you can see how massive it is. it's burning for just over an hour. >> thanks for joining us. good morning. stunning scandal. 34 nuclear missile launch officers stripped of their security clearances for cheating on performance exams. did their actions put lives in danger? breaking overnight, tragedy in indiana. three people dead following a late-night shooting inside a grocery store. the nominees are -- "american hustle" leads this morning's oscar nominations with ten, including best picture, best director and all four acting categories. complete coverage of the actors and movies who did and did not make the cut. and cry baby. [ screaming ] this online prank video has 20

million hits in less than two days. and the guys behind it have brought their terrifying baby to our studio today, thursday, january 16th, 2014. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today." with matt lauer and savannah guthrie live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> and welcome to "today" on an oscar morning. 7:00 a.m. on the west coast. good morning, i'm savannah guthrie. >> congratulations on your nomination. matt lauer alongside al roker and natalie morales. one of the other stories we'll be talking about is an advancing of the story we brought you yesterday. this is great. it's touching people around the world. a sister letting her twin take her spot on team usa headed to sochi for the olympics. and tracy and lanny barnes are both with us live to talk about what really is a remarkable sacrifice. right to today's top story, the biggest cheating scandal in air force history.

this is tied to officers who work every day with nuclear missiles. and the key tests they must pass to hold their jobs. nbc's jim miklaszewski has the story from the pentagon. jim, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. their jobs in the military could not be more critical. after all, they're the ones who have their fingers on the nuclear triggers. now, 34 of those nuclear missile launch officers are being investigated for possible cheating on an exam. these are the very proficiency exams that they have to take every month to prove that they're up to the job. according to air force officials, at least one of these nuclear launch officers is accused of taking the results, the answers to the questions in an upcoming exam and distributing those to more than three dozen other officers at the air force base in montana. these are not the only recent problems that the air force has had.

recently they had to fire a general for a drunken episode inside moscow. this cheating exam itself was only uncovered because the air force was already investigating these missile launch officers for illegal drug possession, savannah. >> plot thickens. jim miklaszewski at the pentagon, i know you'll keep following it, thank you. on a much lighter note, another big story, the nominations for the 86th academy acards. and natalie's got the breakdown on that. >> that's right. the top contenders are a con man caper and a sci-fi thriller and of course a lot of attention also being paid to the movies that didn't make the list. >> do you copy? >> reporter: the high-tech spectacle of "gravity" wowed the academy, earning the science fiction movie ten nominations including best picture. >> i believe that you should treat people the way that you want to be treated. didn't you just say that? >> while the con artist of "american hustle" also charmed their way into the hearts of voters with ten nominations including best picture and nods

in each of the acting categories for christian bale, amy adams, bradley cooper and jennifer lawrence. >> thank god for me. >> reporter: going for back-to-back oscars after her win last year. the cast and director of "12 years a slave" will be vying for awards in all of the six top categories including a newcomer for best supporting actress. >> i stink so much i make myself gag! >> reporter: the 30-year-old scored a nomination for her first hollywood role. >> he was a drunk. >> reporter: while it took 55 years of acting on broadway and in the movies for 84-year-old june squib to get her first oscar nod. >> enjoy your life. you've only got one. >> reporter: first-time nominees matthew mcconaughey will be up against three-time nominee leonardo dicaprio, christian bale and bruce dern earning his first nom thags since 1979. >> who are you? >> reporter: meryl streep scored her 18 nominations in 5

different decades in a crowded best actress category featuring women who have all been nominated in the past. cate blanchett, sandra bullock, judy dench and amy adams. >> don't forget about my money. >> reporter: for the second time in three years, jonah hill will be vying for best supporting actor. this time against bradley cooper and three first-time nominees, golden globe winner jared leto, michael fastbender from "12 years a slave" and "captain phillips." >> look at me. i'm the captain now. >> fantastic group of movies. no clear-cut favorites in terms of the awards -- or the nominations widely dispersed. >> fun to watch. meantime, the other top stories this morning. >> i do. in the news, the justice department considering new rules that would bar federal agents from launching investigations based on a person's religion or country of origin. now, these potential changes under consideration would also apply to terrorism cases.

muslim groups have long accused federal agents of singling them out for no reason other than their religion. a law enforcement official says these new rules would greatly expand the ban on racial profiling. new details this morning about a deadly shooting wednesday night inside an indiana supermarket. police say a man armed with a gun and a knife entered the store in elkhart, indiana, and killed two women. one was a store employee, the other a customer. officers then shot and killed the suspect. a brush fire is burning out of control near los angeles this morning. the 30-acre fire broke out just before 6:00 a.m. the flames are sending thick black smoke over the san gabriel valley. windy conditions and hot, dry weather prompted red-flag warnings throughout the state again today. and a big development in the arson case that has terrorized a san jose neighborhood. police announced late wednesday night they have arrested a man suspected of setting those fires. they say the man set 13 fires in

under a week. many of them by lighting newspapers or furniture on house porches. police have not released the name of the suspect. and we do have some video of an incredible catch not on a football field but take a look. this is at a home depot store in alaska. and watch as the seat overturns in that cart, and a baby falls out. well, the employee named chris strickland turns around, catches the child just before the baby hits the floor. a home depot spokesperson says strickland will receive the chain's angel award given for exceptional acts of heroism. talk about being in the right place at the right time, thank goodness. you're up to date at 7:07. let's turn to politics and trouble facing the early front-runners in the 2016 presidential race. we're talking about chris christie and hillary clinton. we start with the former secretary of state. a scathing new senate report faults her state department in the 2012 benghazi attacks, saying they were preventable. nbc's white house correspondent

peter alexander has more on this. hi, peter. >> reporter: hi, matt. good morning. more than 16 months later, the deadly attacks in benghazi are still fueling heated debate over exactly what went wrong and who's to blame. this new senate report sharply criticizes both the state department and the cia for poor communication and insufficient security. >> thank you! >> reporter: with speculation mounting that hillary clinton will run for president, the magazine even ask if she's a shoo-in for 2016, renewed attention today on what opponents say could be her biggest liability from her time as secretary of state. the deadly attacks in benghazi. this just-released senate intelligence report insists the 2012 attack was preventable, citing extensive intelligence reporting on the terrorist activity in libya. and known security shortfalls at the u.s. mission. the report found at the cia upgraded security at its annex just a mile from the diplomatic mission. but the state department did not. >> the state department is where

the real fault lays in this. >> reporter: clinton's name was mentioned just once, but it was a stinging rebuke from republican committee members who wrote, "at the end of the day, she was responsible for ensuring the safety of all americans serving in our diplomatic facilities." >> in fact, she decides to run, this is a part of her record that will have -- and rightfully so -- careful examination. >> reporter: stilled let of the senate intelligence committee pushed back against accusations that as secretary of state, clinton failed to heed warnings. >> there's no information that i've seen, no intelligence that i've seen that she knew about it or was advised about it. >> reporter: clinton's potential republican rival in 2016, new jersey governor chris christie is facing his own challenges. today he'll head to the jersey shore trying to redirect attention away from the george washington bridge scandal. even as state lawmakers meet to formally create the special committee tasked with investigating the lane closures. and governor chris christie is visiting with hurricane sandy victims, specifically homeowners

during that visit today. the special committee could file new subpoenas as early as today. aides are just telling us that they will likely seek documents first before any witnesses. and just this morning the governor's office says that it has hired a law firm to help with the internal review that the governor announced just last week. savannah? >> all right, peter alexander in washington, thank you. let's turn to chuck todd, nbc's political director and chief white house correspondent. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> let's start with this hillary issue. here's "time" magazine with its new issue. can anyone stop hillary? maybe the question is can anything stop hillary? what do you think this benghazi report -- and the benghazi issue in general does to a potential candidacy. >> we know what republicans want to do. they want benghazi to do to hillary clinton that this bridge mess is doing to christie right now. they want to have benghazi undermine what was a fairly good four-year term for her,

secretary of state, she got a lot of bipartisan praise pretty much until benghazi. >> the state department gets ripped in this. >> it totally does. they let her go a little bit, but look, she was there, she was on top. i think when you look at this cover and you ask that question and you say, it's the same thing that happened eight years ago. can anyone stop her? yes. her. it's the clintons. it's them. it is not necessarily any candidate, anything. it's how they handle issues like this. it's how they handle benghazi. if she ever looks like she's not being forthcoming or truthful, then all of a sudden all of her old problems show up. >> i want to get to your poll, chris christie, her potential opponent in 2016. you've got a number that demonstrates whether this bridge scandal is having any effect on him. polled said their opinion hasn't change. >> it's a mixed bag when you look deeper at it. it has somewhat of an impact. 444% say highways telling the truth. 1/3 of -- say he's telling the truth. 1/3 of those surveyed said he's lying. >> i misspoke, 69% say opinion

hasn't changed. >> hillary clinton, benghazi, she's been around for a generation. cyst christie is still being introduced to the public. this is a first, maybe second impression. this is why this is more damaging to him than i think we appreciate. >> i want to skip ahead with just a few seconds left and look at that match-up. >> sure. >> i think this is where you see the most profound impact when you look at how hillary clinton and chris christie match up a month ago versus now. what do we have? >> a month ago it was dead even. that was his best asset. the idea that he's the one republican that could stop the big front-runner on the democratic side, hillary clinton. now it's a 13-point lead. all of a sudden chris christie is polling no better than any other generic republican candidate. because he already had made -- had problems with conservatives, if he doesn't have electability on his side, this is how this bridge mess has had a real impact on his future. >> chuck todd, thank you very much. we'll head over to mr. roker to check the weather. >> all right, savannah. thank you very much. we've been telling you about all the heat that they've been

experiencing down in australia. this is during last night's -- yesterday's u.s. open. and you just look at all these folks trying to deal with 108-degree heat. maria sharapova, during her match, got up to -- it got up to 108 degrees. she went on to win, with boy, what a rough way to win. ironically, the heat is on here in california where the high pressure's just dominating. the jet stream is up to the north, and so there's no relief in sight for this as we move forward. you can see record highs in san francisco yesterday, monterey, salina getting to 83 degrees. you head down south, 89 in oceanside. san diego, 82. today it gets up to 80 in san diego. heat continues. we continue to look at the heat continuing san francisco 71. monterey, 78. salinas, 81. to florida, just the opposite. 29 in panama city. miami, 57. tampa, 45. it will get up to a high of only

62 in miami. 54 in tampa. 52 in panama city. tomorrow warms up just a little bit but not much better. i'll tell you. and as we take a look at the satellite, in idaho, going to be a nice day. we've got sands creek, and we're looking at champion, ohio. we expect to see -- oh, sam champion. oh, my gosh. how's the weather in your neck of the woods, sam? >> good morning, al. actually, just like you mentioned, the cold front stepped through the orange room. we're getting clouds and probably one or two scattered showers. come on over. >> come on over here! >> al, somebody handed me this this morning -- >> sam champion! >> and joining me -- >> that's right. >> that's it. >> sam, how are you? good to see you. welcome to you. >> welcome. hello. mwah. >> thank you so much. nice to be here. >> i didn't know sam was coming. >> we've known each other for 25 years. >> come on over. >> sit down. >> this is the first chance we're actually going to get to

work together. >> yeah. let me tell you, and i'm excited about it. do you know that one -- when i got to new york and started in local news, my very first live shot, i don't know if you remember this, but it was a circus was in town. >> ringling brothers. >> you were the first person and my first friend in new york. when i moved here, i didn't know anyone. al came up, and we made friends during the live shot. >> i'm so excited you joined us on the weather channel. tell us about -- you got an exciting project. >> this is awesome because, you know, everyone watches the weather channel in the morning. they dip in, dip out. we're going to present a really good, focused weathercast with a lot of live events and a lot of pictures from all over the planet of what's going on in the weather that morning. we want people to get a full, you know, folks are interested in the weather. we want them to get the full complement, the full live experience. >> can i just say having al and sam at the same table, i would call this a weather forecaster's dream. so exciting -- >> i was thinking about you last week when the temperatures dipped to 20 below in the northwest. she'd, "we should send sam

there." >> yeah. >> he knows which way the wind blows. >> now i'm here, i have a feeling that's going to be happening. >> exciting. >> you haven't been through the spanking tunnel yet. >> huh? >> that's awesome. i'll be doing "wake up with al" leading right into sam's show. you have a name yet? >> we -- we're going to announce it later on. i think probably this month. >> good. >> welcome to the team. >> thank you very much. >> great to have you. >> okay. we're going to have your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds. we know we're not the center of your life, but we'll do our best to help you connect to what is.

7:16 now on a thursday morning. good morning to you. i'm meteorologist christina loren. temperatures are starting out in the 40s and 50s. a couple upper 30s out there in the north bay, 39 degree there is. we are about 15 degrees away from the official sunrise this morning. as you know, it gets dark around here by the 4:00 hour. 77 today in the south bay. 76 degrees on the way for the peninsula. we are slated to break a few records, not as many as yesterday as temperatures drop off a touch, but likely expecting a new record later on today in san jose. hope you have a great day. in the orange room, look who's here -- >> welcome, welcome, welcome. a huge story on line, especially if you have kids with the iphone or ipads and start playing games and apps, as part of a settlement with the federal trade commission, apple will have to refund at least $32.5

million to you. those are consumers, those are parents who have h no idea that when their kids were playing games like these, once put in the password, it left a 15-minute window open where they didn't have to repassword and were racking up your bills thousands of dollars. apple said, "protecting children has been a top priority for the app store since the beginning. apple is proud to have set the gold standard for online stores by making the app store a safe place for customers of all ages." be wary of that. they've already changed their billing policy, apple did. the 15-minute window exists, but now you know about it. in the next half-hour, what is one thing you'd like to add to your job to lmake you happie. let us know. guys? >> a shoulder massage. there we go. >> more this afternoon. >> thanks. coming up, what a story. two olympic winners before the games even begin. we'll talk to the twin sisters, one going to sochi because of

the other's touching sacrifice. they'll be with us live. ching sacrifice. they'll be with us live. >> but this this is "today" on nbc.

coming up, a devilish surprise. the baby in the stroller that's huge online and it invades our studio. >> who invited that little scary, creepy baby? >> i'd be next to that baby on a plane somewhere. >> we'll have that story and the plane somewhere. >> we'll have that story and the guys behind if yand you're talking toevere rheuyour rheumatologistike me, about trying or adding a biologic. this is humira, adalimumab. this is humira working to help relieve my pain. this is humira helping me through the twists and turns. this is humira helping to protect my joints from further damage. doctors have been prescribing humira for over ten years.

humira works by targeting and helping to block a specific source of inflammation that contributes to ra symptoms. for many adults, humira is proven to help relieve pain and stop further joint damage. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer, have happened. blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure have occurred. before starting humira , your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live in or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. ask your doctor if humira can work for you. this is humira at work.

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colgate optic white dual action. whiter teeth in one week. try optic white mouthwash. to whiten more, use the whole line from colgate optic white. a very good morning to you. i'm laura garcia-cannon. a teenager was airlifted to a burn center in san joseover night after what police call a freak accident. the 15-year-old was working on the car of a stranded driver in the parking lot of a safeway in concord. somehow he got gasoline on his shirt. when they were done, the man gave the teenager a ride to the bart station. during the ride, the man lit a cigarette. investigators say the flame from his lighter was strong enough to ignite the gasoline vapors on the teenager's shirt. the teenager jumped out of the car near the station, ripped his shirt off. the teen has significant burns on his hands, arms and chest, but doctors expect him to survive. in just a few hours san jose police will release more information about the man they

say intentionally set more than a dozen fires over the past week. police say they arrested a suspect just after 8:00 last nights. they think it is the man seen in this sketch released saturday. police are not saying where the man was arrested, but they say he has been booked into the santa clara county jail. we want to check the forecast now with meteorologist christina loren. >> good morning to you at home. we are so close to the weekend now. we'll hold on to the warmth if you want to get out there to enjoy it on your day off. 76 in the east bay. 74 in san francisco. 73 in the north way. you can see a pretty good amount of haze out there in the atmosphere. we'll see enough wind today to keep the mixing going, so likely not sharing the air for today or tomorrow. 76 in san jose. 73 is the record so we'll likely shatter that record. temperatures overall are a touch cooler, but on your seven-day forecast, staying unseasonably warm well into the weekend. we'll check your drive with mike inouye. we'll show you the bay bridge toll plaza, all the lanes are packed in, but the fast

track lanes are moving visibly. that's a good flow of traffic there. the map will show you it's slow coming northbound off 880 off the curve, but it's starting to ease now. heading down 280, there was a crash that is now clearing near hugo chavez. northbound 238, we have a crash approaching 880 backing things up for westbound 580. back to you. thank you, mike. thank you for joining us. i'm back with another local news update in a half hour. have a good day.

7:30 on a thursday morning, the 16th day of january. that's a pretty shot of the sun rising in charlotte, north carolina on a thursday morning. good morning to all the folks down there and everywhere else, including out on our plaza. if you have a great sunrise shot, send it to us using the hash tag today sunrise. >> and a look at what's making headlines this morning. 34 nuclear launch officers have been pulled from their jobs. they have their finger on the trigger and they allegedly cleated on performance exams. >> and in indiana, a gunman

entered a grocery store last night and killed two people. >> and an arson suspected as been arrested in california. he set more than a dozen fires in less than a week. >> and we'll check out one of the top companies in the country to work for. >> can we say all of the above? >> i'm thinking omelet station would be nice. >> wait till you hear what this company offers. it's a special organization. >> here's a question. what do you get when you put a possessed baby in a stroller on the streets of new york? a lot of scared new yorkers. oh, that's not nice. well, we're bringing that baby to studio 1a. i know that guy. find out what happens in just a little bit. >> we'll check in on that. let's begin this half hour with our countdown to sochi and more on a remarkable story that we

told you on wednesday, an athlete who sacrificed her place on team usa to send her twin sister to the olympics. we'll have their first live interview together but first a decision that surprised and touched an awful lot of people. tracy barnes is giving up her start on the u.s. olympic biathlon team. going in her place, her twin sister lanny barnes. teammates and best friends, 31-year-old sisters train side by side every day in a sport that combines cross country skiing and shooting. because of illness, lanny, the older twin by five minutes, missed most of the selection races in italy over the weekend. her hopes of going to the olympics seemingly vanished. tracy performed well and earned a spot on the olympic team, only to give it up to make way for lanny. >> just it was one of those moments that i think changed my life forever. >> she's having a great year,

and i think when you care enough about someone, you're willing to make that kind of sacrifice. >> a major sacrifice, even for a sister. >> when you work as hard as you do to be at that level of an athlete, the olympics is the pinnacle. and to give that up is giving up everything. >> the sisters have worried about only one of them making it to the olympics for years. in 2006 they both competed at the winter games in torino. >> a lot of questions before the games about what would happen if just one person made it. we're glad both of us of here. >> 2010, only lanny made it to vancouver. now thanks to sister tracy, lanny's heading back to the olympic games. and tracy is with us now, along with her sister lanny, who is training in italy. good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> lanny, let me start with you,

okay? >> good morning. thanks for having us. >> it's great to have you. you trained so hard to make it to the olympics this time, you get there to the qualifying races in italy and you got sick. what was it like to lay there in bed and watch your olympic dreams kind of going away? >> you know, it was brutal. i just -- it's hard to explain how you can train so hard for something and just luck wouldn't have it your way. so, yeah, it was disappointing for sure. >> and, tracy, you train just as hard. you go there and you had a really good competition. you knew you were going to make the games but what were your thoughts about what was happening to your sister? >> yeah, i was real disappointed when i heard that she was getting sick. in this sport you have to be 100% to perform at the level we need to perform at. so kind of knew that things weren't going to go well for her. yeah, it was completely disappointing. >> when did you start to think about this gift, for lack of a

better word? when did you start to think about this gesture? >> i think right away when i heard she got sick because i knew that the likelihood of her making the team was pretty slim, you know, being sick. up know, i trained with her for 15 years, right alongside her, i know how hard she works, i know how much she wants it. >> lanny, you guys have a tradition after races. you go and you take a hike and you kind of reflect on the race. i know after the olympic team was announced, krtracy looked or and winked at you. you get on this hike this time and what was your rear action when she broached the subject of doing this for you? >> you know, usually i always know what tracy's thinking and she shocked me. i didn't see this coming and i was like, tracy, there's no way, this is your spot, you earned this. and she was very adamant about me going and she said, no, i want to you go. and it was a very emotional moment for both of us.

>> was it hard for you, too, tracy? >> yeah, for sure. i mean, all of us who are training for something like that, that's your dream, that's your goal. that's what you work towards. but i think, you know, i felt so strongly about this and that outweighed any of my, you know -- any effort i wanted to do to go to sochi. >> let me ask a couple of questions. you're allowed to just kind of designate that your spot goes to another athlete? >> no, no. i just -- she was the next person in line after myself and so i gave up my spot. i declined my spot on the team. and so then the competition committee then goes and chooses who would be replaced by myself. >> lanny, do you think this gift, this act of generosity has now in some ways put more pressure on you in sochi?

>> you know, i hope so. i want to do my best for tracy and i always do better under pressure. so i'm definitely going to push as hard as i can and, you know, just fight that much harder for her. >> well, we are looking forward to the competition, looking forward to watching the biathlon. i will tell you right now you've already won the gold medal for selflessness, tracy. >> thank you. >> congratulations to you. good luck to you, lanny. >> thank you. and, tracy, thank you so much. i owe you. >> for sure. >> and a reminder, the winter olympics begin thursday, february 6th on nbc, the following night, 7th of february. let's go to al. >> in case you missed last half hour, a momentous occasion here at the "today" show. savannah coined it the weather

vortex. sam champion, who has joined the weather channel, joined us here. we all got a little cast photo. welcome, sam. looking forward to having you as part of the family. we have one clipper here, another withone here. there are about ten clippers in a row getting ready to make their way in. as you look at fargo, you have blowing and drifting snow. right now about 9 degrees. it's going to get down to about 3 by this afternoon. this next clipper is going to be bringing in snow. not a ton of it. it's going to be a lot of wind, a lot of cold air. snowfall amounts about 1 to 3 everyone inches, some areas around 6, north of chicago. over the next several days clipper after clipper. seattle, they've going to stagnation air

yeah, they are not even getting the rain in seattle. that storm track well into canada, and yeah, we're not expecting any significant rain showers any time soon. 74 degrees. unseasonably warm in san francisco. 77 on the way to the south bay. near record warmth continues for today. as we head throughout tomorrow, friday, so close to it now. temperatures are going to be about the same. a little bit hazy out there. it will stay nice and warm. then as we get two the weekend, a touch cooler. we'll have the seven-day forecast in a few moments. have a fantastic thursday. >> and that's your latest weather. >> al, thank you so much. coming up next, does your company offer you unlimited sick leave, no set hours, a free gym? we will have a behind-the-scenes look at heaven, one of the company's top places to work. >> and on trending. mutts at the westminster dog show? a big change that has a lot of

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back now at 7:44 with what could be the very best place in the world to work, present employer excluded. it's called sass. for ten straight years it's made fortune's list of the top companies to work for in america. and we set out to find out what they're doing right. >> reporter: what if where you worked you were entertained with live music as you ate at one of four company cafes, your salad so fresh they're grown right on the property? and the boss encouraged you to eat lunch with your kids. >> you miss out a lot of times

when you're a working parent. >> reporter: this may not sound like any company you've ever heard of where there are gyms and pools and a solar farm where sheep cut the grass. and where not one employee is crammed into a cubicle. everyone here gets an office. at sass -- >> it's my job to get them to want to come back in the morning. >> reporter: today with more than 14,000 employees world wide, it uses computer software to analyze data for big companies. and it's the benefits that the company provides that make the employees happy. myron chandler drops off his 3-year-old son at an on-campus day care center. >> he's as you right here. can i walk over and see how he

is and get back to work. >> and employees have no set hours and sick days are unlimited. and for those who might feel under the weather, free clinics with free prescriptions. the company says the average employee is out sick only four days a year. there's even a salon for on-site haircuts and a place to get your watch repaired. this approach has led to profits in the billions, with less than a 3% employee turnover. >> so people eventually leave? >> when they're ready to retire. >> but they don't quit? >> very seldom. >> because? >> well, i guess they're happy here. >> and how many people can say they're happy at work? >> do they have a morning show? >> and where do we send our resumés? >> it's nice here at nbc but that's unbelievable. >> hold on a second. i think carson has something to say about that. >> we put it out to people and

asked them if they could have one perk, what would it be? overwhelmingly most people wanted to go to work to sleep, nap pods. "i wish my company had flex hours so i could utilize the three-day weekend." and "i have one word for you backrubs." and valet cleaning and allowing pets in the office. back to you guys. >> we were smelling waffles and bacon. >> it's that new candle. >> coming up, the creators of the hottest online prank video bring their fun to the studio. and coming up, where'ses bacon,

carson? right after this. es bacon, carson? right after this. you see the "mini" ion my chest? funny, yes? no. i'm huge. flavor? i'm bursting with it. creamy? i ooze it. rich. creamy. and 100% natural cheese. mini babybel. snack a little bigger.

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these are the best winds according to you, and we ask what is your favorite oscar winning film? mine, 1999 "brave heart." i'll ask you who picked 1943's "casablanca," matt, savannah, al or natalie? we'll have the answer to that. >> coming up -- >> what is the trait that most comedians share that helps to make them so funny? >> then don't get too close to this baby. the guys behind this viral video campaign test their satanic stroller out in our green room i just love cherry preserves. is that your favorite? i don't know... i also like strawberry, boysenberry,

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a very good morning to you. 7:55. i'm laura garcia-cannon. a judge could decide today whether the teenager accused of lighting another teen on fire should be tried as an adult. 16-year-old richard thomas has been charged as an adult with a hate crime enhancement. last week thomas' lawyer asked to send it to juvenile court instead. thomas set sasha's skirt on fire while riding on the bus and admitted to it. the boy suffered second and third-degree burns in the attack. mountain view police officers will soon be spending their evening at 49er games. this weekend the mountain view city council approved off-duty officers to moonlight at the stadium. the officers will be paid by santa clara and the city will provide training, uniform and vehicles. not a bad gig to watch a game. we'll check the forecast now with meteorologist christina loren. >> you look at this picture,

laura, and everything about it says august, right? i can't believe we are in january with temperatures like this. that's the case for today. we're going to be in the 70s yet again. 74 degrees in san francisco. 76 in the east bay. and 77 degrees down in the south bay where we are expecting the warmest readings. now we will touch on a few records out there today, especially down in the south bay, but i can tell you overall it will be a touch cooler than where we ended up yesterday. the old record of 73 for san jose, the forecasted high is 77. we'll check the drive, hey, mike. look at this beautiful view of the golden gate bridge. a lot of cars were stacked one a stall past the toll plaza getting into san francisco. that has cleared. the recovery into the city is slow on the east bay. look at the maps, a slow drive with a cash on north 228. all sweepers have now cleared the area. look at this recovery that has to continue from the dublin interchange off the grid through castro valley. a very tough one. a lot more folks will take south 680 over the next few minutes to

get out of the backup. back to "today" show. nbc universal's coverage of the 2012 london games was the most watched television event ever. so, what's next? the upcoming winter games from sochi. where every second of nbc universal's coverage will be available on every device. on tv, online or streaming on the nbc sports live extra app. beginning february 6th, experience the winter games everywhere. welcome to what's next. comcast nbcuniversal

♪ it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, oscar fever. it's an early morning in hollywood at the academy award nominations as they're revealed. plus, growing up gosselin. her and her family speak out on what it's like to be part of the family. and the devil is in the details. the new viral campaign that's sending shivers through the streets of new york. and studio 1-a. today, thursday, january 16, 2014.

>> shout-out to my people in raleigh, north carolina. >> hi, louisiana! >> hi students from chatham hall in indiana. >> hi, arizona. >> new york city! >> we love "today." ♪ >> good morning, everyone. welcome back to "today" on a pretty thursday morning. i'm savannah guthrie and al roker and matt lauer, carson daly. >> ride like the wind is her throwback pick. we'll have more on the first lady turning 50 tomorrow. >> can you imagine some last

minute shopping excursion today? first the headlines. >> in the news, new details about the deadly shooting wednesday night inside an indiana supermarket. police say a man armed with a gun and a knife entered the store in elkhart, indiana and killed two women. one was a store employee. the other a customer. officers had shot and killed the suspect. a new senate report on the deadly benghazi report could cloud hillary clinton's ambitions. it killed chris stevens and three others. it cites security short falls at the consulate. republican committee members wrote as secretary of state at the time mrs. clinton was responsible for ensuring the safety of americans at diplomatic facilities. new information this morning on the on going bridge gate scandal. aides in governor chris christie's office said they have hired a law firm to assist with the internal review, which governor christie announced last week.

earlier this week, we talk about the changing face of turning 50 these days. well, first lady michelle obama reaches that age tomorrow. and the president is apparently planning a big celebration. nbc's kristen welker is at the white house. good morning, what's an tap? >> reporter: hey, good morning. for days they have been gearing up for a big bash here at the white house. guest were told to wear comfortable shoes and there will be no shortage of dancing here. there will be a long list of celebrities to pull off a party fit for a first lady. the buzz about the first lady's birthday party, possible performances by adele or beyonce who has dazzled for the first family before. ♪ but for now, saturday's plans are top secret. what is known -- president obama is playing the role of planner in chief after the first lady

threw a big 50th bash for him three years ago. >> you do get the sense that his competitive juices are flowing. >> reporter: just back from an extended stay at oprah's house in hawaii, a gift from the president, the first lady seems to be taking the big 5-0 in stride. opening up only to "people" magazine. >> i have interviewed four different first ladies and i have never seen one as candid and relaxed and upbeat about such a personal thing. she is dancing into her 50s. >> reporter: obama told the magazine each decade brings her a greater sense of calm. certainty, maturity and confidence. the first lady may not look like a candidate for botox, but won't rule it out. i've learned never to say never. her message to women -- be healthy. i have never missed a mammogram or a pap smear. i have had a colonoscopy. >> one of the things that people who know her best, her relatives, her closest friends will tell you, is that in her real life she's incredly frank. >> reporter: a revealing look at

michelle obama as the plans for her big milestone are kept under wraps. >> i asked the president if he could whisper in my ear what he was planning to give the first lady as a gift. and he said it's top secret. not even the nsa knows that. >> reporter: well, we have to wait and see. the first lady told people, she's started to think about what life will be like as a grandmother. but first things first. turning 50, in addition to wearing comfortable shoes, gu t >> okay. i'm liking the dancing part. thanks so much. colorado's decision to legalize recreational marijuana has led to something new at one airport -- pot amnesty boxes are cropping up in colorado springs. and they remind travelers that it's still against federal law to carry marijuana on a plane and gives them way to dispose of it. here's an event you won't see at the olympic winters. husband tossing. married men in japan are taken to the top of the hill and

thrown into the deep snow. they roll down to the waiting wives. the custom apparently started in the 1700s as a way for the towns men to get even with outsiders who married local women. just glad they're not tossing the women there. 8:06. let's get a check of the weather with al. >> hey, natalie, thanks so much. so behind me is the browns burg high school choir from indianapolis -- from just outside of indianapolis. and guys, you've got a little special thing you've prepared? >> yes. >> okay, let's hear it. ♪ nbc >> boom. all right. very nice. thanks, guys. and you'll perform at carnegie hall on sunday? you know how to get there? practice! works every time. as far as your weather, pick city of the day, davenport,

iowa. kwqc, light snow right through saturday. going to be a rough one. and we've got foggy travel. dense fog advisory up into new england. look at boston. actually, skies have lifted a little bit. look a no fog or natural coolant as we call it around here. this is san jose. it's a little haze whyhazy, a nr not, record warmth in the bay area. 74 in san francisco, and we're going to show you right now temperatures really aren't going anywhere as we head through the next couple days. 77 today, 74 tomorrow, and with off shore flow in place, not much difference in san francisco. weather. >> all right. al, thank you so much.

coming up, every dog has its day. the new plan to add mutts to the west min ster dog show. and the devilish baby who is scaring people on the streets of new york comes right to our studios. kate gosselin and her two oldest respond to the criticism aimed at their family right after this. [ male announcer ] no mouthwash feels like listerine® because no mouthwash works like listerine®. its unique formula penetrates the layers of bacteria in your mouth deeper than any other mouthwash.

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♪ better alone >> we are back at 8:11 with what's trending today. >> let's start with what's trending on reuters. ever hear the expression comedy comes from a dark place? turns out there may be an element of truth to that. a new oxford university study found that comedians have more psychotic personality traits than other people. they found that compared to noncomics, the comedians were more impulsive, anti-social, intended to avoid intimacy. researchers said the creative elements used to create humor is strikingly similar to those associated with sycosis. >> a few comedy friends i have. >> now it will make sense. >> trending in "the new york times" in the dog world, of course, there is no bigger stage than madison square garden and the prestigious westminster

kennel club dog show. it's always been a very exclusive affair reserved only for those snooty pure breds. it is changing at this year's show. for the first time ever be, the westminster dog show will welcome mixed breeds. mutts will be able to compete in agility competitions, weaving around poles, jumping through tires. >> yeah for the mutt. >> organizers say they want to show case all aspects of what dogs can do. >> drinking out of the toilet. >> still can be best in show, though. i say it's time for them to be best in show. >> what a step in the right direction. >> what a great upset that would be. >> exactly. well, today, of course is a huge day in hollywood. the announcement of the oscar nominations. we've been asking viewers to share their favorite oscar movies through the years. mine was 1995 best picture "braveheart." we also mentioned "casablanca"

and asked you to guess which anchor picked "casablanca." look at mel in my favorite movie, a classic. which of you was it that chose this as your favorite movie? >> what's my line? >> natalie. >> that's me. >> love it. i think i watch it at least once a year. i love that movie. >> what are some of your favorites? >> "amadais. >> what year was that. >> the '80s. >> that was a great movie. >> how about you, matt? >> tight shot, please. >> are you going to act a line from it? >> you magnificent bastard, i read your book! >> mary poppins. >> 1970. >> how about you, al? >> 1967 "in the heat of the night" with sydney pottier.

it was so powerful. it seine set america on its ears. >> trending on youtube, the demon baby that has possessed the web. it's actually a viral video for the upcoming movie "devils do." it has more than 20 million hits in just two days. take a look. [ bleep ]. [ screaming ] >> all right. so that's what is trending today. so you just saw that the think moto guys, those creative guys are back and up to their old tricks. we have a behind the scenes peek at their operation. >> okay, guys. >> till death do us part. >> i promise myself to you forever. >> we're having a baby.

>> happy news for a young couple. happy news, that is, unless the baby is satan. >> do you see this guy, staring up at the house? >> reporter: the film is "devil's due" and it's filmmakers yet to one of the scariest, creative marketers around for promotion. think moto. james and michael are known for their viral video campaigns. they've worked with surfboards. and a scary mirror. >> oh, my god. >> reporter: that even got a few folks at our show like natalie. and our good friend, darlene rodriguez from wnbc. [ screams ] >> reporter: now think moto's latest creation, this tiny terror, an anamatronic remote controlled baby. >> one was responsible for piloting the stroller and the other two were responsible for

the baby, its movement and facial expressions. >> reporter: and it's doing a great job of scaring a lot of new yorkers. >> the craziest reaction was one man wet his hasn'ts. he said to us, i wet my pants but i have to tell you, it was worth it. >> reporter: we decided to see how for ourselves how it works, that means a fake possessed baby, an actress and hidden cameras all over 49th street and, again, an unsuspecting darlene rodriguez. >> here comes darlene. she's all miked up on a 12 degree day. she's about to meet grace, our actress and the baby from hell. >> three, two, one. >> countdown to sochi, i'm darlene rodriguez. >> i brought darlene flowers, not to apologize but to use to defend myself if she starts

hitting me, which she may do. >> i can do it again. >> hi. how are you? nice to meet you. >> i watch all the time. >> thank you. >> what's her name. >> grace. >> who's this? >> can i take a picture? is that okay? >> okay. >> i'll watch the baby. >> this is a joke. that's not a real -- >> darlene. >> i can't believe you. i can't believe you. >> first the apology. >> no. i don't know if that's real. >> why do you torture me? >> this isn't an olympic promo. >> clearly. >> obviously. >> this is a little fake baby that some people have created to promote a new movie called "devil's due." >> devil. yes. i appreciate it. >> still love me.

>> i still love you. we're friends. i'm embarrassed. >> thanks, grace. >> oh, my gosh. >> appreciate it. >> what's the baby's name? >> satan. >> lucifer? >> just a warning for you, you may want to watch out for the next crying baby you see. [ screams ] >> can we have a round of applause for -- >> darlene. >> no, no, for t for the baby - >> no, for darlene. yes. such a great sport. thank you. >> we all know who the real devil's due is around here. >> i was only asked to be a ploi in this. >> it's even more horrifying in real life. >> you just have to touch it. >> look at the snot on the nose. go away. go over there. >> the part about getting darlene which is so unfair is she was trying to be nice to a fan. >> she was very sweet. >> you know what? i feel like you may have

screamed louder at the site of matt lauerer. >> i did and aye deleted you from my contacts. >> we appreciate you. by the way, so the baby in the stroller was in our green room a little earlier and we tried to have some fun with some people. take a look. [ laughter ] >> are you putting makeup on a ba baby? [ bleep ]. >> my friends, elizabeth and kevin and they have a little baby. >> this is elizabeth and kevin. >> nice to see you. >> baby damien. >> are you kidding me? [ bleep ]. >> so we didn't get quite to

reaction that we got from darlene. >> because we've come to suspect when you're asked to go to the green room, i was looking from the guy to jump out at me. >> and most of us have children. they've acted like this. >> darlene will you ever do anything for us again? >> no, i'll never do anything for you again. and you lurk in the van, i thought at least ashton kutcher would pop out. >> darlene, thank you. we'll take a turn now to kate gosselin and her 13-year-old twins. we're going to talk to all of them in a moment but first, how they became kate plus 8. ten years ago kate was expecting sextuplits with her husband john. they quickly gained traction as one of the most watched families

with tlc's hit show "kate plus eight". >> very quakely we turned into two different people. >> but after years in the spotlight, kate and john went their different ways and the show ended its run. >> you want it hot or not hot? >> now as teenagers kara and maddie want to set the story straight about their family. >> kate, kara and maddie gosselin with here with all of us. we have not seen you or gotten to talk to you two in a long, long time. and you want to let the world know that you're doing okay. what would you want to say about how you and your sister and your family are doing? >> maddie, yours words. spit it out. >> it's a hard question. >> what about your kara? >> so this is their chance to

talk. this is the most wordless i've heard them all morning. i don't want to speak for them, but maddie go ahead. tell her the things you said in the magazine, years later they're good, fine. go for it. >> no, you just said it. >> let me ask you this, girls. to go out and be in people magazine saying we're okay, why did you feel you needed to say that? do you think people have the wrong impression of you guys, kara? >> my gosh. yes or no. >> kara is thinking. go for it. the interpreter. what is she thinking? do people have the wrong impression of you? >> i wouldn't say wrong. i would just say not like the full like story. like a lot of people like think that filming like our show has damaged us, but it's only really

helped. it's not really done -- >> they're more aware of what is out there, the, you know, inaccuracies, things that are said by the general public, their father, whoever, because their friends talk about it at school. i try to inform them. and i think the most upset -- we talk about it a lot. and the most upset they are is they get really frustrated that people assume certain things in our house and they always say that's not how it is, why did they say that about us. >> to have them come out here and to do a big magazine article and come on national tv and sort of put them on the spot like this, is that helpful to them? is that the right decision or is it kind of that continued exposure continue to injury to them? >> i mean, there is no injury to begin with. any tv things that we do obviously i can't get them to do, at this age, at 13 anything that they don't want to do, as

with any parent. it's not like i forced them to do it. this was a hey, the "today" show asked us if we wanted to do this, how do you feel about it and they agreed to it, as with my nine-year-old. it's a family decision. so i think it's really frustrating when there's so much out there that is not true. i'm getting to the point where i'm extremely frustrated. i don't spend time worrying about it because i'm busy raising my kids and we know the truth and that's why they're here even though they're tongue tied this morning to say hey, we're okay. we're doing well. would that be accurate, girls, to say. >> would you guys want to do another tv show if you could? >> yes. >> because it was fun or because you like kind of having your lives out there on display? >> you want me to say it? okay. i wasn't sure if you were going to say something there, kara.

>> go ahead. >> it was fun. i really miss it. and kara does, she's just not going to say it. >> it's a lot of fun opportunities. you know, if it happens, it does, if it doesn't, it doesn't. it's a family-made decision and they're just really regular everyday awesome teen ablers. teenagers. >> teenagers. we know you've got your hands full. >> what are you whispering? >> she said a little bit more fabulous. >> give you a few more compliments. >> regular teenagers. >> it's nice to catch up with you and to see you guys. thank you for stopping by. take care. wish you all the best. and coming up we'll have this morning's oscar nominations, story coming up after a check with your local news and weather.

very good thursday morning to you, i'm laura garcia-cannon. this morning, detectives will release more information about the man they say terrorized a neighborhood with a series of arsons in the last week. they arrested him just after 8:00 last night. they believe it is the man seen in this sketch released earlier this week. the arsonist started fires on people's porches. better news for the golden gate bridge, it was very crowded, and northbound 880 north of the coliseum is really slow now. the earlier crash that happened

north of 238 has cleared and the debris, and all of these folks coming up are slow, and some went north, and just stick it out for 580. on poplar there is reports of cement chunks in the road. back to you. we'll have another local news update for you in half an hour. how you are enjoying your thursday morning, another nice one today.

it's thursday morning, 16th of january. 45 degrees out in rockefeller plaza. we've got a great crowd starting their day with us, and thanks for that. >> good morning, everybody. good to have you along. straight ahead, it's a big morning in hollywood. oscar nominations are revealed. we're going to have complete coverage coming up. >> first let's get a quick check

of the weather from al. >> 16-year-old, very nice. happy birthday, young man. for tomorrow, snow around the great lakes, another clipper coming across, sunny and mild across the southwest. starting off your weekend, snow through the great lakes, more frigid weather through the plains and then sunday, sunday, snow showers in the northeast hey, thank you, al. good morning to you. today is thursday and temperatures will be just about as warm as they were on wednesday. 73 in the north bay and 77 in the south bay. here is the deal, we need that rain. as you know we're in a drought here in the bay area and there is none in the extended forecast. the forecast shows that temperatures will be relatively uniform all the way through the upcoming holiday weekend. keep that in mind, temperatures in the 60s in the south bay >> matt?

>> thank you very much. christopher kennedy lawford, son of jfk's sister patricia said he began drinking and using drugs at just 12 years old. now he's sharing his life lessons in his new book "what addicts know" with his cousin patrick kennedy. thank you for joining us. >> thank you. >> first thing is this is not just about addicts. >> we grew up with the ethic that anybody who achieves something great in this world overcomes something equally great. this book shows what wisdom they have to show society. >> you talk about the stigma. i think a lot of people hear about an addict or a mental

illness and they say that's a weak person who can't deal with difficulties and challenges. your message is, no, they're dealing with the exact same things we're dealing with. >> that's right. >> it's threefold. it's not just a physical illness, which we need to treat medically, but it's recovery for life, which is what chris deals with in the book and that's how to live. >> people go through addiction and they come out on the other end and they don't get credit for the achievement. >> not only that, they have wisdom and they have a way of loving that actually enhances their experiences of being human. and that's what this is about. there are a lot of people out there who are miserable who are not addicts who can benefit from this book. >> you share lessons in the book. some, i'll be honest, sounded a little like psycho babble to me.

one is "find out who you are." what does that mean? >> there's a possibility of spending a little bit of time getting to know who you are will enhance your life. >> realign your relationships. patrick, you've been there, done that, what does that phrase me to you in your life? >> it means having a significant other in my life who knows everything about me, having the unconditional love of family, things i took for granted before but now i'm spiritually realigned to be grateful for them. >> i like this one, engage with community. in your life that was hugely important. >> this is important. support in your community is critical. you gather and you people who have a common perfect. >> maintain a spiritual practice. most people go through addiction, they go through it with people they love and know who are close to them, their friends and families knowing about it. you guy goes through it, you

make headlines. did it make it harder? >> it makes it harder in the sense that, you know, people expect and they look at you and this is about -- this is an inner journey. it's hard to do the inner journey when people are paying attention, but it's possible. >> i'm grateful for having been public. because everywhere i went, matt, people would self-identify with me, who i never knew had shared the same experience. so i was never alone now. when you walked into a room, i'd have people who were anonymous come up to me because i wasn't anonymous. it turned into a blessing. >> on the other side, is it still a daily struggle for you? >> no, it's a daily struggle to be a human being. that's the critical thing. this is a hard journey for all of us and this book i hope will help ease that struggle a little bit. >> it's good to see you both. i think the book is going to help a lot of people, i really do. this is not a book for addicts, it's a book for everybody. >> thanks.

>> appreciate it. >> up next, we have osc .

back now at 8:38 and the excitement from seasoned night's golden globes are barely subsided but this morning it's all about the oscar nominations. it's actually a day that the stars don't mind waking up early. >> that's a phone call you want to make. you've got the screen actor guild awards this week pep "american hustle" and "graty." we'll break things down in a moment but first how the nominations played out in beverly hills. ♪ [ applause ] hello, everybody.

good morning and welcome to the academy of motion picture aerts and sciences. i'm cheryl boon isaacs, president of the academy. [ applause ] i want to thank everyone for joining us for these exciting announcements celebrating the heroes of movie making. and lucky for us, we have a super hero here with us today. ladies and gentlemen, the very talented chris hemsworth. >> thank you very much, cheryl. good morning, everyone. >> let's get right to it. the 2013 nominees for best performance by abactor in a supporting role are -- barkhad abdi in "chapter phillips", bradley cooper in "american must

l", michael fassbender in "12 years a slave", jonah hill in "the wolf of wall street" and jared lee to. >> best performance by an access in a supporting role, the nom fees are sally hawkins, jennifer lawrence in "american hustle", lupita nyong'o, julia roberts and june squibb in "nebraska." >> for best original song, the nominees are "alone yet not alone" from "alone yet not alone", music by bruce braugton. "happy" from dispick kabl me 2. "let it go" from frozen.

music and lyrics by kris ten anderson lopez. "the moon song" from her, music by karen o. and spike jonze. and "ordinary love" from mandela, long walk to freedom." you may know them better as u2. lyrics by paul houston. >> for adapted screenplay, the nominees are richard linklater, julie delpy and ethan hawk for "before midnight, billy ray for "captain phillips", steve coo ganl and jeff pope for "philomena" and john ridley for '12 years a slave".

for best original zreen play, "american hustle," wooddy allen for "blue jasmine," bob nelson for "nebraska." >> for best animated feature film we're pleased to nominate "the kroods, accounts chris sanders, "despicable me 2", "earnest and so les teen", frozen" and "the wind rises." >> for best documentary feature, the nominees are the act of

killing, joshua open hiemer and sore ren sen, "cutie and the boxer", jackry hine zer ling and lydia deen pill cher were "dirty wars", "the square" and "20 feet from stardom", nominees to be determined. >> for best foreign language filling, the nominees are from bell gum "the broken circle breakdown," from hitly, "the great beauty, from denmark, "the hunt" from cambodia, "the missing picture" and from palestine "omar". >> for best achievement in

directing, david o. hustle for "american hustle, alfonso occur ron for gravity, alexander payne for nebraska steve mcqueen for "12 years a slave" and martin score says see for "the wolf of kwal street". best performance by an actress in a leading role, nominees are him aadams, cate blanchett, sandra bullock, judie bench and meryl streep in "august 0 cage county". >> for best performance of an actor in a leading role, the nominees are christian bail in "american hustle," bruce dern in "nebraska", lee hard do dicaprio in "the wolf of wall street",

"12 years a slave" and matthew mcconaughey in "dallas buyers club". >> and finally we are pleased to announce that the films selected as the best picture nominees for 2013 are "american hustle, "captain phillips", "dallas buyers club", "gravity", "her", "nebraska nts, "philomena," "12 years a slave", and "the wolf of

wall street" nominees to be determined. for the complete list of all of the nominations, please visit oscar.com. >> and join us sunday night, march 2nd to celebrate these incredible artists and >> the big surprises that jumped out me, tom hanks didn't get nominated for captain phillips and robert redford. and instead, christian bale got it. >> one of the other times i saw you got animated as the nominees were being red, oprah winfrey no nomination for best supporting

actress for "the butler." >> the whole movie got nothing. not best picture or screenplay and not oprah winfrey. another movie that didn't do very well overall is "saving mr. banks." tom hanks wasn't dominated for playing walt disney. amy adams who won the golden globe for "american hustle" took that spot. "american hustle" got nominated in all the categories. that happened last week with "silver linings playbook." so there's something magical about that, where people in the academy just love the way that he gets actor together. >> to put you on the spot, if you had to pick one of the best picture nominees it would be -- >> "12 years a slave." >> we have a nominee on the phone who made his film debut in captain phillips. good morning and congratulations. >> good morning. >> can i twist the line from the movie and say, i'm the oscar

nominee now. how are you feeling? >> i'm feeling great. i'm really humbled and honored to be nominated for an oscar. more than a dream that came true. >> barkov, we saw you at the golden globes. what has this whole experience been like for you? you started off as a limo driver and now you're a oscar nominee. >> you know, that's the story of my life. it's just -- you have to live with it each day. but, you know, i'm really excited about this. i couldn't even sleep all night. just thinking about it. so i'm really -- >> barkov, can i just mention the other names in the category with you. okay. bradley cooper. michael fassbender. jared lieto. jonah hill. a very nice group. >> yeah.

big names. >> well, have you thought about your outfit yet? you looked good at the globes. you have to have a special oscar tux, don't you think? >> yeah. i have to think about that. >> and tina fey had some fun with youed at t at the golden g. has she called you since? >> not yet. not yet. >> okay, barkov abdi, congratulations on your first nomination and first movie role. >> thank you. matt. >> there's a lot here. if you look at best actress, amy adams, her first-ever nomination in the lead category. the other four, cate blanchett, judi dench, meryl streep have all won oscars. this is great to see her in the lead role. jonah hill who was nominated

alongside abdi is a bit of a surprise. what a great performance. >> i won't do predictions here. but if i look at the best supporting actress category, i saw julia roberts and june squibb, does it seem like it's one of those actresses' year? >> yeah. i think it's jennifer lawrence who's definitely on a role. she won best actress earlier -- last year for "silver linings playbook." had the number one movie of the year with "catching fire." if she wins she is the only third woman to win back-to-back oscars which would be an incredible achievement. but luongo, people loved her and it's not a shoo-in for her. >> in your mind, is there one movie that did the best this morning? i don't know if you have done the math? >> i'm curious to see the overall tallies. i think it's a close race

between "12 years a slave" and "america hustle". where would we be without you. >> thanks for the cheat sheet. >> we should remind everybody that the oscars will be handed out sunday, march 2nd. >> this is "today" on nbc.

put you guys on the spot. bes actor category, who is going to win? >> matthew mccon hay. >> i'm going christian bale. >> in the bast actress category? >> i'd like amy adams. >> i'd like to go cate blanchett. >> moving on to best director? >> david o. russell. >> "american hustle".

>> gravity. >> do you think that "12 years of slave" gets so much critical aclimb and the director doesn't get it? >> possible. >> the skill set for direct in a movie like "gravity" is amazing. >> best picture? >> "12 years of slave". >> "12 years of slave". >> i think it's going to be "12 years a slave. >> "captain nbc universal's coverage of the 2014 winter olympic games

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coming coming up, kitchen makeovers that fit your budget. >> but first we're going to get a check of your local news and weather. nominations. >> but first we'll get a check on your local news and weather. . good morning, it's 8:56, i'm terry mcsweeney. a junior at uc berkeley could be the number one pick in today's soccer draft. he graduated from the school from independent learners. he spent the last three years playing as a defender for cal. let's check the weather with

christina. thank you, terry mcsweeney. 48 out there in san francisco. we're headed toward another unab unseasonably mild day. in the east bay, 74, traffic moving around okay over the bay bridge, we'll et the official report from mike inouye in just a moment.

from nbc news, this is "today's take" live from rockefeller plaza. >> welcome to "today" on this thursday morning, january 16th. willie's off this morning. >> he wanted to enjoy the oscar movies. >> he's sitting there with his popcorn as the nominees were just announced. great day in hollywood, lots of films being honored. >> best pictures nominee, "12 years a slave," "american hustle," "captain phillips," "dallas buyers club," "gravity"

and "the wolf of wall street." >> a lot of these movies came out just in the last year. "american hustle" and "gravity" with ten each. best actor, bruce dern, leonardo dicaprio, christian bale, chiwetel ejiofor, matthew mcconaughey. >> no tom hanks. >> and best actress is shaping up to be one of the most competitive categories here. "amy adams, cate blanchett, sandra bullock, judi dench, merrill street and julia roberts. no oprah. >> she was a supporting actress as well and she got shut out for "the butler."

"the butler" didn't get in anywhere. >> i think maybe it peaked too early. >> cuba gooding, jr. said they take that risk when you release the movie early on. the best supporting actor nominees, i love the story of barkhad abdi, who we just talked to a little while ago here on the "today" show, nominated for "captain phillips", his first time ever acting opposite tom discovered and gets this role of a life thyme and there you go. >> bradley cooper, a second year in a row getting nom gaited. >> exactly. he just can't do any wrong. and michael fassbender, "12 years a slave", jared let to. >> is this the second year for him as well? >> he has been incredible.

was that last year or the year before? >> i think it was last year. >> best supporting actress nominees, a tough cage match which al would love to see, you have sally hawkins, jennifer lawrence, lupita nyong'o, "12 years a slave", julia roberts and june squibb. >> that is really a tough one. you can pick anybody there -- >> i feel like this year you could pretty much say that about every category including this one, the director nominees. >> david o. russell. >> alfonso kwar ron. >> i love the way you say that. >> strooef mcclean, alexander payne, martin score say see.

>> "the butler." wear waiting right now, bruce dern who i got to interview on the red carpet, hopefully he's going to call in. he said, i'm 77 years old and i'm still getting up to the plate and hitting the ball. >> he's had so many films. such a great guy. >> christopher walken won that year. >> i remember, he played the bad guy in "black sunday." he was the blimp pilot. this story is going to make your blood boil. >> a 14-year-old little league baseball player in california is being sued by his koich. he said his son was on second base, the team hits the game winning shot, rounds third, throws u his helmet up in the

air, scores the winning run, it falls on the coach's foot, tears his achilles ten don. he's seeking a half million dollars for pain and suffering and more than 100,000 for lost wages and medical bills. here's what the young player's dad told a reporter at our nbc sister station kcra. >> i actually thought it was a joke at first. >> you didn't think he was serious? >> no. >> and now? >> and now i think it's absurd. >> so the attorney for the coach tells us they filed a suit because the boy crossed the line, violated the rules and regulations of the game itself. no one has the right to recklessly throw a helmet at another human being. this is not what little league and the game of baseball is about. father's attorney statement says the coach coached 11 games after the injury, no ambulance or drama on the field. two to three weeks after the

accident he walk by me at a game and began to limp. he replied, don't you remember? he said it was only a bruise. >> well this case is set to go before a judge in march. hopefully the judge has some common sense and throws him out. >> you're out of here! >> this is ridiculous. talk about a frivolous lawsuit. it's just a child celebrating. this is his coach. it's your home run. it's the team's home run. come on. >> i guess he's implying that the kid launched the helmet at him, according to the statement. >> please. that is the most ridiculous thing i've ever heard. no one is recklessly -- baseball is all about you throw the bat. okay. come on. >> throw the bum out. >> yeah. >> as we said, one of the films nominated for the best picture, "nebraska" bruce dern nominated for best actor.

check it out. >> the last thing i do. i don't care what you people think. >> listen to me. you didn't win anything. it's a complete scam. so you've got to stop this, okay? >> i'm running out of time. >> you don't even have a suitcase. >> i'm not staying there. >> dad, i can't let you go. >> it's none of your business. >> yes, it is. i'm your son. >> then why don't you take me. >> i can't just drop everything and drive to link kon, nebraska. >> what else you got going on? >> so we've got academy award nominee bruce dern on the phone. bruce, congratulations. >> thank you so much. it's a delight. >> when you get that call so early in the morning, and i know this is not one that was somewhat unexpected because, you know, you have achieved so much in your career. but to get this call you're a man of 77 years old, and i know it has to be a tremendous honor still. >> it is a tremendous honor.

i mean, you know, you got a bunch of folks you've been with a long, long time, all of the other actors and actress, they say come on down. you don't walk. you run. i waited 55 years for my phone to ring just to get jobs. now it rings today and it's better than a job. it's kind of a salute and i really appreciate to be one of the ones that was included. >> at the golden globes it was very touching when your daughter laura introduced open said she was incredibly blessed to call you her dad. that had to make you feel pretty good. >> not only feel sensational. but when you're looking up at the stage and here is this girl who is your daughter who's accomplished more than i'll accomplish if i live another 50 years, already at her age, and to be proud of the fact that i'm there and i was more proud of the fact that he was there.

it's just turning out to be pretty good stuff. >> and to have the privilege of work in an alexander payne film. this someone is especially touching as well because even though you're not the most likable guy in this movie, it's the story of a father/son relationship. was that what drew you to the role? >> it was all on the paper. that's the wonderer of what bob nelson wrote and what the wonderer of what alexander payne does when he hires you as a coach to play for him this particular season. i just feel that, you know, in sports analogy, he's the best coach, general manager i've ever seen. he puts teams together and he put a team together here and i think we ended up doing pretty well. for the last eighth months we've kind of thought of ourselves as the little engine that could with little nebraska. and i'm also delight gd for the people in that part of the

country who finally get a shout out instead of somebody saying it's a flyover state. absolutel. you are so correct. when i got to talk to you on the red carpet, you did use a lot of sports analogies. you said one of the great things is you're still getting up to the plate and taking a swing at the ball. >> that's it. that's what the man did for me. he gave me an at-bat. i just didn't realize when i got there to nebraska to start shooting there were two out and it was the bottom of the ninth and we were down a run. so i realized how important it was to have an at-bat and have an opportunity. you know, i began with mr. kuzan and 60 years later here's alexander payne coming along and asking me to be in one of his movies? well, you just can't believe you can be that lucky. the guy can make a movie. >> he can. i love his movies.

>> bruce dern, congratulations. well deserved. we are thrilled for you. it's great seeing you at the red carpet. look forward to seeing you at the oscars coming up. thank you, sir. >> i appreciate this so much, more than you'll ever know. >> thank you. that is lovely. >> also on the phone we have with us actor nominee matthew mcconaughey from "the dallas buyers club." >> good morning. >> congratulations. >> thank you. >> we saw each other at the golden globes. you were talking about this was a film so close to your heart because you really worked for a long time to get this movie made. >> yeah, myself and a whole bunch of other people. the producers tried to get this made for 20 years. it got turned down 137 times, i've recently found out. the right people came on and i said we got to -- we didn't flinch. somebody came up financing it, putting scraps of money together. as soon as we started, we don't

have enough money, we don't have enough days. the people involved said it doesn't matter, we're going to show up and start shooting. it feels wonderful. >> and the physical transformation. every time i see it, i'm blown away by how much you had to physically change, how much weight you had to lose. i guess all of that seems well worth it now, fligright? >> oh, absolutely. that's what was needed to take the journey with this guy, this story. it's well worth it. >> and your co-star jared leto also getting a nomination. >> yes, he did. >> and nominated for best picture. >> and screen play. >> it is a replay of the golden globes. are you hoping that's the way it turns out? >> that would be wonderful. what a great showing for the entire movie and process. i mean, a screen play in there, best picture in there to go along with my nomination and

jared's nomination. the film now is really well respected and well represented. i'm proud of what we did. >> well, you should be. >> huge congratulations. i hope you have some celebration time planned. >> we've just begun. >> keep it going! >> we'll see you on the red carpet, well it is 9:13 now, taking a loot mat your current temperatures at 9:13, three degrees away from your average high in san francisco which is 57, we're blowing way past that today. the south bay will be the warmest at 77 degrees. and i just want to show you the next five days because temperatures will stay unseasonably warm. that's good news if you want to get outside for the weekend. that's your latest weather and a big thumbs up to our crew down in the control room hustling to get those

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hospitalized. >> researchers say a blood test may actually be used to test for concussions. is this right? this is amazing. >> it's so interesting now what we can detect in the blood. concussions are very serious. the signs are not always obvious early on. now this was a study looking at 46 athletes. on the sidelines they did finger sticks to check their blood and they found a certain protein. if it's above a certain level, they did have a very high risk of having concussion, meaning they would need a head cat scan, would have to go to the hospital. it's still early. it's been studied in europe to show signs of brain injury to show whether or not you need a cat scan or surgery. even for children. when your child falls and hits their head, you're panicked, do they have a concussion or not? this may give you an answer. >> and a new study shows caffeine may enhance your memory. what do you think? >> we knew it caused alertness and helped you study. what we found is it only works

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yep...doh. [ boy ] slurpably fun and a good source of calcium. dads who get it, get go-gurt. good morning it's 9:26, i'm terry mcsweeney. a teenager was air lifted to a burn center in san jose overnight after police call a freak accident. he was working on the car of a person he just met. somehow he got gasoline on his shirt. the man gave the kid a ride to the bart station. the flame from his lighter was strong enough to ignite the gasoline vapors on the shirt. the teen jumped out of the car and took off his shirt, doctors expect him to survive. in half an hour, police will

release new information on the man they say set dozens of fires last week. they think it is the man seen in this sketch they released on saturday.

9:28, temperatures climbing nicely. we're in the 50s at this point. we'll be at 54 in the north bay for today. this afternoon, temperatures rise into the 70s. you see here on your seven-day forecast on the bottom of your screen, we will stay nice and warm into this weekend. big waves are headed our way, so why not hit the beach. saturday and sunday we'll have eight to ten footers. so at least we're getting beach weather and the big waves to go along with it. we need the rain, we'll talk about when we might get a little of that today at 11:00.

let's go to traffic with mike inouye. we're looking at oakland, a slower drive northbound starting to thin out. the map is showing still slow past the coliseum, but the earlier crash is cleared. more slows through oakland hills. southbound 101 throw from san bruno to poplar. they just cleared laned about 10:00 ago. slow through palo alto. >> thank you, mike. more news in half an hour.

welcome back to "today" on this thursday morning, january 16, 2014. al roker here along with the fabulous natalie morales. mr. willie is off today. i shouldn't call him mr. willie. that doesn't sound right. >> sounds awful. >> do you remember your first job interview? >> i do remember my first job interview. it's always uncomfortable. they've done a new career survey from careerbuilder finds 49% of employers know within the first five minutes of an interview whether or not a candidate is a fit. >> i can see that. it's like when you've interviewed for assistants, you know almost right away -- >> it's that first impression.

>> then again, there are some really amazing mistakes people make. >> according to this survey, these are some of the mistakes. apparently an applicant answered a phone call from a competitor during the interview. it would be like, oh, pepsi sorry, i'm with coke right now. >> applicant arrives in a jogging suit because he wanted to go running after the interview. >> seriously? come on. and one person asked for a hug. >> one applicant attempted to secretly record the interview. >> also, an applicant brought in personal photo albums. >> how about the applicant who checked facebook during the interview. >> oh, my god. >> you're not too connected at that point. >> absolutely. >> last one, an applicant wanted to know the name and number of a receptionist because he really liked her. >> are you for real? hitting on the receptionist in your jogging out fit,

ridiculous. oh! >> sorry there, jimmy. >> how are you supposed to walk through there? >> let's show you what's going on. as we look ahead to the weekend, clipper bringing snow from the northeast through texas. as we look ahead to saturday, you'll see another great day out west, though that warmth in california has really been a big problem. big drought, large problem. snow showers across the great lakes again saturday. sunday more of the same, snow showers in the northeast, great lakes. fog continues. they're going to have a big problem in the pacific northwest with air stagnation and fog the next three, four . 9:32, temperatures warming up already out there. i'm christina loren looking at a

clear sky over san jose. it is not a spare the air day, but temperatures very warm here ending in the 70s today. 73 in the north bay. that warm weather will continue all the way across the board by monday. still holding on to the 70s and of course, that's a holiday, martin luther king jr. day and the bay area will be comfortable. >> and that's your latest -- oh, these guys are stealing our barriers. >> wait, we need that. >> for a lot of families the kitchen is the busiest room of the house but buying new appliances and tables and chairs can be really pricey. >> abby larson of style me pretty will help us. you've come up with some ways to decorate and maybe freshen up the kitchen without breaking the budget. >> people get so intimidated

with a kitchen renovation that we wanted to come up with some facelift ideas. >> first decor on the walls. >> you want a wow moment. you want to distract from what's not so cute and bring your eye over to what is fabulous. so we used plates to do that. you can use an abundance of colorful plates or go all white on a dark wall. the key is to have a lot of them. you can hang them various ways. we used these discs, which is awesome. they stick to the back of the plate and hang it on a nail. >> so you don't have to put holes in the wall. >> well, you do hang it on a nail but it doesn't show from the front. if you're scrappy like we are, you can glue a bracket to the back of the plate. >> i've seen people that go to tag sales and buy a bunch of different mix-and-match plates. >> it's the cutest way to do it,

mismatch. and in terms of wall decor, we actually printed out some recipes and put them in really inexpensive white frames. you can do it with your kids' artwork, family photos. anything to make your space feel more at home. >> then you're not hunting for the recipes, too. >> and upgrade your table and chairs. >> paint can transform the very boring into the very beautiful. this is a wooden table, chairs with a woven seat. we didn't have to prime them or anything. we sanded them lightly and painted them with this really fabulous mint color. if you notice on the bottom there's some gold, so we elevated it a little bit and made it look a bit more fabulous. on the front of that chair, you can see some blue painter's tape. and we did the table so it really feels like a cohesive set. >> i love it. it makes it more modern. >> over here, i'm going to scoot in front of you guys.

so one of the things with having a beautiful kitchen is cleaning up all that clutter. so this looks like a normal shelf but it's actually a paper towel holder. it can mask some of that stuff that sits on the counter looking ugly. the other thing we wanted to do was update our knobs. sometimes all a cabinet needs is different hardware and then it looks pressufresh and modern. the options of endless. mix and match. have fun. >> when you walk into a kitchen and see an outdated back splash, that's a huge project. cover it with contact paper. it comes in so much different styles. this is a faux wood, this is a marble that looks very real. it doesn't hold on to stains. it's awesome.appliances, they my work fine but they're looking

dingy. >> put this stainless steel contact paper right on to the front of it and it mimics the look of those really upscale appliances. >> that's fantastic. >> the expensive stainless appliances. abby larson, thanks so much. >> thank you. >> coming up next, we'll show you s [ male announcer ] walgreens understands being at the corner of "looking for a good deal" and "sheesh, i should've looked some more." ♪ that's why walgreens makes it easy to save even more on your medicare part d prescriptions. ♪ just stop on by and leave all the legwork to us. switch to walgreens today where you could save with copays as low as zero dollars on select medicare part d plans. at the corner of happy and healthy.

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you would need like a bunch of those to clean this mess. [ counselor ] you're probably right. hi. cascade kitchen counselor. 1 pac of cascade complete cleans tough food better than 6 pacs of the bargain brand combined. cascade. beyond clean and shine. every time. we're not even a month into winter yet, but if cabin fever is setting in, you might think about getting away on a nice warm vacation. >> courtney has some great

vacations. >> good morning. paradise resort is minutes away but it feels like worlds away. 44 islands on mission bay. you'll discover five separate pools, world class spa, a full-service marina there as well. it's such a lovely deal to escape the winter blues. $192 a night in february. so book now through february. that is a great discount, about 30% off. >> good valentine's getaway. >> next deal, let's head inland to sedona, arizona. the sedona rouge hotel and spa. >> it's a zen boutique. they have an herbalist who goes out and uses local vegetation.

take advantage of the spa treatments and a hundred hiking trails, biking, horseback riding, get back to nature in sedona. >> the deal? >> it's $128 per night. fantastic deal. that's last-minute deal so book now. >> let's head to miami. >> the rest of the country is getting blasted with winter weather. miami is phenomenal, 80 degrees and sunny. miami is so much more than the beaches. there is a blossoming foodie scene. the winward area is one of my favorite locations. getting out and experiencing the great outdoors is so easy do in miami. the deal is at the clinton south beach, surprisingly serene given its location right in the center of south beach on washington avenue. $185 includes transportation to and from the airports vip club passes, beach chairs, free breakfast, you name it.

>> i would go before south beach food and wine which kicks off in late february. >> it's actually a little cool in southern florida, they're only in their 60s. but they will be warming up. >> next we have a snowy destination, a couple of places if you're looking to ski. fraser, colorado. i think a lot of people don't think of fraser as skiers, but they have an incredible facility. >> they do and it's only an hour and a half drive from the denver airport. national geographic rated fraser as one of their secret ski towns. guests will love the modern kitchenets, in-room fireplaces. >> and a pool! >> this is $185 a night. i recommend going in late february, early march. >> have you skied there? >> winter park i've skied. it's not as crowded and cluttered as some of the other resorts. >> and final we'll end up in new

england, stowe, vermont. >> charming and really comes to life in the winter. it's a three and a half hour drive from boston. it's a skier's paradise. they have famous resorts for downhill skiing but cross country skiing is where they shine. they have some of the best cross country on the east coast. if that's not what you're after, snow shoeing, dog sledding. can you even go free ice fishing in the wintertime and i love the mountain road resort there. it's a modern but cozy style property. it doubles as an art gallery. they have a rotating collection of art throughout the property, private patios in your room, really lovely and it's $172 a night. >> that's amazing. great deals. >> super ideas. courtney scott, thank you so much. >> thank you. >> how many times have you checked your facebook or read your e-mails so far today? we'll tell you why social media

can be hurting your social life we'll tell you why social media can b[ male announcer ]ial life this is jim. a man who doesn't stand still. but jim has afib, atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat not caused by a heart valve problem. that puts jim at a greater risk of stroke. for years, jim's medicine tied him to a monthly trip to the clinic to get his blood tested. but now, with once-a-day xarelto jim's on the move. jim's doctor recommended xarelto. like warfarin, xarelto is proven effective to reduce afib-related stroke risk. but xarelto is the first and only once-a-day prescription blood thinner for patients with afib not caused by a heart valve problem that doesn't require routine blood monitoring. so jim's not tied to that monitoring routine. [ gps ] proceed to the designated route. not today. [ male announcer ] for patients currently well managed on warfarin there is limited information on how xarelto and warfarin compare in reducing the risk of stroke. xarelto is just one pill a day taken with the evening meal. plus, with no known dietary restrictions, jim can eat the healthy foods he likes.

do not stop taking xarelto, rivaroxaban, without talking to the doctor who prescribes it as this may increase the risk of having a stroke. get help right away if you develop any symptoms like bleeding, unusual bruising, or tingling. you may have a higher risk of bleeding if you take xarelto with aspirin products, nsaids, or blood thinners. talk to your doctor before taking xarelto if you have abnormal bleeding. xarelto can cause bleeding, which can be serious and rarely may lead to death. you are likely to bruise more easily on xarelto and it may take longer for bleeding to stop. tell your doctors you are taking xarelto before any planned medical or dental procedures. before starting xarelto, tell your doctor about any conditions such as kidney, liver, or bleeding problems. xarelto is not for patients with artificial heart valves. jim changed his routine. ask your doctor about xarelto. once-a-day xarelto means no regular blood monitoring -- no known dietary restrictions. for more information and savings options, call 1-888-xarelto or visit goxarelto.com.

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try them for yourself at a walmart near you. you would need like a bunch of those to clean this mess. [ counselor ] you're probably right. hi. cascade kitchen counselor. 1 pac of cascade complete cleans tough food better than 6 pacs of the bargain brand combined. cascade. beyond clean and shine. every time. you're always on, so we're always ready. tyson grilled & ready chicken. made with 100% all natural ingredients, all white meat, and fully cooked. we'll take care of dinner. you take care of everything else. all right. let's be honest. a lot of us are hooked on social media, whether it's facebook,

sending e-mails from the dinner table, bathroom. digital devices can start to take over our lives. you've done that? >> i've done that, yeah. sorry. it's peace and quiet. >> i'm never using your phone again. >> the next time someone hands you a phone, like take my photo. >> let's introduce our ladies to help us put it all in perspective. sara humphries, randi zuckerberg, and best-selling author of "dot complicated." good morning. i guess we've established that some of us are a little more addicted to our phones than others, right? so why is that the problem, sara? why are we so addicted to our devices? >> they're essential. they really are. we communicate with them, do our calendar, they tell us where to go. we have them and we need to use them every day, essentially, but sometimes we use them for good and sometimes evil. i.e., in the bathroom. >> there's our online and offline life, and now they're really blurred. >> you're right. there's so many amazing things we can do. tracking our health, our finances, keeping in touch with

people all over the world, but sometimes it comes at the expense at the people that are right next to you. i think that's what a lot of the data is showing. >> real simple conducted a survey online. with the huffington post. and this is really enlightening. 76% check their smartphones at least once an hour. i would fall into that category. 47% keep smartphones on their nightstands. it's my alarm clock. 39% look at their phones in the bathroom. we've already established i do that. >> the other 70% are liars. >> you're lying. >> i didn't do it. >> there you go. and i guess a lot of people, how does social media make you feel? 7% say overwhelmed. 7% inspired, 4% jealous. >> the relationship is complicated. it's really complicated. it's good and bad and you've got to be able to manage it. >> and if you're so connected, doesn't it, randi, kind of distort your view of reality? >> it can, definitely. >> because there's a lot of

negativity out there. >> there's negativity. sometimes you see people, they're only posting the best snippets of their life. >> you're jealous and thinking, why not me? >> fomo, fear of missing out. it's much more epic than mine. it's important to take it all, understand you're seeing a fraction of people's lives. >> can you put limits, sara, on the amount of technology? can you say, for example, to your boss, listen, i'm not going to answer e-mails from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. i'm putting the kids to bed. we're having dinner. >> no one else is going to set a boundary. your boss is never going to say, go ahead. take it off. all you can do is try. i want to make sure family dinner is quiet and focused. i'm not going to answer e-mails between 6:00 and 8:00. if you have a job you need to be in contact a lot, have a backup plan. if you really need me, i'll make sure my phone is on if you want to call. but otherwise i'm not answering e-mails between these hours. >> i firmly agree with that. i think setting boundaries, if you respect your own personal time, your colleagues and your friends will start to learn to respect it also. >> and our house, we don't even

answer the phone during dinnertime. everything's kind of off limits. but people expect that instant response. how do you break them of that habit? >> they do, especially with text messaging. can you imagine if you guys were having a conversation, i was just tapping you on the shoulder? >> annoying. >> what a message is like. i think it's about training the people in your life and again setting your own personal boundaries. >> well, i know i, on the weekends, try to not look at it as much. i try to keep my phone away from me as much as possible. so is it possible to take what you call social media breaks, randi? >> i think so, definitely. i think the most important is no tech in the bedroom. i know of people talk about, you know, the television. don't put a tv in your bedroom. you'll never have sex now. the ipad is kind of the new equivalent of that. and i think that's another important, very important boundary to set with technology also. >> i've got to break debra of playing scrabble. enough!

that's right. >> lots of points. >> that's right. yeah, but i'm not getting any. okay! hey! thank you! thank you very much! all right, ladies, thank you. >> i was hoping you were going to get there. >> thanks so much. >> good job, ladies. thank you. poor al. this is "today" on nbc. es. thank you. >> poor al. this is "today" on nbc. [chris]still smoking up a storm?

[tom]yeah.pathetic,isn't it? [chris] ever try to... [tom] quit?of course! my best time was six days. the worst was ...uh...23.4 seconds. [chris] so can i ask you... [chris & tom] why are you still smoking? [tom] [sarcastic] "it's so much fun." [chris]why not call the smokers' helpline? the program's free,and... [tom]and they'll tell me..."you oughta quit." [chris] not so. just tell them you're ready to quit. then,they'll tell you how. [tom] really? you wouldn't have that number on you,would you? [ female announcer ] it balances you... [ water crashing ]

...it fills you with energy... and it gives you what you are looking for to live a more natural life. in a convenient two bar pack. this is nature valley... delicious granola bars made with the best ingredients in nature. nature valley. nature at its most delicious. kathie lee and hoda are here. what's coming up next? >> we're going to talk about if it's okay or not okay for celebrities to go into politics.

good morning, it's 9:56. a judge could decide today if the teen accused of setting another teen on fire should be charged as an adult. he was charged as an adult with

a hate crime enhancement, last week the lawyer for the accused asked to try him as a minor instead. some mountain view officers will be spending their en iveni at 49ers games. terry mcsweeney, good morning to you. today we will be at 76 in the east bay. average this time of year is 57 degrees, much warmer than average. it will really feel like summer just about every single day until we get through the all important week. and right around the corner, as we get into this upcoming weekend, saturday and sunday, you will see double overhead out there, eight to ten footers, surfs up, dude. >> right on.

looking inland, southbound, this is a slow drive right now, the south 101 at the bottom of your screen. i could not see the crash, but look at the slow drive and the map out of redwood city. el comino also very slow. looking at a southbound dry that a smooth but a crash near dennison. and activity on the shoulder of highway 13 that is causing a slow down. >> another local news update for you in half an hour. a half hour of news for you at 11:00. [ laughter ]

he loves me. he loves me not. he loves me. he loves me not. ♪ he loves me! that's right. [ mom ] warm and flaky in 15, everyone loves pillsbury grands! [ girl ] make dinner pop! [ angelic music plays ] ♪ toaster strudel! best morning ever!

[ hans ] warm, flaky, gooey. toaster strudel! [ female announcer ] try new pillsbury heat-n-go mini pancakes. from nbc news, this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hello, everybody. welcome to thirsty thursday. usually i'm happy about that, but, you know what, today is january 16th. >> what's wrong with that? >> that means i'm one more month older, yeah. >> your birthday is on the 16th? >> yeah. isn't it funny? it just -- that doesn't matter to the people who were nominated for oscars. they're thrilled. they don't care. >> we do formal for oscar

nomination day. tell me what is happening here. >> it is donna morgan. like a velvet. >> it looks really pretty. al was about to get up on it, you know what i mean? he was. it was weird. i was, like, wow. >> you know what i love about al? he tells you what he thinks. >> he said he wanted to get on that. that's exactly what he said. all right. so the oscar nominations are out. before we list them all and they're so deserving, what happened to the butler? >> hoda has been championing that -- when did the butler come out? who knows because it was a long time ago. people have short memories, hoda. i thought for sure that oprah would get a nod just because she's beloved by the industry. >> by the way, she was great in it. >> great. and forest whitaker, oscar winner. >> okay. anyway. >> i'm sorry. >> i know. the most nominations if you look at the big headline, "gravity" and "american hustle" each got ten. >> each got ten. want to make predictions? that would be fun. >> these are the nominations for best actor.

christian bale, bruce dern, leonardo dicaprio "wolf of wall street," this is for you, chiwetel ejiofor "12 years a slave," and matthew mcconaughey for "dallas buyers club." amy adams "american hustle." you go. >> cate blanchett, "blue jasmine". >> sandra bullock "gravity". >> dame judi dench, "philomena". >> and meryl streep "august: osage county." i'm going with meryl streep. best picture, 12 years a slave, american hustle, captain phillips, dallas buyers club and gravity. you're going with "12 years a

slave". >> i'm going with "12 years a slave" because they're giving best actor awards to "dallas buyers club". >> i'm going with "philomena" because i feel like it. >> have you seen it? >> no. but everybody who's seen it loves it. >> other surprises. what do you want to say is best -- who -- all right. what about other surprises, jonah hill nominated. >> jonah hill. he's does some funky, weird, kinky things in that movie. some are a little icky. >> "american hustle" i want to see and all the leading actors were -- and supporting actors were nominated. that happened with "silver linings playbook." david o. russell, he must be a dream. >> watching this, because, look, tom hanks was left out, by the way. >> in two big movies this year. >> "captain phillipphillips" an

"saving mr. banks". >> robert redford. people thought this was his big role. he didn't have any dialogue. >> just like a few words or something like that. he's very good at whatever he does. sometimes it is just not your year. what do i know? >> and the 86th annual academy awards on march 2nd and ellen is hosting. always terrific. the show will basically honor heroes. >> yes. >> of film this year. >> i wonder -- we don't have jimmy kimmel? jimmy kimmel has this funny -- he had fun with "august: osage county county" that we're going to effort to get for you. our editors are busy bleeping out things. >> are we in "the daily news"? >> we were talking about -- i forget. >> something smart and edgy. can't even find our page. >> we'll look for that. >> all right. >> this upset us this morning, this new chapter in trace adkins' life. >> he's a friend of the show. we like when he comes on, always

a lot of fun. he was on a cruise, it was headlining a seven-day long concert cruise ship and celebrating his birthday. a trace adkins look alike got into a tangle or they got into a tangle, the real trace adkins and his look alike. >> a kerfuffle. >> and there was punching going on apparently and -- >> that can be a cruise ship. i know. >> well, trace got off the boat at the next stop and the statement from trace's people is trace has entered a treatment facility after a setback in his battle with alcohol. as he faces these issues head on, we ask that his family's privacy be respected. >> apparently been sober for about 12 years and he's always -- we never know what we're going to get with trace when he comes, though. he's always interesting. but there are different facets to this man's life. >> he's got -- he's got those pipes that are so low. >> a lot of great work with wounded warrior foundation. so we wish him all the best in

the world. i do remember one time on the carnival cruise ship, can i tell a story, i was shooting on a carnival cruise ship, all the commercials i shot were done at sea. my family often came, almost all the time came, and so one time frank and i were shooting a scene and we're in the back of the ship, the bow, no, the stern, and some guy was crazy drunk and his friends were urging him on, get in his face about something. i don't remember what it was. just -- >> a drunk idiot. what did he do? >> he threw a drink at frank. i'm telling you, i thought that guy was going to go overboard. yeah. because just -- it was a stupid thing to do, yeah. >> you're stuck out there, you're confined on the boat. >> such a gentleman, but i thought, oh, boy, if ever he was going to lose it, it would be something over something like

that. if it would have been at me, his body would have never been found. sharks. >> so there is some big news that the westminster dog show. big changes are happening. >> yeah. we didn't talk about that. >> no. >> hold it up. >> we love the westminster dog show. >> yes. there are three new breeds in the competition, okay. here they are. the chinook. is it chinook? >> chinook. >> okay. the sled puller, beautiful. known for power and endurance. you do the next one. >> okay. thank you. hodi. it is the portuguese badangle, it is a compact hunter. looks like he's sitting on a hamburger bun. >> and then the rat terrier. >> yeah. >> yeah, those are to get rid of rats on farms. anywhere, they're also -- >> we're not talking about it. okay.

they're opening the doggy door this year to welcome mutts. what is the world coming to? there is a chance for bambino now. >> and blake. >> we love our mutts. >> can't be best in show, but there are mixed breed competitors. that will be cool. >> a new contest seen for the first time at the great show. and the dog show is february 11th and it comes just in time for the dog days of winter. >> you're right. you're right. >> a good laugh. i love that. if you've never seen it, you've got to see best in show. one of my favorite movies of all time. >> it really is. >> brilliant about the dog show world. >> we got to talk about lena dunham on "vogue." talk about her being on "vogue," they were asking her about it and lo and behold, here it is. you don't -- it is one of those head and shoulder shots. >> i think she looks awesome. her eyes, i didn't realize how big her eyes were, yeah. inside there are more revealing photos. tattoos, you can see this, she's

with the guy who plays her boyfriend on "girls," but it does show a switch -- it seems like with "vogue." usually you don't expect to see a lena dunham on "vogue." it is cool to see her. >> when they go towards more average-looking woman and they give her, you know, some credit, they all think she's the voice of a generation, that's what frightens me because there are things about that show that frighten me. and so anyway, we were happy for her and wish her well. now, your play list. >> i can't get out of my carole king mode. >> i'm going to love it! >> i saw "beautiful," the broadway show and we're going to go again, i can't way to go. >> in february. >> this say song i loved. let's see. >> so far away. ♪ ♪ so far away

doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore ♪ ♪ it would be so fine to see your face at my door ♪ ♪ doesn't help to know you're time away ♪ ♪ long ago i reached for you and there you stood ♪ >> i love this song. >> isn't that beautiful? ♪ do me good >> i knew you would like it. >> how can you be the same person that likes all that other -- i don't understand it, hoda. this is -- this is genius music. >> i love it. she's awesome. so happy for her. okay or not okay? >> not okay. >> is it okay for celebrities to get involved in politics? >> here's what we had to say about it. let's do it quickly. >> wow. >> every citizen has a right to

exercise his or her political beliefs in the hope of implementing them into society. that doesn't mean we have to vote for them. >> i like what you said. i say of course it is okay, it is a free country after all. >> i say what she said. >> mine was shorter. >> i like it when they get to it just like that. >> i do too. we have a big show coming up, don't we? >> we do. who's on it? we don't know. but last we looked we had a fine lineup of people. >> "ambush makeover" coming up. and we have a segment on worrying. does worrying equal love? when you worry about -- >> i'm worried about who's on. you can't worry about these things. >> you can't. all right. we'll have a lot coming up for you. >> we'll be right back. >> after t before copd... i took my son fishing every year. we had a great spot, not easy to find, but worth it. but with copd making it hard to breathe, i thought those days might be over. so my doctor prescribed symbicort. it helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler

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i got this. gimme one, gimme one, gimme one! the power of the "name your price" tool. only from progressive. every parent can tell you from the moment your child is born there are certain things you worry about. stomach ache something more serious to who your children's friends are. >> there is always one mom in

the bunch who has to outworry the best. carrie corgan wrote all about this and dr. janet taylor -- >> i like her a lot. >> a psychiatrist. >> hi, ladies. >> welcome. >> thank you. >> the genesis of this article is an interesting concept, that moms trying to outworry each other. >> yes. i was finding i was having a lot of conversations with moms who told me they were too worried to let their kids do things that my kids were doing, like going on a certain carnival ride or me dropping them off at a birthday party and leaving. >> weren't they sort of trying to dig at your mothering or were they truly just, geez, i can't believe you did that. i'm so afraid? what did you get from them? >> after a while, it started to feel like judging and started to feel like if i weren't concerned about those things, then maybe i don't care enough about my child's well-being. >> yeah. is that what's happening? are they trying to outdo one another or sharing their concerns? >> as moms we keep our child's

health and safety first and foremost, and for some people, that is a worry. but if you think about what a worry is, a negative occurrence, negative thoughts, in no way does that equal love. for some people that -- you think that smothering, that control over your child, you have to say, like, that's not really the best way to show them how much you care. >> it is a lack of faith in the child or lack of faith in -- >> lack of faith in themselves and, but it gets back to as mothers that the competition or, you know, that sense of -- >> you even see kids on a playground and sometimes you've seen it, one kid is going crazy and swinging and everyone is like where is the mom? and the mom is over there just enjoying herself and you worry this kid, and i get that way if i'm at the beach and i see a kid swimming, i'm always on the lookout, like, is the mom around and why don't they seem to care and why are we all having to feel responsible for this child? >> yeah, i mean, i think every parent worries. i have fears. i'm not anti-worrying. and at my job, you know, i literally -- it is my job to know every bad thing that could

happen to a child, but at a certain point, you have to do your research, you have to, you know, take precautions, say your prayers and just, you know, let it go and hope that you can let your kids lead a normal life, not let your fears impact them. >> isn't that the whole point of parenting, you're supposed to raise them up in such a way that you then let them fly the coop. leave the nest. you hold on to them, they will fall if you're hanging on. >> it is stages. we want to raise kids that are independent and can make the right choices. but the fact is, we all have some worries you think about. most of what we worry about doesn't happen, but it is those mothers and fathers can do it too, but primarily mothers because they're the caregivers, make sure you don't get -- look both ways, do that, but that fear that something bad could happen can transmit to your child. >> and it must scare your kid to death because -- >> it is fear. >> i remember as kids, my parented moved into the d.c. area, my parents said don't answer the door. we were, like, oh, my god, we were terrified. then we heard someone ring the

doorbell and we went to the intercom and who is it, who is it and they're christmas carollers, we're like, who is it, but they made us crazy afraid. >> we got a lot of interesting feedback to the article and one mom said, worrying doesn't make your kids feel more loved, it makes them feel more worried. >> anxious. >> i agree and i think that worrying doesn't prevent bad things from happening and also even sometimes being there doesn't prevend bad things from happening. we all experienced where our kids got hurt and we were right there. >> if you worry so much, so much anxiety that it stopped you from doing what you should do, kids don't want to go to school, afraid to play, as a mother, you're afraid to go out, if that happens, you should see your health care provider, that differentiates the worry to an anxiety disorder. >> that's what a helicopter parent is, that's the term that comes -- >> helicopter parents are more under control and if a kid gets a b, they're swooping in, talking to the teacher about getting an a. they may be worried about how their kid is going to be

perceived, but they want to control every aspect of their child's life. >> sometimes you meet a person and you meet their mother and meet their mother, you understand this one is a worrywart, it is going to rain, don't forget this, you're getting a cold, and you can see it is one of those generational things that keeps going. >> and yet my sister has a daughter and i have the two kids and my brother and we're all so different in the way we parent, completely. my sister is a worrier, about everything. >> and parenting styles are different. it is not to label parents who maybe do want to spend more time with their child or more controlling, but just to know the impact it may have on other parents and just because you're different doesn't make you a bad mother. >> you don't feel bad. you're fine, sweetie. >> you come back and see us again. thank you. all right, the video inspiring people to charge ahead and follow their dreams. >> it's web tastic. our ambush ladies are about to see their gorgeous new looks

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time for web tastic. >> this one is an incredibly touching commercial about a professional football player that we hope will inspire you. >> it has millions of hits online and something tells us millions more will be on the way. check it out. >> they told me it couldn't be done. that i was a lost cause. i was picked on. and picked last. coaches didn't know how to talk to me. they gave up on me. told me i should just quit. >> and the last pick is -- >> they didn't call my name.

told me it was over. but i've been deaf since i was 3, so i didn't listen. >> eric coleman. >> and now i'm here, with a lot of fans in the nfl cheering me on. and i can hear them all. >> okay. >> i can't even look at that commercial. >> that was a perfect commercial. just a perfect commercial. wow. so getting me in the mood for "everyone has a story". >> oh, my god. they're ready to turn around and face the mirror. >> wow. >> makeup! >> don't walk away. we're going to see our "ambush makeovers." we'll be right back. [ female announcer ] we invited women to see

the not so pretty truth about their body washes. i wouldn't change. [ female announcer ] this test paper was designed to react like your skin. if other body washes can strip this paper, imagine how harsh they can be to your skin. oh my gosh. [ female announcer ] dove is different. its breakthrough formula changes everything with the blend of gentle cleansers and nourishing nutrium moisture. so what do you think now? definitely switching to dove. [ female announcer ] dove. this is care. ♪

good morning, it's 10:26. the breaking news is going on in san jose where police just released new information about an arson suspect, they say

patrick william brennan set a dozen fires in the last week. they were all within blocks of each other. he faces two counts of arson and could face more charges later on. he has been charged previously for arson locally and out of state. police have arrested the 48-year-old man saying he is responsible for intentionally setting fires in the city. more on our newscast at 11:00.

welcome back now, good looking day shaping up for outdoor plans. you'll need sunscreen, not feeling like january. 74 in san francisco today. a touch cooler than yesterday. as we head throughout the afternoon it will be another warm one. to put things in perspective for you. so far this winter, we have matched the number of days at 80 days. quite the talent there, mike, over to you. >> she has skilled and triplets. look at the jam up as you leave rapid city. over on fre month past 880 slows. toward mission boulevard, the last of your commute in that area. >> more local news in half an hour at 11:00. see you then.

. we're back with more of "today" to do what we always do on thirsty thursday. >> plaza "ambush makeovers." >> two lucky ladies plucked from our crowd and brought into the studio for new everything. >> doing the whisking as always, "today" contributor and stylist to the stars, everything please sing along, louis licari. >> thank you, ladies. >> and contributing editor for "people star watch" and author jill martin. >> day off today? >> great day. the "today" show gets the best crowd. our biggest problem is cutting it down to two makeovers. >> i know. >> theresa fleetwood is our first lucky lady, will be 54 this saturday, from nashville,

tennessee. she's been too busy taking care of everybody else to focus on herself. her sister begged us to take care of her for a change. >> her sister is already crying too. >> let's take a listen. >> we're laughing, we're trying. i know you this new start. >> yes, i do. >> you don't want to talk about it. you're in hysterics. i'll ask your sister. it has been an emotional year for you guys, huh? >> very much, especially my sister and she's just the greatest person. she does everything for everybody else but herself. this is going to be terrific for her. >> thank you. >> i'm sorry about your loss. i know you had a big loss of your mother this year. >> we did. >> but we're going to give you this gift and a new start. >> i'm so excited. >> no more tears. >> thank you. >> she's already got all the basics, doesn't she? >> she looks beautiful. nancy is here with her. nancy has her blindfold on. we scared her. just keep it on for a second. i'll tell you when to take it off. here is theresa before. let's see the new you. ♪ isn't she lovely >> oh, my god.

>> are you ready? get ready. >> take off your blindfold. >> oh, my gosh. >> you're going to freak. >> oh, my goodness. >> you got to turn around. are you ready? you're going to freak. get ready. okay. right here. >> that's you. >> don't hide the kleenex. >> nancy probably needs -- >> peek right here. >> here you go. right there. >> leave it up. >> theresa works in an accountant's office. you'll never guess. miracle of hair color, washing away the gray, washes away years. so pretty, right? it is a honey warm brown, red, it is all of it together. >> it is licari red. >> awesome. >> her haircut, she just shaped it around the face, and opened

her up. >> she looks wonderful. >> oh. >> you have such a great relationship. jill, that dress, perfect. made for her. >> isn't it? first of all -- what were you going to say? >> and a size 2. >> she kept saying what size is that? >> is that one of those -- woo or new? >> you see the cutout here, you mentioned, nothing sexier than a little bit of a cutout. >> a hint. you should know, jill. >> practice what you preach. >> big round of applause for theresa. >> beautiful. >> join your sister over here. >> our second lady is melissa, 46 from brownsburg, indiana. she told us her daily beauty routine consists of washing her face. let's listen to her. >> the perfect candidate, we said to you, do you want a whole new look and you said, yes!

tell us why. >> because it is time. you know, i'm in my upper 40s, it is time for a new look, do something different with the hair, color, cut my hair, whatever you want to do. >> i assume we can do whatever we want. >> oh, yeah. oh, yeah. i'm excited for it. so see what you guys come up with. >> all right. blank check. >> she's here. blindfold on. >> her son blake and a few members of the -- a boy's choir from indiana performing at carnegie hall this sunday. let's look at melissa. >> keep your blindfolds on, guys. >> bring out the new melissa right now. >> no, not yet. >> oh, my gosh. >> all right, you guys, now, take a look. >> oh, my god. >> melissa. >> where did she go? >> you look beautiful. >> you're adorable. take a look at yourself, sweetie. >> what a nice transformation.

of an already beautiful woman. >> gorgeous. >> thank you so much. >> i hate to tell you, but you look more like his date than his mom right now. >> okay. >> a little uncomfortable. >> there i go again. again, great haircut by vanessa, makeup and she didn't know what to do with her hair, so she just kept growing it and it did nothing for her. the other option was highlights, highlights, highlights. she overhighlighted herself. it almost looked gray. this color, again, slightly warm golden brown, just made her skin color come alive. >> what do you all think? >> beautiful. >> she looks wonderful. wonderful. >> good job as usual. >> the dress.

>> a little touch, a little twist on the little black dress. you see the detail on the shoulders. >> bring theresa back out. >> thank you. >> round of applause. >> you guys are awesome. >> vanessa, everybody, the glam team, thanks so much. we have a very talented "everyone has a story" winner. >> music helped save his life. .

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story about her son ken's health struggles. >> we'll meet everybody in a moment. first, let's listen to what alyssa had to say. >> my son ken is a 25-year-old singer, songwriter, musician, who has a rare immunodeficiency disorder, but he does not produce antibodies in his body to fight disease. after he was in the hospital after what appeared to be pneumonia, the specialist looked into his cells and discovered the disorder. however, music has saved his life. his music teacher told me when ken was in ninth grade that he was a true musical genius. i never knew if he was playing a paul mccartney song or one of his own. he has won first place in every talent contest he enters and

even played at madison square garden. last month, an er doctor told ken that he now has developed a lung disorder called bronchiecstasis. to complicate his life, he and i both have a form of muscular atrophy that affects our arms and legs and one muscle in the diaphragm. he will never die from this, just progressively cripple up. i watch your special when you sang "make my heart a manger," i wept. i cannot let ken's songs die inside of him. please, bring him back into i had life. >> ken is here with his mother and brother terrence. we must have cut it out from the letter, you mentioned when he would perform, you would perform, ken, you would have to go to the hospital and he would look up at you and go, mom, was

i a trouper, was i a trouper. tell me about that. >> it was first time they entered a contest separately and we had to keep ken in a soundproof booth for four hours before he went on, he was sick. but you pay months in advance, you never know if he'll be sick or well. when he performed, my husband took him immediately to the emergency room. i stayed behind to see if he had won. going to first place and there he was, 13-year-old lying there in the hospital bed, all the nurses around, i bring him the gold statue, he's, like, mom, am i a trouper. >> you loved music since the beginning, haven't you? >> yes. >> we talked about how it got you through difficult times. what do you think it does to you? >> it takes my mind off being sick. and missing, you know, things i would are to miss when i was sick. it got me through everything. took my mind off it. >> you performed in the garden, that must have been such an incredible experience. >> especially since i played

with wheezer on stage. >> that's good. >> paul mccartney. >> i know. >> wheezer not so much. >> you've been a good brother to him. >> i try. >> we have our little pick adil adillos. >> they have a regular gig every tuesday at a local restaurant and ken had had a car accident and they say you would never play again. so he tried to put the show on alone. but when they're together, it is like the beatles. >> we hope the song coming up will inspire you. >> jeremy joyce is here. ♪

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we're here with our "everyone has a story" winner

ken and alyssa and his brother terrence. >> time to hear the song david friedman and i wrote just for you. please welcome jeremy jordan singing "was i a trouper, mom." ♪ ♪ life for some people seems simple things ♪ ♪ they find it easy to sing a song they're meant to sing ♪ ♪ then there are people who find life a challenge to live ♪ ♪ i'm still a young man but what most take for granted for me has taken

quite a toll ♪ ♪ but i have a family that's up to the task ♪ ♪ and each time they're there for me ♪ ♪ i want to be sure they see ♪ ♪ the best me that i can be ♪ ♪ so i always ask ♪ ♪ was i a trouper mom i did pass the test ♪ ♪ did i give it all when i gave it my best ♪ ♪ did i make you proud that i'm your son ♪ ♪ did i leave anything undone ♪ ♪ was i a trouper mom ♪ now there's so much music i still want to make ♪ ♪ i want to share with each and every

breath i take ♪ ♪ so i'll keep believing that's why i'm still here ♪ ♪ and each time i think it rough ♪ ♪ i'll show you i've got the stuff ♪ ♪ my faith's going to be enough to conquer all fear ♪ ♪ i'll be a trouper, mom i'll pass every test ♪ ♪ i'll give it my all ♪ ♪ when i give it my best ♪ i know you're proud that i'm your son ♪ ♪ i won't leave anything undone ♪ ♪ i'll be a trouper mom because i'm a trouper, mom i'm a trouper, mom ♪

>> awesome, jeremy! awesome! we'll be back with a surprise for the conklin family and another special performance from the man himself. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

we're back with the conklin family who were just treated to an amazing performance by jeremy jorden from broadway and "smash" and movies who performed all over the place and has a new movie coming out in the fall and composer, dear friend david friedman. thank you, guys. >> what did you think of the song? >> it was great. >> you liked it? >> a great voice. >> the lyrics, if i said it myself, the lyrics from a mother's heart, just beautiful.

and your performance was amazing. your music is gorgeous. >> it takes a village. >> was that stressful getting up and performing when you know the people you're singing to are right in front of you? >> i'm singing to a camera with lyrics on it, so i don't have to think about it. >> wow, jeremy. >> it takes the stress off. i looked at the end, like, it's okay. you don't know what's going to happen. >> you never know. >> we like to give a little something away. ken, we know you a lot of medical bills and a hard time meeting some of your expenses. so visa donated a card to help you with some of the expenses you may have. we want you to have that. >> there you go. congratulations. i think 500 each, should cover the medical situation you all were telling us about. we're happy about that. now, come on. we have been waiting. >> tell us about -- you write your own songs? is that what happens? >> i do. i do write my own songs. i have about 140, i wrote two

last week. so about 140 right now. >> you played one called "get me through the night". >> "make it through the night". >> got to be careful around people like me and david. >> you might like it. it has your kind of -- >> groove. >> vibe. >> hodi won't like it. >> if you don't, i'm sorry. >> we'll like it, because you're doing it. >> here we go. ♪ ♪ going out from 9 to 5 ♪ ♪ pushing through your own life ♪ ♪ thinking about the day that we saw ♪

♪ i will be all right if she holds me tight i know i'll make it through the night ♪ >> that's a little bit of it. >> all right. >> great. >> have a great thirsty thursday, everybody. >> we will see you for try day friday. >> yes. >> god bless. >> thank you. thank you. [chris]still smoking up a storm?

[tom]yeah.pathetic,isn't it? [chris] ever try to... [tom] quit?of course! my best time was six days. the worst was ...uh...23.4 seconds. [chris] so can i ask you... [chris & tom] why are you still smoking? [tom] [sarcastic] "it's so much fun." [chris]why not call the smokers' helpline? the program's free,and... [tom]and they'll tell me..."you oughta quit." [chris] not so. just tell them you're ready to quit. then,they'll tell you how. [tom] really? you wouldn't have that number on you,would you?

right now at 11:00, breaking news, police just released information about an arson suspect. and our worried about the dry spell grow. >> and not just water worrying, fire danger increasing across the state. crews are battling an out of control wild fire. >> and the nominees are -- the oscar nominees are announced. thank you for joining us, i'm pecky bunker. >> i'm terry mcsweeney, we begin with breaking news, detectives