good morning, america. breaking right now, the christmas storm that could wreck so many holiday travel plans for millions of americans. snow, high winds, big rains, and thunderstorms. major delays looming on the road and in the air. will you make it home in time for the holiday? new this morning. police on high alert. the new threat this is morning after the two officers were shot execution style, ambushed in their squad car. outranl growing as police blame leaders for inciting the vir violence. lady came in with a child. >> is he choking? >> yes, he's choking. >> parents panic. the hero who rushed in to save their son with only seconds to spare. their emotional reunion caught

on tape. ♪ i'm on top of the world, hey up up and away. 8,000 feet above the ground. balloons, a lawn chair, and a shotgun. shooting the balloons to freefall out of the clouds. we'll go inside his amazing journey. and good morning, america. so everybody here loves the song, loves the movie. that guy did it in real life. >> yeah. >> we'll have more on that. today, the start of the holiday week. a lot the get to. including the new threats to police officers overnight. a lot of people could have trouble getting home for the holidays. >> the weather is the big story. right to it. big storms brewing this morning. could turn out to be a real nightmare for millions just before christmas. rob marciano is tracking it all.

>> colorado. big-time problems across i-70. they're chaining up this morning. it will be a slow go throughout the day. avalanche mitigation will be ongoing. east of the mississippi river wednesday. rain and wind. it will affect the ground and the airports. one team storms up with a southern storm. strong thunderstorms across the south. mostly a rain event. the wind will wreak havoc. some of the storms could be severe in the way of tornadoes and strong winds. over six inches of rain over tallahassee. and two, or three or more inches of rain across the northeast. it will be very wet. difficult to travel. we'll get the latest on the two new york city police

officers killed in the line of duty. vigils and mourning here in new york. fear across the country. linsey davis is on the scene. what we know about the gunman and his last chilling words. >> reporter: good morning, george. police officers in some of our country's largest cities now being urged to take extra precautions. all because of what happened on this street corner in brooklyn, new york, after one man allegedly told two bystanders watch what i'm about to do. police say the ambush happened so fast, officers wenjian liu and rafael ramos never saw their attacker coming. a man identified as 28-year-old ismaaiyl brinsley. he's on a bus to new york. suspected of shooting his former girlfriend earlier that morning. threats posted on instagram. i'm putting wings on pigs today. they take one of ours. let's take two of theirs. making his intentioning very clear with these hashtags.

shoot the police. rip eric gardener. rip mike brown. >> those postings were very anti-police, based on the briefing i had. they would seem to indicate he had a strong bias against police officers. >> reporter: according to the nypd, at 2:37, officers were sitting in their car. brinsley told two bystanders to follow him. and he walked up to the passenger side of the control car, took a shooter's stance, and fired four shots. >> shots fired. >> shots fired. >> reporter: striking both officers in the head at point blank range. s.w.a.t. teams chased him to a nearby subway station. this dramatic video capturing the moment bystanders dropped to the ground in fear. >> get on the floor! >> reporter: police say brinsley then shot himself in the head. he has a long criminal history, with more than a dozen prior

arrests in georgia, ohio, and new york. brooklyn residents and police united in their grief, mourning the loss of the two officers. liu on the job for seven years. just got married a few months ago. ramos, a husband and father of two. one of his sons posting this, today, i had to say bye to my father. he was the best father i could ask for. it's horrible that someone gets shot dead just for being a police officer. in an exclusive statement, brinsley's mother said her son was a troubled young manned and his life was spiralling out of control. what started out as a few flower yesterday, a massive vigil for the two fallen officers today. george? >> a lot of support for the police. the killings have widened a rift between the major and the police force. many feel he failed to back them up during anti-police protests.

police departments all across the country are ramping up security. pierre thomas joins us with the latest. >> reporter: good mornings, george. today, around the country, police on high alert. those deaths come at a time when officers are being killed at a disturbing pace. from new york city to boston, baltimore and new jersey. police leaders and unions putting officers on high alert and urging extra caution fearing they could be targeted and ambushed. in the wake of the shoots of two of new york's finest, some turning their backs on new york mayor bill deblasio. anger fueled but the feeling that he and eric holder haven't been supporting police enough over the michael brown and eric garner cases. >> there is blood on many hands tonight.

the blood on the hands starts on the steps of city hall. in the office of the mayor. >> reporter: nornew york's form goferer tweeted. holder, who called the assassinations an unspeakable act of barbarism didn't respond to the governor. >> we stand with the police department. no one has ever given up on the police department or said we were anti-police department. >> reporter: the killing of the nypd sters comes at a tense moment. new statistics on police deaths show that compared to last year, officers killed in the line of duty surged by 23% with those killed by fire arms up a staggering 58%. just hours after the police were cu killed in new york, an officer was killed in florida. the family of slain officer

ramos says major deblasio is welcome at the funeral. he did contact officer -- commissioner ramsey from philadelphia and said, look, everything needs to be gun to heal these wounds. >> pierre thomas, thank you very much. new developments in the massive sony hack attack. north korea accusing the obama administration of being behind the making of the movie "the interview." abc's tom llamas is here with the latest. >> reporter: lara, good morning to you. sony says they will release the movie "the interview" in some form. this as the cyberattack escalating to an international incident and the hackers apparently mocking the fbi. long proclaiming its innocence, north korea is now saying they

know who did hack sony. president obama. the claim made on state-run tv one day after the u.s. publicly accused the communist country of coordinating the sony cyberattack. a government spokesman talking about targeting the white house, the pentagon, all of mainland usa, if the u.s. does not agre t to a joint investigation with the north koreans. >> i don't think it was an act of war. i think it was an act of cybervandalism that was costly, expensive. >> reporter: the administration reviewing with whether or not to put korea back on its list of state-sponsored terrorism. >> if the united states retaliates, there will be retributi retribution. >> reporter: over the weekend, the hackers taunting the fbi with a new message sent to the

hal hollywood reporter. the new message links to this, you are an idiot. >> they're mocking the fbi, congratulating them on the effort to find who they are. >> reporter: the hollywood reporter couldn't verify the e authenticity of the e-mail. sony says they are exploring ways to distribute "the interview." so far, no details. today, north korea is refusing to participate in a discussion about its human rights record. we want to turn to paula faris with today's other top stories. good morning, paula. >> good morning to you. frightening moments at a football game. a terrifying ordeal for fans leaving an nfl game in tampa. a bolt of lightning struck the parking lot, injuring 11 people. nobody was hit directly. others were injured by flying rocks and debris while one man

was knocked unconscious. >> they were all on the ground. people put blankets and jackets over them so they didn't go into shock. >> the lightning hit that woman's suv. one of the top stars in college football has been cleared of sexual assault allegations after a school conduct hearing. an arbitrator saying there's not enough evidence to show that jameis winston violated florida state's code of conduct. the woman accusing him has the right to appeal. he's never answered questions about exactly what happened two years ago. a new clue in the search for a missing fl ining philadelphia student. shane montgomery's keys were found in a river. he was last seen in a parking lot on the banks of that river. the clock is ticking for all your last-minute holiday shoppers. about 72 hours remaining.

stores are making changing to accommodate that final frenzy. the final push. shipping companies are bracing for a record crush of traffic. ma mara schiavocampo is here with more. >> reporter: you're running out of time to shop and ship. the procrastinating might help you score great deal. christmas countdown. black friday and supersaturday in the rearview mirror, and just three days until christmas, last-minute shoppers are rushing to get those gifts this morning. luckily, some retailers are offering marathon hours, perfect for procrastinators. kohl's staying open around the clock. 24 hours each day through christmas eve. macy's open from 7:00 a.m. until midnight until christmas eve. toys "r" us, j.c. penney and target also offering extended

hours. >> a lot of retailers know you haven't gotten your gifts yet. they'll be putting out big deals. >> reporter: it's not just the buying. there's shipping, too. today, u.p.s. expects to deliver 34 million packages and their busiest day of the year. deadlines for christmas delivery are fast approaching. tuesday is the last day for postal service express shipping. today is the last date for walmart.com's rush shipping and amaz amazon's two-day shipping, which is free for prime members. good news for those superlast-minute shoppers. in some major cities, amazon is offering free same-day delivery on christmas eve for orders placed by 10:00 a.m. great service for people like me. paula? >> is anybody selling a christmas miracle? probably not. that's what i need. finally, can you imagine for a moment, a lottery jackpot worth almost $3 billion, with a

"b," dollars. they don't have to imagine today. they held the annual el gordo. that means the fat one. it's tradition that children sing the winning numbers on live tv. during today's drawing, one of the girls starting crying. people starting clapping to get her through it. to make her feel better. can you imagine the pressure? with nearly $3 billion at stake. every human being in spain was watching that drawing. no word yet on the number of winning tickets. >> sis it too late to buy a ticket? >> it's shared by many. >> great christmas gift. a lot of people give lottery tickets for christmas gifts. >> i think that's great gift. >> it ends up usually being a bad gift. but it's fun. >> i'm fine with sharing $3 billion. it's okay.

>> very generous of you. we're going to move on to lindsey vonn, facing a new accident this morning after a ski accident this weekend. it happened after two knee operations and her trying to make a comeback to the slopes. >> she is back. >> reporter: it was a return to action that seemed impossible just a year ago. 30-year-old lindsey vonn speeding through a super g race in if french alps on saturday. >> lindsey vonn is back. >> reporter: putting her on the verge of tying the record for world cup race wins. the past two years have been an uphill battle for the downhill darling. the gold medal winner forced to the sidelines following a series of devastating crashes and a recurring knee injury. putting her career in question. now just four races back, she nearly tied the world cup record on sunday when her luck took a turn yet again. >> oh, trouble and vonn is down! >> reporter: her troublesome

right knee was uninjured. her improbable comeback still on track. >> she's off the cookie. she's fearless. wants to get back on the mountain and race as fast as she can. >> reporter: the superstar skier crediting boyfriend tiger woods with helping her get back to her best. >> your will is the most powerful thing that you have. >> reporter: she'll be back in competition herbally next month. gunning for a chance to rewrite history yet again. for "good morning america," neal karlinsky, abc news, los angeles. also an incredible rescue story. a high school freshman attacked by a bear, draking her by her leg until he was saved by the family dog. matt gutman with the story. >> reporter: 15-year-old leah reerd is walking her dog, ralph, near her home in east point, florida, just after 6:00 p.m. >> she seen ralph get antsy and start barking. when she looked up, it was just

black. the bear was on top of her. started attacking her. drug her into the ditch. >> reporter: as the bear bit her leg and dragged her off the road, reeder's mom said her daughter tried screaming for help. when no one came, she tried playing dead. that's when ralph stepped in. lunging at the bear. despite serious injuries to her legs, back, neck, and face. she was able to walk to her father's house a block away before going to the hospital where she underwent surgery. reerd's mom said she alerted wild life officials in the past about the number of bears in east point but to no avail. >> one of the men told me, until these bears take someone, they could do nothing. i said that's ashame someone

will have to lose their lives before ya'all do something. >> reporter: this morning, her family is thankful she didn't become unlucky number seven. for "good morning america," matt gutman, abc news, miami. >> the big debate here, when to play dead and when to run like the wind? >> a very crucial distinction. >> we don't want to make z-- >> i got loud with a black bear once. he looked at me and laughed. first off, big winds. santa anas. over 80 miles an hour in the montecito hills. a 40-mile-an-hour range. it will be mild. the plus side here. it will be dry. 71 in vegas. a little bit of moisture up the east coast. freezing rain advisories for parts of virginia.

43 and a sprinkle of a flurry here in new york city. your local forecast, 30 seconds away. >> >> reporter: good morning i'm meteorologist karen rogers it is 31 degrees we're dry right now. let's go outside. it is cold out there, that's for sure. we see lots of clouds. let's check the exclusive accuweather seven-day forecast, cloud skies today damp and showers building in especially later this afternoon and evening, not terribly wet. 4 # degrees is the high. tomorrow, mild, on and off

showers and drizzle. 52 is the high. wednesday, high 61. wet and dreary. manhunt. new developments in the search for a gunman who shot a tv weatherman. the new way police are trying to track the suspect. a dramatic rescue for a 3-year-old boy. a hero who rushed in to save his life. billions spent on the gift cards. why they could wind up costing you more than you expect. sweetie, i'd love a hazelnut.

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>> good morning, we have breaking news coming to us from the fern rock section of philadelphia. the action cam was on the 700 block of west chew avenue where police have taken a person into custody in connection with a possible abduction.

officers found an injured person who was taken to the hospital. that person said he or she has been abducted. we're still gathering information on this one, stick with "action news" and 6abc.com for the latest on this breaking news. 7:26 monday, december 22. i'm tamala edwards let's find out what's going on in traffic with matt pellman. good morning. >> reporter: lots of lucky people enjoying this holiday week off from work. but we have delays on the schuylkill expressway. from mcto the south street where a -- montgomery drive to south street where a vehicle cleared. no delays on the westbound turnpike, which is good news. we're watching a crash at bristol bucks county bristol pike. overturned vehicle accident 295 northbound mercer county is gone, delays thinning there. >> let's head outside to karen rogers, it's warming up, but

getting wet out there. >> reporter: let's take a look the at the numbers, 22 in reading, 23 in wilmington. 24 degrees that's the temperature not the windchill in millville. 31 in the city. cloud skies and showers coming through, 43. tuesday, mild and showers, 52. the wettest day is wednesday. >> we'll be ready. thank you, karen. that's it for "action news," we'll send you back to "g.m.a."

you know, i have one simple request. and that is to have sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads. >> dr. evil. sara haines has seen it three times in the last five minutes. laughed every single time. >> how can you not? >> i have the same wish myself. >> a big comeback for mike meyers over the weekend. brought back dr. evil. we'll tell you all about it. trending big online right now. as we say good morning, america. >> come on. give it to us. >> dr. evil. >> amazing. also on this show, a dramatic rescue caught on camera. a 3-year-old boy choking on a jawbreaker the size of a quarter, his mom rushing for help. and the off-duty sety hero who

him just in time. a big present. gift cards. they could be costing you and the person you're giving them to. and then listen up. ♪ we wish you a merry christmas we wish you a merry christmas and happy new year ♪ >> they're the a cappella group that ariana grande brought to our attention. we have them live. we're going get the latest on the mysterious shooting of a meteorologist in texas. shot numerous times outside his tv station. he's lucky to be alive. ryan owens has the story. >> reporter: more than 100 tips have poured in since police released this sketch of the gunman they say tried to kill

texas weatherman tath patrick crawford. this morning, police still don't have the shooter or the motive. >> whether this is random act of violence or a personal act, we don't know. >> reporter: he was shot repeatedly as he got into his car wednesday morning in the parking lot of kcen-tv near waco, texas. >> he said, i've been shot. please help me. >> reporter: he drived his car far enough to flag down a good samaritan who went to work. >> i went and got some paper towels out of hi truck and we held them on his wounds. five, six minutes later state troopers showed up. >> reporter: he's recovering at this hospital. at his side? his wife, haertheart heather, a meteorologist at this station. >> not causing a problem right now. >> reporter: he's met with police. he insists he does not know the

man who shot him. neither, it seems, does anyone else at the station. >> we're going to do everything we can to help the police find this person. >> for him to be out there, nobody knows where he went. it's frustrating. >> reporter: and frustrating for fl police, too. they offered a $5,000 reward. this morning, it's doubled to $10,000, after an anonymous donation. perhaps money will help solve the mystery. of who wanted the weatherman dead. and why. for "good morning america," ryan owens, abc news, dallas. watch this video. a 3-year-old boy nearly choking to death on a piece of candy as hi mother desperately tries to get him help. there's a happy ending. a police officer arrived just in the nick of time. david right is with us with the story. >> reporter: so much talk about police body cameras these past few months. these are the little cameras

that police wear on their chests. this amazing scene was captured on one of them. the officer didn't hit the record button. a 3-year-old boy upside down on a police officer's knee and choking to death. >> you okay? >> reporter: accidentally turns on the officer's body camera as the officer struggles to save him. >> 911, somewhat the emergency? >> this is ray calling -- green valley groceries 24, i need an balan ambulance. >> yes, what's going on? >> reporter: the cashier called 911 after two panicked parents rushed into his store in nevada with their son. >> lady came in with a child. is he choking? yes, he's choking. >> it was just scary. >> reporter: little damian was se semiconscious, choking on a candy. quinn averitt, an off-duty

officer, was a block away when he got the call. >> i took him from his father. put him on my knee. did a reverse heimlich maneuver. come on, buddy. you okay? you okay? >> reporter: you may not be able to see the jawbreaker pop out. you can hear the relief. >> is he breathing? >> is he -- he's breathing. >> reporter: days later, at the police station, an emotional reunion. >> when i saw him, i just started crying. >> reporter: damian's family got to thank the man who saved his life. >> she cried. i cried a little bit. >> reporter: next month, the police department and city council will honor the officer with a life-saving award. damian, his brother, and their parents will be there. >> it was a good ending. happy ending. that my son is still with me.

>> reporter: after the police officer stabilized the boy, the paramedics arrived. they determined the boy didn't have to be hospitalized. the police department there only got the body cameras a few weeks ago, like so many other police departments in response to ferguson. litted did they know it would capture a scene like this. >> just great thinking. what a nice story. great ending. thank you, david. i want to get to rob for the >> reporter: we start you off not far from the spot where a lightning strike sent people to the hospital in tampa. flash-flood watch in effect in tallahassee. thunderstorms coming in off the gulf riding the warm front. another system behind will get strengthening. tomorrow will be a flood threat but a severe weather day, as well. you could see isolated tornados and damaging winds. we have snow in the rockies,

rapid city up through minneapolis, maybe chicago down through saint louis. you'll have to head north to the mountains if you want a white christmas. 77 degrees in had an honolulu. >> reporter: bundle up it's cold out here with many spots in the 20s. 43 is the high today. we'll have cloudy skies it will be damp especially late this afternoon and evening when we get a few showers moving through. tomorrow, mild with showers. lam. i'm going to go -- >> you're mean. >> more of a slide, rob. thank you. coming up, big health alert for parent this is morning. how fast food could impact how your kids do in school? "gma" on the lookout. so many people getting gift cards. they could end up costing you money. hey rich, what's that in your hand?

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we're back now at 7:41 with "gma" on the lookout. today, the pitfalls of gift cards. so convenient. but they do have drawbacks, including fees, that could chip away at their value. gio benitez is here with more. >> reporter: this will make your jaw drop. more than $44 million in gift cards have gone totally unspent

in the last six years. just one of the fact this is morning as "gma" goes "on the lookout." waited until the last minute physical tfor the holiday shopping? you may be tempted by gift cards. an estimated $32 billion in gift cards are being bought right now. the average person, spending 174 bucks on these plastic gifts. this morning, what you might not know is these gifts could cost you and the person you're giving it to. >> gift cards have all of the is doed a sanction of money and none of the advantages. >> reporter: the thing not on your list wish? purchase fees. paying money for money. gift cards affiliated with credit card companies instead of stores have an up-front fee just to buy it. the people are in business to make money. >> reporter: next, dor nancy sees on some of those cards.

if the recipient doesn't use it after a certain amount of time, the fees chip away at the value. >> a monthly fee for doing nothing except keeping track of the fact that you have this card out there. >> reporter: and in many cases no fraud protection. if someone steals the card number, you're out of luck. add-your-own-value gift cards with a perfect target for thieves. they can drain its value before you even get home. still, the national retail federation telling abc news, gift cards are the perfect practical gift. so, here are some big tips. know your card's fees. make sure you keep the receipt. when you're buying the gift cards, try going for the ones that are a little hidel, not out in the open. those are less likely to be tampered with if they're hidden.

i go for the farthest ones back. >> he goes for the ones in the back for his 12-year-old sister. >> gio still believes in santa claus. >> i have a 12-year-old sister. >> everybody does. >> santa's busy right now. the elves are working hard. >> yes, and we move on. could the secret to sleeping better be on youtube? please say yes. the surprising thing for so many. and the real life "up." a lawn chair, balloons, 8,000 feet up. >> normal. totally normal. are full of surprises. that's why, whenever the need arises... walgreens is always right around the corner, so you can get in and out in no time. and help keep the magic in your holidays.

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♪ i'm on top of the world, hey we're back with the incredible stunt, straight out of the movie "up." carried by 100 colorful balloons. t.j. holmes has it all in the social square. >> we've done a lot of these videos of stunts. this is the first one you feel compelled to give this disclaimer to viewers. don't try this at home. he used readily available items. the lawn chair. the balloons. to get back down, that's where the shotgun comes in. one rickety old lawn chair. >> all: three, two, one.

>> reporter: 90 helium balloons. >> i'm doing it. this is crazy. >> reporter: and one heck of a view. >> nice up here. >> reporter: that's renowned daredevil erik roner soaring with the lift power of the balloons. >> it's like that childhood dream. >> reporter: it might look like a scene from the movie "up." roner has a long way down. 8,000 feet. >> it was scary. >> reporter: just about the last sound you want to hear up there -- so what now? he pulls out a shotgun to speed up the plummeting process. and then -- >> three, two, one, later. >> reporter: pretty cool for a guy free-falling like a rocket to earth. just when you think he's about to go splat -- he pulls his parachute and pulls off what e calls one of his favorite stunts yet. >> that was big! >> kind of like the dream of flying. can that stully happen?

the reality of it pulling it off was surreal for me. >> reporter: high praise when you consider some of his greatest hits. from b.a.s.e. jumping in switzerland to skiing in chile, he can't seem to keep his head out of the clouds and his feet on the ground. you all ask the strangest question. the lawn chair? who cares. the balloons aren't the regular latex. >> don't you have to yell, fore! heads-up! your chair is falling. >> you all missed the point. >> the b.b. gun. >> don't run with scissors. don't fly with bchlt .b. guns. >> we're not paying the guy the right respect. zlmplgts could fast food affect how your children are performing in school? some health news every parent

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still ahead on "gma," amazing transformationings for two people who lost half their size. and then listen up.

>> good morning, 7:56 monday, december 22. i'm tamala edwards. let's see what traffic looks like out there, let's go over to matt pellman looking at 202. >> reporter: a holiday gift for our friends driving 202, a new traffic pattern on the northbound side past the 30 bypass, toward 401. you're moving on smoother pavement. there's a little bit of a backlog getting into the work zone. we have delays in normal spots, lighter than normal this morning. we have a crash at 56th and chestnut. possibly involved a school bus.

we have a wreck on the ramp 209 to 42. we have an accident at bristol pike and one in solely bury bucks -- solbury bucks county and route 13 shuttle busing between mount mariah and yeadon. >> let's go outside to karen rogers. >> reporter: it's at the freezing mark in allentown. 24 in reading, 20 in lancaster, 24 in wilmington and millville. 32 on the boardwalk in ac. 34 in trenton. it's a cold start to the day. today we'll see mostly cloudy skies. it will be damp this afternoon and evening. we'll get showers moving through. 43 is the high. temperatures this afternoon where they should be. tomorrow, mild, 52 showers and drizzle on and off through the day. wednesday is a stormy day, wet

and windy, tam. >> need some inspiration to get going on new year's resolutions, "g.m.a." have people who lost quite a bit of weight. we'll see you in 30.

good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. and a new warning for parents. could feeding your children fast food affect their performance in school? what you need to know right now. ♪ it's not about the money and santa-sized deal. the secret to saving money. how you can make every dollar count. and dr. evil is back. >> i'm about to take you the school. >> mike meyers' most memorable role. nothing is off limits. ♪ we are family and "gma" home for the holidays. we're making wishes come true. reuniting families against all odds. ♪ goodness and love and they're the group discovered by ariana grande,

wowing us with their harmonies. ♪ the first noel the angels did say ♪ >> now, they're singing us into this monday as we say -- ♪ good morning good morning good morning good morning america ♪ >> they're good. and everybody's getting into the christmas spirit out there in times square this morning. ♪ and heaven and nature sing heaven and nature sing and let heaven and nature sing ♪ ♪ sing ♪ sing >> wow. joy to the world from re-sound.

that a cappella group. so great. >> terrific. >> cannot step on that. ariana grande has a great ear. she introduced them to the world. >> they're loving every minute of it. they were switching songs. they're naturals. they got this. also coming up, two incredible transformations. we'll introduce you to two people who lost half their size. this morning, they'll let you know how they did it and hopefully inspire you. first, paula faris has some news. >> good morning to both of you. we begin with police across the country on high alert this morning after the deadly ambush on two new york city police officers. officers in new york now patrolling the streets only in paris. and police in other large cities being warned to wear bullet-proof vests. a memorial is growing in brooklyn where the officers were doned down. the killer, ismaaiyl brinsley, taking his own life moments

later. today, police wiare expected to talk to his ex-girlfriend, who hi sh he shot before the ambush. over the weekend, officers physically turned their backs on new york's mayor, a sign of that widening rift after the mayor offered words of support to the pro testers. and new fallout from the cyberattack against sony. the owe bah many administration is now considering whether to put north korea back on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. that follows new threats from north korea claiming it will strike the white house, pentagon, and the whole u.s. mainland unless president obama agrees to a joint investigation of the sony hacking. meantime, sony is promising to release "the interview" in some form. and father and his two young

sons have survived 11 days lost in the brutal wilderness in the australian outback. they took a wrong turn in their suv and got stuck with temperatures hitting 100 degrees. steven collected rain water to hydrate those boys, ages 5 and 7, until a local farmer stumbled upon them on sunday. cleanup getting under way after this dramatic implosion. down she goes. took down part of the stadium on the campus of texas a&m university. it only took a few thousand pounds of explosives to clear the way for a $450 million expansion project. and finally, a very special birthday wish for kolo, the gorilla. she's livered longer than any gorilla on record. known as the queen of ohio's columbus zoo, her birthday bash is shaping up to be a royal

fete. the queen will nosh on a cake made of peanut butter. the average life span for a gorilla is 37. but kolo is 58 today. that's about 116 in hir gorilla years. she's a mate ree ark. she doesn't look a day over 37. >> happy birthday, kolo. we have a health warning for parents newspaper a new study linking fast food to slow progress in school. what's the connection? >> we have known for a long time that fast food is probably not great for the waistline. this is one of the first studies that tried to make a connection between kids who ate fast food and their intellectual development.

the kids who ate the most fast food had the slowest academic development across all subjects, reading, math, and science. >> so what's the link? >> this study was based on observation and evaluation. fast food typically tends to be high in calories, added sugars, saturated fats. low if nutrients. nutrients that we need and a growing child's brain needs like iron. they definitely need to study it more. >> we'll get a lot more on that. thank you for coming in, jen. >> you bet. pop news and weather coming up. sara, you're going to the social square? >> i am. where was my cue to move. dr. evil making a comeback. and last-minute holiday presents, tips and trax you can use starting this morning. and the surprising secret to

sleeping better. it's on youtube. and millions are watching. bring on the cold. all copping up here live on "gma." as we're getting into the christmas spirit this morning. ♪ we bring to you i've had moderate to severe plaque psoriasis most my life. but that hasn't stopped me from modeling. my doctor told me about stelara®. it helps keep my skin clearer. with only 4 doses a year after 2 starter doses... ... stelara® helps me be in season. stelara® may lower your ability to fight infections and increase your risk of infections. some serious infections require hospitalization. before starting stelara®... ...your doctor should test for tuberculosis. stelara® may increase your risk of cancer. always tell your doctor if you have any sign of infection, have had cancer, or if you develop any new skin growths. do not take stelara® if you are allergic to stelara® or any of its ingredients. alert your doctor of new or worsening problems including headaches, seizures, confusion and vision problems- these may be signs of a rare, potentially fatal brain condition. serious allergic reactions can occur.

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this weekend. he returned as dr. evil, sharing his thoughts on the sony hacking scandal. >> why pick on sony? nay haven't had a sit since the walkman. >> i loved that line. i might still have a walkman. nothing was off limits. taking on north korea, sony, and the hackers. one amazing appearance. >> yeah, baby. >> not surprising when you can get a little dr. evil. who haed edhad a walkman here g? >> i still have mine. >> remember how bad the earphones were. >> but they were comfortable. >> that was your idea of comfort? >> he also has fanny pack. >> i forget who we're talking to. can you feel the love tonight. sir elton john and his partner, david furnish certainly did on sunday. they tied the snot inviting everyone on the internet to join

in the fun. elton john sharing photos of the special day on his instagram kmt. like this snapshot of the happy couple signing their wedding papers. the moment they exchanged vows. this sweet photo of their son, elijah. the beguests posting photos. elizabeth hurley sharing this shot. all with the hashtag share the love. >> those were guests? >> you do it on social media you're choosing the moment and the angles. and finally, in case you hadn't heard, winter is coming. this kitty may have gotten the memo about the big christmas storm. check out the pictures of the cat experiencing snow for the first time. so far, a little surprised, like, it's a little chilly out here. now we move on. then it starts to realize what is actually happening. and this is my favorite, the

look of utter despair. as the kit tty realizes she haso make the journey through the snow. that's how we look. >> grumpy cat's cousin. >> the snow just blended in. >> i thought those were natural boots. she's acting like she's all shocked. you wear a fur coat every day. let the rest of us get crazy. >> and we are. thank you, sara. heat index coming up. let's go to rob for some weather. >> a chill hi day out here pip assume you traveled in from somewhere. from where? >> texas. >> how was the >> fantastic. >> they're here safely. we'll start you off with the travel forecast. wedn >> reporter: if you're traffic sh traveling by air, green on the maps that's good, atlanta and new york, we're hoping for no major delays, we through it on there for color and festivities. speaking of festivities, we have

the chiwetel ejiofor --oo choo . that's a look at the national outlet look. here's what's happening locally. >> reporter: good morning, i'm meteorologist karen rogers, we're in the low 30s in the suburbs, 42 in the city. 43 is the high, tomorrow, mild, showers around, on and off drizzle and showers through the day. 52 is the high. wednesday is a wet day, windy, too, gusts up to 40 or 0 miles per hour. 61 for the high. christmas day is windy, cooler, dry, 54. wearing them. everybody's wearing them. i just try to fit in. the story of my life. first up in the "heat index" new year's is right around the

corner. a loft us will make resolutions. a lot of them will involve getting into shape. in a moment, we'll introduce you to two people who took that change. they're featured in "people" magazine's half their size issue. here's their story. for 25-year-old connor, weight has been a life long struggle. >> i knew i was overweight when i was 6 years old. >> reporter: a chronic overeater. she dieted for the first time in third grade. >> i would eat continuously. >> reporter: and in eighth grade, she weighed over 200 pounds. >> i would snack on chips, cookies, candy. anything that i could find. >> reporter: tipping the scales at 271 pounds after her freshman year of college, she knew she had to do something. >> i looked in the mirror and said, i'm done being overweight. >> reporter: for 40-year-old mark brian, weight didn't become a problem until later in life. >> i graduated from high school, 185 pounds.

the next dwreerns, i gained about 250. >> reporter: he didn't exercise discipline when it came to eating. his weight climbing to 442. >> lunch would be a couple of hamburgers, a large fry. a shake. dinner, a pizza. >> reporter: he went to the hospital with chest pains. >> the doctors said you're having an anxiety attack. they said, if you don't change your way you won't live to see your daughters get married. >> reporter: that motivated bryant to change his life and get moving. okay, so you just saw connor. she weighed 271 pounds. now she weighs 141. a weight loss of 130 pounds. conner, come on out. i mean -- i'm going talk to you more in a minute. tell everybody, when you look at the old you. look at the monitors, see new you, what goes through your mind? >> i'm happier. i can be myself without this

covering me up. i thing that's the best thing about. >> love your smile. can't wait to hear more. now we're going meet mark. he was 442. now 181. that's 261 pounds lost. i can't even say it. when you see him, you won't believe it. get on out here, mark. you look fantastic. what do your kids say when they see you now? >> when they were younger, they didn't really know me as this guy. they see these pick dhurs and are like, who is that? >> a distapt memory. first, zoey, i want to talk yo you. the features director for "people" magazine. what appeals to you about mark and conner's story? >> it's that they lost so much weight in a healthy way. no dgimmicks, no surgery. eating right and exercise. >> i can't believe, conner,

you're okay with saying, yeah, this was an old meal for me. you would eat flee plates of this. >> i would indulge. i loved it. it was my go-to. >> and now, you can feel satisfied with just broccoli, pasta, a little bit of cream in there? >> it's whole waet pasta. i grind cottage cheese. it acts as the alfredo sauns. sauce. >> do you have a mantra? >> one day at a time. the small vikt ctories lead to big results. >> mark? the whole pizza and that ice cream? >> yes. that looks tempting. >> what do you say when you're now eating this? how do you get the gratification? i think that's what people can take away? mgts it didn't go from this to

this overnight. it was gradual. that went there half a pizza over to this. over a course of a lot of time. it's delicious. it's something i crave. >> i'm sure you're still tempted. the stories are incredible. check out "people" magazine. zoery, thank you. "people" son stands right now. half their size. and they really, really are, george. >> we're amazed. you guys look fantastic. christmas just days away. so many people scrambling to get the last-minute needs. becky worley on how you can get the things at the dollar store. >> reporter: money flies away. to keep the cash in your wallet, how about some hacks from the dollar store. hack number one. holiday basics. way cheaper here. 20 christmas card farce dollar? yes. and then the decorations.

wow, there is a lot of holiday stuff in these stores. lisa quinn offers hack number two. >> what you're looking for is a color scheme. >> reporter: combine metallics and add accepts. >> for a buck. >> reporter: for a buck. this is a parmesan cheikher. with metallic balls and the l.e.d. bulk cut out of the candle, boom. a table decoration. i found that idea on pinterest. hack number three. hack number four, combine items. mason jar, plus nail items equals pedicure in a jar. there's a healthy snack stash. for a colleague. compared to the grocery store, a dollar for these nuts? that's a steal. baking pan, three paris of sox, pom-pom. sock cupcakes. the spa container. and a loofah. the thing about the sma basket,

you want to get treats. not things that are too personal. final hacks, combining dollar store items with things from home. >> seventh grade summer camp. string art. >> reporter: as you try to keep the greenbacks from flying away, the dollar store may be your best holiday hope. for "good morning america," becky worley, abc news, oakland, california. >> hey, when you're desperate. >> or creative. your strong point. not so much over here. >> no creativity from the book ends at this table. an unusual story to share. next up on "the gma heat index." the youtube star who has made a name for her because of her whisper. her voice helps her fans sleep. curbs depression. >> hello. this is marie again with you.

>> reporter: a youtube sensation. millions watching maria fold towels. flip damageses. or tap her wooding brush. her fans hanging on her every quiet word. >> unique soft voices. >> reporter: a whisper feels intimate. >> it is. it almost sounds like you're part of something secret. >> reporter: what the secret? why would anyone want to watch this? >> it puts you in this yeuphori, like bubbly in your head. >> reporter: she's driming autonomous sensory meridian response. for people like her, there are certain sounds or images that trigger a sub lime sensation. do you explain this to people at a cocktail party? >> most of the time, i give them a video to watch.

>> reporter: this video of her pretepiding to be a mup artist. >> one cheek, it feels very, very realistic. >> they claim some powerful results. but, again, this is untested. it's unvalidated. and it's really largely unresearched. >> reporter: now yet there are more than 1 million videos designed to trigger the asmr response. >> thank you. >> reporter: maria says it's her turn to help others after the videos helped her destress and overcome depression. >> i'm trying to break the barriers of the tcamera. >> reporter: for "good morning america," bazi kanani, abc news, washington. >> quit screaming, bazi. >> you're creeped out. i'm relaxed. >> the turning of the page sound, that was, i did find myself lulled. >> water.

i don't want a whispering voice, too. >> sara, you fall asleep when i talk, right? >> most of the time. we have a big holiday reunion. "gma" home for the holidays. two sisters are going to see each other again.

y. >> good morning , it is 8:27, december 22. let's look is at the traffic with matt pellman. >> reporter: we have a situation involving two school with busesa downed pole at 56th and chestnut. police are on the scene, stay a couple of blocks away stay on mark for east/west travels and any numbered streets. 56th and chestnut involving school buses and one injury. we have delays in normal spots, they are lighter than normal with people having the day off. 422 eastbound side backed up from trooper to 23. not as long always normal, but

slow if you're traveling through valley forge. stanton, delaware we have down pole and wires blocking route 4, stay on route 2. the ramp 95 to 896 is closed for construction through mid january. >> let's head outside to karen rogers who is bundled up because it's quite cold. >> reporter: it is cold out here, look at the temperatures in many spots you're in the 20s. we're better than that in the city, 32 in the city and philadelphia. 24 in millville, 34 in trenton. it's a cold start to the day, not a lot of wind to deal with. the exclusive accuweather seven-day forecast lots of clouds, they will continue to fill in later on this afternoon and we're going to get showers around this afternoon and evening. it will feel damp out there, 43 degrees for the high, tomorrow is mild, high of 52. showers and drizzle on and off. >> let's take you back to chopper 6hd live in west philadelphia, the school bus

accident that matt pellman told you about, 56th and chestnut streets one bus on the pavement. another bus above it. we'll give you the latest when we come right back.

♪ sleigh bells ring are you listening in the lane snow is glistening a beautiful sight ♪ ♪ we're happy tonight walking in a winter wonderland ♪ a little darius rucker twist on "winter wonderland." we'll hear more from him in a little bit. i love his voice. >> me, too. i was just singing. so glad none of you heard it. kicking off our "home for the holidays" series. an emotional surprise for two sisters coming together. you don't want to miss sara's story. and reese witherspoon getting so much buzz for her new movie "wild."

and we'll hear from star of staple and screen christine baranski. reuniting families facing challenges. and sara, you're starting us off with this lovely story of two sisters. >> two sisters who were not going see each other this year because of finances. so we got our hands in there in hopes of making holiday magic. for liz and adam, family is everything. liz's sister, samantha, not just a sibling, but her best friend. >> she takes care of me. i take care of her. it's a special relationship. where does it go? >> reporter: it was a painful decision to move across the country. when they were both pregnant and due three months apart, the video chatting took off. >> we did a lot of skyping. show me your belly, i'll show you mine. >> reporter: on march 19th, a phone call liz never saw coming.

samantha was in labor. her baby boy, three months early. >> i didn't know what else to do but drop to my knees on the floor and pray to god for her and for him. then i had to get up and go to the hospital and have my own baby. >> reporter: the babies born on the same day. in pennsylvania, willa, in perfect health. in utah, chance, samantha's son, in critical condition. >> i don't think it's a coincidence they came on the same day. >> reporter: after months in intensive care, chance now home and thriving, just in time for his first christmas. but with two kids and stacks of tuition bills, aunt liz and uncle adam can't afford to fly home for the holidays. >> this will be the first christmas i won't be home with my family. the only thing that makes christmas matter to me is to be with people i love. time for us to step in.

liz thinks she's just a finalist. no idea i'm right outside her door. "good morning america" is sending them home for the holidays. she'll be so surprised. come on. hi. are you liz? >> sara. >> i want to make it official. yes, we're sending you guys home for the holidays. >> wow. >> give me a hug! >> oh. oh. >> oh, gosh. >> you're making me crew. do you mind if i come in? >> we' weave enlisted the help of liz's brother-in-law in utah. >> i got this under control. >> it's time for me to hit the road. we need reinforcements on the ground. camer cameron, you got this. >> i got it. i'm elf on the ground.

in utah. right outside liz's sister's house. ready to give her the biggest christmas present ever. come on. ♪ >> samantha? >> what is heck is happening. >> my name is cameron mathison. i'm with "good morning america." >> yes, hi. >> we have a shunl christmas surprise for you. all of you. get your jackets on. come out and join us here. you ready for the big surprise? >> yeah. >> your big christmas present, are you sure? >> yes. >> they are ready. bring it in. bring it in. merry christmas. >> oh, my god! oh, my god! [ crying ] >> what does it mean to have the chance to introduce chance to

willa? >> it means everything. they must have a special connection to have come on the same day because, what are the chances of that? a week late and three months early. >> reporter: so from liz, samantha, chance, willa and this whole wonderful family to yours -- >> all: merry christmas, america! >> that was great. >> the last time they had seen chance he had been in intensive care. that's the first time they're seeing him out of an incubator and machine and getting to hold him. >> he looked so happy, too. >> i loved the looks on their faces. you saw the camera in the background. the brother was in on it, right? he's part of a tv production company. he said -- z he's doing a holiday "b" roll. they were all -- >> the reaction. you could tell. >> we get inspired by this by robin's special on december 25th. it's a disney frozen christmas celebration.

christmas night on abc. we'll bring you inspiring holiday reunions all week long. fantastic stuff. let's go to >> reporter: these guys are looking great, we have clair, 16 years old. what are you doing for your sweet 16? >> going to the rockettes today. >> reporter: we'll see wet weather across the south. five inches of rain in tallahassee, flood watches are up. throughout the next a couple of days sporadic rainfall and heavy rain across northeast especially on christmas eve. a couple of feet of fresh powder in colorado. 75 degrees in los angeles. a quick check of the national outlook, here's what's happening locally. >> reporter: it's pretty out here, but it's cold, rob.

i'm meteorologist karen rogers, temperatures in the 20s and 30s, heading up to 43. clouds and damp this afternoon and evening. sponsored by walmart. i spent time in louisiana. this is how we say -- >> ho, ho, ho. >> h-e-a-u-x. cajun style. lara, back to you. christine baranski lighting up the big screen right now in the adaptation "into the woods." deborah roberts sat down with the star who playing one of the fairytale's most evil characters. >> ladies, our carriage awaits. ♪ now may i go to the festival >> the festival? ♪ with the nails and the clothes you would make us the fools of the festival and mort fie the prince ♪

>> the festival lasts three nights. surely you can let me be there for one of them. >> the king is trying to find his son a wife, knoll a skullry maid. we must be gone. >> oh. >> sit. >> come. go. >> christine. crazy, crazy. you're so mean. where did you find the wickedness? >> i don't know where that comes from. i'm such a nice person. it's so odd. i play these deliciously mean characters with great clothes, lots of attitude. great one-liners. this has been my career. it's been a pretty great ride. and cinderella's wicked stepmother, you got the blonde wig, it's a little too big. the clothes are a little too much. they're fabulous. the attitude. the horses. the carriage. the whole thing. it was fun. >> what do you think of the finished prokt? >> i adore rob marshall.

he was the perfect director for this. i worked many times with stephen sondheim. to get to do now a movie version of one of his greatest musicals, um, that's just icing on the cake for me. i watched it just with -- just with awe. i think it's such an incredible rendering of a great stage musical on to the screen. so stunning the. >> the film is brilliant. >> it will be great christmas opening. >> you bring so much to it. >> thank you so much. >> go to the woods. >> "into the woods" opens nationwide on christmas day. coming up, reese witherspoon as you have never seen her before. opening up about her new role generating

you can't have a disney frozen christmas celebration without a parade.

and lots of people are talking about reese witherspoon's latest movie, "wild." it's based on a true story of a woman who went on an epic 1,000-mile trek to find herself. cameron mathison sat down with the stars. >> i have another 300 miles to walk. >> reporter: it's the performance generating buzz. >> cheryl sent me her manuscript. i read it in 24 hours. i called her immediately. i said this is what i have been looking for. >> reporter: she plays cheryl trade, the character at the center of "wild" a story of her journey on the pacific trail. it helped her recover. >> the way she writes is so honest.

sometimes unflinchingly truthful. she has a thing with honesty. >> reese is like, did you really have to write that? >> how did you know she had the character in her? >> i didn't have to push her on guide her. she had it inside of herring even though she was scared. >> reporter: in the film, she carries the same 70-pound backpack that cheryl lugged when she hiked the trail. how heavy was it? i have to ask? >> it was heavy. she did it by here's. alone, completely alone. i would be so scared. >> what is it like hearing these three talk about your life? >> it's such an honor. every once in awhile, i'll stop and think about where it began and how far i have traveled. i moved into my life. i became the person my mother raised me to be. >> reporter: the film tells the story through flashbacks about cheryl's relationship with her mother, bob bi. >> if there's one thing i can teach you, it's about finding

your best self. when you do, hang on to it. >> i hand t read anything with this level of honesty and depth of love. and had not seen it in a movie. >> reporter: witherspoon was drawn to the material because it tells the story of a complicated and not always likable woman. >> you can put yourself in the way of beauty. >> reporter: did you ever thing, all of this? >> i never imagined. it's everything i intended. >> reporter: a couple of things you did learn? >> life lessons how you cope with loss. and there's so much inside of you. love can proe tell you forward in life. you're going to make it. you're going to be okay. >> reporter: for "good morning america," cameron math son, abc news, hollywood. >> powerful stuff. i love that phrase. move into her life. coming up, darius rucker. ♪ are you listening in the lane

snow the glistening ♪ ♪ a beautiful sight we're happy tonight ♪ ♪ walking in a winter wonderland ♪ merry christmas! thanks but this gift, it's kind of half-fast.

what's wrong? we still have cable internet, so our uploads are half the speed of our downloads. so i'll be half-fast when i share my photos and i'll do a half-fast job updating my blog. wait, is everything under this tree half-fast? who wants eggnog? don't settle for half fast cable internet. only verizon fios comes with speedmatch. uploads as fast as downloads. get this great price online guaranteed for 2 full years plus $400 back with a 2-year agreement. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v

we're back now with grammy winner darius rucker. celebrating his christmas album, called home for the holidays. here he is with what god wants for christmas. ♪ old man playing santa claus blew into town with old jack frost now he's handing out ♪ ♪ candy canes and smiles for free ♪ ♪ people scurry with their lists rushing around to buy those gifts ♪

♪ that will end up wrapped up underneath that tree ♪ ♪ now i'm sitting at this red light looking at a manger scene ♪ ♪ watching snow flakes kiss that baby and it makes me think ♪ ♪ i wonder what god wants for christmas ♪ ♪ something you can't find in a store maybe peace on earth no more empty seats in church ♪ ♪ might be what's on his wish list ♪ ♪ i wonder what god wants for christmas ♪

♪ ♪ what do you give someone who gave his only son ♪ ♪ what if he believed in him like he believes in us ♪ ♪ i wonder what god wants for christmas ♪ ♪ what might put a smile on his face ♪

♪ every bible with no dust the devil giving up might be what's on his wish list ♪ ♪ now i wonder what god wants for christmas what kind of gifts from you and me ♪ ♪ mother sister mother brother more loving one another i wonder i wonder what god wants ♪ ♪ by now we ought to know what god wants for christmas ♪ [ cheers and applause ]

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to a world of possibilities. the connected car by volvo. innovating for you. give the gift of volvo this season and we'll give you your first month's payment on us. hey, we're rolling into christmas. the start of the holiday week. we want to enjoy it a little bit more. with the a cappella group

re-sound. see you tomorrow. ♪ oh oh, oh, oh, oh oh fall on your knees oh hear the angels' voices ♪ ♪ oh night divine night divine oh night when christ was born ♪ ♪ oh night divine oh night oh night divine ♪ ♪ ooh

♪ oh oh oh oh >> merry christmas. >> merry christmas. >> happy holidays. >> good morning, very little are looking for the cause of two apartment building fires in new castle county, delaware.

the fires broke out hours apart miles from one another. we'll have a live update on the investigation coming up on "action news" at noon. 8:56, monday, december 22. i'm tamala edwards let's get a last check of traffic with matt pellman. good morning. . morning to you, tam. a couple of messy accidents this morning, one in stanton, delaware, the action cam on the scene, 2,000 block of christiana road by route 4. you can see the pick up truck plowed into the pole. fire crews on the scene. the road is blocked off stay on route 2, kirkwood highway to get around this one. crash in west philadelphia, chopper 6 was overhead. two school buses involved one in a pole here, chestnut by 56 to get around it, even though traffic can get by, stay on market as the alternate. outside to the schuylkill expressway, westbound construction coming between gladwyn and conshohocken. you want to avoid that strep for

the next few hours. >> let's get a last look at accuweather and go over to karen rogers. >> reporter: good morning, tam, it's cold, the suburbs in the low 20s. there's a winter weather advisory for freezing rain and drizzle in carbon and monroe counties. be carefully if you're in the poconos driving. it last from 6:00 p.m. to # a.m. tomorrow morning. -- 4:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. it could be cold enough to cause freezing rain. for us, we'll see clouds and it will be damp with showers and 43 degrees is the high, just rain. >> "live" with kelly and michael is up next on 6abc, i'm tamala edwards. have a 2k3wr5e9 monday! ♪this holiday season, my good friend gave to me♪

♪7 powerball tickets ♪6 match 6 chances ♪5 cash 5s ♪4 big 4s ♪3 daily numbers ♪2 mega millions (joe) happy holidays, rita. (rita) thanks, joe! (man) what a great gift! (announcer) pennsylvania lottery tickets make great gifts, like the new $1 million peppermint payout. (joe) happy holidays! ♪and best wishes from the lottery♪

announcer: it's "live with kelly and michael." today, she shows her wild side in her new movie, reese witherspoon. plus, the good wife heads into the woods with her new film, christine baranski. and we're giving away cash to an unsuspecting audience member in our year end look back challenge. then stay tuned for "live's" tune in to win question of the day for your chance to win a fabulous prize. all next on "live." [captioning made possible by isney-abc domestic television] announcer: now here are kelly ripa and michael strahan! [cheers and applause] ♪