pattern. here's the backup at the bay bridge. and you can see that beautiful color from the sunrise. now refracting off of the car hoods in the roofs. there a smooth drive, plenty of cars out there and there is now slowing for vasco road. we passed the half hour mark heading out of contra costa county to 580. yeah. that's rough. all right. the today show is coming up next. we are continuing today in the bay on roku and other streaming platforms. coming up at 8:00. we'll show you some exciting things happening around the bay area. you can watch with us at nbcbayarea.com or where you stream, you know, as i say, you miss a moment. you miss a lot. that's right. that's why you got to join us today. all right. look, thanks for making us a part of your morning here on today in the bay. have a great thursday. today's show starts now. and a beautiful sunrise here. kari. that's a good one. good job. kari. you're w ♪♪ hi there. good thursday morning. we're following that massive

manhunt right here in new york. >> after the brazen shooting of a top ceo. it is december, the 5th. good morning, this is "today." ♪♪ >> breaking overnight. on the loose. police stepping up the search for a masked gunman who ambushed the head of the nation's largest health insurance company in midtown manhattan. the chilling moment captured on surveillance video. >> every indication is that this was a premeditated, pre-planned, targeted attack. >> this morning, the message the shooter may have left at the scene and what the victim's wife is revealing about recent threats he received as investigators try to track down the killer. we're live with the very latest. crisis mode. the president-elect's embattled pick to lead the defense department speaks out, addressing the controversies threatening to derail his nomination. >> what you're seeing right now with me is the art of the smear. >> straight ahead the new message he'll deliver to senators on capitol hill today amid growing doubts he can win

confirmation. searching for answers. two kindergarten students fighting for their lives after a gunman opens fire inside their elementary school in california. >> when you're talking about little kids like this who can't defend themselves, it really does tear at the heart. >> just ahead, how the suspect managed to get into that school and what the investigation is revealing about a possible motive behind the violence. bundle up. o temperatures plunging even lower as that blast of brutally cold arctic air sweeps across the country. high winds only adding to the big chill from the midwest to the northeast, even parts of the south. al's tracking all of it, including a new blizzard warning stretching into the weekend. junk fee showdown. airline executives grilled on capitol hill over extra charges on everything from carry-on bags to a better seat. >> it's a disaster. you charge people fees that they

know nothing about. >> this morning, the growing push to crack down. how the airlines are responding. and what it all means for the busiest holiday travel season ever. plus, higher power? >> hello, jesus. >> the ai-generated jesus drawing people to an historic church, answering questions, giving advice and stirring up controversy. >> this is just the start of a big conversation arounund the ro of ai in religion. >> inside the debate pitting faith against technology. and merry and bright! >> five, four, three, two, one! ♪♪ ♪ joy to the world ♪ >> the rockefeller center christmas tree set aglow during a festive and star-studded celebration, officially ringing in the most wonderful time of the year. today thursday, december 5th, 2024. ♪♪

>> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie, and hoda kotb. from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning, guys. welcome to "today." thanks for joining us on a thursday morning. guess what, we are starting it from the top of the channel gardens right here at rockefeller center. this is the perfect place. we picked it because we wanted to see that guy right behind us that norway spruce. >> it's just as pretty as it was the moment we lit that up last night. we lit up the tree in a night of singing and celebration. there was even a little winter weather on hand. a few snow flakes fell just before we all flipped the switch. got highlights from that beautiful night in just a moment. >> but first, we have a lot of news to get to, beginning with that manhunt for the shooter who gunned down the ceo of unitedhealthcare. the brazen attack taking place at about this time yesterday in midtown manhattan. authorities calling it, premeditated and targeted. nbc's stephanie gosk is at the scene with the very latest. hey, steph, good morning.

>> reporter: hoda, good morning. law enforcement officials tell us they found three shell casings right here on this busy street at the scene of the crime with abapparent cryptic message, deny, defend and depose written on them. it has been over 24 hours since this crime took place. the nypd has witnesses, video, photos and they know how the shooter fled. leaving through an alley and getting on an e-bike. there's still no arrest and he is still on the run. this morning, a killer remains on the loose after brazenly murdering brian thompson, the ceo of unitedhealthcare. it happened on the streets of midtown manhattan early wednesday morning. nbc news learning he left a chilling message, the words deny, defend and depose were discovered on the shell casings at the scene, according to a senior law enforcement official. >> this does not appear to be a random act of violence.

every indication is that this was a premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack. >> reporter: nbc news obtained this video of the shooting from a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. the nypd says thompson was walking to an investors conference at a hotel. the gunman, wearing a hoodie, ski mask and gray backpack, had been waiting for his target for several minutes. stepping out and firing multiple rounds from behind. hitting thompson at least twice in his back and calf, according to police. at one point, the gun appeared to jam. >> does seem he is proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly. >> reporter: four minutes later, officers arrived on the scene, but the shooter had already fled on an e-bike riding towards central park. police releasing these photos showing the man at a starbucks before the shooting and releasing this photo of him on a bike.

"the new york times" published surveillance footage it says was taken near the scene roughly ten minutes before the shooting. nbc ws reached out to the nypd for comment on the video and did not hear back. unitedhealth group which owns unitedhealthcare writing in a statement, we are deeply saddened and shocked at the passing of our dear friend and colleague. thompson lived in minnesota with his wife paulette and two children. in a phone conversation with an nbc news digital reporter, his wife said thompson had been receiving recent threats but had not changed his routine. she also spoke to nbc's minneapolis affiliate. >> brian was a wonderful person with a big heart. who lived life to the fullest. >> reporter: the nypd continues to appeal for the public's help. they are g giving a 0,000 reward for any information that can lead to his arrest. hoda? >> stephanie gosk for us there in midtown. steph, thank you. >> let's bring in nbc news analyst, clint watts, a former special agent with the fbi. clint, good morning. this is a fascinating and tragic case. when you look at some of these facts that we now know, especially this breaking news about an inscription of some sort on the shell casings themselves. what do you make of what we

know? >> yeah. interesting the different scenarios that can play out. one, it's a targeted killing, maybe sponsored by an entity versus a personal grievance or maybe this individual had against the victim or the unitedhealth itself. looking at the two reconnaissance obviously was done and quite remarkable. the shooting -- the shooter was very good with clearing that jam would show weapon experience, the escape route and the pre-planning. all is in place which would seem to suggest there's some professional sort of capability there. at the same point, the engravings that are being reported on the shell casings, using actual purchases at a starbucks right across the street, those are things that you just wouldn't see from something that was more professional sort of assassination attempt. you wouldn't be caught on camera either. so, just looking at these two

scenarios, i think we need a lot more evidence to understand which way it might go. >> some of that evidence, again, was found at the scene, those shell casings that we were just talking about. it said, defend, deny and depose. somehow inscribed on the bullet casings. what does that tell you? >> yeah. that would seem to suggest that there's some sort of a personal or ideological motive around the specific target. what you also saw in that video is it was going after that gentleman but not anyone else. this is not a random shooting. this is not a spree shooting we might be talking about. this is somebody who was specifically targeted. you see those words there, probably attached to some sort of a motive, some sort of a grievance for going after that specific target. >> what are investigators doing now? there's cameras everywhere. they were able to track him to a certain point. but now what? as every hour passes, this presumably gets more difficult. >> i think that's another thing that's remarkable about this case is new york city has more cameras than just about anywhere in the world, maybe london and singapore are two others. where do these individuals go, central park, one of the places most difficult to keep track of an individual over time. so from now forward, i'm sure

the nypd are moving aggressively on really three thing. the evidence around the purchases of the starbucks and the evidence left behind. the gun casing. the gun casing will also have marks of the actual weapon. they will try to see is that weapon registers. do they have some sort of atf, do they have some sort of evidence that ties it to a shooter. and then the escape route. moving from central park and beyond not seeing much reporting on it yet. i'm hoping they can break that case open today. >> are you surprised they haven't caught him yet at this stage? >> we have seen so many times in recent cases, hoda, where they have closed in 24 hours. i expected overnight there would be more evidence about the escape route. i haven't seen it yet. i'm hopeful that some time today we'll get more information. >> thank you, clint. appreciate it. >> thank you. let's turn now to president-elect trump's transition. his embattled pick for defense secretary pete hegseth is heading back to capitol hill today, hoping to save his bid to lead the pentagon. nbc's chief white house correspondent peter alexander has more on this. hey, peter, good morning.

>> reporter: hoda, good morning. pete hegseth remains defiant. addressing these controversies surrounding him head on yesterday, saying in his words, he will fight like hell. insisting there is no reason to back down. but it's still unclear if any of these public statements and private meetings with senators are swaying those who control his fate. after previously acknowledging that he had turned to alcohol to self medicate following the close call with an rpg during his time in iraq, now hegseth is pledging that he would not have a single drink as secretary of defense. this morning with his bid to become defense secretary in jeopardy, pete hegseth is vowing to fight on. returning to capitol hill today for another round of meetings with senators. after launching a public campaign to salvage his faltering nomination. and detailing his conversation with president-elect trump. >> pete, i got your back. it's a fight. they're coming after you. get after it. >> reporter: hegseth brushing off an allegation of sexual assault for which he was never charged and he says was consensual. and blaming trump's political

enemies for accusations of financial mismanagement and excessive drinking. >> what you're seeing right now with me is the art of the smear. >> reporter: then pledging, if confirmed, he won't drink another sip. >> this is the biggest deployment of my life. and there won't be a drop of alcohol on my lips while i'm doing it. >> reporter: after revelations that hegseth's mom sent him a scathing email in 2018 calling him an abuser of women before retracting her words and apologizing. mrs. hegseth went on fox news to defend her son, calling him a changed man. >> pete is a new person. he's redeemed, forgiven, changed. i believe he's the man for the job. >> reporter: hegseth has also drawn scrutiny for his past comments that women should not serve in combat. yesterday the current defens secretary lloyd austin praising women in the military. wrchlts and everywhere that i've gone on the battlefield, i've seen women fighting for america. i get a little fired up about

this. it's just because this isn't 1950. it isn't 1948. it is 2024. >> reporter: two sources tell nbc news trump is already considering alternatives to hegseth. including florida governor ron desantis, a navy veteran, and iowa senator joanie ernst, who served in the army national guard and met with hegseth wednesday. >> it was a frank and thorough conversation. >> did he ask you for your vote specifically? >> thank you. >> reporter: president-elect trump keeps rolling out his picks for his new administration with more than a dozen wednesday alone, including billionaire entrepreneur jared isaacman to head up nasa. isaacman has flown to space twice on commercial missions by spacex, whose ceo elon musk, of course, is a top trump ally. hoda? >> all right, peter alexander at the white house. peter, thanks. also this morning, we're learning more about an alarming

incident in northern california, a gunman opening fire at an elementary school, injuring two students. nbc's liz kreutz joins us with new details this morning. liz, good morning to you. >> good morning to you, savannah. it happened near oralville, california, an hour outside sacramento. at a small private elementary school. authorities say the two victims are boys, ages 5 and 6. currently in extremely critical condition. and they say the gunman may have targeted the school over its religious affiliation. >> reporter: this morning, new questions about why a man with a gun opened fire at this elementary school in rural northern california. >> shots fired. 27 cox lane between highway 70 and simpson road. >> reporter: police say the first 911 calls came in wednesday afternoon. two kindergarten students, 5 and 6-year-old boys were shot and transported to hospitals. one air lifted. >> i can tell you that the injuries are very, very serious and these children are in extremely critical condition.

>> reporter: police say they found the suspected shooter with a handgun, dead from an apparent self inflicted gunshot wound. the terrifying incident happening at feather river ed a venntist, a k through 8 private religious school with three dozen student. police say the gunman was dropped off by an uber and met with the school's principal to discuss enrolling a student. >> we're trying to determine whether or not he actually was there to enroll or talk about enrolling student or if that was instead a ruse to get on to the campus. >> reporter: soon after, school administrators heard screams. this sixth grader said she heard the gunshots. >> we were running to the gym. i looked back and i saw a shadow with a gun, so i told most people to run even faster. >> reporter: the school put on lockdown. students rushed to a nearby church. >> my wife actually got the phone call. and it was heart ache. are you going to see your child? >> reporter: and now, authorities are investigating

reports the suspect may have targeted the school because of its affiliation with the seventh day adventist church. the fbi assisting with the investigation. >> when you're talking about little kids like this who can't defend themselves, it really does tear at the heart. >> n, authorities say they know who the suspect is but they are not yet publicly identifying him. they don't believe he knew the victims or had any previous coact with the school.l. and while they do believe the incident was isolated, they have alerted other schools affiliated with the seventh day adventist church to be vigilant. savannah. >> liz, thank you. we have a lot more to get to including winter weather. large swaths of the country are dealing with brutal cold and blizzard-like conditions. one of the places where temperatures have plunged, western north carolina, where communities there are still recovering from the impact of hurricane helene two months ago. we'll get to al's forecast in just a minute. but first, nbc's kathy park is there for us. hey, kathy, good morning.

>> reporter: hey, hoda, good morning to you. yeah, millions are waking up to this arctic blast. here in asheville, expected to drop in the teens later on tonight. and hard to believe, this area was completely under water two months ago from helene and now residents are dealing with another round of extreme weather, this time dangerously cold conditions. this morning, americans bracing for chilly winter weather. the coldest arctic air of the season blanketing the midwest and heading towards the east coast after a cold snap yesterday hit southern states not used to the extreme chill. new berg, north carolina, dropping to 22 degrees and florence, south carolina, at just 20. it will warm up today, tomorrow frigid temps are returning to the area and all comes while some residents are still reeling from hurricane helene which swept through more than two months ago. especially in hard-hit asheville. >> i see families sleeping in living rooms with holes in the roof. everyday we offer the heaters, the line is probably longer than

a mile. >> reporter: cassie and her family have been living in a camper since the storm. using this parking lot as a temporary campground. >> what is your day to day looking like now? >> we get up. we warm up the camper. and then we go to work. the kids go to the library. i home school. >> reporter: farther north, parts of the country buried under feet of snow. and bracing for even more with a powerful clipper system on the move. hard-hit erie, pennsylvania, could see another round of lake-effect snow. national guard members have been called in to help residents dig out. back here in asheville, the damage from helene is so severe. behind me, some of these homes are still being repaired. we also learned that many residents actually got their power back on this week. but the good news is, volunteers are pouring in from acrossss th country, trying to get these residents back on their feet. hoda? >> kathy park for us there, north carolina. thank you. >> you hear that wind, too. you know it makes it so cold. al, what do you got? >> that's part of the problem. good morning, everybody. we are looking at freezing cold

conditions, stretching from the plains all the way to the northeast. right now it feels like minus three in minneapolis. minus six in chicago. air temperature of 12. asheville, 41 degrees. altoona it feels like 11. now we have these winter weather advisories stretching from the u.p. of michigan all the way into the northeast. we've got -- this is chardon, ohio. from our station in cleveland, good snow squall going on right there. in fact what is a snow squall. let's show you what we got. you can see the snow making its way through. this is from december of 2019. the snow squall is a quick, intense burst of heavy snow, combined with strong winds. and then what you get is this blowing snow, rapidly reducing visibility to near zero. you can have white out conditions that make driving difficult to impossible. and in fact, the tug hill plateau between watertown and syracuse, another foot or more. could be two feet of snow from erie to bradford and we have winds to deal with from hartford

to asheville. 51 million people will be affected. air travel will be a problem today with these wind gusts anywhere from 25 to 45 miles per hour. delays in boston, new york, philly, d.c., detroit right on into chicago. we're going to get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds. but what do you even get for someone who lives out of a chic carry-on? ohhh... just get something chic she can carry on. don't overthink it. give something beautiful. the best travel fragrance gift sets are only at sephora. beautiful sunrises across the bay area. as it continues, we

are seeing a few clouds overhead, even some light showers for parts of the north bay, and we do expect the rain to stay over the north bay, but then kind of fizzle out. clear out as we go throughout the day, and temperatures are headed for the upper 60s once again. lows in the low 40s and more of the same in the and that's your latest weather, guys? >> al, thank you. coming up, airlines in the hot seat over so-called junk fees driving up prices during this record-breaking holiday travel season. tom costello has the story. >> reporter: so do you feel like you're being nickelled and dimed every time you fly? you buy the airline ticket and then you have to pay more for the seat and maybe for your luggage? this has got everybody on capitol hill upset. but the airlines say you want the choicece to pay not to pay. we're going to get into that. >> all right, tom, thanks. also ahead, a headline-making mashup of technology and faith. we're going to take you to the

historic church using an ai jesus to answer questions and deliver advice to visitors. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

coming up, we're going to catch one the mvps of last night's lighting the family behind this year's rockefeller christmas tree. >> after your local news and weather. for more than a decade farxiga has been trusted again and again, and again. ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ ♪ far-xi-ga ♪ ♪ far-xi-ga ♪

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kris sanchez and here's a look at our top stories this morning. later this afternoon law enforcement is expected to update us on the investigation into yesterday's school shooting in butte county, in which a gunman shot two kindergartners who are now fighting for their lives. yesterday afternoon, that man began shooting at feather river adventist school on the outskirts of oroville, a small city in butte county, southeast of chico. there were about 35 other students and staff there on campus at the time. about 15 minutes later, officers found the suspected gunman dead from an apparent self-inflicted wound. a five year old and a six year old little boy were shot. they are in critical condition. the sheriff says the shooter was dropped off at the school by an uber driver, and then met with administrators, purportedly to talk about enrolling a family member at the school this morning. day two of deliberations in the high profile murder trial of nima momeni and a verdict could come down as early as today. mckinney

is accused of killing the cash app co-founder bob lee in san francisco last year. his defense argues that the stabbing was in self-defense. if jurors cannot reach a unanimous verdict on first degree murder, they can also consider the lesser charges of second degree murder or voluntary or involuntary manslaughter charges. let's take a look at our forecast. we've seen some beautiful sunrises. kari this week. yes. and it's going to be a cold start. but heading for another really nice and comfortable day. high temperatures will reach into the upper 60s for many of the inland valleys. kris. all right. thank you. kari. and don't forget, you can catch us today in the bay. live streaming at 8:00. we will take a look at the recent internet crime complaints. cyber security experts share tips on how we can protect ourselves. we

♪ ♪ it's the most beautiful time

of the year ♪ it's so pretty. >> uh-huh. >> 7:30. that's our freshly-lit rockefeller center christmas tree. we'll chat with the amazing family who donated that tree in just a bit. then, tomorrow we're going to honor another beloved icon of the holiday season. >> we'll call him rudolph. >> rudolph is a lovely name. rudolph. >> hey, he knows his name already. >> momma. >> oh my gosh, we're dying right now. >> we just became 5 again. exactly 60 years after its premiere, "rudolph the red nosed reindeer" is returning home. we'll be in our cozies. if you're in the area, join us in the plaza on yours. >> put on your cozy pajamas, long johns, slippers.

>> craig is on assignment. >> he'll be back in a couple of days. in the meantime, airline executives are facing mounting questions about so-called junk fees. >> several of them appearing before a congressional committee, accusing their companies of gouging customers. nbc's tom costello covers aviation, joins us from reagan international with more. tom, good morning. >> reporter: yeah this resonates with people because, as you know, we've all been paying these fees for years now, right? you may pay more for an in-flight meal. you may pay more to check a bag, maybe even to carry a bag on. but now we have to pay for the seat selection. the airlines say, listen, you don't have to pay these fees. you could sit in the back, the middle. that's fine. but the bottom line is now you've got people on both sides of the political aisle upset about this. they call them junk fees, and they say they want to make the airline experience a lot more transparent. for many fliers, soaring fees on the nation's largest airlines

are increasingly leading to sky high frustration. >> this is so ridiculous. i shouldn't have to be paying for a seat. >> while most airlines have been charging fees for bags for years, lawmakers say between 2018 and '23, american, delta, united, spirit and frontier brought in nearly $12.5 billion for fees related to seats. and for the first time, since 2018, on united last year, passengers paid more for seats than luggage. >> passengers now are forced to pay extra for almost everything. >> nobody enjoys flying in the airlines. it's a disaster. you charge people fees they know nothing about. >> in a capitol hill hearing, lawmakers say customers are facing what they call skyrocketing junk fees. >> you just said as the flight is filling up, you're going to get charged more. >> not always. sometimes you'll get charged less. >> but you'll never know. that's the beauty. it's like russian roulette. >> reporter: airlines executives say some of those charges are meant to provide travelers with

choices. >> nearly 50% of people are not paying for a bag or a seat. we are providing options that people are deciding whether they want that or not. >> we clearly disclose any fees in advance of booking. >> reporter: but lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say how and when airlines deploy the fees is not consistent. >> it would be good if you guys could be transparent about what you do and why. >> reporter: it all comes during a record year for air travel. the tsa has marked all of its top ten days for screening passengers in 2024. experts say on average, for a one-way flight, most airlines charge about 30 to $35 for checked bag. the airlines were pressed at wednesday's hearing on how much of that generates profit for the airlines. >> we look at your profitability very carefully by flight and market and region. but we do not look at our profitability by baggage. >> it defies imagination. it defies common sense.

>> meanwhile, tom, the department of transportation out with a new way to lp passengers if they were stranded by disruptions. what's that all about? >> reporter: this is a new proposed rule by the d.o.t., which is just now being announced this morning. and it would automatically, automatically allow -- ensure that the airlines provide cash compensation if your flight is delayed by more than three hours. $200 in cash compensation right away if your flight is delayed by more than three hours. and going up, depending on time and weather it's a domestic and international flight. then it would also require airlines to require free booking if flights are cancelled or departure is delayed by more than three hours as well. then it would require the airlines to cover meal and lodging and transportation expenses. the d.o.t., has not specified specifically how that would all work out. airlines, for their part, not happy about this. airlines for america, the trade group says, beyond what airlines already provide, this would

drive up ticket prices, make all air travel less accessible and negatively impact carrier operations as well. one last note, you guys, the one airline that was not at that hearing yesterday, southwest. as you know, they don't charge for bags. they have had an open seating policy. that's now going to change. they are now going to start allowing people to pay for the better seat. back to you guys. >> i love how our airline says airline execs in the hot seat. i wonder if it's a middle seat, you know? tom, thank you very much. >> reporter: i like that idea, yeah. >> all right, tom. thanks. still ahead the new spotlight on elon musk heading to capitol hill today as other tech tie tans speak out on their rivals growing influence in business and in politics. you'll hear what they have to say. but first, something unusual and it's attracting crowds and controversy to a historic church. an ai-powered jesus in the confessional. kelly cobiella looking into it. kelly, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. that's right.

a virtual jesus taking your questions and offering spiritual solace in realtime. how does it work? and can it work? we'll go in search for answers right after this. you do face more risk from flu and covid. last year alone, those viruses hospitalized nearly 1 million people 65 and older. 1 million. vaccines lower your risk of getting really sick, so you can keep doing you. (taylor) the subaru share the love event means the world to me. (tobias) you can get a great vehicle and support a good cause. (taylor) it helps us connect with our community;

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they've been experimenting with a digital version of jesus, powered by artificial intelligence, to communicate with visitors. nbc's kelly cobiella joins us with the story and that swift reaction. hey, kelly, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. yeah, this was a two-month experiment. researchers and theologians wanting to test whether people would take the leap and confess to an avatar. at the 300-year-old st. petersburg chapel in switzerland, inside this confessional booth is an ai-generated version of jesus christ. >> hello, jesus. >> reporter: a life-like avatar on a a computescreen answering questions in realtime. offering advice to the faithful based on scripture in over 100 languages. >> let kindness and compassion steer your course. >> reporter: it's called god in the machine. and was developed by a swiss

i.t. expert using openai's gpt 40. the idea that chapel's theologian says to explore the limits of human trust in technology. >> many people came to talk with him. there were young people, older people, people really talked with him in a serious way. >> reporter: the experience comes with instructions and a disclaimer not to share personal information. but the church said most had a positive experience. >> topics like relationship, love, topics like about god. they asked him what to do. >> reporter: the virtual experiment generating debate and controversy worldwide. >> this is not sackry mental. this is sack religious. this is ridiculous. >> role of ai in religion. >> reporter: the church's theologian says this ai jesus was never meant to replace a priest but instead to get people

thinking about the digital and the divine. >> so kelly, we know this is in that particulart church. is there a chance it could spread to others? >> reporter: it's possible. i mean, this church says that it was a huge success for them. they actually had people fill out questionnaires after using the avatar. about 300 people responded. 200 of them, the church said, reported having a very positive experience. and not only that, they say they've had interest from parishes, schoolteachers and others not just in switzerland but around the world. so, the question for them now is whether they can turn this pilot project into something more permanent. they say one big advantage is that this avatar can be available 24/7 where as a parish priest may not be. so maybe some sort of avatar on call, spiritual guidance on call. >> but you know jesus, many believe, is also available 24/7. kelly. we won't get into that. all right.

>> thank you, kelly. >> i like the real thing. al, what you got? >> on the bright side, we're talking about jesus. so that's not a bad thing. >> not at all. >> hey, this next cold surge is coming on in here and it is going to be bringing in wind chills that are brutal. huron, minus 10. that's what it feels like. rod chester, minnesota, feels like 10. cincinnati, 5 degrees. tomorrow or today these actual air temperatures 7 degrees below normal in buffalo. memphis, 39, 15 degrees cooler than it normally should be this time of year. tomorrow, staying chilly. 35 new york city, way below normal. memphis, 39. houston, 55. that's 12 degrees cooler also. but the good news is say bye bye to the chill by the weekend. pittsburgh by monday you're at 50. new york city up into the low 50s on monday. atlanta, you'll see temperatures

that we're enjoying some nice and mild weather across the bay area in the upper 60s for highs once again. after some clouds to start this morning, and we're down to the low 40s tonight and then looking ahead more of the above normal highs with some 60s extending into next week. overnight lows will get colder for early next week into the mid 30s. and in san francisco today. and that's your latest weather, guys. >> thank you, al. a "popstart" packed with first looks. kylie kelce's new podcast. and we have to get to hoda's boost. but first these messages. ♪

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and we got kids, we got santa. we got angela baby here. santa, it's nice to you here on the show. >> ho ho, i'm real proud to be here this afternoon. >> so, i want to hear -- now i know that you are the best ho ho hoer in the place. let me hear one. >> way down here. ho ho ho ho ho. >> what is happening there? >> wow. >> so much to react to. >> why are we just now seeing this video. >> i've never seen that hoda hair before. >> 1987. >> there you go. >> you think he is the best ho ho hoer, but we think you, hoda, is the best ho, ho, hoda. w kbrks vt -- >> he's in the role. i got a mustache and mustache under the mustache. >> i think i mic'ed him on his beard. i'm pretty sure i put that mic on. that was w -- news center 15 in greenville, mississippi. they hired me. thank you. thank you to greenville, mississippi. >> is that where you got to anchor because you had a jacket? >> yes. anyone with a blazer got to

anchor the news. that's the way it worked. >> that was wnbd delta, delta news. thank you for sharing that. please keep searching for more. we love it. >> i'm sure that's not going to be the last. >> oh, no. >> how about a boost. >> i got you. here we go. first of all, welcome back, carson. >> thank you. it's hard to beat the atmosphere on a saturday at a college football game. everybody gets swept up in the excitement. even a security guard at securi. clemson's memorial stadium. ♪ >> on double duty. keeping the crowd safe. he's keeping them entertained. by the way the security guard's name is andy. fans always say that he's like hyping up the student section. so way to go, andy. >> very, very cool. guys, as savannah mentioned, we have a great "popstart" and really touching story behind this year's rockefeller center christmas tree. story of love we'll share with

you, we'll do that with a remarkable family who donated that beautiful tree right after a check of your local news and weather. on furniture and cookwa, holiday decor, and more at wayfair's lowest prices of the year! plus, score new deals of the day - every day! wow! and get free shipping on everything. don't miss your last chance to save up to 70% on everything home! shop cyber week now! ♪ wayfair. every style. every home. ♪ ♪ ♪ have you always had trouble with your weight? same. discover the power of wegovy®. with wegovy®, i lost 35 pounds. and some lost over 46 pounds. and i'm keeping the weight off. i'm reducing my risk. wegovy® is the only weight-management medicine proven to reduce risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and obesity.

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check your coverage before talking to your prescriber about wegovy®. ♪(upbeat holiday jazz music)♪ sandra from billing. your pull in the office gift exchange. she's a little bit of this, and a little bit of that... (dolphin sounds) (twinkle sound) if only you could get her a little bit of all the things. ohhh... don't overthink it. the best beauty gifts are only at sephora. experience the art of high pressure brewed coffee and espresso with the l'or barista system. enjoy richer, bolder flavors complete with velvet smooth crema. for a satisfying moment unlike any other. the virus that causes shingles is sleeping... in 99% of people over 50. it's lying dormant, waiting... and could reactivate.

shingles strikes as a painful, blistering rash that can last for weeks. and it could wake at any time. think you're not at risk for shingles? it's time to wake up. because shingles could wake up in you. if you're over 50, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about shingles prevention. ♪ sleigh bells ring ♪ ♪ are you listening? ♪ ♪ in the lane ♪ ♪ snow is glistening ♪ ♪ to sing a love song ♪ ♪ while we stroll along ♪ ♪ old navy is a winter wonderland ♪ good morning. it is 756. i'm marcus washington and i'm kris sanchez. here's what's happening now. i'm bob redell. today marks the first full day of jury deliberations in a high profile

murder trial in san francisco. jurors are weighing the fate of nima momeni, who prosecutors say murdered tech ceo bob lee. the question jurors must answer is what led up to the stabbing? lee was stabbed to death in april of 2023 during a tense encounter involving zenni. the defense has argued lee actually brandished a knife, which he then used in self-defense. deliberations are expected to begin again around 930 this morning. let's get a look at that forecast for you right now. meteorologist kari hall has been tracking what we can expect out there. we are starting out with more clouds as a storm system passes just to our north, bringing in some spotty light showers. but overall, cool morning and jacket temperatures for the start of the day. it will be hazy for the afternoon and a mild and dry weekend with our high temperatures for today headed for the upper 60s. 68 in santa rosa, as well as hayward and in san jose. 68 degrees with low 70s for the south county and

more of the same weather heading into our weekend. back to you. all right. thanks, kari. look. make sure you tune in to our today in the bay live streaming newscast, starting in just minutes at 8:00. coming up, we're going to have a measure headed to the president's desk to bring relief for some wildfire victims ithe state. youn

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it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, manhunt. the search for a killer still on after the ceo of unitedhealthcare was gunned down onon a new yk city street. >> this does not appear to be a random act of violence. >> this morning, new details on the investigation and the message the shooter may have left at the scene. we're live with the latest. then, elon musk in the spotlight. the tech titan headed to capitol hill today as fellow billionaires speak out about his new role in the trump administration. >> he is not going to use his political power to advantage his own companies. >> the details straight ahead. ♪ and family tree. >> three, two, one! >> light it up! >> meet the family responsible for this year's rockefeller center christmas tree. >> well, i consider probably one of the greatest honors of my life. >> they'll join us live to share its journey and their special story.

all that plus "wicked" defies the odds. ♪ dylan weighs in on timothee chalamet's role. and the classic beer that's becoming a perfume. ♪ all ahead in "popstart." "today" thursday, december 5th, 2024. >> shout out to yorktown high school, arlington, virginia. >> wishing uncle butch a happy 101st birthday. >> in jamesville, wisconsin. girl's trip to new york city. >> visiting from st. louis. >> lexington, mississippi. >> columbia, south carolina. >> ankeny, iowa. >> to meet savannah and hoda.

>> hi to our students back in illinois. >> and hi to our grandson ollie. >> you're our hero. >> from gaithersburg, maryland. >> after 50 years of watching the "today" show. >> mom's finally here. [ cheers and applause ]. >> we're happy to see you, mom. we're going to talk a little slowly so that everybody gets some camera time. this is the first day that our tree has been lit, the first full day. we want to welcome everybody in. look at that crowd, sg. >> so many awesome folks out there, even in the sprinkling rain and cold, but they're there. we see you, santa. >> uh-huh. >> craig is on assignment. he is actually making his way to paris this morning for the grand reopening of noter dam cathedral. craig was there covering the fire that nearly destroyed it five years ago. tomorrow he'll be back in paris, live for us with an inside look at the massive effort to get the iconic 850-year-old landmark ready for its new moment in the spotlight. let's get right to our news

at 8:00. we'll begin with the manhunt for the shooter who gunned down the ceo of unitedhealthcare right here in midtown manhattan. this morning, new information on the message the shooter may have left right at the scene. nbc's stephanie gosk has the very latest. hey, steph, good morning. >> reporter: hoda, good morning. a senior law enforcement official tells nbc news they found three shell casings on this street, with an apparent cryptic message, the words -- deny, defend and depose. brian thompson, father of two from minnesota, was here in new york city fsh unitedhealthcare's conference. he was making his way there about an hour and a half before it was set to begin. a video obtained by nbc news shows the shooter jumping out. according to police, he had been lying in wait. he opens fire on brian thompson. in the video you can see at least once. that gun jams. and according to police, he fixes it and it shows some proficiency in the weapon.

he then leaves the scene and flees, goes up an alley, grabs an e-bike and goes into central park, leaving brian thompson behind. emergency responders immediately rushing him to the hospital, but they were unable to save him. it is now more than 24 hours since this shooting took place. and think of what the police have. they have witnesses. they have video. they have photos. and there still has not been an arrest, hoda. the shooter is still on the run. >> all right, stephanie gosk for us there in midtown. steph, thank you. some tense moments yesterday on board a united airlines plane out of newark. the flight, operated by republic airways, was headed to detroit, but it was forced to turn around and return to newark after the crew reported smelling smoke in the cockpit. the plane did land safely. passengers were evacuated by emergency slides as a precaution. no word, though, on the cause of that smoke smell. elon musk will be on capitol hill this morning to meet with gop lawmakers about his role leading president-elect trump's

new department of government efficiency. musk's increasing access to the powers on the minds of a lot of influential leader fls both business and politics. some of them, a number of them, sat down with cnbc anchor and "new york times" columnist andrew ross sorkin for his annual deal book summit. andrew, good to see you. >> great to see you. good morning. yesterday i did have the opportunity to speak with some leaders on wall street and the government and in technology right here in new york city. and the role of elon musk in washington was a huge topic of conversation throughout the day. he is, of course, the richest man in the world. ceo of spacex, also tesla, owner of x and the founder of groc-ai and now his influence is headed to washington. the trusted trump ally will be co-leading the department of government efficiency designed to slash is size and scope of the federal government. yesterday i spoke with musk's direct competitors sam altman and his competitor in space, amazon and blue origin founder

jeff bezos, both of them great entrepreneurs in their own right but a lot of questions about whether they worry about elon musk's relationship and trust and connection with trump in the second administration. >> i take it face value. what has been said, which is that, you know, he is not going to use his political power to advantage his own companies or to disadvantage his competitors. >> lots of things not to like about him, but it could go so deeply against the values i believe he holds very dear to himself that i'm not that worried about it. >> by the way, hoe ad you should know, they founded openai together. for him to say that is something. meantime, i also sat down with former president bill clinton who said he believes the biden administration could have done more to embrace musk over the last four years ahead of the election. >> this deal book summit, a andrew, you had everybody there. we don't know how you prepared

for l those interviews. influential people, even prince harry. >> conversation with him? >> we did. and that was fascinating on to itself. wide ranging interview with the duke of sus ussex. his upcoming trial with rupert murdoch and his life now in the united states. >> i very much enjoy living here and bringing my kids up here. it's a part of my life that i never thought i was -- that i was going to live. and i feel as though it's the life that my mom wanted for me. and to be le to do the things that i am able to do with my kids that i undoubtedly wouldn't be able to do in the uk, is huge. >> i don't think he's going back to the uk any time soon. i also should tell you i asked him about the dangers of social media, particularly for children. prince harry pointed to the u.s. surgeon general's warning calling it a public safety issue, saying he's concerned by what he called a lack of accountability for the industry and we often -- we also talked, by the way, about his

relationship with meghan markle, a lot of speculation, he was in new york yesterday. she's in l.a. and everybody was a buzz. >> you got on that. you went all "people" magazine, what did he say? >> all rumors. all crazy. and he said he effectively said everybody thinks we've been divorced like 12 times. >> fair enough. >> wow. all right. andrew, thank you so much. >> well done. the fbi is urging americans to stop sending regular text messages between android phones and iphones. the agency says the exchanges are vulnerable to hackers because they are not encrypted. encryption is the technology that scrambles a message and require ascii to be able to see it. if you have an iphone and need to send a message to an android user, you're advised to use signal apps like whatsapp. it comes amid high profile recent hacking incidents that have been linked to china. a storied piece of hollywood history is on the auction block,

but it does not come cheap. bids for the ruby red slippers from the "wizard of oz" have now surpassed $1 million. the slippers worn by judy garland in the classic 1939 film were reportedly stolen from a museum in minnesota in 2005 then recovered 13 years later. the sale will end with a live auction this saturday in texas. they were actually right here in our studio. >> we tried to try them on but 9, 10 didn't fit. >> you have to shoe horn. still ahead, could it be an oscar's preview? carson has the details on a big new honor for "wicked" and its stars. but first, they watched it grow and last night they got to see their not so little tree bring joy to the entire world. we're going to meet the family behind this year's rockefeller center tree and hear their sweet story coming up right after this. with rapid relief at 4 weeks.

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center christmas tree shining bright after last night's lighting. >> that 74 foot norway spruce comes from massachusetts, where it was planted nearly 60 years ago by earl and leslie albert. and we're going to talk to their family in just a moment. but first, nbc's joe fryer has a look at our tree's spectacular journey. >> three, two, one! ♪ joy to the world ♪ >> reporter: before the rockefeller center christmas tree was lit, before it made that 140 mile trek from the berkshires, before it was cut down during a jubilant community celebration, this norway spruce was a humble roadside attraction in west stock bridge, massachusetts, residing for 57 years on the albert family's property. >> how does it feel to have your tree picked as the rockefeller center christmas tree? >> well, i consider it probably one of the greatest honors of my life. >> reporter: earl and his wife leslie planted the tree in 1967,

a year after they got married. it was picked as rock center's christmas icon in 2020, just days after leslie passed away. >> this is definitely her handy work. >> yeah. >> what do you think she's thinking? >> i'm thinking she's thrilled. every christmas was family. everything we did was family. >> reporter: we first chatted with the albert family in october, couple weeks later, the tree got the chop. a joyful day that ended with heart breaking news. earl suffered a stroke. >> he's got some medical hurdles to get over. >> reporter: but he is recovering, strengthened by thousands of holiday get well letters and though he couldn't see the lighting in person, earl did watch on tv. he told me in october, still holding true. >> what do you think you'll be thinking of in that moment? >> leslie. how much she enjoyed trees. how much she enjoyed christmas. >> reporter: and just how much it means to find the light in the dark.

for "today" joe fryer, nbc news, new york. >> wow. earl's son and daughter-in-law michael and sean albert with are us now. you were there last night at 30 rock. i heard there was a little watch party for earl how is he doing? >> he's doing okay. he's at sunny view rehab, so he's working back towards strength. and wellness. he did have a little watch party at his room decked out. he had his santa hat on and my son facetimed with him. so, he was able to sort of be here. >> well, and both of you were here in person as were we. and you saw the joy it brought. once they flipped that switch, there were tears, by the way, in that moment. what was it like for you guys witnessing that? >> for me, it was just like -- so an overwhelming emotion of joy and it was a tribute to my mother's life. you know what i mean? just the giving back. just the loving nature of her.

it was just -- it's our way to kind of give to the world and just it's awesome. >> what would she think of all this? here you are on the "today" show. the tree is back there. that's the tree you grew up playing under. >> she would be absolutely ecstatic. yeah. she would be trying to figure out how to record it on the vcr. yeah, yeah. >> it's so fun to watch people take pictures with that tree in the background. so the tree that was just for you guys is now going to be in probably in frames all over the country for years and years to come. it's such an impact. i know it must have been difficult to think about giving that tree because it did mean a lot to your family. >> yeah. you know, the fact that it was going to end up here was just incredible. and you don't realize the whole build-up. there's such a build-up to the whole process. and so, you know, from eric coming and asking to the day of the cutting. and then walking around the

corner and seeing it, to you don't realize how -- how emotional it's going to be, how off guard it takes you. >> wow. you still have this stump, right? >> yeah. >> on the property. you were just telling us about maybe coming up with some kind of memorial for it. >> yeah. we're going to do a brand. eric will come back and do a brand for my mother with the rockefeller center logo and the date. and it wilill be aweme. >> wow. >> well, thank you for your gift. >> thank you. we love you guys so much. >> yeah. and send your best to your dad, earl. send our love. thank you. merry christmas. >> merry christmas. >> al, what you got? >> what a great gift. thanks so much. that's wonderful. let's show you what we have for today. lake-effect snow is continuing again. windy conditions here in the northeast. mid atlantic states, plenty of sunshine through the mid section as we get into the mid mississippi river valley. some showers down through the gulf. nny and mild in the wesust

don't forget, heading out the door, take us with you. siriusxm channel 108. >> we have a lot to get to today. cue the music and talk about "wicked." the broadway big screen adaptation is winning the box screen office. we know that. topping the charts and sweeping up awards as well. "wicked" was named best picture by the national board of review and popular musical took home prizes for special award for the collaboration between the two leading witches. so, huge congrats to the whole team.

i'm sure they have a lot more awards. >> oscar season. >> just going to start. >> "wicked" comes from our sister company universal pictures and is in theaters now. next up, bob dylan. the highly anticipated "complete unknown" takes place of the early days of dylan's career. he wrote on twitter, sharing his stamp of approval, timmy is a brilliant actor, i'm sure he'll be completely believable as me. he continues a fantastic retelling of the events from the early 60s. musician referencing the first time he played with an electric band at the folk festival '65. "complete unknown" hits needers on christmas day. yellow stone prequel series. we have a special "popstart" first look. >> i'm needed in montana. my family is in danger.

i don't have time. >> that's all you're going to get for right now. >> wow. >> little appetizer there. >> i love it. >> "1923" streams february 23rd on paramount plus. sneak peeks, another one from chi li kelsey. dropping the first episode from a brand new project not gonna lie th kylie kelce. we have an exclusive clip for you here where kylie gets real about her daughter's hilarious reaction to the announcement of baby number 4. >> has betty come around since the pregnancy announcement photo you posted? no, no, she absolutely has not. when i tell you that benny feels deeply and personally ctimized by the fact that we chose to give her another sibling, i mean that with my whole chest. when other babies or little kids come over and they try to sit in my lap, she physically removes them. so, we are about to ruin her day.

>> for more on kylie's new podcast, head to our website today.com. next up, "saturday night live" new york magazine recently reunited five decades of "snl" chast members past and present for a special anniversary cover story. new video, they're revealing how they spent their first paychecks. >> do you guys know what they pay us? it's like 3 grand an episode. i think i got dinner. >> i went to a crate and barrel and got a really big couch and then i went to a best buy and got a really big tv. >> probably getting an apartment. that's so boring. that's the real thing. >> you don't make enough money to make big purchases. new york rent was probably the biggest purchase i made after writing my first year on "snl". >> common denominator, new york is expensive. >> time to announce the next color of the year. are you ready? drum roll please. 2025 color of the year is, hoda --

>> what is it. >> mocha mouse. it's as a mellow brown infused with a comforting warmth. if your wondering what it might look like in the real world, we have it right here in the form of my mug. that is mocha mouse. >> i think it's cozy, creamy. i love that. >> not quite brown. >> it's neither here nor there. >> good one. finally, you know what time it is. that's right. it is miller time. bring out -- i'm like carrot top this morning. >> what else do we have? >> more props. check out this story. miller high life is serving up a limited release probably surprise you, a perfume called the high life dive bar fume. >> is that it? >> promising the authentic charm of neighborhood bars, including notes that are cedar wood and tobacco and leather. all the smells of a good dive bar. and because we are investigative journalists around here at "popstart," this is the miller high life perfume.

>> i'll try it. >> how do i smell? >> let me smell it. >> smells like -- >> it's weird. >> smells like carson's house. >> kind of nice. >> lemony. >> that smells like me. >> it does. >> i like it. >> what does that smell like? let me see this one. >> champagne and beer. >> that smells like the weekend. >> i have a bottle opener. if i could only find a bottle opener. oh, yeah. >> it's not even cold. >> wow, wow. how do i smell? >> you smell like -- >> no different. >> friday night. >> you don't smell any different. >> smells like thursday. the perfume dropped -- by the way, this was so popular, it already sold out. don't worry. it will be restocked this ternoon. >> i hope mike snot watching. i'm putting this in the stock. >> cheers, everyone. still ahead, your guide to the hottest tech gifts of the holiday season for kids and adults.

where is she? could you be any cuter, no you could not. a check of your local news, weather and these messages.

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♪ that's what christmas means to me ♪ 8:30. it is a beautiful thursday morning out here on our plaza. plaza is shining a little brighter this morning because we got rockefeller center christmas tree. sorry. i just bumped into people. i can't walk in a straight line. good morning, everybody. so we got dax out there helping us this morning. he's a social media sensation. and rising star in the music world. he will perform for us in just a minute. if you want to help our toy drive, scan the qr code on the screen or go to today.co you can do it virtually, too. speaking of holiday giving, guys, we have tech expert katie linendal in the house ready to share some unique gifts for your family, for your friends. young and old. >> some good ideas coming up. plus, chef evan funky is here. one of our absolute favorites. great recipe for the holiday season or chilly day like this. delicious italian christmas soup. tis the season to be

stressed out. later on the third hour, best strategies to cope with the hectic days and weeks ahead. >> first a check of the weather, al. >> do you think this is an around the horn day. this crowd is huge! >> let's take a look and show you what's going on as far as your weekend is concerned. lake-effect snow that's what we're looking at through the great lakes. very cold mid section of the country. wet down in texas. sunshine out west. saturday, more snow showers. look for mild weather in the plains. northwest looking a little on the wet side. and then sunday/sunday, kind of warming trend in the mid atlantic, the northeast. flood risk in the lower mississippi river valley. nice day in the southwest. some showers in the pacific . i will get over. you haven't taken chances. good thursday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. today. starting out with clouds. but it will become mostly sunny and temperatures warming up into the upupper 60s, which is above norl for this time of year and then back down to the low 40s. we'll set it on repeat for tomorrow as well and into the weekend. just

a few more clouds arriving and we'll see that. bring in some cooler temperatures for the early, early next week with our overnight lows in the mid 30s inland. while san fra and that's your latest weather. here we go. happy birthday to mom. be careful. it's a little wet out here. how are you doing? good to see you. 58 years as friends. really good. oh, look at these folks. looking good. that's a big sign. lots of fun. oh, yeah. minnesota nice. there you go, ladies and gentlemen. our first christmas round the horn. oh, hoda? >> oh, hello, al. y'all, everybody is so nice here today. do not go anywhere. if you got holiday shopping to do, we're going to share the best tech gifts for everybody on your list. but first, this is "today" on nbc. on nbc.

been here before? or haven't been here at all? your next favorite thing about this place is waiting to be discovered. did you know you can do this? ... pretty cool, right? ... and you don't want to miss that. you can also ride this ... and then race on over to do this... and before you leave? you definitely wanna see that.

♪ back now 8:35 with today's holiday consumer. with christmas now just 20 days away, we're going to dive into some tech-inspired gift ideas for people of all ages. there's only one person we could call our tech expert katie linendahl. i'm so excited for this segment because you have the latest and the greatest. what's this first idea? >> always on the hunt for the most unique tech and gadgets. those hard to buy for on your list. let's start with a little personalization. this is a custom book for you. heirom books. as you can see, you open it up and displays your custom videos and photos. add anything from a video slide show -- >> wait, what! >> this is for your mom. i custom made for you. the best moments of the year. you can have this in a five inch screen, horizontal or vertical.

up to an hour of content. 16 different couvers. it's all about memories in hand. >> by the way, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. that's beautiful. let's move on down. >> let's move on down. this is one of my favorite recent finds. look through this bracelet. >> what do you mean? >> every single bracelet has a photo inside of it. you hold it up to the light and you'll see on screen what you are seeing through the bracelet. i actually put a photo of your girls inside there with your mom. and it is so unique because you get those photos that you love off of your camera roll and inside of the bracelet. and by the way, i freaked out. >> so cute. >> they also have ornaments as well. take my money. there is nothing more unique and more personalized than a custom bracelet or ornament. number of different styles. super sleek, super classy and can't find anything better. >> 38 bucks. starts at 38? that's a good beginning. and you can still do it right now, katie? >> you sure can. >> this is old school. what is happening here.

>> i love a good gadget for the kids. this is a yoto player. fun for books. you pop the card inside the player. no ads no, camera, no microphone, safe content and every time you want to change a book, fairy tale or music, pop the card right now and put another card in. i'll play a 12 days of christmas. super easy to control. there's only a volume button, only another button the kids can change the chapter or change the song and all about good quality stuff. >> it's controlled. you're not getting stuff they can fish around and find online. >> exactly. >> you have great content here. kids bop. >> paw patrol to bee trix potter to peanuts. 12 days of christmas carols. fun stuff. >> now this one i feel like i'm a kid again. >> you feel like you're a kid again. might recognize this vintage player. now you are in control. this is custom made for you. you can actually create your own photo slides, which is so fun because you up load seven different photos. 3d captions, borders, something

that everybody will gather around this holiday season. >> i'm diagnose. they're great gifts. you can give them to people -- an awesome gift. >> exactly. constantly keep making new reels. up load seven photos and hero image for right inside the middle there. choose a number of different colors and everybody will want to gather around this christmas. >> these are a great stocking st stuffer, too. >> bring us home. >> customizer engraving pen. as you can see, it looks just like a little pen. what's really unique is you can work on 50 different kinds of materials from metal to leather to glass and customize any of your own content. >> are you kidding? is it easy to use? >> i got a glass in the dollar store and made it custom. so get tumblers. do an ipad. anything that your heart desires you can make -- >> glass? looks like anything. >> exactly. >> mirrors. beautiful. >> comes with 30 different bits, too. find what works best on each different material. but all about the person that is crafty and diy in your life.

>> katie, merry christmas. >> merry christmas. >> thank you. these are great, great gift idea. find these and more on our website, today.com/shop. carson, over to you. >> hoda, we've got another season staple, that is food. our favorite. chef evan funky is here. perfect for the holidays and chilly weather. we'll make it, eat it and chat with chef

♪ welcome back this morning on "today" holiday food, joined by two-time james beard nominated chef evan funky appeared on netflix hit series chef table noodles celebrating the artistry of italian culinary traditions. stream that now. chef is here to warm us up with a classic italian winter soup. >> roman. >> roman soup. >> yes. >> let's talk about the netflix special for a second because

it's just so incredible. how did you -- the series is so good. but this is really about your love of pasta making and the artistry behind it. >> yes. and the people connected to the shapes. it's much more important than the actual technical aspect of making pastas is the anthropologie connected. >> there's over 300 shapes of pastas. >> way back to italian woman who ultimately made it somewhere in the kitchen by hand and these are all the things. >> all modern shapes have an ancestral shape that was at one time made by hand by a woman. >> how many do you do? >> 155. >> 155 different ones. >> wow. >> some of the best story telling i've ever seen in my life. i encourage people to watch the netflix special. >> so we're going to make something that you would eat for lunch when it's cold out. it's freezing. i just came from miami. we just opened mother wolf in miami. doing art basil. this is about patience.

when patience might be thin during the holidays, this is about patience. start with a whole chicken. you'll allow this to chill out for 24 hours. so we have a whole chicken. and we have a beef shank. you can also use bone marrow, i'm a huge fan of. okay. an onion. a carrot. stalk of celery. miller lite. just kidding. >> don't mind if i do. >> you smell great. >> thank you. >> did it get all over you? >> it got all over me, yes. >> you'll smell great all day long. >> never thought a dive bar would smell so good. what is a brodo. >> just broth. this is how you make it. bring this up to a boil. then down to a simmer. and as you go along, as you pass by the brodo, skim the brodo overnight. you have to skim the pot. you'll allow this to go with for 24 hours. once we have this done, delicious magic of television. smells fantastic.

this has no salt. we just want to season this lightly with a little bit of salt. then what we have is eggs, a little bit of semolina, chopped parsely, parmesan and nutmeg is one of my favorites. very holiday. okay. very simply -- >> roman history behind this? >> well, the most famous version of this is made at armando pantheon, have you been there? >> no. >> absolutely fantastic. it means torn rags. it will break up. are you enjoying that? is it delicious. >> are you thinking about the roman empire. >> always. all goes back to that. >> the gladiator. >> yes, all of that. >> maybe. >> i think they ate -- >> a stoic soup. so that's all. we need to do. allow this so set for ten minutes to allow this semolina to absorb.

we'll make a vortex inside this. while it's rolling. >> come on. >> make this vortex. >> wait, what? >> why the whirlpool? >> you'll see. it will start to drag the eggs all around and will break it up into strings. so the vortex is in. and very slowly. >> look at that. >> add in the egg. >> there's no meat in this soup. does anybody put meat balls? >> you can add some pastaina or something like that. >> dumb question, what about the chicken and the beef and all that over there? that go to waste. >> tear off the meat and serve it with pasta. italians love selling things twice. >> chef is killing it right now. how many restaurants have you opened in the last year and a half? >> four in 18 months. >> wow. >> that's insane. >> that's the miami gig coming up. >> miami is mother wolf we just opened in october. and we're doing some spectacular

things for art basil. we have a popup for netflix dinner thing. >> you're so particular about your pasta making by hand and your thing. when your not there, is it hard for you to trust people to make your pastas in your restaurants? >> same people that make it when i'm there. it's just all about teaching. >> trust. thank you for being here, chef.. happy holidays to you. >> go to today.com/food. next up, dax is here to treat us a preview of his new album with a live performance in studio 1a. but first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪

>> announcer: the citi concert series on "today," is proudly sponsored by citi. ♪ we are back with dax, a talented singer, song writer who is just reaching new heights all the time. >> that's right. dax is known for hit like "dear alcohol" went hit for him.

earned a special platinum certification and his song "to be a man." you have a new album coming out tomorrow, dax. how are you feeling? >> i feel absolutely amazing, man. no better feeling than making music for the people by the people. >> there it is. you do all sorts of genres. i've seen you rap. you have this great history of writing. how do you refer -- you call impact music. >> i call the genre impact. i focus on the words and the message and let people classify it wherever they want to put it. >> your background is in poetry, that's how you started. >> yes, ma'am. >> your music is infused with that. >> all of it. it's all about the words for me. i take my time and write each and every word and try to place it as perfectly as possible. >> you made your tv debut with us a year ago. and now you're here back. thank you for coming back with your record. what was it like to do that full, longer form piece of music? >> it's great. an album is a lot of nerves. especially when you're writing it all yourself. but it feels good to know that

i'm putting out something that i think hasn't been done, from a man's perspective is something they think the world needs. and i think it's music that's unfiltered, not trying to market to anyone, just authentically me and i am a man. so it's from a man's perspective. >> what are you going do for us now? >> lonely dirt road. >> here is dax, everybody. take it away. take it away. ♪ when i need space, that's where i go ♪ ♪ a place to escape, let nobody know ♪ ♪ where i feel free to let things go ♪ ♪ and face this sequel that burdens my soul ♪ ♪ pack my pain ♪ ♪ all the emotions i cannot explain, it's where i found god and felt at home, it's heed myself and, on that lonely dirt road ♪ ♪ i needed somewhere to take my mistakes ♪

♪ i didn't want my family to see me cry ♪ ♪ they'll never know i'm carcarry ing all of this weight, dealing with the pressure of trying to provide ♪ ♪ no sign of struggle to show on my face ♪ ♪ they ask if i'm okay, flash them a smile ♪ ♪ fire up that engine to take me away, i'm squeezing through emotions with every mile ♪ ♪ on that road is where i find my peace ♪ ♪ i remember daddy told me some times like these ♪ ♪ on that road is where my mind's at ease ♪ ♪ i keep driving life away, rejecting change ♪ ♪ i need space, that's where i go ♪ ♪ a place to escape, that nobody knows ♪ ♪ where i feel free to let things go ♪ ♪ and face this sequel that burdens my soul ♪ ♪ i bring my head trip, i pack my pain ♪ ♪ all the emotions i cannot explain ♪ ♪ it's where i found god and

felt at home, it's heed myself and i, on that lonely dirt road ♪ ♪ i tried my best to plant the seeds and then it watered everything that was in my life ♪ ♪ but as a man he only flowers that you get are when you're 6 feet under on the day you die ♪ ♪ i think i feel the pain my father felt that's finally sinking in, looking back all i see is his eyes ♪ ♪ he said that house is not a home unless you build it on respect with some kids and a loving wife ♪ ♪ if these walls could talk, i bet they would say it's all my fault that i don't try hard, that i ain't man enough, that i ain't standing up, that i just burn everything that my hands touch ♪ ♪ whoa ♪ ♪ if these walls could talk, i bet they would say i'm to blame, that i'm the one who pulled myself inside of all these chains ♪ ♪ t that my aictive personalities what ran them away and that i hurt myself by

staying quiet and not explain ♪ ♪ now i'm broking in places i can't even see. there's got to be a heaven because the hell that's in me is taking a dangerous toll and i'm paying with all of my soul ♪ ♪ and i need space, that's where i go, a place to escape that nobody knows ♪ ♪ where i feel free to let things go, and face this sequel that burdens my soul ♪ ♪ i bring my head trip, i pack my pain, all the emotions i cannot explain ♪ ♪ it's where i found god and feel at home and heed myself and i, on that lonely dirt road ♪ >> that is dax, everybody! [ applause ]. >> nice work. thank you very much, man. >> thank you so much. >> conatulations on the record. >> thank you. >> new alblbum is outomorrow. it's album eve. >> from a man's perspective album eve. >> what are you doing? >> tonight?

>> i am celebrating. >> with water. >> there it is. >> good man. all right. we're back after your cal news, weather and these messages. >> thank you. ♪

good morning. it's 856 on marcus washington. well, this morning, y two of deliberations in the high profile murder trial of nima momeni. the jury is now weighing in on that evidence from the trial. well, many accused of killing cash app co-founder bob lee in san francisco last year. prosecutors accused more many of killing bob lee in a confrontation. this is over. his sister minnie's defense argues that the stabbing was in self-defense. now, if jurors cannot reach a unanimous verdict on first-degree murder, they can consider a lesser charge of second degree murder, along with voluntary or involuntary manslaughter charges. happening now, our ginger conejero saab. she's inside the courthouse. she'll have a live report for us during

our midday newscas