it's still going to be warm with significant cool downs and rain coming our way for the weekend. across the span here it's tough. folks are using highway 37 at the top as an alternate. you see more traffic there. the bay bridge still holding steady. the "today" show is just ahead. we are continuing "today in the bay" for you on roku and other streaming platforms and online. you can watch that at 7:00, and you can see it online at nbcbayarea.com as well as your smartphone app. >> that's what is happening on "today in the bay." good thursday morning. an urgent manhunt for a dangerous inmate >> after a planned and violent breakout it's march 21st.

this is "today". on the loose, a massive search under way for an escaped white supremacist and an accomplice involved in a brazen attack they opened fire on officers at the hospital where that inmate was being treated before making their getaway. >> i would call it unprecedented and unthinkable. >> the fbi now joining the manhunt. we're live with the very latest. breaking overnight the united states calling for an immediate cease-fire in the middle east. the secretary of state now in that region, saying a deal that includes the release of hostages is, quote, getting closer. a live report from israel, just ahead. border confusion the fate of that controversial immigration law in texas now in the hands of a federal appeals court. lives hanging in the balance the state's governor digging in. >> texas has a right to defend ourselves. >> local authorities and border towns voicing their frustration over the legal back and forth.

this morning, what's next in the high-stakes showdown royal intrigue new details about that alleged attempt to access princess kate's medical records while recovering from surgery. three hospital staffers now reportedly at the center of the growing investigation. we're live at buckingham palace. all that, plus, lost in translation. the interpreter and close friend of baseball superstar shohei ohtani suddenly fired on opening day. inside the allegations of illegal gambling and theft behind the move. and the unanswered questions now facing the dodgers' $700 million man. and get your brackets ready! >> he is there >> after an exciting first four -- >> oh, oh. >> the ncaa tournament kicking into high gear with teams and fans all over the country eager for a little march madness today, thursdays, march 21st, 2024 ♪

>> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza >> a good morning to you welcome to "today. happy to have you with us on this thursday morning. laura jarrett pitching in this week while savannah and hoda enjoy spring break with their families we're going to do our brackets together >> we're ready i've been studying first round. ready tonight. >> of course you have. of course you have >> you know how i do it. >> i do. i do we'll get to that in just a moment first, our top story on this thursday, that manhunt that is now unfolding in idaho for an escaped inmate and accomplice after a brazen and police say coordinated attack >> yeah, three officers were injured during a shoot-out tha took place at a hospital where the inmate was being treated police saying he injured himself on purpose so his alleged accomplice could ambush officers and set him free dana griffin has the very latest for us dana, good morning

>> good morning, as the hours tick by, authorities are in an all-out search for these two men, after they carried out the surprise attack, there is no indication of where they are or police now warning they are considered armed and dangerous and have shown they're willing to use extreme violence. >> reporter: this morning, 31-year-old inmate skyler meade is on the run after authorities say he pulled off a sophisticated prison break that left three correction officers injured. >> we believe that this was a coordinated attack, ambush, on the department of corrections officers and certainly, a planned endeavor to free him from custody. >> reporter: meade shown here, handcuffed and bloodied, taken to the hospital hours earlier for self-inflicted injuries. then just as he was about to be returned to prison, police say an alleged accomplice showed up

at st. an alphansus regional medical center in boise and opened fire, shooting two officers. a third officer injured in the cross fire. overnight, investigators identifying the alleged accomplice as nicholas umpfenhower. they fled in this honda civic. >> they are dangerous, armed and shown a propensity for violence. >> reporter: meade has a lengthy rap sheet and had been in prison for nearly eight years for shooting at a deputy during a 2016 high-speed chase. he was eligible for parole in 2026. investigators also revealing he is a member of a white supremacist gang. >> they could be anywhere at this point. we're following every lead and accepting every possibility. >> thankfully, all three officers are expected to survive. the fbi is now involved in the manhunt and authorities are urging anyone who spots the suspects to not approach, but to immediately call 911. craig? >> all right, dana griffin starting us off. dana, thank you. now to that breaking news overnight on the israel-hamas war. the secretary of state, antony

blinken, is now back in the middle east, pushing to secure an immediate cease-fire. nbc's raf sanchez is in jerusalem for us. raf, good morning. what can you tell us? >> reporter: well, laura, this new resolution, according to secretary blinken, would call for an immediate cease-fire, tied to the release of the hostages. now, the u.s. has previously vetoed three u.n. security council resolutions. that's a position that has left it looking pretty isolated, internationally, but as the humanitarian crisis in gaza deepens and with children now dying of hunger, you are seeing new urgency is from the united states about trying to bring about at least a pause in the fighting. >> that would bring immediate relief to so many people who are suffering in gaza, the children, the women, the men. it would allow a much greater expansion of humanitarian assistance getting to them and it could create the conditions

to have a lasting, enduring cease-fire. >> reporter: now, this resolution may not be enough for some countries at the u.n. who want to see a cease-fire with or without a hostage deal, but it is a sign the biden administration really feeling the heat, both at home and abroad to do more to address the suffering in gaza. laura? >> so raf, speaking of that potential hostage deal, where do things stand in those negotiations right now? >> reporter: so, secretary blinken speaking in saudi arabia says he believes the gaps between israel and hamas are narrowing. he says he believes a deal is possible. the broad outlines of that deal, a six-week cease-fire, the release of around 40 hostages in exchange for potentially several hundred palestinian prisoners. qatar who's mediating those talks say they're cautiously optimistic about a deal. i've got to say, neither israel nor hamas are sounding all that positive. but the good news, if there is

any, that both sides are at least staying at the negotiating table and secretary blinken says the u.s. will continue to push to try to get that deal. laura? >> raf sanchez, thank you very much. also this morning, there are some new developments in the fight over that controversial law in texas that would give local authorities the power to arrest and deport migrants who enter the country illegal. an appeals court now taking a closer look after its enforcement was once again put on hold. nbc's morgan chesky once again joining us from the border in eagle pass, texas. morgan, good morning. >> reporter: yeah, craig, good morning. the debate very much rages on. the three-judge panel heard the oral arguments yesterday, but have yet to make their decision. in the meantime, texas governor greg abbott doubling down, calling the crisis here on the southern border a catastrophe. as the biden administration stresses time and time again, that when it comes to enforcing immigration law, this is not a state, but a federal responsibility.

this morning on the texas border, both sides digging in over a controversial state law now on hold, that would give unprecedented powers to local and state authorities. >> texas has a right to defend ourselves and we will use that authority to declare an invasion and fight back against that invasion. >> reporter: the measure known as sb-4 is under review by the fifth circuit court of appeals, following a legal whiplash, after the supreme court allowed it to go into effect for mere hours before being paused yet again. the three-judge panel hearing arguments wednesday. appearing skeptical of the law. >> so what if someone enters in, let's say, from mexico into arizona and lives there for five years, then moves to texas. are they covered? >> reporter: the state solicitor general pausing before saying -- >> i don't know the answer. >> reporter: signed last december by governor greg abbott, sb-4 would allow state authorities to arrest migrants suspected of crossing illegally, and even empower state judges to order deportations back to

mexico. texas leaders calling the law a direct result of the federal government failing to stop prior record number of migrants from crossing the southern border. sheriff raimondo supports the new law. >> what we're targeting is the violence, the cartels, people -- violent offenders that want to come across not just from mexico, but from different countries. >> reporter: but in maverick county, sheriff tom scherber says he needs more information about how his department would enforce it. >> are you equipped at this moment to put this law into practice? >> no, i think we need more time. >> reporter: scherber adding, the legal back and forths do little to help border communities like his. >> do you feel like a pawn in a big political game? >> that's the way i feel. i'm pretty sure the other sheriffs at the border are thinking the same way. >> reporter: and this morning we're hearing again from the country of mexico. their president calling s.b. 4

both dehumanizing and draconian over the last 24 hours, emphasizing the country will not accept any migrants deported from the state of texas. in the meantime, as for the legal path forward here, we know the same panel of judges will hear more arguments again on the constitutionality of s.b. 4 come april 3rd. and legal experts say judging by their response to the arguments yesterday, it's on shaky ground, craig? >> morgan chesky there once again along the border. morgan, thank you. now to the cash and time crunch facing donald trump. he has until this monday to come one a bond to cover the nearly $500 million judgment in his new york civil fraud case. but thus far has been unsuccessful. if he can't meet the court's deadline, then the state could begin seizing his assets, possibly including trump tower and soon. nbc's garrett haake joins us with more on that and the impact on the 2024 race. garrett, good morning. >> hey, laura, good morning. mr. trump has tried to use his current cash crunch as a catalyst for his campaign,

asking donors to chip in and help him fight back against a case he's always cast as political, but which now threatens the core of his political identity, his wealth. >> reporter: facing a monday deadline to post a nearly half billion dollar bond in the civil fraud case against him, former president donald trump is short on cash and running out of time. his attorney's emergency appeal filing still unanswered by the judge. the billionaire developer could have to sell off prized assets to cover the costs or risk seeing them seized by the state. >> you can't reverse selling off trump tower on a fire sale at a discounted price. >> reporter: the former president has raged about the judges' and democratic attorney general leticia james' handling of his case on social media. on wednesday writing, this case should be over, but instead the attorney general wants to abuse her power to steal my money. mr. trump owes 454 million of the total $464 million judgment. but with an annual interest rate

of 9%, that amount increases by $111,000 everyday it goes unpaid. >> we have a lot of cash and a great company, but they want to take it away. >> reporter: at mar-a-lago, campaign sources tell nbc news of concern and frustration, but not panic among mr. trump's inner circle about the approaching deadline. trump allies have even asked some political donors about guaranteeing his bond, according to a person involved in those discussions. in another sign that the former president's legal issues are translating into financial headaches, new campaign fund-raising numbers show him trailing team biden by nearly $40 million. ♪♪ meanwhile, president biden in battleground arizona is pointing to progress on the economy, awarding $8.5 billion in grants to intel for semiconductor production in the u.s. >> i want to build a future in america. my predecessor is going to let the future be built in china and other countries. >> reporter: with independent candidate robert f. kennedy jr. looming as a possible spoiler to the president's re-election effort, and apology at 13%, according to a recent fox news

poll. sources close to the kennedys say family members who oppose rfk jr.'s bid are set to step up their efforts to boost mr. biden. just days after dozens of kennedys gathered with the president in the white house rose garden on st. patrick's day. asked about that gathering, a senior member of the kennedy family tells nbc news, quote, there was a point of having everybody there. the biden team reportedly happy to let the kennedys take the lead on helping out his campaign, then working to support them as needed. laura? >> all right. garrett haake, thank you. all right, lots more to get to on thursday morning, including some surprising news on baseball's opening day that is getting a lot of attention. the los angeles dodgers firing the interpreter and friend of superstar shohei ohtani, who is being accused of massive theft against the sport's highest-paid player. nbc's liz kreutz is following this bizarre story for us. liz, good morning to you. e >> hey, craig, good morning.

yeah, shohei ohtani has arguably become the face of major league baseball, signing that massive $700 million contract with the dodgers. nearly everywhere he goes, his longtime japanese interpreter is right there beside him, but the dodgers have now abruptly fired that interpreter after a report that he used ohtani's money to pay off gambling debts. this morning, serious questions swirling around baseball superstar shohei ohtani and his longtime interpreter, after the los angeles dodgers fired his interpreter, ippei mizuhara after being accused of massive theft, reportedly tied to millions of dollars in gamble debt. the dodgers confirming the team they terminated the interpreter and has no further comment. ohtani's lawyers made the bombshell accusation after the "l.a. times" reported his name was tied to a federal investigation into a multi-million dollar sports gambling scheme in california,

where sports betting is illegal. mizuhara told espn he placed bets on international soccer matches and other sports, but not baseball. the interpreter also told the outlet he asked ohtani last year to pay off his gambling net which the network reported had skyrocketed to at least $4.5 million. he wasn't happy about it. he would help me out to make sure i never do this again. he said ohtani had zero involvement in the betting. according to espn, wire transfers were sent from ohtani's account. a day after his initial interview with espn, mizuhara changed his account of what happened, and told the network that ohtani had no knowledge of his debts and had not made the payments. attorneys for shohei ohtani released a statement saying, in the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we have discovered that shohei has been the victim of a massive theft and are turning the matters over to authorities. this comes as the dodgers are in

a world tour in south korea. a global superstar winning two american league mvp world, is many calling him the best pitcher/hitter player since babe ruth. now this controversy threatening to cast a shadow over one of baseball's brightest new stars. now nbc news has not independently verified the details of those espn and l.a. times reports. ohtani is not currently facing any discipline himself from the mlb, but this has certainly shocked dodgers fan. ohtani's interpreter was with the baseball superstar even yesterday at that game in seoul, south korea. he was terminated at some point after that. craig? >> all right, liz kreutz for us. liz, keep us posted, meez. thank you. let's get a check of the weather. >> always love to see mr. roker. >> well, you may not feel that way after i get finished with this forecast. >> oh, no! >> we've got snow coming -- i mean, a double barrel low pressure system. we've got winter weather advisories, winter storm watches, and winter storm warnings stretching from the dakotas all the way to new england for 15 million people.

double barrel low pressure system. so today, this northern part of the front brings snow to the dakotas, the southern system bringing heavy rain to texas and the gulf. we move into tomorrow, soaking rains through the southeast. snow through the upper great lakes. this low pressure system is going to be the more dominant system as we get into the weekend. low moves off the delmarva peninsula, a mess along the i-95 adore. corridor. heavy rain, wind, an icy mix through parts of new england and more snow back through northern new england, down through florida, through saturday, upwards of 6 inches of rain. and we come up along the coast and inland, you could be looking at upwards of 4 inches of rain from boston down to washington, d.c. snowfall amounts are going to be very heavy in northern new england, upward of 12 inches of snow, and a swath of 3 to 6 inches cuts across the great lakes, all the way to the dakotas. we're not done yet! we've got another system coming that's sunday through monday is going to bring heavy snow to the plains all the way into parts of

northern wisconsin. we're going to get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds. (mom) oh, thank goodness. and that's why our family will only drive a subaru. (vo) subaru. more iihs top safety pick plus awards than any other brand. love. it's what makes subaru, subaru. good thursday morning. i am meteorologist, kari hall. we are going to have one more dry and mild day with our temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s, but there also will be more clouds coming in. we are going to have a drop in temperatures starting tomorrow. we will feel that in the north bay with low 60s and rain coming in for the weekend off and on through saturday. we will need jackets, umbrellas and we are going back to more of

a winter feel after today, so enjoy the mild weather while it and that's -- >> all right, buddy, thank you. and that's your latest weather. >> all right, buddy, thank you just ahead, new details overnight on the investigation into that attempt to access princess kate's private medical records amid mounting questions about her health we'll have the very latest in a live report from bucking ham palace plus the soda wars are heating up as coke and pepsi intensify the battle to be your beverage of choice and one popular chain announcing it's switching loyalties, so which side are you on. we'll drink it all in, but

coming up, those alluring offers flooding social media right now, claiming that you can become a work-from-home millionaire by doing something called affiliate marketing >> so what is it how does it work and what's the catch

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where am i going? whoa! did usher forget how to skate? alright. okay. (♪♪) [thud] (♪♪) i meant to do this. (♪♪) ♪(limu emu and doug.)♪ hello, ghostbusters. it's doug... ...of doug and limu. we help people customize and save hundreds on car insurance with liberty mutual. anyway, we got a bit of a situation here. uh-huh. uh-huh. mm-hmm. sure, i can hold. only pay for what you need. ♪(liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty.)♪ ghostbusters: frozen empire. in theaters march 22. a very good morning to you. i am laura garcia. i am marcus washington. we are moving you forward with a look at the top stories,

a man arrested accused of placing a hidden camera in a starbucks restroom. >> it's at the starbucks on coleman and taylor in san josé. close to 100 people were caught on video. last week police arrested louie juarez. officers received several firearms and other micro-cameras from his home, and that includes one hidden in a key fob and another hidden in a tiny soccer ball. it's not clear if police believe other locations were targeted. sometime this morning san francisco's reddit is expected to start trading on the new york stock exchange. if you don't know by now, reddit is known exclusively almost for its message boards, and this is the first ipo social media company since 2019, and it's generating 500 million for reddit, putting the company's value at $6 billion. shares will open at $34. let's get a look at the

forecast with kari. >> we are waking up to a few clouds and mild temperatures, but it will be a nice day. our high for the inland areas will reach up to 70 degrees, and we are enjoying it because there are changes ahead. there will be rain developing in the afternoon tomorrow, and on and off showers throughout the weekend and tapering off on sunday. we may also have a few thunderstorms in the mix. we will be watching out for that, and still cool weather into the middle of next week as rain chances pick up again next wednesday. it's definitely going to be another active storm pattern that will be with us. off and on rain in the forecast every few days, so enjoy the one

let's dance! ♪

we're back, 7:30 with a little footloose. the iconic film, by the way, just turned 40 that film, of course, also turned kevin bacon into a household name it was shot in utah high school. the class is on a mission to get kevin bacon to attend their prom we'll check in with them for an update on their quest tomorrow right here on "today". >> he's got to say, yes, right well, of course, speaking of "foot loose," peter alexander is here he dressed up as kevin bacon's character. halloween's extravagance that was before my time, but the video will live on forever >> your resident in the house today. good to be back with you guys. he's got smooth hair in front. that was a lot of product. >> you have smooth hair, too >> appreciate it >> i'll let you two settle this off air. we have a very busy half hour, with new details on that attempted breach of princess kate's hospital records. nbc's molly hunter has been following this for us. she's back at buckingham palace

once again this morning. molly, good morning. >> reporter: hey, guys, good morning. the allegations are growing. today, there are reports that three staffers at the london clinic may be behind the alleged data breach. this morning, the allegations of a royal data breach growing, multiple uk news outlets, including "the mirror," which broke the story, report three staff members at the london clinic where kate underwent surgery back in january could be investigated and potentially face disciplinary action for allegedly trying to access the princess' personal medical information. nbc news has not confirmed this reporting. >> i understand that there are three staff at the london clinic have been suspended on allegations that they accessed or tried to access the princess' private medical data we don't know if that was paper records or via a computer system >> reporter: the uk government privacy watchdog confirmed to nbc news they received a breach report and are still assessing information but didn't share

whether it had one or more allegations. >> we must remember at the center of this saga is a woman who has undergone a very serious operation. the fact that the princess of wales will only add to the stress >> reporter: kensington palace not confirming whether or not kate has been notified, referring all questions to the london clinic. in a statement, the hospital said, in the case of any breach, all appropriate investigatory, regulatory, and disciplinary steps will be taken, adding there's no place at our hospital for those who intentionally breach the trust of any of our patients or colleagues the london clinic has long been a discreet option for members of the royal family, and celebrities flying under the radar, reportedly under jfk and liz taylor the late queen elizabeth and prince philip both received treatment there, as did king charles back in january. the two senior royals carrying the load continuing on in the face of the swirling headlines prince william all smiles,

making a visit to the welsh guards near windsor, speaking with soldiers and focusing on physical and mental rehab. while queen camilla stepping in for the king and referencing kate and william's youngest, known for his antics >> quite a handful >> yes >> so, molly, let's go back to the investigation for a moment where does that go from here >> reporter: right, craig, any investigation would look at timing and method, so on timing, we just heard from "the mirror" reporter who broke this story, who said all of this happened after kate was discharged from the hospital in january. of course, the how was the alleged breach attempted via a computer system or paper records, all of that will be looked at very, very closely craig? >> molly hunter for us from buckingham palace. once again, nolly, thank you still ahead for you, some encouraging news in the battle against breast cancer. what you need to know about the

new treatments that are showing a lot of promise also up next, choose your side the soda wars are heeding up emilie ikeda has that story. >> pepsi or coke, we know people's allegiances to specific soda brands, they run deep so one of the largest restaurant chains in the country announced it is switching its beverage providers. people have a lot to say about it coming up, how the soda wars are bubbling over. stay with us is supported by asthma experts. finally, there's a modern way to treat symptoms and asthma attacks. airsupra is the first ever dual-action rescue inhaler that treats your asthma symptoms and helps prevent attacks. airsupra is the only rescue fda-approved to do both. airsupra is an as-needed rescue inhaler and should not be used as a maintenance treatment for asthma. get medical help right away if your breathing does not improve, continues to worsen,

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providers is reigniting a decades-long battle in the beverage industry and consumers, well, they have a lot to say about it >> reporter: this morning, an age-old rivalry is popping off again. with a head-turning announcement from subway, that after nearly two decades, it's swapping out coca-cola products for pepsi, starting next year writing in a statement, its new partnership brings fresh energy to our beverage selections, and better value and choice for our franchisees. >> try subway's tasty tuna today. >> reporter: and while subway customers will soon get pepsi with their footlongs, but in ohio, restaurant chains skyline and gold star revealed a switch to coke -- >> i don't know who needs to hear this, but coca-cola tastes way better than pepsi. >> reporter: the latest saga in the consumer wars has them talking. the battle between coca-cola and pepsi has been bubbling up for decades. >> when two titans go head-to-head --

>> reporter: playing out in documentaries, on social media and, of course, advertisements ♪ you're the pepsi generation ♪ >> reporter: pepsi tapping into star power ♪ feel the pepsi way ♪ >> reporter: while coca-cola tugs on heartstrings ♪ i would like to buy the world a coke ♪ >> what's it say >> reporter: the last time a large chain switched beverage providers was arby's in to 18. but experts say subway's move to source both snacks and drinks from pepsico is likely a cost-saving measure. >> what makes it somewhat of a big deal is it's one of the largest quick-service restaurants that is switching back >> reporter: the beverage industry's growing more complicated and competitive. >> this soda has none of the bad stuff. >> reporter: cdc research shows increasingly health-conscious consumers drinking less soda in recent years, and seeking out global flavors that can be smoky, tangy, even spicy

>> the drink on the go, has definitely changed the overall brand portfolio that both companies have >> reporter: the clash of colas ramping up as they try to prevent business from going flat see what i did there we reached out to coca-cola, who told us the company has proudly served subway restaurants in the u.s. and is staying focused on delivering value through the end of the year. and the cola wars, by the way, could soon be on the big screen, too, with reports saying sony has spent a million dollars on a movie script about the long-running industry feud i'll say this. coca-cola or pepsi, both have marketing geniuses on both sides. i love their ads over the years. >> but you're team one of the other. what are you >> now we're going to get trolled on social media. i think it's team coke >> okay. >> i agree, but this is going to get ugly >> i've been known to have a diet coke as well. how about you? >> there are so many options on both sides i'll -- >> okay, i'm a sprite fan, so i've got to be coke. >> what say you, mr. roker >> dr. pepper. i'm a pepper, you're a pepper, would you like to be a pepper

too, dr. pepper. ♪ >> is that -- >> that was a song that was an ad >> oh, wow >> that was one of their jingles. back in the day when they did jingles. >> see, it stays with you. >> that's right! status of spring top three warmest marches from northeast to the midwest, first leaves are up to three weeks early. for example, the cherry blossoms, second earliest cherry blossom bloom. detroit, your bloom 23 days early. des moines, 20 days early. guess what, if you suffer from allergies, this is bad news. again, a result of climate change we're talking about the pollen now, the pollen season is much longer in fact, right now, pollen is medium to high for 70% of the country. the red dots show that the pollen season, one month longer. no change is green, but you can see, not a lot of green on there.

one to two weeks are orange and yellow you can see a lot of folks since 1970, the growing season, nearly three weeks longer and that means the sneezing season is getting longer and longer that's wha good thursday morning. i am meteorologist, kari hall. we will be sneezing again today, mostly sunny and comfortable. clouds and showers move in tomorrow. it's going to be a cooler weekend with chilly temperatures and even a chance of thunderstorms. today we are headed for the upper 60s for the east bay, and mid-60s for the peninsula, into san francisco, and look at the showers and much cooler weather fo ♪ i would like to buy the world a coke and keep it company ♪ >> that's what we remember >> so many jingles you could teach us >> an encyclopedia of useless information. still ahead on a thursday

morning, what fitness icon richard simmons is now revealing about his health after a very cryptic and concerning post earl this week. but first, we are going to dive into the excitement of march madness. let's dance! >> let's do it >> kicking into high gear today, and we're celebrating with a very excited group of fans, right after this ♪♪ keep living. we'll keep repairing. new dove bond strength. with peptide complex. help reverses the signs of 3 years of damage. if you have wet amd, you never want to lose sight of the things you love. some things should stand the test of time. long lasting eylea hd could significantly improve your vision

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pepper >> oh, that was -- >> do you pay any attention? >> no. no >> can you play it one more time >> no, let's not ♪ i'm a pepper, he's a pepper, she's a pepper, if you drink dr. pepper, you're a pepper too ♪ ♪ drink dr. pepper ♪ >> have you heard this before? >> that was before my time >> there's a giant pallet of dr. pepper at mr. roker's home >> let's talk march madness. >> this is one of the best days of the year for basketball fans. the excitement will kick into high gear later today. you've got the men's tournament. that goes in just a few hours. women set to go tomorrow there's going to be plenty of bracket busters and grea cinderella stories, too. >> nbc's sam brock is on the campus of one of last year's biggest surprises, florida atlantic who made an incredible run to the final four and hope to do the same this year hey, sam >> reporter: hey, laura, guys, good morning this is euphoria and the time of year, you can take the season, throw them out the window, because everything is possible for march madness.

we know that caitlin clark is going to dazzle, and dominant teams like south carolina on the women's side and uconn on the men's pose a risk to the field but why not can a number eight seed like fau with a cheer squad like this and a support base this huge not have another magical run? [ cheers and applause >> here's hadley on a fade short. >> reporter: college basketball fever is officially on the rise nationwide >> buries it >> what a shot >> reporter: with schools like vanderbilt and presbyterian punching their way into the big dance as part of the first four for the women. while late theatrics in overtime grambling state -- >> it is over here in dayton >> reporter: finalize the men's field, which tips off in a matter of hours. the overwhelming favorite or big dog. >> let's go get your number six! let's go, uconn! >> reporter: the uconn huskies looking to defend their national title. >> we want back-to-back rings,

man. >> reporter: even the school's mascot, jonathan the husky, revealing his bracket strategy, picking all dogs to win and all cats to lose but what about owls? florida/atlantic university from boca raton became a household name last year en route to a stunning final four appearance >> we're extremely excited to advance to the ncaa tournament for the second year in a row we don't take it for granted we know how difficult it is. >> reporter: but make no mistake, the biggest star power anywhere in basketball is iowa's caitlin clark. >> this for college basketball history -- >> reporter: who just broke the all-time ncaa scoring mark and according to tic pic is college basketball's main attraction, is causing final four ticket prices to reach historic levels the company it sold six times as many women's tickets to the final four than men's tickets not counting the national

championship from 16-seeded drexel to the overall number one seed, south carolina, undefeated and hungry after falling just short a year ago. >> south carolina will win the national title if what -- >> if we don't beat ours >> reporter: it's going to be another march filled with elite players, grinding and determined to be crowned 2024's national champs you'll recall, last year lsu beat iowa in the finals on the women's side caitlin clark and angel reece, the superstars are both back, but this year they're playing in the same region, which means it would be theoretically the elite eight when they square off speaking of things that are eight. like the fau eighth seed here, what do they do to pump themselves up and distract their opponents. the men's swim team has some superstition and secret formula. imagine if you're trying to shoot a free-throw and watching this hopefully they don't fall, but there's eight or nine swimmers out there in addition to a small army of people supporting their

team and i've got to say, one thing, i got a text from peter alexander this morning >> uh-oh >> that was -- >> that was a tease. >> i went to northwestern asking me why i'm wearing -- they're playing northwestern in that first round tournament i'm selling myself out go, owls >> let's be very clear first of all, i would not want to be shooting free-throws in front of that, but our school, sam and my school's, northwestern, is playing fau, and he's wearing a florida atlantic -- >> he's being a good correspondent. >> i appreciate that, but i think his wildcat card is about to get lifted. >> that's ugly >> let's go florida atlantic >> thanks, sam >> thank you, sam. >> good stuff. coming up on "popstart," a lot of movies. a lot of movies coming out maybe four of my, "wicked," downtown abbey," "beetle juice," a quick check of your local

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in san josé. police say that camera that was pointed towards the toilet recorded 91 people on january 30th. victims ranging in age from 4 years old to 85 years old. if you happen to be in that restroom during that date, the police would like to hear from you. let's get a look at the forecast with meteorologist, kari hall. a nice day ahead? >> yes, and it will be a last day we will see temperatures near 70 degrees. looking at a mix of sun and clouds today, it will be cooler and clouds arriving with rain in the afternoon. our highs over the weekend reach into the upper 50s on saturday and a thunderstorm chance as well. on sunday, we should have a dry sunday afternoon, and we will see dry conditions and slightly warmer temperatures for monday and tuesday, and then a new storm system arriving on wednesday will bring back the rain as well as the cooler temperatures. in san francisco, up to 63 and

partly cloudy today. we will need umbrellas and heavier jackets for the weekend, laura. >> good to know. we will have another local we will have another local news uate inpd ( ♪♪ ) you made a cow! actually it's a piggy bank. my inspiration to start saving. how about a more solid way to save? i'm listening. well, bmo helps get your savings habit into shape with a cash reward, every month you save. both: cash reward? and there's a cash bonus when you open a new checking account to get you started. wow.

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coming up, urgent manhunt. an inmate on the run this morning after a brazen escape.

>> they are dangerous, they are armed, and they have shown a propensity for violence. >> three officers hurt in a shoot-out as the fbi joins the search. we're live with the latest. then, new hope. inside the promising treatment for the most common form of breast cancer. an inside look at the new approach that could be a game changer. plus, speaking out. richard simmons who hasn't been seen publicly in more than a decade making headlines with a series of messages about his health. what he's now saying after walking back some serious comments. the details, straight ahead. and "wicked" good. >> you're green! >> i am. >> our first look at the new "vanity fair" images from the highly anticipated "wicked" film. we've got a sneak peek in "popstart," today, thursday, march 21st, 2024. >> from st. louis -- >> i'm turning 17 today! >> good morning, mom and dad. >> watching in elkville,

california! >> shout-out to my softball team back in florida. >> here from bethesda, maryland. >> celebrating elizabeth's 23rd birthday. >> we're on spring break from greenville, south carolina! >> sending love to my grandkids in gaithersburg, maryland. ♪ >> visiting from bloomington, illinois. >> centerville, maryland! >> and oklahoma! >> hi to my friends at oak view elementary. >> in south carolina. >> from luck, wisconsin. >> after more than three decades in education each -- >> we're celebrating our retirement! >> well, happy retirement. welcome back to "today" on this thursday morning. thank you so much for joining us. and a special thanks to our saturday "today" team. peter alexander, laura jarrett. >> thanks for keeping us around. >> having fun all week while savannah and hoda enjoy a little

spring break time with their families. it is a busy thursday morning. let's get right to your news at 8:00. police pressing their search this morning for a dangerous convict and the armed accomplice who helped him escape. they got away after a shoot-out at a boise, idaho, hospital that left three correction officers wounded. nbc's dana griffin joins us with the very latest on the manhunt this morning. dana, good morning. >> craig, good morning. at this hour, no word yet on where escaped inmate skylar meade and his alleged accomplice, nicholas umphenour could be hiding. investigators warning the men are considered armed and dangerous. they've been on the run for more than 24 hours after a surprise attack at that boise, idaho, hospital. three officers were injured in the shooting and are expected to survive. meade had been taken to the hospital tuesday night for self-inflicted injuries, likely caused in order to be at that hospital for this planned escape. police revealing meade is a

white supremacist gang member. he and his accomplice last seen in a gray honda civic. and at this point, they could be anywhere. if you see these men, do not approach, call 911. craig? >> dana griffin for us there. thank you. now to this. the biden administration saying today it's canceling almost $6 billion in student loan debt for nearly 80,000 public service workers. those eligible include nurses, teachers, firefighters. in a statement announcing the move, president biden saying those workers never got the relief they were entitled to under the law. the white house will also start emailing another 380,000 borrowers next week to let them know if they are on track to have their student debt forgiven within the next two years. the fbi is trying to figure out how an unticketed passenger boarded a delta airlines flight last week and apparently by using a photo that he took of another person's boarding pass, believe it or not. officials say the texas man snapped pictures of other people's phone screens without their knowledge.

this happened at salt lake city international. he then used one photo to go through security and to board a flight to austin. they say he stowed away in a bathroom until the plane started taxiing. when he came out and flight attends then realized that he did not actually have a ticket, the plane returned to the gate, and that man was arrested. >> a lot of questions there. now to some encouraging news this morning for women battling the most common form of breast cancer. a study in the "new england journal of medicine" finds that a drug already used to treat patients with late-stage cancer can also improve survival rates for those with earlier stages of the disease. here to tell us more, nbc news medical contributor, dr. natalie azar. dr. azar, good morning. this is interesting. let's start with the research. what does it show about the promise for this potential treatment? >> this is really, really good news for breast cancer patients. this was an interim analysis of phase iii data.

this was a study done on 5,000 patients who were, what we call, hormone receptor positive, her-2 negative. they gave half of the group standard of care, which is hormonal treatment, and they gave the other half of the group this medicine plus hormonal therapy. and as you mentioned in the intro, this is already approved for patients with metastatic disease. these patients had stage 2 and early stage 3 and they found a significant survival benefit, after three years, patients who got the treatment, 90% were alive compared to 87% compared to standard of care alone and a relative reduction of recurrence by 25% in the group. >> so how big of a deal is this for women with this very common form of breast cancer and what are the side effects? >> so it's actually a very, very big deal. as you mentioned, it is the most common type of cancer, breast cancer. normally, women, and men, would undergo surgery plus or minus chemotherapy as well as radiation therapy. but up to 37% of patients with

stage ii will recur and up to 57% of patients with stage iii will recur up to 20 years. so anything that puts a little dent in that makes a huge difference for patients. side effects, very well tolerated, low white blood cell counts, some joint pain, some liver issues. you need to have regular blood monitoring. but overall, very, very well tolerated. >> sounds really promising. dr. azar, thank you. >> thank you, dr. natalie. e. >> nice to see you. meanwhile, those jaw-dropping lottery jackpots keep getting bigger. nobody won the top prize in last night's powerball drawing. the jackpot balloons to a nice round $750 million as a result. want more? the estimated mega millions jackpot is now $977 million. put them both together and we're talking about somewhere around $1.7 billion. the next drawing for that mega millions prize is tomorrow night. you'll have to wait until saturday for powerball. >> that's going to be a pretty big boost when it actually

happens, but in the absence of a winner, you'll play that role today. >> i'll try. i'll do my best. >> this is inspiring story from last weekend's los angeles marathon. among the field of 20,000 plus runners, an eighth grader who wasn't going to stop until he finished that race, no matter what. lapd sergeant jay watched as 15-year-old made it to mile 26, just short of the finish line, then the boy collapsed. medics checked him out. they determined that he was okay. he insisted he wanted to finish the race, so check out what happened. he put one arm over his sister, another over the officer and toughed out the final few blocks. >> that's awesome. >> i'm really proud of that boy, and if i could talk to that boy, i would say, you're outstanding. you inspired me. maybe i'll run the marathon next year because of you. all the kudos goes to the kid. he ran the marathon on his own. i helped to get him to the finish line.

>> he declined an interview after the race, but his mom did release a statement saying, we are very proud of leobardo and very appreciative of the people that helped him. how about that? >> that's a pretty good image right there. still ahead this morning, an apology from fitness legend richard simmons after his own social media post sparked confusion and real concern about his health. what he is now saying. plus, vicky nguyen is here with an eye of-opening investigation, those offers, you've probably seen them on social media. claiming an inexpensive course could teach you how to become a work-from-home millionaire. but first, these messages. 27 vitamins and minerals, nutrients for immune health. and ensure complete with 30 grams of protein. (♪♪) [coughing] copd isn't pretty. i'm out of breath, and often out of the picture. but this is my story. ( ♪♪ ) and with once-daily trelegy, it can still be beautiful.

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♪ far-xi-ga ♪ we're back at 8:13 with a consumer alert and some popular money-making offers you may have seen, that are now popping up increasingly on social media. >> influencers say they work from home for just a few hours a day and can earn tens of thousands of dollars a month. of course, sounds amazing. but it also sounds like there's probably a catch. >> nbc's consumer investigative correspondent vicky nguyen joins us. vicky, too good to be true? >> you'll find out. i saw these videos all over social media. you might have seen them, too. moms bragging about becoming millionaire doing something called affiliate marketing. one of the most popular courses says for just $7, you can learn the strategies for success. but before you sign up, you're going to want to see this. >> all you need is a phone, a laptop, wi-fi, and one to three hours a day.

>> reporter: chelsea, a mom with three kids, says in just months, she became a work-from-home millionaire thanks to this 15-day, $7 course. >> the educational tool i now use to generate 14 streams of income, retire my husband, and make me seven figures in my first year. >> reporter: she says she's an affiliate marketer, that someone who recommendations other company's products online and earns a commission on sales. dozens of companies offer you courses on how to affiliate marketing, one of the most popular promoted by chelsy and many others is legendary marketer. the company touts its $7, 15-day business builder challenge, advertising over 800 success stories. >> what if you cut the starbucks out and get rich this year? i was just a busy, overstimulated, broke, stay-at-home mom. i chose to spend the $7 over spending $7 on a starbucks. >> who was persuaded by videos you saw on social media? >> reporter: dana, loretta, and stay sha say they signed up for the $7 course to make good money fast after watching influencers, lake chelsea. >> i was watching these people and i thought, geez, i'm college

educated, i can do this. >> i really thought i was just doing a $7 course. i was very, very shocked about it being a lot more than that. >> reporter: they say several days into the online course, a business adviser surprised them, telling them to really earn money, they needed to buy the up-level blueprint course, price tag, $2,500. >> this financial adviser says, you know, basically, sell your car if you have to, spend this $2,500 and your life is going to change tremendously! >> reporter: so they did. and while they say the $2,500 course was informative, it also taught them the fastest way to make real money was to re-sell that same course to others. for every $2,500 course they sold, they would earn a $1,000 commission. it's not the kind of affiliate marketing loretta says they promote on social media. >> the videos that i saw was like, be an affiliate for lululemon, be an affiliate for nike. but that's not -- that's not what they're doing. >> reporter: what did you come

to find out? >> they just want you to re-sell their course. >> if you're doing legendary marketer -- >> reporter: loretta said she earned several thousand in commissions, but stopped after a few weeks, uneasy about upselling people. >> desha, did you make any money at all? >> zero on legendary. >> what about you, dana? >> i made the one sale, and i felt very bad about it, promoting a $7 course, when that's not the goal. >> and there's more. when we contacted the better business bureau to ask about legendary marketer, the bbb took away the company's "a" rating and started an investigation. it also posted this alert, citing a pattern of customer complaints about legendary marketers advertising and upsells. >> i think they're really overpromising. >> reporter: nyle ranks affiliate marketing courses on his website, ebiz facts and often earns commission on those he recommends. he rates legendary marketer's course, mid-pack. >> if you work hard at building

up an affiliate marketing business for a year, the best-case scenario is you would be earning $1,000 a month after 12 months. >> so the videos make it seem a lot easier to earn money a lot faster. what do you say? >> i think it's mostly hype. >> i've gone from completely broke to living a life of my dreams. >> reporter: legendary marketer ceo dave sharp says the company has $250 million in career sales and says well over half of that has been paid out to affiliate partners. >> there are more wi-fi and internet millionaires right now -- >> but in the fine print of his website, he discloses, this is not a get-rich-quick program and the average person should expect little-to-no results. sharp declined our interview request, saying in part in a statement, he takes all feedback seriously, and is working with the bbb to address its concerns. he says, like all legendary marketer courses, his $7 course provides value and knowledge about digital marketing, and he's working with affiliates like chelsea to ensure proper compliance in their marketing.

>> make a butt-ton of money and leave your 9:00-to-5:00. >> reporter: but the former customers we spoke to says offers like these need to be more transparent. >> you're not going to make it as fast and as easy as they say you're going to. it's very misleading marketing. >> chelsea did not respond to our request for comment. the three women we interviewed, they say they now earn a lot of commissions working with competitors of legendary marketer. they say they do well, but they work long hours. their primary earnings come from selling digital products, building websites, and recommending products from a variety of companies. we have a lot more on affiliate marketing on today.com. >> so this feels like a real cautionary tale, but if you want to become an affiliate marketer, what's your best advice? >> yeah, laura. this is a real business. it's been around since the '90s, but because of the online presence, that so many companies have, it's more accessible to people. but the experts we talk with, the women who are doing this, they say, start on youtube. you can learn for free how to do this. look at different companies, and

start by recommending products and services that you already love and know and build your base that way. but it does take work, effort, and time. >> anytime a website says, little-to-no results. >> i'm stealing for that pop starts. >> little-to-no results. >> vickie, thank you. let us switch gears. always delivers his promise. mr. roker? >> i think i'll put on a t-shirt. >> "always delivers his promises"? >>, "little-to-no results." >> we're looking at nice weather out west, strong storms will be firing up through texas. another storm system coming across the plains into the upper great lakes today. temperatures, 20s and 30s there. 20s all the way into the interior state of new england. 80s down in texas and in florida, even into the southwest. so awfully nice there. for today, severe storms firing up down through texas, making their way into the southeast. much colder here in the northeast. spring has not sprung yet. and plenty of sunshine out wes good thursday morning.

here's a look at our nice weather that continues for today, most of us in the upper 60s and low 70s. all of that ends tomorrow, more clouds coming in, cooler air, and we'll see some off-and-on showers starting during the afternoon, continuing into the weekend and tapering off on sunday. it'll only be in the upper 50s for highs on saturday, and a gradual warmup through the middle of next week. and that's your latest weather. guys? >> mr. roker, thank you, sir. let's turn now to fitness icon richard simmons. he is back in the headlines this week after a series of social media posts about his health. >> yeah, posed a lot of concerns about his health, certainly. and nbc's entertainment correspondent, chloe melas has the very latest on that. >> good morning. this is all very confusing. richard simmons, who hasn't been

seen publicly since 2014, says that he underwent a successful procedure to remove skin cancer, but his recent posts about his health have fans concerned. can. >> oh, yeah! let me turn you upside down! >> reporter: in a series of lengthy social media posts, 75-year-old fitness guru richard simmons telling fans he had skin cancer. the former workout star describing the moment he went to the doctor and was diagnosed. i asked him, what kind of cancer, and he said basal cell carcinoma. i told him to stop calling me dirty names, he laughed. simmons said he underwent minor surgery to remove the cancer under his eye, and although the procedure hurt, he writes, my cancer was nothing compared to some people that i knew. in a follow-up post, simmons says the incident took place years ago, so why post now? simmons says, the reason i wrote these two messages is that if you see a spot on your body, please go to your doctor so they can diagnose it right away. simmons' skin cancer revelation comes just two days after this alarming post on social media. "i have some news to tell you. please don't be sad.

i am dying." hours later, simmons clarifying his comments, saying he wasn't, in fact, dying but rather was trying to be inspirational. sorry many of you have gotten upset about my message today. i am not dying. it was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we have. sorry for this confusion. love, richard. >> i don't sense anything erratic about him. >> reporter: seth of the hollywood reporter says he exchanged emails with simmons after his post. >> he said most of his days are spent responding to the comments on his post and he's loving it. >> you got it. we're going to shake off those calories. >> reporter: simmons known for his over the top personality and entertaining workouts has not been seen publicly in over a decade, making him the focus of conspiracy theories and even a popular podcast in 2014. "missing richard simmons." >> i'm trying to find out what happened to richard. >> one, two, three, four -- >> reporter: speculation about

his seclusion prompting simmons to call into the "today" show in 2016, to debunk reports that he was being held hostage by his always done long time housekeeper. >> no one is holding me in my house as a hostage, you know, i do what i want to do, as i've always done. so people should sort of just believe what i have to say, because like, i'm richard simmons. >> i just love myself. every part of myself. and i think i can show you how to get here. >> reporter: simmons also recently making headlines, slamming a movie about his life, starring comedian pauly shore, saying he did not authorize the project. >> around and round! >> reporter: now these latest posts only fueling speculation about how simmons is really doing. when reached by nbc news, simmons and his representatives declined to do an interview. for now, fans will just have to follow along his almost weekly social media posts for updates. >> okay. >> all right. >> appreciate it. thank you. >> thank you, chloe melas. straight ahead, we talked to their co-star yesterday.

this morning, kristen wiig and josh lucas are here to take us inside this new series. it's called? "palm royal." we'll do that in just a moment. first, a quick check of your local news, weather, and these messages.

good morning. it is 8:26. i'm marcus washington. sometime this morning san francisco's reddit is expected

to start trading on the new york stock exchange. reddit is known almost exclusively for its message boards, but for wall street this is the first ipo for a social media company since 2019. it's generating $500 million for reddit, putting the campaign's overall value at $6 million. it looks great today. more sunshine and highs near 70 degrees for a lot of our inland valleys, especially in the south bay. but then as we go into tomorrow, clouds increase and our temperatures reach the mid 60s. we'll see rain developing during the afternoon and off-and-on showers during our weekend forecast. on saturday there will be a chance of thunderstorms. then the rain tapers off on sunday morning. we should have a bit of a break sunday afternoon through tuesday.

then a new system approaches on wednesday. it's going to continue to be chilly after today. chilly after today. enjoy this last

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lovely thursday morning, giving some love to this fine crowd. south carolina is well-represented this morning. >> upstate south carolina. >> south carolina represents well here pound for pound. >> yes! every day. we'll talk to our best buddies in a little bit. on the way is pop start. we have a special new look at look at "wicked" and its star-studded cast. >> fantastic! also, we have more stars to chat with from the star-packed new show, "palm royale." kristen wiig is here, josh lucas is here. they play this married couple in the comedy. they'll be here live to talk about the show. you would love this show. >> i can't wait. and also ahead, the chef and residence at butcher box is in our kitchen. he's got a tasty twist on chicken with zippy green sauce! in fact, i went to school with him.

zippy green sauce! he was fantastic! and in fact, just like zippy green sauce, you'll want to put this on everything. it's got chicken thighs and zippy green sauce! >> after we enjoy some zippy green, third hour of "today" coming up in a few minutes. we have much more march madness to talk about. we'll happy you break down the brackets before today's first tip-off. and to do that, we brought in steve kornacki. and then we're going to get in on the fun with our very own first-ever shop all day beauty bracket. >> that's a bracket i can get behind. al, it's a little chill you out here. >> it sure is. friday, a mess in the southeast, snow accumulating around the great lakes. wet out west.

good thursday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we will have another nice, mild day with still dry weather as our temperatures in san francisco head for the mid 60s. we'll see upper 60s for dublin and low 70s for the south bay. then looking at tomorrow, it is cooler for the north bay, santa rosa only reaching 62 as rain comes in during the afternoon. we'll see off-and-on showers throughout the weekend. on sunday it tapers off and and that is your latest weather. >> mr. roker, thank you so much. today is world down syndrome day. we want to give a very special shout-out to a group here on the plaza, best buddies! [ cheers and applause ] how are you? oh my gosh. >> so for those who don't know, best buddies is an organization that's dedicated to improving the lives of people

with down syndrome. our own savannah guthrie is working closely with the group for years. there's tara right there. savannah's best buddy tara is here with us this morning. tara, good morning! >> hi! >> savannah sends h >> how are you? >> i'm good! >> savannah sends her love, by the way. she's off this week for spring break, but she wanted to make sure she said hello. what do you enjoy most about best buddies? >> what do you like? making friends? do you like making friends? >> yes, mom. >> making friends. making friends. >> and what do you think about being out here on the plaza this morning. a little chilly, huh? >> a little chilly. >> i think craig needs a hat. do you want to give him a special hat? >> you brought me a hat, tara? >> oh, tara, thank you! >> you're welcome! >> thank you so much! >> thank you, guys. >> a big thanks to all of y'all for being here. >> everybody here. >> and by the way, we should note, best buddies, 35 years of best buddies this year. here's to many more for all the remarkable work you guys do.

>> great work, indeed. >> guys, thank you. coming up, it's showtime. we're working on pop start. a first look at michael keaton's long-await return as "beetlejuice." first, this is "today" on nbc!

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all right. back now, 8:36. you know what time it is? >> freezing out there, what it is! >> best time of the morning! here we go, we'll start with "wicked." we have a special first look at some new photos, at least, of the cast, vanity fair providing them. a sneak peek at the big screen adaptation of broadway's hip, cynthia erevo shining as glenda and elphaba plus their wicked classmates. jeff gold bloom as the wizard and michelle yo morphing.

>> man, that's a cast. >> here is the full-cast pic. check it out. it is beautiful. and you can find more from "vanity fair." just go there or we have it today.com. and "wicked" from our sister company universal pictures, leading up to this thanksgiving. leading up to "wicked: part ii" out next year. next up, "downton abbey" a third movie is in the works. spilled the tea in a recent interview on bbc radio, simply saying, there will be the final film. there you go. that's not all. british newspaper, the sun reporting, paul giamatti set to return to the next chapter, reprising his tv show 2013 christmas special. no official word yet, but we'll keep our eyes peeled for that. next up -- okay. we'll get a little help introducing this next one. take a look.

>> beetlejuice, beetlejuice -- >> it's showtime! >> uncle al, this is for you. beetlejuice, beetlejuice. we're getting a sneak peek at keaton's big return, revealing a first look at fellow returning cast mates, katherine oharrah and wynona ryder alongside newcomers. jenna ortega. "beetlejuice beetlejuice" set to hit theaters in september. you must be excited? >> i'm so excited. counting the days. that's perfect. next up, margot robbie fresh off her "barbie" success, the actress and producer already working on her next big gig. she's bringing all the nostalgia for this one. her production company working on a movie based on "the sims." the widely popular video game that hit the scene 24 years ago. we'll be standing by for a big

"i'm just sim". >> video game becoming movies is a big thing. >> little to no results. next up, post malone, the chart-topping genera bender just revealing a peek at his upcoming collaboration with morgan wallen. ♪ it takes two to break ♪ ♪ baby, you blame me and i blame you ♪ ♪ ♪ i'm by myself ♪ ♪ pull that bottle off the shelf ♪ ♪ every weekend ♪ ♪ if you couldn't tell ♪ ♪ team makes the dream work ♪ ♪ i had some help ♪ >> that was me driving my truck on the l.i.e.. >> i like that! blasting morgan wallace, drinking a bud light -- not in the car -- >> but the vibe of it. o your destination. >> i can't wait for that. a lot of people excited for post malone, who has been hinting towards this country album possibly coming out.

morgan wallen commenting on the video, this song is one of my fave in a long time. proud to be on it with you, bub. fans speculating that could be another country album coming out for post malone. earlier this week, the circle singer also shared a snap hanging out with luke combs. we'll keep you posted. finally, "the fall guy" a new trailer out for ryan gosling and emily blunt's new action comedy from our partner, universal pictures. the barbie star stepping into the shoes of a love-struck stunt fan. take a peek. >> i'm not the hero of this story. ♪ i'm just the stunt guy. trying to look cool in front of the director of this movie. that's her, who i just so happen to have a major crush on. >> we need to keep it super profesh. >> cool. do you want to make out? >> nope. >> there's just one little wrinkle -- >> the star of the movie is missing. we need you to find him. >> why me? >> you're a stunt man, no one's

going to notice whether you're here or not, no offense. >> i mean, some taken. >> there you go. "the fall guy" hits theaters on may 3rd. there's your movie-heavy pop start today. >> nicely done. >> thank you very much. >> lots of results. >> who needs a beer when you can have grasshoppers. >> let me tell you, this paul morial, guys. >> hey. >> oh, hello. look who's here. kristen wiig. >> a little alcohol for the morning. >> you don't get one. >> that's okay. >> i only brought four. >> that's okay. >> you can get one on the other side of the break. >> this is delightful! >> it's the signature drink on the show? >> yes. >> we'll talk about that -- >> we can do this at 10:00 a.m.. >> much more with kristen, josh, more grasshoppers. maybe i can get one. >> like a shamrock shake. >> exactly. >> but first this is "today." >> mm! >> onbc.n

kristen wiig and josh lucas. we know and love kristen, of course, from "snl," hit movies like "bridesmaids," and josh from the classic, "sweet home alabama," and of course, "yellowstone." now they've teamed up for a new comedy, it's called "palm royale," they play a married couple trying to climb the elite palm beach society back in the late '60s. while he's away, kristen decides to make herself comfortable in his aunt's luxury mansion. >> i don't like the idea of thinking of you alone in the house with some strange man. >> is your douglas jealous? >> your dougie is worried. >> i can hear you gnawing on your paw. stop! you're not going to have any fingers left. that's funny, who could that be? >> i would prefer if you found accommodation elsewhere. >> i must run, the lady has a caller. >> you're getting carried away! >> i'm the opposite of getting carried away. i am a woman coming into her own. >> maxine? >> please hurry home.

i'm having such fun. >> kristen, josh, good morning. >> good morning. >> i was just telling you guys, i'm a few episodes into the series, and i'm not just saying this because you're sitting here, it's well done. it's very, very well done. and the fact that you guys have never played opposite each other, but the chemistry is -- how do we do that? how do we achieve that? >> well, it's pretty easy. >> josh -- when you work with someone that you like, yeah, josh is the best. >> so i've read that laura dern approached you and she basically said, you have to do this. you're the only person who could play maxine. is that how it went down? >> yeah, well, we've wanted to work together for a long time and she had had this project in development for a bit. yeah, you don't say no to someone as iconic as laura dern. >> how would you describe, how would you describe the series to a stranger? >> it's so many things.

i mean, it is comedic, but it's also emotional and deep and it's 1969 palm beach, so it's beautiful and color and. >> it's a kaleidoscope of all of these characters that have come together to try to out-rich each other in a way. and this woman who shows up to sort of re-claim her place in this house that i grew up in, that's ruled in a sense by the great carol burnett. >> let's talk about that cast, by the way. carol burnett, allison janning, laura dern, ricky martin who was here yesterday. what was it like just on set, while you were filming? >> i mean, we had the best time. i think you can tell. we all just genuinely loved ooemp, and every day, we were like, i can't believe all of these people are on the show

with us. >> every day was a pinch yourself kind of reality. and also at the same time, the show had this crazy professionalism to it. everyone was showing up early to work. i mean, it was like -- there was a lack of diva behavior at her little bit, which she really liked every -- and you have carol burnett and kristen setting the tone. and they set a tone that was comedically intimidating and so wonderful to play. >> i heard you and carol had some fun together on set, especially. >> i had to rough her up a little bit, which she really liked doing. >> she said, i'll hit you in the head over and over. are you up for it? sure, bring it. one of the great comedic forces ever. >> and word just got out a few days ago that you're going to become part of an exclusive "snl" club. >> yes! >> the five members club, which you host next month. >> i know. i don't know what that means, but i'm excited. >> tina fey and kristen wiig. >> you get a jacket, right? >> yeah. i guess. >> you do get the jacket. >> i get the jacket. >> do you still have fun doing that, doing sketch comedy? >> oh, my god, yes. that is my heart is there. i love doing it. i might be a little rough, but i will try my best. >> and while you were filming, josh, right after, you went to

do "yellowstone." is that right? >> i was doing "yellowstone" on the weekends, it was a particularly bipolar crazy manic time in my life where i would leave this wildly opulent job this fun comedic reality and went to the heavy, beautiful world of horses in montana. it was -- and shot on the weekends and flew back and went back to her. >> any word on when we'll see the final few episodes of "yellowstone"? >> i know as much as you do. honestly. taylor sheridan is a closed book. he's a guy -- he's a one-man band. so when he finishes these scripts, i hope we all go back and finish up. >> but you're in them? >> i hope so. i've heard i am. i sure want to be. >> okay. well, again, the series is fantastic, and next time perhaps bring me a grasshopper as well. >> yes, i apologize. i'm so sorry. >> we wanted to leave someone out -- >> al will share with you. >> al will not share. he is not a sharer.

kristen, josh, thank you. stream the first three episodes "palm royale" on appletv plus. mr. daly? >> thank you so much. we're talking about jamaica over here. excuse us. that looks great. by the way. this looks great, this lovely meal. we're so excited that chef ashley longsdale is cooking it up for us, inspired by her jamaican roots. we'll learn how to makthis ande

we're back with today food this morning. a little twist on jerk chicken and plantains. that's enough for your hectic weeknights. the chef in restaurant at butcher box and came up with this restaurant to help you home cooks feel a little more confident in the kitchen, plus, it will taste like vacation. ashley longsdale is the chef in restaurant at butcher box and came up with this restaurant to help you home cooks feel a little more confident in the kitchen, plus, it will taste like vacation. chef, great to have you here. we're all really jazzed about this. the smell of your meal has been around all day.

talk to me a little bit about the inspiration. this is like a meal that might have been on your table, at your family dinner. >> yes, i come from a big jamaican family, and so my cooking is inspired by the ingredients of jamaica and my dad, and so, we've got a really zesty sauce with a braised chicken thigh and cabbage. >> uncle al said it. chicken thigh is our magic words. >> zip zippy green sauce. >> so this isn't jerk chicken. let's just get started here. but it pulls from the inspiration of the chicken and the all-spice and scallion and ginger. >> exactly. so to get started, we're going to season our chicken thighs general lousily with salt and pepper on both sides. i have a skillet here on high medium heat and i have a little bit of olive oil. i'll get my chicken in the skillet skin-side down. that's our first opportunity to really build a deep layer of flavor. the way we're going to do that is by taking this skin to deep, deep, deep golden brown. >> and you said medium high. i think a lot of people's

reaction is to get that high, high heat. but that preps it for low and slow, which is important, right? >> exactly. >> we don't want to burn the skin when we get it in here. we don't want to burn it. we just want a really great, even color on the skin. and that's going take about eight to ten minutes. and flip it and do about five more minutes. >> that's it. one flip, less than 15 minutes and you know it's pretty much done. >> exactly. >> so now we're moving on. we'll go some chopped cabbage and that will sit under the chicken and braise in the oven with the chicken. >> cabbage is fantastic. >> thank you! >> i love this. >> thank you. >> it's special because -- >> this is the sauce -- >> no, this is the vegetable that will go under the chicken. so it's going to catch all of the chicken fat. so over here, when we're done searing our chicken. we're going throw in our chopped cabbage, some red onion. we have more chopped cabbage here.

>> red onion, chopped cabbage, and what we're going to do is the bottom of the pan, because that's another opportunity to introduce a layer of flavor. and then, we're going to de-glaze with a cup of chicken stock and we're going to let that reduce slightly to concentrate the flavors and build that flavor in the cabbage. so it should look something like this. >> meanwhile, your chicken is done. chilling on the side and you add it in? >> exactly. you nestle it back in. and we'll put that into a 350-degree oven, for 25 to 30 minutes. >> no kidding? >> with the chicken and everything. >> yes. that's just going to praise and braise and everything will be meltingly tender in the oven. >> now? >> now we move on to the green sauce, which i think is the star of the show. >> yes! >> thank you! >> it's got a little kick, but it's not -- it's so good. >> go ahead, chef. >> i like making sauces in a mortar and pestle, because produces a really creamy end product and really helps the

flavor to meld. in this mortar, i have scallions, ginger, garlic. i'm going to add chopped cilantro, i'm going to add minced habanero. >> you could put this sauce >> oh, wow, the flavor -- >> you could put this sauce -- that would be good with shrimp. >> it's excellent with shrimp. >> with anything. >> so what if you don't one of these muddlers deals here. >> if you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can make it in a food processor or cut it by hand. just have looser sauce. >> this sauce is everything. >> thank you, thank you. >> that's so good! >> and here's our side dish. and our side dish is sweet plantains with pickled red onions. in my family, we always have sweet plantains on the table, so we're just going to fry these for one to two minutes on each side. until they get golden brown and carmelized on the outside. >> that's delicious. and that's a quick pickle, right? >> this is a quick pickle. this is the quickest pickle. >> we'll have to read about it, chef. thank you so much. this is one of the most tasty

meals we've had in a long time here, top-to-bottom. chef ashley, thank you. good morning. it is 8:56. i'm marcus washington. regular customers at a south bay starbucks alarmed after police arrest a man they say placed a camera in a bathroom. workers discovered that at the end of january in the starbucks at coleman and taylor in san jose. close to 100 people were caught on video on january 30th before it was found. the victims range in age from 4 to 85 years old. police arrested a suspect willie juarez and seized about 20 firearms and other cameras that included at least one camera

beer lovers have been waiting for this, and we are live in the north bay with the release of this. >> we are tracking the

this morning on the third hour of "today," royal inquiry. new information on that alleged attempt to