good morning. the worst is yet to come. the rain-swollen mississippi river bringing new misery to thousands of homeowners as the wall of water rages to the south. now emergency crews are racing against time before the flooding reaches new orleans. emotional address. arnold schwarzenegger speaks out. >> we both love each very much. we were both fortunate to have four extraordinary children, and we're taking one day at a time. >> the former governor talks about his split from wife maria shriver after 25 years of marriage. and ooh, la, la. the biggest stars out for the

start of cannes film festival. look who made her first trip to the south of france to join them today, wednesday, may 11, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to a special split edition of "today" on a wednesday morning. i'm matt lauer in new york. meredith vieira is in cannes. have you seen the short straw i drew? have you seen that anywhere? >> i tossed it into the ocean, mr. lauer. the real question is how jealous -- we just arrived, to be honest, but i have never been to the south of france and certainly not to the biggest film festival of all, the cannes film festival.

starting today for the next 12 days, this is where the hollywood elite will hang out. it will be their personal playground. coming up, how i fit in here. and we'll sit down with antonio banderas and salma hayek. they've been in five films together but not in an animated movie. they are about to star together in "puss in boots." back to you. or vous, monsieur lauer. meanwhile from here an emotional and extraordinary child custody case. elena jordano is going through a difficult split with her husband. she's also living with stage four breast cancer. a judge decided that she should not be awarded primary custody of her children due, in part, to her illness. she's here to speak about that controversial decision in a live interview. and a man who's lucky to be alive after a frightening car crash. you will understand why when you look at his x-ray. a pipe about two inches wide went through his mouth, out the

back of his head. he'll share his story in a live interview. let's begin with flooding along the mississippi river taking aim now at the mississippi delta. al roker is in vicksburg with the latest on this. al, good morning. >> good morning, matt. we are in the mississippi river. you can see the building is built up on cinder blocks about seven feet above the ground. that's the mississippi river just beyond that building. there is no differentiation. in fact, the mississippi is usually a half mile wide. it's six times that in certain spots. it continues to roll southward and for folks in vicksburg and places south, the fears are the worst is yet to come. the mississippi river rages on. swallowing up homes as it barrels its way south. on tuesday the river crested in memphis, just below 48 feet. that's the second worst flooding in the city's history. >> no comparison to the other

water. this is the granddaddy of all of them. >> reporter: the rush of water may be over, but it could take weeks for flood waters to recede. >> a lot of people invested a lot of money in these properties and everyone down here is sick. >> reporter: in some parts of memphis, cleanup is under way. this school received only minor damage inside, but outside, debris is piling up. >> i feel like we were spared. i feel like we were prepared. we made the right moves, and just a lot of prayers were answered. >> reporter: 40 miles south in tunica, mississippi, the river is near its peak. flooding has already forced more than a dozen casinos to shut down, and it could be a month before they are back in business. more than 10,000 people are out of work. further down river in vicksburg, the river is expected to crest this saturday. workers were out reinforcing the levees, getting ready to battle

the water that's rushing south. experts say the river is moving at 1.8 million cubic feet per second. in other words, it could fill louisiana's super dome in 30 seconds. some levees are covered with black plastic sheeting, a reinforcement in case the flooding comes over the top. >> the water level is here. >> reporter: tuesday, engineers inspected levees looking for signs of damage and making sure flood walls can withstand the pressure of what's coming. >> the walls are staying stable. we're in good shape. >> reporter: 200 miles south of new orleans, the river is expected to crest may 24. already, though, engineers in louisiana have opened spill gates to take some pressure off the river before it gets to new orleans, as the mississippi river rages south towards an uncertain future. matt, unlike yesterday when we were in memphis, i can tell you there is a current here moving about 5 miles per hour.

i have seen fish flopping around. if i had a pole i could do well. the weather has held out nicely, but starting tomorrow we've got strong storms developing that will be over the mid and upper mississippi river valleys. that will put more pressure as it dumps heavy rain and pushes more water down south as it makes its inexorable trip down towards new orleans. matt? >> we'll check in with you for the local forecast as well. let's turn to presidential race in 2012. the gop field is starting to take shape. with former house speaker newt gingrich throwing his hat into the ring today. chuck todd is nbc's chief white house correspondent and political director. chuck, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. over the last month the busiest presidential candidate was the incumbent, barack obama. the republican field has been a little bit unformed, but all of that begins changing today. president obama worked crowds in texas tuesday, raising money in his push for a second term.

>> now is the time where you can help shape this campaign, just like you did the first time. make sure we get out of the gate strong. >> reporter: the president had an extra bounce in his step thanks to polls after the capturing and killing of osama bin laden. >> those three words that sum up our campaign, yes, we can. a new poll shows dissatisfaction over the president's handling of the economy lingering with 37% approving of the job he's doing, giving republicans a clear opening in 2012. few big name contenders have stepped up. former house speaker newt gingrich makes his candidacy official today with an announcement on twitter and facebook. he's trying to confront some of the marital problems by making his third wife calista, a centerpiece of his campaign. while donald trump captured most of the headlines, only minnesota governor tim pawlenty appeared among relative unknowns.

former pennsylvania senator rick santorum, gary johnson, texas congressman ron paul among other, at a recent republican debate. >> how many people here would use heroine if it were legal? oh, yeah, i don't want to use it so i need laws. >> reporter: some analysts believe staying off the trail early on is a lesson learned from 2008. >> they're not going to fall for the trap of last year where they got in early, spent $8 million or $9 million on wasted overhead while the voters weren't paying attention. >> reporter: candidates are starting to make decisions. mitt romney, who says he is still, quote, exploring a bit, is giving a major speech this week aimed at convincing conservatives that his health care plan in massachusetts was different from the one president obama signed into law. romney's problems with the conservatives and the weakness of the field have republicans like house speaker john boehner pining for more charismatic choices. hoe told matt lauer this about new jersey's governor nicholas kristof ti.

he said this about chris christie. >> he does a good job and speaks english, plain talk. >> reporter: and this about mitch daniels. >> another person with a track record of reform in this state, the kind of reforms we need in washington, d.c. >> reporter: matt, we still have a lot of decisions we are awaiting on the republican side from sarah palin to mike huckabee, who's still dominating polls to people like john huntsman, president obama's former ambassador to china. >> chuck todd, thank you very much. karl rove serveeds as a strategist and senior adviser to president george w. bush. he's currently a fox news contributor. good to see you. >> good morning, matt. sorry upper management doesn't think that you're, you know, supposed to go to france. sorry about that. >> i'll get over it. i'll get over it. thanks. you expressed concern about the slow start to the gop side of the presidential season a while ago. you said, quote, there gets to be a point at which you don't have enough time to raise the

money you need, you don't have enough time to get as organized as deeply as you need to be for these contests. does newt gingrich jumping in force others off the sidelines? >> not necessarily. i made those points but then pointed out that in 1999-2000, george w. bush made his first campaign appearance june 16th. i do think there's still time for people to get in. we are not yet to the point where they have run out of time. by june, july, late june, early july, we will be at that point in my opinion. >> newt gingrich has a big resume, big-name recognition. he also has some baggage on the family side. now that he's in does he jump to the head of the pack or does he face an uphill battle? >> i don't think he jumps to the top of the pack by the simple fact that he's so well known. i think his numbers reflect the knowledge people have of him. he could make it to the top tier. that's what will be interesting

about the contest. if you look at the polls, there is essentially no front-runner, and these numbers are -- they give us little clue of how the race will play out. what people do in the months left between now and the first of february when the iowa caucuses are, are going to be important for earning their way into the first tier of candidates and earning the vote in february in new hampshire and iowa and south carolina. >> a couple weeks ago, karl, there was a surprising front runter in the polls. donald trump. now if you look at the recent polls he's gone from first to fifth. what's your opinion as to why he's had such a precipitous drop? >> first he made the campaign about the allegation that barack obama was somehow not born in the united states. that got blown up. i also think observers made the point, and i agree with it, that

his swafring, epithet-laden speech in las vegas turned off a lot of voters. >> do you think it's something else? this week where we saw the mission to kill osama bin laden reminded people that the presidency is often deadly serious business and perhaps they don't view donald trump in that light? >> that's a good point. but i don't think it took this week to do it. but i think mr. trump by coming out, making the center piece of the campaign the president's birth certificate, it take as while for things to roll in, but people will say, wait, i'm concerned about jobs, deficit, spending and health care reform and he's talking about president obama not being born in the united states? after five, six weeks it seeped into the public consciousness that maybe this was not the businessman serious about getting our fiscal house in order. >> one final opinion on ron paul. he's a libertarian, believes in fiscal conservativism. limited government. your colleague at fox news, juan williams, recently wrote, "it is

time to look around and realize we are living in the political age of representative ron paul." how seriously do you take his candidacy? is he electable? >> look, he's in his 70s. he was in the single digits last time except at the tail end of the contest literally when it was he versus john mccain. he is a libertarian. he strikes a strong libertarian note. but i don't think at the end of the day he's likely for the presidential nomination. >> karl rove, nice to see you. >> thanks for having me, matt. i hope you get to france sometime. >> i'm going to get my ticket soon. i'm trying. thanks. thanks for joining us this morning. let's check the top stories from ann curry at the news desk. also got left behind. ann, good morning. >> thanks, matt. good morning. in the news, for the fourth time this week an airline passenger had to be subdued mid-flight. aviation officials say a delta passenger set off an alarm overnight when he tried to open an emergency door of a flight from orlando to boston.

witnesses report he was highly intoxicated. delta said an off-duty police officer helped subdue the passenger. senator john kerry will try to help bolster relations with the united states in the wake of the daring raid that took down osama bin laden. and the leader of al qaeda in yemen is warning the u.s. that osama bin laden's death doesn't mean the end of terror attacks. last night, arnold schwarzenegger spoke out for the first time about his separation from his wife, maria shriver, at an event in los angeles. >> i talked with maria an hour ago before i came here. we love each other very much. we are fortunate to have four extraordinary children. we are taking one day at a time. >> they have been married 25 years and released a statement that they will continue raising their children together. thousands of victims of natural disasters are being asked to return more than $22 million in government aid. according to the associated

press. federal emergency management agency, or fema, says it wants the money back because it says it was distributed to people who were not eligible. aid packages range in size from several hedge funds to several thousand dollars. many reportedly due back within weeks. now to wall street and mandy drury at the new york stock exchange. there is big news about general motors today. >> that's right. gm is back on track and creating jobs. the automaker is investing about $2 billion in 17 u.s. plants and says that will either preserve or create over 4,000 jobs. also, millions of facebook users' personal information may have been leaked to third-party companies such as advertisers. facebook says it has now fixed the software flaw. back to you. >> thanks so much. finally now, he's a rocket man. who says he can't fly? yves rossi launched himself over the grand canyon speeding along

at 190 miles per hour on his jet-propelled wings. this isn't his first adventure. already flown over the english channel and the alps into his native switzerland. matt, you may not be able to get to cannes but now that one of our senior producers has seen that, that's where you're going. >> they're saying, you jump out of a plane, this is your next assignment. >> i'm running away! >> vote for ann. thank you very much. back to serious news, actually let's go to the mississippi for the rest of al's forecast. al? >> now, matt, you know we have to get a jet pack. >> i still want the man from glad jet pack. >> that's right. okay. we are here in mississippi. the river is moving swiftly. we've got tug boats going by.

it's surreal. as we look and show you what's going on now. we've also got to talk about the heat. there is a big ridge of upper level high pressure. that's on track to continue the record-breaking heat. temperatures will be anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees above normal. we have the ring of fire around this. storms firing up around it. we have a risk of strong storms working their way up and around that high pressure. so isolated tornadoes, hail, tajjing winds, rainfall amounts anywhere from one to two inches of rain. storms already firing up. some areas picking up locally three inches of rain. as we move into tomorrow and thursday, friday i should say, we're going to see storms over the mississippi river valley. well, we've got overcast skies out there right now, but we're going to see a mostly sunny sky later on today. temperatures will be able to

climb into the 70s. just subtract a couple of degrees from yesterday's high. 69 in oakland and 74 in santa rosa. as we head throughout the next few days, our temperatures are going to drop. we'll be back in the 60s by this weekend and there's rain on the way as well. scheduled for saturday and a stronger round on sunday. hope you have a fantastic day. and that's your latest weather. matt? >> al, thank you very much. sarah ferguson, the duchess of york, is speaking out now about not being invited to the royal wedding. michelle kosinski is in london with details on that. good morning. >> reporter: hi, matt. it seems like for the last decade sarah ferguson, once seen as a refreshing addition to the royal family when she married prince andrew has been something of a scandal. where does one turn to clear the air, get sympathy, especially from the compassionate, understanding americans?

oprah. the world was watching, but sarah ferguson, ex-wife of prince andrew, mother of their interestingly decked out daughters, was not allowed to tag along. >> i was not invited. i chose to go and be in thailand. i embraced the jungle. it embraced me. >> reporter: now bearing the scars of the wedding rejection -- >> how hurtful was it not to be invited? >> it was so difficult because i wanted to be there with my girls and to be getting them dressed and go as a family. also, it was so hard because the last bride up that aisle was me. >> reporter: sarah ferguson knows that tone well by now. >> i went through a phase of feeling totally worthless and that quite right they didn't invite me. why would they? >> did you feel ostracized?

>> i felt i ostracized myself by my behavior, by the past, by living with all the regrets of my mistakes that i wore a hair shirt and beat myself up most of the day, thinking and regretting, why did i make so many mistakes? >> reporter: after her fairy tale wedding in 1986 she was the peppy, fun fergie. that started to change when she was spotted on vacation with another man. she lost her princess status but fergie pulled herself up. >> it's hard being called the duchess of pork. >> reporter: her self-made fortune didn't last. she sunk into debt buffet mousily kept spending. >> 500,000 pounds -- >> reporter: last year was devastating. caught on tape trying to sell business access to her ex. >> with prince andrew. >> yeah. >> reporter: with whom she's still so friendly they share a

home. next word that a convicted sex offender had paid her bills for which she apologized. for now, the british public at least may have had enough. >> the welcome mat has worn out. so you do look and think, well, how much more do we need to know and is there any sympathy left? >> reporter: so while sarah bears her soul to oprah, airing this afternoon, if you believe the papers, prince william and princess catherine are on their honeymoon on the seychelles, eating fish, getting around by bicycle or if you believe a cartoon in the papers today, maybe only pakistan knows where they are. matt? >> ouch. coming up, we talk about a gut wrenching case, the mother denied primary custody of her children in part because she has breast cancer. she'll share her story, but first this is "today" on nbc.

just ahead from cannes, my crash course on living the good life on the rivera. matt? >> and the man who survived an accident that sent a metal pipe through his mouth and the back of his neck the. after your local news. getting handling and steering lessons on those sporty european roads. it went back to school, got an advanced degree in technology. it's been working out -- more muscle and less fat. it's only been two years, but it's done more in two years than most cars do in a lifetime.

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i love this slide ! i love knowing coppertone protects across 100% of the uva/uvb spectrum. i trust it. and pediatricians recommend it most. i love this nose. coppertone. embrace the sun. good morning. it's 7:26. i'm marla tellez. well, three people are dead following a shooting at a san jose state university parking garage. christie smith is live outside the north garage with the very latest. that garage is now open this morning, right, christie? >> reporter: yeah, that's right. it's totally open at this hour but i just got off the phone with a spokesperson from the university. she's on her way here. she says they're still trying to sort out this horrible shooting and also confirm the identities of the victims. but it is believed that one or more could, and i stress could

be students. it's also believed that the victims are a mix of male and female. they are waiting to hear from the coroner's office and then they're going to check those identities against student rolls to confirm exactly who the victims were. gunfire filled the north garage about 8:40 last night. in the end, three dead. one believed to be the shooter. university police are saying they do not think this was random or even gang-related. we're expecting an update within the hour. marla, back to you. >> thank you for that live report. now time to get a check on your chilly forecast. christina, please tell us it's going to warm up. >> it is, marla. good news for the second half of the day but you just saw that picture overcast conditions out there. low pressure is bringing about onshore flow so today we'll deal with the clouds until about noon. 4:00 p.m., mostly sunny conditions. 67 in san francisco today and we are expecting that round of rain over the weekend.

looking a little bit better now each and every day as we get closer to it. 67 degrees on saturday. light round on saturday, stronger round for sunday. let's check your drive right now. >> talking rounds, sounds like a battle and it is on the streets. no accidents, but slowing starting northbound 101. 87 and 280 through san jose, typical spots here. we'll follow the east bay up 880. in the northbound direction. southbound slows past both bridges. increased volume through oakland and we'll end with that shot of the crowd. back to you. >> thank you very much. the "today" show returns in less than two minutes. i am so sorry... let's just think of warm things...my new- -steak grilled sandwich...piping hot with tender steak, grilled onions, and bourbon barbecue sauce all covered with hot melty cheese on grilled artisan bread. hot...steaky... toasty...melty... this isn't working, i'm just getting hungry. that's working...that's...

[ giggles ]

hey! owww! right here! right here! one for me! one for me! ♪ 7:30 on wednesday mo 7 tlert on this wednesday morning, may 11th. welcome to cannes in the south of france. the 64th cannes festival opens today. already, carpets are out. eating croissants probably and paparazzi are everywhere. they are swarming this place. i'm 34meredith vieira. matt and ann are holding down the fort. folks a home may not know, behind me is the palace defestivals where we will be

filming the next few days. the old part of cannes, if you can zoom in, there is matt's yacht. obviously, seen some better days, matt. obviously he's seen better days. >> oh. >> we call it the family barge. isn't it amazing there when you look around and just see the excess everywhere? >> it is. you know, as i said before, i just got here so i'm trying to soak it in, literally. it's filled with people. yeah, it's excess, but it's really, really cool. i can't complain. i'm just trying to fit in. in the next half hour i will show you my efforts to do so. back to you guys. >> you look the part. you look so glamorous this morning. you look the part. >> thank you. merci, merci. >> we are also talking about an interesting subject. do you really know what your spouse is doing with your money? coming up, a cautionary tale,

one woman's 12 year battle with the irs over her husband's financial infidelity. wait until you hear the story. >> that sounds like a headache. also, a man who survived a horrible accident. he crashed through a fence and a pipe went through his mouth and out his neck. he survived. and we will meet him this morning. >> he's a lucky guy. let's begin with a child custody case. a judge ruled a north carolina mother should not have custody of her two children, in part because she's battling stage four breast cancer. we'll talk to her exclusively in a few minutes. first, nbc's mara schiavocampo has the details of the story. good morning to you. >> good morning, matt. in the last few years things have gone from bad to worse for alaina giordana. first, a shocking cancer diagnosis at just 33 years old. then her marriage fell apart. now, her biggest struggle yet. by all accounts alaina is a loving, good mother, sharing a strong bond with her young children, 11-year-old sophia and

5-year-old bud. >> it's a bond that i will never have with anybody else. it's quite special. >> reporter: that didn't stop judge nancy gordon from ruling that the children should move from north carolina to live with their father, 600 miles away, with their father in chicago. one big reason, giordano is fighting cancer. >> a shock. you just think about what she had to say. >> reporter: almost three and a half years ago, she was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer at just 33 years old. her health problems took a toll on her marriage. in january, 2010, giordano and her husband of ten years separated amidst allegations of infidelity and abuse from both partners. her husband, unable to find a job in north carolina, moved to chicago, filing for permanent custody of the children. in late april, judge gordon ruled the parents should share custody but the kids should live with their father in chicago.

>> the judge knows i don't have the means to be flying to chicago to visit them. you know, paying for a place to stay or to fly them here on any sort of regular basis. >> reporter: the judge cited giordano's health as a factor noting, the course of her disease is unknown and children who have a parent with cancer need more contact with the non-ill parent. >> i have never heard of a mother losing children because of poor health or being sick. what the court has done is expanded the traditional understanding of what unfitness is. >> reporter: news of the ruling led to an outcry from friends, family and even strangers. thousands signed an online petition to the governor and joined a facebook page supporting giordano's plight to keep her children in north carolina. support giordano says she needs as she fights for her health and children. >> the cancer has in no way negatively impacts my children.

it's a slippery slope, but when you take children from a mother because she has a diagnosis, i mean, any of us can die at any moment. >> in her ruling the judge noted that giordano is unemployed, could easily relocate to chicago and the children's father is the only one supporting the family. we reached out to giordano's estranged husband and attorney for comment but didn't hear back. >> thank you very much. alaina giordano is with us exclusively. good morning to you. >> good morning, matt. >> sitting across from you, you look well. >> you look well. >> thank you. >> you seem to be healthy, but you were diagnosed nearly three and a half years ago with breast cancer. you were told it spread to your bones. what are doctors saying is the state of your health today? >> well, as far as the prognosis, no one knows how long i'm going to live which is the same for any person, i guess. even my doctors don't know. some people live two years. some people live 20 years, some people live five. we just don't know. >> is it true when someone -- a person is given a diagnosis of

stage four breast cancer they are told it is incurable? >> they are told it's incurable at this time. >> the judge said, quote, the defendant's, meaning you, health is concerning because the course of her disease is unknown. even if she follows direction of care providers and even if she is consistent in her care regimen, whether and how quickly her condition will deteriorate is unknown to the court. in paraphrasing the judge, she's basically saying if she has to decide where the children should be, your home and your health is very unpredictable. >> right. >> do you understand part of that? >> i understand that she's uncomfortable not knowing how long i'm going to live, but i don't think that's a reasonable argument in this case. nobody knows how long they're going to live. >> i would imagine the day you got your diagnosis three and a half years ago, you immediately started to think about your children. >> yes. >> how much time --

>> it was the first thing i said. >> how much time will i have with my kids? >> yes. >> did you ever dream that a court would impact that amount of time? >> no. i think this is outrageous. i think it's a dangerous ruling for me and my children and how it will impact us, but also for people all over the world who have cancer. i mean, this is a bad precedent to set. >> i had a chance to meet your children this morning. they're adorable. sophia is 11 and bud is 5, almost 6. what's their level of awareness? what do they know about your health and what do they know about the situation with your husband? >> they know i have cancer. they know that i go for treatment about once a month right now. they know that it's stable. they know me as mom. i mean, cancer doesn't affect our daily life. we do all the things we did before. we're just kind of a normal family.

i happen to have a cancer diagnosis and i go for treatment once a month. it's really not a factor in our lives. >> in this ruling, the judge also cited the fact that you are unemployed and said it would be easier, in her opinion, for you to pick up and move to where your soon to be ex-husband is located as opposed to your husband moving to north carolina where you have been living with your children. >> for years, yes. >> how do you feel about the potential, that arrangement? >> i have -- i take issue with that considering that my cancer treatment is in durham. i have found a great medical team. it took me years to find this medical team. i'm thriving in large part because of this team of doctors at duke. basically, it appears to me, that the judge decided my husband's job was more important than my health. that's a big problem. >> you have a chance to appeal this. >> i do. >> is my understanding. you have 30 days after the ruling.

>> yes. the ruling was april 25th. >> you have a couple weeks. >> i'm running out of time. i really need an attorney who will step up and appeal the case. >> without appeal, the court ordered your children should move to where your husband is and he should have primary custody on june 17th. >> that's correct. >> how do your children feel about that? >> they don't want to move to chicago. they want to stay here with me. they have been vocal about that. they have been affected emotionally by this. >> is there a compromise here? is there something you can envision that would be a happy medium? >> you know, it would be great if their dad moved back to durham. there are jobs in durham. he certainly can find jobs. i have friends who graduated with him from business school who live and work in durham with their families. so i would like to see him move back to durham. >> we'll follow the legal side of this closely. most importantly, we wish you the best. >> thank you so much. >> great to meet you, thank you.

>> it was a pleasure to be here. >> let's switch gears and get a check of the weather from al. he's in vicksburg, mississippi this morning. al, good morning again. >> all right. good morning, matt. the river has dropped a little bit now to 53.4 feet. i have been told that can fluctuate and it will probably start rising within the next hour or two. let's get a look at what's going on currently. as you look at the satellite radar, you can see we have clouds making their way to the pacific northwest. we have storms in the midwest and down around texas. we have sunshine in the northeast mid-atlantic, slight risk of storms in the southeast and slight risk in texas up to the mid- mississippi river valley. plenty of sunshine through southern california. we've got showers in the northern islands of hawaii. beautiful weather good morning to you. we've still got that overcast

sky to contend with. that will be the case until about noon. at that time the clouds will break apart and leave us with a mostly sunny sky. temperatures will climb into the 60s and low 70s. 73 in napa today, 67 degrees in san francisco. and 71 down in san jose. as we head throughout the remainder of the week, we're going to drop off in temperature, especially towards the weekend, falling into the 60s. the rain returns. saturday one round of rain, another stronger round for sunday. you can get the latest on flooding and the weather in your area. go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. matt? >> al, thank you very much. when we come back, a very interesting social experiment. the teenager who faked being pregnant for six months. how did she keep friends and loved ones in the dark for so long? her story in a live interview. up next, the man who survived a ng thr his head? we'll meet him after this. and all we need to do is change the way

we're thinking about them. a couple decades ago, we didn't even realize just how much natural gas was trapped in rocks thousands of feet below us. technology has made it possible to safely unlock this cleanly burning natural gas. this deposits can provide us with fuel for a hundred years, providing energy security and economic growth all across this country. it just takes somebody having the idea, and that's where the discovery comes from. like many chefs today, i feel the best approach, to food is to keep it whole for better nutrition. and that's what they do with great grains cereal. see the seam on the wheat grain? same as on the flake. because great grain steams and bakes the actual whole grain. now check out the other guy's flake. hello, no seam, because it's more processed. now, which do you suppose has better nutrition for you? mmm. great grains. the whole whole grain cereal.

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back now at 7:44 with the man who cheated death. andrew linn crashed his car into a fence and was hit in the mouth by a pipe that went through the back of his neck. amazingly he's alive to tell us about it. we'll talk to him in a moment. first, nbc's miguel alma fwar is in las vegas with the story. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. andrew linn has the kind of good luck nobody wants. he survived a battlefield overseas, then a drunk driver

slammed into his car going 75 miles per hour. and then the accident that brought him here. >> i'm so thankful for the second chance to enjoy my family and my friends and just everyone. >> reporter: andrew linn who survived a tour of duty as a marine in iraq has cheated death again. while driving late at night on a las vegas road he fell asleep at the wheel and hit a chain link fence. a pole broke through the windshield, entered his mouth, missed his spine and punctured through the back of his neck. >> they put him on a stretcher. as they came around my wife said, hey, he's got a pipe sticking out of his head. >> reporter: emergency rescuers had to cut the pole to get him out of the car into the ambulance. he couldn't lie down or be s sedated because of the injury. >> i doubt i will see another case like this. >> reporter: his doctor was the same one who treated roy horn in

2003 after he was mauled on stage by a tiger. this time the doctor had to figure out how to remove the pole sticking out of linn's mouth and neck. >> the minute you pull the pipe outle all hell could lrkl could loose. >> reporter: he called in a team of doctors. >> the concern was whether he would have permanent injury from lack of flood flow to his brain. >> i'm just a lucky guy with great doctors. i didn't do anything miraculous. they did. >> reporter: andrew linn and the doctors who saved him say it's not just a miracle he's still alive. it's amazing he's here to share his story. ann? >> no kidding. andy linn is with us along with his wife melanie and his trauma surgeon, dr. jay coates. andy, you couldn't lie down or

be sedated? do we want to know how much pain you must have been in? >> yeah. i don't know. i don't actually remember a lot of that stuff that happened that night. fortunately i didn't have to go through too much. i don't remember it. i'm sure it was bad. >> so you didn't know how badly you were injured until you saw the x-ray. what was your reaction? >> actually, i didn't see the x-ray until sometime later. but when i came to after the surgery and everything, they told me what happened. i was pretty shook up, very emotional. >> of course. >> just scared, you know. but thankful that i'm so lucky and fortunate to be able to see dr. coat tes. >> where did the pipe it shall how did it penetrate through andy? >> it had gone through the space below his nose and above the

bottom of his upper lip. of course took all the teeth and his hard palate and exited to the left side of his neck. when he came in he was -- he doesn't remember. he was wide awake. we were able to talk and communicate with him. our first problem was controlling the airway so we could operate on him. >> he must have been in a state of shock. >> the body is an amazing thing. there might have been a little bit of a disconnect with him, clearly. it's not uncommon. >> you had to work fast. how do you explain that he's alive, doctor? >> it's a miracle. it is. a couple centimeters either direction with the pipe and i don't think andy would be here. >> melanie, you're at home. you have two toddlers with andy. you get the call. andy's not on the phone and you're thinking -- again? >> right.

>> another brush with death? how did you react? >> i was in complete shock. you know, we were in las vegas for thanksgiving. like you said, i didn't actually get the call. that was what worried me. his father is the one who got it back. he didn't tell somebody, calle my wife. it was a long ride to the hospital. >> no kidding. you have to stop putting her through that. this is the third time now you have had to say something. you just called yourself a lucky man. >> that's an understatement for sure. >> with all the luck now with a new chance at life, have you thought about what you want to do with the new life? >> oh, yeah. just continue to spend time with my family. my wife and kids. i have a beautiful family. my parents. brothers and sisters. and then continue my education. i'm going to school at southern utah university.

get my degree, continue on with life and make the most of it. you know, make good out of a bad thing actually. >> that's a good way to look at it. andy, melanie, thank you so much. doctor, high five, double, ten, 20 to you. we're fwlglad for people like y. >> thank you. >> coming up, meredith struts her stuff at the cannes film festival. vo: so to show her what she's missing, we built a pc store in her house. julie: (gasp) employee: thanks for dropping in! julie: you've got to be kidding me! this isn't my house anymore! employee: have a little look around! julie: very nice! employee: this one is touchscreen. julie: i like that. so there is no tower anymore? wow! i admit i'm wrong on this account that there is a computer better than mine. vo: new pc in the house julie(to camera): i'm a pc and i'm gonna kill him.

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good morning. it's 7 c:56. i'm marla tellez. this morning bleak news for east bay school teachers now that the mt. diablo school district has approved almost 200 layoffs. at a meeting last night the school board voted to send pink slips to 180 teachers and school employees. the layoffs stem from budget cuts and declining enrollment. the district may need to slash $27 million from its budget if the governor proposes an all cuts budget on monday. now, those deep state budget cuts are prompting teachers to protest this week. hard to make out, but they are chanting "education, not incarceration." at a protest in the state capitol that ended with several arrested.

the president of the oakland education association says she and seven other union members were arrested along with 12 other teachers and dozens of students. two of those teachers say they were arrested monday night and released early yesterday morning after refusing to leave the capitol building when it closed. chilly tart to your wednesday. christina loren joins us with a look at your forecast. >> yeah, kind of a gray start as well but we will see the sunshine for the second half of your day and we'll still warm up into the 70s. not quite as warm as yesterday but pretty close. onshore flow is back in the bay. that means that marine layer will push inland. it already has for the most part so we've got an overcast sky all the way from san francisco through the east bay right now. temperatures throughout the day today once that sun comes out will hit the 70s. sent in fremont, 71 in san jose and we'll cool off a little towards your weekend. we've got a round of rain to get through on saturday, another one on sunday but after that next week, the warming trend begins. let's get a check of your drive right now with mike inouye. >> all right, 7:57.

as we come up on 8:00, the east bay heading towards the toll plaza and maze, slow. 580, and 880 past the coliseum. the motoring lights are on but the richmond/san rafael bridge an accident at lucas valley road causes big slowing heading into san rafael. clear past the bridge across the golden gate bridge and down towards the peninsula. 101 moving smoothly past the san mateo bridge. a live look from the east bay shows you haze in the air. the "today" show returns in less than a minute. we'll be back at 8:26. [ male announcer ] it was forged from the fires of imagination. sculpted by an unyielding passion for design.

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8:00 now on a wednesday 8:00 on a wednesday morning. the 11th day of may, 2011. kind of a breezy morning in new york. but it looks like a beautiful morning in the little seaside town of cannes, france, along the south of france, m mediterrane mediterranean, and for the next couple of weeks, that's grounds zero when it comes to glitz and glamor, as the cannes film festival gets under way, and for the first time in history, our own meredith vieira experiencing it first hands. how is it? has the paparazzi been hounding

you? all over me like a cheap suit. it's hard not to get caught up in the excitement here. i've been trying desperately to fit in with this crowd. my crash force in french sophistication, glamor and fashion. we'll also catch up with superstars antonia banderas and salma hayek. cue the music here. sorry about that. they walked the red carpet accompanied by these flamenco dancers. why? i'll explain all, coming up. >> you have explaining to could, that's for sure. a senior project that one high school will never forget. for six months, almost everyone who knew 17-year-old gaby rodriguez thought she was pregnant. she walked the hauls of her school as her belly grew, but she stunned her friends and teachers by revealing she had

never been pregnant at all. it had all been a social experiment. she is going to join us live in our studio to find out or tell us what it all taught her. but, first, let's head over to the news desk. ann standing by with the headlines. the mississippi expected to rise to record levels as it surges south. workers reinforcing levees, flood wauts washed through 3,000 acres so far and forced more than a dozen casinos to close, leaving thousands out of work. in memphis, tennessee, the flood damage is expected to likely cost more than $320 million. google says a federal investigation of its online advertising system will cost the company at least $500 million. federal investigators will be -- regulators will only say the investigation involves how the automated system, which places small ads near research results treats some of its advertisers. the first aid shipment for

libyan opposition has arrived in benghazi. more than 10,000 meals arrived on tuesday, and medical supplies and protective gear are set to arrive soon. part of the $25 million in nonlethal aid that president obama ordered for the rebels fighting moammar gadhafi. and nbc george lewis joins us from the scene of a crime where a music producer was shot. >> ann this is a tough one for homicide investigateors. no witnesses, and the victim was found by a neighbor out walking his dog, several hours after the shooting. people around here describe this as a nice neighborhood. not a high-crime area. >> it kind of scares me, because, i mean, i have lived over here my whole life. it's a peaceful neighborhood. >> reporter: so people stunned by the killing of 30-year-old gabe mayar. he worked behind the scenes as a

music coordinator on such shows as "punk'd" and top pop group. mtv released a statement saying we are shocked and saddened by the tragic death of gabe ben-meir. he was beloved and dedicated colleague and friend. our hearts go out to his family. ben-meir is an entertainment agent and his mother manages rock bands. >> he loved music. >> reporter: police are asking for help in running down leeds in the case. so far, they concede they are baffled. >> what the motive is is very unclear. very early in the investigation. >> no words to describe the feeling that comes over you. execution style? >> reporter: in the pile of flowers at the murder scene, a

handwritten sign summed it up. gabriel, gone too soon. he was described as a renaissance man with interests in physics, music, and gourmet cooking. his greatest failing was an unquenchable love of the boston red sox. so a multi-talented young man gunned down. his family grieving, neighbors scared, and police baffled. ann. >> george lewis, thank you so much. security agent who's patted down a baby followed proper procedure. the infant stroller set off an explosive detector on saturday at the kansas city airport, everyone associated had to be -- associated with it had to be frisked. photos posted by another passenger had become an internet sensation. the tsa says the baby's parents were cooperative. oh, the times we're living in. 8:05, back outside to matt. >> all right, ann. thank you very much.

we'll make a quick pivot and go back to al roker for a look at weather. he's on flood patrol in vicksburg, mississippi. al. >> hey, matt, thanks so much. joining me is mike womak, the emergency management agency director. thank you for joining us. >> sure. >> you look behind us, the mississippi river and the flooding. what's the latest on flood stage in mississippi? >> right now, we're expecting another 4.5 feet rise right here at vicksburg. you can see how flooded it is already. it will be over the top of the fences here. many neighborhoods in the north part of the city that will be flooded. numerous other community from memphis and the louisiana line are flooded as well. >> have you been able to calculate or estimate what the economic impact of this is going to be? >> well, certainly in the tens of millions of dollars. our casino industry closed down for 30 days or more, more than 300,000 acres of farmland

flooded. numerous industrial port facilities all along the mississippi that are having to close. >> and people being unemployed? >> absolutely. the casinos in tunica, i think 5,000 to 10,000 employees up there. huge economic impact on the state of mississippi. by noon. 70s in fremont. 70 degrees in redwood city. warmer up in the north bay. we have rain on the way into the weekend so this is one of the last sunny days at least for the second half of the day. 60s saturday into sunday. as you look in the distance, matt, you can see the

>> as you look in the distance, you can see barges and tug boats, hard to tell where the mississip mississippi ends and the land begins. >> how is this for a senior project? a washington state teenager, 17 years old, faked her own pregnancy for six months. we'll talk to her about why she did it and what she learned, right after these messages. membership rewards points from american express. they're a social currency with endless possibilities. bay! kin! cheese! spiiinnnaaachh... tuuur...keeey... [ dj ] with deelicious tomatoes, right on top... [ male announcer ] serve it up on tasty flatbread. and wake up to the fresh taste of the sunrise subway melt.

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we are back at ten minutes after 8:00 with the 17-year-old who fakd her own pregnancy. gaby rodriguez shocked her high school when she revealed the social experiment for her senior project. first, kristen welker has the story. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt. gaby rodriguez is an honor student with a 3.8 gpa, so her friends and teachers were shocked when she announced she was pregnant. the real surprise was learning she wasn't. gaby rodriguez seems like your typical 17-year-old living outside yakima, washington. for her senior project she came up with a big idea that was anything but typical. >> i thought, well, why don't i try to fake my own pregnancy so

i can feel what teen mothers go through. >> reporter: only a few people know including her boyfriend. >> i thought she was nuts. >> reporter: mother and principal. >> i was gob smacked. i wouldn't let my daughter do it. >> reporter: gaby's mother agreed and the school signed off. senior year, gaby announced he was expecting and consulted doctors to learn how pregnant women behave. >> i had to fake like i was nauseous all the time. sometimes i had to get out of class like i was going to the bathroom because i had to throw up. >> reporter: then she made a fake belly out of fabric, wire and clay. day after day she played the role so convincingly no one doubted the story. but it did weigh on her. >> i felt guilty because i was lying to everybody. >> reporter: finally after six months -- the truth. >> the reality is -- i'm not

pregnant. >> reporter: in this video of the assembly, licensed by nbc news, friends and teachers read some of the painful comments that had been spoken behind her back. >> she's so dumb. doesn't she know she just ruined her life? >> some say she will make a good mom, but i think that will change after the baby is here. >> i think her boyfriend will bail. >> reporter: the stunned school was largely supportive. >> it was brave. it was really kucourageous of h to do that. >> reporter: some were hurt. >> i felt i had been lied to by somebody i thought i knew very well. >> reporter: now all is forgiven and the principal says there are no regrets. what do you think the students have learned from the project? >> i think they have learned that it's important not to stereotype anyone. >> i don't want you to always have to learn the hard way. >> reporter: gaby's project like the show "16 and pregnant" highlight the problem of teen

pregnancy. it is a particularly pressing issue in gaby's community. gaby is now without the baby bump but has a newfound understanding of how hardle real life can be. >> if you don't have your life on track, you can't start another person's life. you can't bring that child into this world when you're not ready. >> reporter: six of gaby's seven siblings didn't know about the secret and neither is her boyfriend's parents. she heads to college in the fall and said she'll wait until she's married to start her real family. >> thank you very much. gaby is here with her boyfriend george, her mom and her principal. good morning to you all. >> good morning. >> if you're going to get an a, you realize that. this is a big deal but a big undertaking. you planned it for a long time. were you worried about pulling

it off? >> definitely. it was just about the lying and whether i would be able to pull it off and be able to fake every day that i was pregnant. >> you had to keep it up for six months. who did you tell first about it? >> i told my mom about it. she was like, you're crazy. why do you want to do this? >> did you try to talk her out of it, mom? >> nope. >> no? >> no. this was something she wanted to do. she was very persistent, very determined. >> george, when i started reading this last night i thought, now george is brave, too. you go to george with this idea, you're dragging him right into the middle of this. because, you know, he's the guy they will point at and say, you got her pregnant. and all the comments we heard, you may have ruined her life, what were your fears about this? >> my fear is just that my parents weren't mad at me when

they found out. they didn't want to talk to me for a week. but after we all went through it was a big relief. >> when you went to school and you told for the first time these kids, your fellow classmates, i am pregnant, what was the initial reaction they had? >> they were disappointed because i would constantly be getting the comment of, you were one of the ones that we're going to see go forward and strife r strive for your goals. they never thought i would get pregnant. >> were your friends telling you, hey, so and so said this? >> yes. sometimes it wasn't my friends. other people would overhear conversations and let me know. >> trevor, were you hearing about this as it started to circulate through the school? you were in on it but were you seeing the reaction. >> i was out of the loop. teachers didn't say anything to

me. i didn't hear anything from students. i had the luxury of being independence late -- insulated. >> the moment after six months you revealed the fake belly your mom helped you make and said, i'm not pregnant, what was it like for you? i know it was emotional. >> definitely emotional having all of the weight lifted off my shoulders? >> you started to cry? >> yes. i didn't know how the students were going to react. so when i took off the belly, they started applauding and were very supportive and my first instipgt wi instinct was to apologize for doing this because it wasn't directed towards anybody. >> did you get out of the project what you hoped to get out of it? >> yes. it was -- i mean, you can't please everybody all the time.

when i get people coming up to me, telling me how inspired they are by my story and how crazy they think i am because i was able to be the voice for them. >> that's an extraordinary story. she set the bar high for the next group of students. >> a junior doing her project next year, it will be difficult. >> thank you for joining us. we appreciate it. up next we head to the south of france. meredith is on the loose at the cannes film festival after this. flu ♪ ♪ stay inside? nah. not when you have a five-star overall vehicle score for safety. one more reason chevy traverse delivers more.

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all you need... is shake 'n feed plus weed preventer. we are back at 8:20. meredith made her way to the cannes film festival. it is her first trip to the south of france. how is that possible, meredith? >> you know, frankly, i don't know, matt, how that's possible. it is my first trip and it's gruelling here. you don't know if you should order the champagne, rose, i don't know what to do. >> sorry. well, one has to wonder, meredith. we know you are ready for the french riviera but is the rif i can't -- french riviera ready for you? askance prepares for the glitz, the fwla mower aglamour and cel one has to wonder if the french riviera is ready for meredith

vieira? >> bonjour cannes. >> this is a girl who walked in here in clogs and a bathrobe every morning. >> all right. do i go independent, who i am or flashy? >> oh, dear. >> just your size. >> if it's important to the cannes film festival that i wear lame, i will. >> gold lame is the answer to almost anything here at cannes. >> maybe silver. >> i think we were waiting to send meredith to cannes because we were hoping we would see more of the glitz and glamour side of her come out. >> meow, pussy cat. >> maybe french lessons would help. [ speaking french ] >> i'm a little nervous about going to cannes. i have never been. i heard it's a wile scene.

are there cabana boys in cannes? seriously? >> what meredith needs to figure out is if she's walking down the street and a crowd starts waving, screaming, taking pictures of her, 99% chance angelina jolie has come out on a balcony behind her. nobody will know who meredith is in cannes and nobody cares. >> meredith vieira? never heard of her. >> i'm sorry. i don't know who it is. >> i don't know at all. no. >> you know, it's about time that i went, isn't it? matt's gone. ann's gone, natalie's gone. what gives with that? >> to be fair, meredith appeared once before in cannes. >> here's the bill board in front of the hotel. take a look at this. who is that lilliputian there with the parted red hair. >> i was in cannes for my movie.

matt pointed out that i was one of the little people with a big, significant role. >> her one line consisted of two just two words. >> i'm never going to know who said cut her out of the movie. but there is a back story to it. so i've been in many movies. i just haven't gotten that one step. >> are you ready for the final gender challenge? "stepford wives" was my first movie. >> perhaps cannes will kick start meredith's acting career. >> "get him to the greek," played myself with a twist. it's the right director discover rick me. >> pretty much anything angelina jolie is up for, she would be best suited for.

>> she could play maybe my older sister. >> a tough crowd, but knowing meredith and cannes, i'm sure she'll find her fan base. >> welcome to cannes. >> i'm glad to see you found the cabana boys, meredith. one little bone. one cannes lesson for you. earlier, had you flamenco dancers on the show for you as part of the promotions for "puss and boots" did you call them flamenco dancers or flamingo dancers? >> flamenco. >> in the control room, they thought it sounded like flamingo. >> they are promoting their new film, "puss in boots." why flamingo dancers.

>> that is my french accent actually. >> the one on the left that is a flamingo, the one on the right, that's a flamenco. >> the one good morning. 8:26 now. i'm marla tellez. this morning police in liver more trying to track down what they're calling a serial panters. someone who yanks down the pants of female joggers and runs away. police say six cases have been reported since 2007. mostly near patterson pass and mines roads. the most recent on april 24th. police say the suspect attacks female joggers alone but none of the women is physically hurt or sexuallyas tesaulted. a look at the forecast and the roads right after this. sa

good morning to you. we are going to see a pretty nice day today. it is a little bit overcast out there and already noticing some of the clouds breaking apart. turning over to hazy conditions. 73 degrees later today in napa. 70 in fremont. 71 degrees in san jose. we have changes on the way toward the weekend. the rain returns to the bay area. could see a pretty good round on sunday and looking to light showers as early as your saturday. overnight lows in the 40s all week long. let's check the drive right now with mike inouye. >> we have a couple of issues

for the bay bridge. a live shot out there shows you the backup starting to move better off the bay bridge toll plaza. we had a disabled vehicle blocking a couple of lanes and moved off to treasure island and they're slow approaching in the westbound direction. eastbound out of san francisco slow with another disabled vehicle just cleared from the lower deck. marla, back to you. >> thanks, mike. the next update at 8:56. the "today" show returns in less than a minut

8:30 now on this wednesday morning, the 11th of may 2011. a nice shot of the crowd in rockefeller plaza. great day for them. also a great day for me here at cannes. i'm meredith vieira. still trying to get things straight on my first trip to the film festival. i have lovely company with me, antonio banderas and salma ha k

hayek, starring in "puss in boots." we'll catch up with them in a few minutes. >> they look glamorous. nice to see them. and when it comes to your money how honest are you about your spouse? after her husband's death one woman discovered her life was a lie. he had been secretly embezzling money and owed the irs millions. she's going to share what's an extremely cautionary tale coming up. >> then we'll turn to fashion and talk about color-blocking. >> yes. i do it all the time. what is it? >> i don't know. we're going to get expert advice from stacy london showing us how to wear colors in a way that works. a lot of us have not had experience with it. so we'll figure it out. >> we are calling all firemen and firewomen to the first ever firehouse barbecue cook-off.

this will be fun. just head to today.com to enter. by tomorrow night submit an original recipe along with a video or photo of the dish. we'll crown our champion during a show down on the plaza on may 24. >> we're salivating already. >> now a check -- i have a piece of gum. >> i know. >> al is down in vicksburg mississippi with a check of the weather. al? >> hey, guys, thanks so much. there's the mississippi river just beyond the fence. by sunday we are told that the water will top over the fences. so the worst is not yet over. let's take a look, show you what's going on as far as today is concerned. we have a risk of strong storms from texas into the mississippi river -- upper mississippi river valley. sunshine in the east. rain in the pacific northwest. the record heat continues throughout the gulf coast in the south. for tomorrow, those strong storms, the risk of strong storms moves east into the mississippi river valley.

we have more showers in the pacific northwest. sunshine through southern california and partly cloudy skies well, we have an overcast sky right now but those clouds will break apart and be left with abundant sunshine for the second half of day. mix of sun and clouds to start. by 4:00 p.m., 73 degrees and sunshine in napa. 70 degrees today in fremont. we have changes on the way. we'll drop in temperature significantly and rain arrives the end of the weekend. we'll get through one round on saturday and then heavier precipitation by sunday. temps fall into the 60s. enjoy the 70s while they last. you need your weather check out weather channel on cable or weather.com online. but meredith, i don't think you need the weather channel to let you know the weather is pretty darn nice there. >> it is pretty darn nice. you are so right, al. coming up, antonio banderas and

salma hayek, speaking of pretty darn nice. first this is "today" on nbc.

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and welcome back to the south of france and the cannes film festival, day one. if you are a fan of shrek you are familiar with his feisty feline sidekick, puss in boots, voiced by antonio banderas. now the cool cat is starring in his own movie. comes out later this year. it's called, what else, "puss in boots." this time he encountered kitty softpaws, voiced biy salma haye. you're already fighting like kitties. >> we have been fighting. >> for years. >> i'm looking at this. you're not the side kick in the

movie. you're the top pussycat. what's it like to be in the boots one more time? >> it was fun to have the opportunity to develop and take it bigger now. depending on other characters, all the mysteries that were t created about his character. we'll see him from the time he was a very little kitty cat. >> the idea came back in 2004 here in cannes. >> that's right. in competition which is very rare that an animation movie makes it to competition in front -- >> and with shrek. >> but it was fantastic. you have to see them laughing and applause two or 14 times. >> salma, this is your first animated film. you have tone five animated films together. the last one was in 2005.

>> that was the fist one, not the last one. >> that was the first one. >> what trove me to do this? i'm the luckiest girl in the world. it's a great film. it has a world of its own, even though it comes from the shrek family. it's completely different. i think that antonio works so har to create the incredible character because they gave him a movie because of it. i just show up and meow. he's great. >> you do more than just a normal cat burglar. >> yes. i am kitty softpaws. i have a certain specialty. >> puss in boots, she steals more than your boots in this movie? >> she steals my heart. she's a good thief. it's fantastic. we have a capacity to find love.

we did it in desparado. the chemistry is there. it's not normal that in movies -- >> but you go in alone. >> i want to look in her eyes. >> we love to improvise. >> you want to get in her booth, essentially? >> wait a minute. >> come on. i didn't mean it that way. >> to fight. to fight the good fight. >> where is puss in boots when we need him in this movie? this is a prequel to shrek. he's a bad guy. >> he's escaping which is a constant for him. then we are going to start remembering flashbacks where he's coming from and why he became what he became. the reasons that made him this overkill and strong, arrogant

hero. >> this is my first trip to cannes. you have obviously been here many times before. to a get jaded about it or is it exciting every time? >> i find it exciting every time. >> i used to be fearful of festivals. it was a little bit too much for me. i remember coming to a festival when i was 20, 21 years old. and there was americans coming. to see them in person was unbelievable. of course, i am 50 now. i am now the guy coming, the american. >> it's full circle. >> but you put together two worlds that tonight normally get along and they have to co-exist. for around nine days, it's ti i

difficult. >> you were married to a frenchman, so i assume you speak french. >> a little bit. badly. >> is there an expression i need to survive here? >> ooh-la-la, i think you know. stay away from voulez vou voulez vous couchet avec moi. >> i tried that one. >> and bonjour. i know that one. you were speaking spanish. i thought your parents would be portuguese and they didn't want me to know what they were saying. you have been speaking spanish. what are you saying? >> honestly, all different things from -- i was asking him if he saw the lady when we were toing t doing the interviews there was a

lady that had a specific look. she was wearing a g-string on the beach. i think after 50 you should not wear a g-string on the beach. >> what did you say? >> i just laughed at her remark. >> by the way, that was me. but that's fine. >> oh, no, no. >> no. >> good to see you both. "puss in boots" starts later this fall. we did get a sneak peek. it was fantastic. >> by the way, i'm sure there are some women over 50 like madonna she would be hot on the beach. not this particular one. i take my words back. maybe you should still wear a g-string on the beach. >> if you can work it, do it. >> let's start a demonstration for that. >> tomorrow i'll be in a g-string as we look at dreamworks to see how the movie is put together. we'll have more from france and new york. first, this is "today" on nbc.

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we are back at 8:44. this morning on today's money we are talking about financial infidelity. a survey found one-third of americans admit to lying to their spouses about money. that can have devastating effects. here is one woman's tale. they epitomized the washington power couple. she was a television producer whose career included working for walter krcronkite. he ran nathan's one of the most high brow bars. they had private yacht trips and a beautiful home. in january, 1997, howard began complaining of a cough he couldn't shake. carol took him to the hospital where he was diagnosed with

critical pneumonia. in less than a month he was dead. shocked by the loss, carol attempted to hold it together for their 5-year-old son spencer. and then three weeks later the second blow came. howard had secretly been embezzling money and owed the irs nearly $3 million. their affluent lifestyle had been a fraud. a trusting wife who left the finances to her husband, carol was clueless about howard's wrongdoing. she now faced the fight of her life to prove to the government she was an innocent spouse. carol writes ab her 12-year ordeal in her book called "innocent spouse." jean cha jean chatzky is our financial editor. here you are grieving the loss of your husband. what was the piece of information that made you think, oh, my god, this life was a lie? >> well, when the lawyers gave

me the irs report that showed i owed them $3 million. in it my husband would write off the babysitter as trash collection. gifts to me as office equipment. this was shocking. >> these weren't little financial lies. >> no. >> this was a big scheme. he got you both in extreme debt. >> he lost his way. without my knowing, i was dragged in. >> one thing i thought about, we talked about your resumé. you're a news producer. you are someone who's supposed to have the tentacles out, the radar on. did you start to question yourself? why didn't i ask more questions? >> no. you know, love provides a lot of trust. i was deeply in love with my husband. there was separation of work and home. when i came home i was so happy, especially as a television producer with honestly no math

skills. i was happy to be married to someone who loved to run the finances. i let him and i trusted him. >> you were not in legal jeopardy. you were not facing jail time because of his wrongdoing. >> that's true, but i didn't know at first. i was horrified to find i was the defendant. >> but you were facing heat from the irs in a real way. >> losing everything. if i didn't win innocent spouse i would have owed money i couldn't have had if i sold everything we had. >> you say innocent spouse. this is a formal term, jean, that the irs uses. explain it. >> when you file a joint tax return with your spouse, both people on the return when they sign it are liable for 100% of the liabilities. she's liable, he's liable. what you have to prove as an innocent spouse is not only that you didn't know but there was no reasonable way for you to know. >> it sounds backwards here. the idea is you are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty

and it seems you were put in the position of proving you were innocent. >> well, the first lawyers i had, the ones i hired said you had to know. look at you. because i looked like, you know, a woman with a career. >> that's where the definition of reasonable comes in. they look at who you are. are you educated? could you know? >> i fired them. >> good for you. >> i got lawyers who said, you have a colorable argument. my husband defended me from the grave. as they prepared my defense we learned there were other little fudgings of the truth he told me. he said he'd gone to harvard but he went to the university of pennsylvania. they were silly little lies and i never worked in the restaurant a day in my life. a lot of people work in their spouse's business. they may not have seen the fraud but they were benefitting from it and may have known. >> this is an extreme case of financial infidelity.

you have tips. first of all, trust but verify the family finances. >> read your tax return. look at your credit report, ask questions. >> ask tough questions. remember marriage is a partnership and maintain your own credit cards. >> absolutely. if you have doubts bring in your own expert to make sure you understand what's going on. >> it is a cautionary tale, to say the least. >> but it had a happy ending, matt. i got through it. >> that's the important part. thanks so much. jean, nice to see you. the book isle called "innocent spouse." up next, the art of color blocking to spice up your summer wardrobe. first, this is "today" on nbc.

this morning on "today's style" color blocking is one of spring's hottest trends but what is it? >> we have stacy london here to explain. what the heck are we talking about? >> color blocking. this is the brightest season we have had for a long time. color blocking is the print where it looked like a painting, the squares. or using more than one bright color in an outfit. ile'm wearing only one bright color but look at my bracelet. they have timpbt colors on them. that's a way to do it. let me show you other ways. >> evening wear worn by jessica.

>> we all love back for evening. this is in honor of the pink and black gala for the american cancer society. i'm hosting it. i wanted to keet an outfit. i will rock a look like this. but you choose one bright color against an evening knewle tral. >> thank you so much. >> if you have a straight figure this gives you curves. >> shay is wearing color block for work. >> this is a print. a lot of people say you can want wear this if you have weight in the mid section. but look where the lines hit. we have done something here to accent her curves. give her a higher-looking waistline. if you do it in neutral with color in the shoe it's work appropriate. >> that bracelet is fantastic. >> isn't it great? alexis bitar, shut up. >> we have sandy showing us what we can do for the weekend. >> i love that we have done two

solid colors. the way to do it isle equal saturation. if you carry your weight in the lower half keep it neutral there. we have done a very thin gold pinstripe that creates verticality in the leg and we have orange in the shoe and the bag just as the soft accent color almost acts as a third color. the bag almost looks like color blocking. >> it's nicely coordinated. thank you so much. we have the day to evening look we can use in transition. it's being worn by jennifer. >> jennifer is wearing a look that'sle all color. you could wear it for a casual barbecue, that sort of thing. but when you're this small -- because jennifer is pe pete. make sure you equally define your colors visually so one doesn't take over the body. we have a shirt with two distinct colors and a little bit

of yellow in the sandals. we paired it with a jean jacket so she opportunity look overwhelm bid color, but color creates emphasis. when somebody is that small give it presence. this is a great way to do it. >> let's bring out all of the models. a lot of people watching, the colors in the season are thrilling. the issue is how do we not have the divide us up? we have been taught to create a clean line. this is different. >> the interesting thing is, again, it's where the lines hit you. on the dress as we have seen, you can create a waistline. >> thanks to our modelsmodels. meredith is joining us from cannes, hey, meredith. >> headline tomorrow, angelina jolie, jack black and dustin hoffman will be joining us. anstd weather.ne and weather.

it is 8:56 now. good morning. i'm marla tellez. well, the see as use system is considering fee hikes to deal with the state's budget crisis. the chancellor's planning to raise tuition by another 32% and shut enrollment for next spring. the increase means costs could

rise to $7,400 a semester. that's more than twice what it costs just three years ago. the board ofas until july to vote on the proposal. a look at your wednesday forecast right after the break. as a buyer for t.j.maxx, i'm not just looking for deals, i'm looking for the hottest fashion. hot -- hot, hot. i get a lot of ideas just walking around the city, checking people out. it's like a fashion show out there. then, it's all about the deal. i negotiate directly with designers...

so you get the savings. you know, the smartest fashionistas-- are really maxxinistas! t.j.maxx. let us make a maxxinista out of you. good morning to you. another gorgeous day. well, the second half of the day anyhow. little bit overcast still but a lot of clouds breaking up as we speak and by about noon today a mostly sunny sky across the bay area. should be a nice, comfortable day. 73 degrees in napa today. 67 degrees in san francisco. 73 in los gatos. rain on the way in the afternoon. up to a half an inch in the north bay. marla, back to you.

>> thanks. we'll be back at 9:26 with our next update. the "today" show continues next. i am a sneeze whisperer. i am an allergy analyst. bermuda grass. ragweed. willow. i am a dander decoder. chihuahua. i am a target pharmacist. ask me about allergy relief.

we're back now with more of "today" on a wednesday morning. it's the 11th day of may, 2011. a lot of smiling faces here in new york city on a pretty spring morning. i have to be honest. a little breezy and maybe a little bit chillier than we thought. thanks to these people for stopping by. i'm matt lauer along with natalie morales and msnbc's tamron hall. nice to have you with us. we have al not with us because he's down on flood watch along the swollen mississippi river in historic vicksburg, mississippi. we understand the worst may be yet to come for that town and

towns south of where he is as that river continues to rise. al will have the latest on that in just a couple of minutes. >> also ahead on money 911, answers to your most pressing financial questions including how to build your credit history, the strategy for paying off crushing student debt -- a lot of people can relate. our experts will have answers for you. >> okay. >> and natural remedies that some work, others may be myths. we'll separate fact that fiction, tell you which ones are surprisingly effective. for example, for ladies with pms problems, calcium supplements. do they work, not work? we'll let you know. >> come on. there are people trying to go to work. >> okay. it works! next up, with the newlywed royals on their honeymoon, the location undisclosed the spotlight is on the hot sister, pippa. she's stealing the spotlight here. we'll get the latest on all of

them. >> i thought we put the subject of pippa behind us, so to speak? >> oh, no. there are facebook pages about that. >> behind us. >>le let's go inside. ann curry is standing by at the nook with a check of the headlines. ann? >> thanks, matt. good morning, everybody. in the news the mississippi river is flooding homes, farms and casinos as it surges south of the vicksburg mississippi. workers are reinforcing levees because the river is expected to rise another four and a half feet. president obama's approval rating hit a two-year high according to a new associated press poll, 60% of americans now approve of the job the commander in chief is doing and more than half say he deserves to be re-elected. thousands of victims of natural disasters are being asked to return more than $22 million in government aid, according to the associated press. federal emergency management agency or fema people say they want the money back because it says it was distributed to people who were not eligible.

the aid packages date back to 2005 and range in size from several hundred dollars to $27,000. many reportedly due back within weeks. officials say what the white house may soon be able to increase its pressure on syrian president asad causing him to step down, they are hoping. today, u.n. secretary general ban ki moon is calling for a halt to the mass arrests and deadly force used against prodemocracy demonstrators. for the fourth time this week a passenger was dub sued mid flight. a passenger set off an alarm trying to open an emergency door on a flight from orlando to boston. witnesses report that the passenger was intoxicated. an off duty police officer helped subdue him. it may be that china has talent but these were made in the united states. the contestant busted out high

waters and her best michael jackson impression. while we might not confuse her with the king of pop she was able to get the crowd roaring. that's right. 65 years old. let's go back outside to matt, natalie and tamron. do your eyes hurt, matt? >> thank you very much, ann. let's check in with mr. roker in vicksburg, mississippi. he's been knee deep all morning, al. >> hey, matt. thanks so much. that's the mississippi river out there beyond the fences. you can't tell where the mississippi begins and the water line and the land line ends. they think by sunday the flood stage will be at 56.5 to 57.5. it will top the fence posts before this is over. a lot of this will be under water. but as we take a look, the other big story will be the heat and the risk of severe weather.

we have an upper air level high pressure ridging up. that's pushing the jet stream to the north, allowing record-breaking temperatures. temperatures anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees above normal. but it's also allowing systems to start firing up, bringing with it a lot of rain. we are starting to see a risk of severe weather, stretching from tesle all the way up into the northern plains and around that you will see we are starting to see on the radar seeing storms firing up. that means up to two inches of rain, hail and damaging winds in the risk area. good morning to you. well, another nice day on tap. 70 degrees in fremont later on. 72 in concord. 73 degrees in napa. we have overcast conditions out there this morning. the marine layer pushed back in. as a result cloud cover the first part of the day and then

climbing into the low 70s. a couple of degrees cooler than yesterday. by friday, a little bit of a bump up to 75 degrees and then the rain arrives saturday into sunday. the strongest showers will come down on sunday. ann? >> thank you so much. this morning on money 911, answers to your pressing financial questions. jean chatzky joins us along with david bach, the founder of finishrich.com and the author of "debt free for life." also joining us is sharon epperson. good morning to you all. >> good morning! >> you're ready to go. we have great questions including one on skype from kathy in massachusetts. good morning. what's your question? >> good morning. i have a son who will be a senior in college and my daughter will be a junior in college. they are both graduating without debt. however it's time for them to get a credit history going. i would like to know the best way to do it.

i know i should look for a credit card, but i'm not sure if i should go for no fee or something that has a line of credit that i put into it or what else i should be doing as a multi prong approach so they can start getting a strong credit history in their name. >> wow. first of all, congratulations to them for graduating without debt. what's your best advice? >> that's a really good question. until you're 21, under the new laws you can't get a credit card on your own unless you have income to back it up. i would suggest you add your child or children to your card as an authorized user for a year. you want to make sure they give you money to pay the bills. watch their progress, but it will build a credit history for them. they can apply for credit cards on their own. >> they are in good shape already. >> i know. lucky them. congratulations, kathy.

i bet she had something to do with it. marilyn from maine, what's your question? >> caller: unlike the caller before my son has over $80,000 in student loan debt from federal and private loans. when he graduated he had no job available when the loan payments started to come due. he does now have a job, not in the field he studied, but with benefits and the pay is not enough to support his housing cost and his loans. he's consolidated the federal loans but the private loans he didn't know how to go about doing it or if they would do it. his credit's bad. my husband and i can't help. my husband is a self-employed carpenter and it's slow going in maine and i lost my teacher income and i'm on disabilitiy now. we're struggling to help him. what advice can we give him? he's disappointed, feels he's working for nothing.

he doesn't want to go back and finish his degree. he has an associates degree because he has so much loan debt now. >> right. >> i just need to know, is there a website or some kind of program? >> i want to make sure i give david time because you need help. >> this is a real world problem. your son now -- first a website, go to finaid.org. that's probably the best site with the most information on how to pay down student loans. if he hasn't done it he needs to look into an income based repayment plan. in his situation because he's probably got a low income, no children, he's single. he should qualify for that and it should bring his payments down on the federal loans to around $100 a month. now that's a short term solution for a long-term problem. as he starts making more money, the good news is they will change the payment plan and he has to pay more. the key here now, and you

brought it up earlier. he has to get current on payments. if he doesn't make the payments he'll devastate his credit score and it will be difficult to get a new job, rent an apartment or buy something, even get a car loan. get him current on student loans. >> why would a credit score affect you get a job? >> welcome to the real world. first thing an employer does now is pull your credit score. almost as important as your gpa now. >> holy cow. obviously they are dealing with so much. what more can you suggest for the family? >> well, for the family, they should not be rating your retirement no -- raiding their retirement to help him. they should let him dig out on his own. but so many people don't tap their ability to take federal loans before digging into the private ones. you have to do it first. they are much easier to repay. >> and the income based repayment plan is key for many

students in this position. they need to look into the plan. it means you can pay what you afford at the time. for people without a job that's almost nothing so they have time. >> and paying what you can afford is better than not paying. >> we have one more question from ali in north carolina. a viewer e-mail. he said we paid off our credit card debt in november of 2010 and haven't charged anything on our cards since. we hope to never use credit cards again but we are not sure it will be a good idea. will our credit score be damaged by having open credit card accounts we are not using? should we keep the accounts open? >> definitely keep them open. you may not want to use them, but if you don't the credit card company will close them anyway. so use them a little bit. try to keep $20 or so a month on the credit cards and pay it off in full. a lot of folks want to live in a cashless society.

wouldn't it be better if we didn't use credit at all? that's not the solution. you need to build a good credit history for a loan for a car -- >> or a job. >> exactly. >> it's the thing you need, but it can be so addicting it can hurt you. >> be careful. use your cards wisely, pay them on time and use a small percentage of what you are able to. look at the credit limit and think, oh, i have a $500 credit limit. no, put $50 on it. >> keeping the card open keeps if score higher. >> so great to see you all. >> good to see you. >> great advice. thanks for helping people who need it. more coming up including the truth about natural remedies. we'll sort out from fact truth about natural remedies. we'll sort out from fact and, plus, ne honeymoon destination of william and kate. all the latest on the royals. we're not done with the story yet. after these messages.

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according to "health" magazine, 60% of americans look to the internet to find help from what ails them, but do the remedies work? dr. raj, good morning. >> good morning. >> let's get to it. there is a lot of great information on the internet. and there is stuff to be careful with and some that's not truthful. >> absolutely. >> first is women who suffer from pms. fact or myth that calcium pills they quell some of the bad symptoms? >> this is actually a fact. pms is so troublesome for so many women, but calcium supplements have been shown to work. it seems women lower in calcium that time of the month have worse symptoms, magnesium as well. taking 1200 milligrams is important. for women in general it's good for bone health. >> good for your bones and everything else. >> it's worth a try. >> next myth or fact. steam clears up sinus headaches. >> absolutely. we hear about it for young

children. we can't use a lot of other cold remedies. for adults as well, the steam is decongesting, allowing the mucus to drain. if you are having sinus problems or headaches, try a steam once or twice a day. it will have an effect. >> they say sit with the kids near the shower. >> exactly. >> next, yogurt can stop a yeast infection. >> yeah. >> that's out there. >> it is. this is a myth. you know, the idea sort of makes sense. we know that yogurt has good bacteria in it that can help ward off certain ininfections. but with yeast infections it doesn't make a difference. it doesn't work. you need to be treated with medication. >> there is no home remedy for a yeast infection. >> unfortunately not. >> go to the doctor. >> and make sure it is a yeast infection. definitely be checked by the doctor. >> not worth playing around there. myth or fact, black tea bags help cold sores disappear.

>> this one is a myth. cold sores are caused by a virus. they will go away on their own within a period of time. if you take an anti-viral medication it should shorten the length of the symptoms. it was thought the tanins in the tea may have an anti-inflammatory effect but it doesn't work. >> next is urinary tract infections. they can be painful but you hear cranberry juice can help with this. >> right. >> is this true or not? >> this is a fact actually which is great. i love to drink cranberry juice. it has anti-bacterial properties which prevents the bacteria from attaching to your urinary tract or bladder. drinking juice can shorten the severity but see your doctor for antibiotics as well. >> you should still go for the antibiotics. >> absolutely. but drinking at least a juice

with 20% pure cranberry in it. >> helps ward off the infection. >> exactly. >> last but not least, we have to make sure to tell people that going to your doctor is the bottom line. >> exactly. there is so much information on the internet. some of it is true. most of it, unfortunately, is not. it's hard to sift through what's true. so consult your doctor for a real medical issue. that's important. >> good to a certain point and then the doctor, to the doctor you go. thank you very much. >> thank you. >> up next, an update on the royals, the very latest on william and kate's honeymoon retreat and why is the world so obsessed with sister pippa? plus, flower power. florals are making a fashion comeback. se msages. hello! these are our ocean spray sparkling juice drinks in cranberry and pomegranate blueberry. they have bubbles and come in these really cool cans. it's real fruit juice, crisp sparkling water, and no added sugar. comes in diet, too. it's refreshing, tasty -- the whole family will love it.

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with kate's sister pippa, ian has the latest. >> there is a lot. >> we thought we knew everything. we now learned they are honeymooning, kate and will, in the seychelles. what details do we have? >> if you are going anywhere in the rld world, go to the seychelles. they were there in 2007, fell in love and there was a lot of speculation because her mother -- kate's mother was there scoping it out. this is one of the places they were rumored to go. 115 islands, very secluded. it will be hard to find them. i'm sure pictures will come out eventually. they always find them somewhere. >> who can resist. they visited the seychelles before. they love it. it's a natural fit. >> it means something to them and it was one of the places talked about but there were so many places talked about it was like the boy who cried wolf. okay, which one will they go to?

but this is one of the predicted spots. >> do we know how long they are vacationing? >> just a week or two. long enough. >> long enough. >> they did skirt out when no one was looking. >> everyone is talking about pip pippa. there are fan pages on facebook dedicated to her beauty, her bum. people love this girl. what's the latest? i hear she's dating and maybe will be walking down the aisle. >> actually, sources say she's very close to that. she's in a great relationship. she's worked the social ladder in england. this guy comes from a family -- his father is wealthy. >> his name is alex loudon. >> exactly. his father is a wealthy banker. she's next in line. not harry and chelsy. >> and pippa could be working for kate. >> they say she'll be the lady in waiting. kate trusts pippa. >> keep it in the family. >> good to have family around.

>> thank you very much. coming up, protecting your money when you travel. andip ernnor fwo t for busy couples after your local news and weather. are put down... woman: and everything there is to learn is learned. man: till the heroes retire and the monsters return to their dens... woman: and all the plots are wrapped up. man: till that day... boy: by hook or by crook... girl: by book or by nook... woman: i will read. leaving behind ground-in dirt and odors that vacuuming alone can't tackle. but with resolve high traffic foam, you can really see the difference. it removes three times more dirt than vacuuming alone. it also neutralizes odors at their source, so your carpets are clean and fresh every step of the way.

nothing revives carpets like resolve high traffic foam. don't just vacuum clean, resolve clean. good morning. 9:26. firefighters in concord are checking for hot spots after an abandoned business wept up in flames early this morning. now, firefighters say they arrived on scene about 3:40. this is at willow pass road east of farm bureau road. the bah toll i don't know chief says it took about an hour to get the fire under control. the good news is no one was hurt in this a look aook at the forecast and the traffic right after this.

good morning to you. still a little bit overcast out

there and fog so thick creating a dridling effect. watch out for slick conditions. especially along the bridges this morning. that is going to change heading throughout the second half of the day and losing the cloud cover. the clouds break apart. the sun will shine into. 69 degrees, more mild, towards the bay in oakland today. 67 in san francisco. 71 in san jose. we will be able to climb to about 75 degrees by friday but overall we're looking much cooler towards the weekend. if you're heading out to at&t park, tonight, it looks really good. bring a jacket. 59 degrees the first pitch thrown out. 75 by friday. and then the 60s, yeah, going to feel like winter. saturday and sunday with showers, overcast conditions and temperatures struggling to hit the mid-60s saturday and sunday. so that's a good look at the weather forecast. hopefully you have a good looking drive.

mike? >> i wanted to point out issues on the rails, also. bart with a minor delay of ten minutes. it's an issue towards the east bay. there's some earlier police activity at the mission station. keep that in mind. minor delays. the roadways that we are talking about, yeah, congested towards the bay bridge in both directions and out of the city because of earlier accidents and disabled vehicle across the span. moving well now. starting to thin. back to you. >> thanks, mike. the "today" show returns in less than a minute.

the mast is not a worthy opponent. i am ready. >> okay. so serious. [ grunts ] >> ow! i think i prefer the mast. >> the lovable kung fu panda is back and meredith is catching up with the famous voices behind the animated characters. could you recognize them? that's right. angelina jolie and jack black. meredith will catch up with them at the cannes film festival tomorrow on "today." meantime in this half hour, important advice for travelers.

>> absolutely. now that vacation season is thankfully around the corner it's important to keep an eye on your valuables, cash and identity. we'll tell you what precautions you can take before you go so you can have a worry-free vacation, as it should be. >> important information. also ahead, flower power. it's back and blooming. floral accents are everywhere from the walls to the tables to your hands or danielle's hand. incorporate the look into every facet of your life. >> also, cooking for couples. no more takeout for newlyweds. we have a couple showing you how to cook dinner into high gear with a minimum of fuss and lots of flavor. first to al on flood watch in mississippi. you have been doing a terrific job. what's the latest? >> we're doing great. unfortunately our friends in mississippi are the ones suffering, especially come this weekend.

here in vicksburg, we expect the flood stage between 56.5 and 57.5. a foot to two feet above the record. in fact, in you look back there, those fence posts, just beyond it is the mississippi. by the weekend the fence posts will be gone. you will see for today we have a risk of strong storms making their way from texas to the mid plains. rain in the pacific northwest. sunshine in the northeast. bad news for tomorrow. the risk of storms moves into the mississippi river valley which wille put more stress and heavy thunderstorms on the river. the levees downstream. that's bad news. clouds and showers in the pacific northwest. sunny and hot in the south. sunshine up and down the eastern seaboard. hot in the southeast with record-breaking temperatures. well, we have some thick fog, especially over the open water. the bridges this morning, socked

in. watch out for that. later today, the sun over the bay area and warm us up into low 70s and upper 60s. a nice second half of the wednesday. and then things start to turn south getting closer to the weekend. rain arrives, temperatures struggling to make it into the mid-60s both saturday and sunday. enjoy the sunshine and 70s for you wednesday through friday. hope you have a fantastic day. and that's your latest weather. back to you in new york. >> thanks, al. up next, what travelers need to know to protect themselves from theft, right after this. mom: we have a pretty big family.

yeah. all boys. i call them our starting five. yeah. boom! so when we go out, like the other night, we have to make sure they get enough to eat. pass these down to your brothers and make sure they get some, okay? try olive garden's new four cheese pastachettis. starting at just $9.95. folded pasta ribbons filled with italian cheeses. try them with grilled chicken breasts in a garlic cream sauce, or with grilled italian sausage starting at $9.95. plus enjoy our unlimited fresh salad and warm breadsticks. olive garden's one of the few places we can take our family where everyone's happy. olive garden. when you're here, you're family. you think i have allergies? you're sneezing. i'm allergic to you. doubtful, you love me. hey, you can't take allegra with fruit juice. what? yeah, it's on the label. really? here, there's nothing about juice on the zyrtec® label. what? labels are meant to be read. i'd be lost without you. i knew you weren't allergic to me. [ sneezes ] you know, you can't take allegra with orange juice.

both: really? fyi. [ male announcer ] get zyrtec®'s proven allergy relief and love the air®. this morning on "today's travel" financial advice in time for travelle season. when away from home it's important to watch your money, valuables and identity. two of our favorite experts are here with travel and financial advice. the features director from travel and leisure magazine and carmen juan ulrich, author "the real cost of money." we are just nearing vacation season. carmen, the first thing people wonder, what credit cards do we take? >> don't take them all. take absolutely what you need. look at your cards and the plans they have in terms of what are the foreign transaction fees. that's important. they can run from 2% to 4%.

be careful about travel insurance. a lot of cards have extra travel insurance baked in which is fantastic. if your card doesn't have that you can call them up, which i just did, for one month for a small fee like $14.95 get extra travel insurance. >> what do you get? >> rental cars, tours, more purchase protection. sometimes even medical as well. >> really? you have an interesting insight on debit cards. you say don't take them. >> please. i'm not a fan of debit cards. currency conversion, this is your cash we are talking about. i know a guy in jamaica, went to buy a t-shirt, $35 u.s., $2,000 jamaican. the vendor put it through as $2,000 u.s. he signed for it and the bank ruled in the vendor's favor and his checks all bounced. when shopping, if you have trouble with credit cards, discipline yourself.

the danger is your cash will disappear. >> they say, come back to jamaica. what about using the atm? i'm leery of them abroad. >> it's important to use them because it's convenient. be careful of skimmers. >> skimmers? >> it's a card reader. if you see anything that looks shady, use one at a bank. make sure everything is solidly in place so they are not able to read your card and there are transaction charges that are certainly going to be levied on top of that. it's not free money. >> what about the fact that you have to perhaps call the credit card company to let them know you're abroad or out of town. >> use your phone before you go. call the card companies so when you want to make a purchase they don't turn you down. they can also be aware of charges you will be making to be aware of fraud. >> you say to photocopy important documents. >> have photocopies of your passport, your credit cards and the contents of the wallet. >> do you leave this behind or

keep it with you? >> keep a copy with you in a different piece of luggage and keep a copy at home or with a family member or friend so you have access to it. >> i like to e-mail those. there are things like drop box which is a mobile storage unit in the clouds basically. e-mail those to yourself and you always have access to them. >> i can't help but notice the cash on the table. you tell the story of the guy with the t-shirt. how do you decide whether to use cash or credit acard? >> if you feel uncomfortable and especially if you see a carbon copy credit card machine where you slide it through, way too easy to copy credit card information. i recommend if you are with street vendors, use cash when you can. >> what about your tip on pickpockets? >> i don't take my wallet out. >> how do you pay for anything? >> basically a different bag or a ziploc bag with essentials.

i like a form of i.d. and your health insurance card and cash tucked deep inside a zippered pocket. less easy to grab. >> keep your receipts? >> i'm nerdy about that. these are japanese receipts. when you get home you don't know what you bought. these are in yen. so the key is to jot down when you're paying for something what it was, how much it was. when you reconcile the charges you can tell quickly if there is an error. >> do you use the safe? >> yes, absolutely use the safe. put everything you can in it. ipad, valuables. again, if you are leaving you don't want to carry the passport. be careful what you put in the safe and be aware with the hotel key to not leave your hotel key at the front desk. >> thank you so much. great advice. up next, the trendiest floral meok.ages fo messages. ok, allie's spelling bee is monday... sounds like a mini-wheats day to me! and becka's science fair is on the 8th. she's presenting the solar system.

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this morning on "today's style" the power of flowers. whether you use them to decorate your room or your feet, flowers are blooming everywhere you look. danielle is here with all the different ways florals are making a comeback. good morning. >> good morning. >> feels like spring. >> april showers brought may flowers. it sure brought a lot of them. daily candy sifted through the flowers -- roses, peonies and they are in unexpected places like on your desk. this is a tulip usb hub. all the junk you have to plug into your computer to charge your devices. keep it organized and cute. even if you have a rotten day ahead, put tulips on your desk to feel better. >> great idea. >> fun and cheery. >> and great watches. >> we found flowers on watches. this reminds us of childhood in

the most delight fful, fun way. put this on for work and you won't be late. this is from a designer called may 28. the site is supermarket hq. they have neat direct fromle small designer projects. it's $39. when you're running late, you get a little spring. >> and you can wear it with every outfit. >> in the most somber business apart show your flower watch. >> i love these. >> head to toe. these are from urban outfitters. with the dreary winter we have had, pop these on and run around. they are just a little bit of sunshine. even if it's gray you still have the garden right there. >> exactly. right at your feet. >> a good gift, too. for moms, daughters, graduates. this is good to pack in the purse when you want to do errands. it's great. >> speaking of packing these are my vacation earrings. they are $24 from curiosity shop

online and they are vintage lucite. the designer finds old things to make them new. >> pretty. >> these are lucite pieces from the 40s and 50s she fashioned into new earrings. so you can wear them on vacation and not worry about your precious jewels. >> there you go. and the gorgeous rings. >> these show us that flowers can be chic, elegant and these are made by hand by kenyan women in a nairobi initiative that builds community projects. all the proceeds go back. they are $28 at the travelers collection. goods from around the world. you're helping. >> and you get something that says where your money is going. >> exactly. >> great gift, too. >> absolutely. >> speaking of gifts, uh hate to have all the wrapping paper i throw out the minute i open one. >> my husband yells at me

because i make people save wrapping paper. but you feel bad. we are borrowing the ancient art of fabric gift wrapping. these floral wrappings are $18 at pink olive and it's part of the gift. they can use it as a towel or wrap it in this and say the wrap wasn't part of the gift, give it back. >> you can just pass it along. >> it's a nice way and the ultimate in recycling. >> for the home, you've got to incorporate flowers in the home. >> aren't these fun now that summer and outdoor entertaining are here? these are melamine, super sturdy. $33 for the set. they come in yellow or red. we mixed them up because we go crazy like that. >> so wild and crazy. >> and, you know, you can separate them and use them for different things. >> good for servinging.

danielle, you find the greatest stuff. thank you. >> thanks so much. >> up next, newlywed cooks whip up an easy dinner for two. first, this is "today" on nbc.

t ♪ love and marriage ♪ love and marriage >> this morning in "today's kitchen," what's for dinner? easy seafood succotash. first comes love, then marriage and then gourmet cooking in your own kitchen. james and brooke are married and authors of "just married & cooking." let's talk about your story. you met a long time ago when you were just 10 years old. >> we met at church camp. >> and you didn't see each other for a long time. you went to a dance with his friend. >> at 10 she had no interest in me. luckily time wore on. >> he became a fabulous chef and

i was interested. >> that's what it took. >> you learned from early on that cooking was a way to a girl's heart? >> that was one of the things that sucked me in as a teenager working in kitchens. all the girls in high school were impressed that i could cook. they wanted me to cook for them. i thought maybe it was something worth pursuing. >> lessons to all men watching. also for you, brooke. now that you have a child together, a new little girl, she's 2 years old. a lot of times early in the marriage it's tough to have time with each other. >> if we weren't in the kitchen together it would be rough. we get in there together. four hands are quicker than two and we have a hot fresh meal on the table every night. >> you're adding good things. >> this is a great quick and simple meals. succotash is farmer's market. whatever you have around works. corn and peas or beans are an

important part. okra if it's available is wonderful. zucchini, tomatoes, whatever good fresh ingredients you can find at the farmer's market can go into the pot. >> are you adding salt, pepper, garlic? >> yep. we have shallots in there already. >> okay. >> we'll let those saute together, get tender. >> and these have sauteed a little bit. we can go ahead and add tomatoes. >> now, that is pretty. >> it's beautiful. >> love the color. >> fresh dill. lemon juice. >> dill is unusual but it has the greatest flavor in here. when the lemon and butter come together. then we have tons of great seafood. >> if you want to make it hertier, add fwul of seafood. we're from the gulf coast so we support gulf seafood. scallops, lobster. it's a down home dish with a fancy finish. >> you can put in all of them or one. if you want just crab, just

lobster, just shrimp. >> the seafood is precooked? >> it is. because we are adding ones with different cooking times it ease easier. if it's just shrimp, throw it in raw and let them cook up. >> you just serve it with rice or something? >> a simple side. with all of the seafood in there it can be its own maeal or it'sa great side dish without the fish in it. >> great for barbecues with memorial day coming up. >> and we like to have our treats before incident. you have great things to offer. >> these are awesome after-work apps. >> look at him! >> he gets in there. we have blue cheese apple walnut dip and feta tapenade. i love salty things. this is sun-dried tomatoes. >> hey, girls. you may want this.

white wine margarita. >> ooh! >> now we're talking. >> mm. >> thank you. >> we created these. i love all the real housewives. >> james and brooke, thank you so much. ucgo ln od i mkuraryoriage and with cooking. [ woman ] everybody's looking for deals these days, and i'm not talking about saving a dollar off shampoo or two-for-one tacos or something. i'm talking about paying less -- every month. like this deal. [ female announcer ] call today and get the fastest internet for the price -- an amazing $14.95 a month for 12 months

with a one-year price guarantee. plus get access to the entire at&t national wi-fi network at no extra cost. [ woman ] with at&t, i'm surfing at hot spots all over town. ♪ i'm downloading music fast. and watching videos. cute! and the price is great. [ female announcer ] call at&t today and get the fastest internet for the price -- an amazing $14.95 a month for 12 months with a one-year price guarantee. plus get access to the entire at&t national wi-fi network at no extra cost. [ woman ] i went looking for a deal, and at&t delivered. now, i just need to curb the shoe shopping. ♪ good morning. it's 9:56. the family of injured giants fan brian stowe is speaking to nbc

bay area. they say the 42-year-old father of two is in a coma in a hospital but he could be brought closer the home soon. doctors say he is stable enough to be transferred to the medical center at uc san francisco. his sister says while the seizures stopped, the injury is still tough to deal with. >> for me today is a rough day. even though he's going in the direction we want and there's not been any brain seizures but it's still really hard to look at my older brother laying there and just looking for any sign that he could hear us so i'm -- it gets hard. >> stowe's family says he is getting great care at usc medical center. sort of a gloomy start to the wednesday but christina says it will brighten up. good morning. >> good morning. yeah, the marine layer pushes in and you have to wait until about

noon before the sun breaks out. today it breaks out earlier than that and by 4:00 p.m. the temperature should climb into the 70s. 72 degrees today in concord. 67 for san francisco. and then we're going to bump up the numbers for your friday. tomorrow staying pretty level with another round of coastal fog pushing inland. 75 for friday. 67, a round of rain moves in on saturday. first a light round late saturday and then sunday a little bit more precipitation on the way. heavier rain clearing by sunday. >> so we'll look at the maze and the approach. minor delays into the east bay on the bart. slowing down the east shore freeway still but things are better than half an hour ago. you see movement in the fast track lanes. san mat owe with the haze there, marla. back to you. >> thanks, mike. the "today" show returns in about a minute. we'll be back at 10:26.

from nbc news, this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotbe live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> it's may 11 and all is well in the world. >> yes. and last night is so exciting. >> it's too late for me. >> it's still online. this is the second round. i thought it was going peter a

little bit. in the first round the judges can't see the singers. so i thought how are they going to make this any better or more exciting. they had something called the battle rounds where each judge has two picks go head to head in a rink -- >> a duet? >> they have to judge. the judge has to pick between their own two people. >> and the other is eliminated? >> the other was cut. >> and they made that decision? >> only for four. if you missed it -- and how could you have? >> let's recap a little bit, shall we? ♪

♪ >> so who was eliminated? see this girl right here? the other girl? those two were in a face-off. i like what blake said. he said you've made a big mistake in your life. pitting two of your top people head to head against one of each other so you had to kick one out. >> everybody else looked like they were darn good as well. >> they were but these two were over the top. that girl made it. in the duet.

frenchie from idol, she made it. that was so close. i might have picked the other girl. >> you can't tell who is singing what riff at times. >> the bow tie. >> he didn't win. i have to tell you they each sang a little bit solo so you could tell the difference. >> wow, the irony. do you let the other person see what you are doing in rehearsal? >> or do you step on them when you are out there. >> frankie said save it for the field. >> i think that's what they did. >> so the other ones, it will be another scene like this. >> i haven't seen you like this since the bachelor. this is exciting. >> we are going to make it more thrilling. we want to do our own version of the voice on this program. at the end of this -- look at you turning.

i'm so excited. at the end of this, we're going to tell you about this. the winner of this whole contest gets to go and watch "the voice" in la while it is happening live. >> the final. >> the final. >> the final. so we're going to start tomorrow through wednesday. no longer than two minutes including your introduction. >> no music. >> and then what happens? >> then we will narrow it down it gets complicated in the end. just send in your videos. i can't wait. we're going to turn chairs around and see the person. >> this is so exciting. i love to see her child like delight. >> it came out eyet.

consumer reports rated the top diets. >> they judged it on a lot of things. >> how easy it is, nutrition al content. number five is atkins which is high fat, high protein diet andornish. four was the zone. three was weight watchers. number two, slim-fast with the shakes. >> that's how i lost my weight after cody. >> that's the one with the one meal and two shakes. >> there were little bars and things. >> and jenny craig, of all of the diets, that is number one. >> i have friends on jenny craig and they say it is the easiest thing in the world and it works like that. >> i think it does depend on

your body. i think atkins worked really well for some people because they eat a lot of carbs. >> what would happen to you if you gave up sweets? >> i would shoot myself. it would not matter. >> all right. there is another controversy. many of you chimed in about the breast-feeding baby. >> do you remember that, what we did yesterday? the little baby doll that is for 7-year-olds from spain. and it teaches children how to breast-feed. >> it doesn't teach them. you play act. >> i thought everybody was going to be freaking out but everyone thought it was a great idea to have the -- >> it's play. it's just pretend. hopefully you are a mommy and some day you fieeed your child. children who are breast-fed for

five months have less behavioral problems when they go to school. nobody should be judged for not doing it but you should look at the benefits. another thing that is controversial. >> you guys have heard of the sketcher shape-ups. >> supposed to tone your behind. and calves. >> now they have them for girls as young as seven. is it okay to talk about toning your behind and legs and thighs when you are talking about girls as young as 7. >> when kids are overweight and you know the statistics, it is an issue that we have to find solutions for. >> it is about semantics. you want a kid to work out. if you use the word tone and diet and all those things, they are grown up terms that shouldn't be for kids.

>> the age is from 6 to 19. you don't want to create a lot of the kids are already sensing that they somehow don't measure up. if these work, there is benefit. send them out to play. >> probably more importantly, i think kids look at their moms and if their moms are saying does my butt look big, how do i look, that is why you hear kids talk about dieting as young as 7, 8, 9. >> the best way to raise your kids is by them watching you. if you are eating your vegeta e vegetables, then they -- >> they can only eat what you give them. >> they leave your home, too. kids will do that. >> look at these. these are creepy a little. >> i'm not crazy about these.

monster high dolls. >> there is such a craze about warewolves and vampires. >> it is more than that. >> these are monster girls. children of monsters and they have lives and feelings, too. >> look at their pumps and short dresses. >> and they are all sluts. there is no hiedi monster. no cabbage patch. they are all very, very skinny. no fat. >> i think they are touting this as freaky is fabulous so be unique and be yourself. but that's not the message i am getting. >> they are going to have their own website and own tv show. >> we have heard that. anyway. >> there is also a very special day around here. not only is it winesday but today is the day we will honor veto.

>> he loves to watch kathie lee dance. he stands in the other room and yells. so he sent us a care package. veto send vino. >> all right, i need it. crank it. >> i can hear veto going go baby! >> we are going to have to meet him some day. >> he did send a picture. >> that's right. he was adorable. >> but all of him. i would like to see all of veto. >> if you are wondering where the top cities where guys are this summer. if you are on the hunt and want to know where to find them, we have the answer. number three, miami. yes, that's where they are

hanging out. apparently they like the sophistication. >> the weather is wonderful. and buenos aires puts new york to sleep. mega clubs and parties. how do people get up and work in the morning if they party until 7:00 a.m. >> i don't know. >> number one is barcelona. major water sports, drinking and dancing is a way of life. it's part of their culture. don't judge. it's a lot of fun. >> we would like to wish a get well to our favorite t.d. he had an accident but he is okay. >> pretty serious car accident. >> he is such a great guy. he's the guy who makes our show happen every day. >> if it is ever seamless it is because of him. >> and if it is ever not it is because he is home sick. >> we wish you a speedy

recovery. what else do we have hoda? >> we have something else to show. it is very, very important. >> we have 22 more minutes to get it in or we lose it. >> it is cute and cuddly, lovie do dovey. >> let's show it. let's roll it. >> it's not rolling. >> you know why? bill's not here. he's not here and this is what happens. maybe we can find it and get it together. >> i doubt it. >> doesn't sound like it's going to happen. >> oh well. >> if you want to get in shape for this summer. >> jillian michaels shows you how to get physically and emotionally on track.

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more than 8 million viewers tune in every week to watch jillian michaels trands form the lives and bodies of people on the biggest loser. >> behind the scenes she is building their inner strength and self-confidence. she has a new book, "unlimited -- how to build an exceptional life". >> so nice to have you back. >> i wanted to impress you. i saved my best dress on my new york trip for you guys. >> a lot of people get the weight loss books and they give you the abcs and you say it goes

beyond that. >> when you look at changing your life it is not just about congressman ticks. we can talk about calories and crunches. >> is food usually just a substitute for something else in your life that you don't have and desperately long for? like a glass of red wine? >> i was so excited. it's winesday. >> where is mine? >> i was like am i going to get a cocktail? i am excited about this. >> anybody who asks receives. take a little sip. >> look how she drinks. >> fabulous. >> is that a cab? i'm going to waste my whole segment getting drunk. >> is it a substitute for something else? we need food but we don't need all of it. >> when you are morbidly obese it is always a coping mechanism for some kind of deeper issue.

what are you really hungry for. you know that cliche, it's not what you're eating it's what is eating you. you have got to get to the bottom of that. >> think about what you want, how to achieve it and all of these things. but make it a practical thing for people. they don't know how to do that. does your book help them do that? >> so many self-help books tell you what to achieve. don't beat yourself up any more. >> but they don'tle the you how. >> how do i love myself more. how do i boost my self-esteem and image. i show you what i have done with clients and contestants to allow them to -- i'm already drunk. i'm slipping. >> this was you at one point. we think that you have always been this fit and together in your life. >> look at my before picture. >> that's my skinny fat picture. you got the skinnier one.

>> oh deer. >> how much did you weigh? >> about 170 pounds there. i was 5 foot tall and 12 years old. >> my mom got me into physical activity. she decided i needed an outlet to be social and build my confidence. she also had me in therapy at a young age. she is an analyst. >> how convenient. >> thank god. i learned all the stuff in the book through example and through doing my own work physically and emotionally. >> you are creating other issues in the process are. >> she didn't make it an issue. she allowed me to get into an activity. find their thing. and then support them and encourage them. so it's not about their weight.

it's about doing something that they love. >> a lot of people were saddened to hear that you will be leaving "the biggest loser." you're moving on to another show, the doctors. and you're going to work with dr. phil. tell us why? >> i have enjoyed being on "the biggest loser." but there comes a time when you feel like you are not growing any more. but i have been given this incredible international platform to get the message out and the doctors allows me to broaden that conversation, have a direct relationship with the audience and spend more time putting information into the world that they can utilize to make the changes they want. >> so you are happy with your decision. good for you. >> wish you great luck with that and everything. >> come back when it's all put together and you are doing it, come see us. >> and have your mom come in the studio. >> she is a pistol. >> she gave birth to a beautiful

girl. god bless you. our resident nutritionist shares the keys to weight loss success that helped others slim down. > we're talking about os that make you think twice after this.

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we're back with one of our favorite segments we call what the what. >> michelle is here with her top picks. >> there couldn't be better words. our first photo. do you have to rsvp? >> private party? >> in the popper. >> oh gosh. >> next is sent in from springdeal, california. what is the fruit called again? on the tip of my tongue. >> yellow fruit. >> what in the world? >> are you serious? >> they didn't want to conform. >> it probably didn't fit across all the way. >> so they went with three words? >> three short worts. >> that is silly. >> bruce from maine sent us tis photo. my nephew found himself alone on

the playground and found an interesting replacement. >> i wonder how long he stayed on. >> good thing he doesn't have a chihuahua. >> true. >> next up, wendy sent us this photo. do you think there is a timer? >> i hope not. >> it's called wait until you go home. >> or go to the hospital if you have got to be in the bathroom that long. you have a much deeper problem. >> okay. finally a photo from ohio. >> i love her. >> my son took this photo. boy they start young these dayso s precious. >> look at that fat little fist. his family knows what to expect. hun, mike's coming -- let's get crackin'. [ male announcer ] but what mike rowe doesn't know is that his parents have armed themselves with unquilted viva® towels. place looks great. [ male announcer ] mike doesn't know that every concentrated viva roll is made of strong, fiber packed sheets,

making it one tough towel. but his mom sure does. wow, for me? you shouldn't have. i insist. [ male announcer ] hey, if viva can handle mike rowe's mess, just think what it can do in your home. grab a roll for yourself and grasp the unquilted difference. . sleep tight. regenerist, from olay. you think i have allergies? you're sneezing. i'm allergic to you. doubtful, you love me. hey, you can't take allegra with fruit juice. what? yeah, it's on the label. really? here, there's nothing about juice on the zyrtec® label. what? labels are meant to be read.

i'd be lost without you. i knew you weren't allergic to me. [ sneezes ] you know, you can't take allegra with orange juice. both: really? fyi. [ male announcer ] get zyrtec®'s proven allergy relief hello. good morning. 10:26. i'm marla tellez. santa clara county is holding owners of dangerous dogs accountable for the dog's actions. the board of supervisors approved a measure to give authority to the animal care and control department to label dogs as potentially dangerous and requires anyone walking the dogs must be at least 18 years old, capable of controlling it and have increased liability insurance. critics say the board should not target a particular breed but increase education and training instead. a state judge is asking pg &

e to perform measure tests on 700 miles of pipeline. the commission ruled the utility must perform the test to rebuild trust in the safety operations. reports show it could take five years to complete. cost $350 million. and cause more customer inconvenience. it comes as they began testing 152 miles of pipelines eayro areis the bay aa a thre week. a look at your forecast and the roads right after this. th

good wednesday morning to you. another gorgeous day but we have to wait for the sun to completely break through the overcast skies we have right now. starting to thin out. 72 degrees this afternoon in concord. the temperatures climb a little bit into friday and then drop off significantly for your weekend. rain arrives on saturday. more rain for sunday. clearing monday. tuesday starts the next warming trend. check the drive with mike. >> all right. nice drive right now. finally relief for the bridge and only the approach 19-minute drive to the bay bridge toll plaza. a backup back underneath the 880 overcrossing. easing off of the transition toward that span and both directions. another live look out there shows you oakland. very much lighter over the last hour seen things clog up and start to clear over the last 15

minutes and then crossing to the other side, a beautiful view and moving the cones. back to you. >> thank you, mike. thank you for being with us today. the "today" show continues next. have a great day. help me out. she's qualified for the segment, because she too is pregnant, due in december, right? >> yes, i am. >> let's go across the street. >> these folks are from boca raton. which tv mom gave birth on the same day in real life and on the tv show, lucille ball,

joanneakerns, courtney cox or meredith baxter. >> lucille ball. >> good for you. >> he got that one quickly. >> 1953 she gave birth on screen to little ricky, of course and in real life dezi arnaz junior and they ended up playing together. >> they ended up being friends. >> excuse me, lady from louisiana, the brady bunch household did not have a toilet, true or false? >> true. >> how do you know that? good for you. >> i do distinctly remember marsha and jan brushing their teeth in a sink. >> but we never saw the toilet. the popular joke was they were so wholesome they never went to

the bathroom. sen they did not want a toilet showing on national television. >> them sleeping in the same bed was a big deal. >> that was relatively ground breaking, although they were not the first tv couple to be shown sleeping in the same bed. >> this lovely lady is from baltimore. she wanted an easy question. which actress was asked to gain weight to play her tv mom character, shirley jones, on the part ridge family, edie falco or patricia heaton from the middle. >> three. >> no. >> the correct answer was edie falco. >> she cannot cook a lick was asked to gain weight. >> how much did she have to gain? >> what did happen, she was doing a play in london it stressed her out so much she

lost weight and the creator said you'll have to pack on the pounds, she said, bring on ice cream. >> i love that. back across. >> this lady is very upset she didn't win the $100 and got my cd. i will deal with you later. you're from ontario. true or false, estelle getty was a year younger than her character? that's true. >> good for you. >> i didn't know there was a year between the two of them. she was almost a year younger than bee arthur. rue mcclanahan she would get up said because in her 60s playing a 70 dwrld. >> which tv mom's character has been on television the longest, louis grif fin, marge simpson or roseanne barr. >> marge simpson. >> did she get or did she know?

>> marge has been in every episode of the simpsons since the show debuted in 1989. to celebrate their 20th anniversary, she famously posed tore "playboy." >> congratulations on the little one. >> coming up next, access hollywood live makes a temporary move from the west coast and guess who's with us, our good friend, billy bush. he'll be with us right after this. as part of my daily routine anymore. my doctor showed me the novolog mix 70/30 flexpen. flexpen is discreet and comes pre-filled with my insulin. flexpen goes with me and doesn't need refrigeration. and it's covered by most insurance. if you're still using a vial and syringe, ask your healthcare provider about the benefits of flexpen. flexpen is a discreet, pre-filled, dial-a-dose insulin pen. you can dial the exact dose of insulin you need. and inject insulin by pressing a button. novolog mix 70/30 is an insulin used to control high blood sugar

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>> r. billy bush has had access to the greatest stories in hollywood. >> and then he joined us and went daytime with access hollywood live which he brought to new york for a few days this week and couldn't pass up an opportunity to hang with the broads. >> looking so good, both of you. >> every other woman on tv is just sad. >> we wanted you to feel at home.

your thin man. what's in this? >> this is tequila -- >> what makes it skinny, then? >> that's good. >> it's got to be fun. >> the salt makes you bloat a little, doesn't it? >> i don't usually do the salt on the rim. you guys free lanced that. a little tequila, lime juice and agave. very light and good. >> welcome to new york, sweetheart. >> that is really good. >> your show is doing very well. >> access hollywood live. who knew. in many markets we follow you guys. thank heavens you guys are kicking it so strong. >> we are thrilled you brought that up. >> most people are too drunk to change the channel. >> can't find the remote, stay for me. >> there seems to be a theme of similarities between what we do first and what shows up on your

show. >> would you like stories. >> would you like truth? >> i have been ambushed. here we go. >> i walked by a tv and i looked up and it looked like our show. >> they have like the same desk. >> it's clear like ours. >> like the flowers in front. >> just like ours. we have three. >> hi! >> how are you guys? >> thunder from down under. >> they have our guests. >> you have our very same guests. >> hey, baby. >> and then look. now this. >> who looks better. >> let's come up. >> right leg. >> we will give him that one. >> here is when we know, when they start reaching for a glass,

when they start drinking. >> they wouldn't. >> if they dare -- don't touch our boozing. that's just wrong. i saw them. >> what is your reaction to that big bush? >> i'm sorry. great minds think alike. reminds me of cheating off this one kid. i had to. >> the royal wedding. >> we beat the view at the royal wedding. i love taking the show on the road. as soon as i am done here i am going to run out and do it. i love taking the show out. i love the fact that we can talk. i have got ten years of experience doing this. i have a story with every celebrity in the world.

i went out voting with donald trump. i can pull it out and talk about it. and then i choose a -- >> you do it well because you don't make people feel like you are talking about yourself. you know what i'm saying? that's the fine line you have to walk. we are just trying to show you a timp different aspect of what this person is like. >> morning tv has been great because it gives you a chance to tell a story, have fun, but there are -- it's a nice place to be. a nice party. >> and you are live. >> and your co-host is sweet. >> she is a nut. >> but that's what you need at that time of the day. >> there are diva qualities in a lot of famous tv people. they have them. she has not a diva bone in her body. >> she checks her ego at the door. >> if there is no make up there, she does her own. >> was chemistry instant with

you? >> yeah. she is a great mom, adorable kids. >> you share the same values. speaking of family, you had a big night. congratulations to your dad. >> his 80th birthday party. there we are. my wife, me, my mom, dad, and we went dinner and dancing. >> how long have they been married? >> 45 years. >> he's frank's age. and those two guys look fantastic. >> great shape and not afraid to work the dance floor. he is a great dancer so we had a blast. >> we love when you come to see us. >> congratulations. >> thank you. thank you for giving us the lift when we started. >> we are happy to have helped. >> we are here for you. >> we got things that lift us. >> still looking for the key to losing weight? our viewers tricks are next.

>> i had her on yesterday. [ female announcer ] when you use cottonelle fresh flushable moist wipes every day you get so hooked you'll want to pass it on to a friend. go to getfreshwithafriend.com. tell a friend about fresh and you'll both get a cottonelle fresh reward. so fresh is always at your fingertips.

and you'll both get a cottonelle fresh reward. delicious gourmet of gravy. and she agrees. with fancy fest gravy lovers, your cat can enjoy the delicious, satisfying taste of gourmet gravy every day. fancy feast, the best ingredient is love.

>> we talked to our own joy bower almost every week about losing weight and eating healthy. >> this time we're going to do something different. we turned to you for your diet tricks and the ones you use. and now joy is here to share those with everybody else. >> and lots of response. >> i asked our viewers to send me their most effective clever tips. we got hundreds of awesome responses. >> of course we did. >> let's go to our first. hey, billy ann. >> hi. >> what's your tip. >> sorry? >> i said hello, how are you guys? >> give us your tip. >> my tip is to go online and search the restaurant ahead of time to look for the best low

cal, low fat maleeals. a lot of times salads look helty and they are not. i will put a cheat sheet on my phone. >> cool. >> i love this idea. a lot of people do really well with food at home and get to restaurants and all tripped up. >> and you are temperatured. >> a lot of them now have the calories online. when you get to the restaurant there is no anxiety. try to keep the restaurant meals under 600 calories. >> this is an e-mail. i put ten stretchy bracelets on my right wrist and i move one over for each serving of fruits or vegetables. >> i love any tip that edge courages more jewelry. if you eat ten servings because of fiber and volume it is not likely that you will be able to

eat too much later in the day. >> that is more than required. >> the more the better and ten bracelets. >> we have another skype caller. kathy, what's your tip. >> good morning. my tip is simply to switch plates. i use a large dinner plate for my salad and veggies for the rest of my meal. >> we have heard before to serve on smaller plates. in this case you use what you have. load up the large dinner plate with the non-starchy vegetables and your salad plate gets the meet and starch. >> i keep homemade mads prepared in the freezer. if i don't have time to cook, i take a meal out and pop knit the

microwave. >> that is amazing. the main reason people eat out is because we are exhausted at the end of the day. >> i like this. let's do this more. >> we have so many of them. >> we should point out that joy is here with us for two reasons. her mom and dad are here. >> happy anniversary. >> they are the cutest. >> love you mom and dad. >> so cute. >> up next, snacks your kids will love to make.

>> in today's kitchen we're getting saucy with kids in the kitchen. >> and when they help you in the creating process, they are more bound to eat what you have cooked. holly is the nutrition editor at

my recipes.com. >> congratulations. thank you. thank you. cooking with kids. this is perfect. i am already practicing. she is going go ahead and let us start making yogurt faces. she has gotten started. >> what do you do? >> i am using greek yogurt. there is a lot of extra pro teen. so you can use plain or vanilla. whatever your child prefers. this is a fun way to take breakfast to the neck level. >> smiley faces and fruit. cute. >> i like the one with the hair. she is adorable. looks like hoda. >> is that hoda or kathie lee that you're making? >> a blond. >> this is the perfect age to practice working on recipes, food groups, reading.

nina is six. my recipes, we love to say play with your food. so much fun. bringing your child into the kitchen. >> in they go. >> bringing your child into the kitchen and making the simple recipes. it's a whole wheat pita with low fat cheese and this let's them experiment. that let's them want to experiment with more food. >> in the broiler or toaster oven? >> bake it about 10 minutes at 400. you can put it under the broiler. summer vegetables are coming into abundance. so fresh and easy. look how beautiful that is. >> that is genius. >> what do you like? >> pineapple and ham. >> you like mushrooms. you don't meet girls who like mushrooms so much. >> she is doing a great job.

>> and fresh summer low in calories. another very easy treat, marina is 13. that's the perfect age to let them make easy recipes. we made a simple smoothy with yogurt, strawberries and orange juice and we will freeze them. then you unwrap your pop sickle and you are ready to go. very simple smoothie pops. if you have a favorite flavor fruit. would you like to try one? >> very nice. >> sweet. >> where did you find these wonderful kids? >> naya is a friend of someone who works here on staff. the other two are friends at myrecipes.com. they have done such an amazing job. >> thank you all. happy cooking, everybody. >> we are going have fun. >> the japanese singing sensation known as the asian

hannah montana. >> and we have something for anybody who has ever been a bridesmaid. you know who you are. >> have an awesome wednesday winesday. we are going go see sister act. >> tomorrow is thirsty thursday.