good morning. tragedy on the mountain -- a group of skiers caught up in an avalanche near a popular resort in washington state. three men have died. a fourth woman wearing a special air bag for skiing survived. this morning she'll share her story. culture wars. rick santorum is trying to explain his comment that appeared to question president obama's faith. as mitt romney deals with fallout over the sudden resignation of his campaign co-chair in a key battleground state. and laid to rest. whitney houston buried next to her father in a private ceremony in new jersey, one day after an

emotional memorial service. how is her young daughter holding up? houston's godmother opens up today, monday, february 20th, houston's godmother opens up today, monday, february 20th, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to "today" on a president's day monday morning. i'm savannah guthrie. >> i'm carl quintanilla. matt and ann have the morning off. the avalanche is the deadliest in washington state in years. >> there were warnings of avalanche danger at the time of the accident. the skiers were on the back side of the e resort in an area marked out of bounds when they were swept nearly a quarter mile down a canyon. ahead, the survivor speaks out. >> and closing auments

delivered in the trial of a former university of virginia lacrosse player accused of killing his ex-girlfriend. the case will be in the hands of the jury this week. >> plus the academy awards will be handed out sunday. we're getting a look at who cast the deciding votes for oscar. >> the group isn't as diverse as you might expect. we'll have more on that later on. >> first the deadly news of the avalanche in washington state. kristen dahlgren has the latest. >> reporter: the avalanche occurred shortly before noon in what officials call a ski at your own risk area near stevens pass ski resort. a dozen skiers were seen headed into 7th heaven. >> we lost three amazinging people. two were my really good friends. >> reporter: joel hammond was part of the group and described what he and a fellow skier saw. >> right when he crossed over the hill we noticed a three to four-foot fracture about 30

yards to his right. >> reporter: hammond said he watched as the skiers, including pro elise sagstad were carried nearly 2,000 feet. >> this is approximately where the slide started. it would have carried the victims down to here. >> at one point they were all buried in the snow. they managed to dig themselves out. at that point they realized three of them are in distress. they began cpr. >> reporter: it was too late for the skiers. three men -- aged 30, 35, and 45 -- were pronounced dead on the mountainside. the men were well known to the local community and especially to the ski patrol. >> it's a sad day. tough when you have a death and when you have three at one time it's really hard on all of the staff. >> reporter: for "today," kristen dahlgren, nbc news, los angeles. >> elyse saugstad is with us

now. good morning. >> good morning. >> it's been around 24 hours since this happened. how are you doing? >> i'm in shock and absolutely devastated at the loss of our friends. my heart goes out to their families and the skiing community. >> three skiers passed away in this incident. did you know them well? >> yes. i knew two of them really well. >> you were out with a large group skiing and suddenly the earth beneath you started moving. can you take us back to the moment? what triggered this avalanche? >> one of the skiers triggered the avalanche. the skiers below caught in the avalanche were continued to be in a safe zone. we didn't really anticipate it, but when we saw it happening, we knew exactly what was happening. it's amazing how quickly an

avalanche happens. it progresses rapidly into something major. when i was caught in it, i immediately pulled my air bag. >> i want to talk to you about it. but if you can take us back to the moments as you remember them, i imagine you are in shock but you were swept some 2,000 feet. how did it feel? how did it sound? what was that experience like? >> there wasn't much sound. literally just trying to figure out what exactly is happening and how you're going to deal with this. there is not a lot of thought. it happens really, really fast. literally seconds. >> did you feel yourself panicking in that moment? >> at the very beginning there wasn't much panic. i didn't think it was going to turn into the size of avalanche that it was. but once i was swept in it, it was a long ride and there was a lot of time to think. that's for sure. >> you mentioned you had

deployed your avalanche air bag system. i know you believed that saved your life. >> yes. i'm certain that saved my life. >> how does it work? >> essentially an air bag system, you have a normal backpack. what happens is you have a lever to pull by your chest. what happens is it deploys an air bag that comes up and around your upper body. essentially it's lifting you up above the avalanche so it's -- you more or less stay on top. it's not like you're taking an inner tube ride down some snowy field. you definitely are in the avalanche and it feels like you're in a washing machine, being flipped and tumbled and it's white the entire way. it's scary. >> you are a professional skier. this area was under, as i understand it, a high avalanche danger because there had been a powerful storm. do you believe you had

sufficient warning? >> yes. the avalanche danger wasn't at high when we went out that morning. all of the signs that led up to us being there were signs we felt comfortable and safe being there. all of us were experienced backcountry skiers. we felt we were in the right place. >> any question that you will ski again? >> i will definitely ski again. i think my friends that just passed away would be devastated if we didn't continue in the spirit of skiing. >> what a 24 hours for you. we're so sorry at the loss of your friends. thanks for being with us. >> thank you. >> and now here's carl. >> savannah, thanks. now to the presidential race and the comment by rick santorum drawing heat from president obama's campaign. nbc's peter alexander is in salt lake city, utah, with details.

peter, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. president obama's re-election team has largely focused attention on mitt romney. but increasingly it's turning an eye to rick santorum, the latest example, a sharp back and forth after santorum appeared to question the president's faith. facing a surge of scrutiny to go with his surging poll numbers, rick santorum is trying to define himself before his opponents can make their attacks stick. >> someone who can clearly go after president obama on issue after issue, draw clear bright contrasts, make him accountable. >> reporter: but first, santorum is trying to clarify this comment questioning the values behind president obama's energy policy. >> it's about some phony ideal, some phony theology. oh, not a theology based on the bible. a different theology. but no less a theology. >> reporter: the obama campaign blasted the remarks as well over the line. >> it's just time to get rid of this mindset in our politics

that if we disagree we have to question character and faith. >> reporter: on sunday, santorum argued he wasn't criticizing the president's faith, but his world view. >> uh i have repeatedly said i don't question the president's faith. i believe he's christian, he says he's christian. but i'm talking about his world view or the way he approaches problems in this country. they are different than how most people do in america. >> reporter: santorum is reviewing another hot button issue arguing the health care overhaul rerequiring insurers to pay for prenatal testing leads to abortion. >> a lot of deformities are dealt with in utero and the customary way is to have abortion. >> reporter: mitt romney basking in the glow of the tenth anniversary of the salt lake city olympics he helped rescue faced another distraction this weekend.

his arizona cochair resigned from the campaign after allegations of misconduct with a man with which he had a relationship. he denied he tried to deport his ex-boyfriend if the man revealed his relationship. >> all these allegations in one of these newspapers are absolutely, completely false except for the issues that refer to me as being gay. >> reporter: all four of the republican candidates will be together wednesday for their next debate. arizona and michigan vote a week from tomorrow. there is growing concern among top republican leaders that if mitt romney cannot win michigan where he was born and raised, the republican party may need to recruit another candidate. carl? >> peter alexander in salt lake city. thanks. >> now a check of the day's other top stories. tamron hall is at the news desk for natalie.

good morning. >> good morning. nuclear inspectors from the uniteded nations are in tehran pushing for talks with iranian officials. this as the u.s. and britain urge israel not to attack iran. nbc's stephanie gosk is in tel aviv, israel, with more. good morning, stephanie. >> reporter: good morning. mixed messages keep coming out of tehran. you have the iaea resuming discussions about iran's nuclear program but at the same time the government said it will ban all oil exports to france and britain. this is a preemptive strike after europe's decision to ban imports from iran starting july 1. there is new pressure put on the israeli government not to attack iran's nuclear facilities. you had the joint chief of staff martin dempsey telling cnn over the weekend it would not be prudent and it would destabilize the region and you had the british foreign minister saying sanctions and political, diplomatic pressure have to be

given a chance to work. today on the ground in israel tom donaldan will be meeting with the defense minister. he's just the latest u.s. official on the ground here having high level talks about iran. tamron? >> thank you very much. whitney houston has been buried next to her father in a brief, private ceremony at a new jersey cemetery sunday. on saturday, friends and family gathered for a star-studded funeral in the singer's birthplace of newark, new jersey. we'll have more coming up in a live report. southern states are digging out after a wintry blast. the storm dropped several inches of snow from the virginias and north carolina after what was a mild winter. tens of thousands of homes lost electricity and slippery roads caused dozens of accidents. here comes the son as rupert murdoch is ready to announce his successor. the sun will replace the best

selling paper. news of the world staffers illegally hackeded into phones and forced murdoch to close the tabloid. two pilots are lucky to be alive after a plane and helicopter clipped each other over california. the pilots were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. no word on what caused the accident. and the colbert report returns tonight. the satirical news show took a hiatus after stephen colbert's 91-year-old mother took ill. colbert thanked everyone for thoughts and prayers on twitter t. now back to savannah, carl and stephanie. >> good morning, stephanie. >> good morning. we have more snow to talk about. it will be through the rockies and plains.

we could see three to six inches in localized areas. the storm is starting to get its act together. it will head north and east. the big story is the warm temperatures yet again. look at that. chicago, 42 degrees in the middle of february. >> good morning. we will see clearing skies as we go through the morning and it will become mostly sunny this afternoon. carl, over to you. >> stephanie, thanks. whitney houston was laid to rest on sunday, a day after a star-filled funeral to celebrate her life. we'll talk to her godmother in a moment. first, craig melvin is in new

jersey with the details. good morning. >> reporter: carl, good morning to you. balloons and flowers behind me are part of the public memorial that's grown since her death. new hope baptist church, the site of saturday's funeral. a final farewell to a tall a -- talented women many hoped was on the verge of a comeback. whitney houston's body arrived at its final resting place in westfield new jersey, ending a weekend filled with stories and songs, a celebration of houston's life. saturday, family and friends gathered in her hometown of newark, new jersey for a funeral service that lasted nearly four hours. actor and producer tyler perry talked about her faith. >> she loved the lord. if there was a grace that carried her through it was the same grace that carried her home. >> reporter: music executive

clive davis and long-time mentor talked about the legendary voice. >> is there any performance of the star-spangled banner that remotely compares to her? [ applause ] >> reporter: and kevin costner, whitney's costar in "the body guard" had a moving message for girls dreaming of being like houston. >> think whitney would tell you, guard your bodies and guard the precious miracle of your own life. and then sing your hearts out knowing that there is a lady in heaven who is making god himself wonder how he created something so perfect. ♪ and i will always love you >> reporter: it was houston's own voice, a powerful rendition of "i will always love you" that brought the service to a dramatic close. the day was not without drama.

houston's ex-husband bobbi brown who was invited to the funeral left early. he said he and his guests were asked to switch seats three different times. brown released a statement saying in part, quote, in light of the events i gave a kiss to the casket of my ex-wife and departed as i refused to create a scene. this was a day to honor whitney. i doubt whitney would have wanted this to occur. at a concert sunday night brown briefly mentioned his ex-wife. >> whitney, i love you. >> reporter: more than a week after houston's death, the cause is still unknown. results of a toxicology report are still pending and officials say results of that could take weeks. while speculation continues to swirl, family, friends and fans alike say what will forever remain is the very thing that made houston famous -- the voice. ♪ i look to you

>> reporter: more on that career resurgence. a lot of attention will be paid to the film "sparkle." that was the movie whitney houston was working on last before her death. it is set for a summer release. carl? >> craig, thank you very much. darlene love was whitney houston's godmother and attended the service and burial. thank you for being with us. >> thank you. >> tough weekend. the service was described as emotional for many but also beautiful. i wonder what stood out to you from the service on saturday. >> you know, when we have funeral services we don't call them funerals. we call them homegoing ceremonies. the one thing that stuck out is when some of the ministers were speaking they were saying that people have to be better to entertainers, nicer to them. when we walk out on stage we give them 200%.

we're theirs, you know. that's the way we feel. that's the way i feel when i walk out on stage. >> clive davis talked about her voice. just her sheer ability to sing. he said when he first heard "the greatest love of all," it shattered him, in his words. is her voice the legacy? >> it is. and it will be forever. there is never going to be another sound like that in life. that was it. >> i was surprised to hear kevin costner talk about her insecurities. >> yes. >> even when she was a global phenomenon, still wondering if fans would like her in this or that. >> we have those insecurities. we're not sure. but each of us have that. we are insecure about different things, especially when we leave what we really know what we are doing and go to television or movies. that's an insecurity we have. we have it and we get over it. >> how did whitney get over that, do you think? >> i think her faith in god.

because her mother, her whole family, they are all christians. they believe in god. that's our strength. that's what we hang on to. >> you mentioned her family. for her mom cissy, her daughter bobbi kristina and over the weekend there were reports that bobbi kristina's whereabouts were unknown for some time. >> that's not true. she was with us. she was with the family. the burial was very emotional and the best thing was it was like a procession. the people lined the streets and we looked out of the windows of the car and they were crying. so it made cissy and kristina feel good. everybody is getting over yesterday. now it's a closure and now we have to go on with life because wi whitney would have wanted that. >> you mentioned the fans. the run on her music over the

past week. what does that mean to you? >> they loved her, no matter what. our fan, no matter what we do. they say things but they love us uncondition unconditionally. we talked about it going to the burial. the streets were lined with hundreds of people up to the cemetery. they were waving and crying. that was so emotional to us. but it really made us feel good. >> finally, craig mentioned "sparkle." this was talked about as her comeback and of course it will be her final good-bye. is that bittersweet? >> it is. there is a line in one of her songs called "bittersweet," but we'll watch it, love it and move on. >> darlene love, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us today. >> you're welcome. >> we're back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc. hhhhhhhh

killing his ex-girlfriend enters its final phase. we'll have details. >> and bethany fran kel about the bizarre ailment that sent her to the hospital. is to keep it whole for better nutrition. and that's what they do with great grains cereal. see the seam on the wheat grain? same as on the flake. because great grains steams and bakes the actual whole grain. now check out the other guy's flake. hello, no seam. because it's more processed. now, which do you suppose has better nutrition for you? mmm. great grains. the whole whole grain cereal. . hey, you made your own lunch. yep! (mom) i'm so proud of you. the bus is here, gotta go mom. okay hunny, have a great day.

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>> good morning. i am stan stovall. 7:26. maryland is one step closer to legalizing same-sex marriage. the bill is expected to head to the state senate for debate were

supporters are confident it will pass. .t is not a done deal yet t let's check on the forecast. we dodged a bullet. >> the snow did not happen. heavy snow back in parts of virginia. of snow in some places there. even a coating in some parts of maryland. easton, cambridge got a little bit of snow. even some snow at ocean city. but nothing for us. the backside of this, some high, thin cloud cover left behind as the storm puts it -- as the storm pulls off the coast. we would get some sunshine through the day today. cloudy now, breezy, the wind kicking up behind the storm, gusting to 17. 49 degrees at the airport. colder in the suburbs, but not

much. 31 in parton, 32 in jarrett to tell. -- and parks and, 32 in jarrett seville. mostly sunny as we head into the afternoon. the breeze will stay with us. northwest wind at 10 to 50 miles per hour, high temperatures between 45 and 50 degrees. seven-day forecast, it will warm up nicely. temperatures will still be in the upper 40's to around 50 tomorrow. the chance for a shower, in the middle to upper 50's wednesday and thursday. and thursday. a strong cold front goes

the difference between hiding my skin and showing it off? jergens ultra healing moisturizer. even my driest skin looks healthier, instantly. jergens is the difference between i'm here, and here i am. jergens®. the beautiful difference. 7:30 on this monday morning, february 20, 2012. our crowd enjoying the start of this president's day holiday with a stop in rockefeller plaza. we thank them for that. we'll head outside in a few minutes to say hello. meantime back in studio 1a i'm carl quintanilla alongside savannah guthrie. matt and ann have the morning off. ahead, jury deliberations are set to begin at the high profile murder trial of a former lacrosse player at the university of virginia accused of killing his former girlfriend. this after dramatic closing arguments on saturday. we'll get the latest on that coming up. >> also ahead, how do you fix the country's struggling

economy? dylan ratigan is here to tell us why he thinks america has allowed itself to be swindled and robbed. >> and bethenny frankel tweeted recently about a trip to the hospital after a bizarre ailment. she'll explain that and give us a sneak peek at the new season of her reality show. >> we begin with new developments at the trial of a former lacrosse player, george huguely. mike viqueira has the details this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. if it's one thing that's clear after the two-week trial this was a tangled relationship of jealousy, mutual infidelity and drinking. now jurors must decide if huguely went to yeardley love's apartment intent on killing her or whether her death was a tragic accident. it's been a wrenching two-week trial for the family and friends of the victim and accused. now the fate of george huguely charged with killing ex-girlfriend yeardley love is in the jury's hands.

in his closing argument dave chapman became emotional, scoffing at huguely's claim that he went to love's apartment the night she died to talk things over pointing out the hole punched in love's door when she wouldn't let him in. what kind of conversation is that, chapman said? that's the beginning of terror. chapman reminded people of the e-mail huguely sent love. it read, i should have killed you. just days later chapman charged huguely went to love's apartment, beat her and left her to die slowly in her bed. during the trial experts testified love died of blunt force trauma to the head. the final defense witness told jurors he didn't think a blow to the head killed love. >> could you explain why you do not think she died of trauma. >> i thought she died of oxygen deprivation. >> reporter: another witness said it was a combination of the

alcohol she drank and huguely's trauma. he portrayed huguely as incaleable of planning and carrying out love's murder calling his client stupid, drunk and not calculating, a boy athlete. lawrence suggested jurors consider the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter instead of premeditated murder. legal experts say huguely's drunkenness the night of love's death may bolster the case. legally, if george huguely was so drunk he couldn't form a coherence thought then he can't be guilty under virginia law of first-degree murder. >> reporter: supporters on both sides will have to wait longer for an outcome. the jury begins deliberation wednesday after the long holiday weekend. >> thank you. janine piero is host of justice with judge janine. good morning. good to see you. >> good morning. >> this case has two theories of

first-degree murder. the first is george huguely premeditated the killing. have they shown premeditation? >> there can be an argument they have based on the evidence that huguely, the defendant held the victim in a choke hold but more importantly also said, i should have killed you. they theorized that when he knocked down the door to her bedroom when she was alone and by herself it proves there was intent, malice and premeditation. >> we'll talk about the defense in meemt. they argue george huguely was too drunk to premeditate a killing. let's talk about the other prosecution theory which is felony murder. that he went to steal a laptop and in the course of that, she was killed. is this stretching the outer limits? >> no. felony murder is part of the criminal justice system in this country today. what it does is eliminates on the part of the prosecution the need to prove intent. if during the course of a felony

someone dies you are held to the same level of crime as if it were intentional murder. the question is did he commit a felony? did he commit robbery by taking the laptop? i don't think there is a question he took it. did he intend to assault her and that was a felony that occurred? there are a lot of arguments that can be made as a basis for felony murder for which he would face 40 years in prison. >> we saw the prosecutor get emotional delivering his closing argument. is that unusual? might it be effective with the jury? >> as someone who has tried cases the summation is the crescendo of the trial where you bring out all the pain and suffering of a young woman who died for no reason whose reputation has been trashed during the course of the trial. the autopsy pictures, crime scene photos. she dies in her own blood. she's left for dead. it was a slow and painful death. she's a beautiful young girl. there was no reason for her to die.

sure, the prosecutor will get emotional. sometimes they show it and sometimes they don't. in the courtroom, a lot of people crying. a lot of pain. a vicious, horrible murder for no reason. >> let's talk about the defense here. this is not a case where an attorney is asking for a not guilty verdict. he's asking for the least serious homicide charge, involuntary manslaughter. he said george huguely did not calculate this, didn't premeditate it. that he was so intoxicated he could not form intent to kill. is this one of the rare cases where intoxication can be a defense? >> if you want to kill someone, you hate someone, you think, i'll get drunk, kill them and be let off. it doesn't work that way. can the intoxication diminish intent and make it involuntary manslaughter, pos blichlt but there is so much history, so much in terms of his threats to her and a volatile relationship tweep the two of them i don't think the jury will let him off

on that. >> separate and apart that the defense didn't call huguely to the stand? >> my sense is he's got a short fuse and unfortunately he's an example of some of the binge drinking at college campuses. >> thank you. now a check of the weather from stephanie abrams who's in for al. >> we're going to talk about the warm temperatures across the country. they are above average anywhere from 5 a to 15 degrees throughout the midwest to the plains as well. otherwise it's pretty dry along the east coast. just a few lingering effects from the weekend system. the big story is in the center >> good morning. we have some cloud cover left behind but that will be clearing. it will become mostly sunny into the afternoon.

>> and it's prom season. guess what we have here? >> ben mac far land. i want to ask carey ray to prom. >> is she seeing it? >> yes! [ cheers and applause ] >> congratulations. have fun. all you have to do is go to weather.com. savannah. >> we're glad that worked out. up next, are we missing the most important of all when it comes to fixing the economy? plus, looking to save? how to find the best presidents' day sale. first, these messages. ♪ ♪ wow... ♪

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taxes, banking. are you seeing anything from the primary race on the republican side or from the white house that suggests solutions are coming? >> i am not seeing it from washington. i don't think we'll see it from washington. what i am seeing and the reason i have been inspired over the past few weeks and certainly the past few months is you are seeing so many communities in america, carl, that are addressing issues in their own way, in their own world. >> examples? >> austin, texas. invented a lightbulb that's 90% efficient, made in texas, lasts for 30 years. camden, new jersey, dr. jeffrey brenner figured out only 1% of the people there accounted for 30% of the health care costs. he helped them become healthier. also health care collapsed in the community because the people

who are the most sick are being addressed. therefore people who do it with crime, education. san francisco figured out people -- you and i learn at different rates of speed. why should my pressure or your pressure on me affect what we are learning when we can work with youtube lectures and go to a classroom with less pressure. there is a lot of innovative thought in america outside washington. >> your point is washington will be the last to react. >> i believe that. >> meanwhile you are embarking on a 30 million jobs tour. you are taking your show to three college campuses this week -- kentucky, ohio state and university of chicago. >> the wildcats, buckeyes and the phoenix. >> why 30 million? >> the number is derived from the u-6 number. the underemployed, those getting one or two hours a week along with the unemployed. if you look at the people in america that don't have work by that measure it's 30 million people.

our goal with this whole tour going back to when we launched it in january is to reframe the conversation around the scale. we need 30 million jobs. i know i can't do it. i would be defiant to anyone who suggested they could. as a result we have to all start oh talk about what are the systems, the flows of money. trade deficit, tax reform, bank reform. things that affect trillions of dollars. you can't have this sort of prosperity that we are this close to. my whole thing is every problem is a job. this is my best example. knicks needed a point guard, jeremy lin got a job. >> he'll probably keep it, too. you say the debt is no longer the point. it's too big to be managed. >> yes. >> you have to focus on economic growth. >> for me when you look at the overall liabilities, hundreds of trillions in the swaps market. tens of trillions around all

sorts of issues we talk about. i can tax rich people and i can talk austerity until i'm blue in the face. if i spent a million dollars a day since jesus christ was born i would not have spent a trillion dollars. it is only going to be debt restructuring and massive growth driven policies that release to the point of the college tour the youthful passion and energy to experiment and find new and more efficient super innovations, things that cost less and give us more. that's the path out. we just have to relax into it and enjoy it. >> we'll watch on tour this week. dylan ratigan. to read an excerpt of the book head to our website. catch his show weekdays at 4:00 p.m. eastern on msnbc. still ahead, who decides hollywood's highest honors. the oscar voters, unmasked. first, these messages. [clucking].

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[ ilona ] i came to ge after the plant i was working at closed after 33 years. ge's giving me the chance to start back over. [ cindy ] there's construction workers everywhere. so what does that mean? it means work. it means work for more people. [ brian ] there's a bright future here, and there's a chance to get on the ground floor of something big, something that will bring us back. not only this company, but this country. ♪ hip-hop music is very popular in the united states, of course. now it's thriving in an unlikely place. ian williams is here to explain. ian, good to see you. >> good morning. good to be here. this isn't something i ever expected to find in somewhere like myanmar, the former burma. most of the reports we have been doing there over the years have been about repression. but changes are taking place. big changes. and surprising changes. i experienced one face of that when i hooked up with a bunch of

hip-hop dissidents. myanmar's top hip-hop band is back on stage. ♪ >> reporter: after an enforced absence while their singer served a three-year prison term for anti-government activities. [ rapping in foreign language ] >> reporter: the band called acid made hip-hop the most popular music among youngsters here. they returned with a brief performance in combative style with a new note of defiance. >> we just want to live a normal life. we want to live freely and we want to do whatever we want. that's all. >> reporter: and there are flickers of hope for that. myanmar is in the grip of unexpected reform from an easing of censorship to the release of political prisoners.

now the lines are much less clear and fans like acid are preparing to push the limit. acid is now bringing together top myanmar artists to record songs in support of political and social change. that's not been attempted for more than 20 years. >> we never wrote the songs like this before. >> we hope the changes would come soon because i think this is the beginning. >> reporter: one of the first new reportings is a reworking of an old myanmar pop song about a young woman who never gives up hope. there is no surprise for getting who that may refer to. they will release it and hold live concerts in the lead-up to april elections in which aung san soo chi is standing. the artists are only too aware of the risks.

some song writers are in jail still for their efforts during the last period of openness here in 1988. >> we don't know what happens next. this is very strange for us. >> it's like an adventure. >> like an adventure. ♪ >> reporter: a potentially dangerous one. but for now these young artists are clinging to the hopeful words of this pop ballad. if you're brave enough, you will overcome everything. with those elections fast approaching, the hip-hop artists aren't the only ones asking how fast and how far the changes can go. >> they are brave to keep singing. ian, thank you for the story. appreciate it. still ahead bethenny frankel will speak out about her health scare, her family and the new season of her reality show. we'll talk to bethenny coming up after your local news and weather.

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>> good morning. it is 17 -- it is 7:56 a.m. the heart build community is remembering a young teenager who was killed in alcohol-relad accident. he had been drinking something called for loco, an alcoholic energy drink, also known as black and a can or liquid cocaine. he fell out of a moving car and was run over by another vehicle. friends gathered to remember his

short-lived. >> we used to play tag in the hallways at school. i do not know what it will be like when i am not in school with him. >> he is not the only son i will never have. they wanted to party. it is said. it is really sad. i do not want to see another family go through this. >> police are still investigating the exact details of the crash. >> we missed the big storm to the south. there were some snow flurries that popped up in baltimore, but all the accumulating snow stayed down of maryland. there was even some snow at ocean city. behind us, there is a little cloud cover. that will take awhile to move out in the next two hours. but then we will get some sunshine. it is 34 degrees and a little breezy. mostly sunny skies as we head into the afternoon.

we will start with the clouds been high temperatures between 45 degrees and 50 degrees. that is not bad for this time of year. mild temperatures will come later this week temperatures will from the go to the mid-to- upper-50'

8:00 now on this presidents' day monday morning, february 20, 2012. the weather is not going to get windy here in the northeast. we have a huge crowd. they're here, not working. they are spending their holiday with us and we are glad to have them here. good morning. i'm savannah guthrie along with carl quintanilla. matt and ann have the morning off. >> a little bit here on the plaza. just ahead, talking about an emotional roller coaster. a new marriage, new baby, new career all at once.

bethenny frankel lives all of it and her reality show starts tonight. she will tell us about her recent health scare and what's going on in her life. we'll catch up in a bit. >> also catch up with other big stars. adam levine of maroon 5, one of the coaches on nbc's "the voice" and oscar winner angelica houston starring in "smash" about a musical based on the life of miracle monroe. >> lots of star power today. and if you want to take advantage of presidents' day sales we'll tell you where to go for furniture, exercise equipment, jewelry and clothes. >> first a check of the top stories with tamron hall in for natalie morales at the news desk. good morning. >> good morning, everyone. three experienced skiers are dead after being caught by an avalanche in an out of bounds area near the popular stevens ski resort in washington state. the men were swept to their

deaths about a quarter mile down a canyon sunday. eight other skiers survived including a woman saved by a safety device. a male snowborder was kiardsnow east of seattle. the latest push to get iranian officials to come clean on nuclear ambitions. iran said it will stop all oil exports to britain and france as a preemptive strike against more sanctions. israel is being pressured by the u.s. and britain not to attack iran's nuclear facilities and instead give sanctions a chance. an adviser to president obama's re-election campaign says rick santorum went, quote, well over the line when he questioned the president's christian values, a charge santorum denies. santorum reignited the debate about the president's health care overhaul alleging that requiring insurers to pay for prenatal testing promotes abortion. ahead of sunday's oscar awards a new study finds

voetsers in the academy are not very diverse. a los angeles times study finds 94% of the 5700 members of the academy of motion picture arts and sciences are white. 77% are men. the academy says minorities should step up and say they want to be included. now here's brian williams with what's coming up tonight on "nightly new". >> coming up, meet the captain teaching a lot of life lessons along with the thrill of the catch. city kids on a fishing boat making a big difference. we'll have that story for you tonight. for now, back to you. >> thank you. now for a look at what's trending today. our quick round-up of what has you talking online. espn said it fired the employee responsible for an offensive headline. meantime linsanity returns as they beat the mavericks.

the audience included kevin cost they are, eva longoria and mark zuckerberg. lindsay lohan's comeback trail will take her to "saturday night live." twitter and facebook lit up as nbc announced the troubled actress will host snl on march 36789. and this video from black sheep films racked up at least half a million hits since it was posted a couple weeks ago. it shows a series of flying amusement park rides defying gravity rolling through a beautiful afternoon in buenos aires. now back to savannah and carl. i'd like to go on that ride. >> looks like fun. nice necklace, carl. >> yours, too. >> it's mardi gras. >> happy mrardi gras. we have a bunch going around today. >> stephanie has the weather. good morning. >> good morning. i don't have beads but look at kendra. she has the hot and it goes down to gloves.

i have never seen such a thing. it's your 15th birthday. what are you doing? >> singing at carnegie hall. >> a lot of people are. very exciting. let's look at the pick city of cincinnati. 44 degrees is the average high. we'll see the sunshine. it will feel warmer than that. right through the center of the country in the northwest is wher >> good morning. we will see clearing skies as we go through the morning and it will become mostly sunny this afternoon. we have chris and family here for presidents' day from

washington. what place have you seen in new york? >> we saw "anything goes" and both my kids were in it at the playhouse locally. >> very nice. so you saw plays and you're also in plays. >> yeah. >> a theatrical group here, carl. >> thank you very much, stephanie. up next, bethenny frankel opens up about her family, her reality series and her recent health scare. we're back after this. ♪ ♪ the snow is snowin' ♪ the wind is blowin' ♪ but i can weather the storm ♪ what do i care how much it may storm? ♪

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oh boy! earn 5% cash back at gas stations this quarter. activate your 5% cash back at chase.com/freedom. back now at 8:09. bethenny frankel is known for straight talk and sassy style and she's bringing it back for the third season of her reality show "bethenny ever after." if the controversy and buzz are

an indication it should be an interesting one. take a look. >> things are good with jason, but the second year of marriage is definitely more difficult than the first year for me. the second year of marriage is we have a baby, we have this business. i'm really trying to be a good mother, be a good wife, keep the romance in my marriage. and run a business. >> bethenny frankel is here. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> first i have to ask you about this health scare you had. you had an ulcer? >> i took an antibiotic at pill at night without a full glass of water and it burned a hole in my esophagus. i thought i was dying. three days later i hadn't been able to swallow. they found out i created an ulcer in my esophagus. particularly for kids taking medications, a full glass of water and do not take it right before bed. you can burn a hole. i created an ulcer. >> do you feel okay now?

>> it was 13 days. it was hike a missile crisis, but it was my esophagus. >> you said it was like "house"? >> my first doctor said in 30 years he never saw it happened. so i looked up things on the internet and we figured it out. next season i'll be on "house" solving medical mysteries. >> there is a lot of drama that is in your show. you said this season was an emotional roller coaster. >> it is. it's my life. it's the truth. you can't always be there like a fairy princess in a wedding gown and say how perfect life is and then when things aren't perfect not be honest about it. i said i would connect with fans about what was going on. a lot of people can relate. it's the truth. going back to document the other season again, no. this is the truth of my life. it's out there. >> what are some things that happened that you wish hadn't been only camera.

>> i never regret certain things i.'s my life, my marriage. it's hard for me to balance a business and having a baby and be a good friend and manage so have romance. all i do is work through it. >> i wanted to ask you about a it. one of the statements you make that's been shown in the promos, i have to clean this up for morning television. you say your husband jason may be feeling neglected lately. i sanitized it. >> we don't say "penis" on morning television? >> i don't. >> oh, you don't. my husband's penis allegedly has cobwebs on it. do you know how hard it is to get cobwebs on a penis? it would be can i have cult. >> bethenny! >> you can't say it, but i'm here. when we first got together it's not the same. it's the baby, waking her up. feeling weird. >> a lot of people can relate. i'm sure you have seen stories the tabloids that say there are

strains in the marriage. >> by the way, are there strains in my marriage? absolutely. do we have issues? absolutely. do we love each other and am i committed to my marriage, making it work and to being a better partner and a better mother? i have frustrations as a mother, in my business. there are strains in every part of my life. i don't know what everybody else does. this is my experience and i try to be the best person i can, the best wife i can. this show is a depiction of what's going on in my life. >> anyone who watch it is show sees a lot of love and affection and humor. i know you have talked about wanting to have a second baby. how is that going? >> you know, i'm 41. it's a very personal question i do get asked a lot. we were pregnant with a second baby and at eight weeks i miscarried. that was a very emotional experience and it had a lot of different things that came with it.

thinking about women who can't have their own baby, even the first baby, i'm lucky. i have the most beautiful daughter in the world. and i'm grateful for her. but i didn't know -- until you become a woman you don't know the things that come with being a woman. i'm 41. i don't know. it's really not my choice. it's not my option. the window is closing. so it's something i'm dealing with. that's something that has not been dealt with on the show that was recent. >> it's hard to go through something like that. do you have hope? do you still want to try? >> i'm really not thinking about it. i don't know what i feel my options are. i have an incredible daughter. i feel like she's perfect. truthfully, i have thought about other women more than myself. in many cases i don't do that. but in this particular case, the first thing i thought about was, oh, my god, i can't believe what

people must go through the f they can't even have one. my baby is still 21 months so i'm enjoying her being a baby. there are so many emotional things that come with it that it's hard to put it into a small conversation. you go through a roller coaster of emotions about your age, about being a woman. about can you have another baby. are you a failure to your partner, what if my husband married someone younger. you go through a million things. >> you have so many blessings. bethenny frankel, thank you for sharing with us. >> thank you. >> catch the season premier of "bethenny ever after" tonight on bravo. up next, gospel legend bebe winans on his's family's close relationship with whitney houston. coming up. what's this? [ male announcer ] quaker oatmeal squares

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ge's giving me the chance to start back over. [ cindy ] there's construction workers everywhere. so what does that mean? it means work. it means work for more people. [ brian ] there's a bright future here, and there's a chance to get on the ground floor of something big, something that will bring us back. not only this company, but this country. ♪ not in this economy. we also have zero free time, and my dad moving in. so we went to fidelity. we looked at our family's goals and some ways to help us get there. they helped me fix my economy, the one in my house. now they're managing my investments for me. and with fidelity, getting back on track was easier than i thought. call or come in today to take control of your personal economy. get one-on-one help from america's retirement leader.

when we were determined to see it through. here's an update on the progress. we're paying for all spill related clean-up costs. bp findings supports independent scientists studying the gulf's environment. thousands of environmental samples have been tested and all beaches and waters are open. and the tourists are back. i was born here, i'm still here and so is bp. back now with more on the life and legacy of whitney

houston. be ber bebe winans first met her in the 1980s and developed a close relationship with her. on saturday he was among many celebrities who spoke and performed at houston's funeral and he joins us this morning. good to see you. >> good to be here. >> obviously we know about the relationship between whitney and your family and how emotional the weekend was for you. how are you and your family holding up? >> you know, yesterday i had the chance to breathe. it was a great sigh of relief. it's very difficult, you know, to stand in that position and to be surrounded by the friends and family was a definite help, you know. but now it's the hard part to get up and walk and fit the pieces back together and continue living. >> you said you would miss the crazy whitney. what do you mean by that?

>> she was definitely an incredible talent. but outside and away from the stage she was hilarious. you know, right then and there i had a chance to speak of one of the things that i would always remember was we were on the bus. she came on the bus with me and wanted to stop and eat. we looked and said, well, the bus driver won't stop. he told us he doesn't stop. she said, oh, no, he's going to stop. he's going to make up the beds. we stopped maybe five times that night. she was hilarious. just a great heart. >> what do you think it was about her and your family? your sister cece sang a dutet with her. your brother marvin created a yulg. >> first of all, the church represented both of us who we -- where we came from. so the day we met i asked her -- i don't want to know your full name. i want to know what church you come from. singing like that you came from

a church. she said, new hope baptist. that moment, we became family. our hearts and our thoughts and ways were so similar because of our upbringing. so for 20-something years. >> in that time she leaned on you, you leaned on her. even before the star-spangled banner, the song she sang at the super bowl. she came oh to you for support. talk about that. >> we talked right before she went on. i told her, this is what family would do. i said, don't you get up there and embarrass us. she said, you're going to love it. call me as soon as you get finished. she called and i said, girl, you nailed it. you made it hard for the rest of us, but you nailed it. >> she returned the favor for you as you were in the process of recording your new cd. >> recording a new cd and i told her, i'm doing the national anthem. i said, i'm bold enough. she said, you should be bold

enough. you've got it, too. just go back to the root which is the church. sing from the heart. and so i'm going to miss the fact that she's not here because each album we would do she would sing background on and she would be a part of. so we'll celebrate as if she's with us in our hearts. >> you sang a song at the service, "i will miss you." what's the significance of the song? >> my brother passed when he was 48. whitney was there at the funeral with us. when i heard she left at the same ripe age of 48, i took some of the lyrics that i had from my brother and it made sense because she's my sister. it was the perfect song to let her know that even though, you know, we're going to miss her, she left us with such great memories. it's just felt right. >> how are you going to remember her? >> with a smile on my face. i'll remember her with a smile

on my face and a song in my heart. >> thank you so much. it's 8:22. here's savannah. >> thanks. now let's switch gears and head to florida to say hello to willard scott. hey, willard. >> from beautiful sanibel island in florida where the sun always shines. my thousands of fans are back there. they came just to see me and get their free smucker's. happy birthday, how sweet it is. ruth farley from birmingham, alabama. she knits the caps for cancer patients. sometimes they lose their hair and need a cap. good for her. cape may, new jersey, john metzger. no ♪ on the way to cape may i fell in love with you ♪ that was a big hit. 102. never missed a single year of

getting dressed up for halloween. hilda. i love that name. hilda rowly from north point, florida. 100 years old today. says the secret to longevity is being able to laugh, especially at yourself. she's absolutely right. happy birthday to our beautiful friend bruce parson of lubbock, texas, out west. that's good country. 101 years old today. a retired u.s. border patrol officer and loves to play dominoes. we have jessie williams from clinton, new york. 104 years old. she remembers going to school in a horse drawn sleigh? how about that. i saw that. lots of mennonites in my part of the country. robert and estelle pruitt, to pe

ka, kansas. and robert still treats estelle like a southern belle. ding dong. happy birthday. now back to little old new york. >> willard scott in florida, thank you. still ahead, adam levine from maroon 5 and nbc's "the voice." live in studio. we'll catch up with him after your local news and weather.

>> good morning. i am mindy basara. the time is 8:26. let's look at one of our top story to it. the state of george headley rests in the hands of the jury -- of george huguely. one prosecutor choked up as the -- as he recalled the story of how yeardly love died. we will continue to follow the

trial until the very end predicting that the latest developments on the air and online. see reports and photos on the extended coverage of our website. checking the weather with tony pann. >> the big storm is pulling off the coast. it missed us to the south. there was accumulating snow as far as charlestown, st. mary's county, the lower eastern shore. nothing for baltimore. a few high, thin clouds as the storm goes off the coast. some high, thin clouds out there right now that will turn mostly sunny. temperature 34 at the airport. winds gusting up to 18. the wind should settle down as the storm goes off the coast. mostly sunny, high temperatures between 45 and 50 this afternoon. not bad for this time of year. seven-day forecast, nice warmup for the middle of the week. upper 40's tomorrow, 50's on wednesday and thursday. could be even near 60 south of

baltimore. a better chance of rain on friday with a strong cold front. that front will knock the temperatures back into the 40's over the weekend. >> thank you for joining us. another update at 8:55.

8:30 now on this monday morning, the 20th day of february 2012. it is presidents' day. we have a huge crowd enjoying the holiday with us here in rockefeller plaza. i'm carl quintanilla alongside savannah guthrie and tamron hall. >> everyone is very excited.

i think because it's a holiday. coming up, we are excited. nbc's hit "the voice," one of the most popular shows on television. there is another show tonight. the blind awuditions continue a the contestants try to get the judges to turn their chairs. adam levine is here. [ cheers and applause ] >> speaking of things to watch tonight the hit show "smash" is back following a group of dreamers trying to bring a musical about marilyn monroe to broadway. we'll catch up with the beautiful angelica houston. she is angelic. how many times has she heard that? >> if you want to spice up your presidents' day holiday, marcus samuelsson is here to walk us through dirty rice and shrimp, a kay gin classic. >> just in time for mardi gras. >> sounds good.

before that let's check in with stephanie abrams here for al. good morning. >> we are celebrating a 20th anniversary with julia and chris. what's the secret? >> lots of love, happiness. >> that's easy enough. let's look at the weather today. show you how it's shaping up here. the east coast is looking dry. a little bit on the windy side in the northeast. rain and snow in the center of the country and 62 in los angeles tomorrow. a few showers as the system moves around the great lakes. >> good morning. we have some cloud cover left behind but that will be clearing. it will become mostly sunny into the afternoon.

you don't have to be in louisiana to celebrate mardi gras. you can do it anywhere. for your mardi gras forecast go to weather.com 24 hours a day. carl? >> stephanie, thanks. up next, maroon 5's adam levine on the new season of "the voice." first, this is "tovo

♪ i've got the moves like jagger ♪ >> for years he's been winning over fans as lead sipnger of maroon 5. now he's a coach on nbc's "the voice." >> i win. [ cheers and applause ] >> stop! stop! i didn't mean i win. i mean like there is no competition at this particular moment. >> that's not what you meant. >> you're right.

> i want something different. from the beginning it was a really cool choice artistically. what was cool was it was different and i love that about you. i'm happy to coach you. >> adam is here. good morning. >> good morning. >> we happily turn our chairs to you. >> you have to have good posture in this chair. >> you're doing great. >> i feel like a robot. >> it looks natural. >> i'll do this though. >> you're a huge star. "the voice" is doing so well. can you believe it? >> i don't think i imagined this would happen to me. i'm a musician! >> when they asked you to do it, it's risky to do a show like this. >> yeah. i was very skeptical, naturally. you know, had my life and my career and didn't think it was necessarily going to work. but it seemed interesting. i loved the idea. and it worked. wow. i'm so inspired every day by the show. i love being a part of it. >> the show is good. i know we are only at the

beginning of season 2. i have heard all you judges signed on for season 3. can you confirm? >> i'm not sure if i'm allowed. i don't want to get sued, but yeah. >> just between us. >> i just got one of these, yes. >> okay, good. congratulations. >> official. >> this is a big week for team adam. you have four more people on your team. what are you looking for? >> you know, i think that i'm not really looking for anything other than to be moved by what i hear. the great thing about the show. i know you have heard it a million times. you get to listen. you're not affected by how somebody works which is important eventually. eventually people will be looking at you. but for the initial spark and the thing you want to find it's great. it's lates it. it's not about pitch or anything other than a feeling. >> one thing i noticed this season. tell me if i'm wrong. are you and your fellow judges competitive? feels like you're going for the jugular. >> they push that a lot.

they want us to be competitive. it's more about us as friends and messing around. it's playful, silly and not about us as much as it's about them. we have fun. i wouldn't say we are really competitive with each other. we're messing around. >> do they fight fair? >> most of the time. >> nobody's using special charms like cee lo? he can lay it on thick. >> everyone has their schtick. does anyone know what that is? >> you can spell it. >> i don't know how to spell it or say it. >> we can move on. the contestants come on for their big moment. they're performing for you, but if the buttons are pressed suddenly you have to convince them. >> i love that, too. the pressure is usually off us in a lot of ways. the fact that we have to convince them to be on our team is fun, you know. it's fun to convince someone, hey, you should go with me

because a, b and c. i'm having a blast doing the show. >> have you ever pressed the button and regretted it? >> absolutely. >> you have? >> what's weird is sometimes you regret it like, oh, man, why did i uh do that and you're surprised by the person. everyone i have pushed the button for who i might have regretted it i think, oh, i'm so relieved i pushed it. >> obviously all four of you are great performers. what makes a good coach? >> i wasn't aware i could be a good coach. being a good coach is something i wasn't necessarily sure i could do in the beginning. i eased my way into it. i don't know what makes a good coach. i like to guide people based on my experience and try to help as much as i can. >> and tragically for your lady fans you have a sweetie. did you do anything special for valentine's day? there they are. >> we went out together on

valentine's day. i believe every day should be valentine's day. you shouldn't have to allot time to be romantic. >> we had no idea you were so sensitive and have good posture. adam levine, thank you so much. >> nice to see you. >> and "the voice" airs tonight on nbc. up next, a cajun favorite from chef marcus samuelson. first, this is "today" on nbc. more colors. same edge.

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back at 8:42. this morning on today's kitchen, what's for dinner? delicious meals for a crowd. if you're having friends over for presidents' day or any day and not sure what to serve chef marcus samuelsson has tasty ideas. he's chef and owner of red rooster harlem here in new york city. >> how are you? >> you're making food great for the holiday and great comfort food, too. did you grow up with these

dishes? >> some of it. but the hash, i definitely grew up with that. this dirty rice and shrimp i fell in love with somewhere between the islands of jamaica and new orleans. >> somewhere in between. the dirty rice, where does that come from? >> like you have done a rice dish and you add things into it. it could be ham, chilies, leftovers and the next day the dish tastes almost even better than before. >> all right. >> we're going to walk through this. so we have really nice clean, beautiful shrimp to marinate. in true southern style we'll add a little bit of lemon juice, chilies and -- >> these are regular chilies? >> right. you can decide the heat level. we took the ribs and seeds out, so not that spicy. a little bit of olive oil. this is a marinade and a little bit of sauce. >> okay. >> buzz it up. there you go. look at that.

done. then pour it right on top. >> tails on? >> tails on. i will set up the rice. we're going to start with olive oil. mustard seeds. there you go. a little bit of tomato paste. this is going to be our base. this is going to give it all the flavor. the mustard seed gives bold flavor and crunch. >> and eventually the seeds pop. >> start popping, exact. do you know what this is? smell this. >> what is it? >> curry leaves. it could be bay leaf, curry, basil. but the curry leaf, you find them in an indian store. you add it in and then add in the rice. nice beautiful basmati rice that we have washed. >> what's the trick to getting the rice just right? >> wash it out real well and cook it with a little bit of stock. i have lots of stock here.

>> it adds character. >> lots of flavor. it could be clam stock or chicken stock. we'll add it in. >> is it easy to find lobster stock? >> not really, but you can do chicken broth or clam juice. just let it simmer. this takes 20 minutes to cook and then you want to let it sit and simmer off the heat for another 20 minutes. >> these marinate for -- >> at least 20 minutes. >> okay. >> so we have the shrimp, nicely, quickly marinated. add in olive oil. >> we need a fan. >> ooh, that's a hot pan. this is southern food i'm inspired by. part of being inspired by food i get when i travel the country. i'm going to austin for food & wine in a couple of weeks. traveling to other states is where i get inspiration. then i bring them home to

rooster in harlem. >> which is one of my favorite restaurants. >> i know. you were so happy when you were there. this week we have a great jazz tribute to cal massey twice. wednesday and sunday in the restaurant. do you like jazz? >> huge fan. >> you should come up. last time you were smiling all day. >> it's a date. >> we've got the shrimp over there. >> okay. >> we have a wonderful rice. >> so the leaves, you can eat? it's not like a bay leaf. >> no, no. you can eat them and they add lots of great flavor. just smell this. doesn't it smell great? >> amazing. we'll put the shrimp on top? >> yes, absolutely. >> we have knives and forks, right? that's what we forgot. we can use our hands. >> eat with our hands. come over here. i have another dish for you here. put a little bit of lime on top

of that and you can just add it in. >> yogurt? >> a little bit of yogurt. if you think it's too spicy, dip in the yogurt. >> which i won't. >> and my home country, we have hash with lamb. a little bit of egg on top of that. this is a perfect brunch dish typical of the food we'll cook at red rooster harlem. >> you have okra fried but not the way people in the south may think. >> this is a lighter fry without batter. we put in flour, fry it quickly and add smoked paprika. this is a great snack. >> you don't see the batter on top. >> no, no. more pure like a lot of okra, a lot of flavor. >> do you find it easier to cook for a large group or a small group? >> the great thing with a large group you see more happy faces, lots more fun to eat with a group. >> delicious stuff. thank you so much.

i'm going to eat with this large spoon. is that okay? >> up next, oscar winner angelica houston on her new role in nbc's hit "smash." first, this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:49 with

academy award winner angelica houston. she earned an oscar for her performance in 1985's prizzi's honor and turned in a scene ste stealing portrayal of morticia addams. now she's in "smash" about a musical about marilyn monroe while she deals with a difficult divorce. >> where's the money? >> it's not there. >> where did it go? >> we are trying to figure it out. >> you're my lawyer. it has to be somewhere. jerry's around town, spending as much as he ever did. >> well, his family -- >> i know about his family and their stupid money. don't talk to me about that. all i need is $200,000. that's it. >> you have access to $8,000. the rest is frozen. your husband is very clever. >> oh, i know he's clever. i know he's clever. >> angelica houston is here now. good morning.

it's nice to meet you. >> hi, savannah. >> we mentioned your oscar. you have been nominated for six emmys for roles on television series. this is the first time you have done a series week to week. what made you decide to take it? was it a right role right time kind of thing? >> it's a brilliant script written by teresa rebeck who also has "seminar" on broadway if you think she's idle. she's a most prolific woman. the fact that steven peelbespie is the executive producer doesn't hurt. fantastic cast, wonderful crew. you know, i just happened to be on the receiving end of the miracle. >> you happened to move to new york to be a part of this. how have you enjoyed being here in the city? >> well, it's very good for me. my life changed radically three years ago. my husband died and i was in los

angeles sort of wondering what would happen for the rest of my life. and this came up, "smash." it was a wonderful way to move forward, be gainfully employed and also sort of participate in this amazing show with so many great people. i have to say there is not a bad apple in the bunch. we are all in love with each other. >> it sounds like it came across at the right time. you talked about how there is a certain lack of great roles for women of a certain age. yet this character is so fabulous and so fun. what appealed to you about her? >> it's not just that there is a lack of roles for women of a certain age. there is a lack of roles for women in general. the thing i love about eileen rand is she takes no prisoners. i have modeled her on quite a few producers i have worked with -- female and male. but it's a wonderful part in

that, you know, i can be all out awful when it's necessary and also i have a nice underbelly, i like to think of myself. >> i noticed your ability to throw drinks in your ex-husband's face. that's got to be fun. >> it's an amazing talent i had no idea i possessed. i knew i did things like drive in reverse and roller skate in reverse, but throwing drinks came naturally. it's a little bit worrisome. i kind of want to continue in my real life. >> it may come in handy to have that skill. word on the street is there may be a love interest for you in this show. >> indeed. i have a handsome love interest about to happen. >> that's very exciting. that's a good tease. what about singing? there are great songs in this show. the original music is

phenomenal. would you ever do a musical number? >> it depends on how seriously i'm persuaded. we have scott whitman and mark shaman, two of broadway's most extraordinary and prolific song writers, writing on the show. it depends. if i get their seal of approval. >> and you are now a new yorker, at least temporarily. and you shoot a lot of scenes in new york city itself. >> i know. one of our first scenes we shot was jack davenport and i walking down the middle of broadway. it was just a little nerve wracking. >> here in new york they probably didn't notice. >> you'd be surprised. >> angelica houston, thank you so much. you can catch a new episode of "smash" tonight at 10:00/9:00 central. just ahead, the best presidents' day sales after your local news.

>> good morning. it is 8:56 a.m. here's a look at our top stories. midcity fire is recovering after being rushed to shock trauma.

-- a city firefighter is recovering after being rushed to shock trauma. crews were able to put up all of the flames. the flames. the firefighter is said to

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