cody beverly. eaking overnight. good morning. breaking overnight. miracle mine rescue. three people brought to safety after spending four days trapped in an abandoned coal mine in west virginia. >> it was terrible. >> this morning, what they are saying about their agonizing ordeal. pressure intensifies. president trump feeling the heat after hiss former lawyer sentenced to three years in prison. telling the judge he covered up for the president. >> mr. president, did michael cohen cover up your dirty deeds? >> so what's f next the president and the investigation? we are live at the wdlte house. >>y collision. a high-speed train slams into another train overnight and crashes into a busy station platform in turkey's capital.

at least nine people killed, 50 others hurt. crews racing to free passengers from the debris those stories, plus rare and revealing.ru first lady melmp speaking out in a new interview overnight. what she is saying about her chemistry with the >president. frightening crash. military jet goes down near a popular beach in hawaii setting off a scramble by tourists to save theno pilot. and reunited. ellen's speciale for a couple that accidentally dropped an engagement ring down a grate in time square. >> did you dropet sng? >> oh, my gosh can! today a bethursday, decr 13, 2018. >> announcer: from nbcs, new this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb live from

studio rockefeller plaza. >> welcome to today. thank youoi forng us on this thursday morning. it's not every day we get to lead with a news story, but today is the day. >>apo muchness and relief. >> the remarkable story that played out in west virginia overnight. flee people rescued from an abandoned mine where they were trapped deepnd uground since saturday. kevin tibbles is at the hospital in charleston. kevin, good morning. >> reporter: hi there. a night of celebration and relief in coal country as a very tired, dirty, and scared group was reunited with loved ones after being checked in a charleston hospital. [ applause ] >> reporter: overnight an emotionalon celebra. [ cheers and applause ] > reporter: the relieved families of the three remainings young peoplck in an abandoned west virginia coal mine reunited with l theired ones afterr f excruciating daysgr undernd.

>> it was terrible. >> reporter: codyeverly thankful his grandfather has forgiven him for what he says was bad decision to inter the mi the first place. >> i kicked him. >> reporter: erika treadway came out of the mine wh no shoes. >> my shoes were soaked and i couldn't get myee ft warm. >> reporter: aylor williams shouting back to her loved os as shes taken away for medical treatment. overwhelming gratefulness, especially for the rescuers who got them out safely. m>> thank t from the bottom of my heart. >> reporter: the mission to find them was a o harrowing. the fourth member of the group found his way out monday, telling police where to find the others. rescue teams navigated from both ends of the abandoned mine through a maze of tunnels. at timesorced to postpone the search due to a lack of oxygen. >> we didn't quit and we found. th >> reporter: of course,

questions and an investigation remain as to why the four friends were down there in the first place. >> did you ever give up hope? >> epno. >> rorter: but for now these families jad oust gte the holidays. >> we appreciatvery one of you guys. everybody. >> anybody involved in searching for us, i want to thank you from everything inside of me. this is the biggest lesson i ever learned in my life. this is a life changing experience for me. >> definitely. >> reporter: an investigation is now pending as to why the group was in themine. it is illegal to enter closed mines. some family members hav suggested they were down there trying to find copper wire that they could sell on. savannah, hoda, back to you. >> whatever reason they were down there, we are just happy they ar th i love that. 's the biggest lesson i learned. >> tha well, this morning pressure is building on the president after the sentencing of his

former lawyer michael cohen. his former lawyer and fixer telling the jge he helped cover what cone callhen called president's, quote, dirty deeds. kristin, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. michael cohen's sentencing yet another milestone?th in the investigation virlg a swirling around the president th michael cohen is heading to prison and prosecutors' new plea deal could spell more trouble for the president this morning amid the dramatic downfall of his long-time fixer michael cohen, president tmp brushing aside questions about f hisormer lawyer's fate. >> reporter: mr. president, did michael cohen cover up your dirty rdeeds? orter: cohen sentenced to three years in prison for financial crimes, lying tore co about his contact with russians and campaign finance violations, including illegal hush-money payments to porn star

stormy daniels and former maymate karcdougal, designed to keep alleg affairs with president trump quiet. the president and his aides have denied the affairs. reaction from capitol hill swift and sharp. dianne feinstein saying these are serious criminal allegations and they demand further scrutinm congress. >> any time a former lawyer of yours goes to jail is not a good day. i have yet to see any evidence comingro f mr. cohen of collusion. >> reporter: cohen and federal prosecutors say he made the ilgal paymentst mr. trump's direction, appearing in feder court an emotional cone said, it was my own weaknes and blind loyalty to this man that led me to choose a path of darknes l overht, adding, i felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds rather than to listen o to my inner voice and moral compass. president trump has offered shifti explanations about the hush-money payment.

>> reporter: did you know about the $130,000 payment to stormy da >> no. >> reporter: months later, changing his story. >> did younow about the payments? >> later on, i knew. later on. >> reporter: this week the president downplayed the money as a simple private transaction, not a campaign contribution. but that has been undercut by another dramatic development. with federal prosecutors announcing they won't fil charges against david pecker, publisher of the "national enquirer" whose company wrote the $150,000 to karen mcdougal. prosecutors said they admitted theri pipal purpose was to prevent the woman's story. all this as v cohens to keep cooperating with federal osecutors in new york an special counsel robert mueller. >> kristin, the president did an interview whis weekre he said he wasn't concerned about impeachment. the people would volt if it happened.

you have some new reporting on morninopic this >> reporter: that's right. sources familiar with the president's conversations tell nbc news he has private told some friends and allies he is worried about the prospect ofim achment and fueling those concerns some republican lawmakers have signaled cracks in theirf wall support for mr. trump. for example, senator marco russian orubio said over the weekend no one is above the law. largely, republican lawmakers have shrugged off these latest twists and turns in the investigation. we reached out to the white house which declined to comment overnight. >> kristen welker, thank you ve w much. e are hearing from another key member of themp administration this morning. the first lady is speaking out in a rare and candid new interview. hallie jackson has this story. good morning. >> repter: hi, good morning to you. on board the usseorge h.w. bush melania trump talks to fox gnews's seanannity defending the president and taking on the

press. this morning the first lady opening up. i thi my husband, he is doing an incredible job. >> reporter: melania trump talking about her marriage and the media. >> what's the hardest thing you have to deal with? >> i would say the people who are using my name or my family naro to advance themselves, comedians to journalists t performers, book writers. >> does itt? h >> it doesn't hurt. the problem is they are writing the history and it's not correct. >> reporter: the rare interview, just her second extended sit-down since becoming first lady. >> is there a ment you realize this is real? >> it's incredible, especially when you think about it your life, where you were born, and all of the steps you took. i took a lot of steps. it's not just like you end up

here. you learn a lot on t way here. you need to have very thick skin. >> reporter: she is taking a stance against online bullying. critics say her be best campaign seems at odds with her husband's twitter tirade. >> i don't agree with his tone sometimes and i tellim that. as i said before, sometimes he listen. i say to him, you know, i don't think you need to say that. in the end, it's his decision. he kno the consequences. he is an adult. but he is a fighter. he is a fighter. >> reporter: the first lady sharing more about how she and her husband first met. >> we had a great chemistry when we metn 1998 and we start dating and, you know, we dated for g time before we got married. we got married, had a son. but we have a gmiat cry from the day one. >> what would you want america

to know about him behind the scenes that maybe they don't see or know? that maybe the media will never y about him? >> that he is fighting for america and american people every day. every day. he wants to govern the right way, and sometimes it's tough because we could see the media wants to bash and focus on negativity. >> mrs. trumputas asked a speculation, rumors about her marriage. she blasted the media for focusing on what she called goip and nonsense and said she would prefer if reporters focus on the by the way, during her visit yesterday to thank troops for their servicrs. trump hit a milestone. she gabecame the first first la ever to fly on an osprey aircraft. >> all right. thank you. craig joins us. breaking news? >> we do. good morning. a search for survivors underway after a high-speed train ctoshed

in pedestrian overpass at a station in turkey's capital. kelly cobiella has been following this. good morning. >> good morning to you. nine people are now confirmed dead in this. this high-speed train was supposed to staail through this station. es was five mnto its trip when it barreled into a maintenance train on the same track. the high-speed train a pile of mangledal this morning. a pedestrian bridge in pieces on top ofrs it. resculling bodies from the wreckage. they scrambled in the dark for hours trying to free passengers from the twisted train. more than 200 were on board. dozens were hurt. some able to walk away. but at least three are critically injured. dthe crash happene in the early morning hours at atation west of the capital. ankara's governor said the high-speed train hit another train inspecting the crash.

it jackknifed, landing on the train station platform, the bridge collapsing on top of it. it's onturkey's s major train accident this year. in july, ten were killed and more than 70 injured when ain passenger t derailed in the northwestern part of country. that csh blamed on torrential rain which caused part of the tracks to collapse. this morning it's not clear how hest these two trains were traveling or why twere on the same tracks. questions now for turkive igators. >> and confirmed among the dead this morning are three train engineers and six passengers. rescuers say they are confident no one else is trapped. guys. >> kelly koeb yeah f us in london. thank you. the manhunt intensifying for the suspected gunmannaer in th christmaket shooting in

france. >> reporter: good morning. the h toll in thiack went up this morning. five people remain in serious condition. police want to find the suspect before he carries out another atook or tries to go out in some blaze of glory. the manhunt across france intensified this morning to find the shooter who killed at least three shoppers at a christmas market in strasbourg before he attacks again. police aed the public for help and blasted out an apb to find this man, cherif chekatt, a career criminal, police say, a n 29-year-old in france. 27 convictions for theft and violence. radicalized to extremist islam, police say, while in prison. he hadeen on a terrorist watch list. ntizabeth was in the market. she almost ran the gunfire but changed direction at the last minute. >> if i stayed a second longer

or had done something differently, i could have been right there. >> reporter: how does that make eel that you were one step away or one place away from being in the wrong place at t wrong time? as i feel lucky and sad because, like, it someone's life. it was someone's vacation. it was srneone'sey here. >> reporter: police say they exchanged fire with chekatt, wounding him in the arm. he escaped by hijacking a taxi. the driver says he told him it was to avenge his brothers inri france is mourning this as yet another act of terrorism. moments of silence in government and the all too filiar display of national grief. the eiffel tower went black. the christmas market in strasbourg remains close as this city and this country search for a killer. several of chekatt's relatives

have been detained. back to you. >> richard engle in strasbourg. thank you. cool images frompa outer to show you. the first selfie taken by nasa's insight lander. the spacecraft landed on mar a last wee will spend the next two years probing the planet. of the red next up, nasa's parker solar roobe which made the closest ever ah to the sun. this image shows the sun's outer atmosphere known as the corona. that photo was snapped when the acecraft was 16.9 million miles from the star. >> i love that nas a is doing selfies. all right. al is here. we have a t coastcoast winter storm. , al, good morning. >> the good news is this is a warmer storm. however, we are seeing snow in netflix making its wayo int -- in new mexico and texas.

it is strengthening. wind and r in the southern plains. a strong storm risk for the south as we move into the gulf. friday that pushe into the southeast, into the northeast later in the dayaking for airport delays from atlanta to new york. and then this weekend it lingers along the coast. so we are looking at rain from raleigh to new york with a mixed bag of precipitation as you make your way into the interior northeast. impacts today, strong winds. 34 million people under some sort of wind advisory today with gusts over60iles per hour. we are also talking about severe weather. today from texas onnto louisiana, tomorrow into central and northern florida, can't rule out an isolated tornado or two. moisture from lanta and gulf combining from 2-4 inches of rain, isolated melting snow in the carolinas could increase the flood threat. your local forecast coming up in the next 30 second

>> good morning. i'm storm team4 meteorologist chuck bell. skies are partly to mostly cloudy overhead. y in the res are mos 30s in the suburbs. there are a few spots in the upper 20s across parts of northern virginia. your planner for today, the hi clouds morning will thin out a bit and we will end up with f enough sunshin afternoon highs in the mid-to-upper 40s. some places might get 50 degrees today. rain friday afternoon and friday night. rain and showers on saturday and showers lingering through most of your sunday. >> big change in the jet stream.

ls coming ve the det up coming up, new developments in the mysterioudathanksgiving adisappearance of a colorado mom. what her mother is revealing about their fal conversation. id and dramat. the scramble by tourists to save a pilot after this frightening military jet crash near a popular bch in hawaii. first, on tha thursday morning, ts is "today" on nbc.

just ead, the couple who dropped an engagement ring down a drainn times square gets a surprise from ellen. that's after your local news. wake up.

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pair with new retinol oil for 2x the wrinkle fighting power. neutrogena® this is news4 today news break. >> 7:26 is your time on thisth sday, december 13th, 2018. good morning to you. i'm eun yang unanimous. >> i'm aaron gilchrist. d.c. police are searching for m th who kidnapped a woman at gunpoint in pconce george's ty earlier this month. she was sexually assaulted before being forcedut. car in the district. the second suspect has been arrestedet today mro leaders are expected to vote on how late the metro system shouldta sy open. today's vote could t keep current hours through at least mid 2020. now let check on your commute with melissa molett and your first4 traffic. problems out there?mo >> good ing. we have had some issues out here this morning.

right now we are slowest on the beltway outer loop approaching georgia and inner loop approaching themerican legion bridge. silver spring, a new problem new hampshire at merrimack drive. had a crash yesterday at this time. same situation now. live look 66 west of suddenly, 66 jammed headed inbound right now. aaron. >> all right, thank you. >>tonight on news h4 at 5, an i-team investigation reveals thousands of local kidst-re being shanged. >> their school district is breaking rules and cutting back on required classes. scott mcfarland has that story tonight on news4 at 5. we will take a break now. your forecast is up next.

good morning. it's a mostly cloudy and seasonably cold start. most of the suburbs in the mid-30s this morning. afternoo highs today will be in the upper 40s with a little bit more sunshine. this morning's cloud deck will not last all day long, but no sunshinesafriday, rday, or sunday with rain chances near

100%. >> thankthyou. a local news update in about 25 minutes. >> now back to "the today show" after this short break. have a great day. but to the beginning. a fight that can only be won, if we stand together for one cause. him. expert care for every new beginning.

you did you drop something? >> yes. o, my gosh! >>h! >> back at 7:30. ellen had a great surprise for a newly engaged couple. she reunited them with a ring they accidentally dropped in a grate in times square. >> we will have tha story. >> one for the ages. we will get to that in a moment. let's start with a check of today's headlines. in west virginia three peoplein mi since last weekend were found alive overnight inside an abandoned coal mine. families are reunited with the ved ones after four

excruciating days underground. they happened to be alive and rescuers pulled them out. >> what was it like in there? >> terrible. >> a fourth member of the group was able to find his way out monday, telling police where to find the others. there are still ques this morning as to why the four friends were down there in the first pleae. at nine people were killed, dozens more injured in a high-speed train crash in turkey. the train hit aaintenance engine on the same track and crashed into a pedestrian overpass. it was at a station west of turkey's capital. parts of the overonss collapsed o the train. rescuers scrambled for hours to free passengers. 200 people were on board. the cause of the crash is now under investigation in bizarre bust at jfk airport. they stopped a passenger and discovered they were smuggling 70 live bis hidden in hair rollers in a buffaagduffle

the passenger had just arrived from south america where the finchs were confiscated and turned over to the u.s. department of agriculture. in the meantime, the mother of that woman in colorado who vanished on thanksgiving day is speaking out in a new interview. xplice areding the search for her daughter. joe fryer has the latest. joe, good morning. >> reporter: savann, good morning. today marks three weeks sin kelse kelsey berreth disappeared. shvanished on thanksgivin now her fiance's attorney is speaking out. her mom says her main focus is spreading the word about her daughter. know somebody knows br she is at. somebody has seen her. more information out there. somebody just needs to recognize and say something. >> reporter: has she ever disappearedefore? >> no. no. i can't think of anywhere she

has ever gone that she hasn't told me. it's not in her character to take off and be gone. >> reporter: thanksgivg is t last known time kelsey berreth was seen in public. it was at this safeway store where she was captured by the store's security cameras. cheryl berreth spoke with kelse phone that day twice. what did you talk about that y? >> just small things. initially, she needed a recipe. >> reporter: based on that conversation, there was nothing to make b youieve there was anything wrong? >> exactly. yeah. her voice was fine. she was, yeah, it was a normal day for her. >> reporter: kelsey's fiance patrick frazee told police he east saw her thanksgiving afternoon when picked up their daughter. kelsey was not reported missing ntil ten days later by her mother >> patrick has done everything asked for by law enforcement. >> reporte jeremy lowe, patrick frazee's attorney, says his client has bn interviewed by law enforcement, voluntarily released his phone to be seched by investigators a

provided photographs along with cheek swabs for dna. police say he is coo i have no he is a suspect and the poli have not isolated him as a suspect in this case. >> reporter: frazee and berreth do not live together, but m berrother says their bond is strong. >>heir relationship has been good. they are loving. >> reporter: she remains hopeful her daughter will be found. >> the speculation hasn't been helpful. don't try to figure this out. we have people trying to do that. just share the >>photo. eporter: at this point police say the case remains a missing persons investigation. >> in the back of my mind, sure, there is a possibility something else could have happened, but it doese no good to go down that road. and i don't think it does kelsey any good either. >>ow. at the news conference on monday, her family was there, but kelsey's fiance w not. did his attorney say why that was the case? >> reporter: yeah, frazee's attorney says his client only had an hour's notice, otherwise

he woue been present. he says he is advising his client not tout speak publicly right now because he doesn't want to taint any investigations back to you guys. >> all right. zwroe, thank you. that scary scene off the waters of hawaii. a militaryra jeting near a popular beach during an exercise for hawaii's national guard. migu miguel almaguer has details on that. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. faa officials don't know why that military jet went down. the pilot, who isil cn contractor, is suffering from traumatic injuries aftere ejected before his plane hit the water. the frightening scene unfolding in front of tourists who had thasr cam rolling. this is the momen the military jet came crashing down. another angle captures the violent impact in the waters off oahu. >> there is aircraft in the water. >> we heard this,oud bo and then we saw the pilot eject from

the plane. and then we see his parachute comeout, and then the plane went straight into the water. >> r orter: stunned witnesses could see the pilot in the water. a fishing boat circling the wreckage, calling out to see if the pilot was still alive. >>o you need help? >> when i got in the water, was like, are you okay? he is like, yeah, my back hurts. he had a little bit of blood. it might have been the impact. he was going pretty fast. >> reporter: a civilian contractor for hawaii's national guard was behind the controls of a single-seat hawker hunt jet like this one. the 47-year-old was seriously injured when he crashed just after takeoff. witnesses say the plane went down quickly. the pilot had been partici ating military exercise called century aloha seen here last year. the pilot was initially rescued by a civilian sailboat. the coast guard arriving just minutes later. a death-defying splash landing

in the middle o paradise. >> miguel, any idea how it's going to take authorities to figure out why this crash happed? do we know how they nightto abou doing that. >> it's likely going toe months. to the l have to speak pilot and pull the wreckage out of the water. they will comb through to see if there are any clues as to why this plane went down. >> thank you. let's take a turn. we got the weather and paying old coast to coast map over there? >> that's right. we also have the jet stream upo to the. >> oh, jet stream, yes. >> jet stream, that's right. that's good news because that keeps the cold air up to the north. so we will have warmer weather in the south from thelains. billings five degrees above normal, minneapolis at 30, uston at 71. that's seven degrees above average on friday. d.c. near 50 degrees. nashville six degrees above average. eicago you are going toice

and warm at 42. in billings 50 degrees. that's 11 degrees warmer than you are used to. in the weekend warm air plains into philadelphia with a high on saturday 53. charlotte will see 59. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. good morning. al is correct. temperatures will be milder into the weekend, but there will be zble sunshine on saturday or sunday. a mostly cloudy cloudy thursday morning, temperatures in the 30s in the suburbs to around 40 degrees downtown. a cool day to be outside todayo with sunshine later this morning and into the early parts of the afternoon. today's high temperature about 48 5 degrees. ne tomorrow. ow 50s on saturday with a 100% chance for rain, and showers lingering through your sunday as well. >> and that's yaour latest weather.bo >> it's all the tone! >> thank you. ahead, jerry sign fie speaks out about the state of comedy amid that kevin hart

oscars debacle. and what john mellancamp had to say to hry smith about his own pop song. jennifer lopez has turned heads at the premier of his vie. ellen's big surprise for the couple who had the c entirey of new york searching for their lost engagement ring right after th.

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we have been talking about. they lost their engagement ring in times square. >> can you imagine seeing your ring, good-bye. here is the deal.lo there was a gbal search for that couple who not only lost the ring shortly aer they got engaged but didn't file a police report. they tracked down the couple. we are happy to say he was able to put a ringn again thanks to our pal ellen. >> it's a heart-wrenching viral video seen by millions around the world. a bride-to-be's brand new eng e engagement rg slipping down a new york city grate. they went home to the u.k. emy-handed,ssuming it was gone for good. but the nypd didn't give up and found the dropped diamond in a messy sewer. >> fortunately, it was sitting up on top of that stuff. so it really wasn'td h find. >> reporter: with the help of social media users around the globe and this clever tweet, wantedor dropping his fiance's

ring in times square, they were able to track them down and share the good ns. well, fast forward and the happy couple was invited to share their story on "ellen." w >> we weking back from a show and went to grab -- >> i was in amazement. >> looked at the ring and, yeah. >>yo sdid it? you knocked it off? >> yeah, it was my fault. >> reporter: the feelings still fresh. >> it was a nightm fe. >> yeahm joy and happiness to absolute devastation. >> reporter: but ellen had a n surprisestore. >> amazing. and where is the ring now? >> still with the new york police department. >> that's right. it's still there. come on out. ♪ >> reporter: reuniting the couple with tho officers found the ring. >> did you drop something? >> yes. >> oh, my gosh! >> reporter: before john made it official again. >> will you be my wife?

>> yes! >> reporter: and like ellen, the police officers had jokes. >> $8 goes a long way these days i got some ring adjustors for you. please don't drop>> it again. yes, thank you. >>. >> reporter: a storybooknding th quite a nice ring to it. >> good stuff. they plan on tying the kno in the summer of 2020. that entire interview airs later today on "ellen." not bad. you think it's a wrap. happy>> ending here. hanks to ellen as usl. >> to t rescue. >> and the nypd. coming up, will kevin hart's oscars hosting controversy force comedy stars like jerry seinfeld, sarah ilsilverman, to make them change their material? they will talk about these issues r we'll talk about it rig this. hurry in to old navy and get up to

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just ahead, we have got more of our holiday gift guide. you know, there are only 12 days left until christmas. so we have a got good gift idea book. savannah is going to talk to a somehors about the best books to give. and then john mellancamp, harry smith goes one on one with him tohi talk abouhit song, his new album and the love of his life, man they are engaged. first, your local news and weather. a bowl of hammers at every meal ♪ ♪ he holds your house in the palm of his hand ♪ ♪ he's yourome and auto man ♪ big jim, he's got you covered ♪ ♪ great big jim, there ain't no other ♪ , -so, this is coverght? -yes, ma'am. take care of it for you righnow. giddyup!

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this is a news4 today news break. >> 7:56 cyber 7:56 is your time. i'm eun yang. we want to check on your mut commute with melissa molett and your first4 traffic. >> take a look at this. northbound 95 at dale city very slowi ow because of a ve cleanup ther try to get that out of the way. southbou 28 center of the roadblocked. bobsleigh looking typical. we will take a break w. we will check your forecast when we come back. stay wit. >> announcer: news4 today on nbc4 is brought to you by next day blinds. bring us your husbano thinks he's a celebrity chef. get him something stain-less and pain-less. bring us your sister who's always asking "can you hold this... and this?" you're both welcome. and bring us your daughter, the daredevil.

a bike. she'll love it. and bring us your parents, who are super competitive... ...oh boy... game on. find the perfect gifts for everyone. for way less than you'd expect. we've got ideas, and great prices. tj maxx, marshalls and homegoods.

good morning. skies are partly to mostly cloudy. you are lookingowrom the camera looking westbound towards tysons corner and skies are clearing out a bit. increasing amounts of sunshine th next couple of hours. temperatures are still in the chilly 30s to around 40 now. afternoon highs up close to 50 degrees today. enjoy the sunshine while you cat see today because it will be all cloud cover the next three days. >> yikes. all right, chuck lk you. for now,

it's>:00 on coming up, miracle in the mine. three people trappedha inside west virginia coal mine rescued overnight. >> we appreciate every one of you guys. all of you. everybody. >> a look at how they got out and what they are saying after spending four days underground. plus, no laughingmatter. jerry seinfeld speaks out about the state of comedy today after the oscars hosting. controver >> here is the new rule. we are cutting this out. okay. i will get around that. >> how comedians are changing their routines and pulling their punch lines. plus, a morning full of music. we will catch up with john mellancamp about his brand new album and what he really thinks about his top hit. >> if you looky at songs that were hits, and i had a lot of

them, they really weren't that good as far as songs go. country superstar brett eldredge here to perform a christmas classic that will get you in the holiday spirit. mbtoday is thursday, deceer 13, 2018. ♪ i'm stuck on you ♪ >> our families in texas, woo!us > i graduated from college! >> from iowa. medicust graduated combat training. >> woo! ♪ >> here celebrating her birthday. >> and seven year canceee. >> from rochester minnesota. >> from southampton. >> east mpton. >> w are the golden girls, yay! >> oh, my gosh. s2 days of christmas. our crowd i pumped up and so are we. welcome back. us ppreciate you being with on this thursday morning. we will get our coats on and

hats on and go out. >> a festive cheer out there. starting with good let's get to your news. we have a lot going on. three people trapped in a coal mine since last weekend have been reunited with their families thanks to rescuers who refused to givam. kevin tibbles is in charleston with this story. >> reporter: i am outside the hospital where the trio was brought last night afterwe they re brought out of that mine. whitesville, which is the town whe the mine was, tremendous celebration and, of course, relief, especially from the family members. these kids who were down there, the rescue crew had to go in some 4,000 feet just tolo start ing for them. they were very tired. dirty you xtremely could tell that they were very scared and thanking their lucky stars that they were rescued out of that mine last night. i spoke to one of them, and i just simply said, what i wast likee? down ther

he looked alt me at me and said terrible, he started to cry and asked for his mother at that time. but just to windt up,e talked to the governor as well who islso expressing his relief and saying that perhaps this event could be seen as this little town's christmas miracle this year. >> you're right, kevin. thank you. a prison sentence and an immunity deal are turning up the heat on the president this morning. nb white house corresponde kristen welker has the latest on all of these developments. kristin, good morning to you. >> reporter: savannah, good morning to you. michael cohen's sentencing is yet another milestone in then investigatwirling around the president and his inner circle. on wednesday, president trump ignored shouted questions about his forme fixer and personal attorney. cohen was sentenced to three years in f priso financial crimes, lying to congress, and campaign finance violations, including illegal hush-money payments to stormy daniels and karen mcdougal designed to keep alleged affairs with mr. trump quiet.

the president and his aides have denied those affairs. this week the president downplayed the money as apr sime ate transaction, not a campaign contribution. now another dramatic development. with federal prosecutors announcing they won't file chargesgainst david pecker, whose company ami made the payment to karen mcdougal. as pressure mounts on the en pres some top democrats are demanding further scrutiny from congress. >> thank you. lower l, gas prices are than they have been all year, but some drivers, they got the deal of aifime this week. the price fell to just two cents a gallon for an hour at a number of circle k allegations around the country. the -- allegatio gas stations a country. the drivers filled up their tanksor as little as 30 cents. >> wow. one station say it was happy for customers w. of course, one of the great things about-t t-toe is how

easy the rules are. things got a little complicated during a halftime promotion a an indiana pacers game last night. the contestants take the corners. then the purple player goes for the block instead of the win. now, heets another chance, but then he went for the block again. finally, purple finds the correct square, but it was too late because red beat him to the punch and got the victory because he was the first to finish. >> that was a sad d of tic-tac-toe. >> it was so big, you couldn't get the lay of the land. all right. no to the boost. a young boy who volunteers at his local humane socirey ntly lost his own cat. his mom and santa claus had a surprise waiting for him during a holiday photo shoot. >> ready? one, two, three. >> beautiful little kitty named gizzard was o posing santa's lap. aftephoto, santa said that cat would be going home with him rr keeps.

thection had everybody in tears. what was't believe happening right there. >> sometimes i am almost mad at yohe boosts because they are so sweet and they make my heart hurt. coming up, a live performae from brett eldredge. first, jerry seinfeld on how comedy has not changed amid kevin hart's oscars controversy. thattory right a ay i want to sell my car, but i'm kinda "ehhhhhhhhhhhh" about buying one. you're "ehhhhhhhhhhhh?" well, it's more like a "mnaaaaahhhhhaa-ooofff." hmmmmmm. not "hmmmmmm," it's like a, "mneeeeehhhhh?" are you sure it's not "phfoooooof?" yeah, it's like a cross between "phfoooooof" and "agagagagaguh." ohhhhhh... well, i've got good news, carmax will buy your car even if you don't buy one from them. ahhh-haaaaaa. mmmmm-hmmm. hoohooo. hoo-hoho. haaaa. hey hey! weeeooo-weeeoooo. okay, okay, okay, okay. where ya goin'? no no, yeah. i thought we were making noises. heartburn and gas? ♪ fight both fast

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♪ this morn "today's talker" drienchtsd kevin hart stepped dn as the oscars host after some offensive tweets. now some critics are asking if our culture has become too intolerant when it comes to humor. look here is here. nbc's harry smith.

>> the first thing you thinke o? >> is here until thursday. >> don't forget to tip your waitress, everybone. this is much those things, as the culture continues to change and as we go through evolutions, one of the things that kept coming to my md was that let he who hath not sinned cast the first stone. >> reporter: we have been wondering, when it comes to oscars, how exactly is the atute or, shall we say, statue of limitations applied? >> kev hart had to step down as host of the upcoming academy awards because of hophobi tweerom 11. doesn't themy acade nominate mel gibson for an award last year? >> reporter: yes, they did. he spent years in show business purgatory because of an anti-semitic dt.nken r when does hollywood or ourcu ure determine a sin is forgiven. what is a sin? here is willie gui with jerry

seinfeld. >> when i started out there were dirty comedians. go back to -- well, if you want to get on "the tonight show" or get on tv, you can't use any of those words. all tho words are out. and a lot of us went, okay. i still want to play. i'll play. oh, here is a new rule. we are cutting this okay. i'll get around that. that's our thing. >> reporter: lenny bruce was arrested in the early 1960s and convicted of ung obscenities. george carlin figured out how to make it into a joke. >> you might be the lady from the san diego zoo visiting a ht show" and you might have a canine. female. you say there is the -- just don't refer to theinger the same way. >> reporter: comedians are forever testing boundaries. joan rivers did it nightly. >> bugs buy saw my rear end and said, now i know what's not ontock. oh, >> reporter: the line between cutting edge and bad taste is so

fine, it can draw blood. >> do something about your dad's immigration practices you [ bleep ]. na digital age, nothing is iva disposed of and nothing is forgotten. enhanced by social media, judgment is quick and the echob chamr is loud. nuance and r goodwill aree visitors. here is willie again with sarah silverman. >> it'scary to speak out when you know there are people actuallyrganizing toake you down through your own comedy. comedians explore the darkest places of humanity, and if you -- couple that with theth ft comedy is not evergreen. it's art. it changes with the times. >> who is old enough tore

mber? hello there. and just , this amazing ierview with willie and jerry seinfeld on this coming sunday. double segment. like reallyea you a lot about evolution, about him and how he has approached all of this. it seemed like he was -- i think what i heard him say is h th and comedians know how to adjust and still be fny within whatever the rules are? >> he always has worked clean, right. but his whole thing is, as the culture changes, he says it's like lindsey vonn and the gates. they change the gates. >> but we seem to be so inconsistent with regards to how weecide aho we decide to forgive. >> how the law is applied. >> yes. >> yeah. >> that was a great story. >> thank you. >> great c>versation. we'll be back next half hour. >> all right. >> d you are staying, harry. you are with us. >> first up as breaking t morning, the rock and roll hall of fame has announced who the

2019 inductees will be. the cure, def leppard, janet jackson, radiohead, roxy music, the zombies, clearly savannah proves. >> ido. >> and stevie nicks. >> that's good. >> big names there. the 34th annual rock and roll hall of fame induction is march 29 in brooklyn, new york, and will air on hbo later in the spring. last night was the preer jennifer lopez's new move "second act." she arrived with her boyfriend looking, oh, look at that dress, pretty in pink. her dress was breathtaking and a show stopper for sure. you were there, hoda? amazing.ess was the movie was outstanding t. my favorite part when she was walking down the aisleith the dress, she flipped over leah remini, who is her best friend. they are such girlfriends. i love that. movie is a lot of fs you know, i like one of those

great j.lo moments. >> wasn't j.lo right in front of you? >> isnt wild? >> it is. >> and where was the rest of her dress sitting? on you? >> on the side. >> if you want to see it, "second act" hits theaters december 21. will ferrell and john c. reilly together again. last night on jimmy kimmel they got emotional about listen. >> it's good toeu be back together. it's been pretty emotional. >> we got to have -- just a lot of emotion. i just want to te a break or something. >> we'll work through it. >> we'll sing through it. ♪ never leave your side ♪ me minus you is such a lovely ride ♪up ♪ the bree had has made me lonesome inside ♪ ♪ i realize i want you to, i

rnt you back hey hey ♪ ♪nited and it feels so od ♪ ♪te reu because it's understood ♪ >> their movie hits theaters -- >> tell us about it, harry. >> it's laugh out loudunny. totallres aaz.il ly topping musanical ndumber i the middle of the movie. >> that's a tease. >> good stuff. >> so today a 4-year-old, anjustice. shed to play with her younger sister journey. she moved a chair close journey's crib and coached her through the great eape. >> okay, put your other leg here. >> so cute. >> i gou you.

okay. how you can come play the hide-and-seek with me, okay? >> i love it! the true meaning of teamwork. the baby caughmonitor caught th entire mission on camera. >> that's a good one. >> thank you, sheinelle. al. >> let's see what we got for you. wet weatherow that coast-to-coast storm pushing to the east. winter storm advisories in the middle of texas. this pushes to the east with in and storms in the midwest and south. a wintry mix in central texas. heavy rain across the. southea northeast rain by friday. showers lingering on the coast. not a great weekend in he mid-atlantic and the northeast. rainfall amounts anywhere from two to three inches. isol-ied foh amounts. it has been a wet year. d.c. is on ac the second wettest year on record.

wilmington the numberne wettest year. dallas, texas, with 52 inches. top five on record. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. in all likelihood we will have number one wettest year t here befors weekend is done. near likely half-inch to inch of rain friday,ay satu lingering into sunday. thursday off to a partly to mostlyloudy start this morning. these clouds move out and allow a little bit of sunshine coming in later on the day. afternoon highs today mostly in the upper 40s to near tomorrow's forecast though near 50 degrees, but rain likely tomorrow afternoon and evening, and rain likely both days this weekend. >> if you are heading o the door take us with you. go to today's sirius xm channel sa108. nnah. our special series encouraging you to read more today. if you are looking for a perfect holiday present may we suggest a good book?

here with our favorites isaac fitzgerald. lisa lucas of the national book undation. "new york times" beth selling author anna todd. good morning, everybody. you want to write down these recommendations. b your favoriteooks of the year, what you would recommend over every other book. >>nn ameri marriage. it is such an incredible book. this is an examination oflo , an examination of race, an examination of how this count incarcerates back men. most importantly, an examination of marriage and what we 0-1 another. it is such an incredible book, aracter driven. it's a love letter to atlanta. let me tell you.hi and i want to be a gift. america, don't listen to me. it waso a oprah's book club pick. >> it's isaac's book club,. t what about you, lisa? so rachel kushner is one of

my favorite authors. incaeration, which is not the most festive of ideas, but something that is really, really important right n. the mars room is her third novel. or fourth. it's a wonderfully beautifully written novel about thewomen's correctional facility in california and a woman's journey and being a mothert.nd paren i think it's important to -- at one, read g books. also, read books that do the work of kind of framing and contexttualizing the world we live i it's a great read. it's also a book that does the work of kind of putting intoco ext the world that we live in. >> okay. sounds good. the mars room. >> marroom. >> how about you? >> providence by caroline kepnes. she talks incredibly about human nature. this book is a little bit different, but it's a sortf a sci-fi romance-ish.

i feel like it's more about human nature than anything, but there happens to be romance and a kidpping and then those kind of curses happening. but it's alsore human na >> okay. i don't know if we have done this category beflee. coffee t books, which i think make a great hostess present. >> my favorite was portraits by a photograph, bay owe wolf sheehan. he has taken so mtsy portr of all of your favorite writers and writers you have yet to discover. not only is this a beautiful book or readers or writers, but a great gift. he has this vast away of whray what the literary landscape looks like. he has taken your photo, right? >> wow. >> it benefits the national foundation's youth program.

that is wonderful. >> lisa, i don't knowwi if you top that. >> so i went art. there is a beautiful new monograph of the artist henry taylor that i wouldn't have known about if not for some writers that i love. so rachel who won a pulitzer prize wrote an an essay for vulture and another for "the new yorker" about his work. a multimedia artist but largely a portrait artist. it's abeautiful, beautiful, beautiful book. striking orange and gorgeous and big, fat. it contexttualizes the work sole. you know more about the artist. i am not an art person so i'm like tel me more about what this is and why it is. it's largely portraits of black life in america but also thinking about socioeconomics and people and how barutiful they >> sometimes a coffee table book is an acceptable way to get into things you are interested in. how about you? >> i can't either of those. my is the homebody by joanna

gaines. i am new into this. we were talking about this. i am more of a fiction reader. but it made me want to redo my entire house. it was good for gifts inside. i am like i am going to buy that for this person. hes,reien-ndfrla my or fantasize that my house looks like theirs. we have kids a teens. isaac, you have hey kiddo? >> hey kiddo by jarrett j.krosoczka. being a kid is toughs,someti right? it is a very incredible heartwarming book about survival. he is raised by hisndparents racause his mother was an addict inn. it's a graphic memoir. it's illustrated throughout. if you want a gift for a kid who maybe feels a little lonelis bu ooking for a place -- >> what age group? >> i am 1 talking like ov 12 to teens. a gift for a child feeling

lonely but needs a piece of art akthat will them feel less alone. it's an incredible, incredible book. >> lisa? >> i'm obsessed with julian the mermd. it's a gorgeous, beautiful book falls in love with mermaids and wants toress like mermaid and his abuela isul beaut loving. you know, betting heart of a book that's really jt -- it stole my heart. >> sounds good. anna, your last butstot l >> mine, thisaiti f ior alls th. it's queen of air and darkness by cassandra claire. it has action. i wouldit say ae older teen though. and this book specifically is really paralleling what's going on in the administration right now and the i country ands very -- i think it's a good way aboutople to read political things without knowing they are doing it. i think it's really good for teenagers.

it's just fantastic. love, action, political. it's really great. >> you guys get me so excited about reading. by the way, they have selected a bonus pick exclusively for the web. dam/sh. and the full lists on we vetar-udde half hour ahead. felicity jones and armie hammer, an interesting movie about ruth bader ginsberg. and harry ish back w his interview with john mellancamp. then a performance from brett eldredge. with we can not fit it all in. that's after youthlocal news. k you, guys.

this is a news4 today news break. >> good morning everyhidy. 8:26 on thursday, december 13th. i'm aaron gilchrist. let's get right to melissa molett. she has your first4 traffi >> good morning. looking at the roads, northbound 95 at dale city loong at lot better than it was. had that vehicle fire. still have the response on the it's actually moving pretty well now. beltway slow in the normal spots. no major problem on the beltway. southbound a 270 looki lot better than yesterday. right now going 40 miles per hour throughvi roe. >> all right. thank you. check on your forecast when we come back. stay with us.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ after a gray start we are starting to get sunshine across the washington areamp now. atures in the chilly 30s to around 40 degrees, but the sun is out. w thmup can begin in earnest. afternoon temperatures today ths mid-to-upper no rain to worry about today. tomorrow morning will be dry, but stanoing friday aft

and evening and lingering through the weekend a near 100% chance for rain. >> thank you. and you can get the latest news and weather in the naacp.

we are back. it's 8:30 on thiin thursday g, the 13th of december,18 20. our tree is shining bright. our crowd e is shiningn brighter. and we are japt so h to have everybody. we even have a few little snowflakes coming down on the plaza. i hope you can hear. we are playing john mellancamp. coming up in our next half hour, harry smith has a great and fascinating interview with john mellancamp. the music legend. and speaking of musicbr stars, t eldredge is here! right now he is collecting some donation for ouroy drive. when he is done there, he is going to go inside and he has a holiday performance for us. we have a special moment. are you guys ready? >> oh, yeah.

>> where is lolly, sally, and emma? good morning! >> good morning. >> don't cry yet. let's tkirst. tell me, you are from? >> augusta, georgia. >>snd why it so special why you're here? >> we are celebrating our 13th birthday all together. wee to new york because, like, you know, it was a surprise. we thought we were going on a ski trip to northarolina. yesterday morning at 4:00 a.m. they said we were taking a trip to new yor >> we were all like screaming. well, yeah, we were all screaming. >> do you like brett eldredge? >> yes! >> i have something for your 13th birthday. >> hello! how are you? >> wow! >> thanks for making the trip. >> happy birthday. could we sing happy birthday. >> yes. ready? >> yes. ♪ happy birthday to you ♪

♪ happy birthday to you ♪ happy birthday dear three girls ♪ ♪ happy birthday to y >> awesome. sounds good. thank you, brett. wow. happy birthday, girls. >> i wish brett had gotten dressed up. >> that's great. >> that's got t be one of the best ever. >> i'm ready to go. >> we will have more from brett in a moment. also ahead, fell it's ty jones, armie hammer, a new movie about ruth bader ginsberg. what it was like meeting the supreme court justice. >> first, a check of the weather. we have a few snowflakes. that's right. for you weekend we, start out with friday heavy rain along the

southeastern mountain coast. warmer temperatures sandwiched in between. that continues on saturday through the plain the rain continues ohio, mississippi, and under the mid-atlantic states. and then sunday, sunday! a wintry mix in the northeast. mountain rain and snow in the pacific northwest a into northern california and above-average temperatures continue in the central and nortrn plains. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in good morning, everybody. i'm storm team4 meteorologist chuck bell. today may be one of our last times to g an extended period of sunshine for a while. make your plans to get out and enjoy it. we are in the chilly 30s this morning. afternoon temperatures with the sunshine should make it into the upper 40s across most of thear . clouds thicken up tonight and tomorrow and near 100% chance r forn. that's mainly friday afternoon and evening, and it will be well ll weekend long as th high rain chances both saturday and sunda

>> that's yout lates weather. you waited your whole life for this? >> to meet you! >> that's awfully nice. what's your name? >> leah. >> well, there you go. merry christmas. thank you. john mellancamp has been a mainstay in the music industry for 40 years. >> the legend's lyrics often carry deeper messages from race and politics and life in the heartld. look who is back. harry smith. >>o much fun. john mellancamp's music is multiplatinum. it's his 24th album. other people's stuff is the name of it. it's on track to h number two on the billboard album chart. we got together at his apartment in new york city to discuss his music, his art, and how he has found love again. >> reporter: at a white hse concert a couple years back, john mellancamp playedcihis l rights anthem. ♪ keep your eyes on the prize

hold on ♪ f> reporter: that's the cornerstone a new >>album. ld blues folk songs, that if i had to say i had an american song book, those songs would be it. >> reporter: he learned long ago that being true to yourself would speak for itself. >> i live an artist's life. every day i have to make something. i either paint. i write. i am rehearsing, you know, on tour. art is not being on the radio. that's the lowest common if you look at my songs that were hits, and i had a lot of them, they rlly weren't that good as far as songs go. >> reporter: just a a member of the general public though, i need to stand up for jack and dianne. >> well, i have to tell you, i can sing that song anywher the world and don't have to say a word. ♪ a little diddy about jack and

dianne ♪ >> reporter: we know those words and t words to all of his hits. but at the height of his popularity, he stepped back. >> pete seager told me something. i took it to heart. he goes, john, keep it small and keep it goi. if you want to have longevity, keep it small and keep it gng because if you are one of these guys that need to be the biggest band in the world,ou are not going to be for very long. >> reporter: about that time mellancamp began to focus on painting. >> i have been painting my whole life. i started painting serioly when i kind of just dropped out of the music business for three or four year w >> reporten you are painting, what does it do for you? i >> it puts y a place where you are totally focused on something. i can paint for eight, ten, 12 hours everyre day. n new york, there is no place to paint where meghan lives. i bought it place to win.

>> reporter: meg ryan. the meg ryan. how is your le life? >> i'm engaged to, at 67, to a ry funny woman. funniest woman i eve met. >> reporter: wow. listen, it's well publicized, your relationship has been like an accordion. there are some days it's way out days like this and some it's in like that. how did you figure out at 67 now let's do this thing for real? >> i don't know what you mean. i really don't know what you're talking about here. one can imagine i'm not the easiest guy to get along with. so let's leave it atthat. >> reporter: while mellancamp disavowed pursuit of the pop char years ago, he believes jack and dianne, those kids from the heartland, still have something to say.

>> we are getting ready to mount jack and dianne as a broadway musical. every problem that thisountry going through today is in that musical. this is not a jukebox musical. my ambitions are set vy high, as close to steinbeck as we can get it in today's world with these two kids. >> reporter: steinbeck wrote that you are boundo get ideas when you go thinking about stuff. that's mellancamp, ande is bound to keep sharing them. >>etirement is an indianfo word r slow death. so there is no retiring with me. >> reporter: no? >> no. hey will have to drag me off stage. as long as people show up to see me, i'm g.play >> wow! that was a good morning. >> he seems so comfortable in his own skin. >> yes. >> i mean, it's just -- thank you for standing up for jack and dianne, too. >> absolutely. think about this. he said i'm going to make this s close to steinbeck as possible

the whole album is blues, it's folk, stuffhat he has recorded in the past. it's a wonderful sort of, you know, really -- what's the word i'm looking for? not catalog. cure rated. >> oh, curated. >> like a compendium? con endrum? >> and he is going on tour. >> my takeaway is keep it small, keep it going. great advice for anyone. >> mine is if you are searching ifre aword, don't look it up. we are not -- we are likea o 20-second delay. "the today show" holiday party yesterda >> that's really why no one was here yesterday? >> exactly. >> oh, okay. that's why i'm on twice this morning? >> you were invited. two stars for the price of one. felicity jones and armie hammer. first, this is "today" on nbc.

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welme back. felicity jones and armie hamr are the stars of the new movie on the basis of sex. it takes place before rh bader ginsberg's arrival to the supreme court. struggling to be taken seriously because she is a woman. >> tell me what you want. >> nothing. i want wothing. yout you to go it work and be then youngest i the history f the firm -- >> that's notair and you know nt. >> i can sit my corner and write a lesson plan to inspire the next generation of students. fight for quality. >> i don't understand why you are acting that'such a bad thing. you are training the next generation of lawyers to change the world. >> that's what wanted to do. >> good morning. i was going to say this must have been a lot of pressure because it's retaliatory tarir . i know you h her blessing cause hee helped her nephew write the screenplay? >> yeah.

yes. >> but, i mean, she sort of had her hands in it? talk about it. >> he has a great story he tells where he approached his aunt ruth and said, look, i would love to write a script about this. and she paused and said, well, if that's really how you want to spend your time. and then he sort of gave her vetted itt and she and approved it. >> there must be a lot of pressure to,lay anybo but to play someone who is alive and to play someone of her stature must you just weighed heavy on how did you, like, try to get it right? >>y. absolutel it's really nerve-wracking taking on someone who is such an icon and so incredibly beloved. i am f real girl of hers myself. so it was just, we were really fortunate to visit her and spend time with her and just get to know her on a personalt level. >> was that like? you walk in the room and there s ruth bader ginsberg? >>yeah.

it was amazing. when we first went in we were nervously waiting outside h office. when we went in, she couldn't take her eyes off armie hammer. >> yeah. >> she ihaa human. >> was she like in the end? >> she is very, very open. she is very -- obviously, as you said, she had been a part of every process of the film and its genesis. she was very welcoming. >> i think iead she loved meeting you, but then was worried about you nailing the brooklyn accent. >> yeah. >> but you did. >> yeah, yeah. it was really helpful just listening to all these recordings of her in court and going through those and i became obsessed withr ruth ba ginsberg's vowel sounds and listening to that great brooklyn sound that she has. >> were you surprised to learn so much about her? the fact that she finished first in her class in law school and couldn't get a job?

all of these things that seem unheard of today? >> yeah, absolutely. she had h obstacles in way the entire time. she was cstantly pushing upstream. the system wasn't designed for hero bethere, and she broke it and changed it. >> it's a real moment in time. i think it's a love story with her husband, marty ginsberg, who obviously, you know, it was unusual for the t ae he really supported her. you see that. >> yeah, he was a really sort of progressive man. mine, even by today's standards and much more so by the towards of the '50s, '60s, and '70s when husbands didn't cook and clean and take care of the kids. he recognized the potential his wife had. who was going tog do anytho facilitate it? >> speaking of husbands and wives, youav happen to been at a cool wedding not too long ago, pre-existing condition pre-existin pre/- preonc a chopra. >> m daughter and wife went.

we were there for their first date. >> you were? >> yeah. >> you knew in the beginning? >> we watched them talking and we were like, hey, see what' going on over there? and now they are married. >> wow. that's what married d people they look at other people and say, that seems interesting. that's cute. felicity jones, armie hammer, thank you so much. e movie is on the basis of sex and it opens in select theaters christmas day and nationwide january 11. a special performance in studio 1a from brett eldredge ahead. first, this is "today" on nbc. first, ts is "today" on nbc.hi

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"today" is proudly presented by we are very excited around here because one of our favorite people ever, brett eldredge, is as the house. nobody loves chrisore than this guy. he is proving it with a deluxe editio of his christmas album glow. this is your time of the year,

huh? >> i have dreamt of this for a long time to get do this. my third year into the glow record. it gives me more reason to show up in new york at the most magical time of the year. >> do you have the pinch me, this isy lifeoment? i remember when you were starting and now look at you. >> iwas yourbirthday. >> i remember. ap it's going great. >> we are so, so for you. what are you going to sing for us today, brett? >> have yourself a merry little christmas. >> okay. brett eldred ♪ have yourself a merry little christmas ♪ ♪ let your heart be bright ♪ from nown our troubles will be out of♪ sight

♪ have yourself a merry little christmas ♪ ♪ make the yuletide gay ♪ from now on ourle tro will be miles away ♪ ♪ here we are as in olden days ♪ happy goln days of yore ♪ faithful friends who are dear to us gatherear to us once

more ♪ ♪ through the years we all will be together ♪ ♪ if the space allows ♪ hang a shining star upon the ♪nd oh have yourself a merry little christmas now ♪ ♪

♪ oh here we are as in olden ♪ happy golden days yore ♪ faithful friends who are dear to us gather nearo us once more ♪ ♪ through the years we all will be together ♪ ♪ if the fatesllow

♪ hang a shining star upon the highest bough ♪ ♪ oh and have yourself a merry little christmas now now ♪ >> yes! yes! come that was awesome! if you weren't in the mood ever about, you're in the mood now. brett will be back with more music later. first, this is "today" on nbc. >> it is! it's your house. that was awesome thank you.

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oh! just ahead on the third hour of "today," we find out the one thing we ask all our kids to do. > and guess who is not leaving us? >> never leaving. >> amy schumer, too. first, your local news. a this iews4 today news break. >> good morning everybody. 8:56 now on this thursday, decemb 13th. i'm aaron gilchrist. melissa molett has a look at our traffic.ng >> good mor taking a look at the beltway, glenarden at the beltway between land arden and 50 a crash. before turkey run a brand new cident. and 66 right now your slow spot is still through manassas

through centerville.tt it gets a slower again once you get to the beltway. we will have a check on your forecast after a quick break. stay with us. hey, batter, batter, batter, batter. [ crowd cheers ] like everyone, i lead a busy life. but i know the importance of having time to do what you love. at comcast we know our customers' time is valuable. that's why we have 2-hour appointment windows, including nights and weekends. so you can do more of what you love. my name is tito, and i'm a tech ops manager at comcast. we're working to make things simple, easy and awesome.

sunshine across most of the area now. it's going to stay that way the remainder of the day. temperatures inhe mid-to-upper 30s currently. we should make the upper 40s to near 50 degrees fo a high today. enjoy the sunshine while we have it because it will be all cloud cover tomorrow. a 100% chance for rain tomorrow afternoon and night. 100% chance of rain tapering to shows on saturday. cloudy skies and showery on sunday, too. get the latest news and weather anytime. just open the nbc washington app. ve

from studio 6 a, thi is "today." good morning, everyone. welcome to t third hour of "today." i'm dylan with sheinelle, craig, and al, and look at our special guest this morning. >> sweet willie geist. >> happy to be with my it because it will be all cloud app. >> excited to haveou here. >> we're excited to hear about your seinfelinterview. >> we've reserved two-part interviewst or it becausell be all cloud app. icons. one with bill murray and now with jerry seinfeld. >> we'll get to that in a bit. we're going to get to the $100,000 question. that's a little more money. wh