back in a half an hour with a live local news update. >> have a great day. we'll keep you updated throughout the day. ♪ >> oh, my god! look at this! >> neighborhoods in new orleans destroyed by katrina devastated once again. >> to think of the work that had to be done to rebuild a second time. it's a lot. >> we're there, live. while the northeast braces for a weather whiplash. record heat today. a major snowstorm tomorrow. silenced. senator elizabeth warren punished by republicans, using an arcane rule after she offers a stunning rebuke of jeff sessions using a letter from

martin luther king. >> the words are not suitable for debate in the united states' senate. >> but with sessions set to be confirmed as attorney general today, was it another wasted night on capitol hill? and are democrats once again just spinning their wheels? the decision, the fate of the president's travel ban now in the handled of appeals court judges after a contentious hearing. >> has the government pointed to any evidence connecting these countries with terrorism? >> concern for terrorism with those connected with radical islamic sects is kind of hard to deny. >> a ruling expected this week. but the supreme court will likely have the final say. and let the countdown begin. the next winner is exactly a year away. we're live in south korea to check on preparations there. some of america's hopefuls join us for an olympic-size celebration on mt. rockefeller,

today, wednesday, february 8th, 2017. from nbc news, this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie live in studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. and good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a wednesday morning. you're looking at the scene out in rockefeller plaza. mt. rockefeller. i cannot wait to see the shriver mctwist over that jump out there. >> i'm ready. you were saying if i did it, my hair wouldn't move. >> you're a good skier, those, right? >> pretty good skier. but i cannot do that. i admit it. >> we're going to have a party for olympic hopefuls out on the plaza as we get set, one year out from the next winter olympics. we don't have -- the weather we're dealing with. more on that in just a second. first, let us get to our top story. we had tornadoes causing widespread destruction in parts of the south overnight.

while new england is getting ready for a powerful snowstorm after a day of record high temperatures. al is going to have his forecast in just a moment. let's start with nbc's gabe gutierrez. he's down in new orleans. gabe, good morning to you. >> reporter: matt, good morning. the damage here is sporadic, but extensive in some areas. thankfully, no one was inside this home when the tornado struck. it used to be all the way over there, but the powerful winds lifted up this structure and tossed it across the yard. today residents here are trying to salvage what they can. >> it's devastation. >> reporter: this morning, parts of the south are in shock. after fast-moving storms pounded several states. >> it's all gone. >> reporter: the ferocious winds slipping over this truck and tossing it down the road. >> ooh, my god! look at this! >> reporter: tornados sliced through at least seven parishes in louisiana. among the hardest-history areas, new orleans east, same areas

ravished by katrina more than a decade ago. she remembers it well. she was out of her home for nearly a year after the hurricane destroyed it. now this -- >> this is overwhelming. with the hurricanes, you have opportunity to leave. with this, there is no opportunity. >> reporter: also damaged, a nasa facility that builds rockets. louisiana's governor declaring a state of emergency. thousands of people left without power. >> we shouldn't be here. >> reporter: edward noel and his 83-year-old mother barely survived when the tornado ripped the roof off their home. >> it was scary. i actually looked at the window and saw the tornado coming towards us. >> reporter: rodrick howard was walking his dog when the storm rolled through. >> it knocked me down. and it took my dog away. it took my dog away. i don't know where he at. >> oh, my god! >> reporter: the twisters part of a fierce storm system that cut a path of destruction through the south. bringing hail.

>> this size, coming down right now. >> reporter: and relentless winds. in new orleans east, the national guard has been called in to help with the cleanup. these are live pictures from a drone over a warehouse ripped apart. it was next to that nasa facility we mentioned. that was damaged. around 40 people were injured here in southeastern louisiana. but matt and maria, thankfully, no deaths have been reported here. back to you. >> gabe gutierrez. thank you very much. >> wow. al has his hands full this morning from those tornadoes to record-breaking heat and then a major snowstorm. al, good morning. >> it really is kind of crazy going on right now. and, in fact, we still have the risk of severe weather down to the south. you are watching that line that caused all of the problems last night move through florida. however, we currently have a risk of severe weather starting to push its way through into the southeast. you can see those showers and thunderstorms now making their way through. the impact attention, we've got 32 million people at risk for

marginally severe weather. isolated -- large hail, gusty winds, dangerous lightning. this is something we're watching. now into this nor'easter. right now, temperatures are going to be getting into the 50s and 60s up and down the eastern seaboard. as this pushes in, snow will develop tomorrow morning around 6:00 a.m. from washington, d.c., philadelphia, new york. you can see the pinks there. this is where the warmer air stays in longer. so washington, you're not going to see that much snow. but it's going to be falling at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour by thursday morning into the afternoon from philadelphia, new york city, boston. boston may even see thundersnow. that's how big a risk this system is. as it pushes out, we look for the airports to be a mess. major airport delays up and down the eastern seaboard. that, of course, is going to be a big ripple effect. falling temperatures, gusting winds. look at the snowfall we're looking at for right now. down through washington and

baltimore, only about an inch. 4 to 6 inches in philadelphia. new york city, 6 to 9 inches and that might be a conservative estimate. hartford, providence, boston, upwards of a foot. and it is going to be a heavy, wet snow. so clearing is going to be difficult. power lines may come down because of tree limbs. this is going to be a real mess. the good news is, it's a fast-moving system. >> tale of two days. >> yeah. >> unbelievable. al, thank you very much. let's turn to politics now. this morning, three federal appeals court judges are weighing the fate of president trump's travel ban after hearing arguments for and against it last night. while on capitol hill, democrats pulled a second straight all-nighter against another cabinet nominee. complete coverage starting with peter alexander at the white house. hi, peter. >> reporter: just minutes ago, president trump taking on the federal court, even before it rules on his travel ban. this comes after an extraordinary confrontation on the senate floor just as democrats were arguing against senator jeff sessionses, the

nominee for attorney general. and it's what happened to senator elizabeth warren that really stole the night after republicans voted to formally bar her from speaking out. overnight, fireworks on the senate floor. democrat elizabeth warren protesting the nomination of fellow senator, jeff sessions. president trump's pick for attorney general. >> mr. sessions has the awesome power of his office to chill the free exercise of the vote by black citizens. >> reporter: those words from a 1986 letter from the late coretta scott wing, martin luther king jr.'s widow. the senate's top republican interrupted. >> senator's impugn the motives and conduct. >> reporter: accusing warren of breaking an arcane senate rule by attacking a fellow senator. >> i ask leave of the senate to continue my remarks. >> is there objection?

>> object. >> reporter: warren tweeting, senate majority leader silenced mrs. king's voice on the senate floor before speaking out on msn msnbc. >> i'm out of the game on the senate floor. >> reporter: warn in hours earlier, betsy devos after an unprecedented tie-breaking vote by vice president pence. >> my vote for betsy devos was the easiest vote i ever cast. >> reporter: this morning, president trump's controversial immigration order remains in legal limbo. on a conference call tuesday, federal appeals court judges challenged lawyers from both sides. for the government, they asked how is the existing screening process for immigrants and refugees insufficient? >> is there any reason for us to think there is a real risk where circumstances have changed such that there would be a real risk? >> the president determined there was a real risk. >> reporter: for the states opposing the ban, the judges want to know what proof exists that it discriminates against muslims?

>> we do not need to prove this order harms only muslims or that is harms every muslim. we just need to prove it was motivated in part by a desire to harm muslims. >> reporter: the government arguing the ban is well within the president's power. the states insisting reinstating it would throw this country back into chaos. president trump sounding off about the case again this morning. >> i don't ever want to call a court biased. so i won't call it biased. but courts seem to be so political. >> reporter: it comes as homeland security secretary john kelly concedes the temporary ban was rushed. >> i should have delayed it just a bit so that i could talk to members of congress to prepare them for what was coming. >> reporter: while mr. trump is touting himself as the law and order president, on tuesday meeting with county sheriffs, he repeated a false claim about violent crime in america. >> the murder rate in our country is the highest it's been in 47 years, right? did you know that? 47 years. >> the president also raising eyebrows with his light-hearted comment during that same meeting, targeting a texas state

senator who wanted to make it tougher for law enforcement to seize assets. forfeited by drug traffickers. >> the state senator? do you want to get his name, we'll destroy his career? >> reporter: more about that senate showdown this morning. let liz speak began trending on twitter and after being banned from speaking, warren went to a nearby room and read the entire letter from coretta scott king, live on facebook live. 6 million people have seen it. matt? >> all right. peter, thank you very much. let's go to today's fact-check now. focusing on the president's claim about that national murder rate being at a 47-year high. >> msnbc's chief legal correspondent, ari melbourne, looked into that. good morning to you. >> good morning, matt. that's right. we looked at p claim there about the murder rate. in actually, the fbi statistics show the murder rate per capita here nationally is actually about a 45-year low. now there are plenty of places where there is a real problem.

you look at cities like new orleans, baltimore, detroit and st. louis, murder remains a real problem there. in addition, a jump from 2014 to 2015. we see in the national murder rate, although it is still about half what it was in the 1990s. >> interesting. is that where -- if we're going to give president trump a benefit of the doubt, can you say that maybe he conflated these two things? it was a -- a decades-high jump between 2014 and '15, and he may have said it was -- we are at decades-high numbers? >> certainly possible, matt. there have been claims by this president and other politicians that are totally made up. this isn't one of them. there is a issue here with -- that one jump in the rate, and there are cities, some big cities, where the murder rate remains intractable. while nationally, it has declined. >> ari, come on over here. join the conversation. nicole is with us, as well. this isn't the first example we have heard the president say something that's just not true. we heard his surrogates do

things that are similar. it feels to a lot of people like this president is still speaking to his base. >> right. >> and not the entire country. that works during a campaign. what's the danger of it when you're president? >> well, as you all know, from covering september 11th, when you need to speak to the whole country about something as dire and tragic as a terrorist attack or about something that is logistical. for months after 9/11, anthrax had shown up in the mail and the government's credibility was so desperately needed, because we had to communicate with people about something that everyone does. it's safe to get your mail. so you need that credibility. here is the other thing about donald trump. he wants to be liked by more people than his base. some of his surrogates say we have all we need here. but donald trump is a man who is a television personality. who is obsessed with ratings. and as a politician, is obsessed about approval numbers, obsessed about growing support. >> do you think there is anything he could do that with actually grow that base, that he could reach out and people from

the other side who seem so divided could hear him and say, whoa, wait a minute. i actually like the guy? >> there is a big chunk of the opposition that will never get behind him. but there are a lot of voters in the middle who could be softened if he softens some of his rhetoric. if he toned down some of his statements that are easily picked apart as lies. and if he were to moderate on some positions. during the republican primary, had nice things to say about planned parenthood. voters are incredibly forgiving. >> one of the most divisive things he has done since taking office, ari, is signing the executive order on immigration. this is in the hands of the ninth circuit court of appeals. based on the comments those judges made yesterday, where is this likely to go? >> several of their questions left the impression that they are comfortable with a temporary blockage while this moves through the courts. and that is normal if the plaintiff, if the challengers have some likelihood of success on the merits. ultimately, as you were mentioning at the top of the

show, this is likely the first of a big clash that could make it to the supreme court with president trump. the numbers we talked about on crime, they are from the fbi. he didn't seem to initially consult the fbi. the numbers on immigration here, we rely on dhs, on border security. we're hearing from those agencies that he didn't consult them at first, either. >> all right. ari melbourne, nicolle wallace. thank you both very much. more news from capitol hill now. senate democratic leader, chuck schumerer, says he has serious concerns about supreme court nominee neil gorsuch after meeting with him. schumer stopped short of saying he would oppose that nomination. the new york democrat says that he asked gorsuch several questions, including whether a muslim ban could, in concept, be constitutional. schumer said gorsuch avoided answers like the plague. senator dianne feinstein also met with gorsuch this week, california democrat called the nominee caring and impressive. and an update now on a story

we told you about on tuesday. a days' oh-long man subject over for a man suspected of multiple murders. william boyett was wanted in the killing of two women in florida, as well as the death of a woman in alabama. he and his suspended female accomplice, mary rice, were found hiding in a roadside motel in western georgia. after standoffs, rice, he surrendered to police. sad news to report this morning. actor richard hatch, best known for playing captain apollo in the original "battle star galacti galactica" movie, has died. he died tuesday afternoon after a battle with pancreatic cancer. the actor also appeared in such shows as "dynasty," "the love boat," "bay watch." he was 71 years old. the controversial pipeline project is moving forward.

the u.s. army corps of engineers will grant an easement to allow for the 1,100 mile long pipeline, one of the final steps necessary to begin construction on the last section of the project. meantime, seattle has become the first major city to cut financial ties with wells fargo over the bank's involvement in financing the pipeline. on a very light note, more proof this morning that true friends are there when you need them. take a look at this video from a wildlife rescue facility in italy. you can see one donkey struggling to make its way through a wooden fence while two other donkeys look on. after several attempts, one of the other donkeys approaches the fence and removes the wooden slat with his mouth and allows them to walk free. good teamwork. >> the other one hotwired a car -- >> and off they went. >> i think he would do that for me. >> i would. >> lift it up. >> mr. roker, more on the weather? >> yeah.

>> there's 100 lines. >> i'm not going to do any of them. let's show the rest of the country. we are looking at cold air that will be making its way into the northeast later, and you can see we've got that next storm getting ready to work its way in. heavy rain and snow in the pacific northwest, and california. we'll look at that in more detail coming up in a little bit. and we've got beautiful weather down through texas on into the central plains. we're getting to your local forecast, coming up in the next 30 seconds. no artificial flavors, no artificial preservatives in any of the food we sell. we believe in real food. whole foods market.

good wednesday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall aeufp. stormranger is tracking it all. most of the rain in the peninsula. heavy pockets will slow down santa rosa, san rafael. as we get a close look at san francisco, oakland, showers moving in. we will continue to see some rounds of light rain today. and that's your latest weather. guys? >> all right, al, thank you very much. coming up, learning from loss. how sheryl sandberg's personal tragedy is leading to some big changes for facebook. and the controversy over a radical way some moms are dealing with depression. an amount of lsd. first, this is "today" on nbc.

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levian chocolate diamonds for the sweetest thing in your life. ♪every kiss begins with kay. crews are rhing clean a santa cruz mountains. 17 in the >> a very good wednesday morning. crews are rushing to clear a mudslide in the santa cruz mountains. right now one lane is open in each direction. it is happening between sugarloaf and vine hill road. kred m yesterday mud and rock spilled causing a vehicle to roll over. the driver, good news, is okay. caltrans started to removing the mess. cal traps has ordered a piece of equipment called the spider, which will be able to move repwre at tre pw debris at the top of the slide. there's still some rain in the

bay area. >> a lot of the green covering the radar. a steady downpour over the north bay but san francisco and the peninsula at this point. we will still see more rain in the afternoon. a few more breaks likely as we go into later today. still pockets of heavy rain adding onto the problems we have seen out there. especially in the north bay, south of santa rosa, over toward sonoma. we will keep an eye on this for a look at's commute. >> wet roadways still an issue. highway 17 has reopened between santa cruz and los gatos. the emergency pothole repair. we have wet roadways on the bay bridge. flooded highways on 37. closed from atherton to highway 101. it likely won't end until after the rain is over over the

weekend. back with a local news update in half an hour. hope to see you then. have a good.

7:30 now on a wednesday morning. it is the 8th of february, 2017. a year from right now, the winter olympics will be getting underway. pyeongchang, south korea. they are skiing there this morning. check it out. to mark the occasion, they're skiing outside our studio, as well, on mount rockefeller. right in our plaza. people busy all night long building that little ski slope for us. we're appreciative of that. we're going to go outside and see what maria has to offer in a little while. oh. >> that was not me. >> okay. >> there you go. >> inside studio 1a, i'm matt

lauer, alongside maria shriver and hoda kotb. >> as long as they're out there doing the tricks. >> a state of emergency has been declared for louisiana, where seven parishes were hit by powerful tornadoes. dozens of people were injured. homes and businesses were destroyed. the worst damage was in new orleans' ninth ward, the site of heavy flooding after hurricane katrina. a decision on president trump's controversial executive order on immigration could come at any time. this after a panel of judges from the 9th circuit court of appeals heard arguments by phone last night. during the hearing, they questioned the necessity of the travel ban and if it discriminates against muslims. alabama senator jeff sessions will likely be confirmed as attorney general a little later today. democrats held another all night talk-a-thon, voicing objections. elizabeth warren was formally

silenced for impugning a fellow senator. republicans are expected to push sessions' nomination through. and also this morning, sheryl sandberg is leaning in again. this time, the facebook exec is tackling what she calls family friendly policies and challenging the rest of corporate america to get on board. >> reporter: this morning, a major status update for facebook. coo sheryl sandberg announcing the company has extended its bereavement leave. >> something happens that is traumatic, you have to deal with that but it has ripple effects. >> reporter: facebook giving employees up to 20 days of bereavement leave for an immediate family member and up to 10 days for an extended family member. that is double the amount of time it used to offer. sandberg, a well-known champion for integrating family-friendly policies into corporate america first made this announcement on facebook, saying people should be able both to work and be there for their families. no one should face this trade off. >> dave's death changed me in

very profound ways. i was swallowed in the deep fog of brief. >> reporter: the issue hits close to home for sandberg, who suddenly lost her husband, dave, nearly two years ago. sandberg credits her boss, mark zuckerberg, for establishing a corporate culture that helped her recover from tragedy. >> when i felt that people didn't have anything to say to me and i didn't know how to relate, mark was the one who sat with me and went through it and said, no, people really want to help. they just don't know what to say. let's think about how we get through this together. >> reporter: in the u.s., just 6 out of 10 private sector workers receive paid time off after the death of a loved one. then it is usually only for a few days. >> grief can be complicated. the more we can focus on that loss, the more we recognize, acknowledge and validate that there really is a before and after, the more that worker is going to come back to the office being able to focus on the task at hand. >> reporter: along with extending bereavement leave,

facebook is also instituting three days of paid family sick time and up to six weeks of paid family leave for male and female employees. it is a growing trend that has been in the political spotlight. >> at my father's company, there are more female than male executives. when a woman becomes a mother, she is supported, not shut out. >> reporter: ivanka trump ek knowing her father's campaign proposal to offer six weeks of paid time off for new moms. right now, the u.s. is one of eight countries that does not guarantee any type of paid family leave. sandberg says not only will supporting families get a lot of likes, it'll also make our economy and our country stronger. >> makes sense if you've ever gone through a loss and had to show up for work a couple days later. you know how you feel. from a corporate perspective, how not productive you are. she makes a good point. >> i like that. i think we're a grief illiterate

nation. >> we'll see what other count countricountr countries do about that. mr. roker, a check of the weather? >> it is going to be warm along the eastern seaboard. we have a weather whiplash. yeah, baby. let's start off down in washington dc. partly sunny today. 64. oh, yeah. it is going to be morning rain and snow and 40 degrees. up to philadelphia, sun and clouds, 62. oh, yeah. we're looking at more heavy snow and 34 degrees. here in the big apple, today, partly cloudy, up to 62 degrees. oh, man. snowy and windy, 31. then boston. you had your big parade. today, partly cloudy. 56 degrees. oh. >> is this the weather or an ad for "50 shades darker"? what is this?

>> anyway, let's show you what we've got as far as the snowfall amounts. we're talking somewhere from 6 inches to a foot of snow from philadelphia all the way up to boston and parts of new england. out west, another big storm moving on shore. it is going to bring heavy rain and snow for the pacific northwest into central california. rainfall amounts are going to equal 5 to 7 inches in some spots. there could be major flooding. you combine the rain with the snow melt, streams and possible mudslides flooding and causing good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we are still in microclimate weather alert tracking rain rolling on shore right now. it has been pouring steadily in the north bay. now moving back into san francisco and the peninsula. we will see the rain in the east there. stormranger mobile doppler radar around the bay area picking up on some of that rain moving

through santa rosa with the yellows and the reds, towards sonoma. get that weather any time you need it. go to the weather channel on table. >> -- cable. come up, nfl star tom brady. go ahead. there you go. overshadowed by his own son at the patriots victory parade. >> a lot of whipping going on here. a controversial use for lsd. some moms swear by the drug for reasons you might not ♪ why do so many businesses rely on the u.s. postal service? because when they ship with us, their business becomes our business. ♪ that's why we make more e-commerce deliveries to homes than anyone else in the country. ♪ here, there, everywhere. united states postal service priority : you

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this year, chevy received more j.d. power initial quality awards than any other car brand. i'm very, very impressed. did i mention they received more of them last year too? look at that. oh wow! and the year before that... more doors. oh my god! what?! and the year before that... oh man! it keeps going! in fact, chevy has received more j.d. power awards for initial quality than any other car company, four years in a row. i'm speechless! impressive! chevy, stepping up their game! we're back now. 7:41. our series, brain power. this morning, an illegal drug some believe offers surprising new benefits. >> this is a controversial one. that drug is lsd. at higher doses, it can cause wild hallucinations. now, some people are taking it in very small, micro doses. they say as a way to improve

moods, relationships and productivity. >> reporter: this best selling author, suburban wife and mother of four and a former lsd user. >> how out of character was this? >> i am not a spiritual person. my idea of atranscendance is a really good day. >> reporter: she took tiny doses of lsd to ease her anxiety, depression and pain. >> i have a mood disorder and i was profoundly depressed. the medications that worked for me in the past were not working. >> reporter: that's when she saw an article about microdosing lsd as a radical, alternative therapy. >> i was anxious about it. i'd bought into the myths about how dangerous it was. the first thing i had to do was my research. >> reporter: no study showed lsd as addictive, so she got a

bottle from a friend of a friend, and read books about how to microdose once every four days. in a week, she says, it changed her life. >> the horrible, crippling depression i entered the experiment with, it was gone. i had a clarity of focus. i told my kids i was trying a new medication. i didn't tell them it was lsd during that month. my son said, you were just so much fun. you had this kind of like lightness. >> what about people who say the last thing we need to do is be telling people that microdosing with lsd can save their marriages and save their lives. >> my book goes very deep into neurochemistry, into the dangers and the risks. >> reporter: scientifically, the effects and safety haven't been studied. lsd, which comes in paper tab, powder, pill and liquid forms, became popular in the 1960s with baby boomers looking for a wild trip. it caused the feds to outlaw it as a schedule 1 drug with a,

quote, high potential for abuse and lack of accepted safety. but she says instead of hallucinations, microdosing gave her an incredible sense of calm. she's not alone. >> we're hearing from professional woman. we're hearing from students. we're hearing from parents. >> reporter: a silicon valley psychologist is known as the guru of microdosing lsd. he is compiling anecdotal research on hundreds of users worldwide. >> what we're seeing with microdoses is they have no psychedelic effects. lower doses are safe, effective and simply have people function better. >> reporter: in 2016, one study in the uk scanned subjects on higher doses of lsd and found it enhanced connections in their brains. but officials warn getting lsd on the black market is not only illegal, it can be deadly. >> these drugs are coming from unknown places and unknown origins.

they are created with unknown substances. >> reporter: take the case of a texas teenager, brown. he died after taking what he thought was lsd. it really was a dangerous synthetic drug like this. waldman says she stopped using lsd after a month. she still struggles with depression. >> you stopped because it is a schedule 1 drug. >> right. >> it is illegal. >> and i'm a mom. >> you wanted to initiate, jump start, that conversation -- >> right. >> -- to say, should this be a schedule 1 drug? >> exactly. >> can it be used for medicinal purposes. >> let's study this. it allowed me to reset my brain and emotions. i wish it was legal. >> 50 researchers have been granted the use to study effects of lsd. officials warn anyone thinking of buying lsd on the black market, be careful because you do not know what you're getting. >> that's such a surprising

story. the idea that someone is taking lsd like that. >> and wrote a book about it. she wants to have a discussion about lsd, the medical effects of that, medical effects of marijuana, open up the discussion. tomorrow, you're going to have more on this series. you told me personally the story we're going to see tomorrow is the first time in your entire career that you have become completely flustered on a shoot. >> that's a good tease. >> yes. i have a long career here. that tells you something. yes, it is about sex and the brain. i can't even -- yeah, sex and the brain. they're studying sex stuff. >> sex things. >> we're going to need to have a little break after tomorrow's story, apparently. ahead this morning, a big surprise for a big fan of "this is us." while he's watching the show. first, sheinelle is in the orange room with the highlights orange room with the highlights from the patriots victory parade

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that olympic music. all the hits from new england's big super bowl parade. >> a blustery snowstorm didn't keep thousands of fans from storming the streets of boston tuesday to celebrate the big patriots' win. the images from the parade are incredible showing an endless sea of people. fans filling office windows overhead and one man holding up his dog so he could catch a glimpse of the players passing by. tom brady took time to pump the crowd saying this is a win he'll remember for the rest of his life. he then traded his role as qb to receiver but look at this. it was the 7-year-old who stole the show. busting out the dab.

and gronk was in full celebration mode chugging several beers along the way and ending up shirtless. it's clear though, that by now for their fifth super bowl win the patriots really know how to throw a party. >> didn't gronk catch one of those beers thrown by someone in the crowd and open it with his mouth? >> yes. >> wow. that's attractive. >> the gronk. the legend. >> thank you. coming up we'll get you ready for that big snowstorm with one of the wildest snowball fights you'll ever see. ttrails are covered... nothing like yesterday... paths aren't what they used to be... roads nowhere to be found.... ♪ and it's exactly what you're looking for. ♪

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good wednesday morning. it is 7:56 now. and our microclimate weather alert continues. we have treacherous driving conditions out there. rain pouring in oakland. we will continue to see more of the rain moving in as we go through the day. lighter showers compared to what we have seen recently. still pockets of heavy rain in the north bay, santa rosa, napa, vallejo. steady rain towards san francisco and oakland, the east bay and the peninsula. breaks in the rain towards the south bay. expect the showers to be off and on as we go through the day. and heavier rain early tomorrow morning. let's see how it is impacting the morning drive. >> wet roads are a concern. still worried about the issues sticking around. like this mudslide. both directions are moving. we'll talk more about that of course coming up.

we're covering wires down highway 92. just take highway 1. we're looking at the north basement still flood anything novato. back to you. thank you very much. happening now, mike mentioned, we're following cleanup on highway 17 after rock and debris are in the northbound lanes. one lane is open in each direction. on facebook, pothole on 580 creating a mess in livermore. chp says construction should last until 3:00 this afternoon. i'll be back with another look in half an hour.

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♪ it's 8:00 on "today." and coming up, silenced. >> the words of coretta scott king are not suitable for debate in the united states senate. >> senator elizabeth warren's speech, opposing nominee jeff sessions stopped on the senate floor. republicans accusing her of not playing by the rules. and an appeals court hears arguments on both sides of president trump's controversial travel ban. will a decision come this week. plus, this is milo. this is "us" star, milo, surprising an unsuspecting fan while he's watching that hit drama. >> we're filming next door, but we happened to notice you're

watching right now. you're watching us. >> yes, i'm watching you. and one year to go. we're kicking off our countdown to the next winter olympics. we'll check in on the preparations in south korea, and team usa hopefuls are here for a big party on the plaza today, wednesday, february 8th, 2017. ♪ >> hey, family and friends in tennessee! we miss you! we're at the "today" show! woo! >> shoutout to our friends and family in emporia, kansas. ♪ >> celebrating my 18th birthday with "today"! >> good morning, garden city, kansas! >> one year to the olympics today! woo! >> we're back now.

8:00 on a wednesday morning. i know! we're at matt rockefeller! look what we built overnight here in the plaza! ski mountain. because we are getting ready for the one-year mark to the winter olympics in south korea. we've got some great athletes. >> you go! go! >> in new york. >> woo! >> on our slopes. >> come on. woo! >> one more. >> there you go. >> oh! >> crazy. that is -- >> wow. >> anyway, we're out here on the plaza. it's kind of spring skiing. >> snowboards! >> yeah. >> spring skiing for us, because it's warm today. so this is melting even as we speak. we've got some great olympic hopefuls here. we're going to meet them and talk about all things olympic coming up in this hour in our next half hour. >> how fun is this, by the way? >> incredible.

i couldn't believe he got up on top of that right there. >> on the rail? >> yeah, on the rail. >> see, these are things you can't do in california. >> get with it, man. >> might say something about that. >> there he goes again. >> very afraid to do that on skis. i admit -- singing soprano. >> we had that happen earlier this morning, by the way. >> let's get to your top stories. first, here's your news at 8:00. >> reporter: i'm kristen welker at the whitehouse where president trump, and an appellate court is deciding whether to allow his travel ban could move forward after another night of fireworks on capitol hill. >> i think it's sad. i think it's a sad day. i think our security is at risk today. >> reporter: this morning, president donald trump sounding off onnen aappeals court after a high-stakes hearing tuesday night. >> i don't have want to call a court biased, so i won't call it biased.

but courts seem to be so political. >> reporter: lawyers for the justice department arguing before that appeals court in san francisco. that the president has brought authority over immigration. >> that is a very troubling second-guessing of the national security decision made by the president. >> reporter: the administration asking the court to reverse a lower court's decision blocking the president's executive order, which temporarily halts travel for people from seven predominantly muslim countries. when asked to provide evidence, the administration offered few specifics. >> has the government pointed to any evidence connecting these countries with terrorism? >> in 2015 and 2016, both congress and the administration made determinations that these seven countries posed the greatest risk of terrorism. >> reporter: a lawyer for the two states trying to halt the ban, washington and minnesota, arguing it violates the constitution. >> it has always been the judicial branch's role to say what the law is, and to serve as

a check on abuses by the executive branch. >> reporter: and saying the order unfairly targets muslims. an argument the judges challenged. >> how do you infer that desire if, in fact, the vast majority of muslims are unaffected? >> there are statements we have quoted in our complaint that are rather shocking evidence of intent to discriminate against muslims. >> reporter: meanwhile, overnight, senate democrats protested yet another cabinet pick. the president's nominee for attorney general, jeff sessions. they pointed to his hardline views on immigration and asked controversial comments on race. >> the exercise on voting rights -- >> reporter: tensions escalated when senator elizabeth warren read a letter from coretta scott king, the late i didn't tell widow of dr. martin luther king. >> i call the senate to order under the provisions of rule 19. >> reporter: things got heated when she was stopped by majority later mitch mcconnell, who accused her of breaking a little known senate rule that does not

allow the impugning of another senator. >> mr. president, i am surprised that the words of coretta scott king are not suitable for debate in the united states senate. >> reporter: democrats also protested the president's pick for education secretary, betsy devos. but she was ultimately confirmed in a tie-breaking vote by vice president mike pence. as for the travel ban, a decision is expected this week. matt? >> all right, kristen, thanks very much. the northeast bracing for a harsh winter reality check. mild weather today. near 60 here in new york, is going to give way to a major snowstorm tomorrow with gusting. meantime, the state of emergency is in effect today in louisiana and other parts of the south that were slammed by tornados on tuesday. new orleans saw some of the worst damage. about two dozen people are recovering from minor injuries. the national guard now helping with that cleanup. and coming up, a special guest joins us for trending.

we're all excited for olympic legend, shaun white. >> here for our countdown of the 2018 winter games in south korea, just a year away. we'll go live to pyongyang. >> first, these messages. ♪ i do believe that ♪ something good is happening, yeah ♪ ♪ i do believe, i do believe

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kicking off our countdown to the 2018 winter olympics. unbelievable. >> that exactly one year from right now, the competition will be getting underway in pyeongcha pyeongchang, south korea. the clock is ticking to get the host city ready for this. >> keir simmons is there for us this morning. how is it looking? >> hey there, matt. hey, guys. good morning. or good evening from here in south korea. good morning for a little bit of skiing. i notice you have a little bit of snow there on the plaza. we have a lot more here in south korea, where we will hold the winter olympics in just a year's time. it will set records for the number of medals on offer. and they say it will be the most technologically advanced in history. >> reporter: three consecutive olympics in asia begin next year with a global leader in technology. a country that took the world by storm with a catchy song in

2012. gangham. rings a bell. soon, a bullet train will carry spectators from the capital city of seoul to the olympic park. team usa's brightest already a long way from home, here to take some test runs. >> my dad was like, we're not coming. last night, i was talking to them. i was like, i think you should come. it's pretty cool. >> are they going to come? >> i don't know. they're not set on it. >> they should come. >> i think so, too. >> reporter: joey hails from florida. >> in sochi, i was physically prepared but not mentally prepared. i think the last four year, i've grown as an athlete. going into pyeongchang, it'll show. >> reporter: giving this beginner a quick lesson. >> usa. >> reporter: before joining the team for training. >> how is it? >> fantastic. >> reporter: the venue is almost ready with a year to go. south korea promising super fast 5g cell phone connections and

virtual reality. >> with these, i can do that. without actually doing that. >> reporter: still up in the air, will nhl players take part, and will the russians be here after a massive doping scandal? others planning to compete, established american stars lindsay vonn and shaun white. kim is excited. her parents are korean-american. >> my mom's side of the family lives here. having family here is crazy. >> reporter: team usa hoping to improve on the 28 medals in sochi. nine of them gold. ten will be an american winter olympics record. we'll know in a year's time when the 2018 games get underway. >> if you're wondering why i'm wearing this tastefully colored jacket, i'm told is mat marks ar out from the olympics.

it says, hello, pyeongchang. if you think i'm going to do some of the stunts they're doing on the plaza, you can forget it. >> pretty good skier, keir. impressive. keir simmons. thank you very much. just ahead, we'll hit the slopes ourselves outside on the plaza. we aren't actually. some will. we'll catch up with the usa hopefuls. a legend of winter sports and summer, as well, snowborder, shaun white. >> come on, shaun. >> what's going on? >> impressive, a guy carries your chair? >> he comes everywhere with me. >> thought he could stand here because he's so young. >> he's going to pyeongchang. >> four or five days from now. olympic test event we do to get the juices flowing. >> are you familiar with trending? >> i'm not. >> you know the word. >> i know the word. >> we're going to bring up

interesting topics, and you feel free to weigh? >> whatever is interesting. this is an interesting one. we want to see how everybody feels about it. marriott hotels is planning to offer communal rooms in its element eco-hotels. they'd be shared between 6 and 16 guests. you have your own bedroom but the kitchen and lounge are shared, like a dorm. the hotel says it could be good for big groups but also you'd be able to book a room with random strangers. i would book a room with everybody here. >> everybody looked at me. >> shaun would do it, i think. would you? >> i'd try it. a roll of the dice though. >> with strangers. >> i am a big fan. >> i'll tuck ya in. >> thanks. >> that's where it crosses the line. >> are you asleep? >> yes, i am. >> shaun, i can't sleep. do you want to talk? >> let's spoon. >> remember when you were at the olympics? that was awesome. >> do you think you'd do it?

>> no. maybe with a group of friends. >> with friends, yeah. i wouldn't do it with strangers. this next one -- >> definitely not. >> you don't want to be in the same hotel with other people. when is the last time you got in a good snowball fight? >> it's been a hot minute. >> yeah? >> a little. >> pretty good at it? >> on occasion. there would be some kids that, you know, need a little lesson. >> a slap down. >> do a buddy the elf on them. >> well placed from the chair lift. just a nice -- >> some students at the university of british colombia are making the best of the snow they got. this is a giant snowball fight there. 3,000 people participated in this battle. >> wow. >> students, teachers, staff. it lasted about 25 minutes. >> wow. >> how many bloody lips were there? >> yeah. >> maybe we'll have our own battle tomorrow since we're going to get snow. >> that'd be nice. >> meanmeanwhile, i want to sho

shaun something. ten years ago on our show, we had a snowstorm on the plaza. look what happened when i tossed a snowball to the guy in the crowd to get involved. catch. >> accidentally. >> he winds up. >> snowballs can really hurt. >> yes, they can. >> i thought he was going to lob it. >> blocked it, al. >> i blocked a little bit of it. it was crazy. >> but he's still here. one more. everybody here has probably gotten a ticket, right? >> sure. >> how many have gone in to dispute it? >> a couple times. >> i have. >> really? >> yeah. >> well, one woman went in. she said, this is absolutely ridiculous. lo and behold, the judge agreed with her. take a look. >> one ticket on crossing the street, no parking 8:00 to 10:00. >> correct. >> you were there at -- oh, no.

>> i literally pulled up at 9:58. >> the ticket was issued at 9:59. >> my car clock said 10:00. >> now you're blaming the car clock. i think 9:59 is close enough to 10:00. >> oh, good. dismissed. >> be honest, mr. white, when is the last time you were pulled over and used your celebrity to get out of the ticket? >> pulled out a medal. >> come on. >> i don't have the long hair anymore. oh, was i speeding? >> where is the hair? >> i've done it a couple times. >> okay. he admits it. >> normally, i do the, you know, my kids would kill me if i give you a ticket. >> i've been pulled over by the same state trooper three times. he said, again? he said, just because -- >> did you get a ticket? >> last time, because nic was in

the car, he said, i don't want your son to see you getting a ticket. >> next time, say, would you like a signed snowboard from shaun white? >> it's in the back. >> everybody deserves a break sometimes. 11-year-old ban has been lifted for jenna fischer's character from "the office" was banned after this embarrassing scene. >> this was the best dundy's ever. whew! >> whoa, whoa. >> we have a strict policy here not to overserve. apparently, this young woman was sneaking drinks off other people's tables. i xeroxed her driver's license and she is not welcome at this restaurant chain ever again. >> fischer posted this selfie in front of a chili's writing, should i try to go in? chili's got word and lifted the ban. the parent company posted a press release, writing, chili

lifts permanent ban on pam. and milo had fun on his "this is us" set. check out what he did. >> so this family, if you zoom in there, is actually watching our show. we're filming next door. we're going to go knock on their door. >> hi. sorry to bother you. >> hi. >> we were filming next door but happened to notice what you're watching right now. you're watching us. >> selfies were taken, as you can imagine. hopefully milo didn't spoil anything. can you imagine, you're watching on demand on something, and the doorbell rings. >> watching the "today" show and matt lauer knocks on the door. >> we're live so that's hard. shaun white, ladies and gentlemen. >> natural. >> we're going to talk more to him in the next half hour. mr. roker? >> all nbc pop start.

impressive. >> good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we're still in a microclimate weather alert. a lot of heavy rain moving through the north bay. some spotty lighter showers moving in south of the golden gate bridge. still going to be watching this rain towards the north bay, bringing additional rainfall totals throughout the morning and early afternoon. and even through the evening commute for them. but then the rest of the bay area takes a break before another round of some reffy rain moves in early tomorrow morning. more gusty winds and flooding possible. >> that's your latest weather. maria? >> thanks so much, al. now to our special series, war on cancer. highlighting new fronts in the battle against the disease. >> today's craig melvin is here with a very personal story. good to see you. >> good to see you, as well. you never want anyone getting a cancer diagnosis. when i got a call a few months ago about someone dear to me, it

nearly knocked me off my feet. there seemed no way it could be true. turns out, a growing number of families are being affected, just like mine. >> reporter: few people are as close to death every day as lawrence meadows, the co-owner of a funeral home in spartanburg, south carolina. it's a calling guided by a faith he's had since a boy. at this church, he's not just a member. he's the pastor. >> we ought to take time out of our schedule and prayer sometimes. >> that's right. >> reporter: all his life, he's been active and healthy. i know because i've known him all my life. lawrence is my older brother. but now, at the age of 39, he's been diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. >> i could not get my head around it being you. no smoking. no drinking. >> yeah. >> no partying. >> yeah. i was like, man. gosh, i should have been drinking and smoking and doing all that other stuff if i was going to get this diagnosis.

i should have gotten this stuff in, too. >> reporter: that's lawrence in his funeral home, talking about a potentially deadly diagnosis but doing what he's done since we were little, cracking jokes. his doctor removed a tumor from his abdomen but the cancer had already spread. he spends a lot of time at the md anderson cancer center. his doctor says hes is seeing a troubling trend with patients under 45. >> we're expecting that these incidents will continue to rise and may increase by 50% over the next 15 years. >> reporter: the doctor says african-americans are twice as likely to develop early onset colon cancer as whites. a recent study shows a wide gap in the survival rates. what's most troubling, experts can't figure out why. they've developed tests to detect genetic markers in some cases. lawrence showed none of the

markers. he was told to reach out to family, that means me. >> we recommend that relatives of patients diagnosed with colon cancer have their first screening done ten years before the age of onset. as soon as you hit 29, it is time to get a colonoscopy. >> reporter: the american cancer society says most people should get regular colon os co oscocol. >> he insists he is not scared of death. how often do you think about it? >> every day. i don't know how you -- i look at my children, who -- especially for us, both our kids, but lawson adores his daddy. it is hard for me to look at that little boy, who is like, where is my dad, and just think, you know, he doesn't know what we're dealing with. >> reporter: their life is now

focused on keeping the cancer at bay. which means flying to houston every other week for chemotreatments. we were there when lawrence got the results of his latest rounds of tests. >> the goal was to stop the growth. certainly accomplished that. i think, even better, we're seeing shrinkage of the cancer. >> reporter: the doctor shows us where it is shrinking. >> there is no cure for colon cancer. but it is like cutting grass, cut it back, cut it back, until it dies. >> reporter: in south carolina, he is determined. >> i have no more fights to pick. >> this is it. >> this is the only fight i'm focused on. >> i got ya. >> evicting cancer from me. >> reporter: with the support of family and his doctors, lawrence leans on a faith that's defined his life, hoping and praying for god's grace. >> so lawrence has five more rounds of chemo until his next

ct scan. hopefully the tumor will have gotten smaller. people have a family history, especially folks like mei'm ... continues:lima weher alert storm is flooding -- any rain good morning. i'm sam brock. we have a microclimate weather alert in effect now and the concern is flooding, but given the history of the rushing river in gurnsville. the river crested an hour ago. should remain at a moderate flooding stage through the evening. at the current stage, flooding in the lower areas. the region has been hammered by rainfall this winter. last month when the river levels rose, folks had to use canoes to get around town. leading to evacuations for homes along the russian river. something keir kewe're keeping on. >> this is a flooded area traveling on. highway 37 closed now between madison avenue and highway 101.

that's the issue when we have heavier rain. more rain coming. they won't clear that. slow drive through oakland due to the commute. we also have a smoother but slower drive for silicon valley and south of highway 17. you can travel in both directions, still restricted to one lane with the mudslides from vine hill. that will be a delay in either direction. but, again, at least highway 17 is open. back to you. >> a rough week or two here for folks off of 17.

♪ [ chanting "usa" ] 8:30 now on a wednesday morning. the 8th day of february, 2017. a year to go until the next winter olympic games in pyeongchang, south korea. >> whew! >> they're good. just ahead, they're going to kick off the party into high gear with team usa hopefuls here on the plaza. and we're also going to have a special performance over at the rink.

nice job. first, as we've shown you, we built mount rockefeller to mount the occasion -- to mark the occasion. on top of it right now, we have two gold medals from sochi. >> maddie won her gold in the ski half pipe competition, the first time that discipline was included in the games. josh grabbed his slope-style skiing gold, another olympic first. maddie and josh, come on down. good to see you guys. >> good morning. >> it's been a long time since we saw you. how you been? >> good to see you again. >> doing well? >> yeah. >> at this stage of the game, does the adrenaline start to pump, a year out from pyeongchang? >> um, yeah. i mean, the pressure starts to rise a little bit. but we're still out there having a good time. so it's easy to distract yourself. >> definitely. a lot can change in one year. trying to stay focused and not get too ahead of ourselves. >> how do you try to stay focused? that's what's interesting. >> have fun. >> have fun? >> don't think about the olympics yet.

>> wow. >> so the pressure never gets to you guys? you guys do look joyful coming down the hill. looks like you have nothing going on, no concerns at all, but who's the competition you're thinking about? >> you know, the cool thing about our sport is we're not necessarily competing with each other as much as we compete with ourselves. >> yeah. >> like, when you don't do it well at an event, you're not mad at your fellow competitor. you're like, ah, i should have done better. >> right. >> so that kind of makes it a little more light and fun, which i like. >> josh, you went to sochi and everybody said, i don't know if this guy will do anything. now you're the defending champion. that puts a little bit of a target on your back. doesn't it? >> definitely. it'll be different this time around. we've had three years so far to try and get it out of my head. >> lots more pressure? is there a lot more pressure? >> i felt pressure the year after the olympics. but it feels almost the same now. maybe just more fun. we know how to do it.

>> we should mention, the weather here today is a little like it was in sochi. remember how warm it was? mount rockefeller at 60 degrees today. >> it is nice. makes me feel like i'm in california again. >> yeah! >> great to have you. >> see you, guys. >> we'll see you a lot in the next year. we know that. we're going to talk to our hopefuls. including this guy, shaun white. first, mr. roker, check of this balmy weather. >> all right. let's see what we've got for you, starting with today. again, we're watching that next storm get ready to make its way up the eastern seaboard. heavy rain and snow in the pacific northwest. into central california plenty of sunshine from the southwest into the gulf coast. tomorrow -- heavy snow here in the northeast, it will paralyze things. looking for a flood threat in northern california and the coastal pacific northwest. unseasonably mild from the southwest into the midplains. cold air coming into the northern good wednesday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. still tracking a widespread

rain, especially for the north bay with pockets of heavier downpours there, sloppy morning commute and a look at all of our microclimate temperatures still very mild. 61 degrees in the peninsula, trivalley 62 degrees, you'll need the umbrella throughout the day, especially this morning and we'll start to see a little bit more of a break, especially south of the golden gate bridge for this afternoon before the next round of heavy rain moves in early tomorrow morning. >> announcer: olympics one year out on the plaza is sponsored by toyota. proud partner of the 2018 winter olympic and paralympic games. >> one of our favorite winter sports athletes to watch is alpine skiing legend lindsey vonn. >> she's already gearing up for pyeongchang, 2018, and natalie had a chance to sit down with lindsey in los angeles. good to see you, natalie. good morning. >> you remember, she missed out

on sochi due to injury, but vonn says south korea will hopefully be her fourth and final time competing on the olympic stage. with her game face on and eye on the prize, she says there's one thing that can stand between her and her shot at another medal. fierce, fearless and fast. lindsey vonn is suiting up for the biggest year of her career. >> it's been eight years since you competed at an olympics. what will this olympics mean for you? >> eight years? ah, don't say that. >> reporter: sorry. >> i feel like this is going to be a really good olympics for me. probably closing out my career. to have one more chance at the olympics, i think, is going to be great. >> reporter: as vonn looks to the finish line at the winter olympics in pyeongchang, south korea, she can't help but think back to four years ago. >> watching sochi on tv was not what i wanted to be doing at all. i worked so hard from the previous injury to be able to come back. and then to just blow my knee out again, just a few months before the olympics was really

heartbreaking. >> reporter: always resilient, vonn turned her frustration into motivation, picking up right where she left off. >> i'm a risk taker. i love, you know, pushing myself and seeing how fast i can go. and that is what allows me to win so many races, but it's also -- it makes me prone to injury. >> reporter: this past november, vonn's limits were tested again with yet another crash. leaving her with a broken arm and putting her training on hold. vonn says it was her most painful injury. >> 15 months out before pyeongchang this happens to your arm. >> it was definitely a brutal injury. a lot worse than my knees, actually. but thankfully, it's not my knees again. >> reporter: after nine weeks of intensive rehab, vonn returned to the slopes in january with a vengeance, adding a 77th world cup title to her record. it was an emotional win for vonn, who is on the path to breaking the all-time record of 87 wins.

one currently held by a man. to prove once and for all she is the best skier of all-time, period. but for vonn, that's all just the warmup for the ultimate prize. >> reporter: you've been to pyeongchang. you've seen the downhill. you said it is a challenging hill. for you to admit that something is going to be challenging, i mean -- >> i love a challenge. i mean, you know, i think the bigger challenge it is, the better chances i have of doing well. >> reporter: what are you looking to do there? >> i would love to get another gold medal, especially in downhill. i'll just go there and do my best, like i always do. >> for me, it's not a question of, will i be ready? it's just, will i be healthy? that's my main goal. >> reporter: vonn is still working to regain strength in her hand, but the 32-year-old's determination is at an all-time high, thanks to a support system that includes her boyfriend, an

assistant coach for the l.a. rams. >> seems like it is a good match, to have you with somebody who is in sports. >> yeah. i just, you know, feel like i need someone that understands athletics. you know? understands competition. it's hard to find someone that understands all of those things but is a normal person. he's that. >> reporter: the countdown to her final olympic appearance is on. all signs point to a big year ahead for lindsey vonn. what do you hope the headlines are coming out of these olympics? >> i hope that there's some mention of medals, plural. >> reporter: maybe the best ski racer ever? >> that'd be a pretty good headline. >> reporter: now, lindsey will get to test out the olympic course at a world cup race next month. a lot of people will be watching for a possible preview of what is to come from her in 2018. guys, one thing that lindsey does not do well is slow down. i asked her to come to a yoga class with me out here in l.a. her words, no way.

>> doesn't seem like her. all right, natalie, thank you very much. up next, we're going to talk more to another olympic legend. hoping to dominate in south korea. this guy right here, shaun white. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

we are back now with more of our countdown to pyeongchang, 2018, just a year away. when you talk about olympic snowboarding, one name will always come to mind. two-time gold medalist shaun white. >> shaun white. yeah. he's pushed the limits to what a snowboarder can do over and over and over again and even invented a few tricks in his time, and they have become the standard sports image. good morning! >> morning, guys. >> you'll be 31 in pyeongchang. >> yup.

>> how hard of a decision was it for you to say, i'm going back? >> not hard. not performing the way i'd like to in sochi really inspired me. i got refocused, recalibrated. i'm back at it. it's great. >> we should say recently you did some good work. >> i did. >> you came out on top. >> i won the last event, the world cup. >> that's got to feel really good. have you -- you're obviously in shape. did you have to go back to getting in shape, or have you maintained it over time? >> i mean, i'm always active. >> yeah. >> i live in l.a. i surf. i skate. i snowboard all the time. i'm physically fit from that. to be honest, i really dove deeper into it. i got a trainer, full-time physical therapist. i wanted to keep me in shape. so it's really helping. >> we've had the pleasure of snowing you for a long time. >> yes. >> since you seem like you were a little kid. i always thought you were a contradiction. because on the outside, as my kids would say, he's very chill. he's very easy going. but i've seen you in time and interviewed you at times where that fierce competitor comes out. you mentioned sochi. how much of this is you saying, i'm not going to end my olympic career on what happened there? >> oh, man.

i was just in the lobby and getting interviewed and they asked, so when did you get over sochi? i'm like, i didn't. you don't. to be honest, it is like falling off the bike and you have the scar from it. it is a part of you. it's something to learn from. i'm definitely learning, and i'm back. >> some of your moves have become the gold standard, as we say. do you have anything new that you are cooking up in your brain that you might show us in korea? . ple plent -- >> plenty of things. i'm heading there for a test event in the next couple of days to compete. a lot of new tricks. i don't want to spill the beans just yet, but a lot of new stuff that's coming. i'm feeling stronger than ever, more focused. should be a great one. >> there's a lot of experimenting and innovating that goes on as we're talking about in your line of the work. we were just talking -- how do you handle a run right after a run where you have crashed horribly? how do you get back on the board? >> that's a good question. yeah. >> in the heat of the moment, i'm pretty -- i'm probably very angry. i'm very upset with my performance.

because i probably knew what to do, and i -- if i could turn back time, i would do it differently, the correct way. but, you know, you're so in the heat of the moment, you get back up there again and do it again without thinking. thinking is usually the thing that gets in the way. unfortunately, as you get older, you think more. i'm trying to -- >> is there someone you're looking at saying, i've got to make sure i'm better than that guy? who is that guy? >> you know, like what was mentioned earlier. it's usually yourself. you're your own enemy at times. i don't know. the last competitions, a japanese snowboarding, yuri, who won the last olympics, great guy. friend of mine. you know, we go from event to event. you learn from it and keep going. >> speaking of events, you have your own event you called "big air and style." or "hair and style"? >> it was hair but it is air and style, yeah. >> you want that to be a qualifying? >> what's amazing, it is a sports and music festival that i own, i'm putting on in los

angeles february 18th and 19th at the coliseum in downtown l.a. it's truly like a coachella meets x games type event. it's now amazing. olympic discipline. slope-style. a series of jumps and now "big air" will be featured in 2018 in korea. our event is actually big air. >> i thought you were talking about skateboarding in tokyo, >> oh, no. >> coming up as well. >> we'll talk later about that. >> shaun white, we love ya, honey. gracie gold next over on the rink. this is "today" on nbc. we're told to live large, but with princess cruises

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♪ the hydrogen fueled mirai. its only emission is water. toyota. let's go places. ♪ this morning on "today," at the rink, a special performance with the next winter olympics officially one year away. in 2014, u.s. figure skater

gracie gold won a bronze medal in the first ever team event. she is about to do skating for us this morning here. good morning, gracie. we got a chance to talk for a minute toor so before. how much pressure is on you right now to make the team? >> of course, there's always pressure. an olympics is really the highest level of competition for figure skating. at the end of the day, i love skating and i love competing. i want to go back to the games. >> so in the last figure skating world championships, you didn't do well, placed sixth. does that increase the pressure? how do you keep your mind focused and not let it get to you? >> for me, it is just fire. it is a chance to improve. i'm just looking to win next year's nationals so i can, you know, take back my crown, so to speak. >> when you focus, are you focusing on the nationals or the olympics? >> national it is the ticket to the games. >> right. >> but my eye is mostly on the games because that's the medal i'm really looking for. >> how many hours a day are you putting in right now?

>> three to four hours on the ice, but we have off ice, ballet, dance, mental training. it is really 365 days of non-stop. >> 365 days. we're going to ask you to skate this morning for us. don't fall. don't make a mistake. but good look. >> i'll try not to. thank you. >> thank you, gracie gold. go right ahead. there you go. go right ahead. ♪

♪ playing with the hand that we were dealt in this game ♪ ♪ maybe i'm the sinner and you're the saint ♪ ♪ got to stop pretending but we ain't ♪ ♪ why we pointing fingers any y anyway ♪ ♪ cause you're the best mistake i've ever made ♪ ♪ but we hold on, hold on ♪ you're, you're, you're, you're ♪ ♪ i'll be saving my life for you, for you ♪ ♪ girl, you got a body like an hourglass ♪ ♪ she got a booty like a cadillac but i can send you into

overdrive ♪ ♪ anybody could compare to you ♪ bang, bang, into the room ♪ i know you want it ♪ bang, bang, all over you ♪ i'll let you have it ♪ bang, bang, there goes your heart ♪ ♪ i know you want it ♪ bang, bang, seat of my car ♪ i'll let you have it ♪ wait a minute >> gracie gold, thank you for that beautiful performance. we are back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc.

you know your heart loves megared omega-3s... but did you know your eyes, your brain, and your joints really love them too? introducing megared advanced 4in1... just one softgel delivers mega support. ♪ welcome back. live shot of pyeongchang, south korea. we've been celebrating olympic athletes all day. we have shaun white with us. and we have maria shriver making her way back from the skating rink. >> hi. >> these athletes have been here all morning. we thought it'd be fun to get to know who they are. introduce yourselves and tell us your event. >> i'm nico from colorado and i play sled hockey. >> megan from boston. ice hockey. >> hillary knight from idaho.

ice hockey. >> monique from north dakota. ice hockey. >> jocelyn, ice hockey. >> rico, portland, oregon, paralympic sled hockey. >> maria shriver, los angeles. >> observing. >> sledding. >> we look forward to seeing you all a year from now in pyeongchang. have a great year of preparation between now and then. shaun white, it is always great to have you here. it really is. >> thank you. >> what is your next, big event? >> next big event is going to korea and competing. then the air and style. should be great. >> all right. it is going to be fantastic. thanks to natalie who brought us the profile of lindsey vonn. and thanks to keir simmons, who is over in pyeongchang this morning doing some pretty good skiing. once again, a big thank you to all our athletes. ahead, country star trace atkins will join us for the next half hour and hour.

first, a look at your local news and weather. i'm ...

crews arworking to fia pothole on 580 thataused a good wednesday morning at 8:56. crews now still working to fix a pothole on 580 that caused a traffic mess in livermore this morning and it continues to do that. pothole is near the greenville road exit and closed down two lanes. now, chp says it is ten feet by three feet and deep enough for the rebar to be showing through to the road. we counted half a dozen cars waiting to be towed, several appear to have broken axles

given the way the wheels were jutting out. a u.p.s. driver said he reported the pothole last thursday when he saw 30 cars pull off to the shoulder of the road and that the pothole was still a problem on saturday. chp reports that the two lanes will be closed until 3:00 and they're hoping repairs can be finished sometime before the evening commute. happening now on facebook, an emotional testimony yesterday from the mother of missing morgan hills teen sierra lamar. she broke down on the witness stand recalling the last moment she spoke to her daughter the day she disappeared. our coverage of that trial continues today. on twitter, police confirm at least four san francisco strip clubs are under investigation after more than 20 reports were filed against them. more news in 30 minutes.

this morning on "today's take," trace adkins, our co-host. don't miss his country confessions. plus, ice, ice, baby. found out why ice cube and ice tea are hangs out with us. plus, scott foley revealing secrets driving the internet nuts, now. >> announcer: from n news, this is "today's take" live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. welcome to "today" on a wednesday morning, february 8th, 2017. as we continue country music week. thrilled to have mr. trace adkins here with us today. >> morning. >> that voice, has your voice always been that deep? >> you know what, that would have been terrifying if i'd come

out of the womb. my mama -- >> you know, most of the time, when a voice changes, it goes down a little octaves. did you take a nosedive? >> i think i was about 13 or 14. >> and it went to this? >> i don't know if it went to this, but it went to the point where people would call my house, i'd answer the phone and they'd say, "hello, mr. adkins," and i'd get a kick out of it. >> you sold more than 11 million albums, 30 top 40 hits, new tour, new album. "something's going on" coming out march 31st? >> that's what i heard. >> busy man. >> the new single is "watered down"? >> yeah. >> it reflects, i'm guessing, you had a tough year. what drew you to this song? >> you know, i've lived a pretty rowdy life. i think at some point, you have to temper your vices.

that's what "watered down" is about. i still have vices and i'm still kind of crazy -- >> we all do. >> yeah. >> tell me, singing about it, was it therapeutic for you, or was it something you felt you had to do? a lot of people, if they have those times, they don't sing or talk about it, but you those to. >> this is one of those songs where i'm not ashamed to admit there were a couple of moments in the studio when i was recording this song i had to stop and take a few minutes because it was hitting me pretty hard. you know, it helped me measure things and put things in perspective. >> sure. >> i think it was just the perfect song for me. i never said -- i think this is my 13th album now, and i've never picked a favorite off any of the albums until now. >> wow. >> this is my favorite song off the record. >> listening to the song, i think a lot of people are going to relate to it. you're probably going to help a lot of people with this. >> maybe so. i hope so.

>> i'll tell you what, you look good. >> i feel good. >> so we did a -- >> you look good. i dig the goatee, too. >> thank you. >> i've got to tell you, yeah. >> well, thank you. >> i'm a little intimidated. >> both of you. >> boy, this must be some goatee. >> that is a bad goatee. >> i like how you self-censored. that was impressive. >> okay. so trace, we did a little research on you. we want to ask you about amazing things we learned. tell us if it is true. you can't always trust wikipedia. i'm kidding. you haven't cut your hair since 1991, true or false? >> not true. every time i do a video, somebody trims it up a little bit. it's not like cut it. it's just -- >> trimming the ends? >> yeah, that thing. >> you know. >> yeah. but, no, i haven't really cut it short, no. >> so -- >> but i would. >> you would? >> yeah. >> let's do it.

kidding.scissors? >> if there was a movie role with enough zeros on it, i'd cut my hair. >> cheers to the zeros. >> would you want to do acting? >> i do a little bit every now and then. >> somebody said, hey, trace, we want you to star in this movie? >> sure. >> if the zeros are there. >> yeah. >> well, your voice screams superhero, so maybe we'll work on that. >> true or false, 6'6". >> i think true. i think i'm shrinking. i was, yes. >> what's interesting to me, is you're sitting and i feel if i stand up right now, you're talling than tal taller than me sitting. i was tall heels. >> wow. >> he is sitting. >> bless your heart. >> stand up. >> okay. >> this ought to be good. >> i'm 4'11". >> oh, my goodness. >> you're like a little doll. >> i hit 4'11", and i just stopped. >> the opposite of his voice.

>> exactly. here's another one. we read, are you afraid of snakes? >> i hate -- i don't like snakes. you know, i don't like snakes. i grew up in louisiana where most of them will kill you. >> there's that. >> i don't like them. >> now, your voice is deep. can it go any deeper than this? >> oh, yeah. i know i can hit a low e. i haven't tried lately to see how deep i can go. but i can sing pretty low. >> al, how low can you go? >> not that low. >> you can go low, too. >> you talking about my voice? >> yes. >> yeah. >> this morning, we had a fun time with one of your huge hits "honky-tonk." i smiled when i say it. i would ask you what it is, but i think i kind of know. >> you know what it is. you know what it is. >> you got some moves, by the way. >> oh, my goodness.

you know what, it is nothing -- i've always done whatever i felt like doing. i never choreographed anything. if i feel like dancing, i dance. if i don't, i don't. after my first video came out that i was actually dancing in, it kind of became a compulsory event. they would yell at me if i wasn't dancing enough. dance like you did in the video. >> looks like it was a party. >> it was. it was fun. >> yeah. i feel like you can't say honky-tonk without -- i don't know why i'm whispering it. it feels naughty but it is not. everybody has one. >> everybody has one. >> let's move on. >> jerry, could you bring in the country confession boot? thank you, jerry. >> we had keith urban. now it is your turn. go in there for a question. >> okay. >> spill your secrets. >> oh, no. >> we're going to zoo? >> -- zoom?

>> i don't want to do this. what is the craziest thing an audience member did at one of your concerts? wow. there's been a lot of crazy ones. most people don't like jumpers. i don't mind jumpers, you know. >> jumpers? >> what -- >> when they get on stage. >> oh! >> i was like, what's a jumper. >> i was thinking somebody was up top. >> you know, sometimes you get a jumper, and they won't let go. then it's just -- it becomes wwe. >> you go like this. but that's fun. >> i tell my guys, you know, depending on who it is, let them stay a little longer, you know, maybe. >> let them linger. do another one. >> you know. if iced t jump on the stage, get

him off. >> make him answer one of these. >> i was going to say. >> the boot, really? >> it is clean. >> take a question. any question. >> let trace do one. >> take two. >> how did i get into this? >> go ahead. >> can you sing one line of your favorite country song of all time? ♪ you don't know lonely till it's chiselled in stone ♪ >> wow. >> what song is that? >> "chiszelled in stone," one o my favorite country songs of all time. >> what's your favorite song to pump you up? how about the "law and order" theme? i know i'm getting a check.

i mean, i like that. >> another one, quickly. >> what's one thing you've done in a truck you've never told? every knows what i never -- well, i think everybody thinks i did what they think i did in a truck. add to that, a rear cab. >> there you go. >> iced t, ladies and gentlemen. >> nice. >> one of the greatest geico commercials ever. >> true. that's become my favorite. also, friday, one of the coolest freebie fridays. we've been asking the country music stars to sign a guitar. we'll give out six. three at the plaza and three at home. trace, will you do us the honor of signing -- >> absolutely not. >> that took an ugly turn. >> this is such a neat deal. >> right by reba. >> that's right.

>> i love reba. who doesn't love reba? >> everybody loves reba. >> keith urban, is that keith urban? i can't read that. that's terrible. >> i can see 2017. >> there you go. terrific. thanks, trace. we'll be talking with you, iced t, in a bit. up next, which hollywood superstar may be back on the big screen for the first time in nearly a decade? >> you're going to like this. this is great. >> this is mr. kitty. mom doesn't know we have him. it's something about responsibility. but she's got the nose of a blood hound. we have to be super duper careful. so we're using fresh step with the power of febreze. it's designed to trap and eliminate odors for 10 days guaranteed. victory is ours, mr. kitty! fresh step with the power of febreze. and for a tropical freshness, try new hawaiian aloha.

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you're watching "today's take." we have our co-host, country star trace adkins. who is not a major fan of jack nicholson? >> nobody i know of. >> today, jack nicholson is set to return to the big screen for the first time -- i didn't realize it's been nearly a decade. >> wow. >> the three-time oscar winner signed on for an american remake of a german film, nominated for best foreign language picture at this year's oscars. they'll remake it in english. a prankster daughter recorre reconnecting with her dad. kristin wiig is reportedly involved, as well. >> favorite nicholson movie? >> he is so good in this role. to me, this is just classic. you know what i mean, the way he goes up and down, kind of -- you

love him even when he is a jerk. you know what i mean? >> exactly. how about you, trace? >> i love it when he does comedy, too. that's why i like him in the "departed." >> he was a scream. >> i know. wasn't it funny? no, no, no. i love "departed." i like him in "the bucket list," with morgan freeman, can't go wrong. >> classic. >> i went a little superhero. i went "batman." the joker. >> of course. >> just crazy in this one. >> yes. >> i loved that. >> i didn't realize it's been a decade. >> what was his last movie? >> somebody told me earlier. what was it? >> what was the last one? >> "the bucket list." >> what? >> "how do you know" in 2010. >> how do you know what? oh, the name of the movie. >> i heard he was done. that was the rumor. >> right. >> he was done. now i'm glad he is coming back. >> me, too.

i'll be interested to hear why he jumped in again. >> yeah. >> obviously, the role called him to it. >> gene hackman, did he retire? >> yeah. >> loved him. >> i returned. until today, i haven't been doing anything. >> back and better than ever. >> you're a "scandal" fan, right? >> yeah. scott foley sent the internet into a tail spin when he posted an instagram video of his family's breakfast routine. take a look. >> you want more peanut butter on your eggs? >> yeah. >> that a boy. it's a family thing. it is a protein thing. so, like, half an hour, i get 10,000 likes because i put peanut butter on my eggs. you guys are insane. insane. it is so good. don't knock it until you try it. thanks. peanut butter eggs, dig it. easy on the kid. >> what do you think?

>> yeah, strange. i don't know. i like -- i have put peanut butter on a cheeseburger before. >> that's interesting. >> sounds disgusting. >> i like honey on a cheeseburger. ever had it? >> no. that'd make sense though. >> barbecue sometimes, a sweeter -- >> you have to do that. >> this sounds disgusting, as well. >> i like that you brought the knife and fork, jerry. >> we're going to try this. >> we going to do this? >> somebody bring a bucket over here. i'm pretty sure i'm going to throw up. >> can you do it that way if you do? >> thank you. >> to your left. >> are we -- >> go for it. >> okay. >> i do not like it, sam i am. >> no. >> not at all. now, the hot sauce on the eggs by themselves. >> this is the way you eat eggs right hire. >> that's how you eat eggs. >> no peanut butter. >> interesting. >> what? >> i think they missed it at home. you put hot sauce in the peanut

butter. >> i bet that wouldn't be bad. a little sweet, a little spicy. >> did you put the knife in your mouth, too? you're tough. >> no, that's not good. >> it was worth a shot. let's look at your weather while we get this awful taste out of our mouths. >> smells like hot sauce. >> winter storm watches and warnings up for 58 million people for tomorrow. snowfall rates, 1 to 2 inches per hour. it is going to be a mess. starts by 6:00 a.m. from d.c. to new york city. d.c., you won't see all that much. from philly, new york city, up to boston, we're going to be looking at snowfall rates, 1 to 2 inches per hour. visibility is going to be bad. airports will be a mess. high profile vehicles up and down i-95. bad news. look at the snowfall amounts we're expecting by thursday afternoon. generally, 6 to 8 inches of snow. he heavier amounts into new england. >> i've got to get out of here. >> when are you leaving?

>> now. >> all right. trace isn't going to fin good morning. i'm meteorologist carrie hall. the time 9:18. we're tracking more widespread rain for the bay area. sloppy morning commute. we're seeing heaviest rain in the north bay. pockets of heavy rain will be possible at times especially for spots like santa rosa and extending over towards parts of napa and sa lano counties. for the evening commute, there will be another dose of heavy rain moving in early tomorrow morning, causing more threats of flooding. >> that is just horrid. >> not good. the eggs are good. >> the eggs are good. >> alone. here's a question, which part of the fridge should you store your eggs and milk? you may have been doing it all wrong. we've got tips to help you make your food last longer after these

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food in your fridge, you've probably been doing it all wrong. not only could it shorten the shelf life of the food but it could be harmful to your help. we brought in suzanne, a lifestyle editor for "family circle" magazine for a refrigerator 101. >> good to see you. >> what's the number one thing we do wrong? >> there are so many things we do wrong. >> okay. >> you want to keep the fridge 40 degrees. you want to keep things fresh. saves your health and your wallet, right? >> okay. >> people do things wrong. let's talk about refrigeratoor placement. where do you keep the strawberries? >> in the vegetable crisper. >> there is moisture and they go bad quickly. yogurt, as well. the door is warmer. start with the top. the top, you want to put the berries. >> right. >> leftovers you'll eat right

away and fresh herbs are great. like flowers, put them in a cup of water, cover them and they'll last longer. film isn't supposed to be that high. push it to the back. >> the cold air sinks. >> yes, exactly. y you want healthy things on eye level. >> it is like dairy and stuff to keep toward the back. >> definitely. >> you're always opening the door and the temperature drops. >> and eggs, also. these absorb the gross stuff in the fridge to keep them in the carton. >> when i've been fortunate enough to go to europe, they leave eggs out and don't refrigerate them. >> cooked usually, right? >> no. >> they're healthier. you can leave them out longer. >> what goes in the door? >> it is not as cold. butter can survive well in the

door. soft cheeses. all the continuemediments, full preservatives and spices so they hold. wine can be kept three to five days. the crisper, keep your fruit -- fruit and vegetables don't go together. >> keep them separate. >> they'll last longer. meat always on the bottom shelf so there is no cross contamination. >> we never have enough room in the fridge. what do we put in the fridge that we don't have to put in the fridge? >> let's do a quiz. tomatoes, where do they go? >> counter. >> the counter is best, yes. the fridge, they change their texture. >> i have a big argument with my wife about this all the time. i say the bread goes in the bread drawer, like on the counter. >> right. in the fridge, dries out. >> see, i'm right! >> avocadoes. syrup? >> the counter. >> the fridge.

hot sauce? >> the cabinet. >> good. >> thank you very much. appreciate that. coming up, we've got the star of the big comedy "fistfight," mr. ice cube himself. himself. he'll talk about himself. he'll talk about i had a wonderful time tonight. me too! call me tomorrow? i'm gonna send a vague text in a couple of days, that leaves you confused about my level of interest. i'll wait a full two days before responding. perfect! we're never gonna see each other again, will we? no-no. wouldn't it be great if everyone said what they meant? the citi double cash card does. it lets you earn double cash back. 1% when you buy and 1% as you pay. the citi double cash card. double means double.

==topvo== crs are rushi to cleanmudslide e good wednesday morning. 9:26. crews still in the process of trying to quickly clean up a mudslide along highway 17 in the santa cruz mountains that we first reported on yesterday. right now there's only one lane open in each direction and those lanes are both on the southbound side of 17. this is happening between sugarloaf and vine hill road near scots valley. yesterday the mud, rock and debris spilled onto both lanes of 17. causing a vehicle to roll over in the process. that driver thankfully is okay. cal trans is started removing the mess and workers are being very careful not to remove too much material from the bottom, because if they do,ing on the top could come sliding down. that's why cal trans ordered a piece of equipment called the spider that is able to remove

debris at the top of the slide. despite all the rain we've seen, northern california is finally out of the drought stage, but there's a possibility water restrictions could still last a little longer. they're considering a recommendation to extend those regulations at least until the spring. that's when governor brown will make the final decision. water restrictions were first implemented three years ago. in the meantime, we have plenty more water to come today. and beyond for the rest of the week. carrie hall will have a look at the time line right after this break.

trc good wednesday morning, 9:28. watching a few of the raindrop fly across the camera in san jose. the roads are slowing down. we have a lot of rain moving through, pretty much the whole radar is covered with some rain. only a few spots not seeing the rain. really concerned about the north bay where we've seen the heaviest downpours, the rain continuing. still the threat of flooding, and heavier rain will be here early tomorrow morning.

let's head over to see how the commute is moving. >> we still have the wet roads. ease up onto the brakes there. looking at santa cruz mountains, still have 580 worried about two lanes closed for pothole repair work. livermore and dublin just fine. to the bay bridge, a little slow through oakland at 880 and 580. palo alto, wet roads out there. you can see the hetlights on as you'll need to have the hetlights on when you use the wipers on steady. headlights, no sunglasses today unfortunately. we'll see you in 30 minutes.

he's an actor, rapper, song writer, producer, film maker. basically anything else he wants to be. we're talking about the one and only ice cube. >> how y'all doing? >> starred in dozens of movies, including the hit comedy "friday," which you co-wrote. then the popular film "ride along," with one of the only men i'm physically intimidated by, kevin hart. >> guess what? ice cube is back on the big screen in a funny, new film, "fistfig fist." he can make brewing coffee seem intimidating. >> you. campbell. >> me? >> you're the only one drinking coffee, right? >> yeah. no. i mean, i got a light roast cappuccino but -- >> get your light roast over here and help me fix a cup.

>> right. yeah, sure. sorry. i don't know why i was resisting that. it is a new machine. it is state of the art though. all you have to do is put in your order, and it does the rest. >> coffee. >> ice cube. >> hey. >> good to see you. >> good morning. >> good too see you guys. >> i love the premise of this. you're a tough teacher. >> yes. >> charlie day kind of rats you out on something that happens. >> without a doubt. >> we play two teachers from different sides of the educational spectrum, you know. i'm a no-nonsense disciplinarian. then you have the, be friend to every student teacher that charlie day plays. we just get into it over budget cuts. he actually gets me fired. >> so you challenge him to a fist fight. >> old school, after school, knockdown, drag out, fist fight in the parking lot with

everybody watching. >> oh. >> normally, we hear about fist fight and you think the kids will meet after school. this time, it was a teachers. this is a school where the kids are bad or what have you. they almost come together to watch the teachers fight. >> without a doubt. >> look at that crowd. >> we fighting against a lot of coddling that's going on in the schools. you know, the underlying message is, we got to fix these schools because the schools are driving the teachers crazy. >> yeah. weren't you really glad it was just a movie though? charlie day would take you out, man. >> bad hombre, charlie. i think tough guy, i think charlie day. >> good thing that was fake because he is a bad dude, man. >> a bad mother. >> did it take eight days to film the fight scene? >> eight days. i'm like, are we scooting "ro y

"rocky" or "fist fight." he said, you can't name the movie "fist fight" and have a one-punch knockout at the end. we had to go for it. >> you're watching the movie. because it is "fist fight," you're waiting for it. you go all? >> it is epic. >> epic is a good word. i mentioned to you, tracy morgan, great to see him on screen. was this his first film since the accident? >> yeah, his first film back. we were happy to see him. you know, he was -- i think the accident made him funnier. you know what i mean? because he was just the same old tracy. inappropriate comments at any time, you know. it felt normal, you know what i mean? >> that's good. >> did anybody accidentally throw a punch that actually landed? >> no, not this movie. you talking about "ride along." i accidentally hit a stunt guy. sorry, dude. i sent you that bottle of that, you know. but on this movie, we learned the choreography in about three

days. we didn't eat eahit each other. i guess charlie was making sure i didn't hit him. >> you are celebrating an anniversary, so he wanted your wife to have a nice, clean face. >> 25th. >> 25 years. >> congratulations. >> thank you, man. >> something to say. >> terrific. >> you should congratulate my wife, really. putting up with me -- >> what's your wife's name? >> 25 years, man. >> kimberly. >> kimberly. congratulations, kimberly. >> she's the star, really. >> there you go. >> she's the star. >> always good to see you, sir. >> congratulations. >> "fist fights" hits theaters february 17th. coming up, ice-t. and the all-star cast of "law and the all-star cast of "law and order svu,". befi was active.gia, i was energetic. then the chronic, widespread pain drained my energy.

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in new york city, the dedicated detectives who investigate these felonies are members of an elite squad known as the special victims unit. these are their stories. >> that was pretty good. >> very good. >> if you are a super fan, you know those words by heart. from the opening sequence of "law and order: special victims unit," it is the longest running drama currently on air. 18 seasons. we have the cast this morning. we have mariska, on the show since day one in 1999. ice-t has been on the show since season two. roland's character is passionate. and the rookie of the crew plays detective car riris. hello down there. >> we have the whole room. >> congratulations. >> tonight's episode is very special. it is directed by mariska, a

major milestone. the 400th episode. here is a sneak peek. >> firing the rifle was the only way to stop the assault? >> he panicked, trying to scare whoever it was away. >> they were friends. recent problems? >> not that we can find. >> so he came over to study but luke wasn't there. >> if he knew he wasn't going to be home, it would establish his mindset. went to nicole's house, knowing she's be alone. >> there are no texts or e-mails between him and tray. >> let's talk to the friends, dig into the social media account. see if we can find anything out. >> what a milestone. mariska, when you auditioned for this, did you have any idea you'd spend almost 20 years of your life -- sorry i had to bring that up -- almost two decades of your life. >> when i started in 1846, i remember like it was yesterday. no, you just can't imagine. you wake up on a day like today. my husband made me coffee.

it said, he put the 400 in my coffee. >> he wins. >> it was so sweet. he used stencils and everything. but you wake up on these days and you have to pinch yourself. you just can't believe it. i know i am. we are filled with so much gratitude. it is truly nothing short of a miracle. never in a million years did i think i would be here today, talking about this. i am just profoundly grateful. >> he just mentioned that you directed tonight's episode. i was watching it. it is one of those things where, does it get in your head? i'm thinking, sometimes it can get so heavy. it's one of the episodes you talk back to the tv because you get into it. >> yeah. well, i do actually talk back to the monitor when i'm there. when i'm directing, i'm very animated. people think i'm conducting music. but, yeah, i mean, it is a heavy, very deep show. it definitely stays with us. people ask about why we've been

on so long and had this incredibly long run. i always say, the first thing i say, because, you know, the actors, the writers, the directors, the producers, the network, tell these very delicate stories with such compassion and care and artistry. it is a gift, to be working on a team where everybody is so deeply invested. again, as somebody -- ice and i are the ogs here. how dare i use that word in this room. but, you know, we sit there and we look at the new actors that have come on. i say new. >> what is it like, stepping into something like this? >> you feel like you're a part of something that is bigger than you. this is a show that the city of new york sort of owns. you can't walk down the street without everybody cheering you on. like the city is as much a part of the show as we are. >> asking for legal advice. >> asking you for legal advice.

>> counselor, what's up? >> i'm like, i'm not a lawyer, but i can pretend to be yours if you'd like. there's also this responsibility, i think we all feel. the show gives a voice to subjects and to situations that were -- are very hard to talk about. people will come to you as an outlet. that's an amazing position to be in. it is also a very deep and responsible position to be in. you want to live up to that. >> congratulations. i think i read, kelly, did you wake up one time, in puerto rico or something, and you were on? >> yeah, yeah. i'm like, oh, god, i'm on vacation. come on, man. svu is always on. my mom goes, yeah, i woke up and you were on the tv. i was like, that must have been nice. no, it was creepy. it was 4:00 in the morning. >> something to celebrate here. we wanted to recognize your 400th episode. >> yay. >> we've got a little special 400th birthday cake.

there's a whole generation that doesn't know you as a rapper but an actor. >> when you're on 18 years, you talk to a kid and he is like, i'm 20. so you were like 2 when i started doing this, you know. >> why don't y'all blow out the candles? >> congratulations, guys. >> thank you. >> 400. >> congratulations. the 400th episode of "law and order: special victims unit" airs tonight at 9:00/8:00 central here on nbc. blow out your candles. >> ready? >> one, two, three. >> congratulations, guys. >> good bends worng. still some rain as you ride across the golden gate bridge. we have a widespread coverage of some showers. a few pockets of some really heavy rain moving through the santa cruz mountains. and this will be approaching 280 soon, so that could cause some problems out there on the roadways.

also, for san francisco, over to oakland, and much of the north bay covered with some rain. flooding will be a threat as we go through this afternoon. >> that is your latest weather. guess who is a big fan of mariska's? hollywood's newest "it" girl. three movies in three weeks. including john wick. >> i just love you guys. i'm sorry. >> john wick, we love john wick. after these messages. i was in shock when my dentist was explaining

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before happenilanding a gig as . >> "orange it is new black" and now hitting the big screen in back to back action movies. >> one is coming out this friday. she plays an assassin starring alongside keanu reeves in "john wick: chapter 2." oh, man. ruby rose. oh, good morning. >> good morning. >> so did you ever think you would be doing something like this? this physical in a movie that is so storied in john wick. >> i'm a very physical person, and i love those kinds of films. when i saw the first "john wick," i fell in love with it. maybe i related to the idea of somebody killing his dog and him going on a rampage, but i reall. any excuse to do that is up my alley. that scene was one of my favorite to shoot, as well. >> what is it like to play an assassin? >> really fun. it is kind of like, yeah, it is

fun n a film. in a film. >> it is fun to be one, too. >> wasn't going to say it. >> i will. >> those from suv may arrest me. >> boom. >> in this movie, there is so much physical activity. i understand there was maybe an elbow to the eye. >> yeah. well, in the scene, keanu throws me over his shoulders. we do all our own stunts because keanu is ridiculous at every bit of martial arts. his elbow was out and my head was in the wrong place. it was a tiny nix. i was like, it is fine. i think they kept it in there. i got ice so i wouldn't have a bump. any time it came around, i put it in a different place. >> was that from your face? >> no, just my elbow. oh, my ankle. my low back. not my face. >> you you have "xxx" and

"resident evil." >> they welcome you with open arms and want you to be a part of it. they help you understand that world. you get to kind of get into something that they're so familiar with already. that's a great experience to have. >> ruby rose, i'm going to have to write a song. that name, ruby rose. i'm sorry. >> how would it be, upbeat or -- >> your voice is so sexy. can you say my name again? >> ruby rose. >> can you be my voice double? >> i'm sorry, ruby. ruby is not available right now. >> oh, my god. >> you should have an app. everybody would be downloading that. >> can we make it happen? >> i'll start with ruby first. i'm sorry. you have to get in line. >> for all of america. >> that's right. >> you'll be in "pitch perfect

3." >> i am. >> beating anybody up or -- >> yeah, i'm an assassin. they've gone a completely different direction. no, i get to do comedy, which is something i wanted to get into. i get to sing and have fun with the girls. we shot in atlanta. it's been wiled. >> you're friends of taylor swift, but djing the party, awesome. >> "john wick: chapter 2" hits theaters on friday. thir

when he talks, does he vibrate against you? >> this feels so good right now. >> oh, yeah, it does. >> oh, my god. >> trace adkins. >> that's all.

=weather toss to tffic= =trx at ck= ==traffic maul our weather alert continues with more rounds of some steady rain pouring across the bay area. we will continue to see this especially in the north bay, where you haven't seen much of a break today, but some pockets of some heavy rain still moving

through during the early afternoon hours, and more of a break for parts of the peninsula and south bay as well as the southern parts of the east bay. heavy rain moves in early tomorrow morning, and that may cause some more issues. let's head-to mike and see what's happening on the roadways. because of the weather, wet conditions, b.a.r.t. said you may have as much as a ten-minute delay, but so far nothing major. we have slick roadways as well. 580 out of the altima, two lanes still blocked. and continuing into the afternoon work for the potholes. this will continue on for the bay. >> that is our editor and that is good news for her. happening now microclimate weather alert continues at nbcbayarea.com. the russian river crested a few hours ago and should remain at a moderate flooding stage at the evening. on facebook, emotional

doesn't from the mother of missing morgan hill teenager sierra lamar. she broke down on the witness stand. "star wars" theme land is under construction at disneyland.

♪ >> from nbc news this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb live center tudefrom studi rockefeller plaza. >> you made it to wipes day wednesday. >> that is "happy people" by one of our favorites, little big down. ♪ never take it for granted ♪ you don't have to understand it ♪ >> their new music is out, and there you have it. >> got to love them. we have a terrific show today. if you like fashion and you like reality tv, we've got the show for you. the glamorous world of