>> yeah. >> the "today" show is just ahead. our storm coverage will continue with "today in the bay" on roku and other streaming platforms. you can watch us for your 7:00 a.m. streaming newscast coming up next. you can also see it online at nbcbayarea.com, as well as through your smartphone. >> and that is what's happening "today in the bay." the "today" show begins right now. >> have a great morning. slow it down. good wednesday morning a court decision has good wednesday morning a court decision has a lot of people talking this morning. >> can donald trump be kicked off the ballot it's december 20th this is "today." courting controversy colorado supreme court rules the constitution bans donald trump from banning for president because of his role in the

january 6th insurrection, but puts the ruling on pause until the u.s. supreme court can weigh in just ahead, inside that case and why the same challenge has failed in several other states. cleared for takeoff. the holiday travel rush underway near record clouds expected on the roads and at airports, but will the weather cooperate and is the faa ready >> you put a thunderstorm in northern new jersey, it could have a ripple effect. >> we're inside the command center working to get you where you need to go. >> overwhelming surge. the border crisis growing by the day. major ports of entry closed to deal with record crossings and now taking a toll on the shipping industry. we're live on the border with the very latest. course correction. thousands of passengers told at the last second they would be headed to new england and canada instead. >> bahamas, boston, like -- >> it's a big difference. >> what sparked that sudden change and the customers trying to make the most of it.

those stories, plus honoring a friend george clooney opens up about his long-time friendship with matthew perry. what he says perry did not find after landing his most iconic role. and feeling festive. ♪ sing choirs of angels. >> we're setting up our countdown to christmas with the joyful sounds of choir week today, december 20th, 2023. from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hi, everybody. good morning. welcome to "today." nice to have you with us on a wednesday morning. we love the sounds of the season. >> we do. how about that group from philly that's been outside practicing, the philadelphia boys choir? we're so excited to listen to

them today. it will be great. speaking of christmas, the busiest travel days before the holiday. al is keeping his eye on some severe weather. >> yeah, more than 22 million people under flood watches across the west coast, parts of the east coast still cleaning up from this week's powerful storm. al will have his full forecast in just a bit. >> ordering donald trump be removed from the 2024 primary ballot in that state saying he, quote, engaged in insurrection on january 6th, 2021. >> many legal experts believe it will not be upheld. >> we've got it all covered from the political to legal ramifications, what it means for the first presidential contest less than a month away. garrett haake leads us off from washington. hey, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this is a case viewed by legal experts as a long shot with similar efforts having failed across the country, but this ruling now sets up a potential showdown at the

supreme court as donald trump's campaign and his republican primary opponents are blasting the decision, saying it should have been left to the voters. president donald trump campaigning in iowa overnight, making no mention of a bombshell decision by the colorado supreme court ruling he engaged in insurrection when he tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election. the decision also making him ineligible to hold office and disqualifying him from march 5th ballot. the court repeatedly reciting mr. trump's own words on january 6th as evidence of the insurrection when he urged supporters to march on the capitol and fight insurrection. >> we're going to walk down to the capitol. we fight like hell. if you don't fight like hell,

you're not going to have a country anymore. >> reporter: mr. trump's campaign calling the court's decision completely flawed and vowing to appeal. the political backlash to the ruling instant with the former president's allying rushing to his defense. house speaker mike johnson calling it, quote, nothing but a thinly veiled attack. his rivals also attacking the decision. ron desantis calling it an abuse of official power. the ruling is on hold for now with the trump campaign already vowing to appeal. and legal efforts over the same issue have failed all over the country, including lawsuits dismissed in minnesota and new hampshire. and a michigan appeals court rejecting his candidacy just this month. mr. trump has been unaffected by his legal issues in primary polls, already fund-raising off the colorado decision. he is still the republican front runner and still defending his most controversial rhetoric on the campaign trail after his comments that immigrants are, quote, poisoning the blood of america. trump doubling down last night. >> and it's true, they're destroying the blood of our country. they don't like it when i said

that. and i never read "mein kampf." they said, oh, hitler said that, in a much different way. >> the colorado decision has had perhaps the unanticipated political impact of uniting his primary rivals in his defense. it is not just ron desantis but nikki haley and chris cristie calling it politically motivated and arguing it should be voters that stop him, not judges. no word yet, from the biden white house or campaign. savannah? >> all right, garrett, thank you so much. let's get to the political ramifications, this may ultimately help donald trump once again. what is the legal significance of one state, colorado saying he can't be on our primary and then pausing that so the supreme court can weigh in. >> let's start with what the

constitution says so we understand their reasoning. the constitution's basic principal is if you have taken an oath to uphold the institution, you cannot here. the hook here, guys, is that the constitution is silent about what happens if that person is the president. they're just silent about that. there has been this raging debate in legal circles about whether this should apply to trump or not. it is great for a law school system. it is bad for the. now that one court has decided, it is ultimately going to be up to the supreme court. >> it's classic. you have some states saying, of course, this section of the constitution doesn't apply. the supreme court is going to have to step in. here's the question. i mean, it takes a long time for a supreme court case to make its way through the process. >> usually, yeah. >> right. so would they fast track it or could this run out the clock and, you know, it's sort of moot at some point? >> i think we will see pretty quickly how they want to handle

this, if at all. remember, right now that is, quote, nothing has changed. they put their own decision on hold, recognizing sort of the gravity of what they were doing. if trump appeals, then everything is frozen. there is still a stay in place and they could sit on it, at least through the primary in march. the question is, what happens for the gem election? at that point they have to decide at some point before that in november. >> laura jarett, thank you very much. the war in the middle east and a push for a cease fire to secure the release of more hostages. molly hunter joins us now with the very latest. good morning. >> good morning. watching closely and the drum beat around a possible new deal is growing as hamas says their leader is in cairo, egypt for possible peace talks. israel is open to a new deal that would likely include the release of hostages and sending more aid into gaza. but with nearly 130 hostages still captive in gaza, this couldn't come soon enough.

overnight, israeli president signalled readiness for a new deal. >> israel is ready for another humanitarian pause. >> reporter: intense discussions aimed at securing another pause in fighting to allow more hostages to be released and get aid to gaza is under way this morning. as the u.s. works to free more hostages, it also has new concerns this morning about the ripple effects from the war. america now leading an effort to protect the key red sea shipping route against threats from the iranian-backed houthi militias. shipping companies have already diverted $35 billion in cargo. while nearly 130 hostages remain captive in gaza, releasing new video of two israeli hostages

after hamas also released video earlier this week of three elderly hostages talking under duress. the man on the right is an 80-year-old richard engel spoke with his son, guy. >> reporter: you don't have confidence in prime minister netanyahu's efforts? >> do you think i should have confidence in him after what happened? >> reporter: israel has said hamas is using the hostages and the civilians in gaza as human shields. strikes in the central city. civilians inside the enclave are paying an unbearable price. in southern rafah, this man was in the hospital injured by an israeli strike when doctors brought him the bodies of his son and daughter. her grandmother suzanne cradled

her. she only lived two weeks, he says. now one of nearly 20,000 people who have been killed in gaza, according to the health ministry. a grim milestone on day 75. that grim milestone 20,000 people killed likely reached today. that death toll is what the un estimates is two-thirds women and children. hoda? >> molly, thank you. we should mention a new nbc news digital documentary takes a closer look at the kidnapping of noah, one of the first faces of the hostage crisis. you can watch it by scanning the qr code on your screen. well, we turn now to the crisis at the u.s. southern border. it is showing no signs of slowing. waves of migrants arriving daily. now some ports of entry are being shut down so authorities can help with the surge. many, many migrants are waiting to be processed. guad, good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. you can see the crowds behind me. we're right next to one of the international bridges here in eagle pass where cvp is using

this field behind me as a holding area for this large number of migrants arriving. it could be as many as 2,000 or maybe more. the numbers they have seen at the border are breaking new records. this morning the crisis at the border unrelenting, with thousands arriving daily from california to arizona and texas. on tuesday, this field in eagle pass packed with thousands of migrants waiting to be processed. men, women and children overwhelming border officials. on monday, customs and border protection seen a new record number of daily crossings, apprehending over 12,000 migrants at the southern border with more than 26,000 already in custody, pushing processing centers to their limit. in arizona, the overwhelmed port of entry in lukeville still closed, while in texas international rail operations halted in el paso and eagle pass.

>> but the problem is far more than just numbers. it is also a national security crisis. >> reporter: this week texas governor greg abbott signing a controversial new law allowing state and local authorities to arrest undocumented immigrants and even deport them. >> so we anticipate with sb-4 that crocks down on the illegal entry that that should reduce the number of people coming across the border. >> reporter: almost immediately the city of el paso and the aclu taking legal action calling it unconstitutional. >> it will open the door to racial profiling. >> reporter: the white house also opposed. >> the law is incredibly extreme, and it does not make -- it does not make communities in texas safer. it just does not. >> reporter: with thousands more arriving every day, it's a crisis with no end in sight. and as the surge continues, a u.s. appeals court temporarily blocked the biden administration

from destroying that razor wire fence that has been placed all across the border that, of course, has been so controversial. >> thank you. all right. it is 7:13. we have to say good morning to craig. it's getting busy. >> oh, it is. good morning. good morning to you as well. let us talk about that hectic holiday travel rush. with just five days until christmas now, as we saw yesterday, the crowds are building at our nation's airports. of course, the weather is playing quite the role in the aftermath of the storm on the east coast and there are new weather concerns across the west we will get to al's forecast in a minute tom costello has been behind the scenes at the faa command center in virginia. that sounds pretty cool, tom good morning >> reporter: yeah. busy time. good morning, craig. so, listen, today and tomorrow will be the busiest pre-christmas travel days.it the

thanksgiving numbers but make no mistake every seat on your plane will be full the good n passenger volume up 6% over last year we're not going to hit the thanksgiving record numbers. but make no mistake, every seat on your plane will be full the good news this wednesday morning, with 114 million people expected on the roads this holiday stretch and two and a half million moving through tsa check points each day, much of the country is now clear of volatile travel weather for now. though, the flood with the flood waters remain. >> for dallas, possible ground stops. >> reporter: at the faa command center in virginia, they watch everything from potential volcanic ash drifting out of iceland to storms moves across the u.s. >> powerful low pressure system pulling into new england. >> reporter: 24/7 constant communication. >> possible ground stop. >> reporter: air traffic control, airline reps, defense and national weather experts all in one room. >> possibility of ground stop delay due to winds.

>> reporter: this is the heart of the faa's command and control for the nation's air space if an airport anywhere needs a ground delay or ground stop, they order it here weather is always top of screen and top of mind. >> if you put a thunderstorm in northern new jersey, it could have a ripple effect across the entire country. >> reporter: all the way to sfo? >> yes, exactly. >> reporter: managing that ripple effect is her daily mandate. >> so we do try to manage our high complex capacity areas to ensure that there is a smooth transition throughout the rest of the air space >> reporter: with nearly 50,000 flights today and tomorrow, the faa opened military air space and more high altitude highways. but the agency is still short several thousand air traffic controllers leading to mandatory overtime and an urgent search. >> we know we need more air traffic controllers. we're working hard to hire from a variety of sources and keep

them moving through the training pipeline >> reporter: all right back here at the airport, one of these nice folks said i heard what you said a few nights ago get here early yeah, you do by the way, and this is good news, cancellations are running at 1.2% for the entire year. that's a five-year low delays are the problem right now because the on time arrival rate right now is about 77% they would like it to be 80% plus guys, back to you. >> all right tom costello, a lot of folks behind you there at that airport. thank you, tom. all right. a lot of people with their eyes on the weather we have mr. roker. >> we have some back and forth about our weekend. in the west it is not great, if you are going home to arizona, for example. >> probably not, no. with 22 million people right now, we have flood watches all the way to san diego by storm, we'll probably see those flood watches further east and arizona, we're going to be watching that very closely you can already see that rain

coming in from eureka. they are starting to see the heavy showers and thunderstorms. this is going to be a big one. a pacific storm sliding down the california coast heavy rain in the low elevations, higher elevations in the mountains. more rain to the flood threat. you can see all that heavy rain now moving in to arizona, phoenix, tucson. we look at flagstaff, and heavy rain as well and into southern nevada as well we do have a moderate risk of mudslides and debris flow because of the burn scarred areas stretching all the way out

west of los angeles. but, really, all the way down to san diego we have a threat of that rain fall amounts, these could be really heavy. the transverse ranges, the ones that move basically from west to coast, we're talking 6 to 8 inches of rain could be 10 inches of rain in some of those sections as far as the wider view, 1 to 3 inches all the way to arizona. here's the deal, airports, likely due to problems, san francisco, los angeles, san diego, las vegas may see problems, phoenix, arizona difficult driving along i-80, i-5 and i-15 on into i-40. a lot going on over the next 72 hours. we will get to your local forecast in the second 30 seconds. not just credit. actually, discover gives cash back on debit... to everyone. everybody? everybody. if you could just tap... what about debbie johns? all those years that i couldn't find my bike, it was in her garage. like she gets it? if she has discover cashback debit then...yeah. introducing discover cashback debit: a checking account with cash back for everyone. good wednesday morning.

i'm cinthia pimentel. the bay area waking up to heavy spots of rain for the morning commute. it is going to stay with us at least through the middle part of the morning, into this afternoon, before tapering for thursday and on into the holiday weekend. notice as we go on and take you through christmas eve and christmas day, those temperatures are going to come back down into the upper 50s for our daytime highs and 30s and 40s. you can always track the rain on the nbc bay area app. and that's your latest weather. guys >> just love you, al. >> al, thank you coming up, imagine this. you pack for a caribbean cruise only to be told actually you have to sail to new england and canada instead a sudden change of course that's impacted thousands of passengers how are you handling it, emily >> reporter: yeah, that's right. vacationers packed their bathing suits when they should have

packed their parkas. that's because a last-minute change was impacted by severe weather. coming up, hear from some of the passengers onboard on exactly what happened. >> they have a lot to say, i'm sure. plus, if you are a last-minute shopper, let's say you like gift cards. keep in this mind, mr. melvin. a scam is leaving a lot of people drained it happened to a member of our "today" family vicky nguyen will tell us what to look out for. but, first, this is "today" on nbc.

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good morning. i'm marcus washington, along with kris sanchez. we are moving you forward with a look at your top stories. today we are in another microclimate weather alert. >> a lot of places, the rain has been coming down hard at times, a live look from our photographer, driving through san francisco. don't worry, both hands are on the wheel. that's a dash cam.

chp reminds everybody, slow down on your way to work this morning. here is video we just shot in san jose about 30 minutes ago. you can see the rain really coming down in sheets. i'm glad, because my car is really dirty. it is expected to get heavier in parts of the bay area over the next few hours. >> focusing in on sfo this morning, this is where weather related ground stops are now expected to begin at around 8:30 this morning. that makes this the third day in a row for those stops due to weather, whether it's wind or low-lying fog. conditions there led to a delay of about 160 before noon yesterday, and the average wait time is about an hour. >> it is not fun to add more time to your travels. kari hall is off this morning. cinthia pimentel is here. it looks like we're getting walloped. >> we are seeing pockets of heavy rain through the early morning hours that continue. most of the activity focusing on the central bay. i'm going to move into parts of

san leandro, hayward, toward san ramon, heavy pockets of rain, and also out of sfo. it will be a slow commute and wait time as you get ready to travel for the holiday weekend. parts of san jose down through morgan hill also tapping in on a lot of that moisture through the santa cruz mountains as well. we're going to keep that rain with us today, dry out tomorrow, and see some calmer weather for christmas day.

struggles. ♪ merry christmas ♪ ♪ merry christmas ♪ ♪ merry christmas ♪ ♪♪ merry ♪ sing a song for the joyous new year ♪ ♪ merry christmas ♪ ♪ merry christmas ♪ ♪ sing a song for the happy new

year ♪ okay whoa wouldn't you say wow back with that festive music back from the philadelphia choir we are so happy to have them with us. using their beautiful voices they will spread a lot of holiday cheer out on the plaza can you picture their moms and dads >> oh, so sweet. >> by the way, they have been here for like three hours. to be that young and get up early. >> it's not warm out there either we will enjoy them in a bit. we begin with a bit of a holiday bummer for cruise ship passengers. >> here's the thing. they were looking for fun in the sun, sailing from florida to the bahamas. but they ended up in chilly new england and canada emilie ikeda joins us to explain what happened. >> reporter: good morning. i point out it is 75 degrees in

the bahamas. and 29 in boston a lot of these passengers were not too thrilled about the last-minute change-up. the unsafe weather forced them to point out they gave passengers the option to take a future cruise credit while some took advantage, others are taking this vacation 180 in stride. this morning passengers onboard what was supposed to be a bahamas cruise ship are trying to make the most out of a not so sunny vacation destination. >> instead of the bahamas, we are now staying in boston for three days, portland, maine and canada. >> reporter: over the weekend, just one day before they were set to depart from new york, they alerted passengers to the last-minute itinerary change saying unseasonable and rapidly worsening weather forced the

unexpected u-turn, adding the only alternative would have been to take the most extreme step of canceling the cruise and thousands of people's vacations outright according to its website the ship can accommodate over 5,000 passengers and 1,600 cruise members it's unclear how many decided to take the rerouted cruise some vacationers taking to social media to share their surprise. >> that is crazy. >> the wind is blowing, and cold -- like, officially cold. >> reporter: these best friends spent a year planning this christmas trip for friends and family and couldn't believe their warm island get-away was a cold weather expedition. >> we thought we were being punked. >> but it is just like bahamas, boston. >> it's a big difference. >> they say it was a mad dash to put away shorts and t-shirts and repack a new winter wardrobe. >> imagine me having three kids to pack up they were all packed with summer clothes. and immediately run to walmart because all our bags were already packed to repack all of the winter stuff.

>> reporter: the two friends trying to make the best of a bad situation and create new, unexpected holiday memories. >> it's beautiful. i just wish we were in like bathing suit attire. >> you know, there is -- >> reporter: and, craig -- >> go ahead, go ahead. >> reporter: no. go ahead sorry there, craig. >> i have so many questions. first, how common is a last-minute change like this i have never heard of this happening. >> reporter: yeah. some experienced cruisers say they have never witnessed this degree of a last-minute change-up. but cruises are subject to the winds of weather experts point out that many typically have clauses that allow for itinerary changes,

craig. >> yeah. i don't think most people know about those clauses. thank you. can you imagine? >> no, i can't. >> you're like, this sun dress is not made for boston. still ahead, guys, we will meet the remarkable teacher and huge fan of the dolphins using football to make math fun. the creative way she inspires her students and vicky nguyen is along. she has a warning before you buy any more gift cards this holiday season >> good morning hoda, savannah and craig, you might want to think twice before you buy one of these for the holidays. there is a major scam surging right now coast-to-coast wait until you see what happened to us firsthand when we bought a perfectly normal gift card we ripped it open. a very different story inside. that's next here on "today." would make her skin so uncomfortable. now i'm staying ahead of it. dupixent helps heal your skin from within. so, they can have clearer skin and less itch. serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems such as eye pain or vision changes including blurred vision, joint aches and pain, or a parasitic infection.

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and tidy care comfort, for cat-preferred paw-feel. tidy care, new from tidy cats! with today's holiday consumer. in the final push to christmas, gift cards can be an ideal option. >> yeah. this morning there are warnings to avoid buying them vicky nguyen with a closer look at a scam that cost consumers hundreds of millions of dollars. good morning. >> hi. this is a fascinating report just in time last week i was right here telling you how to check your gift cards really carefully. make sure they hadn't been tampered with. but we have now learned firsthand that bogus gift cards are so sophisticated that you can't tell which are legit and which are ticking time bombs as you are about to see, it can happen to anyone, including a member of our "today" family.

>> i got scammed. >> the person scratches the back off and reglues the card. >> reporter: a crime that cost $228 million last year. >> the bar code is not there anymore. >> reporter: police warning about a surge in gift card draining. >> i want to let everyone know of the latest scam. >> reporter: scammers steal these cards. then they copy the card number and the security code then they reseal it. you can't even tell it's been tampered with. when you load money on to that card, the scammer pounces and drains it. it happened to laura jarett. this is a very grinchy moment with these gift cards. she purchased $2,000 worth of vanilla gift cards at this cvs, only to find three of hers had

scuff marks where the security card should have been and the funds drained. from the naked eye, these do not appear to be tampered with at all. >> right all the seals look totally fine. in fact, it says here, if tamper evident, do not purchase >> reporter: laura showed us one card that appeared to be totally normal, untouched. but when we checked the card balance, zero. the money loaded on to the card november 27th disappeared 14 days later one survey found 1 in 4 gift card recipient said they received a card that was drained. so i went back to that same cvs. okay here's where the gift cards are. they're in the middle of the store not really under the watchful eye of anyone at the register so it is easy to see how they could be tampered with from the outside they looked secured and sealed i would like to put $20 on each of those 8 of the 9 cards appeared normal okay this one has a security code but then, this one has the

security code gouged out take a look. that has absolutely been tampered with, and we could not see that when it was in the packaging. in statements to nbc news, the retail gift card association and vanilla gifts say, in part, criminals found more innovative ways to card drain, and they are working to stay ahead of it. they urge you to alert any fraud to police and call the number on the back of the card they are investigating our findings and say they warn customers about fraud risks and urge employees to check gift card racks every day. >> i have seen your segment. i was on notice. i knew this was going to be an issue. i just didn't think it would happen to me. >> reporter: some police say don't buy a physical gift card because it is nearly impossible to know which ones have been compromised. if you do, choose one closer to the register or behind the counter. recipients should check the

balance and spend their gift cards quickly to reduce risk and buy with a credit card to increase your chances of getting a refund and luckily for laura, we bought with a credit card the company is investigating if you suspect fraud, file that report with the police and credit card company and hopefully they make you whole again. >> this is crazy she knew what to look for, and it still happened to her. >> could you tell that anything was wrong with that? this is one of laura's cards you just can't >> what about electronic gift cards? is that a better bet >> in theory they're safer because you are buying them directly from the website, a legitimate website, and you're e-mailing them to the recipient. you want to make sure it doesn't go to spam they have to make sure they're checking the balance on a reputable website. otherwise, scammers set up sophisticated sites saying check

your balance and you enter the card and they drain the card that way >> you called me after it happened and i said to you because, you know, i do gift cards. i just wrote checks this year. but you make a good point, too you walk in to cvs and half the store is behind plastic anyway why don't they just put them there? >> that may be the next move. putting them behind the counter. >> mr. roker has something to say. >> craig actually acts older than i am. it's true. >> yeah. >> that's the whole thing! why don't they put it behind the thing? i don't understand it. get off my lawn! anyway, frost and freeze advisories and warnings -- >> frosty freeze. >> and all the way into georgia. we look at temperatures at or below freezing in some spots 28 in savannah 31 in montgomery jacksonville 39. but look at the warm temperatures

boise, 50 degrees, and that's 13 degrees above average. 11 degrees warmer at 66. tomorrow that moves to the east from cincinnati, chicago above average. albuquerque, new mexico, oklahoma city. temperatures warming up to 50 sunday in new york city. 42 in portland richmond will have low 60s as you get into nashville all right. let's hit it a little "white christmas" for me ♪ ♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas ♪ ♪ >> all right christmas day. one inch or more of snow on the ground for you well, you have to look out west. okay, here we go the snowstorm will move across the rockies this weekend, so you have a good chance of white christmas in rapid city, kasper, maybe in spokane forget portland. new mexico looking pretty good forget about it in boston, new york forget about it. buffalo nothing. minneapolis possibly and then st. louis, indianapolis, charleston,

washington, that's about it. nothing there. but you have got christmas spirit craig melvin telling you to get good morning. it's 7:45. we are under a microclimate weather alert as we track heavy rain that's pushed on through the bay area, especially from san francisco on south. we're going to keep the chance of some thunderstorm activity throughout the day and some very gusty winds. but we should start to see the rain push on out of here as we go into thursday, and our holiday weekend ahead. as we go into christmas eve and monday, we are looking at those temperatures staying in the and that's your latest weather? >> thank you coming up next, george

clooney ha clooney honoring his friend, matthew perry and shining a light on his personal struggles at the height of his career. we'll have that story. also your morning boost coming up right after this. ♪♪ curating an experience, that's timeless. saratoga, the official water of bravo's top chef world all stars. sofia vergara: dwight was a 13-year-old kid with cancer, when he came to st. jude. dwight: this kid is now 73 years old. sofia vergara: that's what we do at st. jude. marlo thomas: give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give a gift that could last a lifetime. (speaker 1) oh!

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sheinelle joins. welcome back. >> good morning to all of you. george clooney is in the spotlight with some touching and candid comments about matthew perry. let's bring in joe fryer now. >> hey there good morning george clooney was promoting his new film which opens in theaters on christmas he opened up about his long-time friendship with matthew perry, someone he has known for nearly 40 years this morning, george clooney is opening up about his long-time friendship with "friends" star matthew perry who died in october. in an interview with deadline, he had known the younger perry since the friends star was 16 years old. as a teenager, perry was a great

funny, funny, funny kid, eager to land a role in a sitcom, and he got on probably one of the best ever. >> and i just won $1 million. >> clooney describes a magical time for both actors after they rocketed to fame in roles that changed their careers. clooney on "er" and perry on "friends". >> she's on the other line, going to call me back. >> clooney even made a memorable guest appearance on "friends" in 1995 but clooney says after that breakthrough success, perry was not happy. it didn't bring him joy or happiness or peace, saying it was hard to watch. he had been open about his struggles with addiction and the fame of "friends". >> it is a disease that we have, and we don't know that we have it. >> perry was found dead in his hot tub. the medical examiner recently saying he died from the acute effects of ketamine as fans around the world paid tribute to the star

>> what are you doing? his path to stardom, noting it just tells you that >> his famous friend, georgehap. you have to be happy with yourself and your life. next year will park 30 years since clooney, reflecting on perry ' legacy and his path to stardom, noting it just tells you that success and money and all those things, it doesn't just automatically bring you happiness. you have to be happy with yourself and your life next year will park 30 years since "friends" and "er" premiered here saying most of the stars at that time were unknowns within two weeks, they were on the cover of "newsweek" and everything changed for them after that. >> that is for sure. still ahead, a big debate on "popstart," when we reveal a brand-new list of the greatest tv shows of all time. >> all time. plus, we will step into the ring with the stars of "the iron claw." they tell us about their highly anticipated new movie.

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♪ nothing is everything ♪ ask your dermatologist about skyrizi. learn how abbvie could help you save. good morning. it is 7:56. i'm marcus washington. here is a look at what's happening now. i'm ginger conejero saab at sfo. the faa has issued a ground delay advisory for the airport once again this morning, making it the third straight day that flights here at sfo are impacted because of the weather. the reason this morning is for low ceilings, the ground delay advisory will begin at 8:30. we'll have more updates on

flights on our midday newscast. the rain is causing that problem. let's get a look at the rain. cinthia, how is it looking for us? >> it's looking pretty soggy around most of the bay area. we've seen the storm system pushed through the coast and now it's pushing to parts of the interior. we're looking at areas throughout the peninsula, the east bay. it's been heavy at times from san jose stretching into parts of milpitas, fremont and hayward. the santa cruz mountains have been socked in and there's a potential to see the rivers and streams rise quickly, so be mindful. on the roadways leading up to sfo, i'm looking at a heavy spot through millbrae, and parts of marin county, the san rafael bridge very slick at this hour. be mindful of this rain, if you have work or school to get to or you're running errands. we're also going to see the rain

continue as we go throughout the day. i don't see it clearing out until we get a little bit of a break for the afternoon in the north bay, but parts of the commute for this evening could look heavy from san francisco on south, marcus. so it's a very soggy wednesday, and we should start to clear out as we get into thursday and the holiday week ahead. >> good to know. thanks, cinthia. why are we the only birds heading this way? ♪ ♪ what is that? duck à l'orange. what's duck à l'orange? it's you, with l'orange on top.

i know the importance of taking care of myself. surrounding myself with a great team. but not just for me. for them. for all that is me, for all that is you, kaiser permanente. ♪ it's 8:00 on "today. coming up, courting controversy. colorado's supreme court rules the constitution bans donald trump for running for president because of his role in the january 6th insurrection, but puts the ruling on pause until the u.s. supreme court can weigh in just ahead, inside the case and why the same challenge has

failed in several other states then, tis the season respiratory illnesses on the rise with hospitalizations for y >> flu and covid increasing just in time for the holidays. dr. john torres is here with all the tips to stay healthy plus, fielding questions we'll introduce you to a florida teacher turned internet sensation. >> way to go >> how she combined her love for sports and teaching. >> as i started in third grade, i noticed there was an interest more in sport. the losses are my favorite part because it is where the lessons come from. it is where we are able to learn and grow. >> and even caught the attention of some major nfl teams. and don't touch that dial. >> what do you hear? what do you say? >> we're revealing the greatest television shows of all time >> if you don't like what is being said, change the

conversation >> who took the top spot >> get out of here >> and did your favorite make the list we'll find out in "popstart," today, wednesday, december 20th, 2023 on a girls' trip >> three generations. >> from north dakota. >> shout-out to duke university. >> in durham, north carolina. >> let's go, duke! >> visiting from tennessee. >> fort worth, texas >> illinois. >> waverly, iowa. >> and kentucky. >> hello to our granddaughter, lily. >> from texas! >> first time in new york. >> from texas. welcome back to "today," wednesday morning. we say it every day, but i'm

sorry, it is a great out there. >> i think these are bigger than last christmas. >> i think you're right. >> well, it is a busy morning. let's get right to your news at 8:00 we begin with a big question looming over donald trump's presidential campaign. can he be removed from the ballot the colorado supreme court thinks so. other courts do not. garrett haake has the latest on today's ruling, which is likely headed to the supreme court. good morning. >> this was seen as a long shot by legal experts with similar efforts having failed in other states but in a stunner of a decision last night, the colorado supreme court found that donald trump had engaged in insurrection for his actions on january 6th and that those efforts to overturn the 2020 election would make him ineligible to be president again or to appear on colorado's primary ballot now, the decision is on hold for now. trump's name will stay on that

ballot, waiting for a promised appeal to the u.s. supreme court. while the legal ramifications are complicated and slow moving, the political reaction was instant. elected republicans, including the house speaker, rushed to mr. trump's defense calling this decision politically motivated in fact, even his rivals said it should be voters, not judges, who defeat donald trump. an opportunity they will have in iowa less than four weeks from now when the 2024 voting gets underway. >> thank you. we've got sad news this morning from the abc station in philadelphia the action news 6 helicopter crashed into a wooded area of new jersey last night that killed both the pilot and the photographer onboard the news crew was returning from an assignment on the jersey shore. the names of the two long-time employees have not been released the faa is investigating the cause of that crash. now to a growing health concern this morning ahead of our holiday gatherings respiratory illnesses are on the rise all over the country.

hospitalizations from the flu are up 200%. rsv jumping 60%. and for covid, 51% increase in recent weeks that's all according to the latest information from the cdc. the southern part of america is being hit the hardest right now. so let's get some insight from nbc news medical contributor dr. john torres. dr. john, those numbers, they sound bad. how concerned should we be, especially compared to numbers last year? >> you should be paying attention to this, especially with the travel season coming up what you are seeing are a couple different things number one, covid is seasonal right now. it has seasonality to it and flu and rsv, this is their time of the year so the confluence of those three viruses, the fact we're traveling and getting together with family members that may or may not be sick, take care of yourself so those numbers don't rise. >> it's not too late to get a vaccine? >> no. we have a vaccine for all three of those right now the vaccine got approved for 60 and above. rsv immunizations for first year

of life babies every day you have a vaccine, you are more protected than you were the day before. >> yeah. a lot of people aren't getting the flu vaccine. but everybody is gathering because it is the holidays so what's the right thing to do in that setting? >> sure. the mask is still your friend. the gentleman sitting across the aisle from me on the plane was coughing everybody is looking at this gentleman giving him the stink eye basically. i just put my mask on. keep it with you if you are in a household where somebody is vulnerable, elderly, very young, you want to be especially careful if you are sick, stay home i know it is the holiday season and you want to be with family and friends, but don't do that. >> how do you tell the difference between rsv both my kids had it and we couldn't tell for a while. >> that's what testing is for. there is testing for all of those things later on, they separate out a little bit

but mainly testing. >> hoda, let's get a boost in. okay this is a good one, guys a father-daughter duo is getting rave reviews after their show stopping performance at a christmas ballet recital check it out ♪ ♪ rockin' around the christmas tree ♪ wrote you're a ♪ at the christmas party hop ♪ >> okay. mom posts the video. you're a 6'5", 350 pound samoan, but you're also a girl dad he's a natural and so happy to be on stage. what a moment for dad and daughter she will be talking about that and watching that video for a lifetime. >> major dad points. >> he could have gone out and just danced with her the tutu, next level. still ahead, we will reveal variety's first ever list of the greatest television shows of all time you will disagree with it for sure you will probably be a bit surprised at who is at the very top of that list. but, first, sam brock standing by with a devoted teacher and football fan trying

something new to motivate students. this is a good one, sam. >> reporter: hoda, this is definitely thinking outside of the box because here i am in pine crest, florida. just your typical third grade classroom. on the wall, we have an nfl penalty system unsportsmanlike conduct. step inside for a second as we step inside, look at what's in the actual classroom, hoda. the dolphins win-loss record jalen ramsey's interceptions what is going on in here this is way more than just your typical classroom instruction. the special things the teacher is doing right here in south florida that is capturing a nationwide audience, right after the break.

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miami this morning with more. >> yes hi, sam. >> reporter: savannah, good morning, guys. good morning mary martinez is a third grade teacher here who happens to like the miami dolphins a lot like a lot a lot this class right here is the martinez mvps standing by. this all started, guys, with some simple math, as you mentioned. they were tracking tyreek hill, the star wide receiver for the dolphins it has evolved into so much more but the miami dolphins and the new york jets even getting involved. >> happy friday. >> happy friday! >> if you are going to step foot on to mary martinez's field of play, aka, her third grace classroom. >> have the dolphins played the jets yet >> yes >> students better bring an open

mind and a keen sense of sportsmanship because as the penalties posted on the door reveal, how we treat others is the name of the game where did this idea come from? >> i have loved sports all my life as i started in third grade, i noticed there was an interest more in sports while i love the dolphins and i want them to be perfect like 1972, the losses are my favorite part because it is where the lessons come from. it is where we are able to learn and to grow. that's such an important thing for the kids to understand. >> football for you is a metaphor for teaching them life lessons. >> yes. >> how many yards did tyreek hill get against the jets last time >> she became a viral sensation by following the sensational play of dolphin's receiver tyreek hill, calculating his yards per gain as hill chases history on a 2,000 yard season he's getting a no home park pass way to go, ignacio >> but these videos filmed by a pass. way to go, ignacio!

>> but these nine-year-old photographer really expanded when she talked about how aaron rodgers reached out to jaylen phillips who suffered the same brutal achilles tear in the same stadium. >> to offer him support through his injury and say, hey, man, i've been there, too. >> she even gave her jets towel from the game to her lone jets' student. >> i know what you are thinking. you have a student that's a jets fan? yes. >> that moment touched him. >> i showed him once on my phone where it says new york jets liked post, and he was about to melt. >> just imagine the emotions rushing through mrs. martinez's class. >> i want to send a shout-out to you, mrs. martinez and your class. thank you for your support. >> and perhaps the culmination of the one stalwart supporter. >> there is this letter, and it is like an official jets letter.

and it's for giovanni. it says we're so excited for you and wanted to send you this signed football from brees garrett and quincy j-e-t-s, jets, jets, jets. so here you go, this is from th jets. >> the proud fan fighting back the tears. on a scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you right now? >> 1,000. >> the teams in this case casting rivalries aside for a teacher whose voice has transcended the gridiron.

>> the game is so much bigger than playing football. to some people it is just football for me it is everything. you can learn so much from the game >> now, mary, of course, is an internet darling at this point but how did this all come about? your mom approached me inside of a nordstrom and said i watch "the today show" every day her number one hype woman. that was so important to the story. but also for giovanni. we're talking about hard lessons in life. they basically lost 30-0, giovanni after that entire thing. i say to him that, you know what, this is life as a jets fan, guys. this is what happens when the team gives you a little hope and then rips it away from you there are lessons learned from this as well >> we can learn no matter what right, guys? >> do they have a message maybe for us >> what do you want to say >> go dolphins >> i do not subscribe to that one, but we can appreciate what the dolphins have done for this team

what an amazing story. what a great job. >> thank you, sam. thank you. >> mrs. martinez >> great job, kids, too. >> that's going to catch on. that method of teaching is going to catch on, which it's something. >> it's meeting kids where their interests are makes a lot of sense. >> you know what, can we say hi to her mom that went up to sam in a nordstrom. >> and giovanni. >> sam was a little cruel. a little cruel to giovanni. >> giovanni, j-e-t-s, jets, jets, jets. >> let them know who is your team >> jets! >> that was a great story. god! by the way, while we're talking football, don't forget, we've got a double dose of it for you on saturday, a holiday double

header bengals/steelers 3:00 p.m. on nbc and peacock followed by the bengals and chargers at 7:00 >> over here we have a whole bunch of people here nice to see you all. thanks for being here. we feel very athletic right now. it is a muscular forecast. we have a big storm coming into the pacific northwest. otherwise, things are fairly calm if you are traveling today or tomorrow, you have pretty good news we're looking at 30s and 40s as you get through the great lakes. 70s through texas. southern california, for today warm for december into the upper plains and into the midwest. heavy rain moving into california chilly start down to the southeast. plenty of sunshine in the mid atlantic northeast and new england. th good morning. we are under a micro climate weather alert as we see heavy

rain push on through the bay area. it's heavy at times from san francisco down through the peninsula and we will also keep a chance of seeing thunderstorm activity as the day goes on. gusty winds out towards the beaches and our bay area bridges so be mindful of that. it won't be until tomorrow and the holiday weekend ahead that we finally start to dry out but the weather. best time of the morning. >> all right all those kids, they just made my day for the record, those kids made my day first up "variety" is unveiling its first ever list of the 100 greatest television shows of all time start your guessing. we have a "popstart" exclusive sneak peek

bad. which show was announced the greatest it includes iconic series like "the mary tyler moore show", "roots", "the simpsons," "breaking bad" which show was announced the greatest starting with this hbo series often credited for revolutionizing cable tv. >> you smoking >> is this the third degree? >> it says with pulp. >> you like it with pulp. >> not this much i like the one that says some pulp >> tony soprano, the ultimate anti-hero. it ran for six seasons earninged a whopping 120 tkptkpgrammy nominations. the number two spot goes to this '60s workplace drama >> would you draw the line at 50%? >> i'm not drawing the line at all. your people understand this, but they can never execute it. if you don't like what is being said, change the conversation. >> just the acting, so good. it is a show that turned jon hamm into a household name, "madmen. it was the top show of the 21st

century. any guesses as to which series was named number one >> i think it's "the simpsons," something weird like that. >> i thought "m.a.s.h." >> i would say "the wire." >> shall we roll the tape? >> okay. >> contains vitamins and vegetables and minerals. >> i'm looking at the duke athletes the coaches are laughing the team is like, okay "i love lucy" charmed their way to the top of the list so do you want to talk back? well, you can find "variety's" it is a latest issue on stands today it's a fun list. next up, "the voice," last night it was finally time to crown the next champion. in the end it came down to ruben lee and huntley from team niles.

so who walked away from the trophy the winner of "the voices >> the winner of "the voice" is huntley! >> there you go. congratulations, team niall and huntley! after the show, here is how the two-time winning coach celebrated. >> yes we won huntley has won "the voice." thank you, america. there we have, 2 for 2 for niall. not a bad record for the sophomore coach. congratulations on season 24 now carson, time to come home. >> could he have stretched that out? i think he was flying home both times and then revealed it. >> i think he's actually coming in now. >> building the drama. next up, it is wednesday, so

you know what that means a brand-new episode of "making spaces" just dropped it. scan the qr code at the bottom of your screen this conversation features global author lynn twist who shared her advice on how to find your calling can we have a sneak peek >> yes. >> i know there are people listening right now saying to how do you suggest people find a purpose? >> i would say to look at see. when you look out in the world, what really breaks your heart, something kind of big. and then what makes your heart sing? what really makes your heart sing? and, often, what breaks your heart and what makes your heart sing hasn't hit me. sing and, often, what breaks your heart and what makes your heart sing designs who you really are, why you are here on this planet, what you came to do, who you came to be. >> if you are going to listen to one of my "making space" podcasts, listen to lynn twist

she is extraordinary she is a teacher in fact, she was actually zooming from a place where she was teaching hundreds and hundreds of people we got them one-on-one with her. it is about finding your purpose. it is about realizing that later in life that's where wisdom comes. it is like it goes learning, earning and then you're into the wisdom part of your life, the service part of your life. it is very cool. now all i hear is lynn twist i just saw alanis morissette the other day. hey, do you know lynn twist? i love lynn twist. she's extraordinary! >> do you have a flight? put on hoda's podcast. >> follow for new episodes every single wednesday. >> i don't know if i've ever seen you so excited. >> it's somebody that has wisdom bombs that you have never heard before i wanted to write everything down. i was, like, slow down >> burning wisdom. finally, it is time for today's holiday hits brackets. the queen of christmas, mariah carey not in the competition

we have to give other people a chance 65 years later, "rocking around the christmas tree." the weather outside might be frightful, but dean martin's "let it know" moves to number three. let's go over to the other side. wham, again, sweeping the nation "last christmas. "i saw mommy kissing santa claus. >> who is going to win >> i think wham. >> there you go.

be careful with the changes in visibility as downpour after downpour has gone on through the morning. up into the north bay and sonoma county looking at heavy rainfall. we should start to clear out into thursday and our holiday week ahead looks dry. our next storm, next wednesday. >> we have more local news coming up in just a half hour. ho your morning ispe

another one in the books. but we're just getting started. everything going well? oh yeah. let's take a look at this knee. because it's the work behind the scenes, that truly matters. [ physical therapy staff discusses results ] for your mind. for your body. and for the community. -team! for all that is me, for all that is you. kaiser permanente.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ >> thank you >> back to the show, it is 8:30! girls' trip. oh, my gosh. so happy to see everybody. that's great music from our wonderful philadelphia boys choir and coral. a lot of their moms and dads are here, too. we want to say hey to them we will get back to their incredible music in just a bit.

>> check this out. we have someone out here, the grinch in the flesh. but he's not stealing those gifts. no, no, no the grinch has turned over a new leaf he is helping collect gifts for our toy drive spectacular. and shout-out to the grinch's friends at random house and dr. seuss enterprises because they have donated 500 copies of how the grinch lost christmas. a reminder, folks, if you are sitting home right now, you can scan that qr code and head to today.com. if you want to make it a very merry holiday for kids in need. coming up, a conversation with the grammy winners behind the band portugal, the man it is a very personal family story they are sharing they hope to help parents with kids in need. >> okay. speaking of talented performers, by the way we will talk about their new a e

true story about a film called "the iron claw." it is based on just a remarkable true story about a family of professional wrestlers in the '70s and early '80s. coming up on the 3rd hour, the travel hot spots of 2024 before you see them all over social media, so you can book them up and start traveling. okay should we get a check of the weather? >> why not. >> let's take a look at your christmas weather and your travel first off, we start off with friday east coast looks great melting snow in the northwest and rain on saturday, mountain snows back to the cascades. southern showers rather mild the eastern third of the country and then on sunday, sunday, it is more spring-like along the east coast heavy rain threat down to the mississippi river valley it looks like a white christmas in the rockies wet weather pacific c northw good wednesday morning. at 8:33, we are under a weather

alert as we see rain moving through san francisco, the peninsula and through the santa cruz mountains. we are going to keep a chance of seeing thunderstorms throughout the day and see instability develop. it will be breezy at times. just overall a stormy wednesday. we should start to clear out thursday, friday, and the holiday week ahead. don't forget, you can stream all four hours of "today" live on peacock, part of the morning news live collection get details on peacocktv.com/morning news. all right, al. thank you so much. coming up next, opening up about a very difficult health journey for their daughter and how they're finding inspiration for their family and their music but, first, this is "today" on

we are back with portugal, the man's grammy winning song "feel it still." hoda, you had a chance to sit down with two members of the band >> i did, indeed along with the incredible musicians that are also devoted parents. they're using their voices to draw attention to a cause so near and dear to their hearts. john and his wife zoe were at the height of their success with

their band's grammy-winning single "feel it still. then their daughter began showing signs of a devastating disease. >> she was 9 in the pandemic, 2021 we were doing home schooling and she just seemed to deteriorate them she started to fall down a lot which at the time i didn't know if it was her just kind of being clumsy. >> four years after that hit single, their 12-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease, dhdds. >> dhdds is a neuro degenerative disease. part of the things that go along with it is epilepsy. >> when did you realize it was serious? >> we started seeing her have these seizures and falling down. >> it looked like her falling asleep for a few seconds. >> before we get into what happened next, describe her as a little girl. she's pretty awesome. love they

>> yes she's like a little comedian she's very funny and loving. >> i love the way she walks into school she's like, hi, billy. hi, jeff hi, sara it's infectious. >> and watching her on stage with you guys, too, is equally infectious there is something about her she is fearless. >> yes i was going to say, no inhibition. >> dhdds is a rare disease, and only 70 people in the world have known to have it so when you got the diagnosis and it must have just sounded like a bunch of letters, how did the doctors explain it to you? >> so dhdds is like parkinson's, alzheimer's, dementia in kids. it's neuro degenerative. and that's probably the scariest thing you can hear as a parent. >> yeah. it was pretty crushing and, i mean, devastating >> john and zoe created a gofundme page to help with the skyrocketing cost of francis' personalized treatment. >> how expensive are the medications. >> i think up to $2 million.

>> $2 million? >> yeah. >> for the medicine? >> yeah. so that's a very specific medicine that would be for one person, so it costs a lot. >> the idea that anyone can afford a $2 million treatment is insane. >> there is no treatment for dhdds. you need to develop the >> so treatment. >> yeah. >> and this -- this disease is rare, but there is millions of kids with rare diseases. >> so what do doctors say about francis' prognosis >> i feel like nobody knows what's going to happen or how fast it is going to happen. >> there is hope there is examples of kids in front of us that have had cognitive improvements with these treatments. >> yeah. >> and that gives us a lot of hope >> is there one song that you

guys perform that says francis to you >> we have a song on the new album calls "time is a fantasy," and it ends with this, i got a feeling things are going to be just fine. and francis heard that song, and she just started singing that line and we ended upbringing her in to the studio to sing it with us. >> yeah, she's on it. >> because she would sing to the demo. >> just fine. >> her voice, little voice pops out, and it's so perfect and beautiful. >> yeah. >> i mean, what keeps you going? >> seeing francis happy. there are some success stories out there. that's a huge hope for everybody. >> yeah. and they are hoping hope alive francis, in fact, our interview was right upstairs she does perform with them but she is the brightest light they said it is going to be expensive. the fact they needed a gofundme page and still do to raise money so they could have some kind of treatment for their daughter. >> it's not that there is a cure it is some treatment to watch

the symptoms. >> just in between but they're fighting for all kids, by the way this was a remarkable couple, and i was honored to sit with them it was an honor. a big thanks to the kitchen at the rosedale hotel for letting us have our interview there. >> wow. >> when we come back, we will take a bit of a turn here. we will sit down with the cast of "the iron claw" to talk about their transformations. not just their physical transfortions to bring that ma transfortions to bring that ma look mom, i found one. oh, yeah, you did.

but we need an atm from our bank unless you want to spend a small fortune in fees. uh, no, thank you. banking with us means more fee-free atms than the two largest us banks combined. well, that would be convenient but there is no b-m-o here. ah, you can just call us bee-mo, and there is now. you know what else is convenient? mobile banking that makes it easy to track your goals and manage your money get out of town. but we... just got here. when a bank helps you get and stay ahead. that's the bmo effect. ♪ bmo ♪

♪ we are back with four incredibly talented stars who have come together for a very special project. it is a new film called "the iron claw.

it tells the true story of the von eric family, a professional wrestling dynasty back in the early '80s and '90s. we will talk to them in just a moment but, first, let's step into the ring ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> oh, zach, jeremy here stanley, good morning. good morning. >> good morning. >> so zac efron is the legitimate, bona fide hollywood superstar, but that is not why he's wearing sunglasses this morning. >> no. i'm sorry. i feel weird being in shades i just have a bit of an eye infection. i really wanted to be here, it's such a good movie, and wanted to come see you guys. >> it's better than a good movie.

it is a fantastic film we were talking. i just finished watching it yesterday. i grew up watching wrestling and the nwa. i knew who ric flair was i was not as familiar with this story. and i understand you weren't either. >> yeah, no. we found out about the story through reading the script and through investigating, you know, the von eric legacy. it is really a crazy true story. and, yeah, there are these guys like changed wrestling, changed the face of wrestling. it is amazing. >> the physical transformation, and this shows it, the physical transformation that each of you had to undergo to pull this off, that was quite the feat in and of itself. >> yeah. >> how did you do it >> a lot of work a lot of eating.

a lot of lifting heavy things. yeah yeah these guys were big men, and we were trying to catch up. so that physical preparation was -- it was intense, but it really paid off, man >> it did. and it wasn't just the physical transformation i mean, i would imagine the mental transformation, the emotional transformation as well had to take quite the toll >> yeah. i mean, it is heavy. the tragedy and kind of like brutality that fell upon this family it is really -- it is unbelievable but, yeah, i think we tried to highlight, too, you know, like the celebration and the love and the bond between these brothers. >> yeah. >> it was important. >> yeah. i will say that, you know, the director, sean, created a wonderful environment onset. between takes, we were laughing and having a good time that was my experience. >> joy. >> yeah. >> stanley, this is your first project sort of on this scale. what was it like working with these three? >> it was amazing.

these guys are as cool as they seem yeah, it was so much fun a privilege and i learned a lot. >> jeremy, zac efron, i read that he was -- he was quite the leader behind the scenes as well. >> yeah, yeah. >> was he a decent fellow onset? >> oh, my god. more than decent, man. it was really amazing. like prior to filming, during filming and since, he's been like such a champion and cheerleader for everybody. a real like motivator and just really like the most supportive, man. really, really wonderful. >> it's easy, man. these guys are such talented young actors when you hear you are playing a professional wrestler, i think the hairs on the back go up a little bit it can be a -- you are kind of vulnerable up there in the ring. and from day one, just the commitment out of all these guys was extraordinary. so, yeah, i guess it -- it felt kind of natural to just encourage them i know i was failing when i got

tights and out there in my underwear and i was in front of the audience for the first time. >> the costumes alone. not to give away too much of this story, but you guys spend the better part of the movie in tights and shirtless. >> there we are. >> that's a strange moment between takes where we were out in the auditorium with hundreds of people cheering us on and then the camera cuts and you sort of stood there in hot pants and you just feel like, okay, i'm going to waddle back to the green room, get a water. like the adrenaline of the take where everyone is shouting. >> it is one thing to be out there wrestling. and then it is another when they call cut and you kind of just find a pose to stand in. >> is it true, jeremy, that when you guys would go out to dinner occasionally, you would have folks that would recognize you

from "the bear" and send out free food in. >> yeah, yeah. they kept us fed. >> that's the only reason i went to dinner with him. >> yeah. shout-out to all the wonderful restaurants in baton rouge they really took care of us. >> that's a real perk, man that's great. >> where are we in season 3? >> where are we? >> i think we will get started up in like february, march and i will get together with some chefs in january and start prepping in the kitchen again, sharpening up the skills, yeah. >> again, it is a solid film congratulations. >> thank you so much. >> it's called "the iron claw. it hits theaters on friday guys all right, craig thank you. coming up next, we will kick off choir week with joyous music from the phila

the citi music series on "today" is proudly presented to you by citi. we are enjoying the beautiful sounds of the philadelphia boys choir and coral this morning. >> yes for more than five decades, thi

>> led by choir alum, jeffrey award-winning group has been performing all over the world. and we are happy to welcome them back to our plaza. >> led by choir alum, jeffrey smith, here they are with "o holy night". ining ♪♪ it is the night of our dear savior's birth ♪♪ ♪ ♪ o holy nigh the stars ar brightly shining ♪

♪ it is the night weary world of the dea ♪♪ a new and glorious savior's birth ♪ ♪ long lay the worl ♪ for yonder breaks a new an glorious morn ♪ ♪ fall on your knee oh, hear the angel voices ♪ ♪ o night divin o nigh when christ was born ♪ ♪ o night o holy night

o night divine ♪ ♪ o night o holy night o night divine ♪ ♪ led by the ligh of faith serenely beaming ♪ ♪♪ ♪ with glowing hearts by his cradle we stand ♪ ♪♪ ♪ o'er the worl ♪ he knows our need

our weakness is no stranger ♪ k ♪♪ oh, hear the angel voices ♪♪ o ♪ behold your kin ♪ with all our hearts we praise his holy name ♪ chris born ♪♪ oh, night divine ♪ christ is the lor ♪ the king of kings lay thus lowly manger ♪ ♪ o night o holy night o night divine ♪ ♪ o nig happening now, we are under a weather alert as we see heavy

rain push on through the bay area. we are just seeing it centered over the bay area. i'm going to zoom in closer and give you a look at what's happening. where that heavy rain is now. pushing down through richmond 580 and your commute to the bay bridge and san francisco. very gusty winds with this so be careful on the ad rosa and into napa. the santa cruz mountains have been pummelled with the rain. san jose through morgan hill, 101 and gilroy. we're going to be getting into this rain into the afternoon as well so that time stamp up there, lunchtime rolls around we're seeing soggy rain. eventually, this storm system will make its exit into thursday and the holiday weekend ahead. although the temperatures will although the temperatures will be look mom, i found one. oh, yeah, you did.

but we need an atm from our bank unless you want to spend a small fortune in fees. uh, no, thank you. banking with us means more fee-free atms than the two largest us banks combined. well, that would be convenient but there is no b-m-o here. ah, you can just call us bee-mo, and there is now. you know what else is convenient? mobile banking that makes it easy to track your goals and manage your money get out of town. but we... just got here. when a bank helps you get and stay ahead. that's the bmo effect. ♪ bmo ♪

this morning on the 3rd hour of "today," grift card. a new warning about a scam hitting close to home, and it happened to our "today" family. >> everything looked good from the outside. >> if you bought a gift card for the holidays, listen up. criminals stealing money without a trace. how we can protect our purchases. plus, here comes the rush. an inside look at the busy week