dual disaster. fast moving wildfire in colorado raging out of control and forcing hundreds of families to flee while parts of florida and alabama are under water after days of record rain. this morning more rain is on the way. what happened to u.s. congress secretary under investigation for felony hit-and-run after he allegedly drove into two cars within minutes of each other and was found unconscious within his car. this morning we'll get a response from the white house. that had to hurt. lady gaga hit in the head with a metal pole at a concert. ♪

she finished the show despite a concussion but says she's doing much better today, monday, june 11, 2012. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with matt lauer and an curry, live from studio 1, a in rockefeller plaza. and welcome today on this monday morning i'm ann curry. >> i'm willie geist in for matt this morning. good to see you, ann. that wildfire in colorado growing in all directions this morning. officials say they have zero percent contame. right now emergency crews say the priority is to get people out of harm's way. >> that's right, willie. first noticed saturday, it's quickly grown fueled by conditions. a much different scene in the florida panhandle. people there have seen more than

a foot of rain in a day, totals we haven't seen for years. al will give the forecast. according to a legal filing before the tragedy robert f. kennedy, jr. claimed his estranged wife was physically abusive to him and made numerous threats of suicide. coming up what her family is saying about that. then we're going to switch gears and take you down memory lane. are you ready for this? >> i'm ready. >> one of the most talked about plot twists, who shot j.r., obsessed fans in the '80s. now the ewing gang is back here in our studio, larry hagman, linda gray and patrick duffy all joining us live this morning. we're excited about that. let's begin with the devastating wildfire in colorado. charles pad okay in bellevue. charles, good morning. >> good morning, ann.

this fire known as the high park fire is the largest blaze in this part of the rocky mountains in 25 years. what's making it worse is its unpredictable nature. here is how fast it can happen. from a two acre fire first noticed saturday morning in the mountains north of ft. collins, colorado to a 20,000 acre behemoth in one day with zero containment and no signs of slowing down. >> this thing has a mind of its own. it's pretty much telling us what it's going to do. >> reporter: what the high park fire did was ride 20-mile-an-hour winds through high timber along steep slopes. a dozen air tankers and choppers brought in to combat the flames along with 250 firefighters on the ground. hundreds were evacuated, some already feeling a sense of loss. >> my house is gone. >> i know i'm not going to have a home. i have no place to go. >> reporter: this wasn't the only wildfire in the west. new mexico's little bear fire

became another when a stubborn blaze that had been contained for days was whipped by fresh winds along some 10,000 additional acres. hundreds more evacuated there as well. >> it's real scary. it's heartbreaking. this is our retirement cabin. our whole lives we've worked towards this. >> reporter: with more than 15 large fires currently in the u.s., crews fighting the colorado high park fire are spread thin. >> we're definitely competing for resources, whether new mexico or other locations, it is difficult to get resources at this point. >> reporter: a report breaking 2,000 reverse notification calls were sent out warning residents of the approaching fire. >> anybody can see that smoke, lives in a forested area, they noticed to be prepared if that call comes out or somebody comes around, they are ready to go. >> reporter: and more help is on the way. colorado's governor says nearly a third of the nation's aerial fire tankers will be concentrating on this one fire.

ann. >> all right. charles, thank you so much. now, here is willie. >> al roker upstairs with more on that wildfire and widespread flooding ravaging parts of florida and alabama. al, good morning. >> all right. good morning, willie. of course you're looking at pensacola. we want to start first with our graphics from the fires as we talk about that because again the forecast here is the whitewater baldy, and others, a mixed bag. humidity will help. the bad news is there's a mix of dry and wet thunderstorms. these dry storms, lightning strikes can happen and that can set off more fires. not great news. now live down to pensacola, florida, show you what's going on of first of all we start with -- there we go live. we show you standing water. there could be more rain coming. this is what they have gotten so far. we've talked about anywhere from 12 to 18 inches of rain, some areas up to 20 inches.

this is why it's so wet. there's a weak surface front, boundary level disturbance plus tropical air coming up. more rain coming. how much more, concentrated in the southeast. another one to three inches along the panhandle of florida. also jacksonville, one to three inches, heavier rain spreading up into the southeastern atlantic coast. so more wet weather. good news is not enough to hopefully cause anymore flooding for our friends in the panhandle. willie. >> al, thank you very much. we'll check back in with you for just a bit. for now california, u.s. secretary of commerce john bryson is being investigated for allegedly causing two car accidents just minutes apart. one of them a hit-and-run. nbc's chuck todd at the white house for us. chuck, what more do we know this morning. >> reporter: here is what we know. in the span of five minutes he was involved in three car accidents. began when he was driving his lexus in san gabriel outside of los angeles and hit a stopped car waiting for a train to pass

by. after secretary bryson got out, spoke with three individuals in the car, gets back into his car and hits the car again. those individuals follow him. five minutes later he hits another car that and to be going very slowly because all three cars have very little damage to them. bryson himself was found unconscious in the car. he was treated at the scene. he's still in the hospital now, but he is being investigated for a felony hit-and-run. the white house were not informed of this until last night. all of this took place, by the way, late in the afternoon, early evening in los angeles on saturday, a full 24 hours later the white house was informed. by the way, most cabinet secretaries do have a security detail that follows them around on official business. when they are at home, as bryson was, they hang back. that's why he didn't have a security detail with him. >> investigators say no trace of drugs or alcohol. do we know about any health

problems for the secretary? >> that's the thing. people that know him very well say this is so out of character. that's why they are waiting to see what's happening, going on with the medical treatment. because again, the law enforcement officials both with the l.a. police department say no drugs or alcohol appear to be involved in this accident. he's a former ceo of edison international, a big player in energy there in california. >> chuck todd, more to come on that story for sure. thank you very much. now 7:08. here is ann. >> willie, thank you. opening statements held at the child sex abuse trial of penn state football coach jerry sandusky. nbc's national correspondent michael isikoff at the courthouse this morning. michael, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. jerry sandusky goes on trial today charged with repeatedly molesting young boys. law enforcement officials telling nbc news pennsylvania prosecutors are weighing

bringing more charges in this case against former top penn state officials for allegedly concealing what they knew about his conduct. as sandusky goes to court, law enforcement sources tell nbc news investigators obtained new evidence in this case. internal e-mails and documents they say show former president graham spanier and others discussed whether they needed to tell authorities about a 2001 allegation involving a late night encounter between a naked sandusky and a young boy in the penn state shower room. the sources say documents show penn state even did legal research on the issue. but in one e-mail exchange two sources say spanier and former vice president gary schultz agreed it would be, quote, humane to sandusky not to inform social services and the incident never got reported. >> depending on precisely what's in the e-mails and documents, this could spell more legal

trouble for other university officials. >> reporter: sandusky who denies all charges is facing 52 counts of child sex abuse. eight of his alleged victims are slated to testify. among them, a young man known as victim six who first told penn state in 1998 when he was 11 years old that sandusky had bear hugged him in the penn state shower room. dr. chambers, the boy's psychologist, submitted this report to penn state police at the time concluding sandusky's behavior fit that of a likely pedophile's pattern. >> i immediately thought this may well be a child molester. >> reporter: but a second psychologist reached a different conclusion and no charges were filed. then graduate assistant mike mcqueary had originally testified to a grand jury he saw sandusky in the shower with a young boy in mar 2002. a new e-mail says spanier, schultz and former director discussed what mcqueary saw and whether to report it more than a

year earlier. >> at a minimum it suggests they took mcqueary much more seriously than they led the grand jury to believe. >> lawyers for spanier, who was fired last september, did not return calls seeking comment. said, "the information confirms conscientiously considered mike mcqueary's reports of observing inappropriate conduct, reported it to the university president graham spanier and deliberated about how to responsibly deal with the conduct. legal sources say discovery of the e-mails show whatever happens in the sandusky trial, the investigation as to whether there's a cover-up by penn state officials is very active and going strong. >> more to come on this. michael isikoff, thank you very much. a check of the top stories. for that we send it to the news desk where we find natalie morales. good morning. >> good morning. a manhunt under way in alabama

as investigators search for a man who shot and killed three people and wounded three others near auburn university. two of the dead were former football players for the school. according to witnesses the shooting started after the fight broke out at a pool party. we'll have much more on this story coming up in a live report. global markets are soaring on this first day of trading since the bail out for spain announced. mandy drury has the latest on how that could impact our economy today. good morning. >> good morning. the best weekly performance of the year last week. this bail out is a positive development that could help kick-start our stocks this week as well. essentially what happened, european finance ministers cut a deal over the weekend to bail out spanish banks by lending spain $125 billion. at least in the short-term -- long-term we'll have to see -- this helps our stocks, our economy, especially washington concerned the ongoing european

debt crisis could drag the economy down in a very important election year. back to you. >> mandy drury at the new york stock exchange, thanks. prime minister cameron was distraught when he realized he accidentally left his 8-year-old daughter in a public near his country home. cameron, his wife and three children were at the public when his eldest daughter nancy went to the bathroom alone. the prime minister and his wife drove off in separate cars both reportedly thinking nancy was with the other parent. nancy was fine and helping out the public staff when cameron went back to claim her. gabrielle giffords campaigning for former aide in the seat she had last year. with her husband mark kelly, she says she plans to return to public service soon. the conclusion of the men's french open final resumes this morning after it had to be suspended sunday due to rain. you can catch the conclusion of

the historic match between envelope radial and nadal djokovic at 7:00 eastern or stream it online at nbc sports.com. lady gaga recovering from concussion after a back-up dancer hit her on the head with a pole during a concert in new zealand. gaga rubbed her head and left the stage briefly before she returned and managed to belt out another 16 songs. impressive. broadway's biggest night and tony awards didn't disappoint as host neil patrick harris kicked off the evening with a showstopper asking why real life can't be more like the theater. take a listen. ♪ what if no one thought there was something strange about us magical seven-second costume change and then apropos of nothing

there's a crazy dance routine ♪ >> but the real star of the night was romantic musical that won best musical. the show goes on. back over. neil patrick harris, he's amazing. >> like a triple threat now fourple. >> i made it up. >> i'm wearing fourple right now. who knows. we've got a risk of strong storms from amarillo into new mexico. also some strong storms mid mississippi river valley as the front pushes in bringing more rain. we're looking at anywhere from one to three inches of rain especially throughout central ci >> good morning. the humidity has come up since yesterday. we will see some scattered

>> that's your latest weather. willie. the race for the white house, mitt romney out with a new video hammering president obama just days after the president's comment that the private sector is doing fine. nbc's peter alexander is in washington for us this morning. peter, good morning. >> reporter: willie, good morning to you. one thing is clear, the president cannot afford many more weeks like the last one filled with bad headlines. this week president obama is hoping to refocus on his economic plan. in mitt romney he's facing an opponent in the words of one republican strategist is benefiting from the fact that more and more republicans believe he can win. confidence and momentum, two

critical traits for any presidential candidate. these days republicans are convinced mitt romney has both. this week the romney campaign will again try to capitalize on the president's poorly timed misstep friday. days after the unemployment rate rose for the first time in a year. >> the private sector doing fine. >> reporter: president obama talking about private sector versus public sector later clarified. >> it is absolutely clear that the economy is not doing fine. >> reporter: but republicans, including romney, pounced. >> is he really out of touch? >> reporter: this week he's trying to drive the point home. >> layoffs, cutbacks. >> all said and done, making $200 a month. >> reporter: the romney campaign in a video rolling out americans struggling with the economy. followed up with the e-mail blast trying to raise money off the remark. still top republicans say romney has more work to do.

>> the american people will rightly demand to know something more than he's not president obama. he better have an affirmative constructive message and one of hope. >> reporter: the president still leads in the polls, if only slightly. president obama seizing on what he perceived as a romney gaffe. >> did he not get the message? the american people did. it's time to cut back on government and help the american people. >> i would suggest he's living on a different planet if he thinks that's a prescription for a better economy. >> reporter: one of the key communities president obama is counting on this fall is hispanics. it's a demographic the obama team knows it can't take for granted. this morning to solidify, supporters are launching a $4 million space shuttle language ad campaign. a brief look at it. it attacks romney. the ads will air all summer long and in three key battle grounds

where they have large hispanic populations, colorado, nevada and florida. >> all right. peter alexander this morning. peter, thank you for your reporting. meghan mccain daughter of john mccain, her new book has a crazy title i'm not sure i can say in full, "america you sexy -- rhymes with witch." also chris hayes, twilight of the elites. good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> compare sons being made over the weekend between the president's private sector doing fine remark and your father's remark four years ago where senator mccain, fundamentals of the economy are strong when wall street was falling apart. how damaging do you think it will be to his campaign. >> i think we need to keep in mind one sentence won't make or break a presidency.

that being said, not a good time to make thatment. >> how much hey will be made going forward. >> in 2008, the objective conditions of the economy, the challenge the president faces is the unemployment rate. what he does say or doesn't, that's what's going to drive voters. that's the far bigger concern than the comment. they are going to try to make hey out of it. the difference between where the private sector and public sector is a really important one. we've lost 600,000 in the public sector since the beginning of the recession largely on the local and state level. that didn't have to happen. those layoffs didn't have to happen if we extended revenue sharing from the government. >> he's right saying private sector doing better than the public sect or. that was his point this comment was taken out of context. >> i think it's important to distinguish between what's going on with state and local and what's going on with the private sector. i think the word fine in that context is like if you fell and

gashed your head and it was bleeding and you told your friends i'm fine. >> still comes off insensitive. all workers in the romney ad comes off as insensitive and out of touch. >> romney might be making a lot of comments about this since the president made the comment. he's trying to present the idea this is a window into how president obama thinks. what's your sense about that? do you think this ad's ammunition to his idea this is how the president actually thinks? >> i think it can be seen as sort of a lens into what president obama thinks. we both work in the media, one sentence, the variables of the economy are going to be what determines the elections not this one comment. >> let's talk about a comment your father made, saying politically motivated. over the weekend went on to say

possibly leaked by the white house. i get the quechstion. is there any proof to back up these charges. >> i don't know of proof. when there's a leak like this, you have to look and see who is benefiting. the president is benefiting it. i had a conversation with my father last night. he said it's the worst security breach he's seen. that's chills about what we've given terrorist through security leaks. whoever is doing this is not thinking about america and the safety of our troops and that's scary. >> i think we need more leaks and not less. i think we should know how the war is operating and what's going on with a kill list that's operating out of the white house or what covert activities we're engaged in. >> i know you're going to disagree. >> we'll agree to disagree. >> thank you so much this morning. coming up, a disturbing new account of mary kennedy's personal struggles leading up to her suicide. what her estranged husband

robert f. kennedy, jr., claimed in newly revealed court papers. we'll get to that. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

just ahead, a father charged with child abuse after being caught on camera whipping his own stepson during a game of catch. we'll hear from his attorney. michael jackson daughter, what she said to oprah. which is friskies plus more. more of the things alice desires. with all the nutrition alice requires. it's a world of shiny furs. of sparkly eyes and happy purrs. it's a world unlike any alice has ever seen before. the world of new friskies plus. which is friskies plus more.

>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am lisa robinson. in less than two months, baltimore city police commissioner fred bealefeld will step down. during his tenure, there's been a decline in city gun violence. mayor stephanie rawlings-blake has assembled an advisory panel to aid in the search for his replacement. the panel will recommend a

finalists to the mayor for consideration. here is sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> in the past few minutes, getting word of an accident in the city. otherwise, eastbound eye-to 70, this delay is disappearing, but once you get past the accident on the shoulder, we have some delays from 40 towards 29. 29 miles per hour on the west side outer loop. you may cap the brakes on the outer loop at dulaney valley, a disabled bus being cleared. watch for delays from white marsh down to the beltway. live view of traffic. this portion of '95 looks good. you don't slow down until you get to the white marsh area. i start coming from the toll plaza. not-so-nice problem here on the new jersey turnpike. overturned dump truck. take 295 as your alternate.

over to you, tony. >> things are quiet for us in the weather department. 71 degrees at the airport. humidity has gone up. 68 degrees at columbia. mixture of sunshine and clouds. 1/3 of a chance of a thunderstorm. warm and humid, high temperatures in the upper 80s. good chancenc

♪ >> that was the wild scene around here on the 4th of june 2010 where superstar justin bieber rocked the plaza. now two years later gearing up to entertain our concert crowd again. yes, he'll be here live friday morning. if you're coming you better start making your way down here right now. you might be okay for a couple of days. but meantime, 7:30, 11th of june 2012. i'm ann curry sitting alongside willie geist in for matt this morning. >> they are lining up already for bieber. i thought it was for me but apparently for bieber.

also ahead, oprah's new interview with michael jackson's daughter paris. what the 14-year-old is revealing about her dad and the bullying she said she suffered at school. new details on how life reportedly had spiraled out of control for mary kennedy, the wife of robert f. kennedy, jr., in the days leading up to her suicide. a little later, celebrating the return of the prime time soap, filled with plenty of drama from south fork. coming up we'll catch up with the cast. larry hagman, linda gray and patrick duffy and some of the younger members of the cast are going to be joining us in the studio. >> got to tell you, i watched the first couple of episode. they have not missed a beat. >> the story continues where it left off. we begin with a california man charged with child abuse after a startling video was posted on line.

nbc's mara schiavocampo joins us this morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. the video is disturbing to watch. a man caught on camera hitting his stepson with a belt as they are throwing around the ball in the backyard. he's seen here in this secretly recorded cell phone video playing catch. when he dropped the ball he approaches and reportedly whips him with a belt. the video that's gone viral was shot by an outraged neighbor as he looked out his window. >> as it went on, i realized what i was looking at was not a parent whipping a child. >> he reportedly suffers from adhd. after it was posted on youtube and he handed it over to authorities, sanchez turned himself in. he was booked on child abuse charges. >> california law recognizes parents' right to spank their

children. it's not illegal to spank their children with something other than their hand. so there's a real fine line there. >> reporter: sanchez, a california water agency director resigned from his elected office after the arrest. on sunday the boy's grandfather and on "today." he called his son-in-law's actions excessive but stands by him. >> anthony is in a difficult situation. he's trying to be a stepfather for a a child that has some behavioral issues. the first thing, they try time-out. they try removing things. it's documented at church, documented at school. spanking discipline has worked. it's helped his behavior. >> he denied it had anything to do with the game of catch. instead he said the boy was mouthing off. >> he said papa -- he calls them bad days. i call them episodes where he

says mean things. >> reporter: sanchez, who has no prior record of child abuse was eventually confronted by his neighbor. their argument caught on tape. >> that's enough [ bleep ] stick. that's enough. >> me, yeah, me. >> i'm having a bleep problem with you for beating -- >> do you know my son. >> i don't know your son but i'm watching you. i'm a father, too. >> how he acts. >> there's got to be a better way to teach him with a ball than that. >> teach me. >> the attorney will review the case before deciding if any formal charges are appropriate. according to sanchez's attorney child services examined the boy, reportedly there were no marks on the child related to the incident. he says his client is remorseful and the child is with his mother on a previously planned vacation. ann. >> now, here is willie. >> investigators searching for a

gunman. three killed, others wounded. some are connected to the storied football program. here is the latest. >> reporter: good morning. it broke out where students live. witnesses describe a horrifying seen. in auburn, throughout alabama, football is life. the deaths of two former players is hitting especially hard. a ledge community in mourning after a deadly shooting near the campus of auburn university. >> six young people that have been shot. as you can tell, the community is shaken by this and grieving today. >> reporter: police say shortly after 10:00 saturday night, a fight broke out during a party at this apartment complex. then a man opened fire. >> it's right next to where we live. you're kind of thinking, who does this kind of thing.

>> reporter: investigators say the suspect killed three men and wounded three others, one critically. pronounced dead at the scene was former football player edward christian. the 23-year-old previously suffered a career ending back injury before the season starting. la darrious phillips, another auburn player and another auburn local died at the hospital. morning those wounded is current auburn offensive lineman who is expected to make a full recovery. >> the only conduction that the auburn football team has to this is they are victims to a brutal shooting. >> police identified this 20-year-old as the shooter. the auburn resident now charged with three counts of capital murder. authorities say he fled the scene with two other men in a chevy caprice, which was later found abandoned. police declined to release a motive for the shooting. local reports suggests the fight may have started over a woman. >> i am saddened by this.

this is very much an unusual event for the city of auburn, auburn university. >> reporter: just two seasons ago the tigers celebrated a national championship making the traditional trip to the white house. >> congratulations to the auburn tigers. >> reporter: now head coach is trying to lead his team through a time of sorrow. he offered his sympathies in a statement saying in part, "i am devastated by the passing of three young men, including two that i personally knew in ed christian and ladarious phillips and my heart goes out to their families. >> the manhunt continues this morning. u.s. marshals are part of the investigation. leonard is considered armed and dangerous, willie. >> thanks very much. now a check of the weather with al. >> willie, thanks so much. as we look ahead to the week, we've got the french open getting a break from the weather. the 2k3w50d news looking for a

few showers possible and a high of 66 degrees. the rest of the week, above normal in the south, heavy rain along the mid-atlantic states, the mid part of the week, rain in the plains, above normal temperatures through the rockies, dry in the east. latter part of the week, dry in the northeast, above normal temperatures through the great lakes and pacific northwest. a few showers and thunderstorms through the gulf coast. >> good morning. this will be another warm and humid day today. high temperature expected in as we start the workweek check your weather any time of the day or not go to the weather

channel on cable or weather.com online. up next, disturbing new details on mary kennedy's sad and reportedly violent last days leading up to her suicide last month. on a much different note this morning we'll catch up with the cast of the new dallas, including larry hagman, linda gray and patrick duffy back at it. first these messages. [ male announcer ] ever wonder what's behind two little fleas? the next generation and then countless more. how do you kill them? frontline plus. it uses two ingredients. one to kill adult fleas and ticks. plus another to eliminate flea eggs and larvae, annihilating the next generation of fleas. and, frontline plus works non-stop for thirty days. no wonder it's the number one choice of vets for their pets and yours. ask your vet about frontline plus. accept nothing less.

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back now at 7:42 with revealing details on the last days of mary kennedy, this nearly a month after the wife of robert f. kennedy, jr., took her life. jeff rossen joining us with more. jeff, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this is a candid and raw look. as it appears mary kennedy was spiraling. according to a new report out this morning she was drinking, depressed and out of control. toward the end, she reportedly was only allowed to see her children if supervised by her housekeeper. on the grounds of their sprawling new york estate, mary kennedy hanged herself, a painful end last month to a painful life. she was in the midst of a bitter divorce between bobby kennedy, her final months laid out in

excruciating detail in this newsweek article out today. newsweek also obtained the divorce, "mary's violence began before the marriage. she said she intended to kill herself unless i called off the divorce." just last year after separating bobby says she ran over and killed the dog. mary was intoxicated. i opened the door and she leapt out of her bed and hit me with a roundhouse punch. bobby said mary screamed at him saying in front of their son everything he does is evil and fraud. he is a philanderer, sex addict. he spoke exclusively with nbc news. >> because of her drinking, her children were taken away from

her. what was left, nothing. her identity as a kennedy was finished. the man she thought of is an idol and god was finished with her. what was left? >> reporter: soon the judge would grant bobby kennedy full custody of her four children. as mary turned to alcohol, bobby's life was going well, at least publicly, seen often with actress cheryl hines. >> it was pure horror in the house. he was afraid to be beaten up, afraid she was going to kill herself. he needed a little bit of peace. he found it with cheryl who was very good to him. >> bobby believed mary had bpd, borderline personality disorder. mary denounced the accusations at the time. her family called it false and an insult to those that struggle with this mental illness. saying it was a brutal weapon in

the divorce case, full of lies. proof perfect of the unbelievable emotional, psychological abuse mary endured during the last years of her life and now in death. >> mary richards kennedy didn't know who she was. that was the tragedy of her life. >> so the bitter family feud goes on. we reached out to the kennedy family. they had no comment. by the way, mary's family and the kennedys even fought over where to bury her. her family wanted a funeral in vermont, the kennedys wanted her buried in hyannis port. even in death, it ended up before the judge. she ended up near hyannis port. michael jackson's daughter paris on the bullying she said she suffered at school. more after this. [ female announcer ] new quaker yogurt granola bars.

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more of oprah's interview of michael jackson's only daughter paris. the 14-year-old talked candidly about growing up with the superstar and what her life is like now. here is nbc's mike taibbi. >> reporter: paris jackson spoke with oprah as a 14-year-old teen with new friends and going to a private school instead of being home schooled as her father insisted. >> it's more normal, more fun. social life has gotten better. there's drama. >> reporter: the normal part means her new schoolmates aren't bffs. >> people have tried to bully you? >> yes. >> how so? >> at school. some people try to cyber bully me. they try to get to me with words. that doesn't really work. >> reporter: she's long past the time when michael had the kids wear masks to obscure from view and three years from the day she stunned her father at his memorial. >> every since i was born, daddy

has been the best father you could ever imagine. >> reporter: and paris told winfrey, the best father for the right reasons. >> my dad was a normal father when he was with us. >> really? >> we would get grounded if we did something bad. >> reporter: paris made no secret of her show business aspirations. >> it's fun to take on another character. that's so awesome. >> reporter: because her father's fame was truly awesome, his children are facing the burden of enormous expectations. their own and others for them. child psychologist said she watched the interview and said paris is doing just fine with that. >> given all the elements going on with her right now, she and to be managing things and adjusting. she seems to have a lot of strength. she's obviously a bright girl. >> reporter: oprah did get paris to look back on the days of

masks, bizarre for many but in retrospect it made sense. >> i didn't get why i was wearing a mask. i understand now why my dad would want our face to be covered. when we went out without him we wouldn't be recognized and we'd have a normal childhood. >> reporter: a daughter's memories of a father she says she misses terribly. nbc news, los angeles. >> first thing that hits you, she's a beautiful young woman. >> well spoken harks a big heart you can tell, a big future one would guess. >> no other girl on the face of the earth that could understand what she's been through in her life. >> much more ahead including a "dallas" reunion. >> they are here. >> in our studio. >> catch up with the cast. ( telephone rings )

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this wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am lisa robinson. now it is time for your morning commute. here is sarah caldwell -- >> got it covered. in the past few minutes, word of an accident at bowling brook way. -- perring parkway. in the red from white marsh towards the split. west side outer loop, 27 miles per hour there. southbound 895 at the harbor tunnel, getting word of the disabled vehicle there.

brussels, watch for an accident in this city. defense highway and davidsonville road, watch for crash. update on our cameras. disabled vehicle was just clear it and still some residual delays in the south and direction. live view of traffic at perring parkway. prior to this exit, watch for a slow boat due to an accident. tony has a check on your forecast. >> hi, tim cloud cover. we will get through the morning without precipitation. that may change this afternoon you will then is the change in the humidity department from yesterday. 60 degrees and a part in. 69 and in jarrettsville. we will put a 30% chance for a thunderstorm late this afternoon. high temperatures in the upper 80s. chance for rain and oppose of

significantly tomorrow. -- rain goes up significantly tomorrow. tomorrow.

8:00 now on monday morning the 11th day of june, 2012. a warm hello to a great crowd at rockefeller plaza. they are wearing hats for a particular reason. we'll tell you about that. we'll be talking about the tv show 1980s, music may be recognizing "dallas." that's why the hats, the signs. >> we have the hats, flannel, jeans, everybody is ready. >> we're ready for "dallas." >> you know what else is back, back stabbing, romance, conniving, everything we love about "dallas." >> are you talking about that or our show. >> i know. >> made it one of the post

popular shows of all time and we've got the cast. >> were you even born when this show was on. >> i was there. of course i was. >> you were not. >> for the later years. >> we've got just a terrific story, a young woman on her way to harvard, which, of course, is tough enough. this young woman worked as a teen. she was homeless. as a teen had to work as a custodian just to make ends meet. she's going to share her remarkable story. >> it really is a good story. also, we have a programming note we want to tell you about. former president george h.w. bush is turning 88 tomorrow. we want to wish him a happy birthday and also want to say to mark the occasion "today's" jenna bush hager sat down with her grandfather for a special interview. >> twenty years ago when you lost, was it a hard feeling? >> terrible feeling, awful feeling. i really wanted to win and worked hard.

didn't really care. just crazy. i worked my heart out. it was terrible to adjust. >> that's just a glimpse. more of their conversation and the bush family's birthday weekend in maine tomorrow here on "today." >> a great life. it will be fun to listen to. let's go inside to check today's news. we find natalie morales at the news desk. >> reporter: good morning, everyone. john bryson cited for felony hit-and-run after weekend car crashes in the los angeles area. police in san gabriel says bryson's car struck another waiting at a train crossing. bryson allegedly left the scene after speaking with the men in that car, hitting the car again as he left. police then say minutes later bryson struck a second car and was found unconscious behind the wheel. he was hospitalized for injuries that were not life threatening. police say at this point there was no sign alcohol or drugs played a role. wildfires damaged dozens of

buildings and forced hundreds of evacuations in colorado and new mexico. the fire in northern colorado is being called that area's worst in 25 years. and in new mexico, strong winds grounded firefighting aircraft there. meantime record rainfall this weekend caused severe flooding along the gulf coast, florida and alabama. opening statements today at the child sex abuse trial of former penn state assistant football coach jerry sandusky. he's accused of abusing 10 boys over a 15-year period. prosecutors plan to call eight of the alleged victims to testify against him. santa monica police say lindsay lohan was not impaired when her porsche rear-ended a truck. lohan and a passenger were treated for injuries. the porsche was totalled. lohan said she slammed on her brakes but the porsche failed to slow down. here is what's coming up on "nightly news." >> caught on tape, a new kind of

organized crime at the supermarket. everybody is paying for it every time we shop. we'll explain the story when we see you tonight on "nightly news." natalie, for now back to you. >> for a look at what's trending, a quick roundup of what has you talking online. lady gaga on the mend after a back-up performer accidentally hit her in the head with a pole during her concert in new zealand. the show did go on, though. her makeup artist tweeted gaga has a concussion but is going to be okay. gaga wants her fans to know she loves you. actor matthew mcconaughey married his longtime girlfriend at their home in texas. they have two children together. they kept their wedding vows private by whispering them in each other's ears. behold, the self-making bed. built by a spanish company, automatic arms draw the sheets in place while a separate

mechanism lifts the pillow and places them back down on the unruffled surface. i need one of those beds. it's 8:05, let's go back outside. >> not making beds anymore. >> much easier these days. take a look at the weather with al. >> willie has a device that -- we have a cutie here. who is this. >> emily turner from farmville, north carolina. >> how old. >> eight months. >> another cutie back there. who is that back there? >> sophia. >> all right. let's see what we've got as far as your weather is concerned. our pick city today, rockford, illinois, nbc 13, showers there, temperatures in the mid to upper 80s. you can see a lot more rain making its way through the southeast gulf coast. also a line of strong storms stretching into the upper mississippi river valley. beautiful day in the pacific northwest, sunshine 70, in seattle, 103 in phoenix, heavy

rain in the southeast, beautiful day in southern florida, 86. nice day in the northeast as well. a little on the warm humid side in washington. 89 degrees. girl scouts. where are you from? >> durham, north carolina. >> these are pretty girl scouts, all talented and smart. what are you doing down there? you're a sign holder. that's w >> good morning. the humidity has come up since yesterday. we will see some scattered

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call or come in today to take control of your personal economy. get free one-on-one help from america's retirement leader. back now at 8:10. if you've ever been dying to know if bobby ewing had any other crazy dreams or anyone else ever tried to take a shot at jl r., you're in luck. the hugely popular prime time "dallas" is back. we'll talk to the new editions in a moment. first, how america's dedication to "dallas" first started. on friday nights in the '80s, millions of americans gathered around their televisions to watch "dallas." >> when you hear the word "dallas," the first thing you think of is j.r., who shot j.r.

>> who shot j.r. was one of the biggest cliff hangers in tv history. >> front page news. >> he played the devilish j.r. ewing, so many loved to hate. >> finding out who did it, it was the biggest thing in pop culture that year. >> 90 million people tuned in to find out it was his sister-in-law and mistress kristen. that's triple the size of "american idol's" audience. at the time "dallas" was much more than a tv show, it was a cultural phenomenon. >> as much as we obsess over harry potter and "the hunger games" now, that's how we were about "dallas" in the '80s. it was that big. >> it ran from 1978 to 1991. people couldn't get enough of the scheming ugs. >> behind my back making me look like a fool. >> reporter: a wealthy family in

the cattle industry. big prime time soap operas about money, power, family and sex. >> i guess i'd be real impressed. >> they were families fighting with each other. brothers fighting in the family with each other. sue ellen fighting with j.r. >> it had unpredictable twists and turns. one of the most outrageous cliff hangers was bobby ewing was killed and one year later reand in this famous shower scene. >> morning. >> viewers then learned the entire last season had been a dream. >> no one had ever done it before. it was one of the most outrageous story lines ever told. >> what's the matter? you look like you just saw a ghost. >> now after 20 years "dallas" is back. >> i hate to hit a man below the belt but you know i will. >> larry hagman, linda gray and patrick duffy will team up with a new cast. >> they aren't trying to

reinvent but reignite hoping it will catch fire for a new generation. >> it's good to see you, too. >> and the cast of "dallas" is now joining us, larry hagman, linda gray, patrick duffy, brenda strong, josh henderson, good morning to all of you this morning. >> we're all out of time now. >> actually we're going to give you a lot of time. we're excited about having you here. i imagine over the last 20 years so many discussions and efforts and maybe rumors about this cast getting back together. i have to ask, larry, what made you want to put your boots on again. >> linda and patrick. >> working with them again. >> yes. >> have you ever taken the boots and hat off. >> no, keep them on all the time. >> you three have remained close since the show went off the air. was this kind of a group decision to come back. >> i think it was. we all called each other. people don't remember we've been

friends for 35 years. we see each other all the time. it wasn't like we hadn't seen each other for 20 years. friendships reigniting. to get to work together again g >> the show continues, not a reinvention. >> it's as if you didn't tune in for 20 years and you were on the wrong channel. you turn to the right channel and here we are. everything is exactly as it would be 20 years later. it's a perfect continuation. we consider this year 14. >> larry, did you have concerns about bringing this back? it's kind of like you walk away from something so great, beloved, so perfect. why go back to it again? >> money. >> i knew we were going to get these kinds of answers out of larry today. >> they had to pay a lot of money because they have got you in a nursing home. is that right? that's how we start. not so shocking now that i mention it. >> it doesn't last long, i'll

tell you that much. >> that's a great moment. we don't want to give too much away. j.r. snaps out of it and we know he's back, patrick. >> the first scene i did after not working with him for 20 years, to go into that room and have that scene with larry. it was poignant for me to do that. plus we had to do it about 20 times. it got a little old after a while. it was the beginning of the new "dallas" for me to do that scene with him. >> with the new "dallas," my guess is there's kind of a sense that each one of these characters has evolved. i'm guessing. has j.r. evolved? >> yeah, he's gotten meaner. >> seriously? he's gotten meaner. >> yeah. and he teaches his son how to be mean, too. >> sue ellen, how about your character. >> i took it very seriously. >> how is sue ellen. >> she's changed a lot, because i looked at the character and i thought she will have changed, everybody has changed in the

last 20 years. so i thought, okay, i didn't want to sashay down the driveway and say i know this cashing, i can play her very cool. she changed. really i love her right now. i loved her then and i love her now. she's really a much different person. >> she's not wearing shoulder pads. >> no shoulder pads for one and hair has gotten a little less wild and crazy. >> patrick, have you allowed yourself over the last 20 years to step back and think about what this show meant? you look at the numbers for who shot jl r., 83 or 90 million people. those are super bowl numbers. >> you can't do that now. there's too many choices. we were looking in the paper sitting around the hotel looking at the tv section which covers now an entire piece of the "new york times." when we were doing "dallas," it was four channels. that's all the choice you had. so your numbers were automatically larger. but who shot j.r. was trend setting even today. nobody can touch those numbers. >> brenda, you play bobby's new

wife ann. in that way, then, was it difficult or easy stepping into that role with such an established set of characters, people who really know this role and have done it so many times. >> they make it easy. >> she has a -- >> brenda has laryngitis. >> i can talk about me for her. >> i thought you sounded pretty good there. we won't make you talk much more. there is a clip. it's not the first time you've actually been in this series. you're in a clip. we're going to let people lib to it now and let them watch you play somebody else. >> last night was so wonderful and you're so wonderful, i just want to do something nice for you. >> there you go. >> come a long way. >> that's how you sound.

now everybody at home can know how you sound. >> getting to the back row now. we've got the newbies here with us, the next generation of ewing. it seems to me, josh, you've stepped right into the shoes of j.r. you've kind of taken on his personality. that's not a compliment, by the way. >> big shoes to fill. i was a little nervous, a little intimidated coming into this show, such a big deal, well loved around the world. i was extremely excited to get the opportunity. a lot of people wanted to be on the show. the new young cast was very blessed. i get to play j.r. and sue ellen's son. >> what was that scene like, not giving too much away, in the home you're sitting across from j.r. ewing and, boom, he snaps to life. >> it was electrifying. when he steps on set, it really kind of consumes the room. my first scene with him, i remember just staring at him. it was my turn to talk and i literally forgot to talk. j.r. this is unbelievable i'm sitting

here across from him in a scene as his son. he has an intense energy and it's a really magnetic thing. it's magic for me to get to play ball with him. >> larry, do you want to react to that? that's a lot of love he's given you. >> you're not kidding. i didn't know the kid felt that way about me. >> all you were doing is sleeping. >> it was an easy scene for me to play, that's for sure. i didn't say a word. >> you're not a stranger to nighttime soaps, having done work on "desperate housewives." what attracted you to the project? >> the writing. i was skeptical, of course, too, if it was a good idea to bring back an iconic show. once they give it their stamp of approval i knew the script was on par. after reading the script i loved the storytelling, especially the character of christopher. they were well developed, complex. it's an amazing thing to be part

of. >> you play elaina. tell us about her story, she has a history. >> i'm the cook's daughter. i grew up with these two boys in the middle of the love triangle. i have a pretty juicy, fun role. >> i imagine. >> i'm quite lucky. >> juicy. >> julie, what about you? how do you fit into this puzzle, an outsider coming in. >> i'm the newbie of the family. i play rebecca, who is engaged to christopher. yes, so she's introduced in the pilot and trying to fit in with the ewing clan and make her way into the family and feel comfortable, especially after she had -- she used to be engaged to my husband, so it's a little intense moments. it's fun. she's trying to make her man happy. >> now, is it true after you were all cast that you were invited by larry over to his

house for dinner and checked out the memorabilia? do you want to tell us a little about that. >> we were summoned. >> he doesn't ask. >> i got excited to see his "i dream of jeannie" bottles. >> bottles, more than one. >> there's a couple. >> we went around, oh, my god, larry's house. >> he has photographs of himself everywhere in the world. he's in a gondola in venice in hat and boots. the most interesting man in the world. >> linda, was there anybody you had to sort of do arm twisting with? anybody you had to pull along on the project or did everybody get excited about it? >> did i drag you in? >> kicking and screaming. >> he always asks me, should i do something or not do something. i'm ratting on you now. it's true. he calls me and says, should i do this, should i do that. i always say yes and he does it. >> you hesitated, larry, at the

idea. >> yeah. it was strange getting back into the swing of things. but we all fit into the characters, nothing to worry about that. i don't know. i just wanted to clear it with these two guys here first. >> apparently you did. you're on television. it's exciting to see all of you. looks like you're having fun together. >> first rule on the set. >> can you assure us of one thing, it won't be a dream. >> if we can get numbers out of it -- >> all right. the cast of "dallas," thank you so much. want to mention the series premier is wednesday night on tnt. back with much more after local news and weather. ncer... i needed a coach. our doctor was great, but with so many tough decisions i felt lost. unitedhealthcare offered us a specially trained rn who helped us weigh and understand all our options. for me cancer was as scary as a fastball is to some of these kids. but my coach had hit that pitch before.

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>> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am lisa robinson. let's check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> still trying to wrap up the morning rush, and we have problems in fallston on harford road. this is causing some delays. delays on southbound 95 out of the northeast. once again on to the outer loop north side just prior to perring parkway, accident. 48 miles per hour on the west side bit heavier from liberty to edmondson.

southbound 295 anne arundel mills boulevard, getting word of an accident backing up traffic as you approach 195. update at 895 just south of o'donnell street. but in looking at fort mchenry. at delayse're looking leading up to the accident. over to you, tony. >> i am sure you notice the difference in humidity from yesterday. this morning, humidity has come up and it is in the uncomfortable range. 71 in parkton. forecast for today, a mixture of sunshine and clouds. 30% chance for a thunderstorm this afternoon. pretty good chance for rain tomorrow. some of it could be heavy. nice weather as we head into next week and. >> we will have another update

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♪ ♪ if i was your boyfriend never let you go ♪ 8:30 now on monday morning, 11th day of june, 2012, nice start to the day in midtown manhattan. we hope the sun will be shining friday because we have one of the biggest names in music, justin bieber taking to our concert stage friday. please make your plans now to be

here. it's going to be a pretty huge crowd. meantime i'm ann curry alongside willie geist and natalie morales and al roker. >> if you're coming to the bieber concert, bring the signs, be creative with the signs, a little contest. looking for the most creative. justin himself will announce a great prize for a lucky winner. >> get those crayons out. >> and sparkles and whatever else you've got. also just ahead, another remarkable teen. she became homeless after her parents abandoned her. she worked her way as a janitor in her high school after taking advanced classes. now she's on her way to harvard and truly a remarkable and inspiring story. we'll hear from her coming up. on another note, who doesn't like pizza. everybody likes pizza. >> favorite food. >> we'll show you how you don't have to order out, get frozen.

we'll tell you how to make great pizza at home. >> fun to get the kids involved. they like to put their own toppings on it. we'll find out what recipes are about. first let's say hello to kyra knightley, one of the stars of a new movie. it's a movie about the end of the world. that is so happy. >> it is actually a comedy which makes it weirder. so it's really happy, uplifting end of the world movie. >> you co-star with steve carell. >> love steve carell. he's such a wonderful, gorgeous man. there is some uplift in the film. >> you guys take a road trip together. he's looking for a high school friend. >> yeah. >> you kind of -- your character puts a kink in the plan. >> it's sort of a love story but more about friendship, sort of what's important in life, love,

companionship. >> so many people talk about the experience working with steve. what was it like for you? >> i think he's actually one of the world's brilliant people, in any walk of life, he's one of the loveliest. he's incredibly funny. he's one of the people that makes everyone around him feel like they are funny as well. >> so there's a lot of laughing. >> a lot of laughing, a lot of outtakes. he's actually hilarious. >> also anna karenia. >> it comes out, very exciting. very different from this one. >> congratulations. >> thank you. >> now let's get a check of the weather. >> good morning.r.

this will be another warm and humid day today. high temperature expected in don't forget, get that weather any time you need it, go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. willie -- no, willard. >> birds are chirping and burping in springtime. who could ask important more. how beautiful in d.c. happy birthday. our smucker's buddies today. for instance, here is dorothy tyler from wooster, ohio, 100

years old today. she loves spending time outdoors. she's a very, very sharp lady. one-cuevas from the bronx, the bronx family farm. 101 years old. never misses a day's work. hardworking man, loves him family and good man all the way around. velma freeman from orlando, florida, 106 years old today, a talented artist and she loves to paint. i guess so. she's an artist, why not. gabriel castillo from california, san lorenzo, california, to be exact. 100 years old today, a world war ii vet and great, great story teller. and birthday number five, celia dawson of baton rouge, louisiana, 104 years old today. always enjoys time with her family and sharp as a tack.

very, very, very sharp lady. everybody is crazy about her and her brain. can't beat that. have you ever met a prettier lillian, lillian campbell, elizabeth town, pennsylvania. she loves to watch the phillies on television and she loves to play bingo. you can't beat that. bingo at the old baptist church. back to new york city where we say bingo. >> thanks so much, willard. coming up, the story of the woman once homeless, high school teen once homeless now on her way to harvard university. first this is "today" on nbc. guys, i'm home!

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michelle, good morning. >> good morning. she's inspired others to rally to her cause. she grew up living in place to place, living in poverty, an unstable home life that continued until her parents abandoned her last summer just as she was starting her last year of high school. circumstances that only motivated the north carolina teen to stop at nothing to get her diploma and look toward a future in the ivy league. at age 18, she is wise beyond her years. >> i feel like i've had to grow up fast, but i don't really feel like it's been a really bad thing. >> heading into her senior year at burns high school in lawnville, north carolina, she was abandoned by her parents and left homeless. for the past year she struggled to find a place to live and worked as a custodian at her high school before and after classes. >> i get here about 6:00 and i

work from 6:00 to 7:40 when the students start coming in. >> in between the straight a honor student worked even harder to graduate. >> i felt like it would just be easier if i gave up but it was never in me to give up because i did realize i was never going to be successful unless i got an education. >> excelling, her teachers say, in academics, and in the school of hard knocks. >> if this is the buffet of knowledge, then this young lady coming to class engorged herself. >> her drive paid off. dawn not only graduated this fall, she's heading to harvard university. >> i'm delighted to report the admissions committee has asked me to inform you, you'll be admitted to harvard class of 2016. >> her story of success follows years of family turmoil, including numerous evictions, moving, and even studying by candlelight when the electric bill wasn't paid.

>> my whole life i've been able to look around and see all the bad choices my family has made. >> the final straw, dawn says, came last summer after she returned from a prestigious study program offered to the state's brightest students. >> when i came home, i discovered my parents had moved. afterwards i discovered they moved to tennessee. >> at first dawn crashed at a friend's home. soon an army of supporters rallied to help. >> you ready, dawn? >> school bus driver opened up her home after receiving a call from dawn's guidance counselor. >> i think anyone would have done the same thing. you have a good child in need of a place to stay and who wants to succeed. >> dawn's boss, judy barrett, got her the job and early on helped with everything from food to washing dawn's clothes at school. >> all we did was kind of just give her the basics she needed.

she's done this with her brain and determination. nobody can take credit for that except dawn. >> and word spread to carol who helped dawn fill out her college application and eventually encouraged her to apply to harvard. >> you should shoot for the stars, dawn, a college like harvard would be interested in you. >> harvard campus, this is the science building. >> dawn recently toured the ivy league university where she plans to study science. >> when you think of the best schools in the nation, i mean, it's not complete unless harvard is on the list. the excite won't set in until i actually get up there. >> a story of perceserverence. >> shows you what you can do when you put your mind to it. >> she's special.

she made our high school proud. she made everyone proud. she'll make harvard proud. >> by seeing and seizing every opportunity, dawn not only has a place to call home, she is now start agnew journey to find her place in life. >> this is the freshman dining hall. >> dawn till keeps in touch with family members, including her grandma who dawn credits for giving her a love of reading. the teen says she will work her way through college to cover part of her tuition costs and living expenses. her high school principal also set up a fund in her name. dawn is already thinking of ways to give back. she plans to develop a nonprofit to help kids overcome a similar hardship. >> a lot of people will be rooting for her this fall. up next, the track star becoming the first arch tee sprinter in the olympics. we'll have his remarkable story. first, this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:45 with "today's" count down for london, the opening ceremony 46 days away. for one sprinter just competing will be an historic accomplishment. "today's" savannah guthrie has his remarkable story. >> he holds one of the fastest times in the 400 meter sprint in the world. it's no surprise he's a favorite to qualify for the olympics for his native south africa this summer. >> you push yourself to become better and better. i've always responded to pressure. i've always run better with expectations. >> it's his journey to the starting line not the finish

line that captivated the world. he was born with a rare condition. he was missing the major bones in both lower legs. his parents made the excruciating decision to have their infant son's legs amputated below the knee. >> reporter: while that decision would forever change the course of his life, it did anything but slow him down. >> that's really the marvel. sometimes it's the best part of the race. other times the worst part. >> oscar's speed earned him nicknames like blade runner. he says it's his ability not disability that sets him off. >> if you make the deciding, a lot can change very quickly. >> a natural athlete from an active family oscar always competed against able-bodied athletes, even playing for his

high school rugby team. it was a knee injury during the rugby match has led him to running. he took up sprinting and discovered he was a natural. months later at the age of 17 he found himself at the paralympics in athens smashing world records and taking home gold. >> it was new, everything was overwhelming. >> when his times reached those of able-bodied athletes, it seemed a natural progression for oscar to set his sights on the olympics. >> set new goals and really chase those. >> at first he was denied entry. critics named oscar's carbon fiber was an advantage because of spring and lightweight. oscar says the proof is in the performance. >> a huge advantage everybody is claiming, why isn't everybody using these prosthetic legs. >> on appeal, oscar won the right to compete.

after extensive testing showed the prosthetics was no advantage. >> the quality of disabled people. >> he later failed to qualify for the beijing olympics. >> i know you fought so hard to compete, to get into the olympics, then it didn't work out in beijing. did that kind of hang over your head a little bit? >> if anything, it motivated me more. >> now he's at it again trying to qualify for the london olympics. his perseverance alone, an inspiration to many. >> he runs so fast. >> he's my hero. he doesn't really stop. >> perhaps no one is taken with oscar than future athletes just like him who are learning to focus on what they can do not what they can't. >> you have to say it like it is, a prosthetic leg, they can take it off and put it on again. >> leading by example. >> it's exciting he's getting

his first chance to get into the olympics. >> i think he's going to make it this year. >> if he does, oscar pistorius will have won long before leaving the starting block. savannah guthrie, nbc news, new york. >> more chances to make the south african team, he's preparing to defend his medal in three events at the paralympics in london. we wish him luck. up next, a lesson on making gourmet pizzas at home. first this is "today" on nbc.

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fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. >> announcer: kraft makes something amazing a to z. >> back at 8:52, today's kitchen, easy as one two three. pizza taking things beyond pep reason. a restaurant in new york city, michael. >> good to see you. >> a lot of restaurants, new york, new jersey, your first pizza joint. what's your edge here. >> pizza is going to complete the circle of italian food. we do seafood, different types of food of italy. here we're doing pizza. when i went to hong kong and opened it up, pizza the italian food of choice, therefore i had

to do it. i got the bug, therefore had to do it in new york city. >> i love pizza but so easy to call the guy to bring it to you. >> great for the family, a little flour, couple of hours pre, do your thing and come back. it's easy. >> start with pizza carbonara. what do we need? >> take a take on a traditional roman dish, spaghetti with pepper and cheese. we'll add all those elements but what we'll do is put it on a pizza. we start with mozzarella. this is what we call grated mozzarella, not buffalo or fresh, great melting cheese. >> any grocery store. >> whole milk with good flavor. >> saute bacon. anything good with bacon. >> throw it in the pan. >> parmesan.

>> no red sauce. >> no red sauce on this one. >> bake it in the oven, bake seven or eight minutes. because we don't have conventional pizza oven at home. want to break an egg? >> you did it for me. >> right into the pizza. >> right on. >> right onto the pizza. put this on. go in for a few minutes, a little a little bit of scallions and bake this. then what we do. >> we baked it once before the egg on. >> go back in, three minutes or so. >> just one on there. >> go ahead and put the other one on there. what we'll do, take the egg, this is like the showpiece. when you bring it to the table, the pizza is hot on top. we break it and smear it, it cooks instantly, finish with this cheese.

>> go back to the crust. >> you can buy store bought crust or a recipe we have on the website. very easy. most grocery stores now have a special pizza you can buy. >> if carbonara not your thing, bacon, eggs. >> pesto. again, some of you buy at the grocery store. a little bit of cheese. >> that's just a store bought crust. >> store bought. >> a little ricotta. little dollops of ricotta onto the pizza. then we'll put a little corn, tomatoes. >> this is pizza conmis. corn italian. >> we bake it, comes out, looks like this. >> heavy toppings. >> let's use it. >> extra virgin olive oil, goes back in the oven three to four

minutes, a really nice crust on the bottom. here you have a metal pan. you do not need a pizza stone, work just the same. >> cookie sheet. >> round dish, really up to the person. then we cut the pizza and we're here. >> who needs domino's, looks beautiful. >> chicken wings with rosemary. >> up ahead, best way to find a hotel. >> live, local, latebreaking. this wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am lisa robinson. an arrest in southwest baltimore gets out of control and ends in police officers telling the family dog. officers were taking a drug suspect into custody on sunday but the suspect went out the

door with the family people chasing after him. that is when officers shot a#f#f

>> we are off to a quiet start this monday. there is a slight chance we could see thunderstorms poppet. partly cloudy, warm, and humid. good chance for rain tomorrow. >> we will see yo