longevity. good morning, america. covid surging. new infections near record highs as the demand for testing soars and long lines grow and now the new concern the fda saying rapid antigen tests may be less sensitive to omicron. what it means as health officials cut isolation time for some in half. cdc director dr. rochelle walensky joins us this morning. travel mess. hundreds more flights canceled this morning as airlines scramble to fill staffing shortages. will the new shorter covid quarantine guidelines now put air travel back on track? slammed. millions in the west on alert for heavy snow falling at record rates causing danger on the roads.

trees, right there, all the way across the freeway. >> in oregon this massive tree falling. the driver barely escaping. law enforcement in california warning drivers not to trust gps after dozens are reported stuck on back roads. and in the south 15 million on alert for severe storms including tornadoes. rob marciano is tracking it all. celebrating the life and legacy of two game changers, former senator harry reid who went from an impoverished childhood to become one of the longest serving majority leaders and nfl hall of famer, john madden, coaching the raiders to a super bowl title before becoming a beloved broadcaster. >> he makes that play right there, boom. >> face and voice of the nfl for more than four decades. tributes for both men pouring in this morning. urgent hunt. after a father is gunned down in his car in an apparent road rage incident on christmas eve with his family with him, police now asking the public for help and

this morning his girlfriend is speaking out only on "gma." money moves. what you can do right now from delaying your bonus to charitable contributions. the top tips that can help you save big on your tax bill for 2021. ♪ something big i feel it ♪ searching for the next "squid game." why south korean shows are breaking through in the u.s. and how hollywood is hoping to cash in on the next big thing. ♪ oh oh oh ♪ and good morning, america. glad you're with us on the very last wednesday of 2021. that's it. no more. mary bruce, janai norman here at the desk. and so many reacting this morning to the passing of john madden, legendary football coach, icon and really his legacy continuing to the younger generations through his video games as well. >> the thing about john madden, you don't have to be a football fan to know john madden. >> exactly. >> i remember those reactions,

boom, and off to the races. we do begin with the seemingly unstoppable covid surge after a holiday backlog. the cdc reporting more than 440,000 new covid cases on monday. that is a record for one day. and those daunting waits at testing centers, long lines we're seeing from coast to coast. >> this all comes amid new questions about rapid antigen tests and whether they may be less sensitive to omicron. we'll hear from cdc director dr. rochelle walensky about all of this and more. first trevor ault in new york with the latest. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, janai. the lines started forming at city md hours before they ever opened. we set that new record, 440,000 cases reported. that was because of a backlog during the holidays. we can say for certain right now the impact is getting bigger and

bigger. this morning, the omicron and delta covid surge climbing even higher. experts now forecasting 863,000 total american lives lost to the virus by january 22nd as the u.s. is now averaging that staggering number, more than 240,000 cases a day and those incredible testing lines keep stretching longer. >> i was looking for a test about a week ago. i had symptoms so i wanted to make sure before i could go back to work. >> reporter: five states are reporting more new cases than at any other point in the pandemic. infections in florida, georgia and washington, d.c. tripling in the past week and it all comes as the fda now says early data suggests rapid antigen tests which includes many at home rapid tests may have reduced sensitivity detecting the

omicron variant. the cdc tuesday also revising down its earlier estimate of omicron's dominance saying the variant has only just now overtaken delta in the u.s. accounting for 58.6% of all new cases this week. and hospitals under strain are warning it will only get worse. >> we have no beds. there's no room in the inn. we're holding patients in the er for multiple hours if not days, multiple days. >> reporter: the cdc this week shortening the covid isolation period for people without symptoms from ten days down to five citing growing evidence the virus is most infectious two to three days after symptoms begin. while cases have doubled in new york city, public schools there will still open january 3rd with revamped testing policies to keep more kids in the classroom. classmates of a covid positive student who don't have symptoms and have two negative rapid tests will return to school the next day. >> we've come up with a new approach and at-home tests will be crucial. >> reporter: around the country, several colleges like princeton will start the new semester

entirely online and on broadway, the punches keep coming. "the music man" canceling performances after hugh jackman announced he has covid. >> i will do everything i can to get better asap. as soon as i'm cleared i'll be back up on stage. >> reporter: here in the new york city area city md shut down more than a dozen locations to make sure they have enough workers to keep locations up and running. down in georgia the governor now deployed the national guard to make sure their testing sites and hospitals have enough staff to keep going. whit? >> all right, trevor, thank you. joining us is the director of the cdc, dr. rochelle walensky. good morning. always good to have you. i want to start with that concerning announcement from the fda that those rapid antigen tests may not be as sensitive at detecting the omicron variant. the biden administration is about to send out 500 million of these tests. can they still be trusted? >> good morning, whit. thanks for having me.

yes, absolutely, so we do know that the most sensitive test you can do is a pcr test so if you have symptoms and you have a negative antigen test we do ask you to get a pcr to make sure those symptoms aren't attributable to covid. those antigen tests still work quite well and work well especially in places that are using them like in higher education and tests to stay in school where we're doing other tests, one every third day. that's really when they work well as well so we still are encouraging their use. they may not work as well as they had for the delta variant. >> speaking of testing, new cdc deadlines announced this week reducing isolation period from ten to five days. many applauding the move but facing criticism for not including a test out policy. former surgeon general jerome adams says it's not about the best science, more of a compromise to keep the economy open. why didn't you include a testing component? >> so first let me sort of back up and say we had a lot of science to inform our decisions

and it was science in many different areas. the first was how does the virus work? how is viral decay happening? we do know the vast majority of viral transmission happens in those first five days, somewhere in the 85% to 90% range. so we're really talking if you can isolate for the first five days that would be great. we also know epidemiologically we anticipate a lot of cases. we've seen in other countries up to 4% or 5% of people may have infection. so we really do need to prepare for what happens especially as those people are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and are ready to go out and about and then, of course, third is behavior. we've seen in some studies up to only a third of people actually isolate when we ask them to. so with all of that science together we moved forward with isolation recommendations of five days of isolation followed by five days in a mask. now, the question of why we didn't include a test there is

simply because we know that pcrs can stay positive for up to 12 weeks. so we would have people in isolation for a very long time if we were relying on pcrs. >> we've seen those -- that's if you can get a test. we've seen those long lines, but did the decision have anything to do with the government's ability to actually meet the demand for testing? >> so we in our isolation recommendations we did not recommend a test because we did not know what we would do with the information and it would not inform any further decision-making. but in our quarantine recommendations our recommendations for what you do if you are exposed to the virus in all of those recommendations, we clearly say that the best practice would be to get a test at five days after exposure. so, no, it did not. >> what about kids? it wasn't specifically spelled out in the guidance, if they get the virus or are exposed to covid what should they do and how should schools respond? >> our recommendations are true

for both adults and for children. we do have really clear science now on a test to stay strategy that, if children are exposed they can safely return to school as long as they're getting a test every day, every other day, every third day and we've demonstrated over the last month new science that demonstrates that's a safe way to keep our children in school. that's our goal. the most important thing we can do to keep our children safe is get them vaccinated. >> if it is the same for parents and kids, does that mean a child exposed to another kid in class does not have to quarantine if they're fully vaccinated? >> and if they are in a school that has a test to stay strategy. >> dr. walensky, thank you so much for your time. we appreciate it. >> thank you so much. >> mary, over to you. now to that holiday travel nightmare that seemingly just won't end. already more than 700 u.s. flights have been canceled just this morning after nearly 1,300 were canceled on tuesday.

alex perez is at chicago o'hare airport with the latest. alex, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, mary. the crowds and lines will not be going anywhere any time soon. some 14.5 million people expected to travel between now and the new year. more than a thousand flights a day have been canceled since christmas eve. a huge part of the problem, airlines scrambling to fill staff shortages as employees isolate for covid. airline execs hoping the cdc's new guidance will help with the problem. health officials cut the recommended isolation time down from ten days to five days. delta calling the new move a safe and science based and more practical approach based on what we know about the omicron variant and this rush will continue. the busiest travel days ahead expected to be january 2nd and the 3rd.

janai? >> still facing long lines, delays and cancellations, thank you so much. weather also a big factor in some of those. dangerous conditions threatening much of the country from western snow to possible tornadoes in the south so let's go to rob marciano with more. good morning, rob. >> reporter: good morning, janai. continues to be a very active weather pattern really from coast to coast. we'll start you off in wisconsin which had a snow emergency near madison last night with several inches of snow falling there, i-94, there were some accidents. the drive there was dicey. three to five inches generally but all came in a short period of time. now look at this, boom. this is i-5 near medford. wolf creek, oregon, my goodness, that big evergreen coming down on that car. nobody got hurt. that is frightening stuff. this video out of lake tahoe shows you the traffic there and just how difficult it is to get -- obviously sped up with the time lapse. storm alerts today. 15 states under the gun mostly in the west with another storm. this one is strong. it will go all the way to san diego. flood watches out there and could see debris flows, two to three feet of additional snowfall and bitter cold blast, 30 to 50 degrees below zero

across the northern plains and record heat across the south east. could see severe weather across the mid south and maybe around round on saturday. janai? >> all right, thanks, rob. i'll take it from here. now to honoring a giant of the senate. harry reid, the democratic senator who served five terms and helped steer the passage of the affordable care act as senator majority leader died tuesday at the age of 82 after a four-year battle with pancreatic cancer. maryalice parks is with the president in delaware. maryalice, good morning. >> reporter: mary, good morning. the former senator from nevada had been sick for some time. he was soft-spoken but will be remembered as just a force of nature in washington. he grew up in an extremely poor family in a tiny mining town in nevada. his childhood home had no indoor plumbing, yet he rose through the ranks and served in the senate for 30 years, one of the longest serving majority leaders in the nation's history and he

was a masterful tactician, stubborn, dogged, a fighter in absolutely every sense. he was literally an amateur boxer known for taking on the mob back in nevada and people always said he pulled no punches. >> he certainly did not. maryalice, he was the driving force behind so much landmark legislation and helped cement president obama's legacy turning his ideas into reality and overnight the former president also sending his tribute. >> reporter: yeah, president obama shared a personal letter he wrote to reid recently saying, i would not have been president had it not been for your encouragement and support. together like you said the two of them passed the affordable care act in 2010 and president biden writing last night that reid was a giant and wrote that for harry it wasn't about power for power's sake but about the power to do right for the people. mary? >> yeah, and i have to say, guys, i covered him in the senate.

maryalice, thank you. he was not always the loudest voice in the halls but often shrewd, had a bit of a dry sense of humor too but what an amazing rise against all odds. his life truly an american success story. >> his whole life story. mary, thank you. also we do have another passing to note this morning. one of the most beloved figures in sports, across the country people celebrating the life of john madden, the hall of fame coach, broadcaster, video game icon. he died tuesday at the age of 85. kaylee hartung is live in los angeles with more. kaylee, good morning. >> reporter: george, whit. john madden is to the nfl what elvis presley was to rock 'n' roll. he is the king. that's how the nfl commissioner has described john madden's place in the pantheon of football. now he leaves a lasting legacy. >> football has been my life and it's given me so much. >> reporter: john madden was a true titan in a sport of giants. >> he's the best in football at that. >> reporter: the face and voice of the nfl for more than four decades.

>> he makes that play right there, boom. >> reporter: injury would keep madden from playing in the nfl but at just 32 the oakland raiders hired him as their head coach in 1969. that's where he would begin to build a legacy. storming the sidelines carrying a team to a super bowl xi victory and never allowing a losing record in his ten years with the franchise. >> he scored a super bowl touchdown. >> reporter: retiring from coaching at just 42. he turned to the broadcasting booth. over three decades calling more than 500 games. >> jon taylor really came up with that one. >> reporter: his every man sensibilities and enthusiastic commentary making him distinctive. >> any time he puts 330 pounds on you, you will go backwards. >> he was like the uncle or the grandfather who just had a very relatable funny, relaxing way to crystallize and really explain moments to you. >> reporter: using his

telestrator to explain the game in ways only he could. >> watch graham here. he will pull out and leave. >> reporter: bringing laughs week after week. >> you see, you cut it like right down here. >> reporter: madden becoming one of the most sought after pitch men on television and making some unforgettable cameos. >> you're a football team. that's kind of like a family except you get to hit each other but you have to stick together. do that, you'll be fine. >> thanks, mr. dmadden. >> reporter: madden influencing generations of football and gaming fans helping to develop the blockbuster video game series that bears his name. selling more than 250 million copies since its debut more than 30 years ago. and our own michael strahan conveying what so many players felt as he tweeted, when you played and john madden was on the call, it was time to shine. michael sends his love to the

madden family as we all do. guys? >> kaylee, thank you. those memories going back. >> so many stories there. >> love the way -- whenever someone puts 330 pounds on you, you will go backwards. >> hard to overstate his impact on football. >> of course. we are following a lot of other stories this morning here in headlines including an abc news exclusive with the girlfriend of the father and pro boxer gunned down on christmas eve with her and their children in the car. after the massive success of "squid game," the all out battle for the next megahit from south korea. but first back to rob. >> reporter: guys your local forecast is 30 seconds away. first your stormy cities sponsored by amazon.

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lisa: good wednesday morning. an level 1 system. you can see the rain filling in here. more offshore so san franciso getting wet soon and in the south bay, not a lot going on but upper elevations looking at a rain-snow mix from mount hambleton to mount diablo. there is fog in the delta and concord. this is an ongoing system. highs along the peninsula and the coast and then a break for the next several days including bringing in the new year before more rain arrives next week. kumasi: we will have another update in 30 minutes.

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that. first the top headlines we're following right now, the massive covid surge, the cdc reporting more than 440,000 new cases on monday alone. that's a single day record mostly because of a backlog in reporting those cases from the holiday. this as the fda says that the rapid antigen test may not be sensitive to the omicron variant. colorado police identifying the alleged gunman who killed five people in a shooting rampage in and around denver monday as 47-year-old lyndon mcleod. police say he targeted many of the victims. police say he was on their radar. he was investigated twice but no charges were filed. he was killed in a shootout with police. we have also learned that four people were killed in that plane crash in the el cajon neighborhood in southern california late monday night. no one on the ground was hurt. debris scattered everywhere damaging a home and a vehicle and downing power lines leaving hundreds of people without power. who knows, maybe the 36th time is the charm for powerball. the jackpot for tonight's drawing is up to a whopping $441 million.

no one has hit all five numbers in the powerball since october 4th when a single ticket won a massive $700 million grand prize. so, guys, we've been saying this all week, still a chance. still a chance. >> keeps getting bigger. a lot more ahead including the money moves you can make before the ball drops that can save you big on your taxes. and the time capsule hidden for decades under this statue. why historians were so excited when they opened up the mysterious box coming up. a lot of that ahead. but now to that father of three gunned down in a suspected road rage incident in maryland on christmas eve right in front of his children and girlfriend. she's now speaking out exclusively to abc news. phil lipof joins us with that. cannot imagine what the last week has been like for this family. >> reporter: no, right, good morning to you, janai. such a devastating and heartbreaking story. 30 years old and gunned down right in front of his girlfriend and their three children. denny kelly jr. was about to restart his professional boxing career. he was headed out to a holiday

dinner when those shots rang out. this morning, authorities in maryland are asking for the public's help with their investigation into the killing of a professional boxer who was gunned down in a possible road rage incident while driving with his family. >> the area of branch avenue and st. barnabs road, a shooting. >> reporter: police say in prince harry george county say kelly was killed in front of his girlfriend and their three children on christmas eve. >> every time i close my eyes, i replay in my head. i don't want to close my eyes. >> reporter: she says they were out shopping and kelly was behind the wheel of their suv when they spotted an erratic driver. >> changing lanes the whole time. pulled up beside each other. he said i have children in the car. >> reporter: she says it happened fast, a quick exchange

of words before someone in the other vehicle pulled a gun. >> slow down, he said. i have children in the backseat and then he started shooting through the windows. i automatically turned around, you know, checked them to make sure they was okay. then when i turned around, my kids is like, daddy. >> reporter: kennard and the kids were not hurt. according to the national highway traffic safety administration, road rage incidents are up from last year and tr and aaa says in a study 57 million drivers reported switching lanes quickly or very close behind another vehicle. 71 million drivers admit to making rude gestures or honking at another driver. kelly's longtime boxing coach has this message for the gunman. >> i don't know if you realize what you have done. you took a great part of the community and a great part of me and his family and kids. he took a lot. >> reporter: police now offering a $25,000 reward in the shooting that killed the boxer known for his skills inside the ring and his love for family outside the ring.

>> he was just everything, just everything. he was the best dad anybody could ask for. >> reporter: police haven't released many details. you heard about the $25,000 reward. they are asking for the public's help. in our interview with kelly's girlfriend she said they are looking for video in and around that roadway to get the best picture they can of the killer's car. janai? >> hoping they get some information, phil. you can hear the pain in her voice. phil, thank you so much for bringing that to us. mary, over to you. now to that look back more than 100 years into our past. a time capsule found underneath the statue of confederate general robert e. lee in virginia was opened on tuesday. historians eager to see all the treasures inside. for as long as anyone around here can remember there were rumors of a time capsule underneath the former robert e. lee monument in richmond, virginia. >> i know that they were talking about lincoln's -- some shot of lincoln in his coffin or something like that. >> reporter: on monday

construction workers found the 130-year-old 36-pound copper bx. >> okay, folks, everybody ready? >> reporter: it was the state archaeological conservator's turn to open it. >> no sign of insects. i think it's in better shape than we expected. >> reporter: the box containing artifacts that seem to date back to the mid 1800s. >> very wet holy bible. >> reporter: confederate money, a "harper's weekly" and flag and compass believed to be carved from the tree that grew above the grave of general stonewall jackson. all the tep items will be researched, preserved and cataloged. they didn't end up finding that photo of lincoln but still pretty cool finds. >> still very cool. >> yeah, the history there. we do want to turn to the hunt for the next "squid game." the drama out of south korea that was a massive hit for netflix. now all the big streaming services are battling out trying to find the next big tv hit out

from that country. it's a story we first saw "the wall street journal" and zohreen shah joins us with more. zohreen, good morning. >> reporter: hey, good morning, whit. netflix said over 100 million people watched "squid game." i was one of them. i was obsessed with that show. it's a korean drama about an underdog who makes it to the top and now a lot of the major players in entertainment are trying to get in on the big prize. it's the haunting show that dominated netflix this year. ♪ "squid game" and it's just one of many south korean created television shows the u.s. cannot get enough of. following behind "hellbound," a dark fantasy series and "my name." both topping netflix's global chart. [ speaking foreign language ] >> one big reason why these recent shows from south korea

did really well is that they explore universal themes or questions that people could relate to regardless of their background or nationality. at the end of the day, the south korean shows simply did a great job in telling their stories in a compelling way that keeps viewers hooked and eager to watch the next episode. >> reporter: and streaming services are taking notes. the mega success of these shows driving companies to cash in on the action with apple tv plus and disney plus launching in south korea to develop korean content for hungry audiences. >> with "squid game" being so viral so popular, we're seeing korean content go from something that was niche and not necessarily popularized in this country to kind of being something everyone is craving. >> reporter: the fandom behind it is not new. in 2013 "gangnam style" found its way to dance floors worldwide and k-pop group bts has become an international

phenomenon with a diverse and loyal fan base. ♪ >> reporter: "parasite" defied odds too taking home the top prize at the oscars with its best picture win. and "train to busan" raked in $100 million internationally at the highlight of pandemic. >> it will appeal to everyone one way or another and important to remember korean content is global and that means it's enjoyable for anyone. >> reporter: so other big perks about content produced in korea, well, projects are sometimes greenlit in a week. that never happens here. also hollywood can be expensive and abroad sometimes it's a fraction of the price to make some of these shows. i'm not sure that's going to be the case for season two of "squid game" but we'll have to see. whit? >> it's still on my list. i got the kids in the house.

it's tough to watch all the murder and violence. >> you got to see it. >> it's on the list, thank you so much. janai, don't you start either with the dad jokes. i go to bed early. >> i was biting my tongue over here. still coming up, a parenting alert after one mother says amazon alexa gave her daughter a surprising response that could have been dangerous. and the steps you can take before the end of the year that could save you thousands on your tax bill for 2021. stay with us. my two favorites.

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now to what you can do right now to what you can do right now to keep your 2021 tax bill down. abc's erielle reshef joins us live with the details. erielle, this is one of my favorite segments of the year because it's such good information but you have to act fast, today, tomorrow or friday. >> reporter: no pressure there, no problem here. it's not too late. time is running out with some small adjustments, you can still save thousands in tax liability. something as simple as making a charitable donation or changing up your investments. >> so what are some of the tips you have? >> reporter: the first, defer your bonus if you're getting one and ask your boss to pay you early next year. if you get it this year, it could bump you up into the next tax bracket which means you pay more. second, make a tax deductible donation to a charity. you have to do this by december 31st. a great way to give back to

qualified organizations and save you some money at the same time. >> saving money, that's what so many are all about. what if you just happen to have some extra cash laying around, what can you do to bring down that tax bill? >> reporter: experts say you can also make a contribution to your 401(k) or your i.r.a. this not only helps maximize retirement but reduces taxable income. >> a double win there. and what about for anyone out there who is taking care of their parents? lots of people are doing that. caretakers on both ends. what should they do? >> reporter: and they should be rewarded for that. if you are a caretaker for your parents or another nonchild dependent you may be able to reduce taxes you owe dollar for dollar. >> deductions are a big thing but sometimes there are so many. you don't know what else is out. any others? >> reporter: if you paid property taxes on your home or made a large purchase or right after christmas you can deduct state, local property income or sales tax up to $10,000.

and, by the way, this last one may surprise you, sign up to take a class, a course to advance your career, maybe improve your skills could help lower your taxes by $2,000 if you pay for next quarter's tuition by december 31st. i've always wanted to take french, janai. maybe now is the time. >> bing, bang, boom. erielle, you have great tips. you might have to do my taxes next year. thank you for being here. >> reporter: you bet. still coming up here our "play of the day." find your rhythm. your happy place.

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♪ hear the music, you know what we're talking about. back with our "play of the day." a big win on "jeopardy!" on tuesday when current champion amy schneider won her 20th consecutive game bringing her total winnings to $768,600 and tying one of her favorite players with that 20-game winning streak. in 2014, you might remember julia collins won 20 straight games known for her colorful sweaters. amy paid tribute to her by wearing a pink sweater for this one and it was lucky for her, not only did she win her 20th game, now fourth on the all-time money list. on top of that list, of course, "jeopardy!" host ken jennings right there who was with her to walk her through. she's amazing. rock star. >> all right. >> fun to watch. >> hold on to that lucky sweater. coming up, our one-on-one with katy perry as she kicks off her las vegas residency, we cannot wait for that.

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the ref going to the rule book here. what, wait a minute! harris is off to the races! we don't need any more trick plays. touchdown!! but we could all use more ways to save. are you kidding me?? it's going to be a long bus ride home for the defense. switch to geico for more ways to save. welcome back to "gma." >> reporter: welcome back to "gma." while the southeast is enjoying record high temperatures, the northwestern third of the country, check out these numbers, it is frigid stuff. windchills are well below zero even in seattle and portland. all right. coming up on "gma," one woman shar say hello to 2022 with xfinity and you'll get fast and reliable internet for only nineteen ninety-nine a month for twelve months.

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>> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc7. >> good morning. here's a look at traffic. >> we still see some solo span out and have speeders that are not making things earlier. we had an earlier sig alert on the golden gate bridge that has been pushed up to the southernmost lot. now approaching the bay bridge, we have a spinout in the berkeley car. >> we have the eastttt will fill in in the north bay. you can see it off the coast. this is the peninsula, so it will be on again/off again showers with higher elevations, not that cold, but enough we are seeing a little bit of a rain/snow mix. we will get a break later on tonight.

chilly conditions with a four day break for the new year and then more rain. >> we will have another abc7 update in about 30 minutes. you can find the latest on our app and abc7news.com. the news continues now with "good morning america."

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good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. covid surging. new infections setting records. the u.s. now averaging more than 240,000 new cases per day as the demand for testing soars and lines grow. while health officials have cut isolation times in half, despite at home angina general tests not being sensitive to detect the omicron variant. what dr. walensky is saying this morning. the life of two giants, john madden who coached the raiders to a super bowl title before becoming a beloved broadcaster and former senator harry reid, one of the longest serving

majority leaders. tributes for both men pouring in this morning. "gma" parenting alert. this mom says alexa suggested her child do a potentially dangerous tiktok challenge. what she's telling "gma" this morning and how to keep your kids safe on all household devices. ♪ that's what i like about you ♪ looking golden in your jeans in 2022. the top trends in denim. will it be skinny or wide, low riders or high waisted? and how to embrace the style that's best for your body. ♪ this is gonna be a good life ♪ plus, betty white celebrating her 100th birthday early and revealing her longevity secrets. >> my mother always used to say, the older you get the better you get, unless you're a banana. >> and the one food she says she avoids eating. ♪ level up, level up ♪ get ready to level up with ciara. ♪ i know you want this yummy ♪ live on "gma" as we count down to new year's eve.

and we're waking up in vegas with katy perry. taking us behind the scenes of her new las vegas residency and look who is saying -- >> good morning, america. ♪ waking up in vegas ♪ calm down, janai. >> i'm very excited. >> we were trying to get janai to sing but heard it during the commercial break and maybe not. [ laughter ] >> it's not that bad. good morning, america. it's great to have you with us on the last wednesday of 2021. >> trying to end the year on a high note and we are. katy perry's las vegas residency opens tonight. you know it is going to be larger than life. our kaylee hartung with the assignment of the season getting behind the scenes as the superstar returns to the stage. >> you're not jealous? >> no. >> just a smidge. >> so much has changed for her since last on tour including having a baby. she'll tell us how becoming a mother has changed her life. >> looking forward to that. first a lot of news to get to including the latest in the

battle against covid. the number of new cases setting records. the cdc now reporting more than 440,000 on monday alone due in part to the holiday backlog as the lines at testing centers keeps on growing. trevor ault is live in new york city with the latest. trevor, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, again, whit. there are three testing sites within one block here and all three of them had people lined up well before they opened waiting to get a test. the national case average has doubled since thanksgiving and the question now is, just how far away are we from the peak of this surge? this morning, the omicron and delta covid surge climbing even higher. experts now forecasting 863,000 total american lives lost to the virus by january 22nd as the u.s. is now averaging that staggering number, more than 240,000 cases a day. five states are currently reporting more new cases than any other point in the pandemic. infections in florida, georgia and washington, d.c. tripling in

the past week and it all comes as the fda now says early data suggests rapid antigen tests which include many at-home covid tests may have reduced sensitivity detecting the omicron variant. this morning, whit speaking with cdc director dr. rochelle walensky. >> the biden administration is about to send out 500 million of these tests. can they still be trusted? >> yes, absolutely. so we do know that the most sensitive test you can do is a pcr test. so if you have symptoms and you have a negative antigen test we do ask you to go and get a pcr to make sure they're not attributable to covid. those antigen tests still work quite well. >> reporter: the cdc revising down its earlier estimate of omicron's dominance saying the variant has only just now overtaken delta in the u.s. accounting for 58.6% of all new cases this week. and experts say, yes, it is possible the omicron variant is more mild than previous variants of the virus but it's still too early to tell and there are some

troubling new numbers. particularly in the last month the number of children admitted with covid-19 has increased 80%. whit? >> spreading so quickly across the country. trevor, thank you. mary? okay, now to honoring a giant of the senate. harry reid, the nevada democrat who served five terms and helped steer passage of the affordable care act as senate majority leader died tuesday at the age of 82 after a four-year battle with pancreatic cancer. the former law maker was soft spoken, but will be remembered as a force of nature in washington. the tributes are pouring in this morning. president obama sharing a letter he wrote recently to reid saying, i wouldn't have been president had it not been for your encouragement and support. together, of course, they passed the affordable care act back in 2009 and president biden writing last night that reid was a giant saying for harry it wasn't about power for power's sake. it was about the power to do right for the people. it absolutely was.

janai? >> so many honoring him this morning, mary. another passing to note this morning, so many celebrating the life of john madden. the hall of fame coach, broadcaster and video game icon was beloved beyond the sports world. he died tuesday at age 85. abc's kaylee hartung is live in los angeles with more. kaylee, good morning again to you. >> reporter: hey, good morning again, janai. john madden taught generations how to love the game of football, but nobody loved it more than him. >> football has been my life and it's given me so much. >> reporter: john madden was a true titan in a sport of giants. >> he's the best in football at that. >> reporter: the face and voice of the nfl for more than four decades. >> he makes that play right there, boom. >> reporter: injury would keep him from playing in the nfl but at just 32 the oakland raiders hired him as their head coach in 1969. that's where he would begin to build a legacy. >> and he scored a super bowl touchdown. >> reporter: retiring from

coaching at just 42 he turned to the broadcasting booth. over three decades calling more than 500 games. >> jon taylor really came up on that one. >> reporter: his every man sensibilities and enthusiastic commentary making him the distinctive voice of the game. >> any time nate puts that 330 pounds on you, you're going to go backwards. >> reporter: madden becoming one of the most sought after pitch m men on television. >> boom, tough acting tinactin. >> it's kind of like a family except you get to hit each other but you have to stick together. if you do that you'll be fine. >> thanks, mr. madden. >> thanks, coach. >> reporter: madden influencing generations of football and gaming fans helping to develop the blockbuster video game series that bears his name, selling more than 250 million copies since its debut more than 30 years ago. our michael strahan summing up best on instagram posting john madden was an nfl legend.

when you played and john was on the call it was time to shine. he says madden's legacy will live on forever and sends his love and prayers to madden's family and loved ones. guys? >> he is essentially synonymous with the nfl. kaylee, thank you so much. stay with us because you've got more coming up. another parenting alert as a mother says an alexa search led her daughter to a potentially dangerous tiktok challenge. how you can protect your children. and fashion trends for 2022. the new denim looks you'll see everywhere next year and how to find the best fit for your body. and ciara joins us live to tell us about co-hosting dick clark's new year's rockin' eve with ryan seacrest. we are getting ready for the party and we'll be right back. ♪ so yummy ♪ ♪ yummy all in your tummy ♪

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♪ ooh i'm blinded by the light ♪ that will get you going on a wednesday. welcome back to "gma" on this wednesday morning. tomorrow on "gma" we reveal the american girl 2022 girl of the year doll. it's a "gma" tradition. i've been a part of these reveals for the past few years. it's very exciting. you can see the silhouette there. who will it be? you will meet her tomorrow morning. >> i can't wait to know. >> i know a lot of little girls excited for that. >> i have two at home. time for "pop news." jane has her pop back on. >> all right, popped it back on in time for "pop news."

we begin with miss betty white gearing up for her centennial birthday. in just a few weeks the golden girl will be ringing in the big 1 double 0. that's right 100 and to celebrate early she's revealing her secrets to longevity. the actress sitting down with "people" magazine saying she was born an optimist and finding the positive is the key to her long life. notes we can all take on that. white also joking about her diet saying, quote, i try to avoid anything green. i think it's working. betty, i'm with you. miss white going on to share she feels amazing and is lucky to be in such good health at almost 100 years young. nowadays she likes to spend her days playing cross word puzzles, card games and watching golf and "jeopardy!" to read more about betty pick up the latest issue of "people" magazines on newsstands. >> she's the best. >> she really, really is. to turn 100 -- i've been thinking about it because my birthday is coming up next week. >> you got a few more of those. >> i do. so fortunate to get to age, really, and to be betty white

turning 100 is incredible. hats off to her. >> i'll have what she's having. >> no green. season two of the emmy winning "cheer" tumbling on to our screens in two weeks and this morning we're getting a look at the highly anticipated return with a new trailer. check it out. >> cheerleading is the only thing that could get my mind off everything else. >> if navarro slips up this year trinity valley is right there to snatch the title from them. >> i don't need to win any more trophies but i do want to be the best. >> navarro and trinity valley battling it out yet again. >> ooh, the drama. season 2 set to take viewers on the navarro team's heartpounding journey to defending their championship title against rivals trinity valley community college. "cheer" returns to netflix on the 12th. catch their coach when she joins us live on "gma" next week. finally this morning a milestone celebrated with family.

23-year-old melanie salazar is officially a college graduate and get this, so is her grandfather. salazar and her 88-year-old grandfather both graduating from texas a&m before christmas. rene began his undergrad degree back in the 1950s but decided to focus on his family and work, only reenrolling for his degree when his grand daughter graduated from high school. they would carpool to class, study, even go to club meetings together. so sweet. she told us she's so inspired by her grandpa's strength and proud of him for graduating. congratulations to their whole family. >> never too late. >> that's a wonderful family story. >> love it. >> thanks, janai. now to our cover story. a parenting alert. one mom says that her family's alexa encouraged her child to try a potentially dangerous tiktok challenge. erielle reshef is back with the details on all of this and what

parents can do to try to keep their kids safe. erielle. >> reporter: hey there, mary. experts we talked to said this mom did the right thing by supervising her 10-year-old daughter while she was playing with their echo. she says their story is a cautionary tale for families with voice-activated technology. >> alexa, set a timer for eight minutes. >> eight minutes starting now. >> reporter: this morning a new parenting warning after an amazon echo device gave one family a surprising response when kristin livdahl and her 10-year-old daughter ellie asked alexa for a challenge. >> a physical education challenges for the kids to do, balancing a broom stick on your hand and chin. she was just looking for something like that. >> reporter: the device's answer alarming suggesting the so-called outlet challenge. a dangerous trend popularized on tiktok. >> what it actually told her to do was to hold -- plug a phone charger partway in and then

touch the exposed prongs with a penny. i was actually right there in the room with her and i kind of was so freaked out. i'm like, no, alexa, no, stop. >> reporter: amazon telling abc news alexa is designed to provide accurate, relevant and helpful information. as soon as we became aware of this error we took swift action. tiktok has taken down any posts with #outletchallenge. some videos like this one still visible on the platform. it's important to monitor your child's interaction with voice activated technology. >> what it highlights is no tech is perfect and there are loopholes. research what parental controls exist for that device and figure out how to implement it. then plug it in then set it up, then let them play knowing you have peace of mind. >> reporter: speaking of parental controls, amazon has expanded its parental controls to include voice profiles for

your kids. experts say the minute you get one of these devices you should program these settings. that way it will recognize your child's voice and switch over to kid-friendly content. whit? >> those controls so important, erielle. thank you. we do turn to katy perry, the pop superstar taking us behind the scenes of her blockbuster new residency in sin city. kaylee hartung got a chance to talk to her. she's back with that story. >> reporter: katy perry has build her own playground and said a las vegas residency has always been a career goal and now she's making her teenage dream a reality and taking us all on the trip. ♪ that's what you get for waking up in vegas ♪ >> reporter: this morning, katy perry is waking up in vegas launching her larger than life residency, "play" at resorts world las vegas. >> let's play. ♪ >> it's always like, you know, a race to the finish line when you're launching something this massive.

♪ brush off the dust ♪ >> how have you upped the ante? >> a lot of my shows have been larger than life but i play a doll in this show so everything is like three times the size of me. it's "honey i shrunk the kids" meets "pee wee's playhouse." people are here to have fun and let loose. ♪ and you're gonna hear me roar ♪ >> reporter: this is what it means to go behind the scenes. we're going behind the curtains. >> here's our toilet. >> can't miss it. >> if you have a problem, you can always plunge it out. ♪ smile ♪ >> that is a giant bathtub. >> it's massive. want to go in it? ♪ baby, you're a firework ♪ >> welcome to wardrobe. ♪ make them go up, up ♪ >> there's one rhinestone that needs to go back on. it's just popped off. >> we'll take care of it right away.

>> god is in the details. you know, bedazzled, gorgeous trash. >> trash but make it >> trash but make it trashion. get it? >> got it. >> here we are on the checkerboard stage. >> here she comes at a snail's pace. >> this is actually my first time seeing this in real life. >> just how you imagined. >> she's cute, slippery, slidy. ♪ just because it's over doesn't mean it's over 7 >> considering the last time you were on tour, march 2020, you're in australia. >> oh, my god. >> and the world shuts down. what feelings do you have just about getting back up on stage after all this time? >> well, between then and now i was able to have a baby, which changed my life and brought me balance and perspective and priority and so much joy, everything i was looking for, i really found when i met her.

♪ cover me in daisies, daisies, daisies ♪ ♪ they said i'm going nowhere ♪ ♪ tried to get me out ♪ ♪ threw those sticks and stones ♪ ♪ showed them i could build a house ♪ >> a new show, new music, "when i'm gone." >> yes, out today. check it out. ♪ gonna be like ♪ ♪ gonna be like ♪ >> it is proud and it is fun and it's great because it's coming out the same time the opening night of my show and just gives a little bit of a fresh, new, fun feeling. music will continue and people use music to be happy, to get their grief out, to dance, to put their makeup on. it's -- you know, we all need a soundtrack to our lives and i hope i can be part of that. >> reporter: katy will take over halftime of the college football championship on espn january 10th for the worldwide premiere

of that new song with alesso "when i'm gone." get excited, guys. >> we're excited. not a lot of people can say they got no a giant bathtub with katy perry for an interview. great work. time for weather. rob, good morning once again. >> reporter: good morning, guys. here's the giant bathtub for us, long island sound and the river behind me. we're looking at snow in chicago, 287 days you guys have been waiting for this. one of the longest streaks of no snow in chicago's history, the latest snow of the season and they got about an inch and a half at o'hare. in maine, two to three inches of snow in parts of maine but enough to cover the roadways, slick driving across northern new england. new year's eve a threat for severe weather across the midsouth after today's threat so a couple of days apart including little rock to nashville.

now to a trend alert. time to get your wardrobe in check for the new year with that classic closet staple, not the pants with the elastic waist, we're talking denim. you can shop all the hottest styles for 2022 on our website right now. becky worley checked them out. >> reporter: skinny versus wide leg. low riders versus mom jeans, cropped ankle versus bell bottoms. ♪ bounce, bounce ♪ >> reporter: call it the jean war, a generational style divide or a denim identity crisis. can someone please just tell me

what jeans am i supposed to be wearing in 2022? hopefully not these. style guru melissa garcia says, yeah, jeans are all over the place. >> women are really starting to embrace the jeans and the silhouettes that work best for their body shape. so, of course, you're going to have a ton of different styles because every woman's body is different. >> reporter: she says the high waisted trend will continue like these citizens of humanity jeans they sent for us to show off. >> they are flattering on every woman even if you're petite and can't wear high waisted because it cuts off your silhouette. it does not. it actually lengthens and elongates your frame whether you're a tall petite or in the middle. >> reporter: while skinny jeans aren't going away like these jeans sent from for all mankind. >> we'll see wide legs and as far as color tones it's going darker so darker indigo and faded black. >> reporter: how can these young street styles translate to more mature looks?

marianne mcdonald from citizen humanity helps me. >> it has a certain elevation to it. i think as people are feeling more social, you want to look chic and cool but still really be you and so i'd have to say it would be sophisticated effortlessness. >> reporter: the embodiment of tat effortless sophistication, the tucked in look, and i need help with that. i've got the t-shirt. i've got the mom jean. >> tuck the whole thing in and raise your arms to get it untucked a bit. >> that's a trick. >> you have it fully tucked in, it makes your waist look super tiny. >> reporter: for "gma," becky worley in oakland, califoria. >> thanks to becky for that. we're right back on "gma."

announcer: building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc 7 news.

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>> low pressure b moisture. the rain will pick up in the city. it is beginning tomorrow parts of southern and central marin county. scattered in a north bay as well as the east bay. wet pavement upper elevations and may be a rain-snow mix in

hamilton. it is a chilly day with scattered showers lingering into the afternoon. >> we will have another update in 30 minutes and you can follow us on our app ♪ level up, level up, level up ♪ ♪ level up, level up, level up ♪ we're leveling up in the studio here. maybe it's just me. >> no, it's all of us but especially you. >> my apologies. welcome back to "gma." thanks for being with us on this wednesday as we level up with our next guest, ciara will help us ring in the new year as co-host of dick clark's new year's rockin' eve with ryan seacrest 2022. good morning. great to have you on "gma." >> good morning. early morning. but good morning. >> early morning, of course, of course, and we're going to get to the big party coming up. but before we do i understand that santa and mrs. claus paid a

visit to your house on the big day. your kids must have been pretty surprised. tell us about it. >> it was so sweet. it was the night before christmas and we got a visit by santa and mrs. claus and the kids were so excited. it's kind of our tradition we do before christmas now. they were so excited. we put out cookies for santa, carrots for the reindeer. then i was excited for the elves to be gone after that night which is great too. yes, it was amazing. so beautiful. >> you have such a beautiful family. you have got your hands full with all three kids. will they be allowed to stay up and watch you host the new year's eve celebration? >> they will. such a special thing to do this show every year. it's always special and so the kids have to stay up to see mommy. they hang out as long as they can but when they go to sleep they go down. always a special treat for them and me too.

>> this is, of course, your fifth time co-hosting the festivities from l.a. what is your favorite memory from the past new year's rockin' eve? >> oh, my goodness. my first year being there co-hosting for the first time was such a whirlwind then also performing my song "level up" which was a big moment for me then. a perfect way to celebrate and mark that moment. so, yeah, i'd say, that was a special treat for me. >> speaking of celebrations this is the 50th anniversary of new year's rockin' eve. i can't believe it's been 50 years. do you have something special planned to mark the occasion this time around? >> oh, my goodness. we have an amazing show. ryan seacrest and liza koshy will rock new york. billy porter holding down new orleans and we have for the first time ever we'll represent puerto rico with rosalynn sanchez and they'll do the countdown in spanish which i'm excited about. but it'll be a celebration, so many sweet surprises, amazing performers. at my stage in l.a. we'll have avril lavigne and travis barker.

it's going to be insane. there will be incredible energy. we'll have a good time and dance the night away. get ready to dance and have the time of your life. that is my goal. that's all of our goals together. >> that sounds pretty good to me. your fans were so excited to finally hear ciara's prayer, the prayer you said that resulted in your relationship with your now husband russell wilson. so what is your prayer for 2022? >> oh, so funny. my prayer for 2022 is that covid is over. oh, my gosh like i don't think i can take it anymore. i mean i think all of us are just hanging on by a thread. it's been impacting so many people's lives but i do believe we'll get better. i have faith in it but i can't wait for that to be over and the world to be back to normal again. i'm dreaming of the moment i think like everyone else. >> side note your husband russell wilson was on my fantasy football team. i won't get into whether i made playoffs. will he be with you on new year's eve? will you celebrate with the family while working? >> yes, my family is always

there but he's in football mode. they'll celebrate with me from afar and right after the show i'll be with them but he's in football mode. the season is still going. i'm so proud of him and his incredible journey he's had this season. it's been quite the journey but he'll be in football mode. i'll be representing in l.a. for new year's rockin' eve. good energy across the board and can't wait to be with them and hug them. being with my family is always the best feeling, just getting together. >> of course. >> just be there, be together. >> he'll be in football mode. you'll be in party mode. can't wait for the big night. thank you so much. we truly appreciate it. >> yeah. >> already getting going. of course, 50th anniversary of dick clark's new year's rockin' eve with ryan seacrest starts at 8:00, 7:00 central on abc. coming up, another inspiring transformati

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♪ ♪ back now on "gma" with an amazing transformation story. we partnered with "people" for the 20th anniversary of their annual half their size issue and this morning we're revealing a second woman featured who made healthy choices that have made a huge impact on her life. check it out. weight her whole life. >> i can't think of when i

haven't had to lose weight or when i wasn't trying to lose weight. obesity runs in my family and then also i made a lot of wrong food choices. >> reporter: robinson hit her highest weight at 416 pounds in 2017 and after a family tragedy she says she knew it was time to make a change. >> in 2018 my son lost his dad. i didn't want my son to have to go through that pain again if i could prevent it and so that was kind of my motivation to save myself so i could be here for my son. >> tiesha looked at this as a journey and i think that's really important. she found ways to celebrate herself and he progress every step of the way. >> reporter: tiesha taking control of her life and refusing to give up on her goals. >> learn to adapt. if you mess up, don't make that an excuse to give up. >> reporter: and check out her amazing transformation now. all right.

>> can we get a drum roll, please, for the big reveal? [ drum roll ] all right, let's take a look. this is her before picture. let's see what tiesha looks like now. wow! wow! tiesha, truly an amazing transformation. welcome to "gma." you look amazing. thank you so much for being here. tiesha, even more than how amazing you look, tell us how you feel. >> i feel amazing. i feel happy. i feel blessed and energized. >> tell us how much weight you lost and how you did it. >> i've lost 208 pounds by using weight watchers and being determined. [ applause ] >> you're getting a standing ovation here. nicely done. >> thank you. >> you look amazing. tiesha, talk us through what are the changes that you made to try and get healthy or lose the weight. you mentioned weight watchers. what else did you do to have these amazing results? >> to just make healthier food

choices, to stay active and to just change my mindset so that i can stay focused and achieve my goals. >> this is not just about your personal journey. i understand you're also inspiring others around you to pursue a healthier lifestyle. >> i am. i just want to be that example for anyone who doesn't have hope letting them know it's possible. >> and, you know, i love this. you talked about how you get inspired. so what are your top three tips for people who want to start on a journey of their own to a healthier lifestyle? >> make way, not excuses, refuse to give up on yourself and stay focused and determined. >> and you certainly did. hats off to you. >> thank you. >> i love what you said. just because you mess up don't use that as an excuse to give up. hopefully that gives a lot of people inspiration heading into the new year.

>> never give up. >> thank you, tiesha. to read more about tiesha and others half their size stories pick up the new issue of "people" on newsstands today. wow. hat's off to her. rob, over to you. >> reporter: good morning again, guys. got some fun video for you of dogs playing in the snow. what else do you want besides that for christmas? here it is, loveland ski resort. they've had a little snow every day this week and this is otis, the newest member of the ski patrol, 3 1/2 months old and ripping it down the slopes. also in lake tahoe check this out, they got feet and feet of snow. that is a dog's paradise for sure and there's more snow on the way. here is the outlook for the next few days and more for the west. strong pulse coming down, all the way into san diego, flood watches up there, another two to three feet of snow and avalanches are a problem and dogs will dig through it, no doubt about that. that's a check of what's happening weatherwise.

now to a restaurant whose opening coincide the with the start of the pandemic and for the last two years has done all it can to stay open and keep employees on the payroll. "gma" contributor megan ryte visited the oakland, california, eatery, bringing them a treat i don't think they'll ever forget. good morning, megan. >> reporter: good morning, mary. small restaurants have been hit hard during the pandemic and as such have gotten creative to keep people employed. this is sponsored by the coca-cola company that understands the struggle so we teamed up to give this restaurant a special surprise. take a look. >> they have delicious food. they have amazing desserts. >> mixture of dishes they have, very unusual, very tasty.

>> reporter: pomella restaurant in oakland, california, is serving up israeli >> it's a combination of middle eastern, mediterranean, north african and eastern european which is where my family originates so it's that mix of everything together that makes my food my food. >> reporter: talmor lived in israel before coming to the states to study pastry. her passion and spirit shows in her ingredients, all fresh, organic and sustainable making pomella a vegan paradise. >> we'll use a scoop, one scoop of vanilla cream, take bananas. >> oh, wait, okay. >> reporter: pomella opened just as the pandemic began and there was only one option, fight to survive. >> i felt obligated to the employees because they left other jobs to work for me so i felt we had to make a go of it. >> reporter: to stay afloat they started making prepared meals customers could take home. >> they showed up week after week.

on top of that they've been tipping our employees even we just put the bag in the car. >> i heard you mention notes you gave to your employees about interacting with customers. >> i asked my staff to understand that we might be the only human in contact that this customer has all day and when you actually do that, it's so beneficial to everyone, to you and to the other person, i don't know, it's life. >> reporter: when the second wave hit sales plummeted again. >> my decision was to cut hours so everyone hurts just a little bit and not cut people so no one hurts a lot. >> these people are my family and i know how much it means to them. i know how hard they work to make this place successful. >> reporter: our sponsor, the coca-cola company understands the food service industry has struggled and wants to help them enjoy this holiday season to the fullest and "gma" was there to share in a big surprise. >> the coca-cola company wants to help out. they're spreading holiday magic

this season by honoring small businesses with a $10,000 tip to share for you and your employees. congratulations. >> i can't get over it. i just can't. it's so exciting. this team really deserves a bonus. i can't think of anyone better to give this money to. they so deserve it. >> whoo! >> reporter: thanks to our sponsor, the coca-cola company for helping to give holiday magic to these small restaurants. back to you, mary. >> what a great story in generosity. you can feel the love for her employees there. megan, thank you so much. "big sky" star janina gavankar joins us live. we'll be right back.

>> announcer: now with so much hope for a brighter tomorrow filled with sunshine, it's time to -- >> "rise & shine." >> announcer: and we're celebrating by hitting the road. >> let's do it. >> announcer: traveling all

across the country. >> oh, my gosh. >> "rise & shine." >> "rise & shine." >> let it shine. >> let it shine. >> announcer: yes, it's time to celebrate and smile with -- >> all: good morning, america. >> announcer: it's abc's "good morning america's" great "rise & shine" tour. and welcome back to "gma." and welcome back to "gma." you know janina gavankar from hit shows like "big sky" and "the morning show" and to tide us over until "big sky" returns janina is joining us. welcome. good to have you. >> well, thank you for having me, whit. >> oh, yes. i like the whit. you can say whitney. i'll respond to that as well. >> oh, okay, all right. for next time. >> of course. you joined the cast of "big sky" this season. you say you love playing terrible people like your character wren. why is that? >> well, aren't we all a little terrible? just a little bit. >> no. >> just a little.

>> my mom says i'm an angel. >> no, you're perfect? okay. when the show creator called me, i said i don't want to play a slinky assassin girl. i don't want to do it. i've seen it before. then he showed me a few scenes and i realized i could make her chaotic and weird. i wanted to do that, you know. i want to see those people. i want to see those women on our screen. >> all right. well, janina, you're looking at one. [ laughter ] >> we weren't going to say anything. >> i love it. >> but -- okay, when "big sky" combs back from winter hiatus, what can fans expect? >> oh, goodness. well, you know, she's got a whole family. so if you've been watching the show you saw her get off an airplane, more of her family is going to do the same and i'm sure there's a bunch of people that have been spending time with their family over the holiday and you know that that can really just add pressure to

your life. so that's what's going to happen to her and we'll see how that goes. >> so speaking of your character we do have a clip. this is your "big sky" grand entrance. let's take a look. >> oh. >> i like your hat. how much for it? >> it's not for sale, ma'am. >> where i come from everything has a price. >> well, not my hat. >> hey, hey, missy. >> ooh, i love the, hey, missy. come back here. >> don't call that girl missy. >> i don't think she's one who would take kindly to that. the last time you were here in our studio, it was an entirely different world. it was march 4th of 2020 right before everything changed and at the time you told us that ben affleck, your co-star in "the way back" had gotten you on a dating app. how is that going? no pressure. >> it's going -- it's great.

thank you, "good morning america," for being on top of my love life. he is asleep right now. want to go see him? i'm kidding. i'm kidding. >> janina, you are so fantastic. >> it's good. >> i hope it wasn't awful trying to date during the pandemic. this is cool. you and meghan markle, you guys are good friends. we love meghan and harry's 2021 card but you photographed their 2019 which is a close second. the picture is adorable. with archie's face close. it's not easy to get kids to cooperate with pictures. how did this come about? >> you know, it's funny. how lucky am i that i happened to be there in that moment and take -- that's just an iphone photo. but the thing is, these guys, they love each other so much, when you're around people that just have this much love in their household moments like this happen all the time.

it's actually easy. >> it's such a sweet moment. you know we have to ask, have you met the new addition? have you met baby lily? >> yeah, of course i have, yeah, yeah. >> oh, of course. baby lily, we go way back. thank you so much for your time. nations on everything. great to have you on this morning as always. >> thank you. thank you, whitney. >> my mother will be very happy. full name got in there. "big sky" will return with new episodes in february and we will be right back. "big sky" will return to abc with new episodes in february and we will be right back. say hello to 2022 with xfinity and you'll get fast and reliable internet for only nineteen ninety-nine a month for twelve months. plus, you can get twelve times the speed for the same price when you add xfinity mobile.

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>> announcer: tomorrow morning, live from "gma's" times square home, your rockin' new year's celebration starts early right here with ryan seacrest live, plus the american girl doll of the year is revealed live tomorrow on abc's "good morning america." we hope you have a wonderful we hope you have a wonderful wednesday. last wednesday. last hump day of 2021. >> bye, hump day. >> bye. >> bye.

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>> building a better bay area. moving forward. finding solutions. this is abc 7 news. >> abc 7 mornings -- let's look at traffic. hello, sue. >> hello. the rain is coming down. the roads are already slick as you know. we have tons of rain. now, santa cruz mountains are very dangerous to drive in. the guard was. we have an accident with a spinoff off the road with a car facing the wrong way, facing traffic. slow traffic near the summit. >> we've got pretty good showers just off the coast. you can see an area of low pressure is offshore, and heavier rain between stimson and muir beach. it is headed towards the county in san francisco. lighter showers around the east bay. there could be some have your downpours, and it could be a

chilly afternoon. time for a look at life with kelly and ryan. time for a look at life with kelly and ryan. it's "live with kelly and ryan!" today, actress gabrielle union, and tiktok sensation addison rae. plus, find out if science bob can break another world record. also, actor-turned-superhero, john leguizamo, all next on "live." and now, here are kelly ripa and ryan seacrest. [cheers and applause] good morning. deja! what's up, deja vu? come on in. can't hear the song. crank it up, crank it up. come on, get the vibe going. there we go. [music stops] - oh, just and... - and... and a cold... - done. - by the way, deja, you know when a song stops on the radio, and it ends cold, - how we panic? - yes. right, 'cause we think we're gonna have dead air, which is like, this is our worst nightmare