good morning, america. breaking news. standoff. a hostage crisis in sydney. an armed gunman holding hostages in a busy cafe right now. the heart of australia's largest city on terror locked down. captives forced to raise an islamic flag in the window. fear and drama as five people manage to run and escape to free some. dom five people manage to run to freedom. running to safety, with snipers surrounding the building. tourist sites evacuated. flights diverted. the u.s. consulate closed down. the very latest right now. for the west coast viewers. a massive manhunt. people shot in pennsylvania. new details as we come out west. damage control. a new threat from the

hackers who have exposed some of sony's secrets. what is the christmas surprise they have planned? and only on "gma," bill cosby breaking his silence. speaking out for the first time since all of the sexual assault allegations against him. what he thinks about how he's being treated in the press and what he said about his wife. the tape only on "gma." and good morning, america. what a tense situation in australia right now. the nation's biggest city under siege. look at the police roadblock. the gunman just 100 yards away as midnight approaches in that city right now. they've been tense all day long. >> more than 12 hours into the standoff. five of the hostages managing to escape. this is one of them. you can see the fear right there on her face. fear followed by relief. >> the crisis began in the

morning rush hour. at the heart of the holiday shopping season. brian ross is here with the latest. this is sydney's times square. >> reporter: you're right, george. anorth authorities now identify him as an outspoken cleric. the situation inside of the coffee shop remains very tense at this hour. in a dramatic scene in the last few hours, at least five hostages managed to get free. apparently released by the gunman as part of negotiations with the police. >> we have the very best negotiators in the world on the job. >> reporter: the gunman struck at 9:30 on a monday morning in the heart of sydney. australia's equivalent of times square. the horrifying images broadcast across the country. >> a woman just shouted out, he has a gun. so everyone started running away like crazy. >> reporter: hostages caught inside the lindt coffeehouse were forced to the window, told

to hold a flag up with arabic writing. a man identified as the gunman as a cleric. and faith healer. >> i saw the gunman. quite tall. probably late 40s. long white-sleeved shirt on. a black vest. he was very calm. >> reporter: as the standoff continued, at least two female hostages were permitted to make contact with an australian television reporter, mark burrows. >> the first one, as i spoke to her, the gunman was relaying his demands through her. there was a long list of demands. number one was that he wanted to speak to someone in authority. namely the prime minister. and there were quite a few other of those demands. >> reporter: as police brought in food to the cafe and tried to wait out the gunman, the surrounding area was on lockdown. the nearby famed sydney opera house canceled performances. qantas canceled flights over the city. and the u.s. consulate closed,

ish ug a travel warning to americans in australia, to maintain a high level of vigilance. the prime minister asked australians to remain calm and go about their business. >> we have to appreciate that there are people who would wish to do us harm. >> reporter: so far, police say, none of the estimated 15 hostages remaining have been harmed. it is now nighttime in australia. and reporters on the scene say the lights in the cafe had been shut off. it's not clear why. many of the hostages are using cell phones to send messages that police have asked not be made public. that they are being described, the messages, as disturbing and distressing, george? >> we'll talk to a reporter on the scene right now. joining us is simon boda, for 9 news australia. he is live in sydney right now. please set the scene for us there, simon.

>> reporter: well, what you can see behind me is basically a deserted street. it's eerily calm. but make no mistake, the cafe is just about 150 meter, 150 yards, down the road. what will be happening right now is that the police negotiators inside a forward command post have established contact with the gunman inside that cafe. they say they have been in contact with him for some hours. they're talking to him now. the key to this is a peaceful resolution to get the hostages out safe and sound. as we saw, five hostages managed to escape under their own steam earlier today. that was quite dramatic in that instance. the negotiators at that stage. communications have re-established with the gunman. what we know at this point is that those continuing negotiations will go on through the night. >> we're hopeful for a peaceful resolution. can you just describe for us the area where this is happening? >> reporter: well, it's in a place called martin place. now, this is a pedestrian mall, if you like. monday morning, it would have

been crowded with christmas shopper, business people. what's also at martin place is the reserve bank of australia. at the top of martin place is the state government headquarters. the reserve bank is here. this is a, i guess a hub of the city. this is where a lot of the business is done. half of the cbd has been closed for the past 13 hours and will remain closed until such time as this is resolved. >> we liken it to our times square in new york. >> simon boda with 9 news australia. thank you. let's bring in martha raddatz and abc security analyst, matthew olson former director of national counter crisp center. martha, let me begin with you. we just heard this area described as the nerve center, really, of sydney. this is the kind of threatta has every capital in the world on edge. >> that's true, george. this is the new terror. one man, one gun, one flag can shut down a city, get presidents called, get worldwide attention.

isis may have nothing to do with this. but it's exactly the kind of act they would like to see any radicals carry out. go to a place that not only gets attention with a tv network across from them, but one that everyone can identify with. can look at those images and say, that could be me. that is the definition of terrorism, george. >> and, matthew, as martha said, isis may have nothing to do can this. but they have posed a real threat to australia. >> yeah. this is a bit of concern for some time in australia. back in september, an isis leader and spokesperson called for australian muslims to carry out attacks, lone attacks, something like this. as you said, we don't know exactly what the motivation is here. but we do know, for example, that 70 australians have actually traveled to syria to join isis, according to australian security officials. so this is a big concern for australian security forces. >> how about here in the u.s.?

have u.s. officials identified individuals here that might be willing and able to carry out isis-inspired attacks? at any given time, the fbi is tracking several dozen people who may have indicated an interest in carrying out an attack. but the problem is individuals could be totally off the radar. they could be radicalized online and not set off any of the trip wires that would give the fbi advanced warning. >> okay, matthew, martha, thanks to you. there's been a huge response from social media this morning. the #ill illridewithyou. a show of solidarity. people in religious attire could be harassed. so many people are tweeting and offering to ride with them. we're going to keep you updated. there are a number of other stories we have to get to, robin. we're going to get to the latest on the sony scandal. the company's ceo holding a town hall with its employees today over the leaked e-mails. the hackers releasing more information over the weekend.

threatening the worst is yet to come. cecilia vega is in los angeles with the latest on all of that. good morning. >> robin, good morning to you. another day, and another embarrassment for sony. and these hits just keep on coming. the cyberattacks releasing the inner works of sony and targeting a-list stars. this morning, sony under fire once again. the hackers calling themselves guardians of peace striking over the weekend, reportedly threatening to deliver an ominous christmas gift, a release of more stolen files promising to put sony into its worst state yet. >> hard to believe they could be bracing for much worse. but i'll bet you, they are. >> reporter: this as more embarrassing hollywood secrets are released. even the biggest superspy of them all, james bond, falling victim. >> bond. james bond. >> reporter: an early version of the top-secret script to the newest 007 movie "spectre"

stolen, just as filming is set to begin. >> it could cost upwards of $100 million to clean up the mess. >> reporter: the flood of stolen data covering everything from social security numbers to salaries. new reports claim e-mails even show two sony executives mocking will smith's children. another exchange bashing leonardo dicaprio for pulling out of a steve jobs' bio pick. and a sensitive george clooney upset about bad reviews of "the monuments men." this morning, sonny launching a counter attack in this full-fledged cyberwar. the movie giant sending a letter to news organizations, including abc news, asking them to delete and avoid publishing what it always stolen information. in its letter, sony says the hackers are explicitly seeking to keep the studio from releasing "the interview." >> you want us to kill the leader of north korea? >> what? >> reporter: the comedy about north korea, still set for release on christmas day.

this last been a real black eye for sony. the fbi now reportedly advising employees on how to manage the leak of their personal information. again, there's the town hall led by sony's ceo today. all eyes watching to see what he has to say. >> sure will. all right, thank you. now to suspended nfl star adrian peterson. the players' union expected to file a lawsuit on his behalf against the league this morning. abc news has a recording of a phone call between peterson and a top league executive raising question about the child abuse charges and his suspension. ryan smith is here with the latest. >> reporter: good morning, robin. nfl star adrian peterson claimed the league promised him a two-game suspension from the nfl not the indefinite ban he's serving now after losing his appeal on friday. now these just-released recordings show what these reps are recording, a league whose words betray their actions. >> i'm trusting you, brother. can i trust you? >> yeah, you can trust me. >> reporter: this morning, did the nfl make a promise to

minnesota vikings star, adrian peterson, that it didn't keep? >> i get the two games? >> yeah. >> reporter: peterson's lawyers claim this november 12th phone call obtained exclusively by abc news, shows nfl executive, troy vincent, promising peterson a two-game suspension instead of the indefinite ban handed down by commissioner roger goodell just six days later. >> it will be two additional game, not time served. >> no, no, no, no. it won't -- the one this weekend. so really, it's just next week and you -- you -- you -- you -- you're rolling. you're back. >> okay. >> reporter: the six-time all-pro who pleaded no contest with no jail time for beating his 4-year-old son with a switch lost his suspension appeal friday. but at that appeal hearing, his lawyers claim the league retaliated against the former nfl mvp for failing to meet with the league days before he was suspended. a meeting his lawyers say was

not required under league rules. on that phone call, vincent seems to say that meeting is key. >> two games? yeah, that is if you do not -- you got to -- you've got to act -- just go through the process. >> reporter: later on the call, vincent seems to make a plea to the suspended superstar. >> i gave you my word the other day. i think we looked at each other and -- in my heart, i'm praying that we can just get your family restored and get you back on the field so that you can continue to be the ball player, the citizen, the father, the husband that god has called you to be. you've done a lot -- paid, paid the price. and i think everybody is -- everybody understands that. >> reporter: at peterson's appeal, vincent denied making promises. saying i didn't promise adrian anything. never promised. adrian needed to show up. all things were to be considered. the appeals officer appointed by

roger goodell agreed, saying vincent wasn't speaking for the nfl but trying to help mr. peterson put this issue behind him and get back to his life, his family, and football. we reached out to the nfl for comment. it sent us to the appeal's officer's decision in which he said he did not have enough evidence to conclude the suspension was retaliation against peterson. the player's union is expected to file a claim in federal court today on peterson's behalf, robin? >> and ryan, from a legal standpoint, what is your take on all this? >> reporter: i think the federal lawsuit will have a tough time. they have to prove serious misconduct on behalf of the appeals officer. that's a little bit far afield. this is the last chance to get him back in the league sooner than sometime next year. which is what they're hoping for at this point. >> we'll see what happens. okay, ryan, thank you. now amy has the other top stories. good morning, everyone. we begin with breaking news. a deadly shooting spree near philadelphia. five people have been killed in three separate locations north

of the city. right now the gunman is believed to be barricaded inside a nearby home. police tell the abc station wpvi they believe the shooter is a military veterans. two children had been found safe. again, police believe the suspect is p holed up inside a house. s.w.a.t teams responding. we'll give you more details when we get them. and overnight, the last of three dangerous inmates who escaped from alabama jail has been captured. a call on a tip line helped u.s. marshals track demarcus woodard to an apartment building 100 miles from where he and two other men overpowered a guard and escaped saturday. a second inmate was caught outside of a movie theater. the third at his grandmother's house. new signs that jeb bush is preparing to run for the white house. he's speaking today in south carolina. that's the first state to hold a presidential primary in the south and he is also planning to release a 250,000 e-mails from his time as governor calling it an effort to promote transparency. dramatic video off the coast of hawaii. in the dark of night, a residue

swimmer was dropped from a helicopter to reach a disabled boat before helping the sailor into the water and hoisting him up to safety. he had been stranded for ten hours and caught attention by waving his flashlights. and explosive scene near detroit all for a good cause. it took a few seconds for a 17-story office building to come down. the local college that owned it auctioned off the chance to press the button. a recent grad paid $12,000 for that thrill. finally, his royal cuteness, melting hearts around the world. will and kate releasing three adorable photos of prince george, showing off his irresistibly rosy cheeks. the official christmas pictures were taken in a familiar setting to the 17-month-old. the courtyard at kensington palace -- i love this part of the story -- apparently the royal couple released the photos thank the media for not intruding on baby george.

i like that. >> that was their way of saying thank you. they've been very respectful. i love that it wasn't a professional photographer. it was somebody from their staff. it is great. just very natural. >> and not an ugly christmas sweater. >> and it's already sold out, too. already sold. just like mama. whatever he wears, sold out. thank you, amy. severe weather all the way around. >> seriously. we were talking about a tornado in harper county. now a tornado in kansas. that's where we'll start. harper county, kansas. that's kansas. but this time of year, they don't get a whole lot of this. the plains were erupting with severe weather overnight. and into the early morning hours. look at this. all sunday. you can see some of the oklahoma city hail. very large. almost golf ball or greater size. so we've got the videos there. now we're tracking the storm as it pushes to the north and east more severe weather on the way? well, along that comma, that part associated with it, there may be some strong thunderstorms.

so, from louisiana, mississippi, alabama, western tennessee, and illinois, you might see on the warm side of it. but there is a cold side right here on the back of the low. and there will be freezing rain. there are already advisory, winter storm warnings in place. that bull's-eye, 4 to 6 inches if you're looking from nebraska to far southern south dakota. there's a look coast-to-coast. again, the rain and snow here. as mild as it's been, things are about to change. big-time. a big pattern shift coming. which i'll talk about coming up. first to your local weather forecast. .

good morning, i am meteorologist mike nicco off to a soggy start. it will be easier to get around for the evening. steady rain tomorrow, just opposite and next week is looking dry start this weekend. today we are stuck in the low-to-mid 50's inland and along coast and mid-to-upper 50's around the bay and cooler tonight at mid-40's to low 50's and patchying for. wet through wednesday >> so i was telling you about the tornado in los angeles county. look at this. i want to show you the video. this is from friday. and california gets an average of two tornados in december. where places like oklahoma and kansas are closer to zero. it's more rare in december in oklahoma and kansas than california. >> but just so much going on there. >> fortunately, no one was hurt. >> thank you, ginger.

coming up on "gma," bill cosby breaks his silence in an abc news exclusive. what he's saying about the press and his wife right now. also ahead a major break in the mysterious disappearance of a texas woman four months ago. a suspect in custody this morning. "gma investigates" important information for anyone checking into a hotel this holiday season. from ordering pizza and using the wifi, how thieves are targeting you. and what you can do to protect yourself. and shopping under cover. tory johnson revealing the ways you can get even bigger savings for the holidays. you don't want to miss this.

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welcome back to "good morning america," and we have breaking news in that tense hostage stand offin australia. heavily armed police storming the cafe in the heart of sydney just moments ago. we've seen, according to australian media, at least 11 hostages flee from the scene. we know these hostages were taken 16 hours ago. heavy gunfire has been reported and we've also seen several other people taken out from that cafe on stretchers. abc's chief investigative correspondent, brian ross is here with the latest developments. we know this is a fluid situation. >> that's right. it began 20 minutes ago. 2:15 or so in the morning in sydney when the police stormed the lindt cafe where 16 hours

ago this gunman had taken hostages inside. the pictures show one man on a stretcher, we've seen a woman on the stretcher and a third person being given cpr on the street. police say they used live ammunition as they stormed this area. earlier in the day five hostages had been set free as part of negotiations between police and this lone gunman. >> brian, we are getting more information who this gunman is. we have a name. what can you tell us about him? >> he is 49 years old. 49 years old. he's an immigrant from iran, who is well known to police. he's a self-styled radical muslim cleric. he's been highly critical of the australian government as well has been charged with a number of sex offenses. he was due to be in court next year on one of those charges. he's out on bail right now. he's complained in writings that the australian government is out

to get him. that they've taken his children away from him. and he's written ugly and offensive letters to the families of those killed in afghanistan. >> we know the clerics denounced his actions. this is what they instructed lone wolfs to do throughout the western world to instill fear and create acts just like this, correct? >> certainly, one man with one shotgun and a black flag was able to shut down this city of 5 million people. paralyzed much of sydney and the entire country has been watching, the entire world has been watching. it's not clear what if any ties he had to isis but he claimed to be acting on their behalf. as we know, isis leaders in the past have called on individuals around the world to take action on their own.

>> there was information trickling in. some hostages were able to use cell phone, call family members throughout the 16-hour ordeal, correct? >> that's right. there were videos we were asked not to use which a woman with a black flag behind her said the killing was about to begin unless the government met the demands of this gunman. >> brian, we have no word yet on the conditions of any of those hostage, especially the ones who came out in stretchers, correct? did you count two or three in stretchers? >> i counted at least two on stretcher, one man, one woman. i saw a third person who was dragged out and they were administering cpr on the sidewalk there in this place called martin place in the heart of sydney. >> and you mentioned heavy gunfire was heard. also, there were reports of an explosion-like sound. >> those were probably flash grenades. they send them in essentially in advance, they blind and devin the people they are trying to overtake.

it's a tactic used by authorities in these kinds of situations. clearly, that's what they did here. you can see the hubbub there as the paramedics move in. the police administering the scene. we see one person on the scene, other stretchers left the scene empty. this is the outcome they wanted to achieve. they waited 16 hour, negotiations on and off and something triggered the decision to go ahead and storm the location where he was, this lindt coffee house right in the heart of sydney. >> speaking of that location, brian, and speaking to this whole notion of creating this fear factor, this is basically the times square of sydney. this is a heavily populated commercial area where tourists are, and their news organization, our abc affiliate, counterpart, in australia, right there. very similar setup to what we have here at "good morning america." >> absolutely. it is right in the heart of

sydney. there is one of the tv stations who does his morning news program. right across the street from that cafe, they're able to look inside and see. you see the scene, the siege certainly has ended. we don't know the outcome, what the condition is of the hostages who have been residued by police. they appear to be in relatively good shape. we don't know the outcome for the gunman who was there. apparently with just a shotgun. >> brian ross, we appreciate it. we'll have more updates in a moment. ginger? >> san diego, california a shot between the storms. they had such a mess late last week. especially north of them there and now we're getting into more rain. it's already raining into the bay area this morning. you can see why. the low coming in. that's one of a couple of storms blastsing through. through wednesday some of the mountain areas will get the snow, too. look at the rain totals. again this will help the drought. not as bad as last week, we won't see as many mudslide potentials. you see the areas in red.

los angeles is closer 1. we'll look for rain on the west coast but here in the east it's mild. washington, d.c. high temperature, 52. pittsburgh to 47. charleston, 68, charlotte, 60. even jacksonville close to 70 >> good morning, i am meteorologist mike nicco, with steady rain through the morning court mute and scattered showers this afternoon, and low-to-mid 50's but the bay mid-to-upper 50's. tuesday and wednesday and friday >> all that weather brought to you by barnes & noble. i love all the people out here. good morning. >> i'm looking ahead to you, karen, it's okay. karen mccarthy is about to step inside our "gma" time machine. she wrote to us and said she

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and we're back with the latest of bill cosby speaking out about the sexual assault allegations. cosby said his wife has been supporting him throughout the scandal. linzie davis is here with the story. >> good morning. when cosby's lawyers changed their mind abobut brown picked the phone and gave him a call. he describes him as a happy individual with not a care in the world. this morning, bill cosby breaking his silence as more than a dozen women accusing them of taking advantage of him.

they don't like me talking to media. i only expect our black media to uphold the standards of excellent journalism and when do you that, you go in with a neutral mind. >> reporter: he spoke to brie lance journalist stacey brown who wrote for the new york post and washington informer, an african-american newspaper. >> he didn't sound like a person under any stress. in fact he sounded upbeat. >> reporter: brown said cosby declined to address the allegations but when asked about his wife of more than 50 years cosby became sentimental. >> how is your wife holding up through all of this. >> love, and the strength of womanhood. and you can reverse it. the strength of womanhood and love. >> he spoke with such rev rans

and appreciation, i have to believe she's standing by him. >> reporter: the latest woman to come forward accusing cosby of drugging her saying she decided not to speak out about it years ago after meeting camille. >> she embraced me with this hug that was so endearing, and it was almost like you would hug your daughter. >> at that moment, i decided that i wasn't going to push the issue any further because of her. >> cosby's attorneys have not responded to abc news' request for comment regarding johnson's claims. overnight, spellman college, the historic black college the cosby family donated $20 million to in the '80s. it is suspending the scholarship name affidavit cosby. sounded like he had a lot to say and wanted to speak out but

simply wasn't at the advice of his attorneys. >> all right, linzie davis. thanks so much. and coming up next on "good morning america," our epic viral video countdown. yes, it is that time of year once again. all week long, we're going to show you the best of this year and the big question is, will your favorite make the list? and then, jennifer aniston opening up about marriage and motherhood like never before. she also speaks to the most difficult thing she's had to battle in the press. you'll hear all about it coming up next when "good morning america" returns, stay with us. like never before. and the most difficult thing she's had to vbattle in the press. come on back. that's why, whenever the need arises... walgreens is always right around the corner, so you can get in and out in no time. most walgreens are even open 'til midnight, to help keep the magic in your holidays.

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it's the end of the year, which means countdown time. and we're kicking off our epic viral video countdown. the top five videos of the year. the suspense building until the moment we reveal the number one video on friday. we start with number five. t.j. holmes is in the social square. >> don't build it up too much. i don't want to disappoint. it's a couple of days. we're starting with number five here. number five, you might like to see number five at number one. because the guy in this viral video, he did something really that is incredible. improbable. and even impossible. he gave fans of the 5-9 new york giants something to cheer about. >> oh, my goodness! >> it was the catch that had jaws dropping.

>> that was absolutely impossible what he just did. >> and launched countless memes. the fingertip grab by odell beckham jr. in november. since then, beckham has become a national sensation. the jersey he wore already behind the glass in the pro football hall of fame. and the gloves? nike gave him this pair. he was even an attraction courtside at last week's cavs-nets game. not easy to do with jay z and beyonce and will and kate in the house. on the field, the 22-year-old rewriting the giants record book every week. at one point leading the league in yard, quickly becoming quarterback eli manning's favorite target. >> touchdown! >> he's become one of the league's biggest receivers. on sunday carriage the team with all three touchdowns against the

washington red skips, breaking the team's rookie receiving record. >> he's got it. touchdown! >> reporter: despite his soaring success, he's not satisfied. >> you have to find something to improve your game every day. >> reporter: next up, maybe offensive rookie of the year. and, again, people are familiar with him because of that catch. but he led the league in receiving yesterday. he lead the league in receiving for about a seven-week span here? >> plus three touchdowns. >> yes, three touchdowns yesterday as well. the kid knows what he's doing. we'll hear a lot more. we have the countdown this week. some of your favorites might make the cut. in particular yours, george. let me just say, chick chick. you remember that? >> i know what it is. >> thanks so much. tory johnson is going undercover to save you some money.

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. good good morning, for those of you just joining us, i'm amy robach, we have breaking news from australia. that hostage siege is finally over. heavily armed police storm the the city a short while ago.

heavy gunfire and explosions were heard as the police stormed that building. experts say likely the noise was that of stun grenades though people on the scene described it as a volley of standoffs. lasting 16 hours. you see hostages fleeing the building just before police went in. you hear the noise so many reported. we saw at least one person brought out on a stretcher. abc's chief investigative correspondent brian ross has been following this. the live feed has been stunning to say the least, brian. >> that's right. it was 2:15 in the morning australia time when the police moved in. a number of hostages had been set free. and they waited until darkness using flash bangs. the noise you heard, loud noises and bright lights meant to devin and blind the target. that's how they went in there. they watched closely, waiting for that moment, dragging out negotiation, counting on the gunman to be tired.

you can see one person being removed on stretchers. i counted three people being taken away from the scene on stretchers. >> and, brian, the target was, we know, 49-year-old man monis. what else do we know about him? >> he's a self-styled radical muslim cleric denounced by muslim clearics across australia. he's immigrant from iran. s he's outspoken critic from the australian government. he also had written offensive letters to families who lost soldiers fighting in iraq and afghanistan. >> i want to bring in martha raddatz who is in washington. we do not know if he was affiliated with any terror organization specifically but clearly he's doing what isis instructed so-called lone wolfs to do. bringing an entire city to a stand still with a gun. >> he's doing exactly that, amy. one gunman. he hung up that flag or forced

hostages to hang up a black flag with arabic writing, talking about his faith, his muslim faith, and he wanted an isis flag, reportedly. that is exactly what isis would want someone to do is gain the attention of the world. he is right across the street from a news network, news stations that are broadcasting this. he's getting all of this attention. president obama, of course, has been briefed on this as well. one man, one gun, all of those hostag hostages, and ng haing that flag got the world's attention because that is exactly the kind of thing isis would want them to do. what we're seeing now, those hostages running out, hands up. police moved in with those stun grenades, they would have night vision goggles, another advantage going in there but there was some sort of gunfire. there might have been an incident that forced them to go this there. the police would have been

monitoring everything. they would know so much about that cafe by the time they moved in because of those hostages that managed to get out of there earlier. i'm sure they have been talking to them all these hours, finding out exactly where things are located, exactly how that gunman was operating, what kind of weapon he had, what kind of threats he was making, all of those things, they would be talking to those hostages who were out of that cafe earlier this evening. >> and, brian, we are looking now live at the ambulance there carrying so many of those hostages to medical attention, if necessary, as you mentioned, you saw what looked like three people taken out on stretchers. no word yet coming in on the condition of any of those hostages, clearly we saw many of them thankfully able to run out on their own. >> that's right. we don't know their conditions. we saw many of them fleeing in terror, finally released. nor do we know the condition of the gunman. police say they used live

ammunition as they stormed the tiny cafe. we don't know what happened. i saw one person brought out being given cpr on a sidewalk, treated in a way that was not very respectful. i suspect that might have been the gunman. >> there is a report saying perhaps a bomb disposal robot entering the cafe now. obviously a lot for police to do now that the scene is nullified that the chaos is over. >> that's right. he claimed to have bomb, to have accomplices across sydney. i don't think any of that was true. the bomb squad looked pretty relaxed the last five to ten minutes. >> that is certainly a good sign indeed. thanks for joining us, thanks to martha raddatz again. the scene now over. hostages have been removed. we know several have been taken out on stretches. we'll continue to update you as news becomes available. in the meantime we'll return now to regular programming. br

good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. and the latest on angelina jolie's chicken pox, as the star opens up about why she's missing her red carpet event. ♪ it's not about the money and holiday shopping secrets revealed. >> holiday savings success. >> we go undercover to show you how to save big bucks. for everyone on your list. ♪ bang bang into the room plus, baby food basics. could eating like your little one be the secret to shedding weight? why one mom is serving up the new baby diet right now. ♪ there is beauty in the world and our glam squad giving one deserving mom the ultimate makeover. the tips and tricks you need to

look ten years younger in 60 minutes, as we say -- >> good morning, america. look at that great crowd that's joining us here on a monday morning in times square. and we are in holiday glam mode this morning. our beauty dream team. look at 'em! they're kicking off our 60 minutes to party ready makeover series. tips ahead that everyone at home can learn from and put to work this morning. >> and the time machine firing on all cylinders. 41-year-old mother of five, cancer survivor, karen mccarthy. stepped in. look at the moment. there she goes. >> not nervous. >> not at all. a little over 35 minutes on the clock. cannot wait to see what she

good morning, everyone, we have brecking news from sydney, australia. the police say the hostage crisis is over. officials in full gear using what local media are calling stun grenades. all of this unfolding on live television. officers seconding in a bomb disposal robot. the siege coming moments after several hostages were seen fleeing the building. at least three people taken away in stretchers. no official word on the fate of the suspect or extent of any injuries within the hour. we learned the name of the alleged hostage taker. miss name is man monis. originally from iran who has been critical of the australian government. monis pleaded guilty last year

to sending offensive letters to the families of fallen soldiers. his past includes sexual assault charges. hostage situation peers to be over. more details as we get them. we also have breaking news at home. a deadly shooting spree? philadelphia. five people killed in three separate locations in the city. right now the gunman is par graded inside a home. police tell the station they believe the shooter is a military veteran. they have not publicly identified the victims. hackers warning a so-called christmas gift is coming. stolen documents include a script for the next james bond movie and personal e-mails about george clooney, will smith and leonardo dicaprio. today's ceo is leading a town hall meeting to discuss a cyberattack with employees. 47,000

and finally. something we women have known forever. pays attention for about six minute, compare that to when he's talking with his male buddies. he only pays attention to them for an average of 15 minutes. yes, i call that selective hearing, guys. their attention span is limitless. limbless, guys. >> so they have no potential. we know that. >> i wasn't listening. seriously. >> exactly what just happened, amy. and i was listening to every single thing you said.

>> as was i. >> i missed it. yeah. >> i was joking. thank you, amy. >> now to that surprising health news from angelina jolie. here she is explaining why she has to miss the l.a. premiere of her new film "unbroken." take a look. >> i found out last night i have chickenpox. so i will be home, itching, and missing everyone, and i can't believe it, because this film meant so much to me. >> you saw rich besser is here. we all think of chickenpox as a kids' disease. for adults it's serious. >> when adults did chickenpox you get more pumps than a child and you have a risk of getting pneumonia. unless you had the vaccine and have break-through chickenpox. it's a milder case. >> for adults what do we watch

out for? >> the early signs of fever and malaise but then the bumps start. they start as red bumps and turn to blisters and scab over. until they're all skabd over they're con stage just. >> a lot of people confusechick? >> it's the same virus. shingles is reactivation of the virus. we know children get two doses of chickenpox. all adults born after 1980 have to have two doses as well unless you're immune. a doctor diagnosed you with chicken box. you have a shot record with two doses or blood records. >> ask your doctor? >> if you're a woman thinging of getting pregnant get it before. >> and what about the outbreak

of mumps in the nhl? >> it's really interesting. we rarely see this as well. swelling of your face and glands. they've seen cases of more than five teams, ten players. it tends to be spread through coughing and sneezing. you understand how it spreads from the close contact. but how about cross teams? the incubation could be a couple weeks long. this could go on for white a while. >> lara? >> it's time to go over to the social square for the morning men menu. >> and jennifer aniston is talking about love and her fiance. and the clock is ticking. "gma" p glam squad working so hard -- karen, party ready in 60

minutes. dustin has an orange suit on for no reason. she's going to look beautiful, i guarantee it. all of that coming up on "good morning america" in times square. give a little joy. a book is a gift like no other. and barnes & noble is like no other book store in the world. with so many books to discover and the new nook by samsung now a full featured tablet. a book is the gift they'll remember long after the holidays are over. is a really big deal.u with aches, fever and chills- there's no such thing as a little flu. so why treat it like it's a little cold? there's something that works differently than over-the-counter remedies.

attack the flu virus at its source with prescription tamiflu. and call your doctor right away. tamiflu is fda approved to treat the flu in people 2 weeks and older whose flu symptoms started within the last two days. before taking tamiflu tell your doctor if you're pregnant, nursing, have serious health conditions, or take other medicines. if you develop an allergic reaction, a severe rash, or signs of unusual behavior, stop taking tamiflu and call your doctor immediately. children and adolescents in particular may be at an increased risk of seizures, confusion or abnormal behavior. the most common side effects are mild to moderate nausea and vomiting. ask your doctor about tamiflu and attack the flu virus at its source.

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look who i have here. tory johnson is here to tell us how to save big at the stores for the holiday. you went undercover. that's coming up, right? >> love you. >> peace out. these are cute. if you have high blood sugar, ask your doctor about farxiga. it's a different kind of medicine that works by removing some sugar from your body. along with diet and exercise, farxiga helps lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. with one pill a day, farxiga helps lower your a1c. and, although it's not a weight-loss or blood-pressure drug, farxiga may help you lose weight and may even lower blood pressure when used with certain diabetes medicines. do not take if allergic to farxiga or its ingredients. symptoms of a serious allergic reaction include rash, swelling or difficulty breathing or swallowing. if you have any of these symptoms, stop taking farxiga

and seek medical help right away. do not take farxiga if you have severe kidney problems, are on dialysis or have bladder cancer. tell your doctor right away if you have blood or red color in your urine or pain while you urinate. farxiga can cause serious side effects, including dehydration, genital yeast infections in women and men, low blood sugar, kidney problems, and increased bad cholesterol. common side effects include urinary tract infections, changes in urination, and runny nose. ♪ do the walk of life ♪ yeah,you do the walk of life ♪ need to lower your blood sugar? ask your doctor about farxiga. and visit our website to learn how you may be able to get every month free. am i forgetting something?

no holiday's complete without campbell's green bean casserole. wish you were here. ♪ [ doorbell ] [ gasps ] ♪ [ gong ] [ wisest kid ] m'm! m'm! good! my dad brought me out here when... anyway. ♪ ♪ i get a strange magic dad! did you see that?! ♪ got a strange magic hey dad! wait up! welcome back to "good morning america." i'll tell you what's popping. not one, not two, but three celebrity couples welcoming little bundles of joy. nashville star hayden panettiere

welcoming a baby girl named kaya with her fiance, vladimir klitschko. and a double dose of love for zoe saldana and her husband. and baby number three is here for kourtney kardashian and her long-time boyfriend, scott disick. her baby born over the weekend and she was born on the same day as their older son, mason. >> how did i miss she was pregnant? >> that's one i would have thought you would not have missed. >> really? >> congratulations to all of those happy couples. some high school math classes teach about stocks by encouraging kids to create fantasy portfolios. according to a magazine in new york city, one kid got really

good at it. he's made over $70 million in real money. mohamed, or mo, as his friends call him. he started trading penny stocks at 9 years old. enkournlgd by dad. his idol. since then, not a pro athlete. his was hedge fund paul jones. mo bought himself a bmw, though he cannot dive it yet. he and his wall street wolf cub buddies plan to launch their hedge fund next year and become billionaires while attending college. i made a copy of the issue. i'm going nonchalantly put it on my son's desk. >> poor duff. >> no pressure. ariana grande tweeted about

a vocal group she fell in love with. you better believe we listened. ♪ the first noel ♪ the angels did say ♪ did say ♪ noel noel noel ♪ noel noel noel >> i just got chills. >> i've had them the whole time. >> a group called re-sound. you saw them here first. actually, you didn't. they've been viewed over 1 million times. ariana. wait, go back. jessica fox, joseph clark, and mariah hargrove met singing background for a local artist. that performance now over 1 million views online. >> bravo. >> a record deal. i want to hear more of that.

>> we would like you to come to "good morning america." just saying. heat index coming up. let's go to ginger for the weather. >> we love celebrating with even out here. lance here was facebook messaging me because -- what did you wish? >> happy birthday to my mother in arkansas. >> happy birthday. to pam. we have to go ahead and get started with the forecast. we're talking about pockets of fog. not only in wisconsin, it feels like it's been day after day up there. just outside chicago. far northern and northeastern iowa. i promised you a look at how cold it is going to be. the trend goes real cold. christmas morning. in the 10s in the purple. it is going to be something.

good morning, i am meteorologist mike nicco off to a soggy start. it will be easier to get around for the evening. steady rain tomorrow, just opposite and next week is looking dry start this weekend. today we are stuck in the low-to-mid 50's inland and along coast and mid-to-upper 50's around the bay and cooler tonight at mid-40's to low 50's and patchying for. wet through wednesday >> how about this. caitlin graduated from southeastern louisiana. robin's alma mater. congratulations. and lion up! >> lion up! >> we're the lions, the mighty, mighty lions. time for the heat index. jennifer aniston opening up about the pressure she feels to become a mom. reena ninan has the details. >> reporter: jennifer aniston, hollywood superstar and

america's sweetheart. now she's opening up like never before to allure magazine, dishing on love and motherhood. when asked to maim the most difficult thing she's had to bat until the press, she says so many painful thing. the accusation that i put my career, before the want, the desire to be a mother. going on the say i don't like the pressure that people put on me, on women, that you have failed yourself as a female because you haven't procreated. i don't think it's fair. the scrutiny not getting easier with time. even saying it gets me a little tight in my throat, she says. >> i'm doing really well. >> reporter: jennifer aniston is hitting a high note in her career after receiving golden globe and s.a.g. award nominations for her role in "kate" a role that left her almost unrecognizable. >> good. >> reporter: and she says her fian fiance, actor justin thorough is right by her side every step of the way and she calls him a

nurtu nurturer. aniston was hush hur on the details of the nuptials. she said, we do talk about it all the time. >> we got this. good for you. >> we'll let you know when we want to. next in the "gma heat index," shopping secrets that will save you big this holiday season. when we want great deal, you know who we turn to. the one and only tory johnson, who went under cover to find the discounts for us. >> reporter: ah, the holidays are here. that means one thing. it's time to hit the stores. today i'm on a mission to save big bucks just by using my smartphone and persuasive personality. first stop, payless. i'm looking for a pair of holiday heels. almost all of the merchandise is on sale.

i'm looking for an additional deal. are there other coupons i can use? >> not in the store. >> reporter: he tells me to check my phone. payless promo code. a message asks for my phone number. i get a code for an extra 20% off. victory. these heels, originally 40 bucks are already 50% off. now with my extra 20% savings, they're only $15.99. next, i head to jc penney. i spot cute gloves. ten bucks a pair and 40% off. what else could i use to save on these? >> go online. use the tickets. they pop up. >> reporter: again, i get out my phone, go to jc penney.com and bi bingo, a coupon. now two pairs of gloves are

$9.58. time to hit the children's place. i use my phone again where i joined their e-mail list and got a 25% off coupon. it's nice. use it on whatever i buy? >> yeah. >> reporter: i find two dresses. already 50% off. the grand total after my double discount, $16.80. that's a holiday jackpot for me. last stop, yankee candle. i'm told i have to present a coupon in the store. what if i don't have it? >> that's okay. >> reporter: you'll give it to me? just by asking, the sales associate gives me a coupon i don't have. knocking $20 off a $45 purchase. it goes to show, it's always worth asking for an extra deal. holiday savings success. >> well done, tory. >> thank you. we reached out to the companies whose stores i visited. those that responded said they always put their customers'

needs first. they encourage savings. i found that out. just by speaking up and asking, i don't have coupons, what can you do for me? some said check your phone, your e-mail. you can sign up for different things. often times, right on the spot. the other thing i would mention is sometimes when you're a part of a membership or special group. seniors get a discount at banana republic. your aaa card can be a ticket to savings. you have to speak up. military get a savings. the last thing i would tell you is this. if you're shopping locally, don't expect to pay rock bottom prices. sometimes like the money you're saving is like you're saving your neighborhood. so -- we have to keep that in mind. biggest savings are here. >> what do you have here? >> love you. love you gloves. peace out. >> peace out, robin. >> fancy shoes. >> all these are part of it. >> best, best deals.

thursday, "deals & steals." can't beat it. >> i was out with the crew. i had three items from "deals & steals" on. they pointed it out. you can get more tips from tory at goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo. >> thank you, robin. the dayby diet. one mom's surprising secret to slimming down. she say she's eating like her toddler and it helped her shed unwanted weight. paula faris gives us the details. >> reporter: when it comes to dieting, no shortage of options. juice cleanses to going paleo. there's another face in the weight loss race. the baby diet. oathing healthy food you feed your little ones but in bigger portions. >> addie's, will's, mine. >> reporter: our travel and lifestyle editor, genevieve,

tried it herself. she was spending hours preparing healthy and delicious meals for her 15-month-old son but letting her own needs fall by the wayside. >> we're talk about small portions. healthful foods. chicken and fish. seemed to vegetables. great foods more mom and dad to consume. >> i'm up at 5:00 a.m. making sweet potatoes. put it it on a plate for my 15-month-old. why can't i do the same for myself? it occurred to me if i opt paid as much attention to what i'm eating as i paid to what my children are eating, i might eat better and lose weight in the process. >> reporter: brown went gaga for the technique that helped her lose more than two pounds in four days. it's not what babies eat but how. eat three meals a day, properly spaced out. use portion control.

take your time. don't rush through the meal. move your foote food away when you're no longer hungry. don't skip meals. snacking all day is a major no no. >> babies are the only human beings that actually eat because they're truly hungry and for no other reason. >> reporter: learning some big lessons from our little once. for "good morning america," paula faris, abc news, new york. >> all right, paula. great tips. thank you. coming up, the big reveal in our holiday makeover. tips you can use to get party ready in just 60 minutes.

good morning, i'm eric thomas. police in australia have stormed a chocolate cafe in sydney where a gunman took an unknown number of hostages during the morning rush hour. a group of hostages burst out of the cafe moments before police entered the building. gunshots rang out at least 35 seconds from inside the restaurant. at least two people appear to be injured. 11 hostages escaped or were rescued. the gunman is said to be an islamic extremist. let's find out how the commute is going this monday morning. >> that's just it, it's not, eric. we have tons of traffic as we can see evidence on it on 87 as you head past the tank, it's busy in san jose. a sig alert westbound side of highway 24 just as you approach the caldecott. it's an injury accident with

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experience the revolution of coffee. good morning, still tracking light rain across san jose. you can see 101 and 880 we're definitely getting wet still and that is just the back end of it. as it starts to move away, we're still getting some down to the sunol grade but that is marching off to the rain. the steady, light rain should be over by 9:00 but look what's

behind it, a lot of scattered showers. the breeziest of conditions are starting to taper now that the cold front is ♪ [ cheers and applause ] ♪ bang bang into the room thanks for starting a new week with us. love the crowd. always so hearty. that's right. i saw one, george for president. >> i did. >> i did, too. >> you saw that, too? >> i wasn't talking about that one. but thank you. >> we got our big reveal moments away. >> that's right. the countdown clock is winding down. just a little over six minutes left. the glam squad putting the final touches on karen's new look. we'll have tip use can look at home. >> so far, so good. also coming up, star power with us. "duck dynasty's" uncle si is with us. to tell us about his new christmas book. hi, uncle si. looking forward to talking to him. we also have amy adams here.

she's talking about her new movie. she's already been nominated for a golden globe for it. we start out with more on the holiday season. in full swing right now. turns out to be a big challenge for parents. how do you make the holidays special for kids without spoiling them? linzie janis has tips. >> reporter: the holidays. that joyous time of year capable of bringing out the bah humbug in all of us. from presents and parties to christmas trees and cookies. this time of year can get out of hand for parents. and downright overwhelming for kids. just ask the bailey family. >> stressed out, i would say. >> reporter: the parents of two boys, facing off against the santa clock. trying to trump christmases past while squeezing in all the season has to offer. >> i would probably prefer to do a lot less running around. >> reporter: in order to help

you and yours survive the season unscathed, child psychologist and author of "how toddlers thrive," tovah klein is offering her advice. first tip, don't overhype christmas. >> don't they will them too far in advance. they can't wait. they live in the here and now. >> reporter: tip two? start new traditions. >> the way to make it not just about gifts is to have other wonderful traditions in your home. this is a time you might come up with a new one. >> reporter: and finally, dr. klein says, stick to a routine to minimize stress. >> think about, what do i need to do to keep my routine somewhat consistent so my child is at their best? you're going to be much happier. >> reporter: when season's greetings turn into stressful meetings, remember these tips to keep the believers beaming. >> as long as they have fun and they're happy, that's what matters. >> it's worth the stress. >> reporter: for "good morning america," linzie janis. abc news, new york.

>> a lot of good advice there. we'll all do better next year. back to ginger with a final s check of the weather. >> and we have to get a shot of that sign. right next to tracy. george for president. she's a valpo grad. three people deep out here this morning. let's check the forecast. there are pockets of fog and freezing fog in the south and then this. we just thought this was so pretty in killington, over the weekend. but augusta, waking up to that? some pockets again close to the panhandle of florida seeing the same thing. there will be more rain for the west. you saw two rounds at least there. one already started in the bay area. and just south. already reports of flooding. some rain totals could top four >> good morning, i am meteorologist mike nicco, with steady rain through the morning court mute and scattered showers this afternoon, and low-to-mid

50's but the bay mid-to-upper 50's. tuesday and wednesday and friday scattered >> all that weather brought to you by barnes & noble. i love all the people out here. good morning. >> good morning. >> i have to chat. take it away. >> thank you so much, ginger. here with us right now, the one and only uncle si. si robertson. from the hit show "duck dynasty." he's here with his new christmas book, "uncle si the christmas elf." welcome to "good morning america." >> good morning. how you doing? >> what was the inspiration to turning yourself into an elf for the holidays? >> well, that was miss ashley nelson. this was kind of her idea. she's watched me with the show and she's known, since korie's her sister, she got to know the robertson family very well. and then you know, i wrote one

book, "si-cology 1." >> i was just going to say, a big hit. you're an author in your own right. >> they came up and said, write another one. so ashley came up with, we came up with this. all it's about is to tell the real christmas story. about how god became flesh, okay, willingly died on the cross for what si robertson does wrong and the rest of the world. okay? was buried in a tomb, okay? but the tomb couldn't hold him. three days later he rose from the dead. >> you do it in a wonderful way that includes a friend. every book comes with an uncle si the elf doll. >> i appreciate it. look, for about two weeks, ashley followed me around and told me to take a nap everywhere

and anywhere. i've got one laying against a stop sign asleep. >> you carried it around. a good premise. there's another character like that. i want to talk about, in your book, i thought this was very fun. you describe yourself or -- that the elf has cat-like instincts. the strength of a bear. you outrun a panther barefoot in the snow. based on your real life. >> that is. okay. that's why i was saying my book, "si-cology 1" was a unique book. it was my life story through what they call tall tales. but the tall tales are 95% true. okay? and it's the same thing like this right here. now, every child should have a special christmas. >> absolutely. agree, agree. we want to give you a special sendoff with a game, we like to call it where's uncle si, everybody. it's like a classic shell game. we made a graphic. audience, your participation, if you will. you have to guess. we're going to see these shells.

all right. you have to figure out where uncle si is. go ahead. there we go. as you can see, we spent a lot of money on these graphics. try to figure out. which box is uncle si under? there's a reason i'm asking you. get into it. there's a prize. two? >> where am i at? >> where are you at? where's he at? box two lift it up. middle. yes! well done. >> there he is. >> they've got a future. and a prize. everybody goes home with uncle si's book. it's "uncle si's christmas elf." it's in stores now. we want to thank you and wish you a very merry christmas. always a pleasure. who knows what you'll end up as in your next book. i can't wait. >> that's true. that's true. coming up, time is up. greta and her beauty dream team hard at work. their big reveal. and some great tips for

it's that time of year. a time of happiness, love, joyous celebration. when fooml families come home f holidays. are there obstacles preventing you and your family from getting together for the holidays? send us your story. we might just bring you all together on "gma." go to "good morning america" on

yahoo!. where does the time go? just one hour ago, karen mccarthy stepped into our time machine. we promised to help her look party ready in 60 minutes with the help of our "gma" beauty team. they're our dream team, that's what they are. first, a look at why karen warranted the makeover in the first place. >> hi, my name is karen mccarthy. i'm 41 years old and the mother of five children. >> reporter: when "gma" announced the 60 minutes to party-ready makeover series, we received submissions from all over the nation. karen's stood out. the mom of five says she hasn't felt pretty in years. >> i just want to be able to pass by a mirror and, um, not -- try to look away. i want to begin to feel a little more confident. >> reporter: the source of her insecurity relates to the devastating news she received 2 1/2 years ago. shortly after her youngest son was born. >> as i was nursing him, that is when i discovered a lump in my

breast. shortly there after, i was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma. >> reporter: she's cancer free. the years of treatment have taken a toll on her body and hair. >> it's curly and frizzy. difficult for me to manage. >> reporter: karen's family says they want a holiday makeover for her because she's always been the one to take care of them. >> my mom is a very good person. she's really strong. >> reporter: ready to help her with her transformation, a veritable beauty dream team. stylist greta monahan. hair stylist to the stars, kted gibson, and makeup artist carmindy. karen's family's holiday wish is for karen the see in the mirror what they have always seen.

>> to see her happy with herself would be the best present we could have as family for this christmas. [ cheers and applause ] >> the moment we have been waiting for. we're joined by karen's sister, susan. step mother is here. wonderful to have you here. and two of her five children as well. are you ready? are you ready? >> we're ready. >> all right, open the door. let do it. oh, my gosh. >> step right through, my girl. >> karen! is that you? oh, you're shaking. i love this. >> you look dynamite. >> dynamite. >> look at this. >> i wish you could -- can you see their eyes right now looking at you? okay, okay, okay. let's find out how you did this. you were beautiful before. spectacular now. greta? >> she -- one tip all women can use. amazing. come on back over. one tip all women can use, robin, is going holiday dress

shopping. the devil is in the details. go for the drapey neck and the asymmetrical side. and i told karen don't worry about booties. they cut off the leg. for a long, lean line, you want to go with a cut-out shoe. >> she's getting into it. oh, oh. what we have created. ted, what about the hair? she was very concerned about that. >> two different tips for you. red is the color of the season. especially for next year. that's the reason we put the hair color on her hair and put extensions. the second tip is extensions. they're not hollywood's best kept secret anymore. a great way to transform your hair in an instant. make you have more confidence and look really beautiful. >> carmindy? >> my top two tips is number one, put highlighter on the skin. it gets rid of the dull, dry, winter skin. anyone can pick a shadow she

has, bright and shimmery. put it on the cheekbones. voila, like a facial. also, fill in a brow for a younger look. my second biggest tip. red on the lips goes across the board for holiday. all women can do red. >> we talked about as somebody who has gone through what you have with breast cancer. grateful, grateful to be here. grateful to be alive. people don't talk about the residual effects of what it takes to get through chemotherapy because we're just supposed to be happy to be here. it was important for you to look this way and have your family look at you this way. final thoughts? >> she looks gorgeous. no one deserves this more than her. >> oh, i'll let you give her a hug. come on. [ applause ] hey, guys. thank you all. thank you. you make dreams come true.

we appreciate that. >> thank you for -- >> i wish we had cameras on all of them. and you have three more at home? >> i do. >> oh, goodness. you can get more of our expert tips on the website, goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo!. coming up, amy adams. a star is born.

five-time academy award nominee amy adams was recently nominated for a golden globe for portraying margaret keane. in the movie "big eyes." the film, based on true events tells the gripping story of one of the biggest deceptions in artistic history and the shocking secret of the keane empire. >> why are their eyes so big? >> reporter: it's real-life story about one of the biggest art frauds ever. >> you're the only living soul i can tell my secret to. >> reporter: the full-fledged

phenomenon of the big eyes took the country by storm in the '50s. in real life, walter keane built an empire based on those big eyes. and made millions along the way. never hinting at the truth that while he was taking the credit, it was his wife, margaret, locked behind closed doors who painted them all. >> i painted every single one of them. every big eye. me. and no one will ever know but you. >> and we are joined now by amy adams. congratulations on the golden globe nomination. >> thank you. thank you very much. >> the film itself has created so much buzz. for all the awards that are upcoming. i understand that initially you hesitated taking on this role. why? >> i did. it was where i was in my life. i wanted to portray more confident characters and people that had more bravado. i read it again after having a daughter and maybe maturing a little bit and was able to see this as a really wonderful tale of a woman finding her voice and

was able to find the strength in the character. >> you actually sat down and spoke with -- you met margaret. what were your impressions? >> she's such a beautiful, generous woman. she's 87. still paints every day. she's a beautiful soul. beautiful spirit. >> it was so interesting in the movie. this all took place in the 1950s. and this was a divorced single mom who was essentially trapped in her own world and it perhaps speaks to why she was so silent when her husband decided to say, these are mine. >> absolutely. she was at home painting. was much more comfortable, and still is, at home painting. by the time she found out about the deception, it had been going on for a long time. he convinced her they would take away the money, take her child away. he isolated her. >> the courtroom drama scene was

outrageous. there was paint off. i understand what we see in the movie isn't at outrageous as it was in real life? >> no, they had to tone it down because you wouldn't believe it. the stories that margaret tells are just so unbelievable. walter had gone to a very delusional place. >> you worked alongside christoph waltz. he plays walter. you described their relationship as abusive. but initially, it was romantic. >> it was. she was a single mom. and to have somebody who was so charming and had so much energy. she was just so in love with him. as it begins, you know. >> we have some social questions for you. you have a lot of fans out there. brianna wants to know, if you were not acting, what would you be doing? >> you know what? i have asked myself that a lot of times. i don't know. i think that's why i keep acting. maybe teaching. teaching dance.

>> and kyle wants to know, what is the best piece of advice given to you? >> keep your eyes on your own paper. pay attention to your own race. try not to compare yourself or judge yourself based on anybody else. >> that's great advice. i understand there is more exciting news. you're planning on another biopic. "get it while you can." you'll play janis joplin. >> yeah. >> tell me about that. >> it's been in the works for years. we have a wonderful director on it. he directed "wild." we're moving forward. my hope is you'll get to see it. >> my hope as well. we have a lightning round prepared for you. to tap your creative instincts. it's called artistic amy. portraits or finger painting? >> portraits. >> crayons or markers. >> crayons. >> last picture you drew? >> a frog for my daughter. it wasn't good. >> museums or musicals. >> why make me pick? i'm going with musicals. but it's tight.

>> your greatest masterpiece. >> my daughter. >> i -- i set you up for that one. amy adams, thank you so much for joining us. and "big eyes" hits theaters on christmas day.

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come on, now. did you see michael's leg extension. >> is there anything he can't do? >> no. tomorrow, "gma," tim tebow with a surprise for a coach and her school. >> you won't have to wait long for michael strahan. have great day, everyone.

good morning. i'm eric thomas. protesters are marching once again in oakland. this is a live picture from sky 7 hd. protesters are blocking the road at 7th and broadway. some are blocking the entrance to the oakland police building where one window has been broken. this is part of the continuing protests across the nation over police brutality. let's get a traffic update. the protest is blocking the broadway on and off-ramp from northbou0 and you are going to be stuck. 580 is completely sold out. also a sig alert northbound highway 13 at lincoln avenue due to a downed tree blocking one lane. right on cue, the rain is moving out into the central

valley. we'll show you a quick look at live doppler 7 hd. more is on t announcer: it's "live with kelly and michael." today, from the new film "big eyes," amy adams. and from jtquingle all the way 2," larry the cable guy. plus, your questions and comments on another edition of kelly and michael's inbox, all next on "live." [captioning made possible by isney-abc domestic television] announcer: now here are kelly ripa and michael strahan!