donations, too. reggie: that is the whole point, to collect toys. see you tomorrow. good morning, america. the nightmare before christmas. winter weather emergency. at least 180 million americans hit with a massive arctic blast bringing blizzard conditions. the coldest christmas in decades and storm alerts across 45 states from washington to florida. now, the holiday travel chaos on the roads and in the air. over a thousand flights already canceled. our team tracking it all. zelenskyy's historic visit to washington. ukraine's president addressing congress overnight. >> your money is not charity. it's an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.

>> after meeting with president biden at the white house his urgent plea to lawmakers and his new warning for the u.s. breaking overnight, ftx founder sam bankman-fried back on u.s. soil and the major development in the criminal case against the former crypto king. the new star witnesses as he prepares to face a judge. back home. the american teacher detained in russia for almost a year released the same day as brittney griner. speaking out this morning in her first emotional network tv interview. her harrowing ordeal in a penal colony. >> it feels that my patriotism or my citizenship to my own country meant absolutely nothing. they might as well have just left me there. >> the faithful friend who campaigned tirelessly to get her released and how she finally got out. also this morning, brittney griner's new message. the wnba star sharing a heartfelt letter of thanks and urging her supporters to write

to paul whelan, the former u.s. marine still detained in russia. closing arguments set to wrap up in the megan thee stallion shooting case and the search for the grammy winner's former bodyguard who vanished before the latest this morning. no toys for christmas? one mom going viral on tiktok declaring her family is opting out of gifts. the pros and cons for your kids and what's behind the growing movement. ♪ baby, please come home ♪ one unbelievable rescue that took an entire town. how a tiny alaskan village jumped into action to help a baby in need. the moment so many jumped in their cars and raced to a remote runway, lighting it up so the plane could land and air lift the baby to safety. we hear from the holiday heros on "gma" this morning. ♪ but it's not like christmas at all ♪ ♪ i remember when you were here ♪ good morning, america.

so great to have you with us on this thursday. great to be here with juju chang and will reeve. final countdown, three days until christmas. >> will was helping count from hanukkah, day four. >> absolutely. we have a lot to cover this morning. ukrainian president zelenskyy had a historic visit to washington meeting with president biden at the white house before addressing congress, delivering a powerful speech. top national security council spokesman john kirby is standing by to break it down. we begin with the winter weather emergency. more than 180 million americans hit with subzero temperatures, blizzard conditions, and dangerously high winds. >> take a look at this live shot here. this is denver, colorado, from our affiliate kmgh. snowy roads creating a chaotic travel rush. 45 states are under storm alerts and chicago is one of the cities bracing and that's where we find our alex perez starting off our coverage. alex, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, whit. this storm has already created massive problems across the

country and it's not done just yet. here in chicago, the temperature will nosedive more than 30 degrees today. overnight a powerful massive winter storm impacting driving conditions from coast to coast. causing chaos for commuters just as people are hitting the highways for the holidays. drivers barely able to see just feet in front of them. in wellington, colorado, this truck sliding off the road. >> this is just the beginning. ooh, it's going to be rough. >> reporter: parts of the country could see the coldest air mass in 30 years. nearly 50 below zero windchills, in cheyenne, wyoming. temperatures plummeting 32 degrees in just nine minutes. whiteout conditions brought drivers to a halt on interstate 25. in south dakota over 100 vehicles stranded. drivers rescued and taken to shelter to wait out the storm. >> we have about seven cars just slid off. >> reporter: in washington state

a multi-car pileup. >> i've seen three, four different crashes. people are just not even paying attention. i saw a tesla on autopilot take out two cars. >> reporter: roads lined with rack after rack in wichita, kansas, vehicles just not able to navigate the icy conditions. and the brunt of the storm is expected to hit during the evening rush hour. authorities are asking folks to stay off the roads altogether if possible. juju? >> alex, stay safe and warm if you can. thank you. we're going to turn to the storm that's already wreaking havoc with christmas travel. with over a thousand flights already canceled or delayed, transportation correspondent gio benitez is here now with the latest numbers. good morning to you, gio. >> juju, good morning. we told you to expect these cancellations and delays. that's exactly what we are seeing. right now take a look at the numbers because so far we've got more than 1,200 cancellations. chicago topping that list with more than 550, and then you have denver with more than 300 and when you look at tomorrow, already more than 700

cancellations. detroit, new york and chicago, they are facing the biggest problems and one of the biggest issues is the wind. that's what the faa is concerned about at these affected airports. if you try to rebook after your flight has been canceled, it's going to be tough because flights are up to 95% full right now. american, united and delta expecting to fly 27 million passengers over the holidays. so, no matter what, airports will be very, very busy over the next few days. >> that's what's happening in the air. what's happening on the roads? >> very good point because the overwhelming majority of travelers are driving. aaa expects 102 million to hit the roads right now. so without a doubt drivers, you've got to be extra careful in the weather. plan around it. don't try to drive through the worst of it. early mornings and later at night are better for traffic. that may all change with the weather so you've got to look at that. remember, we see some of the worst accidents in these icy conditions so take your time

and, please, be safe. juju? >> good warnings, gio. thank you. will? let's turn to our friend cheryl scott in from our chicago station wls in for ginger but outside, unfortunately. she has the timing and brutal temperatures. good morning out there, cheryl. >> reporter: good morning. for instance, in montana yesterday a windchill of 72 below. that cold air is across the northern plains down to the four corners region. we are waking up with windchills this morning anywhere from about 45 to 55 below. frostbite can occur in less than five minutes. this is dangrous, life-threatening cold and that cold air is knocking on the doorsteps of our southern states. for instance, looking at texas, tomorrow morning you're waking up with windchills anywhere from zero to ten below. all this cold air slides to the east from florida up to the northeast. it will make for one of the coldest christmases in years and all because of this arctic front that's going to bring heavy snow to the midwest today and the very heavy rain for the northeast tomorrow. whit? >> okay, we'll brace for that.

cheryl, thank you so much. now to ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy's historic visit to washington, meeting with president biden and addressing congress. zelenskyy expressing appreciation for all america has done for his country in the fight against russia but making it clear ukraine will need even more. congressional correspondent rachel scott has the latest. rachel, good morning. >> reporter: hey, whit, good morning. it was a direct and personal appeal. president zelenskyy traveling from the front lines of the war in ukraine right here to our nation's capital telling lawmakers and the american people that their support is crucial to reach a turning point in the war. it was a historic and defiant war time visit to capitol hill. president volodymyr zelenskyy dressed in military fatigues traveling to washington with an urgent message. >> russia could stop its aggression, really if it wanted to, but you can speed up our victory. i know it.

>> reporter: it's been 300 days since russia invaded ukraine. this was the first time zelenskyy left the front lines and while he thanked americans for their support -- >> thank you, all, from everyone who is now at the front line. >> reporter: -- he made it clear ukraine needs more aid and more weapons. >> we have artillery, yes, thank you. we have it. is it enough? honestly not really. [ laughter ] >> reporter: zelenskyy warning if russia is not stopped now, other allies could be under attack too. >> your money is not charity. it's an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way. >> reporter: he took that message to the white house as well meeting face-to-face with president biden who vowed to support ukraine for as long as it takes. >> what you're doing, what

you've achieved, it matters, not just to ukraine, but to the entire world. >> reporter: the president announcing a new $1.85 billion aid package. including a powerful patriot missile defense system to protect against russian missile and drone attacks. and as zelenskyy closed out his trip to washington, he left the american public with one final image, handing leaders a ukrainian flag signed by soldiers in a desperate fight for freedom. >> let this flag stay with you, ladies and gentlemen. this flag, it is symbol of our victory in this war. we stand, we fight and we will win because we are united. ukraine, america, and the entire free world. >> reporter: a rare moment of bipartisanship here on capitol hill. house speaker nancy pelosi giving president zelenskyy an american flag that flew over the u.s. capitol during his visit.

it it comes as lawmakers are scrambling to pass a government spending bill that includes an additional $45 billion in aid to ukraine. whit? >> rachel scott, thank you. let's bring in the top spokesman for the national security council, john kirby, great to have you. >> thanks so much. >> president biden is pushing the latest spending bill that includes $45 billion in aid for ukraine. how confident are you that this historic visit from president zelenskyy will help secure the votes in congress needed? >> we're not too worried about the votes for that omnibus bill and for that $45 billion embedded in that bill to get passed through both houses, and fairly soon. we obviously think that president zelenskyy's visit will certainly help demonstrate the need for the support going forward. but quite frankly, we have seen an incredible amount of bipartisan support on capitol hill for supporting ukraine and this omnibus bill which was in train now for several weeks was just part of that. >> zelenskyy did express his appreciation but he also dropped a few not so subtle nudges that

ukraine will need even more saying ukrainian soldiers can perfectly operate american tanks and planes themselves. could that be on the table and what about longer range missiles? >> we're going to keep supporting ukraine as the president said for as long as it takes nd we're doing it in lockstep with the ukrainians. every single day we have communication with them on their needs, the capabilities that are most important to them. the focus is very much on air defense. you saw the president announce the patriot battery which will soon go to ukraine. that will be a significant contribution to their air defense. iwon't get ahead of decisions that are still before us. it's important to keep security assistance going. that's why the funding is so important to us and, and we'll keep working with ukrainians as the needs evolve on the battlefield. we'll meet them as best we can >> speaking of those needs, president biden pledged u.s. support for as long as it takes he said. as you know, there are members of congress that have concerns about the long-term commitment. kevin mccarthy among those republicans saying that they don't want to write blank checks for ukraine. what is the end game here? >> well, obviously we want this

war to end today and, as president biden said yesterday, it could end today if mr. putin would pull all his troops out. clearly that won't happen now. putin is showing quite the opposite indications, that he's going to continue to prosecute this war and bring it home to the ukrainian people specifically because he's targeting critical infrastructure, turning out the lights, turning off the heat in the midst of winter. so what we've got to do is make sure we can help the ukrainians succeed on the battlefield so if and when -- and only president zelenskyy can determine this, whit, but if and when he's ready to sit down and talk to the russians, he can do so from a position of strength so he can succeed at that as he has succeeded on the battlefield. it's difficult in war to predict anything with any great specificity. certainly we can't predict the end. we all want to see it end as fast as possible. >> certainly no end in sight at this point. john kirby, our thanks to you. we appreciate it. >> yes, sir. >> juju? we turn to new developments overnight in the ftx crypto collapse. disgraced founder sam

bankman-fried back in the u.s. after extradition from the bahamas. due in court today on charges that he used investors' money for personal gain. aaron katersky has more. good morning to you, aaron. >> good morning, juju. sam bankman-fried is in u.s. custody. he's due to appear before a judge and when he landed here in new york, authorities were waiting with a surprise. bankman-fried arrived overnight after waiving extradition from the bahamas and this morning he will be taken to court where he will learn there are new star witnesses in the criminal case against him. two key insiders at bankman-fried's crypto empire ftx have agreed to cooperate. his ex-girlfriend, caroline ellison and the co-founder of ftx, gary wang. they quietly pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy charges this week, a development that lends considerable heft to the criminal case that the feds have been building since early november after ftx collapsed in a $32 billion bankruptcy. bankman-fried is accused of orchestrating one of the biggest financial frauds in american

history, diverting billions in ftx customer money and then using it to pay debts at his privately held hedge fund to buy lavish real estate and to make political donations as he sought influence in washington. and, juju, this all happened so fast. in less than two months bankman-fried has gone from crypto wonderkind to the same courthouse as defendant where bernie madoff pleaded guilty. juju? >> aaron, thank whit? >> thanks, juju. now we turn to a stunning story from a remote town in alaska. an infant needed a medevac flight but the runway lights at the airport were broken. fortunately the tight-knit community came to the rescue and erielle reshef has that story. what a tale. >> this really embodies the

holiday spirit. a town of less than 160 people and many of those residents braved subzero temperatures to perform a miracle for a family. it was a selfless gift that family will never forget. these headlights illuminating a freezing, desolate tarmac in the tiny town in alaska, crediting with banding together to save a baby in medical distress. >> it was pitch black out there. >> reporter: 35 miles from the arctic circle calvin motto, the only maintenance operator got an urgent call from his local health clinic, an infant needed to be emergency medevacked to a hospital. but the lights on the airport's two runways were out of service making it impossible for planes to take off or land in the dark. >> if anything were to be done we were going to have to all get together to do it. >> reporter: so together he and other locals hatched a plan. the community of 150 people gathering nearly 30 atvs, cars and snowmobiles positioning each one where a runway light would be. those streams of light allowing the rescue plane to touch down and pick up the little one. >> it was just unreal, a little bit. seeing that the pilot trusted us to stay very still and help him

land. >> reporter: the baby air-lifted to another clinic for care now back home and doing okay thanks to the quick action of those holiday heroes. >> felt really good once that plane took off. >> i'm sure it did and those volunteers say the windchill dipped to minus 20 degrees as they sat out there on that runway but, of course, it was worth it to them. that little one's parents grateful for them coming together for that miracle. >> feels like a modern day "balto." >> exactly. >> nice to be reporting on something happy. >> absolutely. >> the creativity and heart all coming together. thank you so much, erielle. we appreciate it. coming up, here the american woman released from a russian prison returning to the u.s. on the same day as brittney griner. she's now telling her story in her first national tv interview. and closing arguments in the megan thee stallion shooting trial. we'll have the latest this but first back to our friend cheryl scott. >> good morning, everyone. it's all about this holiday

storm and the brutal cold. we're waking up with you, kansas city. here's a live look outside with that snow falling right now, slick road conditions, another about one to two inches of snow can be expected, but it's not just the midwest. you can see watches and warnings just lighting up the entire map here. winter storm warnings, a hard freeze watch as well all the way down into parts of florida. in terms of the snow side of this forecast, we're looking at about three to six inches for many places up into the ohio valley. the bull's-eye though, chicago into parts of michigan where some areas across the great lakes could see over a foot of snow, and then heavy rain and even some snow expected. a quick burst for parts of the northeast into the day tomorrow that's going to impact that travel. now a check of your weather in 30 seconds.

drew: i am a meteorologist. . drew tuma with your forecast mostly cloudy skies today. mid and upper 50's. we have let showers after 7:00 p.m., a level one on the storm impact scale. those showers are out after midnight. we see temperatures in the mid 40's with mostly cloudy conditions. here is the seven-day forecast, the holiday weekend is looking spectacular. sunshine and mild conditions at wet weather returns next w w coming up, it's our 12 days of christmas cookies. and, will, you got a favorite? >> you'll never have a better cookie in your life. we'll teach you how to make it. >> and you're feeding us. >> so stay with us. i'll remember that chapter of my life forever.

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building a better bay area moving forward finding solutions . this is abc. seven news. good morning. i'm reggie aqui from abc. seven mornings happening today. a perfect storm on the busiest day for christmas air travel this once in a generation storm is creating blizzard conditions, ice and flooding from the plains and the midwest of the east coast airlines are already canceling more than 1200 flights for today and sfo. so far, it shows a total of 42 delays and 14 cancelations. but of course, those numbers are subject to change. hi sue. morning, reggie. and thankfully , we have none of those conditions here. just a little fog, maybe to slow you. especially on the beneath a bridge. you can see a little bit here in emeryville is he looked

through the haze to the lights, headlights headed in the westbound direction towards the bay bridge. metering lights were just turned off about 15 and make that 10 minutes ago, and traffic is pretty light for this. thursday morning. thank

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(grandma) come into the warm house (girl) hi grandma! (vo) into household heat. (grandma) [in navajo] are you kids hungry? (vo) doing gets it done. wells fargo, the bank of doing. take a look at his ability right now. we do have dense fog in parts of the north bay and the east bay. a dense fog advisory is in effect until 11 a.m. this morning. temperature wise. it's one of the warmer starts we've had this month forties if not low, fifties out there right now . santa cruz looking bu tiff away. here's how the day shapes up mostly cloudy skies throughout the day tonight, though, we have to include the chance of some light showers on the storm impact scale to level one lightstorm between seven pm and one am tonight. this six hour window. we will find some light. scattered showers. we have the biggest impact with this quick moving system will be

some thick roadways out there later this evening, reggie thank you. another abc seven news update about 30 minutes. you can always catch your son. our news app and abc seven news .com.. before that drink turns to drinks, make a plan to get home safe. just call a friend, a cab, and get a rideshare. whatever you do, don't let drunk drive. go safely, california.

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♪ come true, baby, all i want for christmas is you ♪ are you kidding me? mariah carey and justin bieber. merry christmas to us all. that's getting us in the christmas spirit. a special duet of the christmas classic with a super festive remix and this morning bieber has major music news coming up in "pop news." >> big money news. but first the top headlines we're following. that winter weather emergency.

at least 180 million americans hit with a massive arctic blast bringing blizzard conditions and the coldest christmas in decades for many. 45 states are facing storm alerts causing chaos with holiday travel rush with over a thousand flights already canceled. we'll follow all of it all morning long. right now the head of the world health organization says the agency is concerned about covid reports out of china, hospitals there filling up now that the country has dropped its zero covid policy. the agency says low vaccination rates could leave a large number of people vulnerable. the house january 6th committee plans to release its 800-page final report on the capitol riot accusing former president trump of criminally planning to overturn the 2020 election and provoking his followers to commit violence by falsely claiming there was widespread voter fraud and provoking his supporters to violence. robbie the elf, rob gronkowski's alter ego surprising them at shriners hospital in full elf costume ahead of christmas. the children played basketball

and played a little air hockey and soccer with the gronk who also, you know, he was painting with kids and even tried the art of japanese origami. >> like a little kid in a grown man's body. >> juju said the gronk. it's the opposite of the grinch. >> well done, will, absolutely. you know, we have a lot more ahead including the closing arguments in the trial of the rapper charged with shooting megan thee stallion. that's coming up. we turn to an american woman's harrowing account of her almost year-long ordeal behind bars in russia. in her first national tv interview, sarah krivanek told me her saga of being entangled in the russian legal system, the harsh conditions at the penal colony where she says she was assaulted by a male inmate and

how she feels she's been abandoned. after nearly a year in a russian prison sarah krivanek is back in the u.s. and speaking out in her first network tv interview. >> come back. >> reporter: the english teacher had been living in russia since 2017. last november she was arrested for assaulting her roommate with a knife. she says he was abusing her and she acted in self-defense. >> he comes busting through the door, busts the door down, breaks the tv, picks me up by my hair and starts thumping on me. i'm completely covered in bruises like a raccoon across my eyes. >> reporter: the next month after visiting the u.s. embassy a diplomatic official arranged for the 46-year-old to fly back to the u.s. but she was taken into custody at the moscow airport prior to boarding. krivanek says she thought she was free to go. at her trial in february, just weeks before the russian invasion of ukraine, krivanek was sentenced to 15 months in a penal colony. >> i just started bawling, sobbing. i can't even speak. i can't speak in english. i can't speak in russian. gibberish. >> do you believe that your status as an american and the

war in ukraine had any bearing on your fate? >> absolutely had 100% bearing. if this situation would have happened at an earlier time or a different time in history, i wouldn't have been sentenced at all and shortly after i was sentenced on the 11th of february was detained another american in the airport on the 17th. >> brittney griner. >> which was miss griner. so i believe a person could easily say, of course, they used the two situations as an advantage for their political agenda. >> reporter: there's a stark contrast between the attention paid to wnba star brittney griner's case and krivanek's. unlike griner, the state department never classified krivanek as wrongly detained. >> it feels that my patriotism or my citizenship to my own country meant absolutely nothing. they might as well as just left me there. they completely throw out the

fact that another human being, another american citizen is also going through, you know, sufferings with no support. >> you said you were angry. who are you angry at? >> i'm angry at our u.s. government. >> why? >> for leaving me behind to rot. they said we were working on your case diligently. someone will see you in the colony. nobody ever came. >> reporter: she served her time in a remote penal colony housing male and female ininmates. she says she had no way to communicate with the outside world. she was desperate for anyone outside the prison to know where she was. >> i thought i could complain about the prison administration and the conditions of how i'm living to the right person. no, you cannot do that. and my punishment was soft compared to what they can do to you. so i took my punishment like a lamb to the slaughter. >> you weren't being physically punished. >> no, not by the guard. >> by who? >> i have no supplies, no food, no vitamins, no medicine, no

phone calls. i make one complaint and i'm assaulted by a male inmate that was guarded by other female inmates and other inmates standing post. then the psychological damage that comes from that is it's my fault so i'm humiliated. all my privileges are taken away. i can't even go to the cafeteria. i can't go into the kitchen or use cutlery or dishes. i had to find my own spoon, cup and bowl. >> after this punishment -- >> i never complained again. >> how far away did freedom feel? >> 2 1/2 months, forever. forever. eternity. >> reporter: across the world in california and unbeknownst to sarah her longtime friend anita had been working tirelessly to get answers. >> i wrote letters to the white house, embassy. i said sarah has absolutely nothing to bargain with. she's in there alone with absolutely nothing. all i'm asking is to just help

me help my friend. that's it. >> what made you want to help sarah so much? >> she has a good heart. i know sarah. i just know her. >> it must be almost overwhelming to feel so loved and cared for like that. >> i have no words to express my appreciation except that i give up prayers for her and when i learned that anita was fighting for me, any time that i could find a candle i would light a candle for her and put my prayers up for her. >> reporter: in november she was back in court and formerly deported by the russian government. at the same time the u.s. government was negotiating a prisoner swap, russian arms dealer viktor bout in exchange for griner's release from a nine-year sentence for drug charges. on december 8th, both women left russia. >> i'm really glad that she got out. i wrote her a letter from the deportation detention facility i was in, said, you know, don't worry, nobody is going to leave you behind. everybody is supporting you. prison life is going to be very

cruel. you're going to need to learn your opponent so you can survive. so i was genuinely as a human being worried, what is she going to do for nine years? i felt sorry for her. she made a lot of mistakes. she got swapped and literally genuinely had joy she didn't have to endure that. >> reporter: now krivanek is focusing on her recovery. still grappling with feeling forgotten by the u.s. government, which she says has not reached out to her since her return. >> what message do you have to the biden administration and the american government? >> that all american citizens should get the same level of service no matter what the situation is. don't forget about me and don't forget about the others. >> in a statement the state department says it has no greater priority than the safety and security of u.s. citizens overseas and adds the u.s. embassy in moscow provided assistance on her case for more

than a year, including ensuring her safe return home. as for brittney griner who returned on the same day as krivanek she has a new message this morning and we'll have much more on that coming up at 8:00. >> such a compelling interview, will. >> she said she feels like the forgotten american. >> fascinating. thank you for that. we have much more coming up. stunning eyewitness testimony in the megan thee stallion shooting trial with closing arguments set to wrap up this morning. stay with us.

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back now with the trial for the rapper accused of shooting grammy winner megan thee stallion in the feet. closing arguments are scheduled to wrap up this morning and stephanie ramos is here with more on the details. stephanie. >> good morning. this case has gotten so much attention on social media, in the hip-hop community, as well creating a storm around this trial for the last three years. the lawyer for megan thee stallion's former friend rapper tory lanez isn't denying she was shot but saying their client isn't the one responsible. this morning closing arguments continue in the blockbuster trial involving rap star megan thee stallion against fellow rapper tory lanez who prosecutors say shot at her feet after a party in the summer of 2020. >> there's no doubt that a crime occurred. there's a 911 call that has gunshots going off. there's bullets recovered from

her foot. it's a neither what happened or whodunit. >> reporter: in court the judge asked in lanez wanted to testify. he said no. earlier in the week a witness called by the defense sean kelly testified that he saw megan and her then-assistant kelsey harris fighting each other outside of a vehicle adding that a man fitting the description of lanez's driver left the vehicle to try to separate the two women. kelly says he saw flashes coming from the women but that he also saw a muzzle flash about the same time lanez got out of the car. he also claimed megan was curled up in the fetal position as the three beat her. >> any time there's confusion about the facts and what happened in a criminal case, that bodes well typically for the defendant. >> reporter: last week she provided emotional testimony against lanez describing how she got into a heated argument with her fellow rapper and former friend saying he was holding the gun pointed at me and claiming lanez ordered her to dance before firing injuring her feet.

however, lanez's attorney disputing his client fired the weapon. the rapper's former assistant and friend harris took the stand last week. prosecutors showed a text message that read, help, tory shot meg. 911. but harris says she did not know why she wrote that since she did not see anything happen. meanwhile, the recipient of that text, megan's bodyguard has gone missing right before he was set to testify. >> the bodyguard was called as a part of the prosecution's case. i think the prosecution was absolutely frustrated. ♪ >> reporter: the 27-year-old superstar has faced backlash from some members of the hip-hop community, drake appeared to accuse her of lying about the shooting in a recent song. ♪ got shot but she's still a stallion ♪ >> reporter: but supporters say this is a clear example of why black women need to be believed when they tell their stories.

>> she's a human being and this is a complicated thing for a young person who is a superstar to go through. >> reporter: megan thee stallion's lawyer says once there is a verdict, it won't be the end of this. he says they are exploring all legal options regarding bloggers who have posted misinformation. >> it is quite a case. stephanie, thank you. coming up here, our "play of the da." detect this: living with hiv, i learned i can stay undetectable with fewer medicines. that's why i switched to dovato. dovato is for some adults who are starting hiv-1 treatment

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we are back now with our "play of the day" and we're all showing our love for philadelphia anchor jim gardner who's been leading the wpvi newscast since 1977. >> wow. >> that's 77 and on wednesday he delivered his final action news broadcast signing off for the last time. >> we traveled through much of our lives together. i've been reading comments from so many of you about how you once watched us with your parents, even your grandparents and now that you're a parent or even a grandparent we are still part of your day, a part of your world. but what i need you to know is how much i'm going to miss you. for the entire action news team, i'm jim gardner. good night. >> wow. we are going to miss him right back. he really was so important to his viewers, many even tailgated outside the action news studio to celebrate. >> i love that. >> in true philly style right there. >> the station airing an hour long special dedicated to his career tonight. what a career. but just what an impact on the

community. you know, philadelphia, it's like the small big city. >> absolutely. >> and how much he's meant. >> they protect and celebrate their own. >> exactly. >> a philly institution. >> no question about it. >> he will be sorely missed. well, coming up here we have robin's ncredible interview with the star-studded cast of the broadway hit "the piano lesson." stay tuned.

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building a better bay area moving forward finding solutions . this is abc. seven news. good morning. i'm reggie aqui from abc. seven mornings and sue has look at traffic. reggie and we're looking at the fog coming and going over the bay area, and it does hamper your visibility when it is present. not here at the bay bridge toll plaza metering lights have been turned off and you're looking at a pretty good ride all the way into san francisco. it's cleared out here is where you will see it, though. over the easter freeway, you are in companies as you head westbound past golden gate fields. and on into the mcarthur maze. otherwise we have an accident that occurred on highway 17 northbound san jose at hambleton, apparently a truck hit the overpass, so i'm not seeing a lot of slowing here, but just be aware that there might be some activity. hey sue. we're looking at that fog on live doppler seven. you can see

visibility down to a quarter of a mile livermore. we do have a dense fog advisory in effect until 11 am forties right now, as you step outside a live look . mostly cloudy conditions were dry. the daylight hours. showers arrive after seven pm it's level one light storm on the storm impact scale. reggie thank you drew another abc seven news update. and about 30 minutes. you can always catch us on our (boy) i think this is going to work... (vo) small businesses like this learning center... (smb) there's only one way to find out. (vo) ...help communities thrive. that's why wells fargo has donated roughly $420 million dollars to diverse small business owners. (smb) back to alpha, plant. (vo) new thinking, and new thinkers ...make the future brighter, for all of us.

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good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. the nightmare before christmas. winter weather emergency. at least 180 million americans hit with a massive arctic blast bringing blizzard conditions. the coldest christmas in decades and storm alerts across 45 states. now the holiday travel chaos on the roads and in the air. over a thousand flights already canceled. our team tracking it all. overnight, brittney griner's new message urging her supporters to write to paul whelan, the former marine left behind. her heartfelt letter this morning. ♪ no toys for christmas? one mom going viral on tiktok

declaring her family is opting out of gifts this holiday season. it's a growing movement among parents and the potential pros and cons. ♪ come on, vogue ♪ say bonjour to the fashion of "emily in paris." >> i feel like a kid in the candy store at all times. >> reporter: going behind the scenes and getting secrets from the stylists plus how you can embrace the french style. ♪ rocking around the christmas tree ♪ time is running out. the last-minute gifts you can rock around the christmas tree. we shopped at lululemon and found something for everyone, all at great prices. ♪ a lovely day, lovely day ♪ burning up the great white way. it's the all-star cast and director of one of the hottest shows on broadway, "the piano lesson." sitting down with robin and they're saying -- >> all: good morning, america. ♪ good morning, america.

great to have you with us. so excited to see robin's interview with that broadway cast and, will, you're sharing a holiday favorite. >> i'm stepping up to the plate for our 12 days of christmas cookies and wanted to do something italian. i am myself a quarter italian, believe it or not. and there is no one better to bake with than renato poliafito. he has a great italian cafe. >> will ganss has been tirelessly in his quest for the ugliest christmas sweater in the country. hi, everybody. this morning he's there to help with some adorable models. look at them. pooches. getting their own sweaters. >> he's found some good ones. first we have a lot of news starting with the winter weather emergency. more than 200 million americans hit with the arctic blast bringing blizzard conditions and dangerously high winds. chicago, one of the cities bracing for the storm and alex perez is right there for us this morning. alex, good morning to you. >> reporter: hey, good morning, once again, whit. problem after problem.

this storm has been relentless here in chicago. the temperature will be plunging all day. overnight, a powerful massive winter storm impacting driving conditions from coast to coast. causing chaos for commuters just as people are hitting the highways for the holidays, drivers barely able to see just feet in front of them in wellington, colorado, this truck sliding off the road. >> this is just the beginning. ooh, it's going to be rough. >> reporter: parts of the country could see the coldest air mass in more than 30 years, nearly 50 below zero wind childs and plugging 32 degrees in nine minutes and whiteout conditions brought drivers to a halt on interstate 25. in south dakota over 100 vehicles stranded, drivers rescued and taken to shelter to wait out the storm. >> we have about seven cars just slid off. >> reporter: authorities here

are warning people to stay inside if possible. once that deep freeze moves in, that is. >> alex perez, thank you. the deep freeze is set to dip all the way into the south where temperatures are expected to plunge into the single digits this weekend. elwyn lopez is outside atlanta. >> reporter: more than a dozen of these tankers will be rolling out. officials getting ahead of that extreme cold and making its way here. a spokesperson for the georgia department of transportation telling us crews will be working in 12-hour shifts. they will be treating the roads with about 630,000 gallons of brine asking people to stay off the roads if they can when that arctic air plunges south and all of this is coming just in time for the festivities so what better time to stay indoors on christmas eve. it will feel near or below zero from d.c. to boston and as far south as right here in atlanta. will. >> it's really hitting

everywhere. thank you so much. now let's go from the roads up into the air, if you can. because the storm is causing chaos for holiday travel. over a thousand flights already canceled or delayed and our transportation correspondent gio benitez is back with the latest. take it away, gio. >> reporter: will, listen, if you're flying today check your flight status over and over again because here is what we are seeing right now. more than 1,200 cancellations in the u.s., chicago more than 550. denver with more than 300 and the cancellations are just piling up for tomorrow already. just about 700 cancellations, mostly in detroit, new york and chicago. now, the faa is really concerned about wind. today and tomorrow. flights are so full you may not be able to rebook if your flight gets canceled so try to change your flights right now if it's looking unlikely. american, united and delta expecting to fly 27 million passengers over the holidays. now, here is my biggest tip right now. do not try to get to the airport too early.

that way you aren't just sitting at the airport for hours if your flight is delayed or canceled. but good luck, guys. >> we're going to need it. we got family coming and going. >> i'm flying on christmas. i'll go to the airport now. >> fingers crossed for all of us. coming up in our "gma morning menu," brittney griner sharing a new message overnight, the wnba star's plea to her supporters. the mom whose no toys for christmas tiktok post went viral for obvious reasons. thousands of other parents doing the same thing. the pros and cons of that decision. plus, we've got robin's interview with the star-studded cast of the broadway hit "the piano lesson" with samuel l. jackson revealing how the show changed his life and, hey, lara, you got last-minute shopping tips for us, hey? >> lori b. in the house with shop this store. i love this segment. today we're at lululemon. okay, yes, she'll show us how to make the athleisure store one-stop shopping for every

person on your list. that's coming up on "gma." ♪ "gma's" "morning menu" is sponsored by cirque du soleil. discover the extraordinary. from the edge of your seat to the edge of our world our realities turned inside out a kaleidoscope of cultures we are all born from the sun we reach beyond, together beyond the expected beyond the infinite beyond, beyond ♪ you pour your heart into everything you do, which is a lot. so take care of that heart with lipton. because sippin' on unsweetened lipton can help support a healthy heart. lipton. stop chuggin'. start sippin'. ♪

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♪ welcome back to "gma." let's get right to our "gma" cover story. brittney griner sharing a new message overnight, the wnba star urging fans to write to paul whelan, the former u.s. marine still detained in russia and stephanie ramos is back with that story. stephanie, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. wnba star brittney griner is back, and she is thanking everyone who supported her posting her first public message

addressing her ten-month-long russian detention thanking all those who advocated for her return and hinting at her intention to play professional basketball in the coming year. overnight, brittney griner posting a heartfelt message of gratitude to her followers on instagram. the professional basketball star writing, thanks to the efforts of many including you, i am home after nearly ten months. you took time to show me you cared and i want to personally take the time to write to you and say that your effort matters. your letters helped me to not lose hope during a time where i was full of regret and vulnerable in ways i could have never imagined. thank you from the bottom of my heart. because of you, i never lost hope. earlier in the week griner sharing photos of her arrival. u.s. special presidential envoy roger carstens speaking about those initial moments of freedom.

>> when you saw her, i'm here to bring you home. i'm going to give you your space and you were surprised by her response. >> oh, she was having none of it. she said, look, i've basically been listening to russian for ten months, i want to chat with people. i watched her and she connected with everyone, she looked in their eyes, shook hands, got to know their names. only then did she go back and impressed at how she values other people including the people who were trying to bring her home. >> reporter: continuing on a crusade to help others ending her message with a plea to support paul whelan, the former marine who remains detained in russia adding, i hope you'll join me in writing to paul whelan and continuing to advocate for other americans to be rescued and returned to their families. griner also says, quote, thank you again from the bottom of my heart. i hope your holiday season is full of joy and love. they're going to have a good one, guys. >> all talking, that first game back is going to be something. >> and a hot ticket.

>> yes, it will. thank you, stephanie. appreciate it. >> absolutely. well, we turn to the no toys for christmas movement. one mom going viral on tiktok after explaining why her family is opting out for the holidays inspiring thousands of parents and, of course, sparking a debate. rhiannon ally is here with the details. >> reporter: good morning, juju. so i've been asking around and people seem split on this idea. one california mom says she doesn't really care what anyone her kids will thank her.e day - ♪ for many families it's the quintessential christmas scene. kids rushing down the stairs to open up their presents. >> good job. >> reporter: but for gabrielle and carlos flores of california and their three young kids this christmas morning will look a lot different. what brought on the idea of not having christmas gifts this year for your kids? >> it's more of let's build a tradition so when, you know, god forbid we're not here they will

go and keep these traditions to their kids and it's more about the giving aspect and not just the presents. >> reporter: gabrielle going viral on tiktok after sharing her plan to skip traditional presents in favor of experiences. so how did the conversation go? >> we talked about different experiences, let's do things we can remember rather than something that's going to be thrown out in a month or two. >> reporter: she's not alone. the #nochristmasgifts trending with more than 27,000 parents who plan to do the same. experts suggest there are pros and cons to making that decision. >> there are lots of pros to going giftless, experiences foster more gratitude. the memories of an experience live on much longer. going giftless can have its drawbacks. your kids may feel cheated out of a really fun holiday. this can be a really tough change for kids to accept. >> reporter: as for the flores family they say their decision is about recognizing the true

meaning of christmas. do you think your kids will thank you later? >> i really think they're learning that christmas is more of a holiday season about family, about traditions. >> santa. >> let's bring them back to the reality of the foundation of the spirit of magic of christmas. >> reporter: so gabrielle says it was her husband's idea. she was a bit apprehensive but says she's fully on board now. i'm not sure the conversation would have gone quite the same way at my house, but i do love the idea, of course, of making more memories with my kids. what about you? >> totally with you on that. >> stirred up a lot of controversy. >> exactly. [ laughter ] >> you can give an experience as a gift. just print out what you're doing and put it in a card. >> like a little symbolic gift. >> my kids would be like explain yourself, dad. now we've got some excuses so thank you, rhiannon, for that. >> we could go on but we can't. so we turn to "emily in paris." who doesn't love it? season 3 dropped.

i watched it last night. well worth staying up late. our lama hasan had the best assignment and went behind the scenes during the filming in paris for an inside look at the show's incredible fashion and some of the season's most memorable looks. what an assignment, lama. did you love it? >> reporter: good morning to you, lara. yes, i did and you're absolutely right, season 3 has only been out a day, and so many fans are already talking about the fabulous outfits and when we spoke to the cast they told us this season's fashion is bigger, bolder and brighter and, boy, it does not disappoint. ♪ >> i just need to know are you on my team or not? >> reporter: "emily in paris" is giving love triangle meets hot couture. >> paris. >> reporter: fans are feeling french? ♪ >> reporter: so we went behind the scenes to see what makes the show tres chic. >> do you want to try? >> of course, j'adore.

i feel fashionable for once. >> reporter: marylin fitoussi has been dressing them. everybody is talking about the sensational outfits and we wanted to do something different. >> break boundaries. >> it's what it's all about. why people love the show so much also. we break all the rules. ♪ >> reporter: the fashion, a treat for emily herself lily collins. >> i mean -- >> iconic. >> i feel like a kid in a candy store. >> marylin is a wizard. >> she refuses and recycles a lot of things from other seasons. they're just so amazing and vintage. ♪ you'll find that ♪ >> reporter: always eccentrically stylish, ashley parker, who plays mindy, who says the costumes play an important role.

>> where would i live? >> everything is so heightened and chic and everything more parisian. they're becoming more mature in themselves and try to infuse what the character is feeling or thinking or what's happening. >> ooh. you know i love that. >> i think it's really cool that it's one of those shows where you can pause at any moment. what are they wearing and what's happening? >> reporter: and if you want to add a bit of je ne sais quoi to your wardrobe here's tips from marylin, find your own style, be unique, fashion doesn't have to be expensive even if the show does offer a wonderful fantasy. don't forget to have fun with fashion. >> amen to that. that is awesome. thank you so much, lama. now to cheryl scott. >> yes, good morning, everyone. checking in with houston this morning where it's a balmy 50 degrees. temperatures are about to plummet nearly 30, 40 degrees and will feel like 16 tomorrow. take a look at this arctic powerful front that's going to keep across the deep south. temperatures, 50s and 60s but tomorrow morning it will feel like it's near and below zero in

so many locations. that's the case for the northeast as well. so much of the country feeling this frigid arctic air, 50s along the east coast by saturday morning. windchills from 15 to 25 below up towards syracuse. bitter arctic cold and one of the coldest christmases up and down the east coast. now a check of your local weather. drew: i am a meteorologist. . drew tuma with your forecast mostly cloudy skies today. mid and upper 50's. we have let showers after 7:00 p.m., a level one on the storm impact scale. those showers are out after midnight. we see temperatures in the mid 40's with mostly cloudy conditions. here is the seven-day forecast, the holiday weekend is looking spectacular. sunshine and mild conditions at wet weather returns next w w all right, and now lara who's got a big pop of pink going on in this dreary winter

day and "pop news." there you go. >> wow! >> he did sell it. >> thank you we have a lot of news. music news, it's a big day for justin bieber. wow, he's reportedly on the verge of selling his extensive catalog of music to the tune of nearly $200 million. >> wow. >> according to "the wall street journal" the deal would include both bieber's recording and publishing catalog. i didn't think he was old enough to have a catalog. the 28-year-old is considerably younger than some of the other music legends sell theirs including neil diamond and bruce springsteen. the price tag is right there with those shall we say more sophisticated artists. >> a bit of a shock there. >> really well done. in his short 15-year career justin bieber is already one of the best-selling artists of all time so congratulations. also this morning, we have -- it's wednesday but we have -- oh, no -- >> it's thursday. >> it's thursday but we have

news on wednesday, you see that. so the netflix series directed by tim burton setting streaming records. the show following the ledge bring adams family daughter wednesday playing by jenna ortega as she navigates her powers in a new high school. viewers clocking in over 6 billion minutes of screen time spent watching the show. that is second only to "stranger things" season 4 released earlier this year. those numbers are only expected to increase too because apparently even more people watch the popular series in its second week, "wednesday," is streaming right now including today, thursday. >> on thursday. >> whoo! >> wow. i love this crowd. we may know what serena will do now in her life after tennis. three months after she announced her evolution away from the sport she seems to be content

playing food critic with daughter olympia's batch of holiday cookies. >> it has a great base. i love how it tastes on my palate. i like that the icing sweet. you did so good with this. come here. let me shake your hand. that was good. that was good. >> that is high praise. serena, the critic did think the lemon cookies could use more of a glazed icing and loved her liberal use of glitter. >> constructive criticism. from the g.o.a.t. >> if serena wants to come in for the 12 days of christmas cookies. >> exactly. or olympia. finally, guys, there's a new santa's helper on the scene. everyone knows the legendary elf on a shelf but now he's, hey, well, someone giving him. snoop on the stoop. >> wow. i need that. >> that's amazing. >> immortalized for the christmas season. moms and dads can get in on the

fun, it costs $15 to $20. find them on amazon and that, everybody, is "pop news." >> that's incredible. >> thank you so much. >> i want a snoop on the stoop in my stocking to anyone who is watching. we got to turn now though to "gma's" ultimate ugly christmas sweater search. our special christmas correspondent, will ganss has traveled far and wide for this, and this morning he is back in new york, and will, if the best way to spread christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear, maybe wearing something loud works too. what do you have for us going on in central park today, my friend? >> well, you know subtlety has never been my specialty, will, by the way, where there's one will there's a way where there's two wills there's a whole lot of christmas spirit and we have all of that and more here today. we're here in the heart of nw york city at the iconic wolman rink. what makes it better than puppies from north shore animal league america and as you can see, dogs are in sweaters. we are in sweaters. a recent study from the journal

of positive psychiatry say people would rather spend money on their pets or spouses or on themselves. we spent a little extra money decking out the dogs this morning, you guys. how cute is this? >> they're fantastic. we love them and we love you and we love your sweater. >> can i just say puppies, christmas sweaters that are special, i don't see ugly. what could be better? thank you, will ganss. >> except what could be better our team, the face-off in times square. we gt three families. they're bringing all the holiday cheer that their christmas creations. who will be crowned? the ultimate ugly christmas sweater champion will take home the prize. you will find out along with us tomorrow morning and coming up, shop this store. lori bergamotto finding great last-minute gifts at lululemon. stick around.

bill a better bay area moving forward finding solutions. this is abc seven news. good morning. i'm reggie aqui from abc seven mornings and sue hall has looked at traffic. we are going to the golden gate bridge. it is absolutely gorgeous. yes some clouds, but not down on the deck. so you are clear and smooth sailing all the way into san francisco. no delays here. four lanes in the south bend direction green all the way around for your driving this morning. it is pre holiday light , reggie. thank you. see you

do you have a dense fog advisory in effect until 11 a.m. this morning for good reason you can see visibility is reduced around livermore down to a mile two miles in fairfield, so certainly we are seeing great conditions early on this morning. right now. temperatures in the forties, if not low fifties right now, one of the warmer stars we've had so far this season. take a look at clouds. a lot of them today. we're dry through the daylight hours, but rain returns to the forecast later on this evening. that's level one on this form impact scale. reggie drew. thank you have another abc seven news update. and about 30 minutes. you can always check us out at abc seven news .com. until then, have a good morning.

♪ you ♪ you know it's not the same as it was ♪ ♪ in this world ♪ if you want to adopt any of those pups that will ganss was with, look at those beautiful dogs, our friends at north shore are ready to help you give one of those little furry friends a home. head to animalleague.org for more. switching gears, time to shop the store where we spotlight the items you will fall in love with from some of our favorite retailers. lori bergamotto is here with us helping one last-minute shopper

find great gifts for everyone at lululemon. >> that's right. there are just three, three shopping days left. so if you have been procrastinating like one of our senior producers at "gma" this piece is for you. we're crossing off a bunch of her shopping list all at one store. take a look. ♪ >> so i waited too long. i have no gifts. i need your help. >> okay, don't worry. >> okay. >> we're here at lululemon in soho and this place is the perfect place for that last-minute luxury and surprisingly affordable prices. you ready to get shopping. >> let's shop. >> come on. let's go. >> i didn't get my husband a gift. problem. help. >> you've got a problem. i got the solution. it's called the abc pants. my husband wears them. my favorite thing about these, they are wrinkle resistant. >> i love that. >> they look like a sophisticated work pant but feel like a jogger. here is the beauty of this belt bag. it's perfect for everyone. it went viral on tiktok. >> so a lot of people know about

it. it's flying off the shelves. >> you need to jazz it up. fill it with a bunch of things she likes. a gift ninja. it can do anything. this rest and restore eye mask. feel it. it's so soft. >> oh, my gosh. >> want to try it on? buy one for yourself. >> how does it look? >> incredible. >> i feel like i'm going to inaugural asleep standing and doesn't feel like it will bother me. >> you might want to buy it for your mom so you could do this or a meditation gift card or a spa day. really -- >> create a moment. >> exactly. >> i think i might get one for myself. >> get two. they're a great price. >> or three or four or five. >> let's go. >> okay, so i subscribe to the theory one for you, one for me. >> i like that theory. >> a busy season, you're pregnant. you deserve something. >> i do. >> this is the align legging. over 16,000 positive reviews. they come in a bunch of different colors. they start at under $100. fun patterns.

i love these ribbed ones. >> the texture. >> yeah. so there's really something for you. >> i love it. >> aww, that was great you helped her. >> she is the best. we love her. i found one more gift for us. it's like giving somebody really four gifts because you can wear it many wrays. when you're giving a last-minute gift versatility is the coin of the realm. this scarf, you can tie it four different ways. the same scarf. here is kind of modern. here's bolero style. >> exactly. >> it's like a blanket. >> classic scarf style then you can just wear it as a shawl like that. this is under $60, you can wear it four different ways so it's money well spent. >> such great ideas and i hope you're less stressed. guys, you can scan the qr code on your screen or head over to goodmorningamerica.com to score even more of her great deals. guys, back to you. >> awesome. so many great ideas.

we'll turn now though to the pulitzer prize winning play, "the piano lesson," one of broadway's hottest tickets and robin got to sit down with the all-star cast. >> here we are. this beautiful theater. broadway's first revival of august wilson's "the piano lesson." how do you bring it to life? >> august brought it to life by the words he put on the paper, and so it was just up to me to see how i could reimagine it and amplify everything that he did. >> reporter: it's the new broadway revival of "the piano lesson" directed by latanya richardson jackson. a haunting family drama as two siblings battle over this family heirloom. a piano carved with the faces of their enslaved ancestors. >> wow. >> reporter: starring john david washington as boy willie. danielle brooks as his sister

berniece and latanya's husband samuel l. jackson as doaker. >> you'd be surprised how many going north get on the train going west. >> you, my friend, have a longtime history with this production. i mean, you -- the original boy willie. 87, yale, the understudy for the broadway debut. >> life-altering in a lot of different ways. my life changed when i was the understudy. drug addled at the time, why me, why me and i got to go somewhere and fix my life in a way that i didn't realize my life needed fixing and my life changed exponentially, you know, when i got out of rehab because of it. >> reporter: samuel l. jackson going on to become one of hollywood's highest grossest actors and now john david washington is following in the footsteps of his famous father denzel as boy willie.

>> capable of anything. i can take and peel something with these hands. >> your father, also part of the august wilson legacy with "fences." your momma, who is another fine actor, pauletta, has seen it at least 13 times. >> i think it's 20 now. >> how did they prepare you for broadway? >> my whole life teaching me how to pray. understanding what faith means and how i insert faith and prayer into everything i do so i've been preparing my whole life for this. because of those lessons. >> you've known this young man since he was yay high and now he has the role of boy willie. what is it like to see him play this role? >> fun for me to watch. to watch the evolution of what john david has done since we started this up until now, the boy willie you see the creation --

>> it is. >> is him and them. >> everybody got all kinds of questions for berniece, everybody telling me i can't be a woman unless i got a man. >> reporter: it's a full circle moment for danielle brooks, tony nominee in the revival of "the color purple." >> i used the monologue of berniece to get into juilliard at 17 and that's my foundation. that was the first time someone said yes to me and said there was a place for me in this theater world. >> reporter: that moment more poignant now than ever with latanya at the directorial helm, the first woman to direct an august wilson play on broadway. so what is it like having her as a director? >> it's the best because i'm cut from the same cloth as her. this is a black woman who was raised by a black woman who birthed a black woman. so to me, there's so much conversation that we don't have to have because we just

understand each other. another layer to that is i'm so inspired by her because i feel like i can do it, like i will one day be able to direct whatever i want to direct, because she was able to do it. so this really is inspiring and so glad she brought me into the fold. >> is this everything you envisioned and hoped. >> it is beyond anything i could have ever imagined. this crew, these actors, what they do up here every night, every day and every night, i thank god for it. i am grateful because the dream may manifest lives here. >> wow, you can catch all that great talent in "the piano lesson" at the ethel barrymore theater through january 29th, and watch more of robin's

interview on my favorite tv show, on "nightline." and coming up, it's will's turn for 12 days of christmas cookies. we're getting ready. working up an appetite. right? >> it's going to be

♪ they're singing deck the halls ♪ ♪ but it's not like ♪ welcome back and we only have two days left of our 12 case of christmas cookies and this morning it's will's turn at the oven. we have our cookies and coffee. we'll enjoy and toss it over to you.

walk us through it. >> i am ready to go fully kidded out. i got my apron on. let's go in the oven and, oh, i almost dropped all of them. not how you want to start. these are cappuccino biscotti and we have the perfect person with us today to tell us all about these delicious cookies, renato poliafito from cafe -- >> ciao, gloria in new york. >> good morning. i'm going to get rid of this on the oven. what do we have here? walk me through this traditional italian cookie. >> a biscotti, like a cappuccino flavor which goes great with coffee obviously or if you want your coffee in a solid form, a great cookie to have. super easy to make and they're super easy to kind of like turn into your own kind of like different combinations, it's a great cookie. so i'll show you how to make them. >> please do. i am italian. a quarter italian. shoutout to the family. my mother dana. this is a home cooked type of

thing, hazelnuts. i'm totally following you. >> i'll put you to work a little. so i have some butter and sugar that we've been creaming here. >> okay? so we'll cream that and basically we're going to -- i'll have you actually mix some eggs. >> i can do that. >> some vanilla. >> this is called a whisk. cool. >> mix those, add this espresso powder. >> hold on. >> and add that vanilla. >> i have question about espresso powder. you're using instant espresso powder rather than ground espresso and there's a reason p >> instant is much finer and dissolves in liquid. using ground espresso you're going to taste the grounds and it's not as pleasant. >> i see. that's interesting. put this whole thing in here? >> you can dump it in. we want serious coffee flavor and vanilla. yep. >> also going in. >> then you'll whisk that. >> more whisking. it's all in the wrists i believe. >> and all will dissolve into the liquid.

hazelnuts and chocolate chips. you want to toast the hazelnuts first. that will bring out the flavor many on a pan. >> we're doing hazelnuts and chocolate chips but you can add anything you want. >> you can do whatever you like. a great base recipe. i thought cappuccino nice for the holiday. >> and for morning television >> and for morning television and basically once you mix all your ingredients together like you're putting everything in there, you're going to end up with this type of dough, right. >> very cool. >> i'm tempted to eat that on its own. >> you can. but we'll put this on this pan right here. >> and turn it into -- >> and start shaping it. >> once you start shaping it. >> it is doughy. >> it is doughy. >> walk me through the shaping. >> all right. >> this is so much thicker than yours. i got to stretch this out, right? >> so now you'll stretch it out and end up with this type of result. it'll be like -- basically you can -- >> keep it moving. i'll work on this for the rest of the show. >> all right, so basically once

you're done with that it should look like this. >> should is a relative word. that's how it looks for me. >> you did a great job. it looks good. >> oh, we got a nice little wet napkin. you think of everything. we go from this which is eh to this which is what you want and you bake it. >> twice baked. >> biscotti means cookie. >> but it means cookie in italy but we've appropriated it to a twice baked right here. >> i don't know if i'm allowed to handle this, if there's a union rule but whatever, my segment. >> you can cut this however you want. usually you can cut this in about this size. three-quarters of an inch. there you go. >> i'll cut that and then a middle piece. i don't like the ends. i see cappuccino. >> after you twice bake it it will look like that but you can dunk it too. >> i'm going to dunk it right in here then the big question before we go because i can't wait any longer, do you dunk

your biscotti in your cappuccino, yes or no? >> yes, i do. >> there we go. guys, check this out. enjoy your cookies. goodmorningamerica.com. ready to rock. we're right back. >> whoo! >> oh. [ laughter ] we'll need some cappuccino and hot cocoa as we go into the weekend with all the cold weather we are tracking but also keeping our eyes on the radar. heavy rain from the carolinas with heavy snow up into parts of pennsylvania, not the current storm but now we have a new storm that will come barreling into the pacific northwest. you can see winter alerts in place and starts as rain but transitions over to an icy mix, slick travel, ice accumulation possible with power outages, now drew: i am abc7 newsoutages, now meteorologist drew tuma. mostly cloudy today, showers arrive after 7:00 p.m.. it is out by midnight. here is the seven-dayay

we're so excited for this. a very special performance by a fellow child of the '80s, my friend, debbie gibson coming up on "good morning america" live for you. don't go anywhere. ugh, this rental car is so boring to drive. let's be honest. the rent-a-car industry is the definition of boring. and the reason can be found in the name itself. rent - a - car? you don't want a friend. you want the friend. you don't want a job. you want the job. the is always over a. that's why we don't offer a car. we offer the car.

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we are back we are back with a true pop music icon. in the '80s she became the youngest woman ever to write, sing and produce a number one song that she still holds today, "foolish beat." now she released her first holiday album, "winterlicious." debbie gibson, welcome back to "gma." >> i'm so happy to be here. >> it's about time you did a holiday album. >> i'm all about the timing and inspiration. and it's been such an amazing like year and a half. i released a new pop album "the body remembers." my mom passed at the beginning of this year which was such a profound experience and i believe she's giving me some extra inspiration from the other side and this just came pouring out of me this year.

it was just time. >> that's wonderful and something very special i learned that you sing on the album with your dad. >> i do. listen, i sing with my two favorite joes, joey mcintyre and daddy joe. he does an incredible "white christmas" and joined me on stage last week on tour. >> how did you get through that? >> i look at it now and i'm like, i can't. again, there's so much profound -- so many profound experiences happening and i think as we were talking earlier in the dressing room, as we become more seasoned. >> as we like to say. >> as we like to say, you know, we really do take those moments in more. so special having them on the record. he has the most gorgeous untrained voice and such a personality. >> well, you got it from somewhere. we want to hear it. are you ready? >> i'm ready. >> let's do it, everybody. here's debbie gibson performing holiday album, "winterlicious." ♪

♪ oh the weather outside is frightful ♪ ♪ but the fire is so delightful ♪ ♪ and since we've no place to go ♪ ♪ let it snow, let it snow, let it snow ♪ ♪ when we finally kiss good night ♪ ♪ how i'll hate going out in the storm ♪ ♪ but if you really hold me tight, all the way home i'll be warm ♪ ♪ oh, the fire is slowly dying and my dear, we're still good-byeing ♪ ♪ as long as you love me so, let

it snow, let it snow, let it snow ♪ ♪ let it snow, let it snow, let it ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ oh the fire is slowly dying ♪ ♪ and, my dear, we're still good-byeing ♪ ♪ as long as you love me so ♪

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wow, our thanks to debbie gibson for that festive performance. >> yes, absolutely fabulous. before we go, we have big news to sare. senior producer jilian fama halsey and her husband welcome baby pierce thelma halsey to the world. two weeks late as lara pointed out. big sister august is adjusting. congratulations. >> congratulations. congratulations. >> congratulations. isn't just a cough, so it's better to be prepared. binaxnow™ gives you reliable results in 15 minutes and detects multiple variants including omicron ba.5. binaxnow™

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binaxnow™ the #1 covid-19 self test in the us building a better bay area moving forward finding solutions . this is abc. seven news. good morning to you. i'm reggie aqui from abc seven mornings and sue hall has a traffic. good morning, reggie and word holiday light, at least pre holiday light. taking a look at emory bill. we had an accident at the gilman off ramp westbound 80 not blocking the freeway, but it may cause a little bit of slowing behind that off ramp. as you can see, the fog is settling in. this is one that creek 6 80. you may have a little visibility problem as you head south bend. towards the dublin interchange. otherwise, traffic is moving at a pretty good clip. drew suitt is pretty gray out there live doppler seven invisibility mode, showing you that fog down to a mile and a half in concord, 2.5. miles in livermore, so we certainly are seeing mostly cloudy conditions out there. we will keep that sky throughout the day. showers return to the forecast later on this evening

on the storm impact scale. it's a level one between seven pm and one am tonight, reggie true. thank you time now for live with kelly and ryan and our reporting continues now on our news, app ♪ ♪ >> announcer: it's "live with kelly and ryan!" today, kelly and her adorable kids make christmas cookies. and, ryan versus ryan in a festive face-off you won't want to miss. plus, the secret government cake recipe is revealed. and so much more. all next on "live." and now, here are kelly ripa and ryan seacrest. [cheers and applause] ♪ ♪