stay tuned for sir richard branson alias, dr.4 years since we americans let the british tell us how to run our politics, but that isn't stopping sir richard branson. i caught up with him in new york while he was rubbing elbows with world leaders at the clinton global initiative. first of all, thanks for doing this. >> pleasure. >> grateful. one of the tensions currently in american politics is what's the role of government and what's the role of the private sector? there is growing lack of faith in government right now in the u.s. and actual anger in general at government's growth. do you think it's appropriate for american ceos to step in and take over some of the social services that government has been providing? >> i think when governments do not tackle some of the world's problems then it is certainly up to business leaders to play that part in filling the gap. let's say, take global warming. government are not talking about global warming anymore, because in america it's something americans don't seem to be willing to liste

you got a -- you got a cartoon drawing of richard branson. >> steve: oh!shed portrait of british billionaire richard branson. completed by an eight-year-old, as part of a book report, this painting lays bare the shrewdness, determination and the goatee of england's most famous businessperson. jimmy? >> jimmy: fantastic. that's awesome, buddy. [ light laughter ] congrats. >> yeah, thanks. >> jimmy: so cool, man. you know where you're gonna hang it? >> on my wall. [ laughter ] >> jimmy: usually works. yep. let's see what you got here, pal. uh oh. top secret iphone 6. >> steve: ooh! [ cheers and applause ] you've won a sneak peek for entire audience of the next generation iphone 6. apple is the most secretive company in the world and you're about to get a look at the far-out technology they are planning two generations from now. are you ready? ready, ready, ready, ready? >> yes. [ drum roll ] [ laughter ] ♪ [ applause ] >> jimmy: i guess you talk into the tail? >> steve: i guess. >> jimmy: well, it's a prototype. they're still working it out. anyway that's it

. >>> and thrill seeking tycoon sir richard branson is scheduled to attempt to become the oldest and fastest person to kite surf across the english channel from france to england. >>> all day long, you can stay on top of the very latest developments in those stories and others as they break on msnbc. and tonight be sure to watch brian williams with nbc "nightly news." >>> and, finally, here's a look at what's coming up later this morning on the "today" show. the fall fight. will the weak economy cost democrats control of congress? a live report from the white house. and copy cat crime. two women have acid thrown in their faces. are these horrific incidents related? >>> now keep it on this channel for continuing local news, weather, sports and more. i'm lynn berry. thanks for watching "early today," just your first

source, the trade paper says sylvester stallone, ann coulter, condoleezza rice, erin brockovich, richard branson, tim allen and suzanne somers all turned them down. is that enough people for you? well, the report also says melanie griffith lobbies to get on the show every season and is always turned down. joan rivers also told wendy williams that she got in touch with the show, saying that she wanted to do it it, but they never got back to her, prompting rivers to give "dancing with the stars" producers an obscene suggestion. >>> and finally, conan o'brien announced the new title of his upcoming tbs talk show on youtube yesterday, saying the name is "simple and pure, like the man himself." can you guess it? it's right there on your screen. that's right, it is just "conan." that's it! >> maybe he should have spelled it backwards like nanoc. >> like harpo and oprah. that's right. anything you do that oprah does turns to gold. >> that's true. the harp youo. she's kind of ruined it. you can't copy that. >> i like cocoa show. >> maybe i'll suggest him. >> he's on speed dial, what are you talking abou

richard branson is expected to be the first to offer regular space tours next year. >>> a milestone tonight, what bp is doing at the scene of that gulf oil spill and what it means. >>> find out what the bay area's tunnel project tops the list released today. >>> the connection between air pollution and heart attacks. we'll explain when we come back. >>> new at 6:00, we're looking into another bay area neighborhood with a high risk pipeline. what some say is getting in the way of preventing a disaster similar to the san bruno explosion. >>> plus -- >> reporter: an francisco restaurant workers call for a massive overhaul in the way they are living. many live in extremely tight quarters in places like this. >>> more details on the accident involving five bay area high school students. and an explanation that might reveal what went wrong. tonight on ktvu channel 2 news at 6:00. the black widow spider's severe bite can cause co and even death. thbut there's an enamba can. deadlier predator cigarettes, produced by big tobacco, which take a life every six pot five seconds. don't be big tobacco's n

other stars taking your call will be denzel washington and the virgin america king himself, sir richard branson>> and right now sir raj mathai is with us. >> we bicker once every other week usually. >> that's right. >> no one really cares if we fight. but when the 49ers start bickering, then we care. we'll tell what you is happening with the niners. also, big news from the sharks. the ceo stepping down. >> really? why? >> we'll find out. we're about to get the news. jeff ranieri, take it away. >> another hot day out here, raj. temperatures in the 90s, even lingom w coolingeather ancisco.o and your seven day coming up. this droid has evolved to do even more. now it integrates your work e-mail, so you can be hooked up to everything you need to do. now it does 1 ghz speed on a more intuitive keyboard. turning you into an instrument of efficiency. introducing the new droid 2 by motorola. part of the next gern atioof does. >>> san jose could be sued for approving more houses. nbc bay area's vicki win joins us with that story new at 6:00. >> reporter: city leaders voted 8-2 to build 89 homes here. th

my friend's richard branson. we fly out to space. oh, yeah. earth eggs? i guess earth eggs.g. >> larry: what do you make of the "jersey shore" phenomenon? >> phenomenon. i love it. i'm obsessed. i think it's great. this season is better than the first season. do you know the situation? he's the guy -- he calls the abs the situation because they're just -- he calls it a situation showing the abs. the new thing this season, they cut to him any time something happens for a reaction shot. he is like from "three's company." he's like -- what? and then someone gets in a fight and he's like -- pulls the sunglasses. it is like the best. it is just the best season so far. i love "the jersey shore." >> larry: you are a fan. what do you make of the jetblue flight attendant? whatever -- >> gatlin brothers? larry gatlin? what do i think? all the gold in california. great song. >> larry: they should do a commercial to show their chutes work. >> steven slater. oh, yeah. hey, jetblue. our chutes work. exactly. the best way to quit your job ever. are you kidding me? get on. curse everybody o

an impression of richard branson had a high flying prediction of how many money would be raised. >> talking>> reporter: all the money earmarked for research into battling cancer in it all its various forms. for "today," george lewis, nbc s news, hollywood. >> it's fantastic to see everybody come together and make so much money towards research. >> and the percentage of people who know someone who survived -- >> it's frightening. >> incredible, all for an amazing cause. we'll take a break. a lot more "today" after this. >>> for a good laugh on this saturday morning, there's a family in california, they were going down the highway when all of a sudden they were passed by the car from ghost busters. remember the white ghost busters mobile? >> just moments later, look at this, it's the detoday lorian from back to the future. >> that happens all the time in a neighborhood near you, right in. >> i would love to take a spin. right up to 88 miles an hour. >> maybe it can happen to us some day. >> on the way home. we'll be right back. yeah, sometimes i worry. sometimes i worry. what if something bad

. >> that's richard branson right there.e boeing vehicle is not primarily designed as a space tourism vehicle. it's designed to carry nasa and russian and international astronauts to the international space station. and there's some intention to use that to go to some other interesting places. that won't fly till 2015 or so. it may be that the dragon capsule gets there sooner. so there would be competition for boeing. competition isless a good thing to energize an industry. >> so the space shuttle program with its retirement coming up shortly, any future like that from the nasa perspective or is private company travel, is that the way we're going to go? >> it depends on what happens in the congress right now. president obama asked for a whole new way of doing business in space, a way to fulfill president bush's vision of a permanent human presence beyond earth orbitw3 or beyond space. and what we have is trouble in the congress right now, let me put it that way. >> really? you think? on that and a few other things. but you w

virgin airlines is as edgy and irreverent as its founder richard branson. their founders. institutions of all kinds. schools, universities, charities, churches. it is also true of countries. countries are shaped by their founders and by those who have led them often for many centuries after they are gone. i wonder what that must have been like for the people who first left europe to come to this country, the first immigrants. they left behind homes and families and stability in exchange for the possibility of a hostile and indigenous people, uncertain shelter and climate. some found fortune and others found the right to practice their religion according to the dictates of their conscience. in almost every heart there was the strain -- the ideal of liberty that drew them here. freedom from oppression. the thirst for freedom of the american colonists. it has been a quintessential american value from the very beginning. then the founders who drafted the declaration of independence and constitution made a trade like the first colonists. they could have chosen t

virgin airlines is as edgy and irreverent as its founder richard branson.ot just business is saved -- businesses saved by their founders. institutions of all kinds. schools, universities, charities, churches. it is also true of countries. countries are shaped by their founders and by those who have led them often for many centuries after they are gone. been like for the people who first left europe to come to this country, the first immigrants. they left behind homes and families and stability in exchange for the possibility of a hostile and indigenous people, uncertain shelter and climate. some found fortune and others found the right to practice their religion according to the dictates of their conscience. in almost every heart there was the strain -- the ideal of liberty that drew them here. freedom from oppression. the thirst for freedom of the american colonists. it has been a quintessential american value from the very beginning. then the founders who drafted the declaration of independence and constitution made a trade like the first colonists. they

. >> richard branson is going to make it happen and he'll take you along, don't worry. >> i'll be there. >> i know you love that. >>> we're also following this disturbing story out of the rutgers university a college student takes his own life after a private sexual encounter was secretly taped by his roommate and streamed online for everyone to see. clinical psychologist jeff guardier is going to talk to us about what would drive a student to do that. and are the laws keeping up with technology as far as people who may behind this. in 2008 i quit venture capital to follow my passion for food. i saw a gap in the market for a fresh culinary brand and launched behindtheburner.com. we create and broadcast content and then distribute it across tv, the web, and via mobile. i even use the web to get paid. with acceptpay from american express open, we now invoice advertisers and receive payments digitally. and i get paid on average three weeks faster. booming is never looking for a check in the mail. because it's already in my email. personal pricing now on brakes. tell us what you want to pay