October 2007 - Posts
Well, the suspense is over, and the TODAY team is dressed as The Munsters -- Matt as Herman, Meredith as Lily, Al as Grandpa, Natalie as Eddie, Hoda as Marilyn and Tiki as Spot (the dragon). WATCH VIDEO
For those of you that are either too young or didn't have the same misspent youth that I did (watching reruns of old TV shows), you may be wondering who The Munsters are. Here's a little background to get you up to speed:
CONTINUED >>
(From Matt Carluccio, TODAY producer)
We've arrived at McMurdo Station, Antarctica.
The flight in was thrilling -- especially for the team members who were invited to sit in the cockpit on the approach into McMurdo. I'll leave it to Ann Curry to describe, and for viewers to watch the video (we'll be sure to include on November 5), but just imagine a fully-loaded cargo plane landing on 20-foot-thick sea ice. Amazing to me, but routine for the Operation Deep Freeze pilots from McChord Air Force Base who support McMurdo Station.
Our gracious hosts from the National Science Foundation greeted us and spent the better part of the day giving us a tour of "station," as the locals call it. McMurdo is the largest of the three U.S. research bases on Antarctica and it serves as the U.S. Antarctic Program's hub - basically, everyone comes through McMurdo. It is a unique place, to say the least.
CONTINUED >>
If you're a parent, would you like it if your kid's school gave you a grade on your child's performance? Or if you had to fill out a form asking questions about how well you were preparing your kids for school?
In an effort to forge better communication between teachers and parents, some schools are sending parent report cards home to identify kids that are slipping through the cracks and need extra attention both at school and at home.
This morning, Matt interviewed Steve Edwards, a school board member in Manchester, Connecticut, who has proposed grading parents, and Julie Woestehoff of Parents United for Responsible Education, to discuss these issues. WATCH VIDEO
In my opinion, if your school system is operating properly, you have teachers, administrators, social workers, guidance counselors -- an army of people that should be able to say, "This kid's not doing their homework" or "This kid is coming to school without a winter coat."
CONTINUED >>
(From Janet Shamlian, NBC News Correspondent)
It's not easy to get there, but it's worth the trip. If you've ever lost your luggage permanently, the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama could be its final resting place. Producer Jen Gentile and I checked it out for a story airing on TODAY this morning. WATCH VIDEO
I wasn't sure what to expect; would this be a warehouse of half-used tubes of toothpaste or a Mecca of new designer dresses? Truth be told, it's a mix -- with plenty of treasures at bargain prices for anyone willing to give a few hours to the hunt.
With rows of iPods and stacks of those pricey noise-canceling headphones, the store fills a city block. From outerwear to underwear, there are racks of clothes alongside merchandise you'd never expect to find in checked luggage... including swords and surfboards. How do you lose a surfboard? I was sad to see such an extensive collection of wedding dresses and hoped the brides had lost them AFTER the ceremony.
CONTINUED >>
(From Matt Carluccio, TODAY producer)
There have been a lot of firsts for me in the last few days. Case in point, as I write I'm standing at the Christchurch, New Zealand airport under the massive wing of a U.S. Air Force C-17 as our crew films a 4-ton pallet of equipment being loaded on board.
But the biggest first is still about 5 hours away, weather permitting; touching down on Antarctica, or, as it's called by the locals, The Ice.
We have six NBC team members in our group and I'm pretty sure none of us know what to expect. Sure, we read the guide book, did our own research and found plenty of awe inspiring images on the internet, but can any of that really begin to capture the feeling we'll experience as we step off the plane onto a barren, icy desert sitting at the bottom of the earth; a place so remote that we - normally a rather resourceful bunch - need the full support of the National Science Foundation and the US Air Force just in order to get there.
Well, the planes are loaded and the 115 scientists, support staff and crew are in their seats. The engines are cranking up and the door is closing. A true once-in- a-lifetime first awaits.
Learn more about TODAY's Ends of the Earth event.
To ask Ann Curry and the TODAY team traveling to Antarctica a question, click here.
(From Andre Poulin, TODAY Producer)
Pop quiz!! What’s Kiku and what the heck is it doing in the Bronx? Claire Danes is playing Eliza Doolittle but why isn’t she singing? MORPHOSES has arrived in New York and why does it have some people dancing in the streets? True or false – a rare stamp collection can be the basis for a Broadway play. Already thinking about a Christmas gift for a loved one? How about a seat? Not following me? Well, read on – I’ve been AROUND THE TOWN and back!
CONTINUED >>
(From Ann Curry, TODAY Anchor)
The C-17 that will fly us to Antarctica is warming up, and as I write this our NBC news team is on the tarmac, feeling like we are about to jump into the unknown.
Producer Matt Carluccio says he's "pyched." Cameraman Mike Simon is pacing himself trying not to get "too excited." Leave it to Bobby Lapp, our soundman to see the downside, "I'm too hot in all this gear."
We are sweating, wearing three layers, and heavy expedition rated snow boots and huge coats, what we need to survive on what the scientists call "The Ice."
CONTINUED >>
We're two days away from Halloween, and I know a lot of people went to parties this past weekend to celebrate a few days in advance.
I was in Chicago over the weekend with several TODAY colleagues (for the wedding of our friends Ryan and Lauren), and we saw a lot of people dressed up (Lauren and Ryan were dressed as a bride and groom).
A quick scan of some of the top costume Web sites indicates that the most popular costumes aren't all that interesting (Jack Sparrow, Darth Vader, "sexy" Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, etc.).
So my question for all of you is -- what's the most creative costume you saw over the weekend? What are you or your kids going as on Wednesday night?
And finally...what do you think Matt, Meredith, Al and Natalie will be dressed as? Any guesses?
Send us your Halloween photos HERE
Check out our full Halloween site HERE
Here it is, your Friday rundown of what happened this past week on allDAY:
Lester Holt is considered one of the busiest people in televsion news. Luckily, I was able to steal a few minutes of his time after our show last Saturday to talk about some of his other talents. Lester Holt: television news anchor, musician, actor?! But before we get to that, Lester sent in an update from his coverage of the California wildfires:
Q. How do you approach covering a story like the California wildfires?
Lester: I grew up in California and so brush fires are not new to me. In fact I covered massive wildfires in Malibu in the early eighties when I worked for a Los Angeles TV station. My approach is simple. I never take fire for granted. In 1983 I vividly recall watching flames jump the road we were shooting on. We suddenly had fire burning all around us. It was a one-way dirt road deep in a canyon. I jumped in the driver's seat, my crew jumped in behind me and I backed down the road -- literally racing for our lives.
Q: Your son attends Pepperdine University -- which was evacuated because of nearby fires. How are he and his classmates doing?
Lester: I did have a chance to visit with my son while covering the current fires. The students were well taken care of, however flames did reach uninhabited parts of the campus. In addition the fire department helicopters were using a pond on campus to load up water to drop on the fires. The kids were all fine and seemed to take it in stride. I frankly don't think they were too upset at having classes cancelled two days in a row.
CONTINUED >>
Actor Matthew Broderick stopped by the set this morning to talk about his role co-starring with Jerry Seinfeld in Bee Movie. WATCH VIDEO
After he spoke to Ann, Matthew sat down with me for a few minutes to talk about a wide range of topics, including Seinfeld, Ferris Bueller, and the Mets.
Here's our conversation:
Q: What's your relationship like with Jerry Seinfeld? How far back do you guys go?
CONTINUED >>
This morning, Meredith interviewed Miss England, Georgia Horsley, who was told by pageant organizers that if she hopes to win the Miss World title, she'll have to put on a few pounds. WATCH VIDEO
There's been some confusion about this whole thing because Miss Horsley, while obviously thin, is not a "stick figure" and looks pretty healthy.
She's a size four (American) and has a self-described "athletic" build. The way this has been portrayed in the media is that this story is a reaction to the "size zero" phenomenon in which models have gotten dangerously skinny over the years.
CONTINUED >>
In case you missed it at 8:30 this morning, Neil Sedaka started singing "Breaking Up is Hard to Do," which led to one of the more hilarious moments on the show in the past few weeks.
Matt, Meredith and Ann started singing along, Al started dancing in San Diego, and guests Donald Faison ("Scrubs") and Renee Zellweger (Bee Movie) got into it too.
Everyone in our control room was cracking up, and hopefully you will too. WATCH VIDEO
With the final season of the NBC comedy "Scrubs" kicking off tonight at 9:30 p.m., co-star Donald Faison stopped by to talk about the show. WATCH VIDEO
A few minutes before the segment, he and I discussed his chemistry with co-star Zach Braff, what it's like to be naked on the set, and the future of his favorite team, the New York Knicks.
Here's our conversation:
Q: Before we get into the last season of "Scrubs"...Here at the show, we've obviously been talking about the wildfires all week. You work in LA, so I was curious if any friends of yours have been affected by what's going on out there.
CONTINUED >>
Yesterday, while we were reporting from Rancho Bernardo, in San Diego County, I snapped a few photos. We shot at two locations -- on a street where Jim and Carol Walls' house used to be, and at a firefighter staging area a few minutes away.
Here's a selection of photos:
In the early-morning darkness, Matt reported live
from what used to be the home of Jim and Carol Wall.
We're going to follow theirstory in the coming months.
Matt interviewed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at the
staging area to talk about the devastation his state has
faced -- and continues to face.
CONTINUED >>
(From Dan Fleschner, TODAY Producer)
We've been bringing you live coverage of the wildfires from all over Southern California this morning. I've been with Matt and about a dozen others in Rancho Bernardo (San Diego County), where several neighborhoods have been particularly hard hit. Homes have been burned to the ground, and soot and debris floats through the air.
It's strange enough driving around a silent neighborhood at 2 a.m., which is when we headed out to do our live shot. But it's even more eerie when you know that it's not quiet because everyone's asleep -- it's quiet because there's nobody there. Here in Rancho Bernardo, everyone has been evacuated, leaving only police and the odd news crew to dot the roadways. In many cases, these fires have given the term "ghost town" a new meaning.
CONTINUED >>
(From Tina and Tim Morris, Joy Fit Club members)
Tina’s Story:
Hi, my name is Tina Morris. I am almost 37 years old and have been overweight for the last 16 years. Growing up I was one of those kids that could eat anything I wanted and never had to worry about my weight. I could eat entire pizzas by myself (and I am not talking personal or small size, either) and I even had a restaurant cut me off because I was eating too much all-you-can eat prime rib!
I was probably best known for my sweet tooth, though. I could eat candy bar after candy bar and if there was a cake in the house it would be gone by the end of the day. I could also eat nearly a whole half-gallon of ice cream in one sitting.
Probably one of the things that grossed people out the most was that I would often grab a container of cake frosting and eat straight from the container! I often woke up craving sweets and it wouldn’t be unusual to eat spoonfuls of ice cream or frosting as soon as I woke up!
CONTINUED >>
(From Bob Dotson, NBC News National Correspondent)
I've made an effort -- all of my career -- to look behind the media mirror that reflects the powerful and find tales of people who are practically invisible.
I like to stick stories to a list of long overlooked names. People who are changing lives. Not just in their neighborhoods. Significant people who don't send out press releases.
This morning’s American Story with Bob Dotson started, as so many do, with a note from a viewer. Here’s what it said: “Let me introduce someone that you, and the rest of America, must meet. He wakes up at 5 a.m. each morning, does 80 push-ups, puts on his running clothes and is off to run 3 miles, swim 10 laps, and bike 5 miles. He then cleans up and begins working at a mortuary as a grievance counselor, and finishes his day with community service, Alzheimer's support groups, speeches at local schools and churches, and always finds time to meet new people. He is just as well known for visiting the sick, lifting spirits with his jokes, and providing food for the needy, as he is known for the races he runs in South Africa, along the Great Wall of China, barefoot in Greece, and the walls in his home covered in gold medals. You probably think I am describing a young man in his prime, but this is actually the day-to-day life of my 100 year old grandfather, LaGrand Nielsen.”
Here’s his picture:
What do I love about his story? It doesn’t present the old age cliché. No cutesy seniors playing kazoos. Just a simple report about a man who has quietly made a difference in the many lives he’s touched. WATCH VIDEO
CONTINUED >>
(From Elliott Walker, TODAY Producer)
CIA veteran Valerie Plame Wilson was never supposed to be famous. For 20 years it came naturally to her to lie to her friends and family about being a spy. (She says none of them were mad at her when they found out.) She used false passports and work names and disguises. WATCH VIDEO
CONTINUED >>
Shortly after last week's attacks on former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, TODAY News Anchor Ann Curry traveled to Karachi to report from Pakistan.
Ann's exclusive interview with Bhutto airs Monday morning on TODAY, and she filed this report while traveling to Pakistan.
It was in darkness when the bombs exploded, two of them, seconds apart. After the chaos came the reckoning: 134 dead, hundreds more wounded. It was one of the deadliest attacks in the history of Pakistan, but the target, a woman, survived without a scratch.
Benazir Bhutto in person looks more like an elegant matron, in her flowing robes and flawless makeup, than someone who would knowingly court danger.
Knowing it risked her safety, she aligned herself with the U.S. government against the Taliban and Al Qaeda terrorists in Pakistan. And then, despite warnings that suicide bombers would come after her, she returned home from exile to Pakistan.
Just what sort of person does this?
CONTINUED >>
It was a busy week around these parts, so if you missed anything, you can get caught up here:
James Lipton, the host of "Inside the Actors Studio," has become a pop culture icon. He is known for his unique interviewing style as well as the array of parodies of that style, most notably by Will Ferrell on "Saturday Night Live."
Lipton has recently turned the attention onto himself, writing his new book Inside Inside. READ EXCERPT.
He joined Meredith this morning to talk about his life and career. WATCH VIDEO
Before his segment with Meredith, he sat down with me to talk about his biggest surprise in 13 years of hosting "Inside the Actors Studio," which star from Hollywood history he'd most want to interview, and the status of his relationship with the "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" character, the Horny Manatee.
Here's our conversation (after the jump):
CONTINUED >>
This morning, we reported on a Time magazine cover story that looks at birth order. The story compares some of the anecdotal evidence that we've gathered for generations with recent scientific studies. WATCH VIDEO
The results? That much of what we thought about birth order is true. The studies seem to confirm some of our long-standing beliefs -- namely that the first-born child is often a high achiever and the most responsible member of the family; the middle-born children have trouble living up to the standards of their older siblings; and the youngest tends to be the most creative and wildest of the group.
Of course, these are generalizations, and I'm sure you can find instances where you and your siblings or your children have developed different dynamics. So does your family fit neatly into these sibling boxes or has it broken free of the "Brady Bunch" birth order stereotypes?
(From Jill Rappaport, TODAY Entertainment Correspondent)
What a miracle, what a blessing, what a BOY!
My Jack is truly a fighter, with an incredible desire to live. For those of you who followed and remember Jack’s amazing, yet terrifying story (and there were countless emails) 14 months ago, my beautiful, then 11 ½ year old, German Shepard started limping and my worst fear was confirmed—Jack was diagnosed with bone cancer. Again, just writing those words makes me sick to my stomach, but Jack’s story, to date, is inspirational and, hopefully, will ease fears you might have if your “fur angels” are given a devastating diagnosis. There is HOPE and, YES, there is a wonderful quality of life even after amputation, chemotherapy and recovery.
Jack is doing “great” on three legs. Yes, he tires a little more easily but that is to be expected since he lost his walk and trot gaits, and now canters or hops. You try hopping. It is exhausting to say the least. Let’s not forget he is now 12 ½, which is not young for a big dog on all fours, let alone three. But he leaps up to go for many walks a day, he is the first one at the refrigerator waiting for a snack and, recently, when I turned my back for one minute he took off after a deer!
CONTINUED >>
When I woke up this morning, I couldn't help thinking to myself, "You know what I need in my life? A robot that looks human and can have a conversation with me. I think I'll pick one up today."
Was this a sign that the soul-crushing loneliness of my life has made me desperate for any kind of human or ersatz-human interaction? Of course not.
It was merely my Extra-Sensory Perception kicking in -- for somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind, I knew that I would come face to face with a life-like robot named "Swami."
He's one of the fantasy gifts offered by Neiman Marcus this year in their 2007 Christmas Book. WATCH VIDEO
VIEW SLIDESHOW
In our few minutes together, Swami and I discussed deep philosophical subjects, art, and the latest on Lindsay Lohan (he'd be crossing his fingers that she's clean and sober for good...if he had any fingers).
CONTINUED >>
On tomorrow's show, our fourth-hour co-anchor Hoda Kotb is going to discuss the battle with breast cancer that she has endured over the past several months. (THURSDAY UPDATE: WATCH VIDEO HERE.) I sat down with her to talk further about this revelation, and, among other things, her Egyptian heritage, her early career rejections, and her obsession with her iPod. Read on.
Q: A lot of people want to know about the pink ring that you wear on your index finger.
Hoda: I wear this, just to kind of... it's not like I need a physical reminder of my breast cancer, aside from what has happened to me. But it just reminds me.
I feel safe with it on. I don't know... I think when you make it through cancer, anyone who's survived it and so many people have, everyone gets a take-away. My take-away, what I got from this whole ordeal, was the headline that "You can't scare me." That's what I took away. It's such an exciting, liberating headline. If you survive it, that's what you get. And it also reminds you that your life has limits. It's to be valued and not wasted. I decided I'm not wasting one more minute. Suddenly your life gets clearer, and it weeds everything out. It just gives you clarity. And I also wear the ring just because I know that I'm in a big club with lots of people.
Q: Why did you decide to come forward now and talk about breast cancer?
CONTINUED >>
We've now heard from Larry Craig himself in this ongoing scandal surrounding the Idaho senator.
WATCH VIDEO
This morning, we got perspectives from the legal angle with Dan Abrams (WATCH VIDEO) and the political angle with Tim Russert (WATCH VIDEO).
If nothing else, Senator Craig seems like a guy who has a hard time making up his mind.
He was arrested on June 11. On August 1, he mailed in his guilty plea for disorderly conduct. But he later changed his mind to say that he's innocent and always has been, that he pled guilty to make the whole thing go away. He says his embarrassment is what kept him from telling anyone about his arrest until the news was about to hit the media.
CONTINUED >>
Somehow, through my incredible powers of persuasion, I was able to land an exclusive blog interview with TODAY senior producer Noah Oppenheim, co-author of The Intellectual Devotional: American History. READ EXCERPT
Noah and co-author David Kidder sat down with Matt this morning to talk about the book, which is the second in the Intellectual Devotional series. WATCH HERE
Would you buy a book co-written by this man?
Apparently, a lot of people would (and have).
It was a special privilege to interview Noah, because I look up to him as a role model both at work and in life. Actually, hold on -- that's someone else. I got confused for a minute. But seriously, Noah's all right. And here's our conversation:
DF: The first book in the series got a lot of media attention and sold a lot of copies. You heard about some celebrity fans out there as well...anyone in particular stand out?
CONTINUED >>
Last night, before Game 3 of the American League Championship Series game in Cleveland between the Red Sox and Indians, our own Al Roker had the honor of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.
I spoke to him this morning about the experience:
Q: How did you find yourself on the mound at Jacobs Field to throw out the first pitch?
Al Roker: Desperation on the Indians' part!
CONTINUED >>
After 36 hours, I'm home. Has it been 36 hours or 136 hours? I'm not sure. My clock says that it's Monday night, 7:30 p.m., but my body tells me that that's impossible. It must be Thursday, at least. In any case, today was an interesting day that featured an encounter with arguably the greatest athlete of the 20th century. What? Is that something that would interest you? But I'll get to that.
Dan Fleschner/NBC News
Why is Matt chatting with Michael Jordan? Read on to find out...
When we left off yesterday, we had arrived in Chicago from Boise late on Sunday night. I ended up sleeping for about two hours before my wake-up call came at 3:30 a.m. Shortly thereafter, I met Matt in our hotel lobby before heading over to the NBC News Chicago bureau.
On our way in, we passed a couple of TODAY die-hards, one of whom informed us that she had driven all the way from Schaumburg. I don't know how far that is, but I appreciate the effort, since it was 4:30 a.m.
CONTINUED >>
I'm writing this at 10:51 p.m. Central Time on Sunday night. It's been an interesting day.
I can't say that I've ever flown from New York to Boise to Chicago in one day, but that's what Matt and I did today.
The day began at 7:15 a.m., when a car arrived to pick me up at my apartment. We then drove over to Matt's apartment and were off to the airport by 7:30. Why were we going to Boise? Because Matt was going to interview Senator Larry Craig and his wife at their home in Boise, Idaho.
The interview got underway around 3 p.m. Mountain Time, and it was pretty compelling stuff. I watched the interview on a monitor in the Craigs' garage along with, among others, Senator Craig's attorney, Billy Martin (he also represents Michael Vick, among others).
You, of course, can see Matt's interview with the Craigs Tuesday at 8 p.m. on NBC in a special primetime edition of Matt Lauer Reports. And we'll have more coverage Wednesday morning on TODAY as well. I'm too tired right now to get into the details of the interview, but you should watch. Just trust me.
CONTINUED >>
(From Chimene Williams, Today Researcher)
I was able to steal some time with Natalie Morales to ask her a few questions about juggling work and family time, running a marathon and her quirky habits.
Q: Rob, from Southern California, asked, "What celebrity, author or musician would you like to interview?"
Natalie: In terms of celebrity, I’m a huge admirer of Bono – not only for his obviously huge talent but because he’s made such a difference. He’s my favorite. If I had the chance of a lifetime I’d like to interview him.
I would like to interview all of the spouses of the candidates because I think you get a real sense of the candidates of what they’re like through their spouses.
Q: Daniel, from Denver, Colorado, wants to know if you are planning on running the New York City marathon this year.
CONTINUED >>
In case you missed any of the posts this week on allDAY, here's a look back at the highlights:
(From Curtis Vogel, TODAY Producer)
I'm the producer of Natalie Morales's new series called Class of 2020, in which we are following a group of students for 13 years, from their first day in kindergarten to their high school graduation.
The first part of our new series kicked off with the excitement and emotions surrounding the first day of school (naturally). When it came time to figure out the theme for the second piece, it was obvious almost immediately when the teacher, Mrs. Tepper, started assigning homework to her kindergartners. WATCH VIDEO
Homework? In kindergarten?
CONTINUED >>
(From Janet Shamlian, NBC News Correspondent)
The newspaper's relationship column lay across my keyboard with these words underlined "high-maintenance-coffee order equals high-maintenance woman." I wasn't sure what to make of it. Surely, my husband wasn't referring to me. After all, he's the one who asks the barista to add in the sugar for him. C'mon darlin', there's a condiment counter right behind you!
The premise of the column is that men can determine whether a woman is high-maintenance by how she orders her coffee. You know, if it's a "venti, triple shot, half-caf, 145 degree, one-third skim latte" it might be an indication she's a lady of extraordinary upkeep, or picky or whatever high maintenance means these days. In what was, admittedly, an unscientific study we headed to coffee shops in Los Angeles and Houston to test-drive the theory (video). Your mileage may vary.
My first observation was this: women DO order fussier drinks than men. No question, we do. But, so what? When a super-sized java jolt costs more than a gallon of gas, shouldn't it be exactly as we want it?
Men told me they do make judgments about women based on their order. Women saw no correlation between their coffee and anything else. "The only signal this should send to a man," one woman told me as she juggled her blueberry frappuccino "is I know what I like and I'm going to get it." I'm not certain why this litmus test is limited to the ladies, but women overwhelmingly told me they don't make assumptions about a man based on his Cuppa Joe.
In the interest of full disclosure: I like a venti, non-fat, no-foam, extra-hot latte. Unlike my husband, I'll wrestle open the sugar packet and stir it into the cup... all by myself.
Got a secret? Then Frank Warren is the man for you. He has just written his fourth book, A Lifetime of Secrets, and his blog, postsecret.blogspot.com, is one of the most popular sites on the Internet. This morning, he chatted with Meredith about some of the secrets people have shared with him.
WATCH VIDEO
VIEW SLIDESHOW
After the segment, in between members of our staff coming up to Frank to tell him their secrets, he and I discussed his inspiration for this project, why people trust him with their secrets, and what he does with all the postcards he receives.
Here's our conversation:
Q: What inspired you to start this project in the first place?
Frank Warren: I think that in my own life, I was struggling with secrets from my childhood. And so in one sense, this was a way for me to reconcile with parts of my past that I'd been struggling with.
CONTINUED >>
(From Tammy Fine, TODAY producer)
Without offending anyone, I have to ask the question: can anyone under 40 name five songs by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons?
If you answer no, then I hope you were able to see the profile we ran on the show this morning. WATCH VIDEO
Because the truth is, Frankie and the boys have a catalog of music that blows your mind away. "Sherrie"... "Big Girls Don't Cry"... "Walk Like a Man"...
While those aren't songs that I was spinning on my record player at age 12, they are special to me just the same. It's been said that music at its best touches the soul, and for me, this music does because it brings back some of my sweetest childhood memories.
CONTINUED >>
(From Jenna Wolfe, TODAY correspondent)
Time’s fun when you’re having flies… wait, maybe it’s the other way around… no, I think I’m right. Either way, as I near my 2-month mark here at NBC I can’t help but note it’s been a lot of fun… and also there aren’t a lot of flies here.
I was a sportscaster for 11 years before coming to 30 Rock. And while they were 11 fun-filled, emotionally-enriched, athletically giddy years, they don’t compare to the last two months I’ve spent making TV at NBC… and I’m not just saying that so my bosses will read this and maybe pay me more. (Unless one of the big bosses is reading this…then of course you are more than welcome to pay me more.)
But instead of chasing 300-pound linemen around a locker room after a sweaty game (as riveting as that was and is), now I’m doing something a little different. I’m branching out… telling stories outside the world of sports… talking about things other than a 3-4 defense, or a free throw line, or icing. And while I may someday use all of those words in a sentence, (might be a run-on) the sentence will most likely have to do with something other than sports…
Like pizza.
CONTINUED >>
We covered a story this morning that may come as a surprise to a lot of people: that some parents are practicing "diaper-free" toilet training with their newborns and infants. WATCH VIDEO
Here's how proponents say it works. When a child has to go to the bathroom, he or she will give the parent a visual cue that it's time to go. The parent then takes the child into the bathroom, holds them over the toilet, and makes specific noises to encourage the commencement of the process.
Proponents also say that this is not a new trend -- it's apparently practiced in parts of rural Asia and Africa, where people can't afford to buy diapers. And it has huge environmental implications, eliminating tons of disposable diapers from landfills.
CONTINUED >>
(From Andre Poulin, TODAY Producer)
Grand opera. A haunted house. Restaurants as theater. And a new movie directed by Sean Penn. That was my weekend last week AROUND THE TOWN.
Pagliacci at Lincoln Center, Courtesy Carol Rosegg
Nightmare: Ghost stories
This is my second blog about the riches of New York’s City’s cultural scene. You might say my weekend started last Wednesday night, September 26th. I met my friend Andrew Flynn, art director for the fashion bible, Women’s Wear Daily or WWD, at a Greenwich Village restaurant called THE SPOTTED PIG. I was celebrating my 25th year working for NBC. Dining as theater is not unique to New York of course, but this city does have its share of restaurants that seem to double as stage settings where diners and staff make up the cast. Ask anyone – going out to eat can sometimes reach levels of farce, comedy, melodrama and disappointment and leave you wishing the curtain had never gone up. However, sometimes the experience can be sublime when the cuisine and the service are impeccably executed. April Bloomfield is the chef and principal owner of the gastro pub and appeared on TODAY this past June. She features such items on the menu as Pot of Pickles and Crispy Pig’s Ear. You can also find an all-American Chargrilled Burger. Well, sometimes we diners and the food itself are upstaged by celebrity arrivals. The night I was there, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were seated next to us. On separate occasions, I’ve seen the likes of Senator John Kerry, Bette Midler, and Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. Most nights, Tim, the manager, is directing and even choreographing the action in this bustling restaurant. In my opinion he deserves a TONY AWARD for his performance! Bravo!
Friday night was a different experience altogether. The location was Lincoln Center and the setting Italy but it had nothing to do with that country’s fabulous cuisine. It was a night at the opera – two, in fact – CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA (RUSTIC CODE OF HONOR) composed by Pietro Mascagni and PAGLIACCI (CLOWNS) composed by Ruggiero Leoncavallo. They are sometimes referred to as “Ham’n Eggs” and “Bagels and Lox” because the two late 19th century operas are performed as a pair. At curtain time, my eyes were getting heavy and I hoped it would not be a cue for a mini-nap (the man next to me did fall asleep) but once the music began, from the first note I was transfixed. Betrayal, unholy unions, and murder filled the stage and how glorious it was. Bravo was once again! Performances end October 27th.
I may have received my L.L. Bean Christmas catalogue just the other day, but on New York’s lower east side it is decidedly Halloween from now through November 3rd. Billed as New York’s most horrifying haunted house, NIGHTMARE – GHOST STORIES features 23 very dark and spooky rooms populated by the undead and psychos with one goal in mind – to make you scream and jump and laugh. I did all three sometimes all at once. At one point I became separated from my group and eventually found myself alone and lost. I quietly asked one of the psychos to direct me to the next room and was obliged. The creative team behind NIGHTMARE actually conducted an online poll of people’s paranormal experiences. It culled the most hair raising and ghastly stories and brought them to life. It’s now in its 4th year at the CSV Cultural Center on Suffolk Street in Manhattan.
My weekend ended with the new film INTO THE WILD, written and directed by Sean Penn. Based on a nonfiction bestseller by Jon Krakauer, the movie takes you on one young man’s journey to discover who he is. He abandons his parents, sister and most of his personal belongings to live in isolation in Alaska. Along the way, he meets several people including a retired military man played by Hal Holbrook who gives what might just be an Oscar nominated performance according to my own crystal ball.
Speaking of crystal balls, it’s signaling me to stop now.
More to come.
Legendary guitarist, songwriter and singer Eric Clapton was in our studio today to discuss his revealing new book, Clapton: The Autobiography.
WATCH VIDEO
READ EXCERPT
Before the segment, Clapton was gracious enough to sit down with me for a few minutes to answer a few of my questions.
Among the subjects we discussed: which of his bands he wishes had stayed together longer, who he's listening to now, and which of his songs he'd put on his iPod.
Here's our conversation:
Q: In the book, you spend a lot of time talking about some of the downsides of fame...but what has been the best part about being a rock star?
CONTINUED >>
(From Carolyn Leonard, Joy Fit Club member)
My name is Carolyn Leonard and I am a 57-year-old widow living in Tampa, Florida. I have been heavy most of my life. Looking back at family photos, my weight problem started in the third grade. I grew up in a Polish/German household in Baltimore where food was always on the table and I was encouraged to “clean your plate”. So I did. And unfortunately, I took that food mentality to adulthood.
As a teenager, I was always the funny one since I felt that making people laugh would keep them from looking at my size. I was a size 20 in high school. I was popular but enjoyed the safety of socializing with groups.
CONTINUED >>
Sounds like a special Saturday morning cartoon, right? (If you remember the Globetrotters appearing on "Scooby Doo," then you know what I'm talking about.)
Photo courtesy Sarah Yale
Just a typical Monday at TODAY: The Globetrotters meet Matchbox 20.
But this morning, the legendary traveling basketball team met the members of the hugely successful band and had a photo-op.
As my colleague Dan Barbossa pointed out, when a rock band meets the Globetrotters, it's just a typical Monday here at TODAY.
What happens when you follow the Bible as literally as you can in the modern age? Journalist and author A.J. Jacobs found out when he spent a year taking a spiritual journey, following more than 700 Biblical rules for 52 weeks.
He chronicles the journey in The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible. He sat down with Matt this morning to discuss the book and his experience. WATCH VIDEO
READ EXCERPT
A.J. during his Year of Living Biblically...
...and after his return to his regular life.
I had some questions of my own, so A.J. stuck around for a few more minutes. We talked about what his wife withheld from him, why he ate insects and what a person who has to dress in white all the time wears to a black tie event.
Here's our conversation (after the jump):
CONTINUED >>
"Saturday Night Live" cast members Andy Samberg and Fred Armisen are the stars of the latest "SNL" digital short, which is a love song to Iran president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Right: Samberg croons, Armisen plays Ahmadinejad). The digital short has become an Internet sensation (sorry, you'll have to find it yourself), and they were on the show this morning to talk about it.
After their interview with Matt and Meredith, I sat down with Samberg and Armisen for a Q&A session. Here's our conversation:
Q: So, Ahmadinejad...What did you think of his visit in general? Did you think Columbia should have invited him to speak?
Fred Armisen: I thought that...I don't want to say anything political because it ends up on a blog and it seems like I'm making a statement about it. I have a feeling about it. I'll just say that I think that his speech should have just spoken for itself. I don't know that they needed someone to come out and go, "This guy is petty." He was such a lunatic that I would have gotten that right away.
Andy Samberg: I thought it would have been rad if he actually just put a soap box in Washington Square Park, stand on it and just say whatever he wanted... He actually might be the musical guest on "SNL" next week.
Q: Performing on what?
CONTINUED >>
"Friday Night Lights" is one of the most critically-acclaimed shows on network television. Its second season begins tonight at 9 p.m. on NBC, and co-stars Kyle Chandler, who plays Coach Eric Taylor, and Connie Britton, who plays Tami Taylor, stopped by this morning to talk about the season premiere. WATCH VIDEO
After the segment, they sat down with me to talk about the strength of their on-camera marriage, their off-camera relationship and their favorite characters on the show.
Here's our conversation:
Q: One of the strengths of "Friday Night Lights" that everyone points to is your marriage...critics have called it the most realistic portrayal of marriage on television. So what's your relationship like off camera...and how do you reach the point where you can present this realistic portrait of marriage?
Connie Britton: <looking at Kyle> Be careful.
CONTINUED >>
(From Dr. Nancy Snyderman, NBC News Chief Medical Editor)
Surgery has undergone stunning advances in the past twenty years. We now remove gallbladders with an endoscope through an incision that's only an inch long.
We peek around the bowel and uterus with small telescopes with powerful cancers.
We can even repair hearts without sawing through the breast bone. The day had to come when we could apply the same technological advances to brain surgery.
That day is here. WATCH VIDEO
CONTINUED >>
Tina Fey was back this morning to talk about tonight's season premiere of the Emmy Award-winning NBC comedy "30 Rock," which features a special guest appearance by Jerry Seinfeld. WATCH VIDEO
As fans of allDAY know, Tina was our first celebrity Q&A back in April, and I got to catch up with her on what's been going on with her over the past few months.
Q: So since we did our first Q&A, "30 Rock" has gone on to win the Emmy for best comedy. I don't think it's a stretch to say that I launched you to your recent success. You may take this opportunity to thank me.
Tina Fey: <laughing> Thank you for rocketing -- ROCKETING -- "30 Rock" to its massive success.
Q: What's the most surprising or interesting thing that you've gotten to do since the show has become such a critical success?
CONTINUED >>
It was with great sadness that we reported this morning that Al Roker's mother, Isabel, passed away on Monday.
She was 73 years old and is survived by six children, 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Matt, Meredith and Chris Cimino paid tribute to her this morning. WATCH VIDEO
She loved bowling, poker and playing the slots. She also passed on her love of cooking to Al, who said that her best dish was sweet potato souffle and peas and rice.
Isabel was also very active in her church, Saint Catherine of Sienna in St. Albans, New York.
If you have a message for Al and his family, feel free to post in the comments section below.
(From Bob Dotson, NBC News National Correspondent)
Music is the soundtrack of our lives. Listen to a few long forgotten notes. Chances are you can remember why you love them. Where you were when you first heard them. I remember the group featured in this morning’s American Story with Bob Dotson, when they were just kids. Thinking, “No one explores the limits of the piano like the Five Browns.” Ten hands. Fifty fingers. Five pianos. Sometimes these brothers and sisters play so fast, listening to them is like trying to read a magazine with a four year old turning the pages. In quieter moments they can make five pianos sound like a lover's voice, calling new audiences to see them. WATCH VIDEO
CONTINUED >>
TV fans know Susie Essman as the foul-mouthed character Susie Greene on HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
She plays the wife of Larry David's manager, Jeff, and brings cheer into viewers' lives with her venomous rants and profanity-filled insults, most of which are directed at Larry and Jeff.
She visited with our fourth hour team to talk about her first foray into reality TV with "Better Half," which debuts tonight on Bravo. WATCH VIDEO
Essman is also an accomplished stand-up comedienne (she's appearing at Caroline's in New York City October 12, 13 and 14) and co-stars with John Travolta in the upcoming animated feature film, Bolt.
I sat down with Essman before her appearance on the show this morning to talk to her about profanity, profanity and, well, profanity. Here's our conversation (after the jump):
CONTINUED >>
Toby Byrum is a 30-year-old single guy who does not want to have children. In fact, two years ago, he decided that he wouldn't be able to have children.
He had a vasectomy.
He talked about his decision this morning with Matt. WATCH VIDEO
This story really surprised me. I'm a 28-year-old single guy, and I had never heard of anyone my age seriously doing this (the character who did it on "Seinfeld" doesn't count).
CONTINUED >>
Yesterday, a jury awarded Anucha Browne Sanders $11.6 million, ruling that when when she was a team executive, she had been sexually harassed by New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas, and that Knicks management had fired her for speaking out.
Browne Sanders and her lawyer, Kevin Mintzer, were live in our studio this morning to talk about the case with Matt. WATCH VIDEO
Every basketball fan knows about Thomas's mishandling of the Knicks -- since taking over as president in 2003, Thomas has received a lot of criticism for his high-profile trades and free agent signings that have been largely unsuccessful. The Knicks have yet to win a playoff series during the Isiah era (and he spent last season as the head coach).
But this case takes things to another level.
CONTINUED >>
Venerable newsman Ted Koppel stopped by this morning to talk about the news of the day (Britney?) and his new documentary on the Discovery Channel: Breaking Point, which premieres Sunday night at 9 ET/PT. WATCH VIDEO
The documentary focuses on the overcrowded American prison system, particularly in California.
Koppel and I discussed the documentary in preparation for his appearance, and here's our conversation:
CONTINUED >>
So, yesterday we cleared up Meredith's confusion on Kevin the TODAY page and Kenneth the page on "30 Rock." Today, a lot of us felt like we were seeing double with two of our guests. Were these two separated at birth?
Take a look:
Recording star Annie Lennox performed "Dark Road" and visited the plaza this morning...
(see the other guest after the jump)
CONTINUED >>
Recently, we reported on cell phone bans in some schools, and today, NBC's Janet Shamlian brought us the story of schools that have created guidelines against cupcakes and hugging. WATCH VIDEO
In the case of the cupcakes, some school districts (in states including New York, New Jersey, California and Texas) have determined that they are too unhealthy for kids and should not be brought to school to celebrate birthdays or to be sold at bake sales.
In the case of hugs, schools in Texas and Illinois have banned public displays of affection. At Percy Julian Middle School in suburban Chicago, principal Victoria Sharts said that students form "hug lines" that make them late for classes and clogged the hallways.
"Hugging is really more appropriate for airports or for family reunions than passing and seeing each other every few minutes in the halls," Sharts said.
CONTINUED >>
This morning, Kevin McKidd, the star of "Journeyman" on NBC and the former star of the critically-acclaimed series "Rome" on HBO, stopped by to chat with Meredith. WATCH VIDEO
After the segment, I sat down with McKidd, a Scotsman, to talk about time travel, American football and haggis.
For full disclosure, I'm a huge "Rome" fan. And at the end of the interview, he mentioned that there are talks about creating a "Rome" movie.
When McKidd asked executive producer Bruno Heller if he would be in it, since his character is dead, Heller told him, "Oh, you're not dead."
Here's the rest of our conversation:
CONTINUED >>
On Friday, the NBC comedy "30 Rock" taped part of an episode in Studio 1A, which led to a bit of a mix-up for Meredith (who was part of the taping). Matt and Meredith talked about it this morning, but it involved Kevin, the TODAY page, and "Kenneth the Page," one of the characters on "30 Rock." WATCH VIDEO
So, do they look alike? Kenneth is on the left, Kevin is on the right.
Kevin delivers newspapers to Meredith's dressing room every morning, and he's ubiquitous around the halls during the show, leading guests to the green room, makeup room, studio and generally making himself useful.
CONTINUED >>
There was a time when Chris Matthews, host of "Hardball" and "The Chris Matthews Show," walked the halls of the U.S. Capitol as a policeman, carrying a .38 Special. That's right, Chris walked around Washington with a loaded weapon. Can you imagine?
The full story is that in 1971, in order for Chris to get a job working as a legislative assistant for Utah senator Frank Moss, he had to spend the summer working as a Capitol policeman.
He served his summer, went to work for Senator Moss in the fall, and the rest is history -- more than three decades later, he's now one of Washington's most powerful voices.
This morning, he sat down with Matt to talk about his new book, Life's a Campaign: What Politics Has Taught Me About Friendship, Rivalry, Reputation, and Success. WATCH VIDEO READ EXCERPT
CONTINUED >>
