Top Story with Tom Llamas - Friday, December 16, 2022

Episode Date: December 17, 2022

Cross-country storm takes aim at the Northeast, hospitals overwhelmed with flu cases and forced to triage patients in parking lots, Tyler Perry opens up about his personal struggle with mental health, and a behind-the-scenes look at the Nutcracker as it’s back onstage for the holiday season.

Tonight an Arctic blast taking hold across the country with another major snowstorm, now brewing. The Northeast getting hit with ice, rain and snow, up to two feet expected across New England. A third straight day of blizzard conditions across the Great Plains, high winds, low visibility, making driving treacherous, and bitter cold moving in overnight with another system, threatening to throw a wrench into holiday travel plans. Bill Cairns standing by with the full forecast. Also breaking tonight the new charges in the Highland Park shooting that left seven people dead in July. The seven counts the suspect's father is now facing. Outbreak Nation, the U.S. now surpassing 100 million cases of COVID.

As hospitals fill up with patients sick with the flu, are Miguel Almaguerre inside one hospital now forced to treat people in a tent in the parking lot, plus cracking the RSV code if you catch it? Also, tonight, five officers charged in the 2019 death of Ronald Green, body camp footage showing him violently dragged and beaten by police who had initially said his death was caused by a car accident, why some feel the charges don't go far enough. The rollover miracle, the dramatic crash caught on camera in Tampa, two men ejected through the windshield of a tumbling oil rig, but somehow able to walk away. Plus, the Apple SOS rescue new images showing two people pulled to safety after their car crashed off a cliff, the new iPhone feature that led first responders to their location at the bottom of a canyon. And Tyler Perry opening up like never before what he revealed about his own struggles with mental health after the shocking death of Twitch.

His message tonight for anyone struggling to find light in the darkness. Top story starts right now. And good evening. We begin tonight with that massive winter storm we've been covering all week here on Top Story. The system that has been wreaking havoc since Monday, almost moving off the coast, but not before taking one final swing at the northeast. Let's take a look at what it's doing at this hour. So come over here.

The plows already coming out in Heartland, New Hampshire. Heavy wet snow clogging the roads. Higher elevations, they're bracing for up to two feet of snow. Out west, a little bit of a different story. The Great Plains hit with a fourth straight day of blizzard conditions. This semi-truck right here, take a look at it, plowing straight through a closed ramp sign on I-94 near James Town in Nodak, that's North Dakota. And in the south, residents still picking up the pieces from that tornado outbreak. You'll remember we broke that news live here on Top Story earlier this week.

The National Weather Service now confirming at least 39 tornadoes touchdown. Homeowners in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, still clearing the debris tonight. behind this storm, frigid temperatures moving in. Wind chills, get this, as low as negative 20 expected in the Dakotas. Kathy Park tonight, she's in Syracuse, New York for us, where a winter storm warning is in effect, and Kathy, it looks pretty cold out there. Tom, good evening to you. Yeah, this certainly was cold. It was a long-duration storm. We've been tracking the snowfall here in Syracuse since yesterday afternoon. That snow has switched over to a light drizzle in the area. The system has moved on out of here, but it's now slamming

portions of New England. Tonight, wintry weather slamming the northeast and New England. It's pretty bad right now. In Syracuse, New York, a dangerous mix of snow, ice, and rain. Where the road's pretty slick or and slushy? What was it like? Slush is the word. At times, crews struggling to keep up. It's nonstop today. Areas of higher elevation buried in several inches of snow. The slick conditions no match for cars and pedestrians. This comes as another major storm begins to take shape just days before the holiday. Temperatures could plunge to bone-chilling levels, making this Christmas the coldest in decades.

Meanwhile, millions in the Great Plains are still digging out from blizzard conditions that buried portions of the Dakotas and Duluth, Minnesota. The same system that marched across the country all week devastated the south as tornadoes tore through, killing at least three. Every day, I'm going to be here every day until I get my house back. At least 39 confirmed twisters touched down across seven states, leveling homes and businesses in parts of Louisiana and left a trail of destruction in Florida. As the storm takes its final bow, Arctic air is moving in for the next act. Wind chills in Chicago to hit the single digits this weekend, while in Bismarck and Minneapolis, falling below zero. Just a preview of what's to come next week with record cold and a possible winter storm on the horizon for the holidays.

All right, Kathy Park joins us again from Syracuse, New York, and we know a lot of people are going to be watching football, obviously, this weekend. Kathy, big game between the Buffalo Bills and the great, the superior, the wonderful Miami Dolphins. Some dolphin fans are a little worried. How cold is it going to be in that game? Yeah, so Tom, Highmark Stadium is in the direct path of the storm. They will be feeling the impacts of lake effect system. So we're looking at gusty conditions, temp's in the 20s, and by kickoff around 8 o'clock, we could be looking at snowfall,

which could be moderate to heavy at times. But, yeah, it sounds like you're rooting for the dolphins, so we'll see what happens. Yeah, dolphins don't do too great in snow, whether it be in the wild animal kingdom or in the NFL. All right, Kathy Park, thanks for leading us off. In all seriousness, this weather system is so serious, and it's going to get colder. NBC News meteorologist Bill Karens joins us now.

Bill, Kathy mentioned that another storm's brewing and it might hit during the holidays. Walk us through the next few days. Yeah, everyone wants to now. 50% of the people I talked to are like, they want to wait Christmas. They want this. The other 50% are like, please, I have travel. Please don't let this storm hit and ruin my plans. So let me tell you what we know and what we don't know.

So this map takes us into Wednesday of next week. Blue shows you where the snow is going to be. This is our European computer model. It takes the storm actually towards the Midwest and up through the Great Lakes. A storm track like that would bring snow mostly on the west side of it to the Midwest towards Chicago. But here's where it gets a little crazy. Our American GFS model, which is our other long-term model, takes the storm through the southeast, up the east coast. And this would be a huge snow event for interior sections of northeast, maybe even the mid-Atlantic.

This is 600-mile difference right now in our computers. That's why we're saying this is a lot. low confidence forecast. We do not know exactly where the storm is going to go. But one thing's for sure, Tom, we know there's going to be a powerful storm. Maybe even a blizzard, but we just don't know who's going to get it yet. Bill, I want to know how cold is going to get during Christmas, but I've got to ask you about this. I mean, in your experience, when the models are so off like this, 600 miles, we're talking about winter storm here. What usually happens? Well, over the next couple of days, this gap will close. And then tomorrow, maybe it'll be 400 or 300.

But the storm that's going to form and head here doesn't even form until the Gulf of Alaska until Monday. So the storm hasn't even formed that will come this way. So we've got a long ways to go. And then how cold Christmas, though, once it does come out and take it's pretty cold? We're going to have reinforcing shots. So right now, this is typical cold for the planes. Tomorrow morning, it's very cold. Bismarck, negative 20 wind chills.

And then the cold blast will reinforce itself. A really cold blast comes down Tuesday. Negative one's the temperature. Not your wind chill in Minneapolis. Rapid City, negative 13. And here's the outlook for Christmas. This big purple blob is much colder than average. Many areas will see the coldest Christmas since the 80s.

The 80s? I remember what you were wearing in the 80s, right? All right, Bill. Thanks so much for that. We appreciate it. We do want to turn to some breaking news. The father of the Highland Park shooter charged with seven counts of reckless conduct, one for each victim that lost their life during that Fourth of July parade shooting.

Prosecutors earlier today holding a press conference where they said Robert Krimo Jr. helped his son purchase the weapon and the ammunition used. Let's take a listen. parents and guardians are in the best position to decide whether their teenagers should have a weapon they are the first line of defense in this case the system failed when robert crimo junior sponsored his son he knew what he knew and he signed the form anyway all right maggie vesp joins us now and maggie we hear the state attorneys say cremo junior signed that form that allowed his son to purchase the AR-15, adding, quote, knowing what he knew, the DA won't elaborate

on that point, but you had, I know, we both covered this shooting as well. And this was a big part when the shooting first broke. Yeah, exactly, because as you remember, police told us pretty immediately, like in the days after the shooting, that the father, Robert Krimo Jr., signed that form in December 2019, three months after police were called to the Krimo House, because we found out, again, the days after the shooting, that in 2019, a family member had reported the son, the now-ledged shooter, had knives and wanted to, quote, kill everyone. Now, the son denied it when police showed up and police never made an arrest. Three months later, dad helps a son get a firearm owner's ID card. And nearly three years after that, Tom, as you know, the Highland

Park shooting happened. So that seems to be kind of at the crux of these new charges here. And Maggie, I know an email is just crossed. We have a statement now from the law. lawyer for Robert Krimo Jr. And it's a pretty bold statement. It's a pretty bold statement. It goes on for multiple paragraphs. Here's part of it. They basically say, quote, this decision, according to the attorney for the dad in this case, should alarm every single parent in the United States who, according to the state's attorney, according, again, to the statement, knows exactly what is going on with their adult children. There it is, and can be held criminally liable for actions taken nearly three years later. The statement calls the charges of

absurd and vows to, quote, fight them every step of the way. Just quick next steps here, given that statement and given these charges. Cremot Jr., again, the father in this case, due in court tomorrow for a bond hearing. He's facing three counts, up to three counts for each of the seven, or excuse me, three years in prison, for each of the seven counts that he's facing now. Cremo the third, the son in this case, the alleged shooter, of course, facing 100-plus felony counts, including 21 first-degree murder charges, three for each of the seven victims. Tom. Yeah, and that dad, very well known in that community because he ran for public office. You'll remember. All right, Maggie Vesp, on that breaking news, Maggie, thank you. We want to turn out of the latest on the triple demic we've been following so closely.

COVID, the flu, NRS, overwhelming hospitals across this country. And there are fears that the cases could grow worse as families gather for the holidays. Here's NBC's Miguel Almaguerre. Tonight, a growing number of medical centers nationwide, including Albuquerque's UNM hospital, are in need of lifeline. RSV, flu and COVID cases, the feared tripledemic, all converging, pushing doctors and nurses to the brink. For the last six to eight weeks, we have been over 100% capacity. We just physically do not have enough beds for all of the patients that we need to take care of. As hospitals struggle, the CDC says flu infections appear to be declining in some areas, though still dramatically

outpacing last year's numbers. In over 10 weeks, more than not. 9,300 flu deaths, 150,000 hospitalizations, the most of any flu season in more than a decade. COVID infections are also up 40% over two weeks, as fatalities climb 25%, though cases remain far below pandemic highs. As record RSV cases are peaking, it just happened so fast. Jordan Marquez says after three-month-old Amaya caught COVID, it was RSV that nearly took her life. Every day she was just laying there and like who knows if her lungs were going to get better or not. This hospital, like so many others across the country, is overwhelmed, now putting two cribs in each room to handle the influx of children. Outside, a triage tent in a parking lot is taking adult patients the medical center can't handle.

Across the country with ER wait time stretching for hours, 12% of deaths last week, were attributed to influenza, COVID-19 or not. pneumonia. It's happening, honey? Tonight, a grim reality on the front lines, as the very places where many turn for help are now in need of it themselves. With the Christmas holiday approaching, there is concern that COVID, flu, and even RSV cases could spike again. As families get together, doctors say they're worried, they can see a surge in January. Tom. Okay, Miguel Almaguerre for us tonight. Miguel, we appreciate that for a closer look at specifically RSV and this triple damic. I want to bring in NBC News medical contributor, Dr. Uche Blackstock, a good friend to top story. Dr. Blackstock, thanks so much for being here. So I do want to ask you about RSV.

So in Miguel's report, we heard that RSV could possibly be peaking. Is the triple demic coming down, or is it time to sort of be careful because the holidays are right here? Well, Tom, thank you so much for having me. This season, RSV began earlier than usual. So it is likely that cases are decreasing and we're seeing an end towards that season. But we're still seeing high flu cases and high COVID cases. And our hospitals are still at capacity. So people still have to be careful. So people obviously are very educated when it comes to COVID. Somewhat educated, I would say also very educated. When it comes to the flu, we've had it for so many decades, obviously. But RSV is a little confusing, right? So how do you know if you have RSV and what are

some of the symptoms? Right. So RSV has very similar symptoms to the flu and other cold viruses. You're going to have runny nose. You're going to have cough. If you're a baby or older person, you may have some shortness of breath, some trouble breathing. You're also going to have maybe some malaise as well. So it's hard to differentiate. What's really important is for people to think about, does this feel different than the typical cold. If it does, then definitely go seek the attention of a health care profession. And you get an RSV test? Is that what happens? You can get an RSV test. Yes. Unfortunately, there are not at home tests. You'll have to go see a health care profession. How long does RSV usually last for?

RSV usually lasts in terms of symptoms for about a week. Okay. The bad symptoms usually peak about three to five days and then they get better. A lot of people are battling like endless colds, endless coughs that they tell me. And I mean, this is all anecdotal, but people are fighting coughs for weeks on end. What is that? Because people are testing negative for COVID and the flu. They think it's RSV, but I mean.

But also people should keep in mind there are lots of cold viruses out there. There's like a dental virus and all other cold viruses. And a lot of times what we're seeing is people are having multiple infections. at one time. So it's making it seem like they're having one really bad cold that's lasting forever. I mean, I think, and again, I'm not a medical professional, but I think the flu and RSF now are even worse than COVID in some cases, at least from what I'm hearing from people and seen in the news, there have been some headlines about masks again. Some school districts thinking about bringing masks for kids. What's the reality and what should people be thinking about?

I think we should look at what's going on a local level. If your pediatric hospitals are at capacity, you may want to consider instituting mask policies in your schools. You know, the only thing I have about the masks, the question I have about the masks, people are getting so sick now, now, and there's been some talk, you know, did the masks, I don't know, not that they made us weaker, but our immune systems obviously didn't have all the incoming. Is there any truth to that at all? And what is the reality? I'm still glad you asked about that. So there's this theory called the immunity debt because you weren't exposed to the virus before your immune system is weak, and that's why we're

getting all these viruses now. No, the actual thought is that so many people have gotten COVID and COVID can actually depress your immune system. So that combined with the fact that there are no more COVID protections, we're kind of living life pre-pandemic. That's why we're seeing so many people have infected. Do you think there's all types of different respiratory illnesses floating around now that we didn't have before? It just seems like people are getting so sick these days. No, we had it before. It's just that we have this confluence of all of these viruses at one time because of virus biology, because of the weather, and because of human behavior. And there's a huge spotlight on it because of COVID. All right, Dr. U.J. Blackstock, great to see you.

You too. Thanks for being here. Still ahead tonight, the officers charged warrants just issued for the arrest of five police officers in Louisiana. We'll show you the disturbing body camp footage showing what happened there. Plus, later in the blog class, what happened to this missing college student. He was just found. We'll tell you where. And later, Tyler Perry opening up what he's revealing about his struggles with his mental health in the wake of Twitch's tragic death. Top story, just getting started on this Friday night. Okay, we're back now with a new development in the 2019 deadly arrest of a black Louisiana man. Five law enforcement officers involved in the fatal incident now facing charges.

including one for negligent homicide, initially saying he had died in a car accident, but what really happened, apparently much different. Stephen Romo has the latest, and we want to warn you, the video we're about to show you is disturbing. Oh, Jesus! Tonight, long-awaited charges against five Louisiana law enforcement officers for this 2019 roadside incident that left Ronald Green dead. The officers charged with different offenses, which include one count of negligent homicide and multiple counts of malfeasance in office

and obstruction of justice. The charges are the first related to Green's death, the story gaining national attention after police engaged in a high-speed chase with Green. His family says they were initially told a car crash caused his death, and this body cam video was withheld. This guy ain't got AIDS. But then, two years later, the Associated Press obtained the video and published an edited version of the material. White state troopers are seen converging on Green's car, stunning him repeatedly, punching him in the head, dragging him by his ankle shackles, and leaving him prone on the ground for more than nine minutes.

According to the AP, not all the body cameras were turned on, so they had difficulty determining what was happening. at all times. The victim's mother speaking out after the grand jury indictment. They need to be held accountable. If not, you're condoning the killing of Ronald Green. Union Parish District Attorney John Belton submitted arrest warrants for all five of the charged officers. The citizens of Union Parish spoke today. Colonel Lamar Davis of the Louisiana State Police telling NBC News, quote, any instance of excessive force jeopardizes public safety and is a danger to our community. These actions are inexcusable and have no place in professional public safety services.

He added that two of the officers will be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the legal proceedings. Still, some in Green's Corner feel the charges aren't harsh enough. I don't feel like it's justice. I feel like they should have got charged with murder. All right, Stephen Romo joins us now live on set. So, Stephen, you were just talking to me. Now, the video wasn't released for around two years. who else knew about this video and could they be in trouble as well?

Yeah, that's a big question. Many people have, Tom. There is still a federal and civil rights investigation ongoing, according to the AP. There was also scrutiny all the way up to the governor of Louisiana who was in charge of the state police. Well, earlier this year, he denied impeding or impairing the investigation. His office telling us today the way Green was treated was criminal and that justice does have to prevail here. So have any of the officers involved said anything? Well, we've reached out to all of them. We didn't get much more than just a no comment. We did get a written comment from the attorney, though, of Trooper Corey York. He's the one who is charged with negligent homicide. It said in part, quote, assuming this case ever goes to trial, I'm convinced a fair-minded jury in Union Parish will find Trooper York not guilty on all charges. There will be no plea bargaining, is what he told us. So there's more to come on this one.

No plea bargaining. Okay. All right. Stephen Romo for us, Stephen, thank you. TV personality, Twitch boss. suicide has continued to send shockwaves through the entertainment community. Those close to him remembering his enthusiasm and his smile, but his death now raising even more awareness for its tragic cause. Actor Tyler Perry detailing his own struggles with suicide. NBC's Valerie Castro has more. Tonight, new reports that DJ and dance icon Stephen Twitch boss left behind a suicide note. The LA Times, citing people familiar with the investigation that the note led authorities to conclude,

Twitch's death was a suicide. Now in reaction to his death, actor and producer Tyler Perry taking to social media, describing his own past attempts to take his own life. I tried to commit suicide a couple of times. Perry had only met Twitch a few times and expressed shock at his death. It was always full of life and seemed like such a light. The energy that you bring is so refreshing. Perry offering up how he got past what he calls the darkness in his own life. It endured so much pain, so much abuse, sexual abuse. It was all so hard to just move through that I thought the only way to make this better, this pain go away, is the end of my life. Please, please, please.

Think about what the other side could be. It could be amazing. And you would miss the best part of it going through the darkness. Don't let the darkness stop you from getting to this incredible place of light. Twitch publicly displayed what seemed to be an outwardly happy life, surrounded by his wife of nine years and three children, often sharing his love for dance on social media. His former theater coach telling Tom Yamis what she will cherish most about him. Joy, joy, dreams, enthusiasm, hope. This was a God-fearing young man.

joy, love. Whenever someone says Twitch, that's where I go to, joy. People around him described him as positive, as this joy as this light. How can we know that someone is struggling when on the outside they seem like everything is perfectly okay? It just needs to be common practice to check in with one another because somebody can outwardly be expressing, happiness and joy and light, but internally, we really don't know what is going on for somebody unless they tell us. Tributes continue to pour in for the late entertainer. Former First Lady Michelle Obama says she is heartbroken. Paula Abdul calling him a beacon of light and true talent whose legacy

and impact will live on in the dance community. Snoop Dog posting a video dancing with Twitch and Sipley writing, RIP Twitch, Save a Dance for Me. Tyler Perry trying to deliver a positive I'm with you. I'm a living witness. You can make it through it. And I'm so glad that my attempts didn't work. I'm still alive, the best part of my life, and I would have missed it. Okay. Valerie Castro joins us now live on set. Valerie, to my boss's mom is speaking out. What is she said? She posted a brief message on social media earlier today, thanking family and friends for their outpouring of love, prayers, and encouragement, adding, please continue to keep us in prayer. Stephen Laurel, your mother loves you to eternity and beyond. And that photo of the two of them,

that was something that she posted earlier this year in celebration of his 40th birthday. You know, when we were watching the report there, I was watching Tyler Perry. What are the experts saying about the people that are coming out now saying they've had struggles before Tyler Perry saying he considered suicide? Well, they actually say it is very helpful for other people that are going through these same situations to hear from someone like Tyler Perry who experienced that struggle and actually came out through the other side and described. the light that is on the other side. And, of course, she says we should really normalize

speaking about mental health issues just like this. Okay, Valerie, Castro for us. Valerie, thank you. And if you were someone you know is in crisis, please call 988 or text home to the number on your screen to reach the suicide and crisis lifeline. When we come back, the dramatic rescue in California, two drivers stranded at the bottom of a canyon

after their car drove off a cliff, how a new feature on their iPhone help first responders actually find them. Stay with us. All right, we're back now with Top Stories News Feed, and we begin with that American student who went missing in France. You may remember we told you about him earlier this week. Well, he's been found alive in Spain.

The family of Ken Dellen Jr. saying they spoke to him by phone this morning and are hoping to bring him home for Christmas. Dellen went missing last month while studying abroad in Grenoble, France. Details of his disappearance are still unclear. Two men lucky to be alive after a terrifying crash in Florida. You've got to see this to believe it. Surveillance video capturing the moment an oil tanker lost control barreling down a road in Tampa. The driver and passenger both ejected but able to get up and walk away.

You see them right there doing it. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, neither man was wearing a seatbelt at the time. It's not clear what caused that truck to roll over. Now to first responders pulling off a miracle rescue outside of L.A. with the help of an iPhone. New video shows emergency crews rest between two people after their car plunged 300 feet into a canyon. Officials say the pair use their iPhone's new SOS satellite call technology to give authorities their location. Thankfully, those riders escaped with only minor injuries. Okay, we want to turn now to an NBC News investigation into controversial animal testing.

This week, a major U.S. medical research company stopped importing monkeys from Cambodia after a Justice Department crackdown. NBC News Investigations in partnership with the Pulitzer Center takes you inside the little-known international trade of endangered monkeys for scientific research. Here's NBC News, Stephanie Gosk. In April, workers at JFK greeted a flight and head-to-to-hazmats suits. The passengers on this plane weren't people. They were monkeys. Each one worth tens of thousands of dollars, ready to be sold for medical research after a month in quarantine. These animals are worth so much money right now.

The international monkey trade exploded because of the pandemic. Monkeys were critical in the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. Microbiologist Deborah Fuller says without them, lives would have been lost. I would have expected it probably take it probably another year, maybe even up to two years longer than what it took, to develop the first COVID-19 vaccines. Fuller works at the University of Washington, one of seven NIH primate research centers in the country, which is where Dr. Lisa Jones Engel used to work as a leading primatocytes. until resigning two years ago. Deeply disturbed by how monkeys were being used in research, she joined PETA. This U.S. kind of pipeline that is literally hoovering these monkeys out of the forest.

We are wiping these monkeys off the face of this planet. This video obtained by action for primates shows wild monkeys being pulled out of their native forest in Indonesia last year, destined to be exported for the research and testing industry. It showed the brutal methods in which these animals. animals were being trapped by large nets. Sarakite of Action for Primates tracks the international monkey trade for research. It's a way they were being forcibly restrained by trappers. And mothers and babies were separated.

I mean, the whole thing was shocking. The long-tailed macaques, which make up 99% of the monkeys imported into the U.S., are now classified as an endangered species. China used to supply the monkeys, but when the pandemic, Beijing shut the door, and Cambodian breeding facilities like these, filmed by NBC News, stepped in to fill the orders. What is that leading to in terms of the international trade of monkeys right now? This trade is so violent. It's so dark. It's so shady. In 2019, Cambodia supplied 25% of the almost 34,000 research monkeys imported to the U.S., according to the CDC.

In 2021, the number of monkeys from Cambodia increased to 60% of the U.S. supply. Basic biology says you couldn't produce enough offspring each year to account for the tens of thousands that are being shipped over. Just last month, the Department of Justice charged two Cambodian government officials and six others linked to this breeding facility with illegally exporting monkeys caught in the wild to the U.S. Ed Newcomer is a former investigator with U.S. fish and wildlife. When you see the scope of it, when you really get into these trade shows and you see the amount of animals that are involved and some of the testing that is involved. And just the way they live their lives, it's I don't think it meets any kind of, you know, moral standard from a human beings perspective. Some Cambodian monkeys have ended up here at this massive facility in Texas. Last year, an executive was convicted of lying to federal agents about visits to monkey suppliers in Cambodia.

The facility is now under new ownership and says it's not importing from Cambodia. For Dr. Jones' angle, the concern goes beyond where the monkeys are coming from. They're shoved in. They go through their little door. They're going to be peeing. They're going to be pooping. They're going to be bleeding because the edges are sharp. They're probably fighting in there. It is horrific. Sometimes the shipments go awry in January, a truck carrying monkeys.

from Mauritius crashed and crates were strewn around the highway. Michelle Fallon stopped to help. It was very shocking at first. And then I immediately told the person who was on 911 to let them know that they were not cats, they were in fact monkeys. The vast majority of research monkeys die in a lab. Very few wind up in a place like this. We are dealing with traumatized animals.

A sanctuary for monkeys. Liz Tyson has a doctorate in animal. welfare law. Do you think long-tail macaques should be used in medical research? Absolutely not. We need to work harder at finding alternatives. It's not to say we shouldn't do research. It's to say we should by now be doing different research. Would you personally like to get to a point where you no longer need these monkeys for this kind of research? That's the ultimate goal. Is that going to be possible? I think about how complex the immune system is, maybe years and years from now. Until then, the demand for one of human beings' closest relatives to stand in for us in the lab is greater than ever.

Stephanie Gosk, NBC News. All right, we thank Stephanie Gosk for that report. And after this break, when we come back, we'll switch gears. We head to New York's famed to Lincoln Center, the Nutcracker, back in action, and we have exclusive access to the cast and the magic, how the show is going back to its roots. Stay with us. We're back now with the return of a holiday classic, the Nutcracker, back on stage, and we got a chance to peek at the magic behind the curtain.

Tonight, making her top story debut, here's Nightly News Kids Edition correspondent Malena Yamas. At New York City's Lincoln Center, a holiday tradition is back. 126 kids from the School of American Ballet are part of New York City's Ballet's production of the The story of the Nutcracker is this family on Christmas Eve, who has a big Christmas party, and the Uncle Drossel Meyer, who is magical, brings a special Nutcracker, who then becomes a prince, and Marie and her prince travel to the land of the sweets where all of the dancing happens in the second act. This year, almost all of them are newcomers.

Last year, in that we only had children above the age of 12, performing. the children's roles in the Nutcracker. Normally, it's 12 and below. So this year, all of the children missed their opportunity the year before and last year. So almost all of the children in this year's production are new to the Nutcracker. Hello. Hi. What's your name?

Bernice. I had a chance to go backstage to see what it takes to put on a production like this. It takes a lot of people. It's Mince Before Showtime, and I'm in the room where all the girls are used. getting their costumes on and doing their hair and makeup. In each show, there are 150 costumes for all the dancers on stage. What do you do here? So my name's Norma, and I'm in charge of keeping all these costumes looking really nicely

and getting them dry cleaned and we fit them and put them on all the performers. And there's even a room just dedicated for all the shows. shoes for the dancers. How many shoes are in here? That's an interesting question. I am going to guess about three to four thousand pairs of shoes. Wow. And it's counting all the point shoes and then all the men's shoes as well. You can touch it and you see it's made out of burlap, paste, a little bit of leather and satin. It's very soft. Backstage is filled with lots of excitement. We're here backstage, where all the dancers are getting ready for Act 2.

As you can see, all the angels are behind. And guess what? During each show, nearly 60 people are working hard on everything from lighting to scenery. And the famous Sugar Plum Fairy, her tutu is made of seven layers. All the kids are thrilled to be performing. It is Agatha's first time this year in the nutcracker. She's an angel. Was this always your dream to be in the nutcracker? Yes.

Especially the nutcracker because I feel like the nutcracker is like the funnest to be in, and it's really fun. Could you show me when you favorite dance moves? It's called double doors, and then you go like this, and then you lift your hand, and then you flood it down, and then you go back and then back and then fly. Like that? Yeah.

It's also Hannan's first time in the show as Fritz. What does it feel like to be, to have this be your first knuckraker? It's actually pretty fun because ever since I ever saw the Nutcracker, after that I always wanted to be in the knuckraker, so to me it's a pretty special moment. And for kids who love to dance, but maybe get a little stage fright, I asked the stars for some advice. If someone had, like, stage fright and would want to dance, would be a little stage fright. advice would you get them? If you're on stage, try not to look at the people that are watching because you'll be even more scared, so kind of just focus on what you're doing.

The children are the life of the Nutcracker in my mind, and the story revolves around them. So it's really their personalities and their energy that makes the story of the Nutcracker come alive. My favorite part in The Nutcracker, it feels really magical when you're on stage and when I'm, like, dancing. A magical holiday tradition for everyone involved, backstage and in the audience. What an incredible cast. Our thanks to Melena and her mother, who I know also helped out a lot, and the terrific team that put that story together. You can watch that report and so much more on Nightly News Kids Edition airing Saturday on NBC.

Check your local listings. All right, coming up, binge-worthy. Our music picks to get you in the holiday spirit, plus the new thriller out on Amazon Prime and the highly anticipated prequel to Yellowstone. How does it stack up to the wildly popular original? Stay with us. Welcome back. It is Friday, which means it is time for binge.

I look at the best things to watch and listen to this weekend. And we are joined by one of our favorites, Darren Karp, host of the podcast. She's got two, killer questions with Darren Karp, who else, and shaken and disturbed, as well as all of her appearances on Bravo. Darren, great to have you back on a Friday. Thanks for having me, Tom. I always get pumped when I see you. I feel like you're here on a Friday.

It's going to be a crazy bingeworthy, and then it's going to be a crazy weekend. Always, always. All the media we've got to consume this weekend, Tom. There's a lot. There's a lot. We want to start with a new holiday rom-com. This is not up my alley at all. I'm not going to lie.

It's on Amazon Prime, though. A lot of people love it. It's about a jewelry mix-up, turn love story. It's called something from Tiffany's. It sounds so cute. Okay, let's watch. Merry Christmas. I don't know what to say.

Me neither. They're beautiful. He got my ring. I got his present. You've got to go get the ring back. Oh. This is every dude's nightmare. I heard it's really funny.

It is. It's kind of the perfect meat, cute. You see his Deutsch there, and she gets a mix up with, she's sort of not expecting an engagement ring. Obviously, the boyfriend wasn't expecting to give her an engagement ring either. But this sort of leads her right into the arms of Kendrick Smith-Sampson, who is to die for, so cute, so handsome, who's actually the guy she's meant to be with. So it's a fun little rom-com. Might not be up your alley, but it's certainly pretty cute.

and I like it. A lot of good product placement there for Tiffany's, wow. Everyone can identify that little blue box. I mean, it's right in the title. Okay, next up is season three of a show a lot of people love. Emily and Paris. Have heard of this one.

Buzz is amazing. Let's watch. I just need to know, are you on my team or not? I was beginning to wonder if you were joining us at all. I'm so in on team, whatever this company's calls. Do they know that you're playing Dolly? Oh, God, no. She wants to see you in her office right away. Is she really mad?

I wish he will. Oh, and I know him from White Lotus, too. Yes, you do. Yes, no spoilers. But we are talking about Emily and Paris. So talk to me about this season. I just got back from Paris. So this one hits a little close to home.

It is the most romantic city. And you're going to want to watch this even for the fashion alone. I feel like the first season didn't really get its due. And then it slowly kind of ramped up into season three. But Emily is torn between a lot of men this season. And so the question is, is who is she going to pick? what direction is her life going to go or is she ultimately going to choose herself? We don't

know. Why do people love this show? I think because it's really nostalgic to sex in the city but it's younger with an accent and I think it's just an easy, funny, good watch. That's a great endorsement right there. Okay, I may start watching. Next up, Firefly Lane, the Netflix show now on its second and final season

starring Catherine Heigel, who I happen to talk to about this show. Yes, yes. Very cool. She plays a local news reporter, anchor. She told me she did zero research. She didn't actually go to a local news station, but she watched a lot of TV. She's awesome. And the show, people love as well.

Let's watch. He took my show. He took my voice. So I'm taking it back. I'm making a documentary on finding my dad. Johnny? Maybe you should go talk to somebody. I'm worried.

We're not married. You don't have to worry about me. Yeah, well, I still do. I've lost the thread. I don't even know who I am anymore. All right, what's the verdict? You relate to this, right? You don't know who you are as a TV anchor, who knows?

Yeah, I haven't discovered myself under the desk somewhere. Always, that's where you were before here. This is a very popular show, second and final season. We sort of end season one with their friendship kind of on the rocks and ending, and we don't know why they were friends in their teens. Season two explains that whole thing. Sarah Chalk is in this as well, as long with Catherine Heidel, as you mentioned. And it really is a love story of best friends.

The best ships are friendships, Tom. Oh, wow. Don't you like that? Such a deep person there. Maybe that's the next podcast. That's the Friday energy I'm going for you. But it really is a fantastic show, critically acclaimed and very, very amazing to watch. It's a tear-jurker.

Okay. Next up, you can take a lot of time for this one. People love this. It's apparently crazy but amazing. Psychological horror film. Yeah. It's on Amazon Prime. It's called Nanny.

Yeah. I'm already a little scale. But I shouldn't be scared of the nanny, right? Maybe. Okay. I don't want to say. I'm in. I'm seeing my son.

Your son? Yes. I need to bring him here. Okay. Hey, someone told me I shouldn't be scared of the nanny, but now I'm not sure who I should be scared of here. Well, it's brought to you by Blumhouse, which usually, as you usually say, they do cheap and good and horrifying movies so, so well. It really is. Jason Blum is a genius. This one actually won first horror film to ever win top prize at Sundance, so that should say something, grand jury prize.

So that's really, really massive. But it actually takes the immigrant story and kind of flips it on its head. We've got Aisha there, who's from Senegal. She comes to go nanny for an Upper East Side, very well-to-do white family. There's a lot of metaphors with water here, but she starts to have pretty terrifying visions that change her immigrant story a little bit. Okay. A lot of swimming on the Upper East Side, apparently, which... If you're rich enough.

If you're rich enough. If you're rich enough. That definitely happens. Very excited about this, 1923. Oh, yeah. If you love Yellowstone, there's more. And guess what? Hans Solo's here, too.

People who love Yellowstone can't get enough of it. And this is one of the reasons why anything you want to add, or is it... Taylor Sheridan just can't be stopped. Okay, let's watch. Either we take this fight to them or it's coming us Men kill quick with a bullet or a nose

but their fight is with me and I kill much slower I forgot I was gonna say I said Hans Solo but it just this show and I haven't watched it yet but it just

it leads to the debate is TV bigger than film I mean just right always we know Bravo TV is definitely bigger than film But is, like, he's streaming bigger than film now? Everyone I talk to always talks about television shows. Very rarely do a hero movie that kind of, like, punches through as much as certain TV shows.

I just think people are in for the binge and they're in for the long haul. You know, Yellowstone is just a massive hit from Taylor Sheridan. This is the prequel of that. Now, it takes place during Prohibition. They've got a lot of land grabs here. You're going to find that the Dutton's are still kind of fighting for everything that we want. Ultimately, greed is their worst enemy. But how could you go wrong with Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren?

I mean, any award, any nominations, I'm going to look over to the producing crew here, nothing. What is it with Yellowstone and all the prequels and the sequels and the, and no awards, all of America's watching? But that doesn't, that never relates to what the critics actually ever think. You know, I think the, that's why the tomato meter always has like the audience store and then the critics score, because the audience has a different vibe for something that they want other than the critics. Has the real housewives ever won an award? In terms of like, anything? No. No.

No. I guess you're, there you go. There you go, and the whole world was watching. Last one on our list. This one is apparently a great film. Incredible cast. It's on HBO Max, The Banshees of Insuring. Do they get that right?

It's already getting, oh, okay, it's already getting some award buzz. Let's check that out. Stop talking to me. Calm. And if you don't stop bothering me, I have a set of shears at home. And each time you bother me from this day on, I'll take those shears, and I'll take one of my fingers off with them, and I'll give that finger to you.

Until I have no fingers left. Does this make things clearer to you? Not really, no. I feel like Colin Farrell's back in a big way. Like over the past few years, he's like had some great movies. He's had fantastic ones, and this is definitely included in that. Brandon Gleason is also in this. And they are lifelong friends until one day.

Brandon Gleason is just like, absolutely not. I don't want to be friends with you anymore. And the whole movie is really about that. Plus the scenery takes place of this remote island off the west coast of Ireland. Okay. Absolutely fabulous. Very dramatic? Very dramatic.

I've heard wonderful things about it. Obviously, there's a lot of grit and there's a lot of good accents in it. Okay, we look forward to that. That's something I definitely would like to watch this weekend. We're going to switch gears here. I'm going to throw you a little bit of a curveball, okay? We're going to get the fireplace going, all right?

We're going to cozy up just a little bit. You can hopefully feel, oh, there it is. Ooh, I feel the warm. Nice wood fireplace. You know, you've got the gas, you've got the wood. That's great. Yeah, it's crack when I can hear it there. So we're going to have a little fun.

So we're going to do your favorite Christmas song that you binge during this holiday. season but before you go I'll start okay is that cool I'll give you some time to think my favorite as I look at the wrong camera once again sleigh ride the Ronnettes produced by the infamous Phil Specter of course wall of sound can we hear it with a clip this is classic it's so great and just their voices the music the instruments this is top 10 it is it's top top for me and you're right no Phil Specter I mean wall of sound you really

hear it with their voices, and I love this. This video's out there. I've never seen this video. I just think of like a black and white thing. Not the original, not the original at all. This is animated. But anyways, an amazing song. Next up, Darren, you go for it. Okay, well, this song came out in 1998, not to age myself, but I was 10, so it's got a special...

Nineteen-eight. In-Sink, baby! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, okay? We're talking old, like, first album, Insync. This is, like, when InSink was, like, just starting out, and this song, this is just, this is everywhere, my man. You've got to hear this. Look at the video. Oh, I love that. That's Joey, right? Joey was a

old school. We got Lance Bass. We got Justin Timberley. His palm, his blowout. Like, everything's going on. I mean, I think I could. Maybe, yeah, Joey Fitton, we got JT, we've got Justin, we've got Lance. That's it, right? I think Justin is JT, right? We got more, we got more.

But the video was great, and it's just nostalgic for me. I mean, this one is, obviously. I remember all those, like, all those outfits and the frosts you still have those outfits i do i'm trying to bring it back i remember that outfit so it just it brings it back and i like that it's you know it's for everyone it's not just christmas uh finally we we have a wonderful producer who produces this bingeworthy every week and her name's erin kutch and she's just amazing and her favorite is of course underneath the tree by kelarkson k clarkson all right Aaron great choice yeah what i'm surprised here is not one of us

shows Mariah Carey. I know. This is you, which has been on the top charts. Good for us. And I like that you guys went with more updated picks. I kind of like that. This is a beautiful song, too. She's a fantastic singer. Fantastic singer, fantastic choice by a fantastic producer, right? By a fantastic producer. That's the good thing about holiday music is it just automatically warms you.

Yeah. Darren, I probably won't see you until after the new year. So, Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Happy New Year. Two. Have an awesome holiday. And the same to everyone else, who I'm sure I hopefully will see, but I'm not sure. Anyways, thanks so much for watching Top Story. Every week, every night.

We always appreciate it. Have a wonderful holiday if I don't see you until after the new year. Bye-bye. you close and make sure that you know that i was lost before you christmas was cold and great