good morning. open season. gop presidential hopefuls rip into frontrunner mitt romney during the final debate before tuesday's primary in new hampshire. >> can we drop a little bit of the pious baloney. >> will in-fighting haunt them in the general election? we'll ask newt gingrich. death sentence. that's the sentence for a former marine convicted of spying to the cia. we are live in tehran. miracle at mile high. tim tebow leads the broncos to a stunning overtime win knocking the steelers out of the playoffs and pushing the denver faithful one step closer to the super bowl today, monday, january 9,

one step closer to the super bowl today, monday, january 9, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and good morning. welcome to "today" on a monday morning. i'm matt lauer. >> i'm ann curry. they are really celebrating in denver. >> after a mediocre finish to the regular season tim tebow and the broncos got off in on the right foot on n the playoffs. and in politics newt gingrich is pulling out all the stops. has he gone too negative or is he just counterpunching after being attacked in iowa. we'll talk with newt gingrich in a few minutes. >> bungee jumping is terrifying, exhilarating. there is a 22-year-old woman who

may think twice before trying it again. [ cheers ] >> the cord snapped near the end of the jump sending the woman head first into a crocodi crocodile-infested river. she survived with minor injuries. matt, you had a chance to jump off that bridge. >> about ten years ago during "where in the world" at victoria falls we ended on the bridge and said would i end the show by going off. i declined but people on our staff did jump. >> craig white, our cameraman. >> also two milestones. kate middleton turns 30 today. how is she celebrating the big day? we have details on that. and we're turning 60. we have a week-long celebration lined up. we'll get the party started later in the morning.

>> the show is turning 60. >> not us. >> we begin with the gop presidential race and tomorrow's key primary in new hampshire. nbc's savannah guthrie is in manchester. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, ann. the candidates are definitely in the final stretch and feeling the heat. romney is leading by double digits in most polls. this is really a race for second or third and the right to continue on in the campaign. >> on this special edition of "meet the press" the final debate -- >> reporter: with time running out to stop a mitt romney cruise to the nomination the frontrunner's opponents piled on in sunday's nbc facebook debate. >> there is a huge difference between a reagan conservative and somebody who comes out of the massachusetts culture with an essentially moderate record who will have a hard time in a debate with president obama. >> if the record was so great in massachusetts why did you bail out? >> reporter: romney fired back

calling both men career politicians. >> i went thomas mass to make a difference. i didn't go to run time and again. >> reporter: which gingrich called phoney. >> can we drop the pious baloney? you have been running for years and years. the idea that suddenly sit sh citizenship showed up in your mind, you have been running since the 1990s. >> reporter: john huntsman joined the fray after he was criticized for serving in president obama's administration. >> -- the person who should represent our country who called him an incredible leader and went to represent him in china. >> this stanl is divided, david, because of attitudes like that. >> reporter: on gay rights the candidates were united against same-sex marriage. >> when is the last time you

stood up and spoke out on increasing gay rights. >> right now. >> reporter: later gingrich and romney sparred again over the barrage of super pac attack ads. >> i wish you would calmly and directly state it is your former staff running the pac. it is your millionaire friends giving to the pac. just say it. straightforward. [ applause ] >> well, of course it's former staff of mine. of course they are people who support me. with regard to the ads i haven't seen them. under the law i can't direct their ads. if there is anything that's wrong i hope they take it out. >> reporter: romney went point by point saying the charges in one anti-gingrich ad. >> you know, this ain't the bean bag. >> reporter: john huntsman with momentum is third place, but the trend is upward. many candidates are already looking ahead to south carolina

where romney's conservative opponents hope to make one last stand to try to stop him. matt? >> savannah guthrie in new hampshire already this morning. thank you very much. newt gingrich is in concord this morning. good morning. >> good to be with you. by the way, i was going to say happy birthday. i remember as a child watching the "today" show in black and white television. congratulations on 60 years. that's remarkable. >> i thought you were going to say as a child you remembered watching me on "today." let me say governor romney has a chance to do something no other nonincumbent republican candidate has done -- win iowa and new hampshire. if he pulls it off tomorrow is he the favorite for the nomination? >> this is his third best state after utah and massachusetts. if he were not to win here however if it's close which it

could be because he's been sliding now for four days, it is a defeat for him. this is a state he's bought a house in, he's lived in. he was governor next door. it's a state where he's been buying advertising since 1994 as a candidate in boston television which reaches most of the state. he was the prohibitive favorite going in. his position is precarious this morning based on the suffolk poll. he may be moving toward a surprisingly weak finish. >> in the weeks before iowa you surged to the lead and then got a target on your back. you became the center of a lot of negative ads. face it, they worked. did they work because your support was soft? it seems it would be hard to shake firm support with negative ads. did they work because your support is soft? >> well, they worked because my support had been based on positive ideas, positive solutions for creating jobs, heading economic growth, getting

to a balanced budget. those are all positive ideas. 45% of the ads run in iowa were attack ads against me. i have to say with a fairly long career in politics that was a breathtaking achievement. when you would get up to eight or nine ads an hour attacking. six pieces of mail a day, four or five robo calls a day. i was thrilled we did as well as we did because we didn't go negative, we didn't try to respond. >> right. >> but it was clear you had to run a much more decisive contrast ad and contrast campaign with romney because you couldn't allow him to run false ads and get away with it and claim you didn't know. as you noted n the debate he first said he didn't know what was in the ads and then cited one of them. >> there is a 30-minute film or super ad that's extremely negative about governor romney

in his time as ceo. it calls him a greedy ruthless corporate raider. you can't have a direct contact with the super pac. are you in favor of the running of the film and do you agree with everything it says? >> i have no idea. i haven't seen the film yet. >> you've read about it. >> i have, but what i have read said it's based upon historical facts. at some point governor romney has to hold a press conference and walk through in detail some of the companies that bane took over where they apparently looted the companies, left people unemployed and walked off with millions of dollars. look, i'm for capitalism. i'm for people who go in to save a company. i'm for people who take risk, grow jobs. sometimes you fail. i have run four small businesses in the last decade. it gets tough out there. it doesn't always work. i get that.

if somebody comes in, takes all the money out of your company and leaves you bankrupt while they go off with millions, that's not traditional capitalism. in fact -- >> considering the fact that g v governor romney may eventually be the head of the party can't you hear president obama's team saying this is a guy whose own party members called him a corporate raider, predator and ruthless? >> any republican who gets the nomination is going to have axelrod and obama figuring out every way. they will raise $1 billion. as the governor said, this ain't bean bag. they aren't going to raise a billion dollars for fun. they are going to come after any republican. that's why a reagan conservative who is articulate who can debate effectively is much more likely to beat obama than somebody who can't defend their record. governor romney will have to

defend what he did at bane. that's his record. he's proud that he wasn't in public office while i was, fine. he can take on my public record but he owns us a report on his stewardship of the private record. whatever happens this spring, it will be worse in september and october. we don't want to go into a campaign not knowing what's at risk. >> nice to see you. thanks for your time. >> good to be with you. thank you. >> 11 minutes after the hour. here's ann. >> for more on the presidential race now to dylan ratigan, host of a show on msnbc and author of "greedy bastards: corporate communists, banksters and vampires who suck america dry." good morning. >> good morning. >> given the anti-wall street occupy climate we're in. >> mitt romney's liabilities as an american businessman are among the highest of any

businessman in this country. there are two types of businesses in america now. there are businesses that are people investing and collaborating to solve america's problems, working on energy efficiency, health efficiency, infrastructure, problem-solving. there is a second class of business person that was invented in the past 30 years of this country who exploits their ability to borrow money at the risk to this nation, the very same risk we bailed out in 2008 and borrows the money to do much as newt gingrich is describing to purchase a company and take the money for themselves. that's a reasonable undertaking maybe. borrowing other people's money to do so and then taking other people's jobs away to do so is not capitalism. it is exploitation. >> this could hurt mitt romney. that said as we look at the debates, what do you think

americans' are not hearing from the candidates that they should be hearing despite all of these debates? >> we have yet to have a single presidential candidate with the exception a little bit from ron paul, a little bit from john huntsman, but really it's happened, explain to the american people why our banking, trade and tax code all prevent money from being investeded into the innovations this country needs in energy, health, education and infrastructure. instead trade, tax and bank policies, all three of those things which control the flow of money to america or from america and those policies are basically removing the money and the jobs as a result. >> you're saying there are major breaks in the system. >> yes. >> john huntsman talked about the need for financial reform, essentially in dealing with lobbyists and all that. you actually basically had a

huge outburst august on msnbc. let's look. >> i have been coming on tv for three years doing this and the fact of the matter is that there is a refusal on both the democratic and the republican side of the aisle to acknowledge the mathematical problem which is that the united states of america is being extracted. it's being extracted through banking, through trade and it's being extracted through taxation. there is not a single politician that has stepped forward, susan, to deal with this. >> darn, how do you really feel? >> i'm not a morning person. that was in the afternoon a, think. >> i think it was. in the book you're essentially calling on americans to act. what is it you think americans can do to take back this country. >> we are already seeing americans do it. whether your issue is the environment, prison system and incarceration of young minorities, whether it's gun rights, asthma, the food supply, corn in the food that's creating

diabetes. whatever it is you want to talk about, you are being prevented from having the natural redress of this democracy and the government resolving that for you because of the dependency our politicians have on money. listen to the interview we listened to with newt gingrich and what he spoke about was all of the money being spent. matt was talking to newt about it, back and forth, one versus is other. the fact is as long as the money is coming in, the money comes in to prevent policy changes that could adapt us to a new world. people think money buys making something happen. what the money is buying is making something not happen at a time when we need a lot to happen. >> thank you so much. >> thank you, ann. >> to read an excerpt head to today.com. you can also a catch the dylan ratigan show weekdays at 4:00 p.m. eastern on msnbc. now a check of the other top stories from natalie morales at

the news desk. >> good morning, everyone. an american man and former u.s. marine has been sentenced to death by iran this morning. good morning. i'm an irani-american citizen and a former u.s. marine has been sentenced by the very powerful revolutionary accord to death. the charges are spying for the cia, working with a hostile country -- the united states -- waging war against god and finally trying to implicate iran in terrorist activities. he has 20 days to appeal the charges. they look like they will stick and they are serious charges. >> what's the latest on tehran's nuclear program? >> iran yesterday announced that it's enriching uranium at a second underground facility near the holy city. they are enriching uranium up to 20% which has worried the iaea.

enriching uranium is a small step toin having the capabilityo make a nuclear warhead. a lot of tension there as well. >> watching these stories in tehran. thank you very much. a poignant milestone for gabrielle giffords. exactly one year after the shooting that killed six people and wounded her and 12 others, in tucson sunday night she led a candlelight vigil and the pledge of allegiance giving a rare glimpse into her recovery. >> and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. [ cheers and applause ] >> the memorial honored the other victims of the shootings including 9-year-old christina taylor. an adrenaline junkie seeking a thrill rush got more than she bargained for.

22-year-old erin was bungee jumping when her cord snapped. her friends watched in horror as she slammed into the crocodile-infested raging waters but she managed to swim to safety even freeing her foot when the cord got stuck on river rocks. just minor bruising. unbelievable. speaking of remarkable, tim tebow has done it again. the broncos' golden boy stunned the steelers for an 80-yard game-winning touchdown pass in overtime. he threw for a career-high 316 yards in the 29-23 win. next up, the broncos go head to head with the new england patriots next saturday. matt, ann and al converting many into tebow believers. >> dramatic stuff. >> it was amazing. >> mr. roker with a first check

of the good morning. on this monday morning, radar showing some flurries flying through the air in howard, montgomery counties in maryland, across the potomac into northern fairfax and across loudoun county into the shenandoah valley heading off to the east. on the eastern shore as well. we may have a few more flurries later on this morning. temperatures right now in the upper 20s to around 30 degrees throughout much of the and that's your latest weather.

matt? >> al, thank you very much. the detroit auto show opens today. the big story isn't just the cars but the resurgence of the big three and the motor city. phil le beau is in detroit to explain. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, matt. it's all about the muscle cars in detroit. [ revs engine ] >> reporter: like this mustang revving up for you on "today." this comeback for the big three is about more than muscles. it's fuel efficiency and new models. look at the buick burano. this is red hot for jeep. it's the new grand cherokee. these models are part of the renewed optimism here in the motor city. ♪ >> reporter: the buzz is back in the motor city. just ask ford workers seeing the latest redesign of the fusion. >> i'm very proud. i think the fusion looks good. >> it's grown from a spark to a flame. it will turn to an inferno.

>> reporter: with new models and a new lease on life after bankruptcies at chrysler and gm the big three are all profitable. together selling 800,000 more cars last year. >> we're competing. the fact that we are doing that, creating great jobs and careers, you can feel it everywhere. >> reporter: the turnaround comes three years after the industry collapsed prompting the government to blaail out gm and chrysler. >> once again we'll make the united states auto industry the best in the world. >> reporter: with sales slowing the big three had to cut costs and brands like pontiac and m e mercury and slashing jobs. >> we were at the edge of the cliff. it was a serious problem. >> reporter: forced to reinvent themselves the big three rolled out fuel efficient models including the chevy sonic built by gm workers like brad glendy

who sees a new spirit on the line. >> the certainty of having a job is here. we know we are building a great product for the customer. >> what does a town that's been to hell and back know about the finer things in life? >> reporter: nothing symbolized the comeback better than chrysler's commercial in the super bowl last year. >> this is the motor city. this is what we do. >> reporter: imported from detroit became a point of pride in the motor city. >> we felt pride throughout our community. i think it resonated throughout the country. >> reporter: for bill galling, the resurgence is a welcome turn after a bumpy ride for america's automakers. this comeback is about more than new cars. it's about new jobs. in fact, chrysler is adding 1,500 jobs at that time plant in town that builds the jeep grand cherokee. there is a sense of optimism we have not seen in detroit in a number of years. back to you. >> good news.

phil lebeau in detroit. thank you very much. just ahead, what does michelle obama really think of her role as first lady? we'll talk to the author of a controversial book on the first family. first, this is "today" on

just ahead, a high school senior fighting back after a group of classmates rejected her yearbook photo. >> and kate middleton celebrates her # 30th birthday. our work truly fulfills america's promise to our veterans. (announcer) learn more about careers with today's va at vacareers.va.gov. [ female announcer ] dry, itchy skin. a long term struggle needs long term relief. eucerin calming creme. used every day, its triple ingredient formula is clinically proven to relieve dry, itchy skin, with 92% of people reporting

improved overall skin condition over time. eucerin calming creme. and the gentle cleansing formula of calming body wash. calm, healthy skin starts with eucerin. few sprinkles in southern maryland, lower eastern shore. temperatures right now are cold in the upper 20s to around 30 much of the region. near the waters though in the mid 30s. later today into the low 40s with some light rain off and on this afternoon and into this evening.

areas mainly south of washington. sun back tomorrow. thank you. your morning commute is next. (ringing) hello? this is the sea calling. the sea? yeah! (laughing) what's it like there? brrrrrrr! how do you deal with that? a coat, a hat. gloves. scraping ice off a car. (making scraping noises) i don't want to rub it in, but where i am,

it's 82 and sunny. get me outta here! (laughing)

good morning. big delays, 395 jammed at gleeb. we're back in 5 minutes with

7:30 now on this monday morning. it's the 9th day of january, 2012. the rockefeller center christmas tree has gone bye-bye. but that's okay. we have a nice crowd lighting up the plaza on their own. i'm ann curry alongside matt lauer. ahead we'll talk about a controversial new book about the obama white house. >> this one's called "the obamas." it reveals difficult times between the first lady and members of her husband's inner circle. the administration is pushing back some on this book. the morning the author responds in an exclusive live interview.

>> also this morning, we have jennifer hudson in the house. she's opening up in a book about her rise, her battles with weight and also about motherhood. we'll talk about that coming up just ahead. also we'll head to buckingham palace to see how the duchess of cambridge plans to celebrate her birthday today. >> is this photo appropriate for a high school yearbook? the all-student editorial board at one colorado high school said "no" and rejected it. the 18-year-old who submitted the photo is upset about it. we'll talk to her and her mom coming up. >> let's begin with developments in the search for a maine toddler who vanished from her bed more than three weeks ago. we have more from waterville, maine, on the story. >> reporter: little ayla reynolds's father is keeping a low profile but over the weekend

he was out, visible, trying to find his daughter and responding to tough questions. >> just trying to keep ayla's face out there. >> reporter: justin dipietro was front and center passing out flyers hoping for a break in the disappearance. >> i would like her face on every street corner in north america. i'm going anywhere i need to. the focus is here. but once we're all done with around here, you know, we're going to go wherever it needs to go. >> reporter: by sunday, he was back to a low profile, not talking to reporters. this after weeks of taking heat. >> what happens when daddy gets the baby? >> reporter: some from headline news host nancy grace. >> she's with the daddy, she goes missing. she's with the daddy last time she gets a broken arm. >> reporter: he responded to grace telling maine's morning sentinel nancy grace, please come see me. do you want to spend a day with

me? do you want to see what i'm going through? do you want to see the ins and outs of it? i invite you to. he said he put ayla to bed and the next morning she was gone. the toddler was in her father's care while her mother trista reynolds was in drug and alcohol rehab. when her daughter disappeared she questioned dipietro's parenting skills. >> she's got a broken arm. she's missing. >> reporter: police said the injury was accidental. over the weekend the father told the morning sentinel saying he was carrying a bag of groceries in one arm, holding ayla on the other when he slipped and fell on top of his daughter. now he said he's doing all he can as the search enters week four. police say it's a missing persons case e though they suspect foul play. a mystery still waiting to be solved. nbc news did reach out to nancy

grace regarding the inveigh tit. we also reached out to trista reynolds. she remains hopeful and optimistic that whoever took her baby will be bringing her ayla back home safe and sound. police have no suspects nor people of interest in this case. ann? >> thank you so much. clint van zant is an nbc news analyst and former profiler. good morning. >> hi, ann. >> a number of new developments including first ayla's father who has been passing out flyers, doing interviews, explaining for the first time in more detail how ayla -- why she had a soft cast on her arm saying he fell while careying her and a bag of groceries. will this take the spotlight off of him? >> i think that's what he's trying to do. when you and i watch these

things we measure people on how we would react. you and i would say, well, if it was my child missing i would be out front, in front of the media. i would be showing videos, pictures, passing out flyers. when he didn't do what people expect they question the behavior. that doesn't make him guilty but it means the behavior is questionable and that something like his mother who was in the house the same night this little girl disappeared, she went on tv last week saying she was in the house. there wasn't any party going on. her son was there. he was a good father. now she's come back and said, well, wait a minute, i really wasn't in the house that night. when you get these things confused, i think all of us have reason to question what the true story is. >> meantime adding to this, police are saying in addition to ayla's father and grandmother other adults were in the house. does it set off any alarms for you? >> as an fbi agent you don't

investigate your case through the media. you do it through investigation. the last thing the police or fbi want to do is get into a foot race with the media trying to find potential people to interview who may have been in the house and have them be questioned all the time. so i don't fault the police at all for trying to keep the investigation close, but here we are three-plus weeks away. the last person who had contact with this little girl was the biological father. he says he didn't check on her for 13 hours. you know, some of us would say that's impossible. other people would say, well, that's just the way he lives his life. the bottom line is this little girl wasn't snatched up by martians. somebody carried her out of a very small house with a number of people inside, none of whom appear to know what happened. that gives law enforcement reason to question. >> we hope she's found. thank you so much. >> thanks, ann a. >> now a check of the weather

from al. >> announcer: today's weather is brought to you by advil. make the switch to advil now. >> and good morning, everybody. we've got friends here. you guys honeymooned in new york city 35 years ago today. >> yes, we did. dinner and dancing at the rainbow room. i wish it was still open. >> happy anniversary. >> thank you, thank you. >> thank you very much. >> let's check your weather. fabulous stuff for their 35th anniversary. much of the country above

good morning. tom kierein in storm center 4 on this monday morning. radar showing a few flurries in northwest washington and fairfax county, northern prince george's, into montgomery and howard. few sprinkles far southern maryland, eastern northern neck and eastern shore getting a few flurries. temperatures around the region are cold, just in the upper 20s and low 30s. reagan national is now at 35, later today only low 40s don't forget. you can check your weather day or night on the weather channel on cable or weather.com online. ann? >> thank you, al. up next, an intimate and controversial look inside the obamas' marriage and white house. we'll talk to the author of "the obamas" right after this. ugh, my sinus congestion,

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we're back now at 7:42 with a rare look inside one of the world's most famous marriages. a book that comes out tomorrow reveals details about the president and first lady's relationship and their time in the white house. it's called "the obamas." the author, new york times correspondent jodi kantor joins us now. who did you talk to? how much access were you given? did you talk to the president and first lady while researching the book? >> the book is mostly reported through top aides and close

friends of the president and first lady. i'm one of the only people to get access to the east wing and the first lady's staff there. what i found is that aides and friends were able to tell stories that the obamas don't talk about like what happened the first time they tried to go home to chicago. >> largely speaking it's a positive look. it talks about the relationship between these people in extraordinary circumstances. as you know when you write a book like this certain things make headlines. one of the things that's being talked about is what you describe as a tension between the first lady and the president's inner circle. in particular people like rahm emanuel. do you think there was tension that was so thick you could cut it with a knife or was it run of the mill tension that takes place between a first family and advisers? >> the tension was not the kind of spectacular tension we see, you know, on tv shows and in television. it was very muffled. they had a distance

relationship. the truth about them is they were philosophical foils. they had two different visions of the presidency. you know, a wife and a chief of staff are in some sense the president's two spouses. >> did mrs. obama ever communicate her displeasure or dissatisfaction directly with rahm emanuel or were these things spoken in back corridors? >> my impression from my reporting is much more back corridors. >> he offered his resignation in 2010. he stayed on until he left to go to chicago and run for mayor. was offering his resignation in any way related to the tension between him and mrs. obama? >> i think it's a mistake to take the president out of the equation. the main relationship was between the president and rahm emanuel. one of my goals for the book was to write a presidential book that really tells the first lady's story as well, but that doesn't mean we want to make the first lady responsible for everything that happened in the white house. >> while the white house is not

jumping up and down saying, no, it's untrue, we disagree, they are pushing back slightly. they said, the book is an over dram tization of old news. it's about a relationship between two people whom the author has not spoken to in years. the emotions, thoughts and private moments described in the book seem to reflect little more than the author's own thoughts. >> the white house has not pushed back on the specific writing in the book. they have not disputed any of the facts. the book is clear that it's based on interviews with people close to the obamas. >> they dispute the nuance in certain stories. the party thrown at halloween back in 2009, an alice in wonderland party. you said it was a secret, on the down low. and the white house has pushed

back saying, no, we had members of the press there. we weren't trying to hide anything. >> if you look at the text of the book, the outside trick or treating was public with press. the inside, lavish party was kept quiet. but the point was not reported over the weekend which is this is about michelle obama's learning and transformation as first lady. she, at this point in the narrative, is moving away from an emphasis on fashion and style toward much more substantive work. she wanted to fill her first ladyhood with meaning. >> and how much involved in the policy discussion on a day-to-day basis is michelle obama? >> she is not in the west wing on a day to day basis. she's not getting involved in policy details. she cares about the larger mission of the presidency. she's a lot like democrats on the outside. she had high expectations for this presidency and wants to see

them fulfilled. >> is she disappointed with what's happened so far? >> according to my reporting there were times she was really frustrated. but things have turned around for her since then. she is all in. in 2012 we are going to see her making the case for her husband again and again. she can be an internal critic. she's also his biggest advocate. >> the book is called "the obamas" and it comes out tomorrow. >> thank you. >> up next, the duchess of cambridge shined a at a movie premiere ahead of her 30th birthday today. when my asthma symptoms returned, my doctor prescribed dulera to help prevent them. [ male announcer ] dulera is for patients 12 and older whose asthma is not well controlled on a long-term asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. dulera will not replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. dulera helps significantly improve lung function. this was shown over a 6 month clinical study.

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when it comes to home insurance, surprises can be a little scary. and a little costly. that's why the best agents present their clients with a lot of options. because when it comes to what's covered and what's not, nobody likes surprises. [ click ] [ chuckles ] we totally thought -- [ all scream ] obscure space junk falling from the sky? we cover that. moving on. aah, aah, aah, aah. [ male announcer ] we are insurance. ♪ we are farmers ♪ bum, ba-da-bum, bum, bum, bum ♪ it's a special day for the duchess of cambridge. kate middleton turns 30 today. what is she doing to mark the milestone? michelle kosinski has details from buckingham palace. good morning. >> reporter: hi, ann. it's been a life-changing year for the woman formerly known as kate middleton. now here comes 30.

how do you ring it in as a princess? in glittering style, of course. a huge smile, gorgeous gown. now that's how to tell 30 who's boss. on the last night of her 20s, catherine and her friends walked the red carpet. no matter a little london rain for the premiere of "war horse." nor could anything up stage them. not the horse or director steven spielberg. >> i'm excited to see them. i never met kate. i met william when he was very, very young. >> reporter: william and kate met with soldiers and veterans just as they and prince harry are starting a new initiative to help those returning from war. it has been quite a year for catherine. becoming a princess. the most photographed woman in the world, fashion icon, future queen. but she began her 29th year as

kate middleton, the girl next door engaged to prince william. >> i hope to have a happy family ourselves. >> reporter: when the fairy tale wedding. her first appearances, charities, christmas with the queen, winning hearts around the globe. [ cheers and applause ] >> it's been the biggest year of her life, frankly. >> reporter: and now the big 3-0. >> the year ahead in her 30th year is going to be as big as last year really for kate. 2012 mark's kate's inauguration, if you like, as a solo working royal. >> reporter: how to celebrate? the tabloids say fun-loving sibling style. that pippa and harry have planned an 80s themed bash for her inner circle. though she was born that decade, she's dressed the part before. a chance to party like it's 1989 or any time before the public eye. >> i would imagine as well there will be a beautiful gift from william.

who knows? perhaps the queen may lend or give her crown jewels. we'll have to wait and see. >> reporter: that takes the sting out of 30, doesn't it? her year will include the queen's jubilee, an asian tour, the olympics and all eyes on her belly. ann? >> oh, dear. no pressure there. michelle kosinski, thank you so much. >> just ahead, the colorado high school senior who had her yearbook photo rejected by a group of her peers. >> we'll talk to her after your local news. i'd never ride without one now. and since my doctor prescribed lipitor, i won't go without it for my high cholesterol and my risk of heart attack. why kid myself? diet and exercise weren't lowering my cholesterol enough. now i'm eating healthier, exercising more, taking lipitor. numbers don't lie. my cholesterol's stayed down. lipitor is fda approved to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease. it's backed by over 19 years of research. [ female announcer ] lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems

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good morning, everyone. i'm angie goff. the time is 7:56. and the chill is back in the air. >> good morning. we have some scattered flurries now moving across northern virginia from the shenandoah valley and into montgomery county and prince george's county, maryland, heading off to the east. southern maryland, northern neck, eastern shore getting a few sprinkles. we have temperatures cold this morning under a cloudy sky. upper 20s to near 30. later today just into the low 40s, maybe sprinkles of light rain this afternoon and this evening. sun back tomorrow. already the beltway is jamming up c

good morning. had an accident as you cross american legion bridge. it was blocking the left lane on the outer loop but the damage is done and the accident has cleared. this is a live look at new hampshire avenue. are you jammed as you make your way towards i-270. travel speed -- 16 miles per hour. slow commute this morning. angie, back to you. more

"today" show, you're 60. >> you're old. >> aw. >> okay. oldish. >> you're seasoned. >> mature. >> you look wonderful. >> i just can't believe the "today" show is 60 years old. stay away from the botox. >> 8:00 now on a monday morning, the 9th day of january, 2012. justin timberlake, mila kunis, ben stiller wishing us as we turn 60 years old. we'll kick things up including friday a reunion with many of the people who have helped you wake up over the past 60 years.

>> should be a lot of fun. we're going to have a big party. >> lots to get to this half hour. >> what's coming up is how photos can be controversial. here's the photograph one colorado teenager wanted to use as her senior portrait but the yearbook's editorial board pulled the plug. she has a lot to say about it and she's in studio to say it. >> later on, jennifer hudson. she's got a new book out that chronicles her rise to fame, her struggles with weight, and how she has handled very difficult times in her life. what a great lady. we'll chat with her in a little bit. >> we love jennifer hudson. >> we do. a lot to get to. now let's go inside, get headlines from natalie morales. >> good morning, everyone. former massachusetts governor mitt romney has a double-digit lead in most polls ahead of tomorrow's new hampshire primary. during sunday's nbc facebook debate newt gingrich and rick santorum attacked romney's

credentials. polls are showing upward momentum for john huntsman. arizona congresswoman gabrielle giffords led the pledge of allegiance last night at a candlelight vigil one year after she survived an assassination attempt. the shooting rampage left six people dead and 13 people, including giffords, wounded. now to an update on the murder mystery on the royal grounds. british police identified the body as 17-year-old alyssa dmitrieva. she was last seen getting into a car with two male friends. her cause of death is still unknown. pharmaceutical company novartis is recalling a number of popular over-the-counter medications. nodoz, gas-x and excedrin because of complaints of broken pills and expired bottles. operation migration has been

temporarily grounded. the program uses ultra light planes to escort orphaned whooping cranes from michigan to florida. after receiving two complaints, the f.a.a. is deciding if the ultra light pilots are flying higher which would require commercial licenses unavailable for the aircraft. now let's look at what's trending today. a quick round-up of what's got you talking online. tim tebow's miracle finish in last night's nfl wild card game is a hot topic on google, twitter and yahoo. 11 seconds of overtime to defeat the steelers. tebow is praising the lord on twitter while denver fans are singing their quarterback's praises. a story we brought you earlier has kate middleton trending as well. the duchess of cambridge turns 13 30 today. she attended the premiere in

london of "war horse." she'll celebrate with a party tonight planned by pippa and harry. celebrity pals are tweeting best wishes to jay-z and beyonce whose baby girl blue ivy carter was born saturday. rihanna tweeted, welcome to the world princess carter! p diddy said, got bless and many more. 8:04. now outside to al for a check of the weather. >> what's your name, sir? >> we just want to say thank you to the town of new york city for letting us be part of the his pa a nick games over the weekend. thank you. >> you had great weather for it. >> we did. thank you. >> thanks for your service. let's check your weather, see what's happening. pick city today, miami beach.

cloudy and cold on this monday. good morning, i'm meteorologist tom kierein in storm center 4. scattered flurries in the shenandoah valley, metro area and points east, and those are drifting off to the east. down just into the upper 20s, low 30s much of the region. 35 now at reagan national. later today highs only the low 40s, maybe some scattered sprinkles of light rain later this afternoon and evening, mainly south of the metro area. sun returns tomorrow, a little bit warmer. rain wednesday. and that's your latest weather. ann? >> thank you so much. coming up next, the high school

senior who was upset because a group of her peers rejected her yearbook photo. what do you think? coming up right after this. ence calls the "nightly stuffy nose thing": i can't breathe... so i can't sleep... and the next day i pay for it. i tried decongestants... i tossed & turned... i even vaporized! and then i fought back: with drug-free breathe right advanced. these nasal strips instantly opened my nose, like a breath of fresh air. i was breathing and sleeping better! [ female announcer ] exercise your right to breathe right... get two free strips at breatheright.com. hey, it's your right to breathe right!

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when acid sydney spies submitte photo the all student editorial board were going to use it but changed their mind. >> as students we have the right to express what we want to be. there are students who like sports. if i like modeling i should show that. >> reporter:. >> for other magazines and stuff it's a really good photo. for a high school yearbook it's not appropriate. >> reporter: an aspiring model, spies subjemitted a second picture. that, too, was rejected. >> her mother understands her daughter's self-expression could bring on a painful backlash. >> i knew people would react this way. she was adamant. looking at the picture, i see it the way sydney sees it. it's artistic. it's stunning. >> reporter: the school administration insists they played no part in the

all-student editorial board's decision. >> there was absolutely no influence or any kind of coercion whatsoever. >> that's a pretty one. >> reporter: over the past few year it is yearbook has won several awards. that legacy contributed to the rejection of sydney's photo. >> we don't want this picture to make it seem unprofessional and inappropriate and for people to discount our hard work we spend weeks and months working on. >> reporter: in a twist, sydney can use the picture of her choice if she pays to put it in as an ad. >> i'm spending $300 of my own money to have that picture in the yearbook. >> reporter: with her high school career winding down, sydney is learning that just trying to be yourself isn't as easy as it sounds. >> i just didn't want to be boring. i'm not a person who's going to stand against a wall and smile. >> reporter: this is an interesting question of self-expression. sydney can submit the picture of her choice but the editorial

board has the right to choose what it feels is appropriate for the yearbook. matt? >> thank you very much, tamron. sydney spies is here with her mother. good morning to you both. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> this was posted in your high school paper on friday. a classmate wrote that the senior portrait isn't about a first impression. it's about the last impression, the image of you that will be immortalized. do you agree? and why do you want that photo to be that image? >> i really honestly think that it describes who i am. people can take it however they want, that i'm an outgoing person and i really do think it's artistic. like i said, people have their sports pictures, pictures with their horses or guitars. that's my interest. >> i was reading this last night. i incorrectly assumed when i first heard the story i said, okay, this is a bunch of faculty members that got together in the administration and said, this isn't the image we want for our

school. then i realized, no, these are your peers. this is an editorial board made up of other students. it surprised me that they drew this hard line. did it surprise you? >> yeah, especially because they agreed to it in the first place. before any of this there was a 4-1 vote in my favor. >> what do you think changed their mind? >> i think it was the administration. they had a meeting with the principal and the next day their whole decision changed completely against me. they were completely against the picture. >> which is not supposed to happen. they are supposed to be independent of the school. isn't that correct? >> exactly. >> another thing that caught my attention is that they don't want this to be your official yearbook portrait. but as you mentioned in the piece that tamron showed us, they're okay if you buy an ad page in the book and put that photo as part of that page. so $300 make it okay. >> yeah. >> what was your reaction when

you learned that? >> if it's going to be in the yearbook anyway, why should i not be able to have it as my senior picture? that's what i don't understand. >> as a mom, when i look at the picture it's provocative. you say it's beautiful and artistic and i guess it is artistic. it's also not the run of the mill yearbook photo. you say you knew it would cause a reaction. did you think it was entirely appropriate? >> oh, i asked her not to do it. i said, sydney, really, is this the one you want? >> what about the second photo? >> i didn't think that was nearly as provocative. >> yet you are supporting her on this. do you disagree with the editorial board's decision? >> when your child is spreading her wings, you just want to come alongside and support them. that's what i'm doing as a mother. >> do you plan to take this further, sydney? do you plan to file some kind of a suit which would draw more attention obviously to the

situation? are you willing to take it that far? >> i don't know if i want to go that far with it. i'm still hoping that they might let me have that picture in there. but it's illegal for the administration to get involved. so that's why we have considered that option. >> is this going to end up with a picture of you in the yearbook that's the classic standing against a wall smiling like every other photo? >> definitely not. i will find something. >> the principal asked when we had the meeting on friday, sydney, do you not want any picture in the yearbook? >> would that be an option you would consider? >> if i submit another one they think is a little bit provocative, i feel like -- that second picture, i feel they are censoring me because of the situation. if they're going to censor that picture i feel they have to censor everyone. there were people saying, if they censor that they should censor my picture.

i have a strapless dress. >> it's a slippery slope. >> yeah. >> nice to have you here. we want to know what you think about this. should sydney be allowed to use her picture, either picture as her senior class portrait? log onto today.com to share your thoughts well. eel fi up next, jennifer hudson opens up about her rise to fame and battle with weight after this. why do we have aflac... aflac... and major medical? major medical, boyyyy!

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the world first met jennifer hudson when she competed on "american idol" in 2004. take a look at her. well, since then she won a grammy, a golden globe and an oscar for "dream girls." she's opening up in a new book called "i got this: how i changed my ways and lost what weighed me down." tired of the compliments yet? look, you are so beautiful. >> thank you. thank you. >> how does losing 80 pounds feel? how healthy do you feel now? >> i feel amazing. i feel empowered. i really do. so many times we say, i want to do this or i want to change that and we never do it. to know i accomplished it and i did it, it's like, wow. for it to be so fresh in my mind when i started or even when i made up my mind on what i wanted to do and to look back and say, look how far i've come and look how much i achieved.

>> in your book you write when people ask how i can lose weight, too, the first thing i tell them is that they have to make up their mind that they really want to do it and do it for themselves. >> yeah. >> what made up your mind? >> that's so true. it is several things. one, being pregnant and wanting my body back. you're invaded. you're sharing your body. you lose control. so that let me know -- that experience let me know, this is my body and i can do what i want to do with it. it can be whatever i want it to be. also i wanted to set an example for my son. so that's how i made up my mind on what i wanted to do. that was the first thing i did. okay. all right. i want to do something with this. so i did. >> what you weren't prepared for was the pushback of people you call the doubters, haters and excuse makers out there. you write about the hostile

reception you got. >> i know. >> how did you not let the hostility sabotage you? >> well, again, doing it for myself. in a journey like a weight loss journey, one thing people don't realize is that part that comes with it. you think everybody will be happy for you. in the inside you're still the same. but the rest of the world does not see you that way. you're completely different. so it's like they perceive you completely differently. and they treat you differently. everything is not all good. yes, it's a lot of compliments, but there's a lot of other things that come with it as well. that's why you have to do it for you. you have to. >> this is also at the same time while you're feeling the pressures of being in hollywood and during "american idol" and "dream girls." how would you describe the pressures about weight in hollywood? >> well, they are there. because image is everything in hollywood although for myself i always felt as though it should be talent and it is talent.

i have been blessed as far as to be able to make it off my talent alone but that was because i was determined to be like, no, it should be about the talent. for me it is, but in the background there's that saying image is everything. image, image, image, but still being stubborn against that saying, no. talent, talent, talent. at least in my book. >> you definitely have that. people responded pretty much in a very similar voice when you suffered the tragic loss of your mother, brother and nephew in 2008. i know you don't talk a lot about that. >> mm-hmm. >> i do want to know how you might respond to people who are right now listening who are dealing with unfathomable loss. what you call how to persevere despite the darkest clouds. >> well, at the end of the day, we all have no choice but to

keep on going. that i know and i feel like others should know. and also live in the moment. i was just thinking the other day, like, wow. we never sit and stop to tell someone, i love you, or i appreciate you. and that quick you can blink your eye and it can be over and gone or you could be even gone. it's good to live in the moment and then when it is time to pick up and move on you have no choice but to. you have to. that's called life. it is. >> mm-hmm. you stand up picking up a boy who's now 2 every other minute i'm sure. >> my little david. >> and your little david, as i understand it, is a little performer. there is talk about him being maybe even following in your footsteps as a performer. as you think about your own future as you're trying to create his, after having won an oscar by 26, a grammy by 28 and

now being 30 years old, what's your ahead? how do you see the future for yourself? >> oh, my goodness. i have been blessed to be able to live everything that i imagined up until now. even searching for my home. i said, i don't want my mansion until i'm 30. now i'm looking for it. i have to create new goals and new dreams. overall i want to be healthy and happy and also i want to be around for many, many, many, many years to come. it's pretty much as simple as that. you know, i feel really blessed. i feel selfish like, ooh, okay, now let's do this and that. >> well, jennifer hudson. thank you. we are looking forward to enjoying your gifts for many years to come. the book is called "i got this." we're back after your local news.

8:26 is your time now on this monday, january 9th, 2012. good morning to you. we had some trouble on the roads this morning. let's check in for the latest. >> definitely a tough commute on outer loop of the beltway, this is the scene at new hampshire avenue. jammed all the way to i-270. travel speed right now -- 16 miles per hour. very slow. traveling in virginia, you're also jammed on the interloop here, slow to i-66. your travel speed here not better -- 17 miles per hour. we'll take a quick

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♪ it's meant to be ♪ i'm feelin' subway ♪ i'm feelin' subway today [ male announcer ] hey, capital area! are you feelin' subway®? then heat up your day with the big hot pastrami melt! it's fresh toasted and piled-high with pastrami, then topped with pickles, mustard, and cheese. head into a subway® restaurant today for this melty, mouthwatering sub! ♪ i'm feelin' subway ♪ let's go good morning. tom kierein in storm center 4. radar picking up scattered snow flurries across northern virginia and maryland. southern maryland, lower eastern shore. sprinkles of rain. temperatures right now cold under this cloudy sky, 35 at reagan national now. could get more light rain this

afternoon and evening. tomorrow sun returns, rain on wednesday. drying out on thursday. the 50s. much colder, dry weather friday

8:30 now on a monday morning, the 9th day of january 2011 as we say hello to everyone gathered with us here in rockefeller plaza. they are waving to the folks back home. just ahead, matt, you're going to be catching up with mark wahlberg. >> mark is an oscar-nominated

actor with a new movie out called "contraband" and another project that could hurt a lot. we'll ask him about that and other things. >> he doesn't know what you're talking about. >> we'll talk about it in a few minutes. >> plus, you want to eat better without getting bored? joy bauer is here with some of the new, latest, healthiest trends that you will be seeing a lot of in 2012. >> it involves cutting grass apparently. >> wheat grass. >> fantastic. >> we'll be kicking off the week-long celebration of our 60th anniversary. this morning we'll show you what life was like in 1952 as "today" came on the air for the first time. >> that was dave garoway. we saw him showing us a new way to eat a donut. fast-forward to today and let's move over here. we have our very own "today" at

60 donut. stan is here. i don't know where to thank you or hate you. >> we really wanted to celebrate with you. we're excited to be here. we're 62 years old. >> happy birthday. >> we wanted to be sure we created something that was inspired by the "today" show colors. so we took our very well loved vanilla vanilla-frosted donut and created a decorating mix with your red, orange and yellow colors. we thought it would be a way to recognize how the "today" show and dunkin donuts have been part of people's mornings for a long time in our country. >> the best part is that they have no calories. >> no. >> zero. >> everybody can enjoy them. >> low through when? >> they launch today in country.ating shores acrotores

and they run until sunday. >> very nice. well done. >> congratulations. >> thank you. >> good. >> who would like a donut? [ cheers ] >> help yourselves. there you go. doughnuts! have a good time. enjoy yourselves. arm yourselves with frosting. >> let's check your

good morning. here it is cloudy and cold. around the washington metro area under this cloudy sky, radar showing a few patchy areas of some flurries in northern virginia, west virginia, southern maryland and on the eastern shore. we have this cold morning here with temperatures right around 30 degrees lingering for another hour or two but then we'll get into the low 40s by later this afternoon and maybe some sprinkles of light rain as well as into this evening. sun returns tomorrow. rain likely wednesday. sun back thursday. colder into that's your latest weather. grab a donut. >> okay. al, thank you so much. coming up, we're kicking off our 60th birthday celebration. what life was like when it all began in 1952. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪ back now at 8:36 with "today" at 60. all this week, we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of "today." we are kicking it off with a look back. >> and the music of "sentimental journey." the show has become a morning staple but in 1952 it was all new, a broadcast aimed at a country going through tremendous change. ♪ remember ♪ remember >> most remember it as a simpler time. eddie fisher was on the radio. children were playing in the street. >> people felt the prosperity. they felt the middle class expanding. they felt good about their country. a good time to be a kid. a good time to grow up. >> world war ii was over and

families were coming together again. it seemed like the whole country rallied around the war-time hero. >> he presided over peace and prosperity. really beloved by the people. >> a baby boom was under way and a building boom to go with it. >> millions of people moved into suburbs created out of farmland. >> the average salary was $3,900. for just $9,000 families could buy their own piece of the american dream. >> what would you like to see in a refrigerator? >> i want one with all the new features. >> americans filled their homes with a slew of new gadgets. it was a golden era for ad men. >> i smoke king-sized chesterfields. >> more doctors smoke camels than any other cigarette. >> reporter: to toothpaste. frosted flakes were new on the breakfast table. >> grrreat! >> modern dishes for modern

living. >> reporter: tupperware parties, the latest rage. >> chevrolet, the rainbow is yours. >> reporter: and families were hitting the roads in another icon of the day -- the car. ♪ you'll never get a better thrill ♪ than driving a new oldsmobile ♪ >> reporter: perhaps stopping at the holiday inn. hemlines dropped thanks to a frenchman named dior. stilettos were in and women everywhere wanted to mimic curves of a hollywood starlet. men were men and mr. potato head was actually a potato. major medical breakthroughs topped headlines that year. jonas salk became a hero for the polio vaccine and doctors did the first open heart surgery and sex change. the yankees won the world series against their rivals, the dodgers. and across the pond elizabeth

was crowned the queen of england. >> it may have begun our fascination with the royal family. >> reporter: at home people looked to the skies with curiosity and fear. flying saucers popped up everywhere. and a fear of the atomic bomb loomed overhead. while films like "monkey business" and "the quiet man" offered distraction, more and more people were turning to another medium. >> say, this is for me. >> what's that? >> television. >> reporter: the number of televisions in homes jumped to 20 million that year. >> there were so many fewer programs that people watched the same thing which meant you had a common dialogue. >> hey, kids. what time is it? >> it's howdy doody time. >> reporter: another famous redhead charmed parents. and a new program in the morning had the lofty idea of summarizing all of it each day.

>> nbc begins a new program called "today." >> reporter: offering reflection on the lives of those who tuned in and have been doing so ever since. >> astonishing to look at all the things that were happening in that year. >> it is. wow. >> especially the sex is change operation. [ laughter ] >> all of that. >> i could have predicted you would say that. >> my parents had a high-fi and it was a dumont television. >> we all grew up watching black and white televisions. >> we're joined by savannah guthrie in new hampshire this morning. you were not born by a long shot. >> no, but i love that we started 60 years ago in a presidential year and here we are again. "today" being a constant all those decades it's amazing to be part of it. >> the bottom line is as we look

at this week and every day that we are going to unfold the memory lane trip stories, i think we all feel like we're part of something that is not just a part of the show and television at nbc but really about a conversation with america. we're just feeling so lucky we get to be a part of it. >> by the way, you immediately pick up the sex change. the thing that jumped out to me most was the cigarette commercials. more doctors smoke camels. >> it's kra ski. >> -- crazy. >> i'm by far the oldest person on this couch. thank you, god, for willard scott. i was born a year later and my dad was on ike's staff. >> look at this cast. in 1952 you would never see this grouping. >> exactly. >> no asian people. no hispanics on tv. >> fewer women.

>> again, we'll celebrate "today" at 60 leading up to friday's special celebration with a lot of people who have been part of the team throughout the years. just ahead this morning, mark wahlberg on his new thriller. we're going to talk to him in a second. first, this is "today" on nbc. i just had it with cable. it just got more frustrating and frustrating. a lot of times, the picture would break up. for the amount of money that i am paying, my cable company should take care of me.

[ male announcer ] stop paying for second best. move up to verizon fios tv, internet and phone for our best price online -- just $89.99 a month guaranteed for two years. first time we saw tv on fios was amazing! i was just in a trance watching it. i'm discovering new channels every day. [ male announcer ] and here's a special bonus: sign up now and get $300 back with a two-year contract. fios internet -- the speed, you can't compare. i'm able to take care of things much faster now. [ male announcer ] start saving now. move up to fios for our best price online -- $89.99 a month guaranteed for two years and get $300 back with a two-year contract. or ask us about the option of no annual contract. is change good? in this case, change is very good. [ male announcer ] visit verizon.com/greatprice. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's verizon.com/greatprice. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. fios. a network ahead.

we're back at 8:45 with mark wahlberg. he's a dad, a producer, the owner of a burger joint and, oh, yeah, an oscar-nominated actor. in "contraband" he plays an ex-smuggler who needs to save his family by any means. >> i have to get on the ship and try to fix this. >> are you kidding? >> what am i going to do -- let him go alone? >> no, think of something else. >> there's nothing else. they don't get the money from him, they're coming after us. what do you want me to do? >> do you know what i don't want

to do? visit you in jail and raise those kids on my own. >> i don't want to fight with you about this. okay? i know what i'm doing. >> mark, welcome back. happy holidays. >> good to see you. how are you? >> i'm good. this is based on a little known icelandic movie. you weren't a fan of the original? >> somebody sent me a copy of the original. i thought, wow, the way they executed this heist thriller was different from anything i saw. so we were able to obtain the rights. >> he's trying to get out of the game. he's trying to do the right thing but he has to get back across the line. >> he started his own business and his brother-in-law ends up running something for dangerous people and has to dump it. therefore if they don't get the money from him they are coming after us. i have to go now onto a ship headed to panama and try to smuggle counterfeit and this whole thing happens. lots of twists and turns. >> what makes it interesting is you find as an audience member

you're rooting for a guy trying to break the law. >> people have been caught off guard rooting for this guy. i say i'm a bad guy, but better than the other guys in the movie. i have a heart and a family and people see that side. >> you talk about having a family. you mean the character. i want to talk about you a little bit. i was reading about you and one thing jumps out. there is this incredible dichotomy. on the one hand you're a bona fide movie star and everything that goes with it is part of your life. on the other side, you're a family man. you have four kids, right? >> mm-hmm. >> the oldest -- 8 and the youngest about to turn 2. what's a typical day like when you're away from the movie set? >> usually my youngest son wakes me up at 5:30, drag mess out of bed. he wears a pull-up but doesn't like to pea in e pee in it. we get up, have a snack, watch cartoons. then the two boys put their masks on and beat me up.

all day with the kids. >> driving to soccer and all that. >> school. my son's playing basketball. school, karate, skateboarding. >> much has been written about your youth. there were rough times, brushes with the law. do you think that changes the way you are as a dad -- having been there, done that? >> of course. i have always said if i succeed as a businessman and fail as a father it's all been for nothing. that's the most important role is being a parent and a husband. >> every kid has a heart of larceny a bit. you watch and know when they are not telling the truth. >> oh. >> as someone who's crossed the line how do you view it when they try to cross the line? >> when my son says, daddy, go out of the room, i want to watch this by myself. so i walk out one door, come in the other when he's grabbing the scissors or the knife. he got his antibiotics and ate three. i call the pediatrician on vacation. he said, don't worry.

the worst he'll get is diarrhea. i said, what are you doing? he said, these taste good, dad. i have to watch my younger son. >> long time since we had diarrhea and peeing in the same interview. thank you for that. >> that's my life. >> i want to talk about something that may be painful. you have decided to have your tattoos removed. >> yes. >> how many do you have? >> combined, six or seven. >> why the decision? >> they all have meaning to me, bah but it's personal and professional. i don't want my kids getting tattoos and i wanted them done by the time i did "the fighter" because covering them up is a pain. i'm taking my kids to the procedure so they see how painful it is. >> do you hope that means they won't come to you and say, dad, i want a tattoo. >> i hope not. >> what if they do? >> i don't want my kids in entertainment either. which is why i'm trying to build

businesses outside. >> even if they feel passionate about being an actor? >> if that's the decision i will support them. but i will do everything i can to point them in another direction. >> you have taken on a couple of hats. acting is a passion. producing is a passion. golden globes coming up and you're up for another. >> yes. we won last year for "boardwalk empire." we hope to repeat. >> do you like that side as much as acting? >> i love it. i'm trying to build a lot of businesses outside entertainment so i can be home. producing, i have more time with the family and more creative control. >> mark wahlberg, congratulations. the movie is called "contraband" and i think it opens friday. >> it's a good one. thank you. >> up next, the hottest foods of 2012 that are healthy for you. first, this is "today" on nbc.

>> announcer: take it off today brought to you by truvia. honestly sweet. >> this morning on take it off today, new foods for the new year. move over quinoa, put down the kale ships. new and healthy food will send the trend for 2012. joy bauer joins us now. here we go after i ate the big donut. let's talk about your list. number one, seeds. >> seeds have it all.

you will hear a lot about pumpkin seeds and chia seeds in 2012. pumpkin seeds are loaded with zinc which is great for your skin and it helps with wound healing and boosts immunity. you can buy them in the shell or the kernels called pepitas and you can sprinkle them on anything. chia seeds. >> like the pet. >> like chia pets, have a lot of plant-based omega-3 fats like ground flaxseed but they have more calcium and fiber. >> i have seen them in drinks i enjoyed. protein powder. >> it's easy enough to get your protein fix which is important from food. for anyone looking for a simple way to inject protein into their meal protein powders are terrific in smoothies. you can put them in starchy meals like pancake batter or oatmeal to jack up the protein. >> and they are not based in animal sources.

>> there is whey protein but also vegan sources. 20 to 25 grams of protein for a scoop. >> next. >> i love this. mini desserts. this is from applebee's. well over a thousand calories for the cookie sunday. they have a hot fudge sundae shooter for 350 calories. >> that's a big shrinkage. >> this is uno chicago grill, the bananas foster. 1280 calories. their mini version is 350. starbucks also takes the big donut from 420 to a small delicious one for 120. >> let's move on and talk cherries. >> the new super fruit. >> tart, sour dried cherries have special anti-inflammatory properties. evidence shows they can help reduce inflammation after a bout of exercise and help with muscle

recovery. this is great for serious athletes. you only need a handful. >> not just canola and olive oil. >> grapeseed. it's loaded with the type of fats that lower your cholesterol. truffle oil is unsaturated fat. very strong. it doesn't have real truffles, at least in the majority of brands but it has a truffle flavoring that adds class to your meal. >> we like class. also black lentils. >> all lentils are terrific for your body and your pocketbook. black lentils are the pope of all lentils because they get their color from anthocyanins which boosts memory and fights cancer. i whipped up this chili and it's delicious. check it out. >> brussels sprouts. >> i declare them the vegetable of 2012. people eat them at thanksgiving

and forget them. thanks to celebrity chefs they are popping up and are featured in special yummy meals. kids love them. >> they do not! >> they do! millimeter spm my k >> my kids hated them. >> try them! >> frozen greek yogurt. >> greek yogurt is all the rage this year. it has more protein. frozen nonfat greek yogurt and kafir as well. >> back after this.

temperatures are cold just around 30 degrees or so around much of the region. later today the low 40s, maybe some sprinkles of light rain this afternoon and this evening. then tomorrow sun returns, high near 50. rain likely midday wednesday into wednesday night. sun back by thursday afternoon. then cold and dry friday into the weekend. we'll take a check of your traffic when we come back. stay with

good morning. had an accident 270 southbound at west montgomery avenue. it is not cleared but still very slow from shayy grove, delays continue to the spur. on the beltway, jammed new hampshire avenue. those delays continue to 270. a very slow travel speed of 14 miles per hour. another news update for you in 25 minutes but for

♪ happy birthday today show >> happy 60th "today" show. >> happy 60th to the "today" show. sounded like my dad. [ laughter ] >> just some of the people who have been stopping by over the last couple months and took the time to wish us a happy 60th anniversary which is what we are celebrating this week here on "today." our thanks to these people for stopping by this morning as well. spending a little time with us on a chilly morning in new york. 32 degrees, freezing in the city. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry, al roker and tamro hall.

savannah is on assignment in new hampshire. >> that's right. coming up in this half hour we're going to be talking about this woman who jumped off a bridge. both tamron and i have been bungee jumping. this is our worst nightmare. she jumped off the bridge, the cord snapped. she was just over a crocodile-infested waters. she was not seriously injured or worse. she's speaking about her experience. we'll find out what she has to say coming up. >> what was the last thing that went through her mind? water. >> got to clean that joke up. >> that's a jeopardy punch line. >> a lot of people sadly get blue this time of year. could be the post holiday thing or the cold weather. it's called seasonal affective disorder and for some people it can be serious. we'll tell you how to recognize the signs of it and how to treat it. >> okay. >> one good thing about the season, bargains. a lot of good bargains out there.

anything from electronics to bedding. we'll show you which items you can save big money on this month. >> all right. what say we get inside? >> let's go it. natalie has a look at the headlines. >> good morning. gop presidential hopefuls are making their final pitches today in new hampshire ahead of tuesday's first-in-the-nation primary. frontrunner and iowa caucus winner mitt romney is coming under fire from his rivals, particularly newt gingrich. rick santorum has gone from iowa long shot to rising star in new hampshire where he's been met with overflowing crowds and a major boost in funding. a poignant milestone for wounded congresswoman gabrielle giffords exactly woman year after the shooting that killed six people and wounded her and 12 others. in tucson sunday night she led a candlelight vigil and the pledge of allegiance giving a rare glimpse into her astonishing recovery. an american man and former u.s. marine has been sentenced

to death by iran. he was convicted of working for the cia as a spy against iran. the 28-year-old father said he was visiting his grandmothers in iran when he was arrested. he has 20 days to appeal. meantime defense secretary leon panetta says iran is not curr t currently building a bomb but is laying the groundwork for future weapons. a controversial book docome out tomorrow about the obamas' relationship and time in the white house. earlier on "today" the author, new york times correspondent jodi kantor talked about the first lady's role in the white house and tension with rahm emanuel. >> the tension was not the kind of spectacular tension we see, you know, on tv shows and in television. it was very muffled. they had a distance relationship. the truth about them is they

were philosophical foils. they had two different visions of the presidency. you know, a wife and a chief of staff are in some sense the president's two spouses. >> how much involved in the policy discussion on a day to day basis is michelle obama? >> she is not in the west wing on a day to day basis. she is not getting involved in policy details. what she cares about is the larger mission of the presidency. she's a lot like democrats on the outside. she had high expectations for this presidency and wants to see them fulfilled. >> is she disappointed with what happened so far? >> according to my reporting there were times she was really frustrated. but things have turned around for her since then. she is all in. in 2012 we are going to see her making the case for her husband again and again. she can be an internal critic. she's also his biggest advocate. >> the white house has called the book a, quote, overdramatization of old news"

but has not disputed what was reported. meanwhile a woman looking for a thrill rush got more than she bargained for. earn langworthy watched cord snapped and she fell into the crocodile waters below. >> it went black straight away. i felt like i had been slapped all over. i had to swim down and yank the bungee cord out from what it was caught into. i think it's definitely a miracle i survived. >> absolutely. victoria falls bungee said the accident is under investigation. it was a frightfully good weekend for "the devil inside." the low budget horror film debuted in first taking in nearly $35 million. "mission impossible -- ghost protocol" in second and "sherlock holmes" in third. have you heard this one? a dog walked into a bar exam?

well, not exactly. but dogs are used to help law students deal with stress and avoid binge drinking. the program has expanded to campuses where the hair of the dog is just the thing to prevent an academic hangover. very sweet. it's now six minutes past the hour. let's get a check of the weather from al. >> thanks so

good morning. mostly cloudy now. we've had scattered snow flurries over the last couple of hours moving across virginia, west virginia and maryland now on the eastern shore and central shenandoah valley and into the mountains. elsewhere, clouds around. it is a cold morning. just now into the low to mid 30s much of the region. reagan national is now at 37. later today only the low 40s. sprinkles and light rain likely later this afternoon and this evening south of the metro area mainly. tomorrow, sun back. rain likely wednesday midday into wednesday evening. colder weather friday into t this morning on today's money, the best buys in january. although there are deep discounts during the holidays some of your best bargains can be found right now in the beginning of the new year. contributor from yahoo finance and the host of financially fit. >> good morning. >> now we are talking january. what is it that starts all the deals? >> obviously the christmas ornaments, plastic trees,

christmas coats, jackets are on sale now. we are talking not the obvious. in a lot of cases it's a slow season for a lot of inventory in different categories. also historically there are sales that happen traditionally in the month of january. starting with electronics. >> why electronics? >> two big events that we are approaching. first is the international consumer electronics show. it kicks off tomorrow in vegas. happens every january. it's when manufacturers from across the globe present their newest, baddest gadgets. tvs, radios, camcorders. that means the existing inventory at best buy and sears has to go. that's where you will see the sales. also the super bowl is coming. >> on nbc. >> on nbc. so that's february 4th. in the meantime, retailers are going to be trying to get big flat screen tvs out the door. sears.com is having a sale on high end televisions. >> you can save a lot. >> in one case, a 55-inch flat

screen from samsung for $400 less. it's still $1700 but it's a big savings. >> you talk about recreational vehicles. >> motorcycles, boats, convertibles. this is a slow season for those trade rooms. walk in now and talk to a sales guy or lady, they will give you probably another 10 or 15% off. >> if you're thinking of camping this summer this is the time to buy. >> if you go now there are huge sales on camping gear, outdoor gear like tents, backpacks, portable stoves. people aren't hiking out coodoo now. it's cold. >> what about ski stuff? >> in-season items like skis and snowboards, not so much. those will eventually go on sale. >> this is historically the time the linens and bedding go on sale. started by sam wannamaker in -- >> back in 1878.

he was starting to feel bad for the linen makers during january and february. they weren't moving inventory. he said, okay, white sale across the board. today that means bedding and l linens, comforters and sheets at macy's.com and pottery barn.com having huge sales. >> you may not want to head outside to paint the house now. you say now is the time to stock up on home improvement stuff. >> a lot of projects ended around november or december. people wanted to get new floors, new carpets before guests arrived for the holidays. for one thing you've got the contractors that are sitting on their hands now, so you can negotiate with them. also lowe's and home depot, there are sales on great carpet installation, flooring, paint. things like that. if you're in the mood for that project, now is the time to scoop up those items. if you want to buy a house, al,

january and february are the slowest months of the year for home sales. in fact, compared to june which is the hottest month to sell because people are moving for the school year, january sales plummet 50%. >> wow. >> so if you want to negotiate this is the time to go in there. no bidding wars. >> most likely you won't have a bidding war. thank you. up next, beating the winter blues. how to regulcognize and treat seasonal affective disorder. and later, kate middleton turning 30. we'll show you how she dazzled on the red carpet. first, these messages. when it comes to home insurance, surprises can be a little scary. and a little costly. that's why the best agents present their clients with a lot of options.

because when it comes to what's covered and what's not, nobody likes surprises. [ click ] [ chuckles ] we totally thought -- [ all scream ] obscure space junk falling from the sky? we cover that. moving on. aah, aah, aah, aah. [ male announcer ] we are insurance. ♪ we are farmers ♪ bum, ba-da-bum, bum, bum, bum ♪ ♪ could open a world of wonder ? ♪ ♪ so sensory ♪ so satisfying ♪ the discovery ♪ never seems to stop ♪ ♪ it's the magic friskies ♪ ♪ makes happen ♪ every day ♪ in so many ways ♪ friskies ♪ feed the senses

it's good. honey, i love you... oh my gosh, oh my gosh.. look at these big pieces of potato. ♪ what's that? big piece of potato. [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. with less chronic osteoarthritis pain. imagine living your life with less chronic low back pain. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one non-narcotic pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens,

you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaids, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing skin or eyes. tell your doctor about all your medicines, including those for migraine and while on cymbalta, call right away if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles or serious allergic skin reactions like blisters, peeling rash, hives, or mouth sores to address possible life-threatening conditions. talk about your alcohol use, liver disease and before you reduce or stop cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. ask your doctor about cymbalta. imagine you with less pain. cymbalta can help. go to cymbalta.com to learn about a free trial offer.

this morning, surviving the winter blues as temperatures dip and daylight becomes scarce you may be feeling down. could it be more than just a seasonal phase? psychiatrist and "today" contributor dr. gail saltz is here to help us understand seasonal affective disorder or s.a.d. as it is commonly referred. >> good morning. >> how common is it and what is s.a.d.? >> 9% of people experience seasonal affective disorder. it's having a negative mood change the same time every year. it often takes people a couple years to realize this is what's going on for them. oh, yeah, this happens to me every winter or potentially every spring. it's most common in winter. it's a constellation of symptoms of feeling sad and tired.

unlike typical major depression you tend to sleep more than usual instead of less than usual. you eat more, gain weight. you have difficulty concentrating and you lose enjoyment in the activities you would normally do. people can become sick with s.a.d. to the point of being suicidal and needing hospitalization. >> how is it different than clinical depression? >> well, clinical depression occurs at any time. it doesn't happen the same time every year and you typically have difficulty getting enough sleep. you wake up early. you lose your appetite and there is an agitated component to depression that isn't the case with s.a.d. people who get s.a.d. in spring which is less typical, and summer, may have the same yearly cycle but they may get more anxiety than winter people. >> who is more susceptible to having this seasonal affective disorder? and are children susceptible? >> children probably are but we

don't diagnose it per se. it occurs more in adults and as you get older. people who are susceptible are susceptible to depression in general. if it runs in the family. if you're a woman and you get hormone depressions. if you had trauma early in life. those things may set you up for depression since seasonal affective may be one of them. >> if you live in parts of the country without a lot of sun this time of year. >> absolutely. we see it. that makes us think that light has something to do with -- light's effect on the brain. people who live in less sunny areas or areas where winter means a very short amount of daylight have higher frequency of s.a.d. >> there are things you can do to prevent s.a.d. first of all, light therapy. >> this is a treatment. it's about prevention. it could happen again next year

but if you know you have s.a.d. try things before it sets in. light therapy is a big boon. you tend not to hear about it because, well, drug companies aren't making money from it and supporting it and advertising it. but it's inexpensive. get a light box. it's not just a lightbulb you plug in. it's a specific kind of light with a specific uv band of light that it's giving you that affects the brain and the hypothalamus. it comes in a box form or a visor or even potentially a bulb. but you need to sit relatively close to the light, usually for 30 minutes to an hour a day. don't stare at the light. maybe you're reading but the light should be basically shining on your face. the thing is about light therapy, you don't need a prescription. i don't want viewers to run out and buy light boxes and sit in front of them. if your depression turns out to be bipolar disorder, lots of light can make you manic which

can be very dangerous. very high moods. be screened to see if you have symptoms or family history that makes us suspicious you may have bipolar disorder. if you have the symptoms stop taking the light therapy and check in with a doctor. alternatively medication. >> anti-depressants. >> anti-depressants. light therapy works as well as anti-depressants without potentially all the side effects. but anti-depressants for some people are the way to go. again you need to see a physician for that. >> what about vitamin d supplements? does it help? >> the thing that's interesting, there is no data to say we treat it with vitamin d. there was a recent study that showed people who have low levels, really low levels of vitamin d seem to have a higher frequency of seasonal affective disorder. it makes us think there may be a connection. we don't really understand what it is. of course psychotherapy is always helpful. sometimes it's stressful events going on. at this time of year there are a

lot. you have spent a lot of money. you had your family all get together. there can be a lot going on this time of year to contribute to s.a.d. and psychotherapy can be helpful for that. >> as always, dr. gail saltz, great information. >> thank you. >> still to come this morning, switching gears, the hottest fashion trends to keep you looking cool this spring. and then later beyonce and jay-z welcome a baby girl. we have the details and the hollywood buzz. but first, these messages. but will it last 'til the end. it will is it's new lashblast 24hr with anti smudge power. [ male announcer ] through dining dancing drama break ups and make ups. the anti smudge formula holds on. who knew lashes this big and beautiful could last this long. [ male announcer ] new lashblast 24hr from covergirl. [ sofia ] don't you wish all endings could be this easy breezy beautiful.

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[ shark 1 ] uh, steve. [ shark 2 ] yeah, the guy. with steve i tasted peanut butter and uh snickers. yeah, that's it! steve had just eaten snickers peanut butter squared. ohhhhh! steve was delicious. [ male announcer ] if you like peanut butter and chocolate, you'll love peanut butter and snickers. try snickers peanut butter squared. [ laughs ] [ laughs ] [ laughs ] that's awesome. you can read that? ♪ [ female announcer ] the accufit digital system, exclusively at lenscrafters... is about 5 times more precise than manual measurement techniques. lenscrafters. than manual measurement techniques. is this your normal? jamie lee curtis??

oh, hi, yes...wow, you really went all out on the decorations, huh?! yeah, but i'm so slow taking them down after all the fatty holiday food. but that's normal. what do you mean that's normal? it doesn't have to be. to me, normal, means feeling good inside. not slow. try some activia. activia helps with occasional irregularity, when eaten 3 times a day. keep a video diary and let me know about your new normal. love your new normal or it's free.

still to come on "today," we're barely into winter and we are already looking ahead to spring fashions. >> mint green color blocking. we have the hottest trends coming up. >> and in today's kitchen, melt in your mouth short ribs with a mediterranean twist. yum. >> first we've got your local news and weather. sarah, will you marry me? i think we should see other people. in fact, i'm already seeing your best friend, justin.

♪ i would have appreciated a proactive update on the status of our relationship. who do you think i am, tim? quicken loans? at quicken loans, we provide you with proactive updates on the status of your home loan. and our innovative online tools ensure that you're always in the loop. one more way quicken loans is engineered to amaze. because right now the mighty p'zone is just four bucks on mondays. a meaty, pepperoni, or supremo p'zone, stuffed with your favorite toppings and cheese, complete with marinara dipping sauce, is only four bucks on mondays. only at your pizza hut. can i have the definition? swapportunity: the opportunity to swap a higher calorie snack for a yoplait light. that's not a real word. oh haha it's real. [ female announcer ] delicious yoplait light at around 100 calories. do the swap today.

9:26 is your time now on this monday, january 9th. let's check the forecast now. >> it is mostly cloudy and cold now. radar picking up some flurries on the eastern shore as well as areas to the west of the washington metro area, northern shenandoah valley into the mountains, few scattered flurries heading off to the east. right now low to mid 30s. 37 at reagan national. later into the low 40s. scattered light rain later this afternoon and this evening possible, mainly areas south of washington. sun back tomorrow, more rain likely wednesday midday through wednesday evening. sun back on thursday.

and then dry and cold friday into the weekend. we'll take a quick break now and

good morning. not seeing any accidents on 66 either outside or inside of the beltway.

taking the beltway in virginia, inner loop, right now at 19 miles per hour. very slow this morning. another news update for you in 25 minutes. for now, back

i'm more relaxed around him. my jaw stopped popping. listen. oh, my god, mustard came out my nose. >> the lovely and talented tina fey from "30 rock." she knows how to make us laugh. tomorrow she and jane krakowski will be here. not just one star but two. we have been waiting for the return of "30 rock." >> this doesn't look like what's being said to the kid is a good

thing. >> every season it gets better. >> meanwhile in this half hour, it hasn't felt like spring -- or it has actually. for me it felt like winter. we'll look at spring fashion from polka-dots to pastels and florals. we have colors and designs that are on trend for 2012. for normal people it's felt like spring because it's balmy. >> it has been. this last weekend especially. >> yes. >> last spring kate middleton became the duchess of cambridge. boy, what a year she's had. now she's turning 30. so how has she been marking the milestone? we have the dazzling details in a live report from london. >> i think i will do that with my wife. just walk with an umbrella. even if it's not raining. that's the way to go. >> nice. >> very classy. >> it is. your wife would love that move. >> we'll step into the kitchen with hot new york chef george mendez. we's whipping up comfort food.

it sounds great. it's perfect for winter. braised short ribs. oh. >> that's all we need this winter. >> oh. >> first, al, how about a check of the weather, if you can. >> braised short ribs. >> stop. you're giving me goosebumps. >> what it takes to give cameron goosebumps. >> there good morning here. a lot of clouds around and it is

colder. i'm tom kierein in storm center 4. right now on radar we are getting some flurries in the northern shenandoah valley and mountains of west virginia, the area moving gray and white, some of the flurries making it into loudon county and into the northeast. temperatures now above freezing most locations should not be causing any problems. now 37 at reagan national. low 40s later today, maybe sprinkles of light rain this afte and that's your latest weather. >> thank you, al. up next from pastels to prints we have the hottest fashion trends for spring right after this. [ indistinct conversations ] come for a smoke? yeah. no. you telling me you quit? yeah, i'm on my way. i'm trying nicoderm cq. [ male announcer ] every time you say no to a cigarette, celebrate a little win with nicoderm cq, the patch with smart control technology that gives you a burst of nicotine in the morning then continues working for up to 24 hours so you can go from one little win to another.

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will be seeing this spring. here with a sneak peek is the people style fashion director, kate. good morning to you. you look lovely and spring-like in yellow. >> another trend. >> what do you predict will be the big change from 2011 to 2012? >> i think we are ready for fun. color from pastels to brights. prints. just enjoy. there's lots of fun clothes. >> girls just wanna have fun. >> right! >> let's start with the floral look here. >> big bold florals are a major trend. this dress is $25 from h & m. >> how do you rock it without looking like a rug? >> you have to choose neutral accessories. that's the important part of the look. another great aspect of what's going on with the print trend is mixing prints. >> oh! >> which brings me to our next trend polka-dots. major trend. what we love -- polka-dots are a

spring staple. we love seeing them mixed together. we have this great gap top with a skirt from tutti-frutti and the idea of mixing small dots with big dots. mix them with stripes, florals. have fun. mix it up. >> i notice the larger dots are on the bottom which most women would be afraid to wear. >> really? i think it's more flattering that way a. >> okay. >> that's my advice. >> next up, colorblocking. we have seen the trend in the past. last year it was popular. what's new this year? >> it's prie ee's brighter. you are seeing more of it in bold colors. this is a trend in both accessories and ready-to-wear. if you haven't tried it yet we recommend going first with accessories. that's the way to dip a toe in without going overboard. we love this bag from nellie bianco, shoes from 9 west. great ways to try the trend without going overboard.

>> this is blue and green. it goes well together with the turquoise. when you mix it with clothes do you go all over the place? >> if you're somebody who hasn't worn a lot of color yet i may recommend starting out with just accessories. >> dip a toe in. >> do the great all black or white look. you know, if you're comfortable, like yourself, wearing color, yeah. mix it up. anything goes this season. that's part of what's fun about spring. >> now i understand mint green is the color of the spring. why? >> well, pastels in general are very big. we feel like mint green is the freshest pastel out there. >> wow. >> rihanna recently wore a great look in mint green. it's a big trend now. >> and pastels are nice, but can we wear some of this now? is it too early? >> no, no. absolutely not. these shoes from seychelles, we

love it. maybe it's early for a sandal, but a bag like this would be great with an all black look. >> and the yellow and green. >> exactly. we love brights and pastels mixed together. it's something you never would have tried a year ago. it looks great now. >> i like it. moving on to the next trend which i think is the toughest. >> really? >> i do. metallic shoes. they can make your feet look really big. >> i have never heard that before. >> you heard it here first. >> i know. so the high gloss metallics are major this season. this is definitely a trend you could start wearing now. >> i love them. again, i think most women, we want to try something new but you want to do it right. >> in this case what we love about high gloss metallics now is the more casual shapes. >> nice. >> if you think it's making your feet look big, look for a certain silhouette. >> this is perfect. >> this is a sleeker look. it's going to not make your feet

look bigger. even if you have an open-toe that will help. >> otherwise those are super cute. >> i love them. >> great list. >> thank you. >> up next, the duchess who always is a trendsetter, kate middleton dazzles at a movie premiere as she marks the big 3-0 after this. [ female announcer ] what makes florida's natural orange juice taste so uniquely fresh and delicious? is it the rich florida soil? or the perfect blend of sunshine, rain, and temperature? maybe it's the fact that florida's natural oranges are never imported. they're raised right here in florida, and passed with care from our hands to yours. 100% pure. 100% florida.

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she's married to her prince charming, dazzled on the red carpet and is one of the most beloved royals around the world. all this for duchess catherine middleton who just turned 30 today. michelle kosinski has more from buckingham palace. good morning. >> reporter: hey, natalie. it's been a life-changing year to say the least for the woman formerly known as kate middleton. now here comes 30. so how do you ring it in as a princess? in glittering style of course. kate has so much else going on, she doesn't even need to pay attention to it. a huge smile, gorgeous gown. now that's how to tell 30 who's boss. on the last night of her 20s, catherine and her friends walked the red carpet. no matter a little london rain for the premiere of "war horse."

nor could anything up stage them. not the horse or director steven spielberg. >> i'm excited to see them. i never met kate. i met william when he was very, very young. >> reporter: william and kate met with soldiers and veterans just as they and prince harry are starting a new initiative to help those returning from war. it has been quite a year for catherine. becoming a princess. the most photographed woman in the world, fashion icon, future queen. but she began her 29th year as kate middleton, the girl next door engaged to prince william. >> i hope to have a happy family ourselves. >> reporter: when the fairy tale wedding. her first appearances, charities, christmas with the queen, winning hearts around the globe. [ cheers and applause ] >> it's been the biggest year of

her life, frankly. >> reporter: and now the big 3-0. >> the year ahead in her 30th year is going to be as big as last year really for kate. 2012 mark's kate's inauguration, if you like, as a solo working royal. >> reporter: how to celebrate? the tabloids say fun-loving sibling style. that pippa and harry have planned an 80s themed bash for her inner circle. though she was born that decade, she's dressed the part before. a chance to party like it's 1989 or any time before the public eye. >> i would imagine as well there will be a beautiful gift from william. who knows? perhaps the queen may lend or give her crown jewels. we'll have to wait and see. >> reporter: that takes the sting out of 30, doesn't it? the birthday party will be low key, but the year coming up will be anything but. queen's jubilee, an asian tour, the olympics and all eyes on her belly.

natalie? >> no pressure there whatsoever. michelle kosinski at buckingham palace, thank you so much. 30 is the best decade after all, right? up next in today's kitchen a dish that's a crowd pleaser. we're making short ribs with a mediterranean flair. first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪ this morning in today's kitchen, what's for dinner? short answer -- short ribs. george mendez is here in new york city serving up dishes with mediterranean influences from portugal, spain and france. he's been named one of the best new chefs of 2011. great to have you. >> thanks for having me. >> this is the perfect time of year for this. >> yes, it is. cold weather. >> it's a simple dish. >> very much so. >> you just let it go.

>> season it, add vegetables, red wine, stock, put it in the oven. lots of love. >> lots of love. >> lots of love in the process. >> so what do we have? >> season it with salt evenly on both sides. like so. then fresh pepper. >> mm-hmm. some recipes you coat them with flour. you don't? >> no. we have a nice coating of fat. fat is flavor. right? >> mm-hmm. >> heavy cast iron pot. >> this is going into the oven. >> that's right. these are your tongs. you can give me a hand here. >> how long do you brown them? >> a good five minutes. a minute on each side, all four sides. >> so it browns up. >> exactly. >> you end up with this. so you're not thinking of cooking. you want a brown flavor on it. >> a nice brown color all around

develops the flavor. >> what's next? >> over here we have root vegetables. celery root, carrot, parsnips and a bouquet of herbs with bay leaf, rosemary, thyme and peppercorns. >> what's next? >> add the tomato paste. turn up the heat like so. >> why tomato paste? >> tomato paste gives you a nice level of acidity and flavor. another layer of flavor. >> all right. >> so you cook that, but not all the way through. >> it cooks for a minute just to cook out the rawness. >> i notice you have a bottle of wine here. >> we have the red wine. it's got your name on it. >> just in? >> just enough to cover the vegetables. that's good. >> you sure? >> yep. >> a little bit more. keep going. >> there you go. >> is this chicken stock? >> that's beef stock. first take the ribs that are

browned and put them into the pot here. >> into the pot. >> yeah. you're hired. >> thank you. we have a position. you've got it going on here. two things. >> trying to multi task. >> bring up the heat. reduce the red wine by half. >> okay. so you cook it until you've got half the -- >> cook the rawness of the alcohol out. >> oh, wow. >> then add your beef stock. >> do you want to cover -- >> no, about a third up the side of the beef. >> okay. mm. >> like so. >> what's going on here? >> quince. the lovely quince. >> i have never seen raw quince. i have always seen quince paste, but it's reddish. >> that's the cooked form. the raw fruit that's grown all a over the world and it's very starchy. it needs to be cooked. we have cooked it in vanilla

bean syrup. now we'll take the lid. >> right. that goes into a 375 a-degree oven. >> how long do they cook? >> about four hours. >> do you have to check it from time to time? >> it's good just to go in there and just baste them. nice to get in and talk to it. >> what do you say to it? >> hello, baby. daddy loves you. >> you succulent short ribs you. >> daddy's giving you a bath. >> give it a kiss as well. >> mwa! >> makes it that much more tender. >> we have the poached quince here. we'll put them here. >> what's that in the pot? >> this is the cooking liquid. after the four hours are up, put it in the pot, reduce it down for a strong glaze. that goes right on top of the ribs. >> beautiful. >> delicious. >> nice and shiny.

>> like short rib frosting. >> yeah. >> really happy here. >> hold on a second. >> dig in, al! oh, my goodness. >> you may want to cut them a little bit. >> get in there. >> more after your local news. never in my lifetime did i think i could walk 60 miles in 3 days.

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good morning, everyone. 9:57. it is monday, january 9th. 2012. i'm barbara harrison. let's check our forecast. >> january acting like a winter month after that mild weekend. we have on radar a few flurries hitting southern montgomery county, fairfax, loudoun and points west. right now it is above freezing

most locations so they shouldn't be causing any problems. highs only low 40s later today. maybe sprinkles of light rain this evening. inner loop of the beltway in virginia has been a mess all morning. this is arlington boulevard. very slow. route 50, your delays start around braddock road. continue to i-66. right now at 20 miles per hour if you take i-270, much better. a local nonprofit is providing a safe haven for providing a safe haven for

captions paid for by nbc-universal television hi, everybody. it's fun day monday, january 9th pshgs 2012. it's the 30th birthday of princess kate. >> happy birthday. >> i'm sure she's watching. happy birthday, girl. everybody loves her. in the newspaper, i think it was the post, 30 reasons why we love princess kate. >> yeah. >> what we were looking at, sorry about that, but it was one of the funniest things. i was reading the newspaper early saturday morning and saw this picture of this guy, this

little guy. see him? already. the horniest ram. see him? >> yeah. >> okay. his name, believe it or not, is randy. it really is randy. he got out of his pen or his -- his farm or whatever. >> right. >> he went to the next door pen or whatever. >> yeah. >> farm. and visited -- he went in the field and visited 109 female lambs. >> do you know what we're saying? >> they call it ram bam romance. 13 of the babies have already been born. balance she balance she >> 33 rams in a 24-hour period. how is that possible? >> i don't know. the owner said when he came back he had a smirk on his face. >> look how they have him with his bling and his hat. >> so bad. sometimes in the newspaper you see something, almost always bad news, but this is good news for a change. >> well, a lot of people --

>> it was this guy. get on it. >> a lot of people were glued to the tv set, and before we talk about how great it all was, and it was great for a lot of people, my brother is a huge steelers fan, pictures of lynn swann taped to his wall since he was a kid. the game with the broncos. >> people are excited about it. >> some people are taking fistfuls of prozac. the steelers fans are heartbroken and bleeding. however, it's part of maturity. you grow up. you win some and you lose some. >> this was a spectacular finish. >> i didn't realize it was the fastest win in overtime ever in nfl history. >> one play. >> look at this. >> see it one more time. >> and he is gone! that's tim tebow. >> yeah. >> that's unbelievable. you have to say that. no matter who you're rooting for, that was amazing. >> even if they were playing against the giants, which would be a very tough thing for me -- >> i happen to adore this kid.

he's amazing. i wish we had more role models like him. >> a lot of people who knew him from his college days continue to follow him. >> our producer as followed him. jay, his secretary, they follow him. they loved him then. >> i hope people aren't rooting for him to fail. we had a nice little victory in our family yesterday. it's fun to go to a giant game with frank gifford because, you know -- i got to say, that's the tradition. he wanted to take cass down on the field yesterday, too, and show her off. i said to those guys? why do you want to do that? >> don't do that to her. look. >> i brought you one, too, because you had your flags yesterday, your -- here you go. >> okay. terrible towel. >> we wave it. we had a great time. awesome game, giants on 24-2, and they go on to -- this is going to be tough -- they go to green bay next week in green bay. they play the packers.

>> and we have to give a big shoutout to the new orleans saint who killed detroit. just very happy about that. >> we have a few fans in detroit, so we're sorry. >> terribly sorry. okay. all right. things do go wrong in sports. >> this one is everybody's worst nightmare. >> before we show it to you, we're going to tell you she's okay. >> we wouldn't show it if she weren't. >> a 22-year-old australian woman decided to bungee jump. it was a water full of crocodiles, apparently. i guess that's part of the fun of bungee jumping over it. watch her bungee snap and broke. and she fell into that water. she got -- you know, she had some bruises and stuff and swam very rapidly out of that water. >> she did suffer a broken collarbone and some minor injuries. but she said she was unaware of the crocodiles and she would have swum faster had she known. but she made her way out of

there. >> 250,000 tourists do that jump every year. i bet they have far fewer this year. >> creeped me out. >> how often do they check it? get your oil checked, but how many people check their bungee cords? >> yeah. you just keep going. should we talk act these doughnuts? >> yes. we are celebrating 60 years of the "today" show all week long starting today through friday. >> dunkin' donuts. >> participating dunkin' donuts. you can celebrate with us. >> all of our "today" show colors, which we've just learned are yellow, red, around orange. here's the other thing happening this week. the "today" show, we are lighting the empire state building in our colors, orange, red, and yellow. >> orange, red, or yellow. >> we should. niagara falls. we're litie in lighting it up. >> orange, red, and yellow. >> orange, red, and yellow. >> a big week. >> beyonce had her baby girl,

bouncing beyonce baby. blue ivy carter, born very early sunday morning in new york city. dad is jay-z. sean carter. >> it is sean carter. we're going to talk about this more in "the buzz" because we're thrilled for beyonce and jay-z. there was some controversy, and this sometimes happens in situations like this. >> we don't know the truth, but maybe by the time -- we'll tell you what the rumors are anyway, okay, and you can decide what you want to believe. >> and also, apparently there's a business called blue ivy or ivy blue -- >> there is? >> yes. and they're thrilled. they're getting a lot of google hits. if p you are 45-plus and you keep forgetting everything, we just want you to know that you're okay. >> yet another study. >> we used to think the decline started at 60, but no, no, no. 45. i can understand that. i forget things -- like i can be talking to you in midconversation -- >> i know it when it happens. >> i totally blank out.

i'm waiting for more info. >> what was the beginning of the conversation? it happens like that. >> i know. i can tell. you want me to point it out next time? >> no. >> all righty. apparently, it happens at the same rate for men and women. but it's interesting in our house now because i'm 58, and frank is 81. and between the two of us, i don't know how we finish a sentence. i honestly don't. >> you know what i'm excited about? jennifer hudson is getting her last little -- >> it's okay. the glam team. >> the glam team. >> she doesn't need them anymore. you guys are out of business now. she's drop-dead gorgeous. >> by the way, what a nice human being. just a genuinely kind human being. she's got a book out. we'll talk about the book. she was on "dateline" last night, on with ann earlier and on with us. she's overcome a lot. just joyful and happy.

>> what's interesting about what jennifer is going to tell us, she thought everybody would be thrilled with her for the weight loss. she's had some other reactions. >> people are funny. >> why wouldn't you be thrilled for her? this is amazing with this transformation. she did it the hard way, the old-fashioned way. jennifer, we're two ladies that say you go, girl, you keep kicking it. you look amazing. >> you sure do. >> time for our favorite things. i love my favorite things. apparently someone said i already did it but i know i didn't. if you are tired of speaking on iphone because it's too clunky, doesn't fit on your ear, why would you need to when you could have an old retro phone you could put in your purse? i'm going to call kathie lee -- >> actually, you're going to call christine. you're using her phone. >> hold on. christine gardner. >> my dinosaur phone -- hoda, every time you do something -- i mean d -- >> that's not it. she got a text. >> hold on. [ ringing ]

>> that's not it. >> is that for me? >> am i dialing your other phone, christine? the wrong one? >> hello? >> no, it's not you yet. it didn't dial. >> hello? hoda? [ dial tone ] hoda, i hate this. >> please. just stop one second. hold on. let me try one last time. okay. there it is. it's going to ring. >> okay. don't let her do this again. >> the cool thing is you can put it in your purse and walk around the streets with this headset. >> why would you want to do that? >> answer it. answer it. >> hello? who is this? >> come on. how cool is this? do you like it? >> no, because there's a delay. >> because i'm next to you. >> anyway. a retro phone. you can put it in your pocket and walk down the street. >> the only reason it's good is because there's controversy about those rays and all that stuff. >> it feels more old-fashioned.

>> you can get it anywhere, urban outfitters, amazon.com, $26. nice talking to you. >> bye, hoda. hey, hohoda, let's do favorite things now. >> all right. >> what have you got? >> i got some reading done over the holidays. i started a great book about frederick douglass that a friend of mine had said, frederick douglass and lincoln called "giants." it was great. my friend emily said this is going to be one of the greatest gifts you ever will get. it was waiting at my door when he we got to florida. it's called "1,000 gifts" by ann boscamp, who is a big farmer's wife from ontario, canada, has six children. she's a beautiful woman. it says, "a dare to live fully right where you are." most people find it very difficult to find contentment wrig right now, right here, exactly in this moment.

and this woman is one of the most brilliant, natural writers. she's just -- it will transform your life in a wonderful, wonder. powerful way. you won't be able to get it out of your mind. that's "1,000 gifts." >> okay. is that sounds really good. $10 on amazon.com. that's a bargain. >> is that what it is? our fan of the week. our winner today is -- is it julie? >> she's from decatur, georgia. she watches us on wxia. >> she recently moved to georgia leaving most of her friends behind. she misses her friends. >> she feels like when she watches us, she's back with them again. everyone has a story. >> we'll do that on wednesday. >> and the joy fit club. >> look at hervey know in her hand. >> julie and her husband dressed up as us. >> your book, hoda. >> they really did dress up. >> who's who?

i don't even want to know. >> i think her husband's me. >> she's got my book. >> guess what, you and your husband are going to enjoy a four-night, all-inclusive stay in a resort in aruba, round-trip air fare provided by the tamron aruba all-inclusive resort. >> that is a great gift. wow. we're excited. all right. coming up -- actress, singer, wife, mother, most of all, an inspiration. jennifer hudson is with us. >> i'm going to call hoda. is it time to bring everybody up to date on the celebrities? call me later. >> all right. over time, my lashes thinned. after 40, i didn't have enough lashes. my doctor said...latisse® is the only fda approved prescription treatment...for inadequate or not enough lashes. now with latisse®...my lashes are longer...darker, with more than double the fullness in 16 weeks.

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♪ it's hard to believe eight years have passed since jennifer hudson first came into our homes on "american idol." while she didn't take the crown in that competition, it wasn't

over. it was only three years later she went home with an oscar. and right after that a grammy. then recently a baby. >> yeah. biggest production of all, of course, is that baby boy that caused jennifer to turn her focus on her health. we'll get to that in a second. first, let's take a look at how it all began. ♪ >> this is how the world first met jennifer hudson. >> jennifer, see you in hollywood. >> thank you so much. >> congratulations. >> back in 2004 on "american idol," she wowed the judges and america with her voice. ♪ her journey on the show was short lived when she was the sixth contestant voted off. >> the lowest number of vote, and that person is jennifer hudson. >> but her path to stardom was just beginning. her talent was undeniable, and hollywood soon came calling. >> what do you mean?

tell him. >> she beat out nearly 800 women to land her first film role in the movie musical "dreamgirls." ♪ playing effie white, she walked away with an academy award. she has since recorded two albums and added a grammy award to her mantel. but her most treasured gift came in 2009 with the birth of her son, david. it was then that she turned her focus to a healthier lifestyle. now a spokesperson for weight watchers, she's become a self-proclaimed ambassador of health, hoping to inspire others to follow in her footsteps. ♪ because i believe in you and me ♪ that is a cool commercial. jennifer's going to take us on her journey. a new book out tomorrow. it is called "i got this: how i changed my ways and lost what weighed me down."

we are truly, truly happy for you. >> thank you. >> you are an inspiration on so many levels. it's wonderful to read your story, because it truly is about -- no self-pity in this book at all. you've been through a lot. >> you're not defined by those tragedies. >> even just thinking about the weight and you're very candid in this. you've had a lot of people try to define you and you did it for a while. you played the game by other people's rules. what made you say uh-uh, not anymore? >> again, i do not like being boxed in. i do not believe in limbs. and i know that nobody knows your potential better than you. >> mm-hmm. >> so i don't really listen to, oh, you know, the things that weigh you down or the things that -- or you consider negative. to me it's all a positive. >> when you walked the red carpet, jennifer, and you were heavier than you are now, but that's not how you viewed yourself. to hear reporters say to you, how does it feel to be one of the bigger girls in hollywood or whatever -- >> yeah.

>> what did that feel like back then? >> one, i didn't define myself that way so it was, like, it was a shocking moment for me, like, okay, because actually when i started on the red carpet doing "idol," i had already lost 60 po by then i was, like, a size 12. >> this is every woman's size. >> the average size. i was, like, what are you talking about? here it is again, image, image, image, image. to me it's talent, talent, talent, talent. at least where i come from, you know? yeah. >> sure. >> and you always said what's going to happen to me will be. >> yes. right. >> the other thing you talked about is not letting other people define you as we decem r discussed. when you went to clive davis, what happened next? >> i got a message from mr. clive davis, she can't be a supermodel like that. i love you guys. i do. i was, like, what does that mean? by that point, i had already won an oscar. i had already, you know, like,

defined myself in the industry being a big girl, being plus sized and going on talent alone. i still did not get it or understand, like, okay, what is the big deal about image? it's not about that. >> a huge superstar as a singer and an actress -- >> yeah. >> image, image, image. >> you're strong, obviously, on the outside, but you're very strong on the inside. i know that, you know, you don't talk publicly about the tragedy that happened to your family and understand exactly why. but there's some strength within you that has helped you through all of this stuff, helped you through that tragedy, helped you become who you are. define that a little bit for people. >> definitely it's my faith in god and growing up -- my mother, even though she's not here now, she trained us well. and all of those things that she taught us are still with us, and that's what keeps me getting through and hearing them every day in my head and knowing, okay, the best way i know that they could be pleased with me, and they're not turning over in their graves, is knowing that i'm happy, we're healthy, we're

strong, and we can still go on in that way. so that was like a huge part of my motivation to carry on. it's, like, okay, as long as -- i know what makes my mother proud and makes my family proud. that is what will keep me going. >> what did you say when you won the oscar? see what miracles god can do? >> i always dreamed but never this big, and look what god can do. that's something my grandmother used to always say. she would always shout. she'd get happy and ah! what is wrong, grandma? how great thou art! and i never understood how great thou art. what does that mean? until i've been able to travel the world and see god's marvelous works around the world and i would find myself saying, oh, my god, how great thou art. all those things they taught us and watching them live is in me. >> you have a beautiful son. >> thank you. >> he was here. >> and the love life is terrific. right? everything is good. >> yeah.

my two davids. the big one and the little one. >> we are thrilled for you. >> we're so happy, jennifer. >> thank you. thank you. >> you've got a single coming out real soon. >> i do. >> come back and sing it for us. we have the "the buzz," hollywood's hottest couples. ♪ have a good daisy ♪ eat well, live long ♪ have a good daisy, work out, get strong ♪ ♪ when you need a lift, just sing a song ♪ ♪ and have a good daisy ♪ have a good daisy with a natural treat ♪ ♪ have a good daisy, healthy foods to eat ♪ ♪ when you want some joy, dance to the beat ♪ ♪ and have a good daisy [ female announcer ] enjoy the fresh, 100% natural choice in cottage cheese. ♪ have a good daisy ♪ have a good daisy

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♪ what's going on what's going on what's going on ♪ we are back on this fun day monday with "today ea's buzz." >> our good friend, rob, naughty but nice columnist for "huffington post" celebrity, mr. fancy news title. >> show-off. >> very much. >> beyonce had a girl. we talked about that in the open. >> she did. a baby girl over the weekend. security is so tight at the hospital, the controversy you were referencing earlier on the show, the gentleman said he couldn't actually see his baby because security was so tight. this is not being proven at all, unconfirmed. but people who know beyonce and

jay-z say they would never allow that to happen. often people make decisions in the name of celebrities. >> that's right. because they're here often and they have big, big security guards downstairs. they don't know who a lot of these people are. i have trouble getting into my own dressing room sometimes. they think they're just doing their job. >> precisely. >> a place like a hospital, this gentleman is saying his twins have been born in if neo tayal unit and -- you know. >> very sensitive. >> hope it's not true. >> this is the most private probably in the world. >> they are. >> they have not even confirmed they have had a baby yet. three years later. >> i respect that about them. they keep private private. >> she has 2 million tweets to follow up and has not sent a single tweet. >> are you kidding me? brian williams, he sends a tweet, everybody follows him. >> that is her first child. she's experiencing it. >> yeah. wants to enjoy it.

>> there is time -- okay. >> katy perry's mom and dad spoke out about their daughter, which made some headlines over the weekend and she spoke out about them speaking out. >> their pastor said they have a congregation and audience, and from their pulpit they talked about katy and the mararage and the divorce, and some people got a little upset with this, including apparently katy perry, once again back to the twitter, she twittered nobody talked to me, friends, magazines, even my parents. i think this is a signal here she wants everybody to shut up. when she's ready to talk, she will talk. >> until somebody tells us the the reason for it, there will be rumors, of course. >> exactly. people will make things up. >> parents do have a public platform like that, for them to give a service and not mention their daughter's divorce, maybe that would have been deafening, too. i'm not sure they could have -- >> is does she have a relationship with her parents? >> not a great relationship with them, but they are still parents of superstars. i think they felt they had to say something. >> what do you hear is the

reason for the breakup? >> we do not know yet. there are many different opinions. i think somebody like katy is quite private, as well, so we've made as many calls as we can and still haven't got on the bottom-it. >> no bad-mouthing about them. >> a rumor we should set straight is he's been disinvited from an award show she's performing at. that's not true. he was invited and decided not to go because it's her night. >> brad pitt was seen on the red carpet with a little pain. >> he had a slight tumble while carrying his daughter, vivian, angie had a great laugh about this, not the first time as parents they've been injured. you will do anything to make sure your kids are okay. >> stephanie frankel has a reality show but maybe more. >> the third season of betheny is not coming back. what's been said is she wants to go out on a high note, doesn't want to this to string on to the point there's no viewers left.

viewers have been declining a little bit over the year. >> they do on those shows. >> she doesn't want that drama. what attracts viewers to these shows are those crazy sorts of moments that betheny i think is trying to distance herself from. it looks like she's not coming back, but she doesn't need to -- >> she'll find a way. >> yes. >> kathie griffin has her own show. >> yes. her own talk show, an hour one day a week on bravo. she'll gossip about celebrities. >> i'm sure she will. >> she will have celebrities come on. it will be a prime-time show. >> all right. have a great day. coming up next, another rob. robert went from weighing over 300 pounds to running a marathon. he's going to tell us how he dropped 121 pounds. ♪ ♪ i woke up to a feeling ♪ every little thing has meaning ♪ ♪ i woke up to a light bulb on

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♪ now the look at me now, "the joy fit club," and the induction of the newest member, a gentleman by the name of robert. >> a 38-year-old videographer from the bronx in new york who lost 121 pounds. let's take a look at his story. >> my name is robert, and i once weighed 337 pounds. i began struggling with my weight in college. my weight grew steadily, and i weighed up to 265 pounds by the time i married my high school sweetheart. i've always been a very positive person with an outgoing personality, but being obese

became a daily struggle both physically and emotionally. i began to have difficulty scleeping and my breather was labored, even when i was standing still. i began to experience numbness in my arms and leg, and i was worried that my family would start to pick up on my poor eating habits. i decided i wanted to make a change and avoid health problems that plagued my family in the past. my wife found a medically supervised weight loss program at mt. sinai medical center that provided me the simple tools for tracking my food intake and a strategy to fill up on fruits and vegetables. i hired my cousin as a personal trainer to help me exercise. within a matter of ten months i lost over 100 pounds, and i've lost 120 pounds to date. i recently ran the new york city marathon, and i plan to keep running. and now that i can keep up with my son, i look forward to running races with him in the future. >> wow. >> yay. >> before we ask robert to come out, we're with today's contributing nutritionist joy bauer, who will tell us more

about the eating habits of his. >> another souper handlesome, ht guy, unbelievable transformation, but happily married. >> obviously. >> beautiful son. >> i love that he took advantage of a local hospital program, mt. sinai medical center. a shoutout to his nutritionist, maggie lynch, who is responsible for how incredible he looks. >> what did he eat before and after? >> these are three foods he could not live without before in his heavier days. white starch, two to three cups at any meal in terms of the pasta and the rice. lots of sweet cakes, vending machine and the bodegbodegas, a sugar cereal, huge bowlfuls. now the three foods that he can't live without, i love this, oatmeal -- his mom used to feed him oatmeal and he used to call it torture. he starts every morning with a bowl of oats. green tea he sips between lunch and dinner and breakfast and lunch so he doesn't snack, and a

lot of spinach. puts it in salads, on top of piazza and his little son bronson loves it as well. >> over there with his wife. >> let's look at robert's before picture. >> all right, robert. come join "the joy fit club"! oh! wow! whoa, whoa, whoa! >> thank you. >> you look great! >> so fit. >> can we talk about the marathon for a second? you really ran the marathon? >> yeah. a lot of fun. i trained with my local community and i've been running. it was really a great way for me not to focus on the scale every day. >> right. >> focus on improving my running, and if i improved my running i had a nice result when i went to weigh myself. >> look at your little boy. >> he is so adorable. >> son and wife. adorable. >> now i try to eat -- you know, look for things that are good for me. i used to eat without thinking. and now i plan my meals.

>> you think things through, don't you, robert. >> i really do. >> all right, robert. >> your joints, your body, everything feels bet per. >> before it was aches and pains. you know, my body was just reacting to stress. absolutely. >> we're happy for you and so happy for your family, too. what a terrific group. thanks so much. >> all right. coming up next, what you should know before you step into that shower and wash your hair. >> oh, no. >> we have secrets revealed. not about germs.

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>> "smash." sara bernhardt. time for today's beauty. you're like most of us, good hair days feel few and far between. >> yahoo!.com's expert serra bernard never wants you to have another bad hair day again. >> she says your problem probably starts in your shower. it does?

>> it does. we are all on auto pilot in the shower, same routine, doing it over and over, we don't think about the way we're washing our hair might not be getting us the best results. >> we'll play a game and ask a question about the shower. we're ready. >> number one. you're going to tell me myth or fact. >> myth or fact. >> it's bad to wash your hair every day. >> fact. >> fact. okay. myth. you're both wrong. because it is not bad, but it is not always necessary either. it depends on what kind of hair you have. >> then it's a trick question. >> if you have fine hair -- >> if i did it every day it would be a frizzier mess because it would be dried out. >> if you are curly hair, thicker hair, it looks bet err little dirty. >> exactly. >> okay. number two. lukewarm water is the ideal temperature for washing your hair. >> i'm going to say myth. >> this is fact. this is a fact also. and i'll tell you why, because

we all want to have a nice hot shower in the winter, but it's actually overdly drying for you skin and your scalp. >> ice cold then. >> that's also what we recommend. right in the end, a blast of -- >> another trick question! >> so far we're winning. >> you're twisting this around. ruse your logic. all right. number three. you should brush your hair in the shower to help distribute the shampoo and conditioner. >> no. myth. >> i'm going to say fact just to have some fun around here. >> just having fun? hoda wins this round. >> of course she does. >> the reason why is wet hair is actually more fragile than dry hair. >> i know that. exactly it. >> so if you want to brush your hair and detangle, do it before you get in the shower. number four. women should use no more than a dime size amount of shampoo. >> ridiculous. myth. it probably is a fact but it would take me two days to -- >> come on.

when you have hair that's, like -- >> you guys are right. it is a myth. it depends on what texture you have and if p you use a lot of styling products. then you obviously need to use more shampoo to get it out. here's the last one. >> this is the tiebreaker. >> you're winning. >> tiebreaker. >> new rules. making it up. >> apply conditioner to the ends of your hair and avoid conditioning the roots. >> fact. >> i'm going to say myth just to have a little more fun. >> it's hoda. hoda wins. it's a fact. >> just apply it to the ends. >> that is because the ends really need it more and your hair can get greasy if you apply it at the roots. shampoo you should do the opposite, only at roots, not at the end. >> just keep doing it the way you do. >> your hair looks amazing. >> we also have -- >> you guys are blessed with good hair. >> yeah. thank you very much. thanks. up next, how to make the birthday party different from all the rest. [ male announcer ] for some reason

those five food groups sound a whole lot better when you put them in a taco shell instead of a pyramid. old el paso. when you gotta have mexican. fantastic! pro-gresso ] they fit! okay-y... okay??? i've been eating progresso and now my favorite old jeans...fit. okay is there a woman i can talk to? [ male announcer ] progresso. 40 soups 100 calories or less. it's your last chance to get verizon's reliable high speed internet and phone for small business for only $84.99 a month. call 1.866.solutions now or visit verizon.com/solutions. only $84.99 for high-speed internet and phone. plus your choice of either no annual contract or a two year price guarantee. call 1.866.solutions or visit verizon.com/solutions today. hurry -- this offer won't last long. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 1-800-974-6006

this portion of "today" is brought to you by bounty -- the clean picker-upper. >> time for "today's" moms, some new birthday party ideas. >> if your kids' birthday has you stressed out, we have a couple solutions whether you've got daughters or sons. >> hi, kathy. >> welcome. how are you? >> i'm fantastic. if you like cooking shows, this first party is for you. it's our birthday version of "iron chef." >> i love cooking shows, by the way. >> i love cooking shows, too. so tip number one is you want to buy your ingredients before hand. go to an online store and make sure you can get everything prepared before the party. and you can actually -- everything here, this is making soft tacos. >> i like. >> what's great about this is

you want to make sure they have everything they can assemble at the party. >> move around the table and fix stuff. >> absolutely. it should be lots of fun. they can make anything they want. michael is making a little pizza. >> what are you making? >> i think it's a hockey puck. >> i like it. >> another tip, you guys, is to keep it affordable. you want to use paper parts whenever possible for easy cleanup. mexican beans so, we have -- >> guacamole. >> and these are actually cupcake holders. >> that's a cute idea. >> great party for ages 6 to, you know, 40. >> is this a pinata? >> it is a pinata. we made a cute "master chef" sign, our version of "the iron chef." >> that is cute. >> everyday items you have in your own kitchen. we used cutting boards as place mats. these wooden things you have at home. >> those are not -- >> sombrero. >> you know, all about

presentation. and last but not least -- >> guacamole. so good, you guys. >> sweet treats. it's like the mexican dessert. it's called a churro. a sweet treat you do for yourself. the next party is a very girly party. >> okay. >> this is your rachel's spa glam princess party. it's really great for ages 4 to, again, my age! sol some of the great tips here, you know, rachel is painting her nails with the latest nail color. and there are two-tone nail polishes now that actually change dplor the sun. this is disney's princess collection. i have it on high authority that salina gomez loves this color. >> great. i see we're doing the pressons over there. what's happening with that, rachel? is that fun, having long, long princess nails like that? >> yeah. >> and the braiding party. that's all the rage, the braids.

>> braids are super fabulous for celebrities and you can do it at home. do it yourself braids, cozy cuts make this terrific cuts, inspired by her creation. i did it on myself, my daughter, and it's actually easy to do. i don't know, you guy, do you like your hair? >> yeah. >> and these are beautiful, colorful snacks. >> if you want to take your spa to the next level and serve something healthy and fun, this is a ruby red juice. it's beets, pineapple and apple. i tell you, it's delicious. >> don't tell them there's beets in it. >> exactly. take out that part. it's a beautiful color, called ruby red. again, presentation. kids love this. my daughter makes this at home. she loves it. we have beautiful french countries that are macaroons, and for a great goodie bag, presents are sometimes a stressful part of the party, we have cute cookies, a relaxing facema facemask. kids can eat them or take them home. >> cathy, great ideas. >> coming up tomorrow, after the

chef visits us, camille will be in the house. >> and the dirty little secrets of parents. we'll tell you everything.

♪

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