the golden gate bridge. look how beautiful it is this morning. make this an amazing tuesday. just treat yourself a little bit today. thanks for starting your morning with us. we'll see you tomorrow. ♪ good morning. knee deep. dr. anthony fauci sounds the alarm on the dramatic surge in coronavirus cases. >> it's a serious situation that we have to address immediately. >> what he say is to blame for the new explosion and the country's ability to handle the outbreak moving forward. culture wars. president trump digs in going after nascar and the sport's only black driver after that ban on the confederate flag and the noose found in bubba wallace's garage stall. bubba's message in response to the president just ahead. maxwell moved.

jeffrey epstein's co-conspirator transferred to a federal detention center in new york. this morning, how prosecutors are working to keep ghislaine maxwell behind bars, and why she will not appear in person at a key hearing. those stories -- plus with a little help from his friends. beetles star ringo starr turns 80 today celebrating with a star-studded virtual concert. we'll take you live to london. and the one, the only tom hanks. he's live. his first tv interview since his coronavirus diagnosis. "today," tuesday, july 7th, 2020. >> announcer: from nbc news this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hey, guys. welcome to "today." so happy you're joining us on this tuesday morning. craig and i are sitting here. savannah is off today. and i got to tell you, i believe

she's bummed to be off today. and there's one reason why -- two words. tom hanks. tom is going to be joining us. it's his first television interview. i know savannah is going to be missing him, but we look forward to speaking with tom about that. >> a bona fide national treasure. don't be surprised if she calls in and crashes that. >> i wouldn't doubt that. i wouldn't doubt that. but let's get started with the coronavirus this morning. according to the latest numbers from the cdc, more than 381,000 cases have been reported in the u.s. in the past week. that is the most for any seven-day period so far. >> and with many of the outbreaks linked to large gatherings, dr. anthony fauci is pleading with all americans to maintain strict social distancing. meantime, harvard university just revealed its plan for the new school year. only 40% of undergraduates will be allowed on campus this fall including any first-year students. but all classes will be taught online.

>> what's not changing, though, the cost of tuition and fees at harvard. nearly $50,000 for the academic year. we do have two reports for you this morning. we're going to start with miguel almaguer who's in l.a. for us. >> reporter: los angeles county is one of the worst hot spots in the nation. the number of cases here are exploding and many simply can't get tested. all comes as cases are on the rise in more than two dozen states. a sign things could get much worse. >> reporter: this morning, a new stunning surge in coronavirus cases plaguing hot spots around the country. a troubling trend for some hospitals already on the brink. >> we are still knee deep in the first wave of this. and i would say this would not be considered a wave. it was a surge or a resurgence of infections. >> reporter: at least 35 states are showing increases in ten states with a 100% spike in recent weeks. even those who tried to keep their distance catching the virus.

>> i isolated myself from everybody. except one family. the family across the street. >> reporter: with states like texas, arizona, and california all reporting a record number of hospitalizations. among the most dangerous hot spots for the virus, los angeles county. with more cases here than in 44 states. with nearly 3 million americans testing positive for the virus, hospitals in cities like houston are reaching capacity. >> this is very, very disturbing situation. our teams are stretched. we are managing it, but we can't sustain this trajectory for many weeks. >> reporter: as florida continues to see the nation's highest single day record for new infections, the governor says he believes the situation has stabilized. while miami is closing down restaurants and gyms. more than half of new cases in arizona are patients under 44 years old. and a staggering number are still waiting to be tested. >> i found i was exposed.

so i want to make sure everybody's okay. >> reporter: the mayor of atlanta said to be a contender as joe biden's running mate testing positive herself, but showing no symptom. >> this is startling for me. because we've been so very careful. >> reporter: the stunning number of new cases comes after fourth of july scenes like these leaving doctors stunned by total disregard for social distancing. >> we're fighting two wars. war number one is the covid virus. war number two is stupidity. >> miguel, dr. fauci did have a lot to say. he talked about the current situation we're facing and what did he say led to it? >> reporter: dr. fauci alluded to the fact that simply we may have reopened this country too early. here is what he had to say just a short time ago. >> the current state is really not good in the sense that as you know we had been in a situation we were averaging

about 20,000 new cases a day. and then a series of circumstances associated with various states and cities trying to open up in the sense of getting back to some form of normality has led to a situation where we now have record-breaking cases. >> reporter: this morning many governors are re-evaluating now quickly we reopened. and say new measures plb implemented. >> miguel, thank you. turning now to those mounting questions about how coronavirus is spread. is it more airborne than previously thought? nbc's gabe gutierrez has that part of the story. gabe, good morning to you. >> reporter: craig, good morning. a group of about 240 scientists essentially wants the w.h.o. to be more blunt. we spoke with one of those researchers who says he thinks the agency is avoiding talking much about airborne transmission because he says it might scare

people. this morning as coronavirus cases surge across the u.s., americans are trying to make sense of what that surge means and how to protect themselves. one key question, is the virus more airborne? according to hundreds of scientists around the world, yes. do you think that the w.h.o. has down played the threat of airborne transmission? >> yes. i think that they have and what that means is that there may not be as much attention to ventilation and mask wearing as there ought to be. >> reporter: dr. don milton is among the more than 200 scientists publishing an open letter to the world health organization urging the agency to revise its guidelines the w.h.o. said the virus spreads by large respiratory droplets that quickly fall to the floor. but dr. milton says the virus lingers. do masks and social distancing make a difference? doctors believe they do especially if the virus is

airborne many point to the increased cases in areas that have reopened and where attitudes about those safety precautions have become more lax does it surprise you how polarizing the mask debate has become in the united states? >> it's really troubling and saddening to see that happen >> reporter: but if deaths have remained low, are we better at treating the disease doctors continue to develop better strategies to combat coronavirus. in icus, doctors now delay putting patients on a ventilator instead treating them with 100% oxygen and on their stomachs to allow better blood and air flow. and patients are getting new treatments like convalescent plaz that the anti-viral drug remdesivir and most recently story roids. if younger people are driving the latest spike will the death rate remain low not necessarily. given concerns over who young patients could infect next the older and more vulnerable. mary anderson in florida is worried about her three children going back to school this fall

>> i'm really worried that if we don't have the mask mandate in place, that the chances of them getting this, bringing it home to me, passing it onto my dad who is 85 or my mother-in-law who is 75 is pretty significant. >> reporter: and that mother you just heard from, she's from the tampa area on monday the florida department of education ordered all schools in the state to reopen in august they need to submit a safety plan, a reopening plan with safety measures. craig, hoda? >> so gabe, if the world health organization does declare the virus airborne, from a practical standpoint what does that mean for how we protect ourselves from this thing going forward? >> reporter: well, craig, a lot potentially. if the virus does indeed linger in the air for more than previously thought, that scientists say that that could require masks and more so in indoor settings even with proper social distancing. also stronger ventilation

systems would be needed in some buildings especially schools and nursing homes, craig >> all right gabe gutierrez for us this morning. gabe, thank you. now to the white house where president trump has lashed out at nascar driver bubba wallace in the wake of the sports ban on the confederate flag this morning wallace is responding incomes nbc's white house correspondent peter alexander has the very latest there. hey, peter good morning >> reporter: good morning to you. president trump is trying to capitalize on america's growing cultural divide fueling racial resentment his latest targets include some of the most popular sports among his largely white conservative base defending the confederate flag and singling out nascar's top black driver president trump is expanding his attacks against stoking racial divisions now calling on nascar's only black full-time driver bubba wallace to apologize for what the president says was just another hoax after the fbi determined last month that wallace was not the target of a hate crime when a noose was found in his assigned garage at talladega speedway

in fact, it was not wallace but his teammates who found the noose and alerted nascar the racing community at the time lining up behind wallace bringing him to tears. wallace's response on monday, always deal with the hate being thrown at you with love even if it's hate from the potus the president is also falsely claiming nascar is seeing its lowest ratings ever. blames its recent ban of the confederate flag does he believe nascar should fly the confederate flag why don't they fly it here >> it was mentioned in the broader context of the fact he rejects this notion that somehow nascar men and women who go to these sporting events are racist >> reporter: nascar in a statement says it continues to stand tall with bubba, our competitors, and everyone who makes our sport welcoming and inclusive for all racing fans. as for ratings, nbc sports says last weekend's race was up nearly 50% over last year. and lindsey graham, a close ally of the president, is directly refuting president trump

>> i've lived in south carolina all my life, and if you're in business, the confederate flag is not a good way to grow your business i don't think bubba wallace has anything to apologize for. >> reporter: and seizing on another cultural controversy, the president is also criticizing two sports franchises the washington redskins and cleveland indians for considering a change to their mascots that many see as offensive. inflaming tensions by tweeting they name teams out of strength not weakness but now two franchises look like they're going to be changing their names in order to be politically correct. speaking to some of the president's allies, they're expressing real frustration over the president's latest attacks they say less than four months to refocus his attention on his accomplishments and on joe biden, not on racial divisions but they acknowledge the president is the one driving the train. hoda >> peter alexander at the white house. peter, thank you we have a lot more to get to this morning including the

criminal charge now facing the white woman who called police on a blackbird watcher in central park who asked her to leash her dog. nbc's morgan radford has been following this story she's in central park for the very latest. morgan, good morning >> reporter: craig, that's right. good morning we're standing at the entrance of the ramble. this is a section of central park where that incident first occurred that video has now been viewed more than 40 million times and the reality of it is it really struck a chord with people all across the country what they believe they saw in that was an abuse of racial stereotypes. that's why that now infamous call to police may have consequences in court. >> i'm going to tell them there's an african-american man threatening my life. >> reporter: this morning amy cooper, the woman at the center of t facing a criminal charge >> i'm being threatened by a man in the ramble. please send the cops immediately. >> reporter: manhattan district

attorney announcing that cooper is being charged with falsely reporting an incident in the third degree, a criminal misdemeanor. in the video from the late may encounter, cooper who's white calls out the race of bird watcher christian cooper no relation after he asked her to put a leash on her dog in an area of central park that requires dogs to be leashed. >> i'm in the ramble and there's a man, african-american, who is recording me and threatening me and my dog >> reporter: the incident caught on camera just hours before george floyd died in the hands of minneapolis police helped spark a national debate on racial bias. cooper was fired from her job, an investment firm franklin templeton her former company saying they do not tolerate racism of any kind and she also had to temporarily surrender her dog back to its rescue group we spoke to christian cooper after the incident >> i thought, well, this is definitely an attempt at racial intimidation and i could either capitulate to it or do what i'm doing.

>> reporter: amy cooper issued a public apology in may saying she reacted emotionally and made false assumptions about his intentions when, in fact, i was the one who was acting inappropriately by not having my dog on a leash adding, i hope a few mortifying seconds in a lifetime of 40 years will not define me in his eyes and that he will accept my sincere apology. her attorney responding to the charge monday writing, the rush to judgment by some in the public in this cancel culture epidemic will be proven as wrong as cancel culture itself she lost her job, her home, and her public life. now some demand her freedom? how many lives are we going to destroy over misunderstood 60-second videos on social media? that third degree charge carries a maximum of one year in prison, but the more likely outcome is counseling, community service, or a discharge amy cooper will be arraigned in october. craig?

>> morgan radford from central morgan, thank you. georgia governor brian kemp is activating up to 1,000 national guard troops after a weekend of gun violence and protests in atlanta. five people died including an 8-year-old girl. at least 30 other people were hurt national guard troops are being called to protect the state capitol, the governor's mansion, and state patrol headquarters which was vandalized by protesters over the weekend. now to some huge news from the nfl. super bowl mvp patrick mahomes isn't going anywhere any time soon that's because the 24-year-old quarterback has agreed to a ten-year extension with his kansas city chiefs worth an eye popping $503 million >> holy, holy. it's the richest contract in professional sports history. mahomes, of course, led the chiefs to their first super bowl title in 50 years. that was back in february. remember the win over the 49ers? you know who remembered that del.

your son del remembered it because your son del was living in that jersey >> that's the only sports jersey he has he's got a cardboard cut out in the basement of patrick mahomes. life size. >> does he >> here's the thing about that deal, you know the way a lot of these deals are structured, they don't necessarily see all that money, his guaranteed amount $477 million >> that's unbelievable unbelievable >> first half billion dollar contract in sports history speaking of sports, next half hour we'll look at the unique challenges facing pro sports leagues like the nba, like the nhl as they try and resume their seasons but right now why don't we check the weather? where, oh, where is mr. roker? >> look who is that. >> how was the holiday weekend, hon? >> it was terrific we had a great time. hope you guys did too. and we got a lot of heat to talk about all across the country big area dome of upper level high pressure. jet stream up to the north so that high will build. we look for a full week of

90-plus degree temperatures across the northern interior states and into the southwest. it'll feel like it's over 100 degrees. look at this heat wave detroit already had five consecutive days of 90 degrees or more. they're going to continue. it's going to feel like 100 in st. louis today. 97 in rochesters huntsville, 96 degrees wednesday the heat index will be 92 in messina, new york, way up state. 100 in chicago it'll feel like 102 in oklahoma city and going into the end of the week, it will -- these are actual air temperatures. temperatures in the 90s in philadelphia, mid-90s orlando. nashville, you'll see temperatures in the low 90s and dallas will flirt with triple digits all week long we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds " is for above and bey. an extra level of care. "a" game. from caring for our guests and our community,

to cleanliness and safe service with a "my pleasure!" a is for all the little things we do to bring you our best, every day. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. let's start out with a live look outside in walnut creek. we are going to have a nice start to our day. comfortable temperatures but it will warm up this afternoon. a little bit warmer as we reach into the upper 80s around the parts of the inland east bay. san jose will reach 81 degrees. very comfortable. at times some smoke drifting in. as we look at our coastal temperatures in the 60s we'll warm up a few more degrees over the next few days. looking at some low to mid-90s over the weekend. and that's your latest weather. guys >> all right, al, thank you. just ahead here on a tuesday

morning, jeffrey epstein's confident ghislaine maxwell transferred to a federal jail here in new york. this morning why her court appearance on charges of helping recruit and sexually abuse underage girls, why it's being delayed. plus are you thinking about traveling again? well, blayne alexander gets a behind the scenes look at how delta is keeping their planes as clean as possible and the comparison with the air in your own home it may surprise you. but first this is "today" on ♪ menutaur get a load of my southwest cheddar cheeseburger. let menutaur make it a doubleeee, yeah! it's beautiful!

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and talk to your eczema specialist about dupixent. if your financial situation has changed, we may be able to help. just ahead, two words. tom hanks. >> jackpot. he'll be with us live. it's his first tv interview since he and his wife rita battled the coronavirus. we're going to chat about the recovery, how covid-19 changed their lives. tom's new movie and a lot mo. but re thfiis selenite grey is so pretty isn't it? wow. jim could you pop the hood for us? there she is. -turbocharged, right? yes it is. jim, could you uh kick the tires? oh yes. can you change the color inside the car? oh sure. how about blue? that's more cyan but. jump in the back seat, jim. act like my kids.

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around the area announce their fall plans. good morning. i'm scott mcgrew. time may be running out for tiktok. the u.s. government says it may ban the app which allows people to create short videos. the u.s. government is worried tiktok feeds information back to the chinese government. tiktok insists it is an independent company. all right. well, we know that firefighters are still on the fire lines not just in the south bay but elsewhere. kari, are they going to get a break from the weather? right now we do have a nice break with some higher humidity and a light wind. we're still at times seeing smoke drifting in, getting good air quality right now in parts of the south bay. but then over to the tri-valley we are getting lower air quality right now. and so if you have breathing problems or sensitivity to things like wildfire smoke, you want to limit your time outside, we'll see temperatures in the 60s near the coast and some

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we're back it is 7:30 on this tuesday morning. a live look at espn's wide world of sports in orlando this is going to be the home of the nba's restart in a few weeks. in fact, the first players start to arrive today. so we're going to have a live report just ahead. >> look forward to all of that but we have a lot to get to in this half hour. we're going to start with your headlines at 7:30. a stunning surge in coronavirus cases is plaguing cities and states from coast to coast this morning at least 35 states are showing increases in

infections ten of those states experiencing a 100% spike in recent weeks among the most dangerous hot spots, los angeles county. the county alone has more cases than 44 states meantime, officials in cities like houston and phoenix say their hospitals are reaching capacity a delta air lines plane had to make an emergency landing monday night after a bird strike you can see here if you look closely, the plane's front cone suffered some significant damage the pilot reported an issue with the navigation system. that plane was supposed to land at new york's laguardia new york but it was diverted to jfk instead. fortunately no one was hurt. and some sad news this morning from the entertainment world. country music legend charlie daniels has died ♪ >> according to his publicist, daniels died monday at a hospital in tennessee after suffering a stroke

the country music hall of famer was known for his award winning hits like "the devil went down to georgia." who can forget that one? and also for his support of military veterans and underprivileged children daniels was 83 years old now to the latest on the jeffrey epstein case his longtime confidant ghislaine maxwell has now been transferred from new hampshire to a new york city jail to face charges that she recruited women and girls for epstein to sexually abuse. nbc's stephanie gosk has followed this case closely from the start and has new details this morning steph, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, craig. that's right this morning ghislaine maxwell is waking up in the metropolitan detention center in brooklyn after a life of luxury including yachts and private islands and private planes, there could be no starker contrast. and prosecutors want to keep her locked up there until trial. if prosecutors get their way, a judge will revoke bail and this federal jail in brooklyn could be ghislaine maxwell's new home

for awhile >> i would expect her to be celled alone her meals would be delivered to her. she would be locked down in that cell for 23 hours a day. >> reporter: jeffrey epstein's former girlfriend and associate is accused of enticing underage girls to travel to engage in sex acts maxwell had long denied any involvement with epstein's alleged crimes virginia roberts giuffre told savannah last year she was recruited by maxwell for epstein when she was a teen. >> ghislaine maxwell denies ever procuring you, recruiting you. ghislaine maxwell denies ever having any kind of sexual contact with you ghislaine maxwell says she barely remembers you what do you say to that? >> i say follow the facts. she doesn't want to be held accountable for this and in her mind i believe she doesn't think what she did was wrong. that's the kind of evil monster she is >> reporter: if convicted

maxwell faces up to 35 years in prison but for now she'll have to fight to get it of a 10 by 12 jail cell before trial. >> from living the life allegedly of a socialite to being incarcerated, just going through the processing of entering a secure correctional facility has to be a very humbling, humiliating, crushing life experience. >> reporter: federal prosecutors have call maxwell an extreme flight risk saying she appears to have access to significant financial resources that would enable her flight from prosecution. 15 bank accounts since 2016 according to court documents at times with as much as $20 million. the daughter of a late british publishing tycoon, maxwell has spent her life traveling the world. she appears to have three passports from france, the u.s., and the uk and has flown on at least 15 international flights in the last 3 years according to the u.s. attorney's office now the british socialite's world is much smaller. a new reality she may just have

to get used to >> so steph, now that ghislaine maxwell is here in new york, when can we expect her to actually appear in court >> reporter: well, it's interesting, craig because of coronavirus concerns, she may not actually have to go to court she has agreed to do her first hearing remotely so she will do it from that metropolitan detention center a week from today. that's going to be a bail hearing. and she'll also enter a plea that day >> all right stephanie gosk for us. thank you. coming up next, guys, how safe is flying these days? blayne alexander goes inside a plane to find out what one major airline is doing to protect its passengers and the expert who tells us air inside the cabin may actually be the cleanest around. coming up after this insurance so you only pay for what you need.

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♪ we are back. 7:39 now with our ongoing series series exploring the search for solutions when it comes to the coronavirus virus. >> the pandemic, of course, dealt a devastating blow to the airline industry wiping out most travel for months, but demand slowly picking up. in fact, over the holiday weekend, u.s. airlines set a daily record for the number of passengers since the start of

the outbreak >> so what is being done to make sure people are safe blayne alexander got a look behind the scenes. hey, blayne. good morning >> reporter: well, hoda and craig, good morning to you if either of you have been on a delta flight, chances are it's that plane was in one of these hangers. this is where the maintenance happens, including changing those air filters on the plane before you get on any of these planes, you've got to be wearing one of these, a mask that's a requirement but with more people getting back on board, there's now a growing question how safe is the air that you're breathing while in flight? air travel is once again starting to take off how are you feeling today about getting back on a plane? >> pretty good >> excited >> reporter: but in the age of covid-19, fear of flying still lingers. >> i'm nervous >> reporter: why >> a little nervous. just being in that enclosed space with a lot of people >> with people coughing and

sneezing into the air. >> reporter: but just how does air quality work in flight the air you breathe on board is a combination of fresh air brought in from outside and filtered air that's recirculated through the cabin. the air flows from top to bottom not side to side between passengers meaning it comes in from the vents above and is sucked out through the vents in the floor it's run through heavy grade hepa filters similar to those used in hospital operating rooms which pull out more than 99% of particles in the air that is mixed with fresh air from outside now delta airlines taking new steps to ensure that cabin air is as clean as possible. so there's a completely new batch of air that comes into the aircraft every two to four minutes. >> every two to four minutes >> reporter: on every aircraft, changing those filters twice as often as recommended >> you may notice that it's dirty on the top where the air has flown into the filter, but it will be clean on the bottom side >> reporter: what does that show us >> it shows the filter is working. >> reporter: experts say it's not likely viruses will be

spread in flight >> it turns out the time on the airline in the seat is actually lowest risk. >> reporter: you're saying the air on the airplane is actually cleaner inside of what you would find inside a grocery store? >> yes it's cleaner than probably most people's homes or even schools >> reporter: but in close proximity, nothing is foolproof. >> certainly we can't do all the physical distancing we want to on an airplane you know, there's no such thing as zero risk >> reporter: that's why airlines are requiring masks and upping between every delta flight, the entire cabin sprayed with disinfectant and wiped top to bottom new boarding procedures, loading from back to front and commitment to block middle seats through september. >> there isn't any one action we are taking that is the silver bullet but when you layer in all of these mitigating actions, the probability with each layer, the probability of virus transmission goes down and down and down that's been our approach all along. >> reporter: now, the cdc says a cough or sneeze can spread as far as two rows in front or

behind that's why wearing a mask as required is so important hoda >> yeah. well, a lot of passengers are probably wondering when they're getting ready to get on a flight and it looks really packed and crowded and they don't want to get on the flight, do they have an option to get off >> reporter: they do so delta, for instance, has committed to blocking middle seats and keeping flights at 60% capacity even if some people feel that the flight is still too full, delta says you can rebook to a later flight free of charge. back to you. >> all right blayne, thank you. that was great checking the filters out in the belly of the plane. i didn't expect to see that. >> blayne in a hard hat. >> there she is. >> every two to four minutes i didn't know that recirculated on a plane. >> uh-huh. mr. roker is back. al, how we looking how's the weather? looks like you're tracking the tropics. >> we are. we've been watching a very active tropic season so far. we've had five systems come -- develop and be named

and you can see that they have come in really early anywhere from 54 days earlier than average to 73 days average earlier. in fact, cristobal was the first on record. the first "d" name for dolly and the first for on "e" storm with edouard we've also got really hot water. atlanta gulf water temperatures five to ten degrees above average. in fact, virginia key yesterday, water temperature on july 2nd 92.5 that's an all-time record. and that is real fuel for these systems. we are watching right now invest 98-l 25 mile-per-hour winds it's on la south of atlanta, moving north/northeast at nine.ent onc way out in the atlantic. along the mid atlantic coast, that's the five-day development zone whether it becomes a named storm or not, it is going to dump a ton of moisture from norfolk all the way to savannah. some spots could be looking at 5 inches of rain

we're going to watch this carefully over the next 72 hour good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. as we check out our live view in san jose air quality is pretty good but we're seeing drifts of smoke coming through from the fire in the south county. we'll monitor that today as the high temperatures reach the will he to mid-80s. upper 80s for the inland east bay and the north bay, santa rosa reaching 85. slightly hotter temperatures for the next few days. but we'll still have a wide range in temperatures as san francisco stays in the 60s. >> and that's your weather guys >> al, i don't know if people know this but you actually won an award over the fourth of july i don't know if people are aware, but you deborah and nick won most imaginative at the boat parade popeye, olive oil.

>> nick was '40s-'50s popeye and deborah was olive oil. >> congrats on your award. well deserved, al. >> al roker, saving his best life in quarantine. >> yes, he is. just ahead on this tuesday morning, inside the return of sports with a few bumps along the way. the unique challenges facing leagues like the nba as teams start arriving in orlando today. we're there live but first these messages rom stam at 3 in the morning!? who is t it's jake from state farm. what are you wearing, jake from state farm? ...uh...khakis. hey, do they ever ask you what you're wearing? uh... yeah. ...red sweater, button down shirt... like a good neighbor, state farm is there.

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a glint in the eye >> it's happening, baby. nbc's kerry sanders is in orlando where nba players are starting to arrive today hey, kerry >> reporter: hey, guys i'm at espn's wide world of sports where america's drought is about to end there will be no fans. there won't be any home court advantage, but america's past time is finally returning. and it all begins here tomorrow with the kickoff major league sports are fighting their way back despite coronavirus surges across the country. superstar lebron james and the rest of the nba now just weeks away from resuming their season here in orlando. the league was the first to shut down when the virus started spreading. >> the nba is trying to be the first major league sport in america to fully successfully have a daily testing protocol and a daily process to return. and so far it's all lining up. so far it's all making sense. >> reporter: but does it the milwaukee bucks shut down

its practice facilities after two players tested positive. and it will remain closed for workouts until the team leaves for orlando thursday the nuggets, heat, clippers, and nets also closing facilities in recent weeks because of the virus. major league baseball unveiling its new condensed season schedule >> there's a lot of fascination around this schedule for 2020. >> reporter: first up, last year's world series champs, the washington nationals hosting the new york yankees on july 23rd. instead of 162 games, each team will play 60 games in just 66 days some wondering if major league baseball can pull this off >> major league baseball players aren't as optimistic as they were as a few days ago about the season but they believe if everybody follows the protocols, they'll have a chance to pull this off >> reporter: players are being tested every other day for covid-19

monday delays in those test results halting practice for the nationals and the astros but players say they're getting used to this new normal. >> the moment you pull into the clubhouse, we're living in a different world right now. >> reporter: like the nba, the nhl's season was shut down in mid-march. the league and its players union reached a tentative deal to return to the ice by august. just as three dozen players tested positive. well, major league soccer begins its month-long comeback here beginning tomorrow, a dose of reality, fc dallas will not be participating because ten players and a coach tested positive for covid guys, they're hoping that that's the last that they see of players once they're inside here testing positive course, there are no guarantees >> uh-huh. >> kerry sanders, that was impressive, by the way it would be more impressive if you could juggle those balls at the same time. is that -- no wow! >> i think it went off his nose. >> kerry, thanks

still ahead, two living legends. tom hanks is starting his day with us live also it's ringo starr's 80th birthday we'll take you there live to london after your local news d p. this is hal's relief, knowing he's covered by medicare from blue cross blue shield. and with coverage you can trust, backed by over 80 years of healthcare expertise, we'll be there when it matters most. this is medicare from blue cross blue shield. this is the benefit of blue. this is medicare from blue cross blue shield. ♪ ♪ don't feel like wearing pants? okay who drank all the milk? enjoy the great taste of dunkin' at home.

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welcome back. happening now san mateo counsty supervisors are looking to educate people about-face coverings in a meeting asking the state to try to enforce that just a little bit better. >> reporter: i'm bob redell. facebook ceo mark zuckerberg will meet with the organizers of an ad boycott against his social media platform after weeks of criticism over how the company handles hate speech. last month a coalition started #stophateforprofit campaign urging advertisers to stop spending on facebook's platforms. this boycott is gaining momentum with hundreds of businesses joining in. >> reporter: i'm cierra johnson at the goat golden gate bridge. sonoma and napa county are at risk of having three consecutive

days of continuing upticks in corona cases. they may close indoor dining and ending family entertainment centers. a look at your forecast. you can get outside and maybe walk the dog, kari. we're going to have some nice weather for today, at least early in the day. and then it will start to warm up. let's get the live look outside in san francisco where it stays nice and cool today with the natural air conditioning. we won't feel that in the inland valleys. as we reach into the upper 80s up to 88 in concord today as well as clear lake with san jose in the lower 80s and our inland forecast gets slightly hotter over the next few days with low 90s. our warmest day will be on sunday as we reach 94 degrees and staying in the 60s near the coastline. kris? all right, thank you very much, kari. we have more local news coming up for you in just a half hour.

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but bounce forward. call or go online to find out more. ♪ it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, far from over. the new explosion of coronavirus cases emerging as more than half the country shows an increase in infections. >> we are still knee deep in the first wave of this. >> this morning dr. anthony fauci's new warning about the virus. plus, searching for answers. a closer look at the growing debate over statues and monuments from our country's past. >> how far do we go? do you rename the washington monument? where does it stop? >> they're complicated human beings. so we have to tell the truth. >> just ahead, we'll hear from people on both sides of the argument. and hanging with tom hanks. the one, the only, tom hanks

will join us for his first tv interview since he was diagnosed with covid-19. we'll ask him how he's doing and we'll check in on his busy schedule including a new movie that's getting a lot of buzz. "today," tuesday, july 7th, 2020. ♪ >> it's our mom's 65th birthday! >> good morning, "today" show. we're the cruz family. >> and we want toe wish our daughter a happy 14th birthday. happy birthday! ♪ >> we wish everybody a great day here frotother in raleigh, nort carolina! ♪ >> oh, raleigh, north carolina. welcome back to "today." it's tuesday morning. we want to say thank you, man. people get up early. they are starting their day off with us. y'all, thank you so much. savannah is enjoying some much needed time off. >> we want to give another shoutout. let's put them back up one more time. there's that my "today" plaza

crowd from all over the country. someone in that group about to break some very special news. >> i can't wait. let me tell you, this is a fun place to be in the morning. we want to see you in our open. and instagram. do the #my today plaza and who knows you may end up on the big board with air time. >> yeah. we'll get you on tv. by the way, coming up tomorrow here on "today," something that all parents need to see. vicky nguyen is going to show us ways to teach our kids about safe social distancing. some tools that they're really going to need once schools reopen all over the country. but first why don't we get to our news at 8:00? the u.s. has just recorded the most coronavirus cases ever in a single week. nbc's national correspondent miguel almaguer is live with the three things we need to watch. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. after those startling images of large parties over the holiday, doctors say those crowds are a

recipe for disaster and a petri dish to spread the virus. here is a look at some of the big take aways. at least 35 states are showing a steady increase of infections over the last two weeks. ten of those states have had at least a 100% spike in new cases. texas and florida and california all remain trouble spots with nearly 3 million americans testing positive for the virus. hospitals in cities like houston and phoenix are nearly reaching capacity. and in many big cities, patients are under 40 years old. and some big news from the one of the country's top universities, harvard announcing monday it will welcome up to 40% of its students back to campus this fall, but first-year students will take those course instructions online. meantime after those large parties, we could see an uptick in new cases in the next few weeks. hoda, back to you. >> all right. pompeo warned on monday night

that the video sharing app that's wildly popular, tiktok, could be banned in the united states as a national security threat. pompeo said the administration is looking seriously at claims that data that's collected by tiktok and other chinese apps can be accessed by the government in beijing. when asked on monday if americans should download the app, pompeo said, quote, only if you want your private information in the hands of the chinese communist party. there was no immediate comment from tiktok. now to an emotional new tribute for broadway star nick cordero who lost his long battle with covid-19 over the weekend. a moving message delivered by his wife amanda. nbc's joe fryer is in los angeles with that story. hey, joe, good morning. >> reporter: hoda, good morning. cordero spent nearly a hundred days in the hospital here in los angeles before passing away. his wife is now thanking everyone for their support. paying tribute to her husband on instagram live saying she'll

miss him every day of her life. it became a daily tradition. an online sing along at 3:00 showing support for nick cordero by belting his song. >> you guys made nick a rock star in his last three months of life. thank you, thank you, thank you. >> reporter: on monday, his wife amanda kloots led the group one last time. >> nick left this earth with people around him that he loved listening to music. i don't think he would have wanted anything else. >> reporter: she also posted a ten-minute video made by her sister. the images chronicle their journey and highlight how family kept her going while cordero was in the hospital. ♪ on stage the 6'5" actor was known for playing tough guys, but no role could match the real

life grit on display as cordero battled coronavirus for more than three months. but his family consistently offered reasons for hope. >> dada is awake! yea! >> reporter: close friend zach braff shared the stage with cordero in "bullets over broadway" now sharing this. the last thing he ever texted me was to look out for his wife and 1-year-old son elvis. i promise the world they will never want for anything. i feel so incredibly grateful i got to have nick cordero enter my life. sentiment echoed by cordero's wife. >> i'll miss him every day of my life. that's for sure. >> reporter: amanda says the daily sing alongs always made her feel better even on days when she wasn't on the mood to get online and sing. as zach braff mentioned, amanda and nick had one child elvis who just turned 1. hoda? >> wow. amanda is a really, really strong human being. all right, joe. thank you so much.

all right. it is 8:06. feels like we could use a morning boost. >> okay. i got that for you. a connecticut dad who was under lockdown with his family spent those months recreating famous movie scenes using his kids as stars. let's see if you could recognize this one. >> are you crying? are you crying? there's no crying in baseball.r. there's no crying in baseball! >> there's no crying in baseball that's, of course, the tom hanks classic "a league of their own." perfect segue. there's no crying in baseball. tom hanks will join us for a live interview in just a couple minutes. other spoofs they did, they did "psycho," "braveheart. any way. they know how to use their quarantine time wisely that family. >> that always makes me feel so lazy about what we're doing in quarantine up next, as promised, the one, the only tom hanks. that's right after this.

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welcome back we're so excited about this segment. we have tom hanks. he's going to be joining us live especially after what's been quite an eventful 2020 for him and his wife rita. before we catch up with tom, here's a look at their experience with coronavirus and the months that followed >> reporter: it was a tweet that shook the world. back in march, tom hanks posted that he and wife rita wilson had been diagnosed with coronavirus while filming in australia >> i have been the celebrity canary in the coal mine for the coronavirus. >> reporter: the first high-profile celebrity couple to share what it was like to have covid, an illness that was just beginning to take over the country. their symptoms, different. loss of taste and smell and fatigue. writing on social media, we felt a bit tired like we had colds and some body aches. rita had chills that came and went

slight fevers too. >> i feel great. i'm back to normal we are still practicing social distancing because we want to set a good example >> reporter: even tackling the topic with humor on "snl" in april. >> ever since being diagnosed i have been more like america's dad than ever before since no one wants to be around me very long and i make people uncomfortable. >> reporter: hanks has consistently been outspoken about his corona journey donating plasma to combat the virus. saying in an interview this week with "the guardian," there's really only three things everyone needs to do wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands. i don't understand how anyone can put their foot down and say, i don't have to do my part now fully recovered, the beloved actor is talking about a different kind of battle

this time on the big screen in the new world war ii action film "greyhound." we've been looking forward to this we need this man this morning. tom hanks joins us live. hey, tom how are you? >> i'm very good very good. thanks for having me >> you know who's bummed right now? savannah come on. you guys have a thing. i feel a little guilty i'm talking to you this morning. >> did you lose the "today" show lottery that you have to sleep in the little self-induced quarts they have down there at 30 rock? a little mini bar and refrigerator i wot those kids of yours. they only get to see mommy on tv for the nine hours you're on every morning. i feel bad for them. >> the one thing you're right about is the little bar they i got to remember, tom. i remember we were sitting in the studio the day the news broke that you and rita had coronavirus. and i got to tell you, we sort of all had kind of a mini heart attack. it was scary for us because that was in the very beginning when we didn't know all the things

about the coronavirus. how -- in that moment, were you and rita, were you afraid? >> no, we were not, because we were feeling extremely punky. i don't want to dismiss our symptoms. we felt rotten. i had body aches, crippling cracking body aches. but what we were mostly concerned with was at the time is what is next. the australian officials put us in the hospital and they kept very strict attention on our fevers because if they had spiked, we were going to be in trouble. our lungs, because if they had filled up or scarred, we were going to be in trouble. and the levels of our oxygen. that is what they were doing for us. but what they were doing for other people were making sure we weren't passing it along to anybody else. we had the coronavirus. we were giving it away to anybody that came within distance to us. and so we were -- we were in

awfully good hands and we were very much aware of that we were maybe exploring some brand new territories about the personal as well as the public as far as having covid-19. >> rita is a breast cancer survivor. you have diabetes and a stent. >> type 2 diabetes. go easy on me, now. >> were you concerned given those other factors that maybe there was something to worry about then? >> first question we asked the medical staff who came in completely covered in ppe. we never saw anybody's mouths for an awfully long time. we laid it out. is this going to be a problem? and they looked at us with all seriousness and they said, it very well could be. >> wow. do you have any lasting effects, tom? >> other than smart aleck kind of like cuckoo responses to it?

no. what has lingered here is this societal question, really, of doing our part. i don't want to invoke -- not everything i say has to be tied to somehow the war effort back during world war ii, but there was a sensibility that permeated all of society which was do your part. we're all in this together. and that meant doing your part meant there was a tiny bit of stuff that you could do in order to aid the ongoing effort that had no sign of its conclusion. world war ii went on for an awfully long time, a big portion of everybody's lives. they didn't know that was going to come to an end. and we don't know what's going to happen with covid-19. the idea of doing one's part, though, should be so simple. wear a mask, social distance,

wash your hands. that alone means you are contributing to the betterment of your house, your work, your town, your society as a whole. it's such a small thing. and i don't -- i don't -- it's a mystery to me how somehow that has been wiped out out of what should be engrained in the behavior of us all. simple things. do your part. >> yeah. it does seem basic. how do you think the country's responded, tom? >> well, i think a huge majority of americans get it. there is -- look. there's no law in place. it's not illegal to have opinions that are wrong. i think you flout a number of realities when two and two don't add up to four. and granted this is a mysterious thing where people are asymptomatic, don't know they have it, don't feel bad. but there is a darkness on the edge of town here, folks. there's a darkness on the edge of town, folks. and it is -- let's not confuse the fact. it's killing people.

okay? you can argue what the numbers are. it's not killing that many. the numbers have gone down, et cetera. yeah, that's right. it's killing people. and you can say, well, traffic accidents kill an awful lot of people too. traffic accidents happen because a lot of drivers aren't doing their part. they're not using their turn signals. they're driving too fast. they're not paying attention to their environment. i don't know how common sense has somehow been put in question in regards to this. >> yeah. i can tell you're passionate about this one. >> well, i'm just an american who's getting by in the course of the day. >> yeah. you know what? in the middle of everything that's going on, you have been working and you brought up world war ii. you have this movie coming out called "greyhound." this is really a labor of love for you. you've been working on it for ten years. it's coming out and it's not coming out on a big screen because of the way life is now. it's coming out on apple tv.

and i got to say, i mean, i wondered if you were a little bummed about the fact that people weren't going to be able to see that the way i think it was probably intended on this epic scale. >> well, i'm actually thrilled that apple tv is making it possible for everybody to see it. not only worldwide as long as you have apple television but also the day after my 64th birthday. thank you. thank you very much. this is a magnificent gift for us because of apple. because covid-19 did something heart breaking to us all. it closed down the theaters. we don't have the cinema. there isn't anybody that doesn't like going to see a good movie with 800 other people with coming out with something in common. barring that, apple television has saved the day for us. we had a magnificent movie that was not going to be seen.

and because of reality i think apple is a benevolent streaming service in every way, it's going to be available and viewable. otherwise we would have languished in a vault for a movie that -- look. it's 88 minutes of a thematic story that speaks to what we're going through right now. we didn't know that at the time we made a film. we were trying to make a lean version of procedures about how difficult it was to stay alive in the middle of the north atlantic in 1942. but the end result is thank goodness that there is -- you can pay -- how much does apple tv cost? staff? what is it? five bucks? s it's a cheap -- it's a magnificent deal. and we are going to be able to fill up the screens in the living rooms and bean bag chairs of the world all in one shot. so we feel as though we were rescued at sea by a convoy with a big apple logo with a bite

taken out of it. ou play captain ernie crouse it's like the perfect role for you. >> well, adapted by me. there's a novel called "the good shepherd." i have always been fascinated by this physiological position of status. why i alluded to it earlier. in 1942 people thought the war was going to go on for ten years. and there were extremely bad guys on both coasts that were enslaving their half of the world. so going back, finding the novel was like finding literally the tip of the pyramid that i've always been trying to examine here which is putting anybody who sees the movie into this very specific position. what would i do if i was in that same circumstance? how would i deal? would i crack under the pressure? people say why do you keep going back to that era again?

because i keep going back to examine the human condition of how do -- how does one deal with a pressure that never lets up? >> wow. >> how do you get by that cracking 48 hours or 72 hours in which you have no idea if you're doing the right thing? that fascinates me. >> well, the film is out. people are going to love to see it. before you go, do you have any -- i think a lot of people are feeling a little anxious in this moment. whenever i look to you, i think i bet you he'll know the right thing to say. do you have any words of wisdom before we say good-bye? >> well, i would like to be flip and just say thank you, we'll b words. you know, look. i'm just a dude who stumbled around and made a heck of a number of mistakes, but i will say one of the things that i've learned is more shall be revealed, this too shall pass. you and i and i think everybody watching the "today" show right now really only has a window of

three days in our lives that we with effect a place, our station in this world. we have yesterday that i think has provided us some understanding. we have today in which we wake up and are proactive and seek somehow the ability to do our part. and then that gives us a reason to have faith in tomorrow. that's such an easy thing to say to people who are suffering through all sorts of economic insecurities. i think it's a little perhaps pollyannaish, but we're in this together. neighborhood, our town, our city, our state, our nation. and our world. >> well, tom, we love you. thank you. give our love to rita and let her know -- >> thank you. did you find my secret book? did you see it on my book? >> tom was rearranging books. i wanted to see which -- i think it was the alchemist. >> no.

i'm going to show it to you. hold on. >> hold on. which was was it? let's see. oh! >> "green eggs and ham." >> love it. love it. >> and if you want, just as you go off to a commercial, i'll begin the reading of it. and we can all -- >> all right. we're going to break as he goes. >> you can find it on apple books. i'm sure it's available. i am sam. >> all right. we're going to throw it to al roker. love you, tom. >> good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. let's take a live look outside in san francisco starths out with some sunshine and some fairly good air quality but we've seen the drifts of smoke coming in around parts of the bay area. high temperatures will reach into the upper 60s in the city. oakland reaching 74 and concord

will reach 88 as we head to the north bay, mid-80s today. we'll take a closer look at the seven-day forecast coming up in a couple of minutes. good morning. i'm chris chmura. there are concerns the largest brush fire now burning in the bay area would flare up later today. it is burning outside gilroy. it started sunday afternoon. right now it's about 20% contained and dozens of evacuations are still in place. firefighters are also still at the scene of a grassfire tha fairfield. it burned about all the homes there were saved. the weather is so important in firefighting. kari, how is it looking out there? >> it's still going to be breezy today. and we'll have to watch out for that. the wind shifts. it could also bring in a different direction of the wildfire. with direction it's moving in as far as the smoke -- as well as

the smoke as well. we're looking at our temperatures today inland that will reach into the upper 80s. low 90s tomorrow. just a slight warm-up and we're going to see slightly hotter temperatures by the end of the week into the weekend. we check out san francisco. it stays in the 60s. we'll have a wide range in our weather from the coastal areas to the inland valleys and we're going to see that weather pattern continuing as least over the next seven days. chris? >> kari, thanks very much. we'll have another local news update in half an hour. we'll send you back to the "today" show in new york.

♪ we're back now it's 8:30. tuesday, july 7th. looky, looky who's in studio 1a. >> look who's back >> what up, everybody? >> carson, this is the first time i've seen you in studio in person >> big hug >> crazy >> that's right. >> any way, so cool to see you here in studio that represent different things to different people.

the big question now is should they be torn down? should they be left alone? should they be altered we wanted to hear from all sides. we've got some interesting conversations to share coming up in just a few minutes. plus i've got a busy pop start on the way and tomorrow harry smith is going to be chatting with andy samberg. andy is in a new film called "palm springs. he's great in it it's a story about how the film got made and it'll make you think. >> look at carson. i can't get over it. standing right there. right now it's time to check in for the big board, the families joining us from all over the country our my "today" plaza >> what's up, everybody! make some noise! got a great group of families here thank you, guys, for getting up. lots to celebrate. we're going to start with the sills family in the lower right. there they are there's mom and dad and the kids they are 4 and 2 sills family, how are you guys doing today? >> we are great. thank you so much.

>> this is awesome >> well, listen. it's great to have you here albeit virtually and if you were on the plaza - we know you're die-hard "today" show fans. you might make a sign which we do every day but that's not going to stop just because you're at home. i understand the kids have a sign they would like to unveil so let's see it. >> they do >> you ready >> what? >> whoa! >> i'm going to be a big sister again. i'm going to be a big brother. this is an official announcement is that right? >> this is an official announcement we got some opportunity to hide it for a little bit with the quarantine >> baby number three on the way. >> wow number three on the way. the sills family is growing. congratulations. >> thank you so much >> wow >> riley, are you excited to be a big sister >> uh-huh. >> yeah. you're going to be great >> boy or girl >> boy >> oh, sweet >> congratulations, guys >> thank you, honey. >> let's go back to the big board. all right. i'm looking for the temin family

from orlando where are you guys >> right here. >> hello >> now, i know this is crazy mom and dad. that's jane and nate that's elliot. elliot 21 years old. on july 7th, where were you july 7th, 2000? 20 years ago today we will show you where you were. take a look at this tape >> and we've got a little one who's a little worked up who's this >> elliot. >> and he was born watching the "today" show >> he was born a year ago at 7:00 a.m. 1999 >> wow >> elliot! you haven't changed a bit. so we need a little al roker in here to wish you a happy, happy again. >> elliot! my man happy birthday, elliot how you doing? >> doing all right how about you? >> all right hopefully you'll remember this one. >> indeed. >> real special. awesome.

>> excellent and you come back in 89 years and i'm going to put you on a smuckers jar. >> there you go. >> you got it. any time you got it >> you got a date, everybody all right. that was awesome isn't that funny >> they both look dramatically different. >> let's look at the big board one more time. where is everybody >> there they are. >> oh, yes we like to see everybody >> macdonalds down there >> the olivias the cruzs. >> if you want get in on the my "today" plaza fun, all up to do is sign up on today.com/mytodayplaza >> hi, darla hi, nadia. >> mr. roker, i hope you're still there. we could use another check of the weather. >> it's still here and it's 79 years, i did the math wrong there you go i'm a weatherman, not a mathematician. for today we've got heavy rain through the gulf coast and moving into the mid-atlantic a fire risk out west severe storms in the northern plains plenty of sunshine in the

northeast. and then as we move into tomorrow, severe storms make their way into the upper midwest. we're looking at more wet weather through northern florida into the southeast strong storms developing into the northeast. and that fire risk continues out west that >> good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we take a live look outside in the south bay. it's been smokey at times. right now it looks pretty good but we're going to see drifts of smoke coming in from the cruz fire in the south county. and our temperatures will warm up today just a slight shift in the wind. it will make a huge difference in our air quality. highs in the upper 80s for the inland east bay and north bay. going into tomorrow, gets a little hotter in those spots as we reach into the low 90s. we'll see more weather like that at least through the end of the week. >> all right mr. roker, thank you up next, our in-depth look at the debate over what to do

with monuments to america's past but first this is "today" on safely shop floor and decor your way! comfortably explore our incredible selection. with safe in-store guidance, or order online, and pick up your products curbside! come discover the perfect floor at the perfect price however is perfect for you. explore floor & decor in-store or online.

it's about to get bester baby! ♪ menutaur! make it a double, yeah! nice mane! try my $5.99 southwest cheddar cheeseburger combo and make it a double for a buck more. order now with no contact delivery. he's also signed an executive order creating a task force to repair statues and founding what's being called the national

park of american heroes which will display new and donated statues. >> we will never allow an angry mob to tear down our statues, welcome back we're back with our series erase our history, indoctrinate our children, or trample on our "inequality in america." freedoms this morning a closer look at a topic that is dominating the >> reporter: a nation divided headlines. the debate over monuments and over where it stands on statues. a descendent of confederate symbols from america's past. general robert e. lee has joined the fight but not for the side >> many of these statues that you may have passed by without you might think. giving them a second look. for some they are really not a big deal >> we were raised to believe that general lee was a kindly, for others, cherished symbols. and still others, emblems of genteel kind of christian man who firmly believed in states intolerance. rights so how should we honor our past? but we didn't finish to say that it's a complex question we went was to continue the practice for in search of some answers. enslavement. >> reporter: history changing >> reporter: a complicated before our eyes. problem with many of these monuments torn down or carted statues and symbols representing off by work crews. different things for different people david mcallister is a leader in symbols being reconsidered as a the sons of confederate veterans full and fast re-examination of america's checkered past is and an attorney fighting to preserve confederate monuments playing out in realtime. when you look at one of those statues and monuments, what do a reckoning not everyone may be you see? ready for but long overdue in m. >> i see a man that defended his

family and his home against tyranny and physically took up arms to defend them against an illegal and unconstitutional invasion >> reporter: dr. eddie graw at princeton university is it fair to view monuments and statues built generations ago -- is it fair to view them through this new lens? >> absolutely, i think >> reporter: why >> so if you think about confederate monuments, this is an easy case those monuments are monuments to an ideology. monuments to white supremacy >> reporter: but why now and is this upheaval concerning public art new? art historian dr. aaron thompson >> humans have been making art to honor people as long as we've been making art and we've also been tearing art down that we don't agree with anymore >> reporter: but it's not just about the old south. christopher columbus tossed in baltimore's inner harbor

george washington, thomas jefferson toppled. we were the first on princeton campus since they stripped woodrow wilson's name. from its school of public policy and international affairs over his racist and misogynistic past how far do you go? do you remain the washington monument where does it stop >> they're complicated human beings so we have to tell the truth as we tell the truth, we can say take what we value and say, well, that aspect of who they were we wholly reject. >> reporter: much of the debate so far is about existing monuments and e. what about those never erected there are no statues from women in history in new york city's central park walking down the street and only see statues of men being honored? what if you're a person of color and only see statues of white people being honored as a nation we can't afford to squelch that ambition. >> reporter: what does this debate over the past mean for present day problems

the symbols come down, but there's no major legislative reckoning. it almost seems like sometimes this is appeasement. >> we're in a moment where fundamental transformation has to happen because the country is broken we can't tinker around the edges. so you're right. they make these symbolic gestures, but i don't think that's going to be sufficient. in this moment >> reporter: as we evolve, we as a nation are having hard conversations about who to put up on a pedestal it's such a complicated issue. you know, yesterday harry smith for instance introduced us, you know, to a side of thomas jefferson that some probably didn't know existed. you know, i asked the question about george washington. obviously founder but a lot of folks don't know we know the story about the wooden teeth teeth from his slaves. they pulled

it's how do we reconcile all of it and honor it. i don't know we talked about there are no women statues in central park. there are some plans to unveil a monument to women in central park that features sew journey truth. there is a plan to unveil one. this is a picture of what that statue is going to look like it's set to be unveiled next month on the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment which gave women the right to vote. >> we googled women's statues in the united states and there weren't that many. it's like a handful. >> one of hoda drinking in central park of red wine. >> coming. >> i say -- i think it's time for one thing. it's time to head to pop start should we? >> let's do it we're going to go to it right now? all right. well, i think we've got an update maybe we'll just tease it. this "friends" reunion thing we've been talking about for 40 years now, i think it's going to happen >> you love that >> no. >> the stars of "friends" commented on it. i'll tell you what david 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

an extra 15 percent credit on car and motorcycle policies? ok? that's 15 percent on top of what geico could already save you. so what are you waiting for? dj khaled to be your motivational coach? yo devin! remember to brush in a circle motion. thank you... dj... khaled. tiny circles, devin. do another one. another one. is this good? put in that work, devin.

don't give up. geico. save an extra 15% when you switch by october 7th. save an extra 15% and accessoriesphonestch 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 carson, you're six feet away but i like you right there

i'm into it. >> i'm on it let's go put my camera on good morning, everybody. first up, pop start, kevin hart, the comedian celebrating his 41st birthday and acknowledging the emotional year he's had. remember the horrific car crash kevin was involved in back in 2019, that accident left him severe back injuries his road to recovery including physical therapy but he's doing well today and is letting the birthday on instagram. he wrote, so blessed and so thankful to see the age 41 i'm lucky to be alive. there will never be another day that just goes by in my life that's not treated with the highest level of respect and appreciation definitely an extra special happy birthday to you, kevin that's good news that was a pretty touch and go and scary for a hot minute there. next up, david schwimmer, hoda here we go. >> ready is it happening?

>> he's starring in a new sitcom on peacock he's a maverick nsa agent. different than ross in "friends." however, schwimmer is not done with ross. everyone is looking forward to the big "friends" reunion. schwimmer said what he's excited about. >> what i'm honestly most looking forward to is just being in the room with those other five actors. it's five, right yeah that was a joke. but being on the actual sound stage, on the actual set for the first time in ten years, the set that we shot on for ten years. that to me is going to be really meaningful >> what? >> they say it's going to happen good to see everybody back together if and when it happens. i have no faith it's going to happen but we've been doing this story for 22 years and we have yet to see the "friends" cast together. hopefully it'll happen maybe it'll happen >> it might. i believe. >> it's like the oprah thing you got to wish it into existence. >> speak it. >> speak it.

next up, nasa and octavia spencer teaming up for an exciting announcement about the newest mars rover. it's not the first time nasa and spencer have gotten together of course spencer played dorothy vaughn in "hidden figures. she even scored on oscar nomination for that. now censer is lending her voice to the big announcement of perseveran perseverance and we my friends are excited to exclusively share part of the big reveal this morning. watch this >> we have liftoff >> we are explorers. ♪ we will meet many obstacles on our way to mars. but as humans, we will not give up we will always persevere >> like that could have said

perseverance, rated r. that looks like a movie. no, it's real life nasa targeting july 30th for the launch of mars rover perseverance that rover is, by the way, going to help pave the way for a human mars mission in the 2030s and beyond finally "saturday night live," the show's been making us laugh for decades. none of that would be possible without cue cards. they go old school on that show. every single monologue and sketch is handwritten out on giant cards for the celebrity hosts also even the cast members. that's what they read. for the past 30 years, wally fairstein has been writing and holding up those cards "snl" off for the time being our friend wally's had to get creative he's got a side project going. a side hustle. it's called cue cards by wally 55 bucks, you can have your own giant cue card scribbled out for any occasion he's had more than 200 orders so far. most of them including live from somewhere in the united states if there's an "snl" fan in your life, i bet they would love one of those cue cards wally i've known for years

he did all the cue cards on "last call" my late night show in studio 8h when we were squatting there. wally is an american institution in television and making a little dough on the side >> that's awesome. >> nothing wrong with that >> by the way, just so good to see carson it feels good. we're six feet away. it's been measured just ahead, how do you celebrate your 80th birthday if you're ringo starr with help from your friends. a live reporfrom london. but t [ufipbeat music] ♪ today was the day that i put everything in perspective. ♪ ♪ i fell asleep but when i woke up. ♪ (boy) hi, do you want to share my sandwich? (vo) good feeds our connections. good feeds us all. hormel natural choice lunch meats.

we are back. 8:52 now with a special celebration for a music legend >> that's right. today is ringo starr's 80t birthday to mark the big day, the beatle is throwing a concert with icons of the industry. kelly cobiella joins us from london kelly, this has becomes quite the tradition for ringo's birthday what does he have in store for his 80th >> reporter: of course he's working. i mean, what else? can you believe he was 29 years

old when he strolled across that crosswalk. today celebrating a huge milestone. they rocked into our lives nearly 60 years ago. the four lads from liverpool john, paul, george, and ringo. the drumming and sometimes singing beatle known for his birthday bashes. like most of us having to do things a little differently this year ♪ calling in a little help from his friends. he says. as everyone knows, i love gathering with fans for peace and love on my birthday. but this year i want everyone to be safe at home. so i called up a few friends and we put this big birthday show together so we could still celebrate my birthday with you all. ringo's big birthday show airing today on his youtube channel will also benefit four charities. the david lynch foundation,

music cares, water aid, and black lives matter global network. >> black lives do matter i want to salute all those people that went on the marches all around the world the support, how great is that >> reporter: this morning birthday messages pouring in on social media from around the world. >> hi, ringo happy birthday >> reporter: and even out of this world ringo known as the funniest beatle sang lead on 11 of the fab four songs and wrote two himself. including "octopuses garden. ♪ help while it was the beatles that made him a household name, he's done a lot in his 80 years born richard starky, he overcame several life threatening childhood illnesses. becoming the age defying ringo starr we know today. he's had a successful solo career, toured with big names in

his supergroup ringo starr and his all-star band. and he's joined artists around the globe in playing for change. inspiring and connecting the world through song two years ago, knighted by prince william for his services to music he's published books, acted in movies even had a stint voicing thomas the tank engine. >> what has happened to me >> reporter: now entering his eighth decade and still spreading his message to the world. >> and don't forget. 12:00 noon on the the 7th of the 7th, 2020, you go peace and love that's all i ask peace and love >> reporter: peace and love. happy birthday, ringo. guys >> happy birthday, ringo >> kelly, thanks so much you mentioned ringo was sick when he was a kid. he had tuberculosis. he had these long hospital stays. the reason he got into music is they had music classes someone handed him a little drum and that was it. >> i love the tidbits.

third hour coming up have some classic cars helping pull off an epic neighborhood show >> and more tom hanks with me and jenna. but first your local news. good morning. it's 8:56. i'm chris chmura. a dubious new mark in california's coronavirus surge. the state just set a new one-day record. counties reported more than 8200 cases yesterday following the holiday weekend. it breaks the previous record set just one week ago. and in a matter of days, napa and sonoma counties might have to end indoor dining. that's according to the press democrat. following the governor's most recent order, more prestrictions can be triggered by rising cases. others are also in jeopardy of close again. leaders in san mateo county say there's not enough being done to make sure everyone is following face covering

requirements. they are getting set for a meeting starting in a couple of minutes to look at better ways to get the mask message out and to make sure people listen. we'll have the full story in our midday newscast. firefighters this morning have updated the bay area's largest current wildfire. the cruz fire burning outside gilroy. it's still at 20% containment with concerns the wind could pick up later today. that fire has now burned 5400 acres stins sta s since it star sunday. watch our twitter feed for updates in realtime. we'll have a local weather update for you in half an hour. businesses are starting to bounce back.

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live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza, this is the third hour of "today." >> and good morning. welcome to this third hour of "today." it is tuesday, july 7th. craig melvin here in studio 1a we've got the whole team together again continue to work from home al back from vacation. how was it, buddy? >> welcome back. >> oh, thank you, guys i would say i missed you, but i don't want to lie. you know, it was good beingoff you know that's the