lighter on the left. >> that is what's happening. "today in the bay" will be back with you at 7:25 with more live local news. >> and more news coming up on "nbc bay area news" at 11:00 and more weather for you. thank you for joining us and make sure you have a great day. good morning. will she t good morning. lsh testify? supreme court nominee brett kavanaugh's accuser now demanding an fbi investigation before any testimony on capitol hill. top republicans now saying if she's a no show, they move ahead with the vote and the president voices sympathy for hinominee. >> i feel so badly for him. this is not a man that deserves this. just ahead, where this battle goes next. breaking news, surprise announcement. in a historic meeting overnight, north korean leader kim jong-un agrees to permanently dismantle his country's key nuclear test site with outside inspectors there to watch. what does he want from the u.s.

to watch in return? we're there live. bursting their banks. >> sunshine doesn't necessarily mean safety. >> rivers across north carolina swollen by historic rain from florence now overflowing. the damage and the death tolls still mounting. the president heading to the storm zone this morning. all that plus walking free. one of elizabeth smart's kid snappers set to be released from prison today, despite protests from smart and her family. it's complicated. s sesame street forced to deny bert and ernie are gay. and halliewood's new "it" couple. >> will you marry me? >> their surprise engagement stole the show at the emmys. mow the couple behind that unforgettable moment is opening up to us about how it all happened. >> you know, he did an amazing, crazy thing and here we are.

>> and what's next for them today, wednesday, september 19th, 2018. >> from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> hi, everybody. good morning. happy wednesday. nice to have you start your day with us. we're still smile background that emmys proposal. and don't you wonder what happened next? >> i want to know the rest of the story. we got to see this part on the air and we'll dig a little deeper and find out about their love story. but first, the battle over supreme court nominee brett kavanaugh. a senate hearing with the judge and the woman accusing him of sexual assault is now up in the air. she has asked for the fbi to investigate her allegations first before any testimony happens. nbc white house correspondent kristen welker has the very latest for us. kristin, good morning. >> good morning to you. the white house is facing an escalating crisis.

lawmakers had invited judge brett kavanaugh and christine blasey-ford to testify on capitol hill this monday. but now ford is demanding the fbi investigate her allegation first. president trump speaking out moments ago reaffirming his commitment to judge kavanaugh and calling on blasey-ford to testify saying if she doesn't show, that would be unfortunate. this morning, christine blasey-ford calling her own shots. the woman accusing judge brett kavanaugh of sexual assault when they were teenagers now saying she won't testify on capitol hill until the fbi investigates. her attorneys writing a letter to the judiciary committee that reads in part, an fbi investigation of the incident should be the first step in addressing her allegations. >> any talk of a hearing on monday, frankly, is premature because she just came forward with these allegations 48 hours ago. >> the letter s revealing ford says she has received death threats and harassments so

intense her family has left their home. senators saying she is mistaken an apparent rivers to comments like this one by senator orrin hatch. >> this woman, whoever she is, is mixed up. >> overnight, chuck grassley insisted nothing the fbi or any other investigator does would have any bearing on what dr. ford tells the committee. so there is no reason for any further delay. and republicans senator bob corker, who had pushed for ford to testify now changing his tone tweeting republicans extended a hand in good faith. if we don't hear from both sides on monday, let's vote. but many democrats disagree. >> you really need to have a nonpartisan review of facts so that the senators can then use those facts as the basis to form their questions. >> but ultimately, it's up to the president to order the fbi to investigate. but when pressed on that this morning, mr. trump seemed to dismiss the idea. >> they've investigated about six times before and it seems

that they don't do the that. >> instead, expressing his sympathy for kavanaugh who vehemently denied the allegations. >> really, they're hurting somebody's life very badly. and it's very unfair i think to, as you know, justice kavanaugh has been treated very, very tough and his family, i think, it's a very unfair thing. >> does he feel sympathy for dr. the ford? >> do you feel anything for christine blasey-ford? >> well, i'd have to see what she has to do. i've given her a lot of time. the senate has given her a lot of time. we continue to give her a lot of time. we've held up the whole hearing. >> all this as a speech kavanaugh gave in 2015 at catholic university is coming under a microscope, talking about a saying among his high school classmates. >> a good saying that we've held firm to to this day as the dean was reminding me before the talk which is what happens at georgetown prep stays at georgetown prep. that's been a good thing for all of us, i think. >> meanwhile, this morning, the

president is also making headlines about attorney general jeff sessions after saying in a recent interview, quote, i don't have an attorney general. it's very sad. he was asked today if he plans to fire sessions. here is what he said. >> i'm disappointed in the attorney general for numerous reasons, but we have an attorney general. i'm disappointed in the attorney general for many reasons. and you understand that. >> it's no secret the president and sessions have a contentious relationship, but this may be a new low. savannah, hoda. another big story we're following breaking overnight, north korea's kim jong-un agreeing to a historic summit with the president of south korea to dismantle his country's nbc's janice mackey frayer is in seoul with details on this story. good morning. >> good morning, hoda. there are a lot of headlines coming out of this summit breaking overnight, including a first ever visit by a north korean leader to the south.

and a possible joint olympic bid for 2032. but beyond the pageantry, there is a lot of skepticism about whether north korea is taking concrete steps towards denuclearzation or simply throwing the issue back in the u.s.'s court. an air of celebration in pyongyang as the leaders of north and south korea are claiming a diplomatic break through. their summit with cheering crowds, even an embrace, producing achievement to declare denuclearzation. president kim jong-un saying we have declared to make korea the land of peace. >> his statement claims the north has promised to shut down one of its main missile sites. president trump is quick to congratulate tweeting kim jong-un has agreed to allow nuclear inspections, subject to final negotiations and to permanently dismantle a test site and launchpad in the presence of international experts. his enthusiasm is not shared by

everyone. the president's own historic summit with kim jong-un has yielded little progress. analyst warn today's statement lacks details and includes demands america may not like. but south korea, a crucial american ally, seems determined to forge closer ties with the north. while behind the scenes kim jong-un's sister leading the diplomacy, the world now waiting for washington's next move. at issue here, the peace treaty that formally ends the korean war. north korea sees it as a precursors, whereas the u.s. views it as a goal. president moon will now brief the u.s. on his talks today which could pave the way between a second summit between president trump and kim jong-un. also today, hurricane florence's devastating hit on the carolinas is causing new havoc this morning after days of heavy rain. rivers throughout the region are bursting their banks and overwhelming communities there.

scotty is along the swollen cape fear river this morning. good morning to you. >> good morning, savannah. a massive evacuation zone still under way here. this is about a half a mile away from the cape fear river. and most of those evacuations have happened near the cape fear river. and you can see for good reason. that evacuation zone extends about a mile out and finally last night, we saw the cape fear river reach its peak. this morning, the cape fear river cresting at over 60 feet. it's just the latest north carolina river to burst its banks, pouring more water into the already saturated region. part of this hotel buckling from the raging currents of another cresting river outside of fayetteville. now sunny skies for the first time in five days. the danger isn't over. >> sunshine doesn't necessarily mean safety. >> hundreds of thousands still have no power in the carolinas going on six days. generators running now low on

gas, the wait stretching several hours. >> a mad house. everyone is trying to get gas and people are fighting. >> over a thousand roads remain closed in north carolina, isolating communities, making rescues difficult. >> and these are the men and women of the spring lake fire department. they have been out on patrol nonstop. they have been rescuing people from their homes, rescuing pets. many of these rescues happening by boat because it's impossible to get to some of these houses. >> florence already hitting the economy hard, an estimated $22 billion in property damage in north carolina alone. nbc hall of famer michael jordan donating $2 million to recovery efforts, a recovery that could be overwhelming. >> gadi, the president is planning to visit those areas in north and south carolina and usually there are a lot of complicates logistics especially when a president comes to visit in a disaster zone like that. what are you expecting from that? >> we know the president is headed this way. at this hpoint, his schedule ha

not been finalized. there are a lot of logistics to work out. meanwhile, the death toll out here from hurricane florence is now at 35. including two prisoners who were in the back of a transport van that was swept off the road and killed overnight. guys, back to you. in the meantime, this is the day, the day that one of elizabeth smart's convicted kidnappers is supposed to be released from prison after serving 15 years behind bars. joe friar joins us with the latest on this story. >> good morning. at some point today, wanda barzee will walk out of prison. so far, no official word that has happened yet. her release comes earlier than expected drawing strong criticism from her victim, elizabeth smart. now we're learning more about what will happen once she's out. >> all eyes this morning are on a utah prison where at any moment wanda barzee could be released, free for the first time in 15 years. she has been locked up for her

role in the kidnapping of elizabeth smart. >> am i concerned? yeah, i am very concerned. for the community, for the public. as much as i am for myself. >> smart was 14 when she was abducted at knife point from her bedroom in 2002. >> elizabeth, if you're out there, we are doing everything we possibly can to help you. >> forrer nine months, smarts was held captive by barzee and her husband at the time, brian david mitchell. >> there were times when, yes, absolutely she was manipulated by mitchell. but she in her own right abused me just as much as he did. >> mitchell is serving a life sentence and barzee wasn't supposed to be released until 2024. but last week, utah's parole board ruled her 15-year sentence must include time she served in custody. which means her had maximum time has been served.

>> she is, as far as i'm concerned, as unstable as she was back when she kidnapped elizabeth. >> barzee will be closely monitored and if she falls off track, that's a short release. >> federal officials say they have found a place for barzee to be released but won't say where. her niece says she doesn't know of any family members willing and able to take in her aunt. >> in a way, i'm glad she's getting out, but she needs to go somewhere where she can be helped. i don't think she should be on the street at all. >> as for smart, she's getting help from jaycee dugard who was held captive for years. in a statement, she says believe elizabeth when she says this woman is a threat to society. but barzee's attorney says i do not believe miss barzee is a risk to the community and i think it is unfair and counterproductive to make those

assertions. she should be allowed to demonstrate compliance with conditions of surfaced federal release. >> which leads up to the questions of what are those conditions of her release? >> smart's attorney tells us that the conditions of barzee's parole include counseling and medication and she cannot have any contact with smart. >> thank you. this is a truly troubling case out of southern california. a popular surgeon and his girlfriend are accused of drugging and sexually assaulting women and prosecutors say there could be upwards of 1,000 victims. miguel al ma gair has more on this. >> the district attorney says there could be countless victims who have yet to come forward. prosecutor says the couple uses ecstasy and date rape drugs to carry out their attack.

>> dr. grant robishon was a smooth talking bachelor who appeared on the episode of a bachelor dating show. and his girlfriend, sarissa riley lured victims with their good looks and charm, sexually assaulting and drugging them in newport beach. >> there are thousands and thousands of videos and images on the phone, many including riley which we are now meticulously going through. in the glitzy california beach town, police say the successful orthopedic surgeon and his girlfriend met jane doe 1 at a restaurant taking her back to his apartment when she was intoxicated. the defendants are accused of supplying multiple drugs to the victim and then raping and orally cop ewe lating her. the prosecutors say they met jane doe 2 at a bar. that victim brought to the suspect's apartment, sexually assaulting her with the intent

to commit rape when she passed out. drea renee went on a date. >> the only thing i think that was sort of a red flag for me was i'm not a big drinker and that seemed to be something that the he was like, oh, okay. you don't drink. well, you know, we'll see ya. the date kind of turned once he knew i wasn't a big drinker. >> cathy, a patient of dr. robisho's is shocked. >> he was known as dr. mcdreamy. and he is. just very shocked. i didn't want to believe it. just because my experience was so stellar. >> nbc news has not been able to reach the suspects who are both out on bail. investigators say many of the victims may have come across the couple at music and art festivals like burning man. a handsome couple, say police, who stalked and attacked their victims together. >> the suspects who faced decades in prison if convicted will be in court next month.

overnight, their attorney telling us all allegations of nonconsensual sex are unequivocally denied. neither has entered a plea. bravo, owned by nbc universal, says it has no comment. craig. >> miguel, thank you. time now for our first check of the forecast. we have dylan for al once again. hey, dylan. >> good morning. even though the rain has stopped in north carolina, the flooding will remain an issue. mostly the river flooding. we have several rivers in major flood stage. if we look at just when they'll go below flood stage, it's incredible to see the neuse river in kingston will not go below flood levels through the weekend. the cape fear river at fayetteville, also below flood stage, but it should finally go below flood stage on saturday. we will see flooding remain an issue in that area. we have the possibility of flooding back through parts of the upper midwest today through wisconsin and back into iowa, we will see a risk of stronger storms. isolated tornados are possible,

as well. tomorrow, that cold front will bring that threat into the northeast and we could see, again, up to about 3 to 4 inches of rain in parts of the upper midwest and that could lead to some brief flooding. that's a look at the weather across the country. we'll get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds. weather. we'll get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds. [ music playing ] better we'll be♪ ♪the more we e good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. live look outside in san francisco, not as much fog as we normally see at this time, and that is the trend that we'll see over the next few days. slightly warmer temperatures, we'll have much warmer temperatures inland with antioch

reaching 88 degrees. 85 in livermore and morgan hill reaching 86 degrees. 81 in san jose and for the north bay an increased fire danger, santa rosa reaching 87 degrees. >> and that's your latest forecast. coming up, just days after les moonves' exit from cbs, his wife, julie chen, bids an emotional good-bye to her cbs talk show. what she is saying is next for her. and "sesame street's" move to end the debate over bert and ernie's relationship, after a revelation from a former

one of our favorites, music superstar, kelly clarkson. she's going to be here live. and savannah is talking wit when you have pain,

you want relief fast. only new thermacare ultra pain relieving cream has 4 active ingredients, to fight pain 4 different ways. get relief fast with new thermacare ultra pain relieving cream. when you make a pb&j with smucker's, that's the difference between ordinary everyday and exquisitely delicious in an everyday sort of way. because with a name like smucker's, it has to be good.

♪ (camera clicks) ♪ (humming along) (music crescendo) milk and fresh cream, and only sustainably farmed vanilla. it's made with fresh cream... sugar... and milk! breyers. the good vanilla. we proudly partner with american farmers for grade a milk and cream. mmm! ♪

♪ thyou know what i do instead?eny your cravings. i snack on blue diamond almonds. wasabi & soy sauce?! mmm! don't deny your cravings. eat 'em! all the flavors you crave, in a superfood. blue diamond almonds. crave victoriously. we are the tv doctors of america, and we may not know much about medicine, but we know a lot about drama. from scandalous romance, to ridiculous plot twists. (gasping) son? dad! we also know you can avoid drama by getting an annual check-up. so we're partnering with cigna to remind you to go see a real doctor. go, know, and take control of your health. it could save your life. doctor poses! dad! cigna. together, all the way. dad! ♪

♪ darrell's family uses gain flings now, so their laundry smells more amazing than ever. [darrell's wife] isn't that the dog's towel? [dog sfx] hey, mi towel, su towel. more scent plus oxi boost and febreze in every gain fling. ask sherwin-williams during the four-day super sale and bring color home. from september 21st to the 24th, get 40% off paints and stains. visit your neighborhood sherwin-williams store today. i never knew there was a to my constipation until my doctor recommended miralax. stimulant laxatives forcefully stimulate the nerves in your colon. miralax is different. it works with the water in your body unblocking your system naturally. miralax .

in east contra costa county when they call 9-1-1. good morning, 7:26, i'm marcus washington. it's going to cost folks extra in east contra costa county when they call 911 because the county is trying to beef up revenue for a new fire station. people could see a $400 for a car crash or pay for illegal fires. this not only applies to east contra costa county residents but anyone else that utilizes the sfrservices. the charges will take effect in november. right now getting a look at your weather outside, kari, starting off cool but that will change. >> it will change for inland areas. we'll get some warmer temperatures today, as we take a live look outside, in san jose, you can see that sun coming down on the cars, make sure you have the sunglasses today.

our high temperature right at about normal for this time of year in the south bay. starting to heat up for the inland parts of the east bay, with antioch today reaching 88 degrees. 87 in santa rosa. san francisco keeping it cool with 67 degrees as we go into tomorrow, the next couple of days are headed into the 90s, it's going to feel like summer as we welcome in fall. let's see how the roads are moving now mike. >> not so bad. we're looking at a couple of incidents that are going to disturb things a bit. we talked about the commute being northbound 238 off of 580 and that's where a crash is reported. look at the slowing in the southbound direction, i showed that with the arrow. i think there's actually something going on there but chp has yet to arrive. note that counter commute headed toward castro valley. the southbound bay moves smoothly. 85 in sar foe ga, northbound said did experience a crash and backup clearing but rippling back down toward about winchester and a bay bridge toll plaza you got the bay bridge toll plaza so the backup is

still there but notice the lanes at the bottom are clear. back to you. >> thanks, mike. i'll have another local news p update coming up in 30 minutes. many people living with diabetes

monitor their blood glucose every day. which means they have to stop. and stick their fingers. repeatedly. today, life-changing technology from abbott makes it possible to track glucose levels. without drawing a drop of blood, again and again. the most personal technology,

is technology with the power to change your life. life. to the fullest. we're back, now. 7:30. we got a programming note to tell you about. craig is headed to washington, d.c. for an exclusive, live interview with former vice president joe biden and his wife, dr. jill biden. that will be a good one. >> head down on friday. we're going to talk about their personal fight against cancer and what they're doing to change the future for the research of the disease. ae and we're going to get their take on everything going on in washington right now. new developments on the ongoing battle for supreme court nominee brett kavanaugh.

lawyers for christine blasey ford says before she testifies, they want the fbi to investigate the incident. chuck grassley dismissed that saying, there's no reason for any further delay. >> i don't think the fbi should be involved because they don't want to be involved. if they wanted to be, i would certainly do that. >> other top republicans say if she is a no-show on monday, they will move ahead with kavanaugh's confirmation hearing vote. kim jong-un has agreed to dismantle the north's nuclear complexiple complex, if the united states takes a certain amount of steps. the two leaders say they are hoping to turn the korean peninsula into a land of peace without nuclear weapons and nuclear threats. kim vowed to work with south korea on a bid for the 2032

summer olympics. mcdonald's workers staged a one-day forecast in cities across the country on tuesday, including chicago, los angeles and new york. they want mcdonald's to take a stronger step with on-the-job sexual harassment. now, to the new developments tied to the sexual misconduct allegations to former cbs ceo, les moonves. his wife, long-time tv host, julie chen, says she's walking away from her daytime talk show at the network. stephanie gosk has been following this. julie chen has been one of the hosts of "the talk." amid allegations of her husband's sexual misconduct, she has decided to leave the show. >> since we started season nine last week, julie chen has not appeared on the show.

>> reporter: instead, "the talk" played a taped statement from chen on the show on tuesday. >> the cast, crew and staff have become family to me over the years. but right now, i need to spend more time at home with my husband and our young son. so, i've decided to leave "the talk." >> reporter: adding an emotional thank you to her team. >> to everyone behind the scenes, i send you my love. i will miss you all very, very much. >> reporter: co-host and executive producer, sarah gilbert, showing her support for chen. >> we thank you for eight years of dear friendship and all you did to contribute to the success of this show. we love you, julie. >> reporter: chen's announcement comes nine days after her husband, les moonves, stepped down as head of ceo. two law firms are investigating allegations of misconduct, made by a dozen women in "the

new yorker" magazine. when the first of two reports was published back in july, chen had this to say. leslie is a good man and a loving father, devoted husband and inspiring leader. he has been a kind, decent and moral heule being. following the announcement that he was stepping down, moonves wrote, untrue allegations from decades ago are now being made against me, that are not consistent with who i am. i'm deeply saddened to be leaving the company. moonves and chen has been married since 2004. chen is also the host of "big brother," grabbing attention when she signed off from last week's episode, like this -- >> i'm julie chen-moonves. good night. >> reporter: three departures,

les moonves, charlie rose and jeff fehger. they say they are great for chen's contributions and wish her the best. she is expected to remain at "big brother," which has two more episodes the season. and moonves is an unpaid adviser for cbs. >> julie does a great job on that show. but that show is about sharing your life. that's a tough spot to be in for her. >> and they spend a lot of time talking about the #metoo movement, too. let's look at the weather. >> we're going to see warm temperatures move through the middle of the country. not just the heat but the humidity. when you factor that in, it will feel like it's above 100 degrees in st. louis. kansas city, 99. little rock, arkansas, with a high of 95, it will feel like 103 degrees. look behind this system.

minneapolis will hit 68 degrees today. pierre, south dakota, 64 on thursday. and chicago will feel like 95 degrees. the heat will build into parts of the east coast on friday. raleigh, 95 degrees but green bay drops to 66 by friday. and it will all produce rain and we've got a lot of sunshine in our forecast, and warmer weather today, as we get some more average temperatures. we've had a break from the warmer weather and today headed up to 88 degrees in antioch and san jose, a high of 81 and 86 in morgan hill. in palo alto 76 degrees and 85 today in napa. san francisco reaching 67 degrees. our inland forecast for the next seven days will feel like summer with highs in the low 90s, starting tomorrow, and continuing through saturday. >> and that's your latest forecast. just ahead, what is driving

the big boom in baby boomers who smoke pot? also ahead this morning, what makes you happy? we're going to share the things that bring us the most joy and learn new ways to helm everyone embrace happiness. and savannah and drew barrymore have a conversation on the power of sisterhood. a former "sesame street" writer's claim, hey guys. today we're here to talk about trucks. i love trucks. what the heck is that?! whoa! what truck brand comes from the family of the most dependable, longest-lasting full-size pickups on the road? i think it's the chevy. ford. is it ford? nope, it's not ford. i think it's ram. is it ram? not ram. that's a chevy! it's chevy! that's right. from the family of the most dependable, longest-lasting full-size pickups on the road. gorgeous. chevy hit it out of the ballpark with these.

with secret-slim pockets.tar slimming panels for your best shape in any size. ♪ hurry in for all jeans on sale from fifteen dollars, and yes, we have your size. only at old navy. start with 100% cleancheese? ingredients. like vermont white cheddar. then... add bacon, bbq chicken, or baja blend. catering and delivery now available. panera. food as it should be. moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis was intense. my mom's pain from i wondered if she could do the stuff she does for us which is kinda, a lot. and if that pain could mean something worse. joint pain could mean joint damage. enbrel helps relieve joint pain, and helps stop further damage enbrel may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma other cancers, nervous system and blood disorders and allergic reactions have occurred. tell your doctor if you've been someplace

where fungal infections are common. or if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure or if you have persistent fever, bruising, bleeding or paleness. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. since enbrel, my mom's back to being my mom. visit enbrel.com... and use the joint damage simulator to see how joint damage could progress. ask about enbrel. enbrel. fda approved for over 18 years. you'll see it's quite d[ lion roars ] you told lewis everything? not everything. [ suspenseful music ] the house with a clock in its walls. rated pg.

light bladder leaks are just part of being a woman. but we can still wear whatever we want. poise® ultra thin pads* move with your body, and stay 5x drier than the leading always period pad, so life with little leaks can just be life. get a coupon at poise.com with capella university's self-paced flexpath format, you can take as many courses as you want each term for one flat tuition. so you can live and learn. try flexpath today with a free trial course at capella.edu. sobut by the things you choose to fill it with. your home is not defined by four walls. the things that say, this is me. pier 1. come see what's new in stores today.

you know doc how can i get whiter, brighter teeth.. and the dentist really has to say let's take a step back and talk about protecting your enamel. it's important to look after your enamel because it's the foundation for white teeth. i believe dentists will recommend pronamel strong and bright because it's two fold. it strengthens your enamel, but then also it polishes away stains for whiter teeth. so it's really something that's a win-win for the patient and the dentist. this morning on "in-depth" today, the renewed debate about two of "sesame street's" residents. >> the burning question. mark saltzman dropped a bombshell saying that bert and

ernie are a guy couple. but "sesame street" saying they are just puppets. >> you're a good friend. >> reporter: this morning, the close relationship of bert and ernie is again under a microscope. former "sesame street" writer, mark saltzman says, they are a gay couple. saying, i always felt that without a huge agenda, when i was writing bert and ernie, they were. i didn't have another way to conte conte contextualize them. saltzman wrote for "sesame street" for 15 years and says the characters reflected his relationship with his own late partner. >> do you like me, bert? >> do i like you? of course i like you. you're my best friend. >> that's great, bert.

>> reporter: in a statement, "sesame street" said bert and ernie are best friends. even though they are identified as male characters, they remain puppets and do not have a sexual orientation. hours later, they released a new statement saying, "sesame street" has always stood for inclusion and acceptance. it's a place where all people and cultures and backgrounds are welcome. >> bert, you're back. >> reporter: bert and ernie have been roommates for 49 years. they were originally modeled after the friendship of their famous creators, jim henson and frank oz. but rumors about the puppets have swirled over the years. >> when you use your imagination, you can be anything you want to be. >> come on. >> reporter: after the supreme court legalized same-sex marriage in 2014, "the new yorker" depicted bert and

ernie as a couple, watching tv. are there really people that didn't know? i don't care if bert and ernie are gay. i want them to be happy. whatever the case, it's clear bert and ernie's friendship will last a lifetime. >> we thought they were just puppets, too. >> on twitter, famed puppeteer, frank oz was questioned, he said, is there a need to define people as only gay. >> they're puppets. >> yeah. i think it's a puppet thing. >> she's not wondering about it. >> it's for kids. >> thank you. >> thanks for clearing that up. much more ahead this morning, including -- >> he did an amazing, crazy thing. and here we are. and it's nice that love is trending. >> yeah, it is. the couple behind that show-stealing engagement at the emmys open up to us about their big night. that's after this. (roger) being a good father

is important to me so being diagnosed with advanced non-small cell lung cancer made me think of all the things that i wanted to teach my kids. (avo) another tru story with keytruda. (roger) my doctor said i could start on keytruda so i did. with each scan things just got better. (avo) in a clinical study, keytruda offered patients a longer life than chemotherapy. and it could be your first treatment. keytruda is for adults with non-small cell lung cancer that has spread... ...who test positive for pd-l1 and whose tumors do not have an abnormal "egfr" or "alk" gene. it's the immunotherapy with the most fda-approved uses for advanced lung cancer. keytruda can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in your body and affect how they work. this can happen anytime during or after treatment and may be severe and lead to death. see your doctor right away if you experience new or worsening cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, diarrhea, severe stomach pain or tenderness, nausea or vomiting, rapid heartbeat, constipation, changes in urine, changes in eyesight, muscle pain or weakness, joint pain, confusion or memory problems,

fever, rash, itching or flushing, as this may keep these problems from becoming more serious. these are not all the possible side effects of keytruda. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions including immune system problems, or if you've had an organ transplant or lung, breathing, or liver problems. (roger ) before i'd think of the stuff i might miss. but now with keytruda, we have hope. (avo) living longer is possible. it's tru. keytruda, from merck. ask your doctor about keytruda.

the new capital one savor card. earn 4% cash back on dining and 4% on entertainment. now when you go out, you cash in. what's in your wallet? dates, almonds and cherries. just 3 real ingredients. the delicious cherry pie larabar. larabar food made from food. (nicki palmer) being a verizon engineer is about doing things right. and there's no shortcut to the right way. so when we roll out the nation's first 5g ultra wideband network, it'll be because we were the first to install the fiber-optics and small cells, and upgrade the towers that will change the way we learn, work and live. and i'll always be proud that we're not just building america's first 5g network. we're doing it right.

(becky) i started smoking now i have end-stage copd. my tip is: if you keep smoking, your freedom may only go as far as your oxygen tube. i i. n it. call 1-800-quit-now for help getting free medication. wish you were here. to see how bright the human spirit can shine, to see that no matter what nature does, test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test. to help show that human nature is greater than nature. state farm, here to help recovery go right®. ♪

♪ we're back. carson joins us from the emmys. remember that magical moment that everybody is talking about. >> it was a marriage proposal live on stage. it melted the hearts of people in the audience and people wa h watching at home. so, natalie wanted to find out why. >> these awards shows are usually predictable. that was the surprise of the night. usually it's a very private moment. but it turned public when glenn weiss used his acceptance teach to pop the question. and when they talked to us, you could see the emotion still on display. >> you want to know why i won't call you my girlfriend. i want to call you my wife. >> reporter: it is easily the most buzzed-about moment of the emmy awards. an unexpected marriage proposal, live on air.

>> will you marry me? >> reporter: and the best part, she said yes. glenn weiss who won an emmy for directing the academy awards, proposed to his partner, jan, on stage. >> that wasn't private? >> reporter: the golden marriage proposal seen by over $10 millin people, had stars in the audience on their feet and wiping away tears. leslie jones taking her excitement to twitter. the man who is going to be with me is going to proposed on the emmys. if you don't do that, you're not serious about our love. >> reporter: the rick was worn by glenn's mother and passed away two weeks ago. glenn asked his father for the ring two days before the show. >> they were never separate.

this, the -- >> the fact that i have been able to wear this ring and get engaged with this ring is so meaningful for both of us. >> where are you guys right now? >> we're here in l.a. >> oh, wait a minute. >> reporter: the newly engaged couple appearing on "jimmy kimmel live" aren't used to have their story in the limelight. but jan says she's pleased people are so moved. >> he did a crazy thing and here we are. it's great to love is trending. >> reporter: as for the wedding? >> i think we'll do something a little more private. >> we just love them. between the two of them, they have five girls from their previous marriages. and the kids are following along with the excitement. her phone blew up after the show. she had 250 texts from friends and family. today, even more so, guys.

>> you love them more today than you did before, wow. >> thank you. coming up, harry smith explores the surprising marijuana boom among baby boomers. and three words -- kelly this flu season, protect yourself... and your sister-in-law's... tennis partner's... chatty coworker's... youngest daughter's... entire judo class. one shot can make a world of difference. walgreens has specially trained pharmacists, that know which flu shot is right for you. protecting the world... over 60 million flu shots and counting. starts with protecting yours. walgreens trusted since 1901. uh, all the cars? at carmax, we buy all the cars. all the cars. old cars? yes. new cars? oh, yeah. sports cars? indeed. a big ol' boat-like car? permission to come aboard! what about a car that's all (makes awkward car noises) hgnnnn-nn-nn-nnnn-ayy-ayyy

i don't see why not. what about, let's say... oh, i don't know, a purple van with a painting of a wizard just shooting lightning out of his fingers riding a unicorn sneezing rainbows? definitely. just asking for a friend. yea, i figured. (whispered to camera) wow. in the beginning. fresh but that plug...quickly faded. luckily, there's new febreze plug. it cleans away odors and freshens for 1200 hours. [sniffs] ahhhh! breathe happy with new febreze plug. discover magnum double cherry truffle. expertly crafted with cherry ice cream and rich belgian chocolate. ♪♪ take pleasure seriously. ♪♪ ♪ ♪

hais not always easy. severe plaque psoriasis it's a long-distance run and you have the determination to keep going. humira has a proven track record of being prescribed for over ten years. it's the #1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists. more than 250,000 patients have chosen humira to fight their psoriasis. and they're not backing down. for most patients clearer skin is the proof. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma have happened, as have blood, liver and nervous system problems. serious allergic reactions and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. join over 250,000 people who have chosen humira. ask your dermatologist about humira & go.

and as if that wasn't badur brand new enough, totals it. now your insurance won't replace it outright because of depreciation. if your insurance won't replace your car, what good is it? you'd be better off just taking your money and throwing it right into the harbor. i'm gonna regret that. with new car replacement, if your brand new car gets totaled, liberty mutual will pay the entire value plus depreciation. liberty mutual insurance. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪

good morning. right now at 7:56, we're seeing sunshine across san jose and a chilly morning to start. most of us are in the low 50s. it's going to warm up pretty fast today, headed into the low 80s today. very nice and comfortable and slightly warmer for some of our inland valleys with antioch today reaching 88 degrees and 86 in morgan hill. up to 87 in santa rosa, and as we look at our inland forecast, mid 80s today, low 90s tomorrow. our temperatures spike and we'll get some breezy winds coming in from the north as high pressure builds and as we go into the first day of fall, we're reaching 90 degrees for the valleys and gradually coming down early next week, as we look at san francisco, what's in the way of clouds and the fog, that will allow our high temperatures to reach into the low 70s. we'll see more of that going into the first part of the weekend, but coming back into the mid-60s by early on monday.

now as we head over to mike, let's get an update on the commute. >> look at the bat tottom of yo screen, slowing for the south bay, typical northbound push through silicon valley. on the peninsula, one issue i'm concerned with northbound 101, the crash just north of ralston avenue also visible to the southbound side. you see tying up extra slow there but we typically see the build there on the san mateo foster city side of the bridge as well. other side of the san mateo bridge we're looking at the castro valley y, that crash still reported on the northbound side for 238, but also southbound slows all the way in toward castro valley. that's the build. back to you. >> thanks, mike. happening now, there's hoping for san jose's hope village which is a homeless camp. the city and santa clara county are working on an agreement where the county with lease city owned property next to the hope village homeless camp the property would serve as a temporary site for up to six months. the camp is located near san jose airport.

i'm marcus washington, and we'll have another local news update for you coming up in 30 minutes. s the sweltering heat returns. kari tracks the threat. plus, a san mateo man says his tablet went haywire. but that was only half his trouble. what happened after after he turned to our consumer unit. tomorrow from 4:30 to 7. good morning, it )s 7:26...

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, new twist. the wom it's 8:00. coming up. new twist. woman accusing brett kavanaugh won't testify on capitol hill until the fbi investigates. >> any talk of a hearing on monday is premature. she just came forward with allegations 48 hours ago. >> we're live at capitol hill. gone to pot. a new study shows boomers using marijuana. these days, it's a whole new high. marijuana today is a lot more potent than marijuana in the 60s. >> the weed warning that could shock a generation that once again is going green.

and me and drew. >> i love women who support each other with great strengths. it's not all yeah. >> not a pillow fight. >> yes. exactly. >> we'll go one-on-one with drew barrymoore to talk about the importance of raising the next generation of strong women. team up for a very special project. today september 19, 2018. >> we're from cincinnati ohio. hi, grandpa. >> celebrating 35 years of love. >> sending love to my granddaughter andrea in chicago. >> from denver, colorado. go broncos. >> from fort worth celebrating mom's 50th birthday. >> happy birthday mom. >> good morning. nice to have you along on a

bright shiny wednesday morning. hope you're smiling where you are this morning. >> if you cannot make it to the plaza, fear not. live today plaza. send us those videos. >> we love the videos. new complication until the fight of supreme court nominee brett kavanaugh to tell you about. it's a big one. involves the woman who says kavanaugh assaulted her when they were teenagers back in the 80s. joins us with the latest. casey, back to you. >> salve thvannah. good morning. we were bracing for a spectacle of a hearing. had been planned for monday. now doctor ford wants more time and an investigation. this morning, brett kavanaugh's accuser tapping the brakes. doctor ford refusing to testify in public until the fbi investigates her allegation that kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were both in high

school. >> any talk of a hearing on monday is frpremature. she just came forward 48 hours ago. >> her lawyers say ford has been subject to death threats. her family forced to leave her home. her e-mail hacked. grassley responding to ford's attorney. writing doctor ford's testimony would reflect personal knowledge and memory of events. nothing the fbi or any other investigator does would have any bearing on what doctor ford tells the committee. there's no reason for any further delay. democrats immediately leaping to doctor ford's defense. >> really need to have a nonpartisan review of facts so the senators can use the facts as the basis to form questions. >> earlier in the day president trump appearing to push back on any fbi probe. >> that's not what they do. now they have done supposedly six background checks over the years. i feel so badly for him that he's going through this to be honest with you.

>> judge kavanaugh denies ford's allegation and white house says he's eager to testify and clear his anymore. ford told "the washington post" kavanaugh then 17 was stumbling drunk a lt maryland house party where he pinned her to a bed and groped her and another teenage boy watched. it could be difficult for republicans on the committee. all men. >> yes, we have 11 men on the committee. nothing that can be done about that. >> all four women on the panel are democrats. also this morning, new scrutiny for comment kavanaugh made in 2015 during a speech at catholic university. reflecting on a saying among his high school classmates. >> what happens in georgetown prep stays at georgetown prep. >> republicans now have to decide how to move forward. there likely woept lly won't b without doctor ford. some pressure to move forward with the vote to confirm kavanaugh if she doesn't appear

on monday. the leaders of north and south korea ended third summit meeting overnight with a pledge by kim jong-un to permanently dismantle the north's main nuclear complex. however, he said the u.s. would have to take unspecified corresponding measures kim added he is willing to let international inspectors monitor the key missile testing site and launch pad an promised to visit south korea. they will work on a joint bid to host the 2032 summer olympics. president trump cheered the move on twitter, calling it, quote, very exciting. >> president trump will be visiting the carolinas today, serving the impact of hurricane florence. the storm's death toll rose to at least 35 overnight when two people who were in custody drown inside a sheriff's van swept away by floodwaters. nearly a week after, rivers are spilling over banks and causing flooding. hundreds of thousands remain without power.

property damage in north carolina, alone, is estimated at $22 billion. nba hall of famer is donating $2 million for recovery efforts. >> you know what we could use now? >> a boost. >> i have that for you. sold a mustang a decade ago to pay for his wife's cancer treatments. the kids never forgot how much it meant to his dad. they searched online, convinced the owner to sell it back and took their dad to a parking lot for a surprise reunion. dad was totally overwhelmed. the song "mild man" by zac brown, was playing in the background. his wife is cancer free now for 13 years. >> that's a great story on three levels. what about the guy that sold the car back to them. >> i love that. i thought you were going to say a car like it but he got the car.

>> vin number and all. just ahead, a boom in marijuana. the surprising group americans using pot and more surprising numbers. >> girl power, savannah shares a personal conversation with drew barry mor. >> we are very cognizant and protective of what a girl in this world is supposed to be. >> i want to hear this one. their message for women of all ages. first, these messages. r oats a delicious part of a heart-healthy diet. high five, fiber!

feeclaritin and relief fromwsy symptoms caused by over 200 allergens. like those from buddy. because stuffed animals are clearly no substitute for real ones. feel the clarity. and live claritin clear. while expecting, jennifer discovered the chex mix combination of one corn chex, one wheat chex and three breadstick pieces. her little bundle of joy can't stand breadsticks, but what's he going to do? get born and then you can pick your own mix, baby! pick your mix with chex mix. before people invite something they want to know who you are. we're almond breeze. and we only use california-grown blue diamond almonds in our almondmilk. cared for by our family of almond growers. blue diamond almond breeze. the best almonds make the best almondmilk.

♪ how do you top mac & cheese? start with 100% clean ingredients. like vermont white cheddar. then... add bacon, bbq chicken, or baja blend. catering and delivery now available. panera. food as it should be. they declare love at to get. first sniff.

dogs love more, because they are more. let's treat them that way. milk-bone. doing more for dogs since 1908. this morning on today's talker, surprising new research on marijuana shattering stereotypes about who is using it and why. >> joins us with a closer look at this story. >> seems like it's everywhere

now. sort of walking down the street? new york, you catch a smell. >> you smell it a lot. it's starting to appear at grandma and grandpas house. >> i have a sister who uses it. have quite a few people in my family that have arthritis. >> they're all looking into it. >> it's everywhere. >> it is marijuana. cannabis. and folks we spoke with in california reflect the results of a new study. >> what's the big headline. >> so use continues to increase for both those age 50 to 64 and those 65 and over. we did a previous study and looked at data from 2005/2006. so really the numbers have just sky rocketed. >> yes. grandma and grandpa are either reverting to old habits or continuing to do what they've always done. get high. >> so you're not finding increasing new use. >> not really. the majority of people in the u.s. age 50 and over first used

as teenagers or in early 20s. >> 30 states across the country have legalized medical marijuana, recreational marijuana or both. if you are a boomer, dreaming of the blis s of days gone by, wor of caution. >> if you're an older individual, 60s, 70s and you haven't used weed since you were a teenager. you might not know what to expect. your body has changed and if you happen to be a heavy drinker and then you reinitiate marijuana, that could knock you on your behind. >> yes, emily says today's cannabis is anything, but benign. >> marijuana today is a lot more potent than marijuana people used in the 60s. thc, the part that gets you high, used to be a concentration of 2-5%. >> polls showing nearly two-thirds of americans in favor

of outright legalization. stigma connected to marijuana use has lost much of its sting. >> this generation of baby boomers i think is more open to marijuana. and also the culture has changed and it's become more acceptable. the taboos have lifted. more people who are curious or open to it are trying it. >> my mother, i mean, she would never use weed, but even she's asking me. she's like i'm reading about all of this. is it really that beneficial. >> doctor says he sees it in his medical practice. >> i see patients 65 and older. i'm getting asked a lot more about marijuana use. >> especially for pain, but there are no protocols. no accepted practices. >> what kind of guidance do you have? do you have any. >> i have no guidance at all. i don't know the terms of the dosing, the thc, cbd. what dosing would be best or what ratio. is it better ingested or inhaled. there's a ton of questions that

frankly as providers we don't know the answer. >> you're flying blind. >> right. >> which leads some would be users to self medicate. >> adults may not realize that as you get older, your vulnerable to the negative impacts of drugs like marijuana actually increases so your reaction might be more intense. you may be more dizzy. slower reaction time. more memory problems and also a greater risk of interaction with alcohol or other prescription drugs. >> wow. >> no template out there. so older american, maybe this is better for pain relief or whatever, doctors don't have any guidelines. they don't know what to tell you let alone many doctors won't prescribe it because in the state they're in, may be illegal. >> my dad was sick down with dn. he was on oxy. dilaudid. i wish he would have started with thc. >> one thing we know for sure in the states where it's legal, less opioid abuse than there is

in places where marijuana is legal. here's the other thing. you send your grand kid out to get a cookie. you want a bite and you want to sleep. you take one bite of a cookie, and nothing happens. it takes 40-45. might even take an hour. >> people take a second or third bite and it's too much. >> then its way too much. >> how is it you became a resident marijuana correspondent. >> five years ago i was looking for something to do around here. cnbc said go to colorado. there's something going on out there. >> doing a lot of research. >> so why did you buy the apartment? >> convenience. okay. location, location, location. >> thank you, harry. dylan, what you got. >> we've got rain in the southwest. monsoonal moisture enhanced by flow from the south. 5 million people at risk for flood watches. ground is fairly dry. get rain that comes down heavily. it doesn't absorb into the

ground fast enough. could see localized amounts of 2-3 inches of rain. also have heavy rain possible through northern iowa and southern minnesota. could get stronger thunderstorms today than that shifts east tomorrow. hot and humid down through the plains. temperatures in the the 90s. feel like 100 degrees. northeast looks much better today with sunshine and we've got lot of sunshine expected for the bay area today and it's going to be warmer inland. with highs reaching into the mid 80s this afternoon. now we're looking at 92 degrees tomorrow, a spike in our temperatures that will hold on for a little while longer. even as we officially welcome in fall on this saturday. and into early next week, we'll see those temperatures falling back into the mid 80s, for san francisco, a lot more sunshine in the forecast. and highs reaching into the low 70s through saturday. >> that's your latest forecast. as you may have heard,

savannah, are you out with a new children's book? she is the co-author of a great read. it's called "princesses save the world." you teamed up with your girl crush, drew barrymore. that's a lot of power in the room. >> remember how you and i just clicked when we met? drew and i had the same experience. she was the perfect person to collaborate with on a special project. we all had a crush on drew barrymore from the beginning. she's come a long way since "e.t." here career has spanned four decades. currently in the netflix series "the santa clarita diet." she is balancing mothered ahoodh running an empire. i caught up with drew at the guest house at dream hollywood. first of all, i'm not starting with a question. i'm starting with a thank you.

because getting to do a project with you is a dream come true. >> when your book first came out and i read it, i was posting about it. i was so inlove with it. and we're friends. i was reading it to my daughters. thank you. i never knew i would get to a part of it, too. it was so organic. it came together so, you know, so perfectly. you want to work with good people. i'm here to really shepherd what you put out in the world, which i believe in four girls. >> reporter: we're working with atomic cartoons, a production team that's bringing penelope pineapple and her friends to life, in an animated tv show. >> having two daughters and grown up with girls that i was drawn to, i was drawn to girls that were capable. they were nice to boys and there was that right tone and that right message. i can do that.

>> that's what's going on doing this together. weerp committed to get that beautiful, middle path, that i hope is welcoming for people. >> i think we're cognizant and protective of what a girl becoming a woman in this world is supposed to be. >> i love the idea of girls helping girls. girls cooperating and not competing. to me, you embody that. you are the best supporter of women. >> it was also girls who i think became the people that i knew to follow. >> with everything going on in our society, #h#metoo, these ar important conversations about what is womanhood. what does it mean to be a strong, young woman? >> i think girls who are capable and also can careful that's what

i love about princess penelope. she is a leader. and yet, she feels like someone who could be your friend. how do we not only survive life without our friends? i thought that break-ups and life drama and trauma, when you get serious about it, was more fun and doable, with your girlfriends. >> that's the only upside of trauma is meeting your friends and commiserating. >> i don't know what i would do without any girlfriends. >> i feel like you made your family out of girlfriends. >> i did. i can see how good my girls are at being friends to their friends. boys and girls alike. i can see they value their friendship. thank god. they're going to need this in life. it's not just fun. >> it's essential. >> vital. >> one of the things i'm hoping we can exemplify is that women

working together can accomplish great things. when you and hoda took over as the dream team, i was like, yes. >> it's not a pillow fight. >> exactly. we're not braiding each other's hair. >> painting each other's nails. i know, watching you as a woman and a friend, you're my kind of woman. >> and you're mine. >> thanks. cheers to that. >> let's get married. >> yes, please. it will be a marriage that works. >> my gosh. i'm into you two. >> she is a good soul. it's fun to work together and do this. we're happy to put a good-hearted character in the world.

>> when does this come to fruition? >> it's a whole hollywood thing. we're making the pilot and it's fun to develop a young lady. in some ways, the girl i'm trying to raise is the girl we're trying to portray with penelope. that's a good, kind-hearted, whorl, wholesome. this cocktail of qualities working together. >> who will be the voice of penelope? >> maybe do drew to do it. i would be open. who wants to hear my voice? >> if you want to hear conversation with drew and savannah, go to today.com. and guess what is out, "princesses save the world." >> thanks for the plug. "pop start" time. >> let's keep the plugs coming. we have a special guest on "pop start." we'll reveal her first. first, savannah and hoda, you were up late last night.

you joined andy cohen for "watch what happens." you had to play never have i ever. let's see how it went. >> have you avoided a guest before a show? never ever have i asked a question that i immediately rexwret r regr regretted. never have i ever forgotten a guest's name in an interview. >> oh, yeah. >> savannah hasn't. never have i ever passed gas while on the air. >> on the air? >> once. >> once. >> there you go. apparently jet lag and tequila is all it takes to get hoda to fess up. >> we had that kind of night. >> we had almost no sleep and no

food and we had andy and the tequila. >> you were like the poor girl at the frat party. >> you know that girl. >> kelly clarkson is here, preturning as coach of season 14 of "the voice." your young female winner last year, your first year. you're back. what do you take away from winning last year? do you roll into season 15? same tactic? >> it was look. i know if brynn would have been on anyone's team, she probably would have won. she's a magical unicorn. we have really great teams this year. i think it -- i feel like my team is best. but i mean, we're supposed to think that. it's evened out. it's a level playing field this season. >> you're doing "the voice." >> yes. >> you got your kids. you have other projects in the works. >> yes. a talk show, a tour. >> a tour?

>> i talk show. that's huge. >> here's the thing. i was telling you, you and kathie brought this up on here. in the beginning stages of nbc, i thought someone had told you. >> i said, you should have a talk show. i was like, oh. >> i do. >> no, what? >> that was funny. i thought someone had told you. >> what's the talk show like? >> it's all the things i love. it's music. i love talking. i love the charity aspect that i've been able to do. we're going to involve that in it. it's all the things i love. it's you. you are the star. she's like amy schumer funny. so quick-witted and funny. it will be a success. >> i love her. you're nice. now, i feel pressure.

>> i know. i know. you know i love it. >> we're sipp esigned up for se 16. >> i don't know. >> is this one ofi )m ... it )s going to cost folks extra in east contra costa county w good morning, it's 8:26, i'm chris sanchez, it's going to cost folks extra in contra costa when they call 911 because the county is trying to beef up revenue for new fire station. people could see a $400 charge for a car crash or have to pay for illegal fires. this is not only applying to east contra costa residents, but to anyone who uses that service. if approved, charges will take effect in november. and now we have a traffic alert in the south bay. >> 911 call, it was a chp call here southbound 87, northbound, really sees commute continuing, a lot of volume pushing out of san jose and toward the rest of silicon valley.

but south 87 jammed up. we had a crash involving six or seven vehicles, had to be cleared. it sounds like chp might do one more traffic break south before they clear all lanes. if you're heading south out of downtown toward alma and the like. the rest of the south bay, the northbound crush, the crash clears to the shoulder around ellis and moffett and mountain view. earlier alert has cleared. northbound 101, a little recovery over the last seven minutes, approaching ralston, north 101, a big jam and past ralston, a wreck on the shoulder. >> more news in half an hour. distance relationship.

this is long distance with the best wifi experience, plus the most free shows to stream.

and with savings on wireless, this is a relationship with more money to spend on the important things. this is how xfinity makes life... simple. easy. awesome. xfinity gives you the best wifi experience to stream the most free movies and shows from anywhere. plus, staying connected on the go is easy with xfinity mobile. switch today and see how you can save. click, call or visit a store today.

♪ it is 8:30 on this wednesday morning. it is the 19th of september, 2018. we have a fantastic crowd out here today. this is a good day. savannah, you got a crowd moment. >> i do. where is my friend, isabella? >> isabella? >> she is over here. you know what? it is a very special day. are you 11 years old today? >> yes. >> isabella, how are you doing? >> good. >> i heard it was a dream of yours to come to the "today" show for your birthday.

and your mom and dad said yes? >> yes. >> when did you come in? >> this morning. >> who made this sign for you? >> my dad. >> you have excellent creativity. and you're a firefighter? >> yes. >> thank you so much for what you do. isabella, happy birthday, sweetie. can i get a hug? let's say happy birthday, isabella. >> awesome. >> just ahead on this birthday for isabella, the star of an intense new movie, getting a lot of buzz. julie ann mooanne moore is here morning. we're going to look at what makes us happy. and for parents, it will sound like a pipe dream, time in the morning to get the kids ready, make eggs for breakfast and enjoy your coffee. we have gadgets to make that reality. look who is here. jesse palmer.

>> that was a smooth transition. host of "daily mail tv" nominated for two emmys. >> despite the host, the show is still on the air. it's good news. >> you've had a great season already. >> rob o'neill last week. he's a navy s.e.a.l. i go to wasilla, alaska, and sit down with the palin family to find out what she's been doing for ten years. we talk about her family and her daughter, bristol. she cooks me moose chili. >> let's get into that. >> moose chili, that's a real thing. it's way better than it sounds. >> a lean source of protein. and her husband, todd, picks me up in a sea plane, too. really catch up with for the family who has been in the spotlight. >> i think it's cool what you're

doing with the show. >> a huge fan of dailymail.com. they do a great job of breaking stories. i'm addicted and we get to bring that to viewers. i'm going to swoop out of here. >> there he goes. you can swatch him swooping in on "daily mail tv." check local listings. do we have a check of the weather? >> it's a perfect day in new york city. temperature around 79, 80 degrees. it is hot and humid through the midwest, into st. louis, through louisiana and texas. it will feel arnold 100 degrees. and we could see heavy rain occurring this morning in iowa and minnesota. tomorrow, we could see some of the severe storms slowly spread eastward. we're dealing with heat down south and temperatures will take a turn in the northeast, dropping down into the 60s and lower 70s. out west, it is dry. the fire threat does continue with low humidity and warm

good morning i'm meteorologist carrie hall. we're heading back to summer today as our temperatures come up into the mid 80s and even warmer tomorrow, 92 degrees that will be the peak of the heat, but it will be slow to come back down, so as you go into the weekend, we're still looking at low 90s in the valleys and upper 80s next week, for san francisco, low 70s, not as much of the clouds and fog, we'll get more sunshine. the first day of fall on saturday, we're looking at a high of 70 degrees. >> and that's your latest forecast. hoda? >> dylan, thank you. julianne moore is an opera singer who is taken hostage by a group of insurgents in south america. and the rebels attempt to force moore's character to use the power of her voice and sing. >> i won't sing. not for you.

>> he says, to do what you're told. >> or what? you'll shoot me? you've kept one woman, one american, una americana. if you shoot me, what do you think will happen to you and your people? i don't need to do what you say. >> julianne moore, hello. you play an opera singer. that's one of the roles i haven't seen you play before. >> i don't know anything about opera. it was a great doesn't to learn something and to work with renee fleming, who supplies the voice. >> i think, you've won oscars, golden globes, emmys, you have call kinds of scripts. what was it about this one? >> i like the love story.

here's this diva who travels all over the world. she is a star. but she has no life. she has no community. and in this extraordinary situation, she ends up finding people to care about and someone to love. she falls in love with ken watanabe. >> when the clips are rolling on our screens, you're not looking. i'm like, i saw you on set. oh, i never watch that. what is it about not wanting to watch yourself? >> i think you don't want to be self-conscious. you want to exist on screen or on a tv show without scrutini scrutinizing yourself all the time. it's the same -- we had the experience of having our voice played back. is that what i sound like? there's something -- i want a degree of unconsciousness about it.

>> do you feel like you're still learning? i feel like you've done all these incredible things. what is there left for you to learn? >> everything. i mean, there's always something to learn about human behavior. what i learned about opera is i learned so little, the only way to experience it is to experience it live. the first time i saw renee sing, we were at a concert hall. and each of the different singers got up to rehearse. and the resonance was so different, where their voice sat was so different. and i thought, i didn't know that. i have only seen it on television or in the movies. but live, they are human, musical instruments. there's always something to learn. >> the other part of your life, two adoriaable children. one is in college and one is in high school. have either of them been bitten by the acting bug? >> nope. i say to my daughter, why don't

you try out for the plays. she's like, it's not cool, mom. well, then i -- yeah. it's not cool. >> when you were her age, were you interested in acting? >> yes. because i was definitely not cool. i was in the thespian club. >> you were in that group. >> i was that girl. >> i read somewhere that maybe i'll be a doctor or do other things. >> i was a good student. i was not cool. you know, i wanted to be a doctor, a lawyer, something that was, you know, go to graduate school. and i started doing this is my thing, my after-school thing because i couldn't play sports. >> and you fell in love with it. >> yeah. >> we're so happy you did. the movie "bel canto" in theaters this friday. what brings you joy? we're going to see what brings

us happiness and how to embrace more of it. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

we are back, with happiness -- wrong camera doesn't make you happy. we're back with "happiness today." it's all about embracing happiness. >> just embrace the chaos. in a moment, we're going to talk about ways you can do just that, but let's reflect on what brings us the most joy in our lives. take a look. ♪ my kids make me happy every, single day. honestly, i think there's not a problem in the world that a hug from my kids can't fix. and they really have helped me find any inner happiness, in a way i never could have anticipated. >> i found my happiness through one person, two names.

haley joy. i think i've led a happy life. but i don't know i knew how high that high could go until haley stepped into my heart. >> find happiness in my family. my wife and my two kids. and i find happiness with my family and friends. >> what makes me happy is getting the moments can calv s and my husband. making our own traditions and memories. >> i think to find happiness on a day-to-day basis, you look for the little things in life that bring you pleasure. a song you love. in the kitchen, making dinner. your kids are doing their homework. >> i live my life and try to make good choices. if over time, i sense a malaise, i get involved in changing things. but generally, i wake up fairly happy and live my life happy. >> i concentrate on joy, which is a constant in my life. nothing can touch my joy, which

comes from my faith in god. >> i talk about happiness and i have career and family. now that i've added that extra column, things are so much better because i'm squeezing in time for myself. >> for me, happiness is a calm and at piece. >> at the end of the day, i think it's about balance. we have to find the balance of finding the happiness in our own lives and being richly aware of other people's need to find happiness and how we can help them do that. i don't know what i just said. the author of "joyful: the surprising power to create extraordinary happiness." it's great to see you. there was a someone thread that family makes us happy. it should. but alnot always.

what's important to take away from that. >> a lot of you talked about your kids. and kids are naturally joyful. kids are more in touch with the day-to-day joys that we feel. as adults, we get caught up in the larger pursuit of happiness and success. and we forget about the moments of joy. >> like the escalator is so fun. they remind you of that. the mailbox. >> the stuff you would pass by. and it's good to be able to say what brings you joy or happiness out loud. you stay it's my kids and then get on with your life. it's important to underscore it. >> we're busy. and joy is something that gets lost in the shuffle. one of the things i suggest people do is to keep a joy journal. actually talk about the things that bring you joy. notice when you smile or laugh,

joy is something that helped us evolve and we lose touch with that. >> i felt that, when i was writing it in my joy journal, it was working during happy hour. that's a good time to pick up the joy journal. but spreading joy is important. why is that important? >> we talked about that. when we feel, we share that. >> it makes you feel good. but it's good for you physically, right? >> it is. even small moments of joy can actually have beneficial effects for our heart. that can have long-term health effects for us. and potentially prolong our life span. >> this has been so helpful. >> are those real? >> for more advice and our video

on how we embrace happiness, head to cotoday.com. megyn, what's coming up? >> you know what makes me joyful, nelly olson. >> oh, my gosh. >> who didn't? yes. >> nelly was like the bully on "little house." >> and she's been bullied because of that. she's a grateful person. all sort of stories. did they actually get along or didn't they? melissa sue anderson who played mary, interesting story there. >> i might have to stay for "little house." i loved that. megyn, thank you so much. just ahead, something that brings us happiness and less stress, how about time-saving tips for busy parents

time saving tips for busy families was created by our sponsor subaru. love is now bigger than ever. >> if your family plays beat the clock, rushing to get to school, work and all those activities, you're not alone. and we have the help that you need. chass chassie, this is something we need. >> now that school started, schedules are packed. we have time-saving tips that you will love. >> let's start in the morning. we want our coffee and the kids to have our breakfast. >> you won't believe this. this is the be more connected coffeemaker. you can control it via wi-fi from your phone. >> you can start brewing when you get up. >> you can start brewing when you're on your way home.

it has great options. >> how about a quick break factibreakfast. >> you can cook your breakfast for your family in minutes. it is the dash rapid egg cooker. cook up to six eggs in a few minutes. it can poach and do an omelet. whole family's breakfast is done. >> let's organize our snacks. >> you may have one of these at home. this is an over-the-door shoe organizer. >> okay. >> we have organized snacks for a couple weeks. the kids can help make their own lunch. >> they make it up and put it in their lunch bag. you can find this at jcpenney.com, $20. >> doing hair may be the toughest thing to do in the morning. >> we have the most beautiful family to show us how to do it. here we have debbie. debbie has this tool, the revlon

one step volumizer. it gives you a salon-worthy blowout in the fraction of a time. >> let's pretend your children's hair is all knoty. >> it stops all temper tantrums in the morning. >> the knot genie. >> it gets rid of knots and tangles, painlessly. just $14 at knotgenie.com. >> another thing that takes time is tying our shoes. why would we bother? >> maya, can you show us how easy it is to put on your shoe? these are expand laces. >> you don't tie it? >> it turns any shoe into a slip-on. they have lots of great, fun colors. and you can use them for adults because, i don't like to tie my shoes, either. >> it's still something to

teach. >> great job. >> the other thing that is tough is getting in the car and getting going. >> right? we spend so much time in the car. we have a little genius inventi invention. it is the car pocket organizer. how many times do you reach between the seat? >> now, you have a place for it. >> what's in the backseat? >> hi, little one. >> we have penny the puppy. >> oh, penny. >> and penny is modeling, a harness for dogs, which is also a seat belt. this keeps our dog di sagy safe. >> you're okay, penny. you got a little ice chest. >> behind penny, we have our cooler, which is a backseat cooler, which doubles as a play table if you close the lid. >> look at our sports gear. organized. >> this is two in one car

organi organizizer. you can do your sports equipment, you can monogram it, starting at $70. >> we just saved so much time. you can find out how to get everything at today.com/shop. we are back in a moment. first, this is "today" on nbc. thank you.

smucker's celebrates today is brought to you by milk-bone, doing more for dogs since 1908. >> pets can be a significant part of any family. we're celebrating the birthdays of those xcompanions. look at cooper. here's maximus, the beast, celebrating eight years earlier this month. her owner says she is not sure what she would do without him. and lindsay's pup is getting the star treatment on her first byrd

d birthday. keep those coming at today.com/celebrates. we have a lot coming up in the fourth hour. we're going to talk about happiness and have our group discussion that a bunch of the girls talked about happiness. and also, products you didn't know you needed. >> savannah made her way across i )m - -... happening tonight in willow glen -- the commu good morning, it's 8:56, happening tonight in san jose willow glen neighborhood, the community will gather to talk crime prevention, neighbors are frustrated with all the burglaries lately. they voiced their opinions to the san jose police chief. but people say they aren't seeing a big difference at this point. security experts will tell people how to better protect

themselves tonight at the meeting which is planned for willow glen community center on lincoln avenue. hope for san jose's hope village. a homeless camp. the city of san jose and santa clara county are working on an agreement where the county would lease city-owned property next to the original hope village homeless camp which was on state property. the new property would serve as a temporary site for up to six months. the camp is note far from san jose airport. new details on the future of mall in cupertino. leaders were expected to vote on putting a major housing project into motion at the mall, which is closed, but last night's meeting lasted so long that the vote was postponed until tonight where officials say they may make a final decision. we have sharks action also, two-time trophy winner derek karlsson will be introduced today. fire concerns are growings

the sweltering heat returns. kari tracks the threat. plus, a san mateo man says his tablet wen fire concerns are growing as the sweltering heat returns. and a tablet went haywire, but that was half of his troubles, what happened after he turned to our consumer unit.

[ applause ] good morning, everyone. welcome to the show. i'm megyn kelly. happy wednesday. as we like to call it, it's actually swednesday. >> it's really catching on. savannah guthrie ishere. she's helping me break down making the rounds today. and we begin where we first met. >> when we say hello, we're too stressed out. >> she's so tall and so smart and so pretty. >> right back at you. >> depends on the heels. things are going on at the supreme court.