gust we wind making you feel colder. bright and sunny, less wind on sunday, 46. look at next week. we're back in the 50s and 60s before christmas. >> crazy. it is what it is. the "today" show is next. >> that's what's happening today in new york. good morning. breaking overnight. the pentagon acknowledges defense secretary ash carter used his personal e-mail account to conduct government business, and kept doing it, even as the hillary clinton e-mail scandal was unfolding. carter now admitting it was a mistake. but the question this morning, why didn't he know better? late night confession. >> i've been a little bit divisive, in the sense that i've been hitting people pretty hard. >> a little bit, yeah. >> a rare admission from donald trump as he tells jimmy kimmel he'd like to see republicans come together. but hours earlier, it was vintage donald.

you know, low energy. he said it just the way his pollster told him to say it. >> this morning, how bush is responding. sucker punched. a 17-year-old lands a left hook on the spanish prime minister. it left that mark. the teen tackled to the ground and in custody, facing serious charges. and not so far, far away. the opening of "star wars: the force awakens," just hours from now. the fans already lining up. one member of our team may be a bit too excited today. thursday, december 17th, 2015. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today," with matt lauer and savannah guthrie, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning, everybody. welcome to "today" on this thursday morning. >> spoiler alert.

>> not the one we f looking for? >> no. welcome back, buddy. want to take the helmet off? >> really? >> held hello, everybody. welcome. i could use a nice, hot cup of coffee. excited for "star wars." great to be back, guys. >> great to have you back. >> thank you. >> we'll get to all things "star wars" in a bit. first, the revelation that defense secretary ash carter used his personal e-mail for work-related matters, and he was doing that after hillary clinton came under fire for doing the same thing while she was secretary of state. let's go to jim at the pentagon. what can you tell us about this? >> savannah, given the uproar over doing official government business on your own personal e-mail, it's difficult to imagine any top government official would actually do that. the pentagon now admits that defense secretary ash carter did just that. according to the officials, it was shortly after he was sworn

february that he started using his private e-mail to conduct some official business. now, according to the officials, there was no classified information, no secrets in any of these e-mails. but nevertheless, it violated regulations. months after he started doing that, the scandal broke on capitol hill about secretary clinton's exclusive use of e-mails for her business while she was secretary of state. it launched a huge political scandal. nevertheless, we're told despite the scandal, carter continued to use his personal e-mail to do official business for at least two months. officials here stress that no secrets, no classified information was contained on any of those e-mails. but the fact that he would even

own personal judgment, savannah. unfolding now. thank you very much. we have new information this morning tied to the san bernardino shooting. federal prosecutors have decided to bring criminal charges against the man who purchased some of the rifles that were actually used in that attack. let's turn to n bc justice tell us more. >> matt, good morning. several federal law enforcement officials tell nbc news the first criminal charges to stem from the san bernardino mass shootings could be filed as early as today. officials say the charges will be brought against enrique marquez, a long-time friend and former neighbor of syed farook. investigators said marquez bought the rifles three and four years ago that were used in the shooting. marquez told them he did this as a favor, so that farook wouldn't be on record as the purchaser or go through a background check. marquez told the fbi he and

an attack in 2010 but called it off after unrelated terror arrests in southern california. jim comey said agents found no connection between farook and the people arrested back then. comey also said despite reports to the contrary, investigators have found no social media postings by tashfeen malik in the months before she came to the u.s. that means the state department and homeland security officials who reviewed her background before giving her a fiance visa did not miss any publicly available social media postings. all her statements in support of jihad, comey said, were in private messages or e-mails. as for marquez, officials said he agreed to be interviewed by the fbi for several days without a lawyer, even though it's been clear almost since the beginning, he could be charged with a crime, at the least, for buying the guns for farook. matt? >> pete williams on the story for us. thank you very much. president obama will travel to

ardino tomorrow to meet with the families of the victims before heading to hawaii for the first family's christmas vacation. the department of homeland security is adding a third warning level to the terrorism level. the bulletin level allows the public to be aware of any terror threats. it includes actions the government is taking and suggestions what the public should do in response. the former system had two levels, elevated and imminent. officials say the change has been in the planning stages for months and is not in response to a specific or credible threat. to politics now. donald trump's feud with rival jeb bush spilled over on to the campaign trail. during a late night appearance, the republican front runner appeared to have a change of heart and a new message for his party. peter alexander has more. good morning to you. >> good morning. donald trump is picking up where the debate left off, swatting at jeb bush, insisting he doesn't

as trump told nbc news in a statement, jeb doesn't represent strength, power and stamina, qualities he says the country needs. >> reporter: donald trump marking six months in the race. almost all of them atop the gop field, the same way he spent much of the time on tv. overnight with jimmy kimmel. >> i would like to see the republican party come together, and i've been a little bit divisive, in the sense i've been hitting people pretty hard. >> a little bit, yeah. >> reporter: rallying supporters in arizona, trump dismissed critics who said he was a showman. >> somebody said, trump is an entertainer. that's a [ bleep ]. >> reporter: and bashed jeb bush after bush got under trump's skin in tuesday's debate. >> this is a tough business, to run for president. >> oh, yeah, jeb. i had jeb come at me. he said it the way his pollster told him to say it.

he cracked the trump code. >> he's not a serious candidate. i don't know why others don't feel compelled to point it out, but i did. >> reporter: with trump and cruz dominating the race, the establishment lane, anti-trump, may be up for grabs. with bush and chris christie delivering strong performances, and marco rubio bouncing between iowa and new hampshire wednesday with hallie jackson, defending accusations from cruz he's too moderate on immigration. >> i've always been at the right. i'm a consistent conservative -- >> that is ted cruz's campaign slogan. >> i have been more for than just the years in the senate. >> reporter: cruz questioned on fox news about his support for immigration reform in 2013. >> it doesn't mean that i supported the other aspects of the bill, which was a terrible bill. >> reporter: insisting his position hasn't changed. >> i categorically oppose amnesty. i want to secure the borders.

fight amongst themselves and trump moves forward. he was taken aback by his support. several of thousand people in the crowd in arizona during the day, saying something is going on and it's beautiful to see. >> peter, thank you very much. big news in the economy. historic move by the federal reserve, raising key interest rates for the first time in nearly a decade. chairwoman janet yellen saying it marked an extraordinary period. >> the economic recovery has clearly come a long way, although it is not yet complete. but with the economy performing well, and expected to continue to do so, the committee judged that a modest increase in the federal funds rate target is now appropriate. >> nbc's olivia stearns is here to explain what it means. it's the end of an era. good morning. >> what this means for people at home is it's going to get a little more expensive to borrow money. the fed raised their interest

economy are pegged to by 1/4 of 1 percentage point. they're doing this because they're saying the economy is ready to stand on its own two feet after seven years of 0% interest rates. still, rates extremely low and supportive of lending in the economy. one sign that we were actually ready for it, wall street rallied on the back of this news. the dow jones shot up 200 points. it's a signal that even investors think we can cope with slightly higher rates. >> what happens now? will we see more rate hikes? >> all eyes on the fed's next news conference that is coming up in march. the question there is, will janet yellen move to raise rates again? she said repeatedly yesterday, he'll only continue to raise interest rates gradually and only if the economy continues to improve. if we see a selloff on wall street, bad jobs reports, she's likely not to move and move

on the flip side, if the labor market accelerates, growth accelerates, inflation picks up, she's likely to raise rates at a quicker pace. she expects to raise rates 1% over the next three years. >> keep an eye on it for us. thank you so much. >> thanks, olivia. in other news, protesters took to the streets of baltimore last night, hours after a mistrial was declared in the freddie gray case. demonstrators remain peaceful, but at one point, they tried unsuccessfully to block the interstate. on wednesday, the judge announced a hung jury in the manslaughter trial of william porter, the first of six officers to stand trial in connection with freddie gray's death while in police custody. new video shows the fatal police shooting of an ax-wielding student at a university in north texas. stephanie gosk has that story.

the texas rangers released dash cam video of the incident, shortly after university officials named unt police officer steven bean, as the officer involved. >> reporter: police dash cam video released overnight shows an officer with the university of north texas fatally shooting a student on sunday. the shooting happened around 1:30 a.m., when the officer responded to a call about a man smashing car windows inside a parking garage near the campus. sophomore ryan mcmillen can be seen walking toward the officer with a small ax in his hand. the officer repeatedly telling mcmillen to back away, while mcmillen says, "shoot me" over and over. nbc news paused the video so it doesn't show the actual shooting. this is the confrontation. >> hey, hey, back away. back away. >> excuse me. >> back away. back away from me now.

shoot me! [ gunshots ] . >> reporter: the officer radios the station. >> i've got a white male down with an ax in his hand. >> reporter: the officer has been on the police force for four years. he's been placed on routine leave, as the investigation into the incident gets underway. ryan mcmillen was a pre-hospitality major. he turned 21 last saturday. some students say they don't believe lethal force was necessary. >> if you're given a gun, you should be trained to know how to use that gun in a way that you're not just going to kill people without absolute necessity. >> the medical examiner is still conducting the autopsy. among the questions is whether ryan mcmillen was under influence of alcohol or drugs when the shooting took place. >> stephanie, thank you very much. we have breaking news this morning tied to the pharmaceutical world and the ceo who was making headlines a short time ago.

williams back with that. pete? >> matt, good morning. several reports this morning say martin martin shkreli was taken into custody this morning, but they say these were securities charges. it's a federal investigation related to his former hedge fund. the fact he was under investigation had been reported earlier. this apparently stems from his time as the manager of a hedge fund called msmb capital management. and the chief executive of biopharmaceutical company retrophin incorporated. this is not related to the controversy that got him into hot water, jacking up 5,000%, the cost of a life-saving aids drug. >> pete, thank you very much. back to that video we showed you at the top of the show. the spanish prime minister sucker punched during a campaign stop on wednesday. take a look. watch the middle of your screen.

hit the prime minister directly in the face with his left hand. he was hit so hard, his glasses flew off. he staggered but didn't fall. he had a red mark on his face. his attacker was quickly detained. >> scary they got so close to him. >> yeah. christmas, eight days away. the holiday travel rush is about to take off. new numbers show u.s. airlines are headed for their best year ever with big profits. what does that mean for you the next time you fly? nbc's tom costello is at washington's reagan international airport with more on this. >> good morning. all the low prices we're paying at the gas pump, they're helping to pump up the prices and the profits for the airlines. best year on record. guess what? even if you're a procrastinator, you can still find a good deal if you're flying home for the holidays. >> reporter: profits are taking off. for airlines that once flew for

year, totaling more than $20 billion. per passenger profit soaring almost 60%. airlines now make more than $20 for each person on the plane. that's up from $13 last year. add $56 million in bag and change fees, and for profits, it seems the sky is the limit. >> it seems like it's excessive. hundreds of dollars just to move from a 4:00 flight to a 1:00 flight. >> we're going slight light. we didn't have baggage fees. >> you buy a ticket, then there's additional fees. >> reporter: airlines are passing the buck back to consumers. fare compare.com found last-minute deals for christmas. $187 round trip. $257 for d.c. to dallas. miami to dallas, $241. you don't have to wing it. want a deal? book now. air fares for the last three

february are at five-year lows. just avoid warm weather destinations and those three-day weekends. >> fly on the cheapest days. tuesday, wednesday and saturday. you'll always find a decent deal. >> reporter: giving airlines a lift, all the extra fees and falling fuel prices. this year, play paid $45 billion less to gas up those planes. the airlines argue they're reinventing their profits, just like other big companies, apple or starbucks. >> airlines are doing the same thing with new planes, seats, new apps for your phone, making the travel experience better. >> listen to this, on an inflation adjusted basis, air fares today are 10% lower than they were in 2000. that's what the airline industry says. however, that doesn't include all the extra fees we pay today. back to you. >> tom, thank you very much. i'm one of these people who wants airlines to make a profit to reinvest in better planes and better service. >> for years, they couldn't make a profit.

it's good they are making money. there's new developments in the case of a texas teenager. a child described as too rich to have to pay for his actions. two years ago, ethan couch killed four people in a drunk driving crash. he received ten years probation, after his attorney's coined the term, after fluenza. natalie picks up the story. >> an arrest warrant is issued for ethan couch after he failed to appear for a probation hearing that would have tested him for drugs and alcohol. his absence coinciding with the controversial video that recently surfaced online. >> reporter: this morning, frustrated authorities are on the hunt for ethan couch, the young man infamously known as the affluenza teen. >> frustration is is mild word for what most of us feel. >> reporter: ethan's case gained

killing four people while driving drunk near ft. worth, his attorney claimed the teen didn't understand the consequences of his actions because of his family's affluence. he was given probation. recently, ethan missed a meeting with his probation officer. authorities believe he's on the run, moss poss my ibly with his mother. >> hate to say i told you so, but i did. >> reporter: ethan was 16, driving with a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit. >> there's another child in the ditch. >> reporter: his affluenza defense devastated the victim's families all over again. >> boyle lost two family member s s.

fficult to talk about. >> reporter: authorities say they're investigating this video that was released, appearing to show ethan playing beer pong. the officer has been unable to make contact with ethan or his mother, and authorities are seeing if he violated terms of his probation. outrage is growing on social media. one posting, rich kids are always exempt from consequences. another, find ethan couch and lock him up. >> somewhere in this part of the world, we'll find him. i don't think he's gone a short distance. >> if authorities find ethan and he violated his probation, he could find himself in jail for up to ten years, guys. >> natalie, thank you very much. let's get a check of the weather from mr. roker. >> we're talking about a christmas coming up that could be the warmest in living memory. i mean, it is going to be country. in fact, this is the temperature

christmas day, somewhere from 15, 25, even 30 degrees above average. overnight christmas lows, record lows, washington, charlotte, ind indianapolis indianapolis, we're coming close. northeast, record warm lows. look like we could see this. for christmas day, we'll probably see record highs in portland, boston, new york city, philadelphia and, as we make our way from chicago, washington, raleigh, atlanta, and memphis, all most likely seeing record highs for christmas. that's what's going on. we'll get it's that night of the year you come here. looking for gifts so there won't be tears. eleventh hour shopper...that's you. it's ok because they know you. they're loaded up with gear. an xbox for the children. and a mixer for your dear. no need to shop around for present you've missed it's all here. you're off the naughty list! eleventh hour shopper...

see you next year, buddy! get low prices on all your last-minute gifts. walmart. it's a cloudy start out there. a little drizzle in a few locations. the rain getting closer to us. it will arrive late morning and afternoon, especially from the noon hour on. right now relatively quiet. another mild day. temperatures for the noon hour, mid to upper 50s. stays wet into the evening commute. should dry out tonight, mild, 50, 51. tomorrow colder night, low 40s with a gusty wind. saturdays, mid 40s. sunshine on sunday. >> that's your latest weather. >> al, thank you so much. coming up, yahoo! ceo under fire again. should she have thrown a multi-million dollar party for employees as her company struggles struggles? what if you're stranded in a winter storm?

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the george washington bridge, 7:26 on this thursday, december 17th. police are trying to find the man who slashed a teenage girl in the face in queens. surveillance video showing the suspect approaching the girl from behind as she headed to school yesterday in whitestone. police say he was wearing a surgical mask, surgical gloves. that girl is in stable condition. we're told she's a 16-year-old foreign exchange student from china. she's only been here in the u.s. for eight months. right now we want to look at the morning commute with emily west. >> northeast corridor of new jersey transit, 30-minute delays. also 7 trains, delays on the main street bound line. on the roads, turnpike, the ramp to the goethals both way, still construction out there. staten island right lane taken up with that road work.

and l.i.e near exit 40 with a >> we'll be right back with chris' forecast. the rain is gaining on us. a little area of light rain southeast pennsylvania, that whether move in this morning. the heavier stuff moves in for the afternoon hours. it will start off cloudy. another mild day. temperatures back in the 50s. the steadiest and heaviest rain between noon and 6:00 this evening. 51 tomorrow. turns windy in the afternoon

low 40s on saturday. finally feels like winter for a day with windy conditions. 46 on sunday. next week, back into the 50s and 60s by wednesday. >> all right. thanks. coming up on the "today" show, looking back on the fun times in the past year.

7:30 now on a thursday morning. 17th day of december, 2015. big crowd on the plaza. probably some "star wars" fans out there. ready to see the force "force awakens." we'll get out and say hi in a little while. let's take a look at stories making news now. dozens of protesters took to the streets in baltimore following the mistrial in the case against the first of six officers charged in the death of freddie gray.

with the judge today to discuss dates for a possible retrial. there is a new e-mail controversy in washington. the pentagon acknowledging defense secretary ash carter used a personal account to conduct official business. it happened during secretary carter's first month on the job, even as hillary clinton was under fire for doing the same thing. a pentagon spokesperson said the practice has been stopped and it was a mistake. parts of the midwest are starting to wind down. the snow and ice leading to several deadly accidents. nearly two-day closure of a 350 mile stretch of a highway in wyoming and hundreds of cancelled flights. yahoo! yeo is in the hot seat again for an elaborate anniversary bash, reportedly costing millions, even as her country struggles. erica hill has the story.

lavish parties were the norm. today, those events not only attract scrutiny, they bring up lots of questions. >> reporter: it's a scene that looks a lot like tech parties in the high flying '90s, but this is 2015. a toast to yahoo!'s 20th anniversary. the roaring '20s theme with a speak speakeasy and costumes out of the "great gatsby." that's ceo marissa mayer posing with employees on a lavish set. >> it's a company trying to write itself versus having this lavish party, where it looks like you don't have a care in the world and you're spending exstrav ex exstrav ex a lot.

her for the party, while others criticized the spending. shareholder eric jackson raises concerns about the future of the company saying, quote, a change in ceo must be made now. accusing mayer of misallocate ing $10 billion in capital, and pointing to costly perks for employees. like $450 million in free food. a source familiar with the party tells nbc news the cost was closer to $2 million. still, industry watchers say the optics and very public pressure from shareholders are a serious threat to mayer's job security. >> yahoo! >> reporter: yahoo! launched in 1996 as a web portal and search engine, growing to become one of the most visited websites before struggling in recent years. its stock plummeting 34% in the

>> yahoo! acquired -- >> reporter: yahoo! hired mayer in 2012. she was pregnant with her first child at the time. her decision to take two weeks of maternity leave, sparking a national conversation. shortly after the party, pick ictures were taken, she had a baby girl. >> this is the time she has to prove to shareholders and employees she has what it takes to keep the company going. >> yahoo! declined to comment on the holiday party or the shareholders calls for mayer's removal. when announcing her pregnant earlier this year, mayer indicated she'd take a limited maternity leave and work throughout the leave. it's important to note during her tenure, yahoo! has upped paid leave for 16 weeks for moms and 8 weeks for dad. >> you have to put all the costs in perspective.

>> and that's a big part of it. even if it costed $70,000, it didn't look that way. >> thank you very much. let's get a check of the weather from mr. 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. >> we're looking at a frontal system that's going to be pushing in showers to the northeast. heavier thunderstorms as you get to the south. rm warm, moist air ahead. colder air behind it. tonight, we'll be looking at heavier thunderstorms through atlanta. airport delays today from atlanta north to boston, as the afternoon wears on. rainfall amounts, thoroughly light, though we could see an inch around new york city all the way back to charlotte. lighter amounts to the east. then look what happens. we'll see colder air filtering in. lake-effect snow lake-effect snow setting up.

snow potentially. that al, thank you very much. all about the rain here. just a little drizzle this morning, steadier rain from noon on. it's a mild day. high temperature of 57. you should showers will diminish this afternoon. dries out overnight. sun and clouds tomorrow, 51. low 40s for a high on saturday. back to the 40s with less wind on sunday. warm again next week. >> that's your latest weather. savannah? >> al, thanks. and you have a great story coming up. paying it forward to someone. >> yeah. first, a special rossen reports. >> good morning. i'm jeff rossen. it happens every winter. a storm hits and drivers get stranded in their cars. how do you survive? are you supposed to get out of the car and go for help?

we have all the tips you need to stay alive for 24 to 48 hours in here. plus, the emergency kit you can buy right now for less than $30. the snow is starting to fall... and all the decorations are just right. the presents have all been opened... and our loved ones are gathered all around. so share that extra joy in your heart... and make this christmas even more special than the last. walmart has everything you'll need for a christmas meal they'll never forget. share wonder every day. walmart. get to kohl's saturday for early bird specials starting at 6am! like $49.99 pendants men's jackets - $39.99 save on throws and kid's

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we see it on the news. a snowstorm hits, the cars litter the side of the road, people trapped inside. i think to myself, come on, it'd never happen to me. it turns out, it's happening to people just like you and me, from small towns s s to the biggest cities. what are you supposed to do? this morning, the simple tips to save your life. >> reporter: the big storm hits and, suddenly, you're stranded. it happened just days ago to this family. their car got stuck in deep snow in the oregon mountains on their way to go sledding. >> i was, like, trying to stay calm. my anxiety kicked in, and i was thinking the worst. >> reporter: after nearly 24 hours, a group of snowmobilers found them. it's not just the middle of the mild wilderness. it's happened outside of atlanta. >> i had one bottle of water, half a tank of gas left. >> reporter: on i-65 in kentucky. >> i was melting ice and snow to drink. >> reporter: even in the middle of lake shore drive in chicago.

enough time, my car could be covered completely in snow and i could be barricaded under here. >> reporter: drivers trapped for days, unprepared, desperate to stay alive. what do you do if you're stranded? >> to show you how to save your life, we've come to frigid utah. it is cold here. this is cray si tracy christiansen. my instinct is i would stay in the car and get out to get help. >> that's one of the biggest mistakes, leaving your car. stay in the car. >> why? >> it's cold out there. you can die from hypothermia. >> you say rescuers have a better chance of finding the car than a random person on the road. >> we will find you in you're in the vehicle. >> reporter: should you run the engine or save gas? >> run your car ten minutes an hour to stay warm. make sure you're conserving fuel. you could be here for the long haul. it is okay to run your car.

>> another tip, always make sure exhaust pipe is clear and free from snow so you don't suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning. >> never sleep alone in a running car? >> exactly. it's a recipe for disaster. >> reporter: the life and death decisions begin before you leave your house. you can buy the bare essentials for less than $30. >> you can pick this up anywhere. >> what do we have? >> couple things are really important. at least a liter of water, snacks and fruit, batteries, hand warmers. >> those are cheap in the store. >> they're great. >> you have a blanket, which is super important. >> one of the most important things to have. a little bit of warmth. wrap this around yourself, keep your core temperature warm like this. are with >> with these tips and minimal equipment, you can stay alive for 24 to 48 hours. >> yes. and we will find you.

dangerous it is to leave your car, in temperatures below freezing. >> holly: hypothermia can set in within 30 minutes. tell someone where you're going and how to get there. >> years ago, i got stuck on the highway between boston and providence, rhode island, for four hours. it was a long four hours. >> did you have a blan et ket? >> no, but you think about your fuel everything. >> before cell phones? >> back in your day. we know how long ago that was. >> thank you. just ahead, the wedding proposal so grand, it shut down a major interstate. the hot waters that landed the groom to be in. next, carson's ready. are you? tonight. how far some fans are going to keep their friends from spoiling it for them.

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in case you haven't heard, the new "star wars" film opens in a few hours. >> so excited. fans are ready. carson is in his costume. it's like the "star wars" bar over there. >> it's so much fun. hold on. there we go. got stuck there. let's just talk about what people are doing right now all across the country. this is a really genius idea. they're having these marathon screenings, where people are flooding the theaters and they'll watch all seven movies back to back. they've got the guy doing the "star wars" theme on the organ in the theater to create the mood.

it's rolled out internationally. the opening credits there done in different languages. i would fit into the movie theater. people are going pressed up. my theory is that's brad pitt in los angeles, the only way he could possibly see this movie. joining me now, the great chewbacca. chewy is a little smaller in the orange room than in real life. does everybody know who you are, chewy? want to do a reveal? >> i have stilettos. >> it's natalie, everybody. >> that's impressive. >> we're excited. we know everybody else is excited. >> hot. >> "star wars" fever. >> are you gargling? >> can i reveal a secret talent of our audio guy in joe, one more. >> you have to hear natalie's. now you do it.

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a bit of wake going into the lincoln tunnel right now.

gargiulo. the police officer at the center of the amadu diallo shooting will be promoted today. is he being made a sergeant. he was acquitted in the shooting debt of diallo. officers hit 41 shots at diallo, hitting him 19 times. a woman and child are recovering after being hit by a dump truck. police say the pedestrians had the right of way. the truck driver is not being charged. >> delays on downtown 6 trains this morning, that's due to signal problems. to the roads, serious crash, bronx river parkway around bronx river road go with the sawmill or hutch, don't go with the bronx river parkway. the lincoln, we showed you earlier lincoln tunnel outbound, disabled there. about an hour wait. >> thank you very much. quick check of the weather. drizzle this morning, rain heavy

tonight, rain tapers off, 50. tomorrow, mild, it will be cloudy, 51 degrees. coming up on the "today" show, the winner of "the voice" stops by to talk about that big win and what's next. we'll have another local update in a half hour. enjoy this thursday. thousands of people came out today to run the race for retirement. so we asked them... are you completely prepared for retirement? okay, mostly prepared? could you save 1% more

it doesn't sound like much, but saving an additional 1% now, could make a big difference over time. i'm going to be even better about saving. you can do it, it helps in the long run. prudential bring your challenges welcome, to the simply orange tour. this is our plant. these are our workers. and this, is upper management. but what you won't find around here, is any freezing, flavoring, or concentrating. which brings us to our end product. simply orange. honestly simple. that's just the night watchman.

all i do is win, no matter what it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, the donald and the doctor. >> called "winners aren't losers." >> donald trump joins jimmy kimmel for his take on dr. seuss. >> i do not like them at all. we must kick these froog gs out and build a wall. paying it forward. al goes to great lengths to honor the remarkable woman who had a huge impact on his family. >> three, two, one, go! yes! honey, i'm good, but i

i got a honey at home, and if i stay, i might not leave alone from singing to dancing to lots of laughing, we'll reminisce about all the good time wes s we had together in 2015. today, thursday, december 17th, 2015. strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard >> 20 years of marriage here at the "today" show. >> my christmas present is standing next to me. >> celebrating our 46th anniversary. >> merry christmas from indian river, michigan. >> merry christmas from oregon. >> we're from omaha, nebraska, trying not to be too corny. >> happy hop lidays. >> good morning, everybody.

it's thursday, december 17th, 2015. what a beautiful day on our plaza. i'm loving this warm weather. it feels so good, and everybody is in a great mood, getting ready for the holidays. we have matt lauer's biggest fan here. >> so nice of you. how are you? happy holidays. sorry. i didn't mean to ignore you. i was swept away by the music we're hearing in the background. this is savannah's throwback thursday song. i believe this is "don't stop believing" by the cast of glee. >> it's a version of that. >> the cast of glee? >> you don't like it? >> i'll withhold comment. it's great. >> wow. >> everyone else is silent. anyway, i'd glad you like the song. >> a lot, yeah. >> was your outfit chafing? >> in more ways than one. >> the cast of glee. >> interesting call. >> you don't get it every day.

for the top stories. >> savannah, i like your choice. even though you haven't supported me in the past. in the news this morning, the pentagon admitting defense secretary ash carter used his personal e-mail for government business. according to a "new york times" report, carter started the practice just after he became defense chief in february, and he continued even after the scandal that erupted over hillary clinton using her personal e-mail while she was secretary of state. the pentagon says carter's occasional use of personal e-mail for work-related business was a mistake, and he did not use it for classified information. controversial drug company ceo martin slel was arrested. he made headlines when boosting

his arrest on fraud charges snts s s isn't connected to the matter. he took money from a business to pay off unrelated business dealings. a sheriff's deputy risking his life to stop a run away truck after a 12-mile pursuit. the driver was having a medical emergency and his truck was rolling toward the norfolk airport, when it slowed to 25 miles per hour. the sergeant dashed across the highway and climbed inside. he brought the truck to a safe stop. thank goodness. the good news, she said yes. the bad news, a texas man who shut down a major interstate highway so he could propose to his girlfriend was arrested. the 24-year-old was charged with obstructing a highway. he stopped his car monday on interstate 45 and houston. got down on one knee and popped the question.

risky, romantic stunt. he posted $500 bail and defended his actions. he said, sometimes love makes you do stupid things. i wanted to do something she will always remember. yeah, they're not going to forget that one any time soon. a soccer era came to an end wednesday night in new orleans, when the greatest goal scorer in u.s. history, abby wambach, played her final game. the u.s. lost to china, but wambach helped her team win the world cup title this year. she also has a pair of olympic golds and inspired young women to take up the game she loves. we're going to miss her. incredible athlete and inspiration to many. >> she is. congratulations to her on a

let's >> and that's your latest weather. just ahead, i'm going to pay it forward in a personal way. i'm going to celebrate a woman who means a great deal to our family. >> terrific story. plus, we are taking care of your last-minute holiday shopping this morning with our biggest gifts guide ever. but first, singing, dancing and a whole lot of laughter. all the fun we've had over the past 12 months on i said i really can't stay baby it's cold outside i have to go away

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and we'll donate $250 to those in need. pbringing our total donations to over sixty-five million dollars. p and bringing love where it's needed most. plove. it's what makes a subaru, a subaru. feel a cold coming on? new zicam cold remedy nasal swabs shorten colds with a snap, and reduce symptom severity by 45%. shorten your cold with a snap, with zicam. thank you. thank you, again. pat yourself upon your back. your shopping is done. you ain't no slack. rest at ease it's all ok. you ordered online and got them in the same day. navigate the app at will with incredible digital ninja skills.

be better. maybe you have time to knit him a sweater. i don't know maybe a snowman. i could do that. let's get out of here. i'm just thinking. order gifts online and pick them up the same day. walmart. >> announcer: year in review on "today" is brought to you by mercedes benz. the best or nothing. >> oh, my gosh, we have a quorum. we're all year. time for something we look forward to every year. >> the cast of glee, really? >> come on! >> to look at all the fun we've had in 2015. hey, that's what i like, i like about you the way you do what you do,

come on now, hey, that's what i like, i like about you the way you do what you do, how you do, i like about you >> the gang is all back. >> i love what the script says. it says, we're all back, even carson. >> hey. >> raise your hand if you were in sharknado 3 last night. >> carson, were you glued? >> no, i was not. honey, i'm good, but i probably should i got a honey at home, and if i stay, i might not leave alone >> where do you keep your emmy? >> one with me right here. never leaves me. good morning, coaches. pharrell, blake, christina -- hey! where am i? >> let's trend, guys. there's someone in this studio right now who does not remember anything that happened

any guesses? >> usually, all of us. >> i will go to a movie alone. i'm happy sitting in a dark theater with popcorn by myself. >> not really what we were talking about but -- >> here's how it works. the question you pull out, you must answer. >> what is your porn star name. >> what is it? >> i check in to hotels under the name, dj warm cookies. >> whoa! >> we are in the white house kitchen, where among other thins, thin s gs, you brew beer. >> it's not good. >> serious? >> it's not. don't eat any of this stuff. you can learn more -- >> just say no. >> even the germ freak would -- just to show you. there you go. >> i'm just saying.

on my own, once again now >> this is the chisel. >> apparently, i'm burning the counter. >> sorry. >> oh, dear. wow. >> having my way with it. leave me alone. let me have a moment. >> come back here with those. >> yeah! >> that is unbelievable. >> go! go left. your left. left! your left! >> what we should have talked

our left. >> what are we doing in here? >> i don't know. i just do what i'm told. >> this is called hoda or yoda. these are all real quotes. rejoice for those around you who transform into the force. >> yoda. >> correct. next up, i wake up at 4:15, get coffee, turn on the news, clickty clock to see what i missed. then i go to work and i'm really awake. >> yoda. >> it's hoda! >> i used to have great legs, then gret at knees and now great ankles. >> we're busy reading the wall street journal. research. >> i'm here. whoo hoo! >> thank savannah guthrie for helping me out. do you know who is co-hosting tomorrow? >> you wanted to today. >> matt lauer is going to co-host the fourth hour. >> i have not prepared, but with hoda, she doesn't anyway. what's the big deal?

mcconaughey was here, not matt lauer. >> you have nothing to do? >> very little to do. >> we are going to build a fantastic playground right in this field here. >> it's really beautiful. i hope everyone takes care of the park. >> all month long, the men of today, along with guys all across america, have grown out their facial hair to raise awareness for men's health. middle. challenge. all the money goes toward programs to help with autism. >> riding 230 miles from boston to the big apple, to raise money for red-nose day charities. >> i have a lot of people i'd put on spandex for at this hour of the morning.

stop to party >> please make it stop. >> i'm going all the way up there. >> they know how to welcome somebody in sydney, australia. >> guys, it's so hot out here, my iphone just shut off. that's hot. >> brace yourselves. >> can you handle rockerthon2? >> one weatherman. >> paradise. >> we are in kentucky. >> 50 states. one week. to bring you the weather from every state in our great nation. >> rokerthon rolls on! see you in boston! >> rokerthon makes it to new york. >> here he is! >> does carson ever mention us when he's at the "voice"?

worked here. >> it's so good to be up this early. >> boogie woogie. i ain't going to play more because i charge. >> nice golf swing. >> girl got moves. >> you're a grandpa? >> matt, you're a grandpa? that was hard. >> i want you to relax, savannah. relax. >> i'm trying. >> what line will be remembered for this movie you've just finished? >> man, that's a good question. nothing i can say on this show.

i got news i'm gonna work, work, work every day this is where my story's going, i just want to share this moment whoa the earth moves under my feet, i feel the sky tumbling down you never count your money when you're sitting at the table there will be time enough for counting when the dealer is done with your love, nobody can drag me down nobody, nobody >> i was on vacation. how did you get out of this? >> wow, i don't know, but thank the good lord. down in your pocket, you've got something to give, it goes

today, today, today, today, today is christmas living like, living like, living like every day of the year >> baby, let's go. we want to know, what do you need oh, what do you need now all i need is the rhythm, be in the rhythm

backseat freedom, rocking and roll never grow old it's going down, hey, hey,

[ applause ] >> the naked show! >> tah-dah. >> next one, fudge brownies. >> i knew it! >> and matt lauer, just take a look. >> exposed, he's naked. >> lauer! >> overnight, matt lauer put up four billboards. s of your time. >> go somewhere else. >> get out of here. >> oh, my goodness. what happened? oh, you son of a gun. you son of a gun! i knew you were going to do

>> cue the alarm. >> savannah? >> don't panic. we'll be right there. >> what is that? >> i'm neil patrick harris. >> oh, my god! >> we're back. carson -- >> on the air. >> making my -- >> tv program, savannah. >> sorry. >> leonardo dicaprio. >> you got the offer to do this by text mail? >> text message? >> the kids are calling it text mail. >> text message. >> it's going potty. >> it's popping.

>> start your engines! >> good job. >> i just touched street gum with my hand. i don't know what got into me. time to get some purre ell. >> the bush ladies know how to raise beautiful little girls, and you're one of them. >> wait a minute. >> what's up? >> what's up? >> couple years ago in washington, the correspondents dinner, at the men's room, standing next to me at the urinal. >> did you high-five him? >> no, you don't do that at the urinal.

>> you two are really obnoxious. >> wow. that was quite a show. >> i won't do it. i won't. for the rest of my life, i will do what's right i will do what's right stars in the sky, rest of my life yeah, yeah, yeah, the rest of our lives edge of the earth, search in the sky at night, out on the verge on the rest of our lives >> yeah. [ applause ] >> nice. >> that was fun.

>> we have to thank an editor somewhere. >> many of them. >> really well done. >> erica levins is the producer. molly, drew, and paul is the graphic artist. >> thank you, guys. >> it was great.

good morning. it is 8:26. fatal accident in yonkers. jen, what can you tell us? >> reporter: that's right. we are hear in yonkers north of westchester county line. you're looking at the southbound side. westchester county police on the scene of this fatal accident. they just opened up the southbound side to one lane of traffic. there are delays in both directions, heading northbound. we believe there was an accident here earlier. several cars at the scene. one more is deceased. details not known at this time. westchester county police are here on the bronx river southbound investigating this fatal accident. that is the latest.

all right. a quick check of weather right now. taking a look, rainy, 57 the high. tomorrow, clouds move in. the temperature gets a little bit cooler. 51 degrees. the weekend is fabulous. more checks on weather momentarily. back in 30 minutes with another

today, today, today, today is christmas we are back now. it's 8:30 on a thursday morning. it's the 17th day of december, 2015. kind of a dark morning here on the plaza. rain expected. but we're brightening things up with a couple of broadway stars.

annaleigh ashford from the play "sylvia," collecting toys for us this morning. they're the elves of the day. we're going to chat with them in a couple of minutes. >> loob king forward to that. plus, we have a rare christmas miracle. that's right, i'll be baking. don't worry. siri pinter is here and she knows what she's doing. we're making cookies, and we have the cutest helpers. our babies. >> that's cute. also ahead, if you didn't do your shopping for christmas back in july, we have our ultimate gift guide, the biggest ever to finish off everyone on your list. and i'm going to get a chance to pay it forward by doing something for an amazing woman who has really changed my sonic nick's life. >> carson, we'll have your buddy from the "voice" who was crowned the winner in a second. first, we have matthew

stars of "sylvia." >> pleasure. >> matthew, you have to choose between the love of your life and man's best friend. >> all right. it's a tough one. >> how does that go? that's the play, you have to see the play to find out. >> annaleigh, you play the best friend. >> i do. i play a dog. i know, it's crazy, but i do. i'm looking at the sweet dog. maybe i'll get inspiration for tonight. what a cutie. >> you don't have a liver treat, he won't look at you. we can get you something. >> oh, he's so cute. hi. hello. you want to -- he's like, no. >> this is your 12th broadway production, matt, right? we're keeping count here. >> really? >> what brings you back to the stage all the time? >> something to do. >> just a little something. >> no, i really love doing it. you know, i've been lucky enough to get 12 jobs, i guess, now

>> this is your 12th broadway show? >> that's what they say. >> your wife, sarah jessica parker, originated the role. >> that's right. that's correct. >> she's looking for liver treats. >> somebody laz has a treat. >> the facts are correct. >> i'm surprised it's that many. i thought it was maybe nine. >> this is your life. >> yeah. >> i know, that's magical. it's good if you lost count. it means you're fabulous. >> or senile. >> guys, have fun. we want to say for people to go check them out on broadway in "sylvia." thanks for connecting toys this morning. we appreciate it.

al, thanks very much. a brief shot of chill this weekend. that's it. warms up next week. seven-day forecast, today's high 57. rain tapering a off this evening. low 30s tomorrow night. windy day. lots of sunshine sunday. mid-40s. 50s and '60s next week. >> and that is your latest weather. >> al, thank you so much. now to the "voice" on "today." this morning, we have the champion in the house. take a look. >> the winner of the voice is -- jordan smith! >> jordan smith is here. good morning and congratulations. >> congratulations. >> i have to tell you, i have a friend who is a super fan of the "voice" and told me nine weeks ago, i predict it, jordan smith goes all the way. >> that's so kind. >> did you feel good or were you

>> this show has been fun and i had a great time working with adam and the other contestants. it's a creative atmosphere. it didn't hit me until i was on the stanl ge at the finale. i'm in the finale. we were taking it week by week. >> gwen stefani said you don't look like your voice. is that a good thing? >> i think so. i think this whole time, i've been proving that. those things aren't really what happens. last tuesday night, whenever i won the show, it was kind of a big moment for me. i proved to myself, what's on the outside doesn't matter. it's what's in your heart and what you love to do and doing those things. >> we've had front runners on the show before who, you know, were strong all the way down. they've grown fatigued. it was interesting to watch you in the final weeks, you never got nervous. you were stronger. how did you thrive when the pressure was really on? >> i think that it's kind of the type of person i am. i love that pressure. that's what makes me stronger and better. i think just keeping a level

is super important. i think that those are four really strong contestants, myself and the other three. i was proud to be among them. we were a support for each other to the end. >> your parents were the only ones that looked shocked you won. what was it like in your close circle? >> they're so proud and happy. they made so many sacrifices for me to get to this point. for them, it's a huge payoff and they're proud. they saw this in me before i saw it in myself. >> you owe them big time. >> congratulations. >> jordan smith, congratulations. >> he'll be with kathie lee and hoda in a little bit. also ahead, cookies and cuteness. siri and i do a little baking with our babies. checking people off your holiday shopping list. you can't miss our biggest gift guide ever. first, this is "today" on

it is now time for today's hassle free holiday and our biggest gift guide ever. we have so many items we can't fit it in one segment. we're streaming it live at today.com so you can find what we don't get to on the air on our website. lori is the style director at good housekeeping. this gift segment goes from here all the way around the studio. >> we better get started. >> great gift ideas. >> this is the best of the best. the amazon echo. it's a voice-activated information teller. traffic. jokes. it is the gift of the future. $179. >> this looks like something out of my childhood, the view master. >> $30 at target. what you do is put your smartphone in there and they partnered with google cardboard for virtual reality. it's like you're in the

it's so cool. >> vinyls are back. >> throwback thursday gift with a modern flair. this is available at bloomingdales. it plays vinyl and mp3. real cool. >> how much is that? >> $79. >> great. >> i'm obsessed with this, as are many women in the world. the urban decay smoky naked palette. one is sold every 6 seconds. >> are they expensive? >> $54 and they'll last a long time. universally flattering shades. >> why are these shoes so hot? >> don't you love them? they're a little sporty, a little cozy. $50 at jc penney. you can wear them with anything. they appeal to all ages. they're comfortable. love that for the winter. >> these are going to catch a lot of attention because of what they're made of. >> fashion flex. this is the great bag co.

the new it bags. they're $120, very affordable. heat resistant, crash resistant, you can clean them easy and they look amazing. >> talk to me about the glassware. >> matt, everybody loves a gift that feels personalized. these have initials on them. they're from skyros. these are flown from portugal. beautiful something to bring to a house, hostess gift. >> taught about something special. >> "star wars" opening, have you heard about that? >> i haven't heard. >> "star wars" fans. >> indy film. this toaster is available at kohl's. it has a light side and dark side for toast. we love that. also for the little fans with big imaginations, the force really awakens with leg golegos. you can do anything with the millennial falcon. fun for the little ones.

jackson and juliet. jackson is on the brilliant buy sickle -- bicycle. everybody >> everybody said this is the best way to learn to ride the bike. >> no more training wheels. >> i'll pause for a second and tell you we're going to end this on the air right now. we have more gifts to get to so we'll stream live at today.com. coming up next, holiday cookies with the kids. savannah and siri get adorable help in the kitchen. plus, siri will share one of her go-to cookie recipes. first, this is "today" on

welcome, to the simply orange tour. this is our plant. these are our workers. and this, is upper management. but what you won't find around here, is any freezing, flavoring, or concentrating. which brings us to our end product. simply orange. honestly simple. that's just the night watchman. sfx: owl i absolutely love my new york apartment, but the rent is outrageous. good thing geico offers affordable renters insurance. with great coverage it protects my personal belongings should they get damaged, stolen or destroyed. x [doorbell] uh, excuse me. delivery. hey.

szechwan chicken, chopsticks, soy sauce and you got some fortune cookies. have a good one. ah, these small new york apartments... protect your belongings. let geico help you with renters insurance. we're back now. it's 8:44 with more of our holiday cookie swap. i decided to do baking and

we had pint-sized pastry chefs. >> peek a boo. >> we're going to make fudge candy cane cookies. >> to me, the holidays are all about family and home. >> that's a yummy cookie. oh, boy. oh, my gosh, she's putting the whole thing in her mouth. no, no, no. we lost a lot of dough. >> my favorite childhood christmas memory is probably baking with my mom. we would make the same things every year. we'd give them to the same people, the same, you know, plastic tins we'd buy at the drugstore. i'm going to take the butter and put it in here with the sugar.

time i remember us being in cookies. >> the lifesavers, you baked them and it was like candy glass. >> good job. >> baking makes me feel like i can give something of myself to people. >> yeah, yeah. >> these look amazing. >> why were we holding babies? they wouldn't let us put them down. >> we didn't color coordinate well today. >> let's make this reschke. cipe recipe. >> we can make it because we don't have babies. this is flour, baking soda, salt, sour cream, vanilla bean paste. you can use extract. >> that's the secret recipe. >> eggs and sugar. in this mixer, we have butter and sugar. i'll give it a little more of a stir, then we'll put in an egg. >> okay. >> and some vanilla. >> did you say sour cream? >> yes, it's coming in in a second.

you can find it at most markets. >> gives it a little something extra, i think. >> now, over here, we have our dry ingredients. flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. important to whisk them together so everything is incorporated. do you want to add half of that to the mixer? >> yes, i do, siri. >> this is a mixer, savannah, which we couldn't find in her home. >> i'm a mess. >> you were looking in the closet for your mixer. >> i know. oh, boy. >> now, we'll add the sour cream and the rest of the dry ingredients. >> baking, you have to do things in a certain order. why is that? >> it's scientific. it's important that you really follow the directions properly. >> you can't wing it, apparently. >> the ex- next thing i do is chill it so solidify the butter so it doesn't spread. >> how long? >> at least 30 minutes, but overnight if you can. it deepens the flavors of the cookies. use this little scooper.

>> scoop them out. about two inches apart, because they'll spread a little. over here, we have our sugar, which we thought the babies would do well. >> didn't go well. >> we'll roll them in sugar all around. then bake them 12 to 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. >> great. we have 30 seconds. >> fudge brownie candy cane cookies made with brown knee ie mix. >> did you invent brownie mix as cookie? in my mind, you did. >> i'm sure someone else has done it, but it's an easy way to make a chocolate, fudge cookie. >> thank you, my dear. you can get our cookie swap res recipes at today.com. up next, al pays it forward to someone who means a great deal to his family.

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this morning on make your today, it is al's turn to pay it forward. >> thanks so much. when i was asked to pick someone to honor, i didn't have to think twice. it's a woman who means a lot to me and my wife deborah, because she inspires and helps other extremely special person in my life. my amazing boy, nick.

>> reporter: anyone who knows lori will tell you, she defies description. >> what do you think? >> fancy. >> very fancy. >> you have to experience lori. lori is an experience. >> super strong legs. those are super strong. >> reporter: she's an occupational therapist for kids with special needs. >> can you get this undone? >> >> reporter: like my son. she's so much more. >> sometimes as a parent when as many as is wrong with your child, you can freeze because it's overwhelming. to have someone that's not only amazing for your child and to your child, but is an advocate for your child, is a god send. >> use the strong arms. >> reporter: lori started working with nick when he was 3 years old. he's 13 now. >> he didn't talk, couldn't walk. he had very low body core plus musculature musculature. a lot of people were not

his outlook. you know, there was never any of that with lori. >> look at me because i'm the focus point, okay? >> some kids are a 50-piece puzzle. some are 100-piece. some are 150. i think nick was about 150, if i was to look at nick. my heart is so big for him. he's my son. he's a little bigger than me these days, but he is my son. >> beautiful, nick. beautiful. >> reporter: this is her calling. lori knew she wanted to be an occupational therapist since she was in seventh grade. >> their goal was to work in the presence of others with minimal sharing of supplies. >> reporter: this is a student in the '70s, working with students with autism before there was a diagnosis. she was devoted then and is now, helping children reach their developmental milestones.

meeting the benchmarks a 2-year-old should be. this past june, he got his black belt in tie quando. >> reporter: lori doesn't want recognition. >> three, two, one, go. yes! nicely done. >> well, goods ending, right? >> i do this because i believe in the kids. i don't do it for recognition. >> i can honestly say that nick is where he is today because of her help. and for that, i can't thank her enough. >> reporter: but on this day, i wanted to try. i know lori pretty well, and i know she loves two things. running and tennis. specifically, serena williams. current sports illustrated sports person of the year, byflying you and roy down to miami to run in the serena williams foundation 5k to support children coming up in a couple of weeks.

>> for you. >> nick has come so far. >> i know. >> more to go. more to go. >> hi, serena, how are you? >> how are you? >> nice to see you. this is lori. >> how are you? >> nice to meet you. >> reporter: on the day of the run, serena williams did not disappoint. >> little windy, but we are on the water. hopefully the wind will be behind us. >> reporter: the serena williams live ultimate run in miami raises money for the serena williams fund. >> serena williams fund, we help send kids to college. we also build schools in africa and help families affected by violence in communities, like my sister was. it's really exciting for me. >> reporter: and exciting for us to be part of such a special day. >> serena williams run, we're about to get started. >> right now! >> reporter: the race was exhilarating. at least for my wife, deborah.

>> we did it! >> couple of days later. >> reporter: for me, might have another word for it. >> wasn't it fun? >> oh, what a barrel -- we have a different idea of fun. >> reporter: but what's a few aches and pains for a woman who worked nonstop for my child and countless other kids? >> everybody has a lori in their life, they just may not realize it. they could probably make more money doing something else, but they're doing it because they love your child. >> like i say, everybody has a lori in their life. it's easy to assume they know how much they mean to owe, but you, but this is a great time of year so make sure they do. >> reacted to the same moment, she knew she wanted to do it since the seventh grade. amazing. >> it's a calling for her, and she answers the call every day for so many kids in this area. >> what a saint. >> she is. she's a gift. >> incredible.

>> now that he's a black belt -- >> yeah. >> he asked for an allowance. oh, okay. we're back with much more of "today" on a thursday morning

good morning. >> fdny on the 5 line trains between 149 and nevins street. local 125th street. delays. 15 minutes into new york. drizzle this morning. rain heavy this afternoon. 57 for the high. tonight, rain tapers off. it will be 50 degrees.

coming up on the "today" show, author james patterson talks about his new back called "cross justice."

>> announcer: this morning on "today's take," "star wars" mania. the reviews are in. the merchandise is out. the countdown begins to today's opening. then a look at the fun we've had this year with some of hollywood's biggest stars. plus, the newest stocking stuffers from best-selling author james patterson. coming up now. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today's take" with al roker, natalie more or less, ales, willie geist and tamron hall, live from

good morning. thursday, december 17th 20rks 15 , 2015, we're in the middle of the holiday season. chewy. >> here's my sound effects. go ahead. do it again. one more time. there you go. >> isn't he the best? >> amazing, joe. >> thank you. thank you. joe. >> leave it on. >> don't you dare. >> wow. >> a lot of hair in my face now. >> warm in chewy's world. >> amazing. >> what was your jam there? oh, it's gone now. >> the song i love so much. >> this is a jam right here. >> this is a jam we love. >> "star wars: the force awakens" opens in theaters tomorrow, but really tonight. at midnight, you can see earlier screenings in select cities. i think for people who won contests and things like that. we're finally here, guys. >> yeah.

the trailers came out slowly. j.j. would tweet out a picture of the cast at a table read. >> the reviews universally are incredible. >> a lot of nostalgia coming. this one brings back all the characters. we all went to see it, loved it. you know what's interesting this morning, if you're looking for a last-minute gift, there's going to be a lot of people who will get into the "star wars" craze, so i got an e-mail from bed, bath and beyond. i shop all the time. all the craziest things you could buy from "star wars." look at some of these. first, we've got "star wars" -- >> oh, no. >> is that a r2-d2 shower head? >> it's $29.99. my question to you, say you ended up going over to a guy's house for the first time, ended >> on the first date? >> not the first date.

>> this is not the game you're looking for. go back to your business. >> my mother watches this show, natalie. >> sorry. >> if i got married and went to the guy's house after we got married and there was a shower head. >> that's for your 13-year-old. i don't know a 35-year-old is getting that. >> what would you do if you got that? is that a deal breaker? >> is he in the movie "star wars"? if so, we're cool. after we're married, i would take it. >> say this is a toaster on the counter top. when the coast pops up, it pops up with the "star wars" -- >> that's a problem. >> why? >> look at this. you don't have -- you only have toast on one side. it's not really toast. >> the whole thing isn't toasted. >> the back is brown. >> different layers of brown, but it's toast. >> so is my family but it doesn't mean i want a toaster.

have ever said in your life. i got this e-mail from georgetown university. this is fantastic. they actually have a youtube blog where you go on and certain questions like, mind that lep lightsabers and how they work, it's like the actual science and things we say. get ready to nerd out, geek out. they'll answer it. it is absolutely brilliant. >> how does a tractor beam work? >> yeah. it's on youtube. georgetown university. they're like seminars. i don't want you to see what's on there. might be the showerhead. >> we know where you were last night. >> you ask the professors anything, and they answer it. the decoding of "star wars." >> that's cool. >> they are like nerding out. it's amazing. check this out. >> we're all getting our nerd on. >> absolutely. >> whether you like "star wars"

going to, at this point, be a groupie. >> if you google darth vader, donald trump, there is a brilliant mash up, where they've taken the donald -- all the darth vader scenes, stripped out darth vader's voice and put in donald trump from all of his speeches and press conferences. it is brilliant. i think donald trump would love this. >> speaking of -- >> speaking of donald trump, he was on jimmy kimmel last night, on jimmy kimmel live, and admitted to maybe causing just a ripple or two within the gop. >> i would like to see the republican party come together. i've been a little bit divisive in the sense i've been hitting people pretty hard. >> a little bit, yeah. >> so funny. >> a little bit. >> a little divisive. i love jimmy kimmel, who went ahead and read mr. trump a dr. seuss inspired children's book

>> it's very funny. >> here are some frogs i do not like at all. we must kick these frogs out and then build a wall. oh, the places you'll go on your yacht, on your plane, with your suits from milan and your wives from ukraine. oh, the buildings you'll build, the health you'll amass, the people around you all kissing your [ bleep ]. there are two kinds of people. which one will you be? a loser like them? would you like to finish? or a winner -- >> -- like me. >> incredible. >> good stuff. >> you know what else is good? this kid, 9-year-old grace, won a school fundraiser, getting a chance to shoot a half court shot. the situation was at bethany academy in bloomington, minnesota. she was nervous and gave the

it's what you do. >> this was for tuition. $42,000. her mom, angela, first try fell short. then her daughter tried it. here we go. >> beyond i played in sixth grade. beyond that, i'm not sports inclined. >> explanation and boom. >> the underhand. pretty good. third and final try. last one. >> get there. get there. boom! >> she bounced it? >> it was tough. >> it counts. they said, if it doesn't count, we're taking a trip to minnesota to rally for her. >> it was phenomenal and counted. that was like the tuition god. every parent is like, please come together. >> here we go. >> falls short, bounce, right on the line.

>> she needs to be with the globetrotters. >> she was like, was that it or not? >> another great moment on the hard court. this time during the kav cavs-celtics game. the king, lebron james, caught a fan being honored on the jumbotron. aaron miller, a 16-year-old. during the break in the game, he went to meet aaron. aaron, there you go, he's walking over, was born and doctors feared he'd never walk or talk. now, he plays basketball at his high school. apparently, sinks three-pointers. look at that face. >> awe. >> it's surreal. >> lebron said they were in a time-out during the game, looked up and saw the kid's story and surprised the kid. the kid happened to be wearing lebron james' shoes, designed for kids who can't tie their shoes. he had one strap to pull over. after the game, lebron took off his shoes from the game and gave

>> he has been so -- >> he's great. >> during the game, focuses in on fans, goes over and has fun. no matter what with the fans. >> he's a good dude. >> great dude. >> he's a decent actor in "trainwreck." >> better than decent. >> career off the court, too. >> yeah. >> al, how about a look at the weather? >> man is a media mogul. >> various shades of brown like the roker family. >> anyway, let's move along. so we got another storm coming in. it's another day, another storm moving into the pacific northwest. they're going to be looking at heavy rain firing up. we're going to watch this as the day progresses this afternoon. snow is back through the inner mountain of the cascades. costal gales. wind gusts of 60 miles per hour. look at the rainfall amount. some areas, along the coast, upwards of 7 inches of rain. snowfall wise, again, great news

it's going to be good news and even into the sierra, they'll be seeing snow. it's great news for the snow pack and helping with the cloudy this morning. just a little drizzle early. heavier showers noon on. temperatures back into the upper 50s once again. rain tapers to a few showers this evening and ends tonight. a mild start tomorrow. temperatures don't go anywhere tomorrow. colder air, 50. windy and colder at night. mid-40s with sunshine sunday. right back in the 50s and 60s again next week. >> that is your latest weather. >> thank you very much, al. coming up next, the glitz, the glamour, the madness. all the great stars that graced our studio in 2015. we'll have the snow is starting to fall...

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yesterday, we took a personal trip down the memory lane of 2015 and were reminded what happens in studio 1a definitely does not stay in studio 1a. >> today, we want to shine the spotlight on our famous guests and big celebrities who made for a very lively 2015. >> there are days where i look through my phone and all of the celebrity stuff, moments on the phone that we've snapped. it's like, that happened? >> thanks for having me on this. this is the cool hour, right? >> i watch you every morning. >> why is there never anyone in my nightclub? >> not long ago, tamron was doing her pop fix, and a figure comes out of the shadows. >> he's 21 years old, so that makes this legal. >> i took it for every

>> i'm down. >> people that show up, pop up during our weather segments. >> that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in which i say -- chrissy teigen's world. >> in your neck of the woods. >> put the weather up there. >> tsunami. swell here, coming up. it's going to clear up and -- al, i need help, please. take it from here. >> most fun set visit ever was playing a zombie on "the walking dead." >> this will be great if it doesn't come off tomorrow. >> i have nightmares looking at that picture of me. incredible. >> oh, no! on my own once again now

>> come on out. >> yes! >> we had to pity them fools, al. >> this is all worthwhile. >> the al mind and tamron body. >> don't laugh. >> sit right over there. >> i'm an actress, and i'm full of crap. it's early and i'm like -- >> little known fact about gina rodriguez, she also raps. >> likely girl ly ly -- like my girl natalie. >> we expanded our family to include great folks. >> you have a slow pan up your legs. >> oh, yeah. >> i let everybody know the real champ is here. >> john cena is a big guy with a big heart. >> this is the most important part of the year so far. >> who would have thought we'd

mr. roboto >> co-hosting our program. >> ellie kemper. >> not only did i co-host with ellie kemper, jane krakowski, but tina fey showed up. natalie, willie, tamron were not there. >> we dare take a couple days off to be with our beloved family. >> we had to hear about it every single day. >> you want to replace us with them? come on. >> it hurt. >> it was the best show ever. ha, ha! bam! >> good for you, al. one day, i invited jane to come back. it was just the two of us. jane krakowski roller skated out on to the set. >> this is the jane loves willie hour. >> i think i win that one. >> hello, ms. tamron. >> ladies and gentlemen, prince -- >> prince, good morning. >> good morning, all. >> all i need is a horse. >> there we go. >> good to see you. >> thank you. great to be seen.

>> don't i look hot? >> hard to do this while i'm delivering the library book. >> a lot of families are probably cool with this. >> oh! >> there we go. >> i love these lookbacks, but it makes me like, oh, my gosh, life flies before you. >> i know. >> the fun. i'm a debbie downer. >> this is our calling card to get more of these celebs on with us. come on and have some fun. we're the fun hour. >> who is your dream guest? >> we've had so many. i'm not going to -- patty labelle. i wasn't here that day. >> everybody who shows up. >> your dream show is what? >> we already saw that. >> bye, al, you don't need us.

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anything. so we prepare for everything. i knew that if i had ice in my water, it would just be so painful and i couldn't even drink it. i would like almost scoot the ice over and try to sip it very slowly so that it wouldn't trigger the pain. that's when i realized i had to do something. my dentist recommended that i use sensodyne. i think that sensodyne has been great in terms of reducing the sensitivity and pain that i was experiencing. now i can put ice in my water. sensodyne absolutely works, there you have it. hey, you forgot the milk! that's lactaid. right. 100% real milk, just without the lactose. so you can drink all you want... ...with no discomfort? exactly. here, try some... mmm, it is real milk. see? delicious. hoof bump!

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there are eight days until christmas. your stockings have been hung with care. now, it's time to fill them. >> lilliana is here with great stocking stuffers, all for under $30. go rod morning. >> good morning, guys. >> you did our shopping for us. >> i did. i think stockings are my favorite part of christmas traditions. you can have so much fun with them and not spend a lot of money. for the kids, start opening this one. >> sure. i like this, right off the bat. these are great. my son luke would love these. >> those are minions headphones. available at kohl's.com. inside, i think, are also peanuts headphones. if your kids -- those are from target.com. super affordable. every kid loves those. >> great idea. to the "star wars" theme somewhere in here. >> there's something in there "star wars" related, and it could be a head lamp. you look adorable. >> wow. >> that turns on at night and your kids with use it as a reading light or to play in the dark.

>> it's available at amazon.com. how cute is that? >> really cool. >> color roll. ava is showing us this jumbo sized color roll. it's taking coloring books to the next level. design life kids.com. >> i love these. >> willie, for your sweetie. >> thank you. >> let's see what's in there. >> am i your -- oh, no. >> yes, you are. >> that took a turn. >> i know. >> i love these. these are makeup bags. they have all these fun things right there. those are from breakup to makeup.com. if you unzip the bag, you'll find something else for the "star wars" fan. cover girl has done an entire limited edition makeup collection. >> mascara. >> so cute. you can find them at any drugstore drugstore. >> amazing. >> might be -- >> the money disney is making. >> i know. >> something else in your stocking. selfie mirror. for the woman who wants to look

that's from stoptiques.com. now for the pets, al. >> great. >> these are from wildlywald.com. the pet matt. these are dog treats. harrybarker.com. this is for maybe the pet that's not active but you need them to be. a dog lawn treat launcher. >> here we go. >> it went reverse. i shot it at myself. i didn't mean to take it from you. >> we'll figure it out. >> we also have chew toys. >> that was at me. >> all at once. >> you can't forget about the cats. >> one for you, my friend. >> this is for a co-worker. work through there. >> let's see what we found. >> for you.

>> oh, that's so cute, you guys. thank you. adorable. >> lotions and potions, oh, my. >> thank you, guys. happy holidays. >> happy holidays. thank you. coming up, we have a pop culture pop quiz. some of our producers getting in on the action, it's that night of the year you come here. looking for gifts so there won't be tears. eleventh hour shopper...that's you. it's ok because they know you. they're loaded up with gear. an xbox for the children. and a mixer for your dear. no need to shop around for present you've missed it's all here. you're off the naughty list! eleventh hour shopper... that's you! see you next year, buddy! get low prices on all your last-minute gifts. walmart. fact you won't find the brand pharmacists recommend most for cold and flu relief at the shelf. advil cold & sinus is only behind the pharmacy counter. ask your pharmacist for fast, powerful advil cold & sinus. relief doesn't get any better than this.

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good morning. a live look at the brooklyn bridge. 54 degrees at 9:27 this thursday, december 17th. i'm kerry barrett. normal subway service resumed with delays on the 5 and the 6 lines. it had been disrupted by fire department activity. and an investigation into a fatal accident continuing now to block two lanes on the southbound bronx river parkway in yonkers. we are hearing a pedestrian was hit near wakefield avenue. a quick check of the weather. drizzle in the morning.

tonight, rain tapering off, 50 degrees. tomorrow, mild, cloud where, 51. saturday, windy, partly sunny, 42 is the high. coming up on the "today" show, two ladies getting plucked from

taking a look at the headlines. disney is installing metal detecters at the front of all four theme parks. it's also discontinuing the sale of toy guns and will no longer allow kids over the age of 14 to wear costumes. the detecters are going up ahead of tonight's "star wars" premiere at disney springs, sea world orlando and universal orlando will also use metal detecters. the cost of borrowing has gone up. on wednesday, the federal reserve raised interest rates 1/4 of one percent. janet yellen said rates would

if the economy is strong enough. it's bad for borrowers but good for people saving money. promise toward a screening test for ovarian cancer. researchers studied more than 200,000 women for more than a decade in britain and used a blood test to check for a chemical that sometimes is linked toen a earl an early stage of ovarian cancer. it took into account a woman's age and the degree of change in the chemical over time. they were able to calculate a risk force. the study suggested the screening could cut ovarian cancer deaths by 20%. earlier recall of bean bag chairs is being reissued once again. it involved more than 2 million chairs cold between 1995 and 2013. two children have died, suffocating on the foam beads inside. fewer than 1,000 consumers responded to last yaer's ear's recall, and officials fear many of the chairs are still being used by

consumers should contact ace bayou for a free repair kit. triple ginger brew is being recalled from trader joe's, after reports of the bottles exploding. if you have the bottles in your home, trader joe's say to handle it with extreme care and dispose of it in an outside container. they will provide a refund. a nebraska sheriff's deputy jumped to the rescue when a truck driver had a diabetic attack and slumped behind the wheels. authorities followed the truck for 12 miles. that's when the sergeant dashed across the road, jumped in and brought the truck to a stop. let's get a check of the weather from mr. roker. >> nat, we're looking at wet weather for today along the eastern sea board.

in the interiors. high surf advisories along the californian coast. icy conditions and snow in the pacific northwest. western new york, upstate new york, looking at lake-effect snow. some areas could see 18 inches by sunday of snow. that's what's going on around watching rain slowly make its way toward us. early drizzle goes to heavier showers later this afternoon. high temperature 57 degrees. it stays mild. wind northwest tomorrow. that will bring in dryer air. clouds giving way to sunshine. temperature hovers around 50. low 40s saturday. windchills 20s and 30s. right back in the 50s and 60s next week. >> that's your latest weather. we've got our buzzers. we've got our podiums. natalie is making her way down. she has a frightening

>> she's stretching, getting ready for this. everyone working on this show becomes an expert when it comes to pop culture. no one more so than our amazing producers, gavin and kate. they've decided, for some reason, they want to go head to head in a showdown. dylan is here, the only person that can keep us honest. natalie, we're still waiting for natalie. >> she's coming. >> kate, you're at a slight dischang dis disadvantage. >> we don't need it. >> she's here. >> fierce look in her eyes. >> i always wanted to be a game show host, and i forced myself on to the show. we like to pretend we know a lot about pop culture, but it's kate and gavin that know more than us. you're on the buzzer. you guys are window dressingment . i'll read the question. >> if you don't win this, you're fired. >> about right. >> go for it. >> here we go. it's a music question. we're going to listen to a music clip.

roll the clip. >> flashlight, "pitch perfect 2." >> who is singing? it's not part of the question. >> i knew that. >> i'm making things more difficult. >> next question. what film earned the most at the box office this year? >> gavin again. >> "jury rasz assic park." >> "jurassic world." >> bring it here. >> world game show host ever. >> you got this, bro. >> ready? who played ed ed furiosa in the -- >> charlize theron. >> you nailed it. >> come on, gavin. >> pull another one.

who stumbled and fell while performing at the brit awards? >> madonna. >> gavin! >> madonna expert here. >> obvious. >> i wouldn't be proud of that. >> what? come on. >> who played the villain in the latest james bond film? >> christoph waltz. >> very good. >> i didn't know that. >> 2-2? 3-2. i can't see that far. who is cookie's ex-husband in "empire?" >> lucius lion. >> real name. >> she said cookie. >> darn. >> we get it. >> so good. who praised his new wife when he accepted the award at the golden globe s globes? >> george clooney. >> can you name don draper's

daughter in "mad men?" >> sally, from tamron. >> tied up. >> of don draper. >> i don't know. >> yank it. >> come on, dylan. one of the year's biggest films, who said he was polite, intense, smart, really intimidating? in one of the year's biggest films, who said he was polite, intense, smart, really intimidating? >> that's a line from the movie? >> it was in an interview. the actor or actress. >> oh, i know this. i know it. >> think about it. >> pass. >> pass. >> dakota johnson. she said it on our show. >> do we have time for more? >> tie breaker. >> zooey deschenel and her husband gave their daughter -- >> honor.

>> honor -- >> the honor. >> honor control. >> one more! >> elsie. >> who played gary wayne in -- >> jon hamm. >> we win! we win! >> tamron and willie. gavin. >> this is real. >> gavin, nice work.

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challenge, and our three participants who couldn't make it today have nearly completed their mission to get healthy by the new year. tasty treats are at every turn. joy bauer is here to help with a holiday food faceoff. good morning. good to see you all. let's begin with the weigh in. how is everybody doing? >> impressive. mary jean lost another pound. she's down for a total of 33 pounds. >> wow! >> rochelle lost another three pounds. she's down a total of 28 pounds. >> oh, my gosh! congrats, ladies. >> ken is not here. he lost another pound. he's down for a total of 29 pounds. collectively, willie, if you can imagine, they're down 90 pounds. the best part of that is we have donated more than 15,000 meals for people in need. >> you guys are incredible. >> 90 pounds. wow! >> thrilled. >> help us through this holiday

>> we're going to to from station to station, and each one, you're going to take a bell. you'll have a bell. i'm going to ask you a question. the first person who thinks they know the answer, ring the bell and you're going to say what you think the answer is. >> okay. >> for the first question, which one has more calories. is it four buttery crackers topped with cheese, or is it two sliders, or are they even? >> which is more fattening? >> the cheese. >> this is better. >> the sliders are more fattening. 260 calories for the sliders. >> no way! >> about 200 calories for the crackers with the cheese. >> wow. we were wrong. >> i tried to throw you off. that was good. >> we'll go over here. >> pick up your jingles. >> i'll jingle myself here. >> which has more calories.

mini vegetable egg rolls? >> meatballs. >> more calories. >> the egg roll. >> the meet atballs, 350 calories. there's a lot of fatty ground beef with this creamy sauce. >> they look so good until you said that, joy. >> i would have one of each. sometimes they're too good to resist, right? >> i know. >> here we go. ladies, you look amazing. >> now, which has more calories. a quarter cup of regular, traditional spinach art choke dish, or the same amount of cheese fondue, or are they even? >> they're even. >> yes! >> wow. >> even though they sound healthy and, by the way, guys, 300 calories for a quarter cup, not including the chips or the bread. just go easy. pick the one you want. if you can, dip with vegetables. home run.

>> dip with vegetables, okay. >> you're experts now. >> thank you. coming up next, alex cross is back, with best-selling author james patterson. he has three books to tell us about after this. he's a machine. olay regenerist renews from within, plumping surface cells for a dramatic transformation without the need for fillers your concert tee might show your age... your skin never will. olay regenerist.

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a warm sun. lots of water. nutrient rich soil. that's how you grow the best, tastiest vegetables. and that's how you make it progresso. i'm phil mickelson, pro golfer. my psoriatic arthritis caused joint pain. just like my moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. and i was worried about joint damage. my doctor saidr joint pain from ra can be a sign of existingt joint damage that could only get worse. he prescribed enbrel to help relieve pain and help stop further damage. enbrel may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal, events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma, other cancers, nervous system and blood disorders and allergic reactions have occurred. tell your doctor if you've been someplace where fungal infections are common, or if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if you have persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness.

an infection like the flu. joint pain and damage... can go side by side. ask how enbrel can help relieve joint pain and help stop joint damage. enbrel, the number one rheumatologist-prescribed biologic. thank you. thank you, again. pat yourself upon your back. your shopping is done. you ain't no slack. rest at ease it's all ok. you ordered online and got them in the same day. navigate the app at will with incredible digital ninja skills. the holidays could not be better. maybe you have time to knit him a sweater. i don't know maybe a snowman. i could do that. let's get out of here. i'm just thinking. order gifts online and pick them up the same day. walmart. james patterson is one of the most popular authors in the world. he's sold more than 325 million

he holds the guinness world record for the most number one "new york times" best sellers. his stories have been made into tv and big screen motion pictures, including 1 997's "kiss the girl" starring morgan freeman, and alex cross starring tyler perry. justice." new kids out for books, as well. >> you made it, man. i was worried about you. >> i was, too. alex cross, 23rd book in the series. >> yeah. >> and he's maybe going to find his father. maybe. >> wow. >> that's the big question. >> that's one of the things that drives him. it's been a big factor in this series. >> he thought his father was dead, and he gets new information in this book. we'll see where it goes.

watch the tv show, the 26 episodes, "blindside" or whatever. here, there's only one episode a year. that's it. >> that's a great thing. if somebody starts from the beginning with alex cross, they have 23 episodes to read through. >> that's right. >> one of the things i love about you is that, you know, you are one of the -- we've done this series, you know, paying it forward, in a sense, and i love the fact you've been going around giving bonuses to folks at the bookstores. >> i'm trying to draw attention to the fact that we need independent bookstores. we need bookstores and book sellers. we need to honor them. wherever you are, if you're watching this, go into a bookstore and get books for your family. get books for your kids, especially. >> okay. now, you're a prolific writer. you've done so much. you actually have a cameo -- >> practically, i do. alfred hitchcock used to do this, but he was smart and walked in the background.

>> what movie is this? >> it's "middle year, the worst years of my life." it's funny. ferris bueller meets pixar. there's a lot of anima ites patterson's acting debut. >> the manager. >> hello. >> can we keep it down a lot, if you don't mind? you know, this is not chuck e. cheese. >> good talk. can i have another root beer? >> absolutely not. you had enough sugar. >> you stole that from lauren graham. >> i did. i stole it. >> you immediately took it. >> most movies, they'll put the good scenes out. this is the worst scene in the movie. it's very, very funny. they don't usually promote that way, but it's cool they did. >> fantastic. you have the other kid series out. >> "i funny tv" is out.

it better be funny. >> with james patterson, you know it is. merry christmas. good to see you. >> "cross justice"? book it's in bookstores now.

we are back now with jeff kinney, author of "the wimpy kid" series. he's here to announce a donation to our toy drive. we're excited. the train jumped the track and won't move. thank you so much for partnering with us. tell us a little bit about the donation this jeer year. >> we're giving away 10,000 books, including the "wimpy kids" books. >> this is something so many people can appreciate. >> kids read it through age 7 and usually stop around age 13.

good morning. it is 57 degrees outside at 9:57 on this thursday, december 17th. i'm kerry barrett. the drug company ceo who came

raising the price of a life-saving drug is under arrest. he is facing federal securities fraud. it is not connected to hiking the drug to 5,000%. details later today. we'll have the latest on news 4 new york at noon. drizzle. rain becomes a little bit heavier after noon. 57 is the high. tonight, rain tapering off. tomorrow, mild and cloudy. saturday, windy, partly sunny, 52 is the high. coming up on the "today" show with kathie lee and hoda, bobby thomas as travel goodies to keep you comfortable, stylish and hopefully stress three.