good morning. rising cain. a new nbc news/marist poll shows gop. of the hopeful herman cain running neck and neck in iowa with mitt romney, as president obama takes a hit in two swing states. what's causing the disconnect with voters? we'll be asking the president's senior adviser. stranded. a worker who suffered a stroke at the south pole fighting to be evacuated, she says her doctor told her it needs to happen as soon as possible, but her bosses claim a rescue right now would be far too dangerous. this morning, both sides speak out. and marathon mom, a woman

competes in the chicago marathon while 38 weeks pregnant and just seven hours later she gives birth. was she taking a big risk? we'll hear from her and her doctor, "today," tuesday, october 11th, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television welcome to "today" on this tuesday morning. i'm ann curry. >> and i'm matt lauer. so amber miller, a lot of people talking about amber miller this morning, the 27 years old from out there in chicago who ran in this marathon 38 weeks pregnant and gave birth seven hours later. what do you think? i've learned men should not comment on things like this. > [ laughter ] >> that's probably smart. all women have been told to stay

in shape during your pregnancy but this sounds ridiculous and you know what? it wasn't the only marathon she did while pregnant. she did two with the baby. >> i'm all for fitness and the endorphin rush. take a day off. there will be other marathons, that's my thought but again, more power to her. >> we'll find out more about this and find out more details might change your minds. first of all the latest from kansas city, missouri, police return to the home where lisa irwin was last seen and they are searching the garage and a drainage ditch. are detectives any closer to finding a suspect? coming up we'll talk about where the police investigation is headed. learning more about the dramatic rescue of a family whose boat capsized off the coast of florida, forcing them to tread water for 20 hours. a 4-year-old girl was in this group and survived using a cooler as a makeshift lifeboat. the latest on that story coming

up as well. the new nbc news/marist poll out this morning. chuck todd joins us, good morning. >> good morning, ann. the republican presidential primary campaign may seem like a national contest sometimes but remember it's a state by state contest and while mitt romney is ahead, there are a lot of red flags. warming up for tonight's debate, mitt romney spent columbus day campaigning on virtually his home turf of new hampshire. >>. >> you'd look good in air force one. >> reporter: his new stand something underscored by the marist poll where he holds a lead over the rest of the field, 44%, nearly combined the total of the two closest rivals but in iowa they show romney neck in neck not with perry but with herman cain.

romney's challenge with iowa republicans mirrors his challenge with conservatives nationwide. in iowa, tea party supporters, half of all support caucus goers support cain over romney. another red flag for romney n iowa and new hampshire republican voters say electability and experience are less important than picking a candidate who shares their values and positions. >> the path we pursue will find it's the best one. >> reporter: this new ad from rick perry questioning romney's conservati conservative tributes. >> massachusetts law as the model for obama care. >> i believe with romney. >> reporter: even though the attack ad isn't airing on broadcast tv romney felt compelled to respond. >> you're going to find people will take what i've said and try and say something else. >> reporter: for her man cain tonight tests his staying power.

though he's never held public office he does have a public record, a talk show he hosted for three years, starting in early 2008. >> in the last two years, nearly two years of this hijacking by this ultraliberal president and this ultralibical congress -- >> reporter: president obama, who travels to yet another swing state today to sell his jobs plan, this time pennsylvania, has his work cut out for him in two other swing states. the new nbc/marist survey shows job approval ratings are upside down in iowa and new hampshire, two states he won by big margins in 2008. now the obama campaign is out this morning with a memo penned by david axelrod who is making the case that while you look at the president's job approval ratings don't forget congress has some bad ratings and maybe that will get republicans to support the president on that jobs bill, which debuts today.

matt? >> a senior adviser to president obama, david, good to see you. >> good morning, matt. >> numbers out of the latest nbc news/marist poll in the last couple of days, in new hampshire the president's approval rating is 38%. 53% of people disapprove of the job he's doing. you look in iowa, those numbers are 42% and 47%. considering these are the people who probably know the president best because he spent so much time in those two states, how worried are you about the numbers? >> first of all there's a long time until the election. the president is not focussed on the next election but what we need to do to create jobs right now. that's the debate we're having in washington. we have a tough economy so people out there are struggling but the election next year will be a choice between the president's policy, which is about rebuilding security for the middle class versus republican policies and you'll

see that on the stage tonight on the republican debate in new hampshire. these would build a bridge back to the recession, let wall street write their own rules, cut taxes for the wealthiest, let polluters have their way with our air or water. that's not going to grow jobs in the long-term. >> let's talk about jobs. the bill that's before the senate, $447 billion, and a key provision that was recently added by senate democrats is causing a problem, this is the 5.6% surtax on the wealthiest americans. is there any way that bill makes it out of the senate with that provision attached to it? >> this jobs bill should make it out of the senate. >> will it, with that provision? >> for sure we're going to get the vast majority of democratic votes. hopefully the republican senator also look out across the country and understand the economy is too weak. the question is are we going to put teachers back on the job, are we goinging to put construction workers back on the job, give a tax cut to every

family and help the economy get a jump-start and -- go ahead. >> paul ryan futs as "the president is running around the country campaigning on a bill he knows won't pass. he can't even get it out of the senate." so is this about creating jobs or is this about the president not minding at all the opportunity to force republicans once again to stand up publicly a year out from an election and side with the wealthiest americans? >> well, listen, if the republican congress would do their job there wouldn't be a political issue and that's our argument. we have to act and we have to act right now and none of the ideas you see tonight in new hampshire in the republican debate or most republicans here in congress would do anything to create jobs in the short term. we've got too many people out of work so we need to focus on not just the short term but long-term, building an economy based on long-term american values which is hard work and responsibility pays off and wall street and main street play by the same set of rules. >> let's talk about wall street.

we've got the occupy wall street movement that is either growing or morphing, depending on your point of view. these people are out there, and they're angry at wall street, the so-called fat cats, but you know what, david, they're also angry at democrats and the administration for not taking them on and doing anything about it. do democrats stand to take the biggest hit in the wake of these protests? >> well, i think what you're seeing in new york and other cities around the country is mirrored in what you're seeing in people's kitchens and living rooms across the country, a deep frustration about the unfairness in our economy. the president passed wall street reform and what that means is we'll have a more transparent financial system, taxpayer also no longer be on the hook to bail out large banks and consumers protected in terms of credit card rates and mortgage rates and hidden fees. >> those people out on the streets of new york and other places, david, they don't think enough has been done and those are the same people who put barack obama into the white house three years ago. so are you worried that --

they're not going to vote republican but are you worried they're going to stay home in 2012? >> we're not. we're going to have to work hard to get the people out we need to win. the wall street reform will be a fundamental choice here in washington and the campaign next year because all of the major republican presidential candidates, many republicans in congress want to unwind wall street reform. let's remember the economic crisis was caused for a lot of reasons but one fundamental reason was wall street was allowed to write too many of its own rules. what the republicans are saying, let's go back to the policies that led to the great recession. the president is saying we have to hold wall street accountable, make it more transparent. people concerned about our financial system, i think there's going to be a clear difference in this election next year. >> david plouffe coming to us from the white house this morning, thank you very much. i appreciate your time. >> thanks, matt. let's head over to the news desk now. natalie morales has a check of the other top stories. good morning to you. >> good morning to you. the trialor accused terror

underwear bomber begins in court. >> reporter: umar abdulmutallab decided to represent himself but having a lawyer make today's opening statement to the jury. seven minutes before flight 253 from amsterdam was due to land in detroit christmas might 2009 a nigerian man, umar abdulmutallab hoped to bring the plane down. investigators say he succeeded only in starting a fire, burning himself and charg an area next to his window seat. prosecutors will tell the jury when he was taken to the hospital that night for treatment of his purnz, abdulmutallab spoke freely to the fbi for nearly an hour, bragging he went to yemen four months earlier to train with al

qaeda and while in yemen, the government says, he made this martyrdom video for al qaeda. abdulmutallab decided to represent himself in court sending the judge handwritten motions. one says "muslims should only be ruled by the law of the koran." lawyers say he was given pain medication for his burns so the statements at the hospital should be disregarded because he was heavily sedated. abdulmutallab is 24, a fluent english speaker, by the way. it was this plot that caused the department of homeland security to use more full body scanners and those intrusive patdowns at airports nationwide. >> pete wil comliams in detroit thank you so much. the occupy wall street is heating up in more cities. 100 protesters refused to clear a restricted area and here in new york city the price tag has

hit $2 million as police work overtime to monitor the growing demonstrations. in the nation's capital, protesters have accepted a four-month extension to their protest permit. sharp gains on wall street monday bolstered by europe. mandy drury, can we expect more gains there today? >> you're absolutely right, natalie, the s&p 500 index has come off its biggest five-day rally since march 2009. if you had been invested in the last five days you would have made 9%. there are european issues and american companies start reporting third quarter results as of today starting off with the aluminum giant alcoa and lastly gas prices are still coming down but not as fast before, seeing the national average at $3.39 a gallon, only one penny below where we were a week ago. back to you. >> mandy drury at the new york stock exchange, thank you. disappointment for basketball fans as the nba's

first two weeks of games have been canceled. owners and players are deadlocked in a labor dispute that failed to meet a deadline monday. a total of 100 games will be lost as the lockout drags on. it was a drive-by anteloping that sent a mountain biker flying during a race in south africa. take a look. the territorial beast was guarding his turf. that had to hurt. thanks to his helmet the biker turns out fine. the animal however remains at large, probably partying with the deer. >> that is the one that got me. >> he tweeted that guy. >> he said go get him. >> get him! it worked on lauer. try it on this guy. >> where is tony cornheiser who doubted my story? there you go. >> who is his next victim? >> where the deer and the antelope play. >> exactly.

>> packs of armed and dangerous antelope out there right now. natalie thank you very much. i feel completely vindicated. >> don't antelope me, bro. [ laughter ] me, bro. >> we have a low pressure system that dropped a ton of rain in florida and now transferring its energy up along the southeastern atlantic coast, and makes its way up the eastern seaboard, and look at the rainfall amounts over the next 72 hours. we're talking anywhere from three to six inches of rain from buffalo down to charleston. that's what is going on around the country. here's what is happening in your neck of the woods. >> we will not get that much rain here as the system advances north, and the eastern horizon is on fire with the sunrise now. the clouds will be winning out today, and temperatures are in

the upper 50s to 60 or so 62 at reagan national, and later today, climbing perhaps up to 70 or so and maybe a few sprinkles >> and that's your latest weather. ann? al, thank you, now to an extremely difficult situation for a woman who works in one of the most isolated areas in the world. she suffered a stroke at the south pole and is pleading to be rescued but her bosses say right now the mission would be too dangerous. nbc' anne thompson is here is details. >> good morning, ann. you know what makes the missions so dangerous are the temperatures which are now at around 70 degrees below zero and that turns jet fuel to jelly so rescues outside the warmer months are rare but this woman says her life depends on it. the remoteness and adventure that attracted rene nicole ducert threatens her recovery.

>> it gets less and less. >> the 50-year-old suffered a stroke in late suggest leaving this retired nuclear engineer to do simple subtraction and blurred vision. >> if you're watching satellite tv and the signal gets scrambled and you see mixed pixels here there and everywhere. >> the doctor at the south pole urge she be evacuated as soon as possible but the national foundation that funds the station and raytheon polar service that employees doucertte claimed the condition was not life-threatening and she was clinically stable. >> the statement is patently false. >> reporter: her attorney calls the decision unreasonable, insensitive and unethical. >> the standard operating procedure states if there is a risk associated with life, limb, eyesight or disability, they consider that to be an urgent

medical event. it's clear to us that they did not follow the protocol because it's expensive. >> reporter: the national science foundation in a statement to nbc news says it's trying to manage risk. "nsf must always balance the patient's condition with the possibility for injury or the loss of life of the patient, the flight crew and the personnel on the ground at the south pole against the potential benefits to the patient." raytheon adds "extremely cold temperatures and high winds make an extraction dangerous for all involved, passengers as well as crew, and such an extraction is considered only in life-threatening conditions." there have been dramatic rescues at the south pole, most nosably dr. gerri nielsen who biopsied and treated her own progressive breast cancer until she was rescued october 16st, 1999. dr. nielsen's cancer went into remission but came back.

she died in 2009. at this year, temperatures are getting warmer in antartica and regular flights should begin next month. she says she can't wait, she's already waited long enough. >> how does this move forward? sounds like they're nose to nose. >> it depends on the weather at this point, because they could get a cargo plane in there perhaps by the middle of this month and then they would put her on that cargo plane. the problem is, a cargo plane is unpressurized and the question is what would that do to her brain, if she has a blood clot, if there's some other problem in her brain. there's no mri, no ct scan so everybody's operating in the dark here and so she may have to wait until the pressurized planes can fly in and that's in november. >> something to watch. anne thompson, thank you so much this morning. at 7:19, once again here's matt. >> thank you very much. hank williams jr. is lashing out at the media, one week after the controversial comment he made about president obama that

led es. n to drop his monday night football anthem. savannah guthrie has more. >> williams is not going away quietly and put it all to muse which can a brand new song. ♪ this country should as hell going down the drain ♪ >> reporter: sound familiar? hank williams is back and firing back. ♪ united socialist states of america ♪ >> reporter: after parting ways with monday night football, the conservative country music star dropped by espn after comparing president obama to hitler on fox news hit the recording studio friday and stuck to his guns. ♪ so fox & friends wanna put me down, ask for my opinion ♪ ♪ then twist it all around >> reporter: it's been only a week since this controversial fox appearance. >> come on, it would be like hitler playing golf with netanyahu.

>> reporter: which led espn pull the plug from his iconic words for monday night football. >> are you ready for some football! >> reporter: hank had this warning for friends. ♪ you can keep fox amp& friendsd espn out of your home ♪ >> reporter: from a spoof on "saturday night live." >> telling him a political analyst -- >> don't give a baby a gun. president barack hitler will take it away. >> there he goes again. >> reporter: to a hot topic on "the view." >> are you calling the president of the united states hitler? she said that. he didn't mean to say it >> musicians do provac of it things, all of the football players and musicians -- >> reporter: hank appreciated whoopi's view writing "whoopi and joy understood what it i was

saying. who knows, whoopi may run for president and i'll be her vice president. now that will really stir it up." a political proposition that could really strike a chord. ♪ i'll keep the usa and y'all can keep the change ♪ >> if you want to download "keep the change" do it for free for a limited time on his website. just ahead dengtives search a drainage ditch behind the home where 10-month-old lisa irwin was last seen in the crib. we'll talk to the captain overseeing

♪ ♪ [ multiple sounds making melodic tune ] ♪ [ male announcer ] at northrop grumman, every innovation, every solution, comes together for a single purpose -- to make the world a safer place. that's the value of performance. northrop grumman.

coming up, the latest on the family foorsed to tread water for 20 hours after their boat capsized. >> plus the woman who ran a marathon 38 weeks pregnant, after your local news.

good morning. i am joe krebs. it's 7:26 on this tuesday, the 11th of october. we have clouds outside, and let's go to meteorologist, tom kierein, for our forecast. >> as we look off to the east, a few thin spots there, a little sunshine trying to break through but overall a lot of clouds around and we're near 60 degrees through most of the region, and later today up around 70 or so a lot of clouds that could have a sprinkle.

the likelihood of rain tomorrow. we look, every day we're using more and more energy. the world needs more energy. where's it going to come from? ♪ that's why right here, in australia, chevron is building one of the biggest natural gas projects in the world. enough power for a city the size of singapore for 50 years. what's it going to do to the planet? natural gas is the cleanest conventional fuel there is. we've got to be smart about this. it's a smart way to go. ♪

good morning. seeing a lot of congestion in our area. let's start with 270. this is what west montgomery looks like, and your delays start at father hurley boulevard. now, if you are traveling in

virginia right now, i-66 at sudley headed east here. and the 14th street bridge sees congestion as you make your way into the city. into the city. now, back to the "today" complete this merger, and present to the board, sink your teeth into some big n' toasty if you understand. good. you've got spunk. a big day calls for the big n' toasty. wrap your hands around fried eggs, cherrywood smoked bacon, and cheese on texas toast. america runs on dunkin'.

♪ new york 7:30 on a tuesday morning, the 11th of october, 2011. i love that view, from the top of the rock here in rockefeller plaza looking out to the north and west over central park, and the hudson river and the leaves starting to turn in central park as we now take a view at plaza level and some of the nice people who gathered on this tuesday morning, still warmer temperatures than normal. that's going to be changing, though, in the next couple of days. we'll get out and say hi to these people in a couple of

minutes. inside studio 1a i'm matt lauer alongside ann curry. drama along the high seas, one woman died, several others forced to tread water for 20 hours. a 4-year-old girl owes her life to a cooler that floated by. we're live with details. >> dramatic story. also this morning coming up, former model carre otis out with a new memoir detailing her tumultuous marriage to mickey rourke. she was once accidentally shot by a gun rourke put in her purse she claims. also how she's found happiness now. one of the most talkable stories of the morning, an illinois woman who ran the chicago marathon 38 weeks pregnant. seven hours after finishing that race, all 26 miles, she was delivering a healthy baby girl. we'll get into that story. we begin this half hour with

the search for 10-month-old lisa irwin, one week since she was last seen in her crib and police seem no closer to finding her. nbc's peter alexander is there. >> reporter: good morning. it's been one full week since baby lisa disappeared. she will turn 11-month-old today and while her family should be celebrating her' still everyone searching for the missing girl and so are investigators who put new focus on a drainage ditch in the family's backyard. does the irwin's family's backyard hold secrets that could help solve the disappearance of baby lisa? investigators turned over rocks and pulling back thick brush. detectives also entered the family's garage looking for potential evidence. just hours earlier, lisa's father, jeremy irwin returned to the family's home but only long

enough to pick up the mail. neither he nor baby lisa's mother deborah bradley has spoken publicly. the family gave nbc these new photos lisa, whom they affectionately called pumpkin pie. taken two days before she vanished from her crib. in 19 years you've never seen a case like this? >> not that i have seen for. >> reporter: fbi agents have knocked on doors asking about a homeless man in his 20s last seen riding a red bicycle who may have done handyman work in the area. this weekend they tried to recreate how a kidnaper might have broken home in the middle of the night undetected. police say there are no suspects they're not ruling any one or anything out including whether lisa's family knows more about what happened to the 11-month-old. >> please, bring her home. >> reporter: last week kansas city police said the parents had stopped cooperating. >> they know the child. they were you know maybe one of

our best bets to help find this child. >> reporter: authorities say lisa's parents began cooperating once again this weekend but police have now subpoenaed raw video from local tv news stations of interviews with lisa's parents, family members and other friends. >> there was no witness to the abduction of lisa irwin. law enforcement always has to look closely at the people closest to the child, and that's uncomfortable for families but it's something you have to go through. >> reporter: abduction or not, authorities have been flooded with more than 300 tips, called in from at least 22 states from california to florida. >> what we're really looking for is specific information about a suspect that may have been at the house that night, about a suspect vehicle, anything suspicious that evening, during the time frame that we're looking at. >> reporter: anything to help bring baby lisa home. >> we hope america will remember is ultimately the story is about this little girl, and lisa irwin's still missing.

>> reporter: decades of statistics on infant abductions show that when a baby does disappear from a home, it is very rarely a kidnapping by a complete stranger, but if that is the case, it's a very, very high rate that they are found safely so ann, there is good reason today for hope. >> peter alexander, thank you. captain steve young is with the kansas city police department. captain young, good morning. >> good morning. >> with 300 tips from 22 states, why do you still say that the kansas city police department is "at the mercy of the next good idea"? >> well, as you know, i mean that's a whole lot of leads to have tried to track down and to have nothing come of that is unusual, but we try to not get too discouraged. we're happy to have any information we can and the detectives spent a lot of time sitting around as well, brainstorming trying to think of something that we haven't done yet and if something comes up

we're going to try it. >> this homeless man the fbi is, according to neighbors, asking people about, how much is this man the focus of the investigation? he has not been seen since lisa's disappearance. >> reporter: well honestly i don't have a great amount of detail on him himself, but we just know that he's somebody that frequents the area and we haven't talked to him yet. i don't want people to read a whole lot more into that and i don't want to get into explaining every lead we have. >> at this point, are investigators spending most of their time looking at the possibility that lisa was abducted or are they spending most of their time looking at the possibility that a family member might have been involved? >> we're spending our time looking at everything. our command post is still operational. we have detectives farmed in and out of it all day long, chasing leads as they come and getting a lot of help from local police departments and some federal agencies as well, so we're spending our time everywhere is

really the best answer i can give you. >> we understand the parents are again cooperating. you were the one who said that they weren't cooperating last week. has the investigation been hurt by the time lag there, by those days where they weren't talking, where you weren't communicating with them? >> well, i mean we don't really want to look backward and try to assess or guesstimate the damage. we're at the one-week mark and we're glad the parents are communicating with us again, no doubt about it, it's the best thing for the case. >> i want to ask one more question about the polygraph test, the mother in this case said she failed her polygraph test according to police. can you confirm that? >> well, again i'm not going to talk about the details of the case. they're free to talk about whatever they would like. >> are you going to have her take another polygraph? are you going to have the father of lisa take a polygraph test, as he said he would, on our

program? >> well, i think it's fair to assume that the detectives have, you know, some ideas of what they would like to do but i'm not going to open up that door to where i am confirming or denying every move the detectives make. >> what can you tell us then about the chances that you feel of finding lisa at this point, given where you are, a week after she disappeared? >> well, we know that the bottom line is, it's a 10-month-old. somebody had something to do with it. if it were a toddler there's the remote possibility that the child could have just walked away. that's not possible in this case, we're convinced, so we're happy to keep getting leads and tips that come in and we know that it just takes the one correct phone call or one right piece of information to really give this thing a head of steam so that's what we're hoping for. >> captain steve young, may you get that one tip. thank you so much, this morning. >> yeah, we're hoping to, thank you. >> and if you have any information in this case you're

asked to call the kansas city police. the number is 816-474-tips. that's 816-474-8477. now let's get a check of the weather from al. >> announcer: "today's weather" is brought to you by advil. make the switch to advil now. >> good morning, everybody. a little bit cloudy but not too bad. wow, where are you guys from? >> long island. >> long island, you came all the way in from long island! made that trip, oh, i don't believe you could make it even. good to see you guys. thanks for coming. let's check your weather, shall we? we'll show you out west it's rough. we got heavy rain coming in, pacific northwest, another storm bringing rain from seattle to eureka. check out the rainfall amounts anywhere from one to two inches of rain especially around the puget sound. as we check the rest of your weather today around the country, beautiful in the northeast, increasing clouds, the double barrel low making its

way up the coast. the heavy through the southwest on into the northern plains. that's what is going on around the country, and here's what is happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. i am meteorologist, tom kierein. mostly cloudy and a live picture from the sky watcher camera, and a few breaks in the clouds there but a cloudy start to the tuesday and temperatures are generally in the 50s to around 60 degrees. 62 at reagan national. later today, up around 70 and cloudy and a small chance of sprinkles, and then a likelihood of passing showers tonight and through wednesday. thursday a small chance >> and that's your latest weather. ann? >> al, thank you. coming up next the latest on a family including a 4-year-old girl who spent 20 hours treading water after a rogue wave capsized their boat. new details on a dramatic rescue. later, do you really need to shut off your electronic devices when your plane takes off and lands?

we're back now at 7:43 with one family's tragic and gruelling ordeal after their boat capsized four miles from shore. one woman died and several others including a 4-year-old girl survived clinging to the boat for 20 hours. kerry sanders is in marathon, florida, with details. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, matt. it is a tragedy because one of the passengers did drown but also a story of triumph and a lot of it has to do not only with the boat that capsized but

because of a cooler like this. the 40 pound girl was able to hang on and at times get inside a cooler like this floating in very rough seas. these are the keys that draw so many novice boaters, calm seas, beautiful weather, but this past weekend was anything but. >> seas were probably five to eight foot, lots of thunderstorms. >> reporter: despite that threatening weather, eight people, family and friends from south florida, motored offshore on this private boat anyway, sticking with their planned columbus day weekend fishing trip. >> the wind started blowing 30, 35 miles an hour, gusting, it was raining and lightning. >> reporter: out near the old tennessee lighthouse, four miles from shore the florida fish and wildlife commission says a rogue wave swamped the back of their boat, submerging the stern. the weight of the water tossed everyone into the water.

investigators believe only three of the passengers were wearing life vests. the panicked passengers fought to keep their heads above the water. three of the women grabbed the 4-year-old girl, making all efforts to save if nobody else little fabiana. among the debris a three-foot cooler floating on the surface which became a lifeshift boat for fabiana, the three women clinging to its side. the three men did not know how to swim so they held onto them the boat. with them the 79-year-old matriarch, not wearing a life jacket. the elderly woman's son tried in vain to keep her head among the violent waves. within minutes he lost her head and she drowned. granddaughter was very upset. >> my aunts are not speaking

much about it, it's grandmother, their mom. you can tell they're sad. >> reporter: for the next 20 hours they treaded water, the two groups drifting farther and farther apart. fisherman david jensen says it was shear luck they spotted the men on the side of their capsized boat. >> they were very fortunate. they were lucky. i don't know how they -- they had to be strong willed is all i can say. >> for somebody to die at sea, it's sad. it's a sad moment, but i mean, there would have been nobody else out there nobody. >> reporter: jensen alerted the coast guard who spotted the others, now drifting seven miles away, exhausted, swollen after countless jellyfish stings, dehydrated but alive, including fabiana now wrapped in a life vest, wedged between her mother and that ice chest. >> it's difficult to find, to

spot a person in the water, the fact they were on a cooler and the cooler was higher above the water than they were definitely played into it and helped us locate them. >> reporter: lynette gonzalez says her 4-year-old niece, fabiana turned out perhaps it was youthfulness to be the cheerleader as she was hanging on to the cooler out there, she is the one who repeatedly told her mother reportedly that "we're gonna make it. they'll find us." matt? >> kerry sanders in florida for us this morning, thank you very much. up next the woman who gave birth seven hours after running in the chicago marathon. we'll hear from her and her doctor, right after this.

back now at 7:50g with a woman who competed in a march thob and gave birth seven hours later. natalie is here with details. >> good morning ann and guys. most people i don't think would

dream running 26.2 miles at all, let alone at more than 38 weeks pregnant. her new nickname, the marathon mother, 27-year-old amber miller, competed in the chicago marathon. >> i ran two, walked two, so i ran half, walked half. mom. >> something i've been doing for a really long time and i know what my body can handle. anything out of the ordinary, and i've been running marathons for many years. >> reporter: in fact, amber says she has run a total of eight marathons and the chicago fir marathon.

excellent shape and so these situations should be reviewed with their obs and physicians to make sure this kind of exercise would be appropriate for that level of pregnancy, and that particular mom. >> the race was definitely easier than the labor. >> meanwhile baby june is doing well, weighed a healthy 7 pounds 13 ounces. amber is feeling as you would expect you feel after giving birth but says she has no pain at all from running the ma are on this. mom and baby are doing well, that's the great news there. >> so running a 26-mile marathon essentially is much easier than giving birth, bottom line on the story. >> exactly. >> doing one after another has got to take a big toll. >> most doctors don't recommend a pregnant woman go and do this but she clearly had her doctor's

approval and experienced runner, had run many marathons as well. >> glad it went well. don't recommend it. >> they both could have crossed the finish line. this is one of the topics we'll be dealing with, with "today's" professionals, itching, at least donnie is, itching to discuss it in a moment.

our time right now is 7:56. we have 65 degrees outside and clouds above us. good morning to you. i am joe krebs on this tuesday, the 11th day of october. let's find out about the forecast. here is meteorologist, tom kierein. >> a lot of clouds around and sun peeking through, and temperatures under the clouds are generally in the 50s to 60s. 63 at reagan national, and up in the day in the 70s. tomorrow a likelihood of showers from the morning all the way into the evening from time to time. and then on thursday, a smaller chance of an afternoon or evening shower, and friday into the weekend, sunshine returns. looks like a delightful weekend

coming up and should stay dry into monday as well. we'll take a break and come we'[ female announcer ]come we understand that today your life if full of responsibilities. so if you're thinking of going back to school we created the phoenix prep center, a personalized academic planning resource. and when you're ready to take that next step you can attend our orientation workshop, either on campus...or online to see if our university is right for you. our commitment to you begins before you even enroll. explore these resources and more at phoenix.edu.

good morning. seeing an accident in the outer loop of the beltway, and it's after you pass bw parkway. delays 202 up to the beltway. the delays will continue as you head towards georgia avenue. >> thank you very much. we will have another news update if 25 minutes. now we

8:00 now on a tuesday morning, the 11th of october, 2011. 67 degrees outside, slightly cooler start than yesterday, but boy, we're really enjoying the summer-like weather. i'm ann curry alongside matt lauer and al roker and this morning, we have a huge crowd. we have carre otis. >> she's written about her life and career, it is extremely revealing. she writes about her relationship also with actor mickey rourke claiming it was

filled with violence. she says at one point he held her down and actually put a gun to her head. we'll talk to her about that and also what it took for her to finally turn her life around, a dramatic change. on a different note "today's professionals" tackle hot topics including the topic the marathon mom. was donnie meditating? >> i think so. >> a researcher says we should touch elbows instead of shaking hands. hard to do a high five. >> it might be bruising. you could miss and it'd be ugly. toot our own horns? more hardware to add to the trophy case, there they are right there, two edward r.murow awards for the viral video "i got a feeling" and for the third consecutive nbc news honored for all-all -- not that, but overall

excellence. >> wow. >> that was a little late that tape roll and you got another award for timely tape rolls. >> i know. savannah did the awarding. nbc has the great overall award from the murrow is a great homage to steve kappas our president. >> you know what we say to our competitors, good night and good luck. >> i don't think that's what we say to our competitors. >> unnecessary fights. speaking of news from natalie at the news desk. >> good morning, ann, al and everyone. president obama heads to the senate for his jobs bill test vote. the commander in chief is speaking in pittsburgh today where his jobs counseling releases its report advising for a strong push to attract $1 trillion in foreign investments. the council also wants federal regulations streamlined to get

infrastructure projects under way quickly. when you fly and you're told to shut off your personal electronic devices have you ever wonder if your phone, laptop or pda can really interfere with the plane's operating systems? nbc's tom costello is at reagan international airport with hopefully a possible answer. >> reporter: the answer is maybe. we all have the devices, nobody wants to take a chance and that's why you keep them off below 10,000 and the transmitter must remain off. we all have them, blackberries, cell phones, iphones, ipads, ipods, laptops. >> all cellular phones need to be in the off position and properly stowed. >> reporter: can our small battery devices upset a modern aircraft's radios and flight instrumentation? to find out we came to seattle and a special boeing test center, engineers laid out a

variety of technology and within minutes the noise was showing up in red. >> there is a potential to cause interference to the radio on the plane. >> reporter: that's serious? >> that may or may not be. >> reporter: may or may not be, turns out this is a very tricky problem. that interference is coming from the video screens and internal computer chips, not the cell transmitt transmitters. turning on the cell phone creates more noise. investigators have never been able to find a concrete link between the pilots' complaints of instruments trouble and use of mobile devices. while an aircraft may have been designed and tested to tolerate a few handheld devices left on during takeoff and landing, what happens if several dozen were left on or several hundred? >> certainly one device in the right spot at the right time could cause interference and disruption, but when you have multiple devices, it does add up. >> there are certain electronic

devices -- >> reporter: that's why airlines require those devices be in the "off" position during takeoff and landing, the most critical moments of flight. on the off chance that somehow that interference might prove to be a problem at just the wrong moment. investigators in new zealand believe that a 2003 plane crash may, may have been caused by a pilot's own cell phone interfering with navigational equipment. that was never proven which is why they want everybody to not take any chances on this issue at all. >> always better to be safe than sorry, tom costello, thanks. for a look at "what's trending today" what has you talking online, joe the plumber is a top google search, became a symbol of the middle class man during the 2008 campaign. joe wants to do his duty in washington, filing for papers to run for an ohio congressional seat. after long delays, facebook users finally have an app that

lets them like, friend on their ipads. occupy wall street people are tweeting pictures of kanye west. some found it odd kanye didn't leave his glitz at home for the protests against greed. back outside to al with another check of your weather for you. al? >> announcer: "today's weather" is brought to you by the u.s. postal service. it's all in the mail. >> we god friends here. where are you from? >> sent sekentucky. >> san diego. >> yell out where you're from! let's check it out and see what's happening. and we've got allentown, pa, partly sunny, 74. nbc 10 checking it out. as we look ahead satellite, you can see that we

have radar superimposed on top and you see all the rain in the mid-atlantic city, and rain down in florida over the next 24 hours, and more rain in the pacific north west, and plenty of sunshine southwest down into texas, and sunny skies and in interior sections of new york, look for a beautiful day throughout the northern plains. here is what is happening in your neck of the woods. >> i am meteorologist, tom kierein. a gray and gold eastern horizon on this tuesday morning. live picture from the sky watcher camera. under the clouds temperatures are hovering around 60 degrees, and we will make it into the 70s later today, and perhaps low 70s this afternoon. and there's a small chance of sprinkles this afternoon and this evening, and then a likelihood of passing showers tonight and wednesday, and then that's your latest weather. now ann has somebody, she wants to help the course of young love. >> that's right, because ben

here has got a sign saying kelly pope, will you go to homecoming with me? let's cheer for ben. yeah! hopefully kelly will say yes. good luck to you, ben, on that. coming up, you'll hear from "today's professionals" on everything from the marathon mom to why women are attracted to guys with deep voices and much more, right after this. a refrigerator has never been hacked. an online virus has never attacked a corkboard. ♪ give your customers the added feeling of security a printed statement or receipt provides... ...with mail. it's good for your business. ♪ and even better for your customers. ♪ for safe and secure ways to stay connected, visit usps.com/mail is that we're almost everywhere. thousands of banking centers. and so many atms. all over the place. this technology is very cool. deposit your checks right here

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♪ this serious business we're back at 8:11 with a lot of interesting topics to discuss with "today's professionals" star jones, donny deutsche and nancy snyderman. let's go over this 27-year-old woman out in chicago, ran the

marathon, 38 weeks pregnant, had a baby seven hours later. donny we start with you. you won't even exercise until after four hours after a meal. >> yes. >> because you're worried about cramping. >> thank god the woman is okay. my issue with it as a dad, why do you need to -- i don't care that a doctor said it's okay. nancy, i love you like a sister, you're an amazing doctor. >> a sister, really? >> i don't think it's fair -- do you need to run 20 -- do you need to take a one and a million chance anything can happen with the baby? to me i have a huge issue with it. i don't care even if the doctor says it's okay. >> she's more at risk of being in the car. she's in shape, run a marathon before, did a walk/run, over six hours. >> isn't it just common sense to say -- >> no. >> -- as a pregnant, my wife i would be upset. >> no concern at all. >> when did we become a society where we can interject our opinion between legal and ethical medical decisions? >> i'm sorry --

>> not legal ethical moral medical decisions. it should be between me and nancy. >> but why take a chance? >> it's like running with a baby in a water bed. she's fine. let's talk about a concept called red shirting, when parents hold their children back in kindergarten, don't start them until perhaps a year after what is traditionally the starting age. unfair advantage, good for the kids, bad for the kids? >> in california it's a norm to start kids later than on the east coast but it's for educational reasons that boys socially have a harder time adapting, you don't want your kid to be the last on the bus but for athletics it doesn't pan out. >> my sister faced this dilemma when she sent my oldest nephew to school. now he's a senior in high school. in the beginning he matured a little bit slower than the other children. >> it's different for boys and girl. every parent makes the decision. as a boy born at the end of the

year and to be the smallest athletically you're put at a disadvantage. for boys yes, for girls not so much. women were asked what would you rather have, a child with great manners or great grades? 77% said give me the kids with good manners. how do you feel? >> i've always said i would rather have a child in the middle of the pack. i don't need the brainiest in the classroom and certainly don't want the one always at the bottom of the heap but a child who has good manners, who can make eye contact, strong hand shake. >> star you're not snuure? you snarled. >> i want to you be smart and nice. i want to you be smart. i'm going to raise you to be nice. smart gets you in the door. >> you have a kid, 1 million iq, you look at him, manners is niceness. >> i never disagree with you.

i think manners gets you in the door. >> i agree. >> and good english. >> good for you. >> nice over smart, just that's -- >> nice and stupid, you'll be all right. >> nice and stupid. how about this one, a recent study that found that women are more attracted to men with deep -- let me do this again that women are more attracted to men with deep voices. what kind of voice do you find attractive? >> if you have peewee herman or george clooney, the primordial aspect how we're drawn to each other. >> the grunts of cavemen? >> james earl jones, that's why he's the voice of cnn, darth vader. he couldn't have a woosy little voice. >> i think women like manly men, the sensitive thing, it's one more example -- >> i agree with you. >> -- i have yet to meet the woman that wants the sensitive

guy. >> the '70s and '80s. >> we say we want sensitive. we really want somebody to be like yeah, baby, i got you, very serious. >> take charge. >> there's a lot more to a guy in his manliness than his voice. >> it's demonstrative. >> but a lisp and a high voice. >> when the phone call comes and the eye contact comes the voice matters. last one, important topic, right up my alley. a researcher at stanford university says we should consider instead of shaking hands and spreading germs, touching elbows. >> aren't you happy today? >> i love this, vindicated twice, the deer hitting the biker and now this. what do you think? >> you know my ex-boss, mr. trump, does not particularly like the handshake. he will do it, but he doesn't prefer to do it. i don't like it when people come over to me while you're eating and they want to shake your hand. >> that's the way to get a cold or influenza, the best way is to

shake someone's hands. this is where all of our germs are. >> you'd be in favor of this social experiment of touching elbows? >> you walk into the corner office for your job, you better extend your hand. >> let's do a big one, get it going, we're the trend-setters, "today's professionals" on the count of three, one, two, three, how are you doing? >> you're going to live to regret that piece of video, i can promise you that. star, donny, nancy, thank you very much. oh, yeah, right. good, good. >> now you look like a wuss. more in the next hour. model carre otis speaks out about her tumultuous marriage to mickey rourke and getting her life back on track, right after this.

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♪ she's got the look ♪ she's got the look ♪ she's got the look former model carre otis was a regular in fashion magazines and print ads in the late 1980s and became a household name after staring in the movie "wild orchid" with mickie rourke. they'd later marry and share a tumultuous 9/11 year relationship. a new memoir "carrie otis, beauty disrupted." good morning. >> good morning. >> why are you wanting to reveal so much about your marriage to mickey rourke? >> a huge motivation is that i have two little girls who will someday be able to google me and it felt important and part of my responsibility to set the story straight and have a memoir that is from my side and my words and hoped to offer some benefit to others who have gone through similar circumstances.

>> it's pretty tough stuff for any children. you hope you wouldn't have them read it. "he tackled me, forcing my face into the carpet. a second later i felt something cold against my cheek. it was his gun." describe your state of mind during those years. >> confused, frightened, confused, really lost at that point, and searching, you know, for which way to go and how to make my life better. >> you know, we reached out to mickey rourke for a comment about this and he did not want to comment, but in 2009 he did say "when i married carre, that was all over the public eye. her agent used a lot of our drama to try to further her career, allegations were made about domestic abuse that were not true. you do the crime you do the time but if you didn't do the last thing you'll do is plead guilty. it haurt my soul and pride, a

secret kind of hurt, humiliation. we're both damaged goods." you did have your share of problems. >> absolutely. >> growing up when you were younger. >> absolutely and that is all documented in the book, i'm forthcoming about the challenges i went through and the challenges in the modeling industry and there's never really a blame towards him. it's really you know, investigating the psychology of how we get into certain situations. >> you were drinking by the age of 12. you had a very rough childhood. you left school early and entered the modeling industry and about the modeling industry, you write that "drugs, especially cocaine use, were prevalent." in fact you say "cocaine was the secret to model weight management. cocaine became my one friend." that's, first of all, sad. >> very sad. >> very sad, and second of all, it also talks about how prevalent it might have been. how would you describe it? >> in my experience in the modeling industry and not to say other models have the exact same

experience but that was mine and you have to remember, it was the '90s, and there was so much decadence going on and so much excess all across the board. so it wasn't just isolated in the modeling industry but it was certainly my experience there. >> you came to a very low point, so low that you were think being suicide. you attempted it when you overdosed on sleeping pills. so what saved you, carre otis? >> i think that so many teens and young kids get themselves boxed in and really think that moment lasts forever and it's impermanent. for me it was my buddhist path, it was my path of spirituality that ultimately really helped me find my way home and into the amazing life that i have today with my family. >> amazing life with two little girls. >> two beautiful daughters, amazing husband. >> ages 3 and 4. >> yeah, it's been busy. it's been great. >> how do you skroo i that tran describe that transition? for people suffering and listening, what is it you learned in your spiritual

openness? >> there's a lot of work that i put in, and a lot of therapy, and a lot of discipline towards my practice of sort of cultivating my mind and realizing that i had a responsibility and choices to make my life something different so i was hugely fortunate in that sense that i had teachers and mentors and you know, and was guided along a path. >> but along that way, after all you thought you'd put behind you, then you discovered that there was a legacy from all the eating disorders that you had. >> yes. >> because you discovered because of your anorexia, you had three holes in your heart. >> that's right. you know the raf ishz vishes of anorexia are very real and a lot of people suffer from it. i was fortunate and it was a wake-up call to make some changes and to really get healthy. it was a great wake-up call. >> you're saying really in this book that is deep, as deep down

as your suffering went there can be a happy ending, even after serious drug use and anorexia. >> there can be a huge transformation in one's life and i'm a happy testament to huge n one with's life, and i am a testament to that. 8:26 is your time now on this tuesday, october 11th, 2011. good morning to you. i am eun yang. let's go to meteorologist, tom kierein w. a look at the forecast. will we need our umbrellas, tom? >> coming home from work and school you may, but not now. sun breaking through the clouds on the eastern horizon. temperatures hovering around the 60s in most locations. later today in the low 70s, lots of clouds around and maybe a few

sprinkles this afternoon or evening. and then perhaps a passing and then perhaps a passing shower late on thursday, and dry woman: working in public relations is not for the faint of heart. i love what i do, i enjoy the work, but it's a very hectic pace. ♪ don't want to miss a thing strayer university met my needs in terms of my family, my work/life balance. the fact that leading companies are hiring strayer graduates is impressive, but it's not surprising. these companies want us so badly. [ laughs ] i'm felicia blow, and i earned my m.b.a. from strayer university.

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that's all right, it's still pleasant. >> and getting kelly to go out with ben for a homecoming. >> we'll bring you up to date when it happens. >> putting a little pressure on kelly. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry, natalie morales and al roker. coming up, the changing role of marriage in america. >> an increasing number of women, ages 30, 40 and 50 are not getting married, choosing to stay single. why is this happening in what's causing some of the women's choices? we'll get to the bottom of it, wonderful article came out in "atlantic" magazine. "maxim" magazine conducted a survey and chose the five sexiest female chefs on television. who won number one? >> i already know. >> paula dean? >> paula dean! number one! >> what's up?

>> i swear -- >> yes! >> i swear, beating out our own gianna de laurentiis. >> anyone who gives me a biscuit gets my vote. >> she's going to make southern fried chicken, sexiest female chef on tv. >> i agree with that completely. also endangered animals and what is being done to save them. cute little tiger. oh! >> oh! >> and it gets older and tears your head off. >> tears you apart. after the program i'll be headed down to washington, d.c., and the white house to help, to talk with the first lady michelle obama about her let's move initiative to keep kids healthy and joined by a group of kids in d.c. and here on the plaza tomorrow morning to try to break a guinness world record. >> all right. >> great, that's cool. before do you that,a guinness w record. >> great.

that's cool. >> very excited. >> before you do that and fly off, will you give us a check of the weather. >> i will. that's what is going on around the country, and here is what is happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. clouds around and here is a picture from the sky watcher camera looking to the west into fairfax county. we do have the cloud cover keeping back much of the sun this morning, so we are not warming up much, just in the low 60s throughout much of the region. high today, cooler than yesterday, low 70s and a small chance of and that's your latest weather. coming up, single by choice, why women are saying no to marriage. first this is "today" on nbc.

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back now at 8:35 with a new spin on romance, dating and what some are calling the end of traditional marriage. "today" national correspondent

jenna wolfe has details. good morning. >> good morning to you, ann. decades ago there were a lot of women who actually married young, had children, and took care of the house while their husbands brought home the paycheck. a lot's changed since then and a new report says more women are choosing to be single and loving every minute of it. ♪ all the single ladies, all the single ladies, all the single ladies ♪ >> reporter: in hollywood single celebrities seem to lead bold, powerful and glamorous lives but what about real women, single in their 30s, 40s and beyond? >> i'm single. i'm happy. my life is filled with love and friends and family and good work that i love. >> reporter: meet maria magenti, a successful screen writer in her 40s splitting time between los angeles and new york. maria is single, by choice. >> my identity is not predicated on being in a relationship and joy is not predicated on being

in a relationship, so i have a good identity and i have a lot of joy in my life. >> reporter: marie is not alone. in this month's issue of "the atlantic" author and single woman kate bolik explores the changing role of marriage in today's society. she writes "it's time to embrace new ideas about romance and family and acknowledge the end of traditional marriage as societiest highest ideal." maria agrees. >> i'm not bothered by being single because i don't consider that a negative fate. >> reporter: so why are more women choosing to be single? according to kate bolik, a major factor is the rise of women in the workplace, "as women have climbed ever higher, men have been falling behind." so instead of marrying down, women choose to stay single and successful. >> i wanted to be a writer. i wanted to have freedom. i've wanted to live all over the world and that's what i've done.

>> reporter: and experts agree, sarah brokaw is a therapist and author of "fortytude, choosing to make the next decades the best years of your life." >> i have not been married, don't have kids and sit back what have i accomplished if i did not reach the traditional milestones? the way i look at accomplishment is to have a real sense of curiosity about life. ♪ i'm every woman >> reporter: for now maria and her single friends plan to enjoy life and if love comes along, well, who kneows. >> if there's any man who can keep up with me and is a gutsy loving man, i'd love to meet him. >> research shows that marriage is declining in the united states, according to the census bureau. in 2010, 50% of the adult population was single compared to 33% back in 1950. ann? >> all right, jenna wolfe, thank you so much.

as you just saw kate bolik wrote her own story about being single. dr. janet taylor is a psychiatrist. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> married house holds in america dropped to a record low of 48% in 2010, according to the census bureau and today 50% of the adult population is single compared to with 33% in 1950. why according to your research is marriage on the decline, kate? >> well, as men have been declining, women have been ascending. >> what do you mean declining? >> well, employment rates are down. they're not as educated as women are. women are outearning men in terms of college degrees and post graduate degrees and meanwhile women have more earning power than they ever have before so we are about to reach economic gender parity which radically changes her arrangements and romantic arrangements. >> changes what we look at in terms of how we look at men, no

longer looking at men to support us. >> exactly. >> looking at men for? >> today marriage is an option. it's not a necessity the way that it was once and that's revolutionary >> this is true in your own life? >> yes, yes. i'm single. i'm 39. i always thought i would get married because that's what people do and then somewhere in my early to mid-30s i realized not only was i not married but that i didn't mind, that i had chosen that way, and that i loved my life the way that it is. it was something i hadn't envisioned for myself, but then here i am living it and loving it. >> so you're seeing this as an opportunity? >> yes. >> it is. >> yes. yes, for myself or for women in general? >> for women in general? >> i think it's an opportunity for women in general and also for marriage as an institution, that women in general have more choices than ever before. they don't have to get married. they don't have to be with someone they don't want to be with. they don't have to make compromises and the way that changes marriage is we're marrying later. that's happening statistically.

we're more ready for marriage. we're choosing marriage pause we want it to be, we want to be with someone we want to be with rather than having to. >> we're also, if this is really true then we're choosing it with a lot of heavy emotional struggle because you know first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby with the baby carriage, that's what we've been taught, the song we've been singing. >> that's the old paradigm. more women are choosing is with emotional contentment because choice is a key word, it confers control and confers saying i'm not going to -- i'm not going to be bothered by my circumstances. i'm going to take action and have stronl social networks and feel happy about the choices i have as a woman who works and can take care of family if you choose to. being single doesn't have to be a deficit. it's a choice that many women are thriving as kate's article pointed out. >> they're not as concerned about the idea of security in the end or being alone, which is another big issue that people seem to have. what are your thoughts about

that? >> yeah, the fact that i can provide my own security is really important and as far as being alone goes, i don't see myself any more alone than someone who is married. i have strong friend networks, strong family networks that will continue to strengthen through time. >> it's not a knock against marriage. >> right. >> it's saying if you are single that it doesn't have to be something that is looked upon so negatively and more importantly that has to come from you yourself and you look at how you've attained and you look at the choices you have made and saying i'm happy and there'at's okay. >> some people are going to feel better about being single. >> exactly. >> george clooney was right, is right. kate balick and dr. janet taylor thank you very much. kate balick and dr. janet taylor thank you very much. come up the sexy paula just got her flu shot, like a champ -- mom! taking on the master of disaster,

the flu! it's the fight of the season! your flu shot's next, champ. let's do this. flu shots. every day. no appointment needed. most insurance accepted. get a $5 cvs gift card if you're not covered. find us at minuteclinic.com. i'm jack, and i took the flu down.

requested . >> today's kitchen" is brought to you by maxwell house, good to the last drop. >> what's for dinner, classic southern fried dinner. paula dean says fried chicken is among life's greatest accomplishments. "paula deen's southern cooking bible" welcome back. >> matt, great to be with you darling. >> in addition to "maxim" magazine calling you tv's sexiest female chef, when it came time to put your picture, they just put a stick of butter, i swear. >> i know! >> just a picture of a stick of butter. >> i hope it was salted. >> make me some fried chicken. classic dish in your household? >> there's your piece. >> i love the thighs. >> i do, too. that's where it is. >> you're going to season the chicken, season before you dip it in two separate bowls. >> i would probably season this in the morning for a dinner meal. >> okay. >> because you want it to soak

up all those flavors. >> once you seasoned it, two separate bowls here, egg and flour. >> egg and flour. >> that's it. >> that's it. this is the basic southern recipe. of course at the restaurant we add hot sauce to this. >> okay. >> so there's different ways you can do it but this is your standard, when you think of the preacher coming over for sunday dinner, this is the way it's done. so we're just going to roll that around in there, matt. >> all right. >> then we're going to drain the egg off. >> i didn't drain enough egg. is that what you're telling me? >> you're doing so nice nasty. >> nice nasty? >> yes, i'm going to do it this way. >> you've got a hot frying pan over here. you use shortening or oil? >> i use peanut oil because it has a less resistance to burn. now i'm going to put my dark pieces in first. >> why is that? >> because they take the longest to cook.

>> and the white will dry out if you put it in at the same time? >> right. we're going in with our thighs and legs first. they'll take about 12 to 14 minutes, and then we will add our white. >> you like, is your favorite fried chicken crispy on the outside, very juicy on the inside? >> yes. >> the crispier the better. >> i like it crispy. >> i love when i bite into it i want to hear the crunch. >> yes, i do, too, and hopefully this is going to be very, very crunchy. i especially like my wings crunchy. because it's got a lot of skin on it, and i don't like any soft skin. >> you know what? that's, really turns me off with fried chicken when you bite into a soggy piece of skin. >> i don't like that. >> how long is that going to cook? here. >> the dark -- you're going to use the sink, go ahead. >> let me use the sink because this is gooey. >> the dark piece is going to cook how long?

>> 12 to 14 minutes and the white pieces about 10 to 12. >> the meal we're making tonight is not only southern fried chicken, a classic dish but also with my second favorite come ford food, mashed potatoes. you do buttermilk. why do you like buttermilk in recipes? >> it gives it a little tang, just a little bite. [ laughter ] >> turning into the sexiest chef on tv and you start flirting with everybody. >> you want to mash those and i'm actually going to turn if i can figure this out. >> what are you doing? >> i was going to turn it up? ooh, look. now here's a trick that i want to tell you about. somebody had accidentally turned our grease down. now you want your grease hot. you want it at 350 degrees, and i always recommend, and this is just something i've learned over the years of cooking, you want to pull your chicken out of the

refrigerator and let it kind of get to room temperature, because if it's straight out of the ice box and ice cold your temperature is going to drop. that's going to give you soggy chicken. >> someone will lose their job over that i promise you. >> yes. we will find them. >> we're not going to tolerate that. i have mashed the butter into the potatpotatoes. >> no you have not. >> well i started. what kind of potatoes? >> idahos. no, darling, do the buttermilk first. there you go, mash that buttermilk. come on. >> do you have to use a hand masher? >> do it like you mean it. there you go. you got the fist action going now. put a little pepper. okay >> that's this petter, right? what is that? that's nutmeg. >> yeah, a little nutmeg i forgot. >> it's your recipe. >> all right, a little salt. >> uh-huh. what about this extra butter here?

>> wait, yeah, that goes in. but i haadd the butter lost. these have gotten a little cold but if this happens to you, let me tell you a great way to keep your potatoes hot while you're waiting. >> i know. i know where this is going. i know all about keeping my potatoes hot. >> i make you nervous, don't? i. >> yes, you do. oh look, there's chocolate cake as well. >> no, you're not changing the subject. >> i love you. >> i love you. >> this is what the potatoes look like finished. you drizzled extra butter on those just for me. >> yes. >> you can put these in a pot over boiling water, and these will stay nice and hot until you whistle for your guests. >> great, great dinner. congratulations on the new book. >> thank you. >> and on being the sexiest female chef on tv, paula deen will be back later on in the

morning with kathie lee and hoda. >> i'll be with the girls. up next, animals being brought back from the

♪ jungle love, its it's driving me mad, making me crazy, crazy ♪ back now today's "call of the wild" with more than 60,000 animals cared for at the parks of sea world and busch gardens,

200 endangered and threatened species, animal ambassador julie scardina here with her friends. good morning. >> good morning. >> we are looking at a beautiful live tiger cub. tigers are some serious trouble, three subspecies are already extinct? >> already extinct. six other subspecies, one of them the south china is basically considered extinct in the wild and the rest of them know if you added up the rest of the tigers in the wild about 3,500 animals, individuals, probably less people standing outside right now. >> it's not just we're destroying their habitat, in some cases we're hunting their prey so they're losing their food sources. >> exactly right. out in the wild it is difficult enough to survive which is what a lot of people also don't understand, how difficult it is for a wild animal to have to hunt every day. they can't go to the grocery store. they're basically having to find enough prey. when people are hunting their prey out, how do they find their prey and their habitat is shrinking as well. it's not like they can go

someplace else and find more. >> there is something people can do involved, a stamp involved. look at those paws. >> can we touch him? >> yes you can. come around to this side. don't put your hand in the mouth. that way we'll keep the mouth busy. they're stronger than you think even though it's a 3 1/2-month-old cub but these animals need help out in the wild. one thing people can do is buy a u.s. postal stamp supporting an endangered species. i think you might have a picture of it, it's got a tiger on the stamp itself. sea world supports anti-poaching, habitat protection and education. people are going out and actually killing these animals for their skin and for their body parts. >> good thing you've got that tiger by the tail. next a black and white ruffled lemur, also spectacular. >> this is just an incredible animal. this is wataka. >> a primate from madagascar.

>> a very primitive type of primate, a black and white ruffled lemur. they have incredible hands. this is a critically endangered species. let me show you something here, they use these hands. come on. they can hang by even the back feet as you can see how that great grip is on them as well. >> why is it endangers habitat? >> again, habitat loss. 90% of madagascar has been deforested, not just because of agriculture but cutting down the forest to sell the wood so not buying tropical hardwoods helps the animals around the world and making sure you don't buy -- >> teak, rosewood or mahogany. we want to get to the success story, because we've got a bald eagle which is called a bald eagle even though he's got feathers on his head.

he has been saved from extinction. >> i'm going to move to this side. >> come on, matt. i had bird on my hand the last time i had this. >> we won't let that happen. maddie was rescued out of her nest in florida. the florida sea park was able to take her, because she wasn't able to be rereleased baaing into the wild. bald eagles numbers recovered from less than 500 pairs back in the '60s and '70s. >> we have to save them. >> and we can. question. >> back after this. >> no. >> pete is an excellent hand lure here. hand lure. 8:56 is your time now on this tuesday, october 11th, 2011. let's go to meteorologist, tom kierein, with a look at your

forecast today. rain moving in, tom? >> the sun beginning to fade. we have a lot of cloudiness, and there's a small chance of a few sprinkles, but then a likelihood of rain moving in after midnight tonight. off and on showers likely tomorrow. a wet wednesday, highs near 70. some lingering showers perhaps wednesday evening and thursday, might get an evening shower that might linger into friday morning. dry after that and a

i'm a curious seeker. i am a chemistry aficionado. diphenhydramine. magnesium hydroxide. atheletes foot. yes. i'm a people pleaser. if elected, i promise flu shots for all. i am a walking medical dictionary. congratulations virginia. inflamed uvula. i'm virginia. i'm a target pharmacist and i'm here to answer your questions.

at your traffic. stay with us. good morning. traveling 66 east in virginia, right at sully road, we have a tractor trailer that has skid off into the road and is blocking the right shoulder lane. we have the fire department here and a tow truck up here, but we are seeing delays on 66 east, and they continue as you make your way towards the beltway. you will see more congestion from nuttily and continuin

we're back now more of "today" on a tuesday morning. it's the 11th day of october, 2011. and we've got a nice crowd continuing to stick with us out on the plaza. i'm matt lauer along with acann curry and savannah guthrie. coming up, where is 10-month-old lisa irwin, the little baby girl last seen more than a week ago. investigators returned to her home in the last 24 hours looking for more clues behind that house. we'll have the latest on that investigation coming up in a couple of minutes. also looking for a getaway,

"travel & leisure" compiled a list of the best cities in america to visit. we'll give you that list coming up. "today's professionals" are back, haven't had enough of their say so we'll give them a few more topics to chew over including president herman cain's comments over racism, whether it still exists in this country and can a fatter wallet make up for a fatter body? the experts you see there, we'll get into that, we'll weigh in on it. from time to time we've been talking to this young man behind us here, this is ben calano, from phoenix, arizona, right? >> yep. >> reporter: he has this sign, kelly pope, will you go to homecoming with him? kelly is in phoenix. you have no way of knowing except we have kelly on the phone. we have kelly joining us on the phone joining from us phoenix. good morning, can you hear me? >> yeah. >> i guess i shouldn't do this, ben, why don't you do the

honors. >> hey, kelly. >> hi. >> happy birthday. >> thank you. >> i have a question. >> okay. >> would you like to go to homecoming with me? >> ahh, sure. >> well done. okay. >> kelly, that's fantastic. were you watching the show, kelly or did we just wake you up? >> i just got up, matt. >> that's great news. how long have you known kelly? >> for about six months. >> that's great. >> maybe more. >> you showed a lot of guts there young man. that's good. kelly have a great time at homecoming with matt. >> thank you. >> bye, kelly. >> thanks for joining us. >> i like how you softened her up with happy birthday, very smart. >> especially it's not even her birthday. all right, let's get a check of the headlines in the morning.

actually, yeah, we've got natalie inside. >> good morning to you guys once again and good morning, everyone. president obama's jobs bill heads to the senate today for an expected test vote, but it faces fierce opposition from republicans who are against its tax hikes for the wealthiest americans. meantime the president's jobs council is calling for urgent changes to government policy including raising infrastructure spending and liberalizing immigration. detectives searching for baby lisa, the missouri infant who vanished a week ago are focusing on an area near her parents' kansas city home. earlier on today the kansas city police captain said he's glad the child's parents are communicating with investigators once again. fbi agents are asking neighbors about a homeless man in his 20s last seen riding a bike in the area. new details about the rescue of a family in the florida seas. they set out to fish, high seas

capsized their boat leaving them clinging to a small cooler for 20 hours. a 79 yoorld drowned but seven others survived including a 4-year-old girl. they were treated for hypothermia, and jellyfish stings. joe the plumber became the symbol of the everyday middle class man during the 2012 presidential campaign. he's now filed papers to run for a 2012 congressional seat. oh, deer. a pennsylvania sprint store got an unexpected customer when a deer walked into the front door, hung out for an hour, finally the deer made a dash for the parking lot. i don't know. maybe looking for a phone or something? it's now four minutes past the hour. let's go back outside once again and check in with matt and ann. >> ann is on her way back over. >> sorry. >> thank you very much. >> let's get a check of the weather. here is al with the weather. >> all righty, let's check it out, we've had some heavy rain

down in florida, and it's going to continue, making its way up the east coast. double barrel low to transfer the energy to that system along the mid-atlantic coast, brings that rain up through wednesday on into thursday, into the northeast and rain is going to be heavy at times, we're talking about anywhere from one to five inches of rain from charleston, all the way up to buffalo, and then we're also looking at some more sunshine here in the east. heavy rain moving into the posk northwest. mountain snows in the wasatch. plenty of sunshine in the plains and into the southern plains.

>> and that's your latest weather. savannah? ♪ and i'll be taking care of business ♪ another round of "today's professionals" where our power panel breaks down the hottest headline, studies and surveys making news, star jones, attorney and author, donny deutsche of deutsche incorporated and dr. nancy snyderman, nbc's chief medical editor. good morning to all of you. one segment is not enough. we need more professionals and opinions. >> absolutely. >> that's popular demand. >> the e mailies have been flooding in. let's talk about oprah winfrey's own network, struggles in the ratings answers rosie o'donnell will have her own show, tons of advertising about it. donny, is it going to be rosie to the rescue? can she salvage the ratings here? >> the one mistake the open with a network made and oprah is

brilliant, so is rosie, it's the oprah network. we're about empowerment. i think rosie can be a road map. i would make it all the entire day women empowering other women talk shows and i think that could be a great format so she thinks she to be a road map to that, all talk all the time. >> everyone wants to see oprah. nancy do you think she needs to be more involved in the programming? people want to see more of her in. >> people followed the oprah brand because they wanted to be her, wanted to follow her and wanted to emulate her. they wanted more of her, and network isn't a network without her. >> you know as you think about both these powerful women, the only -- of course we want them to do well, the only problem is if you're going to do that cross-brand thing, will discovery, will rosie translate into the other discovery eyeballs. you want everyone to bring -- >> the answer is no. people don't consume a network.

they consume show by show. rosie, suze orman, it's a great format. i gave you the formula for free. do it. herman cain running for president made comments that caused controversy in some corners, racism is essentially not a problem anymore in the u.s. listen to what he had to say. >> i don't believe racism in this country today holds anybody back in a big way. is there some, are there some elements of racism, yes. it gets back to if we don't grow this economy, there is a ripple effect for every economic level and because blacks are more disproportionately unemployed, they get hit the worst when economic policies -- >> should these comments have been controversial? >> actually i think what mr. cain said makes a lot of sense to me. as i think about it, i reaped a benefit of who came before me so i am very grateful for the hand that reached back and brought me along, but i was never allowed

to use racism as an excuse not to succeed. i did have different resources. i did have a different environment. i have parents who made sure that i was evaluated on my excellence rather than my skin color, and i embraced that. there are not that many other african-americans outside of those resources who get those opportunities. >> it's not a race issue. we have a black president. it's an education issue and obviously -- >> and economic resource. >> economic resource and the fact that generally speaking, african-americans in this country don't at this point, aren't in the same socioeconomic place, that's the disadvantage. >> the interesting thing is we don't talk about race enough in this country because we tiptoe around each other because we want to be so politicalcally correct we don't say the hard things to each other. we talk about education, politics, we talk about medicine, we don't really talk about black, white, hispanic, asian, in the hard ways. >> scares people. >> i think if you look at black families, where are the dads,

and the family has become fragmented and unless children grow up seeing role models there's a problem. >> can i ask you a question, a loaded question. what you said is an actual demographic fact. >> we know it. >> there are more fatherless homes in african-american communities. culturally why does that play out? i know you don't have the answer. >> no, i don't have the answer. it scares me because if we go back historically the black family was broken up during the slavery times so you have to imagine there was no cohesive unit. they didn't want you to have a cohesive unit to be sold off to this person or that person so there is some curl turl post-slavery syndrome that goes on. like nancy says people don't want to talk honestly and openly about racism. some use it as an excuse, some as a hamhammer. >> this remark proves the point you just made. researchers found when it

comes to dating, wealth for men and education for women can be the great equalizer so in other words it can make up for the fact if someone's overweight, if they're wealthy or a good education in the case of women that makes people not care much about the overweight issue. >> this is why i come on the show. >> the only reason women see donny is because he's rich. >> see this is all learning all the time on "the professionals." of course that's true and we know that and by the way any asset you have man or woman, wealth, education, sense of humor, is going to offset a physical attribute. >> the thing is a woman may be 10, 15 or 20 pounds heavier but if she has an education she still is more -- >> or if a woman was money she's more. come on we know that. >> if a woman has more education it's appealing because that's code because she has more money? >> people more educated tend to make more money so you looking for a sugar mama no matter what. >> money unfortunately or

fortunately is an aphrodisiac. sugar, marijuana-shaped candy, yes it's happened, hitting stores, making a lot of parents angry, too. apparently there's, i thought i had it on my notes, pot baggies, the pot lollipops. i remember carrying a cigarette back in the day. >> what it a brilliant marketing tool. >> you don't need that, we don't need to introduce to drugs whatever you feel about marijuana. >> if your kids came home with a chocolate lollipop in the shape of a marijuana leaf would you flip out? you'd say it's marijuana. >> nancy doesn't that make light of it? >> i'm surprised you're saying that. >> it's make light of it. >> my 8-year-old daughter, what's this? that's a marijuana leaf. >> marriage marriage is a serious drug and kids should avoid it. >> the drug to other drugs. >> no, no, no, no, no, no.

you guys, you guys, you guys, you bring it home, sit around the table, make light of it and here's why i don't want you to do. dark chocolate is good for your heart. >> stop it! holly madison insured her breast for $1 million. it raises the question, what would all of you insure? >> my hands. >> you're a surgeon. >> because i've always thought that someday there would be an executive who would say i don't want her face on television anymore and my television career would be over and i could always put food on the table being a surgeon so i've always insured my hands. i pay my hands are insured. >> wow, donny? >> this is a morning show. i can't really go there. my baby blue eyes, okay? >> yes, okay. and star? >> i have to insure my brain for the exact same reason because there are always criminals in brooklyn. i can go back to practicing law. >> i tried to insure my brain, it's uninsurable. >> insure your pocketbook.

coming up next, go for sugar or artificial sweetener with your morning cup of coffee? and later on the best cities to visit on your next getaway. first these messages. [ female announcer ] there's a fiber that goes with everything. all-natural benefiber, the fiber supplement that's taste-free and dissolves completely. so you can put it in whatever you like, even water. benefiber. makes taking fiber easier. happy birthday.

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( toy sfx: piano keys ) toy sfx: a-b-c-d, green triangle ! ♪ we can make 'em up 'cause we were meant for each other ♪ ( baby giggles ) ♪ for always ( baby giggles ) take toast... spread with i can't believe it's not butter... add jacques. he's french. oui! mmmm...oui like! [ male announcer ] now four out of five butter lovers agree that i can't believe it's not butter tastes as good as fresh butter with 70% less saturated fat and 30% fewer calories than butter. now you can have it all. [ male announcer ] i can't believe it's not butter. [ female announcer ] pillsbury chocolate chip cookies

with hershey's chocolate chips. for a moment of warm, gooey, togetherness. chocolate chip cookies... from pillsbury. ♪ sending out on s.o.s. this morning on "joy's diet s.o.s." today nutritionist joy bauer discuss the best sweetener for your morning coffee to how to get off the couch and start moving. >> good morning. >> first we have lauren in orlando, florida, joins us on skype. good morning, lauren. >> hi. >> go ahead with your question. >> so i love my coffee in the morning but i like it a little bit sweet, so should i use artificial sweetener and save the calories or go for the regular sugar and avoid the fake stuff? >> so my pick is definitely the sugar packet. and here's why. a packet of sugar is only 16

calories and it's far more natural than all of the artificial junk. you're going to get different input from different health professionals but to me in my opinion, if you just have one or at the most two packs of sugar in your coffee each day, sugar is the cleaner and better way to go. >> thanks, lauren, for your question. >> bye. >> it's a good question. >> 16, 32 calories, big deal. >> big deal. teri in rosenburg, texas, good morning. >> caller: good morning. i'm a complete couch potato, haven't exercised in a long time, overweight, out of shape and ready to make a change and start walking. i have no idea where to start and i would appreciate some direction. >> good for you! >> kudos on making this move from the couch to walking. i know it could feel overwhelming. fast forward two weeks you are going to feel sensational. here's what you're going to do starting today, open your door and walk five minutes in any direction, then you're going to turn around and walk back.

so a total of ten minutes. i want you to do that every single day for this week. next week, you're going to tack on two minutes to the first half of your journey so then you'll walk seven minutes in one direction and seven minutes back so now you're at 14 minutes every single day for week two so as the weeks progress, add on two-minute increments and try to get up between 30 and 60 days each day or most days of the week. more is better but whatever you can do is a huge accomplishment and your body and health are both going to benefit. you'll find it will become addictive because it feels great when you're walking and when you're done. >> good luck, terry. see you on the joy fit club soon, okay? >> caller: thank you. >> yes, start today. >> caller: i will. >> next viewer e-mail from karen in st. louis, and karen writes "i've read a lot about the health benefits of grapeseed oil. do you consider it a healthy oil like olive and canola?" i've wondered about this myself. >> yes and i think we'll be

hearing more about this superstar so grapeseed oil is super rich in polyunsaturated fat and we're finding out that type of fat may be most effective for lowering the bad cholesterol. what's also nice about grapeseed oil it has a high smoke point so it's really good for a high-heat cooking like sauteing or stir-frying and neutral in taste like canola oil. it's an oil people should bring into the house and keep on hand and try around in recipes. >> joy bauer thanks as always, speed round here. >> thank you, natalie. still ahead, whether you're looking for a great hotel, nice weather or affordability, we'll show you some of the top american cities for your next getaway, but first these mess e messages. ♪ special k protein shakes and meal bars. with 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber each... they satisfy your hunger longer so you can stay on track. [ telephone rings ]

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[ cellphone rings ] cut! [ monica ] i have a small part in a big movie. i thought we'd be on location for 3 days, it's been 3 weeks. so, i used my citi simplicity card to pick up a few things. and i don't have to worry about a late fee. which is good... no! bigger! bigger! [ monica ] ...because i don't think we're going anywhere for a while. [ male announcer ] write your story with the new citi simplicity card. no late fees. no penalty rate. no worries. get started at citisimplicity.com. guys... [ female announcer ] pillsbury cinnamon rolls with cinnabon cinnamon are an irresistible sunday morning idea. nothing calls them to the table faster. sunday morning ideas made easy. we want to say hello to jorny forger and patrick if feri the latest to get the boot off the ranch on requesting the biggest loser: battle of the

ages." >> good to see you. >> johnny you were the oldest contestant in "biggest loser" history. how much did you lose on the ranch? >> 80 pounds. on the ranch i lost 15 pounds, and it's up to 80 pounds at this time and climbing. >> at home you're doing wonderful. patrick your geeoal is to be a police officer. you lost a lot of weight. >> i lost 37 pounds at the range and 110 pounds total so far, so yeah i got to take the physical agility test for the police department back where i live in oregon and i passed it. so yeah, on the right path. >> are you training for the marathon, going to try to get back in it? >> marathon, doing it every day. everywhere we go. >> has this changed your life your weight loss? >> changed big time. >> absolutely. my marriage, it changed my marriage, it's being a team with my wife now and just being able

to walk around new york city and not be in pain. isn't it awesome? >> exactly. thank you "biggest loser." >> keep going, johnny and patrick, the battle of "the biggest loser" ends tonight. starting my progresso soup for lunch plan, huh. nope, just having some tender chicken and some tasty noodles. let's see...south western vegetables...60 calories. ya' know those jeans look nice. they do? yup. so you were checking me out? yup. [ male announcer ] progresso. 40 soups 100 calories or less.

9:26 is your time now on this tuesday, october 11, 2011. good morning. i am youeun yang. tom u. what is going on out there. >> temperatures are beginning to climb into the 60s in many locations, and we have rain beginning to approach near richmond over to chaur will you tell usville, and it's advancing to the north. we may get a few areas of light rain into the afternoon and evening hours, but the greater chance will be later tonight and then tapering off thursday evening.

and friday, drying up and looks great for the weekend. >> we will take a quick break and be back with a ♪ ♪ a couple years of up all night ♪ ♪ and a few thousand diapers later ♪ ♪ oh, yeah ♪ he loves that little girl [ male announcer ] all her life, she's been coming toward you. now that she's driving, she's going the other way. ♪ there goes my life [ male announcer ] thanks to state farm's steer clear program, teens learn safer driving and parents gain peace of mind.

good morning. still seeing the right shoulder lane taken away traveling i-66 at sully road.

now on 395, seeing some delays. delays continue as you make your way towards the 14th street bridge. crossing the bridge, pretty slow as you head into the city. back to you. >> thank you so much. more news, weather and traffic for you in 25 minutes. for now back to the "today" show

is that what's bugging you? >> no, that's not what's bugging me. it's you. >> the catfight between elisabeth and joan collins, if you were a fan of "dynasty" of course you recognize them. we'll our own. >> why did it look like so much fun?

excuse me why i pull her hair. any-hoo. >> who were you, linda evans or joan collins? >> i was trying to copy the throat move. they went for the jugler. >> i learned the pulling the hair is actually you move and i move my head. you make noises. >> like ahh! ahh! from san diego sunsets to the lights of las vegas strip you know we're not going to see that tape ever again, the sun and the surf from san juan, famous cities from "travel & leisu leisure." coming up, we'll show you some of the healthiest package options without sacrifice flavor. who can forget redd fox and his son lamont in "sanford and son." i'm sorry that al is not sitting right here with us. >> he would have loved redd fox.

>> i would have loved the catfight. i was going back to the catfight. he's out on the plaza with the weather instead. >> checkinging the weather. let's take a look at what's going on the next couple of days starting with today. we'll show you heavy rain in the pacific northwest, more rain in the mid-atlantic states, increasing clouds here in the northeast, sunshine for the plains, all the way down into the northern plains. tomorrow, slight risk of strong storms in the mid mississippi river valley, going to be wet and cool in the northeast into the new england area, leftover showers in the pacific northwest. sunny and warm, texas into the southwest, it will be downright toasty, sunny and mild through the southeast. that's what's going on in the country. sunny and mild through the southeast. here is what is happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. cloudy and cool in the 50s and low 60s throughout most of the region now. we do have rain advancing south to north with the moving color on the radar, and it's advancing north. later today, it may hold together but then a likelihood

of passing showers from midnight tonight and tomorrow, and then >> and that's your latest weather. savannah? >> thanks, al. we've made up. >> we're still fighting over who wants to be joan collins. >> i want to be joan. coming up next from beautiful bridges and skylines to vegas baby, we've got america's favorite cities coming up after these messages. oh, no! [ female announcer ] starbucks via® is planted the same... ♪ ...harvested the same... ♪ ...and roasted the same as our other premium coffees. ♪ it only makes sense it would taste the same. so, try it for yourself. buy a pack of 100% natural starbucks via® ready brew. we promise you'll love it or we'll send you a bag of starbucks coffee. it's the starbucks via® taste promise. look for it at starbucks stores and where you buy groceries.

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mom: show daddy ! lion. roaaar. rawr ! dad: whoa ! mom: ah there's more in the front, or you can go around ! eeeee ! younger girl: what's that ? dad: who's that ? mom: elephant ! eeeeee ! tiger ! older girl: tiger ? yes ! older girl: beep beeeeep ! ♪ we sing along ♪ to all our favorite songs, dad: now watch this. gorilla. dad: what does he say ? ♪ we can make 'em up ah yah yah yah yah ♪ 'cause we were made for each other ♪ ♪ for always, mom: who knows what the seal says ? ♪ oh oh... older girl: arf arf arf arf ! ♪ this morning on "tooled's travel" the best cities in the u.s., every year "travel & leisure" magazines surveys the nation for the best hotels, cleanest hotels and best destinations. neela thomas, good morning. >> good morning. >> how do the editors pick the cities? >> we pick the 35 most popular cities to travel to, put all of

the cities and 50 plus categories on our website travelandleisure.com and thousands of readers came to the website and voted and the results are live today and i'm here for the sneak peek. >> let's start out with the beautiful people of san juan, puerto rico. what did the survey reveal about san juan's culture in. >> there's something about hot weather, gorgeous people, great beaches that makes people want to go there, and i think san juan, puerto rico, has all of that and more. you are half puerto rican. >> yes, i am. >> and half brazilian. if we put those two together, it's almost too caliente for the show. what's great about puerto rico is their love of life and food. edna in the makeup is from puerto rico and is cheering. she loves the mix of cultures, there's african, spanish, mestiso indigenous people, all together and lots of hot weather and lots of small bikinis.

>> the most attractive people that you'll find in san juan. >> all right. >> more reason to visit besides everything else going on there. best weather in the country, i don't think this is a surprise to a lot of people, but the sunny, beautiful san diego, california, where the average temperature is about what? you know, 80 something. >> 80 something and seldom dips below 55, and there are 283 sunny days in san diego. if you're going there, fall is an ideal time to go, surfing or swimming in the ocean, there's lots of great things to do, including going to the san diego zoo which i'm obsessed with because of their adorable pandas. inn at the park, $129 a night on balboa park and within walking distance of the zoo. >> great price too for it. taking a trip you need a great hotel of course, and the city with the best options for hotels of course would go to las vegas, nevada. >> which honestly if any city in america is synonymous with

hotels it's las vegas. there are more hotels in las vegas than any other city in america. one tidbit, mgm grand alone launders 50,000 pillow cases a day. >> wow. a lot of laundry. >> that's true. >> that's just pillow cases, what about the sheets? >> there's a lot. lots of hotels. the great thing is they're destinations in and of themselves for casino, restaurants and shows and spas. i love lots of different hotels, the bellagio and the venetian. my new favorite is the cosmopolitan. it has the sophistication i come to expect from a new york city hotel and even though it's huge it feels very intimate. >> most affordable city goes to? >> kansas city, missouri. >> hello, midwest. i feel so great. >> kansas city is one of the cities if you have them in there you should go. it gets number one for barbecue so this is a good combination from affordability and barbecue. >> cheap barbecue.

>> the brisket is the way to go. you have 200 fountains in the city, something a lot of people don't know. rome, italy s the city that has more mountains an kansas city. a lot of people call it the birth place of jazz, and there are tree lined avenues, art deck coarchitecture. i can go on and on. if you haven't been to kansas city you should go. >> go, go, go and the cleanest city goes to? the twin cities, minneapolis-st. paul. wintertime probably not the place to go for activities. no, you disagree? >> i disagree. the twin cities gets a bad rap for the bad weather but they're into wintertime. go there for the st. paul winter carnival. they have an ice sculpture festival they do and people go out and they snowshoe and walk outside. as long as you bundle up and have a cup of hot cocoa.

any time there's opre i'm there. >> nilou motamed thanks so much. check out the rest on "travel & leisure's" website. next we'll show you the healthiest and tastiest options for snacks and food. so ready. [ female announcer ] when you're prepared for your check-up, you just know you're going to ace it. are you ready for your check-up? i'm so ready. [ female announcer ] crest pro-health invigorating clean rinse. its invigorating action lets you know it's working to fight plaque and gingivitis. and provides all these other benefits. crest pro-health invigorating clean rinse. clean, protect and invigorate your way to better dental check-ups. [ laughter ] tonight we're setting the table with something new. come in for olive garden's new stuffed rigatonis, hearty pasta stuffed with a blend of five italian cheeses. for just $11.95 try the rigatoni with grilled chicken in a roasted garlic alfredo.

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♪ that music is unmistakable, the iconic theme song to the classic tv sitcom "sanford and son." it premiered in 197 and almost 40 years later the antics of redd foxx still have us laughing. >> i've never had pain like this before. i'm dying. you hear that, elizabeth, i'm coming to join you, honey. [ knock at the door ] maybe that's elizabeth. >> michael sarr "black and blue the redd foxx story." what interested you about redd

foxx? >> he was one of the first african americans to headline vegas so he really broke ground in many different areas. >> today of course as you mentioned to me a few minutes ago the 20th anniversary of his death. for some people who when he came on that sitcom it was like he came out of nowhere. >> right. >> he was older, not an overnight success. he had a hard time making that big career move. >> right, he spent, redd spent over 30 years working the chitlin circuit because of his skin color. he toured with slappy white who appeared on "sanford and son" and broke doors down for comedians for today. >> hugh downs invited him on the "today" show. >> he had seen the sugar hill club in san francisco and invited redd to come on. there was a little on the part of nbc i think they were nervous

because redd was known as a blue comedian. he toned down his act for television, he was a hit and opened the door for other tv appearanc appearances. >> the show "sanford and son" truly was you never see in this day and age wasn't supposed to be about an african-american family. >> no. the producers of the show went through several versions, a jewish version, italian version, and irish version and redd was recommended by cleveland little, a talented man. they had seen redd in "cotton comes to harlem." >> as funny as he was on screen he had his share of struggles offscreen, major contract disputes with the networks say he was underpaid. >> right. >> he was open about his cocaine use. >> right. >> multiple marnlriages. tell us about that side of redd

foxx. >> his life was an open book. what you saw was what you got. he had a heavy cocaine problem wasn't that unusual in 1970s hollywood. he came up through the clubs, was a way of life, smoked a lot of pot. he did have contract disputes with nbc. he felt he wasn't getting what he deserved. he was the network's number one sitcom star and he felt he should be compensated for that and he fought, he walked off the show for eight episodes and did get what he wanted in the end. >> when he passed he collapsed on the set of his new show. when you look at the arc of his life, what do you think his legacy is, rags to riches to rags again? >> redd's legacy is one of the most popular tv stars in television history, one of the most popular sitcom stars and a comedy pioneer who broke down the doors for a lot of comedians to follow in his wake. >> it's great to remember and think about him and laugh. those things still hold up. michael starr thank you. >> thank you. >> and you can read an excerpt

on our web side today.com. come up next why you don't have to think out of the box to find healthy food. first this i ♪ more and more folks are trying out snapshot from progressive.

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this morning on "eat mart today" the best packaged food. chances are your pantry is full of items coming in a box, bag or can, and a lot of them come loaded with fat, sodium and preservatives. >> what are healthier options? carrie glassman is nutritionist and contributor to "women's health" magazine. how did you choose what is healthy? >> it should go without saying of course we want to eat real food but that's not always reasonable. "women's health" chose 125 of the best foods taking into consideration nutrient profile, taste and ingredients. >> snacks are of the most common packaged foods we find ourselves eating. >> exactly. >> beanitos. >> i love these beanitos.

the first ingredient is black beans. so this little bag right there is going to have six grams of fiber, six grams of protein no, corn, no potato if you're concerned about that and that barbecue flavor is satisfying. >> really good. a little salsa good with that, too. >> kelp chips. >> you know package foods have come a long way when you buy kale in a package. i love it's organic kale and you're getting loads of vitamin a and vitamin c and it has a big kick. if you like a lot of flavor very satisfying. >> curry flavor. >> and there's coconut and cashew in there. >> gives it a little kick, i like that. >> for the sweet group you've got the cookies and these are lucy's oatmeal cookies. >> sometimes when you're having a sweet you want more than one. you can have three for 120 calories but what people really love about these is first of all

they taste amazing but also there are peanut, tree nut, milk egg and gluten free so any allergies going on in your family, they're a perfect treat to keep around. >> great and ice cream, got to have that. >> i lo ove that ice cream. i was tasting it too much last night. you want to indulge in something that's going to satisfy you and also with the cleanest ingredients. this is organic ice cream, organic skim milk and cream and that caramel swirl is satisfying as well. >> lower fat overall. >> 120 calories for half a cup and three grams of fat. >> excellent. if you want to make a meal of your packaged food? >> this is like your backup reserves. you need to keep something in the freezer when you're not prepared, this is 360 calories, we've got portion control for the meal, brown rice, vegetables and also vegetarian. everyone should eat a couple vegetarian meals per week. >> this is butter nut squash

soup, comes in this is convenient. >> should have had a v8. >> a butter nut squash v8. >> it's excellent to fill up on soup at the beginning of the meal, you'll eat less and this one is loaded with vitamins. 90 calories for one cup so even if you ate the whole box it's 200 calories. throw a little grilled chicken on the side and almost have a complete meal. and three grams of fbier in the 90 calories as well. >> breakfast? >> this kind of looks like we should throw this off, reminds you of the squeezed cheese, some of us, i won't say who. this is an easy, fun way to make pancakes fast, no mess and looks like there would be crazy ingredients but it's organic. that's the batter. you just spray. >> looks like a weapon. >> it's easy and whole grain. >> exactly and it's easy, organic eggs in there. >> perfect. oatmeal here. >> i love the three sisters multigrain hot cereal, 150

calories for the pack, i also love it combines brown rice and quenja in an open box. also a little dried fruit, i had this this morning and tastes great. >> veng tabls we don't normally think of as packaged. >> you can go to the salad bars and have a salad for 600, 700 calories, this is portioned with 350 calories, adding in super foods. >> more on our website, kerry glassman, thank you. coming up kathie lee and hoda get wild with animals. they're always wild. they don't need animals. >> they don't but they'll be there and actor t.r. knight after your local news and weather. have a great day.

good morning, everybody. 9:57 is the time. it's tuesday, october 11th. let's go right to our meteorologist, tom kierein, for a look at the forecast. >> good morning. we have had clouds around and this morning we have rain beginning to approach fredericksburg, and it stretches

from richmond over to charlottesville. and it's light rain and may be in here later this afternoon. and then a likelihood of showers after midnight tonight and through the day on wednesday off and on. thursday, might get an afternoon or evening shower, and then a drying trend on friday just in time for the weekend. danella, how is the late morning traffic? >> sully road, still seeing the tractor trailer blocking the lane. and on i-66 east, no problems for you. and i-95, clear all the way to the 14th street bridge. coming up, from

[ agent ] so your policy looks good, is there anything else? why did you buy my husband a falcon? thanks for the falcon. i didn't buy anyone a falcon. sure, you did. you saved us a lot of money on auto insurance. i used that money to buy a falcon. ergo, you bought me a falcon. i should've got a falcon. most people who switch to state farm save on average about $480.

what they do with it, well, that's their business. oh, that explains a lot, actually. [ chuckles ] [ male announcer ] another reason people switch to state farm. aw, i could've gotten a falcon. [ male announcer ] get to a better state. [ falcon screeches ] captions paid for by nbc-universal television hello, everybody. it is booze day tuesday. it's october 11th. we are so delighted you're here with us. many of you probably had to go back to the j-word today, job. >> i know, after that spectacular weekend, at least on the east coast. a lot of the country had gorgeous weather. it was like the last kiss of summer yesterday. >> everything is about sex with you these days.

have you noticed? she can't talk about anything. >> stop it! last night jimmy fallon missed you. you've been gone a couple of weeks. you're back in the saddle. >> i don't feel like i missed him. i love that commercial he does with the little boy about capital one or something? it's so cute. >> well, last night jimmy came back on the air and had a little fun with us, we hear. let's see. >> this isn't good. a new study found global warming could cause a shortage of wine. which explains why today kathie lee and hoda installed solar panels on the roof of 30 rock. >> whatever it takes. thank you, jimmy. >> here's to jimmy. >> we are happy to be back. >> we are having a guava martini. let's see. >> oh, no. >> that's for me. >> no, no. i got home yesterday after being gone for about three weeks and i

got the most flirt, not from frank, not from cassidy, bambino. >> you're never letting go of that dog. >> no. he ran in. i got right down on the kitchen floor and had my way with him. oh, my gosh, do i love that dog. >> was he shaking all over? he's so cute. >> oh, my gosh. >> look at you. >> i'm becoming one of those little old ladies now that would carry a dog around in their hand just to have him with you. >> was he everywhere? >> oh my gosh. we had lunch outside. it was one of those beautiful days. you've been to that table with the water shimmering, sailboats going by. my rob mathis music in the stereo. all the things i missed. frank, bambino and i took a nap outside. i'd been up all night from the red eye and everything. then cass wakes me up out of the first sleep i've had in weeks and wants to go on a four-mile walk.

you know how happy i was? >> you love that. >> she's 18. most 18-year-old girls don't know their mother. so, yeah, we had a great, great time. so good to be home. all the things you take for granted, you know? just the routine of things. the day-to-day stuff. >> a lot of people spent last night, i think in front of the tv. there were a lot of things to choose from. there was "monday night football", "dancing with the stars" and kim's fairy tale wedding. >> my mother called me. she said, i like that. >> they really are good sisters. >> here is the wedding. there is khloe. god knows what she's thinking. >> you don't want to know what she was thinking. >> it was a beautiful wedding. there were great pictures. there is a picture of you and bruce jenner. >> cassidy was there, too. bruce was my dinner partner that night. i happen to adore bruce. i've known him forever. we all worked at another morning

show together back in the 1800s. he and frank and i and became good pals then. one day, i hadn't seen him for a while. i said, bruce, how are you? he had gone through yet another divorce? he said i'm so happy. i'm so happy now. i'm dating somebody not in the business, it's so great. >> oh, no it was kris? >> he said you wouldn't know her, her name is kris kardashian. know her? i went to bible study with her. that's another story, too. >> one of the sentimental moments of the wedding when kris spoke of her now-deceased father. been so stressful and so much about how much does this cost and this cost? it's like i'm forgetting what all of this is supposed to be

about and seeing all those clothes is like, there's a lot going. >> it's okay. >> she's there with her stepdad bruce, but she's spoken about her father passed away. she sewed a piece of his fabric into her wedding dress to have a piece of her dad. >> robert was a really, really lovely guy. he was such a sweet man and the girls adored him. he was a great father. even though he and kris divorced, they remained very close friends. bruce has been an amazing step father to all of them. he admits he feels closer in some ways to them than his own biological children, which happens in family dynamics. >> if you wanted to see a picture of what the kardashian girls look like without make-up, stand by. first of all, they still look beautiful. we have video of the kardashians

sans make-up. there they are without it. they look great without it, with it. they've got the genes. >> they've got the bone structure. >> my favorite part was when little mason stole the show. any kid is going to. he was like a little old man running down. >> and kourtney. >> they had mermaid type dresses. there are stairs they had to go down. he's a lug. >> she laughed about it. >> of course. he had forgotten so he went back to get it. there is something funny about a little kid in a tux. they look like penguins. they just do. anyway. the big deal now we know they made a lot of money on the wedding. most people still have to pay for their own. the question is, who should pay? everything is morphed and changed from the days when, i like the old, old days.

when a guy, a family got a dourdou for their kids. the parents get something out of it. >> it should be whoever has the means should pay, don't you think? >> if you have the money you should be the one paying. it shouldn't be the bride's family or the groom's family. >> times are really tough. a lot of people can't afford. >> a lot of women are choosing to stay single. 50% of the adult population is single compared to 50% in 1950. it lumps in people divorced and widowed, as well. some people are making that choice not to marry. >> we are going to have that segment on that. i wonder if financial reasons. a lot of women, i heard something disturbing. teenage girls are now finding ways to save their eggs and things because they just are done with men.

at 18? how many men have you had by the time you're 18? and you know who you are. >> you know what story was so weird for me today? the pregnant woman who ran the marathon. she ran a marathon, was having contractions during the marathon and finished it and promptly delivered the baby after. >> our dr. nancy said that's totally fine. >> we were in there saying, gosh what could she be thinking running a marathon when she is having contractions, all that stuff. nancy said it's like being in a water bed. gently bouncing around. she said there is not a problem with it. >> everybody has a different opinion. the fact it is her seventh marathon, she is an experienced runner. that's the second time she has been pregnant running a marathon. >> i think it was the second time with the same baby. >> it was the baby's second marathon. you try not to pass judgment. your first reaction, is she

crazy? then you get the facts and realize maybe not so crazy. my favorite day, i love wine and i gave up wine when i had my children. my favorite day was when i had the braxton-hicks contractions, a big glass of red wine. i said really? he said that's an overactive uterus. i said i never had any complaints. i went home and had a big glass of red wine. that's what i was doing before my baby was born. doctor's orders. >> here is a cool piece of video. niki miage. we have a 5-year-old version of her. ♪ you throw me away

♪ boom ba boom ba boom >> how does she know all the rappy words? >> it's hoda as a child. >> i love her. she is my long lost child. we want to give a shout out to the "today show." it won not one but two murrow awards. one was for this fun video we called "i got a feel." there is sara. shake it. ♪ "deadline" won and "nightly"

won. steve accepted the award. happy birthday to steve. here's tuesday's trend, everybody. go out. >> he's not pregnant, he can run backwards like that. pink hair is the big rage to support breast cancer awareness. katy perry is on the cover of "in style" magazine. we have lesley here. you already had this put in your hair. >> beautiful. >> in honor of my best friend who is a survivor, ten-year survivor. >> i love it. >> what's going on? >> just a little clip. adorable. >> thank you, lesley. >> thank you, doll baby. we have a fan. >> we might. >> you do. everyone happy to see you guys back together on the show. heather asks klg, why don't you take bambino with you, he is so little, he could fly with you.

>> he could fly with me, but he has his brother and sister with him all the time. i'm in a dark theater all day long. he would be lonely. no. i'd love to take him, but the more i thought about it, that would just be selfish for me. i would get him, but he would miss home. but thank you. still to come, why so many women are choosing to live happily ever after alone. >> up next, t.r. knight finds "law and order" in his life. he plays a very different role. >> creepy.

t.r. knight moved back east and returned to his primary passion and that is the theater. >> primetime has come calling again and wednesday night he is going to appear in a new episode of "law and order, special victims unit" as a family man suspected of rape. take a look. >> she knows i would never do this. >> up to now, i've given you every chance i can. you're not helping yourself. turn around. >> i won't admit to something i didn't do. >> i'll tell you another thing, detective. >> what's that? >> good morning. >> good morning. a nice wake-up call right there. >> you were doing a great show on broadway called "life in the theater." >> with patrick stewart.

sir patrick. >> are you missing the stage to go back on to the screen? >> i like them both. i really do. it was nice because it had been two years since i had been on set. once you've got your sea legs back, which takes a little bit. they are so cool. i knew danny from before, years ago. to get a chance to work with him. >> a very much darker character there than we are used to seeing. >> yeah. >> sometimes it's the guys that look like that. >> the baby face. >> you know. >> my friends would probably agree with you. it was fun. it has hard. it was difficult. they were all really cool and the director was great. it was, yeah whenever you play someone like that it's always -- >> much more fun to be the bad guy. we don't want to give anything away. >> we don't know. >> until proven guilty, hoda woman. >> what can you tell bus this? your character is accused of rape. you look kind of guilty just given the clip. >> and your dna is found on the

scene. >> right. that's it. that's all i'm going to say. i think he's kind of -- what is that? >> that's more of the clip. >> sorry. that was ice t talking. he's one of those people that's kind of like not maybe the most friendly person you ever met anyway so that probably doesn't help his case any. >> tell us what's next on your little agenda. >> he can't. >> not that show, what else can you tell us? >> right now i'm working on a workshop of a musical. it's in the early stages. i just did one musical since high school two years ago. "parade." that was out in los angeles at the taber. >> carole carmelo did that at

lincoln center. >> it's amazing show. another thing, just like it's a hard musical. he ends up being hung at the end, lynched. eight times a week is kind of like -- leaves a little something in your head. >> you always do great work and we are so glad you come by to tell us about it. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. >> he'll be on tomorrow night. up next, why more and more women are choosing "i don't" over "i do." mrs degree, you can remember

when women married young, had kids, took care of the house while the husband brought home the bacon. >> times have changed. more and more women are choosing to stay single and loving every minute of it. kate bullock wrote about her own story for this month's issue of "atlantic" magazine. psychiatrist janet taylor is here to weigh in on it all. >> you had serious relationships with men. yours is about a choice. you chose to remain single. why is that? >> i'd say at the time, the first time i made that choice i was, i felt kind of a vague feeling of not being ready and not wanting to settle down. >> how old were you at that time? >> 28. it wasn't an intentional big-deal kind of thing. each step along the way that's how it felt.

marriage seems like a nice thing, but not yet, not yet. >> when you see people with bad marriages, you can look over and go, gosh, i don't want to because look's what surrounding me. >> i think that's part of it. it's not about the marriage aspect at all. some women are so into their careers, they wake up 35, the clock is ticking, i'm still single. i think the point is it's okay as long as you understand you are single by choice and you can find the contentment and find the satisfaction and have great girlfriends, it's not a knock on your life. >> you talk about the biological clock though. did that affect you at all? did you decide i'm going to be single and not have children, as well? >> i didn't think about it for a long time. it wasn't until a couple of years ago i realized i didn't have much more time. that's when i decided i didn't want my biology to dictate my romantic life. >> what did you do about that? >> just the point being i wasn't going to marry some guy. >> or get your eggs frozen.

>> i didn't do that. no. i feel open to adoption. it seems to me if i can't have my own. >> what about the way society looks upon it? you can't help it. every time someone who meets someone who is not married, they go, oh, my god, why not? what is it? you feel like is something wrong here? >> is the stigma still the same? >> it's still there. that is part of the pressure. women attained more in the work force, attained more educationally, we can afford to support ourselves and a child or two if we choose. there is less of that stigma. there is always that pressure present well-meaning parents and friends. they assume if you're single, aerolonely. that is not the case all the time. >> the thing is, i try to tell me kids, are you the same person you were at 21? i say to my son as you were at 18? of course not, mom. that's why decisions are so important. you're going to be a very different person when you're 30. we don't project. we don't think things through enough. it's not in the dna of youth

anyway to think things through, but that's one of the biggest problems. we go with the lust, right? the falling in love, how fabulous all that is. we say that's the person i should spend the rest of my life with. >> at the same time, there is something more romantic about marrying later than pragmatic. when you choose to do it young it's because we think we are supposed to and marry who is available to us. when we marry later and ages are getting older and older, it can be a more passionate decision, but a more level-headed one. >> do you want to get married? >> it seems like a nice way to live life if i found the right person to do it with. >> that's the whole key. that's the trouble with fairy tales. we raise our young girls to think prince charming shows up and you live happily ever after. nobody talks about he might develop that toe fungus, things you have to deal with in real life. >> you have ups and downs. it's not always perfect, but you can still work on it. >> thank you ever so much.

still to come, those steamy nights after those menopause years. you know what we are talking about? having sex after menopause. >> allegedly. >> and animals for the winter. >> paula deen is in the kitchen.

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we are back on this booze day tuesday with today's woman. putting spark into the sex life after a certain age. >> dr. lauren striker, assistant clinical professor at northwestern university medical school has helpful tips for revving up that sex drive after menopause. >> hello. we are so glad you're here. >> this is a sore subject for some people to talk about. >> i talk about it all the time. >> sexual desire does go down

after menopause. >> yeah. unfortunately, when the hormones take a plunge, so does the desire. estrogen is the major one, but we make testosterone. we need it. when you first go through menopause, estrogen takes a huge plunge. testosterone is slower, but over the years it absolutely goes down. you really need both for a healthy sex drive. >> what do you do in a case like that? >> first thing you have to make sure you're able to think about sex more. estrogen will help with that. not everyone is necessarily going to take estrogen. i'm a real believer in you have to use it or lose it. you have to, even if you're not in the mood, you have to stay in the game and keep going there the problem, of course, a lot of women intend to and they do go there and it hurts so much they go through total avoidance mode. you get into this horrible cycle that you think, okay, i should, but i'm not going to because it's going to hurt. that is the message out there. it can still be great, but you just have to take some action

steps to keep things going. >> what does one person do? a lot of doctors don't want to talk about it. >> not they don't want to talk about it. they don't know a lot about it. it's confusing. when the woman goes to the drug store there are all these products out there. they run into a neighbor and dash. they don't know what to look for. you need to know the difference between a lubricant, a moisturizer. you put moisturizer on your face to keep it moist, but you can put it in your genitals to keep it moist. it will make all the difference. the vaginal estrogen products which are safe. women steer away from that. >> topical, right? >> topical. there are all things you can talk to your doctor about because they are prescription and make a difference. you can get back in the game again. >> you have to be honest with your partner and say what the problem is. the man is going to feel like, you just don't want me any more. >> the guy can be a hero. you know how? he's got to buy the stuff. if he shows up on your door step with the right product?

better than flowers, better than chocolate. >> honesty is important. you do start to avoid it. it ends up being something you don't want any more after a while. >> there are so many couples that continue to have a really satisfying life. i have patients in their 70s and 80s that have a satisfying life. it's not always about intercourse. it's about intimacy, touching and community. being physical is part of it. >> that little couple on the youtube that didn't know they were being taped and he starts flirting with her and starts talking about her cleavage. you didn't thing he could still see it. he was so cute. >> i had one patient whose biggest concern getting back in the game at 80, she said everything is good to go, but what do i do about my diaper? i told her, that's when you turn the lights down. >> you are adorable. thank you. this one doctor doesn't mind talking about sex. the wild is calling. not talking about your diapers. no choice but to go there with julie scar dino.

we are back with today's "call of the wild." seaworld animal ambassador julie scardina. >> wait till you hear what julie's friends are doing to prepare for the cold. >> look! they aren't shopping at macy's, are they? >> no. they have their own mechanisms, that's for sure. this is a sandhill crane which people in florida might recognize. they are migratory species. they know where to go like the people who come down to florida and seaworld. these guys will migrate. 500,000 will go through the platte river valley in nebraska at the same time. be up in the cold weather when there is lots of food, things to do and mate and when your chicks are ready, fly with your mate

with your chick in the first year. the chick has to be able to migrate up to 400 miles a day. >> that's unbelievable. >> that is incredible. >> it's incredible. in terms of strategy though, it works because they go down to the warmer weather where there is still food. these guys eat -- >> they pack their thong and head down. >> these guys eat bugs as well as fruit. they can't stay up in siberia and alaska. they have to come down. >> this was rescued as a chick, right? >> yes. he was orphaned down in florida. the neighborhood people were taking care of him for a while. they finally turned him in and said we are not quite sure what to do. we get a lot of injured cranes at seaworld in florida. a lot of times they can be fixed up and released, but this guy was imprinted. he's like, i don't want to go back up north. >> life is good in florida. >> let's get to our next animal. uh-oh, here comes something. >> it's a beaver. this little guy.

talk about another rescue. beavers -- >> oh, that is nasty. >> it's an animal thing. what can i say? >> go on. talk fast on this one. >> beavers, what they do is they get all set for winter by storing food. they'll go out -- >> are you finished? >> they'll store food under water. they are the best engineers in the world. they are building their den and storing the food under water so during the coldest parts of the year they are going underneath the water, underneath the ice and grabbing their storage of food and bringing it back up for the babies. >> why doesn't the food deteriorate in the water? >> because it's trees. they eat branches and trees. >> that's lovely after it's been

tlnds for a while. >> it's very cold water. we are going to put you back. >> bring on the groundhog. come on. >> now, when you talk about what animals do during the winter and what they do to prepare for winter, do you have the same problem as i do? you want to overeat? >> is this another one? >> this is a groundhog. >> they look like cousins. >> just like the beaver. he loves corn. >> corn? >> he loves the corn. >> here, baby. watch your teeth. you all right? >> these guys eat up until they are really, really fat in the summertime, preparing for winter. then they go into hibernation. >> they sleep all winter long. >> all winter long. sometimes the adults, mostly from october all the way through february, march. >> do they have predators during that time? >> that's the great part hibernating in your burrow,

you're safer. you're not out trying to find food when it's harder to find food. >> we've got a little relationship between these two here. >> someone get the beaver. >> the fox is out. the way things change -- >> i don't like that at all. >> the way things change in the fall and winter for the fox, the fox will actually change what he eats from spring/fall to winter. >> is that because of what's available? >> that's right. they'll eat much more vegetation in the spring and summer. the berries and everything is ripe. when winter comes around, they'll go after the voles, the other small mammals. >> thank you. kerry otis comes clean about her violent relationship with

ex-husband mickey o'rourke. >> and paula deen.

during the 1980s, model-turned-actress kerry otis graced countless of magazines before appearing in "wild orchid." kerry takes you back to those years in her new book called "beauty disrupted." >> it's great to see you. >> thank you for having me. >> it's hard to believe when you look at a woman like you right now so poised and so lovely and so in control of your life, that you lived such a tumultuous life of sex, drugs, rock and roll and heroin. >> thanks for the compliment. >> this is a tremendous story of redemption for a human being. >> it has been an amazing journey. to be able to write about it now and look back at the insanity

that was the modeling years and in the '90s. it was so decadent. >> fueled by cocaine, you said. >> fueled by cocaine. i get to take this opportunity to shed light on that industry and the craziness that as a 16-year-old, 17-year-old you find yourself in ridiculous situations. >> it was going to be modeling or prostitution. when you felt like those were your two options, that must have been daunting scary. >> it was daunting scary because the first experience being on a runway show was in a bar in berkeley. i didn't have -- i dropped out of high school. i didn't have a career, an education to fall back on. it was what presented itself at the time. i took it. found myself on a wild road of modeling in the late '80s and '90s. >> when you met mickey, it was an audition or meeting for the movie, which was your first film, right? >> it was my first. it should have been my last.

acting was not my forte. i felt that. i wasn't trained as an actress. i was pretty girl thrown in there. >> who knew this movie would give you not only a new career and new husband, but such a tumultuous life ahead. you would never guess that. >> no. i had no idea what was coming down the road. >> even though he seemed dangerous to you initially, you described first seeing him. he wasn't the boy next door. >> no. we got a look at this whole view of the celebrated bad guy or the bad boys. there is such a fantasy built up around that. i think for girls today. sometimes, you know, it's not the best reality. >> although mickey rourke disputes this, you said there was a lot of abuse. what was the lowest point you said you felt like this was as bad as it was going to get? >> just feeling that. i was young and confused and boxed in. i didn't have the tools and mentors. you don't have the skills at

that point. usually i haven't gone through therapy. >> you tried to commit suicide. >> i did. i did also if you look into my book there is an earlier situation of my first boyfriend who had taken his life. i think it's also this universal situation that happens with young kids where you feel that moment is all that that moment is really hard to see out of that moment. >> a lot of things make you unique. you climbed out of this. a lot of people get stuck in the weeds. you climbed out. you have two beautiful children, a wonderful husband. >> i do. >> a suburban mom. >> raising them in colorado. he's beautiful. >> i'm sorry. >> my beautiful daughter. >> it's an amazing read. you're very honest and very candid. >> you have to read the book to get the bigger picture. >> absolutely. >> thank you for coming to see us carre. appreciate it. >> thank you. >> up next, someone who is very happy. just add the sugar and the

butter. paula deen. just got her flu shot, like a champ -- mom! taking on the master of disaster, the flu! it's the fight of the season! your flu shot's next, champ. let's do this. flu shots. every day. no appointment needed. most insurance accepted. get a $5 cvs gift card if you're not covered. find us at minuteclinic.com. i'm jack, and i took the flu down.

hey, jessica, jerry neumann with a policy question. jerry, how are you doing? fine, i just got a little fender bender. oh, jerry, i'm so sorry. i would love to help but remember, you dropped us last month. yeah, you know it's funny. it only took 15 minutes to sign up for that new auto insurance company but it's taken a lot longer to hear back. is your car up a pole again? [ crying ] i miss you, jessica! jerry, are you crying? no, i just, i bit my tongue. [ male announcer ] get to a better state. state farm.

we are back in today's kitchen getting saucy with paula deen and her decadent cakes. >> her new cookbook is called "southern cooking bible." it's filled with southern cooking and hospitality. >> there is breaking news with paula deen. >> shout it. >> let's hear it. >> "maxim" magazine named paula deen the sexiest female chef on television. >> she beat giada and tatia. >> the picture in the magazine was a stick of butter. she is better than butter and is here with us today. >> what does your husband think of that? your sons? >> what do they think about my

sons? >> no. about you being in -- she had southern comfort too much. >> i haven't talked to my sons about it. my husband said he voted for me a long time ago. >> isn't that sweet? >> let's cook. >> you are stirring up -- you're doing perfect. now we are going to get kathie lee to mix the wet ingredients with our cocoa. we have hot water here. this is a dump. >> dump it. >> slowly mix in your stuff. >> butter, eggs, vanilla, buttermilk. >> love it. >> and hot water. >> does the word artery ever enter your mind? >> you know, okay. >> come on, sexy. >> you hot mama. >> i'm stirring the batter.

how much of the butter? >> all of it. >> oh, paula. >> i went to my doctor and he said my cholesterol is 140. my bad cholesterol is 61. >> wow. >> so everyone stop riding you. >> just asking a question. >> come on down. we have only a couple of minutes. >> whip this into oblivion. >> we are going to fold those two things together. we are going to pour this. they are not perfect. >> we'll pretend. >> this is a very forgiving cake. >> it's a forgiving cake. anyone can do it? >> i like that word. >> you can't mess it up. we are going to pour it in our sheet pan, bake it 40 minutes. >> 13 x 9 x 2. this icing is so good. we are mixing our dry ingredients. >> more buttermilk? >> yeah. yeah. >> what is that? >> this is karo syrup. excuse me, white syrup.

put more butter. >> more butter. >> then we are going to bring this to a boil. >> to a boil. >> when we take our cake out -- i sure did miss you last week. >> thank you, sweetie. >> we are just going to pour this on to our hot cake. i usually add nuts. >> of course you do. >> come on in the back. >> how are you? >> come here, paula. >> 20 seconds. >> 20 seconds. >> here we go. >> go, go, go. >> laughing and scratching. that looks good. look at this, kath. >> that's the praline cheesecake. >> oh, good grief! >> every christmas i make a coconut cake with a seven-minute

divinity icing. all this is in that special. >> we love you so much. >> i love you girls. >> we've got linda evans in the house. a whole bunch of other stuff. paula, love, love, love! have an awesome day.