i'm erica hill. >> i'm lester holt. >> it is that time, isn't it? >> super bowl time >>> everybody is ready for the super bowl, whether it is the game or the ads or eating like a pig, we have you covered. >> can't you do all? >> i think you can. i think you are encouraged to. >> jenna is in new orleans in the thick of it all. >> reporter: it is the calm before the proverbal storm. downtown new orleans, things are good, a uple more hours of sleeps for the fans and the coaches and anyone except for the media. before tonight's big game, we are going to talk about some interesting things. what is it like for the starting quarterbacks? they have to rally the team up, calm the team back down. they have a lot of responsibilities. we spoke to last year's super bowl mvp, eli manning and caught up with one of this year's starting quarterbacks, ravens q.b flacco and nothing says football like a postgame gator aid dunk. all i can say is, when in new orleans -- all that and much more. i don't think you can see that enough times. >> we will replay it one time. ta

lester holt alongside erica hill, jenna wolfe.we are going to talk about some criticism for actress, melissa mccarthy. it comes from a critic. in the movie, the critic focuses on her weight. is it unfair? we're going to get into that coming up >>> you have seen these commercials where people are blindfolded and put them into an absolutely does gusting stinky situation. it turns out there is some real science to not only those ads but our sense of smell and how things like your sight can actually affect it. we're going to dig in deep to that one this morning. real deep. >> plus, i'm going to make you guys do that. >> that's what i was waiting for. >> then, it is that time of year. we are almost at the westminster dog show. we are going to introduce you to a couple of the most adorable breeds who will be competing this year. look how cute. they know they are on tv and they are strutting their stuff. >> if the cold air has you dreaming of a warm air, we will introduce you to some travel apps to get you out of this cold. >>> still, a

back inside studio 1a, i'm erica hill with lester holt.oming up, you'll see a different side of bee yns yonce. >> she's always been notoriously tight-lip good her private life. in a new documentary she opens up about her family, motherhood, and personal struggles. >> looking forward to. that. >>> the no-nonsense fitness trainer from "the biggest loser." jillian michaels is here to share strategies for staying fit. she'll answer your questions about diet and exercise. >>> then, a bizarre story involving the first woman ever elected as san diego's mayor, maureen o'connor. she says she gambled away more than $1 billion during a ten-year span. it's her reason for doing it that may surprise you. >>> and his name is chris p. bacon. his game -- making people smile. that's how he rolls, literally. there he is in the green room. a pig in a wheelchair made out of toys. here with us, yes, he's an internet sensation and because he's so stinking cute, how could you not love him? >> squealing with delight, we are, too. >>> coming up, a tv show that's be

i'm lester holt here with erica hill, jenna wolfe and dylan dreyer. >> tonight there is a new host. seth macfarlane is taking on the duties. but that's not the only change. they are not saving the best for last as the awards go. awe lot of music, dancing, we'll see how it plays out. we'll do a preview this morning. >> and we've been previewing this all morning. the four of us decided to go back to the future. what does that mean? we picked out a picture that we loved of ourselves when we were wee little. same outfits, same attitudes, same fish. and dylan had to wear patent leather shoes. i didn't have to wear shoes. >> i went online, a lot of folks are doing this. recreating pictures. kind of a fun project. >> i am skeptical. it is fun. >>> music is the best medicine. we make the round with musicians on call. a great program that puts musicians, including big celebrity musicians, giving one-on-one performances, in this case young patients at a children's hospital. >> i love that story. >>> but, first, a final check of the weather. >> cleared out nice

my colleague, erica hill is, might i point out warm inside studio 1a. good morning. >> who drew the short straw? good morning. good morning to everyone at home. forecasters warning this storm would be a powerhouse. they were right on target. not very far from studio 1a, we have a look for you at times square. the crews there hard at work cleaning up the snow. also look for you in new jersey, strong winds and surf clashing along the jersey shore. and i do have to point out, when we first came in and you saw that shot of rockefeller plaza, you didn't see snow. that's because they have been up since the wee hours getting rid of all the white stuff. it almost looks as if there was no storm outside studio 1a. it's pretty amazing. >> yeah. let's bring folks up to date with the latest now, erica. at least one person is reported dead after a traffic accident in upstate new york. the snowfall totals across the northeast are substantial. in parts of connecticut, nearly three feet has fallen. boston and portland, maine, have reported snowfalls of up to 25 inches.

. >> i'm erica hill. how about the first lady with the moves there. >> great moves. jimmy fallon -- who did we thought he looked like? >> there was discussion in the studio that jimmy fallon was looking a little tina fey-esque. >> nice to have the first lady in the building for that. >> yes. >> there's a little of the performance. it looks like they had time to rehearse this. >> the evolution of the mom dancing. >> from "pulp fiction." >>> meantime, we have serious news including oscar pistorius, the former olympian spending his first full day free bail today. we'll look at what's next for him as he prepares to face murder charges in the shooting death of his girlfriend, reeva steenkamp. >>> and lance armstrong facing a new legal challenge this morning, as well. this one comes from the u.s. government, and it could cost him millions of dollars. we'll explain more about that coming up in a few minutes. >>> plus, if you're a parent, it's likely happened to you. your kids whining and crying about not wanting to go to bed. >> never, never, sawyer. >> one little boy in ma

i'm lester holt along with erica hill. and coming up, super bowl is here.y is celebrating the big game. you've never needed a reason to party in new orleans. >> not really. >> the city is going all out. >> taking it to a new level, i think. >> yeah. anyway, a melting pot of sports, entertainment, even politics as thousands of football fans flock there for the super bowl. >>> and jenny is live from new orleans -- and jenna is live from new orleans. we'll check in in a few minutes. >>> plus, a 30-second spot for the gun control will cost y-- a spotted for the super bowl will cost you $4 billion. we'll look at the big numbers, and they are large. >>> and ahead, soccer star david beckham is taking his talents to paris. it's what he's doing with his paycheck that has people talking. >>> taylor swift taking on a new role. but it is hitting the wrong notes with some people. there's some concern that this could send the wrong message to her young fans. we'll tell you why critics are now weighing in on the star. >> another reason they're calling her a pop star now b

and erica hill warm inside studstud studda studio 1a. >> forecasters warning us this storm would be a powerhouse. right on target. not very far from studio 1a, a look at times square. crews hard at work cleaning up the snow, and also new jersey, strong winds and surf on the jersey shore. i have to point out, lester, when we first came in and you saw the shot of rockefeller plaza and you didn't see snow, that is because they have been up since the wee hours clearing the white stuff it looks like there was no storm outside studstud studda studio 1a. >> one person reported dead after a traffic in upstate new york. the snowfall totals across the northeast are substantial. in parts of connecticut, nearly 3 feet has fallen. boston and portland, maine, reported snowfalls of up to 25 inches. here in new york city, up to about a foot of snow. power has been knocked out to nearly 650,000 customers, most of them in massachusetts and rhode island, and more than 1,800 flights canceled so far, that on top of the 3,600 that never took off on friday in advance of the pieces of storm, erica. >> you ca

i'm erica hill. >> and i'm lester holt. we'll have more on oscar buzz coming up. but we have serious news, including the scary crash at daytona. a crowd went flying into the wall during the final lap. 33 people hurt. crews working throughout the night to get the track ready for today's daytona 500. a live report in just a moment. >>> also this morning, yet another round of gridlock. we're just five days away from sweeping spending cuts that could impact everything from your food to your paycheck, and they could be just the beginning. coming up, why lawmakers can't reach a deal. >>> former notre dame linebacker manti te'o speaks out for the first time since the scandal over his fake girlfriend. he hopes to close the door as he looks forward to a future in pro football. >>> we did a little digging in the family photo albums to find some favorite childhood photos. >> that's erica. right there. d dylan. there is lester. >> we're recreating the pictures. >> the pictures i was looking for, unfortunately, i didn't have my bonnett on. you did get a dress out of the deal.

i'm erica hill alongside lester holt. >>> coming up, did the man behind the manti te'o hoax also supply the voice in those voicemail messages we heard that seemed to have been left by a bottom? dr. phil had experts analyze the voice mails against the voice of the hoaxer it. we' -- hoaxter. we'll have a closer look. and we'll talk about the person behind the hoax, at his past, just ahead. >>> was this an accident waiting to happen? a snowmobiler died in a tragic accident this week at the x-games. just the latest in a series of accidents by competitors looking to push the boundaries. can anything be done to protect these athletes from themselves? we'll take a closer look. >>> and then we'll switch gears. talking about a racy amptd people are calling it -- for mercedes-benz. indicate justice departmenton seen in provocative, racy -- kate upton seen in a provocative, racy ad. the question, is it too sex? we'll ask the supermodel what she msnbc a live interviewer coming up this morning. >>> plus, the super bowl of sibling rivalries, john and jim harbaugh are the first brothers to ever meet i

i'm willie geist along with tamron hall and weekend "today" hosts lester holt and erica hill.ring it. >> i'm only going to do it if you stand up and do it with me, guys. >> lester, go get 'em. >> that's right. >> come on. >> here we go. >> just dropped my mike. >> grab your -- >> grab our what? oh, calves, okay. >> you own it. >> okay. rub it in. >> rub it in, okay. >> here it goes. right foot. shake it. left. shake it. then right leg out. left leg up. >> okay, natalie. >> grab your calves, right leg, left leg. whoo! >> okay. >> there we go. >> there she goes. >> like james brown getting her cape. >> getting the cape. >> natalie, have fun down there. we'll see you. >> wow! we'll have to spend a whole weekend watching you practice. >> i'm so sorry we roped you into that. cruel and dirty trick. >> studio 1a, tell people what's coming up on saturday and sunday. no one saw our dancing. >> no word about dancing. >> don't worry, we didn't pull it off. >> speak for yourself. >> true. >> we know there will be a lot of dancing. what else do you have this weekend? >> more super bowl xlv

. >> lester holt outside with erica hill, dylan dreyer and tom llamas. >>> still to come, the murdernst disgraced olympian, oscar pistorius. his family is speaking out about the ground-breaking athlete and how he is fairing behind bars. we are learning more about his girlfriend whom he is accused of killing at the first airing of her reality show airs in south africa. >>> a little practical knowledge for us here today. there are more female drivers on the road than men but us ladies sometimes get a bad rap for what we do or do not know about our cars. there is one woman who has cars in your blood, who is looking to change that. with a little class she calls women auto know. a lot of good stuff, not just for the ladies out there to learn but for men too, lester holt. >> which i love. we are going to share a little bit of what we learned. >> i learned how to fix cars. i learned how to stop cars. i went to the fbi academy. from shootout to breaking down doors. hand to hand combat. i got a first-hand look at what it is like to train and the kind of threats they face in their jobs today >

i'm erica hill inside studio 1a alongside lester holt. >>> also coming up this half-hour, saving theiant panda. it's an endangered species. the bears are -- they're adorable. i mean, there's no contest here. saving them, though, requires a high-tech, expensive operation, and critics are questioning whether it's actually worth all of that money for one species. we'll get into that. controversy, debate. >>> plus, a new look is taking over fashion runways. plus-sized models showing that full-figured women have a place on the catwalk, too. >>> and their story reads like a movie. two teenagers set to walk the red carpet tomorrow at the oscars. they're the -- some of the most unlikely stars probably around. but what a great, inspirational story they have. we'll bring you that ahead. >> great story. >>> later, a story every parent can relate to, a little boy who didn't want to go to bed. you won't believe what he did to get back at his mom. a tantrum would have been okay compared to what he did. >> yes. >> we'll tell you about that. >> for once, a tantrum probably would have been welcome. >

erica hill is joining us live from new york. >> hey, richard and angie.t ahead on a saturday morning on "today," a little blizzard talk for you. blanketing the northeast. what a mess it is this morning. al roker is live in boston. we have correspondents across the region. we'll bring you the latest not only on the snowfall and power outages but also the travel delays that could affect people from coast to coast. >>> plus, the man hunt for an ex-police officer who's now suspected of three murders in california. this morning, his former boss is here to talk about the investigation and how he thinks this case might end. >>> plus, i am going to go out on a limb here and i'm pretty confident in saying that i doubt either one of you slept for a full eight hours last night. you probably don't note last time you had eight hours of sleep. and you're not alone. turns out all that lack of sleep could be costing companies big money. see if there's a case to be made for the company nap room. we'll explain more. >>> plus, you may have heard about the teenager who flipp

i'm lester holt with erica hill, dylan dreyer and tom jamas.have you here. >>> it is game day in new orleans. fans are getting ready to root on their favorite team. jenna is there with a preview. >> reporter: we have a lot coming up in the next half hour. we are going to talk to many so of the fans and we are going to hear from some of the quarterbacks in the game and maybe we will even take a gator aid bath. just for good measure. we'll talk to you in a minute. of course, for many people, it is not just about the game. it is also about the commercials. we're going to take a look at some of those ads, which can be big wins and losses of their own. some of the wins creating some buzz, some you may not have seen. a little sneak peek action. >> we are going to look back at the time-honored tradition of the gator aid shower, where it started, how it feels. you know jenna. she is definitely going to try it out. >> forget football. we are talking sandwiches and with this face-off, it is the battle of the super bowl sandwiches, grilled cheese versus b

i'm lester holt with jenna wolf, erica hill. the biggest nice of awards season. >> that, it is.the duties this year. but that's not the only change. the academy really wants to attract younger viewers. they have lots of surprises. they're also not saving the best for last. as the awards go. a lot of music, a lot of dancing. we'll see how it all plays out. we will do a little preview this morning. >> the four of us decided to go back to the future. we all picked out a picture we loved of ourselves when we were wee little and went back and recreated it. same outfit, same attitude, same fish, all of it. our good friend dylan got to wear patent leather shoes. >> and the ruffles. >> i didn't have to do shoes. i worked out well. it was a lot of fun. >> who needs shoes when you have that on your head. >> i went online and a lot of folks are doing this. >> yeah. i was a little skeptical too but it was fun. >> and music as the best medicine. we make the rounds with musicians on call. it puts musicians, including big celebrity musicians in hospital rooms. one on one performances and in th

. >> i'm willie geist, along with al, natalie, lester and erica hill.e for two women who started businesses on the side and want to make their pet projects their main business. >> can we get another shot of -- look at that profile. >> look at that nose. >> all right. wow! he'll recover. plus kick starting your love life. how to rev things up right now. we'll tell you. >>> expert advice on how to land your dream job. first a preview of what's coming up this weekend on "today" from lester and erica. >> thanks, guys. we'll hear more from the passengers of the crippled carnival cruise ship that spent days stranded at sea i spent the day at fbi academy in quantico. i got in on the action, taking part in real-life scenarios used to teach future agents. >> even more reason to be just a little leery of lester holt. he seems real nice, but keep your guard up. >>> plus, have you ever take n look at your hotel bill when you check out and it just seems maybe there are a few more charges on there than you expected? we'll tell you about those unexpected fees. >>> als

nbc's erica hill joins us from laguardia. erica, good morning. >> good morning.itely a little busy at laguardia. that, of course, is because of the canceled flights. more than 2400. if you look at some of the airlines, the major cancellations coming from united, delta and american. just behind us a number of people waiting to get on those american flights. they've canceled 300 flights today. another 150 tomorrow. and in speaking with some of the folks behind the security where the line was going around the corner, they said it is definitely a much busier morning here today than an average friday. more people trying to check in early. i can tell you that was the case last night at logan when i was flying back to laguardia. a lot of people talking about the fact that they werg to get on an earlier flight, basically get out of dodge while they could. and that may have been a smart idea because, as we know, once these cancellations start, then you lead to the backlog. and not just at the major airports here in the northeast. of course the three major airports in new

erica hill is at laguardia airport. erica, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning to you, matt. we are just starting to see those flakes here as well, large flakes that we can see outside the door in front of me. as you mentioned, thousands of flights canceled. three major airports in new york alone. boston into the mix and you really get a sense of how many people are affected. those flights carry people all over the country. we're looking at some of the numbers now. newark liberty airport, 275 flights canceled, here at laguardia, 219, another 163 at jfk and 140 in boston. more than 2,400 flights nationwide. as we take a look at the numbers in terms of cancellations, most have said that rechange fees, booking fees in many cases may be waived for you. check with your airline on that. that's the upside for you. i flew back from boston last night into new york and the lines -- everybody in the line was talking about whether or not they had tried to find their way on to a flight to get home sooner. the security line

nbc's erica hill is at laguardia airport here in new york. erica, good morning to you. >> hey, matt. good morning to you. at last check just over 2800 flights had been canceled, about two-thirds of those involved this new york area which, of course, has three major airports, you add in boston and you are looking at major cancellations. here's the good news, most carriers are allowing you to change or rebook that flight without a charge. probably going to want to do that on the website. they say a lot of their call centers are overloaded. you can do that on-line. the situation has changed since we first got here this morning. a little bottleneck at security this morning, we're told everybody was for the most part calm and patient. a lot of people checking in early trying to get on an earlier flight and may have been a smart move, because the boards as we look at them have turned yellow. most of the flights are either canceled or being delayed. if we look at a map of the flights in the air at this hour around the new york, new jersey, massachuse

we found nbc's erica hill here in her kitchen. >> yes. >> she recently paid a visit to the smitten kitchenen. the first person to tell you she's not a chef. but by the looks of her website and new cookbook, both known as the smitten kitchen, you would never know it. >> do you want to make a cake with mommy? >> reporter: 3-year-old jacob has no idea how lucky he is. >> show me you know how to crack an egg. good. >> good job. >> good. >> but for the thousands who follow his mom's blog, cooking with the creator of the wildly popular smitten kitchen would be heaven. the ingredients for her success, a combination of step-by-step photos and recipes and a very relatable approach to food. >> i don't think it should be hard for people to cook food that they love. >> a philosophy regularly put to the test in her tiny new york city kitchen. >> there's a big fascination with the size of your kitchen. new york city for a lot of people, it's normal, except they store stuff in their stove and you actually cook in yours. >> exactly. >> do you want to move eventually somewhere with a bigger kitchen? >> i w

. >> erica hill is joining us live from new york. >> nice to see you both. just ahead on "today," a former navy s.e.a.l. shot and killed at a shooting range in texas on saturday. we are going to have the latest details on that for you. >>> we are live on the scene of that on going hostage drama in alabama. it's now day six for a little boy being held in an underground bunker. and days before president obama hits the road to hit his plan for gun control, the white house releases this photo, and a lot of questions about the message that all of this ends. and speaking of new photos, new photos of kate middleton revealing the first hint of a baby bump, and of course it's super bowl sunday, and hours to go until kickoff, and we are live in new orleans with the fans and the fun and a little bit of food here in the studio so we don't feel completely left out. that's ahead when we get started on a sunday here on "today" guys. >> we are looking forward to the kate middleton pictures, and we have our own baby bump. >> i am more excited about that, more than kate's. >>

. >> erica hill is here with more on that. >> hi, nice to see you.little strange. it's a food sharing service developed out of the philosophy we could all share a little bit more, waste less and in turn not only eat better but be better neighbors. think of it as a potluck meets takeout with plenty of home cooked goodness. >> i'm making my dad's and mom's laundry day soup. >> reporter: she's making it for strangers, a home cook ed male swap. >> it's an individual art. >> reporter: it's called meal ku. >> it's where folks cooking and preparing for themselves can share it with others. >> reporter: ted is the founder of this food share iing cooperie launched last july. >> we see moms cooking and students and professionals who only have one day to cook. >> reporter: meal ku acts as the middleman, a place to organize food exchanges, screen potential members and coordinate the pickup and delivery -- >> often by bike messengers. >> reporter: it is more than a hearty bowl of soup. meal ku is a community on and offline in today's fast paced world. >> i love th

erica. >> billions of dollars in forced budget cuts are only days away. members of congress are finally back on capitol hiller a recess and president obama welcome to the nation's governors to the white house. >> but is anybody looking for a compromise that will avoid the chaos scheduled to hit this friday. gm acousta has the details. >> president obama says if congress wants to stop the forced spending cuts that goes into affect at the end of the week lawmakers better do something about it. >> the cuts do not have to happen. congress can turn them off any time with a little bit of compromise. >> and the spirit of compromise the white house's morning what is about to become a state-by-state level. >> 7400 fewerreceiving gassingsn florida. 52,000 defense workers furloughed in texas. >> the president as the press to leave a closed-door meeting with the governors to have a frank close the door open meeting session. >> i want to clear out the press so we can take some questions. >> candid is what the president is getting from louisiana's governor. >> i think the president is to stop trying to scare the american