♪ it's my party, dance if i want to, we can get crazy, let it all out, just don't stop, keep the beat bumpin, it's my party dance if i want to, we can get crazy, let it all out ♪ >> we're back now with more of "today" on this tuesday morning. 29th day of november, 2011. savannah treating us to a little extra song there. >> no. i thought you were going to show our dance moves. we were having a dance move here. >> i'm matt lauer along with savannah and mr. al roker.

coming up 30 years ago today natalie wood died and there's still questions about what actually happened on that day, the investigation into her death, as you know, has been reopened. this morning we'll have an exclusive interview with the harbor master who organized the search for her off catalina island, the first time he is speaking out. >> and on a completely different note on our diet sos with joy bauer, this is the time of year people tend to get off track with their diets. joy has ideas on what you should fill up on before hitting the paul d holiday parties. also what to eat to get a boost of energy in the mid-afternoon. if your computer crashed on cyber monday, we have your steals and deals. up to 80% off for "today" show viewers. hair care sets, diamond jewelry and the always popular leather hand bag, that's coming up. lots to get to. natalie is at the news desk with all the headlines. good morning, everyone. gop presidential hopeful herman

cain is once again under fire today after a georgia woman alleged that she and cain had an extramarital affair spanning 13 years. ginger white said cain only ended their relationship a few months before beginning his run for office. cain denies the alleged affair and says detractors are just trying to, quote, derail the cain train. prosecutors are seeking the maximum four-year prison term when michael jackson's doctor is sentenced today. he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for his reckless use of propofol which led to the singer's death. murray's attorneys are asking for probation claiming murray is already facing a life of shame and limited opportunities. 16-term democratic congressman barney frank says he is not running for re-election next year because he'd have to spend too much time campaigning in his newly redrawn massachusetts district. this morning franks told savannah it has nothing to do

with democratic prospects for retaking control of the house. authorities are zeroing in on the ex-fiance of missing florida mom michelle parker who vanished after her appearance on "the people's court." >> reporter: missing mom michelle parker in happier times with dale smith, the father of her 3-year-old twins. now the chief suspect in her disappearance. >> after numerous tips and investigative leads, we are officially naming dale smith, the ex-fiance, as the primary suspect in the disappearance of michelle parker. >> you could have avoided this, dale, if you had cooperated with the police and took a polygraph test when they asked you, you know. you could have eliminated a lot of stress. so unfortunately, you brought this on yourself. >> a youtube video and postings on facebook offer an inside look into the life of the man believed to be the last person to see michelle when she dropped

off their twins at his house. >> he's suing for $5,000, the value of the ring. >> reporter: hours after the two were seen on national tv arguing over a lost engagement ring on a taped episode of "the people's court." >> he's a mean person, especially when he's been drinking. >> reporter: while michelle told her mom she was humiliated the experience, smith promoted the episode on his facebook page where he also posted photos showing him dressed up as some of his favorite movie and comic book characters, captain america, gi joe, luke skywalker, costumes he wears to science fiction conventions. but at 11:08 on the night of michelle's disappearance a darker post. oh man, oh man, michelle, the mother of my kids is missing. her mother called me, said she never showed up to work after dropping the kids off to me. the police just came by and searched my whole house. this isn't good, my kids need their mother. that was not the last time police searched smith's.

on saturday a s.w.a.t. team raides his father's home. >> nothing of significance was found in that location. >> reporter: in the days after michelle's disappearance, he posted he prays for her safe return. he also tried to clear his name saying i'm not that time of person. if you know me, then you know the truth. just what michelle's family is seeking. >> we're not going to stop until we find out who did this. we love our michelle so much. >> that was lily luciano reporting. a cargo ship is on its way to pick up three stranded sailors. they were taking part in a round the world yacht race when their racing yacht broke a mast last week. the crew made it safely to the south atlantic where they have met many of the 262 locals and even played some golf there. not so bad. well, they don't always get along but last night the british royal family and members of the media partied together to quick off the queen's diamond jubilee

celebrations. kate, the dutchess of cambridge, was mobbed by women's fashion writers, and stunning as always. her husband, prince william, also answered questions about the helicopter rescue operation he took part in on sunday. you're up to date right now. six minutes past the hour. let's get a check of the weather from mr. roker. >> thanks so much, natalie. as we check out what's happening for today, we've got snow to talk b storm totals so far, denmark, tennessee, 5 inches of snow, jackson, tennessee, 3 inches and there's more falling. this storm system is moving to the east of memphis, rain ahead of the system, so we're expecting rainfall amounts that are going to be fairly copious along the east coast but back to the west rain changes over to stow so from flint down to memphis, winter storm watches and warnings, advisories as well, anywhere from 6 to >> good morning. periods of rain will be with us.

rain could be heavy in some neighborhoods. >> time for joy's diet sos where we tackle diet dilemmas. joy bauer is here with advice on everything from using butter spray to keeping your diet on track during the holidays. let's get started. we want to go right into skype. we've got jen in framingham, massachusetts. good morning, jen. >> good morning, al. good morning, joy. thanks for taking my question. >> you bet. what's your question. >> so i get teased for using nonfat butter spray. is it really a bad choice? >> not at all. it's not the most natural choice, but if it's going to entice you to eat more vegetables, it's totally fine.

you just don't want to get carried away with putting it on anything and everything because the calories add up quick. here's why. the label is able to say zero calories because only a minuscule amount comes out, thanks to that aerated pump. but there are many hundreds of servings per bottle. and one of those eight-ounce bottles has about 900 calories, 90 grams of fat. i once had a client who was mysteriously gaining weight and the culprit was the butter spray because it makes things taste good. he was pouring it on everything. she was going through a bottle every couple of days, obviously taking in an exorbitant amount of calories. so the bottom line is go for it, flavor your foods with a few spurts here and there but just make sure you don't go overboard. >> thank you. >> now let's head across massachusetts to debbie. she's on the phone from boston, massachuset massachusetts. good morning, debbie. what's your question? >> good morning. i tend to fall into a mid-afternoon slump at work.

i start to feel tired, i have trouble focusing. i'm wondering what are the best snacks i can eat to get my energy back up? >> this question is too perfectly timed because just this month we had new research that came out and it shows that protein is actually the best food cure for that afternoon slump that we all tend to fall into. researchers out of the u.k. saw that when protein was given in the lab, it was able to activate brain cells that helped to sort of wake us up and keep us better able to focus. on the other hand, starchy, carby, sugary snacks like candy and pretzels and chips and crackers make us feel much more shrug sluggish. eat a hard boiled egg, string cheese, celery dipped in humus or peanut butter, a handful of sunflower seeds or nuts. all these contain protein and they'll help to keep us feeling awake. >> thank you, debbie, for the question. now we've got an e-mail from

lindsay writing it seems i have success with my diet before the holidays but as the holidays come i start to eat more. how can i stay on course this holiday season? >> first i think it's a great sign that she is looking ahead and wants to strategize. she's not going to get into trouble. i'm going to offer up two guidelines. first she wants to selectively splurge. look at her calendar and pick three holiday gatherings that she's going to allow herself to let loose. the rest of the time keep it together on a healthy plan with her eating and exercise and forego those holiday goodies. the second piece of the puzzle is when she's at these holiday gatherings that she's going to let loose, follow my rule of one. she's going to eat one of every tempting delicious hors d'oeuvre, one plate of food filled with everything she wants, one alcoholic beverage if she wants an one dessert. this way she gets to enjoy everything but she doesn't overstuff herself. >> and our last viewer e-mail from susan in bluffdale, utah. i've never been one for counting

calories. what's the easiest way to start learning how to calculate that tha. >> i strongly suggest taking advantage of some of the terrific websites and apps that are out on the market because all you need to do is plug in your food and they do all the work for you. you get your total calories and your fat and your fiber and your sugar and there are so many good ones on the market. my fitness pal, live strong, calorie count, lose it, and the best part is they have a website and an app so whether you're at the computer or on your smartphone, whatever is more convenient, just plug it right in. >> all right, joy bauer, thanks so much. you've got us covered, thanks. still to come, a "today" exclusive. one of the men in charge of the search for actress natalie wood is speaking out about what happened that night for the first time in 30 years. up next, we're doing a little holiday shopping on the often duplicated but never equaled jill's steals and deals just for "today" viewers. are you going to spray me?

's new baked pasta romanas. ruffled pasta, layered with creamy fontina and asiago cheeses, and oven-baked just for you. try it with pan seared chicken with toscano tomatoes. or, try it with braised beef. for a limited time, only at olive garden. [ female announcer ] let betty crocker do the measuring and get a head start on delicious homemade cookies. ♪ just pour, mix...love.

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and find out what could be on your cloth hand towel. [ ribbits ] upgrade to kleenex hand towels for a clean, fresh towel every time. they're for keeping us together. ♪ [ boy ] to dad, love sam. [ mom ] say "merry christmas." [ boy ] merry christmas. [ female announcer ] hallmark recordable storybooks. [ boy ] charlie brown spotted a small, scraggly pine tree. ♪

this morning on "jill's steals an deals" we are doing a little holiday shopping. jill is back with great deals on everything from sweaters to diamond jewelry exclusively for you, our "today" viewers. good morning. >> good morning. >> so christmas right around the corner, holidays around the corner. is all of this going to get there in time? >> everything will get there on time. go to today.com right now. there's a lot of limited supply. yesterday i was looking at all the deals for cyber monday and i'm like forget cyber monday, steals and deals tuesday, we have all the deals beat. >> let's talk about these sweaters by calvin klein. we have two different styles, the ones over there and this one here. >> these are calvin klein jeans

by that company. the retail is $79.50. two styles. the ribbed cardigan is available in four sweaters, extra small to extra large. the next one on these next two comes in striped colors. retail $79.50, the deal $24. that's 70% off. >> that's huge. that's great. now to this is going to be a popular one. breeze comfort. tell us about this deal. >> we have to watch where we stand. >> erica from our control room is editing, she's still talking about the last bra so, erica, these are for you. these breeze comfort push-up bras, retail $40.99 to $44.99. let's start with the first one right here. this is the plunge bra so it's padded with underwire and obviously great for those low neck lines for the holiday season and your new year's dresses. this is the first and it comes in black and beige.

let's move on to this and i tried three different ways to show you the multi-way convertible bra. it's just whatever the dress or top looks like. there's hooks and bands everywhere. you can really do that. check the sizing chart. >> it's the magic bra. >> it's the magic bra for any dress. the retail $40.99 to $44.99. the deal is $13. that's 71% off. and it will arrive in time for you to wear your fabulous dress for the holidays. >> how, are you ready to rock your hair literally? this is a deal by rock your hair, hair care products. five-piece package set. tell us about it. >> you certainly can't miss it. the retail is $107. this is an exclusive look at a new collection created by an award-winning stylist. the package includes shampoo, conditioner, powder, and an adjustable hair stray so delivers three strengths. so if you want big hair, you do it on the most powerful. the retail $107.

the deal, $32. that's 70% off. and it comes packaged like this. so it's a fun gift if you have a friend -- >> if you really want to rock your hair. you need your hair in three big styles. let's move on over here. we've got some great big ticket items for you today. first is jewelry by edina raider and these are gorgeous diamond necklaces that come in three different designs, the heart, the star and a little bird or robin. >> right, the dove. the retail i$375. if your significant other is at work, buy this and tell him to write you a check because this is just a great solid gift and it's a classic piece. each piece is sterling silver with pave diamonds and you never have to take it off. celebs include jennifer aniston, cameron diaz. the deal is $75. that's 75% off. >> that's great. let's move on over to our

handbag deal because they always fly. here you have handbags by lola bernard. >> these always fly each week and we keep selling out of those. the retail is $325. it comes in all these fun colors, seven total. this oversized hobo is 100% leather -- genuine leather. the retail $325. the deal $65. that's 80% off. i just heard a "wow" from our crew. >> yes, it's a very roomy bag. you can get a lot in there. >> it fits like a small person. >> jill martin, as always, thank you so much. a reminder the products are sweaters by calvin klein jeans, we have the bras by breeze comfort, a five-piece hair care package by rock your hair, pave diamond necklaces and the bags by lola bernard. remember, they will all get to you by christmas promises jill. pick up this week's edition of "us weekly."

jill will take more of your questions on twitter. speaking of tweeting, coming up, getting a handle on college applications. we're going to help parents and students navigate the digital age. i didn't write it, i'm just reading it. first these messages. can you believe it another thanksgiving. oh your turkey was delicious like always sweetheart. ah...thanks mom. bye. drive safely. yes, we will we will love you. ♪ it's beginning to look a lot like christmas ♪ ♪ toys in every store. egg nog? ♪ the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be on your own front door ♪ that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun.

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which is more effective at absorbing odors than baking soda. fresh step. your cat deserves the best. look for new fresh step, with better odor elimination than ever before. well, earlier today our crowd showed its holiday spirit by donating toys and books for our 18th annual toy drive here at rockefeller center. we want to thank santa's helpers, the band hot chelle rae, who came out and collected some of those toys a little bit earlier. >> someone else has been contributing generously through the years, the ceo of tupperw e

tupperware. guys, good to see you. >> good to be here. >> rick, you guys every year step up to the placement what are you doing this year? >> a quarter of a million dollars worth of shape-os. all those that we sold over the years would extend from new york to paris if you put them end to end. >> nicholas, speaking of the boys and girls club, you guys have been so generous, tell me about how it has changed your life. >> it's just been a huge thing ever since the first time i came. i came from a tough childhood, i was abandoned by my parents, went through a lot of foster parents. but when i came to the club, i was introduced to lots of mentors, they have done everything for me and it's always that place to go. >> nick, thank you for being here. rick, thank you for your donation every year. we appreciate it. >> $60 million you have raised for the boys and girls club. >> if you want to donate head to our website, today.com. we'll be back in a moment, but first your local news.

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and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement. it's an amazing holiday deal. but don't wait. it's only available for a limited time. so go to verizon.com/superoffer to sign up. act now and we'll add a special bonus -- $300 back. fios delivers the best picture quality, plus america's fastest, most consistent most reliable internet. spend the holidays saving money. switch to fios and get our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement when you order online. save $840 in your first two years. and don't forget your special bonus -- $300 back. hurry, offer ends soon. go to verizon.com/superoffer. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities

that's verizon.com/superoffer. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. fios. a network ahead. >> good morning, everyone. will be another mile day to day. we will traded off for a good chance for rain. late into the morning in the early afternoon hours, keep that in mind. high temperatures between 60 and 65. it will be cooler and quiet for the rest of the week. high temperature

♪ ♪ as long as i can have you here with me ♪ >> that's the boy from brooklyn, neil diamond. he's been writing songs for 50 years. tomorrow on "today" he's bringing his signature style to the studio and going to help us out with our toy drive. neil diamond, the one and only, tomorrow only on "today." >> can't wait to see him here. coming up in this half hour, it was 30 years ago today that hollywood lost one of its biggest stars, natalie wood. and this morning for the first time since her death, we'll have an exclusive interview with the harbormaster who helped coordinate the search on the night that she drowned. also ahead, you guys

remember waiting by the mailbox for those thick, you hoped they would be thick, envelopes from the college admissions office? those days apparently are coming to an end. now universities are moving into the digital age. everything from virtual tours to online applications and essays, so we've got the crib notes or should we say e-mails for parents to help their child stand out from the pack. >> they have been turned down by colleges on line. >> and don't tweet the college admissions essay. holiday party planning with noted chef ed brown. he's going to be here with some simple seafood dishes that will impress your guests. oh, that looks good. >> i always love when ed brown comes. >> first you've got a check of the weather. >> as we show you what's happening for today, we've got heavy rain moving into the mid-atlantic and northeast later tonight. rain changing over to snow in the upper midwest. rain moves into the pacific northwest. sunny and mild through the southwest. tomorrow rain and snow spreading across the plains. look for morning showers in

northern new england, some lake-effect snows the eastern side of the great lakes. the southern half of the country looks good. for our tree lighting tomorrow, 5:00 p.m. temperature 55 and clear. 9:0048 and enclosure. savannah will be wearing a lovely winter white coat. >> i won't be. >> sure you will. >> al has already looked at my outfit for tomorrow night and rejected it. so i guess i'll be shopping this afternoon. >> can i go with you? >> absolutely not. i need a little space from you right now. >> it's been rough on savannah this morning. sa savannah, i >> good morning. rain showers will be likely, especially as we have to the late morning and early afternoon hours.

and that's your latest weather. >> fantastic. thank you, al. we're going to say hello to ramon, the latest contestant to have the scales tip against him on nbc's hit show "the biggest loser." ramon, good morning. good to have you here. >> good morning. i love it, it makes me feel right at the ranch, right? >> you started at 355 pounds. >> yes, sir. >> and lost more that 86. you look terrific. what's your total loss? >> definitely. right now iem right around 130 pounds. >> you look amazing. >> thank you. >> this show really saved your life. you said when you got to the ranch you were dying and you didn't know it. you had diabetes and you were diagnosed there on the ranch. tell bus that. >> definitely. i didn't go to the doctor for a long time, probably since college, seven, eight years. i found out that i had diabetes

on the ranch. amongst sleep appear nnea and o things. i don't have any of it anymore. >> ramon, you lost all the weight. do i have this right, you found a girlfriend on the ranch? >> i definitely did. >> that's pretty good. >> i'm a winner already. me and jess are together and we're having a great life. you know, we're healthy every day. >> you went skydiving together. i think we have video of that. >> crazy enough, we did go skydiving and i did say before that you were going to have to kick me out of a plane, but i jumped and got it done. >> good for you. you got your life back. >> what's your goal weight? >> right around 190 pounds or so, i think. that's a nice goal weight to live by. >> that's fantastic. ramon, thank you. >> there you are stepping off that plane. >> that's fantastic. >> wow. >> that's amazing. you go, ramon. >> thank you. >> thank you so much. >> ramon, thank you so much. celebrity hairstylist kim and fashion expert jenny help transform the final five contestants in a special

makeover episode of "the biggest loser" that airs tonight at 8:00/7:00 central right here on nbc. coming up next, one of the men who searched for natalie wood 30 years ago, tells us what he saw the night she drowned coming up right after this. [ grandma ] ok. ♪ ah. then we will all do it together. treats! teets...teets...teets... yeah, look at this. [ female announcer ] it seems like the best family traditions... always start in the kitchen. ♪ rice krispies®. happy holidays. rice krispies®. here's a little holiday secret. there's only one place that has the new kardashian kollection. apostrophe, uk style by french connection. structure and bongo... all under one roof. sears has all the styles they love, at prices you'll love.

and all the money you save... well, that can be your little secret. right now, get an extra 15% off with your savings pass. that's real gifts. real joy. sears 's new baked pasta romanas. ruffled pasta, layered with creamy fontina and asiago cheeses, and oven-baked just for you. try it with pan seared chicken with toscano tomatoes. or, try it with braised beef. for a limited time, only at olive garden. ♪ hark how the bells, sweet silver bells ♪ ♪ all seem to say throw care away ♪ ♪ from everywhere, filling the air ♪ [ female announcer ] chex party mix. easy 15-minute homemade recipes you just pop in a microwave. like caramel chocolate drizzles. happier holidays. chex party mix.

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tastes like it's brewed just for you. because it is. it has been three decades since the death of natalie wood. now with police reinvestigating her drowning, witnesses are coming forward to talk about what they saw that fateful night. one of those witnesses talked exclusively to nbc's miguel almaguer who's in los angeles. miguel, good morning. >> reporter: natalie, good morning to you. it was 30 years ago today that natalie wood's body was found off the shores of catalina island. harbor master doug oden helped coordinate the search that night

and he's telling his story for the first time since 1981. >> it's always bothered me that things went the way they did. >> reporter: november 29th, 1981, 2:00 a.m. harbormaster doug oden boards natalie wood's yacht shortly after she is reported missing. also aboard, her husband, robert wagner, actor christopher walken and the captain, dennis davern. >> they had been drinking and it was a little difficult getting information from them initially because they were slurring their words. >> reporter: according to the three men, after a long night of drinking, an argument broke out and wood went to her cabin at the back of the boat, when wood and the boat's dinghy went missing, wagner told investigators he initially thought his wife had taken the dinghy back to shore. the author of the biography say friends told her wood had a fear

of water. >> i certainly don't think that she went into the dinghy. i think she went overboard in a way that was beyond her control. >> reporter: sometime after 10:00 that night, wood went into the water. the first call for help went out at 1:00 in the morning, just after 5:00 a.m., search crews found wood's dinghy, oden broke the news to wagner. >> he was very, very concerned that she was missing. i know he's an actor, but there's some things that you just can't fake. >> reporter: oden was with wagner when the radio call came in. wood's body had been found floating near the dinghy. neither wagner, walker or davern has ever claimed to know when wood went into the water. they always maintain the death was an accident but the captain now claims wagner delayed getting help for wood when he realized she was missing. >> i think it was a matter of we're not going to look too

hard, we're not going to turn on the search light or notify anybody right at the moment. >> reporter: doug oden believes if the search had started soon their night, she might still be alive today. >> it was pretty evident, i think, when they found her that she had been clinging to the dinghy for quite a while. >> neither robert wagner nor christopher walken have talked publicly since the case has reopened, but wagner said in a statement that his family welcomes the investigation. natalie. >> miguel almaguer in los angeles. thanks so much, miguel. coming up next, switching gears. applying to college in the digital age. what parents and students need to know right after this. [ female announcer ] ornaments are not for decorating. dad. did you know it's 22 days, 11 hours and 2 minutes to christmas? [ mumbling ] ...enny days, 8 hours, 9 minutes... 18 days, 17 hours... [ mom ] let's go, young lady. [ female announcer ] they're for building excitement for christmas. 12 days, 18 hours... come on. it's no days! [ female announcer ] the hallmark countdown to christmas ornament.

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back now with applying to college in the digital age. from virtual campus tours to youtube application videos, today's college admissions process has changed dramatically in just a few years. so how can parents and students keep up with the times? cat coen is the ceo and founder of ivywise. it's changed since i did my college admissions back in 1946, so tell me how the digital age has changed the college admissions process. >> students have college information readily available at their finger tips and they can learn a lot about many more colleges today than they used to. you can go online and look at a course catalog, you can participate in an online college fair, you can do virtual tours, and the common application, otherwise known as the common app, is very widely used today.

and it's an online application form that can be sent to any of 456 colleges. through the touch of a button you can apply up to 20 colleges and students have unprecedented access to admissions officers, current students, alumni, include college's facebook pages or blogs, twitter, linkedin, youtube, you name it. >> and we'll talk about some of the etiquette issues that raises in a moment, but first on the flip side of things, how are the colleges using this same technology to entice students? >> well, they're attracting students from all over the u.s. and abroad internationally because they have this open resource of information, so answering students' questions, really creating an online persona. for example johns hopkins has hopkins interactive and it's an aggregate of all their blogs, twitter handles, photos and videos. also schools are using it in the application process itself. for example, tufts university is allowing students to actually submit a youtube video as part

of their application. they're also conducting online information sessions and interviews and they're welcoming and socializing, their admitted students through an incoming class facebook page or youtube videos. >> i'm sure folks are wondering is it still worth it to go and visit the campus. can you learn most of what you need to know online. >> well, it is still worth it i'd say. all of this digital media is an enhancement but not a replacement. the certain things that you're not going to get, like just even the feel of the campus when you get there and understanding what other real students are like or sitting in on a class or even how far away the school is from home. if you get on a plane for five hours, that's different than looking at a school from the  comfort of your living room. >> let's talk about this technology. you talked about it a minute ago. now we live in a day and age where prospective students might have the e-mail of the dean of admissions, perhaps could try to friend the dean of admissions or send that person a tweet. would you advise that kind of

contact? >> no. students need to be careful. they're used to expressing themselves in up to 160 characters or 140 tweets and using internet slang like lol or brb. with an admissions officer you want to make sure you're more formal, well written and grammatically correct. while it's great to like a college's facebook page you don't want to friend request the dean of admissions. >> no question about that. you also say students should protect their own online identity. >> colleges are looking at students. i know someone who hired someone in the admissions office whose sole job is to view applicants' social media. so it's really important to make sure that you are looking at everything you're posting online. i tell students whatever you post needs to pass the grandparents test. if you don't want your grandparents to see it, don't post it. you want to eliminate any questionable photos. you know almost all the photos are questionable.

>> party pictures. >> and not reading that book in the library. but there is a way to turn this around for a student and we teach students how to use social media to their favor so they can showcase their skills and talents. post photos of artwork or video of you playing soccer or violin. >> reading quad rattic evasions on friday night. some really good advice. thanks so much. appreciate it. coming up next, super seafood for your next holiday party. first, this is "today" on nbc.

this morning in "today's holiday kitchen" gourmet seafood recipes made easy. chef ed brown is a collaborator at ed's shoud chowder house. so good to see you, ed. how's it going. >> good to see you. happy holidays to you. >> so we're making crab cakes

today. >> i want to start off by mentioning, do you know i've been cooking these on air here for almost 20 years? this same recipe. we're doing the fresh version. >> thank goodness. i know at restaurant associates, they want the fresh stuff. >> they do. >> we're starting with mayonnaise. i actually use prepared. i use hellman's. it has a certain flavor, i really love it. old bay seasoning, cayenne pepper, dump it in. give me an egg yolk. okay. >> a little mustard. >> a little dijon mustard. >> whisk it together. >> what kind of crab? >> this is blue crab. go ahead and mix that up a little bit. >> but you don't want to bust it up too much? >> we want to see those nice big lumps. >> right. all right. then you've got an ice cream scoop. >> we're not making a sundae.

scoop it in there and then pack it in pretty good. and then right out into the crumbs. >> what kind of bread crumbs or crumbs are these? >> these are corn flake crumbs. all we do is gently put them on there. and then lightly pick it up so you hold it together. and just form it a little bit right onto your baking tray. a little tiny pat of butter on top. >> you're baking these, not frying them? >> bake them, not fry them. just bake it until they're hot because everything is cooked except for the egg yolks. these are fresh scallops. >> i've never seen them before. >> so scallops, you just open them like this and there's your little scallop. all of this is part of the abductor muscle that we're going to scrape away. when they come out of the shell, they look like this. >> okay. >> i've got my scallops cooking. >> and this is a simple dish you can make? >> that's the whole idea, we want to make this as easy as

possible. butter, olive oil, sauteing my scallops. a little rosemary flavors the butter, which flavors the scallops. >> and how long on each side? >> about two minutes on each side. here's a little potato puree. i've got roasted garlic puree. the roasted garlic goes into a pan, olive oil, salt and pepper, some rosemary. i just squeeze that garlic out. look at this. bingo. >> oh, yeah. >> nice, fresh garlic. >> you just roast that in the oven? >> i roast that in the oven. when it comes out, i take the pieces, save some like that, puree the rest to make my puree. i'm going to put a little bit of this puree down on the plate. >> okay. ladies, just in time. >> yeah! >> very good, savannah. >> we've been working on that. >> very nice. wow. you've been really using your muscle, even though those are scallops.

>> ed, it goes downhill from here. >> it always does. >> we've got chowder, we've got our loaded chowder from chowder house, we've got our biscuits, some bite-size crab cakes. >> there we go. >> and you're opening up a new restaurant. >> with restaurant associates in philadelphia called wrrittenhou tavern. >> happy holidays. still to come, hoda and kathie lee will share some laughs with betty white. >> first your local news and weather. >> and al and i make up. [ male announcer ] are you paying more and more for cable

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