the donald trump/ted cruz good morning. taking aim. the donald trump/ted cruz rivalry rises during a heated presidential debate. trump once again questioning cruz's eligibility to run. >> there's a big question mark on your head, and you can't do that to the party. >> but cruz is ready with a response. >> the constitution hasn't changed. [ laughter ] but the poll numbers have. >> and carly fiorina appears to take a very personal shot at hillary clinton in the earlier debate. health alert. a dangerous untreatable virus posing a big risk to women and babies. the cdc now considering a first of its kind travel warning to parts of the caribbean and south america. could it spread to the u.s.? nbc news exclusive. amal clooney opens up about the mission that brought her to capitol hill and balancing her passion and fame. >> i'm doing the same job now. if there's more attention paid for whatever reason for that -- >> oh, you know the reason. >> then i think that's good.

ticket? and are these tennesseeans the first winners to come forward in that record-breaking powerball lottery? they have not even gone to officials yet because they want to make their announcement right here in studio 1a today, friday, january 15th, 2016 >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> and good morning, everybody. welcome to "today" on a friday morning. carson who is in for matt. buzz. >> take a shot at that ticket again. that could be one of the three winning tickets right there. >> unbelievable. >> those are the numbers, and >> that's the ticket, says john and lisa robinson. they are from mumford, tennessee. lottery officials yet. wednesday night. we're going to talk to them.

members of their family. take a listen. >> i have a big favor to ask. i need you to watch the "today" show, and i won't be in today. just watch the "today" show, please. i know, but i won't make it in today. be in monday. if you let me. okay. thank you. bye. >> might go into work on monday. >> we'll talk to john and lisa at the moment. it's politics, republican candidates for president clashing in their first debate of the new year, a night dominated by the growing rivalry between donald trump and ted cruz, the two front-runners. we've got complete coverage, and we'll start with nbc national correspondent peter alexander. peter, good morning to you. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. immediately after the debate donald trump himself may have

with the days ticking down to iowa, no-no mr. nice between between trump and cruz, the two guys engaging in a fierce back and forth. the clash in carolina. >> so you should go out, get a declaratory judgment, let the courts decide. >> and why are you saying this now? why now, why are you raising this issue now? >> because now he's doing a little bit better. no, i didn't care before. it's true. >> reporter: dominated by a pair of bitter exchanges between donald trump and ted cruz, one over canada, the other about new york. first on cruz's eligibility to be president. >> my friend donald said that he had his lawyers look at this from every which way, and there was no issue there. there was nothing to do this birther issue. now -- [ laughter ] since september, the constitution hasn't changed. [ laughter ] but the poll numbers have.

defense of what cruz criticized is his new york values. >> not a lot of conservatives come out of manhattan. i'm just saying. >> when the world trade center came down, i saw something that no place on earth could have handled more beautifully, more humanely than new york, and i have to tell you, that was a very insulting statement that ted made. >> cruz also fended off questions about the "new york times'" reporting that he failed to properly disclose a loan from goldman sachs in 2012. >> if that's the best hit that the "new york times" has got, they better go back to the well. >> reporter: cruz and marco rubio collided over immigration. >> you used to support people here legally and now you are saying. >> i appreciate you dumping your research folder on the debate stage but at least half of the things marco said are flat out false. >> rubio and chris christie butting heads, both men trying

>> you had your chance, marco. you blew it. >> here in south carolina trump embraced the state's governor nikki haley who days ago urged gop voters not to be tempted by the angriest voices. >> i'm very angry because our country is being run horribly, and i will gladly accept the mantle of anger. >> but once again the night's biggest target, barack obama and the democrats trying to succeed him. >> on tuesday night i watched story time with barack obama, and i've got to tell you, it sounded like everything in the world was going amazing, you know. >> if she gets elected her first agenda, she might be going back and forth between the white >> we're going to win every state if bernie sanders is the nominee. >> with just two and a half weeks till iowa the trailing candidates desperate to be heard. >> well, i'm very happy to get a question this early on. i was going to ask you to wake

>> reporter: main debate stage is now whittled down to seven candidates, but in that undercard debate carly fiorina took a personal swipe at hillary clinton. take a listen. >> theheruth is i've had and been blessed which a lot of opportunities to do a lot of things in my life, and unlike another woman in this race, i actually love spending time with my husband. >> reporter: just one more republican debate before the first nominating contest in iowa. savannah and carson. >> all right. peter, thank you so much. chuck todd, nbc's political director and moderator of "meet the press" is up here, up late and early with us. >> that's what we all do now. >> this seems like more and more a trump and cruz race. >> it is, and i thought last night what was interesting, i'll throw rubio in there. i feel like those three they had the debate, and jeb bush and christie tried to get involved, but you can really feel the top tier there, because if you look at it, the three of them all had -- all had some moments. i thought cruz did really well in the first part, rubio really well in the last part of the

people came after him other than cruz and he actually -- this was his best debate performance to date. i don't think you could say he won, but i might argue that because he was touched the least that he's overall going to get gained the most. >> he did get booed a couple of times. >> he did at first, it's interesting. if it wasn't for the crowd, i don't know if ted cruz would be seen to have done as well. >> they were for cruz. >> that was very pro cruz. that helped him early. he sort of fed off of it a little bit. trump i thought it rattled him early and then he sort of got comfortable, okay, this crowd is not for me. >> cruz brings up the new york issue. papers are all over him today that. must have been a blow to him from trump. >> well, it is, i think, you know. look, it may not hurt him in iowa. my late father, he grew up in iowa and he who say oh, those new yorkers, he would say that's better than us. that can actually help cruz in a place like iowa, but i think

way donald trump handled it, i have to say that was one of those, like this is a guy who is growing as a candidate. that answer on 9/11, and he did it without sort of an in your face aspect. >> taking the high road when given the opportunity to counterpunch on nikki haley. what about the eligibility for cruz? did cruz end it? is it still out there or is this going to float out there and be an issue for trump? >> there's reports that somebody actually filed the first lawsuit. it has unnerved cruz. what got him to attack trump, he avoided it for six months. this has rattled him. every day he's had to answer questions about this, so, no, i >> chuck todd, thank you very much. >> all right. now to the frenzy over the three winning tickets sold in wednesday's record-shattering powerball jackpot. as we said, we have in our studio a couple who claims to hold one of those winning tickets from tennessee. we're going to talk to them in just a few minutes but first nbc's miguel almaguer has more on the search for the other two

good morning. >> reporter: good morning. here's what we know is fact. the 7-eleven behind me is three stores that sold perfect lottery tickets, the other one in florida and tennessee and so far this morning there's no official just as fast as the frenzy, as soon as crowds rushed the store that sold the winning ticket, stories surfaced from those who claim they hit it big. >> i'm excited for them, and i don't even know who it is. >> reporter: in florida, reporters chasing rumors. one woman from her home forced to release a statement. i am not the powerball winner. on instagram, this ticket of a man with the winning numbers, dismissed as a phony, all photoshopped. >> reporter: and then overnight just miles from the store where someone's dream did come true. helicopter in the air and news cruise on the ground at this nursing home, headlines claimed a mother of seven in her 60s

what we want. >> reporter: the story read like a novel, a son calling his mom who said she had won when like everyone else she had just lost. >> she's like the sweetest person, and i don't know -- that would really be a terrible joke. >> reporter: a joke for someone but not all. 73 tickets nearly hit the jackpot, good for $1 million in cash. one shared by a group of kentucky teachers, a lesson in economics, a dose of good faith. >> this was actually the very first time i've ever bought a ticket. >> reporter: but this morning there is still that million dollar question. who won that billion dollar jackpot? lotto officials say they don't know who hit the jackpot, if they are couples or if they were part of pools.

surveillance video to try to identify the winner. they are still confirming until someone walks through the door. >> miguel almaguer. >> that brings us to the lucky couple who say they are holding the ticket one held in munford, cket one held in munford, tennessee. they are here with their daughter tiffany and their attorney and his daughter. good morning, guys. >> can we see that ticket? you keeping it nice and close to your heart. >> it's not going very far. >> sleeping with it under your pillow. >> no, no, no, i didn't go that far. >> from the outset, guys, you haven't gone to the lottery officials yet in tennessee. >> no. >> so there's no way for us to officially verify that you are the winners. we have done a lot of work to verify your employment, where you live. you live right next to the grocery store, we've done a lot and talked to lawyer and that's why we're bring you guys are claiming to be the winners. it's not official yet. i just want to get that out. why though did you decide not to go to the lottery officials yet and come to us first? >> well, actually it was his

>> your lawyer's idea. >> you didn't -- you were worried about going public right away. >> right, right. >> and what was your thought, joe. >> the american public wants to hear from them are and even though they want to be private after this is over they want to, you know, let the public know that they are the winners. >> okay. >> and so -- we'll get back to the story because it's kind of interesting how you found us. we didn't find you. you found us, but, first, let's just talk about wednesday night, powerball fever. >> okay. >> it's almost 7:00. the deadline is in two hours. you decide to go to the grocery store. what happened? >> actually i was on my way home from work. >> okay. >> and she had called me and she said are you going to stop and get a couple lottery tickets? i said -- i really didn't feel like stopping that night. i was like, yeah, i'll stop and get them. so when i stopped and i buy my lottery tickets, i always buy four at a time because there's four members of my family and i always do a quick pick single ticket.

>> so i went and got my lottery tickets at the grocery store and came home and i wasn't feeling good and i handed the tickets to her. i said i'm going to go lay down. >> take us from there, lisa. you're watching the powerball and the numbers are coming out, you're holding your ticket and walk us through that. >> i wrote them down because i had other tickets -- his other three to look at, so i was like, i'm going to write them down. i wrote the numbers down and i got to looking and i saw it and i was -- i looked again. there's the same, and the third time i went running down the hallway, john, john, you've got to check these numbers and i started him because he was asleep on the couch. >> what did you think when you first woke up. >> did you believe it. >> she said check these numbers and i said okay. i looked at them and i said they look like they are the numbers. so i checked them actually four times. i said i'll believe it when the news comes on in the morning and

>> did you stay up all night? >> well, we were up all night. we didn't get up late and he didn't feel too good anyway. >> that story is verified. sure enough. >> we don't leave our house. >> well, we started seeing the news -- the local news networks there hanging out in mumford. they already knew that it was in munford. >> and the media was at every store but the store. >> where i bought the ticket. >> what have the last 48 hours been like for you and your family? i mean, are you sitting there dreaming about what we're going to do? are you excited? are you scared? are you elated? are you nervous? how do you feel? >> actually a little scared because i didn't know exactly what to do. i knew that i wanted to get an accountant. i knew that i wanted to get a lawyer and -- and try to follow the -- the procedures. you know, that they tell you to follow. >> my eyes can't go off your right hand, john. you're holding a ticket that could be worth north of $500 million in your front pocket.

city. i'm nervous for you. >> now i'll be nervous because everybody knows. >> when will you go to the lottery officials in. >> we're leaving straight from here. >> lisa, have you let yourself dream about what this means for you and your life? >> a couple of things. sally mae paid off. >> good-bye, no more loans for you, tiffany. >> other than that we really haven't had time -- >> i do plan on hoping to work for a little while. >> you said you'd be back to work. >> you must love your job. >> actually i do. >> it's so funny. we heard one end of that conversation where you just called and your office administrator and said i'm not going to be in today. >> she's like what did you say? did y'all win, did y'all win? >> she's watching right now. >> i hope she is. >> well, your story is extraordinary, and i want to say that something else really

you were brought into touch with joe, your lawyer who then said, you know, it would make sense to call national media outlet because then that way you have control over the story. that was your thinking, right, joe? you called your daughter eileen who happens to be a reporter in memphis and tell us now, eileen, how you got in touch with us, because it's a story, too. >> well, i googled how do you call nbc. and i called and got passed up the line and eventually talked to a producer and they were rightly had a little bit suspicious and we talked through it it, and decided to make it happen. >> wow. >> you called our switchboard. >> we're giving a raise to everybody who answers the phones at nbc. >> who in your world knows right now? >> just our immediate family. >> everybody now knows. >> just your immediate family knew up until a few minutes ago.

that morning at 4:30, i tried to get her over to the house. i tried to tell her, hey, i need -- there was some advil or something. i need you to bring them over -- she's lives down the road from us, and i says i need you to bring them to the house. well, she didn't bring them to the house. she got somebody else to bring them to the house, so i had to stop what i was doing and i had to go over to her house, and me and her mother said sit down, listen, we've got to talk to you. >> tiffany, what did you think when you heard this? >> i was excited and they are >> did you google how much are >> >> no, no. i didn't -- i didn't actually know anything really at that point. day. >> must be hard to be -- munford is not a huge town. >> i hope not to move. >> we've been there forever. >> have you had friends say going on, i wonder who won the lottery. >> we had to ignore a lot of to -- >> a lot of texts. >> yeah.

>> well, i have to tell you i do have some family in tennessee. so it's possible we're fourth or fifth cousins. >> you may need them to hide out then. >> john and lisa, congratulations to you. joe and eileen, thank you for bringing us the story. keep you us posted and we'll try to get you out of here. >> thanks for having us. >> thank you so much. >> get a check of the weather now with al. >> mom, dad! google adopt a weather man. anyway, congratulations, guys. good for you. >> thank you. >> well, we've been talking about this cold air coming. remember a couple years ago when the polar vortex got in? well, this is the difference between what's happened then and what's happening now. stronger vortex, compact, it's always up there. the cold air is contained. two years ago it all shifted down and that's why we got such brutally cold air. we've got a weak polar vortex right now so it's a little more

of cold air break off and that's what we're going to be seen over this weekend and here comes the cold air. look at the next three days. minneapolis, you're 1 above and dropped down to 7 below on sunday. new york city, 48 tomorrow. by monday it's 30. 14 in cleveland and monday 13 in indianapolis. gets all the way down south. look at raleigh. 58 tomorrow. 37 on monday, and knoxville, 45 saturday and monday 32 degrees. that cold air really sets in for at least the next several days. we're going to get to your local

30 seconds. lisa's phone blowing up. >> thank you, al. still coming up, a call to boycott the oscars. there's a growing backlash against the all-white acting straight year. >> plus, an nbc news exclusive. amal clooney, a rising star in the legal world, and, yes, wife of george clooney, opening up

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15th of january, 2016, and we're following breaking news this morning. the u.s. coast guard leading the search now for two marine helicopters after reports of a collision near oahu, hawaii. nbc's jim mick chefs can i is on this at the pentagon. jim, what can you tell us. >> reporter: security officials tell nbc news that the two marine helicopters with a total of 12 marines on board were on a nighttime training mission off the island walua in hawaii when they crashed, a mid-air collision. coast guard helicopters have arrived, spotted a burning debris field in the water and an empty life raft, but so far no sign of any survivors. obviously the cause of the crash not known. the search and rescue efforts continue, but, according to u.s. military officials, again, apparently no survivors spotted so far in the crash of those two marine helicopters overnight. savannah? >> all right, mick, i know you'll keep an eye on it.

in other news this morning, the cd c-section pected to warn women who are or hope to become pregnant to avoid traveling in certain parts of latin america and the caribbean, the concern it a mosquito born virus that's spreading form. nbc's tom costello is talking to the country's health experts. >> reporter: experts are calling this a pandemic in the making. the cdc individualsing this is a really strong action in response to the virus which poses risk to adults but for babies in the womb it can be devastating. the photographs capture heartbreak and fear. babies born in brazil with abnormally small heads and brains who often die. health experts believe mosquitos are spreading the zika virus, infecting pregnant mothers who then pass it on to unborn babies. now with the rio summer olympics just months away the military has been called out to dump stagnant water and warn women to protect themselves from

what is the zika virus? it's believe to have originated in uganda and quickly spread to other warm humid climates, and now more than a dozen countries in the caribbean, central and south america. in adults it's usually nothing more serious than a short lived headache, joint pain and fever, but in unborn children, researchers believe the zika virus can lead to microcephaly which in many children is fatal. among the world experts, dr. peter hotez at baylor college of medicine. >> babies having a very small head and also having lots of neurological complications. this is a very serious birth defect, and what's so impressive is that there's been hundreds, perhaps thousands of these birth defects across latin america but particularly in northeastern brazil where it's been most heavily concentrated. >> reporter: now, oxford university researchers have mapped out where the virus could spread if left unchecked. eventually into southern coastal states, though cold weather should limit its spread.

there will be a major outbreak of a mosquito-born disease like this in the united states mostly because we have a climate issue in our favor. >> so far, no known cases here in the u.s. of mosquitos spreading zika but mosquitos love hot humid area with stagnant water with trash piling up. those areas along the gulf states in particular are of concern. one woman in texas was recently diagnosed as having the zika, texas and is thought to have contracted it while visiting latin america. >> scary. let's take a turn and get a check of the weather. >> that's right. we've got a nor'easter coming which normally everybody kind of worries about snow. well, not necessarily this time. here it is. it's starting to push already through the southeast. a lot of rain in florida. southern georgia and on into the southeast, in the carolinas. it pushes up during the day today. the southeast will see heavy rain, 2 to 3 inches. rain and snow showers for the

friday into saturday, rain from washington, d.c. up into boston. snow in new england, but the good news, that is if you don't like snow. all the cold air is back up in here so there's nothing but warm air here and all the moisture so we see rain. however, once that moves through we are going to see cold air filtering in across the great lakes and that's going to bring a lot of lake-effect snow. meantime, heavy rain down through florida, storm after storm, going to the bahamas, forget about it. it's going to be a mess but look at the snow that will be generated from northern new england, that's from the system moving through. this is lake-effect snow making its way into western new york and look at all along the great

marquette, michigan, and that's your latest weather. savannah. >> all right, al. thanks. coming up. we'll check in with our powerball couple. their phones have been blowing up, mostly from calls from al. how their lives have changed in the last half hour after coming forward with what they say is one of the winning tickets. >> also, coming, an interview

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and stylish lawyer and, yes, wife of george clooney is speaking out. >> she sat down with nbc's cynthia mcfadden who joins us now. cynthia, good morning. >> good morning. well, she's been practicing law at the highest levels for the past 15 years and last year, of course, she married one of the most famous bachelors on the planet, but amal clooney had never sat down for a network interview until now. this week in washington she let us sit down with her and watch her at work as she pushes for action on a case she hopes she can get all of us to care about. when hollywood's favorite bachelor fell in love, the press couldn't get enough. >> amal, whatever alchemy it is that brought us together, i couldn't be more proud to be your husband. >> it clearly wasn't just her looks and style that grabbed george clooney's attention. >> amal is a human rights lawyer who worked on the enron case, was an adviser to kofi annan regarding syria and was selected for a three-person u.n. commission investigating rules of war violations in the gaza strip.

getting a lifetime achievement award. >> oxford educated, she is a member of an elite group of top flight international human rights lawyers working often for free under some of the most challenging of circumstances. like her trip to the maldives in september to meet with her client, mohammed nashid, the country's former president, now a prisoner, sentenced to 13 years for a terrorism conviction the u.n. says was bogus. >> so before you went, your co-counsel was stabbed in the head. do you worry about your safety? >> i mean, it wasn't the most comfortable position to be in, but, you know, i was determined to go. it meant a lot to me to meet nashid who i had read about and considered a hero, and i was inspired by his leadership on climate justice, his leadership on human rights. island nation will be submerged by the rising sea. >> reporter: after a coup that forced him from office nashid

court where he wasn't allowed to call even a single witness. >> it's very clear that this was just a sham trial designed to get him out of the political scene and in prison. >> and while the list of world leaders now calling for nashid's release is impressive. it is one of his lawyers, a reluctant celebrity, who may be getting the most traction. >> many years ago angelina jolie said to me that she understood that she was going to get attention and if she could use all of that light and energy that was coming towards her and turn it around, i mean, is that how you feel about the celebrity? >> i think it's wonderful that celebrities would choose to spend their time or energy or, you know, spotlight that they have to -- to raise awareness about these causes. i don't really see myself in the same way because i'm still doing the same job that i used to do before. if there's more attention paid for whatever reason to -- to that, then -- >> oh, you know the reason. >> then i think that's good. you know, i think there is a

comes with that. i think i'm exercising it in an appropriate manner by continuing to do this kind of work. >> clooney was in washington this week urging congress and the administration to get tough on the mounting human rights abuses in the maldives. she and co-counsel jarred genzer are pushing for travel restrictions on the country's leaders and a freeze of their bank accounts until her client is released. >> the u.s. values are at stake, democracy is at stake. >> and perhaps even national security. >> the maldives has the highest rate of isis fighters being recruited from that country per capita in the world. at least 200 fighters who have gone to iraq and syria from the maldives. >> they are not calling for a tourism ban, but -- >> i think it's important for tourists to know the facts of what's happening in the maldivers. i don't think people realize that there's a flogging taking place a kilometer away when they are sunbathing at their resort.

fairness, it is. >> it is. i mean, if you are a lawyer and you want to take on easier cases can you prosecute traffic violations or something. you'd have a very high rate of success and you could probably sleep more easily at night, but that's not what drives me. i want to work on cases that i feel the most passionate about. >> you're not going to give up. >> no, it's not an option. >> clooney tells me that she left washington with a commitment that a sanctions resolution will be introduced in congress and a promise from senior government officials that they are considering taking serious action. quite a woman. >> what was the reaction when you're walking through the halls of congress in washington with amal clooney, were heads turning? >> heads were turning, yes. everyone is too restrained to say and how is george, but, you know, you can tell, and there were lots of photographs taking place. >> but to her credit she's continuing to do this work that means so much to her.

she is been doing this for 15 years. yes, she's dedicated. >> cynthia, thank you. coming up, the explosion on social media. how you're reacting to the robinsons telling us that they are holding one of the winning powerball tickets. but first these messages. our digestive systems handle a lot over the holidays. 20 hours of anxiously fighting crowds to find the perfect gifts. cooking for family meals where we eat over 15 pounds of turkey and sides. no wonder after all that our digestive systems can act up.

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>> i love, love, love this tennessee couple. they love of the lottery, great interview. this is my favorite #grounded. another sweet one from laura lynn. loved seeing the lottery winning family from tennessee on the "today" show. those are the kind of people who hope will win. now you work in an office about 55 people, but your phone has rung a 500 times. how many people have your phone number? >> obviously we're listed. >> not anymore. >> we will be going private. >> guys, i asked john what was his ring tone, and you said it's just like a whistle. >> but it's on silent now. >> it's on silent now. >> and we're debating what we should change the ringen to to. >> i think i'm going to leave it like it is because it's vibrating on my hips, just let it keep on buzzing. >> all right. we've got a few more tweets and things coming in, guys. this one said @todayshow, those people have the winning ticket, are they nuts traveling around with the ticket? it's not like somebody is going

tv like the "today" show. >> nobody knew at this point and now we have our bodyguard coming around. >> and you're going straight back to tennessee to properly authenticate and hand it all over. >> hand it over to the authorities. >> we wish you the best as do our viewers on social media. this one says i'm truly happy for this family from tennessee that won the powerball. these folks will know how to enjoy around use that money. so congratulations, again. feeling good? >> yes. >> feeling nervous still? >> it hasn't real sunk in, yes, but a little nervous. >> why is al roker still latched on your leg? >> that didn't sound right. we just love you guys, congratulations. thanks for joining us this morning. back over to you guys. my southern accent. >> where's the ticket, john, still got the ticket? haven't seen it in a little while. >> i still got it. >> lock it down. we thought online shopping,

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3 nevadans were 3 paying close attention to last night's debate. some of them gathered for a watch party at the men wielding fire restaurant in reno. ahead of the debate... many saw senator ted cruz under scrutiny .. questioned for an undisclosed 2012 loan from goldman sachs for his senate campaign .. and pressure from frontrunner donald trump about his eligibilty to run. 3 (sam)>> >> one candidate that

stage tonight was carly fiorina.fiorina will be making a stop here in reno this upcoming sunday...she will be hosting a townhall meeting at the lakeridge golf course clubhouse...the meeting running from 3 to 4 in the afternoon.the event is open to the public. 3 3 (tim)---wx---- 3 "

coming up, remembering rene. the outpouring of support for celine dion this morning after the sad passing of her husband and manager of over 20 years. what celine is what celine is saying about his long and courageous battle with cancer. best cleanse ever? how about tacos for breakfast, lunch and dinner. the new diet craze taking the internet by storm with wink, in order, and side of blog. as the deep freeze sets in, doesn't mean your style has to suffer. we'll show you how to wear some of the most popular trends today friday, january 15, 2016. good morning, west virginia. >> good morning south carolina from "today". >> good morning memphis from new york city. that's my 40th birthday.

city. some birthdays. some birthdays. a huge carson daly fan over here. >> oh, wow. mtv. >> carson making dreams come true this morning. >> i'll be there in a minute, everybody. >> go ahead, we've got it. >> carson is with his public. >> his posse and public. >> you'll definitely want to add this recipe to your dinnertime rotation. >> sounds good. >> the four js are here as we

start to maybe 2016 happy and healthier, questions from them to finance, fashion or anything head to "today's" facebook page and we'll get those answers coming right up. >> first to natalie, this morning's top stories. nat, good morning. good morning, breaking news. once again on wall street, stocks down sharply. dow industrial fell more than 400 points after the opening bell. the plunge comes a day after the market posted its best day in a month. energy stock moving ground because of the falling oil prices. investors also concerned about retail sales numbers. overseas china stock index sunk to its lowest level in more than a year. with less than three weeks in the iowa caucus, donald trump and ted cruz held nothing back in the debate. shot down values by pointing to the city spipit after the 9/11 attack. cruz, who was born to an american mother in canada confronted trump's questions about his eligibility to run.

on your head and you can't do that to the party. >> since september the constitution hasn't changed. but the poll numbers have. >> in another, he said cruz changed plans on keyon key issues, especially immigration. cruz answered back by claiming at least half the things rubio said were false. this morning i asked senator rubio if he was accusing cruz of changing positions with the changing winds of politics? >> on issue after issue what you find, he's campaigning as a consistent conservative. in fact what he's been consistent about is political calculation on the issue of the day. >> senator rubio also told me that the main immigration issue now is preventing isis from using the system to get terrorist into the united states. life could change in unimaginable ways for a tennessee couple claiming to have one of the three winning tickets for the record powerball

don and lisa robinson and with us exclusively along with their daughter and attorney. they haven't been able to verify if they won the jackpot but watched the drawing wednesday night. >> i got to looking and i saw it. i looked again. there's the same. looked again. the third time i went running down the hallway. i said, don, don, you've got to check these numbers. i startled him because he was asleep on the couch. >> he said his wife urged him to from work even though he said he wasn't feeling all too well. the husband and manager of singer celine dion has died after a long battle with cancer. 73-year-old rene angelil died at home in vegas. his wife singing his praises to the end. >> dear rene, when we chose to get married five years ago we promised before man and god to help each other and be totally

through the good and bad times, in sickness and in health. celine dion expressing what those vows would come to mean in the marriage with her manager shortly after doctor'ses first diagnosed him with throat cancer in 1999. >> my love, i'm promising again that i will always be there for you no matter what. i love you more each day and forever. >> together in harmony, their show business relationship eventually blossomed into an unconventional love affair. the 38-year-old rene discovered celine at age 12, mortgaging his home to finance her debut album. the pair tied the knot in 1994 as celine's career tedded towards "titanic" size success. then came rene's first health scare and the couple's public struggle to have a child.

while. we're going to give you a little challenge to see how good you are. >> celine and rene welcomed a baby boy, rene charles in 2001 and a set of twins, nelson and eddie in 2010. they seemed to have it all. but the woman with the powerhouse voice would have to become her husband's rock once again rene's cancer returned in 2014. >> he's my hero. >> in sickness and in health, those vows turning into rene's last wish to die in his wife's arms. >> when somebody calls for help it's not time to cry. you help. because you loved me >> rene would have turned 74 tomorrow. he also leaves behind three children from previous marriages. celine dion has canceled all her vegas shows until further notice and we're thinking about her. >> she was so devoted. >> i see them always together. they certainly were a power

side. >> we turn to health news. this is kind of surprising, the diet that got attention across the country. >> tamron here with that. >> this is the time of year people look for ways to stay fit. this caught our eye. it's it's called taco cleanse. smile is so broad now. you eat tacos for breakfast, lunch, and dinner which has to make you wonder is this really real real. to diet. or to detox? that is the question now that cleanses is america's favorite ways to stay healthy. with impressive names like master cleanse and the blueprint, they often involve drinking your meals, but all of that could go down the drain thanks to a new craze. it's called the taco cleanse. it's the brainchild of four

that means we know what we're talking about. >> yeah, you can trust anybody in a lab coat. >> in their new book of vegan and healthy recipes already sold out on amazon, the team pokes fun at the cleanse trend. >> whatever it is that ails you, there's a taco that can cure it. >> vowing that a taco only diet will help fertility, beard growth, weight loss and -- >> all right. >> all around good humor, especially if eaten for 30 days straight. >> 100% of our research subjects, tacos have helped with either ailments that they were trying to work on. >> yes, cleanses are even glamorous with celebrity supporters, for beyonce, to sarah jessica park, gwyneth paltrow and salma hayek. the taco cleanse is not quite there yet but jennifer aniston reportedly googled it once, saying, quote, i can see that being something. >> we're just happy she loves tacos as much as we love tacos. >> that's a taco. >> jokes aside, diet experts say

important jump start to a healthier life. >> there is no such thing as a taco cleanse. a cleanse is all about getting the junk out of your diet and fueling your body with healthy food. but hey, if the taco is made with all healthy ingredients, sure, it can fit right into your program. >> as for tacos 24/7, don't run south of the border just yet. our health experts say balance is key. >> but you can always try juicing that taco. >> disgusting. >> oh, my gosh. >> that was just cheesy to show that. that's an al roker line. all the outrage over this. it's not i guess a real thing. >> not real. >> but tacos, joy is somewhere nearby, i mean, you can have a healthy taco. depends on what you put in it. >> if you had only one, i mean -- >> i've never had just one taco. >> and what got into it. >> what goes into it,

>> i wouldn't recommend eating tacos for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and it's not going to help you conceive a baby. >> it was a joke. it was a joke. >> maybe we should give disclaimer. >> i don't think people quite got the joke. >> not for real. >> can i have a taco for lunch or not? let me know. >> you can have a taco for lunch. it's moderation. it's like with yogurt that's healthy for you. can't have that all day every day. >> tamron, thank you very much. don't forgot about the cleanse online, you can learn about that on today.com. coming up next, the worst things can you do at the airport. >> plus, why a long-g-aited "friends" reunion hit a snag. >> and how to cut down on your

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to show you what donald trump actually sees, and then there's also this off-the-cuff moment with ted cruz. take a look. >> the bush 2000 campaign, eight marriages that came out of the campaign, and this campaign, we only have two couples dating. i'm like what's going on here. we're having fun. i think people can tell if you're having a joyful campaign. >> that's so refreshing. >> theish issus premiers this sunday on showtime network. >> interesting. all right. the next story is all about kids and kindness. blair walls, is the kicker for the minnesota vikings. over the weekend he missed a field goal that ended up costing his team the game and ended the somebody as well, a crushing defeat. lots of fans blasted blair on social media but some first graders outside the twin cities did something else. they wrote him letters. they drew him pictures to cheer him up. here's one. the crowd goes wild. we still think you're awesome, blair. another says keep on trying. puppies are cute. >> i love that. >> blair surprised the students on thursday and thanked them for

>> thank you from the bottom of my heart, seriously. that cheered me up a lot and the fact that you guys would do that for me, somebody you have never met and don't know that's huge and it can help in attorney times like these. >> that's cool. >> afterwards, blair posed for pictures with the kids and was signing autodwrafs. >> love that. >> we need more stories like that. >> remember, puppies are cute. >> they are cute. >> keep on trying. >> we know, we have one, seriously. >> now to hillary clinton's job interview on "the tonight show" and leonardo dicaprio explains what really happened in that viral moment with lady gaga. carson, "pop start." >> first up, hillary clinton is running for one of the toughest jobs in the world so jimmy fallon put her through a little bit of a job interview. >> hillary, thank you for coming down. >> my pleasure, thanks for having me. >> how did you hear about the position? >> fourth grade social studies. >> is there an e-mail address we can reach you? >> jimmy poking fun at hillary's e-mail controversy there.

"friends" reunion everyone is talking about. earlier this week nbc announced all six cast members would appear in a tribute to legendary comedy director james brought, the comedy set to air on nbc. nbc said it would be hard to get all of them in the same room and now we know for sure at least one cast member will not be able to be there in person, matthew perry because he's in london rehearsing for a new play, but matthew still could appear in the special, maybe on tape as a part of the show. >> no planes going back and forth. >> sweet al roker. >> just kidding. one of the most shared moments from the golden globes, leonardo dicaprio caught off guard as lady gaga passed by him to accept his best actress award. that clip went viral, and now the two could reunite at the oscars where they are both up for awards. on a british morning show leo was asked federal there could be another viral run-in. >> if lady gaga was to walk past

whether you would look quite so surprised this time around. >> we were laughing about that afterwards. i actually had no idea who was passing me or what was going on but that was a funny little bit that went around. >> were you surprised that it went viral? >> yeah, i was. it's -- it's amazing what goes viral these days. i guess i'm of a different generation now because i have no idea where this stuff comes from on how it's even captured. >> there you go. that is your "pop start." >> i love when leo acts like he's an old man. >> crazy kids. >> isn't he our age? >> all right. carson, thanks. let's get a check of the weather. >> oh, that leonardo dicaprio. he and i are going to go get some metamucil. it will be great. anyway, here's what's going on. low pressure, a big potent storm system will be pushing into the pacific northwest. that comes in saturday, but in the meantime more ranges, more snow and especially out through

this one storm bring snow to the rockies, that next one how the in the pacific is going to arrive late tonight on into tomorrow and so tomorrow you've got that unsettled day of rain and snow, and this is going to be the pattern over the next several days. some places in northern california could see seven inches plus, so we are talking about flash flooding is a very good possibility, especiall >> and that's your latest weather. savannah. >> oh, hi, al. you're right there.

now to start today as we help you stick to your new year's resolutions this time around. last week the financial editor jean chatzky talked us through how to earn more and today the other part of that, spending less. >> happy finance friday. >> good morning, yay. >> let's look what's in our budgets. what do we spend our money on? >> the big five are taxes. about a third of all our money goes to taxes. housing, transportation, food and healthcare, and if you can tackle these big categories and really make a dent, you don't have to worry as much about the little stuff. >> shopping spree, doesn't crack the top five. >> no shoes, i know, surprise. >> you really have to get your mind set in the right place before we do any of your tips. >> right. >> i want people to adopt the personal policy statement where there are certain things that you just don't buy. maybe you don't go out to dinner more than two times a week. maybe you don't spend more than $7 on lunch. it's easier than saying i can't because people have trouble arguing, when you just say this

>> so if you say i can't it seems a little more wishy washy. >> wishy washy, and the more you say i don't, the more you start to believe it yourself. >> okay, great. let's start with taxes, right. how do we spend less on taxes, if you can figure that one out. >> aim for higher deductions and more credits, so you increase your deductions on retirement by just putting more into your retirement plans, helps you save more in general. these are your tax-deductible i.r.a.s and your 401(k)s, bump it up by 1%. the saver's credit is a fabulous benefit that only about a quarter of a people know about. >> i've never heard that have. >> if you're a couple earning less than about $60,000 a year or a single earning less than 30,000, can you get a dollar-for-dollar credit against your tax bill for putting money into a 401(k) of about $1,000 to $2,000, so that's huge. if you're hunting for a job this year, we know the job market is a little bit better. make sure you save all the information, all the receipts for every dollar that you spend because if it gets to 2% of your

and when it comes to doing your taxes for most people tax software is great. first of all, it's cheap and second of all it alerts you to all these credits and deductions that you don't want to miss. >> okay. let's talk about housing, a huge spending item. >> huge spending. first of all, you may want to think about downsizing, but we know that moving is hard, so let's tackle the other things that are related to housing. proper tax bills, the national taxpayers union believes that about a third to two-thirds of all properties are overassessed and yet people don't go through the process of challenging their bills. >> because it's intimidating. >> it's intimidating, but you can hire somebody to do it for you, a local lawyer. they will take a portion. money that they save you so it's a win-win all around. also, reduce your utility costs, the best weapon is a programmable thermostat to lower the temperature while you're out of house or while you're sleeping, and when it comes to homeowners insurance, the same

deductibles, same benefits, vary widely, even in the same location so we want to make sure every time your policy is up for renewal on the internet or shopping around. >> let's talk about transportation. >> again. cheaper car the next time around. buy it used and drive it into the ground. that's the cheapest way to own a car. this year we're expected to save $100 over last year on gas alone, according to aaa. make sure you're putting that money automatically into savings so you won't spend it. >> saying calculate what you're saving and then just put that money away. >> it's not in your checking account, the chances that you spend it go down tremendously. also, a lot of people these days addicted to uber, addicted to lift. they have uber pool and lift line and via where you share these rides with somebody else that can reduce your costs by 60%, and, again, on the car insurance, a good score means 10% lower rates on car insurance.

food eating lunch out at restaurants. >> and we waste. when you cook and you should be cooking, make sure that you are putting the leftovers away in individually portioned packages so that you don't have to cook as much layer. use that personal policy about not eating out all the time. >> i don't order takeout every night. >> exactly, i don't. it's not i can't, because i can't is flexible and shop your pantry before you go to the grocery store. >> and then our final category, prescriptions and healthcare. >> prescriptions don't cost the same at every pharmacy. "consumer reports" did a huge story and fond the same prescription can cost ten times as much as one local pharmacy than another so make sure you're shopping that around. ask the pharmacist if they have any coupons, and if it's cheaper if you don't use insurance, and when you're sitting with your doctor and they say i'd like you to have x, "y" and "z" tests and make sure it's necessary. >> okay. >> big takeaway, personal policies, downsize where you can an always ask questions and shop around. >> jean, you're awesome, a financial machine.

if you want to have more questions get on facebook, and you guys are online today. let's go over to carson with the rest of the four js. >> jean, make your way over here, if you wouldn't mind. questions are pouring in for a start today. if you've got one for our

page and jean is it's 4:30 now. friday morning. 15th of january, 2016, and it's a nice morning out on the plaza. we've got an energetic crowd getting ready to start the weekend, feeling good. we've got our matt lauer fan here today. good morning to you. nice to have everybody. >> coming up, we're going to check in with our four js as they take questions on today's facebook page about sticking to your resolutions this time around. >> speaking of resolutions, doesn't have anything to do with it, but we'll cook up a good brisket recipe and this does get the stamp of approval from nutritionist ellie krieger.

megan is here reminding us you can look stylish. >> i love that hat, i don't know if i'm brave enough to wear that. >> i can see you wearing that. >> i'll get one for all of us when we talk to her. >> but first let's get a check of the weather. >> let's see if you need a hat like that starting with your weekend outlook. saturday, wet and snowy in the pacific northwest and snow around the great lakes and look for some rain in the gulf coast and then sunday, sunday, we are looking at more lake-effect snow around the great lakes. heavy rain and wind in the pacific northwest with snow in the interior sections. rain will continue through florida. could be some flooding. we'll be w567g that. plenty of sunshine through the southwest into the gulf coast. bitterly cold but clear on sunday as you get into the

air starts to sink south. my goodness. look who is turning ten. what's your name. >> >> ela. >> ela, and you're turning 10, what's your name? >> isabella. >> and you're turning 10. just kidding. >> 45. >> there you go, all right. that's what's going on. now let's go back in to tamron. >> very cute, al. thank you very much. well, our stars today four jas are busy answering your facebook questions. it's a special day because, did you know, jenna is a officially now on -- >> where have you been? you're officially on facebook. >> thank you, thank you. you know, there were some people that said they were me on facebook but it wasn't the real me. >> so now you can actually communicate with the real.

>> okay. >> and so you're answering some things. >> well, i'm answering some things and i'm checking out what facebook is all about. >> okay, you know. i got -- >> this new thing they call facebook. >> crazy kids on facebook. >> a big day for one of our viewers and jill what can you tell bus that? >> i'm going to move over here. yesterday when we did the steals and deals we asked you to tweet in photos with a really clever caption. >> okay. i want to tell you all the deals that our viewer is going to win, the provita which is a juicer, marika fitness wear, zunammy, dynapro and a treadmill, it sold out. are we ready to reveal our winner? >> well, okay, so this little thing. >> okay. hold on. >> touch that. >> drum roll. drum roll. >> what happened. uh-oh. >> here we go.

look at her caption. i lift babies. >> i think a lot of people can relate to. >> so many adorable things in this picture including the diaper peeking out. >> two kids. >> oh, that is a kid in motion. well, congratulations, julia. enjoy the treadmill so good stuff planned here. they will hop back on the facebook and answer more of your questions. a reminder you, too, can get advice on how to achieve your goals. head to today's facebook page where jill, jenna, jean and joy will be answering your questions and carson or johnson, whatever. >> tamron, thank you very much. now to a new docu series on the history channel called "live to tell" which gives you a rare look into the u.s. special operations forces in the war on terror with raw and revealing stories from u.s. fighters themselves. >> i've been shot, broke my back, it was fractured and my shoulder busted up and my face was busted up real bad and bit my tongue in hit and broke my

myself out multiple times. >> we asked marquez where are the bad guys, and he says they are all around us. they are everywhere around us. >> peter berg is the executive producer of "live to tell" and marcus latrelle, special forces. >> both military families, between battleships and "lone survivor" and "live to tell." what inspired you to do this. >> when i got to know marcus and did "lone survivor" i got to know so many of his buddies and heard so many stories and "lone survivor" and the movie we were able to make was a very important story and there were hundreds of these stories and we wanted to tell more of them so that's the genesis for this show. >> this series airs on history channel,ation episodes each, telling a new story. this particular story sunday rather is your story. my grandfather was a green berest as a teenager i remember talking to him. >> sure.

to tell your story? >> well, it's tough. every time i get into it. i don't rehearse into, everything that comes out of my mutt regurgitates from memory. kind of one of the things that overlooked because the rescue was crazier than anything i had gotten into to get in there, and when the green berets and the rangers found me, i mean, they walking death. they were beat down and they were still coming to get me, and that's one of the things that saved my life and the only thing i held on to is i knew someone was coming to get me, dead or alive, they were coming to get me and they did. >> it's been ten years. is it still hard to relive that? >> i mean, i get up in the lake and paying it all the time. doesn't rule my life if that's what you're wondering. not like i get stuck in it and can't get out of it. it was a tough time and we got through it and the guys who saved me i've forever grateful for that. >> pete, tell me about shooting

whether it's you putting us, the viewers, right into the heart of high school football in texas or at war. how did you shoot some of these things? >> these are actually are. >> it's interviews with real operators and it's like they are telling war stories and what's cool about it is the guys who did the interviews and the guys that kind of produces the show under me were all veterans so what you got was a case where these veterans were talking to veterans so the stories are really quite interimate. they are funny hand heartbreaking. i didn't have to do the work. it's letting these great men tell their stories. >> peter and marcus, "life to tell" airs suntsds night on the history channel. when we come back, how can you

but, first, this is "t we are back at 8 40ek.

that does not mean your style has to suffer. megan markell is here with the hottest trends and plays the fashionable rachel bands on usa's "suits" and runs your own fashion and live still website. >> good to see you. >> "suits" is on hiatus. >> and coming back on air january 27th. >> we're not doing suits today, doing warm winter trends. >> yes. >> the first one is our high shine and rivets. actually, a lot of celebrities have been doing both of these trends, we've seen julian moore, melissa king. >> at the golden globes we saw so much about that. take a nice sort of metallic shiny element, right, sorry here we have this great skirt and the flats have the nice metallic elements and the rivets right there. you can get a great accessory with a piece of rivets and put it on in your wardrobe. >> you call them rivets. i would have called them sequins, the same idea. >> and right there at the top at

those at play, and i think what's so fun is that you can combine them. you don't have to stick with one trend solei, and can you just make a really fantastic and fun outfit. >> i see you've got morgan modeling here and has a few different pieces of metallic stuff. okay to mix and match a little bit? >> that's the fun of it and still looks so beautiful because i think the tones are complementary which is part of what's helping it look just completely pulled together. she looks great. >> morgan, thanks so much. >> our next trend is winter blooms. we saw this on rachel mcadam, kate hudson. >> winter blooms right here. >> now we have our model hide. tell us about this. we see florals in some way, shape or former season. >> exactly. what's so great about winter blooms is you're having a navy or black, more muted background as with both of our dresses it's it's a lot easier to pep near your wardrobe and doesn't seem quite as bold of a choice and pair it with polka dots or textured tight.

the florals. >> florals are wintry colors in the florals as well. >> looks so classy and elegant and still playful as opposed to just having a little black dress. have a winter floral dress. >> i like it. >> heidi, thank you very much. >> next up, sweaters. i mean, this is like southwest explosion right here. this is ola, our model, and we've seen this look on a lot of different celebrities, jessica alba, alexis chung. tell me about ola's look. >> ola looks amazing, and just so fun. the great thing with sweater dressing is that what you have to remember is keep it looking polished. you really want to have some pencil skirt, fitted aesthetic with it and then can you have a sloppy top with a looser sweater. >> i'm always afraid with a sweater i'll look frumpy or something. you know what i mean, like how do you make it so it is a tailored look. >> it is streamlined so the skirt has a nice fitted silhouette. if have you that chunkiness, still has it tucked in a little bit to give her a shape and then

she has on and the pom-pom, school sneakers. >> the sneakers are cute, makes it look really coziy. >> ola, you look fabulous, thank you. >> and our last look is shearling, rihanna wearing this, kendall jenner and mary kate is rocking it in our studio. >> faux shearling is the warmest of the synthetic furs so this is completely affordable and not like an old school bomber jacket. it's that material but in a more fitted and sleek silhouette. pair it and layer it on top of things. just has an extra texture that makes you look really current. >> i like the kind of '70s vibe you have going here. >> that hasn't gone away. the red develop set boots and still the pant, real re, if you're peppering in all these trends that we saw cross over from fall and adding in these elements like the shearling you are on top of your game. >> and you've got the sweater going with it, too, so you can kind of have two chunky fabrics together.

looks amazing. >> thank you so much. >> we'll see you on "suits" that returns to our sister network on wednesday, january 20th. >> coming up a recipe for a healthy and hearty meal on a

this is "today" all right. we're back at 8:46 with today's food and more of our week dedicated for making favorite dishes a little bit later. ellie krieger is author of the new book "you have it made." there's a look at the book. ellie, good morning. thanks for being here. look at this beautiful slab of brisket wondering how you're going to make it lighter. >> really not that hard. it's surprising. >> cut, trim and portions. >> let's tell you about the ingredients at home so that people can make the beautiful dish today.

more than 140 all make ahead so that makes it easy on a busy week night and have it ready already. >> you have a lot of spices. a lot of great spices. most of you probably have -- you might not have chinese five spice which is kind of almost like cinnamony a little bit. >> okay. >> you can maybe even replace it with cinnamon if you wanted to, onion powder, a little bit of sugar to -- creating. >> a little cayenne pep per, a sweet, spicy, savory thing, salt and pepper and that's easy. you can just whisk that up, and you can rub it in and i can tell you a little bit about this cut. >> it's a flat half of the brisket which is already naturally lean when you buy this particular part. >> you have the flat half of the brisket. >> the first cut or the flat half. and then you trim it, so you make sure all the extra fat is trimmed off and you basically have a really lean piece of meat. >> okay. you get this all rubbed in

building flavor in a healthy way and spices is a great way to do it. not a lot of salt on here. really amping up the flavor with spices. >> all right. got the team downstairs eating, by the way. >> hello. >> i know, they are loving it. >> and you were eating, first. >> i like being right here. i want to make this at home. you brown this and you get a nice sear on there, and that's already down there, and basically you brown it. >> you seer it and turn it over and seer that side, today. >> make sure it's brown on both sides. you want it the to stick to the pan because you're going to use all the flavor in the sauce. >> that's not the total cooking process for the brisket. >> you just seer it. >> that's the start. brisket is like had a long cooking meat. get it brown and cook it for two, three hours which is why it's perfect to make ahead. do this on a sunday and can you freeze it or fridge rate it and then i have more flavor. sauce, mustard, again, thinking about savory, spicy.

bit of soy sauce, some sesame oil. so this is really a blend of kind of western spices. it's called my east-west brisket, okay. a little oil. so you've got some tomato paste and there's going to be onions in there, too, which is maybe a more european flavor profile, but then i also do -- add these wonderful asian flavors. >> you're preparing that sauce while this is searing. >> yes. that gets seared. >> guys, a lot of flavors up here. >> amazing. really unbelievable. >> melts in your mouth. >> once you sear that off. did you do that in a slow cooker? >> you totally can do it in a slow cooker. i'm doing it on the stove. also can do in oven and absolutely do it in a slow cooker. i have sesame >> okay. >> vinegar, a little bit of water. >> so it has that kind of east-west flavor profile. >> are you saving this sauce for later or is this what you're

>> this is the seared one already. i already have one prepared here. that's also a ton of flavor. i put that in with the sauce. if you want to pour that water in with the water. >> all of it? >> yes. now this is how it becomes super tender. this just cooks low and slow. >> let that go. set it and forget it. >> exactly. about two and a half, three hours. you pull it out, you slice it. >> wow, look at that. >> i like to slice it thin. >> it really looked lean. >> it's super lean. when you slice it thin, you can have a reasonable portion of meat. >> right. >> but it's spread out and you feel like you're getting a lot. >> more for sandwiches the next day. what do you serve it with? >> this is a great asian slaw that i love.

thing, even when life is crazy busy. >> this is that healthy portion we were talking about? >> no, that is for a few people. this is a healthy portion. >> i'm going to try it. >> great. that east-west. >> yeah. >> oh, it's delicious. >> this is amazing. >> still falls apart in your mouth. thank you so much. you can get these recipes and more at today.com/food. we're back in a moment. but first, this is "today" on

we're back. we've got andrew here. he's a cnbc anchor and co-creator of show time's new drama "billions". >> take a look. >> do you know when i bring an action, nothing county or even state, it's the united states versus. >> give me a reason. i know who breaks an action. and i know what you feel about your perfect record, too. you can't a i ford a mark in the loss column. >> lot of people talking about this show. you're highly qualified in this

what was the inspiration? >> it's the inspiration is what's going on in the country right now. two amazing filmmakers. one friend of yours. brian kaufman and dave levine. we wanted to create a drama that really captures what's happening. also to show their families. it's also about marriages and families. >> it's about a lot. i saw the premiere. i know there were people there thinking, was this ripped from the headlines, is this about anybody we know. >> it's not a particular person, though i know there are famous hedge fund managers under a lot of scrutiny and prosecutors doing the same. we try to play with that. also the idea of who is the hero, right? we have very sort of black and white notions of that. i think we're trying to get into the gray. chuck who's obviously the prosecutor working for the

things in the name of doing right. >> do people see these large in life characters in this, and they think that the story's just about them. so much of what's great about "billions" is the nuance and reactions and how the workings really affects the family. >> it is about the family. two really powerful women in this story i think who have real marriages. it almost plays against type in some ways. we think about business and finance and money as these -- about numbers. it's about people and about their families. the big decisions that get made happen oftentimes at home. it's about the nuances that i think we often miss. >> got a real heavy-hitting cast. you can catch the premiere this sunday on shotime. we're back with much more on

weather.3 nevadans were 3 paying close attention to last night's debate. some of them gathered for a watch party at the men wielding fire restaurant in reno. ahead of the debate... many saw senator ted cruz under scrutiny .. questioned for an undisclosed 2012 loan from goldman sachs for his senate campaign .. and pressure from frontrunner donald trump about his eligibilty to run. 3 (sam)>> >> one candidate that didnt make it to the main

fiorina.fiorina will be making a stop here in reno this upcoming sunday...she will be hosting a townhall meeting at the lakeridge golf course clubhouse...the meeting running from 3 to 4 in the afternoon.the event is open to the public. 3 3 (tim)---wx---- 3 "

and then it's going down for real. with a live performance from flo rida and find out why actor rasheeda jones is ruling the internet. coming up right now. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today's take" with al roker, natalie morales, willie geist and tamron hall live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> hey, hey. and i know what you say this is going down for real it's going down for real

i love my beaches, south beaches who got it for real on cobra i know you came here >> that's a party. >> it is. >> and this is how we wake up on this friday morning. >> that's right, al, natalie, tamron, willie is missing this. live morning jam from rapper and hip-hop artist flo rida "g.d.f.r." going down for real. friday. >> and the ladies with flo rida. that's a good workout. house in a bit.

tell it all about us later when we talk to you. >> most definite will. >> let's get over to the desk. >> you know where it is going down for real? in munford, tennessee, right. >> hello. >> hi, guys. >> look who is with us. >> munford, tennessee, and these lovely folks joining us. >> yes. >> it's going down in your house. >> it is going down for real. >> you've got the lucky ticket. >> john and lisa robinson who have been with us all morning long, and they have claimed to have won the powerball jackpot, one of the three people who won the powerball jackpot. >> i think -- >> use it or lose it. >> how are you guys doing now? it's sunk in now, had the phone calls, it's trending and everybody is talking about you. what does this feel like for you, lisa? >> christmas. christmas morning, a kid, having a wonderful time here, thank you

hook. how many missed calls do you have? ladies over there. >> it was just vibrating. >> love it. >> oh, my gosh, you've signed the ticket, we should point out. >> i've signed the ticket. >> so don't try to take it. >> and they got their lawyer, mr. joe townsend and joe's daughter eileen is also here. >> some. things we have to say right off the bat. lottery officials have not officially confirmed that this is the winning ticket. you guys came to us first >> yeah. >> that part is true. >> yeah. >> and we've done everything we did to verify this thing. we've done a background check. why did you guys come to us first? >> instead of getting your ticket. >> it was his idea. >> his idea. >> okay. joe, why did you want them to come here. >> i just told them i don't think you can avoid it so you might as well go to a national news outlet and let the american people know. american people love winners. these are the winners. >> and lisa, tell us a little

how was life? >> work, work, come home, take care of business and -- >> and now that's going to be. business. >> so you're staying with your job? >> awesome. >> you said earlier with do. you love your job, but this morning you did have to call them and let them know. morning. >> what's going on. >> take a listen because we have that phone call. >> i have a big mayor to ask. i need you to watch the "today" show and i won't be in today. just watch the "today" show, please. i know, but i won't make it in today. i'll call you and i'll probably be in monday. if you let me. okay. thank you. bye. >> have you heard from her since? >> yes, i have, and i also heard from my administrator, and they are excited for me, and they said, yes, they would be happy

>> lock how loyal you are. the back story. who picked the numbers. how were the numbers picked? right. >> i'm the one that actually went and got the tickets. i was driving home from work, and it was 6:00 something, 6:56 i think it says on the ticket. i stopped in the little grocery store and she told me, are you going to buy the lottery tickets, and i said i don't feel like stopping and she said, well, we need to go ahead and get two tickets, so when i buy the tickets i buy four at a time and the single picks. >> the quick picks. >> the quick picks. >> so i told the lady give me four of them and she gave me four of them and i come home and i handed it to her and i said i ain't feeling good, i'm going to lay down. i went and laid down on the couch, fell asleep and then come 10:00 she's the one that checked it. >> and she come hollering and screaming through the hallway, you need to check these numbers. you need to check these numbers. >> i checked them three times,

he's going to have a heart attack, john! >> did you call your daughter, did you let her know right away? >> no, no. that's a story in itself. >> okay. what happened? >> my dad wanted me to bring him some medicine because he said he wasn't feeling well. >> just a ruse to get her over. >> and i actually had somebody else take the medicine to him and he called me and he asked me why i didn't bring it and i said, well, because i have to work, go to work. i couldn't be late so then i said, but if -- if it's that important you can come over, and they came over to my house and they told me. >> and what did you think in that moment? how much your life changes. >> tell the truth now. my very first thought was i've always wanted a horse so i get a horse now. my dad always said, you know, the day i win the lottery.

>> it's going to be a lippizaner stallion. >> it's a small town, 3,000 people. you plan on stayinging right. >> if they let us stay there. >> they will let you stay. you'll only town. you always talk to people and say what would you do? and when you thought about it overnight, what do you want to do if it's not too personal? i thought of taking care of the loans and all the family stuff. >> that's the first thing that we'll take care of and there's help. >> wonderful. >> so -- and i'm a firm believer in tithing to my church. >> that's great. >> wow, that's terrific. >> that's nice. >> and of course, st. jude's. >> of course. >> marlo thomas is a great friend of ours. >> she will love to know that you're doing that for them. >> we should point out also that it was great reporting by elaine, right, who actually brought the story to us, to the "today" show, and this is your daughter. >> that's correct. >> that's right. >> so tell us how that story came about because there was a

the "today" show. >> well, i'm a writer for "memphis" magazine and my dad called me up and said we need to get some national press for this story and said i called a number that i found on the internet from google for nbc and got the switchboard and picked it up and somehow it got passed up the line and here we are today. >> great. >> so you head back to munford. >> straight to nashville. >> to the lottery officials. >> to the lottery initials. >> do you have a big press conference and all that stuff? >> do they do that for you? >> we hope not. >> what do you mean by that? >> after they -- their goal is to -- this is like a one and done. they wanted to come on and let the americans know that they won, you know, because people want to know and then they want to go back to their private life so if people could respect that, that would be really good. >> lisa, before we let you go. you hit the lottery twice because show everyone what you got. >> wow.

me and gave me an autograph and kathie lee. >> that's sweet. >> terrific, wonderful. >> wow. >> well, we loved having you here this mornings congratulations. all the best. >> thank you. >> thank you all so much. >> and we're all your greatest new friends. >> exactly. >> we're going to come hang down in your house down in munford. >> we'll need to get a little bigger house. >> she invited us to the slumber party as well. >> we like to do girl slumber parties. >> girls slumber parties. >> and the horse there, too. >> well, congratulations. you guys, a lot of people on twitter said they were so happy for you, grounded family and you're the type of people folks love to see win something like this. >> good luck. >> appreciate you guys being morning. >> they have one of the friendliest dogs. >> yes, abby is in the back. >> i didn't leave her at home. >> she flew with us. >> you remembered the family. >> the richest dog in the world. abby. >> fantastic.

eating out of a solid gold dog bowl. this isn't kibble, it's sirloin. >> thank you. >> such a great story. another really great story. we love a good celebrity photo bomb around here. this one takes the case. jimmy fallon along with "sesame street." he posed -- photobombed some kids and their parents posing for pictures right here hat 30 rocket. take a look. two, one. >> three, two, one. >> three, two, one. >> two, one. >> num, num, num, cookie

>> three, two, one. >> oh. >> kisses. >> oh. >> okay. so cute. >> all right. so you've got the weather coming up. lisa and john, you own the world. you may as well do the weather with al roker. >> you in, john? >> he might be. >> come on, john. come on. >> want to do the weather. >> do what? >> your neck of the woods. >> going to get chilly. >> lots of riches. >> come on over, john. >> come over here. hit the button for me. >> boom. >> there you go. got cold air coming in. of course, you'll just be burning money. what do you care?

it's going to get chilly, but a warm, warm day for you, congratulations. and that is your latest weather. well, coming up, she made us laugh as amy poehler's best friend on "parks & rec" and now rasheeda jones starring in a new spoof series called "andrea try becca" and why she has taken

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actress, writer, director and one of our faves, rashida jones is a true hollywood talent starring in some of the funniest movies like "i love you man". >> or playing ann perkins, the sweet best friend and the sorely missed "parks-and-recreation." >> now she is back and has a new spoof series called "angie try becca" and she plays a tough-minded detective. >> go, try becca, my office! >> you wanted to see us, sir? >> ever heard of carpacchio, mcguffin. >> the scottish master who disappeared after painting his master works "thumb." >> his son disappeared from the gallery this morning. >> the omg. >> i thought it was at the library. >> the lol, don't make me laugh. that burned down last year. >> oh, gosh.

>> all right. rashida, let's start with the name, "angie try becca" which doesn't get any better than a spoof cop comedy. >> it's so dumb. >> so good though. >> that's how the whole show started. they thought wouldn't be hilarious to have a tough cop named "angie try becca. >> what i love about the show, the edgy comedy this, harkens back to "police squad" with leslie nielsen. >> i mean, this is terrific. >> thank you, thank you so much. the intention was wall-to-wall jokes. there's no real heart. just about making as many jokes as possible at my expense and other people's expense. >> your expense. you're getting your whiskers trimmed and we were watching there. we always wonder how the set is -- when you have so much comedy and so much talent what is it like behind the scenes? >> it's really fun and so

many babies and pets and props and costume changes that we have to try to stay as straight as possible but sometimes it's impossible. >> you're so multi-talented. you also direct and writing "toy story 4," in the process. >> long process. >> can you give us any hints about it. >> come on, tell me, tell me. >> i can't. i'll be struck down by the light years. >> we don't want that. >> we do not. >> okay. also i didn't know you dance as well. >> i mean, i'm a dance enthusiast. i wouldn't say like i'm a professional. >> what does it mean? >> i love dancing. just watching the girls dance in the segment before. >> could you do that? >> would i try to do that. >> i wish i was doing that. >> flip and rewind. >> video rolling the internet right now. >> there you go. and i'm sure you'd love to

>> hey, flo rida. >> would you let rashida dance with you. >> yes. >> maybe a backup dancer. >> the story goes with the girlfriends that you're friends with in high school are in this. >> that's my dance squad from high school. >> your crew. >> the bandanas and the jersey. >> the mustard colored jackets. >> can you show us the '90s moves. >> do you do the running man? >> yeah. >> that's hard though. that's going to be hard in heels. >> that was my excuse. >> here we can do the wop. >> what's the wop? >> or flo rida. >> i feel like we need the girls that are the actual professionals. >> yes. >> should we do the wop. >> i think the wop. >> go for it. >> there's the new move called the dab. >> the dab, okay. >> do it. >> how do we do the dab. >> one, two, three, dab. >> the other side.

>> my son nicky was doing this. >> one, two, three, dab. >> go, rashida. >> what about the wop. >> oh, yeah, oh, yeah. >> there you go. >> going down for real. >> somewhere this is a comedy spoof for your next show. >> you take it away. >> you want to dab with us. >> there you go. man. >> what's the running man. >> they were making fun of my running man. see. >> she was going sideways. >>ing "angie tribeca" debuts with a 25-hour commercial free marathon this sunday on tbs when all new episodes monday night starting -- >> 25-hour marathon. >> coming, the "friends" star who will not be taking part in

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incredible in every detail. coming up in our next half house, some big casting news to tell you about to find out who is joining "the dirting dancing" remake in "pop fix." sir al. >> all right. if you think salads are too skimpy for a meal and don't fill you up, i'll show you one of my favorite recipes that you can make this weekend that will make you satisfied. i promise you you'll kiss me on the lips. >> and i'm hanging with flo, the number one tune on itunes and he'll sing it for us. we'll have a live performance of "my house" right after your local news. does the smell oa freshly bound presentation fill you with optimism? do you love your wireless keyboard more than certain family members? is your success due to a filing system only you understand? does printing from your tablet to your wireless printer

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taking a look at headlines today.

women who are or hope to become pregnant to avoid traveling to certain parts of latin america and the caribbean. the concern a mosquito-borne virus called zika that's spreading fast. health experts are calling this a pandemic in progress. the virus, which poses very little risk to adults but for babies still in the womb it can be devastating. >> a very serious birth defect and what's so impressive is that there's been hundreds, perhaps thousands of these birth defects across latin america, but particularly in northeastern brazil where it's been most heavily concentrated. >> so far there are no known cases here in the u.s. of mosquitos spreading zika but mosque sews love hot humid areas with stagnant water and areas along the gulf coast in particular are of concern. a new study links the use of heartburn and acid reflex medicine to an increased risk of chronic kidney disease. researchers at johns hopkins

records of people who use the drugs known as proton pump inhibitors and they found a risk 20% to 50% higher compared to non-userers. the study did not concludehat ppi actually cause kidney disease. just in time for tax season the irs is delivering a double dose of good news to taxpayers. the agency says people will have shorter wait times on its phone hotline because the irs hired more customer service reps after getting a bigger budget from congress. also, fewer taxpayers mayonnaise an audit this year as several tax compliance workers are retiring, and the irs isn't replacing them. it is time to play favorites. a consumer perception firm is out with the latest rankings for the top rated fast food and casual dining restaurants. subway holding on to its top spot as the best perceived fast food brand followed by wendy's and chick-fil-a. casual dining olive garden held

bread and outback steakhouse right behind. now a check of the weather with al roker. >> blooming onion. saturday, snow around the great lakes and wet weather here in the northeast and a lot of rain down along the gulf coast and out west more rain and snow making its way through the pacific northwest and interior sections with sunshine through the southwest. on sunday, sunday, look for some more lake-effect snow stretching from the u.p, of michigan and western new york and pennsylvania. sunshine through the gulf coast. the rain will continue down in florida. not a great weekend. hot, lots of wind and rain and snow from northern california

that's what's going on a and that is your latest weather. i need me a "pop fix." >> the okay, mr. al. per your request let's get it popping with "possible fix." bad news for "friends" fans, matthew perry will no longer be participating in the upcoming "friends" reunion. unfortunately mr. bing will be in london rehearsing for his upcoming play called "the end of long." fans will definitely be longing, get it, for him. don't lose all hope. there's a chance that -- he can skype or facetime, right? luckily for us, we'll be able to fill the void with the rest of the cast who will be there honoring the director of the show james burrows and the show will air right here on nbc on february 21st.

she will be joining the "dirty dancing" remake she will play marjorie housman, baby's mom, a role originally played by kelly bishop. now baby herself will be played by abigail breslin and we cannot wait to see these two lovely ladies on screen together so here's to hoping debra gets to put her dancing shoes on and boogie down because we love her so much, and the lovely amal clooney is a celebrity in her own right and a fashionista, let me tell you. the 37-year-old attorney sat down with cynthia mcfadden in her first ever network interview and no that you can of her famous husband george. she did admit her rise to fame has helped on cases that matter most to her. >> i think that's wonderful that celebrities would choose to spend their time or energy or, you know, the spotlight that they have to -- to raise awareness about these causes. i don't really see myself in the same way because i'm still doing the same job i used to do before. if there's more attention paid

that, then -- >> oh, you know the reason. >> then i think that's good. >> you know. i think there's a certain responsibility that comes with that. i think i'm exercising it in the appropriate manner by continuing to do this kind of work. >> what a brilliant woman. so also, looks like the carpool lane needs to make room for a tiny dancer. "the late late show with james cordon" has filmed a new carpool karaoke segment with none other than sir elton john. he'll sing along with james and the popular segment. they filmed the segment in l.a. but it was raining the entire time so they hope the england born icon felt right at home. it's set to air right after the super bowl. nye night club does not have an elton john, but, james, i up your elton john with a -- i had had the time of my life

i never felt this way before just like in "dirty dancing." >> wow, when your club is not cool and flo rida is there. okay. don't ever do that again, please. >> i won't. >> hey, i'm going to be cooking up -- >> i single handily saved flo's career. >> a meal that will fill up up and keep your necessary lies on track. >> can we have some flo rida music. >> can you lift me. >> of course. >> okay. here we go. don't drop me.

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does your makeup remover take it all off? every kiss-proof, cry-proof, stay-proof look? neutrogena makeup remover does. it erases 99% of your most stubborn makeup with one towelette. need any more proof than that? neutrogena. so this morning on "today food" we're wrapping up a week of healthy eating and salded a for dinner, farro and cheese and veggies and this will fill you up. let's get started. here's the grid, got some olive oil and vinegar and mustard, spices, smoked almonds, man colleaguo cheese and curly little diamond -- dinosaur kale and farro. >> for those who don't know.

basically you're going to take a bunch of farro and put it in a pot and pour in two cups of water. now, if you want to cut the cooking time in half, stoke overnight in water. >> wow. >> and then drain it, and you'll put this on a simmer and cover it up so you've got that. while that's cooking you're going to take sliced carats and i love doing this with carrots. >> so good. >> a little olive oil, a little salt, and you massage that a bit and then you put it on a baking sheet. going to put this in the oven at about 350 for 15 minutes or so until they just kind of brown up a little bit. now in the meantime you take the bowl that you had your carrots in and are you going to add in some crushed garlic, throw in a little vinegar, some mustard. >> so tasty. >> and you're going to whisk in some olive oil and keep whiskey, whiskey, until it emulsifies and you're going to get a nice little dressing going here so

in the meantime, you've taken your farro, cooks in 30 minutes until all the liquid is out and you'll take that and drain any that's left over. >> can you do it in a col ha nder and strainer. >> take that. >> and now you can take some of your dressing. >> pour it directly in. >> just into the farro. >> and mix it up a little bit. >> you want to serve of it at room temperature. >> you want this to cool down first. >> right. >> so you do that, and then you'll throw in -- after it's cooled off a bit you put in some scallions. meantime, you'll take the rest of your dress, and you're going to pour it over the kale. this ka le is more tender than others and you'll massage this and that breaks it down even more. >> very nice. >> and then you take some arugula and toss that in. >> so a blend. >> and smoked almonds. >> gives it a little crunch, i like that. >> i love to throw in a little mint.

>> and some tomatoes and then you take your farro and you toss that in. and now you toss the whole thing together. >> little salt and pepper. >> a little salt and pepper, though if you're salted your farro enough you should be okay and then you'll put it in and i like to shave a little man colleaguo on top. >> which we love. >> i love this. >> and boom, you've got that. >> all right. >> by the way, bianca borgess, come hon in here. >> come in, my dearest. >> the head of our food team. after over 15, 16 years here is moving on with her husband to do another food kind of thing, and we are going to miss you so very much. >> this has been the job of my career. i have just loved this job so much. >> you have it's us all so much. we all have some of your favorite recipes. >> oh, good. >> we love you, and we are going to miss. >> you thank you so much. >> i forgot to add the carrots to this as well. >> already, it's gone downhill.

>> go to today.com/food and today's food club members stand up. kayla kise re-for her lasagna with zucchini. >> thank you, bianca, we love you. >> meantime, hey, coming up, getting ready to bring our house down with his number one single "my house." you never know. >> is that the moon.

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new hot shot whisky chicken applebee's grill & bar favorites made a little better for you. featuring new dishes loaded with flavor, and all under 650 calories. he has sold over 100 million singles worldwide and his newest song "my house" is the number one single on the itunes chart and the title track off of his latest ep. hello, flo, good to see you. you got a deejay here. got dancers, and you got tamron hall as a backup dancer. >> no. >> i won't ruin your life, but we were saying this is another epic album from you. such a smart businessman. what keeps you on top of the game? >> definitely my team, it's all about teamwork. i never just rely hon myself. i'm someone who looks forward to

know, instilled in my mom, just being loyal, definitely being a fan of music and definitely want dmc. >> here it is. flo rida and "my house." >> take us to your house. come on. open up the champagne, pop it's my house, come on, turn it up hear a knock on the door and the night begins cause we done this before so you come on? >> comb on in. make yourself at my home, tell me where you been where you been, where you been, yeah pour yourself something cold, baby, cheers to this sometimes you gotta stay in and you know where i live yeah, you know what we is sometimes you gotta stay in, in welcome to my house baakye take control now we can't even slow down

welcome to my house play that music too loud show me what you do now we don't have to go out everybody saying, what, what, come on welcome to my house yeah, we gotta go out welcome to my house morning comes and you know that you wanna stay wanna stay, come on close the blinds, let's pretend that the time has changed hey, hey keep our clothes on the floor, open up champagne let's continue tonight, come on, celebrate sometimes you gotta stay in and you know where i live yeah, you know what we is you know what we is sometimes you gotta say, hey, hey welcome to my house baby take control now

we don't have to go out welcome to my house play that music too loud show me what you do now we don't have to go out hey, hey. everybody say what, what couple to my house bring a friend couple to my house couple to my off the crib, the spot, the pad but my house is your house if you throwing back excuse me if my home draining the sad soon as these happy faces lay you can run with the cash home run, slam dunk, touchdown, pass mi casa es, tu casa so it ain't no holding back another shot of vodka, you know what's in my gloss it's my house, just relax welcome to my house baby take control now

we don't like to go out welcome to my house play that music too loud so me what you do now we don't like to go out welcome to my house you heard me, hey, hey we gotta go out couple to my husband it's my house hey, welcome to my house "today" show my house >> yeah, flo rida in hour house. thank you. we're back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc.

welcome totion if you're here in the new york area al is going to pop over across the street and do a little book signing. >> shop at nbc, and the book i wrote with my wife deborah roberts, "been there, done that." there until 11:45. >> miss hill. erica hill is joining us. what's coming up on "weekend

>> "sesame street" is the being brought to you by three new letters, h-b-o. we'll talk about the new series that starts tomorrow morning. what's changed with the show and where the famous characters are now living and even some special guests. >> oh, wow. >> so "sesame street" takes over 30 rock. >> which makes it the best day ever, right? >> bring your kids to work day. >> that's true. >> we'll be watching. >>calitiy lee and hoda are up next after your local news and weather.

bye, everybody. >> announcer: from nbc news,