the morning. thanks for joining us now. join us earlier. >> back at 7:25 for updates and join us for "nbc bay area news" at 11:00, much more news and weather. you don't want to miss it. good morning. storm of a lifetime. hurricane florence, one for the ages, inching closer to a devastating strike on the east coast. and its path just took a major shi shift overnight. officials are pleading for people to evacuate now. >> don't bet your life on riding out a monster. >> this morning, the entire region set to face rain, destructive win and the storm surge. breaking overnight. is the embattled cardinal of washington, d.c. about to step down after devastating

accusations of cover-up? the high-profile leading between pope francis and american church officials set to take place in the next 24 hours. incomprehensible. elizabeth smart blasting the stunning decision to release one of her kidnappers from prison next week. why a mistake could allow this woman to walk free five years earlier than expected. all this plus brad pitt sued. his charity accused of selling defective homes to ka tina survivors. an american woman and young son fight for their lives after a dangerous encounter with a giraffe at an animal park. and holding the line. >> you owe me an apology. i have never cheated in any life. >> the umpire at the u.s. open breaks his silence. why he is standing by his call. today, wednesday, september 12th, 2018. >> from nbc news, this is

"today," with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning, everybody. welcome to "today." thank you for being with us on a wednesday morning. and at the top, what they're calling the storm of a lifetime. want to get right to the latest on hurricane florence. >> the governor is calling a monster. look how massive this storm is, bigger than the state of michigan. it could be a storm of a lifetime. >> massive evacuations are under way, creating gridlock on highways and long lines at gas stations and the shelters are now being opened. >> national guard troops are being activated to preserve life and safety when the storm hits. >> this could be the costliest storm ever in the u.s. we're going to talk live to

north carolina governor in just a moment. craig and dylan have fanned out across the zone. here's al roker with where this storm is headed. good morning, al. >> good morning, guys. we keep getting changes on the track of this thing. we have to watch it carefully. this is the latest. it's a 400-mile diameter. 130-mile-per-hour winds. it's moving west-northwest at 17 miles per hour. that's an consistent since yesterday at 5:00. we have hurricane warnings stretching from cape hatteras down into central north carolina. that will probably be extended later on today. we have storm surge watches for much of the eastern atlantic coast. here's the latest on the track of this system. and the track is going to be everything. by friday morning, 2:00 a.m., it's a category 3 storm, just off the coast of north carolina. the northeast quadrant takes the strongest brunt. you say, okay, that's great. but look at what happens, it starts to parallel the coast and

comes in around myrtle beach some time early saturday morning. here's the big question mark, will it be the american model or the european model? today and tomorrow, it continues to track to the coast and then, it puts on the brakes, sit there's and parallels the coast. if it just sits there and meanders, it becomes a storm surge machine. and that is the worst-case scenario for the coast. better for inland, at least for now. we look at the impacts for the winds, the power outage potential. total power outages possible the outer banks all the way through wilmington, widespread as you get further and scattered as you move inland. and the storm surge, sea water could move in miles. possibility of a 9-foot to 13-foot storm surge. high tide on friday, 11:46 charleston.

if it comes in on high tide, those numbers are on top of high tide. and friday and saturday night, you're looking at high tide again. the storm surge is a wall of water that pushes in. as the wind pushes the water in, it pushes in. and that's the big problem. and then, rainfall. depending on the path, that's where the heaviest rain is going to be. right now, we're going to stay with this ten inches or more, from roanoke, wilmington and cape hatteras. catastrophic flooding and the path is going to be everything. that is going to determine the storm surge. 60% of people who lose their lives lose it in the storm surge. >> a lot of people think it's the wind but it is often the water. along the coast in the carolinas and virginia, this is a day for stocking um and boarding up. craig is in the path of the storm. he's made his way to wilmington,

north carolina. what's it like there this morning? >> reporter: i want to show you what we're talking about this morning. look at the skies behind us, the beautiful pinks and the crowds. it's postcard pretty, literally the calm before the storm here. we have along the cape fear river. you can see the boats behind me in the marina, tethered for now. the hope is they will stay that way. but as al mentioned, we're in the area where we're expecting catastrophic storm surge. people here, by and large, they are heeding the warnings and getting out. first responders, bracing for the worst. this morning, first responders on high alert. coastal areas of north carolina, along with wide swaths of south carolina and virginia, are under mandatory evacuation orders, affecting more than 1 million people. >> we're telling people they need to leave the evacuation

areas. >> reporter: fema warning, everyone needs to be prepared. >> we can rebuild infrastructure. we can rebuild homes. we cannot replace lives. that's our primary focus. >> reporter: along the carolina coast, those staying are getting ready. >> we're being cautious and boarding up the windows. we'll sandbag the doors. >> reporter: president trump promises the federal government is ready to help. >> it's tremendously big and tremendously wet. tremendous amounts of water. we are sparing no expense. we're as ready as anybody's ever been. >> reporter: some skeptical the government response will be sufficient. >> in the past, it seems like they're not doing as much as they need to. >> reporter: but military officials at ft. bragg, now a fema staging area, insist the u.s. army is ready. >> in this case, some of the folks affected could be our family members as this storm is coming right our way. >> we're in a very deadly and important game of chess with

hurricane florence. >> reporter: in south carolina, evacuations also under way. authorities closing this myrtle beach highway in one direction. all lanes, now leading west, away from the massive storm. >> hurricane florence, bring it on. >> reporter: the city providing residents with free sand. maria nichols loading up to protect her home before getting out. >> we don't need to take chances to get personnel on the line to try to save us. we need to go. >> reporter: both of you have covered hurricanes before. it's interesting to me the number of people who decide to heed those warnings and the number of people who stay behind. last night on that two-hour drive from the airport in raleigh, we saw a caravan of cars that appeared to be heeding the warnings, getting out. here in wilmington, it will be under mandatory evacuation by

8:00 tonight. a lot of folks have decided to exercise better judgment. at this point tomorrow, 18 hours from now, high winds expected, lots of rain expected, as well. back to you. >> it is important to listen to the warnings and get out when you can. dylan is just up the coast from craig on north carolina's outer banks. they have to have real worries there. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. it seems like here, too, folks are heeding the warning. several homes are boarded up. businesses are closed or are closing through the day today. today is really the last chance to prepare. i want to take you through a timeline of what this area will see as we go forward. starting with thursday morning, that's when the tropical storm-force winds will make their way on shore. we'll look for gusty winds to start kicking in. by thursday afternoon, the outer bands of the hurricane will get here. that means torrential downpours.

once the rain starts, it is not going to stop, perhaps all weekend. going into thursday night, the hurricane-force winds arrive. that's the winds over 74 miles per hour. that's a sustained wind that causes damage. friday morning, we're worried about the high tide. that will be the start of the storm surge, that perhaps 9-13-foot wall of water that could make its way on shore. and friday afternoon, we'll see it all. the storm surge, the torrential downpours and the hurricane-force winds. after that point, it's still too early to determine if this area will stay on the northeastern side of the storm, continuing to keep the worst of the winds and the rain and the storm surge around. those are the details we need to iron out. today, it is still beautiful here. but conditions will rapidly deteriorate on thursday. today is the last chance for people to keep heeding the warnings. >> going to be a different

picture behind you in 24/48 hours. we're going to bring in governor roy cooper. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> this is your first major storm as governor. you described it yourself as a monster. you had several briefings trying to get your head around this. put it in perspective for us. describe this storm for us. >> this storm is big and it's vicious. people of north carolina are used to storms. but this one is different. north carolinians are a hearty bunch. and you have a number of people who may want to stay behind. we're telling people they're putting their lives at risk when they do that. yesterday on 9/11, we honored our first responders. you're putting first responders at risk if you stay behind on the coast, with this kind of storm coming our way, the storm surge, the high winds and the flooding that we expect. so, safety's the number one thing on our mind. we have activated 2,600 national

guard troops. we have shelters open. i think we're ready for this. but we want people to be safe. >> governor, as you know, each storm has its own permsonality. we heard al talking about it. what's worrying you right now? aside from people not heeding evacuations. is it the storm surge? the flooding? >> i think this storm is so wide and there's such a cone of uncertainty. we know the storm, as soon as it hits the north and/or south carolina coast, that it's going to hang around. that's when you start measuring rain in feet, not inches. flooding is a significant risk here. and often, when there is flooding, the people who can afford it the least, get hit the most. so, we're ready to spring into action, to make sure we help those people, get them to

safety. our local and federal partners are coordinated. we just want people to be careful. if you have to evacuate, please do obey the orders. unless, the inland county, most every north carolinian will feel the storm. we want them to hunker down. get the emergency kit, documents, pet plans, all of that, to make sure their family is safe. >> the president said we're prepared to deal with this. have you had a conversation with president trump about this? >> i have. and he told me the same thing. our fema partners are in north carolina ready to help. i was at ft. bragg yesterday. i will be up at two of the fema staging areas. we've done something a little unusual with this storm. usually you wait to distribute

supplies and equipment after the storm hits to know where to go. we did predistribution here because we know the damage from the storm will be far and wide. and we can rest assured that the areas where we distributed the equipment and supplies are going to need it. these roads are going to be almost impassable after the storm passes. i think we're ready. north carolinians will get through this. it's just going to be a very tough few days and weeks. >> you're a very hearty bunch. you're right. north carolina governor, roy cooper, we'll be thinking about you. >> thank you. let's talk more about the president's response to this storm and some of his comments raised some eyebrows about the administration's response to hurricane maria in puerto rico. nbc's peter alexander at the white house with all that. peter, the president is up and tweeting this morning. >> reporter: you're right. the president is sounding the alarm on twitter saying hurricane florence is looking bigger than anticipated. as you noted, he did raise eyebrows on tuesday, defending

his administration's response to last year's storms, including hurricane maria, that left puerto rico devastated. the death toll there just last week raised to nearly 3,000. the president describing it as incredibly successful, saying it was an incredible, unsung success. this morning, on twitter, doubling down, writing, we got a-pluses for our recent work in texas and florida and did an unappreciated great job in puerto rico, even though an inaccessible ability with poor electricity and an incompetent mayor of san juan. we're ready for the big one that's coming. the president insisting the safety of the american people is my priority. saying the government is sparing no expense to protect american lives. and in response to president trump's comments yesterday, we're hearing from a democratic senator, chris murphy tweeting, if you're in florence's path and considering riding it out, your president said a hurricane response where 3,000 die is his

measure of success. get out of there. we'll keep an eye on the president over this day as he meets with his head of fema and dhs in response to this storm. back to you. >> thank you very much. another major story, the potential resignation of the archbishop of washington, d.c. members of the church are going to the vatican for a key meeting with pope francis. >> reporter: cardinal donald wuerl's resignation letter has sat on pope francis' desk for three years. the sex abuse scandal ensnaring wuerl and the catholic church may speed up his removal. this morning, the clearest indication that donald wuerl may soon step down. in a one-page letter to the priests, wuerl says he will go to rome to speak to pope francis

about his possible resignation. the issue is how to bring a new level of healing to survivors who have personally suffered so much. and to the faithful who have been wounded by the shame of the terrible actions and have questions about their bishop's ability to provide the necessary leadership. a deacon who refuses to take part in mass with wuerl any longer, is calling on him to resign. >> fostering a genuine sense of healing requires, among other things, accountability. and in the service of accountability, i think the way forward is for cardinal wuerl to relinquish his position. >> reporter: wuerl has been under attack since the scathing pennsylvania grand jury report, detailing 70 years of child sexual abuse by priests. it criticized wuerl's handling of predatory priests when he was cardinal of pittsburgh. wuerl disputes the grand jury's findings and says he acted with diligence and concern for the victims. >> i don't want him to resign. i want the pope to fire him.

i think the pope should fire every bishop that was part of that report. >> reporter: that anger growing louder. >> shame on you. >> reporter: earlier this month, during a sunday mass, a protester interrupted wuerl and walked out. >> i ask for your prayers for me, for forgiveness in any of my errors in judgment, for any of my inadequacies. >> reporter: dozens of catholic schoolteachers boycotted the cardinal's back to school mass. a pittsburgh area high school with his name defaced. wuerl's name removed at his request. and those aren't the only problems. wuerl's washington predecessor, theodore mccarrick, resigned in disgrace, accused of molesting teenagers and seminarians. those scandals will get pope francis' attention tomorrow, as he meets with the u.s. catholic bishops to discuss the crisis. >> what are you expecting? the bishops meeting with the

pope. >> reporter: the bishops want the hope's help to know why mccarrick was able to become cardinal. and they want the vatican to work with lay people to investigate that. as far as cardinal wuerl's fate goes, it depenld depenlds on on only. that's pope francis. >> thank you so much. we turn back to al who is keeping an eye on the forecast. >> that's right, guys. besides florence, we have heavy rain down in texas. that's going to be a big story. we'll look at that in the next half-hour. high fire danger for a good portion of the southwest and into southern california because of the dry, hot conditions. we'll continue to track that,

good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. it's a clear sunrise as we get a live look outside over san jose and we're going to have some cooler temperatures for the afternoon, with some clouds moving in. our highs for the imland valleys mostly in the upper 70s and low 80s. in oakland today 69 degrees, in san francisco reaching 65. napa today 78 degrees. for the forecast, we continue on with weather like this, it will feel like fall for the next few days and going to the low 80s toward the end of the forecast. >> that's your latest weather. guys? >> al, thank you. just ahead, elizabeth smart's outrage over the years' early release of one of her captors. we'll hear from elizabeth. and a "rossen reports"

warning about uber and lyft. would a driver pick up your kids when it's against policy. an undercover reports investigation. first, this "today" on nbc.is

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here are some of the local stories we )re working. we expect a serious discussion about climate change in san francisco. today - the 3-day )global climate action summit ) begins. good morning to you. i'm laura garcia, it's 7:26. today the three-day global climate action summit starts. 4500 delegates from around the world will be in town including al gore and john kerry. earlier this weekend governor brown signed a law promising 100% clean energy in california by 2045. also this morning what will apple reveal in it is the big question in silicon valley. in just hours we'll get our first look at probably a new iphone, maybe multiple phones, maybe a new watch? we'll see. watching the forecast for

us. live look outside in san francisco as we get a look at a beautiful sunrise and our temperatures will be cooler today. it will be in the upper 70s for the inland valleys, low 80s for concord and antioch today and our cold front continues to bring in some breezy winds. more clouds this evening and highs only in the upper 70s through the end of the week. as we go into the weekend, we're looking at some low 80s, up to 83 on monday while san francisco stays in the mid-60s. mike, what's happening out there for the commute? >> the good news, kari, the traffic alert cleared 101 just off the skyway but the backup and north 101 getting toward the scene have crashes on approach that will xl i indicate recovery. look at that jam coming in west 580 down toward the bay bridge. this will have one lane blocked north 680 at 84, a crash and a

big rig still blocking up traffic. northbound commute unusually jammed toward fremont and sunol. back to you. >> thank you very much. another local news update in half an hour. see you then.

back, now, 7:30 on a wednesday morning, september 12th, 2018. this is a look from high above. that's the monster hurricane florence. the storm is charging toward the east coast, bringing with it the potential for unbelievable damage. >> incredibly intimidating pictures will be looking at. of course, it's the top of our headlines this morning. massive evacuations under way. and overnight, there was a major shift in the likely path of this storm. gabe gutierrez is in conway, south carolina, near myrtle beach. good morning. >> reporter: that exodus is under way behind me.

all eastbound lanes are now closed. this is all traffic heading west, away from this monster storm now. now, this is a storm that local authorities are warning people to be careful. more than 1 million people from the carolinas to virginia are under mandatory evacuation orders. on tuesday, we saw a steady stre am of traffic heading inland. the major concern is even the drivers that head inland to a major city like raleigh, major rainfall is expected there that could trigger massive flooding. other people we spoke with say they are not heeding the mandatory evacuation orders. some are using sandbags and hunkering down. but authorities say do not take chances with this storm. air travel will be impacted. more than 100 flights have been canceled today, hundreds more tomorrow and many more expected throughout the weekend. savannah, this monster storm is expected to have this huge ripple effect for several days

and even weeks, potentially. back to you. >> gabe, thank you very much. the tennis umpire under fire for penaliziing serena williams during the u.s. open final. he told his native portugal, he's fine given the circumstances. he's sure of his performance in saturday's match and he's received hundreds of messages of support. williams accused ramos of sexism following her loss to naomi o sack ka. he issued three verbal warnings that cost her a game. she said men is not punished as harshly for behavior that is much worse. a missing hiker that was found dead in oregon was attacked likely by a cougar. she was reported missing in late august. the medical examiner says her injuries were exiconsistent wit that of a cougar attack.

it's the first such attack in oregon history. 15 years after elizabeth smart's kidnapping ordeal gripped the nation, one of her kidnappers is about to be released from prison. and elizabeth smart is speaking out this morning. >> reporter: a highly charged situation. this early release comes after the board reversed a july decision, denying a request for parole. wanda barzee is set to walk free next week. it's after her attorneys argued the parole board miscounted her time served. this morning, elizabeth smart is calling it incomprehensible, after learning that one of her kidnappers, wandabarzee, is being released from prison early. >> if you're out there, we're doing everything we can to help you. >> reporter: smart was 14 years old when she was kidnapped from her bedroom at knifepoint in

2002. out of nowhere, the news her family was waiting to hear. >> startling story just coming across, regarding elizabeth smart, the teenage girl who apparently was kidnapped from her home in salt lake in june of last year, is apparently alive. >> it's real. it's real. >> reporter: smart was found 18 miles away from the home where she was taken. spotted by a couple who had seen smart's story on the news and recognized her abductors. she was taken by wanda barzee and her husband, brian david mitchell, who worked for a short time at the smart home. they were arrested in 2003 and charged with her kidnapping. in 2010, barzee pled guilty to and was sentenced on state and federal charges. she began serving a sentence of 1 to 15 years. her husband was sentenced to life. barzee, who the parole board said refused to attend her

hearing was to remain behind bars until 2024. >> mrs. barzee was going to get a psych review. >> reporter: now, the parole board said they have to count time in custody toward her state sentence. next wednesday, she will have served her time. i was surprised and disappointed to learn of the pending release of wanda barzee. it's incomprehensible how someone who has not cooperated with her mental health ev evaluations and risk assessments and didn't show up to her parole hearing can be released into society. smart produced a movie about her ordeal. >> i am elizabeth smart. >> reporter: she has forgiven her captors but that doesn't mean their actions are acceptable. >> they have taken so much. if i live the rest of my life feeling sorry for myself and holding on to the past, they have won. >> reporter: now 31, smart says

she is not letting it define her. married with two young children, she has a third on the way. while elizabeth smart has f forgiven her kidnappers, barzee's early release is something she can never forget. >> then what? >> she's going to be under federal supervision for five years. this is the first time he's been out of prison after her arrest. smart says she appreciates the outpouring of love and support. and she will speak publicly in the next few days. >> thank you, morgan. we're going to get another check of the weather from al. what are you looking at, al? >> we have a situation developing in the gulf. already heavy rain there. we're watching out for that. that's going to be continuing over the next day or two. but in the investigation area 95-l. in the next five days, a 70% chance of developing. it's in this zone in the gulf, between brownsville and by the time we get to saturday,

look at the amounts of rain, anywhere from three to five inches, it could >> good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. the bay area will have some cooler weather today, with some of our warmer spots ohm reaching 82 degrees. that's what we'll see in concord and in antioch. hopefully some upper 70s for the valleys while oakland today will reach 69 degrees. san francisco at 65 and 78 today in santa rosa. and it will be breezy, our winds will pick up today and some of the hills may have gusts up to 35 miles per hour and the rest of the week looks cool, highs in the 70s. >> we'll we'll have an update on florence coming up at 8:00. >> thank you, al. much more ahead, including a shocking giraffe attack. young woman and her son are fighting for their life this morning. also, brad pitt's charity under fire, did it sell defective

homes to hurricane katrina survivors? sally feel opening up like never before. she has a new memoir, her career ap her romance with burt reynolds. >> burt rossen reports for all families. >> reporter: hi, i'm jeff rossen, uber ap lyft drivers assaulting children, we're going under cover to show you how easy it is for a child to be taken for a ride. parents are going to want to see this next.

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we're back. 7:42, with a new "rossen report" series. your school security guide. >> carson joins our table. ride sharing services and new cases of drivers assaulting teen passengers. how are the kids getting in the first place? jeff rossen is on the case. he had an undercover test. it's going to surprise us. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, guys. i'm a parent. sometimes we can't be everywhere at once. it would be nice if we could. some parents are starting to rely on uber and lyft to shuttle their kids around. now, new cases of drivers harassing and assaulting kids. think about it. these teenagers are alone with a stranger in a moving car, helpless if something goes wrong. uber and lyft tells your drivers, you can't do that. you can't pick up underaged kids. but are they listening? this morning, we go undercover.

violent attacks on yubers and lyfts. >> accused of raping one of his passengers. >> reporter: and now, kids, too. in florida, this lyft driver confessed to molesting a 16-year-old boy. and in california, a teenager saying she was sexually harassed by her uber driver, speaking out to nbc bay area. >> he started randomly asking me, like, weird, like sexual questions. >> reporter: and in georgia, a teenager there has accused an uber driver of rape. but kids across the country are still downloading the apps and ordering rides. so, we wanted to see for ourselves just how many uber and lyft drivers would pick up a child. so, we're going to go yurnld cov undercover and do a little experiment. this is eddie. how old are you? >> 15. >> reporter: you're going to tell them you're 15. >> yes, i will. give them every chance to get

out of this. >> yes. >> to keep you safe, we have precautions here. we have a chase car with a couple of my producers inside. they're going to have eyes on the car the entire time. and you'll have an open phone line so we can listen in to make sure you're safe. we'll see what happens. >> i'm ready. >> reporter: we wire her up with a hidden camera. and debbie orders a lift. >> is it okay if i'm 15? >> 15? >> yes. >> okay. >> reporter: she's in the car. her mom watching it all go down. >> i really can't believe they let her get in the car. >> reporter: once the driver drops her off, i talk to him. hi, jeff rossen from nbc news. how are you? >> i'm good. how are you? >> reporter: you know she's 15 years old. it's under policy not to drive unaccompanied minors. in just minutes, she is ordering another lyft. and she gets right in. >> is it okay that i'm 15?

okay. >> reporter: another one just picked her up. the driver later tells me this. >> i didn't pick up an underaged child. >> reporter: you did just now. you dropped a 15-year-old girl off. she is working with us. she told you she was 15. >> she didn't tell me. >> reporter: really? remember, we have it all on tape. >> is it okay that i'm 15. yes. okay. >> reporter: it's a policy to protect kids. not to say you would do anything wrong. >> i didn't. >> reporter: of course not. no one is accusing you of that at all. you never know when a driver will. they have a policy so kids aren't alone. thank you very much. i appreciate it. in fact, driver after driver, uber and lyft, six in total, all letting this 15-year-old hop right into their cars. not a single no. and just watch what this driver says to her. >> is it okay if i'm 15?

>> yeah. >> okay. >> i get kids pick it up from school. >> reporter: he says it's so common, he often picks up kids ordering rides from schools. >> we told our kids not to get in the car with strangers and you're telling them to get in the car with strangers. >> reporter: when signing up for uber own lyft account, they don't ask for your age anywhere, making it hard for parents and kids to know that driving kids is against the policy. now, you know that you need to police your own kids so they don't get themselves into danger. and speaking of safety, i'm pretty excited. we're kicking off a new digital series today. this right here, "rossen reports kids." we get so many e-mails and videos from kids asking about safety and security. what age is it safe to cross the street alone? how do you call 911 when your mom's phone is locked? the list goes on. we want your child to be the safest on the block. we posted our first episode,

today.com, focusing on what kids should do if they get lost. today.com "rossen reports kids" good stuff. just ahead, the major lawsuit facing brad pitt and his charity created to

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good wednesday morning. right now it's 7:56. we are seeing sunshine across the bay area, and we're going to feel some cooler air today, but clouds will start to roll in, as we go into the afternoon. highs only reaching 79 degrees in san jose, livermore and in morgan hill. 82 in concord today with napa reaching 78. oakland 69 degrees and 75 today in san francisco. over the next few days, our fall-like weather continues and we'll get a lot more sunshine going into the end of the weekend through the weekend. low 80s in the forecast from sunday into tuesday of next week. san francisco keeping it mostly sunny today, at least the start, but then we'll start to see more clouds and then some fog moving in, in the forecast. mid-60s for saturday and sunday, and then on monday, expect a high of 64 degrees. let's head over to mike for an

update on the commute. >> the east shore freeway is just jammed solid still through berkeley, out of richmond. we're looking at another reason more slow traffic crash now issued a traffic alert by chp west 80 around treasure island, left lanes are blocked because of a motorcycle involved in this crash. we're tracking that closely. we also see recovery northbound 880, the crash cleared around 238. west 92 a crash also just cleared from lanes and that will cause more slowing toward san mateo bridge toll plaza and we continue with that lane blocked north 680 just shy of highway 84. northbound out of fremont, or through fremont jammed. back to you. thanks so much. 7:57. happening now, climate change is the talk of san francisco this morning. the three-day global climate action summit starts. 4500 delegates from around the world will be in town including big names like al gore and john kerry. earlier this week governor brown signed a law promising 100% clean energy in california by 2045. what will apple reveal is

the big question in silicon valley. in just hours our first look at a new iphone, maybe multiple phones. in... kari has overnight updates to the storm )s path - as rain reaches land tomorrow. plus: all the news that breaks while you )re sleeping. join us tomorrow for )today in the bay. ) we )ll see you from 4:30 to 7

>> they say the couthdown coming up on the news, two million people being forced to evacuate, as hurricane florence barrels towards the east coast. >> we can rebuild infrastructure. we can rebuild homes. we can not replace lives. >> officials now warning this could be the storm of a lifetime. craig is live in north carolina. plus, brad pit under fire. his charity facing new legal trouble this morning. hurricane katrina survivors say they were sold defective homes. >> this has been years of ongoing lies and broken promises. >> why residents are asking for pitt to make it right. and all right, all right,

all right. matthew mcconaughey joins us live in studio 1a to talk about family, fame and his new film where he's taking a role unlike any he's had before. today wednesday, september 12th, 2018. ♪ ♪ >> we're here to celebrate my beautiful wife's birthday. >> from illinois, celebrating 40 years of friendship. >> good morning, to my kids. >> having so much fun out on the today show plaza! ♪ ♪ >> here today from montreal, canada. >> hi to my students. >> celebrating 50 years of marriage. >> from temple, texas. hi, everybody, good morning. that song is putting us in a good mood. >> florida georgia line. you can't beat it. >> i love it. thanks for being with us on a wednesday morning. we have a lot to get to. this storm is a big story this morning. here's your news at 8:00. millions of people are rushing

to get out of the bull's-eye. hurricane florence is spinning closer to the east coast as we speak. we'll get to craig in north carolina in a moment but let's go to al because there's an update on the path and the timing. >> that's right. here's the latest. still a category 4. it's still 130 mile per hour winds. it's moved closer to cape fear, 571 miles. it's moving still west northwest at 17 miles per hour. the track of the storm right now from the national hurricane center brings it right along the coast, along wilmington friday early morning, 2:00 a.m. at 120 miles per hour. then it starts to parallel the coast and make its way in right over myrtle beach sometime late saturday afternoon and continue on. however, the european model is the thing that's giving us real fits and worries. what it has from tomorrow right on into saturday, paralleling the coast with weak steering currents. it sits off the coast and basically sits and spins, becomes a storm surge machine. and that's what we're most

worried about right now. anywhere from four feet to 13 foot storm surge on top of the high tides that happen friday morning and late friday night into saturday morning. the storm surge, that wall of water driven by the winds of the hurricane move in miles, plus the battering waves will cause massive damage and destruction. we'll be watching this so very closely over the next at least 72 hours. guys? >> thank you. emergency officials and the u.s. army are sounding confident about their storm readiness. craig is right in the path of the storm in wilmington, north carolina, with a look at the prep there. you've got a beautiful day behind you right now. >> reporter: yeah, hoda calm and tranquil right now. don't be fooled, this is an area of north carolina that is preparing to bear the brunt of the storm. first responders, residents, tourists, all bracing for the worst. this morning, first responders on high alert.

as potentially catastrophic hurricane florence is expected to punish the east coast, starting later tonight. >> you know, we get 14, 15 inches of rain all of this is going to be underwater again. >> reporter: coastal areas of north carolina, south carolina, and virginia are under mandatory evacuation orders affecting more than a million people. >> this storm is going to be intense. likely historic and deadly. >> reporter: president trump, promising the federal government is ready to help. >> the safety of american people is my absolute highest priority. >> reporter: fema warning everyone needs to be prepared. >> every storm's different. we can rebuild infrastructure and homes, we cannot replace lives. >> we're being very cautious. we're boarding up all the windows. we'll sandbag the doors. >> reporter: some skeptical the government response will be

sufficient. >> hopefully they'll step up their game and understand that we need them. >> reporter: military officials at fort bragg, now a fema staging area, insists the u.s. army is ready. >> some of nose folks that are affected could very well be our family members as this storm is coming right our way. >> reporter: in south carolina, evacuations are also underway. authorities closing this myrtle beach highway in one direction away from the massive storm. the city providing residents with free sand. maria nichols is loading up to protect her home. >> they said we need to leave. it's important for us to evacuate. >> reporter: i want to read just a forecast discussion last night from the national weather service here in wilmington. chilling words. quote, this will likely be the storm of a lifetime for portions of the carolina coast. that's saying a lot. i can't emphasize enough the potential for unbelievable damage from winds, storm surge and inland flooding with this

storm. again, that chilling warning coming from the national worth service here in wilmington. we'll send it back to you. >> the carolinas are close to you, you'll keep us posted, thank you. we learned overnight that with hurricane season approaching, the trump administration took $10 million out of fema's budget to help pay for i.c.e. detention centers. an oregon senator shared those budget documents on tuesday night. he said money was taken from the tsa and the coast guard for immigration enforcement. a spokesperson for the department of homeland security says the money that i.c.e. got was earmarked for routine experiences and not disaster relief. a scientist and her young son are fighting for their lives. kelly cobiella has details. >> reporter: good morning. an american katie williams and her son are in intensive care

this morning, both attacked by a giraffe after it was apparently spooked. today the baltimore mom's family says she is talking, communicating again for the first time in a week. this morning, hopeful signs from katie williams. the wildlife biologist and her son kicked by a giraffe protecting her young. her family says katie has regained consciousness and is using sign language to talk. her british husband, sam, saying it was amazing to see katie wake up and to be able to talk to her and to reassure her that we are there for her. adding that their son, finn, is stable and i hope that in time he will also wake up so that we can all be reunited as a family. sam, a conservationist and katie live with son, finn, on a wildlife reserve in south africa. it's home to free ranging giraffes, including a mother and a two month old calf. close to south africa's famous

kruger national park. katie and finn were waiting for sam to return from a run when the giraffe attacked. the enormous animal is known as africa's gentle giants. they're adored around the world. april the giraffe gained world worldwide fame on video. in the wild, giraffes can be dangerous. fiercely protective of their young with a kick that can kill. katy's family said she knew the risks. i can assure that she would never have put herself or finn in danger. we hold no judgment against the giraffe. this is the way nature is and we accept that. and the family says that finn has undergone emergency brain surgery and is stable this morning. that giraffe and its calf were moved to a different animal reserve and katy's husband says that's just what she would have

wanted. >> all right, kelly, thank you. >> we'll be thinking of them for sure. let's do a morning boost. there is nothing better than story time with your little one, especially if the book calls for animal noises. >> moo! >> a cow says moo. >> all right. 1-year-old autumn gets hysterical when her dad imitates animals. one more, how about this one? >> snort! and the little dog say roof, roof, roof. >> i wish you would laugh at my jokes like that. that's adorable. just ahead, what soly field is revealing and why she's glad that burt reynolds will never see it. the new lawsuit facing brad

pitt. we'll have the latest on that coming up right after this. that's a great question. if you'd stop in a monsoon to help someone change a tire, save a whale that had beached itself... you're gonna be ok big guy. push! lend a hand in an old-timey barn raising... you got it, jebediah! and if the middle school dance group was down one member and you'd step in and lead them all the way to glory... yes! then carmax is for you, because helping people is what our people are all about. our mission is to provide complete, balanced nutrition... for strength and energy! whoo-hoo! great-tasting ensure. with nine grams of protein and twenty-six vitamins and minerals. ensure. now up to 30 grams of protein for strength and energy! (tiffany) with counseling nicotine patch and gum, i quit for good. my tip is: get help to find the best way for you to quit smoking. (announcer) you can quit.

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this morning on "today's talker," the new lawsuit facing brad pitt and the charity he created during hurricane katrina. >> pitt's make it right project was a wild and noble idea. go into the ninth ward and build accordable and sustainable houses. but now, those that got those homes say they are dealing with another disaster. the homes sprung out of katrina's destruction with the unique designs. they were new places to live in the ninth ward. brad pitt formed the nonprofit

charity, make it right, himself, making the announcement here on "today." >> i think of a father who once had a home here and raising my kids here. and if i lost everything, and had no way to return, how that would make me feel. >> reporter: but the project who had initially planned to wild 150 homes, selling for roughly $130,000 each, built only 109. and today, homeowners like kamaria, says many of the homes that were built, are falling apart. >> this has been years of ongoing lies and broken promises. we were promised green, healthy, energy-efficient homes. we have everything but those things. >> reporter: allen bought her home in 2011. >> i put that key in the door the first time and i did a happy dance for like five minutes. >> reporter: then, she says, the problems started. rusty power sockets, mushrooms growing from the home siding.

she sold the home back in 2013. nbc news spoke to other residents, ten on the record, say manager of the homes are rotting and dangerous and the calls to the organization go unreturned. some say repairs are only done if residents agree to sign nondisclosure agreements. last week, two homeowners filed a lawsuit against brad pitt and make it right. >> the make it right foundation has been stringing the poor residents along, promising they would come out and fix the problems. but they never would show up. >> reporter: make it right has not responded to nbc's request for comment. a spokesperson for pitt declined to comment on the litigation but released a statement. that reads, we have been coordinating repairs of homes experiencing problems since 2018. and i have faith on the team on

the ground to see this through. i made a promise to the folks of the lower ninth to help them rebuild. it's a promise i intend to keep. allen says, for her, it's too late. >> at one point i felt optimistic that make it right was going to make it right. but at this point, they have abandoned, not only my family but my community. >> reporter: nbc news spoke with the founder of the lower ninth ward homeowners association, who says the majority of make it right's homes are vacant. in her words, it's just not working out. there's much more on this story at nbcnews.com. >> started off with good intentions and turned into that. wow. >> keep us posted. mr. roker is here with a check of the weather. hey, al. >> the rest of the country, out west, high fire dangerous of the heat and low humidity. it's dry as tinder out there. we have heavy rainmaking its way through texas and the possibility of another system is going to cause problems through the weekend.

sunshine through the central plains into the frgreat lakes. we have humid weather in the northeast. and scattered showers are hanging around all the way down into the southeast and parts of florida. that's good morning i'm meteorologist carrie hull. a lot of sunshine across the bay area, we're starting out with cooler temperatures, mid to upper 50s, san jose is looking good with our high temperature heading up to 79 degrees. we'll all enjoy a nice little cooldown as a cold front dips in across the bay area. it will be windy with clouds increasing throughout the day and partly to mostly cloudy, starting out tomorrow looking at highs in the upper 70s throughout the end of the week. weather. hoda? >> all right, al, thank you. do you make your bed or do you leave it a mess? that question is on the mind of carson over in the orange room. >> i'll tell you why a new study shows whether or not you make your bed can say a lot about

you. the spokes at sleepopolous. b bedmakers versus nonbedmakers. a bedmaker is a morning person and someone who wakes up without an alarm. they're are adventurous sociable and work in the health or technology fields. a nonbedmaker. a night person. snoozes with the alarm. shy, moody, sarcastic. works in business and finance. some odd characteristics. bedmakers tend to exercise regularly. they believe in ghosts and sl p sleepwalk. nonbedmakers can potentially break a promise. here's patricia who says, every day it looks better when i walk into the room. that's a bedmaker with a sense of pride. on the other side, five extra minutes of sleep is more important than making my bed. we asked you on twitter, do you make your bed? here's what we got.

64% saying yes. 6% saying no. they found that nonbedmakers and bedmakers get about six hours a night. >> i make it over mike. i tuck him in. i don't make my bed. >> that's the excuse i use. deborah's still in it. >> joel is a huge bedmaker. he tucks it in. >> what about you? >> i leave it. i'll drape it over. >> i will leave it, too. >> what are they saying in pillowtown? >> in sleepopolous. stall l sally field, the actress is giving an interview to "the new york times," opening up about the highs and lows of her remarkable life. natalie morales has more on that. >> reporter: according to "the new york times," sally field's memoir embodies pain and grace.

in it, she shares some of the most dark and personal memories. it's a book she's nervous about publishing but one she had to write. in a remarkly frank account that's light and dark, sally field reveals intimate details of her life in a new memoir. the two-time oscar winner who was dubbed america's sweetheart tells "the new york times," as a child, she was repeatedly abused by her stepfather, actor jock mahoney. she writes in the book, she was frequently summoned to his room alone. and she felt a child, helpless, and not a child, powerful. this was power, and i owned it. but i wanted to be a child. she adds her feelings about mahoney were mixed. writing, it would be so much easier if i only felt one thing, if jocko was only cruel and frightening.

he could be magical, the pied piper of our family. field says mahoney, who died in 1989, stopped the abuse when she was 14. but the effects lingered. there was the sexual awakening in her liate teens she describe as breaking out of her own brain. followed by a secret abortion in tijuana. and writing that when she auditioned for "stay hungry," the director told her, i can't hire anyone who doesn't kiss good enough. so, i kissed him, she writes. it must have been good enough because she got the part. raffleson denied the event. he said, that's totally untrue. i didn't make anybody kiss me to get my part. and she writes about her romantic relationship with herp co-star, burt rends, who died last week, calling their time together confusing and complicated, and not without loving and caring.

she characterizes reynolds as swaggering and charismatic but also controlling of her. field tells "the times," she would relieved that burt reynolds would never read the memoir because this would hurt him. "in pieces" will be released september 18th. up next on "pop start," julia roberts, the actress looking beautiful as always in toronto. one fan on instagram looked stunning. she compared it to the late joan crawford. one person commented, joan crawford looks way better in my opinion. and julia is wearing ugly black nail poll ishipolish. julia roberts sees that and fires back. in case you want to edit your polish to ugly navy polish with garnet crystals. she wrote back. >> i'll troll you right back. >> that's right. finally, right over here, the great matthew mcconaughey.

the oscar-winner talked about his movie "white boy rick." he recapped about going to his family. they tried to stretch a trip out by another week. but mcconaughey's mother was not onboard. >> everyone says we want to stay another week in paradise. she's like, no. i don't think that's a good idea. my mind was prepared we leave today. and i'm ready to go. we're like, mom, hang on a minute, mom. everyone -- we got another week. i thought you would say thank you. she was like, i have to get back to my pilates class on tuesday. and i need to go to my salon to get my nails done. as i'm saying this, my wife smartly goes, hey, kay mac. i know a great salon in town here. we'll get our nails done. we'll do pilates on the beach

later on. and mom said, i would love to stay another week. >> smart woman. >> yeah. love it. >> you own, now, a nail salon and pilates studio in greece? >> not only is matthew mcconaughey here. hi, matthew. look who else is here. stop it. >> we showed up with him. >> maya and fred. hi, guys. >> we came together. >> we have the a-team all here. we're going to discuss so much with all these wonderful people. more coming up after your local news. i )m marcus washington.

a serious discussion about climate change in san francisco good morning, 8:26. a fierce discussion about climate change in san francisco is taking place today. the three-day global climate action summit begins with 4500 delegates from around the world in the city. including big names like al gore and john kerry. earlier governor brown signed a law promising 100% clean energy in california by the year 2045. and what will apple reveal? it's a big question in silicon valley and around the world in hours we get our first look at probably a new iphone or multiple phones. a slow drive around most of the bay.

this really kicks in starting monday. we saw more traffic flow. we have one lane blocked by that big rig, up to highway 84. a tough drive and they're having trouble getting the right equipment. crash here, alert north 101 at woodside. jamming traffic at 101, as well as folks coming off the dumbarton bridge and making the merge into the traffic and still another issue across the bay bridge in towards san francisco. west 80 tied up out at treasure island tunnel. a motorcycle crash blocking the two right lanes. back to you. more local news for you coming up in 30 minutes.

back, now, 8:30 on a wednesday morning, the 12th day of september, 2018. with the instantly recognizable voice of -- do we hear music superstar? >> crank it up. >> carrie underwood. guess what, guys. >> what? >> carrie underwood is coming to us on friday. she's going to put on a concert on our plaza live. and it's going to be packed. you guys come back on friday. >> that's going to be fun. let's get to our crowd moment today. there's so many people out here. where is leann? hi, leann. how are you? >> fine, thanks.

>> who is with you today? >> my husband and three dear friends. >> and you have a sign, what's the celebration today? >> my dad's 92nd birthday. >> any chance he is watching? >> he is watching. >> what do you want him to say? >> happy birthday, dad. i love you from the bottom of my heart. >> that's so nice. we hope you have a great birthday. nice to meet you, leanleann. >> if you like stars, and i know you do, we have the half-hour for you. let me start with mr. oscar winner, math you mckthew mccona. he says his latest role is unlike any other. we're going to tell him about "white boy rick." maya rudolph and fred armis armisen. we're going to talk to that dynamic duo. have you heard al's big

news? he's heading to broadway. from october 5th to november 11th, al is going to be in the tony-winning musical "waitress." >> and it features music and lyrics from sarah barella. >> wait a minute. you have roker in "waitress." >> we've been lobbying for this for a while. >> last time, it was hurricane season that stole him from us. >> have you heard him sing? >> yes. >> and what do you any? >> it was beautiful. >> i wouldn't go that far. >> have you been taking lessons? >> i've been taking lessons from derek rosenblat. been working at it. it's hard work. >> didn't you write everything for this? >> i did. it is hard work. eight times a week, for everybody in the show. it's definitely -- you'll be pulling double-duty. >> i will. but there's pie.

>> there is pie. you'll be fine. >> you wrote the song that al's singing. what should al's motivation be? >> well, the song is entitled "take it from an old man." >> there's that. i got half of it down already. >> al, have you been practicing? >> i have been practicing. and i just started reading the script. >> give us a couple of lines. >> i can't. i need -- no. please. i'm not in voice yet. >> there's a wedding scenario. he's swinging at a wedding. unless anyone's getting married here, this suspect going to work. >> sarah, have you been blown away by the success of this show? people have embraced it. >> we're 2 1/2 years on broadway. we're so grateful to the fans of "waitress" who keep coming back. we have people who have seen the show 20, 30, and 40 times. we have a new star, nicollette

robinson. we can't wait for people to see the show. >> i can't wait for the next project. we'll wait to hear about that. thank you again. you can see al in "waitress" october 5th. how about some weather? let's look at what's going on. humid with showers in the northeast. look for heavy rain through texas. high fire danger out west. tomorrow, as we have the approach of florence, we're going to be watching that carefully and the development of a tropical system in the gulf. heavy rain to texas and louisiana, as well. the fire threat continues in the central plains and into the good morning, i'm meteorologist carrie hull, we're seeing the high clouds moving over the bay area. a live look outside at foe. this is ahead of a cold front that bring us cooler air for today and gusty winds and our cloud cover will continue to increase. our inland areas heading up into the upper 70s today. still a few low 80s, oakland,

69, 65 in san francisco. we keep the nice, cool fall-like weather for the next couple of days. we'll get some more sunshine throughout the forecast. >> that's your latest weather. coming up, one of the biggest names in hollywood. oscar winner matthew mcconaughey is here. we'll chat with matthew, looking forward to that. first, this "today" on nbc.is

welcome back. matthew mcconaughey has dazzled us through the years, countless memorable roles. but the actor says the latest is unlike any he's had before. in "white boy rick," he has big plans for his family's future, only to find that they are easier said than done. >> all you have to have is vision. >> vision? >> it's a metaphor, rick. like a phrase of speech. for instance, look in the

backseat and tell me what you see. >> a vcr. >> no, sir. that, my friend is the future. it's our future. we're going to open up a video store, rick. but we're not just going to have one store, we're going to have dozens of stores. most people are lams, ricky. not you and me. we're lions. >> math you mcconaughey, good morning to you. why do you say it's unlike any role you've had. >> usually roles by characters by hook or my crook, try to handle situations, or do handle situations. this character, i've never played a character that loses so often. like, every time. loses every scenario he's in. his heart's in the right place but he doesn't have the followthrough. you hear him talking about the dreams of a video store and trying to hold his family together. as a father, he's a guy that cann cannot tow the line. >> you feel for him. >> his heart is in the right

place. and i know fathers like this. he has the want to but none of the can do. >> we have to talk about your co-star. >> richie merritt. >> he was plucked out of a high school in baltimore. not an actor. that's incredible. >> this young man has never had a job. we did a casting -- we were looking for the right person for this role in over two years. they find him in the principal's office in a baltimore high school. the director put him through a boot camp. we saw he could be honest and behave in front of camera. he didn't know who i was when i met him. i met him in a parking lot at a bowling alley. >> and you have to love that. >> i had to pick him out. he didn't know who i was. he is the lead in this movie. he does a wonderful job. he knew the role. he knew the life of the person he was doing. and he does a wonderful job. >> and it's a true story.

>> based on a true story. yes, ma'am. >> you've been busy. and i have to put up a graphic we made. i think these are your last three roles. they all seem different. first of all, what's going on here on the right? what's that? >> i believe i'm wearing a dress in that one. >> i thought it was a bathing suit. >> that's a full-on dress with the fanny pack down low and the sailor's cap up high. >> you come home and your wife is like, who are you? >> she says -- she probably told you, though. she says she feels like she is sleeping with another man whatever role i'm playing. >> how does she feel about moondog? >> the moondog, coming, that was fun when i was playing moondog. milk shakes when you want them. yes. we're staying up late on saturday night and no curfew. >> are you one of the moody

actor tapes th types that gets and is like, don't come in my room. >> not that moody. i bring the man home with me. but i let it go once i get back home. >> you have three kids. 5, 8 and 10. >> 5, 8 and 10. >> what kind of dad are you, really? are you strict? are you all right, all right, all right. >> we mix the all right, all right, all right, into the discipline. you know, the -- as you know, any parents understand that the main thing is that my wife and i, camilla, we have a similar bottom line. as you learn, if you have kids, every day they get older, you realize how much more, it's really dna. >> yeah. >> we can nudge them and we have healthy ones that are individuals. >> what do you do on an average

saturday or friday night? >> friday night's no curfew night. pizza night. it's movie night. that night can go late. sometimes we have to lie about the time and say it's midnight and say it's 10:00. it involves a lot of cooking. we stay home and cook a lot. then, music, that turns into after the movie to a dance party. >> what's your favorite dance song these days? >> these days? >> what does everyone love? >> i don't know the name of the guy that sings it. it's on -- >> do it again. >> what's it called? i forget the name. i've been listening to a lot of swing lately. >> i like it. do you like all right, all right, all right? >> those are the first three words i ever said in my film career. it doesn't bother me when people say it. it is three affirmations. what it does for me, those are

the three first words i ever said. i'm doing "dazeded and confused." i don't know if it's a hobby. but it turns out to be a career. that's a call back to 20 years ago when i turned this into a career. >> we love you, matthew mcconaughey. "white boy rick" in theaters on friday. check it out. coming up next, the parade of stars rolls on. >> look who is here. oh, hey. just maya rudolph and fred armisen. we're going to share some laughs and chat. we're sneaking up behind you. first, this is "today" on nbc. california phones offers free specialized phones... like cordless phones, - (phone ringing) - big button, and volume-enhanced phones. get details on this state program. call or visit

today, life-changing technology from abbott is helping hunt them down at their source. because the faster we can identify new viruses, the faster we can get to stopping them. the most personal technology, is technology with the power to change your life. life. to the fullest. and accessoriesphones for your mobile phone. like this device to increase volume on your cell phone. - ( phone ringing ) - get details on this state program call or visit ♪ more than a decade after they were co-stars on "snl," maya rudolph and fred armisen are back together again.

they're on a new show called "forever." they play a married couple leading a predictable life. when they try to shake things up, they find themselves in unfamiliar territory. >> you want to go for a walk? >> yes. but real quick, do you happen to know of a river that runs through paris? >> the sene? >> are you sure? that makes this suffalowings. >> you all have a long friendship, don't you? >> we do. >> how many years? >> 2002. >> that's when you started "snl"? >> yeah. >> you met on "snl." you're looking for a project to do together. i found this so interesting. this is a regular kind of humdrum couple. you are going through the motions. and then, the world changes.

tell me what brought you two together for this role. >> it was truly being together. we actually started backwards. we just wanted to be together. so, we approached allen yang, who created the show. we want to play a couple. what should it be? and he sent us some ideas. we said, oh, yeah. that sounds good. >> seemed perfect. you worked together in so many skits. and it got me thinking about "snl" and when you started. i'm fascinated by this. fred, you are going to have -- we're going to ask you to start singing in a little bit. >> this is a surprise. >> she's got hers. how old were you on "snl"? >> i started "snl" when i was 27. you get a call and you're told to come in and audition. so, just walk me through that. i want to know what that was like. you walked in the room --

>> i never auditioned. >> you didn't? >> no. i blew it. i was supposed to audition. and the person i was working with at the time, was like, it's not a good year to audition. you don't want to do it. i was like, okay. i put a tape together. i put a tape together of my sketches. and i sent it to lorne. and he put me on the show for the last three shows of the year. that was my audition. >> what was on that tape? >> a renaissance fair couple or something. >> do you remember any of the bit yu did? >> barely. just barely. really goofy, stupid stuff. >> did you get a call? >> yeah. i had to come and meet lorne in his office up on the ninth floor. and he asked me, why do you think you should be on the show? and i said, i like wearing wigs. >> that's the right anxious, though. >> did you have to do a full audition in front of lorne and company? >> yeah.

at the studio. >> is it quiet as anything and you walk in and do it? >> it was quiet. >> i was there. he had his timbales. >> i did fredicito. i was dressed up as this venezuelan percussionist. i would say, i'm just kidding. >> and a little rim shot on the timbales. >> i had a little cowbell and mustache. i was great to be there in the room. just to see, i remember tina was there and lorne and some of the producers. i was blown away to be there. >> you got a phone call and they said, you're in. >> on the way to the elevator, they stopped me and said, can we talk to you for a second? >> what did they say? >> something to the tune of, we'll make this work out.

>> they knew right away. >> that just -- stopping me was -- >> you guys are historicaysteri. you like to sing and you like to sing together. what do you like to sing together? >> we played on stage together. for your documentary now -- what was the name of our band? it was a fake talking heads band. >> test pattern. >> and in my prince band. >> called princesses. >> it's -- ♪ purple rain purple rain ♪ ♪ want to see you laughing in the purple rain ♪ ♪ i will die for you >> we're happy you're back together again. thank you for your rendition.

"forever" hits amazon thi s

we know that song and time to celebrate some birthdays. >> absolutely. love this part of the program. a little help from our friends at smucker's. first up, happy 100th birthday to arthur rosenblum. he served as a technical sergeant and film editor in the army. mr. phillip broncato, a hard worker, celebrating 100 careyea. he worked as an oil truck driver until he was 70 and delivered flowers until he was 90. and happy birthday to maxine. fred griffin of littleton, colorado. he served as a medic in world

war ii. and rubert smith, at 100 years old, says the secret to longevity is working hard. and happy 102nd birthday to mary dixon. she is a bingo champ from east orange, new jersey. believes that drinking a cup of coffee every morning is the real secret to longevity. if you know someone that's celebrating a birthday, tell us about them. today.com/celebrates. we have a big fourth hour. matthew mcconaughey is going to come back for a double-dip. we have anna kendrick. she's going to come on. and they have a new film. >> i'm helping you out with the emmys. >> who knew? >> yes, we have. >> who knew carson would be on? >> we're going to update about hurricane florence all day long. >> when did the next update come

out? >> out at 11:00. and lester holt is down in wilmington, as well, along with craig and dylan. he will be doing "nightly news." >> how much difference is there between our model and the european model? >> as you saw earlier, the american model brought it in around myrtle beach and kept going in. the european model has it hovering off the coast and drifting. so far, the european model has been accurate. it's been handling better. we're going to be watching this closely. >> al's the busiest man. not only is he handling the forecast and watching, i think we should tell him the weekend plans and ask, is it happening or not now? yeah. >> and we want people to be better safe than sorry. >> sure. >> make sure you stay safe. and listen to evacuations. >> we'll keep you on the news and keep everybody honest what's going on. up next, megyn kelly will catch up with strong women, including a truck driver who

spends nights on the road. and then, kate moss, the supermodel, after your local news. good morning, it )s 8:56... i )m marcus washington )hurricane florence ) is taking aim at the east coast. good morning, 8:56 and i'm marcus washington, hurricane florence is taking aim at the east coast. the storm is in the atlanticnd growing stronger. states of emergency have been declared from virginia through the carolina coast. millions of people are evacuated. help is on the way for the bay area and some folks are coming here to avoid the storm. we ran no one group of

travellers from charlotte who flew into san jose last night. happening now, the three day global climate action summit is under way in san francisco, 4500 delegates from around the world are in the city for the event. including big names like al gore and john kerry. and apple's big announcement in one hour now we're used to these days, but there's a lot of talk around the country. follow-ups on nbcbayarea.com for instant updates on the new products. also online our investigative unit has updates on the millennium tower, there's a new less-expensive proposal to shore up the tilting millennium tower being considered now. you can watch our new investigation and past coverage now at nbcbayarea.com. more news for you coming up in an hour.

♪ ♪ ♪ i put a spell on you ♪ yeah, because you're mine ♪ with chase atms serena can now grab cash on the go, all with the tap of her phone. ♪ stop the things you do no card? no problem. life, lived serena's way. chase, make more of what's yours. kari has overnight updates to the storm )s path - as rain reaches land tomorrow. plus: all the news that breaks while you )re sleeping. join us tomorrow for )today in the bay. ) we )ll see you from 4:30 to 7

[ applause ] good morning, everybody. i'm megyn kelly. we have a lot to get to this morning. and "new york times" investigative reporter, megan twohey. co-host of "in principle," amy holmes. and legal analyst, dan goldman. hi. we begin with the stunning announcement that one of elizabeth smart's kidnappers is about to be set free. almost immediately. when smart was 14, wanda