good morning. breaking news. released after more than a year as hostages, the couple kidnapped by pirates off the coast of somalia have been freed. >> heading home. president obama returns from his trip to asia facing an emboldened republican party in a showdown over spending, tax cuts and the future course of the country. and a superstar packs a wallop in a thrilling boxing match that leaves many calling

him one of the best fighters of all time. today is sunday, november 14th, all time. today is sunday, november 14th, 2010. captions paid for by nbc-universal television welcome to "today" on a sunday. i'm lester holt. >> i'm jenna wolf. >> now he was considered the best fighter before last night's match. you can imagine how high his stock is soaring this morning. >> boy, does he pack a punch. more than 40,000 fans were on hand at cowboy stadium. millions tuned in around the world. this morning, some are calling it one of the greatest bouts of all time. >> fun to watch, as well. varnished. what happened to a family in who i, a mom, her two kids and a friend have been missing for days. investigators suspect foul play after blood was found in her home. this weekend the search is on.

>> later, i know top gun. after seeing your flight with the blue angels, i'm not sure i want to sit next to you on an airplane ever. >> this is real. it was very raw. it's not always pretty, but it was the thrill of a lifetime for me. lester, let's say i'm very glad to be back on solid ground after my ride with the blue angels. i know you did it far better than i did it. >> you never throw up if you don't know which way up is. >> exactly. >> of all the beauties, that's the beauty he picked out. >> you embarrassed me up there, you really did. >> lester. >> then my interview with the one and only bob newhart. he's celebrating 50 years in showbiz. believe me, is he funnier than ever ever. two hit sit-coms and one-sided phone conversations, gems. >> still funny? >> still funny. we'll share that with you coming up later. breaking news. the release of that british

couple seized from yachts by somali pirates. this morning, they are free. itn has the story. hello. >> this was the moment the fallen they reached relative safety. delivered to the town and custody of the men who vowed to security their freedom. they were exhausted after an overnight road journey from the remote bush deep in somalia where they've been held for over a year. as basic medical checks were carried out, their delight and relief was obvious. >> i'm not used to being well treated. >> reporter: the couple were told by pirates three days ago that they would be released, but didn't believe it. >> you have to keep hope. >> yes. >> it was difficult, you know. we were kept separate in solitary confinement. >> i heard that, yeah. >> that was very difficult.

these are not nice people. >> paul and rachel have endured a terrifying ordeal, moved from location to location with only one another for support. these previously unseen pictures were filmed in july, but can only be broadcast now that the chancellors are free. their family had handed over half a million dollars, but the pirates refused to let them go. >> we heard from my brother three weeks ago, and he said that he was hoping to get us out fairly quickly but then we've heard nothing since. they just kept us caged up like animals. we haven't heard anything. we've just been wonering what is going on. >> reporter: this time another $300,000 was raised by the transitional government of somalia. the couple are expected to be flown back to this small airport in the kenyan capital later this afternoon. juliet bremner, itv news. >> they look remarkably well.

i remember when they were first trachen. they're pleading for their life and i remember thinking how hopeless a situation, especially to go on for over a year. suddenly you wake up and three free. >> a strange calm to them. they can't believe after three years it's finally come to the fact that they're free. there's this refreshing peace to both of them. >> we're happy for them and their families this morning. >> now we'll head to politics. president obama is on his way home from that ten-day trip to asia today returning to a country and congress deeply divided over critical issues including those so-called bush tax cuts. mike have i care ral joins us now. >> after successes and failures on that asia trip, it doesn't get easier for the president once he's back at the white house later this afternoon. a lame duck session of congress begins tomorrow and it could be a short and angry session. president obama wrapping up the last of his ten days in asia,

sitting down with russian president medvedev to talk arms control and sight seeing, returning to the great buddha where mr. obama visited as a child. but late today, the president will return to the white house and a new political reality. still speaker till january, nancy pelosi convenes a lame duck house on monday. where a fight over renewing bush era tax cuts looms. >> when we give tax cuts, we want to give tax cuts to middle class families. >> after weeks spent bashing republicans for insisting the cuts be extended to the wealthy, aides now signal the president is open to just that on a temporary basis. >> it's clear tonight who the winners really are. >> fresh off their sweeping victory, republicans have rejected the opening. >> i think extending all of the current tax rates and making them permanent will reduce the uncertainty in america and help small businesses begin to create jobs again. >> reporter: the white house stance has brought ridicule from the left. >> we needed from president

obama right now strength, not weakness. >> even with democrats still in control for now, the president has little room to maneuver. >> he's trying to play the space in the middle. there's nobody in the middle and it's going to be hard for him. >> reporter: more measures on the table for the lame duck, another extension of unemployment benefits and a decision on the military's don't ask, don't tell policy. but after midterm election upheaval, much of it may wait till a new congress is sworn in. >> the republicans want to wait till next year. when they will have the house and can get what they want done. >> on thursday, president obama will sit down with congressional leaders for dinner in the white house residence. at the table, john boehner, the man likely to lead the house as the next speaker. >> he goes to the negotiations with barack obama with the support of the support of the american people and with a clear understanding of what lies ahead. i don't look for him to be in a terribly compromising mood. >> reporter: and lester, as for house democrats they had a log

jam at the top when nancy pelosi surprisingly decided she was going to stand for minority leader putting jim clyburn, the highest ranking african-american in the history of congress, the odd man out, they've essentially created a position for him now, called assistant leader and he's going to remain as number three among house democrats. >> plenty of fights looming for the president, not just from the conservatives. david gregory from "meet the pres press", good to see you. i'm fascinated about this tax fight looming. republicans will have control of the house in the new congress. how is this likely to work out? how much power do they really have to get their way on this? >> i think they have enough. i think the president wants to make a deal. i think the key for the white house now is they want the middle class cuts extended first. look for them to try to initiate that in the lame duck session that mike laid out for us and see if republicans are willing to separate the issue of wealthy americans from middle class tax cuts. it may force a fight come

january. but i think the white house is probably going to look for some consensus on this. but try do it for a more limited period of time to be able to send the message to, you know, to the country and to the economy about some level of certainty. i also think the president, if he going to deal on this wants to position himself as more of a fiscal conservative and say tell me where the corresponding spending cuts are because that's the responsible way to do it. look for him to try to get the upper hand. >> let me pick up on what mike ended with, the leadership, no leadership changes on the democratic side of the house. would be of people are8 a change given the huge democratic defeat. do the democrats perceive the reasons for this defeat differently than republicans? >> well, look. let's point out it is not like there are a lot of fresh faces on the republican side either. we tonight want to argue that

too hard. i say there is an inside game and outside game. the inside game is run well by pelosi, fund-raising, organization, unity and things done.done. she wants her team in there. it's a more liberal caucus in the house now. she still has that measure of power. for now the white house is and standing behind all of that. i don't know how much power they would have to change it either way because moderates have been swept out in this election.een p so you have more liberal members of congress. whether this is a liability, we'll have to find out over time to the extent that nancy pelosie is made to be the face of the democratic party. there will be the an ongoing ef on the part of the republicans. >> now to the continuing mbarks fascination over sarah palin. she embarks on a book tour. some of the states important toi the nationalmpor nominating pro, iowa, south carolina, the tlc show kicks off tonight. if she has plans to run for president, this gives her a lot of face time here.e o coincidence or not?nk

>> i don't think it's a coincidence. in she's a juggernaut in the party that could be leading her to run for president or at least straddling that line all the way till the end. she could have a real impact on iowa, she could be laid into it but the point is, she's going ti be completely unconventionalnt about this.ventio republicans are very conventional about how they ntia approachl who's going to be the nominee of their party.pa coming off the blocks, all the republicans i talk to who are e professionals and looking at this race say nobody has a clear advantage here. ae still has long way to go to if she thinks she can get the nomination. she is certainly a power base in the party. >> david, thanks. vi >> youd, bet. ou now let's get a check of some of the other headlines witt melissa francis. >> good morning.ood we begin in minnesota where they are digging out trt largest november snowfall in two decades. more from the weather channel'se janel klein. >> the storm took w many residee by surprise. >> when they said snow, they didn't say blizzard. >> very wet, windy.

>> and slippery. >> after an unusually warm fall with >>record-breaking october temperatures and in november, nd daytime highs in the 60s, nine inches of snow fell in northwesd minneapolis and along the nneso, minnesota, iowa border up to 14s inches of snow. very strong t a storm but it has been very has persistent. by virtue of that fact, we've gotten a lot of snow. of >> at the minneapolis-st. paul airport, passengers faced delays of two hours and canceled flights as airport workers triei to keep theed runways clear. only two of the four were operational. >> i'll be frustrate fundamental can't get out. >> hopefully we'll getet on a flight today. >> and the heavy wet snow created slippery conditions on the road slowing traffic to a crawl. >> the roads wereacrawl. very s sloppy, heavy snow causing many vehicles to lose control and go off the road. eporte >> reporter: the snow weighed a heavily on power lines, too.toms 65,000 customers lost power in

the twin cities area. people camping out overnight in minneapolis to raise money for f the homeless braved the elements for their cause. >> kids have had a great fun. they've been building snowmen and playing in the snow, what you do when you get the first o snow. >> it's only >>november. that was janel klein reporting. . democracy leader aung san suu kyi was moved by thousands of supporters today when she arrived at her headquarters. heu she was released from seven years of house arrest on saturday. the on65-year-old says, she hao antagonism for the military rulers who have oppressed her. a marilyn county executive y says he is innocent of fbi charges involving an alleged pae to play scheme. jack johnson and his wife were arrested on friday by federal earths who came to their house with search warranties. that's when johnson told his d h wife by phone to flush a 00 chek $100,000 check down the toilet and hide nearly $80,000 in her

underwear. officials whoof used wire taps y they found the cash in her bra. finally prince william surpriser troops in afghanistan. a the prince laidnd a wreath to o honor britain's war dead as parn ofce remembrance day ceremonies and then visited with troops. he served in britain's flying sea rescue helicopters. now back to lester, jenna. >> thanks. >> and jenna is here with a check of the weather. better snow here than there. >> it feels like spring here.he mid 60s in new york city yesterday. one more time atew yor that snot across the upper midwest, midwes amounts oft. anywhere from fiveo seven inches around minneapolis to more than a foot in some uth locations south of the city. it's still spinning over the arrowhead section, parts of northern wisconsin today with a >> hey there, good morning to you. i'm craig herrera. 70s in the forecast today. the big story if you have been awake for even a bit, perhaps the wind woke you up.

a little gusty at times, will be later this afternoon. more clear conditions this afternoon. so sunshine and 70s are in place and at the beaches close to the upper 60s near 70. seven-day forecast, we do it again tomorrow. we still have a wind advisory through 10:00 a.m. tomorrow. cooling off next week and a cold weekend next weekend. >> now back to jenna and lester. >> thanks. up next on "today," a real thriller in dallas. >> millions tune in to what some consider a legendary bout. the outcome right after this. th.

with patented sonic technology philips sonicare is the number 1 recommended power toothbrush by dental professionals it's no wonder philips sonicare is the toothbrush america loves switch now and if you're not 100% satisfied, we'll give you a full refund. no calorie sweetener granulated with fiber. sweet! [ female announcer ] tastes like sugar and has 3 grams of fiber per tablespoon. use it almost anywhere you use sugar. even in cooking and baking. sweet! [ female announcer ] splenda® granulated with fiber. but the nicoderm cq patch gradually steps you down off of nicotine in just three steps, doubling your chances for success. nicoderm cq. 3 steps, 10 weeks and you're free.

nicoderm cq.

that advertise flights for 25,000 miles? but when you call... let me check. oh fudge, nothing without a big miles upcharge. it's either pay their miles upcharges or connect through mooseneck! [ freezing ] i can't feel my feet. we switched to the venture card from capital one -- so no more games. let's go see those grandkids. [ male announcer ] don't pay miles upcharges. don't play games. get the flight you want with the venture card at capitalone.com. [ loving it ] help! what's in your wallet? he's a 5'6" politician from the philippines but above everything else manny pacquiao is a championship boxer and he showed his power before a packed cowboys stadium saturday night. ron allen reports. >> reporter: what you are watching is one of the greatest boxers of all time achieve something no one else in the

sport has ever done. manny pacquiao, the smaller man, is devastating antonio margarito, the much bigger man. when it was over, pacquiao -- also known as the pac-man -- had won his eighth boxing title in eight different weight classes, each against a significantly larger opponent. a feat that's had the world of professional boxing in awe. >> we are watching something in manny pacquiao that may not be just once in a generation but maybe once in a lifetime. maybe just once, period. >> reporter: he's also known as the filipino phenom because he rose from poverty to become one of the richest athletes. he's 31, perhaps nearing the end of his boxing days and just beginning a new career. last may, elected to his nation's congress. now being mentioned by fans as a possible president. there was concern he was too distracted to fight. >> it's going to be a good fight

on saturday. don't miss it. it's going to be fun. >> reporter: as he won the latest title the congressman showed heart and compassion, looking to the referee to stop the fight and pulling his punches in the closing round. apparently concerned about how badly his opponent was getting battered. like so many adversaries he faced in the ring and in life, a foe much bigger but not better. for "today," ron allen, nbc news, new york. >> among everything else on his resumé, he's fought in eight different weight classes. that is so impressive. we are just casual boxing fans, you and i, but that is so impressive. >> his opponent -- the reach the guy has, but it's like a boxing clinic there. >> what a great guy. at the end he pulled his punches, felt compassion. >> i wouldn't want to take him on in the legislative arena. >> absolutely not. congratulations to him. we are back, but first, these messages.

last year. (oof). i had a bum knee that needed surgery. but it got complicated, because i had an old injury. so i wanted a doctor who had done this before. and unitedhealthcare's database helped me find a surgeon. you know you can't have great legs, if you don't have good knees. we're 78,000 people looking out for 70 million americans. that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare. would you like me to read you a story? you can't read. [ grandma ] 'twas the night before christmas, and all through the house... whoa, that's grandma. [ grandma ] ...nothing was stirring, not kara, not maya... how does she do that? magic. [ grandma ] ...grandma loves you. [ both ] goodnight, grandma. [ female announcer ] be there to read them a story every night. read it to me again. [ female announcer ] hallmark recordable storybooks. this christmas, make it wonderful at your hallmark gold crown store.

still to come on "today," into thin air. the latest on the search for a missing ohio family that has police scratching their heads. >> plus, hot flash and mood swings are signs of menopause, but are women the only one going through the major change in life? the truth about male menopause. first, these messages.

- i wanted to get cindy something special this year. - you went to kay. she'll love it. [chuckles] trust me. i know. ho-ho-ho-ho-ho. - introducing charmed memories, a new collection at kay jewelers. each design is hand-crafted in italy, and because you choose the charms, the possibilities are endless. create your own memories with charmed memories, one more reason kay is the number one jewelry store in america. - i love it. - santa said you would. no, really.

♪ the turn will make you think. ♪ make you re-examine your approach.

change your line. innovate. and create one of the world's fastest-reacting suspensions, reading the road 1,000 times per second. it's the turn that leads you somewhere new. introducing the new 2011 cts-v coupe. from cadillac. the new standard of the world. good morning to you. look at this picture of the bay bridge. it is absolutely beautiful. as the sun is coming up over the bay. gosh, look at that all day. craig herrera is here with a look at forecast that is not rainy. we could look at it all day if we wanted to. >> it's a little windy. actually woke me up this morning which is good. >> i opened up the door and it blew open. >> things blowing around on top of the roof.

if you are just getting up, maybe it woke you up, wind at times. more of the clear conditions, more sunshine. we reached 70s all over the area. 81 in santa rosa. pretty warm day, but most of the bay area was in the 70s. live shot take a look at that. it's shaking a little bit. the higher elevations, lower lying areas, 5 to 15 miles per hour. the wind speeds at this time. we have some livermore at about 7, fairfield at 9. the gustier winds across the higher elevations. this is the satellite image and we talked about this yesterday, the ridge of high pressure off to our west not going to move today or tomorrow. we will continue to get sunshine, more sunshine on monday. we still have a wind advisory through monday, 10:00 a.m. not only for the north bay, east bay and across the sierra. 70 today in san francisco, 76 san jose, about 77 in concord. the numbers just a couple

degrees warmer. sun set at 4:59. your sfleven-day forecast. next weekend i'm sticking with showers, rain and possibly the first snow for the bay area hills of the season. we'll see if that pans away by monday. >> i'll take away your seven-day forecast and give you four days. >> right. >> san francisco lawmakers are looking at some controversial tactics to put a stop at violence at night clubs there. the city's entertainment commission is looking into technology that collects a person's personal information and shares it with other night club. goers may have to have their pictures taken. the idea is to flag people who cause problems at night clubs and then keep that information on file for at least 15 days. critics say this plan is a violation of privacy. work has begun on the central subway project in san francisco, but local authorities need to raise more than $100 million. the subway route would extend service to connect it with chinatown. so far over a billion dollars of

local, state and federal sources have been identified. that leaves local authorities $137 million short. san francisco county transportation authority expects to receive funding update come tuesday. a parking ticket will soon cost you more in san mateo and in many other cities across california. the san mateo police department says it is increasing its parking fines by 5 bucks. the city council is expected to approve that measure tomorrow. the move comes in response to a state budget provision that kicks in next month which will allow the state to take an extra $3 from every parking ticket issued. this will force cities around san mateo county and across the state to raise penalties in order to keep up. all the day's news coming up for you when we get started on "today in the bay" at 7:00. [ r . ye.ok, 'lli [ female annouer made fresh, ight. thiss. that is not half. guys i have more.

with cinnabon cnamon have such a sweet delicious aro that my family can wait ir hands on them. enjoy cinnab cinnamon... now in all pillsbury cinnamon roll that my family can wait ir hands on them. and we're back on this sunday morning, november 14, 2010. what a nice crowd with us on a beautiful fall morning day. a little warmer than it is in some other parts of the country. we are certainly not complaining. our thanks to everyone who's come out to spend the morning with us. i am jenna wolfe. an early christmas there. still to come, a mystery out of ohio. this story is spooky. >> it's about a family that's disappeared. mom and her two kids and her friend, even the family dog.

police's only clues a pickup truck and a blood stain in the house. what happened? we'll find out what authorities suspect and what they are doing. and we are talking about something that i have to be honest, i don't know anything about it. i didn't know there was such a thing as male menopause. >> we hear of women's hot flashes and mood swings. >> hot flashes? no. mood swings? i don't think so! get off my back, lester! >> is there a male equivalent? is there male menopause? it's been debated. we'll get an expert opinion and the changes men go through later in life. >> speaking of changes i have gone through a change after what i did recently. i broke the sound barrier on an f-18. no big deal, right? anybody does it any day. it is not easy. i don't know how i did it. i did it with help from the blue angels, a wonderful group of guys. i give them credit for what they do. it was one of the hardest things i have ever done in my life. i'm used to doing crazy things, but to me this was one of the

hardest. >> it was tough and i gave you advice. i said enjoy it. you didn't do that. >> "enjoy it." enjoy going up on an f-18. >> an then laugh lines with bob newhart. he's been performing for half a century. two very successful sit-coms under his belt. i share my interview with him coming up. >> first a check of the weather with janice huffi ininghuffingt >> i start with your friends from uniondale, new york. it's good to see you here. i have to sprint across the plaza. here i go. >> sorry, lester and jenna. these people are from my high school in columbia, south carolina. hi again. do i have a shirt? look at how cute you are all tresed in your caroline shirts. the rockefeller

all right. good morning to you. happy sunday. hope you enjoyed your saturday. had some 70s out there. we have more of them in the forecast today. temperatures up about one to three degrees in some cases around the bay area. plenty of clear conditions, nice sunshine today at the beaches and well inland. the big story again is going to be some wind at times. you will have some gusty winds through the hills and canyons as well. this will happen through tomorrow morning. notice what happens as you go into wednesday, gets cold especially into next weekend. well, tonight, you can keep getting your football fix on nbc, football night in america. sunday night football and i think we have a graphic, don't we? no, i guess we don't. anyway, i think new england will be at pittsburgh playing the steelers and there might be an isolated shower or two. there it is. mostly cloudy with an isolated shower. temperatures between 47 and 51. how about that? it just popped up. now back to jenna.

>> all right. thank you. it's been three days since anyone has heard from an ohio mother, her two children and her friend. authorities say they vanished but there are disturbing signs that they were the victims of foul play. >> reporter: saturday's search covered several square miles. volunteers and sheriffs deputies in ohio scoured this lake as a plane equipped with infrared technology paced overhead. tina herrmann, her children sarah and kody maynard and family friend stephanie sprang were reported missing wednesday. it is believed all four were together at herrmann's rural home before they vanished. inside, deputies discovered blood. >> there was an unusual amount of blood in that house for anyone's residence. >> reporter: still considered a missing persons case, deputies cordoned off the home and called

fbi. the missing mom share it is house with her estranged boyfriend of six years. greg borders told investigators his relationship with herrmann was civil and he never came home the night she was reported missing. >> something happened inside that house. it's not like tina or me to leave the house unsecured at any time. >> reporter: wednesday herrmann's children, 13 and 10, were at school. when the mother failed to show up at her job, a co-worker called deputies. that evening, no one answered the door but lights were on and herrmann's pick-up was in the driveway. by wednesday when they hadn't been seen and the pickup truck was found deserted outside a local college, the search began. >> so close to home. i mean, four people missing, that's scary. >> reporter: investigators are trying to establish a timeline as a community searches for a missing family and friend. nbc news. >> joining us with more insight is pat brown, former fbi

criminal profiler. pat, good morning. >> good morning. >> let's take a look at what we know. tina herrmann's live-in ex-boyfriend was the last person to see her alive. this started wednesday morning. does the fbi normally look at the last person as someone of interest? >> well, definitely. they look at that person and any of these people that are in a relationship with will become persons of interest. they will work hard to find out where they were and what the relationship was and seeing if there is something peculiar to lead them in that direction. >> as reported earlier, when they went by the house, knocked on the door, there was no answer. went by 11:00, no answer and that was it. should more have been done that day? >> it's hard when you go back and look at whether you should have done something, they didn't have absolute fear that something horrible happened. there was no evidence around the outside of the house, anything was particularly wrong. i can't say they should have.

you know, they just went with what they saw. lights are on. looks normal. you can't go breaking in people's houses and say, why aren't you home? i don't think they did anything wrong on that. >> when investigators did go into the house they found a lot of beer cans around and a great deal of blood that was left there. what will the blood be able to determine? >> the blood will be important. this is a case that's really going to build the crime scene, reconstruct it from the evidence. who does the blood belong to is one of the most important thi s things. my guess is it will be one woman or the other. the most fascinating thing about the case is that the dog is missing. that is particularly unusual. it almost seems like whoever committed the crime didn't want the dog to be left there alone and wanted the dog with that person. so the only two people that would have an interest in taking the dog would be tina herrmann herself and her boyfriend who was also part owner of the dog.

>> which i assume that means it sounds like foul play is involved. this is what we know. mom doesn't go to work for two days. kids are missing, the dog and the friend are missing. her car is in the garage and there is blood found in the house. do we rule out a random crime here and assume, as you said, this is foul play? >> it looks like foul play. i don't think you can rule out a random crime, but there is no breaking and entering into the house. there was apparently no sign of a struggle. it looks like whoever got harmed in the house knew the person that harmed them. the only -- after that, you know, if this is a home invasion they probably would have just killed everybody there. somebody left the children and the dog so any other person, probably the other woman, one of the women and the only reason somebody would do that is either they took their own children and their dog which the mother would have done that or the boyfriend wanted to get rid of witnesses.

that's what we are looking at now. every avenue is open now. >> pat brown, we thank you so much for your insight. >> thanks, jenna. >> we're right back after these messages. [ slap! ] [ slap! slap! slap! slap! slap! ] [ male announcer ] your favorite foods fighting you? fight back fast with tums. calcium rich tums goes to work in seconds. nothing works faster. ♪ tum ta tum tum tums

bob newhart has been making us laugh for decades and he's now celebrating 50 years in show business. when i sat down with him in los angeles it was clear he has no plans to retire. >> mrs. arrow? yeah, i can't understand you with your mouth full. ♪ >> this -- this is the finest, most accurate watch in the world. >> is it really? >> that's what it says on the box. >> reporter: in 1960, bob newhart was part of a new generation of stand-ups who skipped the one-liners in favors of situational humor.

his trademark, the one-sided phone conversation. >> you can't miss us. we are the first international airport on your right. >> what's your favorite bit from stand-up? >> the last one. that's the most fun about it. >> you don't have to be raunchy to be funny. >> no. i'm asked a lot -- you know, i work clean and i always have. it's harder. it's just harder to work clean. when you get through, you feel good about yourself. >> 1972 brought chicago psychologist bob hartley into our homes. >> i hated my job. i felt abused by my boss. he had no respect for me. treated me like a kid. >> we all know it's difficult when you work for your father. >> they called it the last sane man left on earth and that's the character. >> emily -- >> reporter: dr. hartley had bob newhart's trademark stammer

although a producer once asked him to lose it. >> he said, you know, the show is starting to spread. so he said, could you run some of the lines together? i said, lorenzo, this stammer got me a home in beverly hills and i'm not about to change it now. [ crying ] >> i have this overwhelming desire to laugh when you cry. >> it was a great cast. tell me about suzanne. you must miss her terribly. >> she was a special lady. suzy had a mouth on her. i mean, i have seen cameramen in iwo jima who would faint on stage when suzy let loose. but she was wonderful. the chemistry was wonderful.

>> reporter: not many actors can say they hit it out of the park twice in the world of sit coms, but bob newhart did it twice. in 1982 a show titled "newhart" hit the air. >> how is 50 fascinating vacations going? >> good. i''m thinking of changing the hit. >> to what? >> "nine fascinating vacations". >> it was the jaw-dropping television finale that made history. waking up next to wife emily from his first show, we discover the entire series was a dream. >> all right, bob? what is it? >> i was an inn keeper in this crazy little town in vermont. >> reporter: new hart says his real wife came up with the idea. >> there were so many things that were inexplicable. the maid was an heiress. tom poston, the handyman,

george. he never understood anything i said to him. then there were these three but only one of them talked. >> reporter: do you watch tv sit-coms? >> i don't. first of all, i don't watch the ones with the laugh track at all. the shows today are good ones. "30 rock" has no laugh track. "modern family," "parenthood." but most shows aren't aimed at me. i'm 81. >> reporter: 81 but not slowing down. new hart continues to take on television and movie roles and performs about 20 stand-up engagements a year. >> we didn't call them stand-up in those days. because sometimes you would sit down, you know. >> why would you say, you know, i'm tired of making people laugh? i don't think i want to do that anymore. i love it.

>> when you're a fan of someone and you like them it's great to hear something that makes you like him more. i asked his greatest accomplishment and he said, my marriage. >> that's sweet. just ahead, fly girl, i take to the sky with the blue angels. >> first, these messages. ♪ [ monkey screeches ] ♪ [ male announcer ] a bath becomes even more pleasurable when you know that your water is being heated in an environmentally conscious way, while saving you hundreds of dollars on your water heating energy bill. introducing the geospring water heater from ge with advanced hybrid technology. heating the water in your home any other way is just going to seem primitive. ♪

is just going to seem primitive. in a more delicious world, there would be more smoothness, more creaminess, more rich just-for-me-ness, more hershey's bliss-fulness. hershey's bliss. it's not just chocolate. it's bliss.

layers of brownie and caramel, dipped in chocolate ready to eat sweet moments new from pillsbury. in the refrigerated section [ female announcer ] pure, wholesome ingredients make new simply breads and biscuits a delicious addition to the family. simply... new from pillsbury. hot flashes, mood swings, two telltale signs of menopause, but are women the only ones going through the major change of life? some say men of a certain age are also feeling the pain. menopause, a fact of life for women, but what about men?

>> i have heard of male menopause. that's why they call it menopause. it begins with m-e-n, men. >> it's a sign of aging. i know i'm getting older, but to say it is a certain thing like menopause, no, i don't believe it. >> experts agree as some men get older their testosterone levels drop which can lead to a myriad of symptoms. >> decrease of libido, erectile dysfunction, increase in body fat, decrease in bone density. those are very important. >> increased body fat? yeah, that's a problem. >> as i have gotten older a lot of those are true. >> not the sexual dysfunction though. >> reporter: whether that qualifies as menopause for men is up for interpretation. >> can low testosterone contribute to nonsexual complaints? whether it really contributes to moodiness, depression, fatigue which is so common anyway, is

the real controversy. >> reporter: another source of controversy, unlike women, not every mangoes through it. >> many men function at a high level into their 70s and 80s with adequate testosterone levels. >> i'm in my 40s now. i don't suffer from them unfortunately. >> if women go through a change why isn't it possible men could go through a change similar? >> so does male menopause exist? dr. harry fish is with wild cornell medical college and author of "the male biological clock." men are in denial about all things aging. we think we just walk it off. there are changes, but for us is male menopause more of a euphemism rather than a diagnosed physical condition? >> i'm not sure it is male menopause. i like to call it the male

biological clock. people understand what you are talking about. for example, in women, what is a biological clock? a decline in fertility, a problem with genetics in babies born to older women and decreased estrogen in women, testosterone in men. >> sounds like you are talking about aging in general. >> it is general aging. we see it as men get older, particularly the testosterone levels declining. however, some men have a higher ticking of the biological clock. >> you see excessive fatigue, depression, low sex drive. these things are part of aging in general. >> some people have it more than others. >> do all men's biological clocks work at the same rate? >> no. some men's clocks tick down quickly. those men are obviously -- you can see them in the street. a lot of them have this big belly. do you see the big belly? >> it's part of aging. >> not really. you don't have a big belly. >> thank you.

>> i don't have one. >> obviously we'll get bigger, but is there a point where you see at a certain age you shouldn't have the big belly? >> you should never have that big belly. direct correlation with testosterone. bigger the belly, lower testosterone. if you are a diabetic you have a 40% chance of having low testosterone. how many do you know? adult on set diabetic men, 40% have low testosterone. >> you talk about fatigue. >> people think, we'll just sleep instead of having sex. we should be having sex and libido for our lifetime. >> quickly, how can you alter the outcome? >> diet and exercise and we mean it. a lot of men cannot diet and exercise to lose weight. they seem to not eat and nothing happens. these men will get testosterone replacement therapy. it's easy. we give them creams and gels and it works well to get them

motivated, to get them to exercise and regain the youth, if you will. >> dr. fisch, thanks for coming on. here's jenna. >> i know you love flying planes, lester. i thought it was time i, too, start loving flying planes. i took a ride with the blue angels and after my flight, they may never be the same again. >> oh, boy. >> how you feeling, jenna? >> reporter: somewhere in the skies over miami, pulling 7-gs at the speed of sound in an f-18, i needed to go to a happy place. it was just two hours earlier, wide-eyed and overzealous, i signed the dotted line to fly with the world famous blue angels. i figured if my esteemed coanchor could do it -- >> there we go. >> reporter: -- then so could i.

after all, my "today" resumé does resemble that of a stunt double. i have been run through a centrifuge, nearly drowned and i have been thrown off a 900-foot building. so the angels were more than happy to invite this dare devil anchor and two local leaders to ride and be part of the navy and marines ambassadorship and recruitment efforts. >> i have been a pilot 40 years. i think every pilot dreams of flying in an f-18 or aircraft similar to it. >> i have been on an aircraft carrier, but nothing high g maneuvers. >> reporter: i needed to make sure things were under control. i feel like i'm going to barf. quick question. am i in good hands? >> absolutely. >> reporter: you answered to

quickly. also my pilot. c.j. simonson. ♪ take my breath away >> reporter: we locked, loaded and got ready to touch the sky. >> ready, jenna? >> reporter: absolutely! >> ready? hit it. whoa! that's the coolest thing ever. >> we're going to roll 15 degrees. 2 gs with that maneuver. 7.2 gs. good work. >> reporter: twists, turns. we're upside down, aren't we? >> yeah. >> good thing this seat belt works. >> reporter: "top gun." tower, this is wolfe rider requesting a fly by. >> negative, the pattern is

full. >> great balls of fire! >> reporter: everything was going so great and then -- maybe the preflight snack wasn't a good idea. i could barely talk. all i kept thinking was, let us land! it's good to be back on terra firma. while today's flight wasn't the first or the last stunt i will be doing, it definitely stood out for one big reason. that was the longest i have ever gone without talking. >> really? >> reporter: ever. since birth. let me tell you one of the producers here josh weiner is celebrating a birthday saying, you were speechless for 15 minutes? now we are all speechless. >> i wish i was in the plane. it would have been quiet? wow. 15 minutes of no jenna talking. >> okay. moving on. the truth is you did it. i was like, how hard can it be?

it was single handedly the hardest thing i have ever done. i give you so much credit. >> i wouldn't jump off a building. i give you credit. >> i'm still nauseous. >> imagine they do that while we running radar, looking for bad guys. >> amazing. we've got to go. we've back after these messages. [piano keys banging] [scraping] [horns honking] with deposits in your engine, it can feel like something's holding your car back. let me guess, 16. [laughing] yeeah. that's why there's castrol gtx... with our most powerful deposit fighting ingredient ever. castrol gtx exceeds the toughest new industry standard. don't let deposits hold your car back. get castrol gtx. it's more than just oil. it's liquid engineering. vee titeachi for those that are looking for it. it comes in a canister. it starts out as a gel. now this is where the fun begins.

once you start to brush with it, it micro-foams. having those small micro-bubbles really allows it to get to those hard to reach areas. it's providing a cleaner experience. the benefits for sensodyne iso-active whitening, it's going to provide protection against sensitivity. and it's going to help restore teeth to their natural whiteness. ♪ ♪ came in last night at half past 10:00 ♪ ♪ that baby of mine wouldn't let me in ♪ ♪ so move it on over ♪ move it on over ♪ move it on over ♪ move it on over ♪ move over, little dog, 'cause the big dog's movin' in ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] a dog & a chevy, what else do you need?

♪ [ female announcer ] yoplait's real fruit and the goodness of dairy... gives you a little slice of happy. and happiness cos in 25 decious flavors. explore them all. yoplait. it is so good. now the yoplait you love in a new four pack. try it today. thank you so much for joining us. next weekend on "today" we'll take you inside o magazine. >> and we examine the art of apology. i'm sorry. see you then. i'll see you on nbc "nightly see you then. i'll see you on nbc "nightly news" tonight. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com