verizon is the obvious choice. good morning. breaking news. a tense standoff in new hampshire overnight after a suspect opened fire on police, killing the town's police chief and wounding four officers. and there is a new development this morning. we are live at the scene. to the rescue. cory booker, the popular mayor of newark, new jersey, bng hailed a hero after he rushed into a burning building to save his neighbors. he suffered injuries but has a lot to say about his brave deed this morning. and take the words. a hollywood screen writer accuses mel gibson of making new anti-semitic remarks and threats against his former girlfriend. but does he have an ax to grind? we're going to ask him when he joins us for an exclusive live interview "today," friday, april joins us for an exclusive live interview "today," friday, april 13th, 2012.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to "today" on this friday the 13th, i'm ann curry. >> and i'm carl quintanilla in for matt once again. we're following that breaking news this morning. a drug investigation turned deadly in greenland, new hampshire. the police chief who was killed just days from retirement. a live report from the scene straight ahead. >> all right. and also coming up we'll be talking about this fury sparked by a democratic strategist who took a swipe at mitt romney's wife, saying as a stay at home mom she never worked a day in her life. those words have struck a chord and a nerve with women all across this country and now she's apologizing, but it's definitely not put this debate to rest. we're going to hear from her coming up this morning. >> that's right. then as parents i think we've taught our kids to avoid strangers.

right? at least we think we have. natalie certainly did. but she was stunned, even brought to tears when she put her son and his friends to the test using hidden cameras and an actor pretending to be an ice cream truck driver. she will show us what happened. >> i think it's important reporting for all parents to take a look at. and also, talking about this ad campaign that has a lot of people talking. lisa rinna, the sultry star of shows like "melrose place" and "days of our lives" in a commercial for form-fitting adult diapers. some people think it's hilarious. >> others are blasting her for it. sheer going to find out what she has to say when she joins us for an exclusive live interview. >> but we begin with that breaking news. five police officers shot, one killed during an investigation in greenland, new hampshire. nbc's michelle franzen is there. michelle, good morning. >> well, good morning, ann. the flag has been lowered to half-staff here in greenland, and this community just outside of portsmouth is devastated following the shootings that killed greenland's police chief,

just days away from retiring, as well as injured four other officers. this morning authorities tell us that the suspect in this case is also dead after an intense standoff overnight. authorities say the officers were working to the from surrounding communities, and say that they were part of new hampshire's joint drug task force, and were shot while executing a search warrant at the home of suspect colin mutery. the attorney general says the suggestion expect opened fire on the officers when they entered the home and then barricaded himself, along with another woman, inside, keith maloney was said to be less than two weeks away from retiring and had been on the force for 12 years. this town and fellow officers are now trying to cope with one of the worst shootings in decades. meanwhile, overnight, authorities sent in a robot into that home, following those shootings. and that's when they say they discovered the bodies of the suspect, along with a woman. today they say that they will perform autopsies on those bodies, but they are treating

this as a possible murder/suicide, or a double suicide at this point. and now, also, the community turns its focus back on chief michael maloney, here, and funeral preparations are under way. we're already getting word, ann, that a possible gathering, and memorial may take place tomorrow. >> that's right. and we understand from reporting that there actually was a retirement party already being planned for him. michelle franzen, thank you so much this morning. >> want to get to some of the other top stories of the morning as well. natalie morales is over at the news desk. good morning, natalie. >> good morning, carl and ann. good morning, everyone. the u.s. security council meets this morning in the wake of a failed rocket launch in north korea. incomes's chief pentagon correspondent jim miklaszewski has more. >> good morning, natalie. this rocket launch was a total bust from the very beginning. u.s. officials say that within 90 seconds of the launch of that rocket, it appeared to just fall apart in midair, dozens of pieces that fell harmlessly into the yellow sea, just west of the

korean peninsula. now, korean officials there in the north had claimed this mission was an attempt to launch a weather satellite into space. but u.s. officials had set an alarm, this was a thinly veiled mission to test the nuclear -- or the military ability of north korea to launch a long-range missile that could ultimately reach the united states, perhaps armed with a warhead. now, this failed test is clearly a huge setback, militarily and politically, for the north korea's new leader kim jong-il. and the fear here in washington, is that the north koreans have made indications that they were preparing for an underground nuclear test. now that this rocket has failed, the concern is that the north koreans will certainly go ahead with this underground nuclear test, if for nothing else, to save face. natalie? >> jim miklaszewski at the pentagon. thank you, jim. a deadly standoff in

modesto, california, overnight where a suspect has been holed up for hours after the shooting death of a sheriff's deputy and a civilian. earlier this morning, flames began to shoot up from the building and police told the modesto bee newspaper that the fire could have been caused by flash bang devices and tear gas used to bring the suspect out. a team of u.n. observers is set to enter syria in a bid to monitor the tenuous cease-fire. but that cease-fire is being tested this morning, already, as activists say a brief clash broke out between syrian troops and rebels today. the violence was reportedly brief and isolated near the border with turkey. the syrian opposition is calling for nationwide protests against president bashar assad's regime today. europe's most active volcano put on quite a show thursday, spewing lava and ash for the third time in the past month alone. but despite all the fire and brimstone, italian authorities did not evacuate a nearby village and the local airport was able to remain open. and the mayor of newark, new

jersey really cares about his city's residents. mayor cory booker returned to his home last night to find his neighbor's house on fire. booker then rushed into the burning building and carried a woman down from the second floor before the fire department arrived. he was taken to the hospital and treated for smoke inhalation and second degree burns. he's since been released. as you see there he's already tweeting to let everyone know he is okay. and by the way, carl and ann, the neighbor also in stable condition thanks to cory booker. >> that's terrific news. all right. >> the good news is he didn't have to take the shirt off and reveal the "s" underneath. a secret identity. >> let's get a check of the weather. >> the weekend for the midsection of the country is going to be very rough. we've got some very potent weather developing. a dry line, a lot of warm, moist air coming up out of the gulf with a low-level jet stream and a strong upper level jet. that's going to combine to create some strong energy. we're already seeing thunderstorms firing up from oklahoma all the way up to minnesota. the severe risk today from

wichita to kansas city. tomorrow, it's even longer for a strong risk, sections 6 central oklahoma into kansas. a high risk in that area, a strong risk, even a wider area. so we are looking at this risk right on into sunday. >> good morning. we have a lot of sunshine in our forecast. a few clouds this morning. we'll be in the 60's for highs. that's your latest weather. ann? >> al, thank you. we're learning more now this morning about the case against george zimmerman in the shooting death of trayvon martin. this after he made his initial court appearance on thursday. nbc's kerry sanders was there. he joins us now. kerry, good morning.

>> good morning, ann. george zimmerman spent another night in isolation here at the seminole county jail after his appearance in court. he'll be here for at least the next couple of weeks, as his lawyer prepares to ask a judge for his release on bond. wearing a jail-issued gray suit and hands cuffed, george zimmerman walked into the court in sanford, florida, thursday. >> mr. zimmerman, you're appearing here for your first appearance at this time for a charge of murder in the second degree. >> reporter: zimmerman's defense attorney did not ask for bond. >> that we'd like a complete sealing of that record. >> reporter: rather he requested and received a court order, sealing almost every investigative document in the case, but for the arrest affidavit. the two-page probable cause affidavit, written by state attorney investigators alleges the night that 17-year-old was shot and killed, trayvon martin, was profiled by george zimmerman. and that zimmerman confronted martin and a struggle ensued.

>> we look forward to presenting this case in a courtroom of law. that's what we're all here. we appreciate that you're doing your job, but let us do our jobs. let the defense and let the state do their jobs. >> reporter: while defense attorney mark o'mara says he filed the not guilty me with the court, the 28-year-old former neighborhood watch captain won't be officially arraigned on the second degree murder charges until may 29th. the judge randomly selected to handle this case, the honorable jessica recksiedler. a former prosecutor, and a mother of two. >> she's got enough experience. but a case like this takes on a life of its own and she'd be well advised to call on judge perry who handled the casey anthony case. >> reporter: thursday on "today," trayvon martin's family talked of their relief now that zimmerman had been arrested. but then, sabrina fulton described her son's death as an accident. >> i believe it was an accident. i believe that it just got out of control, and he couldn't turn the clock back. >> reporter: later, in an interview with nbc's lester

holt, an emotionally exhausted fulton clarified her statement. that she meant the chance meeting between her son and zimmerman that night was an accident. not the shooting. >> the contact that they had with each other was accidental. they should have never met each other. and that's exactly what i meant. >> reporter: defense attorney mark o'mara. >> they went through a horrible tragedy. they lost their son. we're not going to be talking about using words against a mother of a child. we're not doing that. >> reporter: now jail records in florida are open for public review. and they show that george zimmerman made some purchases at the jail commissary, including white cheddar popcorn, chocolate cream cookies, and jolly ranchers. ann? >> all right. kerry sanders, thank you so much this morning. it is now 7:11. now here's carl. >> ann, thanks. now to the presidential race. the white house is distansing itself from a comment made by a democratic strategist who declared mitt romney's wife has never worked a day in her life.

words that have led to a new political storm over the role of women. nbc's andrea mitchell has that story. andrea, good morning. >> good morning, carl. the political campaign erupted over that offhand comment that has truly re-ignited the mommy wars. >> come on. we're going to go vote. >> reporter: the battle for the white house is a battle for women voters. >> there's been a lot of talk about women, and women's issues lately. >> this president has failed america's women. >> reporter: but mitt romney is far behind, facing a yawning gender gap that could doom his campaign, if not fixed. romney has been relying on his wife. >> and the champion in my life, my sweetheart, ann romney. >> reporter: but comments about ann romney by a prominent democratic strategist and cnn commentator are now re-ignited the gender wars. >> guess what? his wife has actually never worked a day in her life. she's never really dealt with the kinds of economic issues that a majority of the women in this country are facing. >> reporter: twitter exploded. the romney campaign called it.

ann romney wrote his first tweet. i made a choice to stay home and raise five boys. believe me, it was hard work. she also went on fox. >> my career choice was to be a mother. and i think all of us need to know that we need to respect choices that women make. other women make other choices to have a career and raise family, which i think hilary rosen has actually done herself. >> reporter: and then sarah palin weighed in. >> the comments that hilary rosen made today certainly have awakened many momma grizzlies across the nation. >> reporter: hilary rosen has been a white house ally, even a guest at the most recent state dinner. but the obama campaign quickly distanced itself from her comments. then the first lady, who worked outside the home part-time while raising her girls until the 2008 campaign, also tweeted. every mother works hard. and every woman deserves to be respected. finally, the president, saying he knows of no tougher job than being a mom. >> i've watched michelle. you know, who for most of her

career had to juggle work and family. but there were times where she was on maternity leave and i promise you, that's work. i think this was an ill-advised statement by somebody on television. it's not something that i subscribe to. >> reporter: facing a firestorm rosen apologized for her choice of words. >> mrs. romney, i applaud your decision to stay home and raise what are obviously five wonderful boys. this is not about stay at home moms versus working moms. i think your husband needs to stand up for women's economic struggles. >> reporter: but she clearly touched a nerve, says ivillage chief correspondent carrie wallace, mother of two. >> this debate totally resonates. i think about this issue all the time. because i, of course, feel conflict like i think so many other women do. it doesn't get any more emotional, i think, than the mommy wars. >> reporter: hilary rosen doesn't work for the obama campaign, or the white house. but the romney forces seized on

her tv remark so quickly because they know it does resonate with the very voters, independent women in swing states who likely will decide who wins the white house. carl? >> andrea mitchell in washington. andrea, thanks. and we should mention, hilary rosen and former gop presidential candidate michele bachmann will be among david gregory's guests this sunday, on "meet the press." it's now 7:15. once again here's ann. >> carl, thanks. we've now heard from douglas kennedy, the son of the late robert kennedy, for the first time since that confrontation with two nurses while he attempted to take his newborn son from a hospital maternity ward. w nbc's chief investigative correspondent is now following this case. jonathan, good morning. >> good morning, ann. douglas kennedy showed up in a suburban new york courtroom, saying it is the nurses who are to blame. his lawyer went further saying this criminal case is absurd and should be dismissed. but prosecutors say it was kennedy who got violent when nurses tried to stop him from walking out of the maternity ward with his 3-day-old son.

>> it is okay for a father to hold his son in his arms. and it is okay for a father to want to be with his newborn baby. i -- i -- i know that in my heart. >> reporter: douglas kennedy speaking out for the first time since being charged with attacking two nurses in a hospital maternity ward back in january, after the birth of his son. kennedy says he just wanted to leave the hospital for a short time. to be with his son in the fresh air outside. as he invoked the memory of his father robert kennedy, killed when he was so young. >> my father was taken away from me when i was a baby. and i think that is certainly what makes me appreciate me being with my son. >> reporter: in january, a supervising nurse in the maternity ward the northern westchester hospital said the staff became concerned when they saw a man carrying his newborn, attempting to take him out of the hospital without proper

authorization. security cameras show kennedy trying to get on an elevator. in an exclusive interview with nbc news, the nurses, anna margaret lane, and carrie luciano, said kennedy then attacked them. >> i wanted to make sure the baby was safe. and secure. and he brought his leg up and kicked me and i went flying through the air. >> reporter: according to the nurses, kennedy went down the stairs where he was stopped by security. kennedy says he was just trying to protect his son. he's been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, and physically harassing the nurses. supporters of the nurses want tougher charges. >> it should be a felony charge, you know, because a nurse is hurt. >> reporter: kennedy's wife molly appeared in court by his side. >> unfortunately, you know, our lives have been turned upside down simply because my husband wanted to take a walk with his son. >> reporter: kennedy has pleaded

not guilty. >> the only thing i wanted to do that night was to be with my son and to hold him in my arms. >> prosecutors say they are moving forward with the case. kennedy is due back in court on june 14th on a misdemeanor count and two violations which, if convicted, ann, could carry penalties of everything from probation to a year in prison. >> all right. thanks so much, jonathan, this morning. it is now 7:18. once again here's carl. >> ann, thanks. now to the growing controversy over the sudden resignation of best buy's ceo. brian dunn stepped down earlier this week amidst an investigation into what the retail giant's board called his personal conduct. nbc's ron mott is in chicago with the latest on that. ron, good morning. >> carl, good morning to you. this scandal could not come at a worse time, perhaps, for best buy. just last month the company announced its biggest restructuring ever. a plan to reduce costs by $800 million over the next several years, including staff layoffs and store closings, and now an investigation that could be felt on wall street.

>> how are you? michael brian dunn. >> pleasure to meet you. >> reporter: in 2 years at best buy, brian dunn went from blue shirt sales clerk all the way to the top. detailed in this cnbc documentary hosted by tyler mathisen. >> hi. >> reporter: but now the 51-year-old's dramatic plunge from grace as ceo this week, amid reports of an an inappropriate relationship with a female worker 22 years younger, is attracting far more than just water cooler attention around the electronics giant. the star tribune newspaper reports minneapolis-based best buy is investigating the potential improper misuse of company funds, by dunn, on that alleged relationship. hiring a former u.s. attorney, and former top official with the securities and exchange commission, to lead the probe. >> the best buy board of directors is conducting an investigation into dunn's personal conduct. specifically whether or not he used company resources, and that could mean just about anything, money, equipment, facilities. >> reporter: described as a beer and bratwurst kind of leader,

dunn was a model of best buy culture to promote from within. where employees are encouraged and rewarded for embracing an entrepreneurial spirit. he was a frequent guest here on "today" during the holiday shopping season. >> i think it's a really great year to be a customer. >> reporter: yet only three years behind the big desk, dunn stunned the company by abruptly resigning tuesday. creating a public relations crisis for a company already grappling with poor stock performance and corporate earnings, as well as fading market share. >> best buy is a company in trouble right now. not only have they had to lose a ceo under circumstances that no one would describe as optimal, but they face massive competitive threats. >> reporter: in a statement released by best buy, brian dunn said, quote, i have enjoyed every one of my 28 years with this company, and i leave it today in a position for a strong future. it's the immediate past, though, that his long tenure may best be remembered. on his twitter account, dunn describes himself as a father of three, and husband.

but the star tribune reports that complaints about his alleged relationship with a 29-year-old woman who works for the company were forwarded to the board, which prompted the investigation. in a statement wednesday, best buy said certain issues were brought to the board's attention regarding mr. dunn's personal conduct, unrelated to the company's operations or financial controls. prior to the completion of the investigation, mr. dunn chose to resign. during brian dunn's reign as ceo of best buy the company's stocks fell 35% over those three years. the company board said it will publicly disclose the results of its investigation when it's completed. carl? >> ron mott in chicago. ron, thanks. just ahead the hollywood screen writer accusing mel gibson of making hateful statements about jews, his former girlfriend and others. he'll join us for an exclusive live interview and we'll tell you what gibson has to say. but first, this is "today" on nbc. you're the best mom ever.

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more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot lay down a new look, with earthgro mulch, now three bags for just $10. >> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. baltimore county has managed to balance its budget without tax increases, layoffs, or service cuts. the balance comes even as the county stairs down the boss of state aid and a decline in tax revenue. still, difficult decisions lie ahead when it comes to pension reform. time for the morning commute

with sarah caldwell. nice start this friday morning, with the just a few exceptions. delays developing behind it. this is a busy spot normally at this hour, and delays are forming on the accident scene. brampton, and 29 is blocked with construction. -- ramp to northbound 29 is blocked with construction. we have a brush fire reported near the beltway on the east side. live view of traffic, and an update on what is going on on the j.f.x.. south of pimlico road, as you approach northern parkway, volume is picking up, and 7:00 tonight is when the closures go into effect. we will switch over quickly to the harrisburg expressway. problem-free from padoa down to the beltway. here is john. >> sunny out their bank, fell to

buy a few little clouds. light west wins at about three miles per hour. will be as windy as it has been the last couple of days. this is going to be a little cooler. side, we warm up. 63 to 68 for the high. northwest wind that six to 12 miles per hour.

will you try these new depend silhouette briefs for charity and prove just how great the fit is under a fantastic dress? >> are you serious? sure. >> if the goal of an ad campaign is to get somebody's attention, well this one did the job and that's lisa rinna a new commercial for, yes, adult diapers. she's going to tell us why she did it in an exclusive live interview coming up this morning. we never saw that one coming. it is now 7:30 on a friday morning. it's the 13th of april but we're still hanging in there 2012, i'm ann curry alongside carl quintanilla who is in for matt. >> also ahead this half hour, an eye-opening look at stranger danger. if you think your kid could never be lured in by someone they don't know, think again. coming up we're going to show you what happened when natalie put her son to the test using an

innocent-looking ice cream man. >> for all parents to pay attention. but we begin this half hour with mel gibson in the hot seat once again, a screenwriter claims that gibson went on hateful anti-semitic rants and derailed a project they were working on together. we're going to talk to that writer exclusively in just a moment. first we have "today" national correspondent amy robach joining us with the story. >> ann, good morning to you. talk about a vicious war of words. it began when joe eszterhas teamed up with mel gibson to make a film about a jewish wash yore. the collaboration turned very ugly and even scary, says the writer. now the two hollywood heavy weights are going after one another. new troubles for mel gibson. >> he's moving from famous to infamous. >> reporter: in this nine page letter famed screen writer joe eszterhas fired off directly to gibson. he writes, i've come to the conclusion that the reason you won't make the maccabees is the ugliest possible one, you hate jews. >> joe eszterhas has lambasted

mel gibson in this extraordinary, multipage letter. >> reporter: eszterhas says gibson regularly used slurs to describe jews. it all began last year when eszterhas, whose credits include "basic instinct" and "flashdance" teamed up with gibson to write the screenplay for a movie about jewish warrior jude today maccabee. gibson was to be the producer and director for the already controversial film dubbed the jewish braveheart until warner brothers stopped production. that's when eszterhas fired off his scathing letter to gibson, which leaked online. in the letter eszterhas recounts threats gibson allegedly made about ex-girlfriend oksana greg riffva, writing you said you'd become friends with two fbi agents or former fbi agents and they were going to help you to kill her. the letter describes wild outbursts that eszterhas said

put his family in fear for their lives while staying at gibson's home. i kept the golf club by my bed and held my rosary with my other hand. >> it comes down to a battle between two hardened dinosaurs. >> reporter: it's not the first time gibson's been under fire. he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor battery charge after the infamous audio recordings with his ex-girlfriend. >> you need medication. >> you need a [ bleep ] in the side of the head, all right? >> reporter: some call gibson's 2004 film "passion of the christ" anti-semitic. a complaint he denies. several years later when arrested for drunk driving he told the officer the jews are responsible for all of the wars in the world, according to a police report. he pleaded no contest to a dui, and later apologized for the incident. gibson denies eszterhas' allegations. in a letter he sent to eszterhas and also provided to nbc news, gibson writes the great majority of the facts as well as the statements and actions attributed to me in your letter

are utter fabrications. i would have thought that a man of principle, as you purport to be, would have withdrawn from the project regardless of the money if you truly believed me to be the person you describe in your letter. gibson says he apologized for what he called his intensity, and said he's pressing on with the project, without eszterhas' screen play. in 25 years of script development, i have never seen a more sub standard first draft or a more significant waste of time. he says eszterhas is upset because warner brothers rejected the screenplay, adding the decision not to proceed with you was based on the quality of your script, not on any other factor. >> if you believe joe eszterhas, it was a brilliant script, but mel gibson didn't like because, quote, he hates jews. if you believe mel gibson, joe eszterhas wrote a terrible script. >> reporter: nbc news reached out to oksana grigorieva for a response and her pr representative told us this is an extremely serious situation.

there is no scenario where i think that these comments, if they were uttered by mr. gibson, are acceptable or tolerable. ann? >> all right, amy robach. thank you so much for your reporting. now joe eszterhas is joining us exclusively. joe eszterhas, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> what was, in your view, the most egregious episode that you say you witnessed? >> well, the most egregious episode had to do with my 15-year-old son nick who was with us in costa rica as mel's guest. and mel shared with him a pornographic scenario that i can only call sexual butchery, that fantasized in terms of oksana. nick is 15 years old. and to put this kind of imagery into a 15-year-old boy's head, i think is heinous. i think it's vile. and i think it's unforgivable. and you know, i wonder, in my

letter i said to him, would you tell your own sons this kind of thing, and fill up their heads, and that's the most egregious thing. >> well, if this is true, why would you stick it out and finish a screenplay with a man -- >> well, i -- >> -- who said such a thing in your view, in your story, to your 15-year-old son. >> i didn't have anything to do with mel personally since that incident. we were supposed to spend -- we were supposed to go on his plane to his house in malibu afterwards. i canceled those plans because i didn't want my wife and my son around him. and i never saw him. and i never spoke to him after that. the script is a different matter. i had a contract to do the script. i was very excited about doing the script because it's a wonderful story. truly inspiring story of glorious heroism. i agreed to do scripts about

anti-semitism, and also spiritual conversion in 2001. and when the notion of doing a biblical piece about jewish heroism was suggested to me, i jumped at it. i have my background is one of the reasons i did. my dad in the early '90s was accused of having committed war crimes in hungary during world war ii. and while he wasn't deported or prosecuted, to me, it was obvious that the osi, many of the osi charges were accurate. so in terms of sins of the fathers, i tried to work very hard to atone for a sin, and to tell the story of the maccabees in this glorious way, this triumphant way. i jumped at it. one of the first red lights that i got that really put me off is mel said to me, that he wanted to do a movie, and this was after we had contracted it, and done the warner brothers deal, he wanted to do a movie that would convert the jews to

christianity. that's not the hack abees. the maccabees is truly a jewish braveheart. the piece i wrote is a jewish braveheart. i'm proud of it, and that's why i asked in the letter for him to give it back. >> you know, joe, this is really bombing a he said, he said situation. what proof do you have, because so far you're the only source of this information that -- that mel gibson had these rants and said these things. what proof do you have? >> i would be happy, i would be happy to answer that. i have a tape that my 15-year-old son made in the -- in the middle of a violent harangue in costa rica, threatening harangue where he said the vie vent and most threatening things. he was fighting about what was going to happen. there are also witnesses. you know there are witnesses, there were other people in costa rica with us. my wife was there. the house manager was there. the situation in costa rica was

so bad that the help said that there are kids, get out of the house and hide because he was so out of control. my son nick wound up snatching a butcher knife from the kitchen and sleeping with it under his pillow because he was so frightened. >> you know, as we just heard in amy robach's report that mel gibson released a statement. he's called everything you said utter fabrications and he's called your script substandard -- substandard. are you planning to release this videotape that you say you have that -- that is proof of what you're alleging? >> i don't know. i don't know what i'm going to do with the videotape. i'll tell you this, in his response to me, he said these were utter fabrications, and two paragraphs later he apologized and said i want to make it clear about if these are fabrications, why is he apologizing? i don't like to be called a liar. you know. and i'm not the first person who has described this kind of behavior. other people have seen it. this particular behavior in terms of threats to oksana,

especially, i think is really threatening. >> so why are you going public? why are you on television this morning making this public? >> i didn't go -- i didn't go public. the -- the -- somehow the internet organ called the rap found my letter. and mel denied it. and i'm not going to stand for people calling me a liar. >> all right. well, joe eszterhas with a lot to say this morning. we appreciate your taking the time. i know it's very early where you are. so thank you for joining us. >> thank you. >> now let's get a check of the weather from al. >> all right. thank you so much. and we've got a couple of twins here. what's your name? where are you from? >> detroit. >> all right. like detroit. nice to see you guys. and your first trip to new york. let us see what's going on, show you for today. we are looking at some more heavy weather out west where they're seeing a lot of rain, a lot of wind, from los angeles up to the medford border in oregon.

we're looking at some areas rainfall one to two inches of rain in san francisco to monterey. heavy snow in the sierra. we're talking about anywhere from 18 to 24 inches in some local areas. so watching a lot of snow and a lot of rain out west. >> this is what the picture looked like at the inner harbor this morning. just a few clouds. lots of sunshine. high temperatures in the >> and that's your latest weather. ann? >> all right, al, thank you so much. coming up next, natalie puts her

son to the stranger danger test, and is brought to tears by what happens. her hidden camera report right after this. [ female announcer ] with depression, simple pleasures can simply hurt. the sadness, anxiety, the loss of interest. the aches and pains and fatigue. depression hurts. cymbalta can help with many symptoms of depression. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens, you have unusual changes in behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing skin or eyes. tell your doctor about all your medicines, including those for migraine and while on cymbalta, call right away if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles or serious allergic skin reactions

like blisters, peeling rash, hives, or mouth sores to address possible life-threatening conditions. talk about your alcohol use, liver disease and before you reduce or stop cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. simple pleasures shouldn't hurt. talk to your doctor about cymbalta. depression hurts. cymbalta can help. [ male announcer ] it's a big world... and kids need all the nourishment they can get. that's why delicious quaker chewy granola bars are packed with 8 grams of whole grains. give them quaker chewy. >> >> brab at 7:43. you've taught them. you've told them, you've warned them. but how would your kids really handle a dangerous situation when you're not around? natalie got a real eye opener with the help of some hidden cameras for a new "dateline" series. good morning. >> good morning to you, carl. it really is an eye opener. you probably think, my child would never accept a treat from a stranger.

let alone climb inside his car. well that's certainly what i thought. but watch and see just how easy it can be. even though a stranger abducting a child is rare, we still make every effort to teach our kids how to be safe. but will they remember those lessons when it matters? when we tested kids in the past, most were easily tricked. whether it was the lure of a puppy -- >> you've got a puppy? >> i cannot believe that they opened the door. i am shocked. >> reporter: -- or a man with a badge. >> just don't be alarmed. everything is okay. i'm with the sheriff's department. >> reporter: kids forgot what they had been taught. and let the stranger into the house. >> you failed. >> well, he had a badge. >> he had the badge. >> hey, guys. >> reporter: so how will kids react to a promise of free ice cream and a tour of the truck? i'm going to put my son josh and his friends to that test.

>> hi, my name is josh. >> my name is malcolm. >> reporter: my friends and i are watching the hidden cameras as the fake ice cream man interrupts our boys while they work on a poster for the military. >> well you know what? my company gives out free ice cream to people who do things for the troops. you guys want some? >> yeah. >> yeah, okay. >> reporter: hudson and malcolm follow the ice cream man. but not my son josh. >> you don't want to come? want some ice cream? >> reporter: he stays behind the table. >> come on, josh. >> pick it up. >> reporter: oh, my gosh. they all want the ice cream. but will they go in the truck to get it? >> you guys ever been in an ice cream truck? >> no. >> reporter: we prepare ourselves to see what the boys will decide. >> no! >> no? >> i want to go in. >> come on, guys. >> reporter: hudson and malcolm don't even wait for our actor to pull out the stool. they dive right into the truck. >> oh, you want to climb? >> oh!

>> oh, this is cool. >> right? >> reporter: but my son hangs back. >> is this really the ice cream truck? >> yeah. >> reporter: oh, my gosh. i knew he was going to get on that truck. still, it's hard for me to watch. >> you want the spider-man? you got dora the explorer? >> that one. >> reporter: i'm like partly almost crying. i can't believe that. >> you want this one? >> i'll have that one. >> reporter: he got on that truck with him. and there is so much more to see of this report. including a second part to that test with my son and his friends. and the emotional reunion as i reveal it was all a test. it was a real parenting moment, carl. as much as i have talked to my kids about this, you know, it's really hard when it comes to peer pressure. he saw his friends get on that truck and he followed them right in. >> you can see how emotional it is. it's a little emotional for me. >> it is, i know. >> what is the takeaway for

parents? after all the talking, how do you know if they've gotten it? >> that's really the key. talking to the parenting experts they say you really have to role play all of the different scenarios, you hear what the child predators, we report on it all the time. you've got to role play these things. make sure the message is very clear, and tell them what they should do in these situations. because, you know, you don't want your kid to have to go through that in real life. >> by the way, we should mention that this is the first of several topics you're going to cover over time. what are some of the other ones? >> teens and driving, texting and driving, also will they get in a car with someone who they think is drunk or has been using drugs. we also deal with cheating. and we talk about discrimination. great series. >> fantastic, natalie. can't wait. thank you so much. and of course you can see on a very special "dateline" "my kid would never do that" sunday night at 7:00, 6:00 central right here on nbc. up next a look at the wreck of the "titanic" like never before. 100 years after the sinking of the famous ship. ♪ [ driver ] what do i want? ♪

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buried. some of the gravestones have names. some do not. this is the very simple headstone of a j. dotson. probably joseph dotson, and not the fictional character jack dawson who was played by leonardo dicaprio in the film "titanic." when the "titanic" set sail on its maiden voyage in 1912, it was the biggest ship ever built. the length of an 80 story building. believed to be unsinkable. >> iceberg dead ahead, sir. >> reporter: but what man had made nature's cold hand quickly undid. in just under three hours, the ship took on water and sank to the ocean floor. over 1500 lives were lost. as headlines spread the news to the word, the details of what exactly happened. 2 1/2 miles below the ocean's

surface for decades. >> the boiler. >> reporter: in 1986, a team led by robert ballard delivered the first incredible pictures of the wreck, as underwater technology advanced, answers started to come. including, how the ship broke apart. >> broken in two. those two pieces are separated by about six football fields. the bow up here, the stern here. six football fields in between. but there's a much larger area around that where objects spilled out of the ship as it sank. >> reporter: an expedition launched by rms "titanic" incorporated and their partners took on an unparalleled effort in 2010. to shoot the "titanic" in 3-d. and thoroughly map the wreck site. it is the subject of an upcoming history channel documentary. >> the object of this ek ped igs was simply to find out what's there. because how do you begin to manage something if you don't even know what's out there. >> reporter: sonar robots lay a grid across a 15 square mile

section of the ocean. every significant piece of the "titanic" wreckage noted and brought to life through 3-d and graphic imagery. >> it's like csi "titanic" that we're able to come into this crime scene, and inspect that scene, and little by little put that ship back together again and take it back up to the surface. so it was kind of neat. >> reporter: doorways lying in muck give hints to the grandeur of the ship's rooms. dots on a sonar scan become giant boilers 15 feet in diameter. a telltale brass whistle gives away the resting place of the iconic smokestack. shoes and cuffs are ghostly reminders of the long-ago tragedy's human toll. >> we can't help but realize that there were 2200 plus stories that were played out that night. and there were so many stories left to be told. >> reporter: as "titanic" explorers james cameron, robert ballard and others endeavor to document and protect the site, they bump up against the indifferent hand of time.

once one of man's awesome creations, rust and the shifting ocean floors will eventually wipe the "titanic" away. until all that's left are pictures, history, and the memory of what was. and while it has been 100 years, interest in the mystery of what happened in the final hours of the doomed "titanic" has never really diminished. there are two cruises this weekend visiting halifax and this cemetery to pay tribute to those who lost their lives aboard a ship they said could never sink. ann? >> really, well done reporting. kevin tibbles this morning. thank you. by the way, you can see "titanic" 100 years later on the history channel on sunday night. >> still to come, lisa rinna on her decision to star in a new ad for an adult diaper. after your local news.

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning, i am mindy basara. here is sarah caldwell with traffic pulse 11. >> we have an accident on eastbound i-70. back up on 32. watch for that impact your right. we have a problem eastbound route 40. ramp on route 9, construction in place. take westbound 42 access the 29 representative. eastbound trotter road in peoria --joppa road, and the

j.f.x. is in good shape at the moment, but 7:00 tonight is when the closures go into effect. baltimore national pike, so far so good. this is where things start to ease up. we will switch to a view of traffic at harford road. john, over to you. >> the sun is out, a sheet few -- a few clouds filtering in here and there. it has bought up five or six degrees the past few minutes. winds are calm right now. a few wispy clouds to the south of us. this is a fair weather situation. this is mostly headed for the great lakes, so not really an issue in our forecast. 63 to 68 the high. northwest breeze and six to 12.

seven-day forecast. tomorrow 74. 85 on

8:00 now on a friday morning. it's the 13th of april, 2012. it may be friday the 13th but we're all feeling very lucky this morning, to have all of you join us out here on the plaza. a lot of great people. and they picked an absolutely beautiful today to stop by. meantime, i'm ann curry alongside carl quintanilla, and we have to mention that there's a new ad, i don't know if you've seen it on television, depicts lisa rinna the beautiful tar talking essentially about adult diapers. for depends. so a lot of people find it hilarious. and we're going to find out what she has to say about it. whether she has to tell us something, lisa.

we're going to find out about that coming up this morning. >> my toddlers still wear pull-ups and it works for them. let's just join right in. also the hip new hbo show "gi "girls" premieres on sunday thanks to one of its stars, allison williams, the daughter of brian williams here at nbc. >> she's very talented. >> yes. >> very talented. >> and she's gotten her look from obviously jen. >> her mother. >> she is beautiful, jane is. >> yes, she is. >> and brian is a good-looking man, yes, he is, anyway. >> yeah, sure he is. anyway, is it the find of a lifetime or just a worthless piece of paper? we'll tell you why one person is suing over a $5 find at a garage sale that they believe is worth $130 million. in coca-cola stock. >> i know. that sounds like a dramatic story. >> what a story. >> meantime talking about stories, let's go inside once again, and natalie morales is

standing by. >> good morning, ann, carl and al. good morning, everyone. a tense standoff in new hampshire during the night led to the shootings of five police officers, one of them killed just days before retirement. police were trying to serve a drug-related search warrant at a house in the small town of greenland when the suspect inside opened fire. the police chief michael maloney was killed. less than two weeks before he was set to retire after 26 years on the force. the suspect and a woman were found dead inside the home. an embarrassment for north korea this morning after its much-touted rocket failed shortly after launch. the long-range rocket which was carrying a satellite split into pieces over the yellow sea. the south korean military is now scouring those waters for debris. and this morning, united nations secretary-general slammed the launch as deplorable and in violation of the security council. george zimmerman, accused in the shooting death of florida teen trayvon martin, remains behind bars this morning in an isolated cell under protective watch.

on thursday, zimmerman appeared in court a day after prosecutors charged him with second degree murder. but he did not yet enter a plea, nor did his attorney request bail. an arraignment has been set for may 29th. and now let's head to wall street where encouraging signs from china and europe drove the dow even higher on thursday. cnbc's courtney reagan is at the new york stock exchange. good morning, what can we expect there today. >> hi, good morning, natalie. today is a new day and it's shaping up to be a very active one as markets head into the finish line of a very volatile week. today investors will be weighing somewhat disappointing economic growth data out of china with better than expected earnings here in the u.s. google reporting $10.08 profit plus announcing a new class of nonvoting stock and jpmorgan also beating the street with its latest earnings report. >> courtney reagan. we'll be watching what happens there today. now for a look at what's trending today. our quick roundup of what has you talking online. there's no love lost on twitter.

19-year-old frances bean cobain watched her mom courtney love banned from leaving the site. this after her wild twitter rant where she accuses him of shacking up with her daughter. new study finds men who drink a couple of beers are smarter and able to solve problems faster than those who were sober. one of the researchers believes the findings may signify that men are a tad tipsy, when they are a tad tipsy they tend to be a little more creative. and this is one way to take out your frustrations if you've ever lost patience at the car dealership. take a look at what the security camera video shows from russia. a moscow doctor apparently snapped after waiting 20 minutes to pick up his car and then rammed the loaner car that he had through the dealership and into all the cars in the show room. he now faces five years in prison. unbelievable. 8:04 right now. let's go back outside to ann and carl.

just after waiting 20 minutes. that's not bad at all. >> natalie, thank you so much. let's check to see what al's got cooking. >> hey, al. we've got a baby over here. what's his name? >> this is caitlin. >> oh, her name. i'm sorry. how old is she. >> she's 8 months. >> oh, there you go. now we know that's a caitlin. all right. what a cutie. let's find out about your weather for today. a lot of rain in los angeles. nbc 4, showers, thundershowers. 59 degrees. and in the midwest we've got a risk of strong storms today. late afternoon and midnight from wichita falls to kansas city. looking at tornadoes possible. then we move into tomorrow, we've got a high risk of tornadoes from central oklahoma in to central kansas, a strong risk from iowa in to northern texas, slight risk from central texas in to western illinois, and we are talking about anywhere from 3 to 6 inches of rain locally, between oklahoma city and st. louis.

but the big risk of these tornadoes, and it extends all the way in to sunday. so we are going to be keeping a very, very close eye on the weather situation in the midwest >> good morning. we have a lot of sunshine in our forecast. a few clouds this morning. we'll be in the 60's for highs. >> and that's your latest weather. carl? >> al, thanks. coming up next, what is lisa rinna doing in a new commercial for adult diapers? she'll explain in this exclusive live interview right after this. [ boys screaming ] hi, i just switched jobs, and i want to roll over my old 401(k) into a fidelity ira.

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the gel transforms into a foam and surrounds your teeth. pronamel iso-active helps protect against the effects of acid erosion. and the cravings begin... again. for nights like these there's special k chocolatey delight cereal. an unguilty pleasure. what will you gain when you lose? back now at 8:08 with something that's not usually a sexy topic. incontinence. but it's getting a lot of buzz thanks to a new ad featuring actress lisa rinna. we're going to talk to her in just a moment. but first natalie is joining us with more on this. >> ann, the ad campaign is for a new line of adult diapers from depends. but can an undergarment made for bladder control really be marketed as a slimmer, sexier product? >> hey, guys. >> reporter: 48-year-old actress

lisa rinna is a fashion icon known for her red carpet style and slim physique. but these days, the actress has a secret underneath her little black dress. and it's not spanx. >> lisa has tried on and is currently wearing the new defends silhouettes for women. >> reporter: rinna is in a new ad for depends. that's right. she's sporting a pair of adult underwear. >> what i love about the new silhouette is it makes a woman feel confident. and it's fashionable. >> reporter: fashionable? adult underwear? that's the goal of depends new line, silhouette for women, that targets baby boomers. >> you can't tell i have it on. >> reporter: and the ads are much different than previous depends campaigns. >> you've got a lot of living to do. >> reporter: rinna says she does not regularly wear the depends products but she is a paid spokesperson. she says she did the ad because the company agreed to donate $225,000 to the charity, dress for success. >> i did it because i am a champion for positive self-image

for women. >> this is a case where marketing is actually going to help an underserved audience that has needed help for a long time. >> reporter: inconsequence nens is a loss of bladder control that affects approximately 26 million americans. reality tv star kris jenner was teased about her bladder condition on an episode of "meet the kardashians." >> i am not going to wear a diaper. >> reporter: rinna says she hopes her role in the ads can bring the topic of incontinence out into the open. >> they're taking this product, which is now going to serve a younger, hipper, cooler audience, and making it sexy and hot. so you can't see it and you won't be embarrassed by it. >> reporter: and the ad is appearing on television and on the internet. depends is also using some nfl players in their new campaign, so it's not just younger women they're targeting here ann. >> natalie, thank you. lisa rinna is now joining us exclusively. lisa, good morning. >> good morning, ann. how are you? >> i'm good. well, the question is how are you? i mean when i first saw this ad,

i tell you i thought it was an "snl" spoof. and comedian jimmy fallon tweeted actress lisa rinna is the new spokesperson for depends adult diapers. yet, yeah, the story wasn't supposed to get out but it leaked. >> how fabulous is that? >> were you trying to make us laugh? >> you know, when i was shown the creatives for this commercial, i thought it was genius. i, too, thought it was like an "snl" skit. and i thought it was so funny, and it was taking this issue that so many people suffer from and turning it on its head. and i absolutely loved it. literally when they sent me the creative they had me in a leopard dress walking the red carpet, and i was sold. right there and then >> you know that your ad has been trending on the internet and even sort of underlying and predictable mineness that we might see on twitter, despite that is there -- there's a feeling beneath all of it that you're too young to do this. what do you want to say to this? >> well, you know, i don't use the product. i tried it on. it's called the great american

try-on. and i tried it on for charity. so it's not something that i use. i do hear all of the meanness and whatnot, but i did because i think it's something that -- that can help women, and if they see me in this product, and it somehow makes them feel better about themselves and less ashamed to go out into the world, i say why not? it was so much fun, i got to work with my husband. it was a win-win situation all around. i think it's hilarious and i loved every minute of it. and we're having a ball. >> did you have to drag him into this? did you have to convince him? >> well, i did, yes. >> what did you say? >> which i always have to do, ann. i always have to convince harry. harry is a baby boomer so he knows that this is going to be the largest generation aging in the history of mankind. and he knows how important this product is. and now that it looks and feels like underwear, it's such a great message to get out that you can be sexy and feel good

about yourself, and wear this product. i mean, i have that -- that underwear on underneath that dress. >> and having your husband kind of feel you up as you're wearing it in this longer version >> yes, my husband does feel me up in the longer version. happily so. i mean, he is my husband. >> and i understand that's, i think, posted on the internet as i -- as i'm understanding. so now are we going to see you do more of these commercials because you are a spokesperson for depends? >> well, that's a good question. i just am contracted to do one. but who knows. gosh, wouldn't that be an interesting thing that i become the face of the depend garment? >> well, you know, what's next? you know, there's denture cream, lisa. >> well -- who knows, ann. so far i have all my teeth. but, hey, you know, i am -- i am a woman aging. and we will all age, and we will all die in the end. so let's have fun doing it. >> you know, lisa, what's really great about this is you're helping us laugh, and that's

really terrific. thanks so much for do joining us this morning. you know, and giving us this great laugh. >> oh, thank you. i hope everybody's enjoying it. >> all right. okay. lisa rinna this morning. still ahead this morning, susan boyle, the musical. we're going to take a look at the new stage show about her unlikely rise to fame. and also coming up, actress allison williams, the daughter of brian williams on her new television series. right after this. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ i'm giving away money to make people like me-eee --

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...from the get-it-done place that gives us more top-rated brands than anywhere else... ...at prices that won't shake up our budget. let's make a one-wall statement... ...or tackle a total room takeover ...with paint that'll get the job done in fewer trips up and down the ladder. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. the number one brand of paint just got better. starting at $23.98. >> back now at 8:16 with allison williams, the young actress who's received a lot of positive attention recently. around here she's also known as the daughter of brian williams. >> allison is one of the stars of the new hbo comedy "girls" about four young ladies trying to get a jump-start on their lives while navigating the ups and downs. take a look. >> look at me. you never, ever text him back. >> maybe you could call him. if you think texting is the lowest form of communication.

>> the lowest, that would be facebook, chat, then texting, then e-mail, then phone. face-to-face is of course ideal. >> then how am i supposed to get him face-to-face if he refuses to text me? >> this morning, that's a conversation for our times. good morning to you. >> yes, good morning. thank you for having me. i think it's a very accurate depiction of what it's like to be in your early 20s in new york. >> talk about buzz. it's being called groundbreaking. a testament to this generation. what's -- what's it like going through all the attention, even before the premiere? >> yeah, well that's really exciting. i mean you hope that when you do something like this that people will react to it. we certainly thought it was something special but you can only dream about that kind of thing. i owe a lot of that to selena, she's a genius. she's also the star of it. >> yeah, well, and you were called your character's name is maureen. >> that's right. >> tell us about her. because she's really struggled. >> she's very type-a, she

doesn't look like she struggles with a lot of things. the moments where she does, where you start to see her coming apart at the seams are really, really fun for me to act through and also just, i think, to watch hopefully. and i felt a lot of sisterhood with her because i'm a little type-a. >> where did you get that from? >> i don't know. >> yeah. >> you should probably mention this videotape that your father posted which is stunning. the videotape of you singing. >> oh. >> this -- >> i think we should listen to it. >> oh, great. >> this is from a couple years ago. ♪ ♪ >> so you were obsessed with the theme of mad men. >> i was. >> and you put it to the lyrics of nat king cole's classic. >> yes. >> got the attention of the executive producer. >> yes. >> which led to "girls." >> yeah. he got in touch with my agent

and said make sure allison auditions, i think she has kind of the right energy we're looking for for marnie. the fact that he's able to see that in the clip is so amazing. and i worked my butt off to perfect the audition. and here i am. >> we should mention the show does deal with some adult themes. >> that is true. >> some profanity. some mature themes. we've all had the situation where you're watching something with your parents and it's like, awkward! >> yeah. >> but in this case you're in it. what was it like watching with your dad and your mom. >> it's unique when you're in it. but they lived through the filming of it with me and every time i'd read a new script i'd come home so excited. i'd feel like it was kind of their second or third time seeing all the material because they felt like they lived through it with me the first time. but it was really, really fun being able to share it with them. and i think they're very proud. >> well no kidding they're proud. you also were saying they were cool. >> they are cool. they're very cool. >> congratulations, allison. >> thank you so much. >> it's so great to see a dream come true for a talented young person. >> that's so nice. >> thank you. >> whether or not she's the daughter of --

>> irrelevant. >> irrelevant. >> thank you. >> thanks. >> of course you can catch the series premiere of "girls" sunday night on hbo. >> that's right. and now we want to tell you what could be the ultimate garage sale find. one man's heirs say that his $5 purchase of an antique oil stock certificate entitles them to nearly 2 million shares of stocks in coca-cola worth an estimated $130 million. but the soda giant says, no way. here's nbc's mike taibbi with the story. >> reporter: here's the stock certificate. for shares purchased in 1924 in the palmer union oil company. the certificate endorsed by the buyer but not assigned to anyone. ♪ so, tony ma reason, the yard sale treasure hunter and fan of get rich quick reality shows like storage wars and pawn star signed his time. learned about the connection to the coca-cola company and announced to his daughter genie and the rest of the family how

much he was convinced his garage sale find was worth >> $130 million. >> reporter: it's like a bearer bond says family attorney, like a blank check. >> today, that certificate is exchangeable for approximately 1.8 million shares of coca-cola common stock. >> reporter: with coca-cola's share price hovering around $72, that's how the marrone pegs their worth at $130 million. ♪ >> reporter: but not so fast said the judge in the case, saying that the claim, this is a new version of the beverly hillbillys. he said that old oil company stock certificate was signed before babe ruth hit 60. back when the country was celebrating the election of calvin coolidge. and that the eight or nine mergers of companies that followed the oil company's demise and led ultimately to coca-cola, left him a little skeptical of the family's eye-opening claim. it's justifiable skepticism said the expert on old stock

certificates consulted by both sides. >> i would say the value would be as a collectible which is maybe $10 or $20. >> reporter: still ebay right now has offers to sell palmer union stock certificates at prices ranging from several hundred to more than $1,000 apiece. for her part, jamie marrone says she'd like the money but won't be upset if she wins. the company says shares of palmer union oil were never convertible into shares of the coca-cola company and calls the claim meritless. jamie says she's just fulfilling her father's request. >> we're a hard-working family and just doing what our dad wanted us to do. >> reporter: for "today," mike taibbi, nbc news, los angeles. >> and now here's carl. >> ann, thanks. susan boyle's dramatic rise to superstardom is now being recreated on the stage, and it has her full approval and participation. nbc's keir simmons is in london. keir, good morning. >> hey, carl, good morning. you know, every performance of susan boyle is such a struggle.

yet at the end of this quite unusual musical about her, she herself comes on and sings "i have a dream." a dream that really has not been easy. >> please welcome susan boyle. >> reporter: another big moment for susan boyle. ♪ i dreamed a dream in time gone by ♪ >> reporter: yet each night it's never quite certain she will show up. ♪ a life worth living >> reporter: the musical about her life recently opened in northern england. tells the story of her discovery on a talent show. ♪ i dreamed a dream in time gone by ♪ >> reporter: and how at 47 she waited in line, hungry for her big break. and later, after the fact, a nervous breakdown. susan hand picked scottish

actress elaine smith to play her. they even look alike. >> i think it really speaks to her initially when she saw me and the way she said, oh, no. >> reporter: the musical reveals that at 17 she had her first and only date. her perfect date. ♪ >> reporter: but her life has been far from perfect. early poverties, a difficult journey. thousands are coming to listen, including these fans from utah, georgia and california. >> she did her show in london. we saw her there. and we've been to new york. seen her at the stage show. >> reporter: now a millionaire with three hit albums and a best-selling book, last month she was spotted shopping in a thrift store. and riding a bus. still struggling with her fame. >> somebody who, you know, is known in their own neighborhood and then is suddenly known right across the world, i don't know

how you deal with that. >> reporter: for a time she couldn't. she is still battling her demons. every night the real susan boyle closes the show. but can she keep up the pace? susan boyle's story isn't over yet. and if this musical is a test in northern england and scotland, it could come here to london. there's even talk, carl, of a tour of the united states. that is if susan boyle can keep performing. >> keir simmons, thank you very much. that story never gets old. >> no it it really doesn't. she's so fascinating. >> still ahead we're going to debunk the most popular myths about dieting. >> i have heard about this. all kinds of ideas.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. here is traffic pulse 11 and sarah caldwell. >> tracking several accidents at this hour. an accident involving a jeep that went into a royal farm store. nasty scene at there. a lot of people take east joppa to avoid the beltway, but the beltway is seeing extra volume to avoid that. neither one is a great bet at this time. lakewood avenue, orleans street, accident at pulaski highway and north haven street.

ramp to northbound 29 is still blocked. telegraph road and harvey avenue, watch for an accident in severn. update and a chemist, starting with baltimore national pike. -- update on our cameras, starting with baltimore national pike. harford road, big back up with added volume. over to you, john. >> lots of sunshine this morning. on tv hill, we are up to 49 degrees. high pressure is the rule today. storm out west, stays to the west. heading to the great lakes. not really in our direction. temperatures will keep rising. highsthe mid-sixties for vic for the afternoon during this afternoon. northwest winds at 6 to 12 miles an hour.

into the 80's on sunday and monday. >> another update at 8:56.

8:30 now on a tgif friday morning. the 13th of april, 2012. we have a massive crowd outside here on rockefeller plaza getting a head start on their weekend plans. we're so happy that they decided to join us this morning. i'm ann curry alongside carl quintanilla. natalie morales is joining us. coming up, it's about a

9-year-old boy who essentially inspired a community by created a basically an arcade out of cardboard boxes. and a video made about it went viral, and you're not going to believe the end of this story. it's very, very cool. i can't wait to show you. >> also ahead. another guy who lives this dreams capturing these amazing images of creatures who call africa home. look at this. we're going to share some of his stunning photos in just a little bit. >> that's so cute. also we're going to catch up with oscar winner robert duvall as he's working on a new film. but also jill rappaport got to be up close and personal at him in his ranch in virginia with all of his beautiful horses. right up jill's alley. >> and we're also going to take a tour of some fantastic homes. amazing what you can get around the country for $200,000 or less. barbara corcoran will be here with amazing values. >> all right meantime tell us about the weather this weekend. >> this weekend we've got a lot of severe weather to talk about unfortunately. right, smack dab in the middle

of the country where we don't need it. we've got a high risk of strong storms from texas in to iowa. we've got a slight risk stretching from texas. sunshine in the pacific northwest. sunny and mild along the east coast. then on sunday, sunday, mid-mississippi river valley down to the south and up into the great lakes. sunny and mild along the west coast. look for some showers moving into new england. across upstate new york and the central great lakes. >> this is what the picture looked like at the inner harbor this morning. just a few clouds. lots of sunshine. high temperatures in the

>> and that's your latest weather. you know if you want that weather any time of the day or night, this weekend, check out the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. now let's head down to captiva island and say hello to uncle willie. >> ah, beautiful florida where the sun always shines, even today. look at that. who could ask for more. happy birthday from snuckers, how sweet. martha solmer from madison, florida. she loves to sing at her church and work on the flower arrangements. annie cox from atlanta georgia, 105 years old today and she reads newspapers every single day. keeps up with everything, and loves to be with her family. how nice. joseph cunningham, yankers, new york, is 100 years old today. lifelong musician and has a great habit. now he's taken up painting. he's an artist.

we have ann from batten, ohio, 100 old today. she loves to dance and teach others the hula. the hula! we have marvin and ethel wily from sac city, iowa. they've been married for 75 years and they love to hold hands and kiss good night and good morning and noon. i like that. rosalie roorhies is 106 years old and believes in staying active. keep moving. keep all the parts moving and you're in good shape. now back to that great city on the hudson. >> all right, willard, thank you so much. have you seen king's arcade? a viral video of a 9-year-old boy who made an entire arcade out of cardboard boxes has racked up more than a million hits and made this little boy's dream come true. here's nbc's miguel almaguer. >> reporter: in this rough

section of east l.a., wedged between these piles of scrap and rundown cars, a 9-year-old boy built his dream. how'd you come up with all these ideas? >> i got a big and it started coming bigger. >> reporter: last year he set up shop in front of his dad's shop. >> he's got a big imagination. >> reporter: he turned and endless supply of cardboard and tape. into cain's arcade. but there was a problem. >> i heard when people first came by nobody wanted to play. is that true? >> yeah. >> reporter: how come? >> i don't know. >> reporter: weeks turned to months. nothing. no customers until one day -- >> his dad told me that i was his first and only customer. >> reporter: filmmaker nirvan walked in the door looking for a car part when instead he found inspiration. >> my name is caine and i'm 9 years old. >> reporter: his story was turned into a ten-minute movie.

>> when you store a point he would crawl into the box, and he pulls out these little tickets out of the side of the cardboard. >> like all the games from the bottom. >> i was like, this kid is a genius. >> reporter: it nearly had it all. drama, suspension, determination. it just needed a happy ending. >> we hatched a plan to invite everybody in l.a. to come play caine's arcade. >> reporter: word spread on the web. cameras were there when a little boy's dream -- >> what's going on over here? >> reporter: became a storybook ending. >> we finally got some customers here. >> we want to play! ♪ >> reporter: caine's arcade went viral. >> i don't know what to say. you are just famous. >> reporter: and parents did, too. strangers didn't just watch. they gave. $100,000 donated to a college fund for caine. what do you want to be when you grow up? >> someone that invents games.

>> reporter: you already did that, huh? pretty good at it? >> yeah. >> reporter: one little boy who thought outside the box. inspired countless others to dream. for "today," miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. >> go caine, go. coming up next, what you need to consider before taking out a reverse mortgage. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

back at 8:39. this morning on "today's money," a crash course on reverse mortgages. they can help guarantee you stay in your home, but they may not be for everyone. jean chatzky is "today's" financial editor and author of "money rules." jean, good morning to you. >> nice to see you. >> this sounds a little complicated but because the recession has made people worry about their retirement over the next few years you're getting asked about it a lot, aren't you? >> all the time. and from younger people. the number of people in their 60s who are actually looking at

this, has started to really creep up. >> what exactly -- let's break it down and explain what it is. reverse mortgage by definition is. >> is you are pulling the equity back out of your home. you're taking a chunk of that equity, you're converting it into cash. you can get it in one of three ways. as a stream of income payments kind of like a pension. you can get it as a lump sum. you can also get it as a line of credit that you can draw on when you need it. you have to be 62 years old to qualify, we should point that out. >> some of the pros, obviously you get that guaranteed source of income so you don't need to worry as much. but then the ability to stay in your home over time -- >> you get that, the ability to stay in your home over time. in fact, you can stay in your home until you die, or until you've moved out for 12 months at which point the bank has the right to get back the money. even if you drain almost all the equity from the home you can still stay there. the bank can't force you to move. >> some of the cons. fees are kind of pricey. >> these are not inexpensive

loans, yeah. you're looking at fees of anywhere from a couple thousand dollars up to $10,000. you also have to realize you can't get all the equity out of your home. you can get anywhere from 60% to 80% of the value of your home. and as you get older, these get more attractive, because the bank computes the amount of money that you're going to receive based on the amount of time that they think that you're going to live. >> you mention these have historically gone to older borrowers. the average age was somewhere around 73? now the age is between 62 and 64? >> it's up by about 15% over the last decade or so. and again, we think this is because people have been so hard-hit by the recession, that they're looking for a way to make up that retirement income that they just didn't capture. >> let's say for a moment that you're going to consider doing this. >> okay. >> what's the first step? you need to start talking about your goals i guess. >> you need to know how much money do i need, how long do i need that money for?

and quite frankly, why am i holding onto this house? am i doing this for me? am i doing it for my kids? sometimes people think their kids will be just devastated if they don't get the house and in reality that's just not the case. so talk about it. you're also going to have to go through counseling in order to get a reverse mortgage. hud requires this of people, which is really, really good, because these are complicated instruments. >> are you also going to pay some attention to taxes and how that's going to influence the whole equation? >> you have to continue to pay the taxes and the insurance on your property. so look at how much you're going to be taking in. if you live in a house with really high taxes, if that's not affordable for the long-term, this is not something that you should do. >> over all is this something that's going to give someone who's going into retirement some peace of mind? or is this something for someone who says, you know what, i always wanted that dream house in florida, as well, let's get that, too? >> it can be both. it can actually be both. if you've got a significant amount of assets, it can be the dream home in florida. for most people, what we're

starting to see is that the equity in your home really can be looked at as another portion of your retirement portfolio that you can access even after your income has dropped off the map. >> what if you already have an existing mortgage? >> if you already have one you have to pay that back out of the proceeds before you start drawing on the equity. so you receive $200,000 from a reverse mortgage, you owe $100,000. you only get $100. >> and then finally, the requirements on the income you have to have? >> no requirements on the income. that's the great thing. it allows people who don't have an income anymore to tap the equity of their home when they wouldn't ordinarily be able to refinance >> we used to think of the home as the emergency way to get some cash but we're going to be hearing about this for the next few years for sure. >> absolutely. but pay attention to the details. >> as always jean chatzky, thanks so much. >> sure. >> up next the man who risked his life to capture these amazing images of animals in the wild. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:45 with extreme images of amazing animals, african wildlife photographers who get up close and personal with dangerous creatures and share his breathtaking photographs with us. good morning. >> thank you so much. >> you get up so close. how close do you get and how important is it to get up so close to get these kinds of images? >> well, it is important. you've got to first of all understand what you're shooting and the nature of your subject. it's dangerous animals, on quite a regular basis. the closer you get, obviously, the more unique you can get an image. but you have to understand the rules of engagement and not push an animal beyond its limits. >> yards away? feet away? >> that's probably about five to eight yards away. >> okay. how close, though? sometimes inches?

>> sometimes. depending on the shot. but that was very low to the ground, kind of almost next to the vehicle, and just to create that perspective and get that very wide angle shot. that was a very -- an animal that was a little bit used to the vehicle and our presence. so right next to the car just sitting down on the ground, and to get the shot i found out i had to use a method of kind of tweaking my toes and get him curious and the camera nice and low. you get that expression and that close-up kind of distorted image. >> so you have learned then over time some techniques to get animals to react to you in a way that is useful. but they are dangerous. i mean, look, we're looking at animals who coo attack you. >> absolutely. >> so aren't you frightening? some people might think you're actually crazy. >> some people do. the lovely thing is because i work with them -- >> that's beautiful. >> because of the area we get to and spend time in, a game reserve, it's across such a broad area, that you know, you

get -- and all the vehicle movements, and frequently visitors you get close. and animals are relaxed with you, as well. so you do get close enough, but once again, it's just, the more you understand what you're shooting the more you can predict kind of what they're going to do and where they're going to move in and they're in the most beautiful areas and most beautiful sights. >> i'm guessing in addition to the beauty you also become very connected to the -- i suppose the vulnerability? >> absolutely. >> of what you're looking at. i wonder, you've been concerned about what's happening to the rhinos. >> absolutely. >> in africa. what can you tell us about -- how much are they threatened? >> they are very threatened. at the moment as it stands, there's over 160 rhinos just this year to date within south africa that have been slaughtered for medicinal trade, in asia, mostly. and we're very concerned about this. and we try a bit, various methods from beefing up security

to trying to create awareness for this. and it's not easy. i mean we're fighting a huge, huge battle. and literally two species went extinct last year of rhino. this is in our lifetime that we've seen this. that we've seen animals growing and disappearing. so it's a huge issue that we need to combat. >> we're about a week away from earth day. do you have a message to people listening about responsibility? >> i think we just need awareness about it. people don't know the truth about it. and it is a cultural belief, just talking about rhinos in general, about you know the medicinal properties, which is very, very -- it's none. it's like our hair. so just spreading that, and trying to find a cause to combat that. just to talk to people, to support charities, to get involved. visit africa. i mean, it will change your heart. it will change your life. just to be able to see these animals in real life, to see it the way we do, as well. so i think that alone will change people's minds and

perspectives. >> you make us want to go. thank you with your photographs. thank you so much. >> thank you. thank you so very, very much. >> coming up next the oscar winner robert duvall gichs us an exclusive look inside his horse farm retreat.

oscar winner robert duvall has had a long and storied career in hollywood but these days he's more at home on the range. jill rappaport recently caught up with the legendary actor. >> move a little closer. come on. >> i'm starting to get paranoid here. what's wrong with me? anyway i have to tell you guys it was exhausting just trying to keep up with this actor who at 81 is always on the go and living life to the fullest on his magnificent farm in virginia. >> my wife luciano says virginia to her is the last station before heaven. >> reporter: so here's the main homestead. >> now this house is built the main part in 1743. >> reporter: unbelievable. >> before the revolutionary war and before the civil war. those were the two wars fought around here. >> reporter: from his magical 360 acre estate.

>> i love -- >> reporter: to his memorable roles. >> -- on the causeway. he's dead. >> reporter: robert duvall is the first to admit he leads a cherished life. >> you go day by day and you arrive at being grateful for what you have. for being blessed and having gratitude. and this is it. >> reporter: and after more than 50 years in the business, including 137 films under his belt, and countless awards on his shelf, duvall is still a force to be reckoned with. despite his age. 81? >> right. >> reporter: did i just blow your cover? >> no, no. hey, hey. >> reporter: he's saying are you a little older? i see an emmy here. >> is that what that is? >> reporter: that's an emmy. there's another emmy. >> for a western. i think that unwas for stalin and i got one i think for -- it's been so long ago. >> reporter: okay. what's that little guy up there?

there he is the oscar. >> an oscar. i had a friend who used to want to make out with girls and come up and use it. >> reporter: but awards and accolades aside on this day it was his horse marley taking center stage. are you ready for your close-up? >> he's ready for everything. >> reporter: by getting an evaluation by world renounced morse han jesus morales who is helping duvall with his riding for the upcoming film don quixote. do you need to tell your horse it's a little aud yigs? is he in hair and makeup? >> no, he was in hair and makeup for eight hours yesterday. he was clipped. everything. >> reporter: what are you hoping he will do and teach you -- >> i just want him to ride. not that anything will ever happen, but this horse has a lot of potential and loves people. he's just a very unique horse. >> reporter: these days duvall spends quality time in the saddle. but don't expect this actor to go riding off into the sunset any time soon. there's no retirement in your future?

>> well, you say you don't retire, the business retires you. so until they wipe the drool, i'm going to work awhile, you know. >> reporter: no chance of that. he's really putting in some saddle time now preparing for his upcoming role in don quixote and he's getting a great teacher with jesus morales. you can't get better than that. that guy is poetry in motion in the saddle. >> duvall is pretty good, too. >> for any age, right? >> i know exactly. >> we were saying there's no way he can be 81 and look that good. >> i know. >> -- on a horse at 81. >> exactly. >> to be doing anything at 81. >> i'd like to be doing anything right now. he looks better than me. >> i love seeing all 9 clips of the movies he's been in. >> i love. >> -- horse to in the morning. >> always -- >> more to come.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. fire crews working to determine what sparked a two-alarm fire that hit three homes. they encountered flames coming from two vacant homes. the flames spread to a third

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>> nice morning. we started out in the 30's but we will see sunshine today. temperatures on the average, 63 to 68 for the high. >> thank you for joining us. >> thank you for joining us. we