. >> wow. >> so go ahead and try it. there's 40 different kind of flavor bases and 30 different mix-ins. they also do collections, so this is their hannukah collection which because we have a few nights of hannukah left you can still order that and get it and it's so -- >> it's really good. one more. >> there's a christmas selection. last but not least if you want to go from ice cream to bloody mary, i would love you guys to. >> carson does. >> this is a bloody mary mix company from denver, colorado, it's all hand made in batches. you can get the growler or you can get the box and it comes with pickles for garnish, oh, my gosh, there you go. >> no! >> yeah, super bloody mary christmas. >> oh, my gosh, this segment was four minutes and 7,000 calories for me. >> ten minutes too short. >> if you want all these ideas go to today.com/food. all of these ideas are on our web page. great job, elizabeth. we're back in a moechlment. this is "today" onbc. ♪ toyland, toyland ♪ little girl and boy land ♪ while you dwell within it ♪ you are ever happy there daddy, it's christmas! ♪ childhood's joy land never let go of your dreams. the mercedes-benz winter event is back. lease the e300 sedan for $569 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. we have a look ahead at the weekend -- >> do we? >> carson brought them these meat trays. >> that's a guy looking after a buddy. >> coming up on saturday, we'll take a look at what makes the holiday so special in addition to brisket and sausage. how the celebrations that we had as children turn into traditions for our families four decades later. by the way, that video there, that's not anybody on the show. then on "sunday today" my guest is adam driver, one of the stars of "stari )m - -... people from across the bay good morning. it's 8:56. people from across the bay area are paying their respects to late san francisco mayor ed lee. you can see his coffin arriving at city hall just a couple of hours ago. and his body will lie in repose today as the bay area says good-bye to mayor lee. here is the schedule of events. the doors just opened about an hour ago. that was at 8:00. lee's coffin will be in the rotunda until 7:00 tonight. thousands are expected to attend. then on sunday, celebration of life will be held. that starts at 3:00 in the afternoon. and it is open to the public. we will stream the service on our website nbcbayarea.com. also happening now on our digital platform, pete soratos is at city hall right now. he's been tweeting all morning long as the community gathers to mourn the late mayor. you can follow pete for updates. his twitter handle is petesurat petesuratostv. we have more details on sunday's memorial service and we're live ste streaming the memorial events happening right now. that's nbcbayarea.com. we have a look at weather and traffic in about a half hour. our midday newscast is at 11:00. ♪ ♪ think of your fellow man, ♪ lend him a helping hand, ♪ put a little love in your heart.♪ ♪ you'll see it's getting late, oh please don't hesitate...♪ ♪ put a little love in your heart.♪ ♪ in your heart... ♪ in your heart... ♪ in your heart... ♪ in your heart. (vo) get zero percent financing for 63 months on select models, plus we'll donate two hundred and fifty dollars to charity. mayor. reaction - following ed lee )s weekend memorial. and commuters ... making people prisoners in their own homes! the action one local community is taking to stop the problem. today in the bay - monday - 4:30 to 7. suratos: . this morning on "megyn kelly today," matt lauer under fire again. a new woman steps forward accusing the former nbc anchor of inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace. we'll have a full report. then patti labelle, the grammy-winning godmother of soul, performs live right here in studio. plus our month of merry freebie train rolls on through. all that and more on "megyn kelly today" right now. [ applause ] >> good morning.