That was the scene last New Year's Eve in Times Square right here in New York City. Tomorrow, we'll check out the hoopla when the calendar flips to 2010 and look ahead with some new year predictions. And a special concert from Rob Thomas right here in the studio tomorrow, New Year's Day, only here on TODAY.
And a good morning to all of you. I'm Erin Burnett along with Lester Holt, Peter Alexander and Chris Cimino. And yes, this is the TODAY show, even though Al and Natalie are not here today.
LESTER HOLT, co-host:
We've got it covered.
BURNETT: We've got it covered.
CHRIS CIMINO reporting:
That's right.
HOLT: Lock the doors, guys, we can own this place. Trust me. We've still got some fun left in this year. Coming up--for a news program, we sure do a lot of dancing around here. We're going to check out some of the highlights.
They look like a couple of chickens there. Check the highlights of the year 2009 here on TODAY.
CIMINO: You quickly learn to watch out what you do during commercial breaks, they're always rolling.
HOLT: They're always rolling.
CIMINO: As Ann learned the hard way there. I, by the way--there's Natalie Morales. And she's loving it, too.
HOLT: Boom, shakalakalaka.
PETER ALEXANDER, anchor:
I, Peter Alexander, always been happy with my name, but wait till we hear about some of the names, some folks who have changed their names. I mean, Lester Holt, but do you ever dream of some other name? Did you ever ...
HOLT: You know, when I was in radio, I used, what, just Les Holt.
ALEXANDER: Les Holt.
HOLT: Yeah. But it was kind of radio. Les Holt.
ALEXANDER: Lay it down.
BURNETT: Les Holt.
HOLT: Yeah.
BURNETT: That's kind of like a porn star.
HOLT: OK, then!
ALEXANDER: And we're back! Moving right along.
HOLT: And I had a mustache back then, too.
CIMINO: Oh, great.
BURNETT: Sorry.
ALEXANDER: Porn star name is like the first street address and your dog's name. Anyway, I digress.
HOLT: OK.
CIMINO: Oh, he knows too much information.
ALEXANDER: Coming ...
HOLT: Pull back! Pull up, pull up!
ALEXANDER: Coming up in the course of this next hour: Marijuana Pepsi, Tahiti Starship, Justin Case.
HOLT: Oh.
ALEXANDER: Those are several real names. And we're going to introduce you to these folks. You don't hear these names every day.
HOLT: How about Ben Dover?
ALEXANDER: OK.
BURNETT: Or there are some of the James Bond ones. But all right.
ALEXANDER: Rough crowd.
BURNETT: Whew. We'll do a little cooking with Anthony Scotto, who left the rest of the family home today, but brought along some of their signature chips with Gorgonzola.
HOLT: Oh, those are so good. We love those.
BURNETT: Are those really? All right. Good. And for New Year's Eve--for your New Year's Eve party, you'll be getting some tips on that. And if you've ever eaten in the family's restaurant, you will not have forgotten those chips for a while.
CIMINO: Mm-hmm.
HOLT: Yeah.
BURNETT: All right. Then later, Hoda and Kathie Lee host a special performance and a New Year's Eve makeover.
Filler: Weather report LESTER HOLT, co-host:
But first, Chris Cimino is here for Al. He's got the New Year's forecast.
Hey, Chris.
CHRIS CIMINO reporting:
All right, guys.
HOLT: Save us from ourselves.
PETER ALEXANDER, anchor:
Save us. Right.
ERIN BURNETT, co-host:
Please save us.
CIMINO: Are we still on?
(Weather follows)
CIMINO: And whatever your weather, have yourself a safe and enjoyable New Year's Eve.
BURNETT: All right.
CIMINO: Les Holt:
BURNETT: Les Holt. It puts you in a whole new light.
HOLT: (Pretends to play a guitar) Coming up next--coming up next, what you may have missed in 2009, as we move ahead, right after this.
Profile: Today show year in review LESTER HOLT, co-host:
It's the last day of the year, a time for reflection and resolutions and a little fun. So we wanted to look back at the year that was right here in Studio 1A.
(Beginning of clips from the previous TODAY shows)
MEREDITH VIEIRA reporting:
And welcome to TODAY on this Tuesday morning. I'm blah, blah, blah.
MATT LAUER reporting:
And I'm blah, blah, blah's partner.
VIEIRA: And welcome to TODAY on this Monday morning. I'm Meredith Vieira, the ruler of the universe.
I thought you were on vacation. What's going on?
LAUER: I came back to give you a hard time.
VIEIRA: I had such a week planned here.
LAUER: It's ...
VIEIRA: Well ...
CURRY: Because of the weather.
VIEIRA: Yes.
LAUER: I was ready to go out and Meredith said no.
CURRY: Oh!
VIEIRA: Oh, that is so--that is--America, that is not true.
LAUER: Filling in for Meredith this morning, a guy who doesn't know the meaning of the word alarm clock.
BRIAN WILLIAMS reporting:
That's right.
LAUER: Is it you, is it a hologram? What is this?
I would not be caught dead in a Snuggie.
MORALES: He loves it!
LAUER: I'm having chest pains even as we speak.
And there is that glove.
AL ROKER reporting:
Oh, you got it on.
CURRY: No! No!
LAUER: I have it on.
ROKER: You have it on.
CURRY: I thought you said you couldn't put it on.
LAUER: Do not touch it.
ROKER: Does it give you magic power?
LAUER: Absolutely. Are you kidding?
ROKER: Wow. Oh, yeah!
TEXT:
Lookin' Good
VIEIRA: You know, my gosh!
LAUER: We're in the exact same suit.
VIEIRA: That's very girl-like.
ROKER: Well, we're both wearing Spanx, too.
CURRY: I don't think you read the memo that it's a sleeveless day.
LAUER: Sorry about that. This shirt is actually just a dickey.
David Beckham was here in the last hour.
VIEIRA: Yes.
LAUER: I admired his suit. He came down in jeans and gave me the suit off his back.
ROKER: Oh!
VIEIRA: Ah!
Unidentified Man: It's very you.
VIEIRA: Yes, it is.
LAUER: You know, I'm tired of panty hose on Halloween.
VIEIRA: Hm. Take them off now.
TEXT:
OOPS!
LAUER: Good morning. Coming up on a Thursday here on TODAY--I'm in trouble.
VIEIRA: Nice of us to be back.
LAUER: Nice of us to be back?
CURRY: Today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Natahanotyou--Netanyahu ...
LAUER: Just batten down the hatches. You never know what's going to happen here.
VIEIRA: Oh! Oh!
MORALES: Let's go back outside to Matt and Meredith.
LAUER: We are right inside here.
VIEIRA: We are right here. Hello.
MORALES: Oh, you're not outside.
ROKER: Meredith:
VIEIRA: What? Ooh. I'm sorry.
ROKER: What? You're on the air!
HOLT: I'm Lester Holt in for Matt. He's still re covering from his little run-in on the bicycle with the deer.
CURRY: Ah, do you want a hug?
LAUER: No. Don't come anywhere near me with a hug.
WILLIAMS: I cannot imagine how scary that must have been. They say these things are so ... (photo of deer coming at Williams).
LAUER: Whoa!
TEXT:
Note Worthy
(Clips of cast members singing)
ROKER: (Singing) All the single ladies.
MORALES and AMY ROBACH: (Singing) All the single ladies.
ROKER: (Singing) All the single ladies.
MORALES AND ROBACH: (Singing) All the single ladies.
ROKER and VIEIRA: (Singing) Everybody love my Willie Scott. Everybody love my Willie.
KATHIE LEE GIFFORD and HODA KOTB reporting:
(Singing, in unison) Everybody loves my Willie Scott.
ROKER: (Singing) Everybody love what Willie got. Oh, I love my Willie!
Crowd: (In unison) Willie Scott.
ROKER: (Singing) Oh, I love my Willie!
Crowd: (In unison) Willie Scott.
ROKER: (Singing) Oh, everybody love my Willie! Thank you.
TEXT:
TODAY
2009
(End of clips)
HOLT: Oh, that was a lot of fun. A lot of fun. And that's why when I tell my wife I'm going to work, she goes, 'Yeah, work, right.'
PETER ALEXANDER, anchor:
Yeah.
ERIN BURNETT, co-host:
Yeah.
ALEXANDER: The new blooper reel begins right now, so everybody be careful for year 2010.
HOLT: Well, it is true ...
BURNETT: Yeah.
HOLT: ... they do roll on everything here, so you're never safe.
BURNETT: And they reconstruct the tape in whatever way they want.
HOLT: Yeah. They.
BURNETT: So reality can become ...
HOLT: Big brother.
BURNETT: They. Exactly. Reality becomes altered.
HOLT: Anyway, fun stuff.
BURNETT: Yep. All right.
Well, up next, what's in a name? A woman named Marijuana Pepsi, really, Marijuana Pepsi ...
HOLT: Mm-hmm.
BURNETT: ... is going to tell us, right after this.
Profile: Unusual names parents give their children ERIN BURNETT, co-host:
The names Jacob, Michael and Emma have been ranked at the top of the Social Security Administration's list of most popular baby names for years. But over the past decade, less conventional names like Jaden and Chloe have gained in popularity, but here with a few names that were definitely not on any list is a woman who knows a little something about the matter, MSNBC's Contessa Brewer.
CONTESSA BREWER reporting:
Ah, the moment arrives, the decision that lasts a lifetime, what to name a baby.
MICHAEL; My name is Michael.
TERRI: My name's Terri.
KRISTINA: My name is Kristina.
Ms. MARIJUANA PEPSI SAWYER: My name is Marijuana Pepsi Sawyer.
BREWER: Now there's a name that stands out in a crowd.
Ms. SAWYER: It makes it difficult sometimes.
BREWER: Marijuana says her mother predicted her name would take her places, and with effort, it has; she's a college academic adviser, and students find themselves outside her office waiting for marijuana.
Ms. SAWYER: I want to know what was it about me when you looked down into my face that went, 'You look just like a Marijuana Pepsi.' BREWER: Perhaps high hopes, or maybe it was just the times.
Ms. TAHITI STARSHIP: My name is Tahiti Starship. My parents were hippies.
BREWER: This man's parents named him after the morning sunshine, Yellow Light Breem. We found Cupcake Sanders, Crystal Sunshine Turpin Lemons, and a lovely little girl named Tygerlily.
Miss TYGERLILY GAGNON: I like, like, unusual names.
BREWER: Some parents play with last names; actor Rob Morrow named his daughter Tu, Tu Morrow. There's a Mighty Fine, Mary Christmas, and the Wood family who named their daughter Drift and their son:
Mr. TIMBER WOOD: Timber Wood.
BREWER: Some parents are sports lovers.
Unidentified Man: This is Espn.
BREWER: Others parents are inspired by symbols of success. Yesterday it was Ruby or Opal, today it's Lexus or Armani.
When I was a little girl, my parents told me my name, Contessa, meant little princess. And then I got older and realized it's a title, you know, like countess. And if they were going for royalty, why not aim higher? Everyone knows it's good to be king, just ask King Fender or King Solomon. Still, others seem to grow into their names: Jeffrey Advokat is a lawyer.
Mr. TITO BEVERIDGE: Hi, I'm Tito Beveridge, founder of Tito's Handmade Vodka.
BREWER: Could Chanel Iman be anything but a famous supermodel? But what about Tyranny, Hellion and Devious? Real names.
APOCALIPSIS: My name is Apocalipsis.
BREWER: Experts say you can overcome a difficult name, but there may be consequences.
Mr. DAVID FIGLIO (Social Policy Professor): If you have an uncommon name that connotes low status, you might be treated differently by your teachers, you might end up being picked on more in school.
BREWER: That happened to Marijuana when her mother forbade teachers from nicknaming her MJ or Mary Jane. And yet:
Ms. SAWYER: I've grown into my name because I am a strong woman. I've had to be.
BREWER: For TODAY, Contessa Brewer, NBC News, Whitewater, Wisconsin.
BURNETT: All right. Well, up next, last-minute New Year's hors d'oeuvres.
But first, this is TODAY on NBC.
Profile: Today's Holiday Kitchen; Anthony Scotto Jr. makes New Year's Eve hors d'oeuvres LESTER HOLT, co-host:
This morning in TODAY'S HOLIDAY KITCHEN, New Year's Eve.
ERIN BURNETT, co-host:
Anthony Scotto Jr. of the New York restaurant Fresco by Scotto is flying solo today with last-minute hors d'oeuvres for your party tonight.
Happy new year.
Mr. ANTHONY SCOTTO: Happy new year.
BURNETT: And my stomach is growling because it smells rather delectable.
Mr. SCOTTO: Well, I'm happy to be here.
HOLT: I've been--I've been telling--I've been telling Erin all morning, you got to try these. These are the Gorgonzola ...
Mr. SCOTTO: Yeah. Potato and zucchini chips with Gorgonzola cheese.
HOLT: My favorite at the restaurant.
Mr. SCOTTO: So what we've done ahead of time is I've par-cooked my potato and zucchini chips. Potato chips can be done, store-bought if you'd like.
Just make sure you don't have any extra salt on them.
HOLT: Mm-hmm.
Mr. SCOTTO: Kettle chips are usually preferable. But we make things fresh at Fresco. We're going to add crumbled Gorgonzola cheese on top. And then, Lester, if you can, just grab that towel, it's hot.
HOLT: Uh-huh.
Mr. SCOTTO: Out of the oven, I'll show you what it looks like when it comes out of the oven.
HOLT: All right.
BURNETT: Mm.
HOLT: Ah.
Mr. SCOTTO: If you'd put that right here for me, please.
HOLT: Yes, indeed. Look at that.
Mr. SCOTTO: What we're going to do is then form this together, right? We're going to just push this together, form it all together, let it all get gooey and delicious.
BURNETT: Oh, that smells good.
Mr. SCOTTO: And we're going to form it into a ball like this. And then we're going to have somebody pass that around during hors d'oeuvres, which--you understand that, OK?
HOLT: You got to try this. Try one.
BURNETT: I want to try one. OK.
Mr. SCOTTO: Great with cocktails. Yeah.
BURNETT: All right.
Mr. SCOTTO: All right. Let's move on, if we can.
HOLT: They're really good.
Mr. SCOTTO: Then what we took is our pizza dough.
BURNETT: Mm.
Mr. SCOTTO: Yeah, they're really delicious.
HOLT: Mm.
Mr. SCOTTO: Then what we took is our ...
BURNETT: OK, this is unbelievable.
Mr. SCOTTO: Yes. Our stromboli, please.
BURNETT: OK.
Mr. SCOTTO: Then we took our pizza dough, and we usually grill our pizza dough at Fresco, but instead today what we're going to do is make another appetizer with that. And if you could help me, please.
BURNETT: Mm-hmm.
Mr. SCOTTO: We have broccoli rabe and mozzarella.
BURNETT: OK.
Mr. SCOTTO: And I have sopressata and provolone cheese. And what we're going to do, if you can, is just lay it out for me. Do you have a spoon?
HOLT: What--you said sopressata--what is--what was that?
Mr. SCOTTO: Sopressata, yeah, it's like Italian sausage.
HOLT: Sopressata. OK. All right.
Mr. SCOTTO: I'm sorry. So you're just going to lay this out like this.
BURNETT: OK.
Mr. SCOTTO: Put some of the mozzarella there for me.
BURNETT: On top of it?
Mr. SCOTTO: Yep. Please.
BURNETT: OK.
Mr. SCOTTO: And we're going to do the same thing here. And you're just going to lay it out simply. And we're going to roll it, in a sense, like a cigar.
BURNETT: Mm-hmm.
Mr. SCOTTO: Cool. So you're going to just take this over, roll it over.
BURNETT: Mm-hmm.
Mr. SCOTTO: Nice and tight, if you can. Yep.
BURNETT: Right.
Mr. SCOTTO: Just roll it through.
BURNETT: OK.
Mr. SCOTTO: Tighter sides down so it doesn't ooze out. A little egg wash.
OK. A little egg wash, and this is what this looks like--sorry--this is what this looks like here. And then what we did was bake them in an oven, 350 degrees.
BURNETT: Yep.
Mr. SCOTTO: About 15 to 20 minutes, till they're brown, because everything inside is cooked already.
HOLT: Mm-hmm.
BURNETT: Right.
Mr. SCOTTO: And we're going to slice them, and that's what it's going to look like.
BURNETT: Wow.
HOLT: And that's stromboli.
Mr. SCOTTO: And that's a great--yeah, stromboli. And you know, the Italian sausage and the--and the spiciness of them also helps with cocktails and people wanting to drink.
HOLT: And when I walked in here during the commercial break, you handed me something to eat.
Mr. SCOTTO: Yeah.
HOLT: What was that?
Mr. SCOTTO: So let's do that.
HOLT: Because it was really good.
Mr. SCOTTO: That's potato and ...
HOLT: After you.
BURNETT: OK.
Mr. SCOTTO: ... prosciutto croquettes. And what we've done is I've taken Idaho potatoes, I've cooked them through as if--we're going to mash them. I didn't add any butter or cheese to this at this point. We added a little olive oil. And what I did is I sweated down prosciutto, onions, a little olive oil.
HOLT: Mm.
BURNETT: Wow.
Mr. SCOTTO: And we're going to add this to it. We're also going to form it.
HOLT: You had me at prosciutto.
Mr. SCOTTO: Is that--we form it--we form it with a little Parmesan cheese.
HOLT: OK.
Mr. SCOTTO: And some eggs. And we're going to mix this together. OK? So as we mix this together, what you're going to be able to form--if I can just get this one second ...
HOLT: Is a nice ...
Mr. SCOTTO: ... is you're going to be able to form balls. This needs to be mixed a little bit more. But what you're going to do is you're going to form balls. And then once you form the balls, you're going to do it in any size you'd like. How are you?
PETER ALEXANDER, anchor:
Sorry, you started forming balls ...
BURNETT: Peter smelled the food.
Mr. SCOTTO: Peter, how are you, buddy? Flour.
CHRIS CIMINO reporting:
We came in at the right time, apparently.
Mr. SCOTTO: Flour. Hi, Chris. Flour, egg, bread crumb. And this is what it's going to wind up looking like. And if you can, Peter, just turn those a second.
ALEXANDER: With my hands?
Mr. SCOTTO: Yeah. No, no, no. You're fine.
HOLT: Yeah. Yeah, with your hands.
Mr. SCOTTO: Yeah. So that's going to brown like that. And once that browns, you can try those, Erin, it's absolutely delicious.
HOLT: Yeah, they're awesome.
Mr. SCOTTO: OK, so those are potato croquettes.
BURNETT: Wow.
Mr. SCOTTO: And then just for appetizerwise, we have our caprese ...
BURNETT: Mm-hmm.
Mr. SCOTTO: ... which is very simple. And then a great inverted top. Do you see there here? How pretty these are?
HOLT: Yeah.
Mr. SCOTTO: With the pineapples.
BURNETT: Mm.
HOLT: Ah, thank you. Anthony Scotto Jr., happy new year.
BURNETT: Wow.
Mr. SCOTTO: Yeah, happy new year.
HOLT: Thanks for coming. These are great recipes. We appreciate it.
Mr. SCOTTO: I'd shake your hand, but ...
HOLT: All right. All right. Hoda and Kathie Lee. But first, your local news.
Source Citation
"NBC's Today show, 9:30 am." Today [Transcript] 31 Dec. 2009. Communications and Mass Media Collection. Web. 13 Jan. 2010.
Gale Document Number:A216178816
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