good morning. breaking overnight, inferno in southern california. ferocious, wind-whipped wind fires destroying more homes. >> i've run out of tears. there's no more. >> scorching more than 100,000 acres in and around los angeles. more gusts expected today. officials warning things are about to go from bad to worse. will he or won't he? senator al franken set to make an announcement this morning after a seventh woman accuses him of sexual misconduct. fellow democrats calling on him to step down. >> enough is enough. >> but support from an unlikely republican defender. >> i'm going to be very politically incorrect. >> we're live on capitol hill. day of rage. fresh oi

recognize jerusalem as israel's capital. more world leaders condemning the move. those stories plus the massive new lawsuit facing harvey weinstein. why we are flooding this house on purpose. and shoplifting suspects speed away from a mall, dragging a security guard with them. the race is on to find them today. thursday, december 7th, 2017. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today," live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning, everybody. welcome to "today." so nice to have you with us on a thursday morning. >> we want to get right to the breaking news. the raging wildfires in southern california. >> fast-moving story. fast-moving fires. four major blazes burning out of control right now. the largest is the thomas fire. it has destroyed hundreds of homes and buildings in and around ventura, north of los an

then there's also a creek fire in northern los angeles. another one sweeping through bel air. then the rye fire near santa clarita. >> they've prompted the evacuation of 200,000 people and officials expect more will be ordered. >> the potentially catastrophic winds that briefly died down wednesday returned overnight, and they are fanning the flames. >> they are. more than 100,000 acres have burned so far, and resources are stretched very thin. firefighters from nine other states are being brought in to help in the crisis. >> we have two reports this morning. let's start with nbc's natalie morales who is in bel air for us this morning. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning to you, savannah. yes, we're outside one of the homes that suffered some of the damage in the bel air community as the fire exploded around the surrounding hillsides here in this bel air community. residents here evacuated. as you can see, the winds are kicking up around me. the concern remains today that there is a high wind advisory in effect through the ventura and

los angeles county areas into the weekend. fire crews are on standby once again today. there are a lot of hot spots in the area. they're expecting today may be the worst day yet for fighting these devastating fires in los angeles. this morning, southern california engulfed in flames, unusually dry conditions and winds up to 70 miles an hour, known as santa anas, fueling the inferno overnight. hundreds of schools closed. 200,000 evacuated from their homes. waking up to a real-life nightmare. even those who escaped the flames are reeling. >> it got really close, too close. we are fortunate. >> reporter: beth's house was spared from the flames but she's not out of the woods yet. she's putting out hot spots around her home with her garden hose. >> i'm very concerned but also very relieved that it is still here. >> reporter: the house is still here? >> yeah. >> reporter: there's flames right along the stairs, too. >> thank god the firefighters were able to save our house thus far. >> reporter: four

stretching 70 miles down the coast from ventura to los angeles, where the upscale neighborhoods of brentwood and bel air are surrounded by flames. the mayor declaring a state of emergency for los angeles county. the 405 freeway shutting down on wednesday, one of the nation's busiest highways cutting straight through the blaze. the view from high above los angeles, a sea of smoke and flames. the fire so massive, it can be seen from space. more than 4,000 firefighters on the front line fighting the flames from the ground and the sky. a task made more difficult by wind patterns not seen in a decade. >> the brush burning index, that's the number we rate the threat of a brush fire, is 296. this is the highest number i've ever seen in my career. >> reporter: three generations of the maples family once called this home. now just

remain. >> we had all these awesome pictures in the house. now we don't have them. all the memories, yeah. it kind of makes you realize what's important. just so glad that everyone got out safe. >> reporter: many more in the path of destruction as tough conditions make containment an uphill battle. the fire here in this bel air community is known as the skirball fire. it expanded quickly yesterday. over 475 akers. fire crews telling me today it is only 5% contained today. there still is a great area of concern here, especially as these winds are going to continue into the weekend once again. savannah and hoda? >> our thoughts are with everybody there. natalie morales leading us off. thank you, natalie. hundreds of thousands very forced from their homes and many are now sharing harrowing stories and dramatic videos of their escapes. nbc's national correspondent miguel almaguer is in hard-hit ventura county. miguel, good mornin

flames ripped across these ridges. there were more evacuations ordered. when families return, this is what many will find. they'll be rebuilding their lives over the holiday. for many, it was a harrowing escape from the flames. >> reporter: fire closes? >> we need to get out of here. >> reporter: thousands of evacuees in a race for their lives. how intense were the flames? >> all i saw was orange. >> reporter: bianca witnessing the terrifying flames firsthand. staying behind to protect her home in bel air and sending her kids out of harm's way. her house standing but her neighbors lost everything. bel air, home to mansions and movie stars, looked like a hollywood set. towering flames sweeping across the exclusive neighborhood. a structure on media mogul rupert murdoch's estate catching fire.

world-renowned getty center, home to the getty museum, is under no immediate danger, despite the nearby flames. but for many, the damage is done. >> the fire blew through here. there was nothing anyone could do. >> reporter: the spot fires here are happening even in the middle of the night. crews simply don't have enough boots on the ground to keep up with all of these small blazes. overnight, this driver pulling over on a highway, putting himself at risk to rescue a rabbit from the flames. the biggest infernos are raging outside of l.a. >> i run outside and i go, we all have to go right now. >> reporter: today, the tally of the damage is unclear, but the loss for robert couldn't be greater. >> we'll rebuild. it's the only thing we can do. >> reporter: this morning, many have nowhere to run. they escaped their homes, but their houses may not

flames. the damage in this neighborhood alone is believed to be at 150 structures, but firefighters say there is no doubt that number will rise dramatically. guys, this is what so many people will return to just before christmas. >> such a difficult time for those families. miguel almaguer, thank you so much. we have other news to get to this morning, including the scandal surrounding senator al franken. he is set to make an announcement this morning amid new accusations of sexual misconduct and new pressure on him to resign. nbc's kasie hunt on capitol hill for us with this story. good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. we are expecting to hear from senator franken in a few hours here on capitol hill, where at least 35 of his democratic colleagues have called for him to step aside, as more women say, me too, about the minnesota senator. democratic senator al franken speaking out this morning after a flood of his colleagues, including all but three of the

senate, calling for him to step down. what was the tipping point for you on your colleague senator franken? >> well, we new allegations today. enough is enough. >> reporter: on wednesday, a woman identified as a former democratic congressional aide told "politico" franken tried to forcibly kiss her before he was a senator. telling her at the time, it is my right as an entertainer. franken called the allegation, quote, categorically not true and preposterous. >> i am embarrassed and feel ashamed. >> reporter: after leeann tweeden shared this photo from a 2006 trip to afghanistan, where she said franken forcibly kissed her. >> it happened so fast. he mashed his lips against my face. >> reporter: since then, at least six other women have come forward with allegations against franken. coming to his defense late wednesday, an unlikely ally, newt

>> as i understand it, that occurred two years earlier when he was a comedian. i'll be politically incorrect. al franken was a comedian. comedians often do weird things. >> reporter: meanwhile, franken isn't the only democrat to face consequences. this morning, another woman is speaking out against former michigan congressman john conyers. a campaign volunteer. >> he completely came across my backside. i said, look, i said, you know what, i'm going to knock you out. >> reporter: conyers who announced his retirement tuesday denied all allegations. on the other side of the aisle, alabama senate candidate roy moore is surging in polls ahead of next tuesday's special election. the republican national committee restoring public they pulled after moore faced allegations he denies of sexual misconduct with teenage girls. the decision drawing fire from some republicans. >> they explicitly admitted in the past they believed the women in alabama and,

rnc is giving money. it doesn't make any sense. >> reporter: others warning moore's win could be a huge problem for their party. >> roy moore, if he does win, is the gift that keeps on giving, in terms of democratic politics. >> reporter: democrats are still holding out hope that they'll be able to pull off an upset in alabama. for now, they are watching to see what senator franken will decide to do. he is expected to make his announcement on the senate floor here at the capitol later today. >> kasie, thank you. also this morning, there is new fallout over president trump's recognition of jerusalem as israel's capital. the move sparked outrage even before wednesday's official announcement. the chorus of critics grew louder overnight. nbc's richard engel as more on that. hi, richard. >> reporter: good morning. as you can probably see, clashes and civil unrests have broken out on the west bank. we are on the outskirts o

setting fires. they're burning tires to create a smoke screen. they are throwing stones and other debris. it is difficult to see. behind the smoke are israeli troops. they have been firing volleys of tear gas occasionally to drive the demonstrators back. all the protesters say they are here for one reason. because palestinians, they say, will not give up on their right to jerusalem, no matter what president trump says. in a day of rage, palestinians in the west bank and gaza strip expressed their outrage, frustration and sense of betrayal by the united states. demonstrators quickly led to clashes with israeli troops, anger boiling over. palestinians had been promised for years in international negotiations that jerusalem's final status would be settled through addy ploep diplomacy. only to see president trump revers

claim jerusalem is the capital. >> i have determined that it is time to officially recognize jerusalem as the capital of israel. >> reporter: after he said that, palestinians switched all the lights on the christmas tree in bethleh bethlehem's major square. palestinians closed their shops across jerusalem in a general strike. >> we're here today condemning the american president, donald trump's decision, by declaring jerusalem as the state of israel. >> reporter: a profound shift appears to be underway. nearly 25 years ago, president clinton brought israeli and palestinian leaders together for the accords, with the u.s. as a moderator in chief. now, many palestinians say that peace process is over. that president trump killed it when his administration took sides on the most fundamental and emotional division in the region, the status of jerusalem. isel

security officials warn violence could escalate but say they can handle whatever comes next. israelis say the peace process wasn't working anyway. >> for there is no peace that doesn't include jerusalem as the capital of the state of israel. >> reporter: israelis thanked president trump for accepting their historic claim to jerusalem, despite warnings from across europe and from some of washington's closest allies, that the move puts peace in the middle east at risk. and the clashes here do not seem to be letting up. if anything, they are intensifying. more people arriving. they are bringing in more stones. and it is not just here. there are several locations in the west bank that look just like this right now. it is the most -- the largest scale violence we've seen in this part of the west bank in several years. back to you. >> richard engel, stay safe there. >> yeah, absolutely, richard. we move to capitol hill now, where donald trump jr. faced new questions in the russia investigation. hi

criticism. nbc national correspondent peter alexander now with that story. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. the president's son, donald trump jr., is refusing to share with house investigators the details of a phone conversation with his father last summer about that 2016 meeting with a russian lawyer. trump jr. says the call they had is protected under attorney/client privilege. neither the president nor his son is a lawyer. a top democrat isn't buying that explanation. donald trump jr. facing growing questions from house investigators behind closed doors for more than eight hours wednesday. according to a source with knowledge of his testimony, he said the day of that 2016 trump tower meeting became public, trump jr. spoke not to his father but an aide, who relayed his comments to the president as they traveled back from a

on the flight, the president dictated what would be trump jr.'s misleading explanation, dismissing the meeting. the next day, trump jr. spoke with his father and lawyers. he wouldn't elaborate. >> he acknowledged discussing the matter with his father but refused to answer questions about the discussion on the basis of a claim of attorney/client privilege. in my view, there is no attorney/client privilege that protects a discussion between father and son. >> reporter: also this morning, former national security adviser michael flynn already under indictment now under more scrutiny. an unidentified whistleblower who provided an account to congressional democrats said 11 minutes into donald trump's presidency, as he was addressing the nation -- >> it is only going to be america first. america first. >> reporter: -- flynn was tending to hina

texting a former business partner, to build nuclear reactors in the middle east was, quote, good to go. as detailed in this letter from the house oversight committee's top democrat, elijah cummings to the republican chairman, flynn's former partner told the whistleblower flynn was making sure u.s. sanctions on russia would be ripped up once trump was in the white house. allowing the nuclear project that flynn once participated in to move forward. a possible economic incentive for the president's powerful aide. cummings writes, these grave allegations compel a full, credible and bipartisan inve investigati investigation. >> reporter: neither flynn or his former business partner responded to nbc news's request for comment. there was a moment at the end of the president's speech yesterday on jerusalem that caught a lot of attention. the president appeared to slur his words. take a look. >> let us rethink old assumpt n

and minds to possible and possibilities. finally, i ask the leaders of the region, political and religious, israeli and palestinian, jewish and christian and muslim, to join us in the noble quest for lasting peace. thank you. god bless you. god bless israel. god bless the palestinians. god bless the united states. thank you very much. >> reporter: online, some c observers speculated it could be a health issue, dentures. one white house official told me the president was simply parched. a white house spokesperson echoed that, telling the "los angeles times," his throat was dry. there's nothing to it. the "times" pressed the spokesperson, whether the slurred words might indicate a health concern. the spokesperson added, i know what you're getting at. i'm saying there's nothing to it. >> peter, thank you. it's time for mr. al roker to give us a

weather. >> that's right. we're looking at -- this is one of the reasons we're looking at these massive fires right now in southern california. you can see how green the satellite image is. this was back in march. record rainfall in the winter increased vegetation growth. then we had a very dry summer. i mean, it was bone dry. so the hottest summer on record dried out all the vegetation, so add to that the fact that southe california rainfall has averag than 5% of what it should for this time of year. we have wildfires. and the winds continue today. they'r going to be at their peak morning. that's where the most danger will be. wind gusts 35 to 60 miles per hour. and so we do have today 20 extrem critical fire danger and that lasts right on into tomorr we're to get to your loc

i'm meteorologist chuck bell. depend where you live, you either have clear skies or clouds tower camera looking east. washin today. out towards the bay and southern maryla curren temperature, 43 in washin even upper 20s this morning down toward fauquier county. a chilly day to the outside. a mix of clouds and sunshine. highs mid up toer 40s. colder weather tom k you so much. cg

lawsuit against harvey weinstein, taking his scandal in a new direction this morning. on rossen reports, we are flooding a house on purpose to expose a hidden winter danger. what you need to know to stay dry. first, this is "today" on nbc.

straight ahead on this thursday morning, the new cancer concerns being raised over certain types of birth control. what you need to know. and the surprising new battle in the tech world that has seed to the oat ♪ ♪ to the o, to the bowl, to the spoon ♪ ♪ bowl to the spoon ♪ ♪ to the mouth for the boy in a room ♪ ♪ room for that goodness inside the bloom ♪ good goes around ♪ ♪ and around and around ♪ ♪ seed to oat, to o in the first day of school ♪ ♪ schoolin yo sister on why ♪ and just how to be cool ♪ ♪ cool if she hangs ♪ ♪ you can show her what's good ♪ good goes around ♪

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ther. interwoven... ...exclusively at kay, jared and zales. i'm lawrence. it is 7:26. hope thursday morning is in the news this morning, after almost nine years of questions, butler boyfriend recently pleade guilty to killing her in 2009. and last week jose rodriguez cruz told investigators where he buried xlafr for a police search in stafford county tomorrow. and we're working for soluti high tolls on 66 inside the beltway. tonigh the supervisor ron meyer will introduce a bill to the northe virginia transportation commis

but vdot says capping the tolls will lead to more gridlock. all right. legali a check on your first 4 traffic with melissa. good morning, chris. charle street closed between bell and newton road because of a crash investigation. choppe showing you that all lanes are blocked here this mornin so is quite a problem for a lot of people in the laplata area. east-w highway between new invest there with those lanes blocked. the alternate is university >> great. thank

40s to get your day started. aftern highs in the mid to upper 40s across the area. a little cold eastern more cloud cover coming our way for tomorr tomorr highs mostly in the

into your weekend. saturd a passing snow flurry or two. windy cold but sunny on sunday >> all right. another local news more savings on car insurance!? they helped with homeowners, too! ok! plus motorcycle, boat and rv insurance! geico's got you covered! like a blanket! houston? you seeing this? geico. expect great savings and a whole lot more. geico. what if we could keep more amof what we earn?d. trillions of dollars going back to taxpayers. who could possibly be against that? well, the national debt is $20 trillion. as we keep adding to it, guess who pays the bill? him. and her. and her.

not the debt. ♪ back now. 7:30. it's a thursday morning, 7th of december, 2017. >> welcome in, everybody. we will begin this half hour with a check of the headlines, including the latest on the raging infernos in california. >> we need to get out of here. >> wildfire nightmare. >> how intense were the flames? >> all i saw was orange. >> hundreds of thousands evacuated in southern california as dry conditions and record high winds have firefighters bracing for a worst-case scenario. >> i run outside and i go, we all have to go right now. >> we'll rebuild. it's the only thing we can do. day of rage. >> all challenges demand new approaches. >> new fall i

president trump's controversial decision to recognize jerusalem as israel's capital. as hamas calls for violent protests. >> by giving this unilateral concession to the israelis today and getting nothing for it, the president has weakened the american position. a rainbow down under. >> equality, for respect. australia has done it. >> australia's government votes to legalize same-sex marriage. >> we came. we saw. love finally conquered. >> reporter: taken for a ride. surveillance video captures the harrowing moment shoplifting suspects drag a security guard across a new jersey mall parking lot as they try to escape. two, one. >> and light em up. christmas comes to capitol hill. today, thursday, december 7th, 2017. >> their tree

we don't want to get in a competition, but rockefeller christmas tree also very beautiful. >> yes. we're following the story of disgraced media mogul harvey weinstein. a group of women filing a proposed legal action against him and his former company. stephanie gosk, good morning to you. >> good morning. harvey weinstein is facing allegations of criminal misconduct in new york, los angeles and london. he's also dealing with four civil suits and now this, a class action lawsuit which accuses weinstein of rackete racketeering and could expand to include dozens of alleged victims. harvey weinstein isn't just accused of sexual misconduct against women. he's accused of setting up a crime ring to cover it up. a new class action lawsuit alleges the movie mogul, his brother, his companies and a lo

enterprise to conceal his pattern of unwanted conduct for years. studios, talent agencies, lawyers and some members of the media are all accused of compliciting. the civil case filed in court in new york references an expose in the new yorker by ronan farrow, describing weinstein's so-called army of spies. the spies, the suit claims, were used to harass, threaten, distort and mislead weinstein's victims and the media. two of the six women who filed the lawsuit sat down with nbc. >> you don't want to rock the boat with harvey. he could ruin you. not just your career but your life. >> reporter: recounting their experiences with weinstein and sharing what they hope happens next. >> i cannot give up the fight to keep moving forward and make sure that, truthfully, my daughters and everybody else's daughters don't have to go through this. >> i've had

out to me and say i've helped them feel they can speak out and get help. i wouldn't trade that for anything, you know. >> reporter: the plaintiffs are accusing weinstein of running a criminal organization to cover up his misdeeds and believe he should be held liable under the rico law, used in the past to prosecute the mafia. >> it is criminal. you can't engage in sex trafficking. you can't witness tamper. those are criminal violations and the things they engaged in. >> reporter: weinstein has not commented on the lawsuit, but a recent statement from his attorneys reads, in part, mr. weinstein has never at any time committed an act of sexual assault. and it is wrong and irresponsible to con phthalate claims of impolitic behavior or consensual sexual conduct later regretted with an untrue claim of criminal conduct. the weinstein company hasn't returned nbc news's request for comment. in october, the

of representatives issues a statement saying, any suggestion that the board had knowledge of this conduct is false. as the other company he founded, miramax, said they join the film community in condemning harvey weinstein and his unspeakable actions. adding they are completely independent of him, and they are proud of that difference. filing this lawsuit is just the beginning. lawyers for the women say they now enter the investigation stage. they have dozens of interviews to do, including other alleged victims. it may not be ready for trial for years. >> the investigation could be powerful. stephanie, thank you so much. time to head over to mr. roker for a check of the weather. >> lake-esnow. togeth cold coming across and it throug today. by tomorrow, the damage will have been

some places could see up to 12 inches of snow. the big totals will be on the lakes erie and ontario between erie a buffalo. south of buffalo, upwards of 18 inches of snow. same thing around the tug hi that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. temper unite there feeling like the 30s. in district, it's 43 degree we have some clearing going on with our skies out there. mix of sun and clouds this aftern curren temperatures though are in the 30s for much of the area. 26 in manassas right now. throug day, we're looking at temperatures in the upper 40s. look at your weekend though. >> don't forget, get the weather any time you need it. check out our friends at the weather channel on cable. coming up, taylor swift brki

groping trial. what she's saying about her very blunt testimony. also ahead, finding harmony in silicon valley inside the singing competition featuring the tech world's brightest minds. then is your birth control pill raising your risk of breast cancer? an alarming story. what every woman needs to know. first, a rossen reports warning for homeowners. >> good morning. i'm jeff rossen. coming up, hidden winter danger. pipes bursting inside of your home, sending water everywhere. we have the simple tips, the things you can do right now to protect your home, next.

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7:42. a new rossen reports warning for homeowners. >> a hidden danger that with colder weather on the way, we're talking about freezing pipes that could suddenly burst inside your home. how do you present it from happening? today, national investigative correspondent jeff rossen has important info on that subject. hey, jeff. >> i have an answer to the question. it just so happens. a cold snap is hitting the midwest right now, and you know we're all in for it. temperatures are dropping coast to coast. experts say this is prime time for the pipes in your home to freeze and then burst. when they do, you know that water can gush everywhere and wreak havoc fast, there are simple things you can do right now to prevent it from happening. here's the better news, anyone can do it. this morning, i'm flooding a home on purpose to

pipes bursting, hoses leaking. this home flooding with water, damaging almost everything in sight. experts say this could happen to your house. according to the insurance company chubb, homeowners are 40% more likely to experience water damage during the winter than any other time of the year. to show you the kind of damage we're talking about here, we've set up an experiment inside this house. come on inside. this is actually a flood house. it is a house that's been built to be flooded, to replicate what it looks like if your pipes burst or if they leak. it has all the trappings of home, as you can see. come into the kitchen. we have jim here who is a risk and flood expert. why does this happen in the winter? why right now do we have to worry about this? >> in the wintertime, the water in the pipes get cold, it freezes, frozen water expands and the pipe burst. >> too much for the pipe and water is everywhere. >> water goes everywhere. >> we're going to flood the house and see what it loo

>> in seconds, water rushing through the house. we're three minutes in right now. look at the laundry room. the water is spewing up. the floor is flooded out. imagine if this was your house. in the kitchen, a similar scene. five minutes and the water is seeping out from under the fridge. it is moving toward the carpet. upstairs in the master bathroom, the worst damage. this is crazy. just from the toilet, the one hose, the water is already moving into the bedroom. so much water gushing out, it's even raining down into the garage below. in just 30 minutes, thousands of dollars in damage. how can you prevent this from happening to you? tip number one, insulate your pipes. we're starting here in the garage. why? >> this is the pipe that's exposed to the cold weather and can freeze. >> what are you supposed to do? >> buy this simple insulation, 25 cents a foot. simply do this over the top, and that's it. >> that's

>> you can do this. >> the laundry room, no rubber hoses. what happens here? >> looking at the hoses that supply water to the washing machine and they're rubber. >> rubber hoses are bad? >> they're bad. >> that's the tip from experts. go around in your house right now, check your washing machine and make sure the hoses aren't rubber. what should we have? >> steel braided hoses, $10 each. >> cheap. >> cheap. >> but it's in the kitchen where we find two of the most common and costly household leaks. at the sink, know how to shut off the valve. >> once a week, look under the sink, look for puddles of water and move your hands along the pipes. >> what if i find some? >> shut it off. >> find the knob like this, turn it so it is horizontal to the direction of the pipe. it'll shut the water off. >> just for the sink. >> the leaki ining fridge, checr puddles. >> they're due to the line

once a month, pull it out. >> by the way, i'm not that strong. this is on wheels. get a friend or major to help you. i'm not that strong. once a month, look for a puddle under here. >> correct. >> simple tips to save your home this winter. even savannah and i can do it. with the holidays approaching, so many of us are leaving for vacation or visiting family away. experts say if you're heading out of town, you should actually walk out and shut off the main water valve to your house. can you imagine if this happened and you weren't home? it is an easy way to prevent leaks and bursts while you're away. we have step by step instructions with pictures and everything, more bonus tips on how to fix more leaks, on today.com/rossenreports. >> i'm intimidated. >> it is really easy. i promise. >> i can't believe how cheap it is. >> really cheap. >> costs nothing. >> it'll save you a lot. >> absolutely. >> jeff, thanks so much. carson is back. welcome back. what do you have in the orange room? >> are you hip to the hq c

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welcome back, everybody. guess who is back. carson daly, back where he belongs in the orange room. >> that's right. >> you're exploring a craze your family is crazy about. >> the new app is hq. it's taking the online gaming world by storm. it is a live trivia game that happens twice a day, hosted by the charming scott. once you download the free app on your iphone, you get notification you the join the games. 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. eastern every day. thousands of people partake, try to make it to the 12th question. anyone who gets there, they split a pot of money. usually $1,000. it was $8,000 the other night. the questions start easy. they grow increasingly difficult as the game goes on. here are a couple of my favorites. what do the

for in the mtv show? also, who co-hosted the first season of "american idol" with ryan seacrest in 2000? this was a savage question. not the middle guy. this is taking over parties. welcome at my house. this is when the "voice" was on nbc. my kids put the whole game up on the big screen there. hq may be getting, unfortunately, too popular for its own good. the servers are having trouble. last night, the game was delayed due to technical difrficulties. they were on twitter trying to tell people to hang on. issues with lagging and freezing. hoping they can remedy the issues because it is a lot of fun. hopefully it'll include android at the end of the month. in the spirit of hq, we have a little orange room trivia. what do the walls look like in the original orange room? >> orange stripes. >> you got the first question. 1 1 mor

anyway, hq, find it on your app. ton of fun. >> thank you, carson. the hottest new boy having moderate to seis not always easy.is it's a long distance run and you have the determination to keep going. humira has a proven track record of being prescribed for nearly ten years. it's the number one prescribed biologic by dermatologists. more than 250,000 patients have chosen humira to fight their psoriasis. and they're not backing down. for most patients clearer skin is the proof. humira can lower your ability to fight infections including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma have happened, as have blood, liver and nervous system problems. serious allergic reactions and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. join over two hundred and fifty thousand people

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i'm lawrence. 7:56. hope y thursday morning is to let's get right to melissa for >>morning, chris. taking a look at some video, this laplata. charle closed betweebell, alton, newton road and cooksy road because of a crashinvestigation. again, lanes blocked. take a look at the map now. we have another closure here as this one in chilum. east-w highway between new lanes blocked. new ha or university will work for you. beltwa right now looking pretty typica 295 inbound is slow. >> chilly out there.

many neighborhoods in the 30s. gaithe 42. 40 quantico. tomorr42 for a high. slight chance of a rain or snow shower south and east.

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, getting worse. wildfires burning out of control across southern california. high winds fueling the flames. more than 100,000 acres now scorched. hundreds of thousands evacuated. it's far from over. we're live on the scene. plus, new warning. researchers now say certain kinds of birth control could increase the risk of breast cancer for millions of women. this morning, what you need to know. and high-tech and high notes. ♪ never be royal ♪ >> the a cappella craze hitting

>> you might write code as a language, but music is also a language. >> we're at the competition that has tech's biggest rivals coming together. today, thursday, december 7th, 2017. >> you are 10. that's double digits, my man. yes! wow, you came to meet al roker. >> yeah. >> wow. you need to set your sights higher. you visited 103 countries. all 50 united states. where does the "today" show fit on the list? >> next on the list. >> or some could say last. ♪ when they try to get to you, baby, i'll be the fighter ♪ >> you know each other? >> yeah. >> i like a sign that tells you what to do. look at me! look at you. >> look at me. >> you're 50. all you want for christmas is an ambush makeover. all right. get her! >> she needs no makeover. she's so beautiful. >> she will never get chosen. not to break y

>> too pretty. >> yup. >> welcome back to "today." shining faces on the plaza this morning. >> good morning. >> we want to get to your news at 8:00. waves of fire are sweeping across southern california at this hour and forcing new evacuations overnight. nbc's natalie morales is in bel air this morning where officials are fearing the worst is yet to come, natalie. >> reporter: yes, that's right, savannah. i want to show you a picture not that far from me. 45 miles away, you're seeing the aerial footage here of the thomas fire. this is in the santa paula area. that, again, is an area of major concern right now. it's about 95,000 acres that have caught fire there right now. that is about one of four large fires now burning in southern california. this time yesterday morning, it was this community here in bel air that came under threat. i'm standing here in the backyard of one of the homes that suffered some damage

area, about 200,000 residents have been evacuated. the concern remains these strong winds. with the fires now devastating some of los angeles's most famous neighborhoods. overnight, an exploding inferno across southern california, the perfe perfect storm of strong winds and flying embers putting thousands of homes in peril. >> i can feel the heat. >> reporter: four wildfires scorching the region from ventura to los angeles. the thomas and creek fires incinerating over 200 structures so far, forcing residents young and old to flee under toxic clouds of smoke. carolyn maple's family barely escaping with the clothes on their backs. >> we could see the flames coming up, and that was it. we were out of here. we didn't take anything. >> i ran out of tears. there's no more. >> reporter: irene left heartbroken. fire destroyed

husband's ashes, too. >> god wanted him and my home, too. >> it was a firewall. i can't tell how live. i'm going to move. i can't live here. i'm traumatized. >> reporter: home after home in flames, including a structure on the property of rupert myrurdoc. the getty museum's works of art protected by a water tank and infiltration system. air quality warnings in effect for several counties with residents told to stay inside and avoid the toxic smoke. >> like smoking a cigarette. we're getting to cold and flu season, too. if you have inflammation going from fire exposure and you pick up a case of the flu, you could be in trouble. >> reporter: these fires visible from space with astronaut scott kelly asking those below to help

officials say this combination of strong winds and the fire threat haven't been seen in this area, los angeles proper, in more than a decade now. again, they're expecting today may be the worst day yet with the strong winds still in the area. savannah? >> natalie morales reporting live for us. thank you, nat. palestinians are expressing outrage over president trump's announcement wednesday recognizing jerusalem as the capital of israel. violent protests broke out overnight in the west bank. that's because palestinians also lay claim to jerusalem, envisioning east jerusalem as the capital of their future state. u.s. allies including france, britain and saudi arabia are also criticizing the move. president trump says it acknowledges the reality that, quote, jerusalem is the seat of the modern israeli government. 8:05 now. it is morning boost time. >> let's pick you up. here we go. elementary school did in l.a. got an early christmas present this week. members of the l.a.

football team stopped by for a visit. the real surprise is when the kids found out they weren't going home empty handed. >> everybody is getting a bike. >> yeah! [ cheers ]. >> i love the girl in pink. >> everybody is getting a bike, like the oprah situation of the bikes here. all those kids are getting one. great day at school. the chargers partnered with a non-profit group called bikes for kids. a bunch of people donated the bikes. the kids filled out essays, explaining why they deserved a bike. at first, they saw six bikes up there. am i going to get it? then they lifted the curtain. >> everybody gets a bike. >> everybody got it. >> adorable. >> pretty cool. more ahead this morning. including taylor swift speaking out over her headline making trial earlier this year. the new study raising cancer concerns about birth control pills. let's see what megyn is working on. >> we have alec baldwin. we'll have a live, widean

new book about donald trump, his comments on sex harassment and the fact that he's about to become a father of his fifth child. see you at the top of the hour. >> sounds good. and gifts you'll feel good about spending your money on because they give art. it can be sculpted, bringing to life beautiful detail. or painted in luxurious strokes. and in rare cases... both. givewhere this weekend fine! jewelery is 60-70% off plus take an extra 25% off! give joy with a brilliant diamond bracelet! a diamond ring. or a sprakling diamond necklace and earring set! give joy, get joy this weekend at kohl's.

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when you brush or floss you may have gum problems and could be on the journey to much worse. help stop the journey of gum disease. try parodontax toothpaste. ♪ welcome back, everybody. a new study in the new england journal of medicine is getting a lot of attention this morning. it explores a link between certain kinds of birth control and breast cancer. dr. jessica shepherd is an obgyn. we're talking about hormonal contraceptives. this study came out of denmark, drawing a link between people on birth control and breast cancer. what is the greater risk if you're on birth control? >> what they were looking at particularly in this study is women who were on birth control currently or had a previous use of it, looking at women under the age of 50, what thri

-- risk is. there is a 20% increased risk of having breast cancer associated with oral contraceptive use. >> 20%. >> 20%. >> that's significant. the headline is jarring. >> let's pretend i am on birth control. do you suggest you say, okay, let's get off of that? what's the suggestion? >> birth control really -- the study and that number is something we have seen in previous studies. the real link is really, again, the age that you start, the duration. they looked at duration. women who had been on it for ten years or more, is the risk increased? five years or more, even after they stopped taking the pill. there is a lot that goes into it. birth control, 38 million women in the u.s. use birth control. 25% of those is going to be oral contraceptives. >> what i found interesting, ten years ago, i was diagnosed with breast cancer and the doctors asked me two questions. was one, did your mom or an aunt or close relative have breast cancer, which was i guess about genetics. and the other qio

control? when i saw the study, i said, wait, were they thinking about it ten years ago? >> i think the estrogen component of birth control pills -- we know it has some predominance of breast cancer formation. but what is the number? what is the statistic and what is the risk? it is having an important talk with your doctor about that. >> is your take away for a women watching who is a little scared is -- >> to not stop taking the birth control. make sure they have the discussion with their doctor. also look at alternative it is. the implant in the arm, the i.e. -- ied and also a shot in your arm. >> thank you. appreciate it. let's go to mr. roker for a check of the weather. >> thanks, westertexas. we have snow to talk about. they'r looking agent snow out there. it's k of interesting. we're going to see snow and sleet in west texas. rainng

into t part of the weeken all along the system. we're going to be seeing wet weathe and could even see some snow the mid-atlantic states. but not something i want to ignore heavie making its way throug saturday from the outer banks the way back into parts of central and southern texas. and look at the snow. three to six inches some areas as much as 8 inches in central wester and southern texas. that's what's going on around the country. here's happening in your neck the woods. >> good morning, everybody. hope your thursday is off to a temper mostly in the 30z to around 40 degrees. there are colder pockets out there though. manass 26, warren ton, 27. 36 in montgomery county. 42 in town. planni the day, temper the upper 40s for afternoon highs today. mostly cloudy skies. more clouds the farther south and east you live or travel today. tomorr more clouds for everyb and colder as

>> that's what's going on around the country. now back to you guys. >> wow, al. sometimes i wish there was a camera on the commercial breaks. >> don't say that too loud. >> i know. it's true. time for trending. this is fun. today.com has a morning routine the series, asking stars about their morning rituals. candi candice cameron says she wakes up at 6:00 a.m. and the smell that gets her out of bed is bacon. justin hartley says having coffee with her daughter. she doesn't drink coffee but they sit and talk. do you find people asking about your morning ritual? when does the alarm go off? al? >> 3:45. >> carson? >> 4:45. >> i was looking at my phone. this is lately, not normal. >> oh, my gosh. >> i do them every 15 minutes. i won't w

i go down. >> the alarm goes off every time and you snooze it? >> i snooze. when i get to 3:45, i say, get moving. come on, sister. >> i have the same alarms but it depends on the day. sometimes 3:00. sometimes 3:30. sometimes 4:00. it depends. does anyone have a morning shortcut that makes the morning go faster? >> what do you do? >> it'll start a thing. i know what al will say. >> i make my wife breakfast in bed, present it with a rose, feed the homeless at church. >> i brush my teeth in the shower. >> wow. >> it saves time. >> why are you so against that? >> is it gross? i don't think so. >> do you have that little time? >> yeah. i think it makes sense. i knew that would get on your nerves. >> is it gross to you? what is the gross part? all of it? >> every part of it. >>

anybody else have a shortcut? >> i take all my clothes. i get them all ready and put them in the bathroom. a, so i don't wake up joel. >> that's what i do every night. >> you do? it is efficient. you don't want to be petering around and looking for things. >> lay everything out the night before. >> i've gotten good at getting dressed in pitch black. i get up and it is dark out. you can do all of this. >> you have to. anybody have a morning moment of zen? hoda, you do your quote, which i love. >> i scribble in the journal and take from whatever that was, find a quote that fits it and post it. >> those quotes are amazing. >> they are. >> what is your moment of zen? first cup of coffee is mine. >> i listen to hymns or something. something soothing on the way to work. try to get chill. then i await pop start from carson daly. >> taylor swift featured on "time" magazine's person of the year, the silence

taylor made headlines in august when she took the stand in court against radio dj who was fired after accusing him of groping her during a photo shoot. the jury voted in her favor. swift opening up about the trial and blunt testimony for the first time. she said her mom was so upset, she was too ill to come to court that day. i was angry and, in the moment, i decided to forego courtroom normalities and answer the question how it happened. the man hadn't done normalities when he assaulted me. the lawyer didn't hold back on my mom. why should i be polite? we're switch to "jurassic world," fallen kingdom, the sequel. chris pratt sent us a message and a sneak peek at the trailer. >> what's up, "today" show? chris pratt. during the saints and falcons game tonight, you'll be the first to see the brand-new

world: fallen kingdom." to celebrate, we've prepared something special for all you jurassic fans. don't forget to watch tonight on nbc. >> do you remember the first time you saw a dinosaur? >> yeah, blue. she's displaying interest, concern. she's remarkable. >> oh, it's not enough. >> come on! what is that? >> not enough! full trailer premieres tonight during thursday night football. the saints are playing good versus the atlanta falcons, right here. >> i feel so used. finally -- it'll get better tonight, al. ryan reynolds trending on twitter for landing another leading role. playing someone beloved, famous and yellow. pea pikachu, the detective. the resemblance is un

filming begins in january. >> wouldn't it be great if they matched him and deadpool together? >> super cute. you guys will like this story. you're familiar with singing competitions, carson, the "voice." a special one took place in an unexpected place. nbc's jole has more. >> silicon valley singing pitch perfect music. there was the tech-apella show. google, facebook, apple and twitter is reaching a tre schcr. the brightest minds in tech are squaring off, not to code your next social media app but to bring together the best voices in real life. >> people think, oh, you sit around a computer and code all day. it's like, well, you know, yeah, you might write code as a language but music is

language. >> reporter: lindsey is an alto for one of the top contenders at the competition. in an industry known for hiring wars, carrying a tune is serious business. there are the keynotes from apple. the square registers. the pinterest pin tunes. ♪ hallelujah ♪ hallelujah >> beat box battles. ♪ >> and beautiful ballads. ♪ falling in love with you >> this security employee founded the vocal network of, where else, facebook. >> all the groups put in effort to practice and hone our craft because we daily 9:00 to 5:00 jobs. >> the song birds of ter

an unlikely bunch. >> web engineer. >> data scientist. >> are you nervous at all? i would be. >> definitely. >> heck yeah. >> after months of practice, the house is packed and the mic is hot. one last run through. a nervous cheer. a final huddle backstage. it's show time. >> hello, a cappella nerds. >> the host for the night is often called the father of modern day a cappella and the man behind the match-ups in the "pitch perfect" movies. >> sorry. it's pretty lame. >> excuse me? >> something about a cappella, too. there is a nerdiness about it. i love to sing and make sounds with my voice. >> i have to tune it. >> what is the ambiance, when all the tech companies get up on stage and sing their hearts out? >> super cheesy. that is the ambiance. we fully embrace it. i don't think anyone is getting up on stage thinking that we're going to get a record deal out of any of this. ♪

brand-new ♪ >> for these hard-driving professionals, a cappella provides a welcoming key change from the daily grind. ♪ don't give up >> if it is all about how much money you make, how hard you work, you lose the connection with the community, other people. a cappella grounds people and brings them together. >> there are so many creative people in silicon valley, and so many people who have all of these hidden skills, which maybe they never get to use at their job. i'm so glad all these people came here today to help us spread the joy for at least a couple hours. >> hitting just the right note to find old fashioned harmony in a digital world. ♪ >> it sold out another show this week. you guys, there's so much division and scandal in silicon valley right now, and this was a moment of unity. you really felt it, being there in person. >> i love the cheesy ambiance she talked about. i love that. >> i t

the pinterest pin tunes. >> who is the most talented silicon group? facebook? >> it showed in the story. >> nice answer. >> trying to be neutral. neutral on that. >> i cover these companies, you know. >> it's right. >> everyone was talented. a broad range of talented. >> well said. >> thank you very much. very diplomatic. straight ahead, a pairing you didn't know you needed in your life. kate mckinnon and john cena. and a live performance from why don't we after your local news.

we still have this closure rigs road because thereafter crashinvestigation. lanes are still blocked. can yo use university or new charle street still shut down betwee bell alton newton road becaus of that fatal crash from overni southb new hampshi before right lane. four cars involved there. chris? >> all right. stay safe on the roads. we'll get a check on

chilly to the morning. a little sunshine in northwest washin 40s. it will be colder starting weeken highs in

and highs in the 30s on sunday with a gusty northwest wind. >> all right. thank you, chuck. rememb get the latest news and weather any time on the

♪ when the bee stings ♪ when i'm feeling sad good morning. it's 8:30 now. thursday morning. the 7th of december, 2017. we have a beautiful crowd out on our plaza this morning. a couple of big celebrities collecting toys. it's kate mckinnon and john cena. we're going to talk to them about their new movie and see how those little horn hats are out. a new book is coming out. cue the screams. the hottest boy band on the planet is here live. we have a lot of people who love them. we have a lot of great people here who want to be recognized.

>> congratulations. >> my alma mater is in the back. somewhere over here are kylie and penelope. raise your hand. right here. you guys, how much do you love why don't we? >> a lot. >> a lot. >> well, they wanted to come out and give you a little something. can i have the boys from why don't we please come out here for a second? here they come! come on, guys. here they are. this is kylie and penelope. >> hello. how are you guys? >> hello. >> do you have something to share with them? >> we have tickets to the jingle ball tomorrow night at madison square garden. >> no! >> here you go. >> jingle ball has taylor swift, ed sheeran and company. in a little bit, you'll listen to these guys. how about that for a day? >> thank you. >>

>> freaking out. her mind is melting in her brain right now. i know that from my trl days. i love it. >> so cute. >> nice of the guys. speaking of music, you mentioned ed sheeran, he'll be here tomorrow and give us a special performance. we're excited about that. join us for ed sheeran here on the plaza tomorrow. this holiday season, we've got a new way to think about gift giving this year. presents with a purpose. we've rounded up some pretty creative ideas. guess who else is here? ms. megyn kelly has a peek. >> i babysat for why don't we at some point in the recent past. i'm getting over my age. we have alec baldwin live on the show today. >> nice booking. >> i heard that. >> we're going to talk about becoming the father of four children under 4. >> wow. >> he's going to have -- he has five but four under 4. i'm exhausted thinking about it. his career and a new book he has out. it is in the voice of president trump, saying

america without me. he's got some thoughts on our president. >> sure does. >> thank you, megyn. al, a check of the weather? >> i couldn't agree more. let's we're looking at wet weather some morning snow in parts of the mississippi river valley. clear out west. we could use some rain. as get on into saturday, we along the southeast coast. unseas mild out west. that's ais part of the problem. lake-e aren't great lakes. then sunday we expect to see some morning snow in new englan look for plenty of cloud cover mild highs in the midsection of the country. that's what's going on around the u.s. morning. a little more sunshine right now across much of the area. but still looking at a mix of 42 degrees outside. feels like 39. not much of a difference with that breeze out there. here are the actual temper dulles 41

39 clinton. as we go through the afternoon, 49 for a high tomorrow. 42, slight chance of a shower >> all right. don't forget, you've got football tonight. it's thursday night football night in america. this is a good one. oh, yeah. coming up, we are going to be watching the saints make their way into atlanta to take on the falcons. they're going to be at the mercedes-benz stadium in atlanta, georgia. chances of rain. it's got a dome though, so no big problems. 42 degrees on thursday night football night in america. coverage begins, 7:30 p.m. eastern. football night in atlanta. guys? >> al, thank you so much. this morning on today's hassle free holiday, we are all about presents with a purpose. >> that's right. everybody loves a gift from the heart. why not take it the next step

that's got heart. laurie is the style director of "good housekeeping." morning. >> thanks for having me. >> everybody is here. who was making the racket, klg, megyn and carson back there. >> no. quiet as a mouse. >> i think it was carson. pretty sure. >> we all got to pick a present. i'll start here with a cause dear to our hearts. >> this is your pick. every mother counts. i love this one, savannah. first of all, this tote is fashionable. >> yeah. >> it's $65. 100% of the proceeds go back to every mother counts. do you want to tell us why you love it? >> i love every mother counts. it is about maternal health and moms all over the world bringing in babies safely. every mom counts. every mom deserves that. >> over 300,000 women die each year from complications with pregnancy or childbirth. this goes to help in seven countries, including the u.s. each mother, every mother, everywhere. >> every mother has a lot of stuff. so the bag. >> cute and good

>> whoa! >> thank you for the warning. >> tell us about roma boots. >> i love that you picked these, hoda. it's giving poverty the boot. this was moufounded by a romani refugee. every time you buy boots, a person in need gets a pair of boots. >> if you were living in a war-torn country, a terrible country that's gone through something, sometimes all you need are dry feet. >> that's right. >> that's one of the most important things you can have. >> these are cute and comfy. not only globally are they helping but they gave over 5,000 pairs to the hurricane victims here in the u.s. >> they have little ones for little ones. >> they start at $39. >> oh, my. >> very cute. >> they have to make seat belts for these. >> one of these years we'll get used to this. >> i love you pick eed heifer

places in third-world countries, fresh water, food. >> livestock. >> literally give a goat or a cow. >> i love you can give someone for the holidays a goat. if you want to hand them a gift, there are coffees, chocolates from ecuador, kwaut guatemala, help the farmers in the countries. they are delicious. >> they are. >> hold on! >> brace yourselves. >> that one was a little nicer. >> i figured out what you have to do. wear flat shoes and bend. >> kathie lee, this one, all charities are great, but i love that this was a local charity. >> yes, yes. >> so thistle farms, tell us a little bit. >> i don't know that much about them, but i know they're located in nashville. they do great work with trafficking. >> that's right. any woman who has been a victim of trafficking, addiction, poverty in nashville, tennessee. any time you purchase a product which, honestly, you'd want to purchase on their own. >> smell

>> super deluxe. they employ and empower women. they've helped this year about 50 women, which compared to some of the other stats might not sound like a lot, but what's cool about the charity is they're starting right in their own town. >> huge needs everywhere. >> exactly. we love thistle farms. the stuff is actually amazing. >> it is awesome. >> this is the way i feel after our lunches together. >> what happens there stays there. >> nevermind. >> megyn, you picked st. jude. we love these paperweights. >> i love animals, first of all. i love anything that celebrates animals and reminds us of our connection to them. i feel like during the holidays in particular, some people feel lonely, missing love in their life. go to a local shelter, get yourself a cat or dog, you feel better connected. these do that while giving back to st. jude. 50% of the purchase price. so many of the charities don't give enough of what you pay to the actual charity. this one does.

>> out of here. >> done. >> carson. >> carson is losing the spatulas over here. >> biggest, crazy, lazy susan i've ever been on. >> these are from william sonoma. benefit no kid hungry. >> i can't get beyond the idea that kids are hungry in the country. these are fun. spatulas at william and sonoma. designed by celebrities. jimmy kimmel and chrissy teigen. they're $12 or $13. >> 30% goes back. this is designed by kristen bell, celebrity chefs. >> with the kids, it is great, too. i'm designing my own for the fall. i'm excited. >> wonderful. >> hey now. >> that is the least subtle wrap ever. >> we all got whiplash. >> my charity pick is the pea

it is the first non-profit charity that earned the good housekeeping humanitarian seal. you know you can trust it. it is an international charity that gives back to education globally, helps communities with food, water and education. the bracelets, you can track their impact and see exactly where your money is going. >> cool. >> we love you guys. thank you so much for doing this. >> thank you. >> pleasure. thank you. >> great job. >> delicious. for more ideas and presents with a purpose, go to today.com. a new movie that has john cena and kate mckinnon teaming up. we'll talk to them. >> awesome. >> first, this is "today" on nbc. >> hold on. >> one more

running a small business is demanding. and that's why small business owners need more. like internet that's up to the challenge. the gig-speed network from comcast business gives you more. with speeds up to 20 times faster than the average. that means powering more devices, more video conferencing, and more downloads in seconds, not minutes. get fast internet and add phone and tv for only $24.90 more per month. comcast is building america's largest gig-speed network to give small businesses more. call 1-800-501-6000 today. we're back. it's 8:42. what do you get when you cross "snl" with wwe? this dynamic duo here. kate mckinnon and john cena. they're lending their voiceso

"ferdinand," based on a child's story. a big bull with a big heart who is not fit for the fighting ring, though some friends try to nv coince him otherwise. >> you want my help? >> that'd be amazing. >> i've been waiting for this moment my whole flea-bitten, tin-chewing life, mister. my true destiny is to be a coach. >> okay. >> look at those pecks. like two little baby bulls inside of a bull. moving on down the flank. flank looks good. a plus on the flank. >> kate and john, good morning to you. >> morning. >> good morning to you. >> thank you for telling me i had sea salt caramel in my teeth. >> it is best to tell. >> yes. >> always good to tell. ferdinand, i read it 200 times and that was just last night. it is such a classic. were you guys fans of the book? >> i knew of the book. amazingly, i didn't read

approached to do the movie. it's been in "the blindside," sandra bullock had a whole thing about "ferdinand." >> could be an intimidation factor because it is this beloved thing. you had to repress it. >> for me, i would say it was my number one favorite. >> it was when you were a kid? >> i loved the message so much. i felt like i related to the bull so much. so, yes, to take that on and to try to convey that message as powerfully as the movie does, yeah, it was a challenge. i mean, all right. >> look who you have here. >> it was fun. >> seriously. this is your first leading man bull role. >> leading man who is a bull. >> what did you do to get into character? >> they wanted -- >> i want to ask these actory questions. >> i wish i could give an actory answer. we went into thou

animated and imaginative. to see they get excited about, oh, we have the voice. goofy and crazy. they make a movie out of it. >> kate, your character isn't in the book because, for those of us who love the book, it doesn't have the most exciting plot. he just wants to sit by the cork tree and smell flowers. >> right. >> but you are a comfort goat. >> yes. >> what is that? >> a calming goat is an actual thing on a farm, where they will stick a goat in to calm down the larger livestock. but this particular calming goat wants to be a coach because she has too much energy to be an effective calming goat, which i related to, as well. >> why is it, kate, that everything you say is like the most hilarious thing i've ever heard? you can be like, good morning, and i'll be like, stop it. just the talent you have. >> savannah, it might just be you. >> it might be. >> i don't know. >> me and your h

you're the longest-serving female cast member with "snl." >> me and cecily strong, senior women. it is insane to me. i've never done anything in my life for six years. to have stayed at this job i love so much has just been the wildest ride i could ever imagine. it continues to be week after week. >> i know. the news is definitely helping you. i mean, do you seek out these impressions, or does lauren or some overlord over at "snl," they're like, you're jeff sessions this week. you're going to be this person. >> i scour. i scour. anyone that strikes my fancy, yeah. i watch a lot of youtube videos. i see what i can drum up for myself. >> see who you connect with. >> yeah. >> john, you got a lot going on in your life. >> what? >> i heard you're wedding planning. >> oh, yeah, that. yeah. >> shut up. what? >> yeah, right? >> you didn't know that? >> it's great, yeah. that's going on. >> i missed it

>> we haven't missed it yet. we're planning. >> this happened with 75,000 people watching. >> wwe proposal. >> so sweet. will you have a wwe wedding? >> i don't know. the proposal was nice. we'll quit while we're up. >> nice to have both of you. "ferdinand" is adorable. people will love it. >> i think everyone will. >> comes out friday, december 15th. john is back in our fourth hour, co-hosting with kathie lee and hoda. one of music's hottest act, why don't we, is here for a live performance. tou look a

well it's a perfect nespresso hold on a second.orge. mmm. ♪ [mel torme sings "comin' home baby"] hey there. want a lift? ♪ where are we going? no don't tell me. let me guess. ♪ have a nice ride. ♪ how far would you go for coffee that's a cup above?

nespresso. what else? see holiday tradition in a whole new light. join in the joy of christmas town at busch gardens. with over 8 million twinkling lights. more than anywhere else in america. enjoy coasters and thrills. and celebrate with holiday shopping and shows. bring your family to busch gardens and you would even say it glows. christmas town. where christmas shines brightest. >> announcer: the citi concert series on "today" is proudly presented to you by citi. >> all right. daniel, corbin, jonah and jack came together last year to form the group, why don't we. today they're here.

breakout stories. released five eps. they're headed on tour next year. i believe it is mostly sold out. they're here to perform an acoustic version of their latest hit "these girls." good morning. congratulations. it's been over a year. you've had so much success. what has it felt like? >> surreal, man. the fans have been amazing. we've been making music and having fun. it is a dream, you know. >> one of the cool things if you're in a pop act right now is this jingle ball tour. major market radio stations. every week, here in new york -- >> like every day. >> you've been playing some of those already? >> yeah, we've been on the whole tour so far. >> it's been amazing. i've actually had a tradition of going with my sister every year up until this year. to be on it -- >> what is it like, to be on it? >> surreal. insane. we were in my hometown the other night and it was crazy to look up at 20,000 people, you know? >> what is the vibe like backstage? you have taylor swift, ed

>> we can't talk about backstage. it's a secret. >> secret, right. >> it's crazy. people are just chilling out. >> we met charlie puth last night. he's a cool guy. >> what's next after the jingle ba ball tour? >> we have a headlining tour starting in february. we also have our first full-length album coming out early 2017. >> '18. >> it is 2017. 2018. my bad. >> wow. >> with "these girls," take it away. ♪ i've been all through the country, from l.a. to kentucky ♪ ♪ met a good girl in houston, but she knows that there are bad girls in paris ♪ ♪ no, they wanna get married ♪ some beautiful ones in tokyo ♪ some go to college, some go to model, some digging for the gold ♪ ♪ some flying solo, some gonna stay at home ♪ ♪ oh, i want them up, these

to mama, these girls ♪ ♪ the ones who love all of the drama, these girls ♪ ♪ i swear there's way too many, try to fall for one but i can't help it, i just wanna love all ♪ ♪ these girls ♪ ♪ the independent ones with money, these girls, the crazy ones that love to party ♪ ♪ i swear there's way too many, trying to fall for one ♪ ♪ but i can't help it, just wanna love all ♪ ♪ hollywood girl, try to be like rihanna ♪ ♪ i can't choose one, i just gotta be honest ♪ ♪ i don't know how to decide ♪ too many girls on my mind ♪ too many girls, all be fine ♪ oh, i want them all, the ones that you bring home to mama ♪ ♪ the ones who love all of the drama ♪ ♪ i swear there's way too many trying to fall for one but i can't help it ♪ ♪ i just wanna love ♪ i said i

girls ♪ ♪ the independent ones with money ♪ ♪ these girls ♪ the crazy ones that love to party, these girls ♪ ♪ i swear there's way too many, trying to fall for one ♪ ♪ but i can't help it, i just wanna love all ♪ >> thank you, guys. >> give it up. that is why don't we. record coming out top of the year, 2018. thank you, fellas, very much. safe travels. we're back in a minute. first, this is "today" right here on nbc. thank you.

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how's it going down there? that's good. lica misses you. i'm over it though. (laughter) that's fine. i miss her more than you anyway. ♪ ♪ hey, my window is closing. yeah that's okay. alright miles. i love you. (phone hangs up) ♪ ♪ yeah i love you too. ♪ ♪ another big thank you to why don't we. can we get another, these girls? >> hoda is one of the crazy girls at the party. >> oh, a little. >> these girls, yes. >> these girls. are you talking about us? >> can't

co-host with kath and me at 10:00. much more, too. >> megyn kelly is next after your local i'm lawrence. we're coming up on 8:57. hope thursday morning is off to a great start. let's get a check on the morning commut with melissa. >> good morning. taking look right now at bw parkwa at 197. a reported there. southb new hampshire before still have that crash blocking a lane. west bound georgetown pike at spring

altern around a broken down vehicl beltwa looking pretty normal. >> all right. roads. we'll get a check on

a cold start to your thursday. we still have the 30s on the map for manassas and lorton. in district, we're now 44 degree 43 leesburg. 49 thi afternoon. colder tomorrow. 42. slight chance of maybe rain-snow shower and east the distri early saturday. look at sunday. we're going to be in the 30s for a high, chris. thank you. you can get the latest news and weathe any time on

this morning on "megyn kelly today," alec baldwin is here. he won an emmy for poking fun at the president. >> yes, it is real life. this is really happening. >> so what's next for the a-list actor? then people helping people. >> my aspiration is to make a real impact. >> meet the man who is walking across the country for a good cause. plus, our merry month of freebies. all aboard! the train of treats picks up speed as we celebrate a season of giving. all that or "megyn kelly today" right now. hello. hi. hey, everybody. hello up there. welcome to the show, everybody. i'm