'The Today Show' Looks Back at 2011

My favorite types of videos to watch online are the following: Cats, Slow-Motion and Bloopers. In no particular order. This morning, I was in luck!

The Today Show -- America's number one morning show -- debuted their year-in-review video; A 15-minute compilation of clips, highlights, goofs and laughs from the anchors and staff through 2011. Check it out:

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It sounds cheesy, but these highlight reels from Today Show always get me a little misty! Maybe it's because some of my friends work there, or because I've been watching the show every morning since I was little, but I always look forward to the look back. I particularly enjoyed the graphics this year!

Well done, Today.

Why I'll Miss Meredith Vieira on 'Today'

Today was Meredith Vieira's last day on the Today Show, and while I don't personally know her, I will come to miss spending my mornings with her. Creepy? Maybe. True? Definitely.


One of the most important things about anchoring the Today Show is having the ability to go from interviewing controversial news figures to dressing up like Lady Gaga for Halloween. Somehow Meredith managed to do this with ease, humor and grace. She can definitely take an interview subject to task and call their bluff, but my personal favorite moments are when Meredith is having fun with a guest and her co-hosts.

In 2006 I was a Page at NBC (Yes, like Kenneth on 30 Rock before he was a thing.) One of my rotating assignments was in news media -- the department responsible for handling the publicity for NBC News's programs like Nightly News, Dateline and the Today Show. Shortly after I started the news broke that long-time anchor Katie Couric would be leaving the show (check out Katie and I on her last day at NBC). Names quickly started flying about who would replace her.

Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph Talk 'Bridesmaids' on 'Today'

Two of my imaginary best friends -- Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig -- were on the Today show this morning to dish on their upcoming film Bridesmaids, which hits theaters this Friday, May 13.


The funny ladies (interviewed by the also funny Meredith Vieira) talked about their real-life friendship, writing Bridesmaids and how Wiig started her spot-on impression of Kathie Lee Gifford. Check it out:

2011: The Year Robots Will Destroy Us All

I always half-joke about that whole "world ending in 2012" thing, but I'm starting to lean more towards believing it after watching no less than three examples of robots or computers taking the place of humans.


First we saw the IBM supercomputer named Watson beat out two of Jeopardy's smartest players. CNN says Watson's win doesn't make humans obsolete (yet), but I'm not sure I'm buying it. Jeopardy superstar Ken Jennings seems to agree, using his screen to say, "I for one welcome our new computer overlords." I'm with ya, Ken.

'Today' Shares Its Favorite Moments of 2010

As 2010 winds down everyone is showcasing their best and favorite moments of the year. As a loyal Today show viewer I loved watching their 15-minute recap of the news, views and bloopers from a year's worth of antics at studio 1A. Check it out!

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Cheesy or not, it's fun to wake up to their shenanigans every weekday.

Meredith Vieira Goes Gaga for 'Today Show' Halloween

Ali Goldstein/NBC
Every year the hosts of the Today Show go overboard (in a good way!) with their Halloween costumes. They've dressed up as everyone from The Munsters, to famous singers, to the characters from Star Wars.

This year the gang had a less unified theme, but all dressed up as very recognizable faces like Justin Bieber, Amelia Earhart, and most notably Lady Gaga as interpreted by Meredith Vieira. Not only did the hosts get involved, but the show also had cameos by Tina Fey and Will Farrell, who were there in costume to promote their new film Megamind. Check it out!

SunChips Pulls Loud Bags: I Swear It's Not My Fault!

In December of 2009 I made this silly video on my YouTube channel about this unusual new SunChips bag and its very loud sound. This was before there were commercials and advertisements letting world know how compostable and environmentally friendly these new bags were. It was a quick video about something I figured other people had noticed, too.

In August 2010 the Today show picked up on the growing trend of bag outrage and featured my clip in a segment comparing the bag's sound levels to that of a New York City subway or lawn mower.

Yesterday it was announced that Frito-Lay -- the makers of SunChips -- are going to stop using the "loud" bags because they received so many complaints from consumers, and also suffered a possibly unrelated 11% drop in sales over the last year.

Here's a quick synopsis from the Today show on October 5.

What Does Your Workspace Say About You?

Yesterday I had a glorious day of working from home and posted this photo to my Twitter of my makeshift workspace setup.


It was a comfy day of working at my own, efficient pace while maybe taking a break or two on the couch instead of the office break room. In the past I've posted photos of my old work-from-home station, my desk at work (which I don't sit at anymore. New post?) and my old desk at 30 Rock with labels. I had a great guest post about working from home and even a poll to see which work place writing utensil was preferred and one about how much I love Post-It Notes.

My SunChips Video on NBC's 'Today Show'

Last December I made a quick video about the new biodegradable -- but extremely loud -- SunChips packaging. The new bags are great for the planet but impossibly annoying because their loud crinkling sound is nearly deafening.

I watch the Today Show every morning, so when I heard they were doing a segment about the loud bags I wanted to see what they had to say. Lo and behold, the show pulled some YouTube clips to show how people everywhere are annoyed with the SunChips bags, and one of them was mine!


Check out the clip from the Today Show. I pop up about 30 seconds in.

Lady Gaga Brings Record Crowd to 'Today' Plaza

The Today show plaza was particularly packed this past Friday when Lady Gaga took to the stage for their Summer Concert Series. Over 20,000 little monsters showed up for the concert, setting a new record for the early morning show.


Peter Kramer/NBC
Check out all of the amazing performances after the jump.

Christina Aguilera Rocks the 'Today Show' Plaza

To celebrate the release of her latest album Bionic (out today, June 8), the lovely and talented Christina Aguilera performed a four song set on the Today show this morning. Check out her interview plus her performance of the title track and the first single "Not Myself Tonight":


Interview and "Bionic/Not Myself Tonight"
I was up bright and early (5am, anyone?) and plopped myself front and center with my buddy Ru (of Ru-Mix fame) to check out the performance. We were very visible on TV (I could have pushed Xtina over if I wanted) so you can definitely spy us in the clips!


I was very tempted to give her a nudge

Check out my up close and personal snapshots and more performances after the jump!

Can Anyone Stop Lindsay Lohan's Hot Messery?

Guys, what the hell is wrong with Lindsay Lohan? For real. This is a serious question.


This young lady has been spiraling out of control for the last, well, decade it seems, and no one appears to be stepping in to help her. She's had a rash of DUI and drug allegations, went to rehab, been dropped from film projects and even sued the E-Trade baby!

In her latest round of "WTF is wrong with you?" news Lohan allegedly lost her passport in Cannes, France causing her to miss a court appointment (for a past DUI arrest) and have a warrant issued for her arrest. Here's the full story from NBC's Today show:

Would Betty White Do Nudity? 'Only a Little Bit'

The fabulously funny Betty White was on the Today show this morning, and Meredith Vieira dubbed her Hollywood's "oldest and newest 'it' girl." Pretty spot-on, right?


Photo: Peter Kramer/NBC
The actress talked about her recent resurgence in popularity and revealed that she's actually very anxious about her upcoming stint hosting Saturday Night Live on May 8. She said she is up for almost anything that comes her way on SNL, including singing and dancing. But would she do nudity?: "Only a little bit of nudity," she admits. Check out the interview...

Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Releases 'The Real You Diet' Book

I have to give a big shout out to my good buddy Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom. Madelyn is a contributor to iVillage.com and the Today show's diet and nutrition expert. Her new book 'The Real You Diet' is out in stores and online and last night we celebrated its release in New York City.


Dr. Fernstrom (center) with me and my colleagues

I'm not one for books -- especially ones about dieting -- but this one is simple and to the point with practical advice on eating and portion control. Check out Madelyn giving some of the tips from 'The Real You Diet' on the Today show.

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Congrats, Madelyn!

The Best Commercials of 2008

With TiVo and DVR and online viewing you'd think traditional commercials would be a dying breed, but the Association of Independent Commercial Producers beg to differ. The Association has selected the best commercials of 2008 and revealed them on the TODAY show on Wednesday. Check 'em out...

Sad that there was no mention of "Toby's New Trick."

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'Kathy Griffin My Life on the D-List' Premieres Tonight

Tonight is the season premiere of everyone's favorite red head comedienne's show Kathy Griffin My Life on the D-List. Kathy is back for another crazy season of crawling her way up the celebrity ladder with her entourage of assistants and wine-loving mother in tow. She was on the TODAY show this morning talking about what we can expect this season... Poor Erin Burnett didn't know what hit her.

Kathy admits that she plays second fiddle to her elderly mother, Maggie Griffin, on the show and I think that's a pretty fair statement. The duo are hilarious together and iVillage.com has put together a piece on why Kathy and Maggie Griffin are the Best Mom-Daughter Team on TV. Pretty fair to say, too.

I saw Kathy Griffin live at Madison Square Garden this winter and she was so freakin' funny I can't even explain it. She did her shtick for two full hours without stopping or losing momentum. Do yourself a favor and catch her live the next time she's in your town, and make sure to watch the season premiere of Kathy Griffin My Life on the D-List at 10pm tonight on Bravo.



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Fast Food Face-off: Who Has the Best Burger?

From a story on Todayshow.com:

According to a new survey of fast-food lovers, the best hamburger in the nation comes out of In-N-Out Burger, the West Coast chain boasting “quality you can taste.” Wendy’s followed at No. 2 in the Battle of the Burgers, trailed by Burger King, McDonald’s and Whataburger.

Zagat, the restaurant review service, polled more than 6,100 hungry diners about their preferences in fast-food outlets.

“These chains offer a lot of value to diners, and in the current economic times that’s more important than ever,” explained Tim Zagat, CEO of Zagat Survey. “Given the large number of such chains, even the most avid fast-food aficionado may need help in figuring out what’s best.”

McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Olive Garden, Long John Silver’s and Outback Steakhouse all did well in the survey. But the top honors went to In-N-Out Burger, which has stands in California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. The chain touts “100% pure beef” burgers, with no additives, fillers or preservatives.

According to the company’s Web site, “Our lettuce is hand-leafed. Our American cheese is the real thing. And we use the plumpest, juiciest tomatoes we can find. All of our ingredients are delivered fresh to our stores. In fact, we don’t even own a microwave, heat lamp, or freezer.”

Click here to see the full list of the top fast food restaurants, you fatty. Let me say that I have recently been introduced to Sonic and love their burgers, and their whole menu in general. We need to get some here in NYC, but I doubt their pull-up menu stations would do well here.

What's your fave fast food place?

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Cancer Patients Get Mothers Day Makeovers

A busy week ahead for me, but I wanted to share with you what I did this past weekend. iVillage.com paired up with some great partners to give two deserving moms makeovers for Mothers Day. The women are both battling breast cancer, and although it was a very early day for everyone, it was well worth it. Check out the spot from weekend TODAY

Read more about the event here and click here to see the women's transformation step by step (I took the photos).

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I Am a Raging Narcissist

I have a blog and Facebook and Twitter and YouTube and am so in love with myself that I have to share everything I do with everyone. At least that's what psychologist Jean M. Twenge says in her new book, “The Narcissism Epidemic.” Check out Twenge on the TODAY show this morning.

After watching the segment from this morning's show I can't say that I completely disagree with what's being said. We're all so plugged in to the online world (hey, at least I deleted my MySpace page) that it can be really hard to disconnect.

I actually had a good conversation last night about over-sharing online. I was talking about Twitter and how, yes, no one really cares if you're waiting in line at the post office or still feeling hungry after eating lunch, but it gives us a sense of community and human contact whether people are actually reading/seeing our updates or not. You can then read other people's updates and tweets and have a pseudo conversation with someone else—even if it's all one-sided.

It's a slippery slope, I guess. No one cares that I hear weird noises outside of my apartment at night, but when I tweet "I like to play the game "Car, Construction Vehicle or Dinosaur?" Dinosaur normally wins." I get a pretty positive, humorous response. If people find this entertaining, what about all the other junk I do all day long?

The good news is that if you don't give a shizz about what I'm doing you simply don't have to read it.

Thoughts?

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TODAY Bloopers

Here's something to get your day started- Bloopers from America's favorite morning show, TODAY! I freakin' love bloopers (none are as funny and Tandi and I's from our "On the Road" series in college). As the year draws to a close TODAY is highlighting some of their most funny and memorable moments of 2008. Check it out:

They also highlighted some of the most breathtaking photos of the year. Check those out, too:

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