good morning. happy thanksgiving. with millions set to celebrate the holiday, law enforcement around the country on high alert. security ramped up from airports to parade routes. president obama reassuring anxious americans. >> we are taking every possible step to keep our homeland safe. this as a major storm could bring a dangerous mix of snow, ice and rain all the way from nevada to michigan. while here in new york, excitement builds and the iconic balloons are in place for the big macy's thanksgiving day parade. as we kick off your day of

today, thursday, november 26th, 2015. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> there's a pretty sight. welcome to "today" on this thursday morning. happy thanksgiving, everyone. goois geist. >> savannah and matt are ready to start the parade. parade. >> happy thanksgiving. >> remember how we were whining last year, it was cold, started to rain, sleet in the air? none of those reasons to whine exist this year, although every year for this parade, the two big issues are the weather, security. >> i think it's fair to say we're seeing a security footprint like we've never seen before. the nypd out in force.

people you see, people you don't see. just ahead, we're talk to chief jim o'neil, head of department with nypd and in charge of security. we'll find out what they have planned. >> natalie and willie, we'll be talking about the pomp and circumstance that goes along with the 89th macy's thanksgiving day parade. we'll give you the rundown of what you can expect in a second. >> looking forward to it. let's get right to everything you need to know to begin your thanksgiving, including the storm that is looming to our west. we want to begin with more on the security concerns tied to the holiday. rehema is along the parade route. >> one of the largest crowds ever is expected to come out for the parade. some people already claimed their front row spot, saying they're not afraid, despite concerns about security. >> reporter: those giant-sized balloons have been brought to life. >> happy thanksgiving. >> reporter: for the big parade

that will be watched by millions of spectators and beefed up security. >> you'll see a very large group of officers, hundreds of our specially trained officers. >> reporter: safety a top concern this thanksgiving. the nypd will be out in force, with a new critical response command unit. hundreds of specially trained officers. who have been drilled and prepared for both active shooters and hostage takers. all part of 2,500 officers covering the parade, in addition to the thousands of police city. at strain stations and bus terminals. nationwide, security is also on heightened alert. nfl fans from dallas to green bay will see a greater police presence. but at jfk, one of the nation's busiest airports, homeland security reconsidering a possible weak point. airport workers not being required to pass through rigorous security checkpoints.

is necessary right now. >> reporter: at the white house, president obama trying to reassure an anxious nation. >> we've taken extraordinary measures to strengthen our homeland security, everything from aviation security to border security to information sharing. >> reporter: experts say there is no known credible threat to the homeland from terrorists. alert. >> if you see anything that's unusual, it's really important to come forward. s cement about what you've seen. >> if you see something, say something. but the city's police commissioner feels so safe about the city, he's bringing his own grandchildren to the parade. backpacks or large coolers parade route. >> good to know. thanks so much. >> let's go back to matt and savannah for more on security at guys?

jim o'neil is the chief of department for the new york city police department. he's on the scene in harold square in charge of the security good morning. happy thanksgiving. >> good morning. >> as we were walking over here around the corner, we saw a lot of new york city police officers. compare the size and scope of the operation, the security operation this year, versus previous years. >> this year, we do have a bigger detail. about 20% bigger. 20%. we stood up a couple of new groups. strategic response group and the year. you'll be seeing a lot of people in armor, in helmets, and there will be people with long guns this year, also. i think everywhere you go along going to see cops. we also have a fairly good contingent of plain clothes officers. not only in the street but also in the subway. anyone coming to the parade should feel safe. >> what you see and what you don't see. there's also what's been

terms of intelligence gathering and the monitoring you do. what are you doing in terms of trying to find out if there are any threats? >> this is what we do and we do it well. it's not just the nypd. we have a lot of federal partners we work with. our main federal partner is the fbi. we have a great working relationship with them. anything they know, we know. anything we know, they know. >> how do you keep a force like this in tact and motivated? you have the parade this week. next week, you have a tree lighting ceremony in rockefeller center. the holiday season in full swing. describe the challenge that faces your force over the next month and a half. >> i've been lucky enough to have this job a little over a year now. i get to see the great things the men and women in this police department do everything day. in an event like today, in light of what's going on in the world, we ramped up security for this. they do an outstanding job every day. it's their fortitude and

courage, it's their will that keeps the city safe. i have complete confidence in the men and women of this great police department. everywhere i go, i thank them every day. >> you mentioned spectators are your eyes and ears, as well. if they see something, they're to say something. what is suspicious? what should people be looking out for? >> we'll have a couple million people on the parade route. everybody is probably coming by mass transportation. if you see something that doesn't look right, and everybody knows what that is. if somebody leaves a backpack on the subway or in the street. we'll have people in the crowd, too. they need to let somebody know. there's going to be cops everywhere. to you see something that makes you feel uncomfortable, let us know and deal with it. we get paid to worry and do the job. there's been a lot of planning for this event. >> it's important to talk about all of these things but, more importantly, wish you a happy thanksgiving. thanks for being here. >> thank you very much. >> let's go back into the studio. we have willie and natalie.

>> thanks. as they mentioned, the weather, picture perfect in new york for the parade, but other parts of the country are dealing with the major thanksgiving day storm. snow, ice and rain expected to make holiday travel even trickier than more normal. jacob rascon is in denver. good morning. >> natalie, good morning. it is expected to be the busiest holiday travel season since the recession. some 46 million americans traveling during the thanksgiving holiday. the overwhelming majority of those drivers, a nightmare situation for them as a winter storm dropped more than a foot of snow and some ice in parts of the midwest and west. the airports, of course, were packed, but many of those flying dodged a bullet, hardly any cancellations or delays at all. the threat of ice and flash flooding still exists for many parts of the country into the weekend, which is important because, keep in mind, the busiest travel day of the

and monday. natalie natalie, willie? >> happy thanksgiving to you. >> al is keeping ing ing an eye on the storm from the starting line of the macy's thanksgiving day parade. good morning. happy thanksgiving, buddy. >> you, too, guys. beautiful day here, sunny and in the 40s. on the radar, we are looking at a big storm system that's firing itself up. it's bringing ice, rain and snow. here's the travel troubles we're looking at. starting with today, a day that used to be quiet, as far as travel is concerned. now, it is a day where everybody is out there. denver, colorado, we're looking frigid cold. dallas and houston, texas, stormy, developing storm winds. as we get on the roads on i-35, from kansas city to dallas, storms, soaking rains going up to minneapolis.

low visibility. chicago, it'll be rainy, showers and flooding possible. friday, more showers in the midwest. we're also looking at the heavier showers and thunderstorms. look for snow making its way from oklahoma city to albuquerque. icy conditions, wintry mixes, icy bridges and overpasses. on sunday, we have wet weather from the south. dallas, icy weather just to the west. as we make our way along i-70, st. louis to baltimore, soggy conditions on the roads and travel delays expected at some of the major airports. time. make sure you check in on the weather channel and on your nbc station for the latest forecast before you hit the road. guys? >> al, thanks so much. we'll get to the rest of your forecast in a moment. now to a new round of protests in chicago over theshooting of a black teenager. some demonstrators turned their anger toward one of the city's holiday displays.

as we get a new look at what happened leading up to the shooting, here is stephanie gosk. >> reporter: but dash cam video obtained overnight shows a chicago police officer in pursuit of laquan mcdonald before he shot and killed the teenager. the footage is taken from jason van dyke's police car. as the officer drives through a burger king parking lot, the teen is seen in front of the car before running down the road. protesters hit the streets of chicago for the second night in a row, following the release of this video, showing officer van dyke shooting mcdonald multiple times. most of the protesters were peaceful. >> they getting killed and they have a voice. >> reporter: some taunted police. blocking roadways and tearing down the lights from the city's christmas tree. van dyke has been charged with murder. police say mcdonald was armed

the video shows mcdonald apparently walking away from police officers at the scene before he was shot. lawyers for van dyke have said the shooting was justified because he felt threatened. president obama posted on his facebook page wednesday that he watched the video of mcdonald's death. like many americans, i was deeply disturbed by the footage of the fatal shooting of 17-year-old laquan mcdonald. this thanksgiving, i ask everybody to keep those who suffered tragic loss in our thoughts and prayered, and be thankful for the overwhelming majority of men and women in uniform who protect our units with honor. while activist groups are planning demonstrations in chicago on friday, many are hoping for a peaceful holiday. stephanie gosk, chicago. there's mounting tension this morning over turkey's downing of the russian fighter plane. russia accusing turkey of trying to sabotage relations between the countries. joe fryer has more on this story.

good morning. >> good morning, willie. french president francois hollande will meet in moscow today with vladimir putin. france wants to get russia and the west on the same page, building a coalition to battle isis. it's a challenge, especially after that russian plane was shot down by turkey. >> reporter: tensions are boiling over in moscow, where protesters hurled eggs and stones at the turkish embassy. an angry response after the downing of a russian bomber near the syrian border. one of the pilots did not survive. now, turkey is releasing recordings of what it says were repeated warnings sent over radio to the russian jets. turkey says the plane was warned ten times in five minutes, but the russian navigator on the plane who ejected and was later rescued disputes that. speaking to reporters but not showing his face, the navigator

either on the radio or visually. experts say it's possible they weren't tuned into the same channels. the navigator also says the plane never flew into turkish air space, claiming his jet was on the syrian side the whole time. turkey released a different flight path, showing the jet territory. despite the conflict over what happened, both sides say there are no plans to go to war, but russian president vladimir putin announced he will deploy long-range defense missiles to the region. as russia holds a memorial service for the pilot who died and the marine killed after the plane went down. >> all of this provides the back drop as france's president meets today with putin, trying to put the crisis between russia and turkey behind them. hoe hollande said it can work with russia if they focus on isis. >> joe, thanks.

hearing from the california band that was performing at the bataclan when gunmen burst in. nbc's keir simmons is in brussels with their chilling account of the ill-fated night. god good morning. >> natalie, good morning. there are reports here in brussels from local media, unconfirmed, of another operation to try to arrest suspects. as you mentioned, we're hearing more about the terrible night in paris. shane smith sat down with the eagles of death metal, the band playing at the bataclan, for an exclusive interview. the interview is now available in full and it is painful to watch. >> reporter: 89 people were killed in the bataclan theater. the eagles of death metal were playing. their sound engineer came face-to-face with the killers. [ gunshots ]. >> people started dropping to the ground, injuries, death, you know.

nowhere to go, so they basically ran into me, towards me, and jumped below my console. i was still standing up, and i can see the gunman. he looked right at me and he shot at me and missed. he hit my console. buttons went flying everywhere. >> reporter: the band and their fans confronting terror together. >> we all just huddled. i think he thought i probably got hit because i went down so quickly. everybody else around was injured. there was blood all over. he stayed there and continued to shoot and shoot. escaped alive. some through a side door. members of their entourage, many fans, out to enjoy a night of music, never made it home. dressing room. the killers were able to get in and killed every one of them, except for a kid who was hiding under my leather jacket. >> reporter: but they say this

they want to play on the first again. >> music is what we do. it's our lives. playing every night and -- seeing those smiling faces in the crowd, it's what keeps us going. >> again, that exclusive interview now available on vice.com. a mark of how the night has changed europe, willie and natalie. there are suggestions here that some railway road workers may be asked to wear bullet proof vests. >> got to take all precautions necessary. keir simmons, thank you. >> i love they want to go back and play the first show at the bataclan. >> it'd be hard to go back. >> but they want to be there. let's go back to al for more on your holiday weather. al, how is it looking, sir? >> as i said, here, it is perfect. that's the story. along the coast, weather is going to be spectacular.

as you look at the map, along the eastern sea board, plenty of sunshine. temperatures well above normal. out west, some fog in the pacific northwest. it's the midsection of the country, from the upper mississippi river valley into the central plains. snow, ice, further south, rain. we'll be telling you coming up, parts of texas and oklahoma could get up to a foot of rain by sunday evening. that's what's going on. we're going to get a look at what's happening in your neck o >> good thursday morning everyone, happy thanksgiving.

we've quiet weather across new england on this thanksgiving, this go around with temperatures into the mid 50s this afternoon. partly to mostly cloudy sky, this is the trade-off. warmer conditions but more clouds around. tonight not all that cold. temperatures to the mid 40s, patchy fog developing late. mostly cloudy skies. start friday off with clouds but get peaks of sun in here, >> that's your latest weather. guys? >> al, thank you. now to a revelation that hits close to home for us. >> kathie lee's family releasing a statement overnight, saying her husband, pro football hall of famer frank gif er fordgifford, who died in august, also suffered from a brain disease associated with concussions. the family writes, we made the difficult decision to have his brain studied in hopes of contributing to the advancement of medical research. >> they go on to say, we miss him every day.

now more than ever. but find comfort in knowing that by disclosing his condition, we might contribute positively to the ongoing conversation. he might be an inspiration for others suffering from this disease, and he might be a small part of the solution. >> the giffords say the diagnosis hasn't changed their support for the nfl and making the same safer. we think of the entire gifford family on this thanksgiving. >> it's important what they've done, by offering his brain for science and medical research. coming up, our exclusive interview with president republican hopeful marco rubio and his wife, as the florida senator opens up about security, defeating isis and how his kids feel about their dad running for president. plus, much more from matt and savannah as they get you ready for the macy's thanksgiving day parade. first, this is "today" on

if you're doing everything right but find it harder and harder to get by, you're not alone.

longer hours for lower wages, almost all new income goes to the top 1%. my plan -- make wall street banks and the ultrarich provide living wages for working people, ensure equal pay for women. i'm bernie sanders. because together, we can make and create an economy and democracy that works for all

coming up, has the black friday deal on a new flat screen peaked your interest? the reason the bargain may not be as good this is more than just a town.

this is our home. and small business saturday... is more than just a day. s our day... the places we love... with the people we love. t get anywhere else. and food that tastes like home. because the money we spend here... can help keep our town growing. business saturday, let' s all shop small. for the neighborhood, the town, the home we love. shop small this saturday. today is the day. hellmann's and holiday leftovers become irresistibly creamy turkey casserole. real delicious hellmann's. bring out the hellmann's. bring out the best. i was wondering if you were free... for the rest of your life. at jared, we only sell one piece of jewelry... the one she'll wear forever... and it's waiting for you...

before it was honey in these honey nut cheerios, it was honey being collected. and honey getting made. and honey that was just beginning. give your home the gift of big savings this year at lowe's. hurry in to your neighborhood store today for a ton of great black friday deals. now get up to 40% off major appliances $396 and more. americans. we try to live healthy. but many of us don't know there are nutrients that can help support our metabolism. take new one a day healthy metabolism support multivitamin with chromium to help use carbs from food and b-vitamins to help convert food to fuel.

>> announcer: this is 7 news now. >> good morning everyone. happy thanksgiving. it's 7:26 on a very clear morning.

chris joins with us a check ofhe forecast. >> talking no precipitation, no rain or snow over the next couple of days. there is a cool start but the trade-off more clouds around but we'll warm to the 50s this afternoon. if that is not warm enough for you, talking temperatures close to 60 if not just above it on black friday. >> taking a look ated day's top stories, one person killed, two others rushed to the hospital after an overnight shooting, police are searching for a suspect. police say uniformed force were patrol the wrentham premium outlets. the upped security is in response to the paris terror attacks. police say there is no specific threat to the outlets. we'll be back in 25 minutes with another update for you. hope you are having a great morning. happy thanksgiving.

jeb bush: here's the truth you will not hear

from our president: we are at war with radical islamic terrorism. it is the struggle that will determine the fate of the free world. the united states should not delay in leading a global coalition to take out isis with overwhelming force. their aim is our total destruction. we can't withdraw from this threat or negotiate with it. we have but one choice: to defeat it. vo: right to rise usa is responsible for the content of

it's 7:30 on this thanksgiving morning, thursday, november 26th, 2015. a nice, big crowd on our plaza this morning. many of them getting ready to claim their spots for the macy's thanksgiving day parade. matt, savannah and al already in place to bring it all to you in 90 minutes. we'll check in with them in a moment. >> all right. first, the story making news right now. a winter storm is causing problems for millions of holiday travelers today. a mix of snow, ice and rain is expected from nevada all the way to michigan. >> for a second straight night, demonstrators took to the streets in chicago over the

fatal police shooting of a black teenager. several arrests were made when protesters tore lights off the christmas tree in millennium park. check out this surveillance video from a home in queens, new york. a burglar is crawling into a bedroom where a husband and wife were sleeping. their kids in the next room. he picks up a cell phone but runs away when the woman woke up. police say the suspect was actually in the house for about 40 minutes. they're now trying to track him down. frightening. thanksgiving is all about the food. we have two experts here all morning, sunny anderson and brandi milloy, to answer your questions. send your dilemmas to us at today.com/food club. >> we'll be taking notes. >> you were up all night seasoning your bird, right? >> i was, yes. >> with bourbon. >> seasoning the bird, if you know what i mean. >> a lot of bourbon in the bird. let's head back to matt and savannah, where they're getting ready for the parade.

for those who just got audio who seconds ago to find out willie was seasoning his bird last night is a little confusing. thankfully, we're going to put it into perspective with the holiday. >> thank you. >> guys, good to see you. we're out here on the street in harold square. we have the cast from "finding neverland" rehearsing behind us. they'll be taking part in the macy's day thanksgiving parade. >> we have this person to thank employees. the chairman. >> happy thanksgiving. >> let's have a parade. what does this mean to the employees of macy's? >> too bad about this weather, by the way. >> i know, my goodness. >> we have 260,000 employees at our husband. this is -- company. this is our gift to america. we feel grateful to be able to deliver this parade and thank you for being here. thank you for all the coverage you've given us. >> terry told me he and his wife

stayed overnight in the store last night. >> on the mattresses? >> no. we actually have a little space in my office where i sleep. i'll do that tonight. i'll be working tonight. we open at 6:00. i'll be here and working all the way through the night to tomorrow. >> what are your first memories of the parade? >> sitting right here, underneath this awning, and watching the snow come down. we don't have that problem today. just the feeling, with my family being cuddled up. today, i have my first grandson with me. the family tradition to me is so special. >> what does it mean to you, to be a part of it? you told our producer, you give the employees an unlimited budget for the parade and they always exceed it. >> yeah. how much can you do to add to make this even better than last year? it's complicated because each year, it's better and better. my goal is to stay out of their way and let the creativity rule. >> in light of world events, current events, is it more challenging to put on a parade

>> you know, what you and i know is that the police department of new york city and all the state department and the fbi and all those who are so incredibly well in this city and have protected us so long, so well, i leave it to the professionals. we're coordinating with them, certainly, but i have such faith and trust in the professionals, parade. >> happy thanksgiving. thanks for being with us. >>en that x to and thanks to all the employees of macy's. let's head up to the start of the parade. that's where we find al roker. >> announcer: today's weather is brought to you by walmart. stop by a store or visit us at walmart.com to share wonder every day. >> hey, guys. we are up here, 77 central park west. i'm joined by rachel platten,

you have a new album coming out at the top of the year. >> called "wildfire." so excited about it. >> your song "i am witness" is an anti-bullying anthem, really. you're going to be performing in the parade for the first time. >> i am so pumped. my parents took me when i was little and i was freezing the whole time. i didn't see much. i'm really excited. person here. >> what do you have to be >> my life changed so much. ten months ago, i was in a van playing for 20 people. now, i'm doing the thanksgiving parade. a lot. my wildest dreams have come true this year. >> what are you doing for thanksgiving? >> we're going to hang out in westchester with my family. i'm not going to cook at all. >> very good. >> nope. >> excellent. you saw the balloons for the first time. >> i did. >> pretty exciting, huh? >> amazing up close. >> rachel, we're looking forward to your performance later today. >> thanks, al. >> happy >> good thursday morning everyone, happy

thanksgiving. we've quiet weather across new england on this thanksgiving, this go around with temperatures into the mid 50s this afternoon. partly to mostly cloudy sky, this is the trade-off. warmer conditions but more clouds around. tonight not all that cold. temperatures to the mid 40s, patchy fog developing late. mostly cloudy skies. start friday off with clouds but get peaks of sun in here, >> we're keeping ourselves warm rachel platten. back to you guys. >> al, like rachel, we love you, too, my friend. >> he's a little jealous you got an i love you. >> rachel platten was here not long ago. >> she's adorable. >> look forward to her performance during the parade. miranda lambert opens up. what she's saying for the first time about her split from blake shelton. our conversation with

presidential hopeful marco rubio and his wife. why they say his toughest critics are their kids. have you ever thought, "i could never do that"? have you ever thought... you just didn't have anything left in the tank? well - you do. because the courage is already inside. the people closest to you can but if you know where to look for inspiration, you can find the perfect gift for everyone on your list and share wonder every day. walmart s something earned not given. dedication means pursuing your passion.

healing is something we do. together. and together, we put veterans first. search va careers to find out how. the kids are looking forward to seeing you too. they were talking about this all day long.

momma! stop! hi! (man) hey, they made it! (woman vo) this time of year, it's good to have america's most reliable network. from the moment you need it, until the moment you don't. fact pharmacists recommend most for cold and flu relief at the shelf. advil cold & sinus is only ask your pharmacist for fast,

any better than this. where their electricity comes from. they flip the switch-- and the light comes on. it's our job to make sure that it does. using natural gas this power plant can produce enough energy for about 600,000 homes. generating electricity that's cleaner and reliable, with fewer emissions-- it matters. in very handy with cash back twice on purchases. earn once when you buy, and again as you pay. that's cash back now, it's cash back d\j vu. the citi double cash card. earn cash back twice on every purchase with 1% when you buy and 1% as you pay. p

we're back. it's 7:41 on thanksgiving morning. house. donald trump still leads the republican field, but florida senator marco rubio has been climbing the polls steadily. >> i caught up with senator rubio and his wife jeanette in charleston, south carolina, at

we began by talking about his plan to defeat isis and how it differs from the current administration. >> first, if you speak to our allies in the region, there's no feeling barack obama is trying to put together a coalition with a sense of urgency. the feeling is we're taking air strikes but they seem to be not well targeted or well coordinate coordinated on the ground. >> over 6,000 air strikes. how is that not coordinated? >> it's not allowed them to be as successful as necessary. they've avoided taking strikes because they're concerned if they blow up the oil plant, there might be civilians, even one, killed. that's a legitimate concern we have, but we must destroy the revenue source, which is the ability to generate oil. >> talk about the boots on the ground potentially, american forces. how many troops are you talking about? >> the goal is to have enough special operators on the ground to support a coalition of 25,000, 30,000 sunni arabs on the ground fighting. then our military officials will tell us, in order to support that, we need x number of people.

it's more than 50. they need to be defeated now, not later. it'll be harder and more expense expensive to do it later. militarily, isis is defeatable. they're not invincible. >> would you be in support of declaring war on isis? >> i would be in support. >> reporter: the battle against isis has led to a backlash from refugees seeking to resettle in the u.s. >> your critics said your policy on syrian refugees is all over the place. would you care to clarify, where do you stand? country? >> i'm against allowing refugees we can't vet. if we can't vet you, we can't allow you in. even if you get one person wrong, you can allow 10,000 in, and if 9,999 are good people but one is an isis fighter, you have a problem. >> you would turn your back on the 10,000 or so that president obama has said, we would take into the country? >> we're not talking about

turning our back. i'm saying there are many of the people that will not be able to come because we will not be able to fully and accurately vet them. we don't know anything about them. >> reporter: from addressing the issues in syria to the rigors of the campaign trail, senator rubio took a step back, preparing meals for those in need on wednesday, joined by his wife jeanette and their four children. >> our kids will call marco and give him a little advice. >> they will? >> yeah. >> what do they say? do they give you a performance review after the debate? >> the boys are young enough that they watch the first five minutes and it's like, we want to play. >> this is boring. >> my 15-year-old is more about encourage ing me. my 13-year-old is a harder critic. she sometimes reveals headlines i hadn't read yet. dad, did you hear this? so and so said that about you. >> do your kids talk about the presidency?

at the white house? >> i think they're proud of their dad. >> it wouldn't be bad to have secret service keeping an eye on your teenage daughter. i personally am not troubled by the fact that will be a couple guys, big guys with ear pieces alongside her, just in case. >> they ask you questions about, why is daddy running for president? do they ever question his decision? >> no, no. they're proud of their dad. they love their dad. i mean, that was one of the questions they asked in our thanksgiving breakfast. they said, what you thankful for? this was at school. sorry. dominic said, i'm thankful for my dad running for president. it's an honor, truthfully, to want to give back to your country. >> it's good to get out on the campaign trail and see them in action and meet the whole family. >> he's fascinating. two months until people go vote in iowa. you have donald trump and ben carson who has been lapping the

but ted cruz and marco rubio rising steadily. >> we'll be watching what happens. up next, our thanksgiving experts are standing by. they have answers to your cooking dilemmas. >> listen to that. plus, if you're a fan of adam sandler's classic hanukkah song, wait until you hear the updated version he just debuted. we'll play it for you.

to the used car buyer who's worried about getting taken for a ride... don't worry. the only rides you'll get taken on at carmax are the ones you take yourself. but just in case that absolutely 100 percent perfect choice... ...turns out to be... less than perfect... we give you five days to change your mind.

this is more than just a town. this is our home. and small business saturday... is more than just a day. it' s our day... to shop small at the places we love... with the people we love. get anywhere else. and food that tastes like home. we spend here... can help keep our town growing. this saturday is small business saturday, let' s all shop small. for the neighborhood, the town, the home we love. shop small this saturday. sup bud? the best gifts that for mom dad and your dear. what about baxter? then yes him too. all from you.

i'm a cat person. black friday starts 6pm thursday and all day online at walmart. moderate to severe crohn's disease is tough, but i've managed. except that managing my symptoms was all i was doing. and when i finally told my doctor, he said humira is for adults like me who have tried other medications but still experience the symptoms of moderate to severe crohn's disease. and that in clinical studies, the majority of patients on humira saw significant symptom relief. and many achieved remission. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened; as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common, and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have

ask your gastroenterologist with humira, remission is possible. dylan is in the orange room for carson, getting last-minute turkey tips. good morning. >> i am, considering i haven't bought the turkey yet. we have sunny and brandi here. you're our turkey experts. if you have last-minute questions about your holiday meal, go to today.com/food club. send in your questions and they will be there to answer it. the president is also talking turkey at the annual white house pardoning on wednesday.

he couldn't resist bringing some humor to the event. >> it is hard to believe this is my seventh year of pardoning a turkey. time flies, even if turkeys don't. abe is now a free bird. he is totus, the turkey of the united states. >> oh, my gosh. >> colleen speaks for all of us on social media. tweeting, i live for obama's dad jokes. it was fun to see melilla and sasha squeezing in the laugh. they must have been told, give dad a break. let's look at the first turkey pardon in 2009. >> oh, my goodness. >> look how little they were. now. i could go back and forth. they are beautiful. in case you're wondering more about abe, well, you can find his information on twitter. he's got a complete bio card. apparently, he loves country music, and he's a 42 pound turkey.

oven a long time ago. good thing he's pardoned. >> he was pardoned, dylan. >> it's a good thing. >> i love how the president knew how bad the joke was before he finished the punch line. he turned like. >> he doubled over. i love her expression, i think, priceless. >> being generous on thanksgiving. coming up, are the savings really worth it? the surprising reason you'll find big deals on tvs tomorrow. the excitement of the you forgot the milk! that's lactaid . right. 100% real milk,

just without the lactose. so, no discomfort? exactly. try some... mmm, it is real milk. lactaid . 100% real milk. no discomfort. (coffee being poured into a cup.) save your coffee from the artificial stuff. switch to truvia.

just fifteen minutes and a little imagination are all you need to make holiday magic. (microwave) ding! chex party mix. it's what the

the cold truth is... [coughing] okay kids, let's go. no one can really fill your shoes when you're sick. [toy car electric motor] [toy car horn beeping] hot drink mix has relieve your tough symptoms. [whoosh of steam] stay unstoppable.

>> announcer: this is 7 news now. >> good morning everyone, it's 7:57. have you seen the roads this clear in a while? let's get over to chris lambert and talk about the temperatures for us today. >> reporter: we're not dealing with any falling rain or snow this thanksgiving. more clouds but the trade-off in general is for milder air to work on in. 44 in boston right now. 33 norwood. expecting highs to the 50s this afternoon. partly to mostly cloudy skies thought the day. 54 degrees around noon so you are getting a look at the temperatures not only today but tomorrow, milder, talking about temperatures lower 60s on friday.

>> anchor: to the day's top stories, three people are facing charges aus cooed of buying and selling stolen goods for discounted prices. they found items valued at more than $100,000. the pats are refused up. ed wide refer is out and dapy amendola is recovering

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, black friday buyer beware. why that amazing deal on the new tv you've been eyeing may not be as good as it seems. the real story behind some of those big screen bargains. may the force be with the box office. we've got a sneak prix eview of hollywood hollywood's biggest block busters this year yao . turkey time. looking for last-minute tips for cooking your thanksgiving feast?

today, thursday, november 26th, 2015. no matter where we go >> happy thanksgiving. >> all the way from mississippi, celebrating thanksgiving in new york city! >> happy thanksgiving from jacksonville, florida. >> happy thanksgiving, lincoln, rhode island, on the "today" today. >> same from massachusetts to see the parade. >> hello, everyone. hi, guys. great time on the plaza. wow! look at this crowd. you know, there is a parade going on somewhere. they're here to see us first. >> they got one hour until the parade. a lot of our crowd made their way to the parade group. we have beautiful people from all over the country with us. we know you're at home watching, getting ready to cook up a storm. you may need a little help. look no further than our kitchen.

sunny anderson and brandi malloy share the secrets to creamy potatoes and lump-free gravy and more. >> we'll check in with matt and savannah as they get ready to host the macy's thanksgiving day parade. >> the weather is perfect. matt isn't wearing pants this morning. that's how warm it is. >> why do you say that? we're at the point of the competitive. we quiz each other. how many giant balloons are there? >> 24 giant balloons, matt. >> 17 giant balloons. >> oh! >> how many floats are there? >> 27 floats. >> how many novelty balloons. >> 24. >> that's what it is. >> how many cheerleaders, your area of expertise? >> 1,000. 1,100 clowns. all the great aspects of the macy's parade about to get started an hour from now. we have the best seats in the house at harold square. the weather couldn't be better. >> we have broadway shows, new giant balloons, perfect weather.

tons of security. people are feeling really good about being here. it's going to be a beautiful morning. send it back to you. we'll get ready for the parade. >> can't wait to watch. have fun. >> snoopy is one of the big new floats. love my snoopy. >> sheinelle jones has a look at some of the other stories this morning. >> good morning. security is a top concern this thanksgiving day. as americans celebrate the holiday against the back drop of global terror alerts, new york city police are protecting the millions of spectators enjoying the macy's thanksgiving day parade. travelers can expect ramped up security at airports, train and bus stations. nfl fans will see greater police presence during today's games in dallas, green bay and detroit. protests were held in downtown chicago for the second night in a row to express outrage over police dash cam video that shows an officer fatally shooting a teenager, of 2014. the demonstrations were largely peaceful, but some protesters

christmas tree. officials released additional dash cam video from four police cars wednesday. included are screens from officer jason van dyke's police car, as he pursued laquan mcdonald, shortly before he fired 16 shots at the teenager. update on a story we told you yesterday. the mother who left her newborn at an indoor church nativity scene in new york this week will not face criminal charges. police located the woman caught on camera at a discount store near the church, buying towels to swaddle the baby boy. officials say the woman followed the safe haven law and left the baby in the manger because she felt it was the warmest place in he was. an alarming story out of salt lake city. a man who stole a woman's boarding pass was able to make it past security and board a plane. it happened earlier this month. 61-year-old michael took the border pass that was mistakingly

left at a tee i don't say kiosk. he got through security and boarded the plane. the mistake was discovered when the real ticketholder checked in using a replacement pass. the agent failed to properly identify the individual. a college dorm came tumbling down on wednesday. mccollum hall on the campus of the university of kansas is a pile of rubble. students say the campus will look different without the building. two new residence halls and a parking lot will be built in its place. time for a change. >> lots of people cheering them on. >> i think people like to watch -- >> things blown up. it's fun, let's be honest. if you're beginning the black friday ads and scanning them this morning, you'll find a lot of deals on televisions. >> flat screens, one of the

best-selling items every year. are the bargains too good to be true? olivia is here. >> people think black friday is the day to find the cheapest tvs. you can find a 50 inch under $200. the question is, are they any good? two words of advice this morning, buyer beware. >> tv for my mom, tv for my wife. >> reporter: jarvis johnson has been camping out in front of best buy for days, just to be first in the store to grab the flat screen tv for a deep discount. >> tvs get bigger and the prices get lower and lower. >> reporter: while most shoppers focus on the sale price, it's the product they need to keep an eye on. cost. many brands make lower quality models. they might look the same but they have fewer features and some are made with cheaper parts. they're called derivative tv. limited edition models that go on sale one day only, black

friday. >> may have a lesser feature. maybe the tv has one less input or doesn't have a usb import. >> reporter: they fly off the shelves, making it hard for out. >> we can't review them. deal or not? >> reporter: the biggest problem, experts say, lower performance and reliability. how do you know if you're getting a deal or a dud? number. if only black friday ads pop up, it's probably a derivative. >> keep in mind what you want to buy before you go out and shop, before you get online. look at the models you're interested in, and then watch the prices. >> it turns out, black friday isn't necessarily even the best time to buy a television anyway. the lowest price of the year is actually super bowl sales in late february or just after the super bowl in early march, when stores are trying to unload the

room for the new, better inventory. months. super bowl time. thanksgiving. up next, miranda lambert speaks out. what she is and is not revealing about her divorce from blake shelton. hoping for an olsen twins appearance in the new "full house" reboot? we're going to tell you if they're in or out. before you start cooking, we have the secret to whipping up the creamiest mashed potatoes. and other great recipes as you ge your daughter can have sleepovers. your son can hang out with friends. your kids can play... and drive you crazy. you don't realize how lucky you are that you're children are healthy...until they're not. the laboratories at st. jude children's research hospital may not be in your community ...but our discoveries are. our research helps kids across america.

thanks to you, more cancer treatments are pioneered at st. jude than any other children's hospital in the world. and no family pays st. jude for treatment, travel, housing or food. because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. so if you have healthy children, give thanks. give thanks. da las gracias. give thanks. go to st. jude dot org or shop wherever you see the st. jude logo. today is the day. hellmann's and holiday leftovers become irresistibly creamy turkey casserole. real delicious hellmann's. bring out the hellmann's.

this is more than just a town. this is our home. and small business saturday... is more than just a day. it' s our day... to shop small at the places we love... with the people we love. for stuff we can' t get anywhere else. and food that tastes like home. because the money we spend here... can help keep our town growing. this saturday is small business saturday, let' s all shop small. for the neighborhood, the town, the home we love. shop small this saturday. 8:11. good time to trend this morning, wouldn't you say? >> absolutely. >> let's do it. >> i'm going to put this out. it's a killjoy. i know on thanksgiving, the last thing you want to hear, but

we're going to talk about the thanksgiving dishes doctors won't eat because they say they're not good for you. >> nothing is good for you on thanksgiving. >> i know. the "daily meal" giving us the bad news. making the list, candied yams. they are naturally sweet, so doctors say there is no need to add all the butter, the marshmallows on top equal extra sugar. don't need to do any of that. next, homemade gravy, which is very high in fat. one doctor suggests using mushroom gravy instead. wawa, right? mashed potatoes. doctors passing on the thanksgiving staple because the carbs leave you tired and more >> what's left? >> i know. i can guarantee all the doctors things. >> it's one day. you can splurge. go for it. >> forget we told you that. here's something else doctors won't like, but we love. the new thanksgiving treat

piecaken. pie stuffed into a cake. >> wow. >> apparently, it's been an underground hit for years. i don't know what that means. the underground dessert scene. >> look at that one. >> the "new york times" wrote about it. piecaken pictures everywhere. the huffenton post asked, why add the "in"? you have pie in a cake. stacked on top of a apple pie put into a cake, and cover it with frosting. two pies and two cakes in a cake. >> my favorite dessert. need to have one. if your thanksgiving meal doesn't turn out the way you hoped, you're not alone. here's a roundup of some of the thanksgiving dinner fails a lot of people are failing. >> oh, no. >> the person who made this beautiful turkey, only to drop it on the floor. >> put the skin off and you're

pecan pie, too much for the crust. came out from under it. i don't know. the mom who may have gone a little too far in trying to toast the marshmallows. >> i thought they were blueberry blueberries blueberries. >> i'm about saving what you can. >> you can save all three of those. >> i dropped an ice cream cone on the floor and took off the bottom layer and went about my business. >> nobody is drop watching when you drop the turkey. >> the family pet may know. now to miranda lambert's first conversations on her divorce from blake shelton. adam sandler debuts his new version of the "hanukkah song." >> miranda lambert is opening up about her divorce. if she says, marriage is a tough business and we gave it our best college try. miranda goes on to say, i had a great relationship with an amazing man, so i know what good is. i have a great launching pad for the future. i will never take that for granted.

blake may have moved on with gwen stefani, but miranda says yet. now to the olsen twins and the "full house" reunion series. they said they would not take part, but people hoped they'd change their minds. guess what? the cameo didn't happen. ayoff oughlin said the olsen twins never showed up. they meant it when they wanted to focus on their business careers. "fuller house" will hit netflix next year. i don't know, without them, they were the ones everyone went, awe. >> i'd take one olsen. >> no one would know. finally, adam sandler and his classic holiday bits from "saturday night live." the "hanukkah song," first performed in 1994. he updated the song with names of other celebrities you didn't know for jrue ewish.

he just debuted the fourth edition. so does stanley, jake gyllenhaal and the two guys who founded google adam levine wears a jewish star, so does brake and seth rogen shia labeouf is half a ju ew, but 100% nutty every year. >> mine, too. >> adam says queen elsa from "frozen" is also jewish. >> is that right? >> that has become a holiday classic. i turn it up every time it's on. let's get a check of the weather from mr. rocker, at the starting line of the macy's thanksgiving day parade. hey, al. >> guys, i have to tell you, the weather is perfect. it's about 45 degrees and sunny. no wind. the balloons as you can see, already up and ready to go. it is going to be a fantastic

89th macy's thanksgiving day parade. let's show you what we've got going on. unfortunately, in the midsection of the country, it is a mess. it is going to continue a mess. here's what we've got for today, freezing rain and snow through the upper midwest, mississippi river valley. look for heavy thunderstorms down through texas. sunshine on both coasts. into friday, we're looking for that severe weather to make its way further to the east. great lakes into northern new england, more icing conditions. oklahoma, texas, new mexico. sunshine out west and along the coast. on saturday, icy mix stretching from texas all the way up into iowa. beautiful weather. western third of the country. snow in the cascades. east coast looks good. sunday, travel coming home, we are looking at, again, more wet weather into the mid-atlantic states. snow through the central and northern plains. sunshine sunshine, show chillier out west. look for icy conditions in northern and central texas. parts of texas could be picking

up, looking at up to a foot of rain between texas and >> good thursday morning everyone, happy thanksgiving. we've quiet weather across new england on this thanksgiving, this go around with temperatures into the mid 50s this afternoon. partly to mostly cloudy sky, this is the trade-off. warmer conditions but more clouds around. tonight not all that cold. temperatures to the mid 40s, patchy fog developing late. mostly cloudy skies. start friday off with clouds but get peaks of sun in here, >> that is your latest weather. well, one young man who has something to be grateful for this year -- >> lots to be grateful for. >> andy grammar, pop star, rock star, you've been burning up the charts. you just released a new version of your album. four bonus tracks. >> you have "good to be alive,"

which you told me you like, which means a lot. >> i like that song. >> i appreciate that. it's a big song. al roker approved. it's a big deal for me. >> everybody approves this song. you're going to be doing it in the parade. coming on the "today" show. >> yeah, man. >> whirlwind. so much to be thankful for. it's incredible. you work at this a long time, and to get to do some of the bigger events. there's huge pumpkins. life is good on thanksgiving right now. >> this is going to be your first time in the parade. >> you've done this quite a few times. >> i was here before they started the parade. what are you looking forward to today? >> man, just fun. it's so colorful, so many incredible costumes. everywhere you go, there's an amazing photo op. this is an institution, man. it's an american -- >> if you want to take a picture with the baby clowns over there -- >> i do. they keep shouting. it's really good. you grew up and watched this as a kid. to be here is surreal. >> enjoy it. >> thank you.

look forward to seeing you on the "today" show. >> good to see you. >> you're all good. >> he put on such a great show at our plaza over the summer. now to our special series, thanks and giving, highlighting the life saving work at st. jude's research hospital. >> a gutsy medical decision and remarkable ending for a hopeful family. here's kerry sanders. >> reporter: 6-year-old brady and 4-year-old charlie are rambunctious and engaging. to see them today with their 2-year-old brother bentley, you'd have no idea they were once so weak, they could barely lift their heads from their pillows. >> why did you have to go to the hospital? >> because it makes you healthy. >> are you both healthy now. >> yup. >> reporter: their journey to good health has been both painful and heartbreaking. yet, hopeful, as well. >> are you healthy?

>> yes. >> you're full of tickles. >> reporter: healthy, despite being born with a disorder. each of us is born with pairs of chromosomes in our blood. when you get to the seventh chromosome pair in brady, charlie and bentley's blood, there's only one chromosome. >> the doctors said we had a better chance of winning the powerball than having this disease. >> i think it was winning twice. >> reporter: so unusual, punish ish publish published medical reports documented 14 other families in the world with children who shar this rare blood disorder. the problem, according to medical experts, just about everybody missing the chrome sewn has a chance of developing aml, an aggressive and often

so doctors at st. jude children research hospital made transplants from anonymous donors before the lou eukemia could develop. >> where was your hair? >> we were bald. the medicine made our hair fall out. >> now we grow our hair back. >> reporter: during the treatment, brady, charlie and bentley were isolated from their parents. it lasted more than four months. >> they didn't want me holding bentley and then -- sorry -- and handling the big kids. that was hard. >> what's it like as a mom, not being able to touch your children? >> unimaginable, really. >> reporter: unimaginable, but the treatment appears to have worked. brady, who had b positive blood before, today has b negative blood. charlie, who had ab positive

blood, today, as o+ blood. their new blood from the transplant included the missing chromosome 7. now, aml, highly impropable, a bable, according to doctors. >> that could have been a death sentence. >> yeah. >> now? >> likely, will not happen. >> reporter: today, they're like any other kids. soon, it's hoped, bentley, too. for "today," kerry sanders, nbc news, memphis. >> marlo thomas is the national outreach director for st. jude's research center. this is a family treated before it had cancer. is this the future? >> this is our new predisposition study. we have mapped hundreds of children. doing that, we found that 10% of children with cancer have a genetic defect, which could

members. so these families now, who have been completely naive to the risk, who will test the other children and find out if they're going to have a cancer before we it's life threatening. we'll be watching them to be sure that if they do have it, enough. children. >> ground breaking research. >> very much so. >> bentley will have to undergo the bone transplant surgery, as well. >> he will next year. it's amagz. ze amazing. we're studying the families and showing the world how to do it. it can cost $500,000. this family would be looking at $1.5 million in expenses to save these three children. it's not only a miracle of science, but it's a miracle of st. jude paying for everything. >> incredible. marlo thomthomas, amazing stories all week. thank you so much. >> thank you. let's go over to dylan. >>en that x

on "today" food, we're talking about turkey and the thanksgiving fixing. brandi has the secret to the creamiest potatoes ever. what's the trick? >> we'll get to the trick in a second. first, the potatoes. you can use russet potatoes. i love the yukon gold. they're creamy and buttery. >> do they peel them? >> i love peeling mine. some want the texture. i want to fling them on the plate. you put it into salted, boiling water. then you're going to boil them until they're tender. not just completely falling apart. >> okay. not total mush. much. you're always drain your potatoes. a lot of times, the water will make it gummy and weird. put it back into your pot. i love using butter. >> obviously. >> some people love buttermilk. they use heavy cream. honestly, my secret, dylan, is cream cheese.

>> i love to just mash it up by hand. i continue doing this until it's nice and whipped. pepper to taste. i think some people, they have a tendency to put their mashed potatoes into a food processor

>> good morning, everyone, 8:27 on this who will gay. it's quiet day in the city day as well. >> a little solar glare out there on the lens. 44 degrees in boston. 45 in plymouth. happy thanksgiving, everyone. any chill will leave us this afternoon as temperatures warm to the mid 50s, partly to mostly cloudy skies. a little breezy but all in all a good day ahead and warm tomorrow. temperatures lower 60s, clouds to start the day. pique -- peeks of sun in the afternoon. >> anchor: police are

officials say uniformed officers with guns will patrol the wren that many village premium outlets. there is no specific threat to the mall. one person is dead and two others injured after a shooting outside of fenway park. police say it happened on yawkey way in fronts of the bar who is on first. police are still searching for the suspect. a worcester police officer is recovering from minor hit-and-run. the officer was working a construction detail at the intersection of grafton and franklin streets when he was hit mens morning. don't forget the macies thanksgiving day parade comes up at which means a house full of people -- who all want to get online. so it's the perfect time for verizon fios. it has the fastest internet and wifi available. with speeds from 50 to 500 megs. and right now, you'll get 50 meg fios internet, tv and phone for 79.99 a month online

for your first year. and with a 2 year agreement, we'll give you all the premium movie channels for a year. plus, 400 dollars back. so go online or call now.

it is 8:30 on this thanksgiving thursday morning, november 26th, 2015. the start of the macy's thanksgiving day parade is almost here. less than 30 minutes until you see 27 floats, 17 giant balloons, clowns, cheerleaders and much, much more, ready to

>> fantastic. here on the plaza, check it out, caffolding christmas tree. looks stunning. we're going to bring you the star-studded lighting ceremony nbc. coming up, we know the force will be strong at the box office this holiday season, but what are the other movies that should be on your list? we'll have the answers. don't forget, our "today" food team is searching for the best cookies to showcase in our holiday cookie swap. tell us who makes the best ones in your state, and watch all next month for the recipes. >> when do we get to try them? >> that's what i want to know. >> speaking of food, sheinelle is in the kitchen as we help you prepare the ultimate thanksgiving day feast. >> you can't enjoy the turkey and mashed potatoes without gravy. sunny anderson has a foolproof method for making it lump free. good morning to you. >> how many lumps, one or two? >> two.

i'm kidding. zero. >> lump free. >> where do we start? >> whether you're making your gravy from scratch or from pan dripping separating. liquid. then, if you'll notice in my fat separator, you'll have liquid and fat here. if you don't have a fancy fat separator, it's okay. you can see the fat on top. skim it with a spoon. the reason most people's gravy is lumpy is flour. it loves to hang out with salt. you have to separate it so it can evenly spread into the gravy. if you put the flour in liquid, it'll hang out and create the lumps. to stop that, i have some of the fat we swim kimmed off the top of the pan drippings. i'll add in flour. equal part fat, equal part flour. butter.

then a tablespoon of flour. >> you have to have it thicken, right? >> flour is the thickening agent. cornstarch can make things gummy if you go overboard with the water and corncornstarch. >> how do you get it to the smooth? >> the smooth part comes when you add the flour and whisk like crazy. this is something you don't dump, stir and walk away. whisk like crazy. then to this base. after you cook the flour flavor out, you'll add in the turkey stock. that's when you create your gravy. >> final step? >> now, the final step, if you literally have done everything you can to whisk that flour and still have lumps, girlfriend, use the sieve. >> sounds like what i would do. >> it works. one thing not to do, don't use a blender. that's just going to aerate and create a texture you don't want safe sieve it out.

don't push everything through because it'll be raw flour. there's lump free gravy. >> see you in a few minutes for dessert. guys? >> thanks so much, guys. we'll get another check of the thanksgiving forecast from al at the start of the parade. hey, al. >> that i, guys. how are you? i have rock royalty with me right now. pat benetar and neil is here. you're releasing a new single? >> yes, we are. debuting it here today. >> this time of year, everybody is in a festive mood. clowns are everywhere. >> what does it mean to be in the thanksgiving day parade? >> it's a huge thing. >> pretty thrilling. >> from living here and being actually in it, and not watching the floats get, you know, inflated, being on a float, it's cool. >> we're on a really great float, the central park float, winter in central park. beautiful. we're excited. >> what are you thankful for this year?

>> so much. a lot. everything. >> don't have enough time, al. >> we hope everybody finds the beauty and peace in the world and love. just happy and healthy with your families. >> you were marveling of the view we have of scrat. >> we have his butt. it's okay. >> lovely. >> pat, neil, so good to see you. happy than >> good thursday morning everyone, happy thanksgiving. we've quiet weather across thanksgiving, this go around with temperatures into the mid 50s this afternoon. partly to mostly cloudy sky, this is the trade-off. warmer conditions but more clouds around. tonight not all that cold. temperatures to the mid late. mostly cloudy skies. start friday off with clouds but get peaks of sun in

here, >> that's your latest weather. dylan, happy thanksgiving. next time i see you, we'll be kicking off this 89th edition of the macy's thanksgiving day parade. back to you. >> announcer: shop small on "today" is sponsored by american express. this small business saturday, november 28th, show up and shop small. >> thanks, al. happy thanksgiving to you, as well. enjoy the parade. as you gather your gifts for the holidays, it's important to support your community by shopping at small businesses. we've been asking "today" show guests to share their local shops that they love. meredith chose a sweet place. >> riviera bake house in new york. i've been going there for years and years. i'm a sucker for the birthday cakes. they're lopsided. whimsy is the best way to describe the place. that sums it up more than anything. a lot of the people i met when i was just moving to town are

still there. environment. >> you have also been sharing positive reviews of your favorite small businesses. sophia writes, i love tangerine boutique in texas for bringing style to our island. susan tweets, wagmeyer farms supports our community and we support them. no stranger to stage or screen, including memorable tv roles on "who's the boss" and "law and order." she stars in "transparent" now. a two-time tony winner is starring alongside i can keira knightley.morning, judith. >> this play is a sensation.

everybody loves you and they love keira. katy perry saw it and tweeted this. just left the most daunting play. sweating from the intensity. people thinking about seeing it, set the scene. 1860s paris. what's happening? >> you have lust, greed. it's basically a sexual thriller, is the way that i would describe it. what you have are basically two people who are really led by their desires and their wants. because they only think about themselves and what they want, there are dire consequences. i meanted ke ed mentioned keira knightley. people are flooding the theater to see you two. >> she's a lovely person. happy to be working with her. matthew ryan, on "constantine." a really fabulous cast.

extraordinary writer, who wrote from the novel. it's quite an -- and it's an intense evening. >> you've done it all in show business, right? you've done tv. >> i love you describe me that way. >> it's true. >> i've done it all. >> you've done it all in show business. do you get a special pleasure from appearing on stage in front of a live audience? is broadway home to you? >> first of all, i had not been on the stage after i'd done "who's the boss," i hadn't been on the stage for 22 years. i took over for an extraordinary actress in "whit." it's not just that it's home for me, the generosity of this community after my having been away for such a long time, has been extraordinary to me. so they have made me feel like it's home. performing for a live audience, there is absolutely nothing like it. look, i love doing "transparent."

"ugly betty" and "who's the boss," everything i've done in television and film. there is something about the connection you have with a live audience that is transformational. it transports you. there is an exchange of energy between us and them that is really an extraordinary experience. anyone who has been in the audience of the show in the theater can tell you they have that experience. >> "transparent" is winning all the awards. it's a sensation. >> yeah. >> are you surprised by the reaction it received? >> i was. after the first season, i had no idea. we didn't know it would be like this. we hoped it would be something that would change the culture, that would give information to people about the transgender community. but also, about this particular, very complex and interesting family. but we had no idea people would respond the way they have. >> and on the subject of tv, how

street, do people yell "angela?" >> that's a good question. it used to be, "one life to live," screaming karen, and people still do. they say angela a lot. now, it's become this "transparent" is so popular, it's really -- it's, like, hey, shelly. >> little shelly, little angela. >> little clair, e. judge donnelly. we have the mix in there. i've been around a long time. >> sign of a good career, when you can get that many names. >> i have great people who support me. i've had a very good and long career. i'm very grateful. >> great to see you, judith. the second season of "transparent" on amazon, december 11th. the show is on broadway through the beginning of january. great to see you. >> you, too. up next, the can't miss movies coming to the box office this season.

nbc. mornings. wonderful, crazy mornings. we figure you probably don't have time to wait on hold. that's why at xfinity we're hard at work, building new apps like this one that lets you choose a time for us to call you. so instead of waiting on hold, we'll call you when things are just as wonderful... [phone rings] but a little less crazy. we're doing everything we can to give you the best experience possible. because we should fit into your life.

to go with the turkey and football, people will be heading to the movies. thanksgiving mark it is start of a busy time at the box office. here with the seasons must sees is dave, host of "front runners" on fan dan dango. >> good morning. >> a lot of families heading to the theaters. >> "the good dinosaur." it's from pixar, a sweet story about a dinosaur and little boy who team up for a life-changing advantage. it has gorgeous scenery, beautiful. great choices for family. >> also, "creed." i've been waiting for this, a spinoff of "rocky." >> michael b. jordan plays the son of apollo creed. it's great to see sylvester stallone back at rocky.

for, the first fight scene in the movie is two rounds and a corner break. five minutes all in one shot. >> really? >> really imbresz director. exciting. >> i'm glad it's good. this next movie, two words, oscar buzz "the , "the danish girl." >> eddie redmayne stars. like he was stephen hawking, he fully becomes this woman. every shot is like a painting. it is a beautiful love story. anyone will enjoy this. >> based on a true story. >> gorgeous. >> next up, truly an all-star cast, "the big short." >> this is about four investors who saw the housing crash coming and bet against the housing market. i finally feel like i understand what happened with the banking collapse in 2008 after seeing this movie.

brad pitt, ryan gosling, steve carell, christian bale. it's infuriating co e ing ing to watch. >> the sequel we've been waiting for. i have to cue the theme music. star wars theme >> "the force awakens." >> it's already the top advanced ticket seller and it's not coming out for another three weeks. i'm the biggest harrison ford fan. because it's j.j. abrams, i love how he reinvented the "star trek" franchise. i'm interested to see what he does with this franchise, too. >> no jar jar binks near this. >> thank goodness for that. >> also, tina fey and amy poehler in "sisters." >> they throw one last raging

finishing touches on the ultimate thanksgiving feast, including, i'm told, sweet potato fries with marshmallow dipping sauce. >> yeah. >> what? >> crazy. >> after these messages.

this is violet. she's been waiting for this moment for awhile. a moment other kids wouldn't think twice about. her first bowl of cheerios. because now that cheerios are gluten free, violet, and many others are enjoying their first

all morning and all month long, let's be honest, we've been helping you create the ultimate thanksgiving. sunny anderson and brandi malloy have been with us throughout the morning, answering your questions and cooking up a storm. next on the menu, a last-minute side and dessert. sunny, let's begin with you. waldorf rice. >> we know about the salad that had its beginnings in new york city from the waldorf hotel. filled with walnuts and luscious fruits. this is simple for the last-minute side today. these are typical pantry items and things in your refrigerator. maybe you buy one thing if

you're going to the grocery store this morning. we have rice and sour cream, walnuts, arugula. if you don't like it, do baby spinach. honey, oranges, chives, salt and pepper, dried cranberries, and apples. i'll show you how to make the dressing first. it's like a rice salad. it's sour cream in here. i'm going to add some chives. you can also do scallions or leave out the chief ves. orange juice or fresh from the carton. have orange juice for the holidays. friends and family over for breakfast the next day. vest of zest of an orange. little bit of honey, another staple, right out of your pantry. that's going to make this kind of sweet in the sour cream. >> did you invest this? >> i did. >> this feels sunny anderson, and i mean that as a compliment. >> thank you.

it's great hot and great warm, chilled. what i love about it is it's got the starch, vegetable, fruits and protein from the nut. your vegans and vegetarians -- did i say a curse word? those people that you invite over for the meat day that want just vegetables, you can make them happy. >> didn't know it was in your vo cab lawyer. >> -- vocabulary. >> i know, right? i didn't i'm sorry. you have a red-skinned apple. >> celery and mix it up? >> mix it all together with a little bit of dried cranberry. what i love about it is also, kind of has the fall holiday color colors. red and green for you. >> would you mind taking this to the group? it appears they're finished with dinner. >> we started early. >> amazing. >> keep making your sides.

we're digging? >> all right. ready for something sweet now. >> what are you doing here? >> this recipe is so easily. sweet potatoes, marshmallows, olive oil, salt, cream, cinnamon. we are making sweet potato french fries with a toasted marshmallow tip. >> you're not allowed to do that. >> add a little olive oil and salt. it gives the savory bit. you get the salt, the sweet. pop those into the oven at 425 for 20 to 30 minutes, until crispy. then into the blender, i have heavy cream, cinnamon and nutmeg. those are the flavors you get from the holiday. look what i did here. i just threw some marsh melos mallows on a baking sheet and threw them in. >> they're going in? >> it gets messy but don't worry about it.

i'm going to mix this up. >> make it happen. >> there we go. >> wow. >> you're going to do that for about 30 seconds or so. it's going to get nice and creamy. >> that becomes this? >> you serve it with -- dip it all the way in. >> excuse me. let's take it to our friends. guys, please. >> hey! >> happy thanksgiving. >> happy thanksgiving. >> you made this for us in all that time? wow. now i don't have to cook. >> oh, my gosh. brandi, sunny, happy thanksgiving. >> happy thanksgiving. >> great to have you with us. >> we have all these recipes on today.com/food for your thanksgiving meal today. we're back in a moment.

this is delicious. sunny and brandi, thank you, again. straight ahead, the macy's day thanksgiving parade with matt, savannah and al. >> can't wait.

who coined the term "side bread?" because there's nothing "side" about this bread. it may look like the moon. but it's the star of the show. unleash the power of dough. give it a pop. that sound. like nails on a chalkboard. but listen to this: (family talking) that's a different kind of sound. the sound of the weekend. unleash the power of dough. give it a pop. >> good thursday morning everyone, happy thanksgiving. we've quiet weather across new england on this thanksgiving, this go around with temperatures into the

partly to mostly cloudy sky, this is the trade-off. warmer conditions but more clouds around. tonight not all that cold. temperatures to the mid 40s, patchy fog developing late. mostly cloudy skies. start friday off with clouds but get peaks of sun in

phil! oh no... (under his breath) hey man! hey peter. (unenthusiastic) oh... ha ha ha! joanne? is that you? it's me... you don't look a day over 70. am i right? r jingle jingle. if you're peter pan, you stay young forever. it's what you do. if you want to save fifteen percent or more on car insurance, you switch to geico. you make me feel so young... it's what you do. you make me feel