that. >> i know. i know. it's so nice. >> i found something. good morning, america. as we join you on this burning in the west, fueled by blistering heat. an entire town told to evacuate overnight as the new severe weather threats across the country. millions on alert from the plains to the northeast. ginger and our team are tracking it all. new covid crackdown. chicago now reinstating travel restrictions for unvaccinated visitors from missouri and arkansas as that new delta variant surges. cases now up in 47 states. doctors saying patients are more ill than before and younger. voting rights showdown.

>> we're facing the most significant test of our democracy since the civil war. >> president biden blasts republican-led efforts to restrict voting and the false claims of widespread fraud. overnight, senate democrats reach a $3.5 trillion infrastructure deal to deliver on many of biden's biggest priorities. prices on the rise. from food to travel, to used cars, what it means for your bills and the help on the way. the tax credit set to bring relief to millions. breaking this morning. pope francis leaves the hospital ten days after surgery. what we know right now about his recovery. britney's fight for freedom. her case back in court this morning. a judge set to consider her plea to hire her own attorney. what it could mean for her conservatorship. unfriendly skies. faa reporting a major new spike in unruly passengers as summer travel soars. how officials are cracking down and why flight attendants are learning self-defense. giant goldfish invasion.

tiny pets causing big problems turning into football-size pests when released into lakes and ponds. the new warning this morning. ♪ hey now you're an all star ♪ history at the all-stars. vladimir guerrero jr., the youngest mvp of all time with an incredible homer. phenom shohei ohtani hitting and pitching his way into the history books. plus, the countdown to game four of the nba finals, the bucks and suns gearing up. will milwaukee tie it up in the pivotal match? we'd like to say good morning, america. it's great to be here with robin and george on this hump day, wednesday morning, and what a night at the mlb all-star game. how about vlad guerrero jr. with that home run? 15 years after his dad did the same thing and they are just the

third father/son duo to accomplish that feat. it must be a great thing to have a career like your father and have your son follow it up. maybe even better. >> ooh. >> great moment for the family. more on that coming up. we'll begin with the wildfires out west. fueled by gusty winds and high temperatures. there are red flag warnings across the region. >> overnight new evacuations where thousands of acres have burned. matt gutman has that. good morning, matt. >> reporter: hey, good morning, robin. these have been out for several days trying to corral this fire but the terrain is incredibly rugged and steep. fire officials here say fires this season have been burning hotter, faster, sooner than anything they have ever seen and right now, this morning, across the west, there are 14,000

firefighters on the fire lines. across the west this morning, blistering heat and drought conditions leading to more than five dozen wildfires. in madeira county, a state of emergency, nearly 10,000 acres burned, dozens of homes under evacuation orders as firefighters try to control the so-called river fire's progress. just seven months into the year, and we've already seen over 30,000 separate wildfires. fires in california already burning twice as much land as was scorched by this time last year. over 2 million acres have burned. oregon's so-called bootleg fire destroying over 200,000 acres. officials saying it won't be fully contained until the end of november. and in washington state -- >> cop going around saying, you're level 3. you need to leave. >> reporter: 500 people rushing to escape after lightning ignited a fire there. burning more than 10,000 acres there quickly. seven homes destroyed and a herd of horses spooked.

you can see them racing from the fire. arizona hit with flash floods and those rivers of mud after wildfires created massive burn scars. the scorched earth unable to absorb all the area's seasonal monsoon rains. you officials are saying they're seeing fire behavior they have never been trained for. what they're saying, it's because of these dry fuels and this historic drought on the west coast. this year, california's only gotten a quarter of the rainfall it normally gets. stuff like this ends up being explosive when fire actually hits it. >> that certainly does put it into perspective. matt, thank you. we'll check in with ginger in d.c. for a forecast of that dangerous weather all around the country. good morning, ginger.oomoin r. unely nobuan wildfi the higst they've got and we're getting into the heart

of it, so dry and hot is an understatement. under that ridge is where we see the problems, red flag warnings all the way up the cascades into idaho, and remember, if you're nearly a thousand miles away your air quality can suffer from the fires. winds today will gust as high as 35 miles per hour. relative humidity as low as 7% and then we go to the antithesis, the other side of the coin, and that is the heavy rains, more than half a foot in parts of illinois, this is from seneca where the road caved in. that's why you don't drive into water. you don't know what's happened underneath you. today we'll see more of that, flash flood possibilities but damaging winds and tornadoes. this happens later tonight, so eastern iowa, robin, all the way through madison and d.c. up to maine, and especially in massachusetts damaging wind threats too. >> a little bit of everything out there. all right, ginger, thank you. and now to the latest on the pandemic. 47 states and the district of columbia now reporting an increase in covid cases as the cdc says the delta variant accounts for 58% of all new cases.

alex perez is in arkansas where cases are surging. good morning, alex. >> reporter: hey, good morning, michael. the doctor who runs this hospital tells me he's concerned this latest surge could be the deadliest one yet since vaccines became available here at the hospital 54 covid patients have died. all of them unvaccinated. this morning, a new covid crackdown with 47 states reporting an increase in cases since last week, chicago now reinstating restrictions for unvaccinated travelers from two of the states hit hardest by the delta variant, recommending those from missouri or arkansas get a negative test or quarantine upon arrival. this as hospital admissions in arkansas soar, up nearly 64% in just two weeks. >> all of our icus and our colelyulbeds, surgical beds are these patients are sicker than ther and about 92% of them are unvaccinated.

>> it's frustrating and it's a little bit of disbelief. are we really going through this again? >> reporter: vaccine hesitancy widespread in this state even by some who were gravely ill. cheryl tucker who is unvaccinated just released from the hospital tuesday after a week battling her second bout of covid. >> will you get vaccinated now? >> i'm not going to say 100% but i'm thinking about it. >> reporter: that hesitancy was what tennessee's vaccine chief says she was trying to combat when she was fired. dr. michelle fiscus believes she was terminated for working to educate the public about vaccines. in tennessee, less than 45% of those who can get a shot are fully vaccinated. >> politics have been put ahead of the welfare of the people of tennessee and the children of tennessee and those people are going to suffer and this idea that people don't need to be vaccinated against the most significant infectious disease threat that we have faced in over a hundred years i think is a travesty. >> reporter: and at least six

medical organizations now across the country are urging hospitals and health care facilities to mandate their employees to be vaccinated. george. >> okay, alex, thanks. let's move on now to the battle over voting rights. president biden traveled to philadelphia tuesday, blasting republicans for assaulting what had called the sacred right to vote. chief white house correspondent cecilia vega has the latest. good morning, cecilia. >> reporter: good morning. president biden is under growing pressure right now from even members inside his own party to do more, to use his bully pulpit to speak out, and he did deliver on that, and called this unconscionable but he did stop short of calling for procedural changes in congress that allow democrats to block some of these restrictions. in the birthplace of american democracy, philadelphia, president biden delivering his most forceful condemnation yet likening republican-led efforts to restrict voting to the jim crow south. >> we're facing the most significant test of our

democracy since the civil war. >> reporter: just this year 17 states passing laws that restrict access to the polls, the president calling it an assault on democracy. >> they want to make it so hard and inconvenient that they hope people don't vote at all. >> reporter: he blasted the driving force behind those restrictions, false claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election without ever mentioning former president trump by name. >> the 2020 election was the most scrutinized election ever in american history. the big lie is just that, a big lie. >> reporter: but the reality, voting rights protections have no chance of passing in the current congress. and president biden continues to buck eliminating the senate rule that would allow democrats to pass a bill without any republican support leaving no clear path forward. this morning, those texas democrats who fled their state to block attempts to restrict voting the republican-controlle legislature passin ven democrats return soon it will expire. this is turning into a real showdown.

texas' republican governor is now threatening to arrest those democrats when they get home. for now their plan is stay in washington and push for procedural changes on a national level and trying run out the clock in austin until their legislative session expires in august, in early august, but, look, george, eventually they do have to go home and at the end of the day it's the republicans who have the votes right now on this one. >> cecilia, senate democrats overnight also announced that they've reached an agreement within their party at least on president biden's major infrastructure investment proposal. >> reporter: yeah, exactly, that's that $3.5 trillion price tag over the next ten years saying, it would likely cover things like human infrastructure projects, community college, child care, expanded medicare, much of this is going to be paid for, we've been talking about this, by tax increases on corporations and the wealthy. this is likely to be a party line, george, vote. the president expected to head to the hill to try to shore up

support on this. >> not clear that all democrats are supporting it right now, okay, cecilia, thanks very much. robin. we turn to an alleged kidnapping plot. four iranian operatives charged with targeting a u.s.-based journalist. martha raddatz joins us now with what we know. good morning, martha. >> reporter: good morning, robin. this is an extraordinary plot to allegedly kidnap a u.s. citizen on u.s. soil and force her back to iran and throw her in prison. the justice department indicting four iranian intelligence operatives and a california resident in what they say was an elaborate plan to capture prominent voice of america journalist, author and women's rights activist, masih alinejad. the justice department says the iranian network used private investigators to surveil her home in brooklyn including installing a live high-definition video feed of her home. the doj also saying that the group considered using military-style speedboats to take her from new york to

venezuela, where she could then be transferred to iran where she does have family members, one arrested on what are believed to be bogus charges who he would be used as bait. the state department says this is a law enforcement matter, but, of course, comes right when the u.s. is trying to restart nuclear talks with iran, michael. there, martha, thank you so much. now to a deadly gas station rampage. a gunman opening fire killing one man before the undercover cop ended the spree. trevor ault has the details. >> reporter: this morning, authorities investigating a shooting rampage in wisconsin that left a 22-year-old man and the shooter dead. >> we're getting multiple calls of a male that was shot outside the gas station. there may be a shooter that is still shooting. >> reporter: investigators say the gunman, a 32-year-old white male, viciously executed that unsuspecting 22-year-old wednesday as he was pumping gas at this pilot station. the shooting happening at point blank range. the shooter then opening fire at

another person before speeding off to another gas station two miles away and opening fire again. >> there may be more than one patient. >> reporter: but this time the target was an undercover investigator killing the gunman, a 21-year veteran of the sheriff's office who returned fire. this morning, officials are still trying to uncover the reason for the shooter's rampage and that off-duty investigator being hailed as a hero. >> it was bustling with activity, people getting gas and people getting their morning cup of coffee. there is no doubt in my mind the quick and heroic actions of our investigator saved lives today. >> reporter: and officials say the shooting at that pilot gas station is on video. they're just not releasing it yet and they say the shooter was hit multiple times and died at the scene and the investigator wo shot him in that firefight is conscious and alert and recovering. george. >> we hope recovers well. okay, trevor, thanks very much.

now to the economy and a major jump in consumer prices up more than 5% over the last year. the highest inflation hike in a generation. chief business correspondent rebecca jarvis joins us with what this could mean for your bills. good morning, rebecca. >> reporter: good morning, george. yeah, and these price increases are widespread. they're happening quickly compared to last month, beef prices are now up 4 1/2%. poultry, fish, eggs up 2 1/2%. hotel prices up 7.9% but by far the largest increase in prices over the month was in used cars and trucks, those up 10 1/2% due to a global chip shortage that's happening around the world that is depressing the amount of cars that can be made at a time when demand for new cars and used cars is great. rental car prices also up 5.2%. a lot of the rental car companies got rid of -- they sold off some of their fleets during the pandemic. now demand has surged as the economy has re-opened and these price spikes can really negate some of the benefits we've seen in the jobs market recently, those bonuses and those wage

increases, the question now is, how long does the inflation last? the white house treasury, the federal reserve believe that this is temporary, that prices will begin to moderate at the end of the year as the economy normalizes, whereas some other economists including the former treasury secretary larry summers, george, believes it has a more lasting impact. >> meantime, there is immediate relief coming for families with children. >> reporter: absolutely. 39 million families in america should be receiving automatically direct deposits around the child tax credit in their bank accounts in the coming days and weeks, $250 per child or $300 if your child is under 6 years old and, george, it is automatic if you filed your taxes, it will be directly deposited. >> that's a major change in tax policy. okay, rebecca, thanks very much. michael. now to game four of the nba finals. it will be played tonight. the bucks looking to even the

series while the suns aim to take a commanding lead with the win. will reeve is live in milwaukee with a preview for us. good morning, will. >> reporter: good morning, michael. every game from here on out is now the biggest game of the season. if the suns win they go up 3-1, head back to phoenix with a chance to win the title on their home court. if the bucks win it's 2-2. that makes it a three-game series. now, the stakes are as high as can be but the suns and the bucks, you wouldn't know it to look at them. they were joking, laughing, smiling in practice, lots of friendly competition, but tonight they will be locked in. the suns are looking for their young star devin booker to have a bounce-back game three, that 20-point blow-out lost and the bucks are hoping giannis antetokounmpo can continue his historic finals run and put up a third straight 40-point game. fiserv forum going to be rocking. there's one of these in every

seat and in the district. they'll be fired up, and the suns not looking to give them anything to cheer about though in this pivotal game four. guys? >> all excited about it. can't wait to see the big game tonight. you can see it as well, game four of the nba finals tonight 9:00 p.m. eastern right here on abc. a lot coming up right here now on "gma" as well including britney spears. her case is back in court. a judge is set to consider her request to hire her own attorney. we'll tell you what it could mean for her conservatorship. and the faa reporting a spike in unruly passengers like this. how flight attendants are now protecting themselves. that's ahead, but first back to ginger there in d.c., ging. >> and, robin, from here in the mid-atlantic all the way up through new england, we've got a chance of severe storms but look real quick, and it's in massachusetts. let's get stormy cities sponsored by verizon.

good morning. i am abc7 news meteorologist mike nicco . trend today but nothing hot, just expect more sunshine and a bump up in temperatures. clouds come back tonight and more drizzle during tomorrow morning's commute. warming back to average this weekend. summer heat in the seven day. seven cisco and richmond and oakland, 60s. 70s elsewhere into you get to we'll be right back.et to

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you know what the happiest animal on earth is? it's the goldfish. you know why? >> no. >> got a ten-second memory. be a goldfish, sam. >> i'm telling you, jason sudeikis, "ted lasso." if you have not seen it yet, come on. the comedy scoring, are you ready for this, 20, 20 emmy nominations. that is the most ever for a new comedy. its nods include best comedy and best actor for jason. >> it deserves every one of them. >> i want to see it. g tseorge. and we got to say, big congratulations in order to our robin roberts, lifetime's "mahalia" produced by rockin'

robin productions. how do you feel about it? >> i screamed when -- i was so happy. danielle brooks, she just transformed into mahalia and i'm so appreciative of the entire cast and crew on lifetime knowing people more know about mahalia jackson. >> i was wondering what that sound was i heard. okay. >> but congratulations to all the nominees. >> congratulations to you. >> thank you, thank you. here are the other headlines we're following right now. the latest on the severe weather out west. new evacuations as wildfires explode and five dozen large wildfires are burning. fuelled by blistering heat and gusty winds. ginger and our team tracking it all. also, tokyo just reported its highest number of new covid cases in six month, nine days before the olympics are set to open there. the city is under a state of emergency and officials have announced there will be no family or fans allowed in the stands. breaking this morning, pope

francis back home at the vatican ten days after his surgery. 84 years old seen leaving the hospital. several more weeks to recover before traveling again. >> good to see. this morning, we are celebrating the life of charlie robinson. the actor passing away at 75 years old, best known for playing max on the sitcom "night court." robinson's incredible career spanned 50 years. he is survived by his wife, four children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. >> i remember the show like yesterday. >> we have a lot more ahead including the shocking surge in violent, in-flight confrontations. what crews are doing to protect themselves. and also, look at these giant goldfish. why some of these former pets are now the size of footballs. that is all coming up later, george. right now we turn to britney spears petitioning to hire her own attorney and end her conservatorship. the aclu is supporting her bid. kaylee hartung has the latest. good morning, kaylee. >> reporter: good morning, george. there's a lot of ground that needs to be covered in court today. and a lot of people involved in

these proceedings. everyone is expected to appear remotely again including former federal prosecutor mathew rosengart who britney has been reporteedly in discussions with to become her new attorney, but will the judge allow it and will ity haveore bombshells to drop? brney sprsfreedom back in ♪ >> reporter: the parties involved in running spears' life, going before a judge for the first time since spears delivered that powerful testimony just three weeks ago. the pop star saying she's been isolated, exploited, embarrassed and demoralized by the conservatorship that's controlled her life and nearly $60 million estate. britney telling the court, i truly believe this conservatorship is abusive and saying i just want my life back. attorneys expected to hash out the pile of competing petitions made to the court since that bombshell hearing including spears' co-conservator of person jodi montgomery's plea for security to protect her from death threats and an assessment of how spears' father is spending her money. under the conservatorship jamie earns nearly $16,000 a month

while britney, according to confidential court documents, says she was limited to a $2,000 allowance. the judge also set to consider spears' request to hire her own attorney. ♪ i call the shots ♪ >> reporter: throughout the conservatorship she's been represented by court-appointed attorney samuel ingham. she said no one told her she had the right to petition the court to end the conservator and ingham filing papers asking to resign. now the aclu is standing up for spears, filing an amicus brief urging the court to ensure that ms. spears is granted access to the information and tools necessary to select a lawyer. >> hi, britney. >> reporter: earlier thiar doceg spears" renewed intert in ee ity movent. on tuesday, the documentary nominated for two emmy awards.d for speaking out courageou

she did in that court hearing. i think if the documentary hlped provide some awareness for the general public of her conservatorship, i think that's a really good thing. >> reporter: britney's father jamie has really deflected blame even though through the years no one has had more control over her life than him. he's calling on the court to investigate the explosive claims that britney has made, but a lot of matters need to be taken care of first before that process can begin. guys. >> kaylee, thanks very much. let's bring in our chief legal analyst dan abrams and channa lloyd of the cochran firm and channa, let me begin with you, we're seeing the aclu supporting her bid right now. will she succeed? >> i think she will. miss montgomery also requested a guardian ad litem be appointed to assist her in this process. i think she will be successful in getting to pick her own attorney. >> and dan, you said if she is indeed allowed to pick her own attorney the court will most likely end the conservatorship, but isn't there like some middle

ground? >> yes, because there are effectively two conservatorships in place. one is on here person meaning, decisions she makes about medical care, who she associates with, et cetera, that is the one that i think kind of has to fall. if you let her pick her own attorney i think that one has to go too. you're basically saying she can make basic choices. that's a different issue than conservatorship over her estate, meaning her finances. so it is possible that the court could say we're going to allow you to make these decisions for yourself but for now we're going to keep the financial conservatorship in place, but, look, they may get rid of both as well. >> do you agree if the judge approves the new attorney the conservatorship will end and if so, how fast do you think the attorney will move to end it? >> i concur with dan. i think that if it ends, it is going to be the conservator over her person. i think she's able to make those type of decisions. i think we're seeing that in her speaking out and her choices, but i don't think the conservator of her financial issues will change right now.

i think you'll see a lot of work on that. >> dan, we've seen so many changes since britney spoke out, the trust managing asked to resign, her manager, and court-appointed attorney asked to resign. why now? >> i could give you the official or practical position. the practical position is these people don't want to be the villains. they don't want to be seen as the people in the public eye who are the subject, the target of the free britney movement who britney spears is criticizing publicly. the financial people, the lawyers, et cetera are saying, look, she doesn't want me associated with this, the last thing i want is to be publicly humiliated and identified with this case in that way. >> do you agree with that, channa? >> i do. i think the people are looking to get out now because they either don't want the bad press or, two, i think what some people may find is they felt like they were trying to help her and they no longer feel like they're of assistance, so i think you'll see people leaving for those reasons as well.

>> thank you both very much. michael. >> all right, thank you, george. now to the rise in air rage with summer travel soaring, the faa is reporting a major spike in unruly passengers, and our transportation correspondent gio benitez is at newark airport with more. good morning, gio. >> reporter: hey, michael, good morning. yeah, the overwhelming majority of these in-flight confrontations are people who refuse to wear a mask. now in the last week alone about 150 new cases. since the start of the year more than 3,400 reports of unruly passengers. >> this is way higher than any number of incidents that we've ever seen in any other year. >> why do you have the right to put your hands on me? >> reporter: this florida woman on a delta flight last week is one of those cases, allegedly refusing to wear a mask. >> as soon as they deplane you're going to jail. >> reporter: she was asked to deplane and police called in to remove her. >> you're not respecting my human rights. >> reporter: now she's in

custody facing several charges. in may, this woman on a southwest flight assaulted a flight attendant. >> don't you dare touch a flight attendant like that! >> flight attendants are experiencing a job that they just are not familiar with at all. every day when they go to work. there is conflict and there is disrespect towards them and an incredibly difficult job. >> reporter: the tsa now restarting self-defense training for flight attendants. meanwhile, that federal mask mandate is still in place until at least september, and we've already seen potential fines as high as $52,000 and up to 20 years in prison for interfering with a flight crew, guys. >> what those flight crews are having to go through. gio, thank you. coming up next, why some goldfish are growing to the size of footballs that you see right there. the alert this morning. come on back. >> looks like they could play football. >> looks like they could play football. ♪ birds flyin' high, you know how i feel. ♪

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we are back no we are back now with that new alert. officials in minnesota asking residents there to stop freeing their goldfish in local lakes or ponds because, see what happens. ry we first saw in ll. "the washington post" and janai norman has more for us. good morning, janai. >> reporter: robin, good morning. yeah, fish adapt to their surroundings. while the fish that folks take

home may only be about two inches in a small tank, when released in a lake, pond, river they can grow exponentially, and while people may think it's the humane thing to do, just tossing your fish, it actually can be quite harmful. it sounds like something straight out of a movie. goldfish the size of footballs. >> remember the fish came home in a baggy, loved me for two weeks and then nothing. >> reporter: but it's real. check out pictures of the typically tiny pets now causing soe pretty big problems. officials in minnesota sounding the alarms. the city of burnsville pleading on twitter, don't release your pet goldfish into ponds and lakes because they grow bigger than you think. pet goldfish released into the wild can grow over a foot long and live up to 25 years. wildlife officials in one minnesota county removed an estimated 50,000 goldfish from a single lake last year. >> goldfish are like little vacuum cleaners, they dig in the

bottom looking for food and by doing so, they disturb the bottom of the lake quite significantly. >> reporter: professor przemek bajer's company was tasked with investigating the goldfish invasion. >> it's not their fault that they're becoming invasive. it's kind of our fault b're rel. >> reporter: and experts say to think twice about buying a goldfish if you're not potentially willing to it for years, and they say, if you have a goldfish that you want to get rid of, consider giving it away instead of releasing it. guys? >> got to keep them. still unbelievable to see the size of those goldfish. thank you, janai. up next, we have our wednesday "play of the day." only 6% of us retail businesses have a black owner. that needs to change. so, i did something.

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incredible 468-foot home run and this comes 15 years after his dad did the same thing, making them just the third father/son duo to accomplish the feat and vlad keeping his dad close by. take a look at his glove. that photo of them was taken in 2002 when vlad junior was just 3 years old. >> that is precious. >> oh, yeah, it's awesome. >> congratulations. and coming up here on "gma," we are kicking off our big "deals & steals" event so come on back. "deals & steals" event so come on back. it's time for electric... to turn into lightning. ♪ an electric truck that can haul... ...on both ends. that can help build your house. and if need be, power that house. that feels like a bullet train. and works like a freight train. the fully electric f-150 lightning.

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building a better bay area. moving forward. finding solutions. this is abc7 news. good morning. i am reggie agui. let's check in with >> check out the western span of the san mateo bridge. you will have a slow down. this is a live look and it's also impacting westbound traffic overall. no major blocking issues but things are under the limit. wind advisory issued for the venetia bridge and altamont pass. let's go to the bay bridge toll plaza where you will be at backup to that maze. temperatures warming today and hayes and the skies. expected to be brighter overall

as the clouds retreat back to the coast quicker. 60s in san francisco, 70s elsewhere. 80s in the east bay ballets. air qualities will be pretty healthy. warmer by sunday. coming up, a supersized deals and steals. big savings to help you beat the heat. the news continues now with "good morning america". have a good morning.

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year put millions on the couch and ready to consume, the television academy cafeteria piled high the plates of a few select shows dishing out heaping helpings of acting nominations to the best of the best. highlights from the primetime emmy nominations include a whole lot of love for some popular comedies and dramas and a little history too. >> to business then. >> reporter: leading the way with 24 nominations, the crown, which saw nine of its performances cited such as gillian anderson as margaret thatcher. also with 24 noms, "the mandalorian" including nods for carl weathers and giancarlo esposito. >> you have something i want. >> reporter: meanwhile, paul bettany and elisabeth olson. >> but what is grief if not love persevering. >> reporter: and kathryn hahn with that meme-worthy wink, saw their work in "wandavision"

earning them nominations for marvel's show with 23 noms total. lin-manuel miranda's "hamilton," 12 nominations, same as "bridgerton" on netflix and, oh, yeah -- >> i cannot stop thinking of you. >> reporter: rege-jean page got one of them. >> that's how people watch television now and that's why you saw such a wide variety of streaming shows get nominations. >> the future is still something that we're about to have. >> reporter: history being made as well. mj rodriguez now the first trans woman ever to earn a nomination for lead actress for playing blanca on "pose." >> weak men. they do make the world go round. >> reporter: in the wow department, ten different actors were cited for "the handmaid's tale" and then there's this -- >> mvp, mvp. >> reporter: apple tv's irresistibly upbeat "ted lasso,"

a much-needed mood lifter during the pandemic, leading the way with four different performers in the supporting actor category alone with 20 nominations in all, no tv comedy has more reasons to be grateful. about the only thing in "ted lasso" that didn't get nominated those delicious shortbread biscuits that ted bakes each morning for the boss, lots of love shown to "the queen's gambit" and "mare of easttown." jean smart picked up one of her two nominations. >> well deserved, all of them. i wonder what those biscuits taste like. they sent them to the office and i didn't want to eat biscuits that were two weeks old. >> shortbread keeps. >> send me some more. you can see the full list of emmy nominations on our website, goodmorningamerica.com. you were talking about "ted lasso." we'll stay with jason sudeikis, fresh off emmy nominations discussing his split with olivia

wilde in "gq" magazine in a candid interview. good morning, janai. >> reporter: hey, george. yeah, the couple together for seven years with two children calling it quits last year and jason sudeikis now opening up about the breakup he's using as a life lesson and reason for reflection. >> notice anything different about me? >> reporter: this morning, "snl" alum and "ted lasso" funnyman jason sudeikis is getting serious. >> you see that? >> he must be from england, wales. >> reporter: opening up to "gq" about his november 2020 split from actress and director olivia wilde that ended their seven-year engagement saying, i'll have a better understanding of why in a year, adding, an even better one in two and an even greater one in five and it'll go from being, you know, a book of my life to becoming a chapter to a paragraph to a line to a word to a doodle. >> there is a lot of speculation, a lot of tabloid attention, and i think he hadn't really settled on the meaning of it yet and wasn't blaming anybody. wasn't rushing to any conclusions.

he had to live through it. >> reporter: sudeikis saying he's still coming to terms with the very public aftermath of the breakup. that's an experience you learn from or make excuses about adding that you have to take some responsibility for it. hold yourself accountable for what you do and then also endeavor to learn something beyond the obvious from it. >> i think he's less interested in trying to control things and more interested in what he can personally learn from them and how he can sort of be a better man and like live a more thoughtful interesting life. >> reporter: wilde, meanwhile, setting the internet ablaze in january 2021 when she was spotted just two months after the split was announced holding hands with singer harry styles while working together on a film. sudeikis admitting that it has been a hard year telling "gq," i think if you have an opportunity to hit rock bottom, however you

define that, you can become 412 bones or you can land like an avenger. i personally have chosen to land like an avenger. and the couple remains committed to co-parenting their two children daisy and otis and said to be no animosity between them. >> thank goodness for that. thanks very much. "gq's" august issues hits newsstands july 20th. the program helping small business giving billions to help women secure special funding for the companies and be part of the american dream. >> welcome. >> reporter: sheila black is a small business owner in harlem, new york, with a big vision. >> i started liha in 2013 on 125th street. i literally borrowed the table, grabbed two pieces of fabric and i was open for business. >> reporter: in 2018, sheila converted her streetside shop into a fashion boutique on wheels but struggled to get the small business loan she needed. >> so many women have been shut out of the financial mainstream

and the traditional banks just don't give them the opportunity when they don't have good credit and they don't have any collateral. >> reporter: it is a barrier the nnprofit grameen america is working to break. offering $2 billion in micro loans, serving 137,000 women nationwide, helping small business owners like sheila thrive. >> what i'm most proud about liha is that it provides a way for me to live my dream and live independently. >> yes, indeed, and we have a pair of her beautiful, beautiful earrings right here. they are going home with me. let's bring in now, bridgewater associates and founding member of grameen america, ray dalio. ray, i have been looking forward to talking to you about this. i know how passionate you are about the program. can you explain to folks what exactly is a micro loan? >> it's an average of a $4500 loan that makes miracles happen. you saw sheila.

this is an intelligent, clever woman who can give to her community and just needed a little bit of enablement and grameen has given away or lent $2 billion to such people on an average of about 4700 each. my god, that is fabulous, right? >> right. >> it brings entrepreneurship and it brings wonderful things to the community. >> that was with a "b," billion and so explain about how the loan works. >> billion. well, they go through a process in which the person seeking the loan comes in, goes through a series of exercises, and there's a little community of other people receiving the loan and they sort of make the judgment of who are they going to give the first loan to because they believe that that person is

going to be successful. and then they pick that and they build this little community and then they give that microloan, that little loan that makes this magic happen, and then they have that community and it pays back and it grows and 99% repayment rate. >> wow. >> that's better than all the rich folks who are going to banks. they're not as reliable, 99% payment rate and think about this, for every dollar somebody donates to this, it lands -- it keeps going around and around and it lends $12 over the next ten years and it keeps going. so it pays for it several. it makes all this wonderful thing happen. wow. how can't you do it? so i would say if you're interested in supporting it, it's fabulous. grameen america and also, if you're interested in being one of these entrepreneurs with that

little bit of help, go for it because it makes the world a pb. it's more the american dream really. lopaiofor okay, we heardrom shee >> what advice would you have for entrepreneurs pursuing both short-term and long-term visions for their business? >> what's your advice, ray? >> well, first of all, first of all, if -- when you're in a business it's not like going to a regular job in which you get a paycheck and you do the same thing all the time. you have to be flexible and imaginative and then you have to make your passion and your work the same thing, like you're into anitngob yocan't forget about the money part so you got to be practical so think about it. when covid comes along and you

have to really re-adapt, you do that and that's what brings you, you know, the success and so that would be my advice, be flexible and imaginative, make your work and your passion the same thing and make sure you get the money part right. >> yeah, and love the ride. i know you do. you got to love the ride that you're on in building a business. >> you got to love the ride and be adaptable. >> yeah, and we saw a lot of people pivot after the -- during the pandemic. ray dalio, thank you and others for your passion in what you're doing to make a true difference for so many. you take care. hope to see you again, ray. and for more information on the microloans visit grameen america's website. now to ginger in washington. gng. >> robin, some of those suburbs that picked up ten inches, we showed you the pictures yesterday, now we have aerials of seeing just the roofs of the

cars, unbelievable, and unbelievable we'll get more rain. you can see the thunderstorm risks center there had from albany on over to new hampshire and vermont. dama good morning. i am abc7 news meteorologist mike nicco . minor warming trend today but nothing hot, just expect more sunshine and a bump up in temperatures. clouds come back tonight and more drizzle during tomorrow morning's commute. warming back to average this weekend. summer heat in the seven day. seven cisco and richmond and oakland, 60s. 70s elsewhere into you get to time for "deals & steals" and this morning, we're kicking off two days of hot stuff to help you stay cool. click on the qr code to head straight to the deals and now

we're going to check in with tory. tory, good morning to you and we'll get started with this cool fan. this couldn't be easier to use. i tell you this is something. >> it's a good one, michael. you could have had that on the golf course.eabl fan where it just easily adjusts right around your neck and you can point the breeze right where you need it. it's battery operated, three speed, there's also an option for kids as well as adults. it's a really good one. today they're 13 to $20. >> 13 to 20. great deal, tory. the next deal is a great alternative to lotions for sun protection. what do we got? >> yeah, or in addition. this is brush on block. it is spf 30, translucent mineral powder in a self-dispensing brush, so it's very easy to put on and because it's sheer, i like to think of it as like an instagram filter right in the bottle. it looks great on all skin tones, you kind of have a flawless finish, and it's easy

to cart around with you so you can reapply as needed throughout the day and have their protective lip oil with spf. all of their products are vegan, cruelty free and today with 50% f e es start at $7 the next product is literally no sweat. it is designed to keep you dry. >> this is pretty genius. these are sweat absorbent liners for hats, helmets and visors so it's a thin profile that will go into the inside of your hat where you typically sweat between your forehead and the front of the hat. you can place it wherever needed and it's going to absorb all of that sweat, odor, moisture, so that your head and your hat and your hair stay dry. these are pretty fantastic. they're also made in america. that's an added bonus, with our discount, a six-pack is $7.50. >> pretty cheap there. now the next one is about staying clean while on the go. wipes.

these are great for camping. >> they are. they are really smart. epic wipes is shower clean from head to toe. that's what their promise is because it's an extra large wipe and it's also biodegradable and it has a very gentle eucalyptus essential oil scent to it. think about long drives, camping, golf, kids' sports, anything, even after the gym where a shower is not available, you want to have one of these portable right in your pocket or your bag. we've got big bundles today and they start at $25. >> smells really good actually. next up, we have sweat solutions. how do they work to keep you dry, tory? >> yes, these are from carpe. no matter where, why or how much you sweat, they have a specific solution for you and all of their formulas are made to stop and manage excessive sweat from head to toe. all of them are made in america. so think in terms of like hand and foot antiperspirant lotion,

we have face wipes, underarm sticks, there's something for literally every body part,li a $ to $12.5 that have to stay hydrated. your dogs, tory, they need to stay hydrated also. >> this is the easiest way for you to give enzo water on the go. >> this is genius. >> this is highwave. squeeze the bottle and it fills the bowl. you release the bottle and the rest of the water goes back in there. we've got a big assortment of sizes and colors, all of them 50% off and start at $11. >> that is so genius, tory. thank you so much. we'll check back with you with more "deals & steals" in a few minutes, but next we'll hear from the authors of our "gma" book club pick for july. we'll be right back. july. we'll be right back.

building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc7 news. good morning, everyone. i'm kumasi aaron from abc7 mornings. let's check in with jobina who was checking our road conditions. >> good morning, kumasi. let's start with a live look at emeryville because traffic conditions are heavy for people traveling westbound at the moment. i want to move over to a live camera here pointing out the bay bridge toll plaza metering lights came on at 5:55. the biggest thing i am following is working on a map for you for the crash in san jose that is causing a big slowdown on northbound 101 before oakland road. injuries have been reported. speeds are down to around 7 miles per hour.

this guy here is busy working on our state's recovery. you see he lives in california and by vacationing in california he's supporting our businesses and communities. which means every fruity skewer is like another sweet nail in the rebuilding of our economy. hammer away craftsman. calling all californians. keep your vacation here and help our state get back to work. and please travel responsibly. and help our state get back to work. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

monitor, check and lock down you money with security from chase. control feels good. live with kelly and ryan is coming up. amazing kid week continues. let's take a look at what to expect as far as being out on the roads weatherwise, it is breezy around some of our bridges. it is not as aggressive as it has been, nor is the drizzle. we have a little more sunshine and some inland neighborhoods like san jose. that will help boost our temperatures warmer than yesterday. we will stay below average to at least sunday.

monday and tuesday, a little touch of summer there. we will have another abc7 news update in 30 minutes but you can always find us at ♪ american woman stay away from me ♪ back here on "gma" with our july book club pick and instant "the new york times" best-seller, "the personal librarian." it is a remarkable story about one of manhattan's most powerful women at the turn of the century but, wait, there's more. a secret that she protected at all costs, deb roberts sat down with the book's two authors. i saw you reading it recently on vacation. you were devouring it. >> reporter: robin, good morning. this one had me at hello. it is another one of those amazing books about a towering hidden figure whose life was essentially buried at a new york

library until two curious authors decided to unearth all the stunning details into a new book which reads like complete fiction except it is not. this is belle's office? was her office. >> of course, at that time she had the desk in here and then the side bar where she kept whiskey. >> even though this is a smaller version of the library in the study it's still spectacular. >> reporter: it was a stunning achievement at the turn of the century. a woman creating this breathtaking library while working alongside one of the most powerful men in the country, john morgan. she sat here and would hear jp morgan call out to her. >> right around the corner. >> wow. >> reporter: morgan's personal librarian becoming a force during a time when women in this country couldn't even vote. she was powerful and beautiful and had a big secret. >> she passed off as white but she was not. >> and she was not.

she was -- she was black. >> how did that happen? how did she even manage tolooke. but to black people they looked black. >> because of their features. >> because of their features and whenever i posted a picture of belle, everybody would say how did she pass? >> of course that woman is black. >> of course, she is. ♪ >> reporter: in their instant "the new york times" best-seller, marie benedict and victoria christopher murray pulled back the veil on belle da costa greene born into a prestigious black washington, d.c. family as belle marion greener. her father richard greener who was this activist, a contemporary of frederick douglass. >> he was the first black graduate of harvard. famous advocate for civil rights, equality but their mother, she really began to see the writing on the wall. >> once she made the decision

that they were going to live as white, she changed their names. she told them how they had to behave and so from the age of 16 on, belle was walking in the footsteps that her mother had laid out for her. >> and walking a tightrope. >> yes. >> do you think that she shows bravery or betrayal? >> i think that's things she struggled with because i think she felt she was betraying her father. >> but also in her mind she thought she was sort of helping black people too. >> she shout -- >> in her own way. >> any achievement she would have, maybe one day she was going to be discovered. maybe one day two women would be audacious enough to try to write her story. >> it's striking that you are authors here, a black and white author. how do you write a book like this together? >> i've always wanted to write about belle. i knew that belle deserved to have her story told by a black woman as well. there are certain things i can envision as a writer of fiction,

but i knew it wasn't right, proper or appropriate for me to try and envision what tat must have been like. then or now. >> same for me. i always say that i don't think belle's story could be told completely without a white woman, because she lived as white and i don't know what that's like. >> what is belle da costa greene's or belle marion greener's legacy? place, this testament to the red word were available for all people. >> reporter: just could not put this book down. robin, marie and victoria say their biggest hope is that readers from every background particularly book clubs will reach out to each other and use this as a launching pad to talk about race in a way that is intimate and that el that's what happened to them when they were writing the book last year. they said they learned to just really talk and understand each other. that is their hope with this book with book clubs and just

anybody who really wants to learn a little bit more about people who are not like them. guys. >> that's what they both expressed in your interview, deb, the way they both explained how they didn't know the other's experience. >> yeah. >> reporter: yeah, they really did and said this really brought them closer together and hoping that this could happen for others. >> all right. who was that blowing the horn at you, deb roberts, whoo-hoo. >> don't even ask, the traffic of new york. >> good to have the traffic back. >> it is. "the personal librarian" is out when a truck hit my car, the insurance company wasn't fair. i didn't know what my case was worth.

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♪ looking for some hot stuff ♪ speaking of hot stuff, speaking of hot stuff, sal. yeah. that's all the hot stuff we need. back now with our "gma" "deals & steals" to beat the heat. tory is here with products to keep you cool and you can find them at that qr code. so let's get it going again. what do you have here, tory? >> first up, robin, the bindle bottle. you can sip on top and stash on the bottom. this is a really cool bottle. it's insulated to keep your beverages cold or hot for hours. it comes with two different tops, one with a straw for cold, one that is specifically for coffee, tea or hot beverages and

then there's a storage compartment that's at the bottom so you can stick a credit card, i.d., a little cash, whatever you want for on the go so that you can carry less stuff with you as you stay hydrated. there's also a really cool optional sleeve to carry it cross body. everything today from bindle 50% off starts at $17. >> i thought this was real money, y'all. this is fake. come on. how about these comfy slippers you have here, tory? >> that is the key word. they're comfrey from natalie mills. it's comfort and glam for at home or on the go. it's got a strip of crystals and then the open toe style keeps you cool in the summer. that's what these are all about. they also have a nonslip sole. four different colors, your choice, $17.50. >> nice, how do these sheets work? >> so these are from cariloha, this bedding. it's made from an eco friendly viscose made from bamboo. it is temperature regulating.

it is extremely soft and it's cool to the touch. we've got a variety of different sheet sets in a huge assortment of color, a lot of neutrals so it's an easy way to upgrade a room, change the look. a variety today starts at 50% off, $69.50. >> speaking of bedding, i can attest to these. these are great pillowcases that help keep you cool. tell everybody about them. >> they do. these are the chill pillowcases. soft, airy moisture wicking, and they're specifically designed to minimize night sweats so that you can sleep cooler. three different color, two different sizes, today they are 50% off and free shipping. >> free shipping, and this skin care is also good for the ent? good get. this is ren clean skincare. we have a big variety of from them. this is a first time they've been on "deals & steals" in

many, many years so i'm excited to have them back. we have their ever calm collection, one thing they're known for, just great everyday products, a summer daily tonic for an instant know. it's a refresher on a hot day. they also have an overnight glow, dark spot remover, you put it on and wake up and just feel like you've got nicer skin, huge assortment. all 50% off. starts at $16.50 with free shipping. >> wonderful, and last but certainly not least, sal has been doing -- you've been working out the whole time. >> i'm exercising it. i feel good. a little out of breath. >> what's the deal, tory. >> he never stops. this is a cubii, an elliptical r cohuge aenin their pro bundle today. you get all of the different products that are going to help to enhance your wellness routine, also bluetooth enabled so you can track your progress at 50% off the entire bundle is $228.

>> any closing remarks, sal? >> can i stop pedaling? [ laughter ] please, please. >> as always, tory, we love you. we partnered with these companies for these great deals. get them on our website while you'll still be able to sign up for our newsletter. if i keep talking long you have to keep doing it. our newsletter and we'll tell you about that tomorrow. we'll have more details. now to ginger in washington again. thanks, robin. keep pedaling. how about we also all pedal over to ashland, wisconsin, yes it is a beautiful sunset but that smoke is from haze. that's from both wildfires in the west. that ridge impacted them with the huge heat dome a couple of weeks ago, the wildfire has been very difficult and that smoke will continue. all right. that's the big picture. good morning. i am abc7 news meteorologist mike nicco. you may notice it is drier

now to a new series from the history channel, "machines that built america" from the history channel that explores innovations that transformed our nation and rebecca jarvis has a sneak peek. >> reporter: from airplanes to tractors to television and radio they're the machines the risks and the rivalries that built america. >> the history of aviation is really a life and death story. >> reporter: in the 1920s henry ford is riding high. he's churning out model ts left and right. in a new eight-part docuseries by the history channel viewers are brought inside the worlds of some of the most important inventors in history including alexander graham bell, william harley and henry ford. >> a lot of these machines were borne out of rivalries, so the motorcycle, for example, comes out of a great rivalry between harley-davidson and the indian company. >> no one knew what harley-davidson was.

>> tractors, incredible story of rivals henry ford and the caterpillar company and others. >> thinking about him just selling tractors to a government entity when he didn't even have anything, it's like, just mind blown. >> reporter: the series highlighting competitive entrepreneurs just as the billionaire space race is under way premiering july 18th days before jeff bezos is set to launch. >> there's this rivalry to get to space, consumer space travel, you know, with amazon and virgin going at it. that's a great thing because competition really leads to innovation. >> "machines that built america" premieres with a double episode this sunday on the history channel. and coming up, we have a family reunion you do not want to miss. it is a big surprise.

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so what are you waiting for? mckayla maroney to get your frisbee off the roof? i'll get it. ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ ♪ ♪ whoa. here you go. (in unison) thank you mckayla! dude, get it. i'm not getting it, you get it. you threw it. it's your frisbee. geico. switch today and see all the ways you could save. we're we're back with an unforgettable family surprise. after a year apart during the pandemic, so many people are

reuniting with their loved ones on vacation this summer and our rob marciano is outside a home in new jersey getting ready to surprise one woman who went above and beyond to help her family stay in touch last year. what's going on, rob? >> well, michael, you know, we all have that one person in the family that's the glue that holes it all together and gets people together. for the lawsons that's aunt opera. for the past 45 years they've been doing reunions every year. like so many families, they couldn't do it this year because of the pandemic. this is sponsored by vrbo which is all about getting families together and this is part of her family including her son bruce who hasn't seen his mom in two years. we're about to give her a surprise. she thinks she's being interviewed by the local tv station. sit tight for a sec and we'll say hi to aunt opera. let's go. hello, aunt opera. >> yes. >> i'm rob marciano with "good morning america." >> good morning. >> you're on "gma" right now and

live national television. i know you think you're talking to the local stations but we're so enthralled by your story, how you connected your family during the pandemic and we wanted to share your story with america. >> okay. >> have a look at this video. >> when i think about the number of awesome family reunions i've attended, it's over 20 easily. >> i've been attending them as long as i can remember. >> everybody. >> reporter: for the lawsons family is everything and like so many, their celebrated reunions are rooted in tradition and legacy. passed down from one generation to the next for the last 50 years, gathering up to 85 relatives at each event. >> no matter who you are in our tribe, as i call it, it's our job to look after each other and care for each other and that was my mom's lesson to all of us. >> reporter: at 86 years young, opera tolbert lawson or aunt

opera as she's lovingly called is the matriarch of the family, with an extensive family tree starting with jesse brailsford. >> they see her as the eldest and the most senior person living in our family. there's just tremendous love and respect. >> she has been one of the driving forces in getting our family together every single time we have a family reunion. they're all thanks to in large part, her. >> reporter: last year when the pandemic halted their in-person reunion, aunt opera jumped into action using any means necessary to keep the family together. >> it started with aunt opera calling people, making sure people were okay and then my cousin angie thought, we need to use technology to connect. >> can you start us off with a

good prayer today? >> yeah. >> each sunday we had an agenda. we would have a guest speaker to talk to us about whatever questions that came up. >> we talked about covid, the importance of masks, social distancing and most importantly making sure that our family members would be vaccinated. >> look around and see if there are any family members that have not received their shot. maybe they need help signing up. maybe they need encouragement. >> those calls really made a difference and we're very, very thankful for that. >> reporter: and now our sponsor vrbo wants to celebrate this incredible woman and her family who anxiously await being together once again. >> it's going to be the happiest day of my life looking forward to it. it's almost like a child waiting for christmas. >> so many great memories there. so many more to come. your daughter has told us not only have you zoomed people but

keeping in touch by sending personal notes to so many. >> yes. oh, yes. >> being on "gma" is not the only surprise we have for you this morning. we have some special guests we want to bring in. guys, come on out. >> oh! >> nieces. how about that? aunt opera. on "gma" right now. bruce, you haven't seen your mom in two years fresh off a red-eye from pasadena. how are you feeling? >> i feel great. this is terrific. this is terrific. >> well, guess what, aunt opera, this isn't the only thing. there is more. what better way to catch up with family and friends than to reunite in a beautiful home from vrbo, you and 13 family member also reunite this weekend this this beautiful home. what do you think about that? [ cheers and applause ] >> everyone at home, check this

out, you can get in on the fun just like the lawsons because this morning, vrbo is launching a contest using a hashtag where you have a chance to win a dream family vacation on social media every day for the next 30 days so you can reunite and spend real quality time with loved ones too. so you can go to "gma's" facebook page or twitter pages for a link for more information on their contest including how to enter for all of america. but this weekend really is about you guys. are you psyched for this house? all right, look. [ cheers ] we're not done yet. we're not done there. i know you want to see more people. i know. are you guys ready, come on out here, guys. ♪ ♪ we are family i got all my sisters with me ♪ ♪ we are family ♪ [ cheers ] ♪ get up, everybody, and sing ♪ ♪ we are family ♪

♪ i got all my sisters with me ♪ >> angela, you were in the piece. you were so instrumental in getting this all together. how special is this reunion for you? >> amazing. this is amazing. >> wonderful. >> the best. >> the best reunion ever! [ cheers and applause ] >> enjoy it. >> this is amazing. ♪ >> oh, yes. >> oh, boy, that was great to see the family back together after a long time. happiness right there. pure happiness. >> pure happiness. >> enjoy that home. get a chance to hang out together. you guys stay right there. we're not done hanging out with you because we will be right back.

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last night it was mlb, tonight the 17th wnba all-star game starting at 7:00 eastern on espn. >> thanks for watching.

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building a better moin. here is jobina with a look at traffic. >> we have a couple of minor crashes out there but the big thing is that things are at a crawl in emeryville and walnut creek. the live picture here showing you 80. the westbound traffic, the average speeds are tracking around 30 miles per hour commute is well underway. same thing goes as far as the speeds on southbound 680. this is a live picture showing walnut creek. you can see how everything slows down around the curve. i want to give you answer the update on the crash we were following in san jose. it has cleared on northbound 101 before oakland road. a little bit warmer today, especially inland. 61 in san francisco to 86 in antioch. temperatures a libilow

average through saturday. now it is time for live >> announcer: it's "live with kelly and ryan!" today, she is back from his face and in the studio, sir richard branson. actor, producer, and songwriter, curtis "50 cent" jackson. and from the series, "never have i ever," maitreyi ramakrishnan. and an amazing kid from missouri delivers our "good news story of the day." all next on "live!" ♪ ♪ [cheers and applause] and now, here are kelly ripa and ryan seacrest! [cheers and applause] ♪ ♪ >> ryan: well -- >> kelly: at ease. >> ryan: we are going to