good morning. oh, snow. the first big winter storm of the season gets set to bear down on the northeast bringing heavy wet snow from virginia all the way into maine. in some spots, up to a foot. al has the forecast. rally day. stocks surge on wall street as the dow closes above 3,000. and fall classic. one of the most exciting finishes to a world series game

ever as the st. louis cardinals beat the texas rangers. an epic battle setting up game seven. an epic battle setting up game seven. today, friday, october 28, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television welcome to "today" on this friday morning. i'm ann curry. look who can rise early with the rest of us. >> i think matt lauer is in the plaza just having a good laugh. out there just seeing if williams would show up for work. >> you were working last night. >> he knows i love a good world series game. so let's make the one night b.w. has to be in bed the greatest game in history. >> so the whining has started already? >> it's not all about me. it's great to see you.

thanks for having me. >> it's lovely to have you here. we predicted the whining would start already. >> here we go. >> we think you need this. there you go. it's hard to walk with it fast, but there you go. >> oh, good. a giant coffee. thank you so much. i'm actually right-handed. that's actually coffee. wow, that's a lot of coffee. >> it's a steaming cup of coffee. we have a serious story including this big story expected to impact weekend plans in the biggest cities on the east coast including here in new york. al will tell us what to expect and which spots are going to get hit the hardest and there is a verdict and sentencing in the case of a former ohio teacher accused of having sex with at least five of her students but not before that student came face to face in court with the participates of some of those students. we'll have details on that, brian. >> also a potential glitch in

the michael jackson trial. we're learning about this just this morning. why it could go on longer now than expected and why the judge is concerned he could lose some jurors in the process as a result. we'll get the latest from l.a. coming up. and later a story that's hard to believe but doctors say it's happening more. women gaining weight so their insurance will pay for expensive weight loss surgeries. >> lots of risk associated with that. now the first snow of the season in the northeast. it's coming our way this weekend. al has more on this. good morning. >> good morning, ann. yesterday parts of the northeast, record-setting snow. albany got six inches. that was a teaser. we got a big area of high pressure on top of us in the northeast bringing in cold air. a storm system through the south starts pushing up late tonight spreading rain and snow early tomorrow morning. interior parts of west virginia into the virginias. into saturday morning we see

rain and snow along the coast. during the day saturday the system continues. a classic nor'easter. rain changes from snow to new york city up into albany, back to scranton. as it continues up the coast we are looking at snow stretching up to bangor, maine. as far as winter storm watches we've got them from roanoke, virginia, to bangor. over the next 48 hours, starting back through elkins, west virginia, snowshoe, martinsburg. as we make it to the northeast, in the northwestern portions of new jersey into western massachusetts, nine to 12 inches of snow. some areas could see up to a foot. we are talking anywhere from one to three inches up into northern new england. it's going to be a mess and move in quickly and then move out quickly. brian? >> al, thanks. now to new signs of life on wall street. if you were watching the market yesterday you know the dow closed up more than 339 points

on thursday. a surge fuelled by an agreement to contain the european debt crisis, meaning the good news was europe's economy didn't collapse. so what does it mean for all americans? jim krcramer, host of "mad mone on cnbc is with us this morning. it's perverse that this passes for good news but there were a lot of green arrows up yesterday. >> this is right. you would think avoidance of something wouldn't be a big deal. it's a big deal because it kept the markets down for months. it's a good sign. >> average americans, especially in this economy. say they can't afford to be in this market except for things like pension funds and 401(k)s. >> right. >> you tell me the news is good on wall street. when are people going to feel it? >> typically when you have a run of stocks like this it often signals that happier times -- not happy times -- but happier

times are here. we have auto sales good, retail sales good. oil and gas, good. i know that matters. we are seeing construction in this country for the first time in five years. >> we saw economic stats up yesterday about -- what was it? inventory? >> right. >> and gdp up. so again there's the lag time between now and when are you going to show me some real hiring and real jobs. not that you're responsible. >> it's six months. you're right. this has been the greatest run in history in the month of october. i have to believe six months later, something good will happen. >> the greatest run in history of october, unemployment rate stuck on the dime. >> terrible. >> the best takeaway here is that maybe it's confirmation we're not having the double dip recession. >> yes. you have 2.5% gross domestic product growth. it's almost inconceivable that

you can drop that quickly. it's not great news or unemployment would be 7 or 8%. it signals maybe job growth could come back. >> as we have this conversation, as you know in lower manhattan and cities across the country we have people who spent a cold night outside because they are committed to this cause. they are the 99 percenters if you listen to their rallying cry. what's in the stats for them? what do you say to them about the effect of a good run on wall street outside of which they are camped out? >> i think there is nothing positive here for people who right now think they can get a job if they start looking. we don't have good news for them yet. i'm sympathetic to the plight. if you come out of college you're paying a lot of money for debt and you won't find a job quickly. nothing changed yesterday for these people unfortunately. when i have been down there,

they're sad. they're down, brian. they have reason to be. >> they have their own economic indicators. jim cramer, thanks for coming by. you can see jim weeknights 6:00 and 11:00 eastern time on cnbc. now a check on the other top stories with natalie morales at the news desk. good morning. good morning, everyone. we begin with more economic news. appliance maker whirlpool announced it will cut 5,000 jobs in an effort to slash costs. that's about 10% of its work force in europe and north america and includes shutting down a plant in arkansas. jobs are on most american minds this election year. president obama's re-election team is setting its sights on one candidate -- mitt romney. kristen welker is at the white house for us this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, natalie. by the president's own admission he has a tough re-election battle given the economy. campaign officials say they are not wasting any time.

president obama in campaign mode, dining out thursday night with donors who won a contest. meanwhile his re-election team is taking aim squarely at mitt romney. this new web ad paints romney as a flip-flopper, accusing him of changing his position on an ohio union issue twice in 24 hours. >> i'm sorry if i created confusion. >> reporter: an obama campaign official told nbc news the tangs on romney makes sense. it would be strange for us to focus on candidates that did not have the resources and organization that give them the potential to win the nomination. we're not going to sit back and eat popcorn for a year as republican candidates distort the president's record. in a recent republican debate rick perry tried to paint romney as a flip-flopper but the attack fell flat. >> was it before he was before the --

>> reporter: now some suggest perry is considering skipping upcoming debates. >> there are 18 more in the planning phases. there is no way the candidates can do all the debates. >> reporter: the current gop frontrunner herman cain appeared via satellite thursday night but eyebrows were raised earlier when the new york times said ex-aides described a campaign in chaos and an e-mail in which cain staffers were told do not speak to him unless you are spoken to. some say the story was fuelled by bad grapes from a few staffers. the canada datas will be out stumping today. cain will be in alabama. >> thank you, kristen. a tragic crash in indiana last night that left at least seven people dead. three others were hospitalized. a van carrying ten people was slammed from behind by a tractor-trailer.

police believe the driver of the van slowed down after hitting a deer. another dramatic rescue in turkey. a 13-year-old boy was pulled out alive from a collapsed building. the boy survived five days and throughout the stay he was trying to dig out of the rubble with a rock. meantime the death toll has risen to more than 570 people. as brian williams said, what a game. the cardinals forced a game seven of the world series beating the texas rangers 10-9 thanks to the 11th winning homer by david fries. the world series champ will be decided tonight in st. louis. there goes the shirt. that will be on ebay later. >> that's what we do around here with al. >> i didn't even get to see his bare chest! >> whoa. you can get that on "regis."

>> it was a good game for josh hamilton, i heard. >> oh, yeah. his back story is absolutely fascinating. >> i see a new ending for "rock center" monday night. a little breakaway suit. >> i see your shirt coming off before the end of the show. >> oh, baby. >> that's a joke for a really good demo. >> you have the ipad here and it has weather on it. >> it runs on electricity, brian. it's nice. let's show you what's happening today. >> look at that. >> we have plenty of sunshine in the northeast. showers in northern minnesota. we're looking at clouds moving into the pacific northwest. the storm system will be coming up the coast. you can see it in the southeast bringing rain there. plenty of sunshine through the southwest.

>> good morning, everyone. the quiet before the storm today. a few clouds hanging around. it is going to be a cool day. the high temperature 54. and that's your latest weather. ann? >> al, thanks. a former high school teacher in ohio has been convicted with having sex with five of her students after a judge rejected her insanity defense. kevin tibbles has more on this. hey, kevin. good morning. >> reporter: in delivering his decision the judge said he could not make the leap. that former teacher stacy

schuler should have and must have known it was wrong. as the trial came to an end she sat composed and quiet often appearing as if she was praying. the 33-year-old former gym teacher admitted to having sex in her home with five students, some of them football players from the mason, ohio, high school. the prosecution said she deserved to go to jail. >> they trusted her. she violated that trust. >> reporter: during the trial the court heard from the students. it permitted them to not have their faces shown. >> they were making out and she pressed her body up against mine and i was towards the -- my back was towards the back of the wall and then, um, we started having sex. >> reporter: the defense team claims she was not guilty by reason of insanity, painting a picture of a caring teacher with mental disorders who with a mix of anti-depressants and alcohol

lost control. >> she has a personality where people can take advantage of her. >> reporter: the prosecution argued she knew what she was doing was wrong. >> she got drunk and made some really poor choices. does that mean she's insane? no. >> reporter: it took judge robert peeler just over an hour to return the verdict saying he could not accept the insanity plea. >> i cannot make the magnificent leap required to accept a proposition that at the time of the commission of the offense you did not know as a result of severe mental disease or defect that wrongfulness of your acts. >> reporter: then his decision on the 16 counts of sexual battery and three of serving alcohol to minors. >> i find you guilty of all counts. >> reporter: before sentencing the parents of two of the students described how the sexual encounters had damaged their sons. >> she played on their emotions and she crossed the line.

>> you suffered through depression, lost motivation, almost didn't go to college. >> reporter: schuler wept while the parents were speaking. when offered the chance to speak in her own defense, she declined. the judge sentenced her to four years in prison. she was cuffed and led away. outside the court a former student said she felt sorry for everyone involved. >> on behalf of her, i feel she needs something different than prison. i feel she needs help. i don't think she should go to jail for four years. >> reporter: in addressing the court one of the students' parents said that what is also tragic about this story is that it overshadows the 99.9% of teachers who are doing a good job with our kids. ann? >> point taken. kevin tibbles, thanks. it's 7:16. here's brian. >> ann, thanks. the news includes a potential glitch in the trial of michael jackson's physician that could present a big problem for both

sides in this case. this comes after the final two witnesses testified just yesterday. jeff rossen is in l.a. for us this morning. jeff, good morning. >> reporter: hey, brian. good morning to you. a possible problem developing overnight. it involves the timing of the trial and it looks like it's going to go a lot longer than originally expected. here we are in week number five. it's going to stretch well into week six. prosecutors say they need more time for research because the defense gave them evidence too late for cross-examination of the final witness. here's the problem. when this case first started the judge told the jurors, we only need you through october 28th. that's today. and so in private, the judge met with both sides late thursday and nbc news has obtained the transcript of the conversation. the judge said he is greatly concerned, saying, quote, i just don't know if we are going to start losing jurors.

they have lives and commitments. i don't have any idea when the jurors are going to get this case. all of this happening as murray's defense team goes on the attack, basically calling michael jackson a drug addict, that dr. conrad murray had no ideand now murray's defense team is blaming another doctor for it. michael jackson visited his dermatologist, dr. arnold klein so many times the paparazzi knew they'd get him there. on this office visit in the heart of beverly hills, michael even brought his kids. and this trip -- >> can you still moonwalk? >> why wouldn't i be able to? >> reporter: was two weeks before his death. >> how are you feeling? >> good. >> reporter: dr. murray's team now painting him as a secret drug addict and blamed dr. klein for the issues. robert waldman studied the case. >> i believe he was dependent upon demerol based on this course of treatment that he was probably addicted to opiodes.

>> reporter: in court thursday, dr. klein's medical records front and center. jackson was getting treated for wrinkles and excessive sweating. he received more than 20 injections of the painkiller demerol from april to june of 2009, often getting several shots in a single week. one just three days before his death. >> you would consider this very high use? >> very high. >> reporter: dr. klein has denied any wrongdoing. on cross-examination the prosecutor fought back. >> are you board certified in addiction medicine? >> reporte . >> no. >> reporter: they sparred for more than an hour. >> let me try again. dr. waldman, would you diagnose michael jackson as addicted to demerol based strictly on these documents in my hand? yes or no. >> probably not. >> thank you. >> reporter: murray's defense team also attacked the prosecution's theory that murray

gave michael jackson a deadly dose of propofol calling dr. white to the stand, the foremost expert on propofol. >> if, in fact, murray had administered the drugs he described in the conversations with the police department in the doses he described, i would not have expected michael jackson to have died. >> it was the best day yet for the defense. have they swayed the jury? i don't think so. but they at least scored points in the world of theater and dramatics. >> reporter: some legal experts say one decent day for murray's defense team just won't do it here after the prosecution put on what many believe is a strong case. those experts say the defense needs to hit a homerun. but the cloud hanging over the trial this morning is the new glitch that will extend well into next week. the judge worried about losing jurors before they get the case. >> you're right. this changes everything. jeff rossen in l.a. this morning. thanks. 7:20.

here's ann. >> thanks. there are new developments tied to the deadly round-up of dangerous animals in ohio. the six animals who survived are at the columbus zoo. now the owner's widow is fighting to get them back. john yang is with us this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the six exotic animals will stay at the columbus zoo for at least a month. the owner's widow tried to reclaim them, but a last-minute intervention arranged by the governor and the state attorney general blocked her. >> reporter: mary anne thompson's trailer pulls away without the animals she calls her children. the animals are under quarantine following orders from the ohio department of ago culture. the indefinite quarantine will

allow an opportunity to conduct a full and appropriate investigation as to the health status of these animals. >> praise god. that's an answer to prayer. i know she thinks they are her pets and stuff. they're not like cats and dogs. >> reporter: jack hannah said the animals are exactly where they need to be. >> i know what the conditions were. you wouldn't want to see it. the animals aren't leaving the zoo and that's the right decision. what's right is right. what's wrong is wrong. this is right. >> reporter: thompson wants the animals she said she owns back. last week her husband terry thompson released more than 50 exotic animals from his property in rural ohio and killed himself. within minutes calls began pouring into 911. >> yeah, there's a lion on mount perry road. >> i'm pretty sure i just saw a wolf. >> we live next to terry thompson and there is a bear and a lion out. >> reporter: the sheriff's department cautioned people to

stay indoors. deputies shot and killed four dozen animals prompting public outrage from animal rights activists who called for stricter laws in ohio regulating ownership of exotic animals. this is a case hannah calls one of the worst he's ever seen. >> do you think i will send those animals back to that situation? i'm not going to unless somebody drags me out there and throws me in jail. this will go down in my memories like september 11th went down. this is the september 11th of the animal world. >> reporter: thompson had a brief visit with the animals. the quarantine is indefinite. she will have 30 dais to file an appeal and get a hearing. we tried to ask her and her attorneys what her plans were but not no response. ann? >> john, thanks for your reporting. just ahead, new tension between the police and family of missing

baby lisa irwin. why a meeting with lisa's half-brother was cancelled overnight. first, this is "today" on nbc.

still ahead here this morning on "today," why are more women intentionally gaining weight to get weight loss surgery? >> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am jennifer franciotti. here's a look at one of our top stories. state police are investigating a patient death at a hospital in jessup. a man in his 30s was found dead

8:00 on thursday night. here's a look at your morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> good news to report on the accident we thought was there. southbound 95 at eastern. prior to that, we are developing some delays. 24 miles per hour from 95 to white marsh. another accident on kenwood ave and golden ring road. another one in this city at walther and moravia. delays are really not all that bad this morning. 38 on the west side outer loop from 70 down to baltimore national pike. nothing really more than that. we will show you what it looks like a car for. delays in place on the outer loop going away from us. live view of traffic on the harrisburg expressway, moving pretty well at padonia road. that is the latest on traffic

pulse 11. tony has the latest on the forecast. >> a little on the chilly side, but we don't expect precipitation for the morning commute. 36 in parkton. 35 in taneytown. in mixture of sunshine and clouds, cooler but dry. sunrise is coming up in about one or two minutes. not going to be a nice day tomorrow. cold rain in the morning, mixing in with an changing to snow in the afternoon.

7:30 now on this friday morning, october 28, 2011. it is the coldest day of the fall season so far in the northeast. just 37 degrees right now. we're going to go outside and give all of these people gold stars for gathering in rockefeller plaza this morning. i'm ann curry alongside mr. brian williams who is in for matt this morning. >> thanks for having me.

>> just ahead, she's the picture of class and beauty but during kate middleton's first solo charity event as a royal she revealed a scar on her head. what the pals is saying about it. i don't see it but we'll get a closer picture. >> we will. and a special halloween edition of "eat this, not that." we have healthier alternatives to the scariest, most fattening meals. look at the look on his face. we have one dish that's the equivalent of eating 27 scrambled eggs. be honest, does that not look fantastic? >> i know. we're trying to get people not to eat it. >> not the greens. the 27 scrambled eggs. >> we also have a quick programming note this morning. monday on "today" matt will have an exclusive live interview with the family of bernie madoff -- his wife ruth, son andrew and

his fiancee catherine. we want to begin with new details tied to the disappearance of the kansas city baby lisa irwin. peter alexander is covering the case for us. peter, good morning. >> reporter: ann, good morning to you. last night kansas city police told nbc news that the attorney for baby lisa's parents had abruptly cancelled two scheduled reinterviews with two potential witnesses in the case -- baby lisa's half-brothers who were said to be sleeping in the home the night her parents say the little girl disappeared. the boys told their mom who told me they heard noises that night that were never explained. there is no new date scheduled but the search reached day 25. could the murky waters of this small lake hold secrets to baby lisa's disappearance? less than two miles from the irwin family home investigators

expanded the hunt for clues to this never before searched park thursday with a raft and cadaver dogs. >> if there is a body in the water would a dog be able to smell that? >> if we can put them in a place to pick up the scent, yes, they will pick it up. >> reporter: police left empty-handed and nearly four weeks after deborah bradley and jeremy irwin say their daughter vanished from her crib, detecti detectives appear no closer to solving the mystery. lisa's brothers were scheduled to undergo a new round of questioning. on the night lisa disappeared deborah said one was sleeping with her and the other in his room. i asked if the boys could be potential witnesses during her last public interview. is it possible they saw or heard something they haven't said? >> no. absolutely not. they said they heard noises, but i don't know if that was before we went to sleep or after. i have not talked to them about

it specifically to not put them through anything else. >> reporter: the boys were to be questioned by a forensic interviewer, someone trained to work with children at a children's advocacy center like this. do children who are 5 and 8 years old have a good memory of events a month ago? >> it depends on the child but children can remember events as long as three weeks ago. >> reporter: no police are in the room at the time. the child sits in a chair where police can watch from a separate room and guide the questions through an ear piece worn by the interviewer. as for deborah and jeremy they have not agreed to unrestricted separate interviews. >> law enforcement needs them to say, everything aside, let's not consider what you have told us in the past. here is a clean sheet of paper. tell me a clean story. this is the one that stands the test of time. >> reporter: the attorneys for lisa's parents insist any future

interviews must be conducted by new investigators who will be fair, open-minded and they say will not accuse deborah and jeremy of having anything to do with their baby daughter's disappearance. kansas city police tell nbc news the interviews could be rescheduled for next week. we did hear from an attorney for the family yesterday who said for now the family is exhausted and said, quote, we all need a rest. ann? >> peter alexander, thank you. 30 years ago john walsh faced many of the same issues baby lisa's parents are dealing with when his son disappeared. adam was kidnapped and killed by a stranger. john went on to host "america's most wanted." john walsh, good morning to you. >> nice to see you, ann. >> were you and your wife treated as potential suspects? >> no. but immediately you submit to polygraphs. eliminate family and friends.

we went for separate polygraphs. that's good police procedure. police should do an internal investigation. focus on friends and family. they should go right in if they have nothing to do with it they should say i understand this polygraph and questioning. but look at every convicted sex offender within 20 miles of the kidnapping. this is a very difficult, convoluted case. i still wonder why they haven't polygraphed the dad that came home that night and found the doors open, et cetera. that would seem to me to eliminate mom and dad. mom failed the polygraph. people are nervous. that's why they don't use polygraphs in court. >> how effective are polygraphs today? >> they are. people fail them. psychopaths pass them because they never get nervous, et cetera. but i remember jessica lundsford's case in florida where the focus was on the

grandmother and grandfather when jessica was taken in the night. the focus was on the grandparents. they didn't interview close-by sex offenders. nobody knew john cooey was 150 feet away in a trailer. he went in the house. had her for two days molesting her while cops were grilling the family. guess what? he buried her alive. the focus was on the family and it was john cooey. jonbenet ramsey. police did a horrible job on that investigation. >> how do you think the police are doing? >> i think they are doing fine. they're sweating the mother hard. they should polygraph the dad again. we're working closely with them. i hope they have singled out every serious convicted sex offender within 20 miles and found out where this were that

night, if they are in compliance with parole and probation. >> the family now has a high profiled attorney. they have lawyered up and they have a private investigator. does that concern you? >> no. let me say this. sometimes it's good to get somebody to represent you, especially if you had nothing to do with it and the focus is on you. you have the right to say, yes, focus on us. >> did you get a lawyer? >> no. it was 30 years ago. >> do you wish you had? >> you have interviewed me how much the hollywood police botched the case. after 27 years adam's case was solved after they apologized they did a horrible job, lost information, et cetera. lost evidence in adam's case. so it doesn't disturb me that families lawyer up. the ramseys did. they said, why aren't you looking for somebody else? it bothers me when somebody won't do interviews. trust me, when your child is missing, i said it many times. if adam's kidnapper and it was a

serial pedophile, i would have stood in times square, took a bullet and did every interview to trade my life for that boy's life. if people aren't cooperating, not doing interviews you have to say, you forgot who the victim is here. baby lisa is the victim. >> you have always been fighting for victims. i have just a little time left. you have a two-hour special coming up this weekend about america's 50 worst fugitives. what did we learn from this? >> 50 states, 50 fugitives. i'm doing a white supremacist, montana's most wanted. i had a great capture. we have been off since june. we were cancelled and now i'm doing specials and moving to lifetime. i'm doing the specials and we caught a guy in brazil i have been looking for for 14 years. people in brazil saw the show and brought him down to the police station. tomorrow, saturday night for two hours you will see 50 of the worst. we caught five guys over the

summer. going on to lifetime, doing my specials with fox. >> john walsh, not stopping in the fight for justice. thank you so much, john. >> now a check of the weather from al. >> announcer: today's weather is brought to you by party city where you can get all your last-minute halloween essentials. party city, nobody has more halloween for less. >> as we look ahead to the weekend here in the northeast it will be a rough one. we have rain and snow in the inland sections. rain and showers in the pacific northwest through the plains. southern interior states looking good. exception being florida with showers and thunderstorms. sunday, morning snow in new england. windy conditions around the eastern great lakes. more rain in the pacific northwest. the sunshine continues through the south with mild conditions, warm from texas into the southwest. >> good morning, everyone. it is going to be a quiet day today. just a few clouds hanging

around. temperatures cooler today. a high of only 54 degrees. here in the northeast it will be a lousy weekend but it will be great for football. this one's a classic. on sunday night, football night in america. that's right. tony romo takes the boys to lincoln financial field to smear a little vicks vaporub around. breezy and cold as they take on the eagles. temperatures, low to mid 40s. this is a good one. get everybody around the tv for sunday night football night in america. ann? >> al, thank you so much. coming up next, a real

halloween scare if you're watching your weight. the most fattening dishes at your neighborhood restaurants including an appetizer equal to 62 pieces of bacon. >> yes! >> that's coming up right after this. [ female announcer ] what makes jcpfastcash so exciting?

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individual deep dish kos tuchlt this is a whale costume tough to take off later. this is 2,300 calories, 165 grams of fat. that's the equivalent of nine mcdonald's hamburgers. that's the calorie equivalent. >> not that there's anything wrong with that. >> maybe three of them. if you're at uno, get the new five grain pepperoni pizza. save 1800 calories and it's still an indulgence. >> you say this is a good alternative, what they have done to offer something. >> don't go from a classic deep dish meat pizza to a thin crust terrible pie with no meat. >> keep talking. i'm just going to -- >> we go to outback. there is definitely something scary outback and these are the wings. these hot wings are over 2,000 calories. these are birds only alfred hitchcock could love. it's the saturated fat

equivalent of the 62 slabs of bacon right there. >> 61 actually. >> yes. if you want safe harbor at outback go for the coconut slump. 450 calories. you save 1,500 calories. that's half a pound in a meal. >> 60 pieces of bacon now. so i have to confess i have ordered this. >> this is the ihop country breakfast. it comes with everything. >> because we live in a great country. look at that. >> what country? lardistan, bellyruse, fatswana. it has the equivalent of 27 scrambled eggs. >> how great does that look? >> this country needs an intervention. >> i get it. i don't mean to make fun. >> no, no.

you should. if you're at ihop go with the simple and fit spinach, mushroom and tomato omelet. you save over 1,200 calories. it's still an indulgence. >> this is a big heaping helping of america. >> this is cheesecake factory. this is the shrimp pasta. it's over 2,700 calories. >> wow. >> it's the calorie equivalent of 60 wendy's chicken nuggets. >> wow. >> it's all the cream, butter, oil, salt, all the good stuff. >> that's a lot. >> when you're at cheesecake factory go with the salmon and save 2,200 calories. all the smart swaps save you 6800 in four meals. >> this is not the kind of thing you can afford to have more than a couple times a year. >> if you know the tricks of the trade and you have the numbers, you can save a ton. >> i'm sorry, the bacon made it

hard to talk during the segment. thanks, david. appreciate you coming by. still ahead there is talk about a scar that's been revealed on the head of kate middleton during her first solo appearance as a member of the royal family. we'll bring you the story behind it direct from the uk. but first these messages.

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a medium macchiato, a light hot chocolate, hold the whip and two espressos, one with a double shot. hehe, that's not the coffee talking. [ female announcer ] start your day with kellogg's frosted mini-wheats cereal. the 8 layers of whole grain fiber help keep you full so you can avoid the distraction of mid-morning hunger. no thanks, i'm good. just ahead this morning, a troublesome trend. people so desperate for weight loss surgery they are gaining weight on purpose. plus, they are great to look at and hard to afford. we'll check out the hottest items from this year's kn neiman marcus christmas store. if you're not satisfied with 50% more cash, send it back! i'll be right here, waiting for it. who wouldn't want more cash? [ insects chirping ] i'll take it. i'll make it rain up in here. [ male announcer ] the new capital one cash rewards card. the card for people who want 50% more cash.

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. time for a check on your morning commute with sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> getting word of any accident possibly on westbound i-70, reported on 29. watch for delays developing their bank. in reisterstown, we have a school bus accident. thankfully, no injuries.

watch for that. russell street in the city, watch for an accident. walther blvd. and moravia road, watch for an accident. slow-go i-95 southbound from white marsh to the 895 split. all of that volume related it right around belair. here is what it looks like it harford road on the outer loop appeared credit towards dulaney valley. let's switch over to a live view of the j.f.x. near ruxton road. further south is where you slow approaching northern parkway. tony has a check on the forecast. >> it is going to turn out to be a fairly nice day, a little bit on the cool side. no precipitation to talk about. 37 in in randallstown, 35 in taneytown. there could be a little frost on your windshield in the northern suburbs. a mixture of sunshine and clouds.

high temperature in the low-to- mid-50's. tomorrow is not going to be a nice day. we start with cold rain, it will change to snow in the afternoon. minor accumulation possible. sunday to clear up. sunshine, high-temperature near 50. wholey looks ok as well with a wholey looks ok as well with a high near 60.

bge's instant discounts got our homeowner to switch to energy star® cfl bulbs. 3-way cfls really click with my style. learn to speak the language of energy efficiency at bgesmartenergy.com. 8:00 now on a friday morning. it's the the 28th of october, 2011. we'll say hello to all the fine people kicking off their weekend early with a visit to rockefeller plaza. looks cold to me. about 37 degrees. we're all a bit chilly. i'm ann curry along with brian williams and al roker. coming up, we'll be talking about a story about kate middleton. we have been talking about it

all morning. there's a scar. we don't know why it's there but we'll find out what's going on there and why she has this scar. >> plus, how far would you go to lose weight? if you have been watching this morning you know we have been talking about a disturbing trend of women who are apparently intentionally packing on the pounds to qualify them for weight loss surgery. we'll take a look at why this is happening, how dangerous it is to do that. we'll hear from one woman. and that's part of what's coming up this morning. >> and then with halloween just a few days away, we're already getting into the halloween spirit. but we also want to get into the christmas spirit. we're going to check out some remarkable fantasy gifts courtesy of our friends at nieman marcus. yes, santa. you can drop that down my chimney any time. >> he's really working that pretty well. i have a bone to pick with you. >> ooh, do tell. >> the bottom line is here with

you, i know you're a big deal. >> oh, yeah. just ask santa. >> you have a big show at night, a new one coming up. >> yeah. >> yet you have something like 55,000 followers and you don't tweet. >> that's right. >> you have never even -- >> zero tweets. >> 55,454 followers. the number is likely to skyrocket now that we are giving it more attention. >> why don't you? come on! >> i just -- i haven't decided what to say. >> you can't decide what to say? >> don't make me come over there. >> maybe that's the problem. it's only 140 characters. maybe that's the problem. anyway, listen. i will throw down the gauntlet and say to people out there, if you want brian williams to tweet we want you to go to the twitter page. >> why are they doing this to me? >> tweet with the hash tag --

oh, look at that. # will brian tweet. >> you're like ashton kutcher. man. >> yeah. brian williams, mr. big deal. >> i'm on a bacon high right now. i won't remember any of this tomorrow. >> okay. let's get a check of the morning's top stories from natalie morales. >> good morning, brian, ann and al. good morning, everyone. winter storm watches from virginia to maine this weekend as a nor'easter approaches. parts of new england's got the season's first snowfall during the night. more is expected with forecasters saying the storm could leave some areas with up to a foot of snow already. president obama is announcing two more executive actions today designed to spur the economy. both are geared toward helping start-up companies and small businesses make better use of federal resources. earlier this week the president pushed measures to help americans struggling with

mortgages and student loan debt. sunday on "meet the press" david gregory goes one on one with white house senior adviser david plouffe. a daily dose of aspirin may lower the risk of colon cancer in people with lynch syndrome which accounts for up to 5% of colon cancer cases. daily aspirin is not recommended for the public because of side effects. the study appears in the british medical journal lancet. a critical hearing in the case of robin gardener, the missing woman in aruba. amy robach has more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. later today a judge will decide whether prosecutors, after ten weeks of investigating, have enough evidence to keep gary giordano locked up. he says they don't and wants to go free. the prison is a stone's throw but a world away from the lush beaches.

it's where gary giordano has been locked up nearly three months now, suspected in the disappearance of his travel companion. >> we miss her every day. >> reporter: a judge will determine the short-term fate of the maryland businessman. >> we think we have a good case to present. it's up to the judge to take a decision. >> reporter: according to giordano, he and gardner went snorkeling and she disappeared in the water. the scene was reenacted and investigators say it didn't add up. >> we think it is highly unlikely she went into the water there. we know for certain what mr. giordano is telling us is not the truth. >> reporter: investigators searched the island multiple times and brought in special cadaver dogs. still, the mystery grows with no sign of robin. >> he has been telling the truth all along. he's an innocent man. considering what i have seen in the file, he will have a very

good defense. >> reporter: robin gardner's friends back home just want answers. >> we are in this for the long haul. we're in it to find our friend. we're looking for justice to be served. >> reporter: prosecutors will ask for an additional 30 days of pretrial detention so they can continue to gather evidence. the judge could determine they don't have the evidence and let giordano go, but everyone involved in the case believe it is highly unlikely he'll walk today. >> amy, thank you. now for a look at what's trending today. our quick roundup of what has you talking online. steven tyler is spiking on google after telling matt lauer thursday his face-bruising fall in a hotel bathroom this week wasn't the result of falling off the wagon. tyler said he passed out from dehydration. tmz is getting lots of traffic from the footage of lindsay lohan's dad being arrested for the second time in two days.

lo man allegedly tried to run from police by jumping from a balcony but landed in a tree and injured his foot. he's charged with harassing the same girlfriend involved in tuesday's domestic violence arrest. and the st. louis cardinals are buzzing in the blogosphere. david fries slammed a game winning homerun forcing a final game seven against the texas rangers tonight. it's exciting. 8:07 now. let's go back out to ann and brian. makes it fun to watch. >> thanks, natalie. i have to get going. i have to go tweet. >> is this really going to be the campaign of the morning? >> i don't know. i'm thinking about it. i have been close. >> come on, brian! get with the 21st century! let's get to brian -- or to al. >> al. >> al's got the weather. i have to get my brain on. >> come on, brian. get in the pool.

it's fantastic. tell me, what's lbda? >> a disease similar to alzheimer's. it's very different and requires more types of treatment than alzheimer's. >> people want to find out more? >> go to lbda.org. october is lbda awareness month and we are on facebook. >> great. and you probably twitter as well, unlike brian williams. let's check your weather. our pick city of the day is going to be up and down the eastern seaboard. we are talking winter storm watches from roanoke up to bangor. we are expecting a decent amount of snow. talk about from beckly, snowshoe, martinsburg, sussex, worcester. anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of snow. rain in florida and the midatlantic states. showers in the pacific northwest. showers in the central great lakes and sunshine in the

northeast but that will change rapidly. >> good morning, everyone. the quiet before the storm today. a few clouds hanging around. it is going to be a cool day. the high temperature 54. this young lady turned 10 in new york city. what's your name? >> lauren. >> happy birthday. >> ann? >> al, thank you so much. you're not going to believe this. some women are gaining weight to qualify for bariatric surgery. we'll find out why. and the story behind kate middleton's scar. that's coming up after this. capital one's new cash rewards card

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yeah, i toog nyguil bud i'm stild stubbed up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't un-stuff your nose. really? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus liquid gels fights your worst cold symptoms, plus it relieves your stuffy nose. [ deep breath ] thank you! that's the cold truth! back now at 8:13. a story that came out of nowhere. actually right out of the uk and proof that even princesses have imperfections. natalie, good morning. >> if you can even call it an imperfection. all eyes were on kate middleton for her first solo appearance as she filled in for prince charles and cameras captured something we have never seen before -- a scar on her head.

there she was, shimmering in silver, hosting her first solo event, standing in for her father-in-law, prince charles. but what was this -- the eagle-eyed british press noticed a mark on her head. at first they thought it was hair extensions. but the duchess already has a beautiful head of hair. and the palace revealed it was from an operation when she was a child. she's not the only royal with scars. the queen, robust as she is, has had knee surgery. prince william has a scar from being hit with a golf club, age 13. he calls it his harry potter scar. prince charles broke his collarbone while fox hunting. he and his sons william and harry have all fallen off those pesky polo ponies. prince harry wasn't even hurt in this horrific fall and he may have inflicted injuries in this scuffle with photographers years

ago. and princess ann married mike tindell whose nose has been broken seven times. nonetheless he posed with his nose for a charity calendar emphasizing his other attributes. for some, kate's scar is an endearing imperfection. >> the duchess is very human anyway. that's the interesting fact with her. but to me and i think to the rest of the british public she still remains incredibly beautiful. >> reporter: beautiful indeed and, for guests at the party, still a perfect princess. >> and that she is. again, a spokesperson for st. james palace said the scar is related to a childhood operation but they are not saying what the surgery was for. they said it was serious surgery she had as a child. >> something tells me with the british press we'll find out more. >> you've got it. >> natalie morales, a poet this morning. thank you very much. now here's ann. >> now to an alarming trend

doctors are seeing more and more -- patients gaining weight to qualify for weight loss surgery. here's nbc's kristen dahlgren. >> reporter: weight and determined to get lap band surgery. what did she do? she gained weight. >> i was just eating chicken, pizza, things like that. >> reporter: her insurance company turned her down for the $20,000 procedure because she didn't weigh enough. >> i was frustrated and i was upset and, you know, i figured there really wasn't a lot i could do about it. >> reporter: but she tried. regaining seven pounds she previously lost in an effort to meet the qualification. ultimately she got the surgery through a clinical trial. almost four years later she's down to 141 pounds. dr. robert michaelson pempled her surgery and has seen people desperate for the procedure. >> one woman i did see in order to qualify came in wearing ankle

weights. i was born at night, but not last night. >> reporter: he doesn't recommend gaining real weight either. >> gaining a few pounds can have catastrophic effects on your health. it increases heart disease, osteoarthritis, depression, sleep apnea. >> reporter: who can get the surgery is based on the body mass index, the ratio of weight to height. as a result of the trial stephanie was in, they lowered the bmi required to get the lap band. now if patients have a weight related problem like diabetes they need only have a bmi of 30. for example, a woman who's 5'6" and weighs 186 pounds would qualify. doctors and nutritionists say gaining to get there could be a dangerous trend. >> do not try to become more unhealthy so that you can put yourself at risk before surgery. make other changes to your diet and your lifestyle to lose

weight in another manner. >> reporter: as for sears, she doesn't regret a thing. >> i feel amazing. i feel like a completely different person. i feel like it was the best decision i ever made. it changed my life and saved my life. >> reporter: kristen dahlgren, nbc news, los angeles. >> all right. coming up next, brian talks to marlo thomas about her return to broadway. plus, we have fantasy gifts from the nieman marcus christmas book. that's right after this. quaker oatmeal is a super grain. ♪ it gives me warmth. ♪ [ boy ] it gives me energy to help me be my best. quaker oatmeal has whole grains for heart health. and it has fiber that helps fill me up. ♪ [ male announcer ] great days start with quaker oatmeal. energy. fiber. heart health. quaker oatmeal. a super grain breakfast.

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back now coming up on 8:22 with the new show lighting up the broadway stage. "relatively speaking" is a collection of one-act plays written by woody allen, elaine may and ethan cohen. they tackle families, extended families and the toll they take on one another. marlo thomas stars as doreen. to say she's self-absorbed would be an under statement. she's doing her best to avoid the reality that her husband has died. take a look. >> forgive me, but don't you listen? >> no, not really. [ laughter ] >> i'm always stunned that people listen to each other's stories. it's like having someone give you their underwear to keep. you'll never use it. it doesn't fit. it just uses up your space.

you can't throw it out because it's in your drawer. >> i have no idea what you're talking about. >> neither do i. it was kind of a metaphor but i got so bore maryland the middle of it i just said anything. >> marlo thomas, welcome back to the "today" show. >> thank you so much. >> i went through the reviews last night. in our snarky age, you never see the kind words various reviewers have said about your part in this play. >> thank you. thank you. >> it must feel fantastic. >> it does feel good. >> and you're a blonde! >> yes. everybody when they see me after the show they can't believe it was a wig. it's a great wig. >> reading the dialogue of the character, she's out there about it but doesn't know how to feel. >> she's completely clueless. first of all, she's running from the fact that her husband just died like three hours ago in a skiing accident. she's at the first stage of

death which is denial. but through the mind of elaine may it's just hilarious. she never stops talking because she's got this engine going inside her so just talk about anything. finally she gets to that other stage which is called acceptance. she gets there, too. that's quite touching which is what's so great about elaine may as a writer. her comedy always has underneath it a real engine of heart and soul. >> this whole transition happens in the space of one hour? >> yes. >> and you're on stage at all times except, i read, for a change into a -- >> nightgown. >> right. >> what's great about the evening and i think i know how much you love comedy, you will enjoy it because it's really three complete styles of comedy. you see woody allen, ethan cohen and elaine may who are not alike but they are all great kinds of comedy. it's like a school of comedy to see this play. >> also, join me in getting good

civic-minded tourists across the country, people who are going to visit our great city to go see live theater. there is nothing like a broadway play. >> there is really nothing like it. it's so exciting. i keep the speaker on in my dressing room. at 7:30 i can hear the audience start to gather. it's inspiring. i feel like the indians that used to gather around the fire so somebody could tell them a story. that's what's happening. the audience is coming so we can tell them a story and we're getting ready to tell them the story. it's a very exciting community between the actors on stage and the people in the audience. and then the curtain goes up and you're in this ancient time, you know? >> it makes perfect sense that this is your latest chapter. marlo thomas, thanks for coming to see us. the show is "relatively speaking." more after your local news.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good friday morning. i am sarah caldwell. let's get a final check on the morning commute. accident on southbound 95 approaching the beltway northeast. down to 33 miles per hour. belair road at medellín avenue, accident to watch for. north side delays along with an accident at northern parkway and charles street.

j.f.x. looking at a slow go southbound from northern parkway down to 28. inner loop traffic backed up from greenspring towards the j.f.x. westbound 9-7, watch for an accident. another one at reisterstown. crash at northbound route one just past 175. back up on the north side. that goes all the way to the harrisburg expressway. live view of white marsh. no delays here. further south to the beltway with the accident off to the site. tony, over to you. >> pretty nice day today. chilly side, but no rain or snow. 37 in parkton. 35 in taneytown. in little pots in the northern suburbs. mixture of sunshine and clouds. 54 degrees. below average at this time of year, but at least we get some sunshine. not going to be so nice tomorrow. cold rain in the morning.

changing over to snow in the afternoon. some accumulation likely. in a little bit more north and west of town. sunday looks good, near 54 of the ravens game. halloween looks good as well. >> not sure i want to thank you for the forecast. we will have another update at 8:56.

bge's instant discounts got our homeowner to switch to energy star® cfl bulbs. 3-way cfls really click with my style. learn to speak the language of energy efficiency at bgesmartenergy.com. 8:30 now on a friday morning, the 28th day of october, 2011. it is a cold start to the day. our crowd is bundled up.

they look like they are standing closer together. it's chilly and al says snow is on the way this weekend. i'm outside along with brian williams and natalie morales and al roker. and santa is also on the plaza this morning. >> yeah. right now santa is enjoying a game of ping-pong on a table that's also a piece of art. this is the most unusual thing you have ever seen. we have a lot of those this morning. we'll have more on that in just a moment. >> then we'll skate over to the rock center ice rink which is up and running now. scott hamilton has pointers to get the kids on the ice this morning. >> coming up, of course, monday, halloween. it's our annual halloween costume contest extravaganza on the plaza. coming up, we'll get you ready with a look back at our most memorable. oh, we have the bob mackie

costume. >> what was your favorite? >> i love it when you point like that. >> it's hard to pick my favorite year. >> oh, come on. let's change the subject and talk about oscar nominated actress gabourey sidibe who's here on the plaza this morning. your new action comedy is called "tower heist." her performance takes the cake as she bowls over the fbi agent who gets in her way. don't get in gabourey's way! >> get back here for a second. >> it's coming up! >> o that's where the clip ended. >> we want to save it for the movie, mr. roker. >> pretty good. we heard you were going to be in a comedy along with ben stiller, eddie murphy. honestly, what was your first reaction? >> i was really, really excited!

i was sure i would be fired the first day. >> no! >> but they kept me and didn't edit me out of the movie, too, which is good. >> which is harder doing a role like precious or doing comedy? >> i don't know. they're both pretty hard, but they're both pretty easy. getting the nerve up to do a scene about comedy with eddie murphy is pretty hard though. >> did you do your own stunt work? >> i did though. i didn't want to. >> speaking of doing comedy with eddie murphy you said there was a scene you were teaching eddie murphy who is a petty thief how to crack open a safe. >> yeah. >> and there is a lot of sexual innuendo in the scene as i understand. what was it like working alongside -- >> this is morning tv, brian. >> that's the point. what happened? >> what happened is i was flirting with eddie on set and i didn't know the cameras were rolling. i was really just hitting on eddie murphy. >> wow!

>> it worked perfectly in the scene. >> speaking of which, i understand you're standing next to one of your crushes. brian williams. >> i'm so embarrassed by this. >> we have done a few charity events together. we've had our moments in the past. we have add a mitted it publically. >> we did. >> might as well say it in front of everybody. >> in front of the world. [ cheers ] >> wow. >> all right. >> so anyway the movie is "tower heist." congratulations on all your success. >> thank you! >> he's a married man. >> i know! >> okay. wow! on that note, it is family television. >> you went right in there. >> he wasn't holding back. let's get a check of the weather. >> can't wait to see "rock center."

>> good morning, everyone. it is going to be a quiet day today. just a few clouds hanging around. temperatures cooler today. a high of only 54 degrees. don't forget. you can keep track of your weather 24/7 on the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. a quick programming note. pretty soon matt will be heading out on his tenth version of "where in the world." here's a way for you to take part in partnership with our sponsor capital one, "today" is sending a lucky viewer and a guest to one of the five locations matt will visit. to enter head to our facebook

page or today.com. you have only until november 8 at 2:00 p.m. eastern time. all right. now where in the world is willard scott? he's right here! >> it's birthday time in the music hall as we check the band leader, the smucker's orchestra, and see our birthday buddies. eva margolis of new york city new york. 103. loves to read the new york times. it's a religion with her almost. she love that is newspaper. >> and we have helen meiler from davenport, new york. 100 years old today, too. secret to longevity, has worked hard all of her life and she includes keeping up with all of her own housework. some people like help. some want to do it themselves. and we have sweet gussie scher of rockville, maryland, right

down the road. loves to talk about politics. don't we all? and she's one good lady. we love her. happy birthday, too, to helen sims, lakeland, florida, 100 years old. she loves to grupow and take ca of her little garden. that will make you live forever. she attends walking and reading classes every day with a book club she likes. genia, you're so pretty. genia rosen of los angeles, california. 100 years old today. unbelievably proud holocaust survivor. and she can speak four languages. i can barely handle one. james & mary mellodge are married for 77 years. and they are in stockton, new jersey. 77 years married.

god bless. that's incredible. that's all. now back to the little town on the hudson. >> hey, willard, thanks. coming up next we'll explain what's on the plaza and why there is a ferrari, speedboat and a ping-pong table. it's time for the nieman marcus christmas book. first, this is "today" on nbc.

back now for "today's" holiday gift bag. if santa had an unlimited budget p he'd want what we have today. these are luxury gifts for christmas and presents most people can only dream about. they are a lot of fun to look at, right, brian? >> absolutely right.

with us is the vice president of nieman marcus. we have santa on the plaza, the speedboat on the plaza. we are in the middle of a recession but the undercurrent may as well be dare to dream. >> or have a fantasy. we have been doing these fantasy gifts over 50 years. the concept is when you were a kid and dreamed about something for the holidays, when you grow up, let's notch those fantasies up a little bit. >> we are surrounded by reasons to play the lottery. >> by the way, this year you are upping the ante because most of the gifts are using money to donate to charity. >> we have eight different charities featured. a sale of the fantasy gift benefits a charity. >> we start with the boat. what do you say? >> the 27-foot mahogany speedboat made in upstate new

york. they did a special edition. $250,000. it's beautiful. >> does it come with santa? >> no. >> there you go. now last year you had a convertible. it sold like gang busters. how many went? >> 100. we have ten of this nieman marcus edition ferrari. sits four people comfortably. i have been in it. i promise. they went on sale yesterday. we sold all ten in 50 minutes. >> it's a four-wheel drive ferrari. how often have you been in a snowstorm and said, honey, we need a ferrari in this snow storm. >> it comes with luggage. >> it matches the seats inside. >> exactly right. this is an extraordinary car. it fits our tradition of a limited edition car every year. >> all right. now the ping-pong table.

it's made of rubber, right? >> exactly right. it's an aluminum table covered in black rubber by an artist named tom burr. these guys are showing what you can do with it. it looks great. >> i have to tell you, i saw it in the catalog last night. it doesn't look like the finish would make the ball bounce true, but it does. >> i wouldn't play if you're competing, but you can get a good game going on it. >> unless your name is al roker. >> apparently. what's the ka ching on this one? >> $45,000. >> hello. >> signed by the artist. indoor-outdoor. >> we have to get out of the way before we get hurt. it could be ugly. [ cheers ] >> here we go. okay, now you've got a gift for six people. >> take a trip outside of new

york city to a nonprofit dedicated to spread the message of healthy eating, teaching young farmers to grow food. >> how are you? >> nice to see you. >> you will spend a day at the farm working with seth. harvest the vegetables, do a great meal at stone barn farms. >> i think the rooster is -- >> then you go home with a plot to do in your home, for your backyard. >> all right. now things get really crazy. over there, as we saw earlier, we have what's called a green folly? >> i watched barbara eden and i thought, doesn't every woman need an "i dream of jeannie" bottle? we have a beautiful modern day "i dream of jeannie" escape. again, this is a fantasy.

>> you get to come up with the ideas? >> i do. >> for a living? >> i do. i'm lucky. it's so much fun. >> let's get down to reality. only a few seconds left. >> all of the gifts are under $200. you have everything from popcorn, a wine aerator, snow globe. >> this accessory portion of the christmas book is fantastic. >> this is the bread and butter of the business. there's nothing like buying a snow globe for $90 from a store that can also get you a 27-foot speedboat. >> ginger, thank you so much. we enjoyed the fantasy. coming up next, we'll hear from scott hamilton. >> that's correct. a look at the ice. this is "today" on nbc.

>> announcer: today at the rink is brought to you by smucker's. with a name like smucker's, it has to be good. ♪ >> this morning we're kicking off a new season of "today" at the rink with one of our all-time favorites. he's like family here. scott hamilton is the 1984 olympic gold medalist, the voice of figure skating for nbc and is celebrating a dozen years of helping people through his nonprofit organization, scott cares. >> great to be back. >> let's get skating. i want to talk about the charity, scott cares. this is something that's very personal for you. you have battled cancer. your mom died from cancer. >> mm-hmm. >> this is something that means a lot to you. you told us last time you had a brain tumor. >> yeah, they removed it. >> had an aneurysm. doing okay? you look great. >> i'm -- it's great. i have had phenomenal medical

care at the cleveland clinic. things are really good. now we are gearing up for the 12th show in cleveland. "an evening with scott hamilton and friends." this one's phenomenal. >> who's signed up? >> sheryl crow will be the musical artist, nelia kudic, brian bradley, michael weiss. the cast is phenomenal. it's a really great cast and the skaters come in, learn the routine. it's live music. none of this would be possible without maria and her husband sam. they are the heart of the event. it's terrific to watch it grow and see the program grow and also research refunding. >> the cleveland clinic is where you got treatment. i know how important it is for you to work with them on this as well. we have a lot of kids out here

this morning and a lot of parents are getting their kids on the ice for the first time this year. >> yes. >> you got your kids on the ice. max -- >> there you go! >> you're okay, sweetie. >> yeah, she's good. >> that's the way to do it. >> first thing you learn is how to get up. all fours, put one foot down, then the other and stand up. first you learn how to get up because you're going to fall, right? >> don't be afraid of falling? >> nope. you just get up. we have girls from figure skating in harlem here. >> great skaters. >> it's taking it slow and steady for the younger skaters. we recommend a helmet when they start. >> elbow pads or knee? >> whatever you feel comfortable with. they will get bumps and bruises. slow and steady win it s the ra. my little guy started on a wednesday. he saw the show on saturday. the next saturday he wanted to be in the show. >> go, max!

>> it's great. good luck. scott cares, the skating event is what night? >> november 5th. starts at 5:00. sheryl crow, dorothy hammill. it's a phenomenal event. tickets are available through cleveland clinic and scott cares website. >> great to have you. thanks, kids for skating with us. meanwhile we'll skate on out of here. we'll be right back in a moment. but first this is "today" on nbc.

monday is a big day here at nbc. not just because brian has bacon. we'll kick off the annual halloween costume extravaganza. >> keep going. >> i'm not making any sense. to get you ready, here is a look at our favorite halloween moments. ♪ >> we want to change your life! >> robin? >> yeah? >> are you getting a bat wedgie like i am? >> i have a bat wedgie you wouldn't believe, batman. ♪ making love in the afternoon with cecilia up in my bedroom ♪ ♪ making love >> what do you think of my man puffy? >> oh, my goodness. ♪ big wheels keep on turning

♪ proud mary keep on burning ♪ rolling ♪ rolling rolling on the river ♪ ♪ rolling ♪ rolling ♪ rolling on the river >> and that's it. fabulous! >> i can't believe i still have a job. >> holly golightly is still the classic. you were lovely. >> i did enjoy that one. the question is what will my colleagues be this time around while i am safely in the "nbc nightly news" studio where i belong? we'll find out together on monday morning here on "today." if you are in the area, get dressed up and come on in and join in. i understand there are great prizes for the best costumes. hi, natalie. >> hi, how are you? >> natalie just came in from outside. the prizes, by the way, include

you can go see the biebs. we have tickets to the justin bieber concert to feed your bieber fever coming up on the day before thanksgiving. >> and after you trick or treat and you're loaded up with sugar, make sure you catch the premiere of nbc's new weekly magazine show "rock center" with brian williams. >> the only show with bacon. >> brian gave me a tour of the set in studio 3-b, former home of the "today" show. we'll look at this on monday, but detell us what to expect. >> well, we have a flashing sign that says "applesauce." there is a meter that shows television talent and we are proud of the fact that we'll be the only prime time show to offer free bacon. >> candied bacon. >> and to offer something like this -- the news slow jam. >> critics say it's nothing less than an attack on capitalism

itself. >> tell them, a-bri-cadabra. ♪ corporations are saying the protest is lame ♪ ♪ just like when kim kardashian married -- what's his name ♪ >> yeah. darn if we would have remembered his name. that was so nice. >> you're great at that. not to make this only about brian. >> oh, you. >> matt murray at murnation said if brian tweets then an angel gets its wings. how about that? that's encouragement. >> did he mention bacon? >> rock center with brian williams debuts monday night at 10:00. >> >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am sarah caldwell.

police make an arrest in the murder of an elderly man. police say 18-year-old james johnson confessed to shooting 70-year-old milton hill outside his east baltimore home in july of last year. johnson faces several charges, including first-degree murder. as the bidders are still looking

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