good morning. the right path? lawmakers set to press the head of the federal reserve to whether he can do more to spur the economic recovery. this after the dow posted its best day of the year. criminal act. a massachusetts teen becomes the first in his state to be convicted of causing a deadly accident while texting behind the wheel. he'll spend the next year in jail. this morning, a landmark decision is sending a clear message to other drivers. and unmasked. michael jackson's daughter, paris, opens up with oprah and talks about how her late father covered up his kids' faces when they went out in public. how does she feel about that now? her answer thursday, june 7th, 2012.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to "today" on this thursday morning. i'm ann curry. welcome back. >> thank you very much. i'm matt lauer. ben bernanke is expected to face pretty tough questions on capitol hill today. he'll be speaking to members of the joint economic committee. >> that's right. we've been getting a lot of mixed signals. recently wednesday' 286-point dow surge comes just days after the unemployment rate jumped to 8.2%. so both lawmakers and investors on wall street will be listening very carefully to what he has to say. we'll get a live report from wall street coming up straight ahead this morning. also ahead, we'll talk about a case involving a florida man acquitted in the murder of his wife. he has fought these charges for five long years. at one point, he blamed her death on a reaction to some spray tanning chemicals.

this morning he speaks out about the verdict and the toll the case has taken on his family. and then we're going to have an eye-opening hidden camera experiment, matt. because what would you do if you saw a missing child poster and then moments later you actually saw the child pictured on that poster? would you recognize him or her? and what would you do? we put people to the test and frankly, you're going to be shocked by the results we found. >> alarming, i think. people are going to really be surprised by what we see here. and imagine waking up with a skill that you never had. it happened to this man. he had no musical training. he suffered a concussion in a swimming accident, and now he can play the piano like a virt woe s virtuoso. he's going to demonstrate his remarkable gift this morning in the studio. it's odd, the human brain. >> it really is. we'll get to that later on. let's begin with the top stories with natalie morales joining us at the news desk.

>> good morning, everyone. as you heard, all eyes are on the economy today after wednesday's ginn gains on wallt marked the best day of the year to date for the dow which ended up more than 286 points. this as ben bernanke heads to capitol hill to give lawmakers an update on the economy. for more we want to turn to cnbc's mary thompson at the new york stock exchange. would this finally be a worldwide rally? >> near term, stocks could extend their climb if they perceive bernanke's comments as being friendly. the markets rallied on expectations central banks around the world would take additional actions to boost flagging economies. what could he do? his second in command vice chair janet yellen saying in a speech she thinks it could either be bond purchases further extend i should say hiking interest rates. we'll keep watch on it today. back to you. >> we'll be listening for those

comments. mary thompson, thanks so much. new reports this morning of yet another massacre in syria. we have the latest now from cairo cairo. good morning. >> reporter: activists inside and outside syria say the village witnessed about 250 residents in that village, 100 of them were killed, many of them at close range, executed by government supporters. meanwhile, the diplomatic efforts continue to stall. secretary of state hillary clinton in turkey trying to bring together arab and european allies to prop up the syrian opposition. they're holding a meeting later in the month of june to try and get some support to the syrian opposition, ordering or carrying out rather attacks inside syria. natalie? >> reporter: eamon reporting from cairo, thank you. u.s. defense secretary leon panetta is in afghanistan this morning amid a recent upswing in violence. this morning hamid karzai is condemning a nato air strike

that he says killed 18 civilians on wednesday. nato has sent the team to investigate the reports that civilians were killed in the strike. a massachusetts teen has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years behind bars after being found guilty of texting while driving. causing a fatal car crash. 18-year-old aaron deveau will serve one year in jail for negligent homicide in the head-on collision that killed 55-year-old donald boley. he'll finish out his sentence performing community service. science fiction writer ray bradbury is being remembered as a visionary, anticipating our modern technology decades before it became reality. bradbury best known for "fahrenheit 451" died at 91. high schools and universities nationwide still study the author's works. and the donald just might give miss pennsylvania a second chance to avoid a lawsuit. trump released a statement last night saying that she has 24 hours to apologize for saying

that his miss usa pageant is rigged. the 27-year-old resigned as miss pennsylvania on tuesday saying that another contestant saw a list of the top five finalists before the show went to air. well, trump denies that the contest is fixed and says he'll sue her for making defamatory statements. it's six minutes past the hour. let's turn it back over to you. not an end to this one, i don't think. >> thank you so much. meantime, look who else is back from london this morning. >> you know what's weird? we were in london together. >> we never saw each other. >> never saw each other. no. >> we both landed very early, went to our respective stops. >> separate corners and came out fighting. there you go. nice to see you. >> good to see you finally. unfortunately, folks saw weather they did not want to see in the rockies. let's first go to this video. we have hail out of denver, douglas county just so the south of denver. rain and hail.

cars. stranded. hail up to three inches thick some some spots plus a tornado spotted near the denver international airport. take a look at this. basically called a land spout, not really a tornado, but still pretty unusual stuff. and then again today as we go back to the maps, show you that we've got a risk of strong storms from pueblo up to alliance. we're looking at the possibility of tornadoes. also a risk of strong storms firing up down through texas. we're looking at heavy rain anywhere from two to three inches of rain before that's over. and our friends in florida getting dumped. they've got more rain, and they could see anywhere from one to four inches of rain in the next 24 hours. >> good morning. the temperatures will climb further than it did yesterday. we should make it into the upper 70's this afternoon.

and that's your latest weather. ann? >> al, thanks. president obama's fund-raising out west today as he spars with mitt romney and republicans over the state of the country. nbc's kristen welker is in beverly hills with more. kristen, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, ann. president obama got a warm welcome at the lgbt council gala here in beverly hills but also got serious quickly, warning supporters this race will be tight until november. president obama greeted by thundering and sustained applause as stars turned out for an event sponsored by hollywood's gay community. newly energized after the president's recent endorsement of same-sex marriage. >> the fight for equality and

justice on behalf of the lgbt community is just part of a broader fight on behalf of all americans. >> reporter: mr. obama ticked off a litany of what he sees as his biggest accomplishments. >> i keep a little checklist of my accomplishments at the oval office. every so often i take a look at it and say we're doing okay. >> reporter: but on the stump in texas, mitt romney took direct aim. >> 23 million americans out of work or stopped looking for work or can only get part-time work and need full-time employment. the median income in america the last 3 1/2, 4 years has dropped by 10%. >> reporter: republicans are also trying to paint the president as being out of touch for frequently fund-raising in tinseltown. the president attended two fund-raisers on wednesday, rubbing elbows with cher, ellen degeneres, julia roberts. in may, mr. obama raked in nearly $15 million at george clooney's house, and his

campaigns got an ad touting a fund-raiser next week in new york hosted by sarah jessica parker and "vogue" chief anna wintour. >> just don't be late. >> reporter: the republican national committee responded with its own ad, criticizing the president for using wintour, a wealthy fashion icon, at a time when unemployment ticked up to 8.2%. white house press secretary jay carney fired back, pointing out that romney has his own celebrity surrogates. >> two words. donald trump. >> reporter: wednesday night, both candidates appeared in comedy sketches at the "cmt music awards" about who should host the show. toby keith or kristen bell. >> i want them both. >> i propose toby and kristen cohost the show. see? i just put two people back to work. you're welcome, americans. >> reporter: now, just before the president's first fund-raiser here in los angeles, an f-16 fighter jet intercepted a single-engine cessna which are flown into restricted airspace.

norad says it landed out incident. today it is back to politics. mitt romney will be stumping in st. louis, missouri. president obama attends one more fund-raiser here in los angeles and then heads to las vegas where he will talk about the economy. matt? >> kristen welker out in california this morning, ki kristen, thanks very much. tom brokaw, good to see you. welcome back. >> good to be back. >> the president is warning his supporters, it's going to be razor tight, razor close this race. more and more people are saying to me -- and i'm listening to the pundits say this over and over again -- that this is going to boil down to one thing and one thing only, that unemployment number as we get closer to november. do you disagree? >> i do. i felt this way for a year now, that it's a referendum on the economy. and as i've been going around the country, the people are very wary about what they're hearing, recovery or not, there's kind of a bait and switch going on. we seem to be in recovery in april or may and then suddenly it turns sour when you get to june. the president's had two bad setbacks in the last week. first of all, the number that

came out last friday, and then wisconsin. even though he didn't go out there and get involved, it showed the muscle of the republican party. and as my friend chuck todd says, they've come to play this time in a way they didn't four years ago. >> save wisconsin. i'll get to that in just a second, though. when you talk about the economy, how does the president go out to voters and say, after these three lackluster months, that these numbers do not accurately reflect the state of the recovery? >> well, some people who are fans and friends of his will say the same thing. warren buffett, for example, thinks that the economy is recovering at a faster rate than the public realizes at this point. but it's still a slow ramp-up. he's borrowed a page from ronald reagan. reagan, people forget, in his first term, they were in a very deep recession for a long time. so as he came into this year in his presidency, he said it is getting better. trust me, we can really make it better if i get one more term. that's what barack obama is going to attempt to sell. >> and on the other side, mitt romney takes a look at this

unemployment number ticking up slightly over the last month. and how does he go out and use that as a political weapon on this campaign trail without being that guy who's rooting against the economy for his own purposes? >> well, it's the unspoken part of the republican campaign now. when that number came out last friday, bad news for the country, they thought it was good news for them. first of all, it diverted attention from romney back to obama not getting the job done. within the romney campaign, they think their big job is to transform him between now and the convention from the candidate who was more beholden to the right wing in the republican primaries and debates than he has to be come the fall. so they're working hard to make him more user friendly, if you will. as one of them said to me, he can't be gordon gecko going into the fall. >> real quickly, you mentioned wisconsin, that's the big political news of the last couple days. scott walker, the governor there, pushing back a recall bid. what is the big lesson to be learned in terms of national politics from wisconsin?

>> well, the republicans come to play wherever there is a big competition. now in play. they spent a lot of money up there. and also, i think as you look around the country, matt, you see a lot of people just saying, we're not going to play by the old rules anymore. look at the trouble they've got us into. public pensions are a big, big issue. and however you feel about whether the unions overstepped in trying to recall him, most voters felt that it was not a recallable issue in terms of they have voted for him, after all. so it was an issue for him. >> in the last few seconds i have left, the situation where the president is out raising a lot of money in hollywood. it's good for his political coffers. it is a double-edged sword, though? >> i don't think it's that much. you know, i've been covering politics and money for a long time, and people kind of say that's the way the game is played. on the other side, they'll point to the coke brothers and the big industrial interests that are sending a lot of money because of citizens united and the pacs who support romney.

i just don't know. here's the important thing to remember. we have a geologic age between now and the election. a lot of things can happen. we'll have a much better idea after the conventions going into the fall, post-olympics, people will begin to pay attention and we'll see where we are. >> tom brokaw, always good to see you. thanks very much. 7:15. now here's ann. >> matt, thanks. as the school year winds down across the country, parents at one high school in california are being warned of the dangers of a possible student initiation ritual. our janet shamlian is in malibu with this story. >> reporter: ann, good morning. school officials say they have no hard evidence this is happening. but if you talk to students, it is a different story. they say this welcome to high school-type hazing is an org organized and annual event, the time and date usually posted on facebook. classes are almost out at malibu high school. but the e-mail sent to parents recently wasn't about any closing celebration. it was a warning about possible

hazing. the note said, potentially scheduled for this weekend or next. >> it's just like a paddling. i mean, i don't really know for sure. i hear, like, covered in cat food or some degrading thing and that's about it. >> reporter: clark says students call the event an initiation. 11th graders soon to be seniors targeting incoming freshmen. initiation for boys often involves violence, usually in the form of being paddled and physical fighting. the e-mail warned. girls, it said, are humiliated and harassed. according to the principal's letter, the so-called initiations have sometimes happened here on the beach in malibu as girls in bathing suits were covered in food or even cat food and then rolled in the sand. school officials insist the note is precautionary after teachers heard chatter among students. >> we hear that word "initiation," and it raises concern. just in the word itself, it raises concern. >> reporter: students say with good reason.

it does happen. >> well, i went through it in eighth grade. there was a facebook message about it and i do know people who did go. >> reporter: harassment at the high school level has already taken its toll in westchester county, new york, where three teens were charged as adults for assault, hazing and unlawful imprisonment of a group of incoming students. police tell nbc news more than a dozen students were taken from a library to a remote area and then beaten and paddled as part of a freshmen friday. one required hospitalization. >> it usually doesn't go as far as the hospital. they just kind of rough them up and take them to, like, a private area where no one can see. >> reporter: no comment from those arrested. back in malibu, parents like brett linden are grateful for the heads up. >> is it on my radar more now? yes, it is. >> reporter: unlike the incident in new york, students here describe initiation as a

voluntary-type event that most 8th and 11th graders choose not to attend. ann, back to you. >> important for all parents to pay attention to. 7:17. here's matt. >> the family of a georgia grad student who's put on a brave face as she fights a flesh-eating bacteria says that the 24-year-old is now starting to show some signs of frustration for the first time. nbc's thanh truong is at the hospital in augusta, georgia, where that young lady is being treated. thanh, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt. aimee copeland's parents have been by her side every day since she contracted flesh-eating bacteria. through multiple amputations and a lot of trauma, she's put on a strong face. but for the first time, her father's describing the frustrating toll it's taken on aimee. for more than a month, aimee copeland has bravely fought a flesh-eating bacteria that almost killed her. >> you try not to think about the rest of your life without your sister because really, i mean, she's the closest thing i have. it was really a hard time, but

at the same moment, i just knew aimee couldn't give up. >> reporter: when we recently sat down with aimee's family, they were celebrating the fact that she was finally able to talk again and how she was cracking jokes with nurses. it sounds like she's a remarkably strong young woman. but has there been a time where she said, why me? or any frustration? >> not yet. >> reporter: but in his latest blog, aimee's father painted a painful picture. this past week aimee had struggled mightily, he wrote. aimee has lost both hands, her left leg and right foot to amputations. aimee's dad explained her phantom pains. although she has no hands, her brain is apparently still telling her body that the hands are there. aimee described the pain, saying "it feels like i have been carrying bags of rocks." >> generally phantom pain is sharp or burning pain in an area where they no longer have part of their limb. some people describe it as kind

of dipping their limb into acid. >> reporter: aimee's father went on, explaining how the pain and frustration she was feeling caused her to uncharacteristically lash out at nurses. >> there needs to be a period of mourning or an opportunity for the patient to accept the loss of their limb. and so this will always take a psychological toll on our patients. >> reporter: aimee remains in critical condition and faces a mountain of medical procedures and rehab. despite her latest struggles, aimee's family says she's still showing a resilience they didn't know was possible. >> just seeing the strength that she had and the courage that she's displayed right now is just -- to me is just remarkable because, you know, i try to put myself in her situation, and i don't know that maybe i would not be as strong as she has been. >> reporter: for now, aimee's family measures progress by the removal of stuff from her room. she used to be on a ventilator. that's now gone. and she used to be hooked up to

16 different i.v.s. it's now down to two. the next major procedure for her will be skin grafts, matt. >> still a long road ahead. thanh truong, thank you very much. the florida man accused of killing his wife who initially blamed her death on a bad reaction to spray tanning. he'll open up about being found not guilty in that case. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

results of our hidden camera experiment to see how much attention you pay to those missing children posters. and michael jackson's daughter talks about having to wear a mask in public while she was growing up after your local news. it just wouldn't go away. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain.

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am stan stovall. democratic state senator jim brochin is echoing previous statements made by republican state delegate pat mcdonough. while he says he does not agree with the racial overtones,, he does believe there was a problem with youth violence in the downtown area. he wants state troopers to come

in and help police officers with security. mayor stephanie rawlings-blake and the downtown partnership have refused to comment on that proposal. here is sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> we have two separate accidents off to the side. one on the average of 705, the other one on the outer loop of liberty. dealing with an overturned vehicle being cleared in monkton in jarrettsville pike. southbound 83 is getting heavy from middletown to mount carmel. north point and sparrows point in dundalk, watch for crash. 37 miles per hour from 795. these delays come down from the northeast. let's give you a live view of traffic. we will update you at 140. not bad here. once you get down 100, that

is when the backup begins. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. over to you, tony. >> it little bit of cloud cover in some areas, but no precipitation. fifties in the northern suburbs. 57 in parkton. 58 in jarrettsville. stir of sunshine and clouds, and a 30% chance of a shower or thunderstorm this afternoon. most of you will not seek rain. as we go into most of you will not seek rain. as we go into

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you are rirlistening to a musical wonder at work, but his skills didn't come from years of training. his talent came after he suffered a concussion doctors say changed the way his brain is wired. we'll hear more from derek and talk to him coming up. 7:30 on a thursday morning, the 7th of june, 2012. i'm matt lauer alongside ann curry. derek was always musically inclined, but he never played the piano. he never took a lesson, had this concussion, and afterward has this amazing gift. it's a very rare occurrence. >> a window into how the brain

can work. and i think it makes a lot of people, including me, wonder -- some of us really wish we could be talented musically. >> you wouldn't want to have to go through what he went there to get there. we'll talk to derek coming up. also ahead, much more. >> also ahead, an experiment because we've all seen those missing children's posters, but would you be able to spot that child if you saw him or her at a store? if you did, would you speak up? we'll have the surprising -- some say -- sobering results of a hidden camera experiment. and michael jackson famously made his chirp wear those masks in public, so did it bother the kids? did they understand why he wanted them to cover their faces? coming up with jackson's daughter paris is now saying in the new interview with oprah. >> she looks really beautiful. we begin with a verdict in a murder case that's been pretty closely watched in florida for years now. a husband accused of killing his wife in cold blood. nbc's keith morrison is in miami

this morning. keith, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt. this was a case that transfixed miami, became known probably in false pretenses frankly as the case of the spray-tan defense. a phrase generally used with a smirk. in fact, the story of the young woman, the otherwise healthy young woman who died after getting a spray tan was bizarre, but for a whole different set of reasons. homicidal husband or bungled investigation? the jury's answer? a dramatic -- >> the defendant is not guilty, so say we all. >> reporter: the words adam kaufman had been waiting five years to hear, five years after his frantic call to 911. >> my wife is in the bathroom. she is in the bathroom on the floor dying. and i don't know what's going on. >> okay. >> reporter: it was a moment a charmed life turned on a dime. the morning in 2007 when lena, the mother of her two children, collapsed and died for no apparent reason. at least none that made any sense. >> it was like a nightmare.

that you feel like one day you're going to wake up from, and then it just -- you just don't wake up. >> reporter: then 18 months after he buried her, adam got another jolt. he was arrested and charged with murdering lena. the newspapers dubbed it the "spray tan case" after his lawyer suggested in one of his court hearings that a fatal reaction to tanning chemicals might have been a reason lina died. but to the police and prosecutor, it was a clear case of murder by angry husband. >> i don't think that anyone could imagine what it's like to be -- to love someone so much, then lose that person, then be accused of murdering them, be charged with their murder? it's unfathomable. >> reporter: last month the case finally came to trial in miami. the evidence, a medical examiner's report that cited mechanical asphyxiation. in other words, her airway was cut off by some other person, and the only person around was her husband. >> the defendant, her husband,

is the one that did it. that is second-degree murder. >> reporter: the parade of cops, emts and others who responded that morning took the stand. >> i noticed some scratches on her neck and on her shoulder. >> reporter: and the parade of evidence. the hood of adam's car warm to the touch, his side of the bed didn't look slept in as if he had come in after a night out, argued, then killed her and then kept changing his story about what happened. but experts hired by kaufman's attorney discovered that lina had a heart condition, and having got up in the night to go to the bathroom fainted, collapsed and suffocated. >> this is a prosecution in search of a crime. an innocent man has been falsely charged with a crime that did not occur which he did not commit. >> reporter: what followed, said the defense, was a classic rush to judgment against a loving father who rarely even quarrelled with his wife. >> there's really nothing i would have changed about our

relationship, nothing. >> reporter: after three weeks of testimony and one day of deliberation, the jury returned its verdict. >> the court is in recess. >> reporter: and adam kaufman clutched his identical twin and said his priorities now are simple. to take care of his two children and take a big, long sigh of relief. >> i can only move forward and do the right things for my family, my children, myself and not look back. >> reporter: after the verdict, we talked to some of the jurors who listened to all of that state evidence, and they told us that frankly they were appalled the case ever came to trial at all. in fact, the jury foreman said thank god for him, this is america. and then he thought for a minute and said, "i wonder what happens to people who can't afford an expensive legal defense." matt? >> keith morrison in florida for us this morning, keith, thanks. you can see more of this story tomorrow night on a special

"dateline," 9:00/8:00 central time here on nbc. let's get a check of the weather now from al. >> matt, thanks very much. nice folks here. where are you all from? >> columbia! >> columbia, all right. having a nice time. let's check you out and see what we've got. cooler than normal in the northwest, northeast. nice and warm in between. temperatures in the southeast anywhere from five to six degrees below normal, 15 degrees below normal in the midsection. kind of chilly out west. 94 in vegas. 74 oklahoma city. charleston, 79. a risk of strong storms again throughout northeastern colorado on into the central plains. more rain in the pacific northwest. hit-or-miss showers up into new england. heavy rain down along the west coast of florida. and look for rain from the gulf coast on into texas. >> good morning.

it will be a nice day today. with a slight chance for it rain shower. a mixture of sun and clouds. and don't forget, get that weather anytime you need it. go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. matt? >> all right, al, thank you very much. up next, would you be able to spot a missing child if he or she were standing close to his or her missing persons poster? and what would you do if you did? the eye-opening results of a hidden camera experiment right after this. i knew it'd be tough on our retirement savings, especially in this economy. but with three kids, being home more really helped. man: so we went to fidelity.

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back now at 7:40, and this morning on "rossen reports," missing children. we've all seen the tragic stories, but would you be able to spot that missing kid if he or she were standing right in front of you? "today" national investigative correspondent jeff rossen is here with an eye-opening midden camera experiment.

>> yeah, we hear these stories way too often. a lot of the times on this show, a young child disappears, and the search is on. everyone bands together, blanketing the area with missing child posters. police say it's a critical tool, but think about it. do you really pay attention to them? and if you spotted the missing child, would you call the cops? don't be so sure. this morning our hidden camera experiment may be a wake-up call for all of us. >> reporter: a little girl has vanished. alyssa mcadams only 10 years old. blonde hair, blue eyes. and the missing child posters are up in this small new york suburb. and inside this local bakery. >> that's, like, really disturbing. just today? >> when did she disappear? >> reporter: but would you notice her if she was standing right next to you? >> i want to see my parents. >> listen to me. >> reporter: what if a man was berating her right in front of you? >> i told you you have to listen to what i say or i'll lock you in a room. >> reporter: our hidden cameras are rolling. remember, this could be your

child. we see it all the time, and the real-life cases are heartbreaking. >> we love kyron and we want him home. >> reporter: desperate parents relying on posters to get them home. police say those posters can save kids' lives but only if the public pays attention. so how alert are you? we set up an experiment in new york. working with police, we printed these fake missing posters and hung them everywhere from trees to lamp posts, even inside that local hotspot, the bakery, wired with hidden cameras. we even put a camera inside the poster, right at the register. here's the good news. alyssa isn't really missing. she's an actress working with us. >> i want to go home! >> i'll take you home when i'm good and ready to take you home. >> reporter: we had her walk into the bakery with a strange man holding her by the arm. he's working with us, too, bill stanton, a security expert.

>> someone just walked away. >> reporter: we're watching from a control room downstairs with alyssa's mother. >> is she going to do something? >> reporter: and a local police detective. >> call 911. let us investigate. >> reporter: to see how people react. >> she's missing. >> reporter: this woman is alarmed at the poster, asking the cashier about it several times. >> since when? the sign just went up? that's, like, really disturbing. >> reporter: then alyssa walks in. the woman immediately looks over at her and seems to recognize alyssa as the missing girl. >> so pretty in pink. >> reporter: but even after that, watch as she moves hleads young daughter away. >> she knew that was her and she walked away? you've got to be kidding me. >> reporter: the scenario brings her mom to tears. jeff rossen, nbc news. time to reveal the experiment. did you look at the little girl and make a connection? >> i saw she resembled the picture. it was unsettling. >> reporter: but then you didn't do anything about it.

>> because i wasn't sure. i didn't want to insult the gentleman if it wasn't her or stare at her if it wasn't her. >> reporter: but police say if you suspect anything, call 911. >> we would rather come out and investigate and have it be nothing versus miss an opportunity to save a child. >> reporter: there were encouraging moments. this man saw the poster, saw alyssa and didn't waste any time calling the police. >> 911, what's your emergency? >> there seems to be a missing child which is all over the place on little flyers. >> reporter: but most didn't call the cops. watch this woman, out with her family, buying italian ices. our missing poster clearly gets her attention, and she does a double take when she sees alyssa sitting alone. >> that little girl? >> i don't know. >> reporter: she seems conflicted what to do. >> that looks like the girl sitting over there. >> where? >> we just saw the sign and walked in and saw her. >> reporter: while she does tell the clerk, the clerk is in on our experiment and plays dumb. meanwhile, bill and alyssa walk right by her, leaving the store. it's her last chance to stop

them. but in the end, she doesn't and leaves with her family. time to reveal ourselves. it looked like you made the connection that that girl was the same girl on the poster. >> we did. >> reporter: and then you left the store. >> i did. i kind of asked somebody if they confirmed my feeling, and they ignored me, so i guess i went on. it was the wrong thing. you need to do the right thing. >> reporter: it's okay. it's okay. you did what a lot of people did. >> but that doesn't make it right. >> reporter: at least she noticed the poster. in our experiment, most seemed to miss it entirely. >> business ciscotti. >> reporter: ordering pastry, going about her lives, with the missing girl just an arm's reach away. >> it breaks my heart. >> reporter: we showed our results to john walsh. >> your investigation makes me sad, and it makes me mad and makes me angry. >> reporter: his own son was

abducted and murdered more than 30 years ago. now john is a leading crusader for missing children. >> we need to pay attention. as busy as we are, we need to stop for a second, look at that child and thank god it's not your child. >> reporter: we ran the scenario 16 times over an entire day. in the end, only three people contacted police. >> that's my child. and if she was really missing, it's scary to think about what would happen because nobody would be there to help her. it's disturbing on many levels. >> we also shared our results with the national center for missing and exploited children. they say thousands of kids have been saved because of those photos and posters and that our experiment proves that people need to pay closer attention. ann, obviously the point is not to embarrass or humiliate people. i think we're all a little guilty of this at times. but the key is we all need to pay more attention. >> here's the question. obviously the people who didn't participate in calling the police were concerned about

repercussions. so what do experts say? they shouldn't actually intervene and stop someone, right? >> call the police. you don't know if this is a dangerous kidnapper who has a gun, who is armed. you're supposed to keep them in your sights. do what that man did in the piece. step outside, keep them in your sights, make sure they don't leave and call 911 and let the authorities hamgds it. they want to be called. even if you just suspect, better safe than sorry. could save a life versus angering somebody. >> so it's the right thing to do. jeff rossen, very important reporting. thank you so much. and coming up next, we'll talk about michael jackson's daughter, paris. she's opened up about having to wear masks in public as a child. you're going to hear from her coming up right after this. 3 o'clock. my daily meeting with a salty snack.

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paris, is opening up in a new interview with oprah about the childhood of the late pop superstar. take a look. >> do you remember when you were little, little, younger and when you would go out in public, like your face would be covered? >> mm-hmm. >> you would be, like, secluded from the public? what did you think about that then? or did you just think that was -- >> i was really confused. like i didn't get why i was wearing a mask. >> mm-hmm. >> but i understand it now. why my dad would want our face to be covered. like when we went out without him, we wouldn't be recognized and we'd have a normal childhood. >> mm-hmm. so you would only do that when you were with your dad? >> yes. >> yeah. and then when you weren't with your dad, you could go out and

people wouldn't know who you were. smart. smart. and so did you feel that he wanted you to have a, quote, normal life? >> yeah. he did. >> yeah. do you feel that he thought that that was possible with him being who he was? >> he had his doubts. he told us that when he was younger, he didn't really have a childhood. like he would always be stuck in the studio singing while all the other kids were out playing. and he wanted us to have that. so we'd be able to go to chuck e. cheese. chuck e. cheese and toys 'r' us were our favorite places to go. >> and they were able to go to chuck e. cheese and toys 'r' us because of that. >> it makes sense when you listen to the logic from her perspective where it did allow her to go out on her own with her brother and not be recognized. it does add a little clarity to what seemed bizarre at the time. >> because we don't have that

filter to be in that situation. >> right. >> michael jackson never had a childhood, so he knew how important it was to give his kids what he didn't have. >> and you could argue, had he not covered their faces, would he have created more curiosity about them. >> what a beautiful girl. well-spoken. she's obviously done a very good job. >> we've got a lot more coming up on a thursday morning after these messages, your local news and weather.

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am jennifer franciotti. time for a check of the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> still some problems we are tracking. we will update you on benfield road and severna park could we have an accident clearing. this accident on march 97 approaching a 32. if you want to hang out on the west side, average speeds of 11 miles per hour. 19 miles per hour on southbound 83, york road down to mount carmel. 24 miles per hour approaching

white marsh. bonsall street,. newonselle's street, accident in the city. let's switch over to 8 live view of traffic in mount carmel road. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. tony, over tivo. >> -- over to you. >> same setup as of yesterday, but overall, pleasant. humidity is 83%, but the air is pretty dry temperatures cooler up north. 59 in westminster. degrees in taneytown. mixture of sunshine and clouds, and a 30% chance of a shower and a thunderstorm this afternoon. best chance will be in southern pennsylvania and back into the mountains. high temperatures between 75 and 80 degrees. going into the weekend, if you

are a summer weather fan, you'll like this. upper 80s to rank 90 on sunday and monday. up next chance for rainan

♪ i've waited my whole life for this one night ♪ 8:00 now on a thursday morning, the 7th day of june, 2012. we have a very nice-sized crowd out there on the plaza this morning as we show you the happy faces. a lot less room out here tomorrow and 24 hours from now because one of the biggest pop stars around, chris brown, will be joining us outside here on our plaza, taking to our "summer concert" stage. and we also saw -- there he is, in fact. and there's going to be a huge crowd, we think. we're excited about that concert. and i'm ann curry alongside matt lauer and al roker. also tomorrow, we've got chris

rock actually this morning joining us. that's why we have all of these people in wigs. that's why. >> apple circus. >> that's on youtube and is such a big deal. "madagascar 3" is in theaters. also in our studio, we have a musician with an incredible story, derek amado. he had never taken a piano lesson. he suffered a concussion, hit his head in a swimming pool. after he recovered from the concussion, all of a sudden he had remarkable abilities to play the piano. doctors say this is extraordinarily rare. derek's in our studio. we'll talk to him and hear him play in just a little while. >> amazing story. and then look who else is in our studio, a certain 3-year-old red furry monster. >> aww! >> aww! >> elmo is on a quest to join us in london at the olympics. >> yes, a mission.

>> he's on a mission. >> we're going to talk about elmo about that coming up. let's go inside with natalie at the news desk with a check of all the headlines. >> good morning, everyone. president obama wraps up a two-day west coast trip today with a fund-raiser in los angeles and a speech on the economy at the university of nevada-las vegas. the president appeared with celebrities and members of hollywood's gay community at two events on wednesday. meantime in texas, republican rival, mitt romney, focused on the recent uptick in the nation's jobless rate. we are now hearing from a woman who once dated the canadian man accused of killing a student, then sending his body parts through the mail. nbc's michelle kosinski is in berlin where the suspect is now in custody. good morning, michelle. >> reporter: hi, natalie. police say luka magnotta killed a man he dated in montreal, dismembered him, posted the video online, then sent parts of him through the mail. why, though, they say, remains a

mystery. but we do know more about this man, arrested here in berlin while surfing the web for stories about himself. in ottawa and vancouver, canadian cities stunned by the deliveries of body parts through the mail to locations including the prime minister's offices and now an elementary school and a private academy. >> it was awful. i was thinking, how could this happen in our community? >> reporter: police now feel certain this is all the work of luka magnotta and connected to the chinese student they're calling his victim. >> shipped from montreal, we know that as a fact. right now we've got no reasons to believe that there could be someone else involved in this horrible crime. >> reporter: investigators say there were similar notes included with the shipments and more pack j ages could be out there. >> hi to all my fans. >> reporter: he's left a long trail from photos, inspirational tweets to rants in blogs about disappearing, cannibalism. police say he had posted video of himself stabbing and

dismembering, sexually abusing and possibly cannibalizing lin. this woman says she dated magnotta for three weeks. >> at first he's very charming but eventually, i could see that he was lying a lot, that he was probably a pathological liar, that he was manipulating people, that he used people as objects to get what he wanted from them. >> reporter: she describes magnotta as possessing a rage and wanting to be adored. >> every goal that i put my mind to, i surpass. >> reporter: for now, luka magnotta spends 23 hours a day alone in his cell. his lawyer describes him as nice, friendly and afraid for his own safety. >> all he wanted to do is go back to canada and then maybe the problem can be cleared up. >> reporter: police say there is plenty of evidence magnotta is an attention seeker, but they just don't know what the

possible motive could be for all this. natalie? >> michelle kosinski in berlin, thank you. and now here's brian williams with a look at what's coming up tonight on "nbc nightly news." brian? >> natalie, good morning. coming up tonight, something unusual, a rare exclusive look inside gitmo, guantanamo bay, cuba, that well-known prison. president obama vowed to shut it, but it's still open and costing millions to keep it running. our cameras go inside. we'll have that for you tonight on "nightly news." natalie, back to you. now for a look at what's trending, a quick roundup of what has you talking online. jim carrey is firing back at ex-girlfriend jenny mccarthy. he's accused carrey of abanding their son after their five-year relationship ended. carrey says he will always love evan adding it's unfortunate the boy's privacy is not being considered. twitter went wild after los angeles lakers star meta worldpeace did a guest weatherman stint on canadian television.

>> victoria, 14 degrees. in april, the nba suspended meta worldpeace for seven games after he threw a vicious elbow to an opponent's head. and the opening skit from last night's "cmt music awards" is hot online. it used celebrities and politicians to build up a phony dispute over who should host the show. singer toby keith or actress kristen bell. >> there are disturbing reports out of nashville that the cohosts, they don't want to share the spotlight. >> imagine that. i don't blame them. i feel the same way. get out of my kick light, by the way. >> this is the one of the toughest decisions i've had to make since i've been in office, but i think i've decided. i want them both. >> i think i have a solution, though. i propose toby and kristen cohost the show. see? i just put two people back to work. you're welcome, america. >> and so, of course, in the end, toby and kristen hosted the

show together and did a great job at that. 8:06 now. let's go back outside to al with a check of your weather. hey, al. >> toby keith, they load in a big red plastic cup. can't go wrong with that. oh! well, thank you. let's see what we've got for you. our pick city of the day -- no, we're not even going to show you that. we've got heavy showers and thunderstorms making their way into texas, also down through florida. a slight risk of strong storms colorado into the central plains. more wet weather in the pacific northwest. lots of rain in northern new england. heavy rain along the west coast of florida. look for showers, gulf coast, texas, louisiana. >> good morning.ing on aroundat

the temperatures will climb further than it did yesterday. we should make it into the upper 70's this afternoon. and that's your latest weather. ann? >> all right, al, thank you. by the way, i wanted to make sure you saw this guy who's used his wig as chest hair. there you go. a little smile for you. meantime, coming up, imagine waking up with a talent you never had before. well, that actual hi happly hap a man after he suffered a concussion. he's discovered the ability to play the piano. we'll hear from him coming up right after this. turners i've ever seen. hey son! come on over here! coach t, it's an honor. well, have you thought about the future?

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♪ ♪ and we dream up ♪ all the best stuff ♪ and we can make it up ♪ cause we were made for each other ♪ ♪ for always ♪ oh oh ♪ for always who love movies. let me show you something new. come on. walmart can now convert your favorite dvds from disc to digital. so you can watch them on your laptop, tablet, phone... anytime, anywhere. cool, huh? yea! yea! what'd you guys think that it would cost? i thought it'd be around $10. it's only $2 per disc. that's a great price. bring in your favorite dvds. see for yourself. boooom! [ host ] that's the walmart entertainment disc to digital service. visit the photo center at your local walmart to get started. that's my favorite part. we're back now at 8:11 with a remarkable story of musician

derek amato. his talents appeared virtually overnight after he suffered a blow to the head. we're going to talk to him exclusively in a moment. but first, here's nbc's john yang. ♪ >> reporter: derek amato is at work on his second album. like his first, it will be all his own compositions like this song written for his mother. ♪ ♪ a moment she'll never get back ♪ >> reporter: amazingly less than six years ago, the extent of his musical ability was messing around on the guitar. how good was your guitar playing? >> on a scale of one to ten? oh, i'd like to think like a 2.5. >> reporter: that all changed in october 2006. while horsing around with friends, he jumped into the shallow end of a pool and hit his head hard. >> i remember the panic that set in like i knew i hurt myself. i knew it was something bad.

>> reporter: he was hospitalized with a concussion. a few days later, he visited a musician friend and was drawn to his keyboard. amato never had a lesson, but he sat down and began playing as if he had been doing it for years. you just went straight to this? >> straight. it just all came out. it was almost like it was just flowing with no limitations, really. ♪ >> reporter: the flows never stopped. ♪ amato who can't read music says he sees black and white squares moving from left to right in his mind's eye, generating music in his head and triggering his fingers to move on the keys. >> it's just a nonstop motion. in conversation, it's going. >> reporter: even as we're talking, it's still going. >> as we're speaking, my brain is making violins and cellos and guitars and pianos. >> reporter: mayo clinic neurologist dr. andrew reeves examined amato, a visit captured by the science channel. he says amato has what's called

acquired savant syndrome. the head injury changed his brain's circuitry. >> the kind of acquired savant syndrome that he has is first off quite rare, and second, very unique in the sense of the combination of music, visual and motor ability. >> reporter: life hasn't always been easy for amato who had juggled a series of corporate jobs before music came crashing into his life. now he's trying to use his gift to inspire others. >> i'm convinced it's all for a reason. and i think it's my job to do it right. >> reporter: as he comes to grips with his remarkable and mysterious talent. for "today," john jayang, nbc news, lafayette, colorado. >> and derek amato is with us. good to see you. good morning. thanks for providing the background music all morning long for us here. there are only about 30 people in the world who have this kind of situation after a concussion or brain trauma. those black-and-white squares we showed you talked about, can you

explain how they help you play music? >> that's my notation. so when those black and white squares are going, that's what my hands do. it's almost like, you know, a prereading to what my hands are going to play. so i don't know beforehand. >> i thought it was amazing, you went over to your friends after this concussion, and you say you were almost drawn to the keyboard. so your brain was looking at the piano saying, there's something you need to do over there. >> oh, it was one of those moments where you just knew. it was just drawing me to it, yeah. >> have you lost any abilities, any changes in your personality as a result of the concussion? have you gained other things other than this musical ability? >> i play several instruments. you know, there's probably seven, eight instruments that i'm playing now. >> that you couldn't play before the accident? >> right. the guitar abilities just kind of were enhanced. everything was enhanced. >> i know there are people at home watching this right now, derek, saying he had to have some abilities before this happened. >> right.

>> i mean, he had to have gone to a keyboard before and at least figured out where the notes are. you can't read music. >> no. >> so just set the record straight on that. >> i have no piano experience or playing instruction before that moment. but i dabbled in guitar, and i played a snare drum in school band. i always had an interest in music. but the aftereffects are pretty serious now. i deal with the fluorescent light issues and the energy from that. i collapse sometimes out of the blue, and migraine headaches are intense and my hearing is half gone. >> and so when you look at this, do you look at this as a blessing or a curse or some kind of a mixed bag? >> i think the headaches and the loss of hearing, you know, those things are kind of the price tag on this particular gift, and i'm okay with that. so i look at it as a blessing. >> you talk about the fact that you've got some sensitivity to fluorescent light, some hearing loss. one of the doctors who examined, andrew reeves, said, quote, it's possible that over time over years and years that this may start to morph a little bit into a slightly different experience

for him. do you wake up now each day and kind of rush to the keyboard to see if you still have the skill? >> yeah, i do. sometimes i just have to find a piano and make sure it's still there. >> and would it be okay with you if it went away? >> probably not so good, but i suppose you would adjust. it's loss, but i wouldn't think it would be a good moment. i'd like to it to stay. >> why don't you do us a favor and i'll let you play us into a commercial so people can listen to you a little bit more. >> okay. >> derek, go ahead. and this is a song you first played. >> this is the first piece that i first played and it's always stayed there. it's like it's always there. >> go ahead. ♪ ♪

♪ >> derek amato. der der derek, thanks for sharing with us. we're going to catch up with chris rock right after this. [ woman ] for the london olympic games, our town had a "brilliant" idea. support team usa and show our olympic spirit right in our own backyard. so we combined our citi thankyou points to make it happen. tom chipped in 10,000 points. karen kicked in 20,000. and by pooling more thankyou points from folks all over town, we were able to watch team usa... [ cheering ] in true london fashion. [ male announcer ] now citi thankyou visa card holders can combine the thankyou points they've earned and get even greater rewards. ♪

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or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. with less pain, i'm feeling better now that i've found lyrica. ask your doctor if lyrica is right for your fibromyalgia pain. back now at 8:21 with comedian and actor chris rock. he's back as the voice of a free-spirited, wise-cracking zebra in the new movie "madagascar 3: escape to europe." >> you're going the wrong way, marty! >> just call me martio andretti. >> no, you're suckio andretti. >> give me the wheel. >> it's not a wheel. this is my baby. >> your hoofs aren't meant to be on the wheel. >> too late for you to drive. >> don't look at me when we argue. look at the road. >> hi, officer. is there a problem? >> chris rock, good morning.

that's so classically you, i think. >> that is very classically me whenever i get pulled over by the cops. maybe this record will help me not get beat up. that's what i always do. >> i understand that you -- is it true that you actually like making this movie, "madagascar 3," more than making the first two? >> this one -- you know, like the first two -- like the first two, they're trying to figure out the character. no one knows what's going to work. and this one, everybody knows what the characters are. so you know, you kind of worked a little less. >> oh. easier money. >> it was easier money. >> and on top of that, you actually wrote a song for this. we've been listening to it. we just heard al singing it. >> the afro circus. al roker was singing it? >> al was singing it. >> wow! he can do that without the weight? he used to sing all the time. >> without the weight. it actually has gotten 750,000 hits on youtube. do you have a reaction to that? ♪ da da da da da

♪ afro circus ♪ afro circus ♪ polka dot polka dot polka dot afro ♪ >> really? >> too bad -- wow! >> we could do the entire interview this way. >> wow! >> that's gotten 750,000 hits on youtube. >> isn't it a shame youtube pays nothing? not a dime, ann curry. nothing. >> you should have gotten royalties for that. i think we should write something down, make a protest. >> something. give a brother, you know, a computer or something. >> so you can watch it again on youtube. >> yeah. youtube pays you nothing. no royalties. >> i know. >> residuals. >> but it's making people smile. >> it pays you in smiles. >> it pays you in smiles. >> yeah, smiles. yeah, okay. you know that, right? >> but you make people smile as playing a zebra. they offered you this role. you took this role. >> i took this role, yes.

>> but if you could be any animal in the animal kingdom, chris, what would it be? >> what would i be? i wanted to be the lion, you know, king of the jungle and all that, but you know, that didn't work out. snake is always good, you know. scare people. sss. but i'll take the zebra. you know. you know. >> he's got game. >> in honor of our debora preside in honor of our zebra president, black and white, kind of like george jefferson. i love our president, black and white. he appeals to all. and that's what i'm going for. >> good. have you mentioned this to him, by the way? because i wonder how he would react to the analogy you're making. >> you know. we ignore the president's whiteness, but it's there. it's there. >> meantime, your kids are not going to ignore this movie. they're going to see it for the first time today. when your first "madagascar" came out, they were not even born, right? now they're 8 and 10? >> yeah, they weren't even

around. >> so they're going to be critics. >> they made me have kids. you know, i got this movie. maybe i should get my wife pregnant so we can have kids to take to see the movie. yeah, my kids are going to the premiere today. they're taking, like, 20 of their friends. they've got, like, a pink limo or something. i don't know. >> big deal. >> yeah, big deal. they're going to be with their friends and ignore dad through the whole movie. >> meantime, you're also in this movie coming out "two days in new york," and also the movie -- what's it called -- "before sunset." this movie is in french. >> most movies are in french and i'm the american. if anybody saw "two days in new york" with julie delpy, it's the sequel to that. i'm her new boyfriend. her family comes in from france. and we're expecting them to -- you know, ip expe'm expecting t be french, but they're kind of like ghetto french and hilarity

ensues. "madagascar 3" comes out friday. >> that's what we're going to tell people. >> it's going to be the biggest movie. it's an amazing movie. people hear the music. dance. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am not jennifer franciotti. sarah?it out there bank , >> from 175 to the capital beltway, 13 miles per hour. past the beltway, we have an accident. west side, 20 miles per hour on the outer loop. slow-go on that southbound harrisburg expressway.

19 miles per hour there. we still have an accident at bank street. quick live looked at traffic. pretty light as things ease up here. little bit of a slow-go on 95 out of white marsh. john collins joins us with a look at the forecast. >> nice morning this morning. fairweather morning, low humidity. 75% humidity in the early morning hours. fairly dry atmosphere. everything that has been happening the past couple of days in the upper atmosphere -- there is a little disturbance moving into the great lakes. this may help trigger something this afternoon. we've not seen any rain of any significance around the baltimore area.

dry day, low humidity. mixture of sunshine and clouds. outside chance about thundershower. >> another update at 8:55. count on cortizone-10. with the strongest, nonprescription itch medicine for fast relief. and seven moisturizers. cortizone-10. feel the heal.

nothing is like the olympics. >> it's the most intense competitive teamwork in sport. >> each person sacrifices for the team. >> everyone's clicking. >> it's just bigger than the moment. that's when gold medals are made. ♪ yeah yeah yeah ♪ yeah i want to ♪ yeah yeah yeah it's 8:30 on a thursday morning, the 7th day of june, 2012, nice out on the plaza where those people have been gathered since early this morning. we thank them for that. and we're hoping the same kind of weather hits us tomorrow when we've got chris brown out on the plaza live for a big concert. >> he doesn't look happy. >> that's right. chris rock today, chris brown

tomorrow. >> did you say the same one that hits you? change it up. >> should we fix that one for the west coast? >> i hope the weather smacks us upside the head tomorrow. >> we've got chris rock in the studio which might have been a bad decision. he's joining us for the 8:30 open here. >> along with -- >> who do we have right here? >> elmo will make it wholesome. >> thank goodness. >> tell that to him. >> we've got the yin and the yang here. >> there's only three. >> we want to talk about why elmo's here. he's got a campaign. he wants to serve as a torch bearer leading up to the london olympics. and he's got a new viral video. how's this going? >> elmo wants to know, are you guys going this year? >> yes, we are. >> can you put in a good word for elmo? >> sure. >> we definitely will. >> mr. rock, are you going? >> yeah, yeah. i'm competing. >> what are you competing in? >> javelin.

javelin. at the end of javelin. >> i hope you do very well. >> elmo, you tried out in a lot of different sports. i hear it didn't go all that well, though. >> you know, try, try again. that's elmo's motto. >> in fact, we've got a viral video. let's take a look. >> okay. >> oh, now that elmo has run all around london, elmo's ready to start training to be a torch bearer. yea! oh, cramp, cramp. can you help elmo, please? oh, thanks. okay, elmo's ready. elmo forgot something. >> elmo's still talking. >> are you allowed to handle fire? >> elmo's mommy and daddy made it. that was made out of cardboard. >> elmo hopes elmo can go. because elmo can see you all there, too.

>> that video has gone viral. do you know what that means? >> elmo has no idea what viral means. tell me what viral means. >> be careful. >> well, there's different kinds of viral. elmo, you can go, but you can't sit in the seat. you ever heard of a twomey bag? >> what is that? did elmo just learn something? >> no, no. if you do make it to london, we are going to be there for 2 1/2 weeks. would you come and visit us on the set there? >> no. just kidding. of course. seriously, seriously. >> seriously? >> really, serious ly. >> you might get something viral. >> you wake up in the morning, you've got a little fur.

>> i didn't go there. >> you started it. you started it. >> mr. matt, what number olympics is it? >> that would be the games of the london summer games. the games of the what olympiad? quick, jim bell in our control room. >> xxx. >> elmo wanted to know. >> it's not that hard, elmo. nice to have you here. chris, thanks for sticking around. >> thanks for having me. >> this has been good for your career. >> and good luck, elmo, as itth torch bearer because that's a big campaign. you can like it. >> you can like it and make sure elmo gets there. >> elmo, you're the perfect age. you might want to check out -- >> "madagascar 3," elmo. i saw your movie. >> elmo is definitely going to see it. "polka dot polka dot polka dot ♪ >> chris rock, thank you. let's get a check of the weather.

for tomorrow, we've got wet weather in the pacific northwest. slight risk of some strong storms in northern new england. wet weather along the gulf coast. on saturday, we're looking at a risk along the northern plains. wet weather in the northwest. sunny and hot through the mid-atlantic states. then sunday, sunday! look for more sunshine. sunny and hot from texas all the way on up into central california and oregon. look for a few showers in the western plains. that's what's going on aroun's >> good morning. it will be a nice day today. with a slight chance for it rain shower. a mixture of sun and clouds. elmo wants to say the

"sunday, sunday." >> let's try that. >> and on sunday, sunday! >> he does that pretty well. >> we're going to bring you back when football season starts. up next, some celebrity homes from zsa zsa gabor to claire danes that are now on the market. you want to put yours on the market? >> a house? >> but first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪ our house ♪ in the middle of our street back now at 8:30 with "today's real estate," this morning a peek inside some celebrity homes that are up for sale across the country. barbara corcoran is "today's" real estate contributor. she joins us this morning. good morning. i think we've got sound effects to close the curtain. meantime, let's talk about the first house. it belonged to zsa zsa gabor. it still belongs to zsa zsa gabor, and it's, of course, in bel air, california, darling.

and many famous people have been in this house? >> many famous people have, the reagans, a whole lineup of people. and it's given the house a little history. but they're all old people, and the house kind of looks a little bit old, too. it's zsa zsa's home, and it's bounced on and off the market for $2 million more than she last priced it for. what is she thinking about? doesn't she know about the real estate bubble? it's now on for $14.9 million. back in the '60s, howard hughes lived there. he actually rented the house before gabor and her husband actually bought it in 1974. it's a 26-room home. and it's hosted so many people, as you mentioned, i forgot to mention elizabeth taylor. she was a regular there. every room is larger than life. have a look at that room. what is that horse head on the table? who would want to have dinner with that horse head every night? look at the dimensions. it's truly a mansion. there are several indoor/outdoor entertaining spaces. it's made for having parties. of course, there's a spark ling pool flanked by fountains in the

backyard. this ground property has over an acre of land, and out in bel air, that's worth a ton of money. you can see forever views of the pacific ocean. i think you ought to grab it, ann. >> oh, my gosh, it's definitely how the other half lives. it's fun to look at the inside of that house. >> sure. >> another house we get to see it one that may or may not have already been sold. it was owned or is owned by actor/wrestler dwayne "the rock" johnson. he is -- it's in hidden hills, california. and certainly this is an area where a lot of people like to hide out. famous. >> a lot of people like to hide out. there are a lot of famous neighbors as well. one of his most favorite neighbors is tommy lee, also justin bieber owns a home here. and that's why it's called hidden hills because the properties all here are very private. that's a pool you're looking at there. looks like they own their own lake. what a beautiful house. it's custom made done in a mediterranean style. it has two sets of private gates. you have to break your way through to even see the front of the house.

there's the living room. there's a lot of architectural details throughout. i think this house has been done top to bottom. all the rooms have a clean, contemporary feels. it looks like it takes care of itself. the living room has views of mountains. there's a screening room that's every big guy's dream of what they want with a lobby and a bar of its own and its own movie marquee at the entrance. right there is the cliff of the house with the terraces that tumble right down a waterfall, an infinity pool and its own private spa. not a bad place to live. >> that is gorgeous. good taste. now we also have -- our final house is a place not far from here owned by claire danes and her husband, hugh. it's a soho loft. and it's by this city's standards, it's a very large space. >> yeah, a lot of people don't realize that when you have 4,000 square feet in a loft, that is

one huge home in new york city. this is in soho. it's on the market for $5.998 million, why not make it $6 million, but she reportedly only paid $4.6 million a few years back. it's in an old cast-iron building that people love here in new york. it dates back to 1882 and has some funky updates. i think that's my favorite. it's actually a table that swings into the dining room and back into the kitchen as a working counter. it accommodates whatever your real need is. >> look at that. >> that's a lot of money for a table like that. a total of 16 windows plus wood beams and columns and woodburning fireplace and also a very unusual in new york city, a private elevator from the street only to your apartment. boy, that's bragging rights. the space is wide open with exposed brick walls, gleaming hardwood floors and half dozen french doors and it has southern and eastern exposures which in our town makes it worth a clean 5% more because it's the best exposure to have in an apartment. >> let me tell you, most of us can't afford those places, but it's fun to dream. barbara corcoran.

thank you so much. >> thank you. coming up next, the mayor of london who happens to be a native new yorker opens up about the jubilee, the olympics and more. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪ we're now back at 8:45 with the mayor of london, boris johnson. his city just wrapped up a huge event, the queen's diamond jubilee. now he's gearing up for the summer olympic games. but he's found time to write a new book called "johnson's life of london: the people that made the city that made the world." mr. mayor, it's good to have you. >> good morning, matt. >> we were there two days ago. >> you were. >> we flew across the pond together. how do you think the city did hosting the jubilee? >> it was a big kick for us. it was very important because everybody was watching us. the whole transport system had to work well, the security had to work well. and i think we came out fine.

you've got a picture of me. that's right. >> yeah. where were you during that processional when the queen came in that open landau down the mile to buckingham palace? what seats did you have? >> i was with the crowd in trafalgar square standing there waving my flag. and that was actually the whole time in the whole three days -- the only time in the whole three days that i saw her. >> really? >> yes, because i was on the river pageant. >> right. >> but that was -- that moment, i saw her go past. and it really meant a lot to me. >> the whole city seemed to be electric. but how can your resources not be stretched a little thin? you had the big royal wedding last year. you've got the diamond jubilee now. you've got the olympic games starting next month. are you worried at all that it's been too much in too short a time? >> on the contrary. and i'd say to, you know, viewers that london is going to cope, i hope, very well with the games in 50 days' time. i think the jubilee proved that

we can do it. and obviously, i'm hoping very much to welcome people this summer to a summer like no other. >> bus operators, are they going to go on strike on you? >> bus operators are -- >> you're going to guarantee me. >> i'm going to guarantee to you and the american people, i think the people who work on our mass transit systems, people who work on the tube, on the buses, they're going to want to put on a fantastic display of london in the next few months. >> speaking of fantastic displays, what is this crazy tower that you had built near the olympic stadium? >> you don't like it? >> how do you even say the name of it? >> the orbit. it is the largest and most preposterous ever representation of a shisha pipe. >> have you ever heard what people are calling this? i can't even say it on morning television. some of the names people are calling that. >> well, i don't know. i've heard it called a gigantic mutant trombone. >> and worse. >> and bubble. >> and worse. >> this is a very important --

it's a visitor attraction. it's something we put there in the middle of the park. every big world fair, every olympics, every international expo, historially from the eiffel tower has had a kind of vertical pillar of attraction. >> and this is your mark on that landscape. >> well, you know, i like it. >> i know you do. i know you do. i'm not making fun of it. >> globally acclaimed. >> the bird's nest stadium. >> almost. >> almost? i thought this guy did the bird's nest. let me talk about your book, then, all right? you tell the story of london through the people who made it great. some of them are a little obscure, right? i mean, how did you two sort of include in this book and who not to include? >> they all did wonderful things for london and for the world. and the point i'm trying to make in the book is that things that started in london like the flushed toilet and liberty.

>> right. >> democracy. >> right. >> habeas corpus. >> right. >> are things that we've exported to america. not all of our exports are successful. but london, i think, can claim credit -- one of my great, great loves is rock 'n' roll music. >> i know. stones or beatles? you know, that famous question. not boxers or briefs, stones or beatles? you like? >> you're asking me to choose between -- i would have to say the rolling stones, if only because i think they have a higher energy level. >> sir paul is on line one for you right now. >> yeah. it's a difficult thing. in this book, i come down on the stones, in favor of keith. >> mick was noted. >> i want to say now, to the benefit of your show, to apologize to sir mick. >> it's too late. >> no, i want to make it up to mick and say he is equally

magnificent. how about that? >> tell people who are listening -- >> provided the stones perform in the closing ceremonies. >> i know. tell people who are listening to this, you were born? >> i was born in new york general hospital. >> new york city. >> i was. i'm a proud new yorker. >> and we're happy you went off and made something of yourself also. >> i'm honored to be back here. thank you very much for having me on your show. thank you. >> mr. mayor, we'll see you in a month or so. >> i hope very much to see you. >> thanks very much. boris johnson, the mayor of london. the book is called "johnson's life of london." still ahead, the summer's hottest barbecues. first, this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:52 with one woman's crusade to empower kids through learning. debra kenny's life was turned upside down 12 years ago when her husband died of leukemia. but out of that tragedy came an inspirational mission to give every child a chance at a quality education. she writes about her journey in her new book called "born to rise." debra kenny, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> some might ask, how could it be that out of such tragedy, the loss of your husband to leukemia, being a single mother, how could that have sparked for you to create this possibility, to educate kids in charter

schools? >> so many people who have written to me after reading the book said that it spoke to them. it was not about education for them, but there are so many people who have had difficult things or going through challenges in their life. and what i found is that the only thing that lifted me up was the idea of doing something for other people. and so the book is really about education, but it's also about the idea of if you are going through something really hard, what can you do in the world? >> saying that and feeling that is one thing. putting your entire life savings into something you didn't know was going to work or not in creating these charter schools, you know, in harlem, is a major risk. and yet in 2007, president bush came to your school and said that your schools are the national model. what works with your schools that might work elsewhere? >> yeah. well, ten years ago, everyone in the education reform community was focusing on curriculum,

school size, class size. and for some inspiration, i looked to what about the teacher? we need to develop people rather than worrying about the program. and so i became obsessed with how do you make teachers happy, and how do you develop them? how do you make all teachers great? and for ten years, i worked on nothing but figuring out how to attract and develop the best teachers. and so the book provides that answer to the question everybody's looking for today. >> and one of the answers you say is to give teachers more freedom. >> yes. >> which i think might be scary for some people. >> right. >> we worry about t quality of teachers in their own school districts. there may be some who think are terrific and some they don't think are terrific. so giving freedom may feel risky for some of them. >> you know, it's funny, if you can't trust the teacher in the classroom, they shouldn't be in that classroom. so as a principal, all schools in the country need to be able to give teachers freedom. and the way to do that is to

have the right to hold them accountable. right now only charter schools are allowed to hold teachers accountable. i believe all schools in the country need to be able to hold teachers completely accountable because that's the way you'll give them freedom. and then they're passionate, they're on fire, they love what they're doing because of that freedom. it's really giving them respect. >> do you think your husband would be proud of what you've done? >> yes. yeah. i -- but i -- i look forward. i look to the future. and i'm proud of my own kids, and i'm proud of the kids in the school here. >> some of whom have said that they wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for what you have done because of all the opportunities. deborah kenny, congratulations. >> thank you. >> we're back right after this.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am jennifer franciotti. all the more city landlord is heading to prison for exposing tenants to lead paint. he failed to inform tenants about lead hazards and allowed workers to perform abatement while penance were still inside homes. back in a minute with a ch

>> the sun is out this morning, but there are clouds around as well. today is a similar date to yesterday. outside chance for a thundershower in the afternoon. temperatures in the 70's to near 80.