christmas day. the next rain is on the way for wednesday. san jose, the only sticking point we have is north 101 at tully, right two lanes blocked from activity, an earlier crash. no major injuries. north of there, light traffic. you can see why there's a fog advisory. >> if you're sitting still, the "today" show is just ahead. we also continue "today in the bay" on roku and other streaming platforms. you can watch our 7:00 a.m. newscast next. you can see it online at nbcbayarea.com. we'll be here christmas morning. >> we will. make sure you join us. have a great weekend. we'll see you back here on christmas, or midday at 11:00. good friday morning. the countdown to christmas in the home stretch. >> so we've got everything you need to know with just three days to go. it's december 22nd. this is "today."

tis the season. the holiday travel rush is in full swing. crowds building at the airports and on the roads. a powerful storm impacting millions on the west coast. but for much of the country, mother nature cooperating. we'll have the full forecast before you head out the door. terror in prague. new details on that rare mass shooting in europe. at least 14 people killed, dozens more hurt on a college campus. >> in the middle of the exam, we started hearing gunshots and screams. >> others hiding on the ledge of the building. this morning inside the investigation and why officials are now saying it could have been far worse. breaking point. the crisis at the border only growing. >> they are completely overwhelmed and it's getting worse. >> three straight days of record crossings.

thousands now camping out waiting to be processed. so what's being done about it? we'll take you there live. ready for trial? a major development in the idaho college murder case. why prosecutors are now pushing for a summer start in the high-profile case. those stories, plus breathtaking. our up-close look at the remarkable restoration of notre dame cathedral high atop the legendary landmark in paris. and on a role. >> throws, caught! >> the rams hold off the saints for a big win, boosting their playoff hopes. >> boosts it to mama. how cool is that? >> as fans get ready for an exciting holiday weekend in the nfl today, friday, december 22, 2023. from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie

and hoda kotb. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. and good morning to you. welcome to "today." thank you so much for joining us on this friday morning as we head into the holiday weekend. savannah and hoda getting a head start on the festivities. >> almost there, yes. >> i'll tell you who else is getting a jump start on the festivities. these folks in cooperstown, new york. they understood the assignment. >> what is happening? >> this is our final main street destination. they have been partying for at least an hour so far. >> it's almost 7:00 a.m. >> that's true. >> we have a long morning ahead. >> much more just a little bit later. but let's start with the travel rush. millions of people eager to make it home for christmas. here's the scene inside reagan national airport. today will be one of the busiest of the entire holiday season, expecting to screen roughly two and a half million passengers.

>> as for the roads, this is what it looks like right now on interstate 4 in orlando. aaa warning that tomorrow could be one of the worst days for drivers nationwide. >> of course, the big question, will the weather cooperate? and there is good news for many of you. much of the country seeing clear conditions except in the northwest. >> we have it all coming for you this morning, including dylan's all-important forecast. but let's start with tom costello at reagan national airport for us this morning. how is it looking so far, buddy? >> reporter: we have a lot of crowds, but things are moving. take a look at a video i just shot on my iphone of long lines extending all the way out to the parking garage. we have almost 2.7 million people flying. we could meet or exceed that

today. so this is going to be yet another very heavy travel day. 39 million people flying over the course of 14 days. they brought out the dogs here at reagan airport to move these lines along faster. the dogs sniff for explosives. that moves things along. people can keep their shoes on. take a look at the flight aware misery map. we will start in boston. not much going on in boston this morning. that's good news in the northeast. the red line seeing delays. not significant. go down to new york city, same thing. pretty good so far today. then we go down to miami. i will tell you that we are looking at the possibility of some problems later in the day. we're talking about ground stops possible in phoenix and l.a. and also in palm beach. yesterday l.a. really a problem area. l.a., san diego, santa barbara, dallas slow things down considerably because of the weather. hopefully, that does, in fact,

pick up today. total yesterday if you were flying delays. not many cancellations. only 108 cancellations. today we're looking a heck of a lot better. just a few hundred delays right now nationwide. only a few dozen cancellations. so the weather really has been cooperating with the exception of southern cal really cooperating. it's volume right now. volume, volume, volume. lots of people moving through the system. the faa moved up military space and also high altitude highways in the sky, if you will, to accelerate and speed along everybody trying to get to grandma's house for christmas. back to you. >> tom, thank you. all right. let's turn our attention to the roads. with more than 100 million americans packing up and driving to their holiday destinations. shaquille brewster joins us from one of the busiest interstates near chicago. hey, shaq. >> reporter: good morning, guys. well, you can see behind me folks are already getting that early start on the roads here in the chicago area.

state officials are saying today we'll see some of the heaviest traffic conditions of what's left of this calendar year. it is a 1.7 million drivers taking to the state tollways for the third straight day in a row. fortunately, they are looking at some fairly good weather conditions in much of the country. that is not the case when you look across the southwest. you heard tom mention in the southwest where you are seeing those heavy rains from california up to colorado. some parts receiving a month's worth of rain in just one hour yesterday. when you look across the country, though, you have about 104 million americans hitting the road during this holiday travel period over the next week and a half or so. one good thing, when you listen to aaa, they're seeing the peak travel day will be tomorrow. so they're saying if you are hitting the roads, do so in the morning because the most congestion will be expected between the hours of 11:00 and 7:00 p.m. i mentioned the good news. we're talking about those gas

prices. the national average $3.12. that depends on where you're buying that gas. the south seeing the cheapest prices. mississippi the average gas price $2.66 a gallon. but you look at the national average, and you are looking at $3.12. it gets more expensive as you head west. take it slow as you get to and from your holiday destination as safely as possible. >> at this point, it looks like they're still going. all right, shaq. thank you. >> as shaq mentioned there, the rainstorm in the west. are there any potential bumps in the weather road? dylan has a first check of that forecast. where is that rain? >> well, craig, the rain is in the southwest. go figure. los angeles seeing some of that rain. arizona will see pockets of heavier rain. san diego will see rain. elsewhere, besides light rain moving through the midwest through st. louis right now, for

the most part, things are fairly quiet. a couple of clouds. we can handle that along i-95. as we go into tomorrow, one of the busiest travel days, with some snow moving through salt lake city, that could create delays. that is a major hub, so that is a concern. phoenix, maybe a little slow in denver as the snow tries to move in later in the day. chicago, detroit also just some scattered showers. i don't think we will see widespread delays at the airports. just little hiccups here and there. on sunday, we will see this storm gather itself better. so we will start to see snow through south dakota, nebraska. up into minneapolis we'll see pockets of heavier rain down through kansas city, and down into dallas. so that's going to be the areas where we could see most of our delays. look at the east coast. a lot of folks are traveling up and down i95. that will last through christmas day, too, sheinelle. >> thank you, dylan.

new details emerging from the investigation into the mass shooting in purpose, the worst ever in the czech republic. at least 14 killed, 25 others injured when a 24-year-old student opened fire on a college campus in prague. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, sheinelle. that's right. people here in prague are rattled by this senseless crime in a country that's generally peaceful and mass shootings are very rare. overnight president biden said his heart goes out to the victims and u.s. authorities are in touch with czech officials and are ready to help. pandemonium in prague after a gun main shot down 14 people and injured 25 others in the deadliest attack of its kind in modern czech history. as the rampage progressed, some panic-stricken people jumped to safety from one of the ledges several stories up.

university staff and students told to barricade doors and hunker down in rooms. >> in the middle of the exam, we started hearing gunshots and screams. when we were walking out, all i could see on the floor, it was just covered in blood. we were able to make a barricade. >> police today releasing this body cam footage as they enter the university in prague's historic center, telling people to run as they search the building. they say the 24-year-old gunman killed himself, adding there is no indication that he had any accomplices or was connected to a terror organization. authorities found a large number of guns and ammunition in the back of the building. the police chief saying they don't know the motive yet and the gunman was a high-performance student, inspired by another heinous act elsewhere in the world. all 14 victims have been identified. the first named by the university, the faculty head of music.

the university also issued this statement saying the level of violence that occurred today at charles university is absolutely new and completely shocking. adding that they stand together in these difficult times. today in prague, a day of mourning declared. black flags fly over the city's iconic concert and exhibition hall. the czech prime minister and the u.s. ambassador amongst those paying tribute to the victims today. >> president biden earlier today expressed his sympathies, and we stand here with the czech republic to provide any support needed. >> and, sheinelle, police here are saying that the gunman killed his father before the mass shooting and may have been responsible for the murder of two people in a forest near prague, one of them an infant. >> that's just tragic. thank you. now to the war in the middle east this morning. there is hope that more humanitarian aid will soon arrive in gaza where the death toll has now topped 20,000 people. that's according to the hamas

controlled area there. >> craig, we are looking for any hints, any news those cease fire talks are progressing. this comes as the un warns the entire city of gaza is at risk of famine. this morning israeli officials are discussing more proposals to get hamas back to the table without committing to a full cease fire. israeli media this morning stressing there is a wide gap between the two sides, but the talks are not at a standstill. >> we're in communications with the americans, with qatar, with the egyptians. >> but inside israel, frustration is growing. protesters gathered outside last night's war cabinet meeting chanting, bring them home now. the israeli military said last

night they are making progress, claiming control over the neighborhood of gaza city and announcing they killed 2,000 hamas fighters just this month. nbc news has not confirmed that number. but in the rest of gaza, a cease fire brings desperate relief. 93% of the population is facing crisis levels of hunger, nearing famine. at least one in four households is facing catastrophic conditions. that's about half a million people starving. she tells our team, i wake up every morning to wait in long lines for food, but sometimes i wait until the afternoon without any food, and we don't eat that day. the report also underscores the lack of a coming in. the white house was asked about the challenges. >> i wish i could tell you there is one bottleneck. every day is different. >> the u.s. has also signalled after a much delayed un council vote they're ready to support watered down movement.

the un says the quantity of food coming in is just 10% of what's needed. now helping to increase that, chef jose andrés and world central kitchen inside gaza this week. >> a lot of people are very, very happy to see us. >> andrés says they have already delivered 12 million meals since they started their work inside with more on the way. now, good news. international organizations are actually getting in with food. but the u.s. also says, and this is john kirby speaking, that the israeli snows know they need to ratchet it back and transition to a lower intensity phase of the war. craig? >> molly hunter there for us. thank you. we have a lot more to get to, including the ongoing crisis at the southern border. a historic surge in crossings. the daily record now set for three straight days. president biden addressing the situation during a phone call

with mexico's president. nbc's guad venegas joins us from eagle pass, texas. >> reporter: good morning, sheinelle. processing centers are at three times their capacity, with thousands of migrants waiting in places like the field behind me, some of them telling me that food and water are hard to come by as the centers operate beyond their capacity. this morning, the crisis at the border reaching a breaking point. customs and border protection says it is a serious challenge to keep pace with the record surge of migrants arriving daily at the southern border. officials in cities like el paso, texas say they're feeling the crunch as some ports of entry remain shut down to handle the influx. >> border agents are doing everything they can to take care of the situation, but they are completely overwhelmed, and it is getting worse. >> reporter: roughly 27,000 migrants are now in custody with three consecutive days of over

12,000 migrants crossing the border. president biden speaking on the phone with mexico's president about the crisis. >> the two leaders agreed that additional enforcement actions are needed. >> reporter: here in eagle pass, texas, the wait for migrants to over crowded shelter. >> he says resources are limited in there. there is a thousand people in that shelter. so they're going to try to find some more food because the food is scarce in there. >> reporter: texas governor greg abbott using charter planes to fly migrants to chicago. the first plane with roughly 100 migrants arriving at o'hare airport. >> you have a governor in texas that can care less about those families and literally dropping them off, not just in chicago,

but anywhere and everywhere. it's wicked. >> reporter: abbott's move comes the same week he signed a new law allowing local and state police to arrest and deport migrants who illegally cross the border. the white house saying in a statement, abbott is not interested in solutions. he only seeks to use people as political pawns. and president biden's administration has been working with the senate on new legislation, but with congress gone home and no deal, now house speaker mike johnson is urging the president to take executive changes. he's asking for changes like the border policy that allows migrants to cross the border legally and request asylum for humanitarian reasons. to the nfl now. with just three weeks left in the regular season, teams battling for playoff spots, including the rams and saints on thursday night football. >> kupp in motion.

throw is caught! demarcus robinson having a night of nights. touch down. >> l.a. rams take a 10-point lead just before halftime. the saints would score a couple touchdowns to make it interesting. but fall short. l.a. wins it. sean mcvay and those rams, pretty good position. >> not bad. >> that game kicking off a week end of fantastic football games. >> i'm looking forward to it. let's head back over to dylan now for the rest of today's important forecast. >> yes. today is an important day for those getting on the road. we have a couple rainy spots through the midwest. nothing too heavy. our heaviest rain will be in the southwest with heavy rain expected in arizona today. that's a look at the weather across the country. we'll get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds.

stay close and everything will be alright. [ gasps ] [ gulp ] i'm ok. yeah. no. oh, no. we can do this. at 20 past the hour, we are starting off with fog around the bay area. it should mix out and give us plenty of sunshine, staying dry until we get into the early parts of next week. we're seeing the cloud cover return as we get ready for our next rainmaker. the morning lows will cool down into the 30s and 40s. temperatures in the highs, 50s and 60s around the bay area. full forecast, you can always find it on nbcbayarea.com. and that's your latest forecast. >> thank you

thank you. still ahead, major developments in the idaho murders college case why prosecutors just made a personal visit to the scene of the crime. and the start date for a trial they're now requesting. plus keir simmons is live in paris, getting an upclose look at the year's restoration of iconic notre dame cathedral. good morning. >> reporter: hey there good morning even if you bought a flight to paris, you couldn't buy the experience we're about to give you, right to the top of notre dame cathedral right there and it's quite windy. >> all right, keir we'll have that and more but, first, this is "today" on nbc.

we love military reunions, and we've got an extra special one this morning. >> it is a real heart warmer after your local news. (mom) please forgive him.

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an increased risk of guillain-barré syndrome was observed after getting shingrix. fainting can also happen. the most common side effects are pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, muscle pain, tiredness, headache, shivering, fever, and upset stomach. ask your doctor or pharmacist about shingrix today. it's been said that when someone you love has parkinson's, you have parkinson's. the truth is parkinson's disease doesn't just affect the diagnosed, it affects everyone who supports and helps care for them. if you have questions, the parkinson's foundation has answers. we can help you understand the disease, and give you tips for living a better life. to learn more, please go to parkinson.org or call 1-800-4pd-info. the parkinson's foundation. better lives. welcome back. i'm marcus washington, along with laura garcia. we are moving you forward with a look at our top stories here in the bay area, including a new

effort by airbnb to stop big-time party planning before it ever gets on the ground. >> with new year's eve approaching, the company is now using artificial intelligence to search bookings for signs of possible party planning. the company says common tell-tale signs include bookings between one and three days and certain types of properties. even before adding ai to the mix, airbnb has blocked nearly 64,000 bookings in fear they may be intended for large parties. a live look right now at san jose and san francisco airports, all three bay area airports, oakland included, will be extremely busy today. the tsa calling this one of the busiest travels days of the year, with about 2.5 million americans taking flight. >> more people are flying for the holidays. >> the holiday is a time to do it and more people are traveling this year compared to last year. so experts, they say expect security checkpoints to be busy. tsa is recommending early

arrival at the terminal, and bring all those presents unwrapped. this is so they can be easier to check. let's get a look at that forecast. >> good morning, marcus and laura. we saw from that live shot at sfo some fog hanging around the bay area, heavy at times. be careful with the changes in visibility. we'll mix it out and see plenty of sunshine, staying dry throughout the holiday weekend. we do have rain returning and cold morning lows ahead in the seven-day forecast for our inland valleys.

♪ a pitch perfect way ♪ a pitch perfect way to start your holiday weekend on this friday morning we are back at 7:30. and that, ladies and gentlemen, is the grammy-winning national children's chorus. some festive music for you all morning long to wrap up choir " week on "today." those kids in that choir are from all over. >> that's a beautiful way to end the week. >> they're just getting started. so we will spend time with them in just a bit. first we have more news to get to, including new developments in that high-profile case from idaho.

>> prosecutors are now pushing for a new trial date in this case nbc's liz kreutz has more on the story. good morning >> yeah. this is bringing huge relief to the families of the victims who have waited more than a year for this news. prosecutors are asking for a six-week trial next summer after the judge denied repeated attempts by bryan kohberger's lawyers to get his case thrown out. it's been almost a year since bryan kohberger was arrested and charged with the brutal murders of four university of idaho students now after months of delays, prosecutors formally requested a trial date for the death penalty case. an attorney for the families says it's welcome news >> i spoke with the family i think the words were finally was the response so everyone is happy that we're moving forward >> reporter: in a court filing,

the county prosecutor asking for the trial to take place this summer and run about six weeks. >> i think the state is going to do everything they can to get this case off the ground. >> reporter: bryan kohberger has said through a previous attorney he believes he will be exonerated the prosecutor also proposed the trial dates avoid times of thei high school and when our area universities are in session, pointing out high school and when our area universities are in session, pointing out that the high school is directly adjacent to the courthouse also on thursday, the prosecution team was back at the house where kaylee goncalves, ethan chapin, xana kernodle and madison mogen were stabbed to death back in november of 2022 although, it is not clear what specific actions were taken during the visit the university plans to demolish the house next week. telling nbc news, he hopes the school reconsiders. >> they tear it down and one jury member says, i wanted to see that place

i wanted to go inside there. i had questions that couldn't be answered, then they will be held accountable. >> reporter: but this morning new hope for four grieving families that justice may finally be served in the new year. >> when your child dies, they don't just die once. they die every time you wake up. so it is terrible you have to wait this long to have justice. >> reporter: and a legal expert we spoke with said she believes the trial will end up taking longer than six weeks. another potential curveball, she says it is likely the defense will ask for a change of venue, possibility boise, idaho suggesting bryan kohberger will not get a fair trial in the small tight knit town where the murders took place. we turn now to a story of resilience that's being watched by the world more than four years ago, you'll recall, the iconic notre dame

cathedral in paris was nearly destroyed by a fire. incredibly, the restoration work is nearing the finish line that building due to be open in a year's time. nbc's chief international correspondent keir simmons is there in paris good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning to you. we all remember you standing here at the banks with the notre dame cathedral on fire behind you. wait until you see it now, my friend despite these high winds, we got a chance to climb up the cathedral right up there to the spire for some very french good news the inferno, back in april 2019, was devastating. tearing through the interior of the church, consuming 800 years of history in minutes. four years on, to see how far the restoration has come, "the today show" has been given special access, given 300 feet straight up to a tiny exposed platform spectacular views of paris

good evening meet phillip jost, overseeing this project so this is the spire that went crashing down. it was seen all around the world. >> oh, my god. the steeple just fell inside the church. >> it is a very important moment when now the spire is rebuilt. and this is the golden rooster it's fantastic >> we are happy to have done that >> reporter: the original rooster weather vain was thought lost but miraculously survived, buried in the ash. this was placed gently on its perch. it contains holy relics, pieces of crowns. >> it is a very, very emotional moment, a symbolic moment. >> reporter: it is a phoenix from the ashes. >> in fact >> reporter: or a rooster from the ashes.

now phillip and i descend into the heart of notre dame. there was a hole in the sealing. >> a big hole in the ceiling. >> reporter: just a year before the fire tore the aging cathedral and its wooden roof. now it is being rebuilt better with advanced fire protection, while expert carpenters use medieval tools a lot of people have given a lot for this, including many people donated from the u.s. >> 30 million dollar. >> reporter: $30 million donations hoping to reveal more of the cathedral's wonders priceless masterpieces brought back to life ancient wood and stone cleaned and these statues rescued from the fire have been lovingly revived. new gargoyles are being sculpted and will soon take their place on the walls of the most famous cathedral in the world.

>> i mean, it is just remarkable on so many levels. the speed with which they have completed that restoration any idea at this point when it will be ready for us to actually visit? >> reporter: for those of us that celebrate, craig, christmas next year, christmas mass in notre dame cathedral 2024. how about that it won't be ready to go into for the olympics itself during the summer but all of that scaffolding, which is itself an amazing engineering feat, that will be gone, which is kind of a shame because it is a great view of the opening ceremony on the sen from up there. >> still, it's great i remember when you covered it the pictures were devastating. >> yeah. the fact they brought it back, remarkable thank you, my friend merry christmas. >> merry christmas, keir. >> coming up, a cruise ship losing power after being hit by a rogue wave we'll take you inside the race that's under way to rescue

hundreds of passengers now stranded at sea. time is almost up, procrastinators. luckily, vicky nguyen is here with all the last-minute advice we need. >> hey, good morning we are t minus three days until gifts are exchanged. i will tell you about an uber meets feature. and why you should consider shopping in incognito mode up next

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(man) and the subaru share the love event is truly an example of that. (woman) over two hundred eighty-five million dollars donated is phenomenal. (retailer) it absolutely sets us apart... ...from all other car companies. (vo) right now, get a new subaru and subaru and our retailers will donate three hundred dollars to charity. get two point nine percent apr financing on a new 2024 outback during the 2023 subaru share the love event. we are back, 7:42. "today's holiday consumer. the last weekend before christmas is upon us. >> it was crowded last night, let me tell you. with just three shopping days left, what can you kind the deals? and how can you avoid overspending on last-minute gifts? vicky nguyen is here with answers. this late in the game, what are the best options >> we want to plug local go downtown and support your local businesses there is something unique and special at those stores. check the inventory before you

drive to a store chains like walmart, target, best buy, they will let you see what's in stock nearby if you are willing to go farther. remember, same day delivery has probably got a cutoff of december 23rd. we'll do the same day, but it is technically december 23rd, not christmas eve. think about virtual subscriptions like master class is offering a buy one, get one free right now >> that's good like a cooking class don't get me a cooking class cog >> or you can shop good will. >> i want to bring up that graphic because it showed so many ideas for last-minute shopping, where folks can go you can find last-minute deals nerd wallet says you want to look for electronics, appliances and toys amazon and target 60% off toys.

>> 40% off >> yeah, certain ones. >> so this is a big year you want to do a home renovation, that's the way to go. >> to save time, what's the best thing to do? >> we did the story about ai google has a new one called sge. just type in pleads act as my shopping assistant then you can say find me a gift for a man in his mid-40s who likes bourbon and golf and tell me locations. >> i wish you would have told me this a week ago. >> they will even link you to sites where you can buy things, which is super helpful. >> will you text that to me later? >> this is not your personal -- >> i'm sorry. >> i'm his ai. we talked about uber meets bopas.

you can send an uber driver now to the store >> you buy online, they pick it up in store. the incognito means you are shopping on a private browser. >> they're like, she's using a fancy phone. let's charge her more. >> are you kidding me? >> that's right. that's according to norton companies, retailers are able to do that and sometimes they do. they adjust sales based on who is shopping demand all of it is very dynamic. if you shop in a private browser, they can't put the cookies on you. >> or i could buy a 10-year-old phone. >> that's true but then it's not going to connect to the internet, craig. now should we talk about the weather? we have the gifts under control here. >> well, the weather is under

control for a lot of folks, except in the southwest in southern california and southwestern arizona that's where we have the best chance of seeing rain. it's spotty now, but look at the heavy rain about to hit phoenix. this will last throughout the day today. on the flip side, we have warmer temperatures running 20 degrees above average. rapid city 55 degrees. tomorrow even warmer, kansas above average. rapid city good friday morning. it's 7:46. be careful for areas of dense fog this morning throughout the bay. once we mix out of that morning fog, we should see plenty of sunshine that will stick around through christmas eve and christmas day. however, the morning lows will cool back down into the 30s and 40s for our christmas morning, and then you'll need the rain gear once again as we track the next round of rain t city a high of 53. forecast. >> you're making people smile today with that forecast.

>> i thought it was my charm. >> that too. that too still ahead, we will wrap up our merriest main street tour. ladies and gentlemen, this is cooperstown, new york. let's just say they don't just go big for baseball. >> i love it we will take you there live. that's right after this. if you love to travel, capital one has a rewards credit card that's perfect for you. with venture x, earn unlimited double miles on everything you buy and get access to over 1300 airport lounges. open up a world of possibilities with capital one. what's in your wallet? are you zillowing your boss's house to see what she paid? awkward. well now you can zillow a home loan...

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(speaker 1) yeah, it's right there. (speaker 2) chicken, rice flour, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, chicken byproduct meal. what's in blue? (speaker 1) deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, oatmeal. (speaker 2) yeah, but those ingredients cost a lot more. (speaker 1) blue is only about 50 cents more a day. that's not too much for my chester. when it comes to the orangutan, four-month-old sisco, berani, you are the father. >> when you are not sure who the dad is, you call in the expect helping folks at the denver zoo figure out who fathered the zoo's newest prime time. >> that's so funny. >> how do they not know? >> i'm not sure what's happening

there at the zoo. >> they make a lot more money on cameo. >> good morning. shall we get to "the boost" today? >> yes our dallas-fort worth station nbc 5, christmas came a few days early for a mom in north texas lydia works at a barbecue restaurant there it's in argyle earlier this week she thought she was being honored by the staff for all her hard work, but the owner had something else cooking. it was actually a surprise reunion with her daughter who has been serving in the marines. >> always surprises and presents for christmas. and now we have one more present for you. and here it comes right here santa claus is here. >> whoo! >> it just touches our hearts every time this is the first year that lydia and her husband have been

empty nesters. so this surprise is extra special. lydia said it was like seeing her being born all over again. that's beautiful. >> that's a good one love that. coming up on "popstart," you have been voting all week. it's appreciated we have a couple classics going head to head we will reveal the weather after a quick break of your local news when i wanted to see results fast, rinvoq delivered rapid symptom relief and helped leave bathroom urgency behind. check. when uc tried to slow me down... i got lasting, steroid-free remission with rinvoq. check. and when uc caused damage rinvoq came through by visibly repairing my colon lining. check. rapid symptom relief... lasting steroid-free remission... ...and the chance to visibly repair the colon lining. check, check, and check. rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections, including tb. serious infections and blood clots, some fatal; cancers, including lymphoma and skin cancer; death, heart attack, stroke,

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can't sit still, disorganized, can't focus. (montage of voices) annoying, lazy, stupid, you can't make it, you never listen, you don't clean your room... it's a super-skillset. [♪♪] you know poop is coming, but you know, you have nothing to fear. pampers swaddlers with new blowout barrier helps prevent up to 100% of leaks even blowouts. don't fear blowouts, with pampers swaddlers. good morning to you. it is 7:56. i'm laura garcia. happening now, a new effort friday airbnb to help stop big-time party planning before it gets off the ground. with new year's eve approaching, the company is you using artificial intelligence to search for signs of possible

party plans. the company says tell-tale signs include bookings between one and three days and certain types of properties. even before adding ai to the mix, airbnb has blocked nearly 64,000 bookings in fear they may be intended for large parties. i'm ginger conejero saab at sfo. we've been here all morning, keeping a close eye on the lines at tsa, at the baggage check-in and drop-off. the tsa line has not gone above ten minutes this morning. that hasn't stopped passengers from making the extra effort to get here early. aaa projects nearly 7.5 million people will be traveling across the nation's airports starting tomorrow. whether you're traveling or staying home, you probably want to know the forecast. >> good morning, everyone. well, if you are out on the roadways early this morning, we are still dealing with some areas of dense fog. otherwise, it should mix out and we'll see plenty of sunshine, staying dry through the holiday weekend. those morning lows will return

back into the 30s and 40s. i don't want you to put away your rain gear just yet because we are tracking our next storm on the way late on tuesday night into early morning on wednesday, and it could possibly stay with us at least through the late days of december. we'll keep an oi on that. you can always find the full forecast on nbcbayarea.com. back to you, laura. >> it looks like we better have some umbrellas in the stockings this year. we'll be back with a local news update in about half an hour. have a great weekend. you will love migrating... the sun... the sand... [ thunder clap ] we're not gonna make it. are we? uncle dan!

we're trying to get to jamaica. stay close and... everything will be all right. [ gulps ]

it's 8:00 on "today. coming up, holiday road.

the christmas travel rush is on. a new record number of americans heading out for the holidays. >> this is nuts. and it is before 6:00 a.m. >> what you need to know before you go. plus, together again a staff sergeant and his former military dog reunited. >> i told them when i was leaving there, i said i'm coming back for this dog. >> after the courageous k-9 was retired from active duty. >> hey, bud. welcome home, buddy. >> we're there for the heart warming moment then, hallowed hip hop a look at how faith is inspiring a new generation of a new generation of artists. would you say that you're a christian who performs hip hop, or would you say you're a hip hop artist who happens to be a christian? >> yeah. i'm not ashamed to acknowledge my faith, you know, that i believe in jesus. >> our full conversation just ahead. and song of the season this morning, we are revealing

the winner of our holiday hits bracket. the final two songs true christmas classics ♪ rocking around the christmas tree ♪ ♪ have a happy holiday ♪ ♪ it's the most wonderful time of the year ♪ >> so which one takes the top spot it's our early present to you, today, friday, december 22, 2023 ♪ from north carolina, today is my 22nd birthday. >> today is our 50th wedding anniversary. >> from vermont. >> visiting from san diego, california >> florence, alabama. >> australia. >> and minnesota ♪ >> sending love to our kids. >> back home in frisco, texas. >> on our bucket list trip to new york. >> from illinois

>> that sign is good. >> oh, look at that. >> the level of thoughtfulness i mean, it is not a guy. >> we're so happy you are with us on our friday morning. >> it is packed outside. >> hoda getting a jump on the holiday weekend. missing out on that big crowd. you're stuck with craig and sheinelle this friday morning. good morning to you. let us get right to your news at 8:00 just three days until christmas now, folks and the holiday travel rush is very much in full swing. tens of millions of travelers hitting our nation's airports, our highways nbc's tom costello is at his post at reagan national airport with the very latest tom, how are we looking, buddy >> reporter: savannah just texted me asking for an update because she is flying today. so this is a busy, busy day. here's the thing almost every airport in the country, the morning push is around 7:00 a.m. so that's now gone through here. but take a look at an hour ago at reagan airport. super long lines this morning.

this is being repeated at airports nationwide. nearly 2.7 million people go through tsa check points yesterday. we could be at or close to that today. you could not pick another better day to fly. great flying conditions except for the southwest. yesterday tremendous rain out in california that slowed operations into phoenix, into dallas, even today the faa is saying, yeah, we could have ground delays again at the following airports, phoenix, palm beach as well and watch dallas for the delays. on the nation's roads, most people are driving 104 million people, of course, over the course of the entire extended break listen, we will be looking at the worst time to drive will be tomorrow between 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m at the gas pump, on average $3.12 a gallon pretty close to where we were a year ago mississippi only $2.66 a gallon. one of 27 states at or under $3

a gallon it depends on where you are in the country. you are getting a good deal on gasoline, craig. at the moment, if you are flying today, again, don't let this fool you because we will have another bank of passengers arriving soon. get there two hours early if you can. back to you. >> all right tom, thank you. all right. turning no you to a frightening situation at sea a norwegian cruise ship with more than 250 passengers onboard lost power during a storm and a rogue wave that smashed windows. the ship left unable to navigate stephanie gosk is here with more. >> good morning. the cruise ship company says no one was seriously hurt as a result of that monster wave. but the navigation system was knocked out, leading to some scary moments on the north sea drama on the turbulent north see this morning a norwegian cruise ship lost power after a rogue wave

destroyed windows on the bridge to november gait. and crippled the ship's ability to navigate. it happened as the ship was sailing from norway to the u.k. when it was hit by a storm with hurricane force winds. the massive wave destroyed the bridge room where the captain and crew steer the ship. the cruise liner is reportedly being steered manually from the engine room. onboard, at least 266 passengers and 131 crew members passengers on social media describing the frightening situation. one writing, we are on the ship, limping along. the other adding, we were thrown about a lot. it is calmer now, but still rolling. >> this is why don't go in the ocean. >> this is my biggest fear. >> dramatic videos of waves in the north sea. ♪ >> frequently go viral on

tiktok though the north sea is shallow and can be rough, marine experts say it is generally safe for the hundreds of thousands of ships that pass through each year. for passengers aboard the cruise, an unexpected change of holiday plans. but many feeling lucky to be safe with one person noting, sorry for those whose christmas treat has been spoiled however, the crew has been exemplary in looking after us in what was initially quite a tricky situation >> the ship is being helped by two civilian support ships the cruise company says it remains stable and is currently sailing to germany to disembark. so scary scenes on the north sea that everyone has been checking out on tiktok. >> thank you, stef. some newly released video shows the moment a south florida home exploded this week, sending four people to the hospital. >> gosh. >> so that happened tuesday in west park. that's about 18 miles north of miami. the force of the blast sent

debris flying into neighbor's homes, breaking windows, destroying cars. one person has been released from the hospital. officials say the explosion was likely triggered by gas. >> it's not even baseball season, but the los angeles dodgers are making a big splash for the second time this month according to multiple reports, the team has agreed to a 12-year $325 million contract with with prized japanese prized japanese pitcher. yamamoto was widely considered the top pitcher available in the free agency market the agreement comes just weeks after the dodgers signed superstar shohei ohtani to a ten-year contract. $325 million >> well, they were able to do it because ohtani from a few weeks ago, he decided to defer his compensation so he won't -- >> so it freed up more money. >> yes he won't make the bulk of his money until -- >> oh, my gosh is it too late to learn how to play baseball? >> for us, yes.

the story behind a heart warming reunion between a former military dog and his handler morgan chesky has this for us. >> good morning. when it comes to dogs, they are a man's best friend. then there is a german shepherd named john coming up, a closer look at this hard working k-9 that served his country for nearly a decade and how he's finally headed home just in time for the holidays. >> thank you, morgan. plus, we saved what is perhaps the merriest of main streets for the final stop on our tour look at the party up in cooperstown, new york, this morning. we will take you there right after this it helps remove odors 3x better than detergent alone. it worked guys! ♪yeahhhh♪ downy rinse and refresh. (husband) yoohoo, surprise! (son) dad? (husband) ♪ hey there family! while you're shopping, ♪♪yeahhhh♪ ♪ get me a 5g phone, it's on my list. ♪

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tell this story. the staff sergeant side by side with his german shepherd john for years at their hawaiian base but over the course of their careers, they did have to part ways when mike found out his old partner this crime was finally retiring, he got with his wife brittney to find out how he could bring their best friend back home. >> i trust him with everything i have. >> with your life. >> with my life, for sure. and you have to because these are our partners. >> i instantly trusted john with his life. >> there's man's best friend and then there's john. now a 10-year-old german shepherd who for air force staff sergeant mike alcala was the companion that always had his back. >> your job is really about saving lives. >> if there is something around, he's going to find it, no doubt about it. >> the duo worked side by side for three years at joint base pearl harbor in hawaii, patrolling the base, local community and even traveling abroad with the white house, working to sniff out any

explosives when was this photo taken? >> that was taken shortly after we had gotten assigned together. >> but two years ago, staff sergeant's skills were needed elsewhere. though he tried to have john move with him, it just wasn't possible so john continued to serve on the island. >> leaving him was rough it was definitely hard. >> harder day than you had anticipated? >> oh, yeah. much harder. think about your dog at home, if you have one imagine just walking out the door and just leaving him with someone else it's very sad. but, you know, you know they're going to be in good hands. >> and while john was in good hands, before the staff sergeant left, he made his partner a promise. >> i told them when i was leaving there, i said i am coming back for this dog. >> so when he learned john was set to retire from active duty after eight years of service, he went straight to his wife brittney. >> was there any negotiation

that you kind of leaned into >> got to fix the backyard. >> okay. >> yeah. >> as they got to work, the four legged hero honored with a retirement ceremony on his own hawaiian base, which included a special reading of the poem dedicated to the military working dog called guardians of the night. >> if we could meet again on another street, i will gladly pick up your fight [ applause ] >> john humble as he can be more focused on his toy than any attention. after the sendoff, john packed it up and headed to the airport with a handler for the american humane organization where he was celebrated once again. this time by the citizens he served >> on behalf of american airlines, please join me in

welcoming john onboard >> but no kind of accolade could compete with what was to come. >> come here, bubbas oh, look at you. hi i love you, bubba. my little man. hey, bud welcome home, buddy. >> how does it feel to have your best friend back >> it's amazing. >> john wasting no time getting comfortable. >> oh, he just wants some love, huh. >> as brittney came to say hello, she brought along john's new little sis, their ten-month-old daughter avery. >> who is this is that your new best friend >> a reunion well worth the wait for a loyal pup ready to live out his golden years. >> his next mission, this is about what it looks like. >> yes, but on a couch or a bed. >> well, he definitely earned

it. >> yeah, he did. >> earned every second of that retirement and after the belly rubs and the back scratches, guys, i had to ask what the next order of business was with john back home i'm told he does have a little bit of a sweet tooth, so they took him straight to starbucks where he indulged in, of course, the iconic puppachino. >> wait. i didn't know that was a thing. >> he definitely earned it. >> oh, there is video of this puppachino being enjoyed. >> definitely not going to be the last one he has now, absolutely. >> thank you, morgan. >> so cool to see how the dog immediately recognized him. >> so sweet. >> one more check of the weather. >> two more checks we'll just do one right now. >> aggressive much >> where's rokere much

>> wow do you know my wife? have you guys lunched recently >> let's take a look at some of those showers moving through i'm just correcting you. we have rain approaching the new york area. some rain could be heavy for the midwest. we could see isolated impacts in the southwest. heavy rain about to move into phoenix, but looking at some isolated snowshowers moving through salt lake city, denver later. today we could see snow showers too. on sunday, we are looking at the chance of heavier rain from kansas city right down from dallas into houston. that would be our trouble spots into sunday, which will be probably a busier travel day in . good morning. 8:19 on this friday. we are starting off with areas of dense fog around the bay area, so be careful with the visibility changes. otherwise, we should see plenty of sunshine, staying nice and dry through the holiday weekend ahead.

christmas morning we'll stay dry, but those lows, especially for the inland valleys, will return back into the 30s and 40s. don't put away the rain gear. we will need it as we go into the middle portion of the and that's your latest forecast. >> should we do one more check >> i call that your jesus mic. you say the things you're looking. >> no, craig we're actually going to do four more weathers. >> i just didn't want you to be incorrect. >> if it's okay, i'm going to do "popstart. just one "popstart" today. and then i'll do another one on monday we've got a holiday music packed "popstart. first up jennifer hudson she treats the audience to a performance of "o holy night," alongside charles jones. performance of "o holy night,"

alongside charles jones. take a listen to this. take a listen to this. ♪ fall on your knees ♪ angels' ♪ oh, hear the angels' voices ♪ ♪ o night ♪ ♪ divine ♪ >> oh, my goodness. >> listen to that. next up the jimmy fallon he celebrates his newest single "wrap me up" with meghan trainor. jimmy just dropped a new collab with taco bell >> how are you doing can i get a jimmy fallon wrap me up crunchwrap supreme?

♪ wrap me up in your arms ♪ >> yep the late night host renamed one of taco bell's beloved items it will be known as the jimmy fallon wrap me up crunchwrap we did take a liberty of ordering some this morning. >> i've never had one. >> oh, my god. >> nice little breakfast, so enjoy that finally, it is time for today's holiday hits bracket we started with 16 fabulous and festive tunes, but it all came down to two tinsley tracks take a look. there they are our today.com voters narrowed down the field to this these two. andy williams in "it's the most wonderful time of year," thanks to iconic commercials and movies like "home alone 2," going up against brenda lee's "rocking o" around the christmas tree. out on top?

the winner is -- >> yes! >> "it's the most her song has seen a major resurgance lately. she was 13 years old when she recorded that. >> i didn't know that. >> so which holiday hit came out on top the winner is -- >> yes >> "it's the most wonderful time of the year". >> i mean, it's classic. >> that's it, guys congratulations. happy holidays. >> i'll put that down because with christmas coming up on monday, ladies and gentlemen, it is time for the final stop on our merriest main street tour. and they might be the merriest we've had so far we will wrap things up in cooperstown, new york. our friend is there with a special guest. kristin, good morning. >> reporter: craig, good morning. and thank you so much for this distinction. this is a very exciting time look at this crowd the village of 1,700 and i'm pretty sure everybody might be here this morning. it is very exciting. cooperstown, you know it as a summertime destination for the baseball hall of fame induction ceremony

but this time of year in the village is magical truly a year-round destination the mayor, we want to talk about what makes cooperstown a christmastime destination? >> cooperstown is a fabulous destination any season of the year, but in the holiday season, i think our small town community spirit really shines we have families coming out in late november to decorate all our main street lamp posts, all 44 of them as well as -- yes, pioneer park. >> what does the title of merriest main street mean for the village? >> i think what it really does is endorses the fact that our community is a very caring community. we have food pantry, an gel network, and our cooperstown christmas committee who helped organize a lot of our holiday activities it is the local spirit that is so important. >> a full committee just for christmas. and this is a very big deal. santa and mrs. claus here from

the north pole just days before the holiday. they wanted to celebrate with the village of cooperstown thank you so much for being here hey, before we say good-bye again, thank you we want to give a shut-out to karen, our senior producer of "the today show" from your hometown of cooperstown. happy holidays >> karen is cheering for you right now.cooperstown. >> nice. that's a crowd. >> that's awesome. >> i think that's actually santa and mrs. claus. >> that's amazing. there he is! both of them, you're right. >> karen said she's actually

related to about half the people there. >> what a great town. >> looks like a great town, yeah. >> what a great way to finish off our festive series big thanks to everyone in cooperstown and also our friends over at wktv. >> don't fill up on the jimmy fallon snacks because we have more food coming up. super chef darnell ferguson is here look there's legend good morning. 8:26. i'm marcus washington. well, imagine seeing this outside of your window. take a look at this.

oakland police sending us this video. they're hoping that you know who it is. they say this man repeatedly rammed that car into a lululemon on broadway early tuesday, and then he did the same thing at another business just down the street. if you know who this person is, you are asked to contact opd. let's get a look at that forecast today. quickly approaching christmas, and it's looking nice, cinthia. >> yeah, we do have some areas of fog to watch out for, but it should mix out and bring about dry and calm weather as we get ready for the holiday week ahead. beautiful weather to show your friends and family around san francisco. temperatures will be in the upper 50s. we will need the umbrella, because we are already tracking that next rainmaker that is set to move into the bay area as we go into the middle portion of next week. back to you. we'll have another local news update in 30 minutes. i'll see you back here then.

♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas ♪ ♪ just like the ones i used to ♪♪ just like the one i used to know ♪ ♪ where the treetops glisten an children listen ♪ ♪ to hear sleigh bells in thesl

snow ♪♪ snow ♪ ♪ >> beautiful >> so good you guys are wonderful are you cold oh, my goodness. okay we will get you some coats thank you so much. back at 7:30 and, yes, white christmas. just three days to go. and the national children's chorus is helping us celebrate more music coming up in just a bit. these kiz kids -- kids come from all over the country >> i couldn't even get my kid to go to school today they have been here freezing what a great way to wake up this morning. also here, we have food network star darnell ferguson. they're helping us out we will do some cooking for you coming up. we want to give a huge thank you to everybody that made our toy drive a huge success we have been able to provide more than 10,000 toys to kids in need when we started that just

over thanksgiving. >> a big thanks. big thanks to everyone. >> also ahead, guys, this half hour, a really interesting look at a very popular genre of music. we will show you how its music. faith-based rap and hip-hop, how it's evolved over the years, and the big role it plays in many lives as we catch up with one of its biggest stars. >> and then coming up later in the 3rd hour, we are all about the last-minute holiday preps. we will show you big gifts you can pick up today and treats you can still make with your friends. >> is this the last forecast >> this is officially the last one. >> just drop it. >> let's take a look at what's going on across the country. we do have a pretty nice holiday forecast for you it is chilly in the northeast. it will be feeling like christmas but nice and clear, lots of sunshine a little unsettled back through the midwest and that flood risk

in the southwest we will see storminess down through texas into dallas. that could create some delays and snow in the rockies out in denver could cause isolated delays much colder weather, we'll trade 50s and 60s for 30s. we're also looking at heavy rain to extend down through the southern plains. milder up and down the east coast. still nice and dry temperatures in the 40s and 50s. on christmas day itself, it looks pretty mild. good friday morning. 8:34, we are watching areas of dense fog this morning over the bay area bridges. be careful with the changes in visibility there. otherwise, we'll mix out and see plenty of sunshine staying with us for this holiday weekend. we'll stay dry through christmas eve and on christmas day, but those temperatures, especially in the inland valleys, will dip down into the 30s and 40s.

we do have rain on the way beginning on and, guys, we have been talking about it is a big football weekend let's take you to saturday, the bengals headed out to the steelers it is a 4:30 game. 46 degrees, certainly not too cold for some saturday afternoon football and then on peacock saturday night over at sofi stadium, we have the bills taking on the chargers looks good there, too. partly cloudy. 60 degrees so a double header on saturday at 4:30 and the other game at 8:00 you can catch those games on nbc and both games on peacock. >> love it. >> who do you like >> who do you like, craig? i don't know. >> buffalo >> i very rarely get signs with my name on it. so can i thank you guys? >> oh, from kansas >> wait. who did this sign? who did this >> jackson.

>> hi, jackson you're a fellow kansan oh, you're from tulsa. i lived there, too a lot of people here this morning for the holiday. >> especially with how cold it is. >> thank you, jackson. up next, we head inside to talk about the popularity and power of faith-based hip hop as we catch up with one of the genres biggest stars but, first, this is "today" on nbc.

for many, the holiday season is filled with music and faith. craig, you took a look at one area of music that's really getting extra popular. >> it's combining both, yeah if hip hop is the most popular genre music in america, christian hip hop is a strong

offshoot some of its songs have been streamed tens of millions of times, a testament to its power. the rhythm and the rhyme ♪ >> hip-hop has become a vibrant pillar of american music since it was founded 50 years ago. its had an impact on faith christian hip-hop started in the early '80s an offshoot of hip-hop fans focused on their belief in christ the editor-in-chief of rapzilla, a website devoted to following christian hip hop. >> hey, there is nobody -- there is nobody that's instilling positive messages rapping about the bible. >> christian hip hop started the bible. >> christian hip with steven wiley. dc talk found a wider audience in the '80s and '90s and groups like the cross movement. >> he saw what sugar hill gang was doing and different artists in that era and was like, hey,u

was doing and different artists in that era and there is nobody that's rapping about god. there is michael peace who saw the epidemic hitting new york and said, i'm going to make a song about crack and why it's whack. you have that more pop friendly, uplifting and it's unashamedly about jesus. >> legendary ♪ >> then came the album "real talk" in 2004. the first of 11 studio albums, including "gravity" that won the grammy we sat down with him on the 20th anniversary of the release of "real talk." how would you say that genre has changed? >> it was like an underground movement. changed? >> it was like an underground

movement and i remember in 2011 being able to do the bet awards and being on a national stage and just the world opened up >> he grew up in houston with time spent in california there was poverty and crime that threatened to swallow him up, until he found his faith and his calling. would you say you're a christian who performs hip hop or would you say you're a hip hop artist who happens to be a christian? >> yeah. i'm not ashamed to acknowledge my faith, you know, that i believe in jesus but i do think christian is a better noun than it is an adjective. it is like, who am i am i? and that defines me as and that defines me as a person. what i do is different and, so, i want to be respected for what i do. >> he's won dozens of awards, collaborated with main street artists like tory kelly.

♪ >> when there wasn't a record label for christian hip hop, he co-founded one >> i'm gabriel. >> he also plays gabriel his own journey has been rocky at times with his public stances on social justice putting him at odds with some church leaders. >> when i talk about racial injustice, people perceived it as being political i was like, no i'm being i'm be difficult. the story of the good samaritan, this i difficult. the story of the good samaritan, this is a biblical agenda. i care about people who are broken they couldn't understand that. >> after two decades in the spotlight, he is still touring both the man and his music in a place of his own making. what more do you see in christian hip hop, specifically, in the larger world of popular music. >> i think it's both and, i mean, that's beneficial for everybody. ♪ i already got on my church

clothes. >> so the object of the music is to introduce the goodness of god to a new audience. so what they're doing is they're meeting the audience where they are with the genre that they can relate to. there are a lot of new acts out there. and, by the way, he walks the walk as well does a lot of work in his community and he's helped launch a nationwide campaign aimed at mentoring young men on fatherhood. >> been doing it a long time needs more press the light has to be shined on the genre of music to get more publicity. >> if you want to hear some of this music, do you just go on streaming? >> it's everywhere you just have to look for it. coming up next, chef darnell ferguson is here getting a little help from his son. they have tasty recipes to share for a big holiday weekend in the nfl. thiss "today" on nbc i

i know the importance of taking care of myself. how are you doing between practices? i feel pretty good. surrounding myself with a great team. de'aaron we're going to take a quick look at your knee with ultrasound. everything is looking great. but not just for me. for them. it's great to see you again man. thanks jb. for all that is me, for all that is you, kaiser permanente.

all right. all right. we're back with "today food loves football." and food network star darnell ferguson and his son, legend this is his tv debut right now >> yes this is his debut. >> the family cook book pairs perfectly with two big games we have on tomorrow tell me about this relationship. you guys hang out and cook a lot? >> yes this is little super and i'm the big super on the cook bookp. you guys hang out and cook a lot? >> yes this is little super and i'm he gets excited about that in honor of buffalo, we're having buffalo wings. >> yeah. but the only thing is i cut my hair so my hair doesn't reallye. look like it. >> he cut his hair. >> how do you eat buffalo wings with your teeth. what's going on there. come on, chef. do you want to start with the wings? >> yes first we have maple syrup in

here going to add a little brown sugar. we got some hot sauce, right choose your type of hot sauce though mine is red hot. what do you like >> i like the red hot. >> okay, it's the best then we will stir it you want to stir it? then we have half and half corn starch and water this thickens it up. this is what actually makes it sticky. >> yep. >> so you want to cook that down until it bubbles this is flavorful and sticky it is everything you want for a kid to help you cook. >> does legend help you cook at home >> yes he doesn't like to watch and learn. he likes to do he only wants to do. he doesn't want to watch. >> where did you get the name legend is it anything after john legend >> only thing i could think is i didn't have my -- i mean, my dad said i was legend because -- i think because i am a legend. >> yes.

>> yes, you are. >> and you were born on muhammad ali's birthday then we have some wings over here, right? you want to do the oil so the oil a little oil. >> a little oil. cajun seasoning with a little oil. a little barbecue. there you go mix it around for me, carson put you to work with those thongs perfect on the oil. >> all right >> air fryer, yeah about five minutes on each side. get them crispy. come on out. >> i could eat them just like this, just dry out of the air fryer. >> just toss in the glaze. >> that glaze is good. glaze is a game changer. >> all right, there you go that's the buffalo. >> yeah. so this is the sticky air fryer. very easy. and then we have our burgers our burgers have a burger meat we have minced garlic, a1 sauce, black pepper

let your kids do this part they mix it together, make we have salt this is super simple let your kids do this part they mix it together, make perfect patty balls. >> can i fry it? >> can i fry it? >> no. we don't let the kids do this part >> it was easy. >> no. we don't let the kids do this part >> it was easy. >> i put my hand in that pan, dad? is that cool >> super simple. and then a little american cheese on top. >> give it a little smash burger vibe there >> a little salsa there, too. >> the salsa is delicious. >> this is it right here this is legend's special sauce we got ketchup we got honey mustard we got a little relish. >> okay, a little sweetness. >> a little smoked paprika do you want to stir that up? >> how are the chargers going to rebound after what my raiders did to them? do they even have a team >> i'm surprised it took you that long to say it. what are you guys doing for the holiday?

>> i'm cooking i usually don't cook but i'm doing christmas eve and christmas, double whammy. >> can i just say i'm impressed legend you're stirring that sauce in a white t-shirt. >> calvin and legend. >> there you go. >> collab on a meal. >> i can say i'm not that scared >> this is delicious. >> i hope santa claus is good to you. all right, legend? of this. >> don't be scared. >> this is delicious. >> i hope santa claus is good to you. all right, legend? we have these recipes on today.com/food tomorrow starts with the bengals and steelers at 3:00 p.m. eastern. followed up by the bills/chargers at 7:30 exclusively on peacockren's chos but, first, we are back with a holiday performance from the plaza from performance from the plaza from the national children's chusor 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 ♪ the citi music series on "today" is proudly presented to

you by citi. >> and we're back wrapping up our choir week on "today" with the national children's chorus tracking back to 1904. this grammy-winning group provides vocal training to more than 1,000 students. >> they recently released a new holiday album. >> led by their artistic director, luke, here they are with one of our favorites, "the christmas song."song." ♪♪ ♪ ♪

♪ chestnuts roasting on an open fire ♪ ♪ jack frost nipping at your nose ♪ ♪ yuletide carols singing songsr by the choir ♪ ♪ everybody knows ♪ ♪ hang some mistletoe ♪ ♪ help to make the season the s bright bright ♪ ♪ tiny tots with their eyes all aglow will find it hard to sleep tonight ♪ santa's ♪ they know that santa's on his way ♪

♪ he showed them lots of toyses and goodies on his sleigh ♪ ♪ note ♪ and every mother's child isknw going to strive to see him ♪ ♪ and see the reindeer fly ♪ ♪ so i'm offering this simple t prayer to kids from 1 to 92 ♪ ♪ although it's been said many times, many ways ♪ ♪ merry christmas ♪ ♪ merry christmas ♪ to you

♪♪ ♪ merry merry christmas to you ♪ ♪ merry christmas to you ♪ >> it's starting to feel like christmas now. thank you guys so much. >> it's angelic. beautiful. thank you again. all of you guys again. their holiday album is out now please support them. and we're back with more in our 3rd hour. >> also a big thank you to their parents who are out here in like 30 degree temperatures >> some talented kids. >> don't go far, folks 3rd hour of "today" coming right back oh, by the way, breaking news our producer just had her baby the newest member of "the today show" family.

>> oh, oliver! good morning. it is 8:56. i'm marcus washington. airbnb launching new efforts to stop big-time party planning before it ever gets off the ground, with new year's eve approaching, the company is now using artificial intelligence to search bookings for signs of possible party plans. now, the company says the tell-tale signs include booking between one and three days, and certain types of properties. the goal is to avoid tragedies like in 2019, this is when a shooting happened at an orinda home where five people died at a halloween house party. in another case in sunnyvale, the parents of a young man killed at a house party now suing the property owner, who reportedly never obtained proper city permits. they're also suing airbnb for negligence, claiming the property should not have been

listed on the site. even before adding ai to the mix, airbnb has blocked nearly 64,000 bookings fearing they were intended for larger parties. kris sanchez is following this story and will have more o

this morning on the 3rd hour of "today," rushing home for the holidays. millions on the move as the