furniture and accessories in black. if you need more inspiration, find us on pinterest and share your ideas with us on twitter and facebook at openhousetv. we'll be back next week. thanks for watching. [music playing] good morning. talking tough. president obama vowing this morning the u.s. will not stop in the fight against isis. >> we do not succumb to fear. >> as security is ramped up, the fbi looks into a reported isis threat against a wrestling event tonight in atlanta. while in europe, the desperate hunt continues for one of the suspected terrorist attackers last seen entering belgium. search for the shooters. police in new orleans looking for the gunman who shot a hero student who stopped to help a woman being attacked by the

the terrifying showdown caught on tape. tricky travel. heightened terror concerns and nasty weather across the northwest don't offer much to be thankful for, as millions hit the roads and take to the skies for the holiday. this morning, what you need to know as you plan for thanksgiving. legend's last laps. jeff gordon going for a championship in the final race of his career. can the hall of famer go out on top? his fans rooting for a storybook ending today. sunday, november 22nd, 2015. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. welcome to "today" on this sunday morning. i'm erica hill. >> glad to have you with us. i'm craig melvin with sheinelle jones. dylan dreyer is in boston. we will get to dylan in just a bit. by the way, with the hours we keep, we weren't able to stay up last night and watch adele on

hottest singer around. we'll have the highlights. spoiler alert, she rocked it. >> she did rock it. i watched the highlights this morning in makeup. amazing. first, we want to get to the top story. that is the reported isis threat against the wwe event tonight in atlanta. while that threat may or may not be credible, we can tell you security being stepped up and the fbi says it's taking it seriously. all of this as president obama spoke out again about isis this morning. nbc's kristen welker has the latest for us. good morning. >> good morning to you. major cities across the country are on heightened alert this morning in the wake of the attacks in paris. on saturday, the fbi said it was aware of a terror threat made against the world wrestling entertainment event in atlanta, slated to take place tonight. the fbi said in a statement, quote, while we take all threats seriously, we do not have serious or credible information of an attack at this time. the agency added, it's taking steps to keep the community

safe. meanwhile, the wwe says it plans to go ahead with the event as they investigate the matter with federal and state authorities. the claim was originally attributed to the hacking group anonymous, saying isis is planning attacks today in numerous locations, including paris. one twitter account says they don't know where the information came from. in new york this morning, the nypd and homeland security are conducting a drill in an old abandoned subway tunnel. they're going through an active shooting scenario. meanwhile, president obama tried to reassure americans they're safe and defended his strategy for fighting isis. take a listen. >> in addition to hunting down terrorists, in addition to effective intelligence and in addition to missile strikes, in addition to cutting off financing and all the other things we're doing, the most powerful tool we have to fight

afraid. >> president obama is now traveling back to d.c. when he returns, national security and the threat of isis will undoubtedly be at the top of the agenda here at the white house. erica, back to you. >> kristen welker, thank you. turning overseas now. belgium is on virtual lockdown again today as authorities there hunt for one of the paris attackers who just might be wearing a suicide vest. nbc's bill neely is in brussels. good morning. >> good morning, craig. isis struck paris directly, but the mere possibility of another attack here has paralyzed this city. american tourists and americans living here have been told by the u.s. embassy to stay indoors. for a second day, brussels is in virtual lockdown. >> reporter: armed troops on the streets, tension in the air. [ sirens ] >> reporter: armored vehicles and 1,000 soldiers are guarding the capital of belgium this morning.

they're on the lookout for a potential suicide bomber, which is why authorities are telling people to avoid crowds. >> i think that when terrorists want something to happen, they can do it with or without the army here. doesn't make any change. >> i am afraid, but i think it shouldn't keep us from doing the things we do usually. >> reporter: metro stations are still closed, shopping malls deserted, sporting events cancelled, theaters shut. the threat, said the prime minister, was imminent. the information was very precise. it's believed to center on this belgian man, salah abdeslam, . a man with him was arrested. it was told he wore a thick jacket, possibly hiding a

it's turned normally busy brussels into a fortified ghost town. it was a saturday night like no other. >> it's sad to see this city like that. it's not brussels, not the way we are. >> reporter: brussels is also a hot bed of islamic extremism. this summer, one of many where hundreds left to fight for isis in syria. the raising of the city's christmas tree was a moment of hope in a tense weekend. they are concerned about a repeat of paris here, warning of several men with arms and explosives. it's that man who is their main concern. there are suggestions here he may be running not just from police but from isis, if he was meant to be one of their paris suicide bombers. craig? >> bill, thanks. chuck todd is moderator of "meet the press." good morning. >> good morning, erica. >> we heard earlier this morning, kristen shared with us, the president talking about his strategy to fight isis.

the strategy has been criticized as recently as this week, including by hillary clinton. is there a sense as to whether or not that strategy is going to change moving forward. >> the question is, does it change, does it intensify? is the implementation of the strategy sped up? there's different ways to change the strategy. you may keep the same tactics in place, but intensify them. maybe the air campaign, the amount of bombs that have taken place, you intensify those. there's different debates that are taking place among national security advisers, including former obama advisers. i'll have the former defense secretary, former head of the cia, on for this issue. french president hollande is coming to the united states and then he'll go to moscow. he wants to create a coalition of russia and the united states, a global coalition against isis. is that even possible, and should we be working with the russians at all?

that's another part of the debate about the president's strategy. >> the president, of course, brought that up this morning, too, saying that putin needs to, in his words, go after the people who killed russia's citizens. interesting to hear him speaking on that. your newsletter called this past week an overheated if not shameful rhetoric on the campaign trail. does that continue? it doesn't seem to be hurting people like donald trump, with the talk of a registry for muslim-americans. ben carson calling them rapid -- rabid dogs. it's not hurting either of them in the polls. >> you're correct on that. i think what donald trump politically has done cleverly is he's been able to take essentially his argument against immigration and mexicans, and replaced mexicans with muslims. he's merged the immigration to the refugee issue, which is more of his political zone publicly. he's not talking about his strategy to defeat isis and his national security credentials,

which are weak compared to others in the field. politically, it's been a clever strategy by him. i think it does do long-term damage to the brand of the republican party. you'll see it is quite different. what you've heard from republican candidates for president this week versus what you heard from the last republican president after 9/11 and how bush talked about islam. we have an interesting back and forth that we've created, like a virtual debate. point, counter point, between these current candidates and former president bush. >> we'll look for that and more ahead later this morning on "meet the press." >> also, jeh johnson, a late add, at the top of the show. >> thanks, chuck. meanwhile, many fliers in america are apprehensive, as millions prepare for holiday travel amid growing concerns of terrorism. john yang is at chicago's o'hare airport this morning. john, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, craig.

the scene behind me really tells the story. the airline industry anticipating the busiest thanksgiving travel season since 2008 and the great recession. usually, weather is the worry as this weekend's midwest snowstorm reminds us. this time, with events unfolding in paris, there may be other things to consider. this morning, the airlines are trying to untangle the backlog of passengers left by saturday's weather-related delays and cancellations. as thanksgiving approaches, travel experts say there may be another reason for long airport lines. >> with all the travel warnings out there, literally, every airport has heightened security. >> reporter: the tsa is predicting its busiest travel season ever. they're recommending passengers show up at least two hours before flight time. amtrak riders can expect increased security, both at stations and on board trains. canine units and uniformed

in midtown manhattan, terrorists -- tourists said fears of terrorism have made them more cautious. >> we're more vigilant, looking around, seeing where the cops are. >> if we give up and stop living our lives, the terrorists win. >> reporter: as in years past, most thanksgiving travel will be on the nation's highways. of the nearly 47 million americans expected to travel for thanksgiving, 89% will drive. they'll pay the lowest gas prices since 2008. $2.15 a gallon on average, down 65 cents from $2.80 a year ago. for drivers, the wild card is always weather. as this weekend proves, winter may be weeks away on the calendar, but in some places, winter weather has already arrived. a lot of these travel projections were made before the paris attacks. the travel experts we talked to say they don't expect that to

change much because people are accepting this as the new normal. craig? >> john yang at an already bustling o'hare this morning. thanks. we're going to stay in chicago for the moment, as we turn to a scary situation. a fire in a high-rise. >> there in chicago, five people are recovering from injuries after an inferno in the john hancock center. the blaze broke out on the 50th floor of the 99-story tower. flames were shooting from a window halfway up the building. firefighters were able to put out the fire before it spread. we're hearing from survivors of the terrorist attack in mali. 22 people died after gunmen opened fire at a tourist hotel in the capital city. keir simmons spoke to an american survivor, terry kemp, who described the scene. >> i heard three terrorists come in. they started shooting in the room. they were standing right next to me. never seen me. the shell casings were hitting

me under the table. i knew i was going to become a victim because all they had to do was look down. >> were they speaking? >> they were in a low whisper. there was two males, one female. >> gunmen shot at random as guests barricaded themselves into rooms and hid under furniture. in boston, a former babysitter is charged with kidnapping, assault and battery in the abduction of a massachusetts toddler. the 21-year-old was arrested after allegedly taking the girl from her bed in the middle of the night. the 2-year-old was found hours later, naked on the side of a road with her head shaved, bruises, and burns. she's now being treated in an area hospital. a huge upset in the raise for governor in louisiana. edwards is the winner, beating vitter, who fought attack ads about a prostitution scandal. edwards will take office in january. finally, tributes and gifts are pouring in for a dog who died fighting terrorists in paris.

social media is inundated with pictures and praise for diesel, the 7-year-old belgian shepherd killed this week by a suicide bomber. the russians are sending their own tribute. a puppy they would like to be trained to follow in diesel's paw prints. isn't that nice? >> that is. >> guys? >> sheinelle, thanks. dylan is in boston and has a check of the weather for us. good morning. >> good morning, guys. i was mc'ing an event last night. boston, i'm not here because there's a big snowstorm coming. that's all in chicago, where we ended up with 11 inches of snow at chicago's o'hare airport. midway only ended up with 6 inches of snow. it was all location, location, location with who got the heaviest snow. now it's all about the cold. 16 degrees in chicago this morning. that cold air extends all the way down through texas. down along the gulf coast where temperatures are in the 30s and

40s. frost advisories and freeze warnings are in effect into the deep south. tomorrow, that cold air moves east. boston starts the day at 27 degrees. 30s down all the way through d.c. and even into myrtle beach. temperatures in the afternoon will remain below average. we're also looking at the air to trigger lake-effect snow. most of the area picks up a few inches. it's the bands of lake-effect snow that could lead to higher amounts, up to 10 to 12 inches in some isolated, remote areas, especially in the tughill plateau. that's a look at the weather across the country. now, here's a peek out your window. good morning, breezy throughout the day today. temperatures falling from the 50s into the 40s. tracking rain along the coast. nassau, suffolk county, and down the jersey shore. light rain from time to time. it gets much colder overnight tonight. down to 34 for your low. windchills in the 20s waking up tomorrow morning. in the seven-day forecast, breezy and chilly throughout the

a little milder tuesday and wednesday. mild and sunny for thanksgiving. >> and that's your latest forecast. back to you guys in new york. >> dylan, thanks. dylan is going to miss this because we've been obsessed with the "hello" adele song. >> a little? >> but hello, it's me, talking about adele's magnificent appearance. >> you didn't sing that part. >> i didn't sing it enough for you earlier? >> the viewers need to get this. >> the viewers, we want them to stay. adele on "saturday night live" last night. she is proving she's hotter than ever. sheinelle has the best from adele on "snl." >> no bias there at all. adele dropped her highly anticipated album "25" on friday. the critics give it mixed reviews, but the singer is rolling in the deep with fans who are buying it up at a record pace. hello, how are you, it's so

>> fans hardly need a reminder of who she is. adele is one of music's brightest stars. it seems the whole world has been waiting for her new album, "25." it's her third studio release that features the same raw emotions of "lost love" and the big voice that has already won her an armload of grammys, along with an oscar, a golden globe, an mbe from prince charles, and of course, the new cover of "the rolling stone. flts -- the music industry expects big numbers from "25." billboard predicts it'll sell 2.5 million copies in the first week. you can buy it, but the superstar refuses to stream it on services like apple music or spotify. >> happy thanksgiving, everyone. >> with the release out in time for thanksgiving, the cast of "snl" seems to think it's the perfect thing for putting a stop

>> thanks, adele. >> and while fans are thanking her, adele is thanking them on her website. writing, "25" is about getting to know who i have become without realizing. i'm sorry it took so long but, you know, life happened. everybody loves the things you do, from the way you talk to the way you move >> she's gorgeous. isn't she? #adeleonsnl continues trending this morning. rosie tweeted about her, dear god, she is beautiful. a fan named anne-laure tweeted about one of the sketches surrounding the singer, that family feud on thanksgiving. you should watch it.

it was funny. the thanksgiving miracle is an instant classic. the skit, again, really funny. don't forget, adele will perform live on the "today" show this wednesday, right here in our studio. are you here wednesday? >> you know, i just so happen to have a story airing wednesday morning on the "today" show. >> perfect. >> just saying. >> everyone will be here on wednesday. >> i know. they may not let us in the studio. sheinelle, thanks. still to come, the all-out manhunt under w. for the gunman who shot a hero medical student, a man who had stopped to come to the aid of a woman he saw being attacked. we'll have that story just ahead. first, these messages. p and, by so me miracle...she actually said "yes." v to me. r tell her everything you love about her r with charmed memories at kay jewelers, r ...featuring the new charmed memories star wars collection. and, this thursday through sunday, get this free bracelet or charm valued up to forty-five dollars with any charmed memories purchase of $99.99 or more.

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still to come, the road to retirement. nascar legend jeff gordon trying to go out a champion in the final race of his career. plus, dylan, boy, what a clown. we mean that in the nicest way possible with lots of love. dylan is off to clown school. the results after these messages. pretty good. and there are some people you shouldn't . people you should. shouldn't. janice! should. shouldn't. yes. no. should. no way. should. no. definitely not. ha ha, nay. you shouldn't give underwear to everybody.

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good morning. 9:26 and 51 degrees. it's november 22nd. just minutes ago, city leaders and the homeland security secretary held a press conference after an active shooter drill inside a closed subway station on the lower east side. it ended about 30 minutes ago. the drill is to test our city's response to an attack on the subway system. >> in today's exercise, it was designed to test the coordination between our resources as well as the fire department. >> this was an extraordinary drill, but it's very important to recognize one of a series of drills that are regularly undertaken by our first responders to ensure they are ready and are constantly using the best and most up to date tactics. >> we'll have more from the press conference on our newscast at 10:00 a.m. several streets in the area are

still closed. and later today, commissioner bill bratton will be among the guests on "meet the press" this morning as chuck todd and his panel examine the question so many people are asking these days, how do we defeat isis? "meet the press" airs at 10:30. and a loud noise caused a terror scare inside an edgewatt er edgewater, new jersey movie theater. the mayor says the scare was started when someone fell off the chair. that caused a loud noise, and then somebody yelled bomb, causing the theater to go into a panic. in the end, nothing was found and the cinema was given the all clear. let's check the weather now. today, breezy with a high of about 52 degrees. afternoon drizzle in suffolk county as well. monday, a chilly start to the week with a high of only 44 degrees. pat and i see you for a full newscast at 10:00.

nice and easy. oh! >> you all right over there? >> you're an idiot. i'm going to kill you. >> nascar legend and prankster jeff gordon in his pepsi max commercials. taking unsuspected passengers for an unforgettable ride. today, he climbs into the number 24 car for the last time, hoping to end his decades-long career with one final championship. we are back on this sunday

morning, november 22nd, 2015. some hearty thanksgiving crowds out here this morning. we can do that better. little louder. there we go. now they're awake. let's get a look at the stories making headlines for you at this hour. the fbi looking into a possible isis threat against the u.s. targeting a pro wrestling event in atlanta tonight. security there is being stepped up. winter weather is gripping the country's midsection ahead of one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. hundreds of flights grounded at chicago's o'hare. a fire breaks out on the 50th floor at the john hancock sen thor in chicago. this morning, five people recovering from injuries after flames were seen shooting from the window halfway up the building. we start with a man hunt in new orleans for a gunman who shot and wounded a medical student. the student was risking his life to help a woman being dragged down the street. the whole thing was caught on surveillance video. quick warning. this video, pretty tough to

nbc's mark potter has the latest. >> reporter: new orleans police say this is the man they are searching for this morning. described as armed and dangerous. he's accused of shooting 25-year-old peter gold, a fourth year medical student at tulane university, in the stomach, and trying to shoot him again. the incident was caught on security video early friday morning. officers say it began with a man dragging a woman to a nearby suv. >> you said the female got hit in the eye? or she got punched in the eye? >> 10-4. possibly punched in the eye. >> reporter: police say medical student peter gold stopped his car and got out to help the woman, but was confronted by the armed attacker. >> at which point, the individual that was attacking this other woman pulled a gun on him and began to demand property from him. >> reporter: gold insisted he didn't have any cash. >> witnesses staid they heard a man yelling out, don't -- i already told you, i don't have any money.

then they heard a pop. gentleman shot one time in the stomach. >> reporter: with gold wounded and on the ground, the attacker can be seen on tape apparently trying to fire again. but the gun didn't work. >> fortunately for everybody, his gun did jam several times. >> reporter: gold was rushed to the hospital and police released this second video of the shooter's get away car, asking the public for help. tulane is offering a $10,000 reward. the university president describes gold as an outstanding student who represents the best of tulane in every possible way. a fellow student says he's not at anc surprised by his bravery. gold's family says, while we deeply appreciate everyone's concern, support and prayers, they now request privacy, as gold begins his recovery. for "today," mark potter, nbc news, miami. >> terrible. you think he stopped to help soe meone. >> he did the right thing. >> prayers with him indeed. back to boston. dylan dreyer has a final check of the forecast.

hey, dylan. >> good morning, guys. from boston, where we're feeling the chill up here, but not as much as the midwest. what can we expect for the holiday travel? it looks a little bit messy, especially through the middle of the country. we've got, on wednesday, some snow working through the northern rockies and the northern plains. the rain will fall from minneapolis all the way down into dallas. then on thursday, for thanksgiving itself, it kind of gets its act together, to the point where we could see pockets of heavier snow through nebraska, through south dakota, and even into parts of central minnesota. severe storms are possible in oklahoma and texas. on the front side, the warmer side of the front. on friday, it starts to move east ward a little more but loses the snow and turns into a rain and stormy event, especially down south. on the east coast for the macy's thanksgiving day parade, looks like it's going to be pretty warm. on thursday, upper 50s, low to mid 60s on friday for you going out shopping.

if you're shopping through the plains, temperatures only in the 20s and 30s. today, lake-effect snow. elsewhere, it's a little below average. little chilly for this time of year. that's a look at the weather across the country. now, here's a peek out your window. >> good morning, everyone. breezy today. temperatures falling from the 50s through the 40s. tracking showers, especially if you live along the coast. nassau, suffolk county, and down the jersey shore. not a lot of heavy rain, but light rain from time to time. down to 34 tonight. windchills in the 20s waking up tomorrow. in the seven-day forecast, breezy and chilly throughout the day monday with a high of 44 deiogrees. milder tuesday and wednesday. mild and sunny for thanksgiving. >> and that's your latest forecast. how you guys doing out there? chilly on the plaza? >> little chilly, but not bad. >> not terrible. we have a nice crowd. we miss you, dylan dreyer. >> see you in a bit. >> you're missing ice cream, by the way. just saying. >> i heard. i'm not happy about it. >> we'll save you some, we promise.

>> this is a big deal. even if you're not a nascar fan, this is a big deal. >> yeah. later today, the checkered flag will wave on the racing career of jeff gordon. he'll start his engine for the last time this afternoon in miami, chasing a fifth championship as he prepares to ride off into the sunset. kristen dahlgren has more. >> wouldn't that be a storybook ending? even if you're not a nascar fan, you've probably heard of jeff gordon. many credit him with taking nascar mainstream. hopefully today brings one last victory lap. >> reporter: for more than 20 years, jeff gordon has been a fixture, from the track to our tv screens. >> pepsi max called test drive. >> you're an idiot. i'm going to kill you. >> reporter: 93 wins, including

gordon into a prolific pitchman. he was the first driver to host "saturday night live." >> i'm so excited to be here. >> a crossover star, about to hang up his keys with a rare chance to do it in style. two decades after gordon won his first championship, he has a chance to do it again today. one of four drivers in contention. >> i don't think i could have scripted it quite the way it's going. you know, i never dreamed that we could have an opportunity to be battling for the championship in my final race. >> reporter: gordon started racing young. the other drivers often teasing him for his learner's permit mustache. dale earnhardt sr. called him wonder boy. his rivalry with earnhardt earned him enemies, who thought gordon was a pretty boy. >> he was different. looked different, walked different, talked different. he wasn't a typical southern nascar driver. >> reporter: today, the

respect. >> we all want it really badly, and we all know it's not going to come easily. >> here comes gordon. >> reporter: this will be gordon's 797th race. he's earned more than $150 million in winnings. more in endorsements. win or lose today, his place in history is rock solid. but that doesn't mean fans aren't looking for one last spectacular finish from jeff gordon. >> either way, there will be quite the party in downtown miami tonight. gordon invited 100 of his closest family and friends to celebrate a long career and maybe one more win, guys. >> that would be quite the party. thanks. live coverage of today's race begins at 1:30 eastern right here on nbc. get this, who is the grand marshall? none other than hoda kotb. >> jeff gordon did so much to popularize the sport. really took it beyond the south. up next, our sunday stories. this first one, just amazing. glasses that can help the color

blind see a whole new world. also, dylan dreyer can juggle a lot of things. we know that. she proves it by attending clown school. plus, a diamond is one man's best friend. the 81-year-old still playing ball thanks to his son. that story in sundays with harry. first, these messages.

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last thursday, a game between the buffalo bills and the new york jets, both teams wore solid colored uniforms. color blind fans couldn't tell the difference between the teams. >> what if there was a solution? there's a pair of magic glasses passing with flying colors when put to the test. >> reporter: ethan scott loves the color purple. >> i'm obsessed with purple. >> reporter: until two months ago, he didn't even know what it was. >> some say, will you pass me the purple thing? i don't know what that is. >> reporter: like 13 million americans, ethan is color behind. where we see this, ethan sees this. >> now for the final test. >> reporter: now, a solution. >> what? whoa! >> reporter: hundreds of videos

>> i can see the difference in the two cars now. >> reporter: showing people seeing color for the very first time. >> this is red. >> reporter: wearing what appear to be magic glasses. >> look at your kids' eyes, pete. they're so pretty. >> reporter: ethan's boyfriend spent $350 on a pair and lit up ethan's world. >> is this purple? >> yes. >> oh, my god. oh, my god. >> once i saw it, it was like blue and red is happening at the same time. my brain can't comprehend it. i've never experienced that before. >> reporter: he has don to thank for that. >> this is where the magic happens? >> yes. this is where i do the science. >> reporter: he is the co-founder of one of several companies that uses cutting-edge technology to help color blind people see the world a bit more brightly. but does it work for everyone?

we invited six color blind people to see for themselves. >> when i'm shopping, i'll ask a stranger, what color is this? >> red and green or red and brown next to each other, i can't kel which is which. >> maybe he'll dress better after this. >> want to try the glasses? >> mm-hmm. >> let's do it. >> reporter: we took them to the grocery store. all the colors. the moment of truth. >> three, two, one! >> wow. it's beautiful. >> what are you seeing differently? >> i see every melon individually, with the different colors. scenes i've never seen before. >> holy mackerel, look at the pumpkins. >> reporter: pete is 86 years old. his grandson is also color blind. >> take off your glasses and put on yours and look at your grandfather's eyes. can you see the color in your grandfather's eyes? >> yeah.

semi-bland. when you put them on, it pops out. >> you guys have the same color eyes. >> really? >> it's like seeing for the first time. >> everything looks so much more appetizing. >> almost like i've waited my whole life for this. i don't want to take them off. >> reporter: a feeling ethan scott knows too well. >> it sounds dramatic but it completely changed my life. >> reporter: a life of purple possibilities. >> so pretty. >> reporter: for "today," morgan radford, nbc news, los angeles. >> amazing. >> can you imagine? >> the woman crying because she could see color for the first time. >> amazing. just ahead, dylan dreyer clowning around ahead of the macy's thanksgiving day parade, after these messages. >> still going strong. thanksgiving day parade. >> still going strong.

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clowns. my dentist office growing up was full of clowns. it was a whole thing. when i was asked to be one in a room full of them, i quickly learned that it's the clown that really brings the macy's thanksgiving day parade to life. >> reporter: the macy's thanksgiving day parade, an american favorite. sure, the giant balloons are the stars of the show, but what's a parade without a clown? >> it's the piece of the parade that touches the audience specifically. everything else in the parade goes steady down the street. the balloons in the air, the floats are where they need to be. the clowns get to go and move around and really keep things vibrant. >> reporter: there's no better place to learn that than at macy's clown u. >> what is going on here today? >> right here today is our pre-rehearsal.

routines for parade day. >> reporter: every year, hundreds of macy's employees volunteer to dress up as clowns and parade passed thousands of spectators in manhattan, with millions more watching on tv. it requires training. these volunteers learn how to act the part at this college for clowns. >> one, two, three, four. >> one, two, three, four. >> one, one, one, one, one. >> i felt like a kid at christmas. i couldn't sleep. i couldn't wait to come to clown u. i can't imagine what i'm going to be like on thanksgiving morning. >> reporter: a tradition so memorable, many return year after year. >> this is my ninth time. >> this will be my 14th. >> there it is. >> reporter: it was my first time to clown around. so pretty. i didn't expect to be a pretty clown. thank you. >> give it a try. >> i have no idea what i look like right now. >> reporter: a little makeup, final touches. then it was time to act the part. not much of a stretch for me. >> there's something about being in this outfit that turns you into a clown. >> you look so great.

i'm watson. canwelcome to macy's clown u and big apple circus. to warm up, come out and give a happy thanksgiving to the whole parade. >>ak i'll walk up and come up, happy thanksgiving. >> look at everyone, up there, over that way. >> at the sky. >> looking close, looking far. >> the point -- >> all in the face and all in the heart. enjoy yourself and have a great time. >> reporter: ready or not, i was off to the mock parade. >> a special performance of dylan dreyer. >> i don't know what to do. >> yay! [ applause ] >> let's give her a big round of applause, everybody. >> perfect. >> reporter: what really makes these clowns smile is spreading joy as they walk in the parade on thanksgiving day. >> it always makes your -- when we see signs, people from north dakota, south dakota, wyoming, all make a special effort.

york. >> happy thanksgiving! >> i love it. >> dylan, you're a natural. >> craig didn't know what to say. >> i used to be afraid of clowns but i wouldn't have been afraid of you. you seem like a warm clown. >> a warm clown. >> i was really happy when they handed me the hot pink, bright purple, and not like the scary one with the face paint. >> those were your colors. are you going to be clowning around on thanksgiving in the parade, just to clarify? >> i don't believe i was invited to the actual parade. >> there's always next year, d.d. >> not yet. >> so fun. >> coverage of the 89th macy's thanksgiving day parade begins thursday morning at 9:00 a.m., right here on nbc. just ahead, sundays with harry. a son helps turn his father's softball career into a legacy.

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back now with sundays with harry. this week, as nbc continues its seasons of kindness, harry introduces us to a son who went to bat for his father when he didn't want to give up his love of softball. >> this is such a good story. i love it. it varies for each of us, what puts a sparkle in our eyes, a pep in our step. a story now about softball and family values. >> why don't you bat after sarah? >> reporter: matt and mo englander go over the lineups for tonight's softball double-header. cool because mo is matt's dad. they're teammates and mo is 81. >> who doesn't want to play ball with their dad? it's a dream. >> reporter: the game has always

been a family passion. baseball, softball, a diamond and a bat were all that mattered. when mo's old team folded ten years ago, it was matt who came to the rescue. >> like a man without a country. he came to me and said, i don't have a team. i don't have anywhere to play. can i play with you? >> reporter: matt knew for his father, the competition and camaraderie of softball are like a drug, for which there is no substitute. >> come on, guys. i'm going to keep playing until they have to cart me away. it's too important to me. >> what did it mean to you when your own kid comes along and says, hey, dad, i got a team. you can play? >> when i walked out the first time, i was just right here. right here. it was great. >> reporter: since this is a team based on nepotism, guess who is the starting pitcher? >> the mo man.

insist mo wear a mask on the mound. a small concession, says mo, for winning is all he cares about. >> it's important to me, to win. but i'll maybe start to mature in a few years. perhaps. >> what do you say, mo? >> reporter: the rest of the team is all? >> mo's pitching, we play as hard as we can. we know how competitive he is. >> this is the coolest thing ever. there's nothing better. >> matt started this team for his dad, and it's riways been about that. we're always out here to have fun. >> reporter: the team struggled through the regular season but rallied to win the league championship. honest, how else would this story end? >> that's great. >> i love it. i love the storybook ending. >> i got a hat. >> nice. >> we tried to take it. >> yeah. >> thank you for that, harry. >> that was great, harry. >> you're lucky because you're here were ice cream today. i know you like it but this is

not your grater's ice cream from cincinnati. if you're wondering what to bring for thanksgiving, maybe what's on the table in front of us is your best bet. ice cream that tastes like a thanksgiving day feast. >> our friends from portland sent us this five-course meal of their ice creams. we have a taste test. number one. taste it. >> this is -- >> sheinelle, you have a guess? >> turkey. >> there's turkey. also caramel. >> harry, you don't seem impressed by number one. >> nope. >> what do you think it is? >> this is salted caramel thanksgiving turkey. you can't taste the turkey. it's not overpowering. >> i taste it. >> number two. >> taste the turkey on the back end. >> number two? >> gravy? >> what is that? >> mashed potatoes and gravy. >> i knew they make dessert-inspired-ish flavors. is this one of them?

harry? >> cranberries. >> you're not talking. you're supposed to be the -- >> this is stuffing. >> apple cranberry stuffing. >> i like this one. >> that's the one i would eat. >> go to salt and straw's website to try these.