joe fryer has that >> free britney now! free britney now free britney now >> reporter: the free britney movement could soon go from rallying cries to reality because of a petition filed tuesday by britney's father, jamie spears, for 13 years has been part of the pop star's conservatorship, put in place after several public breakdowns. the filing says if ms. spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes she can handle her own life, mr. spears believes she should get that chance, adding that britney has recently demonstrated a level of independence that calls the conservatorship into question. >> jamie spears now says he wants the conservatorship to end, but that doesn't guarantee it will, does it? >> no. the judge has the final word but make no mistake, the decision by britney's father and conservator to insist she deserves her freedom is a milestone in the free britney movement. >> reporter: that movement picked up steam this year with britney's emotional testimony at a court hearing where she called her conser

here is joe fryer. >> reporter: students at stuyvesant high school were just starting their day >> iteporter: the world changed right outside their classroom window >> you could see this, like, towering dust cloud moving towards you. >> reporter: lila nordstrom was a senior, madeline martinez a sophomore, two of the more than 3,000 students suddenly forced to flee >> i think at that point i started to panic a little bit >> people were crying in the hallways. >> oh, i was definitely crying. >> reporter: what stands out to you still about that day >> sort of felt like an earthquake. >> i turned around and there was just a sort of movie style -- it looked like special effects fire ball on top of the world trade center >> at that moment it felt like things were suspended in time. you are just trying to figure out what is happening, like what does this mean. >> reporter: they were forever scarred by that day and shaped by it in the years that followed nordstrom became an advocate, fighting for students who got sick because they returned to the school just a few blocks north of ground zero

joe fryer, nbc news. >> and we will be singing along. that's "nightly news."lamas in for lester for all of us here at nbc news, good night >>> right now at nbc bay area news tonight small victories for firefighters battling to save south lake tahoe. we got an up close look at what they are doing today to protect the homes. also, smoke is drifting back here in the bay area. what happens when we breathe this dirty air for days on end? talking to a ucf doctor who is trying to answer that very question. we have a jury. what is next in the trial for theranos founder elizabeth holm? we have a preview of what to expect and if the disgraced ceo will actually take the stand.

joe fryer, nbc news. >>> all right. let's get an early check on your weather on this thursday with nbc meteorologist bill karins, in for janessa today good morning, bill, good to see you. . >> hey, great to see you guys. so we are watching what's left of mindy this was a quick-forming tropical storm that made landfall near tallahassee, florida, yesterday afternoon it's moving through southern georgia. there is a little bit of rain with it. it's going to be a rainy manufrainy-mornin commute from savannah to charleston and it's going to be well off the coast by this afternoon. so it's in, it's out and it's gone for the history books this was our m named storm and as you can see, by the time we even get to friday, it's well off the coast. we have had some few strong storms including in the last half-hour. a tornado warning in areas of eastern connecticut so this line of storms continues to plow through connecticut and in areas of massachusetts new york city area to philadelphia, all those areas that were hit so hard by ida

joe fryer, nbc news. >> and we will be singing along. that's "nightly news."lamas in for lester for all of us here at nbc news, good night ♪ ♪ >> ♪♪ this old bar stool's ♪ ♪ feeling higher ♪ ♪ as i started sinking lower ♪ ♪ the minute that he waltzed ♪ ♪ right through that door ♪ ♪ not long ago ♪ ♪ i held him like a fool ♪ ♪ i went and left him ♪ ♪ now he's with somebody new ♪ ♪ out on that floor ♪ ♪ and he's got the rhythm ♪ ♪ and i got the blues ♪ ♪ and he's showing me ♪ ♪ how much i had to lose ♪ ♪ with his every little move ♪ ♪ he's telling me i'm over you ♪ ♪ he's got the rhythm ♪ ♪ and i've got the blues ♪ ♪ well, that music's ♪ ♪ getting louder ♪ ♪ as my heart ♪ ♪ keeps beating faster ♪ ♪ as he spells out regret ♪ ♪ in perfect time ♪ ♪ well, i thought ♪ ♪ i wanted freedom ♪ ♪ but that ball and chain ♪ ♪ i need 'em ♪ ♪ but when you choose ♪ ♪ sometimes you lose the prize ♪ ♪ he's got the rhythm ♪ ♪ and i got the blues ♪ ♪ and he's showing me how much ♪ ♪ i had to lose ♪ ♪ with his every little move ♪ ♪ he's telling me i'm over you ♪ ♪ he's got the rhythm

i'm joe fryer. here's what's happening at 2:00 p.m. eastern. we begin on capitol hill. senate comes back in session tomorrow. new reporting shows one democratic compromise is coming together while another could be on the brink of collapse. senator joe manchin this morning defiant against that $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill, saying he will not support the legislation if it goes up for a vote. >> he will not have my vote on 3.5. and chuck knows that. we talked about this. what's the urgency? what's the urgency that we have? it is not the same urgency we have with the american rescue plan. we got that out of the door quickly. that was $2 trillion. on top of that, the c.a.r.e.s. package and everything leading up to that. we have done an awful lot. there are an awful lot of people who still need help. we have 11 million jobs needing to be filled right now. 80 million americans are out of work. something doesn't match up. don't you think we ought to hit pause. >>> and more on the voting rights bill in just a moment. >>> still ahead, police plan to reinstall fencing around

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so is joe fryer from nbc news. is called "opening up." they'll help broadway do just that. >> welcome back to broadway pie. >> that's it right there, right? >> joe? >> reporter: sara who wrote the show's songs returns as the lead. >> why was it so important for you to come back to this role for this turn to broadway? >> it's a great love of my artistic life. it's changed everything about my life in every way, shape, and form. >> reporter: "waitress" is just the first course. dozens of plays will open up, the audiences masked and fully vaxed. for the "waitress" community, the pandemic hit home after nick cordero in the original cast died from covid. >> nick was a beloved company member, deeply kind, deeply talented, had a big life here. >> reporter: in honor of him, their pie board now features a slice of live your life pie. >> that is a song he wrote, so he lives inside our little show for ever and ever. >> reporter: remembering while reopening. it's broadway's next act. >> our thanks to my friend joe fryer for tha

the creator called williams a fine man and a rare talent for "today," joe fryer, nbc news. >> terribleing center stage in a new documentary simply titled "janet." the two-part film is set to look at janet's life and influence on the world of pop music here's a quick look. >> this is what a superstar looks like >> she's an empowered woman. >> she's a force to be reckoned with >> she comes from a whole family of legends >> she will always be my baby sister >> ladies and gentlemen, i'd like to introduce janet jackson. >> this is my story told by me, not through someone else's eyes. >> lifetime and a&e special "janet" is set for a two-night premiere this january. >>> quickly, football season is almost here. we don't need much of a reason to break out a bracket highly coveted topic top tailgating foods for football let's take a look at the board there's a bunch of first seeds here soft pretzel going against loaded nachos. we'll see if the toppings give nachos the upper hand. next, buffalo wings against a nice hot bowl of chili don't underestimate the hot bowl of chili. >> wings all the way

. >> anchor joe fryer joins us with more on his life. hey, joe. >> good morning.ng partner and friend, lori joe hochstra saying he never wanted his condition to affect the way the audience or people saw him. >> live from new york, saturday night. >> tuesday, the comedy legend passed away at the age of 61 after privately battling cancer for nine years. macdonald joined "saturday night live" in 19 3, known for his impersonations for an array of faces including senator bob dole and actor burt reynolds. >> i found this backstage, an oversized hat. it's funny. >> to, it's not. >> sure it is. it's funny because it's bigger than a normal hat. his weekend update segments mocking o.j. simpson made headlines. >> well, it is finally official. murder is legal in the state of california. >> macdonald left snl in 19 98. he claimed after that an executive objected to his jokes. snl tweeted there are so many things that we will miss about norm, from his again rot advertise to his consistent ability to surprise, but most of all, he was just plain funny. after "snl," he continued t

. >> nbc news now anchor joe fryer is here with more.out him. >> also surprising it has been a long year for jeff bridges, battling covid and cancer now he's in a much better place and the star says coming close to death is making life that much sweeter. >> life goes on, man >> reporter: jeff bridges is celebrating life this morning in a handwritten note posted to his site monday he shared, my cancer is in remission. >> yeah, well, the dude abides. >> reporter: best known for his role in "the big lebowski" last year diagnosed with lymphoma, a form of blood cancer over the last year, he's shared glimpses into his battle but kept quiet on one major complication until now a previously unpublished note published monday he wrote he and his wife susan were hospitalized with coronavirus last january after he was exposed while undergoing chemotherapy. sue spends five days in the hospital me, i'm there five weeks, because my immune system is shot from the chemo my dance with covid makes my cancer look like a piece of cake the 71-year-old added, d

. >> joe fryer joins us to explain what exactly is going on >> we already knew this, mayim bialik isosting duties now we know for the rest of 2021, if you don't see her, you will see another familiar face, ken jennings winning "jeopardy!'s" greatest of all time tournament where he'll add guest co-host to his resume >> that's it >> reporter: ken jennings, a fan-favorite contestant on america's favorite quiz show is set to step behind the lectern again. >> contestants, here is your final clue >> reporter: "jeopardy!" has announced jennings will be the next host. the move comes after weeks of uncertainty. >> here is the host of jeopardy, mike richards. >> reporter: capped off by this week's episodes which feature now former host mike richards. after filming five episodes last month, richards stepped down last month and was later removed as the show's executive producer after commence he made in 2014 came to light. he apologized but the drama left "jeopardy!" searching for a new host yet again overnight, fan favorite levar burton spoke out saying he's now happy without the job. >> i want

joe fryer is here with more. some of the shows had a really big night. >> it was a big night for a few shows. this was a night for the tv shows that helped us in fact in the last year and a half and tv's biggest night was big for streaming, "the crown" leading the way. they won 11 emmys this year. >> the emmy goes to "the crown." >> for "the crown," a long awaited coronation in the fourth season, they finally won best drama and swept all four acting categories >> making "the crown" has been the most rewarding years of my life >> i wish my dad was here to see this >> i lost my daddy during covid and he would have loved all of this >> some of the nominees appeared remotely, with many were there in person. sneet ♪ the show kicked off with a giant sing along beneath a massive air conditioned tent in l.a. >> let me start by saying there is way too many of us in this little room. >> festivities led by cedric the entertainer. >> in the comedy categories, another streaming show, apple tv plus's feel good soccer series "t

host, no longer is mike richard the host of the show, but he's now no longer executive producer >> joe fryer on the move >> what was supposed to be a smooth transition to the new host after alex trebek passed away has turned into a fiasco. it's double jeopardy for mike richards now fans and critics are asking, how did we end up here this morning, for a show built around questions, "jeopardy!'s" future may be the hardest one of all. the show known for its soothing consistency has been dogged by controversy and drama as its search for a new host, now an executive producer mike richards is now out of that role less than two weeks after stepping down as the executive producer sony pictures released a statement saying he is removed from "jeopardy!" and "wheel of fortune" saying, we had hoped that when mike stepped down from the host position at "jeopardy!" it would have minimized the disruption and internal difficulties we have all experienced these last few weeks. that clearly has not happened. this ends the saga of controversy surrounding richards, but leaves "jeopardy!" without a permanent fac

joe fryer joins us with details on this. a bit of a stunner. >> it is a big development.s under a conservatorship led by her father, jamie, britney spears could soon regain control over her fortune and her life. her father had agreed to step down as conservator. his new request is being seen as a potentially huge victory for team britney. >> what do we want? >> free britney. >> when do we want it? >> now! >> reporter: britney spears could soon be a free woman to spend her life and her money however she wants. the past 13 years, britney's father, jamie spears, has been part of a strict conservatorship. conservatorship was put into place after several public breakdowns, but that could soon change. late tuesday, jamie spears filed a petition that states his daughter is entitled to have this court now seriously consider whether this conservatorship is no longer required, adding that britney's circumstances have changed to such an extent that grounds for a conservatorship no longer exist. something the 39-year-old pop star told the court she refuses to do. in recent months, sh

joe fryer has the details. >> reporter: the emmy goes to "the crown." doctor ma. >> making "the crown" has been the most rewarding years of my life. >> i lost my daddy during covid and he would have loved all of this. >> reporter: most were there in person. the show kicked off with a giant sing along. >> let me start by saying there are way too many of us in this little room. >> reporter: led by host cedric, the entertainer. "ted lasso" won seven emmys. >> i want to thank folks at "snl" and jason sedacas just won. what's your message to jason? >> i was so happy to jason. >> he'll be coming back soon. >> jean smart grabs her third emmy. >> i would not be here without him. >> reporter: the night also honored norm macdonald. >> i would like to pay tribute to the best we had. >> reporter: nominee of michael k. williams. >> michael, your excellence and artistry will endured. we love you. >> reporter: the night's most powerful speeches aimed at empowered women, kate winslet. >> michaela cole. >> i dedicate this story to every single survivor of sexual assault

nbc news correspondent joe fryer takes us behind the scenes. >> all aboard!e people i cared about would have a job again. >> reporter: eva is in the same role she was playing in march of 2020 when broadway suddenly went dark. during the pandemic she hunkered down with reef carny, her costar on stage and partner off. >> what went through your mind when you would see broadway quiet? >> did you see that? >> yeah. >> we were like what the heck is going on. >> what got you through? >> hope and a full glass of gin. the rep ran of how fulfilling theatre and is being surrounded by theatres, i went, i must be here for a reason. >> reporter: that reason, a different kind of broadway revival. recent weeks productions have been reuniting and rehearsing. and the cast of waitress starring sarah to the music man with hugh jackman. this month hamilton, the lion king and wicked are set to hit the stage. along with mulan rouge. >> we're putting on the broadway 2.0 production of mulan rouge. >> do you see it in a different light? >> this is about a group of artist fighting for