good morning. done de. the house gives late-night approval to the massive tax cut bill clearing the way for president obama to sign it into law today. it will mean more money in your possibility, but will it give the overall economy a much-needed lift? house arrest. julian assange released on bail. he has a curfew and must wear an electronic monitor, but can also use the internet. will hetart leaking sensitive documentagain? this morning we'll talk to him live. and so long, larry king signs off of his nightly talk show after 25 years. but he's not hanging up those

famous suspenders for good today, friday, december 17, famous suspenders for good today, friday, december 17, 2010. captions paid for by nbc-universal television welcome to "today" on a friday morning. >> an early christmas present for millions of americans who will not see a tax increase as of january 1. >> 277-148 after hours of debate and one failed bid by liberal democrats to change the way estas are taxed. critics point out the bill will add almost a trillion dollars to the deficit. we're going to have the latest from washington straight ahead. also ahead, almost to years after she was nearly killed by a friend's pet chimpanzee, charla

nash returned to the hospital she was taken to after that attack. a little later o in the show, we'll look back at some of the fun times we have had here on "today" during the past year. we're going to begin with wikileaks, julian assange waking up this morning under house arrest. >> reporter: this is the 100, we should say 600-acre estate. it is ten beooms, roughly three hours outside london where julian assange will be staying for the next few weeks. he went from being one of the most wanted men in the world to one of its least likely house guests. this rural part ofngland may be one of the few plas where assange is not a household name. >> julian assange, he's been in the newspapers late. >> yes. >> and he wi.

>> reporter: thursday night he triumphantly stepped out of a british courthouse, confident and upbeat. >> it's great to smell the fresh air of london again. >> reporter: he thanked his supporterins and denied allegations that led to his arrest last week. >> i hope to continue my work and continue to protest my innocence in this matter. >> reporter: in court the judge raised his bail requirements to $370,000 and added more restrictive conditions, including a curfew, dly visit to police and electronic monitoring so authorities can track his movements. by night fall, assange was relaxing by his moth's side. >> every politician should spend some time in solitary confinement. actually some of them should spend a lot of time. >>eporter: and this morning, mr. assange tells me that he

does not yet have the electronic monitori tag that will be placed on him. one of the bail requirements. he's allowed to go to the police station between 3:00 and 50 p.m. this community is so small, those are the only hours the police station will be open. >> reporte peter, thank you very much. julian assange joins us live now. good morning to you. >> merry christmas. >> good morning to you. this is a major legal victory for you, you have been released on bail but not without restrictions as peter just mentioned. you've got a curfew, you have to report to the police on a daily basis, you will have to wear an electronic monitoring device, you said yesterda if justice is not an outcome, at ast it's not dead yet. your response to the events in the last 24 hours? >> it's very nice to be out in the sun, in snow and amongst

good and courageous friends. we should remember that this is not the beginningf the end, rather it is merely the end of the beginning. we hear credible reports today in the guardian newsper concerning what we heard yesterday, that there is something like an espionage indictment, made secretly against me in the united states. >> actually what i think you're referring to is that prosecutors are trying to figure outf in addition to receiving leaked documents perhaps from private first class bradley manning, you also supplied private manning with software that he loaded into a computer that allowed him to receive those classified documents. did you do that? >> i havno information about what you're referring to. we don't know what the grounds of that investigation is. in fact, like the swedish investigation, the whole damned

thing is kept secret. we saw three court cases here and every single one of those, the argument that no evidence whatsoever was needed to be presented to the court to extrade me for hearings in sweden, were secret, a gag ordered was attempted to be placed upon my swedish attorney and the requested conditions for my extradition to sweden was that i would be held incommunicado. something is very wrong with that situation and something is wrong in the united states that such an investigation against me and in effect my organization and indeed now we have received serious calls from the "new york times" as well, that all that is to be conducted in secret. let's move on to the personal situation with the charges being leveled against you in sweden by these two women in separate incidents. they claim that you are guilty of rape and molestation and illegal coercion.

this is going to boil down or is this going to boil down to a very high skes case of he said/she said? and if so, why are you confident that you'll be able to prevail? >> it is an incredible allegation of rape and in the beginning, double rape reported around the world. in fact, according to google, if you look on the internet, my name is mentioned in one-tenth of dimensions of rape. so this has been a very successful smear campaign so far. t i think it's -- its days are numbered and people are starting to wonder, is what is claimed really true and if it is ue, where is the evidence? why has no evidence been provided en to me and my defense attorneys? >> you have declared your incence in this case and it raises a very obvious question,

if you believe that you are innocent and you can prove that, why fight extradition to sweden? why not go back and answer the questions? >> i stayed for nearly 40 days in sweden. the matter was dropped entirely within 24 hours after the charge was made. subsequently, pushed by a politician to another prosecutor, not the senior prosecutor in ockholm, again, i spent time there to clear my name. received permission to leave the country for my work and did so. i came to the uk back and forth, registered my name with authorities here in case there was an issue. when there w an issue, we went in within nine hours of being called. it is not the case that i or any other person should have to fly off to foreign states without the provision of any evidce whatsoever.

that is simply not acceptable to me and it should not be acceptable to any person. >> let me move o back to the subject of wikileaks and the documents you have released and the documents you promised to release. now that you're free on bail, you do haveccess to the internet, mr. assange, do you plan to accelerate yr plans to release further documents >> as we haveeen wikileaks is a robust organization, during my time in solitary confinement in the basement of a victorian prison, we continued to release, our media partners continued to write stories and just said, i see in the guardian, our prime british media partner, india is accused of systemic use of torture. nearly 1,200 cases of torture in kashmir. important revelations from this material continue to come out.

we have approximately 200,000 cables into 250,000. >> julian assange, i thank you for joining us this morning. >> you're welcome. >> obviously he remains very defiant here. >> defiant to the charges in sweden and determineto continue his work with wikileaks. obviously come people consider him a hero, a joualist and a hero. other people consider him a villain who's put the national security of this country in jeopardy. and it depends on your perspective on it. >> much to follow on this story. . now to washington and that massive tax package approved by congress late last ght. kelly o'donnell has the details. >> reporter: there was a talk marathon with some house democrats saying they have received phone calls from the president urging them to get it done and just before midnight, they did. so everyone's tax rates stay the same, unemployment benefit checks keep comin and $858 billion gets added to the deficit.

a done deal. >> on this vote, theays are 272, the nays are 148. the motion is adopted. >> reporter: but getting there was uglier than expected. after hours of delay, house liberals cam up withary own changes to the president's tax cut compromise. >> to the house amendment, to the senate amendment, with the amendment adopted in the committeas a whole. >> reporter: that gave liberals a way to prove they fought against some tax breaks for the wealthy. >> there's nothing in this bill that's sanity. it's insaty. we fixed this debt by closing this tax loophole, shame on you. >> reporter: democrats blasted the size and costs of a more than $1 trillion bill to keep the government open for business. >> members on this side of the aisle increasingly felt concerned about the way we do business.

>> reporter: frustrated democrats were forced to scrap the bill and kill $8 billion of earmarked pet projects. >> i'm a little confused about some of the righteous indignation coming from the republican side of the aisle. >> republicans derailed the bill even though many of them had requted earmarks themselves. >> guess who has earmarks in there? the minority leader. >> reporte illinois's mark kirk in an unusual display interrupted john mccain to celebrate. >> did we just win? >> this may be a seminole moment in the recent history of the united states senate. because for the first time since i have been here, we stood up and said enough, stop. >> repter: democrats were taken aback. >> who wins, who loses? the american people are losing every day we have this bickering that's going on. >> reporter: they will put

together a package that will keep the government's bills paid for the next couple of months and the senate will be working this weekend to consider the s.t.a.r.t. treaty withussia and things like immigration reform and the aempt to repeal the don't ask, don't tell military policy. >> kelly o'donll on capitol hill. massachusetts democratic senator john kerry is also on capitol hill this morning. and heoins us now. senator, it's nice to see you, good morning. good morning, senator rry, how are you? >> i'm great, matt, nice to see you. >> you too. let's talk about this tax cut deal that was voted on in the house last night. so much talk about comprose, who wins, who loses. ? your gut, is this theest deal that you could haveotten? >> as for who wins, i think the american people win for the short-term. i think it will depend on what the congress is capable of doing next year. we're running behind every country in the world that's

industrialized or dustrializing. we he an enormous challenge to get our deficit under control and create jobs. if all we do is this tax bill and we don't invest in america and begin to make long-term plans as to how to deal with the structural deficit, we're in trouble. so this is step one. >> you talk about the deficit and jobs, i mean this is going to cost 50 billion, that gets tacked right on to the deficit. the justification for it seems to be it will fuel the economy and produce jobs. we have had some big plans to create jobs in the lastouple of years, is it going to work? >> it's not the solution to america's problems, but at this particular moment, facing the economic challenges that we do, this is, i think a good plan. the key is the long-term. this plan is not good for the long-term. does it add to the deficit in the short-term? yes. but it will have, i'm convinced,

a positive impact in the short-term on the economy. the key now are the follow on steps that we need to take. $600 billion is going to be invested in the next 20 years in new energy projects, gen energy around the world. 90% of that iestment right now is going to be outside the united states. what we nee to do is join that revolution and others. you saw the test scores out of singapore and out of china the other day, shanghai. you know, the united states is falling behind in science and math, engineering. we need to really gear up over the course of this next year. i'm convinced president obama will lay out a major agenda that will challenge people on the right and the left to step up and find compromise. in ord to get the country moving. >> let me get your response real quickly on one last topic before i let you go. the s.t.a.r.t. treaty, the senate is goi to start debate on that, your republican

collgue john kyle of arizona said that democrats are trying to jam this through before the holiday break. but this does involve nuclear weapons, our national security and the future security of the world. is it really smart to rush this or squze this in before a holiday break? >> first of all, we're not shing it in and we're not squeezing it in. the original s.t.a.r.t. treaty which took place when the soviet union fell in 1992 was far more complicated, a far bigger cut, far for dramic at the time. it took the senate five days total to do that and while it did it it did free up for other bills at the same time. the s.t.a.r.t. treaty took two days. the moscow treaty took two days. we have been working on this treaty since last year in june. we have 60 senators or more who have taken part in briefings, they have been part of this process, we have been on this bill now, this is will be the third day today. there's no question we can do our job, as one general said, we got 150,000 troops in harm's way

over ristmas. they're doing their job, the unitedtates senate needs to do its job. we can get this done. >> senator john kerry. senator, happy holidays, thank you for joining us this morning. >> thank you very ch. quick programming note, vice president joe biden will be david gregory's exclusive guest this sunday "meethe press." >> ann curry is back at the news desk after feeling a bit under the weather. >> good morning you guys and good morning to all of you. and in the news ts morning, counter terrorism units are on alert for suspicious behavior this holiday season. although they say the are no specific threats to the united states at this time. insurgents in iraq claim al qaeda is planning attacks in the united states and europe. in a rare move on thursday t food and drug administration revoked it's approval for a cancer treatment.

the breast cancer drug avastin does not outweigh risks to patients. >> reporter: europe is definitely in focus again, there's some concern about ireland that's shaking investors a little bit. meanwhile investors are really looking forward to the last two weeks here on wall street to close out the year and they're hoping for a santa claus rally. there are some economic numbers out there that are encouraging people to think that maybe perhaps we might be turning the corner although those jobless numbers continue to persist. chnology also in focus today and oracle and rim reported good numbers after the bell. and the king has left his throne, last night late night interviewer larry king gave up his microphonefter 25 years. >> when i started 25 years ago in a little studio in

washington, d.c., i never thght it would last this long or come to this. i don't know what to say except to you, my audience, thank you. an instead of goodbye, how about so long. >> his star included a serenade from tony benefit and a declaration of larry king day from governor schwarzenegger of california. it is now 19 past, let's go back to matt andmeredith. that's sweet. >> my sincere congratulations to larry king. >> hello, mr.

good morning. on this friday morning, w have had a freeze-up overnight. so what did melt yesterday or was untreated is frozen solid now. mid-20s in washington and south and east of washington. we'll get a little with sunshine back. looks like we could get areas of light snow from midnight saturday night to midnight sunday. a little h >> and that's your latest

weathe >> the brave security guard who opened fire at the school bo

jufd ahead the fun we had in 2010. after your local news. ahead the fun we had in peggy.a 2010. after your local news. us ah 2010. after your local news. r ahen 2010. > after your local news. > after your local news.head th > after your local news.t aheadn no, no, no...pe- (phones ringing) so pretty. want better customer service? switch to discover ranked #1 in customer loyalty. it pays to discover. wabout readingl and puit here.ve introding nookcolor. experience books, magazines, newspapers and children's books like never before. nookcolor by barnes & noble.

good morning. it's 7:26 on this friday, the 17th of december. i'm joe krebs. get ready to have your bags inspected before you ride transit rail. the transit agency says itill start inspecting riders' bs at random before they enter train stations. they don't say when the searches will begin. metro insists the security is not a response to a specific terrorist threat. we'll take a break and come

forty years ago, he wasn't worried about retirement. he'd yet to hear of mutual funds, ira or annuities. back then, he had something more important to do.

he wasn't focused on h future but fortunately, someby else was. at usaa we provide retirement solutions for our military, verans and their families. from investments... to life insurance... to health care options. learn more with our free usaa retirement guide. call 877-242-usaa. good morning. ice on the potomac river. clouds overhead. temperatures right now 20 degree. a little bit milder in the bay, mid-20s there. high above freezing. could get sun back. cou get lightsnow. how's traffic? >> chopper 4 was over the scene of this water main break. ty's a doozy. will affect your commu in both directions so be forewarned of that.

beltway police are getting the accident out of the roadway but the delays will begin from georgia all the way. joe? >> join us bright a early monday

♪ you and me baby we' stuck like glue ♪ it's friday, december 17, 2010. christmas is one week away. we're going to show you some of e ways we made fools of ourselves in 2010. not enough time to show you all the ways. also ahead, a behind the scenes peek at t fun i had shooting a very, very small part for the new movie "gulliver's trave travels." charla nash the connecticut woman who was viciously attacked by a friend's pet chianzee

goes back to the hospital that saved her life. let's go back tohat florida school board shoot-out caught on tape last week. in a moment we'll talk to the security chief who brought down the gunman. but mark potter is in panama city, florida with the latest. mark, good morning. >> reporter: members of the school board say they are convinced that mike jones saved their lives and they and the members of th community here say that no matter wha mike says, he really is their hero. at a news conference in panama city, school board security chief mike jones tried to convince everyone he's not a hero, but no one bought it. >> i'm just glad they're all here and alive. i'm not a hero, folks, i just done my job. >> yes, you are. [ applause ] >> leave, you may leave, you may ave. >> reporter: o tuesday when clay duke threatened the school

board with a handgun, mark jones was on the scene. jones wounded duke who then shot and killed himself. jones thought he s too late fearing duke had killed superintendent bill husfelt. but it turned out he was right on time. >> when he came out from behind that desk, i crieded just like i am now. but just to see him, it was like seei a newborn baby for the first time. >> reporter: mike jones is no stranger to panama city. for more than two decades, he's been known as salvage santa, providing giftfor needy children at christmas time. >> what a giving community, i love them. >> reporter: and love is returned. school board member ginger

littleton who used her purse in an unsuccessful attempt to -- even remembbecca duke called hi hero. >> i know you were just doing what you were trained to do and i'm sorry that god had to choose you to do that because you are a kind, swt, generous man, wh all the things you do at chstmas time. >> reporter: mike expressed his concern for the gunman's family saying his heart goes out to them. meredith? >> mark potter, thank you very much. and we're going to get a check of the weather from alight now. >> all righty, thank you very much, meredith, and we have got all of our friends out here wow, this is a huge crowd

checking u out today. yeah. whoa. man. let's check your weather and s what's going on. we are talking about the potential of a big, big storm, sunday morning, it's off the carolina coast, moves up the coast and brings snow from washington, d.c. to boston. but if it moves closer to shore, we could be talking about heavy snow from washington, d.c., new york city, boston on into new england.

good morning. it's mostly cloudy now. temperatures just near 20 degrees in much of the region. watch out for patchy ice in the morning in the weak of yestday's snow. then we'll get sun back, highs briefly above freezing. freezing back up tonight. mostly cloudy. saturday, midnight through midday sunday, eas east of intersta interstate 95 may see some snow from the coastal system. we may get a little light snow around the washington >> don't forget to check your weather any i'm on the weaer channel on cable or weather.com online. sunday night, football night in america. oh, man. th packers, taking on the patriots in gillette stadium. the last ten times it snowed in new england,atriots came

out victorious. out of the last three games, they scored like 140 points, to. this is goin to be bigone. cloudy and cold, tempetures mi to upper 20s, on sunday night, football night in america. meredith, patriots playing. meredith. after that shoot-out at the florida school board meeting, earlier this morning we spoke to security chief mike jos and his wife. we asked mike how he feels after it happened. >> my heart took off and just wouldn't slow down for some reason. >> i can imagine why. >> being in that room right now where you exchanged gun fire with clay duke, i guess there were 14 sts fired, most of the bullet holes have been covered up at this point, there is one

that is still showing. how are you feeling emotionally? >> well, this morning i'm a lot better. i think it helped a lot yesterday, i did like 25 interviews yesterday and every time i see mr. husfelt, i lose it. so i'm glad he's not here this morning. every time i see him i start crying. >> he is the superintendent and when clay duke lifted his gun that first time, he was shooting at the superintendent. that is when you eered the room. i want to take you back to that moment if i could, mike. you weren't even supposed to be at the county adquarters, the school district headquarters on that day. you were supposed to be on vacation. you went there because there was an item on the agenda you thought they mig want to talk to you about. and within five minutes you were involved in this g fire. what made you think, i have to get in that room. >> when i looked in that door, i

saw h square his back to me and aiming his weapon. i didn't open the door hardly at all. i heard the first gunshot so i snatched t door open and i couldn't wait any longer. >> at that point did you think that the superintendent was dead? >> yes, ma'am. >> so when he stood up, that's when you say you lost it? >> right. when i went down the aisle and took the gun out of mr. duke's hand and threw it over to the side and was kind of like, everything just went blank, i couldn't hear anything. i was just like in a wind tunnel or something and all of a sudden, the superintendent and franklin harrison the school board attorney came up and i lost it right then. i could not believe they were alive. that man was two feet from him when he pulled the trigger. >> mike, this is something that you said, 20 years on the police

force before you became a security guard. never had fired your gun at anyone and it has weighed heavily on you since. i know that you sought counsel from your preacher to g right with god. the first thing that came to your mind is what is the community going to think of me? what were you worried about? >> you know, taking a life from someone, and i'm known as salvage santa and this jolly nice guy, and known in the church. i didn't want my fellow parishioners feeling bad about what i had done. taking a life is a very serious thing and there's not very many people in this lifetime that can say they have done that and i'm not proud of it. i just did my job, done what i was trained to do andhank god that all that kicked in when this happened. >> you know, karleen, members of

the community are calling mike a hero whether he likes it or not. is that how you feel about him this morning? >> absolutely. he didn't have to gon that room. he could have waited until all the other police officers showed up as backup. he couldn't. he's got a big heart. he always feels like 's responsible for the world and at's his nature and it didn't surprise me at all that he ran into that building, into that room. >> you know, mike, you are obviously considered a hero by the members of thecommunity, but you're also known for the things that you do every day as salvage santa to help the needy ki in your area. we did contact schwinn, they want to donate $100,000 worth of bicycles. how has this changed your life? >> 500 bikes?5.

how has this chaed your life? >> 500 bike0. how has this changed your life? >> 500 bike0. e salvation army and we still ? have 400 or 500 kids still on the angel tree. i asked for some help for them as well. wow, this is awesome. >> we wish you -- >> you don't have to say a thing. we want to say thank you for joining us tonight. and i know the school board was to say thank you for all your efforts as well. merry christmas to you both. >> thank you for having us. up next kate middleton's lunch date with the royal mily. - in all the years we've been coming here, i've never seen a storm like this.

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[ grandma ] okay. ♪ ah. then we will all do it together. treats. teets...teets...teets... yeah. look at this. [ female announcer ] it seems like t best family traditions always start in the kitchen. ♪ rice krispies®. happy holidays. we're back now at 7:44. kate middleton doesn't become an official member of the royal family until april 29. but she took a big step toward that on thursday when she attended herirst family reunion. stephanie gosk is at buckingham palace with details. >> reporter: good morning, matt, on a rare snowy day in london. 's intimidating for anyone to meet the future in-laws anywhere, but imagine meeting the entire extended family.

aunts, uncles, cousins who also happen to be dukes, duchesss, princes and princesses and the party's being thrown by your fiance's grandmother, the queen of england. kate middleton isn't officially a member of the royal family yet, but annvitation to the queen's annual christmas lunch ---both kate and william attended the aual gathering at buckingham palace on thursday. >> this is the first time she met the entire royal family in one place at the same time and royal experts say it had to be an extremely daunting experience. >> and kate h only met the queen once before. >> the whole notion that kate and the queen have had lunches together or cups of tea by themselves is not true. really kate has had very little interaction with the queen because the queen stays busy.

>> reporte kate is smiling from ear to ear, perhaps a sign that everyone went well, perhaps a sign that the future princess was relieved it was over. >> there's so much that the go wrong, so the fact that she emerged from this meeting with a smile from ear to ear is an indication of how it went. >> it is quite a stuffing environment. the royals at christmas is a very reginted, what is the day before christmas eve and the day itself is run like clock work with precision. >> reporter: but this year, prince william, a rescue pilot for the royal air force will be on duty at his air base in wales. nvenient for kate who will get to spend the day with her family. once a princess, there will be no escaping a royal christmas. the palace has been asked for new guidelines for wedding

paraphernalia. theynly want things that are permanent and significant. no the doubt that tea towel news is going to come as a cruing blow for women across this country. >> and for some of us men too, thks, stephanie.

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"gi "gulliver's travels" comes out on christmas da they called in a little known actress by the name of meredith viera to play a liliputian. imagine our surprise. it wasn't until i went to the cannes film festival in may that i realized what a great actor meredith had become. to be working with the giants of the motion picture industry was pretty impressive. even if it meant playing one of the little people. but our medith made the most of her two-day shoot. she got to develop her own character. >> not a tramp, but the fridly girl. >> display her extraordinary talent. >> we'll miss you.

>> what if this is really huge? would you be anastasia? >> yes. >> and even spent quality time with her co-stars. >> i have also found it works just to get naked. that's how i made it. these are pictures that i have liked for a long time and i just put them up. they inspire me. i don't know why did that. >> anding th inthen it was time to work. her one le consisted of just two words. but meredith gave it her all and in the end it really paid off. i cannot wait to see the finished product. >>well, you want to wait a little bit. they cut my scene. >> no! >> i'm not in the movie.

>> the director's cut? >> but you're not in the movie? >> that wasn't even the end. if i was in that movie, it was by far the best scene of the movie. >> they cut it? >> they had two scenes that sort of screamed ending so they cut out mine. >> that happened to kevin costner once and he had a big career. so now you have potentially good karma coming. >> in truth, rob letterman and jack bck called me and told me. they said the same thing, a lot of famous people have been cut from movies. >> but you got a call from jack black? >> and i got a call from my lawyer. so it's all going to be fine. >> and then it turns ugly. >> it was funny w. . >> you were a friendly town member? >> hello, santa.

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good morning. 28 degrees at 7:56. still have some clods abov us right now on this 17th day of december. i'm joe krebs. heads up if you're takg amtrak today. they' experiencing some signal problems between baltimore and philadelphia. most trains will have delays of up to two hours. we, get ready to have your bags inspect before you ride metro rail. the transit agency says they'll start looking into rider bags at random before they enter the station. they won't say when the searches will begin though. we'll take a break and come back

good morning. a good portion of the potomac river was frozen over with ice. temperatures around the region in the low to mid-20s now and what melted yesterday has frozen right back up overnight. untreated surfaces will main frozen through the morning. will get light snow monday. jerry, how's traffic. >> just down the road at university boulevard, two lanes closed. several accidents on the outside. virginia, not so bad. heavy but relatively steady on # 95. ateast the travel lanes are open from the beltway to the 14th street bridge. be careful. >>join us bright and early.

>>i knew if i lived long enough, my drea would come true and they have. >> hey! 8:00 now on a friday monk, it's the 17th day of december, 2010. beautifully chilly morning here in the northeast, perfect for the holiday season. we have got a huge crowd gathered. and we have got the fun highlights of this year. coming up, we're going to stroll down memory lane.

>> we have had a lot of the fun over the year a we're going to show you some of the highlights. . >> that'natalie. >> we have got a lot of that coming up. but before we get to that, let's go inside, ann curry, back fm being a little under the weather, she's at the news desk with the headlines. in the news this morning, wikileaks founder julian assange appeared on this program this morning andalled forhe rape and document release investigations against him to be conducted in the open. >> something is wrong in the united stateshat such an investigation against me and in effect my organization and indeed now i have received serious calls against the "w york times" well that this is being done in secret. this aftnoon president obama will sign a massive

bipartisan tax bill approved by the house overnight. it extends tax cuts and jobless benefits and including a new cut in social security taxes. meantime, senate democratic leader walked away last night from a $1.3 billion spending plan that includes $8 million in earmarks. a new public education campaign with advice on surviving a nuclear attack. they urge people not to flee, instead to seek shelter indoors. actress julie andrews says her husband blake edwards will be missed beyond words. edwards wrote, produced and directed 50 films. he won lifetime achievement awards from both the writers guild and t movie academy. he died monday of complications from pneumonia, he is now 88 years old. let's go back outside for a check of the weather with al.

>> they just got engaged, congratulations. wh's your name? >> rachel and tyler. >> you're not going to get anymore words in. let's check your weather and see what's happeng, for today, pick city, pocatello, idaho. the rest of the country, we have frozen solid on this friday rning. good morning. i'm meteorologist tom kierein. watch out for slick spots and untreated surfaces. for now we're 20, today, briefly above freezing. ring the afteoon with

increasing sunshine. mostly cloudy saturday, high 30s. saturday through surnday there' a chance slight snow. higher amounts in the eastern bay and on the eastern shore, could get two to four inches there. storm should be movng away, >> that's your latest weather. a look back at this year and all the fun we had, right after this. ♪ [ laughter ] ♪ [ male announcer ] for tim and richard smucker, giving a gift of their delicious jam always made the holidays just a little bit sweeter. we forgot to put our names on them! richard, i think they'll know who it's from. ♪ thank you, boys. you're welcome. you're welcome. [ male announcer ] happy holidays from our family to yours. i love christmas.

we get double miles on every purchase. so we earned a holiday trip to the big apple twice as fast! dinner! [ garth ] we get double miles every time we use our card. and since double miles add up fast, we can bring the wholeang! it's hard to beat double miles i want a maze, a sword, a... oww! [ male announcer ] get the venture card from capital e andarn double miles on every purchase, every day. go to capitalone.com. i wonder what it could be?! what's in your wallet? i wonder what it could be?!

hi. chili's tonight? do i know you? yeah. your mother's brother went to summer camp with my uncle's friend's accountant. we're practically family. jason? who? my mom's brother's accountant. yeah. that guy is a maniac. okay. i love jason. isn't he a riot? chili's $20 dinner for two. all you need is somebody to go with. share one appetizer, choose two entrees. now with crispy fried shrimp. just $20 for two at chili's. back now at 8:07, as "today" celebrates 2010, the cold weather around the holidays can mean only one thing. >> it's time for our annual look back at the good times we have had in the past year.

♪ hlo ♪ good morning ♪ hello ♪ood morning ♪ hello ♪ america right about now you're turning your lights down ♪ ♪ hello ♪ good morning >> very nice. >> i miss you. >> i missed you too. >> you are the epitome of aging grefully. >> thank you very much. >> if we were to get involved in a pai ball competition the four of us, who do you think would win? >> ann. >> why do you say that so

quickly? >> she can take you on. >> they're real and they're spectacular. >> yes, they are. >> that's the int. >> i'm not going to get into the "american idol" story and speculate about who's going to replace those judges, but just note, meredith i not here. meredi takes one day off and she doesn't waste any time getting to the couch. you say the side of the package is very important? >> it actualls important because the trick some of thesethes retailers will use is to shrink the size of the package. >> i'm sorry. something struck me as funny. >> do you have a load in your pants? no. >> we're going to end this madness.

>> it's tuesday or booze day, wednesday to you, it's wines day here. >> why do you continue to mock our show? >> have you seen your show? >> we talked to sting when we were walking out. he is so sexy. >> hoda. >> no. it was embarrassing. >> hoda had to change her spanx if you know what i mean. ♪ wave your han in the air like you don't care ♪ ♪ we're going to party like it's the end of the world. you know it doesn't matter as long as we got each other ♪ ♪ cut it up match it up cut it

up ♪ ♪ it ain't the end othe world ♪ >> our producer for the day is meredith vieira. what do you want us to do >> i want you to snap it up. >> the happiest of happy hours, whooo! >> the gang's all here. ♪ i want a ticket to a place called canada ♪ >> kevin, and i should say for the record, yay! ♪ >> and i'm holding in my han a piece of olympic history. >> who'searing these pants? >> golfers. >> there's a snowball with your

name on it, lauer. ♪ >> hey, al, i can see what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> i like this. >> the eye of the wind. ♪ ♪ so much beauty in the world ♪ all together now ♪ there is beauty in the world ♪ >> it is an unbelievable scene here, it's impossible to have a

dry eye. >> don't forget, everybody, do what you can to lend a hand today. ♪ ♪ unforgettable ♪ don't stop ♪ the party don't stop ♪ no one can tell me that i'm doing wrong ♪ ♪ you' pulling through it ♪ i want to do it

♪ ♪ sing it, new york >> we talked to these folks because they potentially had the best dancers so i know who that will take. >> too bad they call them the bush tax cuts. maybe they would have a better chance of being extended if they we the lauer tax cuts. ♪ >> who do you think took longer to do their hair this morning,

robert downy jr. or the situation? >> let's see them ain. >> just ahead, i knew if i lived long enough, my dreams would come true and they have. anthony, i want a commitmt from you that you're not going to mess around. >> you're hot. >> i knew you guys were drunk. ♪ >> all right, let me bring out our last model. >> oh, there you are. >> oh, no! ♪ >> thank you, new york. thank you!

♪ >> would it bother you if i did this? >> absolutely. >> i have been staring at that for the entireegment. >> that's my favorite. >> oh, no, we have a fire. ♪ >> are we loving that? >> not really. ♪ you and me baby we're stuck like glue ♪ ♪ stuck like glue ♪ you and me baby we're stuck like glue ♪ ♪ oh, oh, >> this is a special no makeup zone edition of "today."

>> here it is. this is us. >> this is the real me. i'm scaring little children at home right now. ♪ ♪ check it out ♪ check it out >> that is so cool, natalie, bob marley called and said he wanted his hat back. >> if left to my own device that is what i look like. >> you look different. >> i knew i should have taken the train. ♪

>> i know you guys never make mistakes, but we do here. >> you're right, mr. roker. it's amazing. >> natalie morales. >> now here's brian williams with what's coming up tonight. >> we're back. i'm sorry. let's go inside, ann curry is standing by with a -- no we did that already. >> what's coming up? >> it's your line! >> off the air. >>. ♪ when i see your face >> you have children ages 13 to 18. why did you stop? >> i stopped becse i was caught on the couch necking with my boyfriend. >> the shorelines here that have now been oiled.

taking one for the team, swallowing a bug for breakfast there, mark. ♪ >> that's not funny. here's the billboard. right in front of our hotel. and take a look at that, who'sa liliputian with the parted red hair? that is our own investmeredith ruling cannes. ♪ i don't need anything but you ♪ ♪ we will we will rock you

♪ thank you for being a friend ♪ travel down the road and back again ♪ >> me, a drink with jam and bread ♪ ♪ that will bring us back to doe ♪ >> this will go down as one of the strangest thingwe have ever done. ♪ ♪ going to go all night ♪ we're goi to light it up ♪ like it's dyno mite >> do your co-workers get on your nerves? what are you implying? >> nothing about you, it's matt lauer i'm thinking about. ♪ note

♪ today's going to be a good day ♪ ♪ today's going to be a good good day ♪ listen ♪ ♪

>> boy, that was fantastic. >> a lot of good times there. we had fun. >> we had a lot of fun. >> erica gets to keep her job. >> she prodeuce uproproduces fo. >> not bad. >> nice job. >> yeah, great job. >> we'll be back with much more after your local news and weather. [ woman ] we try to be perfect.

we pretend high-heels don't hurt an that we can handle anything life throws at us. but the are times that we need a moment to remember. we're only human. that's more than enough. youroment. your dove™. hellllllo...that one, everyone looks great.

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and watch in amazement as your children's stories come to life. books, magazines, newspapers, and children's books, all at your fingertips. nookcolor by barnes and noble. good morning. at 8:26. we have 28 degrees and froen waters onhe potomac. good morning. i'm joe krebs. in the "news 4 today," plan plent if you have to drive anywhere, a lot of our roads in the area remain pretty slick. more than 100 crashes were reported yesterday in northern virginia one as a result of the snow. ths morning dozens of stranded passengers are hoping to fly home. delta had cancelled more than a dozen flights. right now the faa is t reporting any delays at reagan,

cloudy and cold now. we ought to get our temperatures back with highs in the low 30s for a brief time. tomorrow, mostly cloudy, a high 30. moment through sunday, maybe an inch or so around washington. a little more around the bay. jerry, how's traffic. >>round i-95 very tough going as you travel up between baltimore and washington. a series of accidents up nar

route 100 out on the roadway, but as you head o out and plan your trip, please be careful. it's a tough trip. joe? >> thanks very much. join us bright and eay on monday morning. "news 4 today" begs every weekday morning at

8:30 on this friday morning, the 17th day of december, 2010. andhis is two-time oscar winner kevin spacey collecting toys for our 17th annual toy drive. he was nominated for a golden global for one of his movies.

we'll talk about that when he catch up. the woman who was attacked by a friend's pet chimpanzee, recently she had a reunion with the medical team that saved her life. we'll show you that reunion coming up. on a different note. who doesn't like a christmas tree what do you think of christmas trees made by the

good morning. here we are dealing with again other cold morning. we've got ice on the potomac river and temperatures in the 20s. just brfly above freezing. we ought to get some sunshine. tomorrow mostly cloudy, high mid-30s. after midnit, areas east of interstate 95 may get accumulating light snow. maybe an inch in washington. higher amounts aound the bay and on the eastern shore. quickly ends sunday afternoon. remaining colder than average into next week. that's your lat weather. can we do somethi on a personal note? we could like to offer our condolences to the friends and family members to a guy named bill donovan who was a graphic

artist for 19 years. he died this week of cancer. he was 58 years old. he was a guy that always left us smiling. he loved surfing, motorcycles and most of all he loved his wife and his daughter. he will be missed a our condolences again to the donovan family. we're back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc.

we are back at 8:37. it has been nearly two years since charla nash was viciously mauled by a friend's chimpanzee. she survived due to the staff of stanford hospital. >> thank you for coming, it means a lot to us. >> charla is a patient that this

hospal will never forget. with her brother by her side and the trauma surgeon who helped save her life, s walked the hallways of a place few thought she would leave alive. 22 months ago she was rushed her clinging to life after a brutal attack she does not remember to this day. >> he's killing my friend? >> who's killing your friend? >> my chimpanzee. >> your chpanzee is killing your sfrend? >> hurry up, please? >> the medical staff who saved charla nash's wife. >> we have our staff and our nurseshere. they want to introduce themselves. >> i'm sue evans, i was in the e.r. the night you came in. >> i didn't get a hug. >> it was charla's chance to

personally thank the team that refused to give up on her. >> i just wondered what made you think i could make it through this? >> the second i met brianna, we all knew that's what got you through this. because you had something to live for and work for. it's amazing where you have come. >> they all came out to greet a very special patient. >> hi, i'm debbie mullins. i was a surgical tech, but i was there for you. >> thank you for your help. >> you're weome. >> if it wasn't for these people here, i wouldn't be standing here. you all did a great job, thank you. merry christmas to everyone. >> aftshe now lives in an assis

ving center outside of boston. she's hoping to be a candidate for face and hands ansplant. attorneys for chaa nash are taking steps to sue the state of connecticut for $150 million saying the state failed to prevent the attack on charla a $2 million lawsuit has been filed against the estate of charla herold. >> if we don't have a stettalment within the next six months, we should have a tri. >> she traveled to stanford for a special day with a special group of people. >> the work they had to do to keep me alive, i really appreciate everyone. it was nice. >> a reunion at christmas time with a team that refused to give up on charla nash, for a nurse who cared for her, a patient she ll admire forever. >> my three days with her, i'm going to remember for the rest of my life. it was obviously it was an

accident that doesn't happen, bu also with her strength and, you know, i walked in that room and she made it through the e.r., she mad it through surgery, she made it to us, she made it out of here. it just so amazing that, you know, i'll never forget that. >> pple at the hospital say that charla is now working on improving her strength so she can be a candidate for a facial transplant and a hand transplant. up next, two-time oscar winner kevin spacey, but first this is "today" on nbc.

two-me academy award winner kevin spacey has made his

mark playing some very complex characters. he's at it once again in his latest film about the rise and fall of jk abraff. you were a little surprised? >> i was a little surprised. i'm very honored and grateful for it because we'll talk about my director in a minute that he directed me to this performance. so for me, it feels like a tribute to george and his work and ourfriendship. but also the mie only opens today. so i'm very grateful that the members of the hollywood foreign press watched their screenings. >> when they see kevin spacey atched to a movie, they go find these screeners, they like you a lot a want to know what you're involved with. >> i am very fortunate to be nominated many times over the years. >> you say your director dre you to this.

basically it was a posting on a facebook walthat you would be great in this role. >> i don't think the manager were doing their job. but at a certain point, there was i think some dispute about who some of the producers wanted to have play this part. and journal wrote on his facebook page that i would be a good candidate. so weot in touch and george flew over to london. and we spent the day together. and we found that we had this fascination and at times frustration with the american political system. and is story was ripe for storytelling. >> i'm glad you're leading me in that direction. there are people saying jack abramoff. how do you sum it up. >> you don't have to know jack abramoff who served a prison term, and it's about the

improper prities in the lobbying industry and what the film tries expose, although it's a very funny film and we have tried to make it very entertaining is the hypocrisy that exists to this day with respect to so much power and money invading the political process. >> was that a fly by to check out his mannerisms and h voice, or did you just want to pick h brain a little bit? >> it was both. i wanted to have a chance to meet the man. i didn't do any research prior to going and seeing him. because a lot of people made a lot of opinions about him and he was sort of really vilified in the media. and my job is not to play a sort of one note villainous character, but try to understand, with some degree of empathy put yourself in someone else's shoes and see how did these insufficients happen. >> he was at the premier, i understand? >> his kids were there. >> d they like the film?

>> they liked the film. i think parts of it are painful to watch, but i played him as a fully rnded human being. >> when hi saw him, was he happy that -- >> i think he was disappointed mostly that it wasn't george clooney playing it. >> the director, you mentioned earlier, george higenlooper passed away while promoting this film. what a tragedy. >> a little more than a month ago. it's been incredibly strange to go out and launching this movie without george by my side. he used to giggle off camera as we were doing scenes, i would have to say, george, shut up, we're doing scenes. he was exuberant and he loved

politics. he was at a rally when he passed away. but his cousin won the election and i thought that was a pretty goodsign. since he didn't run a negative campaign, it was hopeful. >> i mentioned that you just got a golden globe nomination f this and i also wanted to mention that your production company was behind "social network" which received six nominations. this has bn a big year for you. >> i am enormously proud of my partner who went to the academy awards as my assistant and n he might be going -- it's an incredible story, number one. but the book that the film is based on, we got incredibly lucky that sony pictures generally doesn't do movies about people talking in rooms. it's a story about relationships and david fisher did an extraordinary job a we're incredibly proud of it. >> i know you're doing a lot

more theater of t. you're going to do richard ii? >> andor the holidays, you head back to your new hometown of london? >> i do. >> which is great. enjoy them congratulations on asino jack" and it opens today in new york and los angeles. we're

back now at 8:50 with our special series, education nation "today." a very special encounter for the five kids that appear in the documentary. here's nbc's education correspondent rehema ellis. >> reporter: the struggle for a go education in america comes to life in the film that showcases children's dreams. >> i want to be a nurse. >> i want to be a doctor. >>. >> reporter: and dpis appointment. in waing for superman t five kids help turn up the heat in the national debate about education reform. >> people are getting engaged again on this issue. people are connecting to it through these kids. >> let's see if you can do this whe interview without smiling, okay? >> reporter: now these kids are connected to a world you could never imagine. they were cover kids on parade,

and they got an invite to a world famous house. >> tell me all the dferent feelings you're feeling. >> nervous, happy, excited, all these -- but like unexplainable. >> reporter: no surprise, the filmmaker made a minimovie about the children's special visit, a visit he says happened because of a chae encounter. >> a friend of mine came up and id i want to meet bianca. he said i want to meet her. i said this gentleman works at the white house. she said you work at the white house? i want to meet the president. >> what do you say to m? >> do you want to play basketball? >> what are you going to say to him? >> if i don't pass out? >> hey, how are you guy good to see you. >> i'm excited. >> for what? >> for today. >> you can't let other people

tell you whato do. >> i got to meet the president. >> thank you, francisco. >> five kids, dazzled by where a movie has taken them and what they have done for a cause. for "today," rehema ellis, nbc news, new york. >> and during our education nation initiative back in september, american express pledged to do their part to benefit education in this country, they are honoring that this morning with the online nonprofit donorschoose.org. good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> this is one big check for a million dollars. with all the charities out there, what made you decide to put the money towards donors choose. >> we are so proud to present this donation to donors choose.

this program is supporting the lives of students and teachers. plus we know that our community is really passionate about the great work that charles and hiss team at donors choose are doing. so on behalf of american express, i'm very pleased to present you with this check. >> thank you so, so ch. this is incredible. >> what does this money mean to this organization? >> this amazing gift means that 70,000 kids in 200 classrooms across america are going to get the books t art supplies, the microscopes the field tps that they need to learn when their teachers' project are brought to life. >> you log on and decide what you want to do with edation, and you can do it. >> anybody with even $5 to give can be an education fi philanthropi philanthropist.

>> we're back after your local news.

good morning. i'm joe krebs on the 17th of december. amak had been experiencing signal problems between baltimore and philadelphia. the train service now says you can expect only minor delays since they have restored the outage. get ready to get your bags inspected before you ride metro. the transit agency says they'll start lookingt riders' bagsat random before they enter the stations. they won't say when those searches will begin.

tom kierein with your forecast. mid-30s. mostly cloudy torrow. might get snow late saturday night and midday sunday looks like light snow. jerry, how's traffic? >> sll looking at delays. there was an accident at 66 westbound at glebe rd. moved out of the roadway. slow moved westbound toward the beltway. topside of the belay. look at that. that's just ugly. accidents out of the roadway. be very careful if you're planning to head on out. conditions are still not 100%. joe? >>

we're back now on a monday morning, it is the 17th day of december, 2010. that christmas tree just looks better and better as the holiday is fast approaching, we have got people all around the world, ady to descend on rockefeller plaza, do a little sightseeing, a little shopping. we have a lot of people out on the plaza, we want to thank them for stopping by. out on the plaza, i'm matt lauer, along be natalie morales and al roker. we all know that julian assange the founder of wikileaks has been released from a british jail where he was awaiting

extradition to sweden. 's now going to fight that extradition charges of sexual molestation. we spoke to him on a live interview from outside london earlier this morning. you'll hear what he had to say about the charges against him. >> he's under arresat his mansion. also ahead, what could have been an enormous agedy, you all remember that shocking veo thate saw earlier this week, an armed man held school board members at gunpoint and started shooting. lesterhe started firing at brave security guards. despite his incredible bravery, he does not consider himself a hero, we're going to hear from him and his wife. what he does for kids in his community. >> he's a hero. >> he is a hero. when we move around new york

city, youet a real sense of how great the food isround new york. >> oh, yeah. >> we're going to take you along with martha samuel son is going to show us how the different cultures in. >> good morning once again, everybody. in the news, president obama today signs the $850 billion bill, a package of tax cut extensions passed by the house overnight. it includes a renewal of expired long time jobless benefits. it must now work on a smaller version to keethe government funded into the new year. julian assange appeared on is program this morning and denounced the sex crimes allegations against him. >> this has been a very successful smear campaign so

far. but i think its days are numbers and peopl are starting to wonder, is what is claimed really true and if it is true, where is the evidence? >> assge is under house arrest after being freed on bail on thursday. winter weather is blamed for at least five traffic deaths in the midwest and the south including three in alabama. drivers in roanoke, virginia -- according to the study from tobacco control, pollutant scientts called third hand smoke can endanger nonsmokers who move in for months. walmart is recalling 2.2 million space heaters sold between december 2001 and october 2009 saying the heaters can pose a fire and burn hazard. nasa has made an amazing discovery on one of saturn's

moons, it's a volcano spewing shus ice. there may be heat under ground, an essential ingredient for sustaining life. new hope for americans con funnied to wheelchairs isalled the rewalk exo skeleton can move a patient's torso and stay in balance. and not all reindeer hav shiny noses. they are being fitted with reflective collars that cut down on traffic accidents. it is now four minutes pas the hour, let's go back outside to matt. >> all right, ann, thank you very much.

good morning. here the potomac river is frozen over. live view from the city camera showing that right there at the

14th street bridge. it's frozen over for the first time this year. right now temperatures in the 20s to near 30 degrees. highs may reach the mid-30s this afternoon with sunshineback, and then tomorrow mostly cloudy. might get some light snow late saturday night through midday sunday. maybe an inch or so around washington. but higher around the bay ending sunday afternoon. >> and that's your latest weather. and we're in the midst of our 17th annual toy drive. literacy is a big part of that. you guys have ways been great to us. >> we're glad to do this for the second year in a row. this year we're donating 20,000 books to the holiday drive. twice as many as last year. books are a key to learning and we're thrilled to be a part of it. >> thank you very much. let's head back into to natalie. security chief mike joness

being hailed as a hero for taking out the gunman at a school board meeting. she began by asking at what point did he know he had to get into that room? >> when i was going through the door and i saw him square his back to me and put both arms in front of him with his weapon, i knew he was fixing to do it. by the time i -- i didn't open the door hardly at all, i heard the first gunshot so i snatched it open. i couldn't wait any longer. >> at that point did you think that the superintendent was dead? >> yes, ma'am. >> so when he stood up, that's when you say you los it? >> when i went down the aisle and took the gun out of the -- mr. duke's hand andhrew it over to the side. and i wasind of like, everything just went blank, i couldn't hear anything, i was just like in a wind tunnel or something.

and all of a sudden, the superintendent and franklin harrison the school board attorney came up and i lost it right then. i could not believe they we alive. that man was two feet from them when he pulled the trigger. >> mike, you said 20 years on the police force before you became a security guard. ver had fired your gun at someone and it has weighed very heavily on you since. i know you sought counsel with your preacher to get right with god as you said. the first thing that came to your mind after the shooting, what is the community going to think of me? what were you worried about? >> taking a life from someone, and i'm known as salvage santa and this jolly, nice guy, you know, in the church. i just didn't want my fellow parishioners feeling bad about what i had done.

there's not a lot of people that have taken another life. i'm not proud of it. i just did my job. i done what i was trained to do and thank god that all that kicked in when this happened. >> colleen, members of the community are calling mike a hero whether he likes it or not, is that how you see him this morning? >> absolutely. absolutely. he didn't have to go into that room. he could have waited until all the other police officers showed up as backup. he just -- he couldn't. he's got a big het. helways feels like he's responsible for the world and that's his nature and it didn't surprise me at all that he ran into that building, into that room. >> you know, mike, you are obviously considered a ro by the members of your community, but you're also known for the things that you do every days salvage santa to help the needy kids in your area, we did contact schwinn and they wanted to donate 500 bikes and helmets.

so that will be in time for christmas. you've changed so many lives, mike. this experience, how has it changed your life? >> 500 bikes? >> 500 bikes. it's certainly changed it that way. one way to put the focus on the kids instead of yourself >> you might want to call an ambulance again, my heart's fixing to race again. this is so awesome and there's so many kids in our community that need help and i'm on the board of directors at the salvation army. and we still have 400, 500 kids still on the pick an angel tree this week. i went to the radio station today before this shooting and asked for some help for them as well. and -- wow, this is saw many. -- awesome. >> mike jones and his wife colleen. up next how the traditional

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this morning jenna bush hagger is taking us -- >> esteemed chef marcus samuelsson took me on a journey to find the meaning of the new holiday meal. and it's definitely not your parents turkey and mashed potatoes. >> filipino roles with grilled salmon. it may seem like simply ethnic dishes, yet a day spent eating with chef marcus samuelsson in new york prove they symbolize so much through this holiday season. how would you define the new holiday me? >> it's just yummy. each family is difference. >> and to taste these differences, you didn't need to travel far. first sto brooyn, new york,

the- the filipino swedish christmas. is this a typical holiday meal in sweden? >> you cannot have a meal without -- >> and herring, which i was a little afrd to try. >> it took my mom about five years to truly appreciate this. >> i wonder if it will take me five minutes. all right. >> here we go. >> ooh. >> one thing that's good. >> when i cook, i think of my faer, now i definitely cook better than he does. >> reporter: next carlos and christy lopez and leslie lufkin where traditions were promised. we started with a dish that helps keep the people warm.

>> so this is basically the ecuadoran hot chocolate? >> hot chocolate with eggnog. >> it's pork shoulder. >> it's very important that you use your hands, because actually using a knife willffect the taste. it's a very rustic meal, so get your hands dirty. >> it's really, really good. how important is it to you that your daughter is raised respecting different types of food, different types of cultures? >> extremely important. we want for her to respectther cultures, to always want to try new things. >> oh, she likes it, does she li it? oh, she loves it. >> but she didn't love her father feeding her. >> thank you very much.

>> no problem, thank you very much. >> finally we were off to chef moon's kitchen. she learned to cook as a young girl watching the women in her village. this is like having turkey on your christmas dier. >> for ethiopians. >> and i noticed there's no fork. >> dig in. >> we have to take a chance. >> we have toake a chance, i like that. >> it's not just the brd, it's one of the oldt -- >> this is sort of like your fork too, right? >> absolutely. >> we ve new americana, it's also the taste of immigrants and the taste of the rest of society. i think that we're better off for it. >> reporter: three families sharing traditions on their own new american tables. food that across all cultures

this holiday, we have mh to celebrate. we should mention that marcus's love of his new home harlem has inspired him to open a new restaurant, the red rooster and it opens tonight. >> this story has us all salivating. >> and you brought us some stuff. >> if you want to try it. they put it with the swedish sauce and it's traditional with corn nuts and the sauce. and if anybody really wants to dig in. and then this is t as they say in america, cheers. happy holidays. >> eat, drink and be merry, right? >> still to come, the ultimate

holiday gift guide for everyone your list. after these messages. and melt with you ♪ stop thd ♪ i'll stop the world ♪ ♪ i will stop the world ♪ ♪ you've seen the difference ♪ ♪ and it's getting better all the time ♪ ♪ i will stop the world ♪ ♪ i'll stop the world and melt with you ♪ ♪ i'll stop the world ♪ ♪ i'll stop the world, i'll melt with you ♪

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ybe this sounds familiar, 3:00 a.m. feedings, baby blankets, teaching your children right from wrong. maria met one womanho's doing

just that for dozens of babies. maria, good morning. >> good morning, and these are baby elephants, they're orphans and they're part of aery memorable extended family in nairobi, kenya. at six weeks old, she's waking up. nearby, 18 other orphans are in need of a stretch, a push and even a morning cuddle. their keepers guide them every step of the way. for over 30 years the davis shelter wildlife trust has been rescuing babs like these. and they're teaching them what their moms would have taught them had they not been victims of poaching. before he was rescued, he went by his dying mother's side for hours. those kinds of traumatic memories are one of the many reasons keepers stay with the elephants 24 hours a day, even sleep with them at night and feed them ever three hours. >> they all have different

characters. some are very eerful, very playful, very calm, very shy. >> how did you guys figure out to use a blanket? he has spent the last 50 years living with and learning from orphaned african elephants as the species is increasingly threatened by human conflict and ivory poaching. >> all that we know has come from her. w to give them the care that they need. >> daphne is the widow of famed consertionist david shelton. this has become her life'swork. >> so there wasn't this big research team, it was you? >> no none of the reserves could help us. they had never ever been ae to raise an infant elephant themselves. >> reporter: now a world renowned expert, she has successfully raised 130 elephants into adult hood and released them into the wild. but it has not been without heart break. one of the first orphans she

raised from infancy died from grief when daphne took a brief trip. >> you learn the hard way. >> reporter: ever since, the keepers rotate each night so no baby grows too attached. the work has always bn part of the family with the help of daughters julie and angela. >> when you see the elephants growing a huge herd the and she can stand back and say, but for i, it's a good feeling. >> you have to love them, because an elephant can read your heart. >> reporter: it turns out the biggest lesson learned is that elephants are as human as the rest of us. >> they absolutely are and if you're looking for a great christmas gift, you can foster a baby elephant in your child's name and follow their progress as they grow up. you can go to todayshow.com. >> thas, maria.

still to come, we're going to show you how to spruce up your traditional holidays with christmas trees. if you think all batteries are the same... consider this: these duracell batteries re given... to the mattel children's hospital, u.c.l.a. because when it comes to kids and healing... you're not just powering a toy. you're powering a smile. duracell. trusted everywhere.

good morning. 9:26. i'm joe kreb in the "news 4 today," amtrak passengers may have a slight delay this morning. workers had to restore power to signals and switches. at one point delays were about two hour now amtrak says trains are only up to 15 minutes behind schedule. well, this morning dozens of stranded airport passengers are hoping to get to their destinations. delta cancelled more than a dozen flights from reagan last night. right now the faa is not reporting any days at reagan reporting any days at reagan national, bwi or mar

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good morning. the potomac river frozen over from the 14th street bridge north. that's a live view from our city camera. it is cd. we're just in the 20s to near 30 degrees. later today reaching the mid-30s. mostly cloudy tomorrow. light snow monday through thursday. how's traffic? >> still looking at delays both the inner loop and outer loop a you trav between ooe 95 and 355. traffic running very about very slowly due to earlier issues. in northern virginia, still below the speed lit but

looking a little bit better. two and across the 14th street bridge. >> join us bright and early on monday morning. "news 4 tod" begins every weekday morning at 4:30. have a great day.

>>you may haveeard of the big wedding coming up nextyear. well, prepare to say goodbye to 2010, a lot of people are looking forward to the new year and the royal wedding of prince william and kate middleton monday on "today." we're going to talk to the author of a new biography. i don't know where he gets that. some people, they know how to rake it in we'll be talking about our holiy gift guide. >> and we have a profile of the couples' baby too. >> they have been together eight years.

there's always few people on that list every year that are very, very hard to buy for, right? this mornin "instyle" magazine ensures you have something for everyone, from your co-workers to picky teens. we have got some unique ideas to suit every taste. >> especially for pple who haven't actually bought their tree yet. like me, they need to kind of get on the --. also coming up, we have got some amazing holiday recipes. but first we have got amy robach who has a look at what's coming up this weekend on "today." >> we're going to look at how the popular website the huffington post is trying to lift the stigma of divorce. and you mentioned next year's royal wedding, coming up how prince william'sate mother

princess diana is playing a big role in the runup to the ceremony. the doctor who underwent that double hand transplant goes home for the holidays. an saturday marks one week until christmas. if you haven't started your shopping yet, ann hasn't bought a tree, some people haven't started shopping yet. don't worry, we have some la minute gift ideas for you. >> now let's get a check of the

good morning. it's been so cold this december. the potomac river is frozen over, their earliest in rent memory. it's right near the 14th street bridge. temperatures in in the 20s around the region. we'll climb into the mid-30s. thenomorrow mostly cloudy into the mid-30s. coastal storm system may bring us some snow. looks like light know for washington. maybe an issue or so, but more around the bay a on the eastern shore, ending around sunday afternoon. coming up next, we have the ultimate holiday gift guide. right after this. ♪ would you like me to read you a story? you can't read. [ grandma ] 'twas the night before christmas, and all through the house... whoa, that's grandma. [ grandma ] ...nothing was stirring, not kara, not maya...

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all day friday and saturday, get countdown to christmas doorbusters at sears. this nikon twelve mega pixel camera is only eighty-nine, ninety-nine. plus, 7am through noon saturday get an extra 10% off all tools, even sale prices. sears. be the santa you want to be. we always make time for just us cousins. like the other night at olive garden. hey susan, you gotta tell the aunt jessie story again. -yes, you do! -ok, ok. joe: love that story. try olive garden's two new scaloppini dishes. pan-seared chicken breasts in a lemon-herb glaze. or sauteed pork in a creamy white wine sauce. both served with asiago filled tortelloni. with our unlimited salad and breadsticks. this ilike being back at the kids' table. [ laughter ] olive garden. when you're here, you're family.

"today's" holiday gift guide is brought to you by target. expect more, pay less. this morning on "today's" holiday gift guide, a gift for everyone on your list. lisa arbiter is editor of instyle. first the gift for the fashionista. >> everyone fashionista knows that -- they have been reissuing some of their best sellers. this is a trio of those for about $66. >> this is for your kindle, right? >> they are kindle covers, they come in great prints and they're $85. >> a you can't go wrong with

lip gloss. >> and five come in this kit and it's a nice array of neutrals and bright. they're all sheer so they're easy to wear. and that's $50. >> and if you want a little bit of a splurge here, you've got the glittery shirt. >> because this is a t-shirt and because the sequins are matte, you can dress it down with jeans and a cardigan. >> this is very cool. >> this is a combination of a camera and swim goggles. if you have a snorkeler or a skin diver in your life, this is for them. >> this is actually a very good deal? >> this is $30, feels great, nice, denim shirt. ted's and gap got together to make this bhybrid.

>> and tell me about these really cool headphones. >> gorgeous is not really a word you use for headphonebut these really are. these are based on the design of aviator sunglasses. >> uh-huh. >> so they have this great design, they're $150. >> all right, now for the little fries. >> this is in the cuteness category. van made these for kids. they're $32 to $37. >> my son's huge fan. >> ts is the price for the most adorable. >> everybody was dying for some of these. >> these are thing a majig. they're just too cute, you cannot resistthem. >> love it. >> and i love theittle mouths. >> and they're such a great price. >> $13, and you can get them on amazon.com. >> they make your laugh. okay, cool, cool.

how awesome is this? >> this right here is a skate board. >> three wheels instd of four, so it's got better maneuverability and it's small enough for somebody to fit in their backpack. if you have an artist in your life, this is a great kit. it's in a nice box that makes storage easier. $26. >> and now for the teens. >> you're not going to get any eye rolls if you give any of these gifts. >> these are very hip items for them. >> these are very hip, you can wear them one at a time or in multiples. >> is faux leather? >> yes. >> speaking of faux leather. every teen wants to be cool, so you can get her a faux leather express jacket for $98. >> it's all about games this season. >> this is rock band iii. it's very addictive, they can play at home with the family or

online with friends. >> very cool. and now what are these here? >> these are miniskorts. >> a keyboard with her leath jacket. lisa, thank you very much. great ideas as always. coming up next, christmas trees with a twist, but first, these messages. ♪ i'm gonna get it, i know i'm gonna get it. ♪ ♪ i can't wait ♪ every little step, brgs me closer to the gift. c't be late. ♪ rip it open in a second and 's time to play. ♪ ♪ i was up all night in anticipation feeling electric jewels of jubilation. ♪ ♪ yule tide carols from the local congregation. ♪ ♪ make it tough to hold my patience in check. ♪ ♪ is it time yet, is it time, i can't wait. ♪ ♪ is it time yet, is it time, i can't wait.♪ whoa!

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jeff -- eat a snickers... please. why? every time you get hungry, you turn into a da. a diva? yes, a diva. [ aretha ] okay. thank you. better? [ male announcer ] you're not you when you'reungry. better. [ male announcer ] snickers satisfies. "toy" celebrates christmas is brought to you by snickers brand. snickers satisfies. >> this morning on "today" celebrates christmas, some untraditional ideas for your traditional home. the lifestyle editor for guild group has some gorgeous new ways you can branch out. good morning. >> good morning. thanks for having me. >> it's gre to have you, you look beautiful and you know about style and this is a

stylish tree. >> yes. this is sort of our traditional with a twist tree. and it's sortf a fashionable version of a partridge in a pear tree. >> that explains the feathers. we were really inspired, if you decorate your home, you can use any inspiration to decorate your tree. black is the universal color of shion so we started with these black ball ornaments and started from there. and believe it or not, black is one of the most popular colors, big trend this season for the holidays. >> that is surprising. >> it is surprising. >> you talk about that you can use anything. look at this, this is so great. and i wasust hearing from somebody i know that works here actually, he said that once they were so poor, he and his friends they aually went out and got branchs and made their own christmas tree. >> it's a great nondenominational christmas tree. we have been hearing of trends, there's people who are going out

there and hiring decorators to decorate their home for ristmas. but this is so easy. you can use any branches you want. >> you've got one of these to put them in, and make sure it's very secure. >> and you just decorate with y ornaments that you like. and we chose a winter white theme. love these crystals and these little votive holders, they actually have battery operated candles in there. >> the battery operated is a better way togo. we don't want any fire hazas. there's a lot of multicolored options. >> it's all about color when it comes torees this season. you can get a tree in every color under the rainbow. these are all from christmas central.com and they're every size starting at $54 up t over $45 for these colored trees. black, this tree over here is actually the most popular color. >>wow. >> of colored trees that are sold. >> that is interesting. >> can you believe that?

>> it certainly makes a fashion statement. it's very dramatic. >> and we chose sort of a silver tr, a throw back to the old '50s aluminum tree and decored it with technicolor tear drops and a big star from cb-2. just put that star on top with floral wire. you can attach anything to a tree with floral wire. >> this is probably the most expensive tree. you said this was designed by an architect? >> this is called the possibility tree. >> it's the possibility that he doesn't have any cleanup. >> no cleanup. this is by author richard babcock created this for his family, because he was tired of hauling a tree, cleaning up after it, waterg it. this is such a sleek, modern design, these are wood and they're just slats andou hang it from the ceiling. you can hang it high and put presents underneath and you can

use any ornament that you want. >> he's used the overnightments just as the branches are. >> you cannot even have a tree, you can have a decal. you can put the gifts right over here? >> and this is a wall decal. it's a giant stick they're you peel and stick. this is actually a limited edition from an author named christopher dabble. it's not just a sticker, it's a work of art and if you wanted to, you could leave it up all year long. they're about 1$125 a a lot of well known artists actually created their versions of trees. >> you have giv us lots of options if we haven't gotten a tree yet. coming up, delicious holiday cook recipes. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

this morning on "today's" holiday kitchen, we are baking a fresh batch of christmas cookies. we have got marion, john, anthony and elena. good morning, everybody. >> good morning. >> all right, well, let's get started. i always like this. >> you know, al, this is on everybody's table at christmas. >> what is this called? >> it's truefully. >> it's these little round balls that we saute or fry. >> right. >> and then i'll leave that second product to john. so let's begin with this. this is a dough we made with some regularflour. >> right. >> rye whisky. 12 eggs, you roll it out, you

cut it and that's how you make your balls. i like to brown it and then put it in the saute pan. and then i'm going to turn it over to my cookie. >> how did i get stuck with you this holiday season? i just want to know. >> in any event, i am deep frying the dough until it's lightly brown. you'll take them out, we'll put them on the tray here, and basically what i have done is ve it here and now i'm making sauce, it's a little dangeus here, i have honey already in, we have some walnuts, some lemon, watch mymom, she's crazy this holiday season. a little salt. we warm it up and now these are the cooked dough. you'll take this and place it right on top. >> yes. >> and it will look like this and we certain this. >> why are you talking like that? >> you pour the honey in.

>> ann, why don'tou take it over? >> that's all right. that's all right. it happens to the best of us. >> during the holidays, this is what we have. it's warm, they're really delicious. look what we started re. i've been toasting some almond paste and some confectionery sugar together. it's just going to take a second. and then whawe're going to do take this off. andi inthen if you can help me, love. we want to try to add this to the mixture. i'm going to add a little salt. >> the dough smells so wonderful. how do you find this almond taste? >> in the store. you're going to mix that

together. >> we're going to pretend we did that. thenhat happens. >> we're going to get it going like this. it sets up in the refrigerator. put it in one of these disposable -- >> or like a baggie. >> we're going to squeeze, it's a little goey and delicious. you're going to add a little pine nuts, you're going to set your oven at 350, 12 to 14 minutes. >> i can't wait to taste this. >> and you've got stained glass cookies. you make these with the kids? >> this is such a fun recipe, it's a classic sugar dough and you get one of these cookie cutters and you obviously take e sides out. >> right. >> and then we'll just do that. >> and then you keep that in there? >> and then you do a ltle one. and what we have done, is we have chopped lifesavers and basically you sprinkle the

lifesavers in the middle and you bake it like that at 325. and this is what it comes out. it's really fun to get the kids involved, ty can chop the lifesavers, they can eat the lifesavers. that was a christopher columbus hat on the boat. so if it's good enough for him. >> you have to cut them and bake so if it's good enough for him. >> you have to cut them and bake

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no snow falling right now, but plenty of the ground. is there more on the way this weekend? we'll check with tom in a minute. it's 9:57 on this friday, december 17, 2010. i'm barbara harrison. topping the news the governor will announce his plan to cut the spending budget. earlier this wok mcdonald proposed to cut vacant positionsing expanding medicaid, managing programs and continue looking at discretion nair spending. $150 million for transportation. metro says they're going to do random searches. the new security plans are not in response to a specific terror

threat. and tom has the weather for us. >> you can see the picture behind us. this is the first time i can remember in long time the potomac wasfrozen over. right now we're in the 20s to near 30 degrees and we ought to get sunshine back. maybe some light snow surmd. jerry, how's traffic? >> still looking at some delays but 66 eastbound headed for the capital beltway. for the of you heading out, it looks like thin are beginning to wind down. good news for you. be careful heading out. barba barbara. >> >> thank you. we have a full ho of news coming up at midday at

captions paid for by nbc-universal television it's friday, everybody! december 17th. we're coming to you from the msnbc.com digital cafe here at 30 rock. we've got a great crowd of people here enjoying the most wonderful time of the year. >> and kathieee said earlier, that was the most wonderful song of the year. >> no when andy williams sangs , when i do.

>> we're at msnbc.com digital cafe which is -- we've got a rowdy crowd. >> i think they are were expecting drinks. we'll see what we can do. >> we just have some for us. >> so the are called nose warmers. okay? they are coffee, bailey's, grand marnier, frangelico and some dark cream. it is a hot cocoa -- >> toddy. the lactose thing. so go ahead. boy, do i miss whipped cream. i miss cheese so badly, i can't tell you. >> you stopped all dairy products. >> yeah, but there's stuff that they make that is lactose-free. >> exactly. so there is a new study out -- >> and we sort of knew this. >> it tells you that if you get more beauty slip you're

prettier. if you get more sleep you're prettier. >> the more sleep you get, the prettier you appear to people. i must be grandma moses because i sleep about two hours a night. i get no sleep. >> why don't you sleep? >> you know, i don't know why. a lot of it is hormonal. all right? enjoy your sleep while you're sleeping because guess what? after 55, you won't. >> here's the thing. we want to know that -- let's do our practice laugh again -- one, two, three -- that's genius. >> perfect! >> i interviewed at one point a whole bunch of models. the one thing that they said that all preserved their beauty is they all sleep and -- get this -- they told me eight but more like tenours a night. >> that's a lot of rest.

>> isn't the reason because they don't eat then. they said if we're asleep we won't be eating and we can't gain weight. they don't have children, you're right. >> when i sle a long time i look terrible. >> i know. >> that's not the time we laugh. >> i love this guy. >> i used to like him until a few minutes ago. >> no, but they say sleep like a baby. well, a baby doesn't sleep. that's a misnomer. that's ridiculous. >> you're absolutely right. >> but i don't know, i haven't literally slept a ght through, hoda, in 20 -- more than 21 years, since i was pregnant with cod it's got to be hormonal. >> mariah carey has something to look forward to. she's pregnant with -- twins. she and nick canon are going to have twins. but he announced it i think on his radio show >> here's the funny part. >> g >> that mariah carey apparently

makes goats produce more milk. >> she does. >> is that anything to do with the cuddle ps? i don't know. >> here's the deal. there's a farmer who plays this song -- ♪ ♪ all i want for christmas is you ♪ >> he says when he plays this song, his cows produce more milk. they play all kinds of music -- >> that's my point. just wait until she's nursing. i mean -- >> gts. >> goats. all right. >> goats or cows, doesn't matter. they're mammals. mine got so huge -- >> oh, no, please don tell us about that. >> that's what yore supposed to go -- how huge did they get? >> she's always talking about them. >> somebody thought this was a good idea. >> this live audience situation is not working well for us.

>> one day fra looked at me and he said don't aim those things at me. you can't believe how gargantuan they get. >> you're still talking about them. >> have we moved on? >> no, that's your topic, the robe, y could tie it -- >> i know all those stories. >> larry king last night said his good-byes. his final show was last night. he was flanked by his two young kids. >> darling boys. >> and it was very poignant. he's been so many years out there and -- >> he was get-to guy for years. i remember when i was going through different things in life, you knew tha you were going to get your story out if ou went on larry king. and i sat with him many times. >> seemsike just a really sweet guy. >> he's a good guy. sounds like his family situation is healing up. he's not going to disappear.

bill maher said it is the end of a show, not the end of a man. >> piers morn is going to start up. >> we wish him the best. that's the way we roll. >> howou guys doing? good. we don't care really, but that's good. so we have our best manners. we always talk about people who don't have great manners but these are our best mannered people. >> and we agree with this. totally. drew brees, number one positive examp example. helping new orleans rebuild. it is not with what he just does publicly. in private he is about as -- i started crying when he was here with us a cole weeks ago. i said if i can raise a son half the man you are, i will be grateful. >> when he is talking to you, he's all yours. >> he's fun to look at. >> he's hot. >> he's very cute. >> but we love his wife brittany. >> you know what i didn't know, hoda? i wish you told me. i only met one one timbefore. he has a birthmark on this side.

and i, like an idiot, i said somebody got to you last week in the game. i thought he had just been hurt. >> what did he say? >> he said well that's a birthmark, but yeah, it probably looks that way. i said i'm so sorry. he was so great about it. he's the best. socute. he proposed to his wife in french, in paris. that was the proposal. that's sweet. >> he's like perfect. look, this is something -- something we think is stupid. >> this looks like a regular piece of handkerchief or somethi. but it is so much more than that. >> allegedly. >> if youave a phone and you don't feel like turningt off because -- >> you're lazy. >> it is called a phone-kerchief. you wrap i in this special hander chhand kerchief and it won't ring. >> that's another thing you got to remember. it slips right out of it. turn your phone off! >> turn yur phone off. listen to kathie lee. here's one of our most favorite

parts of friday. bobbie thomas! >> i'm not part of the cuddle cup conversation. how many people here knit? anybody knit? oh, good. lot of people knit. knitting is hot. i need to get into knitting but i have some cool things for peple who knit you may not have heard of. first, glow in the dark needles. if you want to knit in the dark at night -- you know about that? also these really great pottery bowls from the woman who called herself red hot pottery. is bowl in the front will help keep your sing from getle tangled. it is this little lip, you pull it out. for the cool hipsters, wool and the gang offers these kits. sara, come on over. you can pick up a kit -- >> oh, look at. it gives instructions for the

beginners. >> i love the pouty thing. >> we do. >> why do models alwaysout like they're the most miserable people in theworld. >> because they're hungry. >> starving. >> who makes your dress? >> jcpenney. $10 on sale. >> what? bob bobbie thomas has thbest clothes. all right, miss sara. >> im sweating. not meant for indoors, that's for sure. >> we're giving away things because we like to give free things away. >> we're doing our tivo sweepstes again. starting today through thursday, december 23rd, we'll be giving away five tivos each day at random. u have to go to klg a lchlt gch and hoe g and hod hoda.com for your chance. can you believe that they showed up and they don't get one and you ha to getn the website to get it? they are present. >> they've had nothing. >> it is a digital age. they're all holding mobile phones. they can logon as we speak.

it is -- want to read the language right -- it is a one-year subscription as well for tivo. anks, klg and hoda. still to come, you guys in this crowd will able to ask us anything you want. >> oh, no. >> don't go to him. doot ask him. but first, up next, two women who are going to be so happy because they got a makeover this morning. right after this. ♪ daisy, do-do a dollop our family-owned company makes daisy... with 100% natural farm-fresh cream. no artificial ingredients. no preservatives. and no added hormones. ♪ better with a dollop here ♪ fresher with a dollop there ♪ ♪ wholesome in every y ♪ daisy, do a dollop ♪ daisy, do-do a dollop when you can actually party at your party?

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we are back. we're back wh our "plaz am plaz "ambush makeovers." >> our crack maover team found two lucky ladies on the plaza.

today stylest and contributor to the stars ♪ louis licari la-la-la-la-la >> and jill martin. >> they have been hard at work for the last three hours. >> it was cold out there. we found two ladies that were so excited and both of them with short hair cuts, both of them full of the holiday spirit. >> let's begin with miss lima moore. she is 95 years old. can't wait to see ima, living in bradford, tennessee her entire life. yesterday was her very first time on a plane. her four daughters really wanted tsurprise her with a brand-new look for at long as they can remember, she's had the exact same look. listen to her story. >> well, in the freezing cold is the moore family reunion. i know you're celebrating your 95-year-old mom. why does she deserve this? >> she's the best m in the world. yesterday was her first flight and sheoved it. my dad never would fly and we

just wanted to give her a new york look. >> well, are you ready to get rid of that gray hair? we areoing to make you look ten years younger. >> i'm ready. >> oh, my gosh, we can't wait to see nema. her daughters are right here. daughters, wave. you guys keep your blindfolds on until i give you the green light, okay. here is nema moore before. all right, nema, let's see the new you. >> woo! >> oh, my gosh. hi! don't look, don'tlook. she was looking. >> you guys ready? take off your blindfolds. >> nema, you ready to see yourself? that is you! you look beautiful. >> you look ggeous. >> louis, tell us about the hair. >> nema was beautiful before,

but nema, you're even more beautiful w. >> you big baby, suck it up >> i'm going to be tough guy now. she looks great. she's got blonde hair. we took away the gray. the gray will blend with the blonde. she'll never ad have roots. we just updated her hair-do by giving her this little layered thing she can use her fingers to dry. >> everyone's boo hooing. tell us what you guys think. >> she was beautiful the way she was but i've never seeher look like this. i've never seen her with eye makeup. >> but the suit? >> those are actually jean i wanted to give her a great pair of jeans from talbot's. these little money bags were pinned to her panties, to her bra, to everything on her body. when i finally was able to take them off, i put this blazer on from talbot's but they will fit back over these. >> a big round of applause.

>> how precious is she. what a blessing to have their mom at this age. okay. lynn ruba is our second lady, 55 from iowa. s she's been married to jerry for 36 years. they have two children. it's been a dream to be on ambush a makeover. she wanted to go from small tow girl to glamour girl. let's see her story. >> all right, i want to show you the dance. this is why we picked lynn. ready? >> pick me! pick me! >> they haven't stopped bouncing since we brought them inside. hopefully you will when we bring you out in the reveal. but why does your sister deserve this? >> because she watches your show every day and she wants a makeover. she watches "ambush makeover" all the time. >> so this is a dream come true? >> this is a dream come true. yes. >> what do you hope to look like after this makeover? just awesome. just wonderful. >> w are going to make you look awesome.

you ready to go? >> yes. yes. >> she's more than ready. she's he with her sister elaine and daughter jen. let's take one last look before at lynn. now let's bring the new lynn out. >> oh, my goodness. >> wow! oh! >> elaine and n. take a look at her. >> she didn't even recognize you at first. >> you want to see yourself? turn around and look. >> oh! >> they were out there at 6:00 this morning. saw you guys. >> we saw you guys. >> tell us about her hair. that is so saucy. >> isn't it great? i made her into brunette which showed off her skin color, gave her the great new lipstick to go with the hair color. again arson's haircut.

he's so good. >> jill, tell us about this va-vavoom thing. >> i put her in somethi, she goes you have anything in leopard? this is from talbot's. she can wear with the skirt or with a great pair jeans. >> let's get nema. >> come on, nema. congratulations, both lies look just beautiful. still to co, makeovers for your holiday party. [ grandma ] okay. ♪ ah. then we will all do it together. treats. teets...teets...teets... yeah. look at this. [ female announcer ] it seems like the best family traditions always start in the kitchen. ♪ rice krispies®. happy holidays. rice krispies®. funny how nare just knows how to make things that are good for you. new v8 v-fusion + tea.

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and i need to run off to the bathroom. i'm fed up with always having to put my bladr's needs ahead of my daughter. so today i'm finally talking to my doctor about overactive bladder. [ female announcer ] if you're suffering, today is the day to talk to your doctor andsk about prescription toviaz. one toviaz pill a day significantly reduces sudden urges and accidents all day and all night. plus, toviaz comes with a simple plan with tips on food and drink choices. if you have certain stomach problems or glaucoma or cannot empty your bladder, you should not take toviaz. toviaz can cause blurred vision and drowsiness, so use caution when driving or doing unsafe tks. the most common side effects are dry mouth and constipation. [ jackie ] i asked my doctor about toviaz. and today i'm looking forward to my daughter's wedding. [ female announcer ] why wait? ask about toviaz today.

we're back with our weekly series we call "three two one live with sara hain." >> it's live all right. that when miss sara dives into the crowd to find people with the most intriguing questions. >> be very careful because we're right here. >> gabel la from florida has a question about the olidays. >> hi, kathie lee and hoda. what's your favorite holiday carol? >> favorite caol. >> carol. >> carol. >> christmas carol. >> christmas carol. i don't know. i like them all. which one do you like? >> very, very o obscure one called "the star carol." but one at everybody would know would probably be -- ♪ have yourself -- >> no, that's not a carol. carol is spiritual. >> no! jingle bells is a carol. >> no, it's not. it's a pop song. >> who things jingle bells is a carol? >> you're wrong. >> no, it's got to have -- a carol is a spiritual one. that's not one.

"o holy night." >> i think we should google that and find out if it is true. >> "jingle bells" is a new pop hit. emily from iowa -- yes -- has a question. >> we are hosting a holiday party saturday night and we need a festive cktail. >> i like that one we had yesterday. >> we had one yesterday from family circle magazine. >> it had champagne -- >> it was really good. cranberries! yes, it was really lovely with cranberries floating in it and some sugar along the -- >> it was very -- >> that would be the word. along the rim. >> okay. next up we've got mike from west virginia. he has a question about some holiday memories. >> bet he does. >> i'm sure he does. >> i want to know what your all's most awkward holiday moment was. >> poor kathie lee. >> awkward? >> that's easy for me, hoda.

you think. i was so excited to come downstairs and see what was under the tree that i didn't wear any pants. >> that was last year. >> and my daddy was with the camera going and the family loved to show that every year. yeah. a guy like you would like that, yh. >> i still feel badly about this one. my sister secretly said, look, mom and dad got me this doll, she pointed to it and don't tell everyone. i was stupid. i go she loves that doll. and shy my parents gave to me. >> diyou give it to her. >> yes, i gave it back to her. of course i did. >> now mark from rhode island has a questi about life experiences. >> oh, no. >> a lot of people are on vacation this time of year. we're on vacation. m just wondering what your wildest vacation experiences were. >> that's none of your business. >> who do you think you are? >> wheer's e're on tv, mark.

>> the wildest -- >> no, we're not going to go there. >> i hope it is going to be this one. >> i've got -- we see some new orleans saints stuff right here. >> do you have a question? >> bring it. come on over. ♪ keurig is the way to brew fresh, delicious coffee in under a minute. way to brew. [ female announcer ] so with keurig, every cup taes like it's brewed just for you. ♪ because it is. choose. brew. enjoy. keurig.

choose. brew. enjoy. naturally colorful vegetables are often a good source of vitamins, fiber, or minerals. and who brings you more natural colors than campbell's condensed soups? campbell's.® it's amazing oh, aessy morning commute for some. this was caused by a water main break. coming up on "news 4 midday," we'll see if the leftover snow caused any road problems. good morning. i'm barbara harrison. also coming up, we're going to attempt to find physical beauty today. for example, wha makes selma hayek one of the most beautil

we're back in our studio on this try-day friday counting down to the holidays and trying to get some fun gadgets to give and to get. >> who better to come up with his toys than the author of "gadget naon," friend steve greenburg. >> these are all holiday helpers. look, this right here, these are garland twist ties. come in gold and burgundy. you can get six for $12.99. put them on to a string of lights or garland and it is a lot prettier than using ugly twist ties. good price and they are pretty. if you don't have the space to store a tree or whatnot, this is

a pull-up tree. >> what? >> all you do is put this pole up, take this thing. >> stop it! >> that is craz >> you have an instant tree here. >> that's kind of weird looking actually. it holds 60 ornaments and 400 ights already put on it. boom, instant tree. >> you are kidding! that's what we needed. >> $179. >> that's hilarious. >> hanging garland on the doorway, sometimes you put nails in there. this is pretty cool. this is an instant garland hanger. it holds up by pressure. no nails, no hooks. it is kind of spring-loaded. you can string your garland on it. it is etty looking. this is $80 from the hammacher schlemmer people. to put your lights on your roof and whatnot, this right he is the tool vest and this is from hammacher schlemmer also. going up and down the ladder,

you have everything with you. the ba here is a place to hold your string of lights. very cool. >> whoa. >> about $8. also from hammach schlemmer -- >> hammacher schmmer? what is that? >> that is a huge, huge catalog company. 57th street here in the city. >> okay. i've never heard of it. i don't buy those kind of things. >> these are madea vodka fm holland. l.e.d. lights. you can customize it. 255 characters. >> how much is that? >> $40 and $50. >> after doing the roof you need a little vodka. >> you have to order those? >> yeah. >> some people need to be told that. >> this is a cool came from nikon. five optical zoom.

instant projector bui in. after you take the pictures. you can show the pictures. you can show the pictures on the wall. again it is kind of bright in here. you can do a slide show. it actually has music inside. you can do that aswell. folks at nikon. of course you have to have music for a party. this is a thing called would wi. you plug your speaker system into it. anything youay it on top of becomes a speaker. it changes the sound of anything. it enhances the sound. >> can you get me that for christmas? get me that. it's $80. that is terrible! you are going to wrap it and put it in a box. >> you asked, you received. >> listen to the door. it really is amazing. anything you put it on, it enhances sound of it.

wowie 1. >> $80. >> gi it to her, steve. >> no. i want a gift from kathie lee wrapped in a box. >> you're getting a gift. >> this is the smallest microwave in the world. it is called the i-wave cube. it is about a cubic foot. you can put it on the serving table so people can warm up food. >> can you get a plate in? >> it is small. yo can warm up a little appetizer or a slice of dessert. >> you're spitting, steve. please. >> i'm so excited! > but you're going to have to calm down. >> portable, 12 pounds. it costs about $99. finally, after the party is over, you have to have -- okay. >> put on the shower cap. >> there is the shower cap. it c go on any kind of -- >> so you don't haveo fool

with saran wrap. >> thank you, steve. >> i'm sorry about the shower. that's all right. hoda got something out of this. >> she's getting speakers. for just a few dollars, you two can get the designer look on your holiday table. ever wish vegetables didn't taste so vegetably? well, v8 v-fusion juice gives you a full serving of vegetables, plus a full serving of fruit. but it just tastes like fruit. v8. what's your number?

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you don't get 10 daily value of any vitamins. unless you do this. but total is the cereal that gives you 100% daily value of 11 essential vitamins and minerals and crunchy oat clusters. total. are you getting 100%? so christmas eve is just seven days away. whether you haven't done a thing or have it all set up r your tree and the table top, there is

always room for improvements. >> lifegoesstrong blogger preston bailey has ways to make our christmas party spectacular. >> who makes a more spectacular party than preston? >> first, what are you doing for your tables? >> where you going? why are you leaving us? >> just give you some ideas. th is all about candies. of course the kids are going to want to go crazy, but very simple way ofdoing it. topiary shape cnstructing it. the wonderful part of the table is everything is recyclable. these are the shopping bags that you get. at you use as placemats. it is interesting, one of my favorite -- >> oh. >> -- albums of all time is yours. >> my christmas one in. >> it was years ago. >> which one? >> i still listen. '92, '93. >> "born for you" or >> i have 16. >> excuse me! you can't remember. >> i got warehouses full of

them. >> at any rate, if you remember the grandmothers and aunts are always saving the papers? they open the presents so carefully. the way to do this is just -- >> how smart. >> with flowers, you can certainly create -- >> you just cut around them. >> make little placemats. >> exactly. the idea of christmas is to recycle, to have fun with your kids. i mean what -- >> save a little money, too. >> what colors are you using? >> i like white. i li the purity, winter white with splotches of red. >> by the way, somebody gave me your book as a christmas present. >>hey did? >> i'm not pluggin anyone but -- >> i thought these were olives! those aren olives, those are stones. >> no, cranberries. >> nuts. those are nuts. cranberries, you can go crazy. >> this is beautiful, this

setting right here. absolutely you can use them around the candle. of course the usual garlands that you ma. it is really about -- >> you have some pictures of think of some other tables that you set that we have in our little vault. tell us about some of these. beautiful. >> this is a party of someone in manhattan behind her house. every year we set up this tent and they entertain for three days with different guests. this way they cover everyone at once. >> they have splee separate parties so everybody can come. >> tell us what you did here. >> this is the exact same space, another year. >> what are you doing this year? what's your theme? >> this year is winter nderland. very clean. this year is wonderful. you get all of those christmas cards and you don't know what to do with them. put a little ribbon around them and hang them on their tree. >> that's a lovely idea. >> it is really great because everybody comes in and they actually see the cards that they gave you that is not in the garbage. at least it is on the tree.

>> everybody's spitting today. i don't know what it is! >> it's freezing. >> so great to see you. >> have a happy holiday, press son. >> thank you so much. enjoy holiday. >> how hollywood has come alive in the toy stores. we'll show you the dolls that are rocking the aisles. ♪ [ female announcer ] tide with acti-lift technology helps remove many dry stains as if they were fresh. dad may try to ruin your style, but dry stains won't. ♪ tide with acti-lift. ste is an option. clean is not. get acti-lift in these tide detergents.

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remember the days when it was enough to play with barbie or raggedly ann? the world of dolls has changed. >> no one i rocking these babies to sleep because today celebrity dolls are all the rage. what's so hot about it? "newsweek" has the lowdown. you wrote an online article about these celebrity dolls. >> tee tookwe took a lot of cel dolls and posed them in portrait

shots. >> that's weird. >> creepy, but okay. >> little odd, but okay. who is that? >> that's jake jigyllenhaal and taylor swift ridingn horseback together. >> of course they are. >> this is our white house christmas party shot. >> do people crackp at this? >> yes. >> is there a lot of money to be made in these celebrity dolls? >> spice girls dolls made $250,000 million. the britney spears dll sold 7 million copies. a lot of people want to play with justin bieber, too. there isbout 1 million of these shippedfor this christmas. this doll sings. ♪ baby oh thought you'd always be mine ♪ >> okay. >> i can see the appeal for the tween set with that. >> i'm not going to show it but it also has a tattoo of the seagull on his hip.

>> no way! >> don show us. >> this is taylor swift. >> sometimes you don't know who they are. >> sometimes the celebrities get mad and they make them redo the doll. >> does taylor get money off of this? >> yes. the taylor doll also sings. >> cass ds love taylor swift. >> these are about $15. >> this is from "alice in wonderland." that's creepy. >> we have daniel ratliff, johnny depp, jake gyllenhaal. for jake they had to actually use super man's body because he was so bufd up in the role of "the prince of persia." these are $200. >> that's a lot. >> if i were michelle obama i would notbe pleased with this one down here. the lid and the look. >> i don't think president obama would like his either though. >> we got to see these. nobody wants th. okay? tell us about those two. >> there is some outrage in the doll community ty kept putting out michelle obama dolls and

they didn't look like michelle obama. this isrom ashton drake, $130. >> we think that looks like our doctor we have on the air. >> these are twilight dolls. this is the taylor lautner doll. goes for about $140. mattel does a cheaper line of thetwilight dolls for about $25 for ds. >> cool. who buys all these, by the way. >> kids but also collectors. more expensive dolls a for collectors. >> it is a huge industry. >> they want to be with the celebrities. they want them to look like the selects. these, spak of celebrities, these are two dolls that were specially made. >> who are they? betty and veronica. >> i haven't worn my hair like that -- >> please. i like it. i look thin. >> they used the head of the prince of persia princess doll for your doll, hoda.

>> u didn't need to say that on air. >> whose did they use for me? >> they used one of the twiligh man dolls. >> that's about all rit. thank you so much, it's been a pleasure. >> look at bobbie thomas hanging out in theback. >> bobbie, come hang with us for a minute. why wouldn't you? >> have a great holiday. we will be back [ male announcer ] are you watching cable? here's what you should be watching: your cable bill. because you could be paying way too much. stop snding more for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for just $99.99 a month . call now for this speciaholiday bonus:

over 2hbo and cinemax channels free for 3 months. plus hbo go and max go. watch your favite movies and shows anytime anywhere. there's no term contract required. if you don't love fios, you can cancel atime with no early termination fee. t the best channel lineup, superior picture quality, more hd, plus internet rated #1 in satisfaction, speed and reliability. why keep paying for cable? get fios r just $99.99 a month, plus hbo and cinemax, free for 3 months. call 1.877.717.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilitie that's 1.877.717.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. it's time to get more this holiday season. it's time for fios.

we have a couple more dolls to show you. >> these are the hearts for hearts girls. each girl represents girls from all or the world. >> it is cool, each comes with a little book with their story. it also ges like a bracelet for thehild to wear. you get to learn about different cultures from all over the country. >> the great thing is that the portion of the purchase price is all donated to children's causes

in the country of the origin of the doll. this is the little usa girl. she's all american. >> mine's from i think kenya. >> i thought it was ethiopia. >> they're $24.99 at target or toys "r" us.com. allrigee. you know what's been going on all along. our annual holiday toy drive has sent out more than $20 million in gifts to children. it is like priceless. you can put a price on it but it is truly priceless. >> it has been such a pleasure to help them. we'd like to thank every who contributed whether in the plaza or online or on the sofa. today we welcome a first-time donation from citi. terry o'neil is executive vice president with the company. >> that means money. what are you going to give us for the children? >> citi is hnored to donate $,000 to the "today" show toy drive. in the spirit of giving back this holiday season to children in need, we've also partnered with toys for totsto donate up to $100,000 tohat charity.

>> that's awesome. thank you so much. >> have you done your christas shopping done yet? >> i am almost thrgh. >> 20% of the people have not yet started and 10% of the people are already finished. most people are like -- >> i've just got a couple more things. i don't do a lot of it anyway. >> where are you? >> i'm in the 20% that's going to start this weekend. i like that. pressure. pressure. pressure. >> everybody at home can make a donation to our toy drive at well. get details at klgandhoda.com. >> we encourage you to give. next week we have a really fun guy. duran duran. >> two of the guys. >> as we sign off, we'll leave you with this. >> it's been a crazy week! hey, everybody, welcome to fun-day, monday. >> s!

people like this! >> donny and marie arehere. >> i just want more camera time! >> merry christmas, hoda. >> look at you. >> riding high, baby. >> and i yanked it. >> oh, my gosh, hoda woman. >> o oh, yeah, we'l xplain. >> don't hate me because i'm beautiful. ♪ >> that's the way you do it. >> her name is zoda? yod snachlt. >> it's hoda. >> that's not nancypelosi, is it? >> nancy pelosi? >> xoxo. ♪ >> i love it!

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