good morning. utter devastation. at least 45 dead nationwide, including at least 21 in north carolina alone after a massive string of tornadoes rips across the country over the weekend. from the plains to the southeast, it's the worst outbreak of spring storms in a quarter century. but amid the carnage, story of survival and heroism as well. fast-thinking employees at a huge store saving everyone inside despite a direct hit. we'll meet one of the men being hailed as a hero today, monday, we'll meet one of the men being hailed as a hero today, monday, april 18, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television

and good morning. welcome to "today" on a monday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> i'm natalie morales sitting in for meredith vieira today. that ferocious storm system may be gone but it will be a long time for people to recover. >> at least 45 people were killed across six states in the worst twister outbreak in a generation. as many as 35 tornadoes touched down in north carolina alone. that's the hardest hit state. north carolina's governor declared a state of emergency. she says that her tour of the damaged areas nearly left her in tears. we'll speak to her live in a few minutes. >> and the tragedy could have been worse because a twister slammed into a lowe's home improvement store in sanford, north carolina, but more than 100 employees and customers raced to the back of the store just in the nick of time.

we'll meet three of them including an assistant manager who risked his life to save others. >> also ahead, an interview with lane garrison. he starred on "prison break" and then was sent to prison for real after he was involved in a fatal car accident. he'll share a cautionary tale today. >> and we head to london where the countdown continues to the royal wedding. the question remains -- which designer whether kate middleton select for her wedding gown? will she go for a lesser known designerer or a bigger label? >> this is what people are talking about. we begin with the tornadoes that battered nebraska and other -- north carolina and other states over the weekend. kerry sanders, good morning to you. good morning. for the destruction, death and sorrow there is also cause for celebration. the home behind me, with a

direct hit there, nine people who saw the tornado rushed into the house and they all survived. remarkable story of folks able to get through all this a short distance away while others unfortunately did not make it. the early estimate, believed to be an ef-3 meaning the winds in the tornado were up to 165 miles per hour. >> scariest thing i have ever been through. i thought we were going to die. >> right there, right there, tornado on the ground. >> reporter: unrelenting twisters. >> whoa, that's violent. >> i'm still in shock. >> reporter: ripping aparking lot -- apart schools, homes, businesses and spirit. >> wow, destruction. >> reporter: dozens killed statewide. >> i lost a grandmother, mother and a dad. >> reporter: the storms began in oklahoma thursday.

the rampage continued for days getting worse along the way with more than 200 tornadoes killing people in a half dozen states from arkansas to virginia. >> words really can't describe this. >> right over there. >> reporter: in virginia, 14-year-old rashad matthews escaped just in time. >> when the tornado touched down, like, it was madness. it sounded like a train was coming to hit the house. >> reporter: in a nearby middle school -- >> these buses were uprooted. >> reporter: two school buses flipped and crushed like metal toys. >> total damage looks like 8 1/2 miles. >> reporter: back here in coal rain north carolina it's like a war zone. >> a lot to take in. >> reporter: vashanda hurl's grandmother's house was obliterated. there were at least 11 deaths here. families are trying to recover

what's left of their belongings. >> memories. that's all we have left. >> reporter: amidst the devastation nearby a birthday card, an anniversary card and in one house, amazingly, a few dishes on a shelf remain unbroken. >> it's just the emotional devastation, you know, as well as the physical. >> this is where the lowe's department store was hit. >> reporter: in sanford, north carolina, this is all that remains of a lowe's home improvement store. more than a hundred people survived inside when the store manager brought them to the rear. in the suburbs outside the capital city of raleigh, in david stiles' neighborhood, many are lost but hope is not. >> we love our neighborhood and neighbors. we want to get everything repaired and try to get back to normal as quickly as possible. >> reporter: getting back to normal will be difficult. most of the schools are closed today.

utilities are out, electricity, water, telephones and the cell phone towers are down which will make the coordination of the cleanup that much more difficult. matt? >> kerry sanders in north carolina this morning. thank you very much. >> meanwhile, al is upstairs tracking the deadly storms that tore across the nation. is it gone? >> it is, natalie. normally we would see 163 tornadoes for the entire month of april. 230 reported tornadoes in just three days. on thursday,le gulf moisture coming up, cold air, a strong jet stream coming and this is what happened. look at this video from tushka, oklahoma. a multi vortex tornado that's part of the main system. you can clearly see two violently rotating tornados in the video. now friday. the same jet stream, a strong one and deepening low pressure. more gulf moisture and again we

move into jackson, mississippi. on friday, you can see the violently rotating tornado, debris coming up on each side. winds of 150 to 200 miles per hour. those are strong enough winds to pick up a car, throw it for 100, 200 yards. the power flashes are transfo transformers blowing out. you can see the number of cars on the road as the tornado works across an overpass. the drivers oblivious to what's going on around them. as we move into saturday where we saw the worst of the system, the energy shifting to the east coast, gulf and atlantic moisture continues up. wilson north carolina on saturday. this tornado video looks like it's going over a house. that's actually a walgreens exploding with fiberglass and 2 x 4s as the tornado moves over it. the bad news is tomorrow we'll be look at another outbreak, hopefully not as bad as this one, matt, but we are going to see a large area of the country

under the gun for severe weather. matt? >> al roker, thank you very much. we'll get the nationwide forecast in a moment. now back to north carolina. governor bev purdue. good morning. >> good morning. >> i know you have been touring the state looking at the devastation. how many fatalities are you looking at, how many people unaccounted for? >> this morning we have 21 known fatalities, hundreds in the hospital here with injuries. there are still search and rescue teams working all over the east where the hit was the worst, but the tornadoes have left and things are brighter today in north carolina. >> what images do you have after touring? what sights did you see? >> i'm going back today. so i will have another day of images. it was devastation. it was like paper doll houses collapsed.

thousands of pieces of furniture all over 25 counties. lives disrupted, communities disrupted. i was there in the lowe's store and saw what you're talking about. these are tremendous hits from mother nature. more than 165 miles per hour. the good news for us though is that yesterday people began to rebuild their lives. that's the beauty of north carolina. we understand how to face adversity and how to suck it up and move forward with rebuilding our communities and our lives. thoughts and prayers to the folks who lost loved ones. >> i know you spoke to the president. you have 12 fema teams on the way to north carolina. what's their top priority? >> i met last night with the fema director who came to have the meeting. today and tomorrow they will do an expedited assessment of what property and life damages there are. they have agreed to start quickly withal building people's lives back and secondly focusing on the business community.

i believe thursday or friday, north carolina will have the expedited authorization. we'll be a national emergency and can put federal dollars to match our state dollars into these communities and these families' lives. that's a start. money helps. >> one of the rural counties in bladen and birdie county, they are big agricultural counties that rely on crops for their economy. it's early in the spring. have you been able to gain what impact it will have? >> that was one of the most bizarre things i had seen. the fields are already harvested, as you know. they have seeded them, done the digging. they were beautiful. yesterday when he flew over and today we saw thousands of acres of land devastated and disrupted. as of last night, none of us have seen this before. i don't know how we'll cope with that or what assistance will be there. they need labor on the ground to plow and reseed the fields.

i'll talk to the secretary of agriculture today to see what federal resources can come into play. this is the first agricultural hit north carolina has had. >> governor, our thoughts and prayers are with you and the others affected by the weekend storms. >> we appreciate that. thank you. we need them. >> it's 7:11. natalie? >> as kerry sanders reported, a busy lowe's home improvement store in north carolina was almost completely destroyed when a powerful tornado tore through the building with nearly 100 people inside. remarkably no one was seriously injured thanks to quick-thinking employees. bobby gibson is one of the heroes who helped get his customers and co-workers to safety. gary and kathy hendricks were shopping there when the storm hit. good morning. >> thank you. >> bobby, when did you first realize the lowe's store was in the direct path of the tornado?

>> yes, ma'am. roughly about ten minutes prior we heard that we were under a tornado watch and a warning. roughly about two minutes before the storm made impact, my senior store manager mike holowell saw commotion. he could see the cloud. he didn't describe it as a funnel but more like a cloud wall of rain and cloud and debris coming toward the store from the parking lot across the road from us in that shopping center. at that point it was just reacting off instinct. roughly 90 seconds to two minutes to really just react and try to get everyone to the safest part of the building in the rear of the building. >> i know you train for situations like this, but nobody expects they will see a tornado coming right at them. you said you had very little time to react. were you nervous you couldn't get everybody to the back of the store in time?

>> oh, yes, ma'am. that's one of those things that your emotions and i could just think of getting everybody to safety. me and mike were communicating back and forth on the phone to -- you know, where are you at, did you check this area, that area. all we could think about is getting everyone to the rear of the building. the training became instinct. yeah, you can't train for something like this. >> absolutely. >> not in this amount of time. >> gary, you and your wife were checking out and saw the funnel cloud coming toward you. how nervous were you seeing that as it approached? describe what was going on in the store? >> yes. we were at the cashier's checking out. i'm not one that likes to stand in line a long time. i went over to the front glass and was looking out. i saw a cloud i can't describe. it was like sparkling mist, not what you expect to be a tornado.

i turned around, looked at the cashier and said, is that a tornado? she looks and shortly afterward a bunch of lowe's employees showed up. we started moving away from the window. the interesting thing was a customer said, oh, that's no tornado. you don't know what you're talking about. >> so there was confusion. >> yes. they started moving back toward the front again. >> how much do you -- >> one of the employees said -- >> i'm sorry. i was going to ask how much do you credit then the great work of all of the employees at lowe's, like bobby who herded you back to a safer place. kathy? >> everything. >> and yes, when that man said that it could have been a disaster. one of the employees said, listen, folks, let's not be stupid. everyone head to the back of the store. when we headed to the back of the store the employees had us focus, follow us, come with us, we are taking you to a safe

area. that prevented everyone from being pan i cicpanicked. it was a smooth transition and when we hit the safe area and got down on the floor we had about five seconds when the winds blew through the >> absolutely. >> well, bobby gibson, great work to you and the employees at lowe's who acted so quickly. gary and kathy we're happy you're safe. >> thank you. >> the training kicked in. >> it's instinct. you don't expect that. >> anyone who explains about drills like that, you never complain. those are worth it. >> absolutely. >> let's get to the top stories. lester is filling in while ann is off. good to see you. >> good morning. hello, everyone. police in texas have charged a homeless man with starting one of the wildfires now ravaging the state by being careless with his campfire. they have burned more than 1,000 square miles of dry texas

brushland. in afghanistan a man in an afghan military uniform opened fire outside the defense ministry killing two soldiers and wounding seven. the attacker was killed before he could detonate the suicide vest he was wearing. rebel forces in libya came under heavy bombardment today. stephanie gosk has the latest from libya this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, lester. the rebels pushed forward to try to retake the town of brega, but when the weather turned bad the help they rely on from the air was gone. a whipping sandstorm gave gadhafi's forces the cover they needed moving into ajdabiya while nato waited for the weather to clear. without nato's help the rebel army is no match for gadhafi's trained military. air strikes resumed and rebels reclaimed their ground. without nato's help the rebel army is no match for gadhafi's trained military. the same is true in the western

city of misrata. a rebel group distributed this video which they claim shows a dairy factory moments after it was shelled by government forces. five civilians, they say, were killed. at the port in misrata, the only safe way in and out of the city, boats docked with weapons and supplies. and then leave with the wounded. human rights watch says gadhafi loyalists started using cluster bombs, a weapon that ox plodes above the ground releasing small highly exes plosive bomblets. >> which fall over a large area. it's hard to avoid casualties. >> reporter: the libyan government denies using cluster bombs. but they can't deny that misrata is under siege and civilians are dying there every day. government forces have taken up positions in residential areas. nato's hands are tied. if they conduct more air strikes they risk killing more civilians. lester? >> stephanie gosk in benghazi

for us, thanks. today is deadline day for filing federal tax returns. taxpayers had an extra three days this year because april 15th was a district of columbia holiday. the irs says one-third of taxpayers have yet to file. a tough fight ahead for congress and president obama deciding to spend tax dollars and perhaps borrow more cash. nbc's savannah guthrie is live at the white house with more. >> reporter: the president heads out west. he'll host a facebook town hall in california on wednesday as part of the strategy to show that the president is serious about spending cuts ahead of a battle that could come as early as next month when congress returns. the u.s. hits the debt ceiling, the maximum amount the u.s. is allowed to borrow. the u.s. will default on the obligations in the ceiling isn't raised but republicans say without dramatic spending cuts they will not go along. the treasury secretary tim

geithner on "meet the press" said he's confident the debt ceiling will ultimately be raised. if not the economy would head into a recession worse than the last one. >> savannah, thank you. cake bakers and dress makers aren't the only ones preparing for the wedding. the boys ages 12-13 of the choir are not supposed to tell any of the songs they will perform. >> probably tell you about the dress. >> now, back to nat, natalie and al. >> we have a busy morning and unfortunately another busy one tomorrow setting up for another outbreak of severe weather, as we show you, looking at a severe weather pressure system coming out of canada and the rocky, ahead, we have low level jetstream, moisture and we have a risk from texarkana, texas, to cleveland, ohio and west pennsylvania but the biggest there's is central arkansas to

louisiana and ndianapolis, evansville may see tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds. the rest of the country, sunshine in the east, looking at pretty decent weather and sunny skies back to the pacific northwest and windy conditions to the southwest and record highs throughout much of good back to work monday to youchlt we have a little bit of lingering activity. the shower activity is pushed to the south. spotty action. enough to make for slick conditions. travel cautiously. it's mild out there this morning. mid to low 60s along the peninsula. 60 in san francisco. 64 in los gatos. a roller coaster week. more rain wednesday, then a warming trend for the weekend. .

a popular dog park in the south bay is closed this morning after a dog suddenly died. owners and investigators are trying to figure out what happened. they took their dog to a dog park. her dog suddenly became ill. the rescue dog started panting heavily and vomiting. the condition got worse and he died. no one, including the vet knows why. >> the vet said it could be

anything from toxic poisons to mushrooms or plants. >> animal control officers are investigating in the incident. owners are watding for the results of the tests to find out what killed their dog. let's check the forecast for today with christina loren. >> good morning to you. we have overcast conditions. a few light, spotty showers. nothing heavy. a nice second half of the day. the sun will come out over the area tomorrow. nothing worst zooming in on. it's so all over the place and light. 52 in hayward. 56 degrees in san jose. we are going to turn to the 60s later on today. today is one of the cooler days of the week. warmer days ahead. 62 degrees in santa cruz. nothing like we had over the weekend. still the second half of the day provides sunshine. 71 tomorrow. of course easter weekend is looking good. let's check the drive with mike

inouye. >> we have continued slowing. over a half hour for that drive. the good news is 680, at alcosta has cleared. brentwood is a sig-alert now because of the overturned milk truck i told you about. no major slowing. at the toll plaza, minor back up. back to you. >> not too bad. we'll check back with mike and christina in a half hour.

7:30 now on a monday morning, the 18th of april, 2011. it looks like we have more young women than usual on the plaza. there is a good reason for it. some have been here all night waiting to see hollywood heart throb robert pattinson live in the flesh. he will be here later. meanwhile, back inside studio 1a i'm matt lauer alongside natalie morales filling in for meredith. coming up in this half hour from "prison break" to prison time. actor lane garrison played a convict on the tv show trying to get out but he was convicted in

real life after a fatal car accident and was sentenced to years behind bars. he's here for his first sit-down interview since his release with an important warning about drinking and driving. >> then we're going to talk about the big question gripping royal watchers these days. which designer will kate middleton pick for her wedding day dress? matt is on pins and needles. >> yeah. >> we'll see what they are saying in london. >> people are crazy about this. >> oddsmakers taking bets, yeah. >> also, what you need to know about the so-called mid life crisis. does it exist? are they real? >> does it? >> i don't know. how would i know? >> first, let's begin with serious news. a massive search for holly bobo, the young woman who vanished into the tennessee woods with a mysterious man last week. thanh truong is in parsons, tennessee, with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning.

authorities are chasing down 250 leads and this is still considered a rescue operation. they believe the kidnapper escaped on an atv or a car but they don't have a description and they are asking for help. the relentless searching for holly has produced results. several of her items have been recovered. volunteers found her white lunchbox by this creek bed. >> the person who owns the property found the lunch pail in this area. >> reporter: five days after the kidnapping there are no suspects. authorities say whoever abducted holly likely knew her. >> he's likely a resident of this community. this is a tight knitted community where other. >> reporter: investigators are awaiting analysis on blood found outside the family home which could determine if it belonged to holly. in the meantime, they are asking for the public's help. >> think about somebody you know who was wearing camouflage whose whereabouts were unaccounted

for. this man also would have maybe cleaned out a car, reported a vehicle or atv stolen, some unusual behavior regarding a vehicle or an all-terrain vehicle. >> reporter: volunteers are holding out hope as they scour the west tennessee woods for clues. >> she's a good christian girl. she was the type that didn't want to get in trouble for anything. she's got such good morals. >> reporter: vicky watched holly grow up. she was holly's middle school math teacher. >> i have faith and i know holly's out there waiting for us to find her and we're going to find her. [ singing ] >> reporter: on sunday at the church holly attends, a tearful plea for her safe return. >> they robbed us of our security and our safety and they have taken one of our precious young people from us. we're not going to quit looking

and we are not going to quit searching until we find her and bring her back for her family. >> reporter: as you can see, the sign indicates the community is praying for holly. her abduction turned this place upside down but the people here are willing to turn the woods inside out to find her. natalie? >> mark gwynn is from the tennessee bureau of investigation. good morning. >> good morning. >> i understand a thousand volunteers are now helping in the search as well and the area of the search widened from beyond the rural home near where holly lived. can you tell me what the latest is in terms of the investigation, where you are currently searching? >> well, we are running over 250 leads that we have received. we have expanded the search down to the parkway. we found some evidence that we believe belonged to holly several miles from the house. so we felt that it was

imperative to expand the search. >> i understand a lunchbox was among the evidence. what else have you been able to find? is that encouraging at all? >> well, it's very encouraging. we found the lunchbox, other evidence we think may have belonged to holly. we are analyzing that evidence at the tbi crime lab at this moment, hoping that we will be able to extract some evidence from one of the pieces of items that will help further along the investigation. >> i understand the tennessee bureau of investigations is urging the parsons community to be on the lookout for somebody within the community, one of your own, as you describe, who may be acting unusually or may be under stress. can you explain why you believe the suspect may be somebody who is a resident there? >> well, based on the evidence we have now, we believe that the person would have had to have known the area either by maybe

hunting in the area or living in the area. that's why we are asking residence tents of parsons to really look amongst themselves for anyone that may be acting differently, someone that may have been missing wednesday. someone that was supposed to have been hunting in the area wednesday, hoping that will help us further the investigation also. >> do you have any suspects at this point in time? >> well, we have evidence, once again, that we are analyzing. we have over 250 leads. to say that we have a person of interest right now, we don't. but at any moment based on the evidence, based on the leads, based on the community support, the next phone call could lead to that. >> if you could just clarify, i understand that her brother clint and boyfriend were at first cleared as potential

suspects. has that changed? >> i don't think it's changed. i think obviously both of those people would have been witnesses, especially her brother, being the person that last saw her. but i can tell you that we have not eliminated anyone from this investigation. so i don't know that they were ever considered suspects. more probably witnesses. but at this point it's too early in the investigation to clear anyone. >> all right. well, we appreciate your time this morning. thank you, and good luck. we hope there are positive developments. >> thank you. >> if you have any information about holly bobo's disappearance call the tennessee bureau of investigation at 1-800-tbi-find, 824, 3463. now let's get a check of the weather from al. >> all right. thanks so much, natalie. we have folks out here. when did you guys get out here?

>> 1:00 p.m. yesterday. >> why? >> for robert pattinson! >> duh, all right. well, thanks for being here. thank goodness the weather's been okay. let's check your weather for the week ahead. above normal temperatures from the south. below normal up north. looking at snow. into the midweek, southeast gulf coast, wet and cool out west. in the latter part of the week, more warm weather in the east with showers and thunderstorms. gulf coast looking normal. normal conditions out west n. the mid plains, b good morning to you. we have a lot of rain earlier. wid spread activity. spotty action now. nothing heavy. 57 in sunnyvale. 54 in santa cruz. you probably don't need a heavy jacket.

it's going to be breezy. temperatures that are around 65 degrees in san jose will feel closer to the low 60s. 62 in fremont. looking good for the holiday weekend. natalie? >> all right, al. thank you. still ahead, the big decision about the dress of the century. which designer will kate middleton choose for her big wedding day? but up next, "prison break" star lane garrison's real prison story and how he hopes others will learn from his mistakes. after these messages. i thought i was going to be it forever, but then it was dig deep time, and i brought it... and i struck like a cobra. that was a good tag. [ male announcer ] kids take play seriously. nourish it. quaker chewy -- the goodness of whole grains, no high fructose corn syrup and 25% less sugar than the leading sweet snacks.

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we are back now with the story of lane garrison, an up and coming hollywood star who made one tragic mistake that resulted in the death of a 17-year-old boy and a real life stay behind bars for the star of the show "prison break." he'll join us for his first sit-down interview since his release from prison but first here's miguel almaguer. >> i got something for you this time. >> reporter: in the fox television series "prison break," lane garrison was on the verge of becoming a star. a young, promising actor who made it to the silver screen. >> my career was just taking off and i thought, here we go. >> reporter: in an instant, the actor known for playing a convict became one. december 2006, garrison, 26 at the time, was invited to a high school party. >> this was a night of just bad decisions.

>> reporter: teenagers were drinking, so was he. >> i had two drinks, i downed two shots. >> reporter: garrison got into his car with three teens. >> to bottom line it, i never should have been at that party. i never should have had drinks and i should have never drove. >> reporter: his blood alcohol level, twice the legal limit. garrison slammed into a tree. two 15-year-olds were injured. the third, a 17-year-old was killed. >> i am guilty, your honor. >> reporter: convicted of vehicular manslaughter, garrison faced the victim's family in court. >> there can be no doubt that the defendant is reckless. he's careless. and above all, he's selfish. >> reporter: the sentence? three years, four months. his first stop, the l.a. county jail. >> you are basically thrown up against the wall. your clothes are stripped off. you're standing there naked. they check every orifice of your body. they give you a number. your name is gone. my number was f-95770.

>> reporter: the actor wasn't on set anymore. he would spend the next 20 months moving from prison to prison. >> i can remember all eight prisons, everybody in them. >> reporter: surviving the yard? not his only worry. >> you have to trust that one of these guys when you close your eyes is not just going to wake up in the middle of the night, pull you off your rack, beat you or stab you. >> reporter: garrison says he's lucky to be alive. do you think you deserved to be there? >> absolutely. 100%. >> reporter: in 2009, released early for good behavior, lane garrison returned to the l.a. county jail for the first time with us. what's it like being back? >> it's been a while. >> reporter: garrison paid his debt but said he won't forget his crime. >> i say a prayer for the family every night. >> reporter: a young hollywood actor with an uncertain future and an unforgettable past. for "today" miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles.

>> lane, good morning. >> good morning. >> good to see you. i wonder if people understand. you were released from prison in 2009. >> right. >> so you have tried to remain quiet, stay under the radar for a while. why are you speaking out now? >> i think part of it was once you do an amount of time it take as while to adjust back into society. i really wasn't ready to speak to anyone. you know, out of respect for the family, i didn't want to say anything. but i knew as people were asking me more questions that eventually i was going to have to talk. i felt there were just blurbs mentioned about me. i would say something about prison and it was like, lane complains about jail or says it was hell. the message was, hey, if you don't want to go through what i went through and you don't want a family going through the pain,

don't drink and drive. >> when you look at the night of the accident, so many bad decisions made in one evening. is it fair or unfair to say you felt the way a lot of stars in hollywood do and young people in general. you felt invincible. >> i think for me, i had been through so much. i had just lost both of my parents. i felt like nothing else bad can possibly happen to me. i'm on a course that life's going to be great from here on out. i think the message is simple here. drinking and driving, most people don't have an intent to hurt somebody. but it happens. it can happen to anybody. for me, look at the decisions that i made that night. they were so poor. my judgment was poor. it was 26 minutes from the time i met them through the party to the accident. >> you went to court and a lot of people expected this excuse, that excuse. you stood up in court and you said, "i am guilty."

i think that probably started a transformation in your own life. >> absolutely. i think that was the first time i became a man when i accepted responsibility. i fwru up learning from a father who said, when you make a mistake or a bad decision, man up and take responsibility. the minute that i decided to do that, most people speculated that i wouldle fight it. the minute i decided to plead guilty is the minute everything changed in my life as a man. >> you talk now about your time in prison. it was not easy. it was a number of different facilities over 20 months. i think you say the 77 days you spent in l.a. county waiting to be processed for the hardest. give me a sense behind the wall. >> behind the wall at l.a. county jail and if you speak to someone who's done time, the fact you make it out of there alive is a miracle. >> why? >> first off it's like a bomb went off inside. it's your worst nightmare.

your hard-core gang members are there. you know, the guards are pretty hard there as well. >> you witnessed violence? >> i probably saw 300 fights. i had a bunkie who was killed. i saw people stabbed. i don't know if they made it or not. >> as a high profile inmate at that facility and others, why do you think you were never harmed? why didn't somebody say, i'm going to get the actor kid over there? >> they might have. i believe i had a guardian angel watching over me. i don't know why nothing happened to me. i would be sitting in the yard and someone next to me would literally just get clocked. i was never touched. it's by the grace of god i'm sitting here with you today. >> i know you pray for the family of the victim, the 17-year-old, every night. the reality is he's not coming back. you are going to live with this forever. >> forever, right. >> you're a convicted felon. >> right. >> how do you deal with that?

>> you don't deal with it. i mean, it's always going to be there. it's something i think about almost every hour. you know, i try to go on with my life by teaching other people and helping other people, reaching out and letting people know, hey, this can happen. i don't want it to happen to you. >> you have been given a second chance. you are acting again here on nbc. what does that mean in terms of your road to getting back to some sense of normalcy? >> it's a miracle. just going through eight prisons, i never thought i would make it out to see another set. so i'm fortunate enough to get a second chance when a young man doesn't have one. i'm going to make the most of it. i'm blessed to be on set and be working again. >> lane, it's nice of you to be here. oumu ery .ch t you very much. >> 49 after the hour. we're back after this. i'm here because

he hangs here. because you don't see this everyday. (child) because we read the books . (man) and watched the movies .

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still ahead, one young woman's vision of a real-life barbie and the message that would send to young girls about their bodies. >> all right. plus teen heart throb robert pattinson moving beyond vampires to star in "water for elephants" and his young fans have been camped out waiting for him. after your local news and weather. [ male announcer ] if you've been to the hospital

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good morning to you. it is 7:56 right now. i'm laura garcia-cannon. a san jose police need your help finding the person involved in the 14th homicide of the year. a woman called police around 6:00 to report someone was in her home and shot her friend. it happened on south capitol avenue north of reed hill airport. when officers arrived, they found the man dead. so far, no arrests. let's turn to better news and a look at the forecast with christina. >> it is better. it's getting better by the minute. good morning to you at home. showers pushing on shore. take a look. nothing worth zooming in on. light showers and the cells are going to continue to deteriorate for the next two hours.

sunshine across the bay area. 57 degrees in sunniville. 53 degrees in napa. turning to the mid-60s in some cities. upper cities in some. 64 for los gatos and 64 in redwood city. the bulk of the moisture from this system has moved through. it's going to make for a nice tuesday. temperatures will climb to the 70s. 71 degrees. little by warmer for you tomorrow. 63 by wednesday. rain wednesday into thursday. then back to the 70s, just in time for your holiday weekend. let's check the drive right now. >> it's relatively light. there's spring breaks floating around the area for a few weeks. we see heavier volume of traffic. now we are seeing this down around the maze and the approach. 680 on the right side of your screen.

pretty traditional for this time of morning. the tunnel is an 18-minute drive showing up. a live look at the toll plaza shows a light volume there. coming down the east shore freeway, the metering lights are on here. look at the travel time. we'll move out. the earlier sig-alert cleared for 680. we have slowing through livermore. a lot of cars heading to 680. we see slowing around the express lane. smooth from fremont to the south bay. back to you. >> thank you very much. thank you for joining us. another update in

lots of sunshine due to southeast and gulf coast. new york into the ohio river valley. good morning to you. our neck of the woods is clearing out. it is all clearing out to the south and we have spotty activity here. that too is sub siding. this is what we're looking towards. we're already in the 50s. we'll easily be able to break the 60s. 62 in santa cruz and 64 degrees in santa rosa. tomorrow, no rain, high pressure builds back in and 70-degree weather, beautiful day on tap for tuesday and rain comes back wednesday into thursday.

we have a big easter holiday crowd all the way down here. unbelievable. for all the folks holding signs and posters for "water for elephants," robert pattinson. unbelievable stuff. back to you. >> thank you very much for taking your little walk. when we come back, who's designing the gown that kate will wear when she ties the knot with her prince? we'll talk about it after this. [ male announcer ] imagine facing the day with less chronic low back pain. imagine living your life with less chronic osteoarthritis pain. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is a non-narcotic treatment that's fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. on e pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens, you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine

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designing her wedding gown? michelle kosinski is in london. good morning. >> reporter: hi, natalie. putting together a royal wedding is like putting on an enormous show that will be watched potentially by billions and some might ask what could be more important than the dresses. that's been the mystery. is kate middleton having three designed? by whom? or is she designing her own gown? apparently she's an expert at keeping the real thing under wraps because the rumors just keep buzzing. it seemed only weeks ago bruce oldfield was supposedly the designer of the dress for the wedding of the century. then the ultra respectable times of london insisted it was sara burton of the alexander mcqueen label. now someone else said it is so if i cranston who started at mcqueen and now is at libelula.

>> heard the name back in december almost immediately after the engagement and that the designer was chosen. >> reporter: maybe kate was dropping hints. here, elegant in a cranston design at a friend's wedding. here is one on the website and one in real life. but all three designers could be it because kate is having three gowns ready for her big, big day. all we know is there will be a train befitting a future queen. >> it's such a dramatic venue that there needs to be a dramatic element to the dress or it gets lost. >> in a royal wedding version of trainspotting, camilla was there when suddenly an almost dress rehearsal materialized. >> kate took in her train and practiced the walk. also i understand the bridesmaids carried bouquets, kate, pippa, little bridesmaids,

best man, carol, mother of the bride was there. the only person absent was prince william. >> reporter: it would be good to know your dress fits in the abbey. princess diana practiced with a dust cloth. the real thing almost didn't fit in the carriage. she popped out looking almost like she slept in it. and there is a bit of a dust-up between kate's mom and the woman creating her gown who created sarah ferguson's gown. supposedly mrs. middleton abruptly changed her mind. nothing like drama before a spectacle. ♪ >> reporter: at least the choir boys know what they're wearing. prince william's air force squadron mates say their wives are fretting about what to wear.

they are calling late at night asking about hats and that sort of thing. it is said william and kate relaxed the dress code for the men. so many men are from military and charities and they want them to be comfortable. they say the decorations are nothing short of spectacular. natalie? >> can't wait to see it. celia walden is here from the daily telegraph. good morning. >> good morning. sophie cranston is not a name we are familiar with in the u.s. but the trendy london set are hip to her. what's her style? >> well, it's a very vintage-inspired style. very classic. the kind of thing we see kate in a lot actually. figure hugging with a tendency to draw in nicely at the waist. very sort of romantic and feminine. in every way, something we could imagine kate wearing.

the big surprise is nobody has heard of her. people in the west of london, the chelsea girls, people like kate will have heard of her. she's not by any means a household name. >> you wore a cranston design for your wedding to piers morgan, so congratulations. is she a suitable choice as the wedding gown designer? possibly one of three dresses at least. >> i think she would be a surprising choice. but it's not beyond the realm of possibility. if kate goes with libelula she's saying, i really am the girl next door, i'm frugal and different from diana. that will be an interesting moment. >> the dresses are very inexpensive, as i understand, at least compared to what you might expect a royal wedding dress to cost. we don't know what that would go for these days. >> no. >> do you think she would be sen sending a message that she's

more approachable, a modern royal? >> absolutely. that's dresses would cost you $500. so they are a far cry from alexander mcqueen or something. she does wear this, she'll be not quite a high street princess, but not very far from it. >> speaking of alexander mcqueen there was a lot of speculation as well about sarah burton and also about alice temperle who is well known there as well. what are you hearing about their possible bids for a design? >> i think at the moment if it's true there are three different dresses and they are all welcomed up in clarence house now as we speak it would make sense there is one pared down one by libelulu, one by mcqueen and possibly for the bride's best woman and her mother, maybe alice temperle. >> let's talk tiaras.

some people are saying she may go more natural. she may wear flowers in her hair. what's your best guess? >> i don't think she's a tiara kind of girl. rumors are she specifically said she won't wear one which rather annoyed the royal family who liked the idea and the grandiosity. she wants flowers in her hair, but don't forget you have to look wonderful from on high which is not something most brides have to worry about. >> do you have advice as a newlywed yourself for her? >> the best advice i was given was to have a tiny shot of vodka before you walk down the aisle to steel your stomach. >> we'll see. >> if it doesn't smell, exactly. >> celia waldewalden, thank you much. we'll be live with complete coverage of the royal wedding starting at 4:00 a.m. eastern, 1:00 a.m. pacific. for more on the big day and the royal family, download our royal wedding app for the iphone and

android. up next, the dreaded mid-life crisis. does it happen at 40, 50, 60 or not at all? thatfts. [ man ] i've seen beautiful things. ♪ i've seen the sunrise paint the desert. witnessed snowfall on the first day of spring. ♪ but the most beautiful thing i've ever seen was the image on a screen that helped our doctor see my wife's cancer was treatable. [ male announcer ] ge technologies help doctors detect cancer early so they can save more lives. bringing better health to more people. ♪

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♪ wake up ♪ there's a new kid in the town ♪ kicking off a new series called "mid life today." you probably have found yourself wondering, have i hit mid life? is it time for a crisis or a celebration? how is it that we mark mid life? for some it's the. >> reporter: -- new sports car or a revamped body and look. some go with creating a new family and a new life. it's the so-called mid life crisis, but how often does it really occur? >> relatively small percentage of people experience a crisis from our national study of mid life in the united states the estimates are between 10 and 20%. >> if i had to define a crisis,

i would say it would be trying to be 25 again. that's not who i am. >> reporter: like many men his age david blaine's life has changed in the past few years. >> i have been separated for going on two years. the kids have grown up and moved away. >> reporter: he decided to mark his 50th with a challenge. >> climbing kilimanjaro has been on my radar. it was more mental than physical. i had a panic attack the first night on the mountain and i realized i can want say, i don't want to do this, i'm going back to the car. i'm in africa. >> he persevered and seven days later reached the summit. >> the feeling getting to the top surprised me. it was overwhelming. there were tears in my eyes. >> for more shah it was her 40s that were bumpy. >> i had a mid life crisis. i went back to graduate school. it took my head and body out of

my very comfortable bubble of home and family. >> by the time she turned 50 the married mother of two was ready for reflection. >> you're a parent or just working your butt off. you forget maybe about what brought you here and what made you the 50-year-old that you are. >> the former russian language major and network news producer packed her bags and traveled solo to russia, a place she had visited often when she was younger. >> i just needed something that was going to almost punctuate this moment. for me, it wasn't a big party. it was something more about this very personal to me. >> she documented her experience, part of her second career as a writer. >> i love writing. it is kind of what i always hoped to be doing. >> it's an endeavor she thinks her younger self could not have taken on. >> you spend your parenting years telling your kids, there is nothinging you can't do. why don't we take that to heart?

>> vivian diller is a psychologist and co-author of "face it, what women feel as their looks change" and dr. ish major is author of "little white whys" a guide through the mens tell and why. vivian, you think it is less about chronology. doesn't matter if it's 40, 50, 60. it's a moment people experience. explain it. >> there is an uh-oh moment that often signals the dreaded mid life crisis. but our culture has changed so dramatically since this term was coined that it doesn't accurately describe what most people are feeling. the emphasis shifted. instead of it being about how little time we have left we are actually thinking we could have, uh-oh, 30, 40, 50 years ahead of us. how do we want to make the adjustments in life so those years are fulfilling? >> when you deal with a patient going through an uh-oh moment or

a mid life crisis, do they generally have common reasons for it happening? >> they do. a lot of it is the physical decline. they wake up and feel the aches and pains. they are not as sharp. they are feeling tired and they are looking in the mirror, not realizing or recognizing the person they used to be. >> when you talk about crisis versus celebration, is it as simple as if you are happy with your life, your family, your career, you are probably going to celebrate the moment of mid life. if you are unhappy, unsatisfied you think you haven't accomplished what you want to, you will go through a crisis? >> sure. >> any time you are confronted with a time there is a moment that can feel like a crisis. it's what you do at that time that describes us as having a major life crisis versus a transition. the meaning of crisis originally was about choice, decision-making. we don't think any longer so much of the crisis of some reckless behavior. it's a thoughtful process we can

engage in. >> is it smart for people, like these people in the piece here, to plan for the moment? in other words, not wake up with the uh-oh moment but think, okay, i'm approaching mid life, whatever my definition of it is. i should think about what i want to do. >> absolutely. don't wait to wake up with that moment upon you. it's tougher for people who haven't planned out the future transition and that crisis is on them hard. >> it's tough on this generation. we are the ben been there, done that generation. we expect more. >> the definition of happiness now is that we have higher expectations for marriage, career and for what we call middle age which is kind of moving forward because life expectancy, we expect to have fulfilling vital lives until the end. >> let's hope we will. thank you very much. still ahead, the moment the young ladies on the plaza have been waiting for. there he is.

actor robert pattinson makes his way outside to cheers. we're back after your local news and weather. good monday morning, 8:26, i'm laura garcia-cannon. a 16-year-old plunges from the golden gate bridge and lives to tell about it. investigate are trying to figure out if the give jumped or fell. they first received a call about her about 11:00. rescue crews arrived about 20 minutes later by boat and found her in the water, conscious and responsive. she was taken to the hospital. don't know her condition yet this morning. this is the second time this year someone has fallen from the bridge and lived. in march a 17-year-old jumped as an apparent stunt. more than two weeks after he was brutally beaten, giants fan

remains in critical condition. they tried to lower his medication and bring him out of coma but the recurrence of seizures forced them to put him under sedation. the 42-year-old was attacked by two men on opening day at dodgers stadium. they are menking for ten involved in the march 31st attack. we'll take a quick break and be right back.

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welcome back. we take you to the south bay at 101, an accident is blocking one lane but no injuries reported. there's the slowing, mild slowing for the south bay. we'll look at the live shot. 880 north past the coliseum, a nice easy drive. this is what you're dealing with, fog through the north day and across the bridge. lower the speeds. you see the headlights on and you'll need the windshield wipers because the mist is thick at points. >> thank you very much. thank you for joining us. anotr local news update about half an hour. see you then. oc

8:30 now on a monday morning. it's the 18th day of april, 2011. there's the guy these girls have been waiting for. that's robert pattinson out on the plaza this morning. of course the star of so many of the "twilight" movies now starring in "water for elephants" opposite reese witherspoon. we'll talk about that and life in the spotlight.

boy, is he in the spotlight? we'll talk to him later in this half hour. meanwhile on the plaza i'm matt lauer along with natalie morales here while meredith is off today. lester holt is joining us as well and al roker. >> i'm here for myself. >> that's right. ann is off also, we should mention. coming up in this half hour, explain this to me. it's like what would barbie look like if she were real and what does that mean about body image? >> this is a young college student who created her version of this barbie doll. this is a young lady who battled an eating disorder. she hopes the message will help young girls talk more realistically about their figure. that doll is different from the barbie we know but she calls it an important message on body image. >> are you okay? you're wobbling. >> that's disturbing. >> yes. >> also, do you know the phrase

"waste not want not"? we'll meet a family who doesn't throw out a single thing. we'll show you -- >> ever? >> ever. how this family goes to zero trash. maybe something to think about. >> wow. >> then the latest cast-off from "celebrity apprentice." if you didn't see it, it's someone who's always compelling to watch. very entertaining. >> that could be anybody. >> exactly. >> good cast this time. >> lots of snamackdowns. >> let's look at the weather. >> we have warmer weather than usual across the south. snow in the northern plains. as we look to the midweek period warm into texas. cool out west along the plains n. the latter part of the week, more rain midatlantic states. warmer in the east n. the plains, chilly. normal conditions out west.

good morning to you. our neck of the woods, seeing sunshine finally. we do have a little bit of low cloud cover lingering but the spotty showers, take a look. a nice clear start for you now. we're going to continue to see a few of these little light cells push onshore but you can ditch the umbrella because nothing substantial is anticipated for the next few hours. mid-60s later on today and we're going to warm up tomorrow. sun is back. don't forget. you can check your weather any time day or night on the weather channel on cable, weather.com online. it's rob pattinson and his character's name here. >> up next, the debate over barbie. is the doll sending the proper message for young girls in terms of body image? then we'll try to tear robert pattinson away from his many

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well, every woman probably played with one when she was a girl -- a barbie doll. you will meet a college student with a special relationship to this day with one barbie in particular. she's hoping to generate an adult conversation about the impact the doll can have on young women as they grow up. she's a sophomore at hamilton college, a 20-year-old who brings a barbie to school complete with her own carrying case, but the barbie didn't come from a toy store. it was created by galia herself. >> she's much bigger than the barbie i used to have. >> reporter: and that's the point. her version of a life-sized barbie was put on display at her college for national eating disorder awareness week.

>> my goal of barbie is to create discussion. you can't ignore her. >> reporter: four years ago galia was overcoming her own battle with anorexia. although there were many factors that contributed she said barbie left an impression as she grew up. >> this idea of being so thin, so perfect. it would come back to this idea of looking like barbie, perfect. >> reporter: with nails, wood and two balloons she said barbie came to life. according to the measurements if barbie werele reel she would be 6'0" tall, with a 39 inch bust, 18 inch waist and 33 inch hips. >> it's one factor that plays a role in a young girl's development. >> reporter: and it was shock and awe. >> for me and my friends it elicited shame. >> that's what the media portrays. this is what counts as beautiful. >> reporter: mattel has come under fire before about the

doll's proportions and the website acknowledges barbie is, quote, not scaled to human measurements." >> we can't blame barbie for all of our body image woes but this life-sized model of barbie al w allows parents to say with confidence that barbie may be fun and games, but she's not real. >> reporter: a real life lesson galia hopes to pass on. >> it's beyond barbie. it's about finding who you are, not wanting to become barbie, the celebrity, that person. it's about finding that internal view. >> reporter: in a statement to msnbc.com mattel said girls see female body images everywhere and it is critical that parents and caregivers provide perspective on what they are seeing. remember, barbie is a doll who stands 11.5 inches tall and weighs 7.25 ounces. she was never modeled on the

proportions of a real person. galia is here with lesly goldman, a body image expert. good morning. >> good morning. >> i know we were chuckling as we look at the life-sized barbie you created and the guys especially chuckling more. this is no laughing matter to you because this was something that came out of an eating disorder, right? >> mm-hmm. >> do you think barbie contributed initially to some of the ideas of perfection as a young girl for you? >> definitely. i think barbie is just one factor in many. there are so many environmental factors with an eating disorder. you think of young girls in the grocery aisle and different magazines saying how to lose weight, lose five pounds. the media, your parents, your friends. there are so many pressures to look and be a certain way. there is a drive for thinness. with barbie, you can tell when scaled up she has crazy

proportions. as a young girl looking at her it's important to realize that she's not real. that's the point of the get real barbie campaign. she isn't real. >> the measurements are a 39-inch bust, 18 inch waist, 33-inch hips. you based these on the national eating disorder association's website where they have the get real barbie campaign. are you blaming barbie for the message being put out there to young girls? >> no, not at all. she's one of many different factors. i don't blame barbie for the eating disorder. so many things contribute to the eating disorder and many misconceptions of why people have eating disorders. >> leslie, so many things contribute to the stereotypes and images that young women see and they are bombarded with images of perfection. how does that impact young girls that start off playing with dolls. >> it's barbie, diet pills, air

brushed ads, reality shows about plastic surgery. all the forces conspire to make young girls and grown women feel like garbage about ourselves. we look at these images and think we need to measure up. obviously when we see what galia did there is no way we could measure up, nor would we want to. >> some people pay for that, but not here. why should parents and educators pay special attention to the message and what galia is trying to put out there. it's brave of you to step out. this is a real awakening. >> it's incredibly brave. it happens to millions of young girls and boys, too. what parents need to realize is little kids are so impression nabl. they are like sponges. i don't think either of us are saying burn barbie. we're saying, make sure you are a positive role model to kids and show them. you know, don't refuse to take the cover-up off at the beach because you don't want to be seen in a bathing suit.

don't look at yourself in the mirror and talk about being on a diet. have control over the media, magazines, lingerie catalogs that may be ly tossed on the kitchen table. kids soak that up. >> thank you. nice job. coming up next, the moment his fans have been waiting for. actor robert pattinson is here. first this is "today" on nbc.

british actor robert pattinson shot to stardom and teen heartthrob status in the "twilight" movies but he leaves behind his blood thirsty ways taking on a new role in "water for elephants." he plays jacob, a young man who runs away to join the world of the circus, but learns that everything under the big top is not as perfect as it seems when

he falls in love with a married performer played by reese witherspoon. >> there's a hotel. don't stay longer than a night. >> come with me. >> what? >> you think there's nothing out there for you, but there is. >> jacob, you don't understand. i can't. he'll find me. >> it's a better kind of life that's meant for you, whether that life is with me or not, whether you love me or not. it doesn't matter. but it's got to be now. >> looks like you're holding up well. we'll come back. nice to see you. >> thank you very much. >> when i was a kid, a long time ago, kids my age, boys my age wanted to be baseball player or so run away to join the circus. it was a different time. did you have those dreams as a kid? >> running away and joining the circus? no. the first time i went to the circus somebody died. one of the clowns died. >> how did the clown die?

>> his little car exploded. the joke car exploded. >> are you serious? >> yes. >> so did that kind of ruin the circus for you? >> it did. everybody ran out. it was terrifying. >> what a bizarre way to start the interview. for people who didn't read the book the movie is based upon, tell me about jacob. >> he's at cornell university in 1929 studying veterinary science. he's on a scholarship and his parents suddenly both die in a car crash and he can't finance his way through college anymore and he has no practice to go to. so he basically jumps on a train to be a hobo and by accident it's a circus train. >> in 1929, great depression, a time when the circus traveled from town to town, city to city by train. growing up in london is this a

time period you were at all familiar with? did you know about this moment in our history? >> i did. growing up in england it's ee' romantic. westerns seem more popular, but that period in the '30s was the most exciting. the end of the wild west. it was the time of industry as well. i found it interesting. then after that point it turned into white picket fences. >> and the american dream took hold. you play opposite reese witherspoon. i was looking back. vanity fair, the movie in 2004. you actually played her son although people really didn't get to see that. it was cut, right? >> uh-huh. >> here we are seven years later. you are playing her love interest. that's bizarre. >> it is. i think it's kind of bizarre when i was cast as the son at 25. >> so that was bizarre, not this

one? >> i was cut from the other one. >> you play opposite animals and i have heard actors say they don't like that. you seemed to enjoy it, but a lot of actors say it makes every tape longer. there is a variable added that we don't like. >> it's so much better. i like working with kids and animals. the more unpredictable elements in a scene, the more i like it. especially if you're doing 15, 20 takes. if you have an elephant who does whatever she wants every time. >> that's a big elephant, by the way. no trepidation about working with something so much bigger than you? >> she's unbelievable. the zebras are the one to watch for. >> nasty? >> never be around -- always avoid zebras. if you see a zebra on the street, run. >> and clowns in little trick cars, according to you. what are you going to do with the stardom? you walk out there and it's crazy. how do you parlay that into

longevity in this business? >> who knows? >> that's a hard one for actors. >> you just can't predict what an audience feels. i guess if you keep doing what you like doing and try to do -- if you make movies that you would want to watch and hopefully one other person in the world would want to watch, yeah. there is no way to second guess an audience. who knows? >> you have the fourth installment of "twilight" being broken into two movies. done? in the can? is it finished? >> yesterday morning, yes. >> congratulations. do you feel good? >> yeah. it was a long process. eight months. so it's a relief to finally get the contacts out of my eyes. i was just about to kill someone. >> this is called "water for elephants." nice to see you. come back soon. this one opens on friday in theaters. up next, the family that refuses to create refuse.

we need to solve the problem. the state budget crisis threatens our economy... and our schools. loans to small businesses on hold. job creation at a standstill. 30,000 teachers already laid off. can we really afford billions more in cuts? $13 billion more devastates our schools, our safety, and the california we know. it's time for lawmakers to finally get the problem solved now. our kids and economy can't afford to wait.

>> announcer: today goes green is brought to you by starbucks. it's bigger than coffee. >> this morning on "today goes green" we are kicking off a series on what we can do to help the environment in hon of earth week. >> one california family is

taking recycling to a new level. they are not just separating their trash, they're not throwing away anything at all. >> surprised you haven't asked what's for dinner. >> reporter: a family that throws nothing away, but they are not hoarders. quite the opposite. fay and scott johnson focus on not creating any garbage at all. zero waste. >> this is trash from the last six months. >> reporter: they are not living off the grid. they have cars, jobs, television and two growing boys. >> we're as normal as anyone else. we just happen not to have trash. >> reporter: the secret is simple. just don't buy anything with packaging. >> zero waste really starts outside the home. whatever you bring in from the outside into your home will become your problem. >> reporter: groceries come from the farmer's market or in the bulk section at stores like whole foods. mesh bags work for produce while

glass jars store meat and cheese. bread straight from the oven into a cloth bag. then into the freezer at home. males are made with fresh ingredients, no prepackaged food. all the food waste goes into the compost heap which fertilizes the garden. what do you do with paper, plastic, cardboard boxes and cans? it all ends up in the trash. the johnsons say there is always a better option. micro fiber cloths take the place of paper towels. old-fashioned handkerchiefs in lieu of kleenex. the family gets almost no mail. they have removed themselves from junk mail lists. toothpaste in a jar. even the toothbrushes are compostable. sounds great, but who has time? >> i thought it would be time consuming and a lot of hard work. in fact, what i found is the opposite. it's saved a lot of time.

i went through all of our old visa bills from 2005 versus 2010 and had about a 25% savings. >> reporter: living zero waste requires commitment. the johnsons don't shop much and limit how many personal keepsakes they store. one memory box for each member of the family. to some people it sounds extreme. >> we have more reader feedback on this story than on any story in recent history. it was polarizing. >> reporter: sun set magazine's article inspired some readers and irritated others. >> there is green guilt going on with people who read the story. certainly the johnsons are well within their right to live how they please, but to hold this up as an example of something to aspire to is a big mistake. humans must experience pleasure in life. >> people say my kids are deprived because they don't have

junk food? it's the opposite. people say we don't do enough because we use toilet paper? >> reporter: they say the lifestyle works because it doesn't feel like a sacrifice. giving up all the things that don't last leaves time for the things that do. for "today," kristen welker, nbc news, los angeles. >> we could all learn by their example. >> even little steps in that direction. >> we waste so much food. still ahead, how to furnish your home from the comfort of your computer. >> and five american visions of what kate middleton's wedding dress should look like after your local news and weather.

good morning, it is 8:56. san jose's new police chief is doing everything he can. chris moore will form a 17 member advisory board this week. it will be made up of outspoken critics of the department,

including community activist, and naacp leader moore. chief moore wants to bring them in to make sure there is an vie. vaisd vipoint. we'll have a look at our forecast right after this.

good morning to you. we're looking pretty good this morning. we have aa lot of shower activity earlier. right now a mostly clear bay area. it is overcast so it's going to be kind of a gray day for the first part. you can see clearing out here in the pacific. that's a good sign that we are going to see sunshine and the temperatures that are in the 50s, we'll be able to climb to the 60s, shouldn't be a problem to reach 65 today. tomorrow looks gorgeous, 70

degrees and then the rain returns on wednesday. back to you. >> and thank you for joining us. the "today" show continues next. another update in half an hour. every day politicians rant against california's taxes. we fall further behind the competition and stall the engine that made california great. no one wants to pay more into a broken system. but the system still has to be fixed. our old rules on taxes and fees don't capture the new economy. businesses are hiring yet state coughers are shrinking. sales taxes missed the boat, exempting services and software downloads and event tickets. nbc bay area believes any

serious effort to solve the cash crisis has to include modernizing the revenue model. we need to take a hard look at veaccountable for solvinhopoliticians acgcota ibl solvinangt d get rid of thosean standing in the way. joint the debate at nbceditorials.com. efeller plaza this morning. i think in large part because a lot of these people, especially the young ladies, were hoping to get a glimpse of robert pattinson, the "twilight" star and now star of "water for elephants" was with us earlier. he's left the building, but we won't tell anybody. >> yeah. >> he's still here! [ cheers ] >> he's still here. >> out on the plaza i'm matt lauer along with natalie morales and al roker.

ann is off today. boy, what a wicked weekend of weather it was for people in a large portion of the country from the plains to the southeast. a string of tornadoes devastated communities, especially hard hit was the state of north carolina. we'll talk more about that coming up in a little while. >> then on a lighter note in this half hour we'll talk about -- you know, a lot of people want to redecorate their home now. spring cleaning and all of that. we'll show you great websites that will give you great ideas and the best deals before you actually make over your living room, bedroom or dining room. there are pitfalls to be aware of. we'll go through that and have expert consumer advice coming up. >> what home improvements will give you the most bang for your buck when it's time to sell your home? >> kitchen, right? >> right. >> curb appeal. >> that, too. barbara corcoran will tell us all about it and give you answers about what to do to help

make your house sell as fast as possible. >> all right. plus, he's fired. gary busey sure livened things up in the board room. after several close calls on "celebrity apprentice," the donald finally had to let him go. he's here live and will be talking with us in studio. >> all right. we have a lot to get to. let's go inside. lester holt is at the news desk. >> a massive cleanup effort under way after an historic string of storms and tornados in the south claimed at least 45 lives. nbc's kerry sanders is in colerain, north carolina. good morning. >> reporter: lester, they haven't seen anything like this in the regions that have been impacted for a quarter century. imagine more than 200 tornadoes touching down in six states beginning last thursday. the devastation is widespread. as you said, at least 45 dead. there were still some missing.

the governor here in north carolina, governor bev purdue plans to tour more of the area today. fema will provide some assistance, but in some cases the assistance will not be fast enough. look at the house behind me. this one destroyed but there is an upside here. 11 people saw the tornado coming over the horizon. they ran, got inside and remarkably, as you look at that and everything that happened to the house, all 11 got out alive. lester? >> kerry sanders, thanks. a serious breach of security in afghanistan. officials say a man dressed as an afghan soldier opened fire outside the defense ministry killing at least two other soldiers and wounding seven before he was shot dead. forces loyal to moammar gadhafi shelled misrata today in the western part of the country. officials said at least 17 people were killed. production of new toyota vehicles in japan is getting back on track. the world's number one automaker

resumed making cars at all plants for the first time since the earthquake and tsunami. the factories are running at half capacity due to a shortage of parts. today is the federal tax filing deadline. it's three days later than usual because of the holiday in washington, d.c. the average refund for 2010 is just over $3,100. strong debut at the weekend box office for "rio," the animated family flick grabbed the top spot with a $40 million showing. "scream 4" with $19 million and "hop" hanging in there with $11 million. four minutes past the hour. now back out to matt and al. >> all right, lester. thank you very much. what's the weather looking like? >> one of the best signs i have seen yet. i made you a cookie, but i ate it. >> it's a long morning. >> it's your birthday? >> uh-huh. >> what's your name? >> abby. >> where are you from?

>> maryland. >> let's check your weather, see what's going on. we have another outbreak of severe weather coming tomorrow. until we get there we have record highs right now in texas. hi, gary busey. you're scaring me. move away. we have severe weather coming for tomorrow. a low level jet stream. moisture. upper level situation from texas to western p.a., we have strong storms. that's working your way from little rock to indiana. we have a strong risk of storms working their way through here. gary busey moving through. [ laughter ] >> is he coming toward me? okay, good. good morning to you. well, we lost the showers and the sun is out over some cities. we're 61 degrees and sunny.

everybody will see the sun now that most of the shower activity has sub side. we're headed towards the mid to upper 60s. 65 in san jose and 61 degrees in oakland, up to 71 tomorrow, then another round of rain wednesday into thursday. ♪ >> thank you, al. this morning on today's home, decorating online. are you thinking of giving your home a spring pick-me-up? the internet can be a source for deals and inspiration but you have to know where to look. the editor in chief of shop smart magazine joins us. lisa, good morning. it can be expensive to redecorate if you don't have the right ideas or inspiration. going online is a great way to save money. >> absolutely. great resources to get you started to start the planning process. you can really get inspired by all of the stuff online now. it's exciting.

>> and avoid costly mistakes. first, a great decorating tool. it's the 3-d design program at mydeco.com. >> this is one of the most exciting websites of all. you can design a room in 3-d. drag and drop furniture and literally to the exact dimensions of the room you have at home. >> cool. >> you could paint the walls, carpet the floors and actually buy the stuff you drag into the room. so that's even more of a bonus. when you get there don't be intimidated. there are so many options it can be intimidating. >> i can imagine. >> you can start with prefurnished rooms. that's a great way to start. >> people get inspiration from online magdss as well. tell me about lonnymag.com. >> it's a gorgeous online magazine. it's great for inspiration. you literally can flip through the pages and look at beautiful rooms.

if there is something that catches your eye you can click on it and purchase it from many of the different websites it links to. a couple of things to keep in mind when you're looking at websites where you purchase things. look at shipping fees and return policy. >> are they okay with that? >> you want to make sure you can return the item. and make sure with the shipping fees that they are not excessive. it can be difficult to find shipping fees. you have to dig around but you have to do it. also, make sure they are the right dimensions for your room because you don't want to return it. it's expensive to return things. >> or if it won't fit through the door. a lot of people are curious about how the other half lives. we like to go to open houses or go to this website. it shows you apartmenttherapy.com with a sneak peek into homes. >> absolutely. this is a great site for inspiration. it's down to earth, practical. basically you can go on home

tours in different cities around the country. new york, chicago, l.a. and you can peek into different people's houses who really have great design ideas going. you can get tips -- >> i love that room. gorgeous. >> they have sales and events which i love. you can find out about sample sales in your area and craft fairs. >> so easy. also, a lot of people -- there are great furniture places online as well. one that shop smart likes is homedecorators.com. i get their catalog at home. why is it a good resource? >> the prices are fabulous, especially in the outlet section. the return policy is solid. 45 days. the shipping fees are up front. you don't have to dig for them. they are right out there. we like that. a couple of other wonderful furniture sites are ballard designs and west elm. >> you get value, definitely. the dilemma for home decorators

of what to put on the walls. and there is a great site called 20 by 200.com. what can you find there? >> it's fun and funky. >> modern, contemporary? >> exactly. it's fun because every week they feature new artists work. you can go on there and buy art for as little as $20. that's part of where the name comes from. you can purchase -- >> are they originals? >> reprints usually. photography or work on paper. you can purchase originals as well in many cases. it is fun to work on the site and get ideas. you have to act fast. in some cases the art sells out. it is a limited edition. >> something tells me with all of the places to look online, i will be online forever. thank you very much. >> they are addictive. >> i love it. >> lots of hours. it's helpful. >> always good for inspiration. thank you. up next, when is it time to stop

throwing money into the money pit? we have answers for your home buying and selling questions from our real estate expert barbara corcoran and later he's fired. people are surprised he lasted this long. actor gary busey made "celebrity apprentice" very entertaining this season. we'll talk with him in a little bit after these messages. almost 300 horsepower, infinity surround sound, seating for seven. wait. this is a minivan? makes you almost want to have kids. [ child screams ] almost. the new 2011 dodge grand caravan. get the new 2011 grand caravan starting at $24,830. plus, current owners get an additional $1,000 bonus cash. since before i could walk. [ sigh ] if only mom knew about kraft homestyle macaroni & cheese. i'd be pushing creamy, delicious oven-baked mac & cheese into my pie hole.

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wrap-around deck. it has great views of the bay and we want to know the best way to market the home. >> i think we have photos, don't we? >> yes. >> this is the front of the house. beautiful, meticulous. you don't have to do a thing with it. >> that's good. >> fine. >> let's move on to the next part of the house. >> oh, that's beautiful. i know that spot where you live. it's a beautiful view. what are you doing with the fence there? the fence obviously has to go. if you need it for security, i can't imagine why you have it, lower it or have a see-through fence. why obliterate the view? >> okay. >> so get rid of the fence. >> next. oh, another fence shot! we hate that fence. get rid of the fence. >> done. >> the neighbor's fence. >> is that a clothesline? >> power line. >> you can pay the utility company to drop that line.

it's inexpensive. maybe $150. >> kitchen? >> not bad. it's neutral. do you know what dates it? the appliances. update them. leave the cabinets alone. get rid of the clutter on the counters and buy a new front. not a dishwasher. you can't do it here. new front to update it with stainless steel and get rid of the rug. that's got to be a $5 rug. you should be ashamed of yourself. >> once you get othver the sham. anything here? >> this looks like a basement. you should have a white slip cover. paint the walls white. if you're too afraid, at least paint out the fireplace. this has to be from the 1950s. it's got to go. okay? other than that it's a beautiful room. up the wattage as well. >> good luck. >> thank you. >> now to dan from little river, south carolina, on the phone.

what's your question? >> good morning. would you recommend applying for a usda guaranteed mortgage? if so, what are the different qualupications from a standard fha loan? >> this is a great loan intended for low income and middle income people. the hitch on the loan is it's restricted to urban areas. pardon me, rural areas. specific areas of the country. go online to see if your house qualifies. what's great is it's 103% financing which means you don't need a down payment. you have enough for the closing costs as well. it's a great loan, better than fha, but onlile if you qualify. you have to go online. >> good luck. >> now to chris in darling ton, wisconsin. he writes, i had a house buyer in 2009. the house was a loss. we were able to put a modular town on the same site using the same basement. we were told in 2009 we qualified for a government rebate. last year, our accountant said

we didn't qualm identify since the new house was at the same address as the fire damaged house. do we or don't we qualify? >> i think you definitely qualify. but you have to prove that your house was burned to the ground with a fire report from the fire department that stipulates it was burned to the ground. you have to show proof of purchase of the modular home so they can see it is a new home. then you can file but you have to have a physical inspection because the confusion here is it looks like the same house because it's at the same address. you have to get the guy out to see the house. >> good advice. >> my pleasure. >> we're going to check in with a guy everybody likes to see later on. gary busey and the question on every royal wedding fan's mind. what will kate middleton wear? we'll look at creations inspired by the big day after these messagesns breakfast!

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gary busey is the latest contestant fired from nbc's hit show "celebrity apprentice." >> last night's board room wasn't pretty. >> meatloaf, this is really bothering you, isn't it? >> yes, sir. >> i'm going to make you very happy. >> okay. >> gary, you're very talented. you're very unique. you're an amazing guy and, gary, you're fired. >> good morning. >> good morning to you, sir. >> do you think it was a justifiable firing? >> no, i don't. >> why? >> the team, backbone, should be called backstabber. >> ooh. >> after the second episode they were out to get me and get me out of there. meatloaf lost his control at one time. no anger management, no rage control. and john rich said i wasn't focused. i stood there during the confrontation like a leader. i had nothing to say. i didn't invade his space or

confront him on his level. i stood there and had focus. anybody with that rage in a small business or mom and pop store, median business, warehouse, corporation or any business under the donald trump banner would be fired like that. >> you were fired because you were project manager and the team failed. it was a train wreck, wasn't it? >> my team would not look me in the face when i talked to them. my team didn't want me there. my team was not my team. >> they wanted you fired last week. >> they wanted me fired all the way through it. but no! >> why do you think they wanted you fired? >> jealousy, fear, insecurity. i just worked in a mysterious way where people don't know what i'm thinking or where i'm coming from. >> you were on "the tonight show" and said you would vote for donald trump to run for president. >> yeah. >> do you think he'd be a good president? >> i think he'd be absolutely a good president. he knows about the country. he knows about the situation we

are in now. i have great respect for the sitting president barack obama. >> we have to leave it there. >> i will not dismisthat. >> great to have you on. >> that's it? >> that's it. "celebrity apprentice" on 9:00/8:00 central time on nbc. [ female announcer ] the tough love... okay, don't do that on your test. [ female announcer ] ...invaluable guidance... [ mom ] go, turn, turn, turn! [ female announcer ] ...and a lifelong friendship. do it again. [ chuckles ] ♪ [ female announcer ] mother's day is for celebrating all our moms have given us. happy mother's day. i love you. i love you. [ female announcer ] now, select cards come postage paid. here's to my pants not leaving marks on my waist.ve you. achieve small wins with a healthy lifestyle and dannon light & fit. the light fresh yogurt with 80 calories vs. 100 in the other leading brand. here's to 80 calories tasting crazy good. live light and fit.

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[ male announcer ] discover the new taste of eggo thick and fluffy waffles. whoa! a deliciously different way to waffle. how'd you make these, dad? secret recipe. really... [ male announcer ] new eggo thick and fluffy waffles. time is 9:26. reservations and permits at yosemite are so hot, ticket scalpers are cashing in. xal peppers are selling them on craigslist and people are reselling permits to climb half dome. the problem is the permits are issued by the park for free. park leaders are trying to shut down the scalpers. today is tax day. your taxes have to be in the

mail by midnight tonight. it is also back tax deadline day for claiming the 2007 federal tax refund. if you don't file for that by midnight, you forfeit your money. the irs says it does owe more than $1 billion in refund to about 1 million taxpayers. if you need to get the taxes out, most post offices are open until 5:00 this evening but there are a few with extended hours. redwood city's main post office will be open until 7:00 p.m., the post office on evans avenue is open until 8:30. if they have postage, you can drop them off until 10:00 p.m. the post office on mcdowell boulevard will be open until a few of them open later today. traffic and weather coming up after this. have i few spotty

showers over the peninsula.

we're looking at the low to mid 60s today. a little bit of action between san francisco and ridge mond. otherwise we're looking nice and clear. 61 degrees in sunnyvale, upper 60s later on today. let's check the drive with mike inou inouye. >> looking at the north bay, a little shove from november to to san rafael. we have slowdowns through livermore. 680 into san jose, a little slow towards the tail end. more local news coming up in half an hour. the "today" show returns in less than a minute. have a great morning.

♪ just 11 days to go and the world will see the much anticipated gown that kate middleton will wear on her wedding day. we heard she may be wearing up to three dresses for the big event. and ahead in this half hour we have a look at glamorous gown inspired by american designers, perfect for a royal wedding or maybe your walk down the aisle. i like that one. beautiful. >> wouldn't it be great if she wore three? >> at the same time. >> and just kept peeling them off. >> fooled you again, and again. >> that would be news.

also ahead, the beatles or elvis presley? who are the greatest musical artists of all time? >> beatles. >> the editors of rolling stone magazine made their choices for the 100 most influential or tys of the rock & roll era. we'll see if you agree. >> that will be cool. and if you're planning a spring brunch we have great recipes from asparagus tangles to lemon curd tartlets. we have easy recipes to impress your guests. >> first you have a check of the weather. >> absolutely. for the week ahead we have cooler conditions from the plains on into the northeast and northwest. warmer through the southern states. snowy in the northern tier. then as we move into the midweek period, wet out west with cool conditions. above normal southwest to the midatlantic states and the latter part of the week, warm weather from new york to the gulf. chilly through the mid plains.

normal conditions out west. rainy in the upper mississippi riverle valley through the ohio river valley. well, we lost a lot of the shower activity we were working with earlier this morning and the sun is coming out over the bay area. watch out for a little bit of lingering action in the north bay. that will be case for the next couple of hours. a little cell over santa cruz right now as well. 64 today in los gatos, 65 in san jose. tomorrow the sun comes out. we're talking about mostly sunny conditions, 71 degrees. another round of rain moves in. it's a quick one wednesday and thursday. and that's your latest weather. >> thanks, al. up next, what should kate wear? we'll see what some american designers from "project runway" would do if they had to create the royal wedding gown. right after this. shows your pet you care... by unleashing a complete killing force against fleas and ticks.

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allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a $0 co-pay at lunesta.com. sleep well, on the wings of lunesta. with just 11 days to go on our countdown to the royal wedding it's one of the best kept secrets in the world. we won't get an answer until prince william takes kate middleton as his princess, but bobby thomas has five designs created by "project runway" contestants highlighting american designers' visions for the royal wedding. good morning. >> good morning. >> we have great designs. these are "project runway" designers. first dress we'll look at is from the designer jonathan kane.

tell us about his inspiration as we look at the sketch first. >> the inspiration was kate's fantastic figure. everybody's taken note of her great physique. he wanted to accentuate her curves and the vintage lace on the dress is what he felt would be the traditional touch. but he went with a metallic fabric to really compliment her hair. it's a regal touch, definitely different. the silver component is really modern and youthful. >> on our beautiful christine here. >> yes. and this is all french lace, silk taffeta, crystals and real pearls. >> i like it. i think she'll go more simple, but that's just me guessing. our model looks gorgeous. >> you wonder. people want to see the royal princess feel, but others want to see it pared down.

>> you look great, christine. thank you. next, a sketch by leeanne marshall. her inspiration was the royal botanical gardens. >> she was inspired by topography. i like the designer's ability to play with interesting texture and pieces. this dress is the one i love. >> it's beautiful. >> it's special. she said she didn't want it to be about the big day and the big dress. she wanted her to feel beautiful and put on something that was about her moment. i really liked the idea. i think this is a good show if kate was able to do something that covered more in the arms this would be beautiful. >> this is an margarita. >> chiffon. >> and the ivory would be good for kate's complexion. emilio sosa is next. tell me about the inspiration here. >> this was interesting. he wanted it to be a modern day

princess but wanted to give a nod to tradition. he was inspired by wedgewood blue china. i like that he played with color. this dress is 80 yards of tulle, 11 layers. silk taffeta and silk flowers. it's blue. there is a blue hint under the white tulle. >> it is wedgewood. >> absolutely. reese witherspoon just got married in blush. color is something more acceptable. i do think this is interesting. it would be a moment in history if she did something different like this. you can see the back and the bustle. >> and a long train, but nothing like diana's 25-foot-long train. >> yes. >> you look great. thank you so much, ashley. nick verreos was inspired by architecture with his design. tell me about the sketch. >> this is a traditional dress. i like the back. he wanted to allow skin in a

conservative place. but this is definitely about keeping a clean chic shape. >> this is our modern bride here. >> it's also traditional. this is something you could see her wearing. i think this is more kate's personality. she's been very buttoned up with a little bit of flair with fashion. you see the strong shoulders. >> i like the pockets. >> the pockets are interesting which is what brides love, a place to put their hand. >> and a little lipstick in there. >> the back is interesting. >> it accentuates her figure. it would be beautiful on kate middleton. >> thank you, cassie. next is irina shabayava. tell me about the sketch. >> i spoke with irina this morning who is beautiful herself. she wanted this fantasy dress. she said it was fantasy and she was inspired by kate's love of fashion. she wanted toni corp. rate

feathers into the dress. she gave her a big bottom gown and a her tadesque shape. -- mermaidesque shape. >> it's princess-y. that's for sure. >> it's all about her moment. she wanted it ethereal and feminine. >> fun. i don't know if we can fit all the models out here. >> we'll make room. >> thank you so much. a gorgeous group of ladies and beautiful designs. the project runway designer, well done to them as well. up next, where are the rolling stones on the list? the 100 most influential artists of rock & roll after this. [ sneezes ] ♪ hey walgreens, i'm kinda liking matt here. but i'm kinda allergic to bruce. [ sneezes ] got any ideas? [ female announcer ] try 24-hour zyrtec for prescription strength relief

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[ grandpa ] and i love you when you're loud! [ female announcer ] hallmark recordable storybooks. ♪ from rock to pop to country music, they are the musicians that defined a generation. "rolling stone" magazine has a list of the most influential artists of the rock & roll era, part of their special issue called "the 100 greatest artists of all time." alan light is here to count down the top five. music lovers say who's number one, the number two. how did you do it? >> everybody has to get in a room and slug it out until it's

done. for this one, we did a poll of 60 people. what was interesting about the list is the voters were heavy on musicians. keith richards, springsteen voted. >> there are writers, executives. but what's special about the issue is all the entries written by musicians about other musicians. britney spears on madonna or the aerosmith guys on guns-n-roses. >> one of the things i noticed is not all of the people are rock & roll but they contributed to the sound we know. from number five, i took issue here. i thought he should have been higher. you had chuck berry at number five. >> once you're up with the giants it's hard to argue this one ahead of this one. it's how the vote is one day. with chuck berry you are looking at the person who defined the electric guitar as the rock & roll instrument and also an extraordinary songwriter and a person who created a vice for a

generation of teenagers. a new culture that came through his songs. >> this one, rolling stones. musical icons. what separates them from the pack? >> i think what the rolling stones did is introduce that element of the blues into rock & roll, the edge, danger and a different kind of spirit. then there became a division between pop and rock. the rolling stones showed rock & roll. >> and they with stand the test of time. >> continued for decades to make great music and in the end not just the spirit but writing great songs. >> presley at number three. >> bono wrote the entry. it tells you elvis defined what being a rock star was. he made the girls scream, the parents freak out. he stood up there and put the element of, you know, we're in a new place now. >> rock & roll isn't just about music. it's the energy and excitement.

>> and the style and how elvis looked. it's about the dancing and that full package was something. i meap, certainly chuck berry, little richard. to most of the world elvis took it out there. >> i thought the number two choice was interesting. bob dylan has been described as a poet. a huge influence on a generation of song writers. >> this is where you see the difference of having musicians vote. you see the impact that bob dylan has had. in terms of transforming what songwriting is. in the ability to draw from poetry and art and politics and your own emotions in a different way than any other writer had done in songwriting history. he transformed the possibilities for what rock & roll could be. >> before number one, has rock and roll changed? when you listen to what's popular out there, is rock and roll dead, changed? what's going on? >> everything has grown so big -- >> well, we have given away

number one there, the beatles. >> and the beatles more than anybody defined that everything could come under this umbrella. it could be as pop music it could be experimental, produced and made in the studio. it can be live and raw. you know, anything that any rock bands have gone on to do, the beatles did it first. >> your son is in studio. >> 8 years old and a beatles fan. >> my 21-year-old son is a beatles fan. they keep finding new fans. what is it about the music? >> over time when you make the list it is beatles pull further and further away from the pack. as each generation discovers their version of the beatles and responds recently with the release through itunes of the music digital cally you saw a hr for the songs and how well they hold up. the experiments they tried worked and are still interesting

and the pop stuff is just as undeniable now. there is more range to what they did. the stones do a certain thing incredibly well. the beatles did a whole lot of things well. >> this is the conversation. this whole list many of us had in some form. how tough was it at the end of the day? >> if it doesn't start an argument you're not doing a good job on the lists. in the end it has to come out. >> the list is fascinating. thanks for coming on. >> a pleasure. >> coming up, light and tasty finger foods using the freshest ingredients of the season. firsis i

♪ here comes the sun >> that's what i thought. this morning on "today's kitchen," step by step. fun and easy finger foods for brunch. a sure way to impress your guests is using some of spring's freshest ingredients.

her new book is "you can trust a skinny cook." >> great to see you. >> this is a great way to get in fresh food and save on calories as well. we'll start with asparagus tangle which sounds complicated but you say it's not. >> definitely not. you want food easy, fun and good for you. this is asparagus and i started shaving it like that. straight through to tend. >> you like different colors of asparagus. you have green and white. sometimes i have seen purple asparagus. >> oh, bring it. >> wow! sounds threatening. you shaved that down and what's your dressing? >> this is parmesan anchovy vinaigrette with lemon juice. >> i love anchovy. >> i'm glad to hear that. when you cook lighter you want strong flavors, vivid ingredients like parmesan and anchovy which give you flavor

without calories. >> you can buy the paste in the store? >> keep it in the fridge in the tube. >> whisk it together. >> yeah. then we'll put it right on the salad. little bit of salt and pepper. >> you even add salt? >> just a little bit. we are working with raw asparagus, so a little bit of salt helps it to wilt a little bit. >> mm-hmm. you just toss it? >> it's more interesting than steamed asparagus. in asparagus season you want new preparations. >> and you want to taste it. >> yeah. this is a typical italian combination of the anchovy and parmesan. good flavor. >> all right. now you're making a parmesan cheese twist? >> yes. the concept is a simple, lovely brunch. this is easy to do. it's puff pastry. buy it, keep it in the freezer. costs $3 for a box. >> economical, too. >> and it likes you look like a rock star.

>> this is an egg wash? >> yes and then this is parmesan and paprika. i will put it right on top. this is a nice hors d'ouvres. two are less than 100 calories. you get cheese, puff, crunch and don't feel guilty. >> get your puff on. do you just -- >> sprinkle on top and press in lightly. >> heavy on the cheese. >> there you go. very good. then twist like that. >> there you go. >> we're twisting away. it wasn't working. then we move on to dessert. >> these are lemon curd

tartlets. good morning. these are only four ingredients. you can make your curd with eggs, lemon juice, corn starch. nice little crust and berries on top. good to go. >> and this beverage? >> this is prosecco with passion fruit and pomegranate. >> let the fourth hour begin. >> kathie lee and hoda are on the way in. >> these are so good. >> thank you so much. >> cheers. >> cheers, everyone. >> coming up, kathie lee and hoda talk to actor jason priestley. >> and how to get the royal look without the royal budget after your local news and weather. drink up. yum!

good morning, everybody, the time is 9:56. president obama is due in the bay area on wednesday for an online town hall meeting.

he also plans of course to raise money while he's here. the town hall will likely focus on his plan for reducing deficit. nbc bay area political analyst says it could also reveal more about the president's ability to harness social media. >> the president is tapping into social media, better than anybody else has to date. there's no question about it. he mastered it in 2008 and well on the way to doing ever bit as much in 2011. >> the president has more than 19 million like s or fans on fae dk book. that's more than sarah palin and mike huckabee combined. >> i think everybody likes the forecast because we have a lot of shower activity earlier for the most part. it's clearing and the sun is coming out over the bay area. just east bay oakland getting light scattered showers while otherwise high and dry for most part. 69 degrees in san jose and 59 in

santa cruz. 61 in sunnyvale. temperatures will like into the mid to upper 60s later today. 65 in san jose, 64 in gilroy, warmer up in the north bay because the sun is already coming out. we have another round of rain on tap for the latter portion of wednesday into thursday, staying nice through the holiday weekend though, back to you. we do actually just get into the report, an accident on the east shore freeway heading away from the bridge around buchanan. it's an overturned vehicle. sounds like a car fire involved and kids in the area. i'll give you the updates as they come in. away from the bridge, heading towards the toll plaza things are getting lighter. at the toll plaza they turned the metering lights off. golden gate has some of that fog and san mateo, you get the break crossing the bay. more local news coming up in a half hour.

"today" show returns in less than a minute. have a great morning.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television okay, so there's good news and bad news. the good news ist's fun day monday. the bad news it's tax day. april 18th. it's a little weird. should have been friday, but d.c. gave us a gift. >> there was a holiday on the 15th. i got an e-mail from my tax guy who said pay today. you know what's funny, it escapes you. when you file for the late

extension, which many of us do, you think you have until october. when you pay, you have to pay today. if you're getting money, you can wait. >> not getting any money, hoda? >> paying the piper, baby. >> you're very blessed you have a job. you have a pulse and you have a job. >> speaking of you have a pulse. >> i barely have one today. first of all, can i say what an incredible friend you have been to me through all of this. you're an amazing friend, so supportive. i appreciate it more than you'll ever, ever know. makes me try to think about it. i wasn't there to hear what you said on friday. everybody was telling me hoda went on and on about it. thank you, sweetie. >> it's a great, great show. tell them about it. >> this was a workshop of hopefully coming to broadway some day show. that's everybody dreams. you work hard on these things. i worked on this for over ten years with my friends david pomeranz and david freeman which you know from this show.

we have david armstrong from the fifth avenue theater in seattle where we are opening this fall. hopefully, we'll do well enough there to then bring it to broadway. >> the play is called "saving amy." it felt like so many things to me. if you've been to new orleans in a gospel tent on a saturday afternoon and you get this great feeling, that's what that play felt like. watching carolee sing, when you see her and it does come to broadway, you will look at her and say i can't believe this is happening live in front of me. it's so beautiful. you've got to remind yourself so much of stuff is on tape or tv. this is live in front of you. it's very cool. >> what's been compelling to me, it's a story that needs to be told. it's a true story, based on a true story about a real woman who actually lived and changed the world. she did. it's not a religious show at all. it happens to be about a woman in a faith world, a pentecostal world which is pretty crazy.

>> saucy. >> a lot going on. it should be called "amy's men." it's the four men in her life and how they impacted her. we'll see how we go forward from here. >> we love it. >> then so i got a little rest over the weekend. >> i'm glad you did. >> you had an event. >> speaking of great moms, great women, my mom, it was her birthday this weekend. we all went to rehoboth. that's me and hanna blowing out the candles and the balloons. we did the princess theme because my mother likes the princess thing. i have to say driving to rehoboth, getting behind the wheel and driving is weird. >> you're a rage driver. >> people don't realize when someone almost kills you, you go nuts. that's what happens. >> you like your life. >> a lady came inches away from

my car and i thought, i'm going to be dead and i started screaming in my car and she went on her way. that's what road rage is. i only rage when someone almost kills me. >> she didn't realize what she had done. >> no she didn't care, she drove on. >> she has no idea who she was. >> i wish i could call her out. she had jersey plates. that's all i know. >> frank and i had dinner saturday night with regis and joy. we hadn't seen them in six weeks. it's always so much fun. it's going to be the way you and i will be long after our working relationship is over. we will have a friendship no matter how much time we had apart, we'll sit down and pick up right where we did. i realize it's been 25 years we have been friends. i was with him 15 years and i've been gone more than ten. it's 25 years. he is writing a book about all the different co-hosts through the years. your phone is ringing. >> i thought we were going to do

it. it's not jay, it doesn't matter. >> oh, if it isn't jay, it doesn't matter. >> i thought we were going to do a segment involving our blackberries. we postponed it. >> a friend of mine comes out of church and says, i know this is a weird thing to give you, but it's called mercy. i thought it had to do with faith. she said don't have a hangover, have mercy. i said what? i make no claims about it. i said you know what i'll do? it's supposed to have some -- >> protects and defends. i like it. >> it don't keep you from getting intoxicated. drink responsibly always. it has something to do with your electrolytes. >> like the stuff in gatorade. >> you have to have it cold. you tell me. >> mercy. that's why they call it mercy.

>> it's 60 calories, $11.50 for a four pack. >> it's very lemony. that's your favorite thing. >> then somebody in my dressing room, something called elegant cheesecakes. >> i can't read any more. >> that's big. i have to have a bite of this. they made one for you. they made a huge cake. you can't eat the cake because i didn't get it over the weekend. try that. looks fantastic. >> anything sweet, i'm eating. >> tell me about yours. >> that's delicious. this is one of those head massager thingies. you put on your head. >> but it's moving. >> put it on your head. i don't want to mess you up. hold on. >> come on. >> oh, my god. >> isn't that so good? >> better than cheesecake. >> two for $6 on amazon.com.

>> what would you do with the other one. never mind. never mind. >> i want to thank the city of new york because mayor bloomberg kicked off this event called new york city women make it here, make it happen. it recognizes women who have done cool things. they have some great women involved in this deal. >> this is the one you're involved in. you're one of those great women of new york. >> well, i was one of many. the other ones they recognized were unbelievable. if you go to nyc.gov, some of these women have accomplished so much. take a peek and look at some of these terrific women. >> you know who woe have with us today? sara is gone for the day, but we have barbie in her place. this is fascinating. if you took her actual measurements. is it called extrapolated or applied them to an actual living being, she would come out looking a lot like pamela

anderson. >> we also have someone else she looks like. we talked about this other woman on our show. she has double-js? she kept getting bigger and bigger. >> until they were the size of texas. >> this human-size barbie was created by someone in our studio. you created this deal, right? >> yep. >> why did you want to make this life-size body? >> it's to get attention about body issues and eating disorders. you can't miss her. >> what is her bust size? >> 39. >> and she's got an 18 inch waist. i've got an 18 inch ankle and her hips are what? >> 33. >> and shoes that are size 3. >> she is not wearing them right now. and she is 6 feet tall. >> you battled a little bit with the body issue.

you were battling anorexia as a high school student. >> yeah. >> we don't want to put all the blame on barbie, but all the images young girls get as they are growing up. this is targeted toward 3-year-olds. >> 3 to 13. >> mattel made a statement. they said girls see female body images everywhere. they say it's important to remember barbie is a doll 11.5 inches. >> she is not a real person, we know that. the point you're trying to make, barbie alongside all the other ones, is a cumulative effect to make a young girl say, gee, i don't look like that. what's wrong with me. >> congrats, girl. >> hope you got an a on it. >> thank you. >> you're adorable. >> it's green week at nbc. >> yes. >> we have a little contest that people already entered and now we are judging this contest. it's ways you can take things you would normally discard and turn them into thinks you can

use. >> like spanx? >> why would you reuse them? they fall apart eventually. >> you don't want to put them in land mines. >> these are the finalists. someone created out of zippers jewelry. which actually look cool. >> very clever. >> very retro looking. beautiful. and these brooches. >> these brooches made of zippers. finalist number two created earrings, these are by jessie katz and they are made by credit cards. >> your phone keeps ringing, hoda. tell jay you're doing a show. all week long we are going to look at these things that made the finals. we will be judging. >> we will be judging. that will be a fun thing to do. >> for more go to greeny soon-yi? >> green is universal.

>> i like greeny soony. i'm so sorry, everybody. >> we have to do a quick shoutout. we did our hoda play list and did "freak show, baby, baby, on the dance floor." it turned out good night that did "freak show" was in a meeting with the universal people while the song was playing. he looked up and said, that's our song. then he got to see this one dancing. ♪ freak show baby baby on the dance floor ♪ freak show baby baby on the dance floor ♪ >> geriatric people should not dance like that. not you, jerry, me. >> he got to have his little

shoutout. >> we are calling all brides. last bit of business before we get on with the show. brides-to-be, we'll have a special ambush makeover in honor of the royal wedding. go to our facebook page. make sure you're free on friday april 29th the day of the big wedding. >> we'll do great makeovers. we look forward to hearing from you. coming up, why actor jason priestley wants you to call him fitz. >> he is a naughty boy. we'll catch up with the hollywood buzz. i am ready for pizza and the game!

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now you can brew over ice for delicious iced coffee or tea. hot or cold, keurig is the way to brew everyone's favorite cup in under a minute. choose. brew. enjoy. keurig. choose. brew. enjoy. want longer, stronger lashes? new almay one coat get up and grow mascara instantly lengthens. 98% of women saw healthy, longer lashes in 30 days. for your longest, most stunning lashes yet. almay get up and grow mascara. only from almay. only for me. i think it can. one of the challenges for kayla being gluten-free is actually finding choices the whole family will love. then we discovered chex cereals. five flavors of chex are gluten-free, including the honey nut flavor, and that's amazing to a mom like me. as a parent you don't want to have to tell your kids "no" all the time.

it's nice for me to be able to say "yes" to something that they want to eat. [ male announcer ] chex cereal. five flavors. gluten free. no matter where he goes or what he does, jason priestley will never shake the fame he gained from "beverly hills 90210." >> now he plays the handsome rich fitzpatrick who is morally

bankrupt in "mr. fitz." >> how much are you looking to pay? >> $600 a month. >> $600 up to? >> $750. >> why don't we take this baby for a test drive and take care of the paperwork later. don't tell the desk. bad boy. >> hello. >> she is a bad girl, too. you have to watch to see. >> oh, my. your character -- >> this is not "the waltons." >> no. it's not "the waltons." before you turn the show on make sure the kids are in bed. definitely. >> you play a guy who is a used car salesman with zero conscience. >> they are not all that way, we must say. >> you did he sues every girl that comes your way. >> they buy cars. >> yeah. fitz is like everyone. he is doing what he's got to do to get ahead.

>> he uses any asset he has. >> yes. he has it in every asset he has. >> i thought this was very, i don't want to say too graphic, but the opening scene is graphic. there is a lot of groping and touching you wouldn't normally see on regular tv, i think, right? >> no. the show is a cable show, obviously. there is drinking -- >> hey we are network news. >> you do a lot of daytime drinking. we saw what daytime drinking can lead to in that last clip. can lead to dancing. very dangerous. >> i can see what appealed to you in the script about this. this is somebody you've never played before, i wouldn't think. this is fun. >> no. fitz is a lot of fun to play. because he has no conscience and he does whatever he feels like he needs to do to get the next thing he needs to get. there are no boundaries with him.

it's always fun. >> he pays a price in a weird way for it. >> he does. in the pilot episode, a guy shows up claiming to be fitz' conscience. he knows a little too much about fitz and he knows too much about where the bodies are buried. fitz has to choice but to invite larry into his life. >> sort of like his jiminy cricket. >> the guys want to be him and the girls want to save him. >> i'm not going to write a musical about him, i'm sorry. >> what is likable about fitz? he's devastatingly handsome. fitz is -- i feel like fitz is in every man. he is doing the best he can, although he has a limited tool box at his disposal.

it's an examination why fitz is the way he is. once you get to know fitz and meet him and meet his family, you understand why he is the way he is. >> this is on directv. >> channel 101. >> it was a big hit in canada. >> we already shot our second year. we are going back to shoot our third season. the show is a huge hit in canada. it's a huge hit in 87 countries around the world. >> wow. >> it's universal, the theme. >> it is. >> it must be weird to all of a sudden have it coming to america. >> it is and it's really exciting, actually, because the show has been such a big hit all around the world already. it's great americans are finally going to get to see the show. >> we talked about you've done a project with luke perry before. >> we both liked so much. >> are you teaming up again? >> we are. we are going to do a sequel to "good night to justice" this

summer. when it premiered in january it delivered the highest ratings hallmark channel had seen. >> that was a character you wanted to see more of. hard to find those characters people want more. >> luke did a great job with that character. obviously, i did a great job directing that movie. we are going to do another one which we are very excited about. >> you're multitalented. there is a moment you were on the show. you were off and jason filled in all that week. we had a contest on this tricycle. we don't have it. it ended up making it to "star" magazine and all over the place. >> you're big. >> you're a hot ticket you little hot tamale. >> the show premieres thursday night at 9:00 on directv 101. >> "call me fitz." thanks so much. all the best to you.

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still to come, "accidental house wife" you know who she is. shows you how to solve those easter and passover dinnier parties. >> what is going on behind the scenes in hollywood. >> kate middleton wardrobe choices have caused quite the fashion frenzy. how do get those looks? all this is coming up. [ female announcer ] it's new, and it's the most delicious thing

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good morning, everybody. the time is 10:26. a luxury condo atop one of san francisco's most famous hotels will only be a dream of the investors wanted to replace the fairmont hotel with condos but failed to get approval from the union and the union fears the changes could cost jobs. without union approval, the plan cannot move forward. the switch was supposed to be a financial solution which says it is struggling to stay afloat because tourists are spending time south of market. it is possible the hotel will soon be up for sale. in the wake of the san bruno

explosion, they are providing emergency responders with more details on the pipe line system. the new information includes the size, age and pressure for the pipes as well as the locations. the utility is releasing the data after complaints that many maps are insufficient. they are putting that information on the -- going to digitize it to be put on the computer. the utility used to offer detail pipe line information however they stopped doing that after after 9/11 because of terrorist concerns. we'll check your traffic and forecast after the break.

good morning to you. 10:28. our temperatures are in the 50s, they will end up in the 60s later on today. daytime highs coming in about 3:00 or 4:00 p.m. 64 in redwood city and 61 degrees in oakland. we have showers earlier but for most part showers have subsided. anything we see from here to this evening will be isolated and light in nature. 71 degrees by tuesday. warmer conditions, more showers on way wednesday into thursday. mike is following a serious situation in berkeley. >> very serious. this happened -- reported this last cut-in. eastbound 80 around buchanan after you get underneath the university overcrossing we have an accident involving an overturn suv. two kids were reported at the scene as well. sounds like they were out of the vehicle safely. the coroner has been called. there are other injuries related to the accident and four out of five lanes are blocked as you're get agway from the bay bridge.

there's going to be significant delay through the area. plan on the slowing coming from the bridge. >> thanks, mike. us.nk you for joiningus. "today" show continues coming up next. see you back here tomorrow. monday with today's buzz and the truth about celebrities making tabloid headlines on the weekend. >> here with the scoop are bonnie fuller and roseann coletti. >> he was clearly inebriated, went to a tattoo shop. they went out thereof and he was yanking her along while she was trying to show him where to go and a taxi driver called the police. >> there was an argument over where they were living in new orleans while he is making a movie down there, oddly enough

about a taxi. who calls the police? a taxi driver. >> they went home and the police went to his home. >> he didn't know where his home was. he was trying to get his wife to go onto a townhouse. >> he insisted they arrest him. they said, please, mr. cage, just go home and he said, no, why don't you take me in, arrest me. >> he wanted a scene. it was unbelievable. it was strange. >> what is his history with that kind of thing? >> he played an alcoholic in "leaving las vegas." maybe there have been other incidents. >> there was a previous incident last month in new orleans, same public dunkenness. a while back in romania. he's under a lot of pressure. he is making a lot of movies, he has trouble with the irs. >> he is a shopaholic. he shops for castles and huge homes. >> he gave hundreds of thousands of dollars of gifts to friends.

>> did we read dog the bounty hunter bailed him out. doesn't he have $11,000? >> he is a big fan. >> a lot of problems with the irs. all these movies he is making. he is going to do "national treasure" again and "ghost rider" again. >> lots of trouble and with brick mueller, as well. she is back in rehab after reportedly trying to pawn some jewelry over the weekend and people are saying, or reports are she was trying to score crack cocaine and she refused to take a drug test. >> that is a requirement of her deal with her custody battle. >> that's right. >> she has to have a drug test by friday? >> that's right. she refused the drug test. and charlie has been clean and is going to court tomorrow to try to get full custody of the twins back. >> his lawyers may be going to court tomorrow to decide whether

his case against warner brothers and chuck lorre will be heard publically or privately. >> what was the verdict on his tour? >> is it over? >> it's not over. we were just talking about this. a heckler wanted his money back saturday night. he reached onto his pocket and gave him $100 and the man took it and left. >> you know who is winning through this whole thing? >> who is winning? >> his lawyers. all the lawyers. >> last night was a big night for the movies. i'm dying to see the movie "water for elephants." >> big, big event. what was so wonderful is that the stars, robert pattenson and reese witherspoon spent so much time talking.

>> the elephant is a big scene stealer in mosty. >> what is the chemistry? is it there? >> she said he did have a cold for most of the movie, but what's funny is the last time they made a movie together was "vanity fair." she played his mother. >> she is a very versatile actress. >> what was really cute, apparently the chemistry is good. what is cute is kristen stewart, his girlfriend snuck into the movie and was spotted sneaking out. >> so they are very much together. >> yes. >> thank you, ladies. i hope it's not just me that falles a part. whether it's dye from the easter eggs, a stain-free satisfaction. patients who use flexpen. flexpen comes pre-filled with the insulin i take

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that wouldn't lose their homes. the more you know. with passover and easter happening this week, there are probably holiday stains, splatters and spills in your near future. >> we asked the author of "the accidental house wife" to share her good advice.

>> in celebration of mother earth, all these things are eco-friendly. >> good. >> actually with silverware to get the tarnish off, all you have to use is ketchup. put it in ketchup about ten minutes. voila. this is messy right now. look at that. we are on live tv. if you can see this, you would see it all comes off. there you go. look at that. >> what does ketchup do to your insides? >> very good question. you thought that through. >> by the way, you don't want to wear rubber gloves because that will cause it to tarnish more. the other thing tooth picks. if you put tooth paste on there, you want to try? here. a little bit of that. >> let me do it.

this attitude. >> one glove takes my personality away. i have two toothbrushes. >> this is going to be cool. watch, hoda. >> there you go. >> oh, yeah. >> this is a great thing for your kids to do, too. if not, they are going to do their easter eggs. >> this stuff is really yucky. you take a little sugar. put that on there like that. it works like an ex-foliate. >> lemon, too. lemon and a little brush and it will actually take them right off. see that? i'm turning blue because it's so cold in here. by the way, for the yellowing of your nails, you can use this. >> is that true? >> it is true. try it later. >> nothing is better than lemon. >> i know you have this around your house or so i'm told.

grass stains for when they are out finding those little easter eggs. dampen it like so with good old water. then take a shot of vodka. just put it on there. it will lift the stain. out it will come. >> when you have lillies around the house, these things stain like crazy. >> two things you can do. i feel naked without my gloves. you can use hairspray and spray it directly on these anthers. or you can clip them. >> that's what i do. >> i usually take a kleenex and pluck them off. >> you can do that. if you do that on your shirt like so, do not rub. you can shake like that to get it off. use scotch tape. >> scotch tape? >> you don't want it to rub in there. always put something in between.

>> hair spray? >> no, no. don't you want to help? this is alcohol. >> she wants to be free in case jay calls. >> ten seconds what do we have? >> happy passover to anyone. >> horseradish or red wine. here we go. >> what are you putting on there? >> vinegar. or you can actually use your favorite white wine. >> why would we waste it that way? >> i knew that. that's why we used vinegar. happy passover. >> kate middleton madness. ♪ well, there's a change in the weather ♪ ♪ there's a change in the sea ♪ so from now on

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since her engagement to prince william, kate middle top has been in the style spotlight. >> how can you look like a princess without the wallet? alex a woolford is here with some discussions. >> you're wearing that beautiful color she wore when she got engaged. >> i like the idea. she has so many different kinds of looks. you can connect with something. >> her style works for anybody at any age, size and budget. >> prove it. >> let's talk about kate's casual side. tell us about this look. >> what we love about this look, the jeans and the top are from torrid and the wrap. >> i like the wrap. >> you can wear it so many different ways. this works for women of any size and shape and age. this is a look kate might wear to a polo match. you can wear this running errands. >> she looks so comfortable.

thank you. >> next is lauren. i remember this. this is the look that grabbed will's eye when she walked on the runway. remember that whole scandalous thing? >> you might not be wearing a see-through dress down a runway, or maybe you are. you can wear a look like this to the beach. we found this lace at a local crafts store. victoria's secret bathing suit. the shoes are by footsie rolls. they wrap up into nothing. perfect for throwing in your beach bag and they're red and white striped which is nautical, big for spring. it's a look we've been seeing kate wear a lot of stripes. who wouldn't be wowed by this? >> i can't believe you tied a piece of lace around. >> i'm shocked and astonished. >> just a yard of fabric from the local craft store. >> very cute. next our girl vanessa. she's got that cute engagement dress. look how vanessa is totally changed from the makeover, the weight loss.

tell us about the outfit. >> vanessa is wearing this dress you probably recognize as being similar to that $600 east of london dress kate was wearing when she announced her engagement. we found this under $30 at marshalls. this hat is so kate. not only is it really in kate's style, but we found it at t.j. maxx. kate shops at t.k. maxx which is the uk sister store. you get a great bargain, a great deal. it was $39. >> the hat is more than the dress. >> the same reason she loves t.k. maxx you get great designer clothes for less. >> why don't we wear hats here? >> i love hats. i wear them a lot. i always feel like an idiot in them because nobody else wears them. i wear them. i don't care. >> if you happen to be going to the royal wedding, which we are not. >> or going to a royal wedding this summer of a good friend or so.

we've got two looks here. >> ashley and lauren. >> ashley is wearing this spring shift dress and blazer. both pieces under $50. this is what we expect people to be wearing to the royal wedding because it is a daytime affair. if you have a more formal black tie event, this purple dress from t.j. maxx what lauren has on. >> it looks brown to me. >> it's eggplant. neutral from spring through fall. we like the asymmetrical line because it's classic, modern and elegant. under $80 at t.j. maxx. >> we don't know what her wedding dress is going to look like. let's pretend it's what jackie has on. >> that's beautiful. >> this gorgeous gown, the perfect combination of classic, sophistication with a modern twist. princessy but not too much. very much like kate. >> you can take the bolero off

for the reception. >> that is a great way to keep your shoulders covered for a religious wedding. and the ring. everybody has been talking about this engagement ring you don't need to wait for . princess harry. we found this at $99 at digsrocks.com. >> let's bring all our models out. >> she's been a lot of fun to watch. i hope they are going to be happy. >> me, too. >> to have the spotlight on you like that. they have a lot going against them. i hope they have a happy ending for this marriage. thank you so much. >> thank you for having me. >> up next, 90 days to a hard body.

never in my lifetime did i think i could walk 60 miles in 3 days. 60 miles in 3 days-- i can do that. 60 miles compared to what a cancer patient goes through is a walk in the park. from the moment i registered, people started immediately supporting me. we had an outpouring of-- of support. i wanted to do something bigger than myself. the 60 miles-- it makes a statement. i know i'm stronger than i was before, both mentally and physically. i walk with my sister. our relationship has gone

to a whole new level because of training together. you meet the most wonderful, inspiring people. i knew that there was something really special about this event. when you accomplish those 60 miles, it's truly life-changing. it was three days of hope. of love. of empowerment. it was three days the way the world should be. here i am, second year in a row, and i'm already signed up for next year's. (man) register today for the... because everyone deserves a lifetime. >> . .

if you haven't heard of p-90x, it's a fitness program designed to turn your body around in 90 days.

>> it's popular among many celebrities. tony horton is the master behind the fitness craze. that's what he said. he is here with five moves to get you beach body ready. >> we are ready. what should we do? >> there are five body parts, legs, butt, abs, shoulders and arms. >> there is one more. >> we can't get onto that on live television. the first move. you have heels on so just watch the boys. >> oh! >> i don't think so. you haven't met us. >> okay. go down and hop. then kick back with the right foot. with a skirt on, girls, you're gorgeous. now left leg back. with heels on. little hop, down and back. >> i liky. give us another one. >> how many do we do? >> look what we have for you. special prizes. >> i love how you treat us like we're children. >> it's kinky. i like it. >> your thumbs are going to be

up. your arms are straight. go out to the side. this is for your shoulders. out to the side, in the front, then back down. then back up again. then out. then down. we'll do one more for fun. up, front, down, up. you want one foot in front of the other. >> thank you. that would have been nice. >> where was i on that one? well, i only have three minutes. stay up for this one because we are going to be on our backs. this is not a good angle. >> it's a good angle for you. >> it's for our abs now. we are going to straighten that leg. bring it in, straight. >> careful. >> bring it in. >> how many of these do you do? >> it depends on the person. if you're a beginner do between five and eight reps. as you progress you build more. >> do you do this in your apartment or your house? >> you take the disk, put it in, move the coffee table out of the

way and get busy. >> how about the triceps and biceps? how do we do it? >> combination is this. do basic curls. how are you doing back there? >> these are nothing. >> i don't have any. >> separate the feet more. lean forward. engage the core. elbows way up like that and kick them back. >> we have to run, tony. px-90. he is the master. come back tomorrow. we have performance from the cast of "glee" and curtis stone. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com