tv Good Morning America ABC April 28, 2021 7:00am-9:00am PDT
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>> sunday has everybody else. good morning, america.se. one step closer to normal. the cdc issues new mask guidelines for fully vaccinated americans. >> the bottom line is clear, if you're vaccinated, you can do more things more safely both outdoors as well as indoors. >> the president says that by the fourth of july we should be able to celebrate our independence from the virus. this comes as demand for vaccines is dropping but overseas, apocalyptic images out of india, as the country struggles with the covid crisis. the healthcare system collapsing. president biden says help is on the way. cdc director dr. rochelle walensky joins us live. first sell vision interview with one of the jurors from the
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derek chauvin trial, taking us led fme berioha offir'coic for the lt >> the fellow juror who was the lone hold-out on a lesser charge and what happened to change their mind. primetime address. president biden gearing up to unveil his sweeping trillion-dollar-plus american families plan calling for universal pre-kindergarten, free community college and a cap on child care costs saying the once in a generation plan could save the average family $13,000. and who is going to foot the bill? arrests overnight. >> hands up. [ crowd chanting ] >> as protesters defy a curfew taking to the streets for the seventh straight day over the deadly shooting of andrew brown. the new video taken moment what the family's independent autopsy reveals and what the sheriff said overnight. into the storm. almost a dozen tornadoes ripped through the plains. >> we're getting inside of it.
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we are in the tornado. >> these storm chasers in texas get dangerously close. >> we got to back up. >> and the new severe weather threats this morning from texas to new york. ♪ hungry like the wolf ♪ and where's the beef? why is one of the internet's most popular cooking websites saying good-bye to meat? the big beef this morning over beef. ♪ what did you say there, michael? >> i don't write it. i just say it. >> good morning, america. where's the beef? we are grateful that you are starting your wednesday with us. this morning we have one of the jurors, brandon mitchell, standing by for his first television interview. also ahead, the president's first speech to congress. that's a live look at the capitol where president biden will unveil his american families plan and address the covid crisis. more than 141 million americans have received at least one vaccine dose, that's more than 54% of american adults.
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that surpasses biden's goal for his first 100 days. new mask guidelines from the cdc say vaccinated americans don't have to wear masks in most outdoor settings. cdc director dr. rochelle walensky is standing by for more on that. >> so we have a lot to get to this morning. so let's get right to eva pilgrim at a mass vaccination site here in new york. good morning, eva. >> reporter: good morning, robin. yeah, we're at this site because many people are hoping these new guidelines will encourage people to come to locations like this to get their shot. take a look at our drone. you can see just how large this location is. this new update coming as many vaccine locations across the country are now reporting slowing demand. this morning, one step closer to normal. new federal guidelines recommending fully vaccinated americans can now ditch their masks outdoors during some activities. >> the bottom line is clear, if you're vaccinated, you can do more things more safely both
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outdoors as well as indoors. >> reporter: in a new road map the cdc giving vaccinated americans the green light to exercise outside, attend small outdoor gatherings, even with unvaccinated people, and dine outdoors with other households all without a mask. >> i feel as if we're moving forward and i can hopefully get back to work. >> i don't know. just not going to take a chance with other people's lives. i'm going to wear my mask and be as safe as possible till we get that herd immunity. >> reporter: more than 96 million americans are fully vaccinated. but demand for vaccines dipping in recent days. in iowa, 80 of the state's 99 counties are declining some or all of their vaccine allotments this week due to falling demand. the biden administration hoping that relaxing guidelines for those who are fully vaccinated will encourage those who have not yet gotten vaccinated to do so. the president hoping that by the fourth of july the u.s. will have turned a corner getting
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closer to normal. >> this is our target date to get life in america closer to normal and begin to celebrate our independence from the virus together with our friends and loved ones as we celebrate independence day. >> reporter: and it is still recommended that unvaccinated americans wear their masks outdoors when they are around other people. and the cdc is saying that everyone should wear a mask in crowded outdoor events. michael? >> all right, eva, thank you for that. and as the u.s. takes a step closer to normalcy, the covid crisis in india is worsening. new cases there are topping 300,000 every day now for a week. the healthcare system is on the brink of collapse with shortages of vital supplies. james longman is in london with the latest. good morning, james. >> reporter: yeah, good morning, michael. there are now nearly 18 million covid cases in india and even though the pictures we've seen so far are utterly shocking it's
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likely that the situation is going to get far worse. authorities have been criticized for being slow to act as more than 2,000 indians are dying every day. india has now recorded more than 200,000 covid deaths with the crisis deepening by the day. but experts warn the true numbers are likely much higher. >> we have patients who are waiting here for two days, they're not finding any hospital. they wanted oxygen because their doctor advised it. there's no medical facility, proper facility. >> reporter: a crippling oxygen shortage and overflowing hospitals causing these scenes, waves of sick people seemingly passed out lying on the sidewalk. families using any space they can to help loved ones. patient after patient gasping for air begging for medical assistance. >> the healthcare system has collapsed around us. hospitals have shut their gates. places are running out of medical oxygen. there's no ventilators to spare. medicine has run short and so many people are desperate to get
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for help. >> reporter: in new delhi, the horror out in the open. keift crematorms overwhelmed by increasing casualties, the lines of ambulances carrying the dead seem endless. >> these cremations that usually dispose of a few bodies every day are totally overwhelmed. they're setting up sites next to the official cremation grounds in empty lots and parking lots and parks and they're lighting on fire dozens of bodies at once. >> reporter: but help is on the way. the uk flying in ventilators and oxygen contractors to battle the infection with the u.s. following suit. president biden pledging his steadfast support saying he intends to send vaccines to stem the surge. >> we'll be able to send actual vaccines to india which would be my intention to do. >> reporter: there is now a global response to this crisis but it's spiraling out of control and fast. george? >> james, thanks very much. let's bring in the cdc director dr. rochelle walensky. i want to get to the mask guidance but first the crisis in india.
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we heard more aid is coming. so heartbreaking, so horrifying. what more must be done? >> good morning, george. yeah, the situation there is horrifying. our hearts go out to the entire country as they're battling this. we've been there before. we're working closely with the government of india. not just to consider vaccine deployment but to consider all sorts of supplies including oxygen canisters. the cdc has had a very close relationship with the infectious disease experts in the ministry of health in india and we're deploying a strike team to go deoyed -- we'vse over about -- we're working to ou500 canisters of oxygen to start and woin upplies as soon asn. >> let's talk about the mask guidance here at home. what is the most important thing people need to know about it? >> you know, i think the most important thing people want is to -- well, they want the vaccine to protect themselves from hospitalizations and deaths.
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but what people are really interested in, who haven't been touched by this disease, is to really get life back to normal and in a lot of people's minds, that is to get rid of the mask. so we're excited to be able to say, if you are vaccinated we are able to say that it's safe to take off your mask in outdoor settings. >> how about inside for grandparents vaccinated, can they be at a gathering with their unvaccinated grandchildren inside? >> right, so, this is our third release of guidance for fully vaccinated people. our initial guidance was about private settings. we said in our first guidance for vaccinated people that vaccinated grandparents can be with their unvaccinated children as long as there's nobody who is severely immunosuppressed or worried that the vaccine might not work. >> can they take the masks off inside or no? >> indeed they can. indeed they can in those small private settings where most are vaccinated. >> as we look ahead, what will it take to relax the guidelines for indoor mask wearing for
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everyone? >> yeah, that's a really great question. as we have more data, as more people are getting vaccinated we have a third of adults now, over 50% have received their first shot and as more and more people are vaccinated we're also watching as the case counts start to come down in this country. so case counts coming down, we have increasing data on the efficacy of vaccination, not just in preventing severe disease but also preventing transmission, and we'll be looking to update those guidances again. >> finally, last month you said you had a feeling of impending doom. do you still have that feeling, or has it passed? >> you know, i have a feeling of cautious optimism now. we were seeing cases go up. we were seeing people relaxing their measures and i was really worried that we were in for yet another surge. i will say we have plateaued our cases. cases are starting to come down. we think this is related to increased vaccination, increased
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people taking caution, and so i'm cautiously optimistic that we're turning the corner. one quick point, though, and that is that we can't necessarily look at the entire country as a whole because we know this virus is an opportunist and so what we really need to be careful of, if there are pockets of places that haven't been vaccinated, large communities, that is where the virus is going to strike. so we really need to make sure that we have uniform coverage of vaccination across the country. >> very good point but cautious optimism a lot better than impending doom. dr. walensky, thanks for your time and information. all of you at home can go to goodmorningamerica.com for more information on when you do and do not need to wear a mask. robin? now to the first television interview with one of the jurors in the derek chauvin trial. brandon mitchell was 1 of 12 who found chauvin guilty on all three charges that led to the former police officer's conviction for the murder of george floyd. i spoke to brandon just moments ago. good morning, brandon. thank you for your willingness to share with us what went on
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inside that jury room in the deliberations. please tell us. >> first, i want to start off by sending my condolences to the floyd family. i haven't had a chance to do that publicly, so i want to do that first and foremost. but now the deliberation room, it was pretty much for the most part it was straightforward. there were a few hiccups with terminology and understanding exactly what the instructions were for each case. but, like i said, for the most part we got in, we got out. there wasn't too much banter back and forth. >> was there one juror, though, on one of the lesser charges that was a hold-out for awhile? >> yes, so, i mean we probably deliberated for four hours and of that four hours it was -- it was -- i guess we were going over more so the terminology that was being used to make sure that we understood exactly what was being asked. i think the one juror that was
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kind of -- i wouldn't say slowing us down, but was being delicate with the process more so, was just kind of hung up on a few words within the instructions and just wanted to make sure that they got it right. >> and so how were you -- that's how you were able to convince this particular juror? clarification of the wording? >> yes. yes, so we just kind of went around the room, we broke down -- we literally broke down the sentences and what the meanings were and described it several different ways from different perspectives until we came to a common conclusion. >> brandon, you know that there are some people who believe that the racial climate and the protests in the streets may have impacted the deliberations. was that ever discussed and was that an issue at all? >> we weren't watching the news so we don't know what was going on. we were really just locked in on the case and then with so much stress coming from the case -- i
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mean, those things are so secondary because you're literally throughout the trial you're watching somebody die on a daily basis. so that stress alone is enough to take your mind away from whatever is going on outside of the four walls of the courtroom. that was not even -- that wasn't even something that was in any of our minds. i don't think so. >> what was the impact of that 9 minute 29 second video and was that the difference maker? >> the video is -- it's a historic video, unfortunately, and then seeing the multiple angles of it from the body cams, from the other cell phones, it was probably the most important piece of evidence. >> was there any testimony? was there one piece of testimony for you that made a difference? >> yes, so for me i'll say two.
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for sure donald williams, just how he spoke about everything. and dr. tobin, i think once dr. tobin got on the stand and the way he spoke and the details that gave and the way he gave the details, i thought that eli really solidified the prosecution's case. >> derek chauvin not taking the stand, did that have an impact, not hearing from him, the former officer? >> yeah, definitely it did. when we were in the deliberation room, you know, a few people wondered, like, they wanted to hear from -- they were curious on, you know, just what his thoughts might have been throughout. you know, probably was to his detriment that he didn't take the stand because people were curious on what his thoughts were throughout the entire incident. >> it was a very -- i don't have to tell you -- a very diverse jury. everybody around you, they ranged in ages from 20 to 60, five men, seven women, four
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black, six white, two self-identify as multiracial. your experience, you believe, has shown the importance of black men to show up for jury duty. why do you believe that? >> yes, so i mean in order for change to happen we got to get us to those type of avenues, get into those rooms and we got to show up for jury duty. we have to vote. those are things that are important to the society as a whole and if we want to be viewed differently in society and start to see different results we have to start to do those things. we cannot avoid them. we can't put them on the back burner. we have to put them in the forefront and jury duty is definitely one of those things, especially with the insane number of black men being incarcerated. so, yes, so we definitely have to get on those panels and stuff like that. >> you began by giving your condolences to the george floyd family. you haven't had a chance to speak with them. what would you want to say to them?
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>> his name is going to live on. his legacy is now cemented in history. it's now become so much bigger than him as an individual. he's now become almost -- he's become a legacy and it's a legacy that will forever be here and that will forever hopefully create some change within society. and that is huge and that is unfortunate. it's a positive lining within a negative -- a negative result as is his death, but that's just me as a positive person looking towards the bright side. except at the end of the day still lost a brother, nephew, a cousin, a man that lost his life but his name will live on and what his name means now is so much more than what they probably imagined. it's literally cemented in history. >> well, brandon mitchell, thank you very much for your time this morning. and thank you for fulfilling your civic duty. wishing you all the best. >> absolutely.
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>> take care. >> absolutely, thank you. >> just gives you a little insight. >> always fascinating to hear how the jurors make up their minds in those situations. >> think about how many people always trying to avoid jury duty. it just shows you the importance of showing up. >> you got to show up. >> great interview. we're following a lot of other headlines this morning, including the latest in the fallout over another deadly police shooting of andrew brown jr. we'll tell you what the sheriff said overnight. first let's go to ginger. >> george, at least ten reported tornadoes. you can see one of the landspouts captured on camera there. the watch still in place, flash flood warnings all the way to kentucky and indiana. that's the big picture. let's get to summerlike cities sponsored by walmart.
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good morning. welcome to wednesday. a brighter day today, calmer and warmer day. you will notice that mostly around the bay and inland. more clouds tonight. patchy fog and milder temperatures. it will be coolest this weekend with the fastest breezes. we will definitely notice the sea breezes. 70s around the bay and 80s inland. tonight, we fall back into the up nice to see the weather is warming up. just like our show. >> ooh. >> we'll be right back. >> we'll be right back. ♪
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good morning. pretty clear with temperatures in the mid-40s to low 50s. let's see what is going on with the commute. everything is going to be good. the usual areas, the golden gate bridge, the delta will be a little breezy. we have tons of pollen. even weed, grass, and mold spores. a cooling trend this weekend. another abc7 update in
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>> we'll give you a lot of headlines instead. new cdc guidelines are out there now about vaccinated americans saying they no longer need to wear masks in most outdoor settings. the president says that by the fourth of july we should be able to celebrate our independence from the virus, and the president in his first address to congress will lay out his vision tonight including universal prekindergarten. also right now, the summer travel season may see a gas shortage all because of the lack of tanker trucks. an industry trade group says as many as 25% of the trucks that bring fuel to stations may be off the road due to fewer drivers because the pandemic made the existing driver shortage even worse so keep that in mind. take a little look outside. people are coming back to times square. that group is from minnesota. yeah, went outside and they said, hey, this is like summertime for them.
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being in the 50s right here, but it is going to get a little warmer. a lot more ahead. an exclusive travel alert about changing your flight plans and the look-alike third-party sites that may charge more than the airlines. that is coming up. now we turn to the latest in the fallout over the deadly police shooting of andrew brown jr. overnight, protesters were arrested for defying curfew and the governor of north carolina now calling for a special prosecutor to look into the deadly encounter. victor oquendo is in elizabeth city with more this morning. good morning, victor. >> reporter: good morning, michael. that curfew really frustrating protesters who have taken to the streets peacefully for a week now asking for answers. this morning, we have a new look at the moments before andrew brown jr. was shot and killed. [ crowd chanting ] elizabeth city police in riot gear overnight as protesters defy a curfew taking to the streets for a week straight after andrew brown jr. was fatally shot by deputies.
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in the new video taken moments before brown was killed north carolina sheriff's deputies seen racing down the street piled in the back of a truck speeding up to his home. they say with the intent to serve a warrant for drug charges. you can hear them shout commands, moments later he was shot and killed. >> it looked like a hit squad, deputy sheriffs with weapons, fully loaded, pulling up on a citizen. >> reporter: despite growing calls for transparency and mounting pressure, the body camera video from those deputies has not been made public. brown's family says they were only shown 20 seconds of footage from a single camera. on tuesday, the famy and hast f times in the and onc head. >> it was a kill shot to the back of the head. >> reporter: the state releasing his death certificate confirming he died in minutes of a
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penetrating gunshot wound of the head. the family says the shooting happened as he was trying to drive away. their attorney says no weapons or drugs were found in brown's car or in the house at the time. >> a black man unarmed, a bullet in back of his head for no reason whatsoever. >> reporter: the fbi has opened a civil rights investigation into the shooting. the sheriff here saying that he wants answers as much as the public does. under north carolina law it's up to a judge to sign off on the release of body cam video and a hearing on that is scheduled for later this morning. we'll be following it. michael. >> everyone definitely wants answers. victor, thank you so much. we go back to we go back to washington now. take a live look at the capitol where president biden will deliver his first address to a joint session of congress tonight. the focus his plan for infrastructure, education and child care. our chief white house correspondent cecilia vega tracking the latest. one of the big questions on the table, how to pay for the plan. >> reporter: that is the big question heading into today, george, and the white house as you mentioned earlier is calling this a once in a generation investment in the future.
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this will be the focus of this big speech tonight. some of the details on what the president is planning to unveil. we are talking about huge number, 200 billion for universal pre-k for 3 and 4-year-olds. paid and family medical leave for up to 12 weeks. this would save the average american family $13,000 and look at this one, the price tag, $1.8 trillion, white house says they're going to pay for it by raising taxes on the wealthiest americans, we're talking about the top 1% of earners. they're also going to close tax loopholes, up tax enforcement. we've been talking about it for a while. this will be a real uphill climb to see this pushed through. republicans, even some democrats are already balking at this huge price tag. >> like most everything else these days this is addressed to the joint session transformed by the pandemic. >> reporter: exactly. we are going to see the president make that traditional walk down the aisle but there are going to be just 200 people in that chamber. this is not going to be the
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packed house of 1600 that we normally see. there's not going to be a first lady's box with special guests that the white house will highlight. most cabinet members will be watching this one from home so, george, no reason for a designated survivor this year, and this is a big first right behind the president for the first time in history, two women, the vice president and the speaker of the house, nancy pelosi. >> that is history. cecilia vega, thanks very much. abc will have live coverage tonight at 9 eastern, 8:00 central. we switch gears to the story behind the startling video we first showed you on tuesday. remember this car bursting into flames on a texas highway. all caught on camera, thankfully no one was injured. now the driver and passenger of that car are talking about what happened. will reeve has those details for us. good morning, will. >> reporter: hey, robin, you see that explosion and you fear the worst. it's uniquely huge and horrifying but the passengers are okay. they did speak to "gma" because when everything went wrong, they did everything right.
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this morning, three teenagers lucky to be alive after this explosion on a texas highway. >> oh, my. >> reporter: watch as this video from another car shows smoke and flames billowing out the back of the video and then the blast. the car engulfed in a fireball. the explosion booming across the lanes of highway 114 outside dallas. >> i saw that there was flames. >> reporter: the passengers escaping just in time. one of them 18-year-old ethan calling 911. >> hello 911. >> our car broke down on the side of the road and now it's smoking. >> okay, it's on east highway 114 eastbound? >> yeah, ma'am, it's on fire right now. >> reporter: before the explosion ethan and his friend jose who was driving could tell something was off. >> i knew something was wrong so i stopped and then we just walked down the hill to the other side of the road by a church and then it blew up. >> reporter: authorities rshing to the scene where nobody was
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hurt. quick thinking by the boys likely saving their lives. authorities praised the actions of those boys and said they did everything right, and if you find your car smoking, you want to stop, get out, get away and call 911. guys. >> good advice there. >> thanks very much. coming up, travel alert. the better business bureau has a new warning about sites that may charge more than the airlines to switch your flight, that's only on "gma" this morning. (it's a skirt... and shorts) the world is going hybrid. so, why not your cloud? a hybrid cloud with ibm helps bring all your clouds together. that means you can access all your data, modernize without rebuilding, and help keep things both open and secure. that's why businesses from retail to banking are going hybrid with the technology and expertise of ibm.
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back now with our exclusive travel alert. airline bookings are skyrocketing but now the better business bureau is warning travelers about third-party booking companies that may take you for a ride. rebecca jarvis is in newark airport with that. good morning, rebecca. >> reporter: good morning, george. yeah, they're in the middle of an announcement here at newark airport, but so many people are now going to be hearing these announcements again after blowing up their travel plans in the pandemic. they are now back to flying and guess what else is rising, consumer complaints. so here's how you can get away from those extra fees when booking your flights. kathleen needed to rebook her family's flight from orlando. >> i googled how do i get a person with american airlines and then i called that number that came up. >> she says someone answered right away. >> i asked if i was speaking to american airlines, he said that i am a representative of american airlines.
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>> reporter: she says he told her it would cost $400 to change her flights. but she says she became suspicious when he sent her a document to sign from a company called travel service pad. >> i said i'm not signing this and he said, you have to sign it or you're going to lose your flight. >> reporter: she said that she then called american airlines directly and was able to change her flights free of charge. >> consumers need to be careful when online searching for an airline or other travel service. they may come across a website that looks like it's the real deal but it could be a third party that's going to charge an extra fee for a transaction that you could have done for yourself for free. >> reporter: security expert teresa peyton says this could happen all too easily. why are people making this mistake? >> you look up rebook my flight and you put in the airline's name and a number comes up. chances are, if that travel company has purchased a google ad and put in the search engine terms things like the airline
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name, rebooking flights that that ad will be one of the first results returned to you. >> these service providers, how might you know if you're on a call with one of them? >> to avoid accidentally talking to one of them, really do your homework first. >> reporter: the company she spoke to, travel service pad, also known as globehunters, has a d rating and an alert from the better business bureau. >> we've opened an investigation into the pattern that we're seeing. >> reporter: the florida attorney general's office says it's investigating complaints about travel service pad and globehunters. the companies telling "gma" we never say on the call that we are the airline. we never charge the customer without the customer actually acknowledging all the flight details and change fees by signing the document sent to them from the agent. and while there are many reputable third-party travel websites, your best bet going directly to the airlines themselves. check out their websites. call them at the number listed
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on their website. george. >> rebecca, what are the things people should know about booking travel right now? >> reporter: so you always have to read the fine print here. a lot of policies have changed because of the pandemic. use a credit card when you're booking. that way you can take it up with the credit card company and dispute the charge and make sure you have that documentation, emails, texts, and once you get to the airport you can enjoy these messages, george. >> okay, rebecca jarvis, thanks very much. michael. >> nice little touch. all right, stay right there. we're coming back with our "play of the day." lay of the day."
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♪ we're back now with our "play of the day," and one man's hole-in-one dream come true. watch golfer michael sisacki make this putt. that putt qualified him for his first-ever pga tour event. he's been trying to qualify for seven years. yeah, now, he's going to compete this week in tampa and the best part is getting to call his dad and give him the news. check it out. >> hey, dad, how are you? >> i'm great. >> i made it. >> i love you. you did it. you deserve it.
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>> thank you. >> that video getting 1.2 million views. michael said his parents pushed him to be the best he can be and sacrificed their own dreams for his so best of luck to michael this weekend in tampa. we'll be pulling for you and, boy, that just gets you. > that's great. coming up, we have the modern-day african princess who is a mentor to young women and an aspiring rapper. rapper. many plug-ins are stuck in the past. they release a lot of scent at first but after a while, you barely know they're working. new febreze fade defy plug works differently. it's the first plug-in with built-in technology to digitally control how much scent is released to smell 1st day fresh for 50 days. it even tells you when it's ready to be refilled. upgrade to febreze fade defy plug.
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i was not. not being able to see each other over the last year has been hard. but we've made it work. [piano music begins to build] it's their first time being grandparents, so they don't want to miss a single moment. and i don't either. [piano music slows down] [music gently fades out] [ heavy breathing ] allergies with nasal congestion overwhelming you? breathe more freely with powerful claritin-d. claritin-d improves nasal airflow two times more than the leading allergy spray at hour one. [ deep inhale ] claritin-d. get more airflow. welcome back to "gma." there was some extra drama in the plains with this tornado. you have to see these storm chasers getting far too close. >> look at it right there. there's the funnel right there.
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>> not only the ten reported tornadoes from there through colorado, that was benjamin, texas, but also the hail had to be moved by plows in colorado. that's kit carson, and then we have severe storms on the way, tulsa to san antonio today, cleveland to buffalo also included. but we have a lot more coming up on "gma" and that includes a major announcement in the fight against covid. you'll see that live right here on "good morning america." plus, billy porter with us live to talk all about the final season of his hit show, "pose." this segment sponsored by this segment sponsored by goog so you just scored amazing savings at ross? mmm-hmm. on brands that take you from me time... ...to go time... ...in no time. hi. get the best bargains ever on looks that work anywhere... ...at ross. yes for less!
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building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc7 news. >> good morning. let's check in with jobina . unless people have learned to levitate, i'm assuming they're sitting in traffic. >> reporter: [ laughter ] that was a great transition. we are still here at the same spot. the bay bridge toll plaza is packed this morning. metering lights came on at 6:13. expect delays. same thing for people traveling from the east bay into the north bay on the richmond san rafael bridge. mike, traffic is back. >> it looks like those helicopter taxis may be coming back too. let's take a look at the tree pollen and uv index, both
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very high. protect yourself from that. temperatures 70s and 80s inland. warmer today, brighter, with less breezes. those all come back this weekend. >> all right. another abc7 news update in 30 minutes. you can always find someday, looking back on the pandemic, you'll want to be proud to say i did everything i could. i found the strength. i looked out for everyone. i did what i could to keep my family safe. i will say, i did my part. while covid-19 is in the air, please, protect yourself and others. wear a mask, keep your distance, and get vaccinated when it's your turn. santa clara county.
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aidswalk.net good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. the cdc with new mask guidelines for fully vaccinated americans. >> the bottom line is clear, if you're vaccinated, you can do more things more safely both outdoors as well as indoors. >> the president saying by the fourth of july, we should be able to celebrate our independence from the virus. this coming as the demand for vaccines is dropping in recent days. cdc director dr. rochelle walensky talking to "gma" this morning. inside afghanistan. as the may 1st deadline to start withdrawing troops gets closer new warnings about the taliban and extremism. we're on the ground with the latest. also this morning, a major announcement in the fight against covid. the silicon valley power couple
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stepping up to help in a big way. their challenge to other tech titans this morning. where's the beef? why is one of the internet's most popular cooking websites saying good-bye to meat? the praise and controversy this morning. and category is fabulous. >> miss thing with the reveal. >> get ready to strike a pose with the one and only billy porter. and he's saying -- >> good morning, america. ♪ baby, ready or not ♪ well, good morning, billy porter. and good morning to america as well on this wednesday morning. want to thank you for starting your day with us. >> we cannot wait to talk to billy porter about "pose" and it seems -- he's looking forward to joining us as well and he tweeted overnight, nothing like some hot tea in the morning, yes, indeed. >> you never know what he's going to put in that tea when he comes on here. >> that's true too. we have a lot of news to get
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to this morning including those new mask guidelines from the cdc, saying vaccinated americans don't have to wear them in most outdoor settings. want to go back to eva pilgrim at a mass vaccination site in new york. good morning, eva. >> reporter: good morning, george. yeah, many are hoping those new guidelines will encourage people to come to locations like this. take a look at our drone, and you can see how large this site is. the new update coming as many vaccine locations all across the country are now reporting slowing demand. this morning, one step closer to normal. new federal guidelines recommending fully vaccinated americans can now ditch their masks outdoors during some activities. >> the bottom line is clear, if you're vaccinated, you can do more things, more safely, both outdoors as well as indoors. >> reporter: in a new road map the cdc giving vaccinated americans the green light to exercise outside, attend small outdoor gatherings, even with unvaccinated people, and dine
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outdoors with other households all without a mask. >> i feel as if we're moving forward and i can hopefully get back to work. >> i don't k i just am not going to take a chance with other people's lives. i'm going to wear my mask and be as safe as possible till we get that herd immunity. >> reporter: more than 96 million americans are now fully vaccinated, but demand for vaccines dipping in recent days. george speaking to cdc director dr. rochelle walensky this morning. >> last month you said you had a feeling of impending doom. do you still have that feeling or has it passed? >> you know, i have a feeling of cautious optimism now. i will say we have plateaued our cases. cases are starting to come down. we think that this is related to increased vaccination, increased people taking caution, and so i'm cautiously optimistic that we're turning the corner. >> reporter: back out here, at this mass vaccination site, s nowhere ne alo as we have seen previously. it's also important to note that
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the cdc is still recommending that everyone wear a mask when they're outdoors at crowded events and any time they're at an indoor public place. george? >> eva pilgrim, thanks very much. michael? now to that looming may 1st deadline for american troops to withdraw from afghanistan. there are new concerns about the taliban and extremism. ian pannell is live in afghanistan. good morning, ian. >> reporter: yeah, good morning, that's right. america's longest war is finally coming to an end, but this morning, there are real warnings about what it could mean in the future for u.s. security and afghan lives. this morning, the u.s. ordering some staff at the embassy in afghanistan to leave because of security threats. the military withdrawal set to officially start this weekend has already begun as the u.s. beefs up defenses to protect troops pulling out. the taliban now more powerful and confident than at any time since they were ousted.
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in an exclusive interview, a interview, a taliban taliban commander warning the u.s. must stick to the original withdrawal date of may 1st or face consequences. he says if something happens, it'll be unfortunate for the u.s. >> that sounds like a veiled threat. >> this way. this way. >> reporter: president biden pushing the deadline for forces to move out to september 11th. experts now warning when the troops leave, extremism could threaten america again. >> there are more than 20 terrorist groups actively operating as we speak in 22 provinces of this country. >> so when america says extremism has been defeated, you're suggesting it hasn't. >> it's fiction. it's a myth. >> reporter: the world now watching amid fears of what the pullout means for afghans. >> what we do over the next four months is going to impact the lives of women for generations to come. >> reporter: at this u.s.-funded girls high school a sense of betrayal and fear for the future. >> we should continue our lessons and our wishes should
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come true. >> reporter: so with the taliban refusing to accept this new september the 11th deadline, the real fears here that there could be some kind of spectacular attack against u.s. forces or u.s. interests in the coming days. but the military here assuring us they're ready to defend themselves. michael? >> all right, thank you so much, ian. coming up, we have the hugely popular cooking app and website that's no longer publishing new beef recipes. we'll get into that. "gma" is taking you behind palace doors to the monarchy of eswatini with one modern princess. plus, billy porter is live ahead of the final season of "pose." we'll be right back. ♪ baby, then you'll know your love is real ♪ ♪ express yourself ♪ still lots of room. just more to view. still the big move. just more moving. still singing. just more in tune.
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♪ that's just the way you make me feel ♪ traffic out there in times square this morning on this wednesday morning. tomorrow, michael b. jordan is going to tell us about his new movie, "without remorse," and also, "deals & steals" with great ideas for mother's day. >> i will be here for michael b. time now for "pop news" with lara. good morning, lara. >> hey, good morning to you, all. we're going to begin and get right to it with billie eilish. the grammy winner changing her tune with her second album going from bad guy to the new title "happier than ever." here's a little sneak peek. ♪ i'm away from you i'm happier than ever ♪ >> that song "happier than ever" drops tomorrow at midnight. eilish says this second studio album has made her feel just
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like the title, writing this is my favorite thing i've ever created. i've never felt so much love for a project than i do for this one. "happier than ever" drops july 30th. so talented. also popping this morning, historic first on "wheel of fortune" last night. as producers offer the final contestant the chance to win a house on the wheel. that lucky person was sixth grade teacher laura trammell and she actually did it. >> i caught a glimpse. >> that's it. >> whoo! >> she caught a glimpse. she caught a glimpse of her new home. >> oh! oh! oh! >> this is just nuts. laura, $398,690 you have. you feeling okay? >> i think so. >> she did it. she wins a vacation home in florida.
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of course, the first person she shared the news with was her husband dave who responded to her call saying, you went on "wheel" and you won a house? you're amazing. and she sure is. congratulations to her. finally this morning, a little boy from georgia stealing more hearts than bases, maybe. brady berman, well, he made it to first base. but when his coach said go for it, go, steal second base. well, brady made a little detour. take a look. >> watch the base. oh, no, no, brady, go back to the base. go back to the base. go back to the base. >> brady saw his grandfather in the stands and he wanted to steal a hug. forget the base. people online loving brady's priorities. one person saying the sweet vdeo made her emotional, writing, so there is crying in baseball. even the mlb, cincinnati reds
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agreed with brady's choice writing, sometimes hugging grandpa is way more important than stealing second. and with that, i send it back to you guys in the studio. >> all right, lara, thank you for sharing. brady berman, that's a great name. i have our "gma" cover story for you. the hugely popular cooking website "epicurious" that's been dishing out recipes and advice for 25 years has announced they'll no longer the move stirring up controversy. kaylee hartung is in l.a. with that story for us. good morning, kaylee. >> reporter: good morning, robin. we've all been warned it can be dangerous to talk politics at the dinner table. as "epicurious" takes beef off the menu it's inviting a conversation about ways to help fight climate change. want to stir up the perfect beef teriyaki or how about the best
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burger to throw on the grill? "epicurious" has been dishing out expert advice for a quarter of a century but now, for meat lovers, the beef stops here. the site announcing we've cut out beef. beef won't appear in any new "epicurious" recipes. the shift solely about sustainability. its editors explaining we think of this decision as not anti-beef but rather pro-planet. >> it does signal in a way that "epicurious" is taking climate change seriously. this could get them some support for -- from the socially conscious consumers, especially young people. >> reporter: according to the united nations food and agricultural organization, nearly 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions comes from livestock and cattle are responsible for the majority of those emissions. meat consumption around the world is increasing rapidly over the past 50 years with americans on average eating more than any other country. "epicurious" writing, cutting out just a single ingredient, beef, can have an outsize impact on making a person's cooking more environmentally friendly.
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the announcement prompting thousands of reactions on social media. best-selling cookbook author hetty mckinnon saying this is one of the best decisions and the world thanks you while angie mar calls it one of the most shortsighted idiotic things i've ever seen. >> critics of their move could argue that beef consumption, that cattle itself, that they're not the problem. the problem is our animal agriculture systems, that if we chose sustainable ways of growing cattle, that the beef consumption could thrive without hurting the planet. >> reporter: and among those critics the american meat institute says a stunt like this won't help the environment. "epicurious" isn't taking down any of the beef recipes it has. they're not just posting new ones and quietly haven't posted any beef dishes in well over a year. they say home cooks have rallied around the alternatives. we need chef boy-ar-stra to try
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them out. robin. >> you're right about that, kaylee. >> cutting out beef is kind of a moo-t point. moo. dad joke. forgive me. i have kids. i'm a dad. we turn to day two of our series "behind palace doors." we're going all the way to the southern tip of africa, to the country of eswatini, for an inside look at the life of a modern-day african princess and amy is here with that. good morning, amy. >> that's right. good morning, guys. earlier i sat down with the eldest daughter of the last absolute monarchy in all of africa as the minister of information, and, yes, an aspiring rapper, this princess is shattering the idea of what it means to be modern day royalty. take a look. the eldest daughter of king mswati iii of eswatini, formerly known as swaziland.
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her father the last absolute monarch on the african continent. globally there are a handful of absolute rulers, heads of state with real executive, legislative and judicial power. people here in the united states when they think of royalty often think of european royals. give us a sense what it's like to be an african royal. >> i believe it is the same worldwide. it is not privilege. it's a life of responsibilities, of service to the people. >> reporter: the princess serving an important role in her country as the minister of information, communications and technology. >> i request my colleagues in government to take the position of enablers of innovation. >> reporter: and a mentor to young women, the princess even leading them during an annual cultural event called the reed dance. your father is the king, of course. does that make him your boss? >> eswatini is a country that halos culture and tradition and so we've never actually had an
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interaction with the king as a parent and he's always been our king. >> that's fascinating, your royal highness. have you ever called him dad? >> i have said, dad, to him once in a song. ♪ we love you daddy we do ♪ and he relished it and for the first time he referred to me by my nickname which is pashu whereas he always refers to me formally. your the king's eldest daughter. >> i was shocked when i arrived in the states when i found there were certain religious groups that practiced polygamy. so that really broaden my mind.
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>> your royal highness. you're your father's eldest daughter. the way it works there, would you ever be eligible to become the leader of that country? >> the succession is both he red tear and elective. it goes as far back as 40 on years. it will be somebody in line, a male, and i don't have the specifics on how it's done. >> but it would be a male, so no queen, you're looking for king always to be the monarch. >> it's not discriminatory in any way. it's just every household has its roles and we live by those roles. and make the best of them. >> reporter: he's faced criticism for the economic
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inequality between the family and the roughly 1 million people he rules. >> the monarch has absolute control and authority over most aspects of society. that can range from political, economic to societal. there is a lot of control of information and so we don't know much about what's going on. >> reporter: but princess sikhanyiso is a staunch defender of the monarchy. >> with our king there is an open door policy to him and anyone can see him. so they see the king as somebody reachable loving and caring. >> you have a son who just celebrated his 1st birthday. what would you say the biggest lesson you've learned so far as a mother? >> i have a renewal to make eswatini a better eswatini for my son and the generations to come and for him to grow up in a different eswatini from me that is more advanced economically and holistically. >> it's important to note that salutism is controversial.
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experts we spoke with highlighted some of the issues in eswatini like high rates of food insecurity, hiv, limited freedom of expression. but like you heard the princess say, she is committed to making the country a better place for her son and the generations to come. >> that was a great job, amy. tomorrow, we go behind the palace doors of the british royal family on william and kate's tenth wedding anniversary and this is after the royal family rift and many are wondering if the duke and duchess of cambridge can save the monarchy? but now let's go to ginger. hey, ginger. let's enjoy this springlike weather. it will feel like summer by afternoon. that's central park, how gorgeous with all of the blossoms out. the lawns full and it's just -- it makes you feel so positive. philadelphia today, upper 80s. new york city should hover around 28. if we go above 82 that will be the warmest of the season, near 90 good morning. welcome to wednesday.
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a brighter day today, calmer and warmer day. you will notice that mostly around the bay and inland. more clouds tonight. patchy fog and milder temperatures. it will be coolest this weekend with the fastest breezes. we will definitely notice the sea breezes. 70s around the bay and 80s inland. tonight, we fall back into the up we now have a first look at the new history channel documentary on the killing of osama bin laden. it is packed with new information about the historic raid including firsthand accounts from mission members. erielle reshef has the story. good morning, erielle. >> reporter: good morning to you, george. this documentary provides a sweeping look at this raid and the calculations behind it. many of the key players laying out their experience bringing the mastermind of 9/11 to justice. >> there was no way for us to absolutely confirm that it was bin laden. >> reporter: it was the daring covert operation at a pakistan
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compound that changed the course of history. >> the united states has conducted an operation that killed osama bin laden, the leader of al qaeda. >> reporter: now, ten years after the raid on the osama bin laden hideout, the history channel releasing "the hunt for bin laden." >> the president asked can you do this mission and i was very candid. i said, mr. president, i don't know. >> reporter: the two-hour documentary pulling back the curtain on the planning and technical execution of the risky and momentous mission. >> what the film does for me is to breathe life into the commitment that we universally made in the aftermath of the attack never to forget, and we didn't forget for ten years until we found osama bin laden. >> reporter: unnamed members of s.e.a.l. team 6 and several army helicopter pilots sharing firsthand accounts. >> i remember watching the twin towers go down in the library of my high school.
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it definitely strengthened my belief in what i wanted to do. join the military and serve my country. >> reporter: and key decision makers giving an unprecedented window into the anatomy of the operation that killed the world's most wanted man. what do you believe the lasting impact of this raid has been and will continue to be on the national security of this country? >> it demonstrated in a very vivid way that, you know, when the united states was attacked like that, it will persevere endlessly and go to the ends of the earth to find and bring to justice the perpetrators. >> reporter: and this documentary was made in partnership with the 9/11 memorial and museum. it also provides firsthand accounts from those trench level analysts who were tracking bin laden's movements day in and day out. it is truly riveting. "revealed: the hunt for bin
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building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions, this is abc7 news. >> good morning. we are checking in with a look at traffic now. >> thank you and good morning, everyone. the bay bridge toll plaza is still the hot spot. it has been this way since 6:13 this morning. bringing you a live look here. checking in on the richmond san rafael bridge, busy for people making their way westbound. speeds will pick up once you make it all the way across the bridge. the east bay is the hot spot, bringing you average speeds there travelling through berkeley and emeryival. in the south bay, all lanes closed because of downed wires southbound 35 between bear creek
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hey, bay area, live with kelly and ryan is coming up. >> we are talking with bethany franco about the big shot with bethany at 9:00 on abc7. already two hours of sunshine and temperatures in the 50s and 60s on a warmer day today and less breeze to deal with on the bridges and commute. good to moderate to healthy air to breathe out there.
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that will continue all seven days. >> thank you. we will have another update in about 30 minutes. you can always find the latest on our app at abc7 news.com. ♪ you know, you know you've got to ♪ welcome back. there's only one thing wrong with our next guest, he's not here in person. >> ah. that's right. >> true. >> we're talking about the one and only billy porter. we wish he were here. he won an emmy for his role in the groundbreaking series "pose," a show that's the first of its kind on the mainstream network shining a light on that community. the final season is a few days away. good to see you. we wish you were right here with us in the studio. >> hi. >> you always bring it. >> i know, soon, very soon we will be all back. >> soon and very soon. yes. we're looking forward to that. hey, you know, now that the
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final season, it's wrapped and it's about to debut, what are your emotions? >> you know, it's bittersweet and i feel complete. you know, i am old enough to have lived through the aids crisis and, you know, i always thought in a survivor's guilt kind of way like why did i survive? why? and when "pose" came around the character of pray tell presented itself in my life i understood why. >> you know, billy, we need a lot of healing right now. i think we all do. i feel like "pose" can help us with this. okay, whatever it takes. we're live tv. in case you were wondering. >> i live in the country now, i live in my best mighty dreams. all the people here working on
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the lawns and stuff, you never know. there's always buzzing, so i'm sorry, i apologize. >> hey, it's life. >> it's life. >> life as you described it. >> i'm blessed. i'm blessed. i'm grateful. >> pray tell is -- you can go answer another one. we'll show a clip. pray tell making a big decision this season. let's take a look. >> i'm done emceeing the balls. >> we do not accept your resignation. >> it's not up for discussion. y'all know the balls ain't what they used to be. we've lost too many icons and all these young kids got no home training and these cash prizes and these tacky lip syncs. >> pray tell is on a journey this season. >> yes, he is. yes, he is, you know, it's the final season. it was a really, really rough
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period for america. there are so many parallels right now with covid-19 and i hope that what people can gain from the show and from watching these parallels and experiencing this community break out and lead with love to heal. that's the only way that we can do it. it's been proven time and time again, and sometimes you just got to be reminded that it's always about leading with love first. >> love first. >> love and understanding. >> what michael was alluding to. this is going to bring us -- help us with some healing. you're also heading back to the director's chair making your movie directorial debut. what are your feelings about that, billy? >> i am -- i am so excited. you know, 20 years ago when i was doing the artist way workbook and excavating what i
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really wanted to like do moving forward, it popped up. it was like, oh, i want to be a filmmaker. how do you get there from that? well, you put in the work. here i am 20 years later directing a film called "what if" about a black transgender teenager in high school doing high school coming of age things, it's for the relaunch of orion pictures under the mgm banner and i am just thrilled that they have trusted me to helm this project. i'm excited to birth it into the world. >> something else we're excited about. something else you're working on. "cinderella." you put a whole new twist on the fairy godmother. tell us about that. >> the fairy godmother. a/k/a the fab g. you know, they called me and asked me to be a part of this project and, you know, what is interesting is that it's so full circle for me because when i was
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younger one of my biggest dreams was to be the male whitney houston. >> ah. >> so i'm playing the whitney houston part, y'all. you know, and, you know, magic has no gender and i think, you know, with this -- with this particular "cinderella" it pushes the old fairy tale. it expands the narrative. it expands what cinderella as a human being can be, what the, you know, the family can be, like it's just -- it's a new, fresh, modern take that i think everybody is going to be really excited about and i'm excited. camila cabello is extraordinary. so -- >> so you wanted to be whitney houston. what would you ask your fab g for now? >> world peace. >> thank you. thank you. >> i want some peace. i want the world to be at peace.
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i want the world to be at peace. it's hard, y'all. it's hard every day but, you know. that's what i'm trying to work on through my art. >> through your art. those of us who have known you, billy, you have put in the work. >> yeah. >> you have been there, and to know -- >> yes. >> to now get the recognition you have in recent years, what does it mean to you and your loved ones? >> i feel as though it is proof positive that when you speak life into yourself, when you speak life, speak life into yourself, there is no time limit on your dreams. and i am just so grateful to stand in the space where i can be a reflection of that. to so many people who need to see what it looks like to be on the other side of that kind of
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journey. >> that was powerful. >> you gave me chills when you said no time limit on your dreams. that is so true. people need to hear that. >> i'm 51 years old and i'm about to drop some new music with a new record deal, you know, like mainstream pop like y'all ain't ready for it on this morning show and i'm going to sing my pop song that's going to be number one on the radio. you know, like it's -- it's fascinating to me because, you know, it comes from the inside out, the power, your power comes from the inside, you know, so often we wait for outside energies and forces to validate us. and encourage yourself. >> uh-huh. >> inspire yourself. >> yeah. >> start there and the rest will follow. >> let the light inside of you shine brighter than the light that shines on you and that is something -- >> absolutly. >> yes, well, you are going to be here in the studio and sing that pop song for us. that is -- we're booking you right now. >> yes.
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>> that's a done deal. billy porter -- >> y'all do that concert series. [ laughter ] >> i like it. >> that's right. >> billy knows how to lobby. i love it. don't sit back. >> go and enjoy that fab house of yours and the lawn care and all that. you be well, billy. you can catch -- you can catch the first episode of "pose"'s final season this sunday at 10:00 p.m. on fx. coming up actor leslie jordan is going to join us live. come on back. ♪
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i have the pleasure to present to you... dr. martin luther king. sometimes, this is what it takes. facing down hate. facing down bias. as we step out, bay area, lets step up our march towards social justice and health equity. join aids walk san francisco live at home, streaming on may 16. register today aidswalk.net
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we are back with a big push in the fight against covid. the pandemic is taking a heavy toll around around the world as we've seen in india in the last several days. one power couple is helping out in a significant way. we'll speak with them after this look at the global effort to get everyone vaccinated. amid the biggest vaccination campaign in history, covid-19 has exposed a worldwide health care weakness. india, the latest alarming example. reporting more than 300,000 new covid cases in 24 hours for the sixth day in a row. >> a threat anywhere is a threat everywhere. this does not respect borders. we've seen that in the pandemic. >> reporter: more than 3 million deaths from the virus worldwide.
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with more than 1 billion vaccine doses administered around the world there's small signs of progress. much still to be done with 3% of the global population fully vaccin we look at the covid-19 response as a global concern and that we make sure that those most vulnerable will get protected anywhere they live. >> we are joined by jen rubio, the ceo away and her husband stewart butterfield. we saw just 3% of the world's population is vaccinated. you guys want to do something about that. tell us about it. >> yes, that's right, george. so obviously the covid-19 pandemic is a catastrophic human crisis and we're not even close to getting through it. so while there's a lot of optimism around u.s. vaccinations such a small percent of the global population has been vaccinated and no way to ear rad indicate it so today
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sewart and i are announcing a $25 million donation to unicef to accelerate the rate of global vaccination in 92 low and middle income countries. >> that is so great. we should emphasize this is your personal fund, not corporate funds, $25 million. stewart, why unicef? >> well, this is a global problem and it requires a global solution so i'm not sure if people realize what's at stake. things are bad and could get significantly worse. what we've seen in india can happen elsewhere in the world. unicef is one of the few organizations in the world that has the kind of reach. they already deliver 2 billion immunizations and vax faces per year and vaccinate 45% of the world's children and have the distribution network and the organization that's approving, purchasing and distributing these vaccines, unicef's job is to turn vaccines into vaccination, get shots in arms and they're the best in the world. >> to actually get it done.
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$25 million is significant. it is a huge donation but that is only one part of what you're announcing today. >> yeah, what i'm doing is calling on tech leaders and leaders in industries that heavily benefited during the last year, the economic impact has been unequal and devastating to some and some companies have grown significantly over this period. i think from silicon valley, from the tech industry we should be able to raise 100 million of the $565 million shortfall unicef faces. >> anyone who can donate should. it'll make a huge impact. >> i know you are expecting your first child together, jen. i guess that adds special meaning to all this. >> yeah, i mean, of course, like all parents we just want to bring a child into the world that's safe and healthy but we've been incredibly fortunate to grow up in a world of physical safety and every child deserves that. >> well, thank you both for joining us this morning. thanks for that contribution. it's going to make a big difference.
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now it's time for ginger. >> george, when we talk about california and the super bloom we often have a big smile on our face but i want you to know when you see these images out of sacramento, that the super bloom is happening where a lake should be. nearly half of the state of california is in extreme drought already. we're going into not only a big ridge and a dry five days or so but a really bad part of the season, that means wildfires could be extremely rough this year. looking at numbers, sacramento should go close to 90. it's going to be hot and dry so the combination just makes the drought even worse. the evaporation of any moisture that's left. good morning. i am abc7 news meteorologist mike nico. away from the coast, warmer temperatures today. 60s at the coast. 70s and 80s for the the actor leslie jordan has a new book out and we'll talk
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♪ i just want to shout ♪ back with actor, singer and writer, leslie jordan. his hilarious instagram during the pandemic took him from 100,000 followers to over 5.7 million. yes. you heard that right and now he has a new book called doing: misadventures and mischief from a life well lived." he joins us now. how are you doing? >> i'm so glad i'm on the east coast, otherwise it would be 5:00 in the morning but i'm up and awake and visiting my mom in tennessee so it's all good. >> well, robin is going ah when you said your mom. tell your mom we all said hello and good morning to her. leslie, you're 65 years young. your birthday is on thursday. happy birthday to you. everybody is clapping for you. want to wish you a happy early birthday.
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what would you say is a life well lived that you reference in the title of your book? >> well, i think that i tried on a daily basis to practice gratitude, i try to stay in the moment, you know, i've reached a point in my life where i'm perfectly comfortable in who i am, what i am so it's all kind of gravy so it's a wonderful time, you know, things are happening that i never ever set out to do like record a gospel album or, you know, just whatever i feel like i want to do seems to come to fruition so it's just a good time. to be leslie jordan. >> yes, it is a good time to be you. but you open up in the book and talk about struggling with your sobriety and coming out as a gay man and debbie reynolds and carrie fisher helped you reunite with your mom during this time.
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so what would you like to tell the other people out there who may be going through the same thing? >> you know, you've got to be honest, you've got to be true to yourself. there's generations that are not as enlightened as we are, you know. there's generations that don't understand things and even today, you know, i live in los angeles, so i don't experience any homophobia. we're everywhere. but you go home, some small town somewhere, and you've got to be confident in yourself and you've got to love yourself and on a daily basis you've got to just sand tall and that's hard to say from someone who is 4'11".as of that your message is a big message out there that everybody appreciates and you've given us, i got to say, a lot of inspiration and uplifting energy
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during the pandemic. talking to your fellow as you call them hunker downers on instagram, what does it mean to you to be able to connect with your fans in this way? >> well, i realized very fast, you know, people knew me i guess from my acting parts and over the years, you know, with "will & grace" and "american horror story" i sometimes play snarky and that's not me and all of a sudden, you know, people are discovering me on this new platform and it's not about -- it's me. you know, that they're like meeting me and that's been very gratifying because, wow, you know, okay. that's good. and i get so many comments and wonderful, you know, people stop me, stop me in the grocery store and stuff and say, wow, you really pulled us through a bad time and i thought, well, i didn't talk about politics, i didn't talk about religion. i just, you know, tried on a daily basis to bring a little
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humor so it got us through, you know, we're coming out the other end and here we are. >> yes, we're still kicking. we're still kicking. you have a new album. it's called "company's coming." a song with one of our other favorites, dolly parton. what was that like? >> oh, my gosh. you know, it's been a lifelong dream of mine to meet dolly, fellow tennessean and when i finally did get to meet her. what's she like. you know exactly what she's like, you know, she is just as real and she's just dolly, you know, she's just an icon and yet she's smart, which is what i figured out really fast. don't think there's some dumb blond there. no, she is smart as a whip and we just really got on. we sat down and started talking and i thought, you know, this is just like sitting with an old friend and i just adore her and what all she's done, you know,
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lately. she gives back which is important. >> yes, she does. and i want to put you on the spot a little bit. can you sing a little something for us to start the day on the right foot? >> michael, i'll sing that song that dolly and i sang on the album. >> all right. ♪ i'm on my way where the soul of man never dies ♪ >> the soul of man never dies. leslie, thank you so much for joining us. happy early birthday to you my friend. one of my favorite people i've had a chance to meet and talk to and your book, "how y'all doing?" is out now. make sure you guys go check it out. we'll be
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i'm greg, i'm 68 years old. i do motivational speaking in addition to the substitute teaching. i honestly feel that that's my calling-- to give back to younger people. i think most adults will start realizing that they don't recall things as quickly as they used to or they don't remember things as vividly as they once did. i've been taking prevagen for about three years now. people say to me periodically, "man, you've got a memory like an elephant." it's really, really helped me tremendously. prevagen. healthier brain. better life.
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building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions, this is abc7 news. >> good morning, everyone. let's check in with for a look at traffic. >> thank you. i know i sound like a broken record but this is still the hot statue, the bay bridge toll plaza. backups still there. metering lights at 6:13. same for slow traffic at the richmond san rafael bridge. ones it is past 7 a.m., we will see a slowdown. also in the east bay, continuing to see a slow stretch of traffic coming out of richmond down through emeryville. good morning. i have some hot spots too that i think people will enjoy them more. we have high tree pollen and the uv index, weed and mold are low but grass will ramp up for the
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next couple of days. 80s inland and 60s at the coast. thank you. now it >> announcer: it's "live with kelly and ryan!" today, from the new serious, "the big shot," bethenny frankel. plus, how to make a next level salad. we will announce the $10,000 winner of "live"'s "predict the winners" ballot contest. all next on "live!" ♪ ♪ [cheers and applause] and now, here are kelly ripa and ryan seacrest! [c guys. it's the middle of the week. [laughs] >> kelly: kickball change. >> ryan: i know that.
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