we can make you smile. we should have rented out a movie theater for laura's birthday. kris can hold it down for us until then. look, thank you all for joining us this morning, and again, happy birthday for laura and you all have a great weekend. "today" show is next. good good morning. breaking news. history in the making. ♪♪ pope francis touching down in baghdad this morning. the first pope ever to visit iraq at a time of heightened violence and tension there. just ahead, his mission and the new inside details just surfacing about those u.s. air strikes in syria last week. why one attack was called off at the last minute by the president himself. on the record. two women claiming they were harassed by new york governor andrew cuomo telling their stories on camera for the first time. the latest straight ahead, and

the troubling new report overnight alleging top cuomo aides altered a key report to hide the covid death toll at the state's nursing homes. moving ahead. the senate set to begin debate on president biden's nearly $2 trillion covid relief plan today, after a republican move forces the entire 628-page bill to be read out loud. >> the vast majority of this has nothing to do with covid relief. >> this morning, the new fight over limiting those stimulus checks and when to expect those. risky rollbacks? with more americans now getting the vaccine, the intense battle playing out from coast to coast over when to lift those covid restrictions. >> really, it's quite risky to completely remove all of the public health measures and just act like there's no virus in the community. >> some states doing away with mask mandates. others now extending them. what it means for the fight against the virus.

battle royal. the feud inside the royal family reaching a fever pitch ahead of harry and meghan's tell-all interview. >> you really have to go back for this kind of level of drama to the death of princess diana or even the abdication crisis. >> what buckingham palace is bracing for straight ahead. all that, plus, game changer. a "today" exclusive revealing a groundbreaking move in the nfl, and the woman at the center of it all joins us live today, friday, march 5th, 2021. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savan it is good to have you with us on a friday morning. hoda got a jump on the weekend, so craig is joining us. >> yeah, we made it another week, s.g. >> yes. >> a lot happening on this friday morning.

very busy. including the senate getting down to business on that massive covid relief bill after that hours long reading of its 628 pages lasted well into the night. we're going to have the latest on where things stand, and when we might see those stimulus checks in mailboxes coming up just ahead. >> a lot of americans waiting for that news. let's start with the breaking story in the middle east. pope francis arriving in iraq overnight. the first-ever papal visit to that country and the pope's first international trip since the pandemic. in the wake of recent rocket attacks and air strikes, security is extremely tight there. nbc's chief foreign correspondent richard engel on the ground in baghdad for us. richard, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. so far it is going very well. he is getting an extremely positive reception. there were a lot of reasons to cancel this trip and pressure on the pope from within the vatican to postpone it but i'm told that

he wanted to make sure that it went ahead, had a personal commitment and thought that the message of reconciliation was needed in iraq more than anywhere else. he will be greeted by the president of iraq. this country is extremely proud of the papal visit, a sign that iraq is emerging from the long civil war that began after the u.s. invasion in 2003. the pope received a full honor guard reception with the iraqi president. at the palace, the pontiff expressed the message of peace and tolerance in a country torn apart by religious civil war. security is extremely tight. a curfew was in place across the city. part of the pope's mission is to support iraq's dwindling

christian population targeted by extremists. the pope will visit a church where an al qaeda affiliate massacred dozens of worshippers and two priests a decade ago. the adam family who lived nearby was traumatized by the attack. this girl was so scared she stopped going to school. her mother said most of the family moved abroad. as christians, we're always afraid, she said. 27 relatives used to live under this roof, only 5 remain. the pope will visit the city of mosul, much of it still in ruins from battles with isis. he'll tour a christian village isis took over, desecrating its church. but it's not all a tour of past he'll go to the ancient sumarian capital of ur, believed to be the birthplace of abraham, the patriarch revered by christians, jews, and muslims. the final stop of this packed

four-day tour, the vatican is calling a pilgrimage of peace, a large mass where today they're making final preparations. in a move that's highly significant in this country, the pope will also meet with the top shia leader. and that could lead to more reconciliation. i just spoke with the president of iraq and he is not just proud of this visit. he thinks it could be a turning point. iraqis suffered so much over the last several years because of the civil war, because of religious strife. hundreds of thousands of people died in this country because of their religious differences so he said to have the pope here come and iraqi leaders also on the same page expressing this message, this idea of reaching across religious divide he said is something that iraqis need, something that they want. he's quite convinced that this could be a new beginning, a new page, he says a difficult task

but he is hopeful today and he is very hopeful that the pope came here despite those who in the vatican trying to say he should postpone it. savannah? >> history unfolding as we speak. thank you. preciate it. two former aides of governor cuomo accusing him of harassment are speaking out and overnight a new report surfaced alleging the team hid information about the coronavirus in the state's nursing homes from public view nbc's anne thompson is following the story from the beginning and joins us this morning. anne, good morning >> reporter: good morning, craig. today, the democratic-controlled legislature could repeal governor cuomo's emergency pandemic powers. this as some of the women who accuse him of harassment reveal

new details about what really happened. this morning, new pressure from both scandals facing new york governor andrew cuomo, as a new report in "the new york times" alleges his top aides altered a state health report in june 2020 to conceal the number of nursing home residents who died of covid-19. the cuomo administration's initial public count excluded residents who died in hospitals. at the time, cuomo was making plans to write a book on his handling of the pandemic, for which he has won widespread praise. a senior adviser now responding to nbc news that the hospital data was left out after the state health department could not confirm it had been adequately verified and said it did not change the report's conclusion. this as two of the three women who claim cuomo sexually harassed them are speaking out. >> without explicitly saying it, he implied to me that i was old enough for him, and he was lonely.

>> reporter: 25-year-old charlotte bennett was an executive assistant to cuomo. she told cbs news she had a disturbing conversation with the governor in his office on june 5th. >> he asked me if age difference mattered. he also explained that he was fine with anyone over 22. i thought, he's trying to sleep with me. the governor is trying to sleep with me. and i'm deeply uncomfortable, and i have to get out of this room as soon as possible. >> reporter: when asked for comment, cuomo's spokesperson referred us to wednesday's press conference. >> i never, ever meant to offend anyone or hurt anyone or cause anyone pain. >> reporter: and the governor's apology. >> i was apologizing to the young woman who worked here, who

said that i made her feel uncomfortable. >> reporter: an apology bennett does not accept. >> he has not apologized for sexually harassing me. he can't even use my name. >> reporter: another former aide, lindsey boylan, says the governor made inappropriate remarks during her tenure and gave her an unwanted kiss. today in "harper's bazaar," boylan says, i'm really not focused on punishment. i'm focused on accountability. now, as for boylan's accusations, governor cuomo has denied them in the past. looking ahead, the accountability she seeks could begin to happen when the attorney general appoints an independent investigator to look into these claims. craig? >> anne thompson for us this morning, thank you. meanwhile, debate is beginning today in the u.s. senate on president biden's nearly $2 trillion covid relief bill. there is growing debate across the counates should reopen. we have two reports. let's get started with chief white house correspondent

kristen welker. kristen, let's get to it. let's walk through the latest on this relief bill, where things stand, where the debate is headed. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. the bill is still on track to pass but at this hour there's numbers adding urgency. the economy added 379,000 jobs in february which is more than what economists were expecting but it's still nowhere near pre-covid levels. more than 9 million jobs have been lost since last year. as for the relief bill, thursday highlighted the pressure president biden faces from congress. in a dramatic delay tactic, senator ron johnson had staff read the entire covid relief bill, some 628 pages, a process that took more than ten hours. there's still no republican support for the $1.9 trillion piece of legislation. vice president kamala harris had to break the senate's 50-50 party line tie to get the bill

forward to this point, a sign of just how divided congress is right now. what's in and what's out? the direct payments are in the bill going to individuals making less than $80,000 and couples making less than $160,000 and billions of dollars for vaccines and child tax credit. savannah? >> thank you. as for the fight against the virus, the cdc says more than 2 people in this country are getting the vaccine every day but there are new concerns this morning over the potential spread of the virus as more states announce plans to scrap covid restrictions including the rule on wearing masks. morgan chesky is in dallas. morgan, good morning. >> reporter: craig, good morning. hard to believe, in just five days, texas is going to be joining mississippi in completely reopening, and that means dropping those mask requirements. today, health officials growing even more concerned, as yet another state looks to follow

their lead. this morning, in more states, masks are coming off. as texas and now alabama set deadlines for their statewide mask mandates. >> let me be abundantly clear. after april the 9th, i will not keep the mask order in effect. >> reporter: in all, 17 states will not require face coverings. the rollbacks come as the country's progress plateaus, between 60,000 to 70,000 new cases each day. >> it really is quite risky to completely remove all of the public health measures and just act like there's no virus in the community. >> reporter: the white house amplifying their calls to follow proven safety measures. >> it's imperative that people listen across the country, whether they live in a red state or a blue state, to the guidance of public health experts. >> reporter: while california's health department doubles down, saying wearing two masks is an effective way to improve fit and filtration, in states easing up, the messaging is mixed.

>> do they really need the state to tell them what they already know for their own personal behavior? >> reporter: now, businesses are left to decide how to reopen. many big retailers will still make customers mask up. but one of the state's largest grocery chains in the state will only require employees to wear masks and strongly encourage shoppers do the same. the texas restaurant association, which represents more than 40,000 eateries, is also advising patrons to keep masks on. >> i will definitely still be wearing a mask. >> reporter: meanwhile, the vaccine rollout is picking up pace, averaging 2 million shots a day, with 54 million americans receiving at least one dose. not included in the latest count, johnson & johnson's vaccine, now being distributed across the country. >> we can conceivably vaccinate the entire county in weeks. >> reporter: with 20 million doses expected by april, the one-dose shot could be a major boost for national vaccination numbers. and as those national

vaccination numbers go up nationwide, so do the covid variants. of particular concern is a brazilian strain that may be resistant to vaccines. it's been detected in six states, including new jersey an craig? >> concerns over the variants. also, morgan, new worries this morning over some technology that's commonly used in public places, like schools and airports, to check for fevers. what are these concerns about? >> reporter: yeah, this new research is interesting and it's particularly talking about those thermal imaging thermometers. it's come, through recent studies, that they may be not able to detect your temperature as accurately as prior thought. the fda has a statement on this. it reads in part improper use of thermal imaging systems may lead to inaccurate body temperature measurements and can lead to serious public health risk. of course, that concern is, you could have covid-19, the temperature might not read up in the scanner, and then you're in close proximity to those who are

uninfected. that's why this warning is now being issued. craig, we'll send it back to you. >> morgan chesky, thank you. sheinelle joins us with another story we're watching closely. good morning. >> good morning. u.s. capitol police are asking national guard members to stay around a while longer. officials requested up to 2,200 troops to protect the complex another two months the proposal is now bein reviewed by the pentagon meantime, a former state department aide has been arrested in connection with january's capitol riot documents obtained by nbc news allege that federico klein was seen on video assaulting police officers it appears to be the first criminal case connected to a member of the trump administration stemming from the attack guys >> all right, sheinelle. meanwhile, it's a cold start to the day across much of the country. al, you promised us a warm-up, haven't you? >> i have. >> good. >> i have. >> when? >> what, no asterisks allowed. >> we have to get through today first. take a look.

we have wind gusts from 30 to 20 miles per hour out into the northeast. wind chills right now, it feels like 10 in boston, 13 here in new york, 11 in pittsburgh, 12 in detroit this cold air extends all the way, nashville, atlanta, charlotte. wait for it though, even though temperatures are below average, we get to the beginning of the week, now we're talking. >> there you go. >> nashville, 73 on thursday 75 in atlanta on thursday. thursday, 69 in charlotte. okay, great lakes, what about you? below average temperatures right through the weekend, but wait for it, boom thursday, 55 in detroit. 64, cincinnati across the board, pittsburgh, you'll be up to 60 northeast, oh, my gosh, weekend temperatures, boston, down 12 degrees below average. new york around 10 degrees washington, d.c., 10 degrees let's hit it, boom >> yeah. >> those numbers are awfully nice 60 by thursday in boston new york city, 60. upper 60s in washington, d.c we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next

30 seconds and your books are set for the month! ...going up against this guy... and pitching your idea 100 times. no, no, no! no. i like it. -he likes it! ...and you definitely love that. intuit quickbooks helps small businesses be more successful with payments, payroll, banking and live bookkeeping. good friday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. a live look outside over the south bay, and we're waking up to a hazy su is sunny, and it's also very chilly. this is a look at our temperatures and where we're headed for today. 67 degrees for the south bay, the tri-valley, inland east bay with some low 60s for the north bay and low 60s near the coastline, and in san francisco. but then this forecast changes for tonight, with some

quick-moving rain and clearing out for the rest of the weekend. >> and this's that he your latest weather. guys? >> mr. roker, casual al on friday. i had the sneakers. >> you did that's why you're so energetic. >> yeah, baby. straight ahead here, straight ahead on a friday morning, tensions within the royal family reaching new heights ahead of prince harry and meghan markle's explosive interview this weekend we're live at buckingham palace. plus, the nfl looking ahead to next season, and it has some exciting news to share this morning. guess what it is going to be revealed right here on "today." no, not harry and meghan no an nfl historic announcement we've got it, too.

coming up, craig, an important and deeply personal story. >> yeah, with the loss of our brother lawrence a few months ago, my younger brother and i being proactive about our health, and that includes

screenings ryan let us join us for his first coals no pi. after your local news. but i don't have a capital one card. you should get one! but you don't need it for this. just download capital one shopping to your computer. it's free! ooooo, save me some cheddar! so... when's the party? i love fondue. really? i never joke about hot cheese, susan. me neither. capital one shopping. it's kinda genius. what's in your wallet? introducing voltaren arthritis pain gel. the first full prescription strength non-steroidal anti-inflammatory gel... available over the counter. voltaren is powerful arthritis pain relief in a gel. voltaren. the joy of movement. hi sabrina! >>hi jen! so this aveeno® moisturizer goes beyond just soothing sensitive skin? exactly jen! calm + restore oat gel is formulated with prebiotic oat. and strengthens skin's moisture barrier. uh! i love it! aveeno® healthy. it's our nature.™

hey rodgers! look, i'm you! jake from state farm, you couldn't find a stand-in that looked anything like me? have you seen mine? like looking in a mirror, right? now that one makes sense. look guys, i don't even have a stand-in. of course, you do. hold on, is that drake?? that's right. drake from state farm. (in unison) like a good neighbor (in unison again) like a good neighbor hey, stand-ins don't have lines. oh, okay. like a good neighbor, state farm is there

(host) you want healthy ingredients. your cat is all about the the flavor. like a good neighbor, tastefuls has it all. (molly) i really want him to eat well but he's just really picky. okay, he seems interested. i think he likes it. i have a new cat food...blue tastefuls. one taste is all it takes. antibacterial or moisturizing body wash? definitely moisturizer! antibacterial can i have both? new dove care & protect body wash eliminates 99% of bacteria and moisturizes for hours two for one! can i keep it? new dove care & protect, zero compromise!

i embrace getting older. can i keep it? i'm so much more confident now. but i don't love that as i age, i could develop gum issues. new colgate renewal reverses early gum damage, for a beautiful, revitalized smile. i can't wait to see what comes next! reverse early gum damage with new colgate renewal. ♪ ♪ are you ready to join the duers? those who du more with less asthma. thanks to dupixent. the add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma. dupixent isn't for sudden breathing problems. it can improve lung function for better breathing in as little as 2 weeks and help prevent severe asthma attacks. it's not a steroid but can help reduce or eliminate oral steroids. dupixent can cause serious allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. get help right away if you have rash, shortness of breath, chest pain, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection and don't change or stop your asthma treatments, including steroids, without talking to your doctor.

du more with less asthma. talk to your asthma specialist about dupixent. if your financial situation has changed, we may be able to help. a very good morning to you. it is 7:26. i'm laura garcia. we have breaking news right now, our top story, because firefighters right now are at the scene of a fire in downtown san jose, it is not very far from the s.a.p. center. they say one person was injured, taken to the hospital, no word yet on the extent of those injuries. the fire is near west st. john and north autumn. several street closures in the surrounding area so you should avoid the area. i'm thom jensen in san jose. santa clara county health officials are warning that

they've been told there will be a shortage of secondmo dderna v they're canceling first dose appointments, rescheduling those people, and trying to get those second doses coming in. this comes as sutter health announced that it will have a shortage of more than 90,000 vaccines. we hope to get more details on this latest shortage coming up later today. >> thank you very much, thom. kari has a look at our forecast for this friday morning. a cool start but it should be nice. >> it will be a nice day, we're waking up to sunshine as we take a live look outside, but we are expecting some rain and it's set to move in late tonight. first starting in the north bay, with some briefly heavy downpours, right around 9:00 to 10:00 tonight, and continuing to quickly sweep through before sunrise, that rain is moving in and out, and will continue to enjoy the rest of our weekend, with some sunshine into the rest of the next several days, but there will be some rain coming in on monday, and much cooler

temperatures, take a look at the highs next week, with the showers, only reach into the mid-50s. laura? >> all right, thank you very much. once again monitoring the fire downtown san jose near west st. john and autumn. no ring injuries to report.

this unplugged device is protecting our beautiful coastlines and more. put off chores and use less energy from 4 to 9 pm to help keep our state golden. covid has made clear that having health insurance is more important than ever. at covered california, every plan is comprehensive, covering everything from preventive care to mental health. and it's the only place that offers financial help for health insurance. enrollment is open due to covid-19.

if you or someone you know isn't covered, now is the time to sign up. covered california. this way to health insurance. enroll now at coveredca.com. 2021 all-star game. team lebron selects giannis antetokounmpo, the greek freak. >> the greek freak. back at 7:30. lebron james there. >> the best possible way. >> yes. >> nickname in the league. lebron took the league's reigning mvp at last night's all-star draft, all-star game sunday. >> he's having fun with it now, but i guess when the game was first announced, king james and several other players were quick to push back. what changed? we'll have more on that coming up. >> maybe more curtis blow, as

well. let's get to the headlines here. we're going to start with the drama and intrigue surrounding the royal family ahead of prince harry and meghan markle's primetime interview. we'll talk about it with victoria arbiter, an expert on the royals, in a moment. let's start with "today" senior international correspondent keir simmons, who is standing by at buckingham palace. they must be waiting with bated breath. >> reporter: good morning. in the latest segment from the interview meghan say that is she was prevented by the palace to choose which interviews she could do before her wedding. as a royal historian tells us, this is the biggest crisis since the death of diana. buckingham palace bracing for sunday's interview. >> what is right about this time?

>> well, so many things. that we're on the other side of a lot of -- a lot of life experience that's happened and also that we have the ability to make our own choices. in a way that i couldn't have said yes to you then. that wasn't my choice to make. so as an adult who lived a really independent life to then go into this construct that is different than i think what people imagine it to be, it's really liberated to be able to have the right and the privilege in some ways to be able to say yes. >> and to say for yourself? >> that i'm ready to talk. yeah. to be just be able to make a choice on your own and speak for yourself. >> reporter: reports say the interview is sold to broadcasters around the world

and broadcast on uk television monday evening so the queen and royal officials may not see it until monday. the escalating and public clash began february 15th when they announced the oprah interview and then the palace said they exited as working royals forever and then on monday this week the first glimpse of them talking to oprah. >> you've said some pretty shocking things here. >> reporter: by tuesday night a bombshell report claiming meghan faced bullying complaints in 2018 and accused palace officials of perpetuating falsehoods. the spokesperson branded the claims as a calculated smear. kensington palace releasing this image, the message we are rising above all this and the truth is that part of the fuel for what's

happening is a terrible falling out of william and harry. the problem for buckingham palace, where does it end? >> exactly. thank you. >> how damaging is this? >> i think incredibly damaging and that's the sadness. this is a very real family at the center. any family can be the problems but this is playing out on the global stage. now, i think in terms of major concerns, they are beginning to be conscious of the account on sunday will be harry and meghan's version of events. the royal family are unlikely to respond, they rarely do. as a result, there will be only one account in the public domain. there's generally three sides middle. they're also going to be concerned about how this plays out in the days following the interview.

you can be sure every nod, every look, every smile is going to be interpreted. people are going to be filling in the blanks. they're going to be reading between the lines. we've only had 90 seconds worth of promos, and already coverage is off the charts. there's still a lot more to come. >> you know, i always noticed that in the queen's communications about any of these issues, it feels she's always taking pains to say she loves harry and that he remains part of the family. but do you think all of this has finally driven a real rift in the family relationship, especially when you're talking about prince philip in the hospital right now? >> i think, certainly, the short-term damage is going to be immense. we have only to look back at 1995, when diana did her panorama interview. she and princess margaret historically shared a warm and friendly relationship. they were close. princess margaret felt the tell-all interview was a betrayal, and their relationship never recovered.

when we look at the coming months, prince harry is expected to go to london, compared to when his baby is due, for philip's 100th birthday. the queen's 95th birthday. he and william is supposed to be unveiling a statue of princess diana on what would have been her 60th birthday. at the moment given where relations are and hostilities are, i don't see how that can be anything other than a devastating and traumatic experience for all involved. >> well, awkward family occasions, royals, they are just like us. victoria, thank you very much. we appreciate it. >> thank you. all right. when we come back, an exclusive and groundbreaking announcement from the nfl. >> the major change you'll be seeing on the field next season, and the woman at the center of this historic moment. there she is, joining us live. first, these messages. nt ♪ this is the first day of my life♪

♪ i was born right in the doorway♪ feel the cool rush of claritin cool mint chewables. ♪ i do powerful 24-hour,e been♪ non-drowsy, allergy relief plus an immediate cooling sensation for your throat. feel the clarity, and live claritin clear. take a piece of chocolate if you're the tallest. (ava and olivia laugh) take a piece of chocolate if you're better at eating your vegetables. (ava and olivia laugh) take a piece of chocolate if you love sharing. ♪♪ (ava and olivia laugh) ♪♪

the world around you may seem like an immovable, implacable place. it is not. it can be bright. quiet. and safe. it's a change that will be felt from this street. to this street. to no street. and everywhere in between. all it takes is the slightest push in just the right place and that will be the tipping point that changes everything. ♪ ♪ downtherecare with cottonelle. downthere... and that will be the tipping point that changes everything. 'cause you're all over your overall wellness so #treatyourself with the cleaningripples of cottonelle toilet paper and flushable wipes, the refreshingly clean routine that l inside and out, care. downtherecare with cottonelle

ahhhh (kid 1) we're coming for you, lucky! (lucky) this st. patrick's day, me clover charms turn milk green. (kid 1) where'd he go? (kid 2) we must've made a wrong turn. (lucky) turn your milk green with me special lucky charms! (lucky singing) they're magically delicious! loves me. loves me not. new neutrogena® skin balancing! 3 made-for-you formulas with 2% pha exfoliate and condition for soft, balanced skin. find the one. neutrogena® i have the power to lower my a1c. because i can still make my own insulin. and trulicity activates my body to release it. once-weekly trulicity is for type 2 diabetes. most people taking it reached an a1c under 7%. trulicity may also help you lose up to 10 pounds and lower your risk of cardiovascular events, whether you know you're at risk or not. trulicity isn't for people with type 1 diabetes. it's not approved for use in children. don't take trulicity if you're allergic to it,

you or your family have medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. stop trulicity and call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction, a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, changes in vision, or diabetic retinopathy. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. taking trulicity with sulfonylurea or insulin raises low blood sugar risk. side effects include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and may worsen kidney problems. i have it within me to lower my a1c. we are back. 7:40 with a game-changing "today" exclusive. >> as you know, march is women's history month. we are excited to say we have a little history to announce right here, right now. >> during the week, maia chaka is a teacher in virginia, but weekends are devoted to refereeing football. this morning, we are happy to reveal the nfl is naming her as the league's very first black

female official. we'll talk with maia live in a minute, but first, how she earned her place in the record books. >> reporter: maia chaka is poised to make pro football history. the nfl is naming chaka as its second-ever female referee and its first black woman to join its officiating ranks. >> into the end zone, i believe. touchdown. >> reporter: chaka has been training with the nfl since 2014. most recently, she's been sprinting the sidelines at the college level during the pac-12 conference. last year, she officiated with the short-lived xfl. chaka joins new colleague sarah thomas, who broke the nfl's gender barrier in 2015, and became the first woman to officiate the super bowl last month. she talked with "today" about breaking the gridiron glass ceiling. >> what does it take to be good that the? >> it is just a dedication,

surrounding yourself with a lot of good people, never depend on anybody were anything and hold yourself accountable. don't make excuses. >> she has a similar love of the game and also a celebrated educator. >> chaka! >> for more than a decade she taught health and pe to at-risk youth in virginia beach and named the city's teacher of the year. she discussed the importance of that role with espn. >> it brings a lot of people together and by me being a teacher at home in virginia beach, it gives those girls an opportunity to see, okay, i see my teacher work with people that don't look like her. >> maia chaka is with us exclusively. good morning congratulations. as i understand it, your whole friends, family, your students, everybody found out just about, oh, two minutes ago with the rest of us how do you think they're reacting this morning?

>> they're probably going nuts it's a great thing i have my phone on silent because i know it's blowing up right now at this moment. >> how do you feel in this moment, maia this is so exciting on so many levels >> well, you know, it didn't really hit me until just now >> oh wow! >> with the introduction, i'm like, this is really real. this is just something that we're always taught to work hard for. you know, sometimes we just don't take time to stop and smell our own roses. grinding for so long at this, it's just an honor to be able to join the national football league >> this has certainly been a long time coming for you do you remember when you got the call that this was finally happening, and what they told you? >> yeah. so i received the call march 1st at around 9:15 p.m >> you do. >> but who is counting >> yeah. i received the call from one of the vps, wayne mackie, who actually has been -- he took me under his wing a few years ago

i thought he was really just calling me, you know, to kind of just talk. i'm like, okay, i'll answer the phone. conversation goes, "hey, i know we have a meeting with you sometime this week i just want to get you prepared for the meeting. also, you have a lot of work ahead of you." i said, "a lot of work ahead of me okay." he goes, national football league." and i just went nuts i said, hey, you punking me? you have got to be kidding i've been at it so long, and i never thought the day would come i just enjoyed working. >> you heard the famous phrase, "welcome to the nfl," maia i love what you told our producer she asked you, what does it take what does it take to be a good referee? besides knowing the rules backwards and forwards, what does it take to do this job? >> well, you need to have a lot of patience. after you have the patience, you have to be able to listen. then you need to have the confidence on the field to make

a call you also need to make sure you are very decisive. whatever decision you make, you and it is not necessarily how many mistakes you make, but it's how you recover from the mistakes that you make. >> have you thought about that first big game and how you'll feel do you feel any pressure >> i've thought about it it's just a great thing that i have so much time to prepare for my first game. so hopefully i'll be prepared as soon as that first kick-off hits i think i may have some jitters, similar to what it was like today before i talked to you all, may have the first moment jitters before kick-off. >> we're nicer than nfl players in the heat of the game. >> we don't count. >> maia, something else i love about you, you're going to make history in the nfl, but during the week, you're teaching pe, teaching health at that special school in virginia teacher of the year a few years ago, as we understand it what do you want your students to take away from this history-making moment?

>> i want them to -- well, obviously, i never played the game of football, but i've loved it for so much -- i mean, for so many years i want them to know, if you have a passion for something, if you have a drive for something, don't let it hold you back because you think that something may give you some type of limitation continue to work hard, and always, always, always follow your dreams. >> maia, congratulations we are really honored to help you share your news with the world this morning you can answer the phone it's your mom calling. can't wait to see you on the field. >> i love that she's a teacher. >> oh, yeah. >> super inspiring. >> so great. >> worked hard all those years man, good things 7:46 mr. roker, feels like a good time to check in for a look at the weather. >> windy and cold today in the northeast. sunshine through the south and on into the gulf coast we have wet weather making its the

good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. as we were starting out on our friday morning, it's nice and sunny, but we'll start to see some clouds moving in later today, with our temperatures reaching into the low 60s in the north bay. look for a high of 64 in oakland, as well as palo alto. 67 in san jose and through the forecast, the rain quickly passes late tonight. the rest of the weekend is dry and we'll see some more widespread showers early next week. >> and that's your latest weather. guys >> al, thank you. craig, coming up, i know you have a story we hope will encourage all of you to take charge of your health. >> yeah. i recently lost my older brother, lawrence, to colon cancer his fight has really inspired me and my other brother, younger brother, to get more serious about our health, and to get screened a firsthand look at the life-saving difference a colonoscopy can make there's young melvin

first, these messages. carson joins us. that's wh't to help reduce your risk of fracture with prolia®. only prolia® is proven to help strengthen and protect bones from fracture with 1 shot every 6 months. do not take prolia® if you have low blood calcium, are pregnant, are allergic to it, or take xgeva®. serious allergic reactions like low blood pressure, trouble breathing, throat tightness, face, lip or tongue swelling, rash, itching or hives have happened. tell your doctor about dental problems, as severe jaw bone problems may happen. or new or unusual pain in your hip, groin, or thigh, as unusual thigh bone fractures have occurred. speak to your doctor before stopping, skipping or delaying prolia®, as spine and other bone fractures have occurred. prolia® can cause serious side effects, like low blood calcium, serious infections, which could need hospitalization, skin problems, and severe bone, joint, or muscle pain. don't wait for a break, call your doctor today, and ask about prolia®.

breaks the internet? that means working night and day... ...and delegating to an experienced live bookkeeper for peace of mind. your books are all set. so you can finally give john some attention. trusted experts. guaranteed accurate books. intuit quickbooks live. my dermatologist was raving about pure retinol. it's amazing. new revitalift night serum with pure retinol our most potent retinol. in a clinical test, 100% of women showed reduction of wrinkles, even deep ones. new revitalift night serum with pure retinol from l'oréal paris. (geri) i smoked and i have copd.

my children are really worried. my tip is, send your kids a text. it may be the last time that you do. (announcer) you can quit. for free help, call 1-800-quit now. make fitness routine with pure protein. high protein. low sugar. tastes great! high protein. low sugar. so good. high protein. low sugar. mmm, birthday cake. pure protein bars and shakes. for every fitness routine. pure protein bars and shakes. nature's recipe® knows a dog's best life is measured in wags. (bark) that's why every recipe is made with carefully chosen ingredients, like chicken, sweet potato and pumpkin. fuel your dog's best life every day with nature's recipe®. (vo) last year subaru and our retailers

donated 50 million meals to feeding america. and yet, one in four children may still face hunger. so, subaru and our retailers are doing it again, donating an additional 100 million meals to help love. it's never been needed more than right now. subaru. more than a car company. (vo 2) to join us with a donation, go to subaru.com. plaque psoriasis, the burning, itching. the pain. with tremfya®, adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis can uncover clearer skin and improve symptoms at 16 weeks. serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. tremfya®. emerge tremfyant™. janssen can help you explore cost support options.

carson joins us. morning. >> good morning, guys. everybody was perplexed yesterday when i showed you the deep fake tom cruise videos. tom costello took a closer look to see how they're made and why they're raising concerns if it really is tom costello, he'll have it after your local news okay. then go there. (clicking) you like snow? go there. (clicking) do you like doing things in and around the water? great. go there. (clicking) the all-new, adventure-ready bronco sport. with seven available g.o.a.t. modes built to go over any type of terrain.

life... doesn't stop for diabetes. be ready for every moment, with glucerna. it's the number one doctor recommended brand that is scientifically designed to help manage your blood sugar. live every moment. glucerna. hi. so you're the scientist here. does my aveeno® daily moisturizer really make my dry skin healthier in one day? it's true jen. this prebiotic oat formula moisturizes to help prevent dry skin. impressive! aveeno® healthy. it's our nature.™ try the body wash, too. this is kansas. and this is country crock. we start with farm-grown ingredients, slow-churned in the middle of the country. we've also been at the middle of tables for generations. no matter where your table is, bring the country in. no matter where your table is, t-mobile is the leader in 5g. we also believe in putting people first by treating them right. so we're upping the benefits without upping the price. introducing magenta max. now with unlimited premium data that can't slow down based on how much smartphone data you use.

plus get netflix on us, and taxes and fees included! you won't find this with the other guys. in fact, you'll pay more and get less. right now, pay zero costs to switch! and bring your phone -- we'll pay it off! only at t-mobile. the sun is incredible. it makes our lipton tea leaves better. and time together even better. and drinking lipton can help support a healthy heart. lipton is a proud sponsor of the american heart association's life is why campaign. ♪ we make it easy for you! ♪ lipton is a proud sponsor ♪ you need to get your taxes right, ♪ ♪ but we know that money is tight. ♪ ♪ file free! ♪ ♪ you could file online for free, max refund guaranteed. ♪ ♪ file online for free... ♪ ♪ block has your back. ♪

i embrace getting older. i'm so much more confident now. but i don't love that as i age, i could develop gum issues. new colgate renewal reverses early gum damage, for a beautiful, revitalized smile. i can't wait to see what comes next! reverse early gum damage with new colgate renewal. (drill sergeant) what a pleasant morning. it's warm, but not too warm. (private) why's he so happy? (buzz) he's happy because found out that honey nut cheerios can help lower cholesterol. (drill sergeant) so, i propose a quiet, meditative walk through nature. (buzz) now available with happy heart shapes for a limited time. woman: i have moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. now, there's skyrizi. 3 out of 4 people achieved 90% clearer skin at 4 months after just 2 doses. skyrizi may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. before treatment, your doctor should check you for infections and tuberculosis. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms, such as fevers, sweats, chills, muscle aches or coughs, or if you plan to or recently received a vaccine. ♪ nothing is everything ♪ woman: now is the time to ask your dermatologist about skyrizi.

of a very good morning to you. it is 7:56. i'm laura garcia. here's a look at what's happening now. i'm kris sanchez. movie theaters are starting to reopen. you'll have seats to the left and right and a row in front of you and behind you. the cinelux is a family owned business, rushing to retrain workers with new sanitation protocols and social distancing requirements, they have five bay area locations. amc theaters reopening locations in santa clara county area, also san francisco, including one with dine-in facilities in sunnyvale. good morning, everyone. i'm scott mcgrew. california congressman eric swalwell filed a civil suit against donald trump, donald trump jr., rudy giuliani and others claiming that they violated people's civil rights

by allegedly inspiring the attack on the capitol. it is extremely difficult to sue a person for their acts in office particularly the president. and now as we get a look at our seven-day forecast, our rain will be moving in late tonight, and it's out of here for the rest of the weekend, we'll enjoy some sunshine with some slightly cooler temperatures. next week we have some more rain on the way and even more of a cooldown with highs reaching into the mid to upper 50s. off and on showers monday through wednesday but it looks like we'll see things clearing out again by next thursday. we'll have more updates throughout today. >> all right, thanks so much, kari. [ muted ]

this is a no-nonsense message from three.

small business insurance usually doesn't cover everything you need. it's long on pages. short on coverage. that's why three was created. it covers your entire business in just one policy. because small business owners have enough on their hands. so go with three and leave those old policies in the dust. sawdust. technically. don't interrupt the spokesperson. this commercial is now over. logo. three. no nonsense. just common sense.

it's 8:00 on "today. coming up, historic visit. overnight, pope francis touches down in iraq, the first-ever papal trip to that country this morning, his message of peace to a region in crisis. we're live with the latest. then raising awareness craig helps his brother through his first colonoscopy in honor of their late older brother. >> what do you expect the doctor will find once he starts to look around in there? >> a great colon. a great colon. >> ahead, their message about taking control of your own health. plus, the not so real deal inside the deepfake technology

that's making fans do a double-take. >> why is this happening to me >> how does it work, and what should you watch out for >> deepfake technology has a hard time staying in high fidelity on larger screens >> we'll break it down and priceless payoff we'll introduce you to a remarkable woman who took a second job at the nursing home where her dad lived so she could see him. ♪ i can count on you ♪ >> dumbfounded how did you get in >> why she says it was all worth it today, friday, march 5th, 2021. ♪ i got you, moonlight ♪ >> celebrated my 48th birthday in richmond, virginia. >> hi, this is the price family in columbus, ohio. we'd like to wish our daughter, olivia, happy 15th birthday. >> and sophia a happy 10th birthday ♪ all night ♪ >> dressing in blue for colorectal cancer awareness. >> caregivers across the country --

>> we love you. ♪ yeah, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ >> good morning, everybody welcome back to "today" on this friday morning glad you're with us. hoda has the morning off, and we are all wearing blue we want to remember that it is colorectal awareness month it is also really personal around here. craig, you've had a lot of loss due to colon cancer. >> yes. >> we're here, wrapping our arms around you as you tell a personal story this morning. >> i love you guys for it, and you look great in your blue, by the way. my younger brother was supposed to get his colonoscopy a couple years ago and put it off >> so you were like, let's bring a camera crew. >> there you go. >> would that make you do it >> a lot of people put it off. >> we shamed him into getting one. we hope his journey will inspire you to get checked, as well. monday, we have a big event, as well. >> it'll be a good one it is international women's day. did you know that? the hardships of the pandemic are giving it an added weight this year. it's been a difficult job market can we talk about homeschooling?

so many moms doing so much of the work with this balance they're trying to reach. across all four hours of "today," we're going to get into it and focus on those issues the challenges but also some solutions. >> we're looking forward to it women will be joining us live from all across the country. experts will share advice for getting our lives back on track. we'll also have fun with music stars idena menzel and chaka khan that's monday morning, only on "today." >> i'm here for it >> yes. let's get to your news at 8:00 the pope landed in iraq this morning. his first trip to that country which, of course, recently has been rocked by new violence and scarred by civil war nbc's chief foreign correspondent richard engel is in baghdad this morning for the arrival. good morning >> reporter: good morning, savannah there were many reasons to call this off, but i'm told the pope personally wanted this trip to go forward he landed here in baghdad not long ago right now, he is inside the

presidential palace. this is the protocol part of his trip, but soon, he will be getting the actual pilgrimage itself it is being described by the vatican as a pilgrimage of peace. he'll be visiting a church attacked by an al qaeda affiliate a decade ago, and dozens of christians were massacred inside one of the main objectives of this visit is to show solidarity with the christian community here that's suffered so much over the last several years of civil war. many christians have left this country, have left this region he's trying to preserve this community, one of the most ancient christian communities in the world, and also, reach out across the faith divide and show that muslims and christians and jews can live together in this difficult region in peace. savannah >> important message, richard. thank you very much. now to the latest on the coronavirus. with more states now brushing aside federal health warnings and lifting their mask mandates. alabama's governor announcing

thursday her state will end its mask rule next month texas just days away from joining mississippi in a complete reopening without mandatory face coverings dr. anthony fauci calling the moves, quote, risky and ill-advised. meanwhile, the cdc says more than 2 million people received covid vaccine shots every day during the past week that means at least 54 million americans have now had at least one dose. on that note, covid concerns are having a major impact on sunday's nba all-star game for players, families, and friends blayne alexander is in the host city, atlanta, with a look at the changes. good morning >> reporter: sheinelle, good morning to you typically, the nba all-star weekend is just that, an entire weekend. this year, it's been condensed into a single evening. the game will be played on sunday, and that dunk contest is happening during halftime. now, the nba says essentially, they're forming a mini bubble here in atlanta with the players association on board for some, there are still

concerns about holding this event during a pandemic. this morning, across the nba, all eyes are on all-star weekend. >> oh! >> reporter: but not all players are fully on board in the weeks leading up to the game, some have made it clear they would not be thrilled to play amid a pandemic and after a shortened offseason. >> i want to see my family >> reporter: even team captain lebron james. >> pretty much a slap in the face i'll be there if i'm selected, but i'll be there physically but not mentally. >> reporter: the league is trotting out a list of covid precautions. before travel, players largely quarantined, then tested they and their families will take private transportation to atlanta, where they will essentially quarantine again inside the arena, only family, friends, and a limited number of fans as for seating, socially distanced, in groups of four or less, all from the same household. does this plan do enough to

address concerns from players? >> we feel very comfortable that the policies, the protocols that are in place should maintain the high standards that we've set for health and safety. >> reporter: but new safety concerns stretch far beyond the arena. around atlanta, promoters are pushing a slew of parties pinned to all-star weekend, many headlined by big-name entertainers all of it as georgia becomes the sixth state to top 1 million covid cases, according to nbc news atlanta's mayor ppleading with would-be partiers, stay at home. >> we're asking people to please continue to respect where we are with this pandemic and not travel to our city for this game >> congratulations >> get ready to go to atlanta now. let's get ready to go to atlanta. >> reporter: still, for first-time all-stars like zach levine, even a toned down game is a dream come true. >> it is a giant honor to play and compete and have fun for the fans

i don't take it for granted. >> reporter: you heard some excitement there you mentioned earlier that even king lebron seems to be having fun with it. king james is getting on board wifocus is more than basketball. the group more than a vote, th voting rights group founded in part by lebron james released a new ad that is going to be airing during the coverage of the game the league itself is also doing some things to shine a spotlight on hbcus, historically black colleges and universities, even raising more than $3 million for students sheinelle? >> good deal busy time in atlanta blayne, thank you. 8:08 hoda isn't here, but can we still boost? >> someone must boost us, and it shall be me today. this dog owner you're about to see has four cute dogs when it is time for a treat, she lines them all up, and each one gets a turn. that's how it is supposed to go. dog one gets a treat dog two is next. get it dog two has to figure it out >> look at that.

>> keeps moving down the line to get an extra treat, while the others sit patiently >> that's a smart dog. >> how funny is that >> one smart puppy one person who watched the video said, that's what i do when they hand out free sample at the food court. >> they're like, you're back >> exactly no, that wasn't me >> well played. up next, a story we want everyone to see. craig walking his younger brother through his first colonoscopy. an often dreaded by important medical test. >> i'm a little nervous, but i know that this is going to do a lot of good. >> certainly hope so we hope that by pulling back the curtain, we can inspire you to take charge of your health right after this wow. that's a low price. oh wow, that's a low price. what? ooo, that's a low price. you're so good at low prices. yeah. circle back on that later... that's a low price. dan, you're off mute buddy. no, no low price!

- dog lice? - low price! oh, that's a low price! i'm gonna get it! with everyday low prices at amazon, anytime is a good time to save. ♪ ♪ are you ready to join the duers? those who du more with less asthma. thanks to dupixent. the add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma. dupixent isn't for sudden breathing problems. it can improve lung function for better breathing in as little as 2 weeks and help prevent severe asthma attacks. it's not a steroid but can help reduce or eliminate oral steroids. dupixent can cause serious allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. get help right away if you have rash, shortness of breath, chest pain, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection and don't change or stop your asthma treatments, du more with less asthma.

talk to your asthma specialist about dupixent. if your financial situation has changed, we may be able to help. not everybody wants the same thing. if your financial situation has changed, that's why i go with liberty mutual — they customize my car insurance so i only pay for what i need. 'cause i do things a bit differently. wet teddy bears! wet teddy bears here! only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪ (host) you want healthy ingredients. your cat is all about the the flavor. tastefuls has it all. (molly) i really want him to eat well but he's just really picky. okay, he seems interested. i think he likes it. i have a new cat food...blue tastefuls. one taste is all it takes. never run dry of... killer attitude. or hydration.

neutrogena® hydro boost. the #1 hyaluronic acid moisturizer delivers 2x the hydration for supple, bouncy skin. neutrogena®. and free, and free, and free, and free, and free. not a better and free! free down, free down. hit free here, free where there. down a free free down a free free here. not a better and free. make it at free. hit free here, where a free there. no no no, free, free. make it at free. free! that's right, turbotax free edition is free. free, free free free. find your rhythm. your happy place. that's right, turbotax free edition is free. find your breaking point. then break it. every emergen-c gives you a potent blend of nutrients so you can emerge your best with emergen-c. welcome back. march is colorectal cancer awareness month.

it is a disease expected to claim nearly 53,000 lives this year. it's one that has certainly hit close to home for our beloved friend, craig. >> as many of you know, craig recently lost his older brother, lawrence, after a four-year battle. sto help raise awareness. we commend you for that, buddy. >> thanks, man. we hope to save lives. far too many families lost loved ones to colon cancer. it is the third most common cancer among african-americans. as with lawrence, it can strike people in the prime of their lives. to raise awareness and try to help make a difference, lawrence allowed us to share his story and his fight inspired me to get checked out. now, now it's my kid brother's turn. >> we ought to take time out of our schedule. >> reporter: he was my big brother, lawrence. always laughing, forever thoughtful, and born with a powerful faith. four years ago, we learned he'd been diagnosed with stage four colon cancer.

the news stunned us all. because lawrence was just 39. i could not get my head around it being you because you, no smoking. >> yeah. >> no drinking. >> yeah. >> no partying. >> yeah. i was like, man, i should have been drinking and smoking and doing all that other stuff if i would have had this diagnosis. i should have been getting the other stuff in, too. >> reporter: that's what we do in my family, try to joke and laugh through the hard times. it was obvious from the start, lawrence was in for a battle. there was a baseball-sized tumor. he went through an immuno therapy treatment and endured dozens of chemo sessions. through it all, he kept up a fighting spirit. >> there's not a part or fiber in me that says, give me. that's not a part of my dna. >> reporter: lawrence never did give up, but cancer had just gone too far. he died last december. his bravery inspired me to act

other abnormalities. early detection saves lives. despite the guidelines saying screening starts at 45, i knew i couldn't wait. i had a colonoscopy at 39. lawrence's doctor urged my younger brother, ryan, who is 35, to do the same. when lawrence was diagnosed, how did that change how you viewed your health? >> a lot. a lot. one of the main reasons i wanted to get in shape. take control of my health, it was because of, you know, lawrence. >> reporter: ryan lost about 60 pounds over the past year through diet and exercise, but he kept putting off something important. did a doctor at some point suggest you get a colonoscopy? >> no. >> reporter: is that true? if i remember, a couple years ago -- >> okay, okay, yes. >> reporter: what do you know about colonoscopies? what have you read? what have you seen? what have you heard? >> i started reading, and i

stopped. i stopped. i said, i'll wait and have a conversation with the doctor. you know, you start going on, you know, some of these, and you start going into details. it puts a lot of fear in you. i was like, eh, i'll wait until i have a conversation with the doctor. >> colonoscopies itself is straightforward. >> reporter: he had the conversation with the colorectal specialist who would be performing his colonoscopy. >> if we find the polyps, we'd remove them. >> reporter: the stakes are too high, as scary as it can be. 1 out of every 23 african-americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer in their lifetime. 1 in 46 will die from the disease. young melvin was ancient but characteristically confident. what do you expect the doctor will find looking around in there? >> a great colon. a great colon. >> reporter: you're predicting excellent colon health? >> yeah. i think he'll say, hey, that's

the best colon i've seen. one of the best in a long time. >> reporter: there's the prep, the liquid diet, and not so tasty solution you have to drink to clean yourself out. then the day arrived. >> i'm a little nervous, but i know this is going to do a lot of good. >> welcome. you showed up. >> i showed up. >> get the iv in. you're going to get some sedation. >> okay. >> you're going to go to sleep. you're going to wake up, and it is all going to be over. >> perfect. >> reporter: ryan gets wheeled into the operating room. quickly, lights out. the colonoscopy starts. less than 25 minutes later, it's over. once ryan recovers, dr. mcfadden arrives with the good news. >> we were able to see what we needed to see. >> perfect. >> we did not find any polyps. >> great. >> there was no -- >> that was my concern. >> reporter: ryan gets dressed and gets wheeled out, where his wife is waiting. and relieved. so are all of us who love him. i'm proud of ya, like i said to you.

>> we need to do better to live longer and have healthier, more prosperous lives. >> reporter: and be good examples. >> exactly. >> he's so funny. >> love that kid. he's one of the funniest. >> so funny. >> he was brave for that, as well. he'd been putting it off for years because he was scared. >> what was it like after? he was probably so relieved it was over. >> he was relieved. my mom was relieved, his wife. we were all relieved. >> now that he's gotten it, what is the follow-up? how often does we need to do it? >> he won't have to go back for at least five years, unless there's some sort of issue. that's the thing. one of the things we hope comes from this is people start having conversations about family history. we didn't know in our family that we had a history of colorectal cancer until lawrence was diagnosed. all of a sudden, you ask, oh, yeah, grandma had it. yeah. full disclosure, i joined colorectal cancer alliance board.

it's launched a new get screened campaign, and it couldn't be at a more critical time. since the start of the pandemic, screenings dropped by 90%. >> 90%? >> 90%. please, if you're overdue, get it done. if you're not certain, talk to your doctor. early dete life. >> it's not that bad. there's a stigma on it. i had my first one last year. it's not bad at all. like your brother was freaking out about it. what did you read? i stopped reading. the prep is not fun, we all know. even that is not that bad. it is over before it begins. you're like, why was i freaking out about this? >> my last one was in the doctor's office. it wasn't even in the hospital. >> wow. >> mine, too. >> yeah. >> it's so much easier now. to your point about all the screenings, you know, same thing for prostate cancer. all these different screenings, people have to get back to setting their health -- >> it'll save your life. >> i have a feeling you've changed a lot of lives this morning, craig. thank you. >> that was our hope. >> yeah. >> thank you. >> in fact, we have more on the importance of screenings when

ryan joins us live coming up? >> we're going to put them on a seven-second delay. >> he'll be on the seven -- >> that was a funny line, "a perfect colon." >> also on our streaming channel, we'll have that. today.com/allday at noon eastern. you can see craig and ryan's extended conversation about their family and staying on top of your health. >> we're going to clean it up. some of the stuff -- >> yeah. >> can't air it. >> lawrence is still making a difference, too. >> he is. >> blessings to their family, too. we send our love. al, a check of the weather? >> all right, your week ahead. first of all, for today, i should say, we're looking at a lot of wet weather in the pacific northwest. a little storm system getting together in the midsection of the country. it is going to drop down to the gulf later this weekend. afternoon high, 70s and 80s through texas, the southwest. 70s in florida. chilly the rest of the country. today, windy and cold in the northeast. sunshine, chillier than usual back through the great lakes. northwest with mountain snows. sunny and warm through the west.

that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happ . good friday morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. rain will be moving in later on tonight but up until that point we will still have a really nice day and some mild temperatures but the timeline of that rain for the north bay will be at about 9:00 to 10:00 tonight. most of us seeing it around midnight or shortly thereafter and clearing out before sunrise tomorrow. we will continue our weekend with nice and clear conditions as well as some slightly cooler temperatures through this seven-day forecast and more rain early next week. >> and that is your latest weather. best time of the morning. >> yes, it is. >> oh, come on >> here we go. >> here we go. >> hit it. >> even easier than a colonoscopy. >> that's right. >> well -- >> on par. >> you don't have to go to sleep for it. >> "pop start. multiple golden globes won by edie for her role in "the sopranos." now she is taking on another role

this is going to have a lot of people talking and probably put her in the awards conversation now, she'll be portraying first lady hillary clinton in the upcoming series "impeachment" in "american crime story. the latest installment in the ryan murphy series is going to follow the monica lewinsky and bill clinton scandal of the '90s it is currently in production. lebron james has been attached to the sequel of michael jordan's '96 looney tunes hit "space jam." we're finally getting a first look at the new film lebron is featured on the cover of the new "entertainment weekly," and he is joined by bugs, daffy, and the images there. more images from "space jam: a new legacy" shows lebron playing basketball with looney tunes stars. he was approached to do the movie 15 years ago but wanted to focus on his basketball career anybody excited for this >> i am. >> it is cool. like the perfect person to carry

on the tradition >> you have to be careful with "space jam." >> because of the original >> it is beloved. >> it'll open up the door for kids to see both. >> bill murray, will he be in the sequel >> i don't know but that "space jam" i think earned like $321 million and then the merch >> are you excited >> i'm excited to see it with my kids i don't really remember it we heard about lebron being the next jordan in this, so i'm excited it is happening. "space jam: a new legacy" hits theaters and hbo max july 16th. more eddie murphy. we have been getting a lot from him lately he hosted "snl," and, of course, "coming 2 america. al sat down and talked with him recent there is something everybody is waiting for, stand-up comedy he is regarded as one of the best since reemerging onto the scene, he's been promising a return to the stage. he was on kevin hart's podcast "comedy gold mines" and he revealed he plans to do stand-up

"saturday ni america" and then do stand-up and the pandemic hit whole time last year, i would have been working on my act. hey, when the pandemic is over, it's safe for everyone to go out and do it, the plan is to do it. >> maybe, craig, your little brother can be the opening act >> he'd like to think he could be >> maybe he could middle the show who knows? got another reason for the pandemic to end, right >> yes finally, how about some thomas rhett he dropped not one but two songs overnight. "wanted again" and "growing up." the tracks accompanied the news that thomas will debut, this is popular lately, putting out double albums. he is going to do it with "country again," released april 30th here is a snippet from "growing up," featuring photos of thomas anhis family ♪ get a little older wiser little more maturity ♪

that's what i want and more ♪ ♪ a little crazy in a lot of ways i'm still the kid i was ♪ ♪ a little less tempere and a lot more love ♪ ♪ i guess i'm growing up yeah, i guess i'm growing up ♪ >> he is great great family of country song writers. look forward to that double album. >> i love him. >> good "pop start." >> thank you straight ahead, they've fascinated us on "pop start" yesterday. now, we have the story behind the tom cruise deepfake videos. then food network's superstar, the mayor of flavortown, guy fieri, on mission to help local restaurants and a recipe for a burger that will blow your mind. first, your local news in a special two-week

series, nbc news looks ahead to life after lockdown. all this week. good morning, 8:26, i'm marcus washington. firefighters at the scene of a fire in downtown san jose. this is not far from the s.a.p. center, near west st. john and north autumn. within the past hour we saw video from the scene. it started outside a boarded up home and then spread to the home. when they arrived they found someone who they believed was injured and then they planned to transport the person to the hospital. well, that person jumped off of the gurney, refused treatment and left the scene. not clear how that person is tied to that vacant house. let's get a look at the friday forecast for you with

kari hall. another beautiful day, sunshine to start but clouds moving in later this afternoon as some rain moves in from the north. now, some of the showers passing through overnight, and then we'll wake up tomorrow morning to a clearing sky, temperatures reaching into the low 60s. it will be a cool and breezy weekend but it will be mainly dry after quick moving overnight rain. and then next week we have some cooler air in the forecast. with highs only in the mid to upper 50s. and we will have some showers passing by from monday through wednesday and all of that should clear by thursday as our temperatures gradually warm up. marcus? >> thanks, kari. going to have another local news update coming up for you in 30 minutes. see you back here then.

♪ ♪ ♪ when it comes to your financial health, just a few small steps can make a real difference. ♪ ♪ ♪

learn, save and spend with guidance from chase. confidence feels good. chase. make more of what's yours. ♪ rain on me ♪ 8:30 you say friday we say fri-yay. >> getting there. >> 5th of march, 2021. if you're like us, you're probably still thinking about the deepfakes carson showed us yesterday. remember these deepfakes, the tom cruise tiktoks taking over the internet >> i believed those. >> look at that. gosh >> what? >> they're so good, it is terrifying >> gaga on the right >> we asked tom costello tom, can you look, how do they do this? how do you get into the deepfakes? i mean, it is kind of amusing, but it is also terrifying in terms of its ramifications, what it could mean. as carson said yesterday in politics.

>> look at that. >> it is not a how-to for everyone. >> something to do this weekend. >> find somebody who remotely looks like you, and the technology kicks in. >> crazy consider your weekend plans sorted we have your entertainment guide. jeremy parsons will join us with shows and movies to binge. some actually in theaters. more cities allow them to open plus, guy fieri is helping us close out restaurant week he is doing a lot of good in his industry during the pandemic good on him. we're going to shine a light on his work later this morning. we couldn't pass up the opportunity to have him cook a little bit on the menu, bacon mac n cheeseburger darn this pandemic, it can't be here. >> defibrillator at the ready. you won't want to miss our third hour the one, and only cardi b is joining us live to make an exclusive announcement. >> hello >> wow. >> you add in craig's brother, ryan, could be some interesting stuff.

>> oh, buddy >> excited about that. >> so am i. so am i. before all of that, mr. roker, how about another check of the weather >> let's look ahead to the weekend, show what we have going on cold and chilly for march in the northeast tomorrow heavy rain through florida mountain snows as you get into the cascades and the inner mountain regions that will continue again on sunday, sunday, with more rain, as well. sunshine from the plains to the southwest to the gulf to the mid-atlantic states to the great lakes, and another chilly day in the northeast. that's what's going on around the country. good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. as we take a look at our rain that will be moving in late tonight it will bring us some quick-moving showers, first starting out in the north bay. and the timeline shows that we could see that rain moving in by 8:00 to 9:00, approaching san francisco around 10:00 to 11:00 tonight and then quickly sweeping across the rest of the bay area late tonight and into early tomorrow morning.

the rest of the day is looking pretty dry. we will have a break before our next round of rain moves in. >> that's your latest weather. guys >> all right, al. this is what carson was telling us yesterday, and we're still talking about it those freakishly realistic deepfake videos of tom cruise over the weekend everyone is thinking tom cruise is on tiktok. >> it's not him. tom costello joins us with two things, how the technology works and why videos using it raised some concerns. tom, it really is you. good morning. >> reporter: people mistake me for tom cruise all the time. what are you laughing at you're absolutely right. this kind of technology is used all the time in movies and film go on snapchat, instagram, and you can manipulate your face this artificial intelligence is now changing and evolving so rapidly, creating very realistic deepfakes.

>> the real thing. >> reporter: but it's not the real thing videos recently making the rounds on tiktok have users dumbfounded that the man in these clips isn't actually tom cruise it's just the latest example of so-called deepfake technology, which uses software to morph someone's face into someone else's a youtube video last month had spiderman fans doing a doubletake. >> why is this happening to me >> reporter: superimposing tom holland, who currently plays the webslinger, on the face of tobey maguire, when he donned the famous suit two decades ago. and uk's channel 4 took heat over their annual satirical christmas message from the queen, using deepfake technology. >> to say whatever i like, without anyone putting words in my mouth. >> reporter: not all deepfakes are created equal, and one giveaway may be the voice.

cyber experts like teresa peyton say the face is critical >> it's a hard time doing the crinkle of the eyes when somebody smiles and is talking >> reporter: other areas to watch, ears and earrings, long hair, and whether the mouth and audio appear in sync >> falcon-9 rocket. >> reporter: characteristics that stood out to me last year when peyton used technology to put someone else's face on one of my live reports later, two videos of me to change my words. >> it is, as you know, a single engine plane. >> reporter: the technology improved by leaps and bounds, even in the last two years since we talked. still, she says, how we watch these videos can affect how believable they really are >> oftentimes, deepfake technology has a hard time staying in high fidelity on larger screens >> reporter: recently, the ancestry site my heritage offered deep nostalgia, a version of the technology.

getting mixed reaction over this image over frederick douglass. while the technology is often used for humor and social media, not everyone has good intentions manipulated videos of nancy pelosi, barack obama, and donald trump have all made the rounds during the pandemic, with so many of us relying on video conferencing, deepfakes have the potential to create confusion and disinformation. >> troublesome is where there's not a strong media environment, to push back against the deepfakes. >> reporter: clint watts testified before congress on the issue of deepfakes in 2019, where he warned fake videos could be used by adversaries to create mistrust. >> the good news is, there's only a few people that can make deepfakes that are that sophisticated. the bad news, people fall for much less sophisticated ones. >> reporter: in the case of the tom cruise video, clint watts is saying that, in fact, it was a belgian special effects artist who had access to incredibly

sophisticated technology he's the one who made that tom cruise video listen, when you're looking at videos and thinking, is it real? does it make sense context is key does it make sense for them to say this or that if it doesn't, then you should start questioning it guys, back to you. >> tom, can anybody be susceptible to this? and is there any way to push back >> reporter: the more videos there are of you online, or out there period, the more susceptible you are. so all of you guys there in the studio will be more susceptible, seriously, than a typical person on the street, right one technology may be to watermark videos, so there is a digital watermark on it. right now, the technology to detect deepfakes, it's really not very good yet. >> wow >> tom, thank you for that, i think. >> yeah. >> craig said it yesterday, the technology is only going to get better someone caught on video doing something illegal, they can claim in court, that's a deepfake. >> what tom is saying, in the end, it's a low-tech solution. common sense watch something and you're like, i can't believe they would say that, they probably didn't. >> or couple years ago, there was an ad going around, and you were pushing some product. >> oh, yeah, yeah.

>> that's right. >> it doesn't deepfake but they would be like, savannah is leaving for a skin care line hilarious. >> wow, she does have great skin i didn't know she was leaving the show. >> yeah. when we come back, the weekend entertainment guide, as more movie theaters open up, big hits head to streaming services. options literally for the entire family jeremy is standing by and will join us. join us. fit, this is "today" on rsnb

great day on the lake! it is. lunch is cookin'! and i saved a bunch of money on my boat insurance with geico. fellas, can it get any better than this? whoa! my old hairstyle grew back. so did mine. [80's music] what? i was an 80's kid. it only gets better when you switch and save with geico.

we're back at 8:40 with your weekend entertainment guide. with theaters starting to open again, there's a mix of things to watch on the big screen, and from the comfort of your couch. >> jeremy parsons from "people," the tv show, joins us with this round-up good morning to you. we're fired up for this first one. first of all, a lot of movie theaters are starting to open. second of all, "coming 2 america," it's finally here. >> finally here. 30 some years in the making. we've all been waiting for it. i know you've been talking about it a lot, but we can't not

mention it eddie murphy, arsenio hall, are back and leslie jones and others joining the cast. i love that it's a real family affair here. eddie's daughter, bella, making her big screen debut as eddie's character's daughter she had to audition for it if you're a daughter doesn't automatically mean you're going to be in the movie you can check it out on amazon prime. >> two movies for kids debuting. let's start with what roker is excited about, "spongebob" is back. >> "sponge on the run," everybody. paramount plus. >> finally. >> the most epic spongebob adventure yet. pet snail, gary, has been snail knapped. what are they going to do? the whole crew is going to find him. of course. it is a star packed voice cast awkwafina, snoop dogg, tiffany haddish, keanu reeves is made out of sage and is a sage in this movie, of course. because keanu. these movies never disappoint for the kids

my girls are excited for this. i think they're fun for the parents, too, if you're in the right mood check that out >> there's another one. >> last night. >> "raya and the next dragon," disney plus. one for the family all girl power raya, voiced by kelly marie tran, unleashes a voice of evil into the world, dragon joined by awkwafina, helping her set it straight it is a sweeping, risky mission. beautifully done beautifully animated action packed. funny. good dose of disney magic. peoples is partnering with a virtual red carpet event later check it out as soon as my girls saw this last week, they were like, when do we watch it again and again and again? it's that kind of movie. >> for sci-fi fans, you've got one "boss level" >> yeah. sci-fi and action. maybe you want a little more adrenaline this weekend. this is on hulu. the "groundhog day" of action thrillers. frank grillo stars as the guy

stuck in a time loop, waking up in the same violent day, where the most over the top scenarios possible, over and over again. it is almost a satirical win to the action movies naomi watts, ken jeong mel gibson are all in it, as well think of it as a popcorn escape movie for the weekend. >> lots to watch get in your sweats and go to it. thank you very much. appreciate it. >> thanks, guys. we have your viewing covered. up next, how about some food a delicious option for your weekend menu from the mayor of flavortown himself there he is, guy fieri. standing by and his son. >> got him up early. >> first, this is "today" on

♪♪ ♪ welcome back this morning, we're rounding out restaurant week on "today" with famed celebrity chef, restauranteur, television host,

and all-around great guy, and of course he also happens to b the mayor of flavortown, the great guy fieri. >> he is up early in santa rosa, california, alongside his son, the deputy mayor of flavortown, hunter fieri good to see you both before we start cooking, i think folks should know, last year, you raised i believe about $21 million for employees of the restaurant industry. restaurant employee relief fund last year. kudos to you do you think we're at a poin where restaurants are getting back on their feet >> one, thank you for recognizing that there were so many great people involved in raising that money we got almost to $25 million the money kept trickling in there at the end the national restaurant association was amazing in helping that happen. we gave out 43,000 grants, al, by the way yeah, the restaurant business, we're coming back a little bit different. people are learning a lot more

about to-go, more about delivery they're learning to -- they're kind of learning how their restaurants are able to work the dining in is still a really difficult part, and dining out can't happen all over the country, especially because of weather. restaurants are coming back. we're resilient. this is what we do in this industry >> your new season of "tournament of champions" helps local restaurants. can you tell us about the impact of that? >> well, okay. so "tournament of champions," listen, i've done so many different types of shows on the food network, and this is one of my favorites i designed this three, four years ago with my buddy, brian we wanted to make a competition that can never be duplicated the randomizer there, it gives a different protein, a different vegetable, a different piece of equipment, different style of food, and different time for these chefs are really put under the -- i mean, they're put under the gun. i've never seen anything this hard i think "iron chef" and all competitions before this were

there, but this really puts people to the test the new season starts sunday on the 7th. wait until you see the chefs and what they do blow your mind. >> let's get to the burger you're about to flip it. what is hunter making over there? what is he stirring up >> hunter is over here working on -- making a lot of something. hunter is making the famous donkey sauce we use this by the gallon, of course no, i don't know why we're making this money. it has roasted garlic, worcestershire, mustard, salt, pepper, mayonnaise, of course. this really is our signature burger that we do at flavortown kitchen. all the guy fieri restaurants. of course, we love to make for you guys at 5:00 a.m. in california. >> you're adding mac n cheese to this guy >> we have macaroni here, going into the cheese sauce we made. we call it super melted cheese, smc. we take this mac n cheese into that hunter will bring me a couple

pieces of cheddar cheese. >> it is more cheese than mac, right, mr. mayor >> what we like to do is accentuate the cheese side of things. >> wow. >> yeah. >> we'll throw the dome on top of that. a little water you want to hit me with a bun, hunter i don't know if you can see. these aren't special effects, guys this is us at home. >> i thought he was going to hit you with a bun. >> he would, trust me. don't start. he'll get into this. i made him get up early. he wasn't super thrilled about that idea. >> so we get a little bit of that hunter is toasting the bun he'll hit it with a little of the donkey sauce yeah, so "tournament of champions" is happening. we've been shooting a lot of "guy's grocery games delivery," which we shoot in this kitchen at our house we've also been doing a lot of "ddd" takeout. we couldn't go to our favorite "ddd" restaurants, but the restaurants are operating with delivery and to-go we said, send us the dishes you're doing, and we'll

highlight them we started to highlight these. hunter, we shot probably 30 shows during the pandemic. >> yeah. >> that was awesome. kept the tv crew working kept the restaurants going >> i'm worried about the burger. is it going to burn? >> no. >> the master is there. >> does that look burnt? take a shot of the burger. >> real good >> do you do that on a grill, guy? >> impressive. >> this is basically like a flat cast iron skill let. hunter has pickles, tomatoes, onions this is the signature burger that we do at all the guy fieri restaurants. hit a couple pieces of bacon on top of that. hunter will hit a little bit of lettuce. >> so good. >> on top of that. let's get some onion straws. >> of course. >> a little touch of vinegar >> if you were in the studio right now, i'd take a bite of that giant burger and embarrass myself on national television. >> i'll send you this burger that's what you need to think about. >> i'd pay 100 bucks to see you take a bite of that.

>> so good. >> guy, honestly, almost $25 million, you've done so much for your own industry. craig said it, god bless you for that hunter, go back to bed i mean, don't even -- >> no, no. can't say good-bye to hunter. >> why >> take a bite. >> show me where to send this. >> 30 rockefeller plaza. >> you take a bite, guy. >> all right somebody said they were going to give thousands of dollars to the program if we take a bite so -- >> that was roker. >> hunter is back on the fourth hour. >> okay. >> this is breaking the breakfast of champions routine this is all for you, al. >> all right. >> i know you appreciate this. >> looks good. >> watch the technique. >> living through you. >> there we go >> love it >> for the recipe, check it out at today.com/food. thank you, boys. see you in a couple hours. >> thanks, guys. up next, a story about one devoted daughter we think it'll have you smiling into your weekend. first,

we are back with a terrific story to end on. >> yeah. as we all know, the pandemic has been really tough on families with relatives in nursing homes, often limited to just waves through the windows. >> that wouldn't cut it for a woman in minnesota, who was missing her dad. she did something amazing. >> reporter: like so many across the country, when the pandemic hit, lisa racine had a hard time visiting her father, harold, in his nursing home. >> just the thought of him getting covid and possibly dying without anybody around him that loved him, i was panicky inside. >> reporter: feeling helpless, she turned to advice her father always shared raising the family >> my dad told me many times throughout my life, sometimes you've just got to take the pull by the horns, lisa that's what i decided to do. >> reporter: the full-time project manager applied for a

second job and surprised her dad by getting hired at the facility where he's living. >> shocked, really i was dumbfounded. how did you get in >> reporter: on evenings and weekends, lisa puts on her ppe and hits the kitchen, mopping floors, stacking trays, and doing dishes the payoff, more than a paycheck, priceless time with her dad. >> my dad, i feel like he's my hero. >> reporter: she says her shifts brighten his day >> he's got a little sparkle back in his eye that i think was missing. >> reporter: last month, lisa's new job meant she was allowed to get vaccinated side by side with her dad. >> well, i don't feel like a hero, but i do feel like i'm showing some gratitude to him. >> reporter: gratitude shared between the generations. >> well, he's cleaned up plenty of messes after me in the past

>> we don't talk about them. >> how beautiful is this lisa says she's happy to have her second job in fact, working multiple jobs is something she also got from her dad. sitting at home and you miss him, you know what, i'm going to work there so i can be with him. >> best side hustle ever. >> good one to end on. we're not ending we're taking a break third hour is coming cardi b after your local news. >> and ryan melvin. >> cardi b, live i guess ryan will be there, too. good morning, 8:56, i'm marcus washington. concerns this morning about a possible vaccine shortage in the south bay. santa clara county health leaders fear there may not be second doses. already cancelling some first shots today and they may have to delay some second shots.

they say they'll get more details later this morning on how many doses they're short but in the long run they still plan to increase the overall vaccination rate. the county is still on track to open a new mass vaccination site with stanford health at east ridge mall. happening now our thom jensen is following the developments, speaking with health leaders with a live report during our midday newscast and once we get the update and information we'll post it on our twitter feed and from our home page. local weather update coming up in an hour.

today on california live. puppy love, inviting kim on her mission of mercy. asking the state for help, the city in the east bay asking for assistance in removing trump supporters from one bay area highway. plus three young women are making history in the bay area, the feat they just accomplished, be prepared to join us monday morning. details on this state program. call or visit

now california phones offers free devices and accessories 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 live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza, this is the "3rd hour of today." >> good morning. welcome to the "3rd hour of today" on this friday, march 5th. you made it to friday. i'm sheinelle here with al, sheinelle, dylan. >> you didn't say it, fri-yay. >> i said it earlier. >> i don't know how long it carries ovr. >> you can't say it enough. >> yeah. >> this is the beginning. we're starting the third hour. it is fri-yay. there we go. we have a great show lined up on this fri-yay, including a powerful story. craig, you've been open and vocal about your family and how it's been impacted by colorectal