r watc good morning, america. the giant storm barreling across the country after dumping two feet of snow in the west, dangerous driving, trucks flipping over. trees crushing homes. thousands without power right now, and the travel nightmare millions could face this holiday week. trump doubles down. less than three weeks before his inauguration, the president-elect takes a new swing at president obama. suggesting the voters turned against him. this as trump adds another player to his administration. holiday murder mystery, the yoga instructor gone missing right before christmas dinner. the all-out search and the new surveillance images helping police crack this case. ♪

and celebrating carrie fisher. >> somebody has to save our skins. >> hollywood royalty both on screen and off, dead at age 60. >> i don't know where you get your delusions, laser brain. >> from the role that made her famous. >> aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper? >> so her very public struggles with drugs and mental illness. >> i'm carrie fisher and i'm an alcoholic. >> fans, friends and colleagues paying tribute this morning to the humor, the bravery and life of the woman who will always be princess leia. >> may the force be with you. ♪ and she will always indeed be princess leia. good morning, america. dan and i want to thank you for joining us this morning. and we are celebrating the life of hollywood legend, carrie fisher, the star who took the

galaxy by storm as princess leia. passing away four days after going into cardiac arrest. so many people still in shock that she's gone. >> absolutely and that's why tributes are pouring in overnight from friends and fans all over the world. carrie fisher's on screen sibling from "star wars," mark hamill tweeting overnight, she was our princess, and harrison ford reacting to the news saying, she was funny and emotionally fearless. she lived her life bravely. i think we need to bring back that diss. laser brain. >> wicked sense of humor. legions of fans are posting pictures of their daughters dressed up as princess leia and the news was lighting up the internet. fisher was mentioned in 3.1 million tweets worldwide. that number is growing and many using the #maytheforcebewithher. so appropriate. >> so let's go to abc's matt gutman who is in los angeles right now with a look at carrie fisher's extraordinary life. matt, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, dan.

as you guys mentioned carrie fisher was a hollywood royal rebel. made the front page of "the l.a. times" before she was even born. she was most famous, of course, for playing that feisty princess in a galaxy far, far away but seems to have garnered such a massive outpouring over the past four hours, simply because in real life, she was so human. she was the princess -- >> somehow i've always known. >> reporter: -- who became a general. >> i did miss you. >> reporter: this morning, the world is celebrating a hollywood original, carrie fisher, who battled the dark side as the iconic princess leia in the "star wars" series. >> aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper? >> reporter: just as she battled personal demons in her own life. >> i'm carrie fisher and i'm an alcoholic. >> reporter: fisher unable to recover after going into cardiac arrest friday on a flight to los angeles from london where she was promoting her new memoir "the princess diarist."

>> we have an unresponsive passenger so they're working on her right now. >> reporter: her family including daughter billie lourd and her beloved dog, gary, and also her brother, todd, by her side. >> everybody is just a little bit in shock because she's so young and was doing so great and to have her have a cardiac arrest at this age is unexpected. >> reporter: luke skywalker's spirited sister, herself, a child of hollywood royalty, father singer, eddie fisher and her mother, america's sweetheart, debbie reynolds. ♪ good morning >> reporter: she found herself thrust into one of hollywood's biggest scandals after her father famously dumped reynolds to marry her best friend, elizabeth taylor. reynolds putting out a statement thanking fisher's legions of fans for your thoughts and prayers. they are now guiding her to her next stop, carrie's mom. the relationship between mother and daughter provided fodder for

fisher's work and provided "postcards from the edge" on her relationship. much of her writing inspired by her struggles in her personal life. love was elusive, and she battled mental illness and drug addiction. >> did you see "one flew over the cuckoo's nest"? wasn't i fantastic? >> reporter: it was the force that always proved the constant in her life. at 19 auditioning for a then unknown space western that would soon launch her into the stratosphere. >> what? >> i became not a movie star but my character princess leia was more famous than i was so i became famous because i was part of a celebrated movie. >> reporter: her gold bikini becoming stuff of legend. famously saying that being nearly naked wasn't a style choice but felt redeemed when she got to kill jabba the hutt. in 2015 the force ultimately drawing her back in. >> if you see our son, bring him

home. >> reporter: her brother says her bravery came naturally. >> it's a trait in our family. my mother is the unsinkable molly brown, truly. and carrie is genetically 50% of that, and even 5% of that would be a lot. >> may the force be with you. >> reporter: we are told her daughter, billie lourd will handle funeral arrangements. fisher's brother telling us it will be a somber event but also a celebration. he said because carrie always did like a good party, and a good laugh too, she joked in her autobiography she wanted her obit to read drowned in moonlight, dan. >> okay. matt gutman, thank you very much. we should say bob iger ceo of disney abc's parent company and owner of the "star wars" franchise reacting to the news saying she will be sorely missed and we join millions of fans and friends around the world who mourn her loss today. for much more on the story,

let's bring in jess cagle, editorial director of "people" magazi magazine. >> good morning. >> so she was so open about her personal demons including as we've just heard her drug abuse and her depression. do you think that honesty is part of why people love her so much? we're seeing this outpouring now. >> absolutely. she was a fascinating character who spoke so openly about being the child of movie stars, about depression and addiction and being bipolar and spoke so honestly about her mixed feelings about princess leia. >> she was so fiercely intelligent, and she was also a little bit uncomfortable in her own skin, you know, she felt like an outsider, and she was able to look at her life from the outside and tell us about it in such a compelling and entertaining way. >> she had such a brilliant sense of humor. she once said, who wears that much lip gloss into battle speaking about princess leia but really her self-deprecating style and how she owned her imperfections that really helped her to overcome a lot of the

problems that she faced. >> right. in addition to princess leia, that is a big part of her legacy. you know, yesterday ana marie cox from mtv started sort of a movement on twitter where so many people are now coming out about their bipolar disorder and it's, you know, it's a beautiful legacy that -- in addition to everything else that she did, princess leia, and in the books and all the writing that she did, there is this -- the fact she was so honest about mental illness is just incredible. >> i think that's a massive contribution. we've been talking about that throughout the morning. back to princess leia for a second, there is a great line in "the new york times" this morning about her character. she was, quote, a damsel who could deal with her own distress. even though this was such a legendary role you mentioned carrie fisher had some mixed feelings about embodying it. >> she did. she knew it would overshadow everything else she did and people were so surprised, you know, ten years after "star wars" came out, she wrote, "postcards from the edge" and

showed that there was this whole other side to her. this brilliant writer, you know, one of the greatest wits of other age, and that's what -- that's who she really was. much more than princess leia. but i think she ultimately made peace with -- made peace with the character and being identified with it so closely, also, that character is a great character. i think she realized that. you know, this is a very powerful -- you know, not a damsel in distress. right? she could handle her own distress, and perfectly cast. george lucas casting carrie fisher, who wasn't the most glamorous or the prettiest, but she had that thing. she had that strength, and he knew that and knew that she would bring that to the character. it was really brilliant. >> anybody wants to know how tough princess leia was, just ask jabba the hutt. jess cagle. thank you very much. really appreciate it. we'll be talking to you much more throughout the show.

and one more note on all of this. carrie fisher was asked in a recent interview in "rolling stone" whether she feared death and her response was perfect, i've been there for a couple of people when they were dying. it didn't look like fun, but if i was going to do it, i would want someone like me around, and i will be there. another example of her fierce wit. >> she always had the greatest responses. we want tot turn to the swa weather causing chaos as it sweeps through the country. rain, snow and strong winds have been closing highways, and knocking out power, and it could cause some big problems for the holiday travel. rob marciano in studio with more details. good morning. >> good morning. this is on the heels of the christmas day blizzard, these pictures of the pacific northwest spokane, washington, spinouts with trucks flipping over.

loosh we've winter weather warnings in new england. as we get to the coastline, we'll see coastal development here. not starting out as a ton of cold air here, but away from i-95 where there will be a mix of rain and snow, we could see a foot of to snow. on the bright side of things, this is a boom for ski resorts. back over to you. >> thank you, rob. now we turn to politics and that scare at trump tower on tuesday. police evacuating the lobby over a suspicious package. authorities later giving the all clear. the president-elect was down in florida at the time. meanwhile, donald trump doubling down taking to twitter again to shoot down president obama's recent suggestion that he would have won the election. abc's mary bruce is at the white house with more on the escalating tensions between the president and the president-elect. mary, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. yet donald trump still on vacation in florida, but still working. he is holding transition meetings and still on twitter. over the break, he has been

weighing in on the economy, foreign policy and is still taking on president obama. this morning, the president-elect ramping up his fight against the campaigned hard and personally in the very important swing states and lost. the voters wanted to make america great again. the president-elect digging in after obama suggested he could have beaten trump. >> i think i could have mobilized a majority of the american people. >> reporter: on the economy, trump is touting a post-election bump in consumer confidence boasting the highest level in more than 15 years. thanks, donald. throughout the holiday, trump has been lob b jabing jabs on twitter, even though he promised to tone it down. >> i'm going to do very restrained -- if i use it at all, i'm going to do very restrained. >> reporter: he's tweeted more than 200 times since his victory and according to his incoming press secretary don't expect that to change. >> his use of social media in particular is going to be something never seen before.

he has this direct pipeline to the american people. >> reporter: one of trump's latest tarp latest targets, the u.n. not pleased that the obama administration allowing the u.n. to pass a resolution condemning israeli settlements saying it will make it much harder to negotiate peace. and he's getting an assist from republican lawmakers. >> we should seriously consider withholding all funds from the united nations until this anti-israel resolution is rescinded entirely. >> reporter: now, secretary of state john kerry is expected to weigh in on that u.n. resolution later today when he delivers remarks on the obama administration's plan for peace in the middle east. also this morning, "the washington post" reporting that the white house is close to announcing measures to punish russia for interfering in the u.s. election including possibly economic sanctions and covert cyberoperations. dan. >> mary, thank you. let's bring in chief political analyst matthew dowd. hey, matt, good morning. >> good morning. >> let's go back to this spat, this ongoing spat between president-elect trump and current president obama. what does trump have to gain by keeping this thing alive? >> well, i don't think he has anything to gain from this.

typical donald trump fashion, most of what he communicates is done from a visceral -- visceral place without a lot of strategic thought. but if you think about president obama, he has a high approval rating as ronald reagan did when he left office and won two elections with more than 50% of the vote and seems like not to psycho analyze donald trump but it seems like it's coming from a place of insecurity. donald trump lost the popular vote, donald trump didn't get 50% of the vote and in the 40s in his approval rating going into inauguration day so it's a bit like a star is on stage and he's trying to shove the popular star off the stage but the popular star isn't leaving yet. >> no, it isn't. i have to ask you, matt. two members of trump's own party. republican senators john mccain and lindsey graham are hitting the president-elect over the issue of russia. you know, they visited estonia recently. graham saying 99 of 100 senators believe that russia interfered as mary bruce just mentioned

calling for sanctions. how do you see this playing out? >> well, i think it's trouble in the clubhouse, right. the gop clubhouse. the first example of real trouble there. i think there is a united situation in the senate, democrats and republicans are united on the fact that they believe vladimir putin and russia interfered in our election. they don't like it. they want to do something about it, and donald trump seems to be the only person standing on the side with vladimir putin in this, and so this is going to be prabmat problematic for donald trump in the course of this as we go forward in this and it's a situation donald trump does not want to get pushed by his own party in. >> we'll hear a lot more about this as you said, matthew, thank you. we appreciate it. on the topic of russia now we want to move to the surprising new report on that russian olympic doping scandal. "the new york times" saying that russia no longer disputes findings of a far reaching operation which led to more than 100 banned from rio summer games, and abc's linzie janis is here with more. sound like they are owning up to it. >> reporter: they are. previously, russian officials have denied the existence of a doping operation but now for the first time they are admitting that russian authorities carried out one of the biggest

conspiracies in olympic history. this morning, an olympic bombshell. for the first time, russian officials admitting involvement in the widespread doping scandal involving hundreds of the country's athletes across multiple olympics. including the head of russia's anti-doping agency telling "the new york times" it was an institutional conspiracy. the paper reporting the cheating scheme included tampering with urine sample, cover-ups and bribes. allegations of widespread doping orchestrated by the russian government rocking the sports world this year and leading to more than 100 russian athletes being barred from competing in the rio summer games. >> we have never seen anything quite like this. where state-sponsored, widespread doping has been found in an entire country. >> reporter: earlier this month, the world anti-doping agency releasing findings from their investigation saying over 1,000 russian athletes competing in

summer, winter and paralympic sports can be identified as being involved in or benefiting from manipulations to conceal positive doping tests. but while this new admission comes after months of denial from russian officials still deny the doping scheme was state-sponsored and that officials like vladimir putin were not involved. well, the ioc has insisted the russians accept the findings of its recent investigation so that they can host olympic competitions again and this shifted tone is seen as motivated by their desire to move on from the scandal. >> thank you, linzie. >> thank you very much. >> i can see why they want to do that. we have a warmer story to tell you about from the world of sports. we want to show you great video of a young sports fan who had one wish this holiday season. 10-year-old austin deckard has a

rare heart condition. his wish to meet his hero, cam newton so austin's teacher reached out on social media and sure enough, cam newton saw that message and paid a visit to the hospital. check this out. >> what's up? you doing good? i feel your heart, man. going 1,000 miles an hour, man. you doing all right? nice to see you, man. >> he doesn't want to let go. >> no, he doesn't. we should say austin is undergoing a procedure today and we wish him the best, and we salute cam newton. that was really cool. >> he is known for doing things like this. i wish we could have seen on austin's vitals. you have to imagine his heart rate is going up. he's not letting go. >> she was not. such a happy scene. >> really great scene. let's check the weather now with rob who unfortunately doesn't have such happy news for us. >> i'll give cam a dab on that one for sure. but to see that stuff on a holiday week for sure. santa ana winds blowing, 60-mile-an-hour winds in some spots in the hills of east l.a. driving into the intermountain west. your chilly cities now brought to you by burlington.

coming up this wednesday, new details about george michael's final months. why the pop legend became more reclusive and the millions he gave to charity. also the christmas murder mystery. the actress and yoga teacher gone missing found dead in her car. the new surveillance image that has led police to the suspect. keep it here. keep it here. hurry in for the best deals of the season on ford, america's most awarded brand. with the most 5-star ratings... and the highest owner loyalty... giving drivers what matters most. that's how you become america's best-selling brand. just announced, get $1500 total cash on select models, on top of the best offers of the season. hurry, the final days of the ford year end event end january third.

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and lose 10 pounds on us. good morning. a new report says san francisco muni has a huge problem with workers calling in sick. according to the city's controls office, the muni has the secondeseconhighest rate in the city. it is costing $42 million a year. people we talk to say management needs to step up. >> taking a look at the roads, we are still wide open here through the bay bridge toll plaza. we had a crash. that is off in parking lot right now. you can see a few of those flashing lights behind me. the only o issue we have right now is the mechanical issue with san francisco bay ferry, now the 745 open to san francisco ferry

building departures are about ten minutes behind due to the issue. also, the return trip from san francisco around 8:00 a.m. will be b about ten

good morning. another frosty start. look how clear from the golden gate bridge, but also, the wind blowing. bringing the windchill up to the north bay, milder on the coast at 52 degrees, but that is not representative of the bay area. upper elevation wind and 20s still around in santa rosa. freezing livermore and concord, but get warmer today. lots of sunshine and the look ahead for the last final days of the year. colder and cloudier. >> thank you. coming up, how to save big bucks on heating your home, next on gma and we'll have another news update in about 30 minutes and

always on our new app and news.com. enjoy the beautiful

i just bought a book. and while i was telling you about the book, i downloaded a song. oh, and full disclosure, when we were just chatting about that song thing, someone arranged a date. guilty. the point is, life is digital. so, carmax, created a site where you can reserve a car online. come in when it's convenient, your car will be waiting. just another thing to make buying a car better for you... reads this tweet that i just posted. oh, that appears to be trending. lol.

i don't know who you are or where you came from. from now on you do as i tell you, okay? >> welcome back to "gma." carrie fisher there in the role that made her an international star for princess leia fans. shocked to hear that she died tuesday after suffering a heart attack last week. we'll take a look at her legacy and what she told amy robach about living as princess leia and trending on twitter. you see these photos of little girls posting as princess leia, may the force be with her, and saying may the force be with you. >> so great and that interview she did with -- >> was amazing. >> incredible. >> with her dog. >> it went viral and we'll show it to you coming up on the show in just a few minutes. also happening right now, just as millions dig out,

another storm is on the way. you can blame rob marciano. this one is expected to dump more than a foot of snow on parts of the northeast. and donald trump launching another twitter attack aimed as president obama. this time, the president-elect saying his predecessor campaigned for hillary clinton in swing states that she lost. and tennis superstar serena williams opens up about her place in sports history. why she says if she were a man, somehow would have been considered one of the greatest athletes in history years ago. that's coming up in a few minutes. >> that's coming up on the big board. great to have sara haines as always. >> thank you, dan harris. >> good morning. we'll begin with the mystery surrounding the death of george michael. new details about the final months of this pop legend who died suddenly at his home on christmas, and abc's gio benitez is in london on the story this morning. gio, good morning to you. >> reporter: dan, good morning to you. we are outside his london home, and you can see that so many people have been coming here to leave flowers, remembering him, and just take a look right there.

that is his range rover. people are writing messages of love and admiration for the musical icon. ♪ time can never mend >> reporter: this morning, a growing memorial outside george michael's london home. friends and fans paying tribute to the singer. >> such a brave soul. he gave his life to charity. >> reporter: his manager said he died of heart failure, but while details of the pop star's death are still a mystery, this morning, we're get a clearer picture of george michael's final years. according to friends, michael had become somewhat of a recluse over the last couple of years, battling to overcome the drug and alcohol problems plaguing him through much of his career. >> to get better, you have to shape up. you have to stop the drugs. you have to get physically in shape. >> reporter: the singer publicly taking on his demons. in 2008, he was arrested in a public restroom for drug possession. then in 2011, a major health scare for michael, nearly dying

from a bout of pneumonia while he was on tour. >> it was basically by far the worst month in my life but i'm incredibly, incredibly fortunate to be here. >> reporter: his partner telling "the daily telegraph," he discovered michael peacefully in his bed on christmas morning, saying, everything had been very complicated recently but george was looking forward to christmas and so was i. now everything is ruined. i want people to remember him the way he was. he was a beautiful person. and now stories of the pop icon's incredible private generosity becoming public from the 25,000-pound check he left at a restaurant to help a woman in debt to the millions donated anonymously to britain's leading charity for kids in crisis. and back out here live at his london home we can tell you there are reports this morning that he may be buried in this area right next to his mother. dan. >> and gio, the big question everybody is asking when will we learn what caused his death?

>> reporter: well, dan, we'll have to wait on those autopsy results to come in. but no doubt about it. he battled health issues for years. in fact, his longtime publicist said that even though they was a musical genius, there was a time when he had such easy access to these drugs, and that is what started it all. >> gio benitez in london, thank you. >> so many people looking for closure this morning. and now to that christmas day murder mystery. the actress who went missing on her way to christmas dinner was found dead in her car. police taking the man seen driving that vehicle into custody, and abc's mara schiavocampo is here with more. good morning, mara. >> reporter: paula, good morning. that woman posted on facebook that she was headed to see friends for christmas, and then disappeared without a trace. police don't believe the suspect and the victim knew each other, and they still have no motive. this morning, the search for answers after a yoga teacher and alas

actre actress is found dead. 46-year-old tricia mccauley's body discovered early tuesday in d.c. >> this investigation is proceeding rapidly. >> reporter: mccauley was a beloved yoga instructor. >> she was just a very inspiring person. >> and it's a great blow. >> reporter: and a longtime actor. appearing in the 2006 film "step up" as jenna dewan tatum's stand-in. she was last seen sunday afternoon, reported missing when she didn't show up to christmas dinner with friends and missed a flight the next morning. police immediately issuing an alert for her missing car and this man, apparently seen driving it. within hours, a passerby spotting the suspect. >> seemed just really kind of aggressive or out of it. or something. >> reporter: 29-year-old adrian dwayne johnson apprehended at a nearby cvs. mccauley's body found in her car. now johnson charged with theft, simple assault and her murder. ♪ as the community mourns. >> and just to embrace the love of who she is is just sort of

the constant challenge i think right now. >> reporter: there are reports the suspect was supposed to be wearing a gps monitor in connection to a previous case and police confirm he was not wearing that device. he is scheduled to be arraigned today. mccauley's cause of death appears to be trauma to the body but the autopsy is not yet completed. on the surface, this seems like a potential carjacking of two people who did not know each other. >> that motive is just such a mystery seemingly no connection just so random. >> the community is devastated. this is a woman who was beloved. >> i can only imagine. mara, thank you. dan, where are you? you're on the other side of the studio. you're supposed to tease what's coming up on the big board. >> i was annoying you and sara, and sent me over to the big board apparently. >> never. >> i'm sure sara disagrees. here's what's coming up. soulcycle sued by a customer who claims she had to go to the hospital after an intense workout. can gyms be held accountable for injuries? can gyms be held accountable for injuries? you might know me as the guy who switched to sprint because all networks are great. but get this, sprint has this crazy deal

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hey, welcome back. time for our big board breaking down more of the morning's top stories. let's start with hey, welcome back. time for our big board breaking down more of the morning's top stories. let's start with the new lawsuit against soulcycle, which raises the question, how hard is too hard at the gym? a woman sued after claiming a strenuous first time workout and legal analyst, areva martin joining us this morning. areva, good morning. what can you tell us about the suit? >> basically, it's a personal injury lawsuit. this woman is claiming on her very first time of going to soulcycle which is this high intensity cycling class, that she suffered very serious injuries. she is claiming the instructor knew it was her first time, but despite that, he increased the intensity on her bike. she became ill, had to be hospitalized for one week, and now she is claiming permanent muscular injuries, and she is seeking personal injury damages. >> so she says she was permanently injured. does she have a case or just a case of people need to know their own limits and when to dial it back?

>> this is going to be a very difficult case for her to prove. first, there's the issue of causation. she has to prove that her injuries are related to that high intensity workout, and next there's the issue of waiver. in most cases when you go to a gym or you take one of these classes you sign a release of liability, a waiver which prohibits you from suing the gym. so very important lesson for anyone taking this class, and joining any gym. read the fine print, because you may be giving up your right to a lawsuit even if you are injured, and in some cases, if you die from a workout. >> read the fine print. areva, great advice. okay. next up, the story is going to give you chills. a child flying solo to visit her grandparents, 800 miles was left unattended in the airport upon her arrival, and steve ganyard is here with more. so steve, some people that live far away from family, they are

forced to, you know, pay this $300 round trip fee to accompany the minor. this is every parent's worst nightmare. what happened? >> it really is, paula. you think about it. you're giving up your child and losing control. they're flying someplace else. you're handing them over to a stranger and in this case, as you say, paying 300 extra dollars for the privilege of doing that. thankfully, in this case, the grandmother found the child just happened to look down a hallway and found the child so it had a happy ending but the airlines will actually take your money but sometimes they will outsource the person that is going to take care of your child so you're losing control at two separate points and never should have happened. >> infuriating. united airlines told abc news, we're in touch with the family and have apologized for their experience. we are continuing to review the situation to ensure we provide exceptional service to each of our customers. steve, this is not the first time something like this has happened so what should airlines be doing better and what should parents be doing better? >> well, it's a real black eye

of coursel of cour obviously, for united, and they have to go back and look at their procedures. there are some things that parents can do. something that no airline wants on their record. the first thing you'd want to do is look at the weather. if there's snow, if there's thunderstorms, somewhere around the country, even if it's where your child is not going it may have a cascading effect on delays across the country. the other thing you can look at is the time of day. oftentimes, delays happen later in the day. if one flight is late, it has that cascadining effect. try to schedule an early fright if you can. the other thing, just be a good parent and do diligence at the air lean and look at them and make sure they haven't had a problem in the past with these sorts of missing children. >> steve ganyard, thank you. now to tennis great serena williams in an interview with espn. she's sparking a real debate continue role of gender in sports. take a listen. >> being a woman is just a whole new set of problems from society that you have to deal with as well. if i were a man, i would have 100% been considered the greatest ever a long time ago.

>> let's bring in christine brennan. christine, good morning. does she have a point? would she have been considered the greatest a long time ago and is there a double standard in sports when it comes to gender? >> absolutely she does, yes, there is a double standard. think about it. we always say women's tennis or women's golf. do we say men's golf? or during march madness, we say women's basketball. we don't say men's basketball. there are two. it's not just one tournament. there are two. we should use that pesky adjective men's as well and also simone biles, the gymnast, katie ledecky, we don't say women's swimmer or women's gymnast, but somehow, we affix that label. a great conversation for the nation to have and our culture and i'm glad she's bringing it up. >> the pay disparity is another issue when it comes to men versus women. but as se serena's career winds down, what do you think her legacy is going to be? >> i think, paula, she's not only the greatest women's tennis player ever, and one of the greatest tennis players period,

but i think she is the greatest female athlete to play any sport in history. i think she is that dominant at the most difficult and competitive time in the history of women's tennis or tennis in particular. she has been so dominant, and when she only wins one grand slam tournament as she did this year, it's somehow a disappoint. in her mid 30s, she is still just as great as there is, and i think again, at this competitive time for her to be on top of her game, i think the greatest female athlete in any sport we have ever seen. >> that's high praise right there. real quick all three of you, your greatest athlete of all time, areva? let's start with you. >> paula, i love serena, but i would have to go with muhammad ali. >> there you go. steven. >> i'm a serena fan as well, but michael jordan will get my nod. >> there you go. >> and christine, you're sticking with serena? >> well, i'll go with serena but in history, jesse owens, the way he defied adolf hitler at the olympics in berlin, and what he stood for as a great athlete, but also as an historic figure

at that time before world war ii. >> paula? >> i have a couple. >> okay. >> that's kind of cheating. but sure. >> muhammad ali, michael phelps, dan harris, my number three. >> yes, i am up there. >> dan is good at badminton. >> pretty much nothing. i'll go with muhammad ali. coming up in two minutes, carrie fisher's wicked sense of humor. that incredible interview with our amy robach that went viral just years ago. you'll see it again after a quick break. >> really good. quick break. >> really good. searching for answers like where to treat, can feel overwhelming.

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good. then you're ready. >> really, marie. >> how else do you think you do it? >> i have the perfect guy. i don't happen to find him attractive, but you might. she doesn't have a problem with chins. >> carrie fisher not only shining on the silver screen in the galaxy far, far away, but making us laugh in roles like we just saw in "when harry met sally" and we were reminded of that wicked sense of humor in her terrific interview with abc's amy robach just a year ago. here's some of that very funny

conversation. >> carrie, thank you for being with us. >> look, i wouldn't be anywhere else at this hour except on tv. >> well, i appreciate that and you brought along a friend. >> i did, because his tongue matches the sweater. >> it's a good look. this is gary. >> this is gary, and he's very, very famous on twitter. >> he wears that tongue well. i want to talk a little bit about this movie. i understand that george lucas personally asked you to come back. did it take some convincing? >> no, i'm a female in hollywood. over the age of let's say 40 and then we could also say 50, so we could say it, but not with real conviction or excitement. you don't have to ask if you want to work at that age. you'll see someday. you'll be excited. >> i'm over the age of 40. i hear you. now -- >> that's upsetting. >> what was your reaction? >> i looked like that. no, you know, you're going to do it. i've been princess leia for 40 years.

so, what, i'm going to stop now when it's ridiculous to be someone named princess leia and people will say, this, i get. princess leia, like i'm supposed to go, yes? >> what do you do when people say that? >> i thank them in my mind, yes. no, you know, i try not to respond as an adult. >> you actually physically transformed for this role. >> yes. i did lose weight. and i think it's a stupid conversation. not with you. >> we'll move on. >> not with you. i mean, it's good with you, but normally i wouldn't talk about it with someone else but you're so thin let's talk about it. how do you keep that going on? do you exercise every day? >> i do work out every day. >> is it boring? >> yes. >> gary is falling asleep by the way. >> gary is bored as hell. can you imagine? he's just crying. >> his eyes are closing. i've never had someone fall asleep during my interview. >> that you know of. >> thank you.

>> i love her for her love for gary. >> has his own chair. >> she brought him everywhere. >> that is just 1 of about 75,000 amazing things about her. there is so much in that interview to love. >> amy said so much of it -- they couldn't even fit in enough of the funny moments so a lot had to be cut. >> she really picked on amy. >> she did but it was priceless. >> amy did a great job. >> she did. >> amy still laughs about that interview so -- we're going to miss that. but coming up in our next hour, the science behind salt therapy. the simple treatment helping people breath better, but is it safe? people breath better, but is it safe? safe? i will never wash my hair again. i will never never wash my hair again now, i fuel it new pantene doesn't just wash your hair, it fuels it. with the first pro-v nutrient blend, making every... ...strand stronger don't just wash your hair

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here we go. snapchatting, we're snapchatting live on "gma" right now. welcome back. great crowd out here. a little chillier for sure. but we have some folks from pensacola, unzipped. you are cold. where are you spending new year's eve? >> in pensacola, florida. >> back to florida. smart move. it's going to be chilly up here. i want to show you the forecast for the celebrations up here. in the northeast, windchills below freezing. maybe a mixture of freezing rain and snow shower. not too horrible. in los angeles, hollywood and las vegas might see some showers. this weathercast brought to you

"good morning america" is brought to you by adt.

good morning. let's get a check on the weather forecast. >> good morning to you. little breezy on top of the east bay hills. temperatures in the low to mid-40s. oakland, still in the 30s. san jose, the upper 40s but that's mild along the coast. in the north bay, still upper 20s to low 30s. sunny today and warmer. upper 50s 0 low 60s. >> and i've seen a lot of the sunshine on traffic cameras at this point. 101 and 880, that's the theme for the week. most folks still off, so westbound 80, 17 minutes, just nine minutes across the bay bridge and san francisco to sfo in greene at ten minutes. coming up u, a look at the hot health trends that could help with chronic medical issues

next on gma and another update in 30 minutes and always on our news app an abc7news.com. the new us continues now with good

[ playing the theme to "star wars" ] good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. and we are remembering carrie fisher, tributes pouring in overnight for the "star wars" princess. >> who are you? >> someone who loves you. >> from fighting in a galaxy far, far away to making the world laugh. >> i don't happen to find him attractive but you might. she doesn't have a problem with chins. >> we're looking at the legacy left behind by a hollywood original. >> i did miss you. winter weather alert. a major storm threatening millions. rain and snow closing highways across the country and leaving thousands without power. we'll tell what you it means for your new year's weekend. ♪ break free the new trend that could be the best kept health secret. breaking down the science behind salt therapy. how this simple treatment is helping people breathe better

but is it safe? ♪ the good life the royals' big move. prince william and kate planning a change of address reportedly returning to kensington palace full time. what it all means for george and charlotte as we say -- >> all: good morning, america. [ cheers and applause ] ♪ >> hey, good morning, america. what a wonderful audience we have with us in times square this morning. we are, of course, celebrating the life and legacy of carrie fisher who we miss already. >> we certainly do and we're going to miss her wicked sense of humor, as well. and we also want to talk about lifestyle expert gretta monahan. we have photos of her on video mixing up a special beauty remedy and i love this. this is something that we all can do at home. she's going to reveal her quick and easy winter beauty fixes

using ingredients found in your kitchen, dan. any ideas what those might be? >> well, if it was my kitchen, it would be mustard and stale cereal. i don't know what you can do with that. >> i'm guessing she may not be using those. >> a great exfoliator, i hear. >> finally the things in my kitchen are being put to good use. also ahead, why drake and jennifer lopez have everyone talking about those matching instagrams posted overnight. that's coming up in "pop news." >> sara, i'm intrigued. >> i am intrigued too. >> you seem terrified rather than intrigued. >> no, super excited. >> okay. >> this could be really cute. >> adorable. >> more drama too between friends. >> that makes it even beter. >> quite a tease. . let's get the morning rundown first with t.j. holmes who is downstairs. >> good morning, gang. we start with the united states about to take action against russia for interfering with the u.s. election. the obama administration is close to announcing new economic sanctions against russia as well as a diplomatic censure to punish moscow for cyberattacks

before the election. russian president vladimir putin denies the allegation and have accused democrats of being sore lo losers. also this morning, russia and turkey agreed on a cease-fire according to turkish media. it could take effect at midnight and if it holds it could pave the way for peace talks. the weather is hampering new year's travel plans. a storm system that moved through the pacific northwest dumping nearly two feet of snow in some areas is now pushing east and will bring rain and snow to the northeast on thursday. major cities including d.c., new york and boston will get rain, but northern new england will see snow. a series of earthquakes jolted the nevada/california state line overnight. the largest was a magnitude 5.7 quake that was felt as far away as fresno. several aftershocks have also been reported. a search is under way for a new jersey woman and her 5-year-old great-granddaughter who went missing during a road trip to north carolina. they were last seen saturday at

a gas station in virginia. 71-year-old barbara briley was last seen on surveillance video after asking for directions. a ping from her cell phone was picked up in virginia yesterday but still no sign of them. amazon's popular voice command device echo which is also known as alexa is at the center of a new battle over privacy rights. police in arkansas say a murder suspect had one of the devices in his home. they've issued a warrant for the voice data saying it could include evidence. amazon is refusing to turn over that data citing privacy concerns. a heart-stopping moment for a b.a.s.e. jumper. you see it there at a distance, but this was a bad landing. this happened in phoenix. the jumper took a gave off a cliff but hit the canyon on the way down, hit the wall. he is expected, however, to recover fully from his injuries. and on a final note now, an uber driver here in new york may have driven himself into the record books. listen to this. noah foreman says he sailed through 240 consecutive green

lights, you heard me right, 240 consecutive green lights in new york city. now, guys, before you go try to track him down and find him as the best driver in all of new york, i have a huge caveat, he did this in the middle of the night. there weren't a lot of cars on the road. you do this at 5:00 in the afternoon, then i'm impressed, noah. but until then, keep making late night haves. >> t.j. is tough to please. >> yes, i am. >> i get a ticket so good for that uber driver. >> sara wanted to know if they sped up that video, t.j. or if he was just speeding. >> well, there's other issues with noah's video but 240 likes, i guess that was impressive -- >> the speed limit is 25 in new york so just timed it perfectly, well done. >> i say well done as well. thank you, t.j. let's do "pop news" with sara haines. [ cheers and applause ] >> i'm going to start "pop news" like this because i'm ignoring dan and they won't refeed us so time now for "pop news." does hollywood have a new superstar couple?

drake and jennifer lopez, both posting this cozy photo overnight and sending the internet and myself into a frenzy. rumors about the two have been swirling for weeks now and after drake went to two of j. lo's las vegas shows back-to-back and guess who unfollowed lopez on instagram over the weekend? drake's ex rihanna so who also happens to be friends with lopez so i don't like that part. that's a downer but how cute are they? >> adorable. >> are they still friends, j. lo and -- >> i think an unfollow speaks volumes. that's not a good thing. >> that's like the worst thing you can do to an ex-friend. >> i unfollowed dan and i know he hasn't gotten over that. >> i followed you twice and made up for it. >> how cute if they're a couple. >> adorable. >> post some more pictures, j. lo. next up, a surprise

christmas gift from one country music legend to a policeman in gainesville after officer keith bartlett lost his home in a fire. the community rallied behind him including randy travis, jumping in to surprise the big music fan with a brand-new gibson guitar. also donating furniture to the family of seven. it turns out randy and his wife were old friends with the officer who first met the travis family while responding to a theft on their texas ranch a few years ago. i love those heart warmers. >> that's really great. seems like a really nice guy. >> he seems like a great guy. [ applause ] >> i think we're still more excited about the j. lo story. >> i'm still thinking about it a little bit but we're moving on. finally the royal family is getting ready for big changes in the new year. prince william and kate middleton along with their children prince george and princess charlotte have plans to make kensington palace their full time home. they're looking into new schools for george after deciding to leave anmer hall in norfolk? >> norfolk, sounds right. >> is it norfolk? >> who knows? >> that's how you say it. probably the same way. >> norfolk. >> it was just a name, kids. norfolk. they're leaving it behind for city roots. the duke and duchess are also

preparing to take on added royal responsibilities -- quit laughing, paula -- as william considers trading in his career as a helicopter public for more public service. >> that is more or less how norfolk, virginia, is pronounced so you're okay. >> it usually is that because people tweet at me if i don't so norfolk. >> i would have made fun of you as well. >> dan always makes fun of you. say something nice about something. >> something nice about sara. coming up on "gma," remembering hollywood's princess as we celebrate carrie fisher's lifetime of groundbreaking work both off and on screen if i survive this commercial break seated next to you. "gma's morning menu" is brought to you by the fast powerful cough relief of robitussin because it's never just a cough.

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as after a dvt blood clot,ital i sure had a lot to think about. what about the people i care about? ...including this little girl. and what if this happened again? i was given warfarin in the hospital, but wondered, was this the best treatment for me? so i asked my doctor. and he recommended eliquis. eliquis treats dvt and pe blood clots and reduces the risk of them happening again. yes, eliquis treats dvt and pe blood clots. eliquis also had significantly less major bleeding than the standard treatment. both made me turn around my thinking. don't stop eliquis unless your doctor tells you to. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. don't take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. if you had a spinal injection while on eliquis call your doctor right away if you have tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness. while taking eliquis, you may bruise more easily ...and it may take longer than usual for bleeding to stop. seek immediate medical care for sudden signs of bleeding, like unusual bruising. eliquis may increase your bleeding risk if you take certain medicines. tell your doctor about all planned

medical or dental procedures. eliquis treats dvt and pe blood clots. plus had less major bleeding. both made eliquis the right treatment for me. ask your doctor if switching to eliquis is right for you. back now. we've been remembering carrie fisher all morning, the actress passing away at the age of 60. she was best known for starring in a galaxy far, far away as the

rebellious princess leia, but her legacy goes way beyond "star wars." she was both hollywood and galactic royalty. carrie fisher was just 19 when she took on that indelible role. >> someone who loves you. >> reporter: the enchanting and picant princess leia. >> aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper? >> reporter: but fisher's influence spreads well beyond "star wars." she starred in dozens of movies and tv shows, she wrote books and she attacked stigmas around mental illness opening up to abc's diane sawyer back in 2000. >> i own it. i'm mentally ill. i have a chemical imbalance that in its most extreme state will lead me to a mental hospital. >> reporter: she did it with both brutal honesty and fearless humor. >> the world of manic depression is a world of bad judgment calls. just every kind of bad judgment because it all seems like a good idea at the time. a great idea.

>> reporter: even in the midst of her anguish she dazzled. >> it would be warmer if we share. >> "under the rainbow" is the one where i was completely crazy. i was not sleeping. i had a seizure on the set. >> any idea what she's taking? >> pills, demerol. >> reporter: she chronicled it in her semi-autobiographical novel "postcards from the edge." in the movie version she was played by her friend meryl streep. off camera fisher was known as a brilliant screenwriter and best-selling author. >> i'm carrie fisher and i'm an alcoholic. >> reporter: including the book "wishful drinking," a memoir that ultimately became a celebrated one-woman show. >> many of us only seem able to find heaven by backing away from hell, and, you know, while the place i've arrived at in my life isn't precisely everyone's idea

of heaven, i could swear sometimes if i'm quiet enough, i can hear the angels sing. >> wow. >> she was amazing. jess cagle, editorial director of "people" magazine is back now with us. you interviewed her many times. tell us about the first time. >> the very first time i was writing, it was 1992, and i was writing a story about "sister act" for "entertainment weekly" and, remember, the whoopi goldberg film. and it was a huge hit but we didn't know that at the time. it was a very, very troubled production, and carrie fisher had been a script doctor on it because a lot of people don't know that throughout her career she had a hand in dozens and dozens of movies and made a huge living being a script doctor. so she had come on to "sister act" to work on the film and all of the great maggie smith stuff in "sister act." >> she's the mother superior.

>> came from carrie fisher because she had such a talent for creating characters through her writing and for story and so they had to figure out a way for maggie smith to sort of be the mother superior to be at odds with the film's heroine but still be likable, so they found a way through all that and so she could do these incredible one-liners but in just a few lines of dialogue they built that wonderful character of maggie smith. >> certainly did. she found ways to surprise us all. we will have the opportunity to see her on the big screen next december. she almost filmed her role in the next "star wars" which will be out in december but what does this mean? what does her passing mean for the future of the "star wars" franchise? >> i think the future of the "star wars" franchise will be what the "star wars" franchise was always going to be. i don't think it will impact the making of the films at all. i'm sure the filmmakers are trying right now to figure out what they're going to do with princess leia and, you know, whether or not she will -- you will see her pass away in an

upcoming film or what else has already happened, i don't know but i'm sure that j.j. abrams, who is obviously working on those films had a -- he loved carrie fisher and they had developed a great relationship so i'm sure he's thinking seriously about what will happen. >> jess cagle, we appreciate your analysis on this sad day. thank you very much. coming up on "gma" the secret behind salt therapy. how the simple treatment can help people better breathe and more. just ahead right here on "gma."

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what a great crowd we have out here. some of us have been here since what time? >> 5:30. >> so it's 40 degrees but i bet it feels colder than that. >> it feels very cold. >> how is that coffee? warm or cold? >> it's done. >> from san diego, how does it feel to you? >> really cold. >> you're doing okay. they're tough in san diego and tough in arizona, right? or how does it feel to you? >> freezing.

>> okay. we thank you, rob. as rob just mentioned, it is time now to kick off our new series "project wellness." and we're looking at some new complimentary therapies that are being used to treat connick medical issues. one simple treatment, salt therapy, which might be one of the best kept secrets, and abc's kayna whitworth checked it out. >> reporter: sure, it can make your food taste better but did

you know it might actually make you feel better? salt therapy, aka halotherapy, has been around for, well, as long as salt has but it's only now gaining ground in the u.s. >> salt therapy is simply breathing in salt air. it's detoxifying, anti-inflammatory. >> reporter: the treatment is simple. just sit, relax and breathe. a halo generator does all the work. >> a generator pulverizes the salt into tiny breathable particles that can enter the pores and blows it into the room. >> i think it might like be the world's best crept secret. >> reporter: for dominique it's been life-changing. >> i had been suffering with a skin disorder all this year. like very itchy hives and all over head to toe and i mean, it was hard to sleep at night. it was causing me a lot of distress. >> reporter: she says she tried everything with no relief until this. >> a lot of the improvement i'm feeling is the inflammation and the relief of having itchy skin all day long. >> reporter: beyond skin

condition salt therapy claims to help with allergies, cystic fibrosis and chronic respiratory issues. >> i've always had bronchitis, asthma, asthmatic tendencies and allergy, every morning, just a lot of wheezing, coughing. >> reporter: after seeing progress in just three months, rob says it's now become part of his lifestyle. >> my breathing feels just better. it just overall changed my attitude toward managing what i need to do for myself. >> reporter: and experts say that is the key here. it's not a cure but rather an all natural way to manage your ailments. >> we're talking about something that may based on patient's report improve symptoms of chronic lung diseases of various kinds. >> reporter: for "good morning america," kayna whitworth, abc news, los angeles. [ applause ] >> i've got to say it is pretty fascinating. abc's senior medical contributor dr. jen ashton joins us now. jen, this is fascinating but we have some examples. here's himalayan salt and then regular table salt that they would use in salt rooms here in new york. are there dangers in this

kind of treatment? >> so, first, there's some medical perspective here. in a hospital setting we use salt aerosolized in the form of nebulizer treatments for breathing and use it as hypertonic saline, so there's good science there. what there isn't is good data on salt chambers yet but i think in terms of risk/benefit, the risks are probably pretty low. irritation to breathing is a possibility. of course, it can irritate your eyes or your skin if you're sitting on a block of this and then cost. it's going to vary place to place. >> exactly. as a doctor would you recommend this type of therapy and treatment? >> gosh, well, not -- >> put you on the spot. >> i know. not at the expense of something that's been subjected to rigorous scientific study and not instead of so if it's an either/or, no, because we need more data. if it's in addition to something or if you're adding it to a wellness program, i think everyone can consider it for themselves. i'm going to admit, i'm going to try it. >> you are going to try it. >> i'm a sucker for marketing

and i will try it. >> testimonials got you. >> i'll sit on this block of salt. >> she will do that right here. you'll be doing a live demo right after the show. you can watch that live demo on twitter. your handle is @drjashton. >> that's right. >> if you want to check dr. ashton. sit on the salt. >> i'm not going to sit on the salt in the demo, but i'm going to explain how salt works. a little science and chemistry. coming up, brett eldredge is performing a classic off his new hit holiday album. we're right back. ♪ let it snow let it snow let it snow ♪

good morning to you. today, the two suspects in a stabbing at a hayward target on christmas eve with expects to appear in court a 22-year-old and 25-year-old are accused of stabbing this man, tyrone griffin, to death. the 36 yaefrld griffin leaves behind four children. he went to the store to get a last minute christmas gift. over to alexis. >> good morning. we starred off rough with the serious crash on 280 in san jose. that's long gone. wide open here, that northbound side norm crawling at this time, but not today. our drive time, under half an hour. tracy to dublin.

northbound 85 between 101 and cupertino at 16 minutes.

zero really can be a hero.ds) k;,t get zero down, zero deposit, zero due at signing, and zero first month's payment on select volkswagen models. right now at the volkswagen sign then drive event. good morning. nice and sunny here. san francisco at 41 degrees. 46 in oakland. still in the 30s in san jose. the coast is k loobing good, but boy, you are still cold in north bay and east bachlt warming up today, upper 50s and sunny.

>> thanks so much. we'll have another news update in about 30 min ♪n about 30 min ♪ raise your glass [ applause ] ♪ hey, welcome back to times square on a wednesday morning. we have a great audience. can i mention we have a special guest? >> we have special guests. >> yes. >> but one in particular catching my eye right now, your daughter caroline. >> sweet caroline. >> hi, sweetie. >> you know my family, we had 15 people here over the holidays. some are still here, my sister mary is still here with her daughter faith and christopher, her son, my brother-in-law tom and my husband john. my mom, dad -- >> you gave short shrift to your husband. look at that handsome guy. >> i told you guys that john was going to be here, i think every guy here at "gma" has a minor crush on you. >> minor. >> is that okay? >> as long as you do. >> that man could teach us all

something. >> all right, you guys, it's the time of year we have some very unique items that are served to us at the holiday parties that we've been attending. of course, the creamy cheese ball that is covered in nuts known as the cheese ball. >> i've never really tried it. >> do you make cheese balls, any of you? >> no. >> i eat those orange ones. >> i make toast once in a while. >> you make toast. and you have stale cheerios and mustard in the kitchen. >> yeah, that's right. >> is this regional? really, i cook, i've been in kitchens my whole life growing up. this is not a thing we ever grew up. >> who makes cheese balls? raise your hand. >> a smattering of applause. >> that's what i'm talking about. i'm from the midwest. there are apparently regional cheese balls. >> regional cheese balls. >> a jalapeno bacon cheese ball in texas or worcestershire and dried beef in ohio but this is the olympics for cheese ball fans. this is your olympics, cheese ball fans. >> is there crab in this? >> this is my mom's recipe, a shrimp cheese ball. >> say you like it.

>> it's good. >> taste it, you guys. will you please taste it. >> is mom amongst your family members? >> no, back with my dad watching. >> okay. >> it looks funny like those jell-os with things in it, but it's really good. >> like the jiggly jell-o things. you like it, dan? >> yeah, tastes good. >> no sugar in it so this -- >> in case your mom is watching it tastes really good. >> my mom used to make this on christmas eve and we would eat it on christmas eve when we had a party so -- >> there is some crab in there, right? crab? >> shrimp. >> shrimp. >> you can continue to eat your hors d'oeuvres while we -- i think we're going to games, right? oh, game night. [ applause ] okay. another thing people are enjoying this time of year with loved ones visiting and sometimes snowed in how many of you play games with your family over the holidays? [ applause ] okay. >> sara, can you raise your hand higher? >> no, that was as high as it goes. but we have -- it's also big among celebs and

we actually have a couple here. jude law posted an instagram photo a few days ago playing this popular one, watch cha mouth. >> could have gone with an easier title. >> they could have gone with an easier game. >> dan already refused to participate. we have that one here. katy perry playing pie face showdown a couple of days ago. i think we have it here. [ applause ] okay -- >> oh. >> yes. >> see, that's fun for everyone. >> see, especially katy perry because it's dessert. >> oh, my. >> t.j., we heard you guys don't play games. >> we don't. >> again, am i the nonregional guy today? i'm from the south who didn't play games and we didn't have cheese balls. i'm sorry but we're still a tight group. no, we -- my sister and i played this when we were coming up, operation, and that was it. >> a little sound effect. >> that one annoys me. the stress games annoy me. >> yeah, but when you get older

and you get of drinking age and you start playing, it takes on a whole new meaning. the game is a blast. >> never thought of a drinking game. live >> it's a blast. >> paula, i know you guys love it. you play watch cha mouth. >> we just bought this. over the holiday, watch cha your mouth. i have a photo of pretty much my whole family playing. i have to tell you we were rolling on the floor laughing. it's hilarious. >> we're all going to try it. >> paula has volunteered. >> yes, here's my -- >> two, three, my brother-in-law tom playing pie in the face. just a really great fun game for the family to play, but watch cha mouth is fun and you have to put these retainers in. >> it's a little visual. >> you put the retainer your mouth. >> i have too much leftover cheese ball for that at the moment. >> and then my phrase would be, there's a wasp in my pepsi. but you have the retainer in and it's almost impossible to understand what you're saying. >> i've ask dan because he owes me. he picks on me constantly, and

i have asked dan because he's not a game guy to learn to have fun with me and participate in the pie showdown. [ cheers and applause ] >> oh, my god, you're doing it. you're doing it. okay, are you ready? >> go, sara. >> okay, so -- >> the crowd is on my size. >> sara. >> so, what you do, you hit this button as much of the time as you can because you want to make it -- oh, my gosh, you're cheating. whoa. >> i think we need a redo. >> wait. >> do it again. >> do it again. >> more whipped cream. >> it's like popping up. whoa, paula. ready, go. put your face down. >> oh, my god, oh, my god. why isn't it going up? aaghh! [ applause ] >> this is the best day of my career. thank you. thank you. >> dan.

>> no. >> dan, you had the crowd cheering for you. >> how did you do that? you don't play games. >> this felt like that movie "gladiator" in the best possible way. >> you made a victory lap. >> i do -- i'll be running a victory lap after we go to commercial break but i don't want to pull a hamstring. >> you wonder why we don't play games in my house now. this is why. >> can you pass the whipped cream. >> oh, yeah. >> no, no, no, no. what do you think, i was born yesterday. >> no, i was going to squirt some in my mouth. >> wait. there's one more game. my game, that was not my game. >> okay. >> you still have some on your forehead. >> i know. i have it up my nose, guys. who thought this was a good idea? >> i did. >> no, but have you ever played taboo? >> i think i did. >> have you ever seen "four christmases" with reese witherspoon? >> you still got us.

>> still up there? >> no, on the references. >> okay, wait, i'll do one card. i cannot say certain words and i'll try to get you to say them. this is something you do in a sport that paula's husband plays. >> basketball. >> basketball. >> well, that's not the word. >> ball. >> you shoot, you dribble. >> dribble. yeah. i couldn't say drool, saliva, spit, basketball or bounce. >> why would you want to sdrool? >> you have dribble -- >> there are different forms of dribbling. >> we normally have one. >> okay, that's enough with the games. >> that's really fun, though. if you guys are looking for something to do with friends and family this time of year. >> do i have it on my face still? >> yes. >> check it out. >> other side. >> by the way, i'm not really into games. let's do more of these. tomorrow morning. >> of course, you are because you're 2-0 against sara. >> that was awesome. >> service so great. >> you cheated somehow. >> he did. he always cheats. we want to turn now to the movie "nocturnal animals," the intense thriller. >> that's so good. >> that sara loves, it's going to keep you on the edge of your seat and our michael strahan sat down with fashion designer turned director tom ford plus stars michael shannon and golden

globe nominee aaron taylor-johnson. >> when you love someone, you have to be careful with it. >> reporter: it's the second film from acclaimed fashion designer and director tom ford, a tense psychological thriller about the choices that define us. >> it's a cautionary tale about what can happen when you let go of people. and i'm a very loyal person. i keep people in my life. i don't let them go. you know, today's culture is so throwaway. we throw everything away. we throw people away. >> everything is disposable. >> everything is disposable but people shouldn't be. >> reporter: with an all-star cast "nocturnal animals" weaves together story lines from the past, present and imagined. >> the glove compartment. >> okay, i'm a gemini. my favorite color is petal pink and i like long walks and kittens. >> aaron, your role is a dark character. what did you study to get into the frame of mind to play this

character? >> i studied some pretty disturbing characters, serial killers like ted bundy, jeffrey dahmer and went into that kind of mind-set. >> when you two read this script did you say, okay, this is going to be good? >> i was scared. i thought it was very dark. imagining being in the situation that jake's character is in in this movie is horrifying. but it's something, you know, you contemplate and you think, well, would i be the hero? would i stand up for what i believe in? i thought that was something worth exploring. >> action. >> reporter: another thing worth exploring, what to wear for a meeting with tom ford. >> yeah, i'm not a real fashion plate but -- >> michael, you've got a look. you've got a look. >> it works. >> i kind of realized after i got there like, oh, maybe i should have dressed up a little bit but was i -- >> you were perfect. pretty much like you are now. i think a floral shirt would be good too. the important thing to find what suits you, find the thing you're comfortable in and that's your

style and you definitely have style, michael. [ cheers and applause ] >> yeah, tom ford tells you you have style, that's a pretty good thing. >> the movie is so good. >> how about tom ford. his second movie he's -- >> hey, did i tell you the time where i played a game with her with whipped cream and it hit her in the face. >> he's never going to let this die, is he, sara? >> nope. >> whatever. "nocturnal animals," everybody, is in theaters now. coming up, winter beauty fixes, simple solutions for you. just ahead. she won't be using cheerios or mustard. >> okay. [ cheers and applause ]

nice crowd out here. we are -- how are you guys doing? you guys are from maryland. how are the holidays treating you so far? >> good. >> where are you spending new year's's eve? >> back at home. >> what's a tradition for you, any big plans? >> to have fun with friends. >> do you get to stay up late till midnight? >> yes. >> are we negotiating that right now? don't want to get into trouble. where are you from? >> new jersey. another clear and cold start with sub freezing temperatures around our north and east bay valleys, but we'll be slightly warmer today. mid-50s shoreline to the low

i know somebody that's going to bed probably at 8:00, 9:00 on new year's eve. sara haines, back inside to you. i doubt it. i doubt it. >> that's what a baby will do to you, rob. time for time-saving winter beauty fixes, which we all need. gretta monahan is joining us with some simple home remedy solutions for cold weather problems courtesy of our sponsor the beauty brand number 7. welcome, gretta. >> so good to be here. >> now, this first one applies to me. >> chapped lips are a winter weather nightmare and i've got two easy tips for you to take care of this and save time. number one is a clean, new toothbrush. all you do, sara, take that in circular motions and rub it along the lips on a couple of passes, naked lips, soft, really easy going and takes all that dead skin off. second one is an at home easy little mixture i make up to polish and condition the lips, cinnamon, honey, sugar and warm water. equal parts, make this really

cool little paste and all you do is apply it a little on the lips, really expensive products are made this way for $20 and up and you can make this for crepts. exfoliate it or leave it on overnight. polished and get rid of that dead skin. second one, this is keeping our skin healthy. >> you want to -- when you want to save time and you want to supercharge your skin care regimen, i love number 7. this is an intense serum, so basically it's number 7 and it's an intense advance serum and what that means is the serum is packed with nutrients that deliver directly to the skin and literally take care of so many things about our skin that we want, they anti-age, they give you so many incredible benefits under your moisturizer. first thing, cleanse your skin, you apply a serum and then you do your moisturizer on top so it's sandwiched in there and it's working for you all the time. the best part is it doesn't have to be expensive. you can get number 7 protect and perfect intense advance serum at target for just under 30 bucks. >> yeah, i love affordable skin

care. >> really affordable. >> you're a spokesperson for number 7. >> i love it. it's just so easy to use. >> yes, but there are things we can eat which help our skin too because it starts on the inside. >> not all about what you put on the outside of your skin. it is about that and i think again antioxidants in products like number 7 are great but also what we eat. >> yes. >> so, i thought we'd do a fun little game. the first thing is we have our friends over here in the audience are going to help us. >> raise your hand if you're helping us. yes. >> what we're trying to do -- there they are. this is about do you know and i'm checking your i.q. do you know which has the most antioxidants and vitamin c out of all of these? so, i'm going to spin and let ee see what they say. what do you think? >> this one. >> what is that? the orange? >> the orange. >> actually it's the red pepper. >> that's amazing. i did not know that. >> i'm telling you a lot of people don't. antioxidants are so important to give us that daily glow from the inside out.

>> that's great. >> and the last -- >> who knew, right. [ applause ] >> okay. dry hair, flaky scalp. who wants that? it's something that happens always in the winter because our hair and scalp gets off balance. really simple tip. sara, just fill a spray bottle with water. one tablespoon of sea salt, shake it up and all you do -- i'm going to actually do it because i want to show you. all you do on dry hair, no fuss, no time is spritz it in between the root area. look at this hair. this is going to rebalance the scalp. also going to take the buildup off products to shine your hair. >> one we can all do. for more of gretta's tips go to our website and everyone here gets a bag from our sponsor number 7 and target. coming up, a performance by country superstar brett eldredge. [ applause ]

♪ oh the weather outside country music superstar brett eldredge is topping the billboard charts with number one hits like "wanna be that song" and "baby it's cold outside" now performing the holiday classic "let it snow" off his album "glow." [ applause ] ♪ ♪ oh the weather outside is frightful but the fire is so delightful ♪ ♪ and since we've no place to go ♪ ♪ let it snow! let it snow! let it snow! ♪ ♪ oh, it doesn't show signs of stopping ♪ ♪ and i've brought some corn for popping ♪ ♪ the lights are turned way down low ♪ ♪ let it snow! let it snow! let it snow! ♪ ♪ when we finally kiss good

night ♪ ♪ how i'll hate going out in the storm ♪ ♪ but if you'll really hold me tight ♪ ♪ all the way home i'll be warm ♪ ♪ the fire is slowly dying and, my dear, we're still good-bying ♪ ♪ but as long as you love me so ♪ ♪ let it snow! let it snow! let it snow! ♪ >> let's go. ♪ ♪ ♪ when we finally kiss good night how i'll hate going out in the storm ♪ ♪ but if you really hold me tight all the way home i'll be warm ♪

♪ the fire is slowly dying and my dear we're still good-bying ♪ ♪ but as long as you love me so ♪ ♪ let it snow! let it snow! let it snow ♪ ♪ baby let it snow ♪ let it keep on falling down [ applause ] >> all right. merry christmas, everybody.

okay, ready. go. >> a rematch. >> oh. [ cheers and applause ] >> oh. >> can you see? >> oh. i waited for that my whole life. thank you, "good morning america." >> how did it feel? had >> oh, my gosh, it was so nice to beat him. even cheating, i was fine with it. >> i'm fine. >> are you sure you're okay? >> where do i go to get my dignity back? >> you know what show you work for, right? >> you're welcome.

>> our longtime stage manager, fonzie, come up here. it's your birthday. >> get in here. ♪ happy birthday to you ♪ happy birthday to you ♪ happy birthday to you >> happy birthday, fonzie. ♪ happy birthday dear fonzie [ applause ] >> thanks for watching, everybody. make it a great wednesday. dan will regain his dignity tomorrow. we'll see you then. >> i doubt that. afoot and light-hearted i take to the open road. healthy, free, the world before me, the long brown path before me leading wherever i choose. the east and the west are mine.

the north and the south are mine. all seems beautiful to me. intercourse that's painful due to menopausal changes. it's not likely to go away on its own. so let's do something about it. premarin vaginal cream can help. it provides estrogens to help rebuild vaginal tissue and make intercourse more comfortable. premarin vaginal cream treats vaginal changes due to menopause and moderate-to-severe painful intercourse caused by these changes. don't use it if you've had unusual vaginal bleeding, breast or uterine cancer, blood clots, liver problems, stroke or heart attack, are allergic to any of its ingredients or think you're pregnant. side effects may include headache, pelvic pain, breast pain, vaginal bleeding and vaginitis. estrogens may increase your chances of

getting cancer of the uterus, strokes, blood clots, or dementia so use it for the shortest time based on goals and risks. estrogens should not be used to prevent heart disease, heart attack, stroke or dementia. ask your doctor about premarin vaginal cream.

good morning. it was another chilly tart. >> it looks so sunny and it is, but it is zooefing because we're still pretty chilly. 40s san jose, mid-40s in oakland. tons of sun and warmer for you. 34 in santa rosa and highs today, mild. upper 50s to low 60s with sunshine. >> okay sh we'll take it and we have a new problem on the peninsula. northbound 101 near embark der o road. we have injuries, so you can't see the back up. also, southbound 17, we've got a disabled vehicle. >> time now for live with kelly and i'll be back at 11:00.m.

i hope you join me >> announcer: it's "live with kelly." today we talk about "divorce" with sarah jessica parker, and actor sullivan stapleton is here, plus there's a doctor in the house, and we're getting our flu shots, and richard curtis is back to co-host, all next on "live." [upbeat music] ♪ now here are kelly ripa and richard curtis. [cheers and applause] ♪ >> kelly: i like this dance-off. i like it. yeah. ♪ >> richard: oh, my gosh, get this girl. whoo! come on, guys, kelly!