good morning. will they be grounded for good? the faa could decide as early as

today whether to revoke or suspend the licenses of those two pilots who overshot their destination by 150 miles. this as they claim they lost track of time because they were using their personal laptops in the cockpit. ready for launch. final preparations under way as nasa prepares to test out a new rocket that could one day return astronauts to the moon. lift-off could be less than an hour away. and take two. the always controversial richard hatch landed back in jail shortly after our last interview. now the original "survivor" is live in our studio. what will he have to say today, tuesday october 27th, 2009? captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to "today" on this tuesday morning.

i'm meredith vieira. >> and i'm matt lauer. and meredith, the pilots operating northwest airlines flight 188 could be looking for new careers as early as today. >> that's right. the faa is weighing what to do now that both pilots have admitted that they violated company policy and lost track of the flight because they were engrossed in a complicated new cruise scheduling program on their laptop computers. but is that really what happened, and will we ever really know? we're going to have the latest in a moment. also ahead, more embarrassment for the prominent sports analyst whose affair with a young production assistant has cost them both their jobs. his wife has filed for divorce. he's checked himself into rehab for sex addiction. we're going to have more on that story coming up as well. plus, dun, dun, dun, dun, the search is on to find a real-life jaws after a massive great white takes a huge chunk out of a rival. that victim ten feet long. and scientists believe the one doing the biting is twice that

size and patrolling the waters off popular beaches. we'll get the latest ahead. >> that's a big bite. >> yeah. let's begin with the cockpit computer use that could cost two veteran pilots their jobs and their licenses. nbc's tom costello has the latest on this story. good morning to you. >> reporter: hi, matt, good morning. a reminder that the pilot is timothy cheney, the first officer richard cole. they were out of contact for avon hour and 20 minutes. the cockpit voice recorder did not record what the crew was doing during that certain stretch, but the crew admits they were not paying attention. the new details of what was happening on the flight deck of northwest 188 paints a picture of a crew out of touch with their aircraft up 37,000 feet. both veteran pilots have told investigators they became distracted while using their personal laptops. delta air lines, which owns northwest, says that is a violation of company regulations. the ntsb says both pilots admit

they did not monitor the airplane or radio calls for a period of time. they lost track of time. and they used their laptops while they discussed crew flight scheduling proceedings. it wasn't until a flight attendant called the cockpit that the crew realized they had already flown over minneapolis. the pilot then contacted air traffic control and turned around. controllers in denver and minneapolis had been trying for 80 minutes to raise the crew. >> that would be such a huge lack of situational awareness that i have never seen in 20 years. i've never even heard of it. >> reporter: while it's rare for a crew to become so distracted, it has happened before. in 1974, an eastern airlines crew got distracted discussing the pardon of richard nixon and crashed their plane just short of the runway in charlotte. 72 people died. among the victims, the father and two older brothers of comedian stephen colbert. now veteran pilots are appalled by the actions of the northwest pilots. >> the only thing that they're there for, the only reason

they're occupying those two seats on the pointy end of that airplane is because they are responsible to take care of business. and somehow, that didn't get done. >> reporter: in a statement, delta air lines says, "using laptops or engaging in activity unrelated to the pilots' command of the aircraft during flight is strictly against the airline's flight deck policies and violations of that policy will result in termination." both pilots here are veterans with 31,000 hours between them, but both are now suspended until the investigation is complete. meanwhile, the faa could decide as early as today to suspend or revoke their licenses. back to you. >> all right, tom costello in washington this morning. thank you, tom. mark rosenker is the former chairman of the ntsb, on the phone with us now. good morning to you. >> good morning. how are you doing, matt? >> fine. let me ask you a simple, blunt question -- do you buy this explanation? >> it's not my job to decide what the truth is in this particular case. those that are involved directly

with this investigation will do a much better job of understanding what happened than i could. >> but do we think it's possible that these guys on laptop computers could be so engrossed in what they're doing that they forget for 80 minutes that they're in charge of an aircraft with more than 140 people on board? >> it is difficult to understand how that could happen, and the folks at the ntsb and the faa will do a very good job, i am confident, of understanding what happened specifically in the cockpit. >> mark, i guess a lot of people -- kind of good news/bad news. let's say we buy their story completely. then we have to come to terms with the idea that what goes on behind that locked and now armed cockpit door might be that two people up there just don't pay attention, and that's not going to sit well with the flying public. >> it won't sit well with the flying public, but the reality of life is, is tens of thousands of flight operations occur every day. every day they occur and they occur without incident, without accident, and that is why we have one of the safest aviation

systems in the world. >> do we need to take into consideration, mark, the fact that technology has come so far that it is possible to be in that cockpit without monitoring everything every second because of things like autopilot? >> we have done a very good job of bringing technology into the cockpit for redundancy, to make the aircraft known in places much better. it helps fly the aircraft itself. but we will never replace pilots in the transport aircraft. they are a critical piece of what happens there. they command the actual aircraft itself. but other kinds of technologies that may distract are clearly inappropriate for use while flying the aircraft. >> well, we've got flight data recorders and flight voice recorders. do we need to put some kind of video system in the cockpit just to discourage pilots from doing anything that would take away from their duties? >> matt, that's a recommendation that's been on the books since

2000. when the faa made some decisions last year, they did extend the time of the cockpit voice recorder to two hours. >> right. >> but they did not take up the issue of video in the cockpit. it may well be this particular issue could provide the impetus to get that inside the cockpit. >> if their story's true no matter what, do they deserve to be fired or have their licenses revoked, mark? >> the faa is going to make a decision on that. and at that point, it will be an appropriate decision in my judgment. >> all right, mark rosenker. mark, thank you so much for your time this morning. i appreciate it. >> my pleasure. thank you, matt. >> seven after the hour. here's meredith. >> matt, thank you. now to the deadliest day for the u.s. in afghanistan in four years. 14 americans killed in two separate helicopter crashes monday. correspondent richard engel is in afghanistan with the very latest. richard, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. the causes of those crashes have not yet been released, but we do have new details about one of the missions that u.s. and

afghan forces were on when their helicopter went down. on a base in western afghanistan, afghan commandos run through their final rehearsals ahead of a nighttime air assault on a suspected drug and weapons trafficker. >> in order to accomplish their mission throughout western afghanistan, they can't just drive here and drive there. we need the support. we need the helicopter support. >> reporter: the commandos are led by u.s. special operations forces. because of their secretive work, the team leaders ask not to be identified. >> for us to actually surprise the enemy, most of the times we have to fly in. >> reporter: as the sun goes down, the operation begins. american special ops, afghan commandos and u.s. dea agents load onto two transport helicopters. but this will become one of the deadliest operations in western afghanistan since the war began.

when the troops land on their target, they're engaged by militants. the troops believe they kill more than a dozen insurgents. but as they head back to base, one of the two helicopters crashes. seven u.s. servicemen and three government agents are killed. 26 afghans and americans are injured. u.s. troops had been planning this mission for a month, but commanders said they knew it would be risky, since american forces were pushing into an area where they hadn't been in years and they didn't have as many helicopters as they had hoped. the taliban claims to have shot down the helicopter. the u.s. military is investigating the cause of the crash. >> we don't have any indication that it was due to hostile fire. we don't know exactly what did happen, but we think that it was not due to any types of enemy fire. >> reporter: also under investigation, the apparent mid-air collision of two other helicopters in southern afghanistan monday. despite the risk, analysts say helicopters remain the fastest

and safest way to travel here. >> u.s. marine army helicopters are an essential part of combat operations in afghanistan. we can't operate without them. >> reporter: the u.s. military says the crashes will not slow the pace of combat operations or the use of helicopter transport. the u.s. military believes at this stage that both crashes appear to have been unrelated accidents. meredith? >> all right, richard engel, thank you very much. nbc's brian williams has also made his way to afghanistan. he is with us now by phone. brian, good morning to you. let me start by asking you, now that the president and his national security team are mulling over what to do next in afghanistan, what questions do you hope to get answers to during your trip? >> well, we've already done some of that, actually, in our first half a day on the ground. we have just driven back from a small town we first visited a year ago, and we actually felt

and saw a palpable difference. it was a much less nervous, much less potentially violent place, largely because of a group of u.s. special forces who have been working that town over and over. you know, blackhawk helicopters, to reference richard's reporting just before me, are almost the buses of this region. they are workhorses. and i don't think twice about getting on one. today, however, after yesterday's off news, was an interesting day to fly -- i could be convinced that the crews have taken on a different kind of seriousness and there's more weight and gravity, i think, to each mission here. so, generally, we're trying to find out what the mission is right now and how plausible it is that general mcchrystal would get that influx of troops and what they would all be dispatched to do. >> you know, you mentioned that you've been in afghanistan before. so, what are those signs you're looking for that would indicate

either progress there or setbacks? >> well, a lot of it is feel and kind of the battle tempo that u.s. troops are under. some of these dismounted infantry are getting into the fight every day. kabul seems more nervous now than it was a year ago, though some of the outposts, where the americans have been drilling down into the granular level of society, are safer places. it's an axiom that if you're going to do counterinsurgency, you've got to have a government to show people as a good alternative. that's been the problem here. what a massive place, the size of texas, the most unforgiving territory in the world, and yet, the united states and all these coalition partners have got to figure this out. >> all right. i know you'll have much more coming up on "nightly news" tonight. brian williams, thank you very much. >> thank you. >> all right, let's head over to

the news desk. ann is standing by with the other stories making news this morning. ann, good morning on you. >> good morning to you, matt and meredith. hello, everybody. in the news, we begin with a statement last night from president obama that an overhaul of the u.s. health care system is closer than ever. he said that last night just after senate majority leader harry reid vowed to include the so-called public option, which is a government-run insurance plan that would give states the choice of whether or not to participate, but it is unclear whether the plan will have the votes to pass. there were long lines monday in ohio, where thousands of people turned out at a high school to get the h1n1 swine flu vaccine. health officials say eventually there will be enough vaccine for everyone in the united states. today, nasa is testing its newest generation rocket. it's called the ares i-x, which is right now an unmanned rocket taller than a football field, but it may one day be used to return astronauts to the moon. police in florida say they've gotten 1,500 leads in last week's murder of 7-year-old

somer thompson, and today the 7-year-old is being laid to rest. nbc's mark potter is in orange park with more on this. mark, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. with the funeral here, it's another sad day for the family and the community. this as the sheriff warns that somer's murder might not be solved quickly. hundreds of people lined up quietly at the first baptist church of orange park to pay their respects and view somer's casket on monday afternoon. first to arrive were somer's mother and family, who stayed for more than two hours to receive the mourners from their community. meanwhile, the clay county sheriff warned local residents not to expect a quick resolution of the homicide investigation. >> i really anticipate this is going to be a very complex, very drawn-out process that's going to be solved not through some computer voodoo but through good, old-fashioned police work. >> reporter: sheriff rick beseler says his officers are

still awaiting crime lab results for the hundreds of items gathered during exhaustive evidence searches. >> the one thing that worries me right now, the biggest thing that's on my mind is the fact that someone who killed a child is still out there in our community. i want this person off the street. >> reporter: beseler says finding somer's body in a landfill just two days after she disappeared was critical for the investigation but says fear the killer could strike again is keeping him awake at night. now, later today there is a memorial service here open to the public, then a private graveside service as somer is laid to rest. ann? >> all right, mark potter this morning. mark, thank you. it's a down day so far in most overseas markets. cnbc's melissa francis is at the new york stock exchange with more. tension today on homes. >> that's right. we are getting more housing data out today and the senate is considering extending that one-time first-time home buyers housing credit, $8,000 tax

credit. it's been very popular so far. the most important economic data comes on thursday with a read on gdp. and would you pay $6.26 for a big mac? people in iceland won't. it's that high because of high taxes and low currency. as a result, they're putting the golden arches on ice across the country. ann, back to you. >> melissa francis, thank you for your reporting. and there was a special honor last night for comedian bill cosby. he was awarded the annual mark twain prize for american humor in a ceremony at the kennedy center in washington. and among those paying tribute, jerry seinfeld and "the cosby show" co-stars malcolm warner. also chris rock was in attendance. cosby quipped that usually when a man sees his life flash before his eyes, it's for a bad reason, but this, he said, is all right. it is now 7:16. back to you to meredith, matt and al. >> congratulations. >> jerry seinfeld said he's the greatest american comedian ever. >> not many people would argue. how are you, mr. roker? good, but we have a lot of rain stretching from here into

the northeast. you can see new orleans, gulf coast, heavy rain, on into atlanta. we've got flood watches out there. moving up the northeast along the front, you can see we're looking at more rain up into the northeast as well. that's going to cause some airport delays. and in fact, rainfall up and down this system. we're looking at the heaviest rain in northern geo >> gmakd morning, i'm tonlly ra showers on and off with us throughout the morning. the sut es will turn muse tly klome.y, so the evening com will be better >> and that's your latest weather. matt? >> all right, al, thanks very much. now to "the new york times"

reporter who escaped from the taliban captors who held him for more than seven months. he is now speaking out and ann has his story. >> that's right, matt. david rhoads was in afghanistan researching a book back in november of 2008 when he, an afghan journalist and a driver were kidnapped. seven months and ten days later, they staged their own dramatic escape, and we sat down with david on monday, and we began by asking him what it was like to be held prisoner in one of the world's most dangerous places. >> i was shocked at the strength of the taliban control of the pakistani tribal areas. the taliban regime that, you know, united states seemed to have toppled in 2001 still exists today. it's simply moved a few miles to the east into the tribal areas of pakistan. it's a fully functional government. >> they have the internet. >> yeah, the internet. they googled me and my family members as well. they don't live in caves. that's one of the, i think, stereotypes. these were very devoted

fighters, very sophisticated. >> describe what the living conditions are. describe the kind of world you saw there. >> the tribal areas weren't as isolated as i thought. there was intermittent electricity. i was able to walk in the yard, you know, every day, and i was never beaten. >> how often were you afraid for your life? >> in the very beginning i was, but my primary concern were the lives of my colleagues, the afghan journalist with me, ludin, and our driver, assad mongal. the taliban despises afghans and pakistanis who work with the united states. they were constantly told they were traitors and i was very fearful they would kill them. >> you write that in one of the videos you were forced to make, you said, "however this ends, all my family and friends should live in peace with yourselves. i know you've done absolutely everything you can to help us." you were trying to prepare your family -- your wife of only two months -- for your death. >> well, at that point, we had

basically realized our captors weren't seriously negotiating, and we had decided at that point to try to make an escape attempt. >> but you knew escaping had its own risks. in fact, the chances were overwhelming that you would not escape. >> we were determined to try and waiting for the right opportunity. our guards, you know, staying asleep when i got up to go to the bathroom. i then woke up tahir and then i had found a rope. we used a rope to get ourselves over a wall and we were able to walk to a pakistani military base nearby. >> when you were able to get your wife on the phone, i understand you had a message for her. you had just been married for two months. >> well, i knew i hadn't done a very good job as a newlywed husband, so i said that, you know, please let me spend the rest of my life making this up to you. >> presumably, she agreed. >> she's been asking me, you know, when is the rest of my life going to start? but we're very lucky and i'm so lucky to be home and so happy. >> rohde says given what happened, he made a mistake by pursuing a face-to-face

interview with a taliban commander. he also says he's now in regular contact with his fellow afghan journalist and driver, matt, because he feels so guilty about that experience. >> the way he wrote about it in the "times," his stories were riveting. and so, he's got a lot to tell. some story. >> it is some story. and there is also some revelation, i think, about the kind of people we're dealing with. in this war that we're dealing with in afghanistan. he said that there are afghanis who are moderates who want to work and want peace and there are those who are extremists, and the challenge for the united states as we move forward is being able to distinguish one from the other. >> all right, ann, thank you very much for that. and still ahead, the espn analyst and his young mistress both out of jobs after their affair made headlines. now he's checked himself into rehab for sex addiction. the latest on that story.

still ahead, a monster shark

big enough to do that to another massive great white, and it's patrolling the waters near some popular beaches. we're going to have details on that. plus, the original "survivor," richard hatch speaks out in his first live interview since being released from jail again. we'll talk to him. usually he's not at a loss for words.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i'm stan stovall. as you might imagine, with all

the rain, there are problems on the roadways. here is sarah caldwell. >> leave plenty of extra time for yourself getting out on the area roadways. we are looking at rain-related problems around this water main break and the delays and run york road and bellona ave. watch for that to affect things in the towson area. on the southbound 95 aside, all the way down to the beltway and beyond, miles per hour on it -- we have an accident in howard county just coming in to us. towards the capital beltway, an accident clearing there. on the outer loop west side, it will stick to a lot 18 on the other loop northeast side. if you are going to be heading

out on the west side, it was but you are looking at. very congested area of route i- 70. -- of around 9-73 in the white marsh area, those delays of crept back approaching white marsh. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> the steady rain is beginning to move out. that is good news. it will take another couple of hours at least. a steady rain on the eastern shore may be until 10:00. we will look at the temperatures, in the 50's, a couple of degrees. the evening commute will be much better. >> be sure to check the bottom of your screen for updated news and traffic information. our next live update at 7:55.

♪ 7:30 now on a tuesday

morning. it's the 27th day of october 2009. a couple of showers, as you can see. we've got umbrellas up in the plaza this morning. that rain should last for a day and a half or so. we're keeping our fingers crossed it gets out of here before game one of the world series tomorrow night from the bronx. meanwhile, inside studio 1a, i'm matt lauer alongside meredith vieira. and just head this half hour, the always controversial, original "survivor," richard hatch. remember, he was whisked back to jail shortly after the last time we spoke to him. he had some controversial things to say in that interview. now he is out of prison again, and this morning he's in our studio with plenty to say about why he was taken back into custody. so, we'll catch up with richard in just a couple minutes. and also ahead, some popular beaches are shut down this morning for good reason. take a look and you can see why. that massive bite was made by a great white shark estimated to be 20 feet long. we'll have details on that in a moment. plus, the little white pill that could be a wonder drug. we've all taken aspirin, but

have you ever used it to remove a stain, to get rid of pimples or help restart a dead car battery? we're going to tell you about some extraordinary uses that you will want to try. but we're going to begin with the new developments in a sex scandal that has now cost a prominent sports analyst and a production assistant their jobs. nbc's jeff rossen is here with the latest. good morning to you, jeff. >> hi, good morning, meredith. the ax just fell, again. first, espn fired steve phillips. now the other woman is gone, too. still, phillips has bigger problems. his wife is leaving him. now he admits he is a sex addict and has checked himself in for sex rehab. >> he doesn't pass the gut check for me, to start with. >> reporter: almost overnight, steve phillips went from popular sportscaster to tabloid poster boy. phillips is married with four kids and admits he had an affair with this 22-year-old production assistant, brooke hundley. by monday, espn fired both of them, saying phillips' ability to represent them has been

"significantly and irrepably damaged." they didn't give a reason for hundley's firing, but according to police reports, she stalked phillips' teenage son on facebook, then showed up at the family's house. phillips' wife called 911 in a panic. >> wilton 911, what's your emergency? >> please hurry and come to [ bleep ]. i have a crazy woman who is involved with my husband and she has come to my house to harm me and my children. >> reporter: steve phillips' wife has filed for divorce. now, to win her back, phillips has checked into rehab for sex addiction. >> if steve phillips hadn't have checked into sex rehab prior to this being public, his wife and espn would have supported him. >> reporter: but experts say steve phillips is following the pattern of any addict -- hit rock bottom first, then get help. >> sexual addiction is deeply embedded in trauma. it is one of the most challenging things to treat and it is one of the most painful. make no mistake about it, it exists and it is common.

>> reporter: dr. drew pinsky hosted the vh1 show "celebrity rehab" and says as last resorts go, rehab can work. >> a sex addict is somebody who usually had a childhood sexual trauma who acts out sexually in their adult life in such a way that they lose control of their sexual behavior. sex is no longer a source of satisfaction, but a source of shame, and they have serious consequences as a result. >> reporter: after david duchovny went into sex rehab, reportedly to save his marriage, it's the new public apology. >> they led the league in runs, home runs, batting average -- >> reporter: but will it be enough for steve phillips? >> it's always a good step to come to treatment. the fact is, he is in pain, he is suffering. make no mistake about it. and this behavior is destroying his family. he's not feeling good about this. >> i spoke with phillips' agent late last night. he says phillips has deep issues and checked himself into sex rehab for one reason and one reason only, meredith, and that's to get his family back. he's trying. >> all right, jeff rossen. thank you very much. and now let's get a check of the weather from al. >> announcer: "today's weather"

is brought to you by new robitussin to go. it's pure robitussin relief to go. >> and the showers kind of lightening up just a little bit here. your three sons. where are your three sons? >> minnesota, minneapolis. >> say hi to them. >> hey, cayden, braden, cooper. >> i'm sure they miss their mommy. let's check the weather and see what's going on. windy northwest. a couple low pressure systems bringing high wind warnings and watches, advisories as well through much of the southwest. that's going to be part of a system that's going to be affecting the east coast later on this week. rest of the country, you can see a lot of rain in the southeast all the way into the northeast. look for mountain snows in the pacific northwest, also snows through the intermountain regions, blowing dust through the southwest.

>> that's your latest weather. matt? thank you very much. now to the original "survivor" winner richard hatch. we talked with him back in august, i guess it was, as he served out a remainder of a sentence for evading taxes under house arrest in rhode island. the very next day, hatch was rearrested for giving unauthorized interviews. but at the time, he assured us he had been given permission. well, then, by sitting here talking to me right now, are you placing yourself in jeopardy? >> no, i got permission. we got permission to do this interview, and that's why i'm doing it. >> once again, richard hatch is

out of jail and he's speaking out again. richard, good morning. >> good morning. >> good to see you. let's make sure we understand this. we did an interview one day, it aired the next day. shortly after the interview aired, you were visited by officers. they took you away in your boxer shorts. >> took me to massachusetts in my boxers, yep. >> and the reason was, you hadn't gotten permission to do a series of interviews, although you had received permission to do the interview with us? >> that's the facade. absolutely -- >> facade. why do you say it's a facade? >> absolutely, we had permission. we got permission to do interviews. all the networks requested permission to interview. the bureau of prisons told me to select one. i selected nbc. the bureau of prisons never talked with me or my supervisors about it, but they've been trying to muzzle me for 3 1/2 years. there was nothing about my being arrested other than their not wanting me to talk, period. >> when they came, i understand one of the officers was kind of in s.w.a.t. team regala. you were taken and put in solitary confinement for 30

days -- >> 30 days. >> for doing an interview. >> an interview, yeah. >> what were the conditions like in solitary confinement? >> it was bad. this was one of my -- this was the worst time of my time in prison. it's bad enough being innocent and imprisoned, but in solitary confinement for no reason without anyone telling me how long i'd be there, without anyone talking about why i was in solitary confinement was very difficult. it's an awful cell. >> this is a cement cell. >> cement, a tiny cement square. blood and food on the ceiling. "kill a fag" written on the back of the door, etched into the steal door -- it's an awful place to be. >> when your attorney went to the prison or to the jail and said, listen, why is he in solitary confinement if the only offense is that he did an interview that you say he wasn't supposed to do, what response was given? >> oh, i'm sure they said it's this kind of segregation. they have all kinds of words for the different places in they put people. i was in solitary confinement.

that's what anyone would call it. that's what it was. >> again, for 30 days. during the interview we did with you, you said some things that, let's face it, were controversial. you talked about your original trial, and you said a second ago, being put in prison for being innocent. obviously, the court system disagrees with you. but during your original trial, you claim there was prosecutorial misconduct. you say you were the victim of antigay bias. do you think as you sit here today that it was because of those comments that you were rearrested? >> i do, partially. i think it's a bigger picture issue. i don't think too many people now have any question but that this has been a witch hunt and that it continues, for me to have been put in jail for talking -- for giving an interview that i had permission to do. >> let me just make sure people understand. >> go ahead. >> you did other interviews that day, and according to the legal system, you had permission for this interview, but you were not granted permission for those interviews. that's the misunderstanding, right? >> correct. correct, yeah. >> okay. i just want to make sure we're

on the same terms. >> they never told me they were interested in how many people would be asking me questions at the same time with the same camera crew, you know. >> the aclu took up your cause. >> they did. >> they tried to get you released early. they lost on basically every front. are you ready now to throw in the towel? >> not a chance. let me talk about the aclu for a minute. they're amazing. these people are effective lawyers. they're really out there to help people who are faced with wrongs, like this. we got in front of a judge, and the u.s. attorney told the judge that this -- i was imprisoned because it was a security issue. they needed to know, matt, whether you came with guns or drugs or something like that. did they ask you about that? no. they didn't even know who lived on that property. there are five apartments. they've never asked me who has come to visit me ever. this is a facade. this is part of what happens when the bureaucrats are unchecked. >> after the last time we spoke to you, we got a lot of comments

on our website, blogs wrote about it. and let me give you a couple of quick examples and then give you the overall feeling for what we're hearing. here's one. "i'm rooting for you to get your stuff together and move on with your life. that means shut your mouth. stop yapping about the authorities and how they're conspiring against you. stop saying it's because you're gay. the first thing you must do is pay the back taxes on the prize money you legitimately won." another person -- "oh, boo-hoo, pay your taxes and don't go to prison. that's like saying i didn't pay my taxes, but they sent me to prison because i'm irish." most of the people were saying, zip it. you're only going to get in more trouble by continuing this. >> there's a bigger issue here, matt, and people are abused by the system, and i think i can help. i've already been in jail for over 3 1/2 years and i've done nothing. to this day, nine years later, i still don't have a tax bill, don't owe a penny. my accountants and i have fully cooperated with the irs and they

do tell us that there will be an assessment of those years soon, and we're working with them. we have another meeting november 2nd. they're great. they're helping out. but i don't owe any taxes yet. i have not been assessed. the prosecutors have lied. they'll call it being overzealous in the paper. they've lied. >> as you've sit here, you're on probation for another three years. are you putting yourself at risk once again by coming to new york and doing this interview? >> it's the principle. i don't know. i don't know if i'm at risk. i have permission to be here verbally. i have permission to be here to -- i'm here looking for work. i've got -- >> what kind of work? as part of your probation terms, you must look for a job. >> i must, sure. >> what kind of job are you looking for? >> to live i must look for a job. well, i'm looking for a number of things. i have a number of ideas and i'd rather not talk publicly about what will happen because i don't know what will come of them. >> you feel for your own need and purposes a need to speak

out. but your family's paid a price as well. >> they have. >> for their sake, for your sister's sake and other people, your partner's sake, is it not a better idea to keep a low profile? >> believe it or not, even if they have paid a price, and that price might have even been higher than mine in prison, they're behind me. they support me 100% and they know that i am capable of helping people understand what went wrong and why this shouldn't happen to other people. so, they're behind my speaking out. >> all right. we're going to keep posted. richard hatch, thanks for coming in. we appreciate it. >> i appreciate you having me very, very much. >> good to see you. 7:42. up next, the hunt for a massive shark.

now to the monster great white lurking off a popular australian beach, a shark so big, it bit another 10-foot-long great white nearly in half. here's nbc's george lewis. >> reporter: a warning for beach-goers in australia. >> clear evidence of a monster shark. >> the predator may be six meters long. >> reporter: a great white shark similar to this one 20 feet long. that would make it just five feet short of the mythical shark in the movie "jaws." >> we're going to need a bigger boat. >> reporter: dramatic evidence of this huge shark's handiwork. look what it did to this smaller shark, one that was almost ten feet long, bitten almost in

half. >> great white sharks eat a variety of items, including another fish, so it's not unusual for a great white shark to eat other sharks. >> reporter: it doesn't take much imagination or a special effects department to figure out what a shark that big could do to a human being. it's one thing to come to a place like this, the london sea life aquarium, and look at the sharks under glass. quite another to encounter one in the open ocean, although the experts do say shark attacks on humans are pretty rare. that's not very reassuring to some beach-goers in australia. although the beaches are protected by nets and traps known as drum lines designed to catch the sharks. that's what snared the smaller one that turned into shashimi for the bigger one. >> if they're going to grab something that's as big as another shark, they're definitely going to grab something like my daughter. >> i don't think people should be in there at all if there's one out there. they should be pulling people back in, because it's not worth taking the risks. >> reporter: winter in the

northern hemisphere is australia's summer. and so, with beach season coming up, the aussies are hoping the big guy will find some other dining spot. for "today," george lewis, nbc news, london. >> cancel my trip to australia. ♪ farewell and ado to you spanish ladies ♪ >> huh? >> that's from "jaws." quint was singing that as he -- >> we know what happened to quint. >> didn't work out well for him. >> no, it did not. >> i would die of a heart attack. the shark wouldn't actually have to kill me. >> you'd fend him off. you'd scare him. >> yeah, right, go ahead. >> you're supposed to bop him on the nose. >> is that what happens? >> him or the shark? >> yeah, no, matt. still ahead, it can help jump-start your heart and your car battery. dr. nancy snyderman on the surprising benefits and some strange benefits of aspirin.

still ahead, the latest on the mysterious disappearance of a college student in virginia.

she vanished ten days ago during a rock concert. her parents will join us for a live interview. >> yeah, a lot of questions swirling around that disappearance as well. plus, the personal tragedies that had hulk hogan on the verge of ending it all. he actually considered taking his life. we'll talk with him after your local news and weather.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i'm stan stovall. let's get a check on the morning commute with traffic pulse 11 and sarah caldwell. >> it has been a rough ride out there. if you can leave early, that is the best bet.

route 140 at i-75, we have an accident in the reisterstown area. watch for a water main break on york road blocking the right lane in both directions. 12th miles per hour on southbound 95. you're looking at plenty of red on the northeast outer loop. west side at 10 miles per hour beginning at reisterstown road. milford mill, new accident in there. 30 minutes is your drive time on the out of west side. that is a substantial delay. 18 it is that guy, and the northeast outer loop. -- 18 at is the drive time on the northeast outer loop. i-70, west side, things are pretty much standard they're heading towards edmondson. in the white marsh area, standing still almost southbound approaching white marsh to

beyond the beltway northeast. >> believe it or not, the conditions are improving a little bit. the steady rain is in the eastern shore counties. you will see steady rain for the next couple of hours per but around baltimore and points down rest, it as tapered down to drizzle. it should improve even further as we go to the afternoon. 52 at the airport. you'll make it to run 60 degrees and by the evening commute, the mother should be much better. -- whether should be much better. >> our next live update coming your way at 8:25.

8:00 now on this tuesday morning, the 27th day of october

2009. and we have stepped outside to meet and greet everyone gathered here in rockefeller plaza. it may be damp in new york city, but even if they're soggy, they are our fans and we love them all very much. they're here greeting us -- or greeting friends and family back home. >> exactly. >> more like that. >> saying hi to us as well. >> coming up this half hour -- i'm meredith, matt and al. police in virginia are scouring these surveillance tapes, trying to find any sign of a 20-year-old college student who's been missing now for 20 days -- for 10 days. >> for ten days. her name is morgan harrington, and she was last seen during a rock concert, a metallica concert. she went outside and apparently called her friends saying she couldn't find her ticket stub to get back in. that's the last anyone saw her. her parents will join us in a little while and talk about this case. it's got to be obviously heartbreaking for them. >> and they're doing a lot of talking hoping somebody saw something and they can lead them to their daughter. on a less serious note, we

all know aspirin can help prevent a heart attack, but did you know it also preserves flowers and can start a dead car battery. >> wow. >> dr. nancy will stop by with the practical and peculiar uses for aspirin. >> and halloween's here, which means we're going to be getting decked out in some halloween finery. here's us as the fairy tales last year. but enough about us! >> did my butt look big in that? >> no, not at all. we did see a crack, though. >> oh! >> sorry. we want to see your costume. so, if you're in the area, please join us on the plaza this friday. >> that was a good one. >> wow. to take part -- oh, the legs, the legs! oh, oh -- >> natalie -- >> look away! >> did you see the way you got out of that car as well? so wrong. >> just like a lady. come on down friday on "today." "saturday today's" going to be doing it as well on saturday. >> that is halloween.

a lot of fun. first we're heading into the news desk where ann's standing by. >> thanks a lot. good morning once again, everybody. in the news, last night, president obama said that health care reform is closer than ever, though, he said, with opposition from the insurance industry and most republicans, it is still a tough battle. the president made those comments hours after senate majority leader harry reid vowed to include a public option or government plan. individual states could choose under that plan whether or not to participate. today the president visits the state of the art facility, a solar energy facility in arcadia, florida, and he is set to announce plans to make more than $3 billion available to support projects aimed at modernizing america's power grid. on monday, the president told troops at jacksonville's air naval station that he will not be rushed into making the decision on whether or not to send more troops to afghanistan and that he is considering all the implications. during the night, an al qaeda-linked group claimed responsibility for two bombings sunday in baghdad that killed more than 150 people.

and among the dead, 24 children who were trapped in a bus leaving a daycare center. federal investigators say that the pilots of that northwest airlines plane that flew past the minneapolis airport by 150 miles last week admit that they were not paying attention and lost track of time. the ntsb says that the pilot and co-pilot became distracted because they said that they were using their personal laptops during the flight, which is a violation of company policy. both have been suspended until the investigation is complete. jury selection is under way in a texas courtroom in the first trial stemming from the raid of a polygamist compound last april. 38-year-old raymond jessup is facing sexual assault charges stemming from an alleged marriage to an underaged girl. and the white house is pink today. a large pink ribbon is hosted up in front of the presidential residence -- it was hoisted up on monday to mark national breast cancer awareness month. well, that's a big symbol.

it is now four minutes after the hour. let's go back outside to matt and meredith. trying to stay dry out there. >> it's starting to rain. >> she's fighting me with her umbrella. >> i was bonding with you. >> is that what it was? >> exactly. >> a little less bonding would be good. let's go to mr. roker with a check of the weather. >> nothing like breakfast with the bickersons. there you go. and where are you guys from? >> atlanta. >> l.a. >> partying here? >> working. >> you said yes, partying, you say yes, you're working. get your story straight and give us a call. all right, the big boss is always watching. let's check your weather and see what's happening. hagerstown, maryland, nbc 25. we're looking at morning rain, cool conditions, temperature about 58 degrees. temperature departures, going to be cooler than normal out west where they're looking at some snow, also through the southeast where it's raining a lot. we've got nice, mild conditions up through the planes. actual afternoon highs, 53 duluth, bismarck getting up to 56. same temperature in atlanta with a lot of rain. 65 in

>> gmakd morning, i'm tonlly ra showers on and off with us throughout the morning. the sut es will turn muse tly klome.y, so the evening com will be better t >> and for your weather any time of the day or night, go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. matt? >> all right, al, thank you very much. coming up next, a virginia college student missing for ten days now. her parents will join us for a live interview to talk about this case. but first, these messages. uh hum. no. - which means, someday, - ( dings ) - this camry could be his. - ( car wash whirring )

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20-year-old virginia tech student morgan harrington. ten days ago, she was attending a metallica concert. no one has seen her since. we're going to talk with her parents in a moment. but first, nbc's norah o'donnell is in charlottesville, virginia, with the very latest. norah, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, meredith. this is where morgan disappeared ten days ago. the fbi has now joined in this massive search. local police have scanned hours and hours of video from local businesses, atms, these arena cameras. they have found nothing. all they have is her purse and cell phone, discovered in this parking lot. she simply vanished. >> there has been no contact with morgan or from morgan. >> reporter: police and family are still searching for clues after the mysterious disappearance of 20-year-old virginia tech student morgan harrington. >> we do not know whether she is alive or has met some kind of

ill fate. >> reporter: morgan vanished more than a week ago after she and her friends went to a metallica concert in charlottesville, virginia. before metallica even took the stage, morgan told her friends she was going to the bathroom. later, she called her friends from outside the concert venue to say she had left the arena and couldn't get back in because she didn't have her ticket stub, and that's where the mystery deepens. >> we have a purse and we have a cell phone. we have a missing girl. >> reporter: police are doing a criminal investigation of her disappearance and have checked morgan's cell phone records. they say her last call was indeed to her friends at the concert at approximately 8:40 p.m. her parents notified police the very next day, saying their daughter didn't come home as expected. her father gave an emotional plea. >> i'd like to say, if morgan is out there and hears us, please come home.

and if someone has morgan, please let her come home safely. >> reporter: now in its tenth day, the massive search continues. on facebook, people have posted pictures and videos, which police say they are monitoring closely. metallica posted a plea of their own on their website saying "one of our fans is missing," and is pledging $50,000 towards a now $150,000 reward. on thursday, morgan's friends gathered for an emotional vigil as her mother jill recalled the last time she had spoken to her daughter. >> as she left, morgan's last words to me were "two, four, one, mama, i love you too much forever one more time." >> reporter: police say they put together a timeline of morgan. her last call at 8:40 p.m. some sightings in this arena up until 9:30 p.m. and then the

trail goes cold. meredith? >> norah, thank you very much. morgan's parents, dan and jill harrington, are with us now. good morning to both of you and thank you for joining us. obviously, this is a very difficult time for your family. >> good morning. >> thank you for having us. >> thank you. you know, jill, you have said that morgan was so looking forward to this concert by metallica, that she had been anticipating it for weeks. so, that raises this question why she would leave the venue before they actually took to the stage. she told her friends she was going to the bathroom. there are bathrooms, though, inside the arena. have they shed any light -- >> right. >> -- remember frienher friends might have left? >> you know, kids are impulsive. i don't know if she met up with another friend or so-called friend. i am reassured that she was not lost in the big crowd inside, that we do have contact with her from outside, and she gave the message to her friends that she was okay and could get a ride, and that's our last communication. >> yeah.

dan, jill raises a good point. she did say to her friends that she was going to be able to get a ride home. does that indicate to you or do you suspect that she had met up with somebody that she might have known, even a very distant acquaintance? >> well, you know, she doesn't really know many people in charlottesville, but maybe she saw someone at the concert, you know, that she identified with and thought that maybe she could catch a ride home with them. >> you know, these kids of this age think everybody's their friend. >> why did you, dan, realize, and when did you, jill, realize that she was indeed missing? >> sunday around 12:30ish. dan was expecting her to come on through the door because she had a math test that she needed his help with. i am unable to deliver help in that area, so that's a papa job, and she wasn't coming, and so we thought, well, let's call her friends and see what's up. and that's when we realized that they didn't know where she was

either. >> yeah, and i'm sure that her friends are beside themselves wondering what if we had only said to her, you know, we'll go out there and try to get you back in the arena that night. maybe things would have been so different. is that something, dan, that has crossed your mind? >> well, it has. we're both medical people, and any time there's a bad outcome in a hospital, for example, you know, there's not just one thing that happens. and we think that if, you know, if in the many steps of this event, if one thing had been different, we could have had a different outcome. >> but i think it's important that we don't fall into, you know, survivor's guilt. we need to be moving forward and direct all of our energies at this point into finding morgan while people's memories are still fresh. >> are you worried that she has become the victim of foul play? >> very worried. we're very worried. nothing else makes sense, you know. morgan, we can track her until

9:30 and then she vanished from sight, which is scary to us as parents, and also, you know, halloween is in a couple of days. there's -- somebody is or was in the charlottesville area who takes young women. we have to keep working on this and find our daughter and find this person and make all our community safer. >> and how are you holding onto hope at this point, dan? >> you know, we've had such incredible support from friends, you know, praying and being there with us emotionally and physically. you know, you have to hold out hope, you know, that morgan will come back to us. you know, it's a rough -- this is probably a parent's worst nightmare. you know, clearly, no one ever expects to be in this situation, and we have to hold out hope that we're going to see our daughter again. >> and we will hold out hope as

well for your daughter and for your family. >> thank you so much. >> dan and jill harrington, thank you so much for joining us. >> thank you. >> appreciate it. >> and if you have any information about morgan's disappearance, you're asked to call the virginia state police tip line at 434-352-3467 or the jefferson area crimestoppers at 434-977-4000. we'll be right back. ♪ ( sfx: lever and stairs flattening noise, and sliding sound ) pop-tarts®, please! ♪ ( sfx: toaster pop ) when you give your kids... kellogg's frosted strawberry pop-tarts®... baked with real fruit, they'll rise. and you'll shine. ( sfx: mom giggles ) pop-tarts®. made for fun™. cer: trying to be good to your heart? so is campbell's healthy request soup.

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mm-mmm good for your heart. back at 8:20 with our special series "taking health to heart today." this morning, the many wonders of aspirin, from warding off heart attacks to reviving car batteries, it has some pretty incredible and surprising uses. dr. nancy snyderman is nbc's chief medical editor. dr. nancy, good morning to you. >> hello, meredith. >> we know aspirin was the first medication sold in pill form, mass marketed, but it has a very, very long history. >> it goes back to hypocrates, 1400 b.c., for aches and pains and late 1800s thought to be great for arthritis, but it was marketed by bayer in 1920 and aspirin is now something we rely on all the time. it is the oldest medication known to man. >> and there are a lot of uses for aspirin, but the one you hear most about these days is when you have a heart attack. >> right. >> to take an aspirin. why does that have an impact? >> it changes the stickiness in the platelets.

most heart attacks are because of clots that block the arteries. if you can cauprevent the plates from getting sticky, that's helpful. we know it can decrease the risk of a heart attack by 30%, can decrease the risk of a second heart attack by over 20%. so, there are real indications for when to take aspirin. not for everyone, perhaps, but certainly if you have a history of heart disease. >> right. who should be taking it and who shouldn't be, starting with who should? >> i'll make a big global statement. every adult should at least check with your doctor to see if you should be taking it, because it can ward off cancer, heart attack, maybe some strokes. and if you have a history of heart disease, for sure. the laundry list, though, of who should not be taking it -- if you have any kind of eating disorders, if you have already had problems in the past where you know aspirin upsets your stomach. pregnant women should not because it can change fetal development. and you don't ever use it now to reduce a fever in a child

because it can be linked to rise syndrome. but otherwise, the laundry list is frankly more in favor of people taking aspirin. >> when we talk about taking an aspirin a day, those people advised to do so, are we still talking about baby-size aspirin? >> it's called low-dose, so there's not the misnomer of baby aspirin. you can take one adult or one low-dose. here's the rub -- people sometimes say if one is good, two or three must be better. not true. more aspirin can, in fact, counteract the really good properties. so, just one. that's all you need. >> just one, okay. and we talked about taking it if you find out you are having a heart attack. what about a stroke, same apply? >> if you have a heart attack, dial 911, then take a couple aspirin and chew them, because you want them in your blood system as fast as possible. not true with a stroke. here's why. with a stroke, you can't tell if you have a clot or if you've blown open a blood vessel, and if you're bleeding from a leaky

blood vessel, the last thing you want to do is make the blood thinner. they'll say with a stroke, be cautious and call 911, but no aspirin. >> and you -- >> get the cheapest, generic crumbly stuff. if you see a big aspirin bottle and it's all junk in the bottom, that's the aspirin for you. >> because it breaks up so easily. >> exactly. then with a big glass of water, it's dissolved by the time it gets in your stomach. >> let's talk about the other uses for aspirin, beginning with the car battery. >> the most fun thing you and i will never do, but every guy should know about. if your car battery doesn't work, drop two aspirin into the car battery and it may be enough, between the acids reacting to give your car one more little spark so you can drive it to the local shop. >> all right. >> so, if you have a bug bite or if you have a teenager who has a blemish -- >> a pimple, right. >> you can take crushed aspirin or you can take aspirin and just dissolve it in water, wet this, make a paste on a bug bite or

on -- >> a pimple? >> a pimple, and it will take down the inflammation. remember, at the heart of aspirin, it takes away inflammation. >> and we know it keeps flowers fresh. >> exactly. you just take your water, drop aspirin in. usually, before you put in the flowers. >> don't call your doctor in the morning on this one. >> no. except if you're really a good patient, maybe your doctor will send you the flowers. >> finally, some stains. >> stains in shirts, again, dissolves with some aspirin. not hot water, luke-warm water. i should be doing a home ec thing. >> dr. nancy, who would know? >> but aspirin to me is the most extraordinary drug out there, but use it tell squlaevenlt. here, get out from under the flower so people can see you. >> thank you, dr. nancy. it's 8:24 and now here's matt. >> meredith, thank you. now the latest contestant voted off "the biggest loser," dina mercado. she was voted off last week, even though she lost more weight than her teammate. good morning, good to see you. >> good morning. >> you lost five, he gained a pound. what's up with that?

>> ultimately, "the biggest loser" is a game, and that's exactly the way my team chose to go. they chose friendship over keeping their team strong, so -- >> daniel a very popular contestant. >> very popular. second season here. >> how much weight have you lost? >> a total of 75 pounds so far. >> and at home, are you finding it difficult to get workouts in? i mean, because you work out a lot. >> yes. we work out a lot. still work out a lot, but not half as much as we did at the ranch. it is difficult with my son, but -- >> your son's, what, 9 1/2 or something like that? >> he is 9 1/2. >> so you have to fit both of those things in. it's tough. >> i wake up very early to get my workouts in and go back to the gym later after work to make time later in the day for him. >> still up for the prize? >> i'm working har >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am lisa robinson.

let's check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> thankfully, the rain is starting to let up a bit unreal looking for having conditions and around the area. this delay begins at 1 under 40 all the way down through to edmondson. -- 140 all the way down through to edmondson. york road at bellona, we have a right lane closure in both directions. heavy on southbound 95. we are dealing with any problem in bel-air. -- a new problem in bel air. it will take you 30 minutes to get through the stretch on the west side outer loop. 12 minutes on i-95 south from the beltway's southwest. backing down heavily from the earlier accident on security

boulevard. his allies remain in place towards providence. these -- delays remain in place towards providence. >> the weather is slowly improving. steady rain on the eastern shore. we have a light rain and drizzle around baltimore and into the western suburbs. eventually this will list out to the northeast. by late this afternoon, it should be dry. temperatures are in the 50's. we will stay there through the afternoon. the rain showers coming to an end of this morning. >> we will see back here at 8:55.

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♪ 8:00 now on a tuesday morning. it's the 27th day of october 2009. let's just be honest, it is a miserable start to the day here in new york city. it is raining and chilly, but you know what, we've got nice people out on the plaza, as always. thanks to them for sticking around. and they're listening to the music of the police. >> yes. >> and sting in the background there. he's one of the great figures in music and the frontman of that group is out with another solo album, and he's going to be in our studio. >> that is a lush beard. >> that is a lush beard. >> that is a lush man. >> i just heard him practicing the song he's going to perform, "soul cake"? it's fantastic. >> he's going to do it in just a couple of minutes. >> also -- >> out on the plaza, i'm matt

lauer with meredith vieira, al roker and ann curry. >> now? hulk hogan has written a book about his struggles inside and outside the ring and he really pulls no punches in this book. he talks about how his marriage fell apart, his son's arrest, his own struggles with steroids. all of that is in the book. and the way he has come back through all of this. so, he's here to join us. >> big-hearted guy. >> yes. >> he's a big dude. >> there's the gun show. >> okay, all right. and we're going to hear from a hot chef this morning about making a delicacy that i find quite wonderful, gimchi. a tradition. put a little spice in the meal. >> more than a little. that's right. and natalie's the lucky duck amongst us all. she's getting the office makeover. to go from drab to cool. >> oh, wow! >> good for her. then you get to have one, too? >> well, we'll show you how you can do this at your office as well. >> okay. >> cool.

>> a lot to get to. first, how about a check of the weather? >> well, don't need me for this. we've got rain here. let's see what's going on as far as today's concerned. wet weather through the southeast. some flooding possible down through northern and central georgia. wet weather in the pacific northwest with snow in the intermountain regions. i'll use this microphone. my battery just kind of died. okay? and then we're looking at for trick-or-treats on halloween night, showers and mountain snows in the pacific northwest. clear from texas on into the southwest. it doesn't look

and that's your latest weather. >> sprung a leak in this umbrella. >> uh-oh. >> so be careful. when we come back, hulk hogan is in the studio. talks about going from on top of in the studio. talks about going from on top of the on car insurance.rock bottos

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hulk's personal life, all documented in his new book "my life outside the ring." hulk hogan, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> as i said earlier, you don't pull any punches in this book. you lay it all out there, your troubles in your marriage, with your kids, the extramarital affair you had, use of steroids. why did you want to expose yourself like this? why write this book? >> well, you know, it's been a tough couple years, and you know, the way things are and the things people are going through, you know, i just felt if i could survive and get through this and change my thinking and switch gears, i just wanted people to know that life is good, you know? you don't have to, you know, run around with your head down, you know? stay positive, stay happy. and for me to pull the nose up on this thing, you know, change my thinking and be happier than i've ever been, i just wanted people to know my story. >> especially the way the book starts. it begins in december of 2007. >> yeah. >> you are alone in your house in florida. you're nursing a combination of

xanax and rum. >> right, rum. >> and you're holding a gun, and you write "i remember thinking three pounds of pressure is all it takes to pull this thing." >> yeah. >> "it would be just so easy." >> yeah. >> how did you get to that place, hulk? >> just a bunch of things, you know? my son had this horrible accident, you know, with his best friend -- >> and that was in august of 2007. >> right. my wife and i had a marriage that had been unraveling for a long time. it was a bad situation, you know? and it was just a combination of everything. it was the house my kids grew up in. my wife built the home. and you know, when i came back, it was just, i had been on the set of "american gladiators," and my kids didn't come to visit me and linda wouldn't come to the set, so i just got into this downward spiral and kept thinking real negatively. and when i went to the house, every room was empty. all my dogs and all of the animals were gone. there were pictures of my family all over the house, and every

closet i went in, all the clothes were gone. and it just came over me. it just happened. i just sat there in this chair that i had to sit in because my back was so bad i couldn't even brush my teeth without sitting down. or if i didn't have the chair, i'd shave half my face and have to lay on the floor and get up and shave the other half. and i just started sitting there and i was overwhelmed with depression. and i just got to this point that i never understood before. and the more i looked in the mirror and the more i realized it was over and my life as i knew it was done, i just went down this path, and i started to hypnotize myself. and it can happen. >> yeah, but it was a phone call from your friend, laila ali, actually, that pulled you out of it. she called, certainly didn't know what you were about to do. >> mm-hmm. yeah, it was a tough one, because people had been checking on me. my very good friend steve chapman had called me and another friend had called me and my partner. they were all worried about me. i didn't know they were calling each other behind my back,

almost trying to figure out what to do with me. and i kept kind of faking it on the phone. i couldn't fake my voice, but i kept saying, "i'm okay, i'm okay," and they knew something was wrong. to that point, i had sat there a couple days and it was almost like i was in a trance and i really didn't think about the gun or where i was at, but the more i looked in the mirror and i started playing with this thing, i got hypnotized, and all of a sudden, the phone rang, and it was laila and she's like, what's going on? you're on the set, you're on the press, are you okay? >> you were doing "american gladiators" together, right? >> yeah, and she called with no agenda. she called just to say hi and check on me. >> do you think if she hadn't, you would have pulled that trigger? >> um, i don't know. you know, in a way, it snapped me out of it, just to hear her voice. and at that moment, i switched gears. i got sick and tired of being sick and tired. and you know, she kind of -- her voice saved my life. it really did. >> you know, as you mentioned

before, 2007 was a very hard year for you. as you said, your son nick and that accident that left his friend, john, with severe brain injuries. john's family is suing you and your family for more money than you say you've ever made. >> right, right. >> in your career. and you spend a lot of the book defending your son. he was accused at the time of having been under the influence of alcohol. you claim to this day he wasn't. you go after john's father, actually, and john's father's behavior, the passenger in the car. >> yeah. >> the wound obviously still very raw for you. >> well, you know, we're right in the middle of this civil suit right now, but john was a family member to us, you know. he was living with us. he was part of our family. he was there every morning yelling at me, "hogan, come downstairs, let's work out!" it was just so strange to be so close with someone, you know, and trying to help him, trying to get by his personal situation with his family. then all of a sudden, you know, this tragic accident happened. and it was an accident. and going to the hospital every single day being with john and

being with his mother and praying with him and touching him, rubbing him and talking to him. then all of a sudden, not even talking to john's mom, i know there's going to be a lawsuit, but don't worry about it. john needs help and we're going to do everything we can do to help him. and the day they filed the lawsuit, i wasn't able to see john anymore. so the whole thing added to what was going on, and it was tough. >> so, you think you are financially responsible for john? >> no, i don't think that at all, but i'll do anything to help him, you know, anything in my power to help him. i love john and i know he'll be with us. he'll be back on what i call team hogan. and when he was released from the hospital about a month ago, it was one of the greatest days of my life to see john going home and getting better every single day. so you know, we know john's going to be back with us 100%. >> you know, you talk about your wife linda, ex-wife -- i guess the divorce settlement has come through. >> right, right. >> i know you can't talk about the particulars, but you're tough on her as well. you talk about the way she sort of brutalized you and the kids

verbally and her use of alcohol. how would you describe the relationship that the two of you had? >> well, it was tough. it was constant chaos. you know, and i had no idea how beautiful life was and how nice people are, and you know, that the wind is beautiful and the sun's beautiful. i was not in that mindset, you know? i was madly in love with linda, you know, old-school, married to her for life no matter what happened, for better or for worse, doing everything i could to keep the family together. i used to brag that i was the only world's champion that never was divorced. and i just figured no matter how bad it got, we'd get through. it but it got to the point where everything was so negative. you know, we couldn't be friends with the neighbors, i couldn't have people over. it got to the point where i'd just get sick and tired of being sick and tired. and a few years before the divorce, i just started praying to be happy, you know? and it just got to the point where it couldn't go on anymore. >> but did you wonder, in writing the book, should i spell it out so specifically, my feelings about linda, particularly things like the

alcoholism and the abusive language? because ultimately, this is the mother of my children as well -- >> right. right. it just, it got to the point where you have to tell the truth. you know, you have to let people know, you know, what has happened in your life and how -- the reason i wrote the book was to let people know, if i got through the last two years, anybody can, you know? and what went down, you know, in my personal life, a lot of our friends knew. you know, a lot of our friends didn't want to come over. a lot of people that did come over, they would calculate their exit. they knew kind of like the right timing when to leave. so it was tough. it was really tough. >> we're running out of time. i know you'll be back at 10:00 to answer more questions. obviously, those of us who watched the reality show "hogan knows best," we had no idea that your family was in the middle of unraveling at that point. i know you have moved on now. you have a girlfriend jennifer who's helped you dramatically. i'm sure you're going to talk about all that as well. >> yes. >> hulk, thank you for joining us. >> thank you. >> the book is called "my life outside the ring," and you can read an excerpt at our website. up next, in the kitchen with

this morning on "today's kitchen back to basics," one of new york's top chefs, david chang, is known as the radical chef because he always puts a new twist on traditional food. he is co-author of "momofuku," named after his new york city restaurants. pleasure having you here. >> my pleasure. >> i got through the name, career-ending there, i appreciate that. we're making kimchi, what is that? >> it's a formatted pickled cabbage, and it's by far and away the national dish of korea. >> and there are different ways to make it? is there a regional take on this? >> throughout korea, just like american barbecue, there's different ways of making it. so, this is our way, and my mother would be very, very upset about how i make it, but -- >> but that's okay. mom's -- >> this is very easy for the home cook to make. >> all right. first thing we've got to go to the asian food store and get the ingredients. what are the things we're going

to need? >> well, you're going to need napa cabbage, or you could use any cabbage, for instance. you can make kimchi out of anything, literally. but first and foremost, this is probably the easiest way is napa cabbage. and you're going to want to cure it with salt. >> lots of salt. >> lots of salt, because it's really important in the fermentation process for ph levels and stuff, which is going to keep it -- >> fresh. >> fresh. >> what are some of the other things we have here. >> these are some of the ingredients that you're going to need to find at an asian supermarket or go online. you have some salted shrimp here. this is called kochugaru, and that's dried red chili peppers. and koreans eat everything, and it's very spicy. so, what we're making -- we're not using any heat, but it has a very spicy, spicy taste. and different types of proteins in terms of fish sauce. >> and we'll put all these ingredients on our website. you've got to get over the fact

that you're dealing with things that most people don't normally do. just be daring. take a chance on this. >> and make a mistake. >> okay, we've got the ingredients here. we pure it? >> yes. after we have the cabbage cured, we're going to add all of these ingredients, the salted shrimp, garlic, ginger, sugar and some soy, and we have some squid sauce in there as well. >> okay. you're going to pure this. and the amazing thing, this lasts for a long time, doesn't it? if it's does not correctly. >> yeah. the idea being pure it so it's -- >> come on back here and take a look at what we have. so, this is what it's going to look like when it's all done. >> right. and this is the cabbage now after it's been salted and cured. >> how long did that take? >> an hour. but you could do it up to 24 hours or even less. >> okay. >> take some of that water out. and a couple tablespoons of this. some onions. green onions. >> all right. and the best way to store this,

you found, is in these good, old-fashioned glass jars? >> because this is a very, how should i say, aromatic process -- >> yeah, believe me. all right? you want to keep it sealed tightly. >> right, right. >> is this the one i should taste? >> that's the pure. so, you put this into here and you want to let it sit in the refrigerator for two minutes -- >> okay. >> not two minutes, two weeks. >> two weeks. >> and then you'll have something like this, which is spicy, garlicky, a little fermented. there is a little on your tongue. >> it is delicious. it is spicy, though. >> yes. >> good, though. david, you have a lot of fans around here. you're amazing. thank you so much. >> appreciate you having me. >> we're back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc. et the v.

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>> one, two, three, four. ♪ ♪ a soul cake, a soul cake, please give misses a soul cake, a pair, a cherry, anything to make us all merry ♪ ♪ soul cake, soul cake, please give misses the soul cake ♪ ♪ one for peter, two for paul and two for him who made us aal all ♪ ♪ ♪ god bless the master of this house and the mistress and all the little children that around the table grow ♪ ♪ the cattle in the stable, the dogs at your front door, and all that dwell within your gates, i wish you ten times more ♪

♪ a soul cake, soul cake, please give misses the soul cake, an apple and a pair, a cherry, anything good thing to make us all merry ♪ ♪ soul cake, a soul cake, please give misses a soul cake, one for peter, two for paul, three for him that made us all ♪ ♪ oh down into the cellar and see what you can find ♪ ♪ if the barrels are all empty, i hope that you'll be kind, we hope that you'll be kind with your apple and your pear ♪ ♪ you'll come no more a soul until christmastime next year ♪ ♪ a soul cake, a soul cake, please give misses a soul cake ♪ ♪ an apple, a pear, a cherry, anything at all to make us all merry ♪ ♪ a soul cake, soul cake, please give misses a soul cake, one for peter, two for paul, three for him who made us all ♪

♪ ♪ the streets are very dark, these shoes are very thin, a hollow in the pocket to put a penny in ♪ ♪ if you haven't got a penny, a half penny will do, if you haven't got a half penny, god bless you ♪ ♪ soul cake, a soul cake, please give misses a soul cake ♪ ♪ an apple, a pear, a cherry, anything good thing to make us all merry ♪ ♪ soul cake, a soul cake, please give misses a soul cake ♪ ♪ one for peter, two for paul, three for him who made us all ♪ ♪ three for him that made us all ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ a soul cake, a soul cake ♪ a soul cake, a soul cake, please give misses a soul cake ♪ ♪ an apple, a pear, a cherry, any good thing to make us all merry ♪ ♪ soul cake, a soul cake, please give misses a soul cake ♪ ♪ one for peter, two for paul, three for him who made us all ♪ >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am lisa robinson. if your daily commute put some money market train, you better at additional time to your daily routine, because new security measures could add to your commute time.

a $3 million federal grant has provided the mta would use if you commit designed to detect explosives. random searches of bags and laptops will begin friday at a variety of stops along marked train platforms.

>> here is a look at the forecast tony pann. >> the weather will be improving as we head into this afternoon. rain showers grow gradually taper off. it will be mostly cloudy for the evening commute. seven-day forecast -- we will do it again on wednesday. high-temperature exactly like today. upper 50s to around 60. nice weather at the end of the week. a chance for a few showers on halloween. but not a washout.

>> we will see you back here at 9:25.