oprah: so when marie's story public took sides, as the public should not have gone back to >> well, i don't think she was while she was on the lam for and obviously, she never filed person in the prison systems in

years of their life. i thought literally millions of people of years, having come from that serving 10 to 20 years in

>> oh, definitely. i mean, just got 10 years because their doesn't have to be--that they were doing, selling anything. oprah: i heard that one of the that--because at least now she

have a show called "breaking prison, and the reason i wanted to do that, because i know that prison is filled with people afford lawyers to get them out.

everybody. thank you. thank you. king world] [caption captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--] they don't have to bring home the bacon they need to know how to make it come running! [ hog calling ] >> oh, my gosh. >> i love it! we see this every year.

and i love it. the hog callers were out in force showing off skills at an annual country hoedown. in southern alabama. about a dozen of them dressed to impress in cowboy hats and western duds. i don't even want the talk over it. i want to listen to it. [ hog calling ] >> piggy, piggy, piggy, piggy, come on! >> that's original. >> come on, pigs, come on. >> they are hoping to be crowned "hog caller of the year." i think they all sound pretty good. >> she was my favorite. piggy, come on! >> only on, piggy! we'll be right back. ♪ call me call me any time

with the clock ticking towards the government shutdown

it's no surprise plenty of people are hitting the internet trying to find out how this would affect them. >> but it's spring and that means working around the house. with all of that, we're joined by yahoo! life editor heather cabot. >> hey, guys. the looming government shutdown is keeping yahoo! users buzzing this week. searchers are up 1600% for news on the budget impasse. and folks want to know what happens if the deal doesn't materialize by the end of the week? including how a shutdown might impact social security checks? veterans' benefits and military payroll? and also, the former minnesota governor jesse "the body" ventura. after he was interviewed by cnn's peer piers morgan, people are looking at him and wondering if a white house run is in his future.

>> tina fey's pregnancy, neil patrick harris' starring role on broadway, and reports that matt lauer may leave "the today show" fueled a frenzy of queries. also, we saw a spike in searches op notorious b.i.g. after the files of his murder went public on thursday. and here's something we noticed over the last seven days. it seems like a lot of yahoo! users have the munchies. first it was denny's bacon sundae and then the sale of pringles. and now, we're seeing tons of searches for crepes. all kinds of creep crepes. crepes and french toast. that in particular seems to be more popular as a new wave of home cooked. look for recipes for casseroles, stuffed and blueberry versions of the breakfast favorite. and finally, a lot of people are looking forward to rolling up their sleeves and getting outside to do some home projects. with warm weather on the horizon we've seen a huge jump in searches for treehouse plans and

also how to make a lemonade stand. sounds like fun. back to you guys. >> that sounds good. we had a tough winter. i think most of the country did so lots of people are looking forward to getting outside. >> it's still cool here on the east coast so maybe we can search for how to get the sunshine to come back quicker. >> that would be very nice. any time that spring wants to arrive is okay with us. the "big skinny" everybody is talking about who was surprisingly voted off of "american idol." >> the shocking elimination. and speaking of -- you'll never believe who has the most star power, who holds the most star power in the reality world, you might guess. we'll break it down. you're watching "world news now" -- no, related to "american idol." i'll tell you that much. he reality world, you might guess. @

♪ skinny so skinny a shocking elimination on "american idol." if you're a fan you probably are still shocked over this whole thing. >> you were really upset. by this. you came into work upset by this. >> a lot of people were. this were a lot of people very upset.

pia toscano was kicked off. no longer on the show and she was one of the strongest singers. right after she was voted off, in this moment here, randy jackson said -- no, no. j.lo had no idea what happened. she said, i'm shocked. i'm angry. fellow contestants are stunned. they do have the power to save somebody and it's only one a season and they used it a couple of weeks ago. >> the whole thing is, everybody knows who she is now and she has such a beautiful voice. she's a beautiful woman. she'll probably have a great career anyway. >> a bunch of jealous people out there because she's terrific. >> you think? >> oh, no doubt about it. >> you said, they're jealous, women are jealous. >> i don't want to put a gender on it necessarily, but i'll say she's talented and i agree with you. she'll be on her way. >> she is very talented. >> you're right. >> she'll be just fine. speaking of "american idol," we all know ryan seacrest has his fingers in a lot of different businesses and he's a very wealthy guy. he's expected to earn $55 million in 2011.

ryan seacrest right there. 55 million bucks. >> not bad. he has a lot of stuff under that brand of seacrest. >> you like me want to know how can you earn $55 million a year? i was interested myself. this is how you do it. you get $20 million for a contract with clear channel with "on the air with ryan seacrest." $15 million in television development deals and the remaining $20 million is from being an executive producer of "keeping up with the kardashians." and also, dick clark's "rocking eve" and he has a lot of brand partnerships with coca-cola and microsoft. >> no doubt about that. let's talk about somebody else not as successful in the reality world but still, nonetheless, making headlines. kate gosselin. >> oh, dear. >> oh, i know. here she goes. she's apparently being sued for not paying marriage counseling fees to the tune of $10,000. >> do you have to pay if you get divorced anyway? >> that's a good point. kind of a breach of contract, i

suppose. >> she owes them $10,000 so does she have to cough it up? or no? >> according to the lawsuit they would like the money. i'll tell you who's not named on the lawsuit is jon. >> where is jon on this whole thing? >> $10,000 i never saw that bill. he was nowhere to be found. karina smirnoff, from dts dts, she's a dancer. apparently baring it all for "pl "playboy." she's a beautiful dancer. >> that's terrific. >> i'm confused by that. honestly, their costumes are so small. what is there left to see? >> you get a peek right there. >> i'm wondering why the whole thing. hugh hefner says that she is going to be profiled in an upcoming issue of "playboy." sometimes they put people on the cover and that doesn't necessarily mean there's a whole thing going on. not that i read "playboy." >> do you know intimate details? >> the interesting thing is she's one of the professional dancers. kendra wilkinson who used to be hugh hefner's girlfriend is actually on the show. she's a contestant.

so it's a "playboy" party on abc. >> a playboy palooza. when we come back, we'll honor a dear friend. don't miss this. wings of lunes. and if you wake up often in the middle of the night... rest is here, on the wings of lunesta. lunesta helps you fall asleep and stay asleep, so you can wake up feeling rested. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a $0 co-pay at lunesta.com.

sleep well, on the wings of lunesta.

we hate to admit it but it is somewhat of a sad morning here on "world news now." we're not going to be seeing as much of one of our favorite regulars anymore. >> we heavy heart, willis is taking time off a little bit here and there now. so we'll be missing his amazing laugh every morning and so we the now present willis' greatest hits. >> big willis, what's going on man? >> i've been in this company 31 years. >> 3 is -- and no sick days. >> i love willis. he adds joy in the morning, in the middle of the morning, like 4:00 in the morning, he adds joy. >> yes i've been in bed with willis for a number of years. he's quite a company man. >> we have a sneak peek at one

significant architectural change the new tenants are planning for the building. what do you think? >> do i have to feed this one to to you, too? >> oh, yeah. i like that. >> oh, he just -- you just made his whole weekend. i couldn't be there so we brought you some. we got willis back there with the crown, king willis. and he's bowing to the king. >> willis' pick right there. just get it all out. there he is. the man on top. some of you might remember our loyal "world news now" fans, willis was dead last for most of this competition. talk about coming from behind! [ laughter ] >> happy birthday! >> thank you, thank you. >> what a trooper coming into

work on his bifrt birthday. >> and vinita made you a gift. >> and then i left it at home. i baked you a gift. in a couple days you can have it. >> we're auctioning off willis' -- >> one minute, willis. >> unfortunately, we have a whole minute left of this. >> willis, can we get some sort of answer here? it's "donut day" for everybody chocolate? >> very good. >> oh, wow! that's funny. >> only one of his many credentials. we love willis. and we have this. our graphics department put together this wonderful card, willis and his women. he'll give it to you to give willis and as you can see, it's you and your ladies right on

top. we love you, willis. >> that's great.ab

coming up on "world news now," stopping the shutdown. once again, the president held a late-night meeting at the white house with leading members of congress. >> and once again, there is still no deal. now, the chances of a government shutdown are growing by the second. it's friday, april 8th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning, i'm peggy bunker. >> and i'm mike marusarz. after the fourth meeting with president obama and members of congress still no deal to cut spending. a shutdown seems more real than ever. is it in fact too late for a last-minute deal? and how fast is too fast? the state of texas might soon find out with a new law that proposes raising the speed

limits on highways there to 85 miles per hour. >> i'm sure a lot of people would agree with that. no doubt about that. and the weight loss plan that has become an internet sensation. a look at the 17-day diet and its amazing results. >> oh, yet another diet plan. we'll look into that. but first we want to bring you up with the latest on tense budget talks. congress is working around the clock to reach a budget agreement before the government shuts down at midnight. >> but after president obama summoned congressional leaders to the white house again last night there was still no deal. >> i want to report again to the american people that we made some additional progress this evening. i think the staffs of both the house and senate, as well as the white house staff have been working very hard to try to narrow the differences. we made some progress today. those differences have been narrowed. >> president obama told the leaders that he expects a deal this morning because actually, the machinery of shutting down

the government takes time. >> but to hear the rhetoric on capitol hill, you'd have to say that's an optimistic expectation. here's jonathan karl. >> reporter: on capitol hill, a partisan meltdown. >> the reason we didn't shut it is because -- >> house will come to order. gentleman will suspend. >> cut spending to begin getting our fiscal house in order and to keep -- >> reporter: they even disagree about what they disagree about. democrats say they have an agreement on $34.5 billion in spending cuts. the republicans say there's no agreement on how much to cut. and believe it or not, the issue of abortion could be what causes the government to shut down. democrats say republicans are trying to use the funding bill to force new restrictions on abortion rights. republicans say they are simply trying to restrict public funding of abortion. one tea party freshman told us, shutting down is better than rolling over. are we really serious that we could see a government shutdown

when there are only a few billion dollars separating these two? >> yeah, it's possible. >> it's worth shutting it down over those few billion? >> i will tell you it's time for our side to stop being the ones to give in. >> do you understand how bad congress looks out there when people see this? >> i understand how bad congress looks from inside and i'm one of them. >> reporter: in the whole mess, echos of another government shutdown nearly a generation ago. >> we're trying to keep open the government. >> we don't want to shut government down. >> politics as usual. >> usual politics in washington. >> you know, this is just more smoke and mirrors. >> we're talking about real spending cuts here. no smoking mirrors. >> this notion that somehow we're offering smoke and mirrors -- >> we have to get to work on the information in a serious way. >> let's talk about serious things in a serious way. >> i think it's time for them to

get serious about it. >> all right, our thanks to jonathan karl for that report. stay with us on abc news for all the latest developments on the budget battle. first "america this morning" and then good morning americas. and the aftershocks hit northern japan killing two people and injuring dozens of others as the country is still reeling from the effects of the massive earthquake four weeks ago. the west coast of the u.s. could soon feel more of the effects as well. neal karlinsky reports from tokyo. >> reporter: enormous chunks of entire towns washed out to sea by the tsunami are found floating in open waters. sailors from the u.s. navy's 7th fleet say they've never seen anything like it. >> it's very challenging to get through here considering they use propellers and fishing nets and debris can be dangerous. >> reporter: the now famous dog rescued from a roof nearly a week ago gave us a look at what's out there. even cars and furniture and floating tractor-trailers, all

now a threat to shipping traffic. the debris field is massive, stretching as much as 500 miles of the pacific, a distance of new york to michigan and it's headed straight for the united states. it will move with a powerful current, called the north pacific gyre. it will carry the remnants of 200,000 destroyed buildings, towards washington, then oregon and california. oceanographers say a year from now we'll see things that easily float, like boats, wood from houses and plastic children's toys. two years out, fishing supplies and nets will come ashore. and after three years, shoes, plastic furniture, even entire dining sets. >> so you have to imagine a city, say the size of seattle, put it through a grinder and what happens? you wind up with all kinds of debris. >> reporter: sad reminders of a disaster so enormous parts of japan will finally come to rest half a world away. neal karlinsky, abc news, tokyo. donald trump is turning up the heat over president obama's birth certificate once again.

the real estate tycoon meeting today with an arizona state lawmaker sponsoring a so-called "birther bill." and thump said yesterday it's possible the president is pulling one of the greatest political cons ever. a lot of this might have to do with the fact that trump is considering a run for president himself. a recent "wall street journal" nbc poll shows him in second place among possible republican candidates. it turns out the race for the supreme court justice in wisconsin wasn't so close after all. we told you yesterday morning that a recount was likely since the margin was so thin but it appears justice david prosser easily beat his challenger after a county clerk admitted she made a mistake in the vote totals. the race was seen as a referendum to attempt to take away union bargaining rights. texas drivers could get where they're going sooner. they voted to raise the speed limit to 85 on some of the

highways. if the state senate follows suit texans could brag about having the fastest roads in the nation. we have our reporter from ktrk in houston with more. >> reporter: it's possible your lead foot could get much heavier than the posted signs around houston. house bill 1201 repeals the old concept and adds, amendment that future highways could be designed for 85 miles per hour. >> people are speeding anyway. make it legal, go for it. >> so if you have an accident at 85, it's a lot of speed to slow down from. >> reporter: the bill introduced by state representative lois kolkhorst -- >> obviously, you can move quicker and get to your destination more quickly. >> reporter: and she adds it only applies to new, specially designed roads bullet after june 1st of this year.

separate lanes for heavy trucks and passenger vehicles. >> some studies have said that if you can keep traffic moving, you know, in a uniform manner at higher velocities it can lead to less traffic accidents. >> reporter: others that have been in highway accidents aren't sold on the idea of 85 miles per hour. >> the faster you go, the less chances you're going to have a quick response for any kind of reaction time if you're in an accident. >> reporter: but those that drive for a living say it might help their bottom line. >> 85, if i can get from point a to point b faster i'll make more money getting where i'm at instead of sitting in the truck waiting to get there. so it would be much better for me. >> our thanks to ktrk reporting. something that strikes a nerve with you? >> it does. i got a speeding ticket on my way into work this morning which i do not condone speeding. you should never speed. you should drive the speed limit. i'm just thinking perhaps i should move somewhere to where you can drive a little bit faster. >> in connecticut if it was 80 -- >> i would be fine. i wouldn't be looking at a ticket but, indeed, i am.

slow or fast on the roads, here's what to expect with your weather. wet in california. showers from san francisco to l.a. 60-mile-an-hour winds around phoenix, albuquerque and las vegas. heavy snow in the rockies. afternoon showers for boston, new york, philadelphia, d.c., atlanta and nashville. >> the officer was very pleasant, though. i don't think i mentioned that. >> nice. >> and 80s in dallas, new orleans, also, miami and 53 in new york. 52 in detroit. 66 in indianapolis. 70 in kansas city and 60 in sacramento. and 42 in billings. was a gorgeous day in augusta in georgia for the second round of the master golf tournament gets under way this morning in augusta. northern ireland's rory mcilroy is setting the pace with 7 under par 65 shot. the youngest. first-round leader in master's history. >> he's in the lead with alvaro who birdied the 18th hole and defending champion phil mickelson, i love him, was five shots behind them. and tiger woods, everybody is

watching tiger, he was six shots off the pace. we'll see how he rounds it out. obviously, he's been struggling quite a bit. >> phil smacked one into florida yesterday. he was able to like salvage it for parts. >> we'll see how they all do. >> no doubt. the world famous "running of the bulls" don't take place until july in spain but some of their american cousins got an early start. >> check out these bulls. three bulls made a run for it in pocatello, idaho, this week. they were being unloaded when they broke free and raced through the town with the police in hot pursuit. don't you sort of root for the bulls or cows or elephants -- >> whatever wild animal. >> you hate to see that. >> the bulls were finally corralled about a mile away. nobody was hurt and the show went on as planned. >> i'm rooting for the bulls. make a run for it, guys. we'll be right back, everyone, with more "world news now." ♪ they ain't got a thing on me i am free ♪ hó

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everybody who has an iphone at's pretty cool. that's nice. everybody who has an iphone is so cool. it's kind of the hip phone to have. with the tweeting and texting and looking at the maps and all sorts of things you can do with your iphone. >> absolutely. well, one of those things, more and more, is using a smartphone instead of cash. doing it nationwide in britain this summer as dan whitworth of the bbc reports. >> reporter: the number of things to remember on the way out in the morning could be about to get a lot smaller. because if the big credit card and mobile phone companies get their way, we'll all soon be using one of these, instead of this. to pay for things like this. this communication technology, or nfc, means a chip linked to your credit or debit card can be

put in your phone and swiped over a contact list pay point to buy small-value items, anything up to 15 pounds. it's been widely used in south korea and japan for years and now some businesses here are running trials. one estimate is that 40,000 could be using it by the end of the year. >> it's great. you wander into the store. you pick up your sandwich and your bottle of pop, you walk to the still and you tap and go. or even better, if it's a self-service environment in the store, you go up there and you do it yourself and you're out. >> reporter: over the next few months, fc ready handsets will hit the shops in numbers for the first time but critics are worried about how much it will cost and how secure it is. >> there's a lot of things in the industry that has been rolled out. in terms of security, you're almost certainly going to have to enter a pin to make a transaction which is like -- making a regular card payment

now. >> reporter: the technology behind it isn't new but this time around, credit card companies, mobile phone manufacturers are all investing millions of pounds to make it a success and secure. >> if i lost a phone it would be a problem. i think, yeah, that would be good for me. it wouldn't appeal to me. >> ultimately, if this technology is really going to take off, then you, me, and every other shopper, we all need to be willing to swap this, for this. dan whittworth, bbc news. >> we were talking about starbucks using it with the bar code. >> you get an app. you don't need cash or anything. how many times have you gone to pay for something and you don't have the cash. you could just scan and it would be really cool. a lot of people say this is mostly iphones. people think smart phones and blackberries need to catch up.

that would would be great. a cashless way to roll. >> i use the same technology, i'm assuming it is, to check in at airports, digital boarding passes. >> that's very cool. when we come back, how about this? a new weight-loss plan that's gone viral on the internet. >> a look at the craze behind the 17-day diet. >> 17 days to slender thighs. can't wait! >> me neither! hd

the number 17 is a prime number. it's the atomic number of chlorine. there are 17 syllables in a japanese haiku poem. 17 muscles in the human tongue. >> that's all well and good but what we need to get down to is 17 days to wet loss. the new 17-day diet which lots of people are raving about. we're laughing because he said he had a thigh master. we'll talk about that later.

our cameron mathison tells us about the 17-day diet. >> i lost 36 pounds in four months. >> how much have you lost? >> 51 pounds. >> 51 pounds? >> you feel better and you have more energy. >> it's the latest diet craze creating lots of buzz. >> i've lost 15 pounds. i'm at 200 pounds now. >> reporter: we hear so much about viral videos. this may be the first viral diet and spreading fast. >> today is day two of my 17-day diet. >> reporter: it's the 17-day diet created by san diego doctor mike moreno. he says the plan will last not just for 17 days but for a lifetime. >> we're eliminating sugars, processed foods, all the crap. and we're putting you on healthy food. >> r >> yea! >> reporter: rachel wilcox, a mother of three, is hooked. her 17 days has turned into four months. she logs everything she eats on her ipad. she's tried every other diet there is. >> like atkins, that's what happened to me. i gained it all back.

with this that didn't happen. >> reporter: the plan is broken up in four phases. the very first 17 days are the toughest. that's when the first big chunk comes off. kind of a cleansing. some have lost more than 15 pounds almost a pound a day. but is it too fast? is that safe? we've heard that rapid weight loss can be unhealthy. >> it can be if you don't do it in a healthy way. your body needs food. the appropriate portions in terms of proteins, carbs and fats. >> reporter: we've all experienced the yo-yo of dieting in fact most of it gain it all back. the 17-day diet is about eating healthy and exercising. haven't we heard this before? what's different this time? >> we're not depriving you or taking away all your calories. it's like getting a tuneup for your car. it allows your body to process foods in a different way. >> reporter: first, you start the plan walking 17 minutes a day. next up? more exercise, certain food

combinations and dos and don'ts. >> buy fruit instead of sugar. nectar instead of sugar. natural things that you can use. garlic, cinnamon, mustard instead of mayonnaise. >> reporter: and one big rule, no fruit or starchy carbs after 2:00 p.m. >> i'm living proof that it works. i mean i just had a baby. in my late 30s, pushing 40. >> reporter: and get this, yogurt, particularly, greek yogurt is a big part of the plan, improving digestion helps you lose pounds. each cycle is 17 days long. so why 17? i was trying to figure out what was the magic 17 number. >> 21 days where the body and mind starts to do things without putting effort into it. so 17 days is just about when your mind wants to develop a habit and then we switch things. >> this is revolutionary. so hold on. exercise more and cut out sugars and fats.

this is breaking news. >> you go 16 minutes it doesn't work. it has to be 17 minutes to walk. >> all right. i'm doing it! i'm in. i'm in! [ female announcer ] we didn't see it coming but women have made olay #1. not surgical results, regenerist is the #1 anti-aging serum and the #1 anti-aging moisturizer. not drastic. just fantastic, younger-looking skin with olay regenerist.

>> announcer: "world news now" delivers your "morning papers." our one and only headline. this morning, a huge one. our favorite regular here, willis, won't be coming in as often as usual. he'll be in and out. but we're honoring the man, the myth, the legend. rob nelson chimed in for a special message for you. let's listen to what he has to say about willis. >> hey, willis, what's up, man? it's rob here. you know i'm on vacation so i can't be here for your final day at abc after 30-plus years. its killing me but i didn't want the big day to come without saying something to you. thanks for being a friend, having my back. for being you. your laugh, smile, humor, attitude. your personality.

you've added so much to this show. you are just someone who is literally irreplaceable. >> that's right. irreplaceable is the word. we're really just here to book end willis. let us know what you think about willis. wnnfans.com. you know, willis is going to be doing the polka. >> oh! ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ma

this morning on "world news now" -- will they shut it down? the president held another late-night meeting with congressional leaders at the white house. >> are they any closer to a deal today on the federal budget that would avoid a government shutdown? it's friday, april 8th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." good morning, everyone. i'm mike marusarz. >> and i'm peggy bunker. if a deal is not made by the end of today come this time tomorrow the federal government could be closed for business. we'll show you what the president and congress are doing to make a last-minute deal. then, the shocking medical mistakes that go almost unnoticed at our hospitals. why one-third of patients that check out of the hospital go home in even more pain. and also, we'll be giving the royal treatment to funnyman danny mcbride. he's here to talk about his new

comedy "your highness." >> that will be fun. >> yes. but first, we want to talk about what's going on in the capital. democrats and republicans must agree on a new funding plan by midnight tonight or the federal government in fact shuts down. >> it's hard to believe it's come right up here to the wire. president obama summoned leaders to the white house again last night but no breakthrough. john hendren is monitoring events in washington. good morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, mike and peggy. with just hours to go, the deal is still no deal. president obama says it's too early for wild optimism but he expects answers in the morning. >> we've made some additional progress this evening. the staffs of the house and senate as well as the white house staff has been working very hard to try to narrow the differences and we made some progress today. those differences have been narrowed. so once again, the staff is going to be working tonight, around the clock. >> reporter: beneath the capital it's been a picture of partisan

warfare. >> the reason we didn't shut it down is because -- >> house will come to order. gentleman will suspend. >> cut spending to begin getting our fiscal house in order and to keep -- >> reporter: lawmakers even disagree about what they disagree about. democrats say they have an agreement on $34.5 billion in spending cuts. but republicans say there's no agreement on any number. the government could shut down over a dispute on abortion. democrats say republicans are trying to use the funding bill to force new restrictions on a woman's right to choose. republicans say they're trying to restrict public funding of abortion. if the shutdown happens for troops on the front lines it will be fight now, get paid later. >> if they stop both our paychecks that would have a devastating effect on us. >> president obama and congressional leaders will b continue to get paid. that is an irony not lost on

military families. mike and peggy? >> mr. obama said he expects an answer this morning. so stay with abc news for the latest details on "america this morning" and "good morning america." and around the clock at abcnews.com. and overseas a strong aftershock killed at least two people in northern japan. look at this frightening scene at a local tv station as the 7.1 quake it hit. this was the strongest aftershock since the quake originally hit a month ago. it did not generate a tsunami and the nuclear power plant appears to have been spared from any damage. this morning toyota announced it will resume limited production at all of its plants beginning next week. in medical news, a stunning new study about the risk of a hospital stay. one in three patients will face a medical mistake, a number far higher than we've been told before. sharyn alfonsi has a look at the numbers. >> reporter: these triplets are healthy today. a wagon full of cute. but hours after they were born, little taylee flatlined in her mother's arms. >> i looked down and

taylee went purple. she was purple. it was like she died in my arms. she just stopped breathing. >> reporter: turns out a nurse mistakenly gave her an iv of morphine intended for her mother. >> there should be no way that a very mall small iv line of a 4 1/2-pound baby should be confused with that of a full-grown woman. that should not happen. >> reporter: according to researchers mistakes like that are more common than we realize. they looked at 795 patient records, following the method most hospitals use to report mistakes, they found just 35 errors. when they used a new, more comprehensive computerized method, they found a stunning 354 mistakes, ten times as many, the very same records. the most common? medication errors. the wrong dosing, the wrong medicine, followed by mistakes in surgical procedures, from leaves surgical tools inside of

the body to operating on the wrong parts of the body. then, infections acquired in the hospital. if you have a choice use a hospital that has bar codes. if you're undergoing surgery, make sure the doctor marks the part of the body where they should operate. lonnie wished his doctors had. we spoke to him after he went in for surgery on his right knee, but came out with doctors operating on his left. >> it makes me mad. i got two bad knees that don't work. >> they are costly errors. one study estimates these kinds of medical mistakes cost the u.s. more than $17 billion a year. sharyn alfonsi, abc news, new york. the case against a convicted sex offender charged with kidnapping jaycee dugard took a surprising turn. phillip garrido was expected to plead guilty in a hearing yesterday. instead, he pleaded not guilty. his attorney filed a last minute challenge to how the grand jury that indicted him was selected. jaycee dugard was finally freed after 18 years in captivity.

barry bonds' fate is now in the hands of a federal jury. more than three years after he was indicted and 12 days of testimony, there's nothing for the baseball slugger to do now but wait. closing arguments lasted the entire day. diana alvear has the story. >> reporter: barry bonds made his way into a san francisco courthouse to hear the closing arguments in his case. a case now in the hands of the jury. he is charged with three counts of lying to a grand jury and one count of obstruction of justice stemming from his testimony in 2003 as part of an investigation into steroid use in professional baseball. on wednesday, bonds' defense rested, so confident they did not call a single witness to the stand. in contrast, prosecutors were forced to drop one of their charges against bonds after the judge made it clear she planned to throw it out. throughout the trial, jurors heard from 25 witnesses, including bonds' former girlfriend. kimberly bell told the court bonds admitted he had taken steroids. she wept as she said the athlete

threatened to cut her head off and burn down her home. jurors did not hear an audio recording in which one of bonds' former associates discussed the king's steroid use. the judge decided it was inadmissible as evidence. >> they argued that the government never made the case that what bonds said to the grand jury mattered to the grand jury. and if that's the case, they can't convict him on any of the counts. >> reporter: and there was one witness who refused to testify. bonds' friend and former trainer, greg anderson, was found in contempt of court and sent immediately to jail. the second time anderson has chosen jail over testifying against bonds. diana alvear, abc news, los angeles. as we enter the second week of the baseball season, a lot of people are keeping their eyes on barry bonds. of course, this case -- he's become the lightning rod for the whole steroid controversy so we'll see what happens with one of the greats.

>> sort of the first domino to fall over. and many, many after him. moving on now to the forecast for friday. showers from san francisco to l.a. and san diego. then we're looking at gusty winds around phoenix, albuquerque, and vegas. up to a foot of snow in the rockies and light rain across north dakota. afternoon showers from boston to atlanta and nashville. >> and 80s in dallas and miami. 53 here in new york. 47 in boston. 60s in fargo and 70 in kansas city and seattle dries out getting up to 55. sacramento, 60. >> we could just record that, raining in seattle. over and over. now to a bizarre police standoff pitting man against machine. >> a s.w.a.t. team robot was sent into a house in central florida in search of a man who was threatening to kill himself. the man stepped out of the bedroom wearing nothing but his birthday suit. the stark naked man attacked the robot with his bare hands and grabbed an ak-47 and opened fire. >> how about that? despite all the drama, the standoff peacefully ended when

the man got dressed, walked outside with us his hands up and was take sboon custody. the robot did not fare so well. it's going back to the repair shop with four bullet -- should i say wounds? injuries? >> wounds definitely financially. $65,000 and shot four times. he needs repair work but thankfully, no humans injured. there you go. technology stepping in. we'll be right back with more "world news now." ♪ i didn't shoot no deputy ♪ but i didn't shoot the deputy ♪ ♪ but i didn't shoot the deputy ♪ the statue of liberty? the grand canyon? it's all possible ith a hoveround., tom: hi i'm tom kruse, inventor rand founder of hoveround., when we say you're free to see the world, we mean it. call today and get a free overound information kit, that includes a video and full color brochure. dennis celorie: "it's by far the best chair i've ever owned." terri: "last year, 9 out of 10 people got their

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rest is here, on the wings of lunesta. lunesta helps you fall asleep and stay asleep, so you can wake up feeling rested. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a $0 co-pay at lunesta.com. sleep well, on the wings of lunesta.

♪ okay, time for a look back at the week just gone by. so we call it -- quotes of the week. >> that's right. it was a very busy week. we had talk of a shutdown. also plane just opened up. we discussed some fish and a governor named chris. check it out. >> we're serious about trying the prevent a government shutdown. >> we made some progress but i want to reiterate there's no agreement.

on a number and there's no agreement on the policy rider. >> i have confidence we can get this done. we're not there yet. >> if it's shut down it's because harry reid refuses to sit and negotiate. >> i understand how bad congress looks from the inside because i'm one of them. >> jt said if he could speak to all of us in washington, he would tell you that all of this political grandstanding has effects, and it trickles down to normal, everyday americans. >> if they stopped our federal paychecks it would have a devastating affect on us. >> it's not fair they get to choose how and when stuff doesn't open and stuff. >> here's the best part about this government shutdown. you know that members of congress will still get paid. nobody else will, but they will. it will be just like it is now. we'll be paying them to do nothing. it will be exactly like it is now. >> we did find evidence of widespread cracking across this entire fracture surface. >> we need to have a more proactive way to find the cracks before the ceilings of cabins of

airliners open up at 36,000 feet. >> some of these fish that are feeding there may be picking up some radiation. we don't want to be harvesting them here this the united states if they do. >> if you're not here you'll never know. you don't have this experience firsthand you can't begin to explain it to a person. >> we're willing to put our lives at risk. >> you're willing to die for this? >> yes, we are. ♪ bluebirds fly and the land >> and i can't! >> he wants to be governor? i'm going to give him a shot. i never said that. someone control the better governor. >> there you go. >> very interesting. we hear a lot from a lot of you on our fan page, wnnfans.com about the fact that congress would still receive their paychecks while some of our men and women in our military might

not. if the government shutdown should happen. >> saturday morning, we will see. of course, "good morning america" will be all over that story. we shall see. when we come back, comedian danny mcbride will be with us. >> what he says about his new fantasy-themed movie. it's called "your highness." >> what he says about his new fantasy-themed movie.

welcome back. maybe you're off to the movies this weekend. one of the offerings at theaters is called "your highness." >> in addition to oscar host and in addition to oscar host james franco, and oscar winner natalie portman, it stars funnyman, danny mcbride. he recently spoke with "rolling stone" movie critic peter travers and the host of abc news "popcorn." >> hi, i'm peter travers and this is "popcorn" where we tell you what's happening at the

movies. there's a comedy at the movies called "your highness" with an emphasis on the "high." think of medieval knights and people being stoned and things even crazier than that. the stars of this movie besides natalie portman, james franco and others, is a funnyman named danny mcbride. who we all watched on "eastbound and down." >> you're going to be the most handsome. who is going to be the most handsome? >> me. >> who's the prince with the most dashing mustache? >> me. >> who gives the warmest hugs? >> me, of course, i love you. >> that's cool. >> welcome to the show. great to have you here. >> thank you for having me on. i appreciate it. >> well, you have this movie called "your highness" which everybody at home has just now looked at a scene from. tell us what "your highness" is. >> it's a good question. i'm still trying to process

that. >> you have to know by now. that's part of the deal. >> it's a throwback to the sword and sorcerer films. anything from when i was a kid. "dark crystal" and "labyrinth." >> will you make funny faces to entertain me? no! never triangle face. i hate triangle face. it scares me. >> finally, i found myself in a pitch meeting. and i pitched the studio what i thought they would be interested in and they were not interested in those movies. and so i pitched this crazy movie that i never imagined anyone would let us make. and let's see what they say. and i pitched "your highness" and they dug it. they thought there was a possibility there so we were off to the races. >> who were you watching when you were growing up that you liked in movies because they played that guy that was a little bit over here that wanted to be in the center? >> i was always a big fan of bill murray, ever since i was a kid. he was always funny and a little crasser than the others around him.

even in "ghostbusters" he was the guy who was dating all the chicks and kind of being a little bit more of a wild man. and i think, just early on those guys appealed to me. i had eddie murphy's "delirious" memorized when i was way too young to be even watching that. i like guys that are comedically pushing the envelope in new directions. >> what was the first thing that eddie murphy says? >> goonie goo goo. goonie goo goo. >> exactly. >> why not? >> it's that line. that's what's made you who you are today. >> it has. the stuff that i've always, liked, for instance when i saw "the goonies" when i was a kid, i loved that movie so much because -- they actually -- those kids, like, swear in that movie. >> i asked you to sum up in song. >> in song? >> in song, a little bit of what's going on in your head now. it might be about "your highness." it might be the song in your head that sums up "your

highness" for those people out there that haven't seen it. >> not in gangsta rap? in song? >> gangsta rap is okay. i count that as song. >> i don't know if i have the skills. can you maybe hum something? >> i can do something in the back. ♪ it's a tale of two brothers, yeah, medieval ♪ >> that's all i have. it's terrible. >> but that was good. it got us into it. >> i'm sure people will go see the movie now. >> danny mcbride, thank you so much. >> thanks a lot! ♪ >> he is funny. he was on "conan o'brien" and he said they're expecting a son, his wife is expecting a son. >> their first child. so he sometimes -- he's like, wow, i'm going to be a parent. that's intimidating. >> i can't imagine but you can. >> it is intimidating.

when we come back it looks like it might be a tattoo or piercing. but this never goes away. >> why people are rushing out to make their earring look like this. yikes. this! yikes! rest is here, on the wings of lunesta. to make their ears look like this! yikes! ut to make their ears look like this! yikes! when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a $0 co-pay at lunesta.com.

sleep well, on the wings of lunesta. for his dentist, the choice is clear. fact is, more dental professionals brush with an oral-b toothbrush than any other brush. trust the brush more dentists and hygienists use, oral-b. maybe you don't think you're at isk for heart attack or stroke but if you've been diagnosed with p.a.d., like it might be a tattoo or i want to talk to you. you may have heard of poor leg circulation, which could be peripheral artery dsease, or p.a.d. with p.a.d., if you have poor circulation in your legs, you may also have poor circulation in your heart or in your brain, your risk for heart attack or stroke is more than doubled with p.a.d. now, ask yourself: am i at risk? if you're not sure, call for this free information kit to learn more. [ female announcer ] call the toll free number

on the screen now to find out what the risks of p.a.d. really are. you'll find a 7-point checklist that helps you understand what could be putting you at risk. if you have symptoms, you'll learn how treating symptoms is different from reducing your risk. you'll also learn .about lifestyle changes and treatment options that can help reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke. there's even a discussion guide for ou to bring to your doctor that can help you discuss .a.d. together. call the toll free number .on the screen for your free information kit today. the risk is real. take the next step. call today.

♪ i wouldn't want to have it any other way ♪ ♪ i'm addicted and i just can't get enough ♪ ♪ i just can't get enough i just can't get enough ♪ did you see "grey's anatomy" making the chart? they did a little musical thing last week. >> pretty cool. >> pretty cool. finally this half hour, putting yourself out there on the edge. it used to be having tattoos or a few piercings was enough. >> is this cool or not? we're looking for things of people that want to be on the edge. and andrea canning has all the details. >> reporter: it's one thing for liv tyler to look like this in "lord of the rings." >> she's an elf. >> reporter: but now, some people are going under the knife

to have real pointed ears or, yes, elf ears. >> it was something i thought would be fascinating. i wouldn't go so far as being a trekkie. "the lord of the rings." all the sci-fi stuff. it fit my personality. >> reporter: steve heyworth performs the procedure. he calls himself "a body modification artist." he slices the top of the cartilage and sews it back together in a point. >> there's a lot of people who have an inner vision of themselves and they want to express that to the world around them. i'm very happy to be an artist that can provide that kind of work. >> reporter: many of the comments with we found on online forum were flip about the seriousness of this kind of procedure. one person wrote -- i want to have elf ears, too, but i'm not sure in what season to do it, because in the winter, i always wear a cap beanie and i guess it would hurt. another person wrote -- honestly these are not super noticeable.

i think it's cool that this would work. >> i thought about it for a good 18 months because once you have it, it's there forever. >> reporter: and you better really want to look like an elf, because doctors warn, sculpting cartilage is a risk. >> the real risks are, one, major deformity of the ear, which is very easy to have happen. and two, infection of the ear. if infection occurring it can destroy the ear within days. >> reporter: and it's also a very hard procedure to reverse once the ear is permanently pointed. >> it's very difficult and often, it's not possible to fully reconstruct a nice-looking ear. >> when i was in high school, i have to admit, i had the piercings on the top, like the cool kids were doing, i tried. but i could never imagine doing an elf ear. can you imagine that? >> now that i look at i, i can see you have two earring holes right there. >> but it's not pointed.

>> you say your head is kind of like alien head. >> still, imagine if i had an

fd today on "world news now," spending shutdown showdown. time running out now that the federal budget is still in play. are both sides close to an agreement? >> if a deal is not made today the government will shut down at midnight tonight. it's friday, april 8th. >> announcer: from abc news this is "world news now." good morning, everyone. i'm mike marusarz. >> and i'm peggy bunker. president obama huddled again late last night with congressional leaders trying to come to an agreement on the spending bill. are they any closer to a deal? or will the government shut down? >> if they do fail and the government comes to a halt, the lives of millions of americans will surely be affected. how the bickering on capitol hill will stop those on main street.

and if you can believe it, japan has once again been rocked by a massive aftershock. an update on the damage. and a look at the original debris from the original quake washed out to sea and now headed our way. but first, the showdown over the budget. or is the budget all that's at issue? the government runs out of money at midnight, but as of this hour, there's still no agreement in sight. >> the word is the numbers are close but the politics are still far apart. john hendren is following the negotiations in washington. good morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, mike and peggy. after another late night at the white house and more talk of progress, the clock on the government shutdown is still ticking. with just hours to go the deal is still -- no deal. >> i'm not yet prepared to express wild optimism but i think we're further along today than we were yesterday. i expect an answer in the morning. >> i'm not confident but i'm very, very hopeful. >> reporter: no deal and no wonder. beneath the capital it's been a

picture of partisan warfare. >> the reason we did not shut it down is because -- >> house will come to order. gentleman will suspend. >> cut spending to begin getting our fiscal house in order, and to keep -- >> reporter: they even disagree on what they disagree about. democrats say they have agreement on $34.5 billion in spending cuts but republicans say there's no agreement. the government could shut down over a dispute on abortion. democrats say republicans are trying to use the funding bill to force new restrictions on abortion rights. republicans say they are just trying to restrict public funding of abortion. if the shutdown happens for troops on the front line it will be fight now, get paid later. president obama and congressional leaders will still be paid, an irony not lost on military families. >> it doesn't affect them. it affects us. you know? >> reporter: the house did pass a controversial plan to extend government funding for a week.

the white house responded by saying, if the senate passes that, and it won't, the president will veto it. a recipe for a government shutdown. mike? peggy? >> the budget battle is a story about politics but it's about people. >> millions of americans could be affected as soon as tomorrow morning if the government shuts down. jake tapper has the details. >> reporter: we told you the story of louisville, kentucky's, jt henderson, his wife, and adopted son. worried about getting their tax refund because of a possible shutdown. >> if i could speak directly to the president and -- the congress fall leadership, i would just say that -- >> reporter: and at least one negotiator was watching. >> jt if you could speak to us directly in washington, he would tell us all this political grand standing has effects. as it trickles down the normal, everyday americans. there's no reason why we should not be able to complete a deal unless we've made a decision that politics the more important

than folks like jt henderson. >> reporter: jt henderson said he appreciated the president hearing his concerns. >> it came as a shock, but it was a good thing. >> reporter: but he would blame both sides for any shutdown. >> i don't hold one party responsible over the other. i think it's a case of business as usual in washington. >> reporter: also affected, the military. freshly back at fort campbell, kentucky, after his third tour in afghanistan, this staff sergeant enjoyed a meal with his family. a government shutdown will not mean that soldiers like this stop fighting. but it would mean he and his wife, a federal employee, would not be paid. >> if they stopped our paychecks it would have a devastating effect. with children and daily life expenses don't go away. >> reporter: so such problem for president obama, house speaker john boehner, or congressional leaders, they are paid no matter what. even if they cannot hammer out a deal. a cruel irony not lost on military families with loved ones in harm's way overseas. >> it doesn't affect them.

it affects us. >> reporter: both sides say a deal is within reach but they've not yet been able to agree upon a precise figure for spending cuts, where the cuts would come from and the controversial republican policy pronouncements about abortion, national public radio and whether or not they should strip power from the environmental protection agency. jake tapper, abc news, the white house. >> you know this is really interesting. as i said we heard from a lot of people at wnnfans.com about how outraged they were that, perhaps, some military families would not get paid but congressional leaders would. other things that could get held up -- local trash collection, tax refunds, the cherry blossom parade in d.c., although parking ticket distributors perhaps, would not be working. >> it could be the silver lining, i suppose. >> looking for something? >> just once it starts to affect people in that way we all sort of take note of what's happening. and you can continue to do that here on abc news. tune in to "america this

morning" we'll have the very latest. and "good morning america." and at any time around the clock on abcnews.com. it was a horrible scene at an elementary school in rio de janeiro, brazil. these are videos as frightened students run as a gunman is roaming the hallways. he eventually killed 12 students shooting them execution-style at point blank range. the gunman then killed himself. police say he left a rambling suicide note. the commander that led the military mission in libya before nato took over says the u.s. may consider sending troops there after all. army general carter hamm told the senate committee america may participate in an international ground force but only after gadhafi is gone. he also said that the situation in libya is now turning into a stalemate. staying in libya, nato is being blamed for an attack that killed five rebels.

the second bungled mission in a week. this video which has not been independently verified but nato and rebels have had troubles coordinating their efforts with pro gadhafi and rebel forces looking very similar. also, their tactics are increasingly similar as well. four weeks after the massive earthquake hit northern japan, frightened residents have to suffer through another major aftershock. >> yeah, not just a little aftershock, actually. a 7.1. the quake killed at least two people, injured dozens of others and cut power to thousands. akiko fujita reports now from tokyo. >> reporter: the magnitude 7.1 quake struck off the coast of sendai rattling communities still reeling from the march 11th disasters. the strong tremor triggered tsunami warnings along japan's northern coast and knocked out power to thousands. this man says that the quake was so strong a large tv fell on his foot. tsunami warnings forced workers at the fukushima daiichi nuclear plant to evacuate. though operator tepco says,

radiation levels have not changed there. the focus now, injecting the reactors to try to avoid another hydrogen explosion. and injecting the reactors with nitrogen. across the pacific there are growing concerns of seafood contaminated by radioactive water from the plant. out on the water, a new threat for ships. the u.s. navy says homes, tractor-trailers, even bodies washed out to sea by powerful tsunami waves are creating a massive debris field, clogging ship lanes which will eventually wash up on america's west coast. >> you have to imagine the cities, say, the size of seattle, put it through a grinder and what happens? you wind up with all kinds of debris. >> reporter: japan's coast guard is asking ships to stay about 70 miles away from the nuclear plant. that's more than three times the 20-mile exclusion zone set aside because of radiation concerns.

akiko fujita, abc news, tokyo. as the government gets rid of color-coded alerts its planning to help to enlist the help of social media in the war on terror. >> under the new advisory system the public will be notified through facebook and twitter. and there will be just two warning levels and they are -- elevated and imminent. the new system is expected to be in place by the end of the month. here's your friday forecast. afternoon showers on the east coast from boston to new york. d.c., atlanta and over nashville, light rain for much of north dakota. 6 to 12 inches of mountain snow from colorado to montana. showers stretch from coastal california to arizona. >> and looking at 73 in phoenix. a snowy 48 in salt lake city. 51 in boise. 53 in chicago. 65 degrees in the twin cities. dallas, just shy of 90. atlanta at 80. baltimore at 51. they don't have to bring home the bacon they need to know how to make it come running. [ hog calling ] >> oh, my gosh. >> i love it! we see this every year. and i love it.

the hog callers were out in force showing off skills at an annual country hoedown. in southern alabama. about a dozen of them dressed to impress in cowboy hats and western duds. i don't even want to talk over it. i want to listen to it. [ hog calling ] >> piggy, piggy, piggy, piggy, come on! >> that's original. >> come on, pigs, come on. >> come on, pigs. that's right. these people are hoping to be crowned "hog caller of the year." i think they all sound pretty good. >> she was my favorite. piggy, come on! >> come on, piggy! we'll be right back. ♪ call me call me any time

with the clock ticking towards the government shutdown

it's no surprise plenty of people are hitting the internet trying to find out how this would affect them. >> but it's spring and that means working around the house. with all of that, we're joined by yahoo! life editor heather cabot. good morning, heather. >> hey, guys. the looming government shutdown is keeping yahoo! users buzzing this week. searchers are up 1600% for news on the budget impasse. and folks want to know what happens if the deal doesn't materialize by the end of the week, including how a shutdown might impact social security checks, veterans' ben visits, and military payroll. and also, the former minnesota governor jesse "the body" ventura. after he was interviewed by cnn's piers morgan, people are looking at him and wondering if a white house run is in his future. on the entertainment front,

tina fey's pregnancy, neil patrick harris' starring role on broadway, and reports that matt lauer may leave "the today show" fueled a frenzy of queries. also, we saw a spike in searches of notorious b.i.g. after the files of his murder went public on thursday. and here's something we noticed over the last seven days. it seems like a lot of yahoo! users have the munchies. first it was denny's bacon sundae and then the sale of pringles. for $2.3 billion from png to diamond foods. and now, we're seeing tons of searches for crepes. all kinds of crepes. crepes and french toast. that in particular seems to be more popular as a new wave of home cooked. look for recipes for casseroles, stuffed and blueberry versions of the breakfast favorite. and finally, a lot of people are looking forward to rolling up their sleeves and getting outside to do some home projects. with warm weather on the horizon we've seen a huge jump in searches for treehouse plans and also how to make a lemonade stand. sounds like fun.

back to you guys. >> that sounds good. we had a tough winter. i think most of the country did so lots of people are looking forward to getting outside. >> it's still cool here on the east coast so maybe we can search for how to get the sunshine to come back quicker. >> that would be very nice. any time that spring wants to arrive is okay with us. the "big skinny" everybody is talking about who was surprisingly voted off of "american idol." if you caught the show. >> the shocking elimination. no doubt. and speaking of -- you'll never believe who has the most star power, who holds the most star power in the reality world, you might guess. we'll break it down. you're watching "world news now" -- no, related to "american idol." i'll tell you that much. he he reality world, you might guess. we'll break it down. reality world, you might guess.

♪ skinny so skinny a shocking elimination on "american idol." if you're a fan you probably are still shocked over this whole thing. >> you were really upset. by this. you came into work upset by this. >> a lot of people were. this were a lot of people very upset.

pi rks pia toscano was kicked off. no longer on the show and she was one of the strongest singers. right after she was voted off, in this moment here, randy jackson said -- no, no. j. lo said, i have no idea what happened here. she said, i'm shocked. i'm angry. fellow contestants are stunned. they do have the power to save somebody and it's only one a season and they used it a couple of weeks ago. >> the whole thing is, everybody knows who she is now and she has such a beautiful voice. she's a beautiful woman. she'll probably have a great career anyway. >> a bunch of jealous people out there because she's terrific. >> you think? >> oh, no doubt about it. come on. >> you said, they're jealous, jealous women. >> i don't want to put a gender on it necessarily, but i'll say she's talented and i agree with you. she'll be on her way. >> she is very talented. >> you're right. >> she'll be just fine. speaking of "american idol," we all know ryan seacrest has his fingers in a lot of different businesses and he's a very wealthy guy. he's expected to earn $55 million in 2011. ryan seacrest right there. 55 million bucks. >> not bad. he has a lot of stuff under that

brand of seacrest. >> well, you, like me, might want to know exactly how can you earn $55 million a year? i was interested myself. this is how you do it. you get $20 million for a contract with clear channel with "on the air with ryan seacrest." $15 million in television development deals and the remaining $20 million is from being an executive producer of "keeping up with the kardashians." >> oh, yeah. >> which, who ever knew that thing would take off like crazy? and also, dick clark's "rocking eve" and he has a lot of brand partnerships with coca-cola and microsoft. >> no doubt about that. let's talk about somebody else not as successful in the reality world but still, nonetheless, making headlines. kate gosselin. >> oh, dear. >> oh, i know. here she goes. she's apparently being sued for not paying marriage counseling fees to the tune of $10,000. >> do you have to pay if you get divorced anyway? >> that's a good point. kind of a breach of contract, i suppose. >> she owes them $10,000 so does she have to cough it up? or no?

>> according to the lawsuit they would like the money. i'll tell you who's not named on the lawsuit is jon. >> where is jon on this whole thing? >> where is jon period? >> $10,000 i never saw that bill. he was nowhere to be found. karina smirnoff, from "dancing with the stars," she's a beautiful dancer. >> she is. >> and she's apparently baring it all for "playboy." she's a beautiful dancer. >> that's terrific. >> i'm confused by that. honestly, their costumes are so small. what is there left to see? >> you get a peek right there. >> i'm wondering why the whole thing. hugh hefner says that she is going to be profiled in an upcoming issue of "playboy." sometimes they put people on the cover and that doesn't necessarily mean there's a whole thing going on. not that i read "playboy." >> i was going to say, do can you know intimate details? >> sometimes they do just the interview. >> the interesting thing is she's one of the professional dancers. kendra wilkinson who used to be

hugh hefner's girlfriend is actually on the show. she's a contestant. so it's a "playboy" party on abc. >> a playboy palooza. when we come back, we'll honor a dear friend. don't miss this. >> that's right. >> there he is. wings of lunest. and if you wake up often in the middle of the night... rest is here, on the wings of lunesta. lunesta helps you fall asleep and stay asleep, so you can wake up feeling rested. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you.

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we hate to admit it but it is somewhat of a sad morning here on "world news now." we're not going to be seeing as much of one of our favorite regulars anymore. >> everybody's favorite regular. yes, with a heavy heart, we have to report that willis is going to be taking time off a little bit here and there now. so we'll be missing his amazing laugh every morning and so we the now present willis' greatest hits. >> big willis, what's going on man? >> i've been in this company 31 years. >> 31, and no sick days. >> i love willis. he adds joy in the morning, in the middle of the morning, like 4:00 in the morning, he adds joy. yes, i've been in bed with willis for a number of years. he's quite a company man. >> we have a sneak peek at one significant architectural change the new tenants are planning for the building. what do you think?

>> do i have to feed this one to to you, too? >> oh, yeah. i like that. >> oh, he just -- you just made his whole weekend. i couldn't be there so we brought you some. we got willis back there with the crown, king willis. there we go. and he's bowing to the king. >> willis' pick right there. just get it all out. there he is. the man on top. some of you might remember our loyal "world news now" fans, willis was dead last for most of this competition. talk about coming from behind. [ laughter ] >> oh, i knew it was coming. >> happy birthday! >> thank you, thank you. >> what a trooper coming into work on his birthday.

>> and vinita made you a gift. >> and then i left it at home. [ laughter ] >> i baked you a gift. in a couple days you can have it. >> we're auctioning off willis' -- >> one minute, willis. >> unfortunately, we have a whole minute left of this. >> willis, can we get some sort of answer here? it's doughnut day for everybody. >> chockly? >> it's chocolate. >> very good. >> oh, wow! that's funny. >> only one of his many credentials. we love willis. and we have this. our graphics department put together this wonderful card, willis and his women. he'll give it to you to give willis and as you can see, it's you and your ladies right on top. >> thank you! >> we love you, willis. >> that's great. >> one woman said, everybody's been in bed with willis up in

the morning listening to him laugh.