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WORK TITLE: The President Will See You Now
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://peggygrande.com/
CITY: Los Angeles
STATE: CA
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
https://www.leadershipinstitute.org/news/?NR=9140
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in CA; married.
EDUCATION:Pepperdine University, B.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. The Quiggle Group, founder. Speaker to corporations, non-profits, C-Suites, political groups, students and executive assistants. Fascination Assessment, consultant. Leadership Institute’s Youth Leadership Schools, volunteer faculty member. Worked formerly as the post-presidency executive assistant for Ronald Reagan, 1989-1999 and as a salesperson at Nordstrom.
POLITICS: RepublicanWRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Peggy Grande is a speaker, consultant, and writer. Between 1989 and 1999 she worked for former president Ronald Reagan, aiding him in post-presidential work in Los Angeles. For six of the ten years, she was his executive assistant.
Grande grew up in southern California, where she was born. Both of her parents were educators. Her mother was a college professor and her father was a superintendent of schools. Grande attended college at Pepperdine University, where she received a degree in organizational communications and business.
While working for Reagan, Grande acted as liaison between him and his staff, the public, local dignitaries, and world leaders. She also drafted his letters, reviewed invitations, scheduled visitors, made appointments, and answered phone calls. As Reagan’s personal assistant, she attended to a large variety of both official and personal needs.
Following her time with the former president, she continued to provide services related to him. She has worked for the Reagan Foundation in numerous roles, including helping with the planning of his funeral, assisting Harper Collins in publishing a book on Reagan, and working for the Reagan Centennial Office.
In addition to her work related to Reagan, Grande founded The Quiggle Group, an organization that promotes excellence in leadership through retreats, corporate training, and keynote speaking. Grande is a volunteer faculty member at Leadership Institute’s Youth Leadership Schools. She also trains and speaks about leadership excellence. Grande lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their four children.
In Grande’s The President Will See You Now: My Stories and Lessons from Ronald Reagan’s Final Years, she discusses her experiences working beside Reagan for ten years. The overarching message that is expressed in Grande’s book is one of praise and admiration for the former president. She explains, through personal stories and reflections, that Reagan was dedicated to the advancement and defense of America long after his years in office came to an end.
Although there have been numerous books written about Ronald Reagan, Grande decided to share her version of the man after a colleague made a comment to her that she could not shake. The colleague compared Reagan to Lincoln, questioning, if someone had worked beside Lincoln for ten years, wouldn’t they owe it to the world to share their experience?
The book opens and closes with the deaths of the Reagans. Grande wrote the book following Nancy Reagan’s death, and she gives an explanation of how this event contributed to her decision to write it. The book ends with Ronald’s death. Grande describes her memories of the former president’s funeral, and her role in organizing the event.
Grande includes a brief explanation of how she came to work for the former president. She explains that she always had a love of American politics. She was particularly interested in the presidential responsibilities and each of the individuals who had filled the position. As a communications and business major from California, Grande never imagined she could work under one of the presidents.
She writes about how perceptions of public figures are often much grander than the person themselves, but Reagan was an exception. L.A. Luebbert in American Rifleman wrote that Grande’s “narrative takes readers on a behind-the-scenes look at the daily life of a former president, a masterfully woven account in which, through skillful use of vignettes, she peels back the layers of Reagan’s persona to reveal—without having to come right out and say it—the depth of the man’s honor and integrity.”
Grande writes primarily about Reagan and her relationship with him. She does not go into great detail about Nancy Reagan or Grande’s relationship with her, nor does she discuss the Reagan’s children or grandchildren at much length.
A portion of the book is dedicated to Grande’s experiences with Reagan after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1994. He discovered he had the disease five years into Grande’s assistantship with him, meaning she was witness to his decline over the remaining five years she worked with him following the diagnosis. She reflects that she could tell something was off due to his failing ability to tell stories to public groups, something at which he had historically excelled. After this sort of lapse occurred a handful of times, Reagan sought out medical help. Only a few months later he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Grande writes about how the responsibilities of Reagan’s staff members changed as his health declined. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews noted that Grande’s “occasional poignant observations about coping with Alzheimer’s or maturing in her job are overwhelmed by an onrushing tide of uplifting anecdotes.” Despite being witness to the difficult acceleration of the disease, Grande maintains an upbeat outlook. She focuses on the positive aspects of her time with Reagan’s, emphasizing Ronald’s kindness, professionalism, and dedication to the job.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, January 2, 2017, review of The President Will See You Now: My Stories and Lessons from Ronald Reagan’s Final Years, p. 51.
States News Service, January 21, 2013, “President Ronald Reagan’s Personal Assistant.”
Today, http://www.nbcnewsarchives.com (February 21, 2017), Natalie Morales, author interview.
ONLINE
American Rifleman, https://www.americanrifleman.org (February 28, 2017), L.A. Luebbert, review of The President Will See You Now.
Kirkus, https://www.kirkusreviews.com (December 1, 2016), review of The President Will See You Now.
Open Letters Monthly, https://www.openlettersmonthly.com (February 15, 2017), Steve Donoghue, review of The President Will See You Now.
Washington Independent Review of Books, http://www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com (June 2, 2017), Kitty Kelley, review of The President Will See You Now.*
Peggy Grande
AUTHOR OF THE PRESIDENT WILL SEE YOU NOW
KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND SPECIALTY PROJECT CONSULTANT
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN
1989 – 1999 CENTURY CITY, CALIFORNIA
» Download Bio
President Ronald Reagan chose Peggy Grande to work at his side for 10 years, and together they created a powerful partnership. Serving as his post-presidency Executive Assistant, Peggy was the liaison between Ronald Reagan personally and his staff, the public, local dignitaries and world leaders. She ensured that his events, travel, personal and political relationships and day to day operations were handled efficiently and effectively. She had a front row seat to history and got to know Ronald Reagan the man, not just the president.
She drafted and managed correspondence for his original signature, reviewed invitations, scheduled visitors, appointments and phone calls and attended to a wide range of office and personal needs. Peggy traveled with him regularly and was also his post-presidency official photographer which gave her a behind the scenes view of his private interactions with everyone from the general public to heads of state, including Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher, Brian Mulroney, Helmut Kohl and even a saint – Mother Teresa. Peggy witnessed first-hand leadership on display at its highest and best. It was the honor of a lifetime for her to have known and worked closely with one of the greatest political figures of our era.
Peggy GrandeAs a keynote speaker, she shares principles of leadership and excellence with corporations, non-profits, C-Suites, political groups, students and executive assistants. She is a certified consultant for the Fascination Assessment, and uses it to help individuals and companies discover and articulate their highest value.
Peggy is a graduate of Pepperdine University with a degree in Organizational Communications and Business. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their four diverse and accomplished children.
Beyond being a personal, moving, and often, simply fun look into the character of Ronald Reagan, an American and international icon, Peggy Grande herself is a true inspiration. Her work ethic, attention to detail, grace under pressure, constant reflection and deep faith are admirable qualities to guide the direction of readers of all political stripes in their own personal and professional lives. This book is as much about an extraordinary not-so-average American as it is about President Reagan.
Vice President, Glendale Teachers Association and CVHS Social Studies Teacher
This book is a tale, not only of a great man, but of life itself - faith, love, victory, tragedy, sweetness, bitterness, inter-generational friendship, family, growing up, growing old, the simple things, the difficult things, loyalty, dedication, patriotism, courage, leadership and hope. People will be better after reading it. There won't be another Reagan, but there is Peggy whose own love for country, loyalty, determination, skills and strength shines throughout this book.
Director of Specialty Care, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
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About Peggy
Ronald Reagan chose Peggy Grande to work at his side for 10 years, and together they created a powerful partnership. Sitting right outside his office every day and serving as his post-presidency Executive Assistant, she had a front row seat to history and got to know Ronald Reagan the man, not just the president.
Peggy promotes and expands leadership excellence through executive training and keynote speaking. In her upcoming book of Ronald Reagan's final years, a memoir entitled: "The President Will See You Now", she shares private observations and stories which offer unparalleled perspective of a political icon.
President Ronald Reagan’s Personal Assistant
Lauren Day
January 21, 2013
Sunday America swore in her 44th president for a second term. Twenty-eight years ago—in 1985—America bestowed a second term to the 40th President Ronald Reagan. His personal assistant Peggy Grande, a Leadership Institute graduate and volunteer faculty member, worked a decade for the former president who was loved dearly by many conservatives.
"From the time I was young my dad always said, ‘Someone has to have that job you want – and it might as well be you!’ How right he was,” Peggy shared with me. “I never could have predicted that a small town girl like me who dreamed of going to DC but stayed in southern California and studied communications and business, not politics or government, would wind up sitting at the feet of greatness! Likewise, only in America can a young boy named Ronald Reagan, from a poor family with an alcoholic father, raised in the Midwest grow up to be president and not only lead our nation, but become the leader of the free world.”
Peggy worked for President Ronald Reagan from 1989 to 1999 during his post-presidency years in Los Angeles, and was his personal assistant for six of those ten years. She was the liaison between him and his staff, the public, local dignitaries, and world leaders. She drafted correspondence for his original signature, reviewed invitations, scheduled visitors, made appointments, answered phone calls, and attended to a wide range of office and personal needs.
“Ronald Reagan was known as ‘The Great Communicator’ and most of the world remembers him for his written words, his famous speeches, and his public statements. However, I was blessed to know him ‘behind the scenes’ and was constantly amazed at how his actions spoke even louder than his words,” Peggy shared.
“The gentlemanly ways in which he treated me as his personal assistant – like holding my elbow as we would walk up and down stairs, always waiting for me to walk in front of him into a room or event, and always offering to assist if there was a need,” Peggy continued. “There was no difference between his public persona and his personal persona. He didn't behave differently when he knew people were watching than he did in private. He was kind and humble, polite and genuine – always. He had an awareness of others and trusted his staff which inspired their loyalty. He generously gave respect rather than demanding it and didn't take himself too seriously. Though not a day went by without my realizing the unique and overwhelming honor of serving such a great man, he always communicated gratitude for my work, which gave me the confidence I needed to serve him with excellence.”
Peggy was born and raised in southern California and grew up in a family of educators. Her mom was a college professor and her father was a superintendent of schools.
She met her husband, now of 22 years, in school at Pepperdine University. Together they have four children who range in age from 11 to 19.
After school and before going to work for President Reagan, Peggy worked as a salesperson at Nordstrom where she learned about customer service and how to diplomatically deal with others.
Still today, Peggy works to preserve her boss’ legacy. For the past 20-plus years, she has worked with the Reagan Foundation in variety of capacities, including assisting with the President’s funeral, helping Harper Collins publish a book on Reagan, and working for the Reagan Centennial Office.
“I facilitated many of the complex logistics involved in the centennial birthday weekend and was involved in implementing both celebratory and substantive events all year long here domestically and around the world,” Peggy told me. “It was like a ‘victory lap’ of Ronald Reagan’s life, which was an honor to be part of, especially since I had known him personally and worked so closely with him for so many years.”
Peggy recently founded The Quiggle Group, which promotes and expands excellence in leadership through retreats, corporate training, and keynote speaking. The premiere program, called The Reagan Experience, is unique training held at The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California for CEOs, top executives, and management teams.
Peggy met Dan Quiggle, her current business partner, while working for President Reagan. He’s a volunteer faculty member at the Leadership Institute and for years has encouraged Peggy to come teach at LI’s Youth Leadership Schools.
“Once I did, I was hooked,” Peggy said. “LI’s ‘bootcamp of politics’ teaches young people why they should be involved in the political process – and equips them to be successful and effective in their area of interest or passion.”
Peggy is now a regular volunteer faculty member at LI’s Youth Leadership Schools, and has even taken LI’s One-on-One Television Workshop. Since 2009, she’s traveled with the Leadership Institute to eight states to train hundreds of conservative college students.
“After President Reagan passed away I felt an incredible burden of responsibility as a first-person observer to the greatness of Ronald Reagan – to share all that I had learned and observed,” Peggy said. “I am proud to serve on faculty for the Leadership Institute and travel the country sharing my ‘front row seat of history’ with others. LI provides me with an incredible opportunity to take the leadership lessons I learned directly from President Reagan and invest them in the next generation of great leaders through LI’s programs. I am confident that I am right where Ronald Reagan would want me to be – on the front line – connecting directly with those who will eventually lead our great nation.”
Peggy is thrilled to mentor young conservative women. As a wife and mother of four, Peggy helps young women determine their roles in the public policy process while encouraging them to pursue their professional and personal dreams.
"Ronald Reagan kept a plaque on his desk which said, ‘It CAN be done.’ I believe it, and I enjoy sharing his optimism with others,” Peggy said.
Come pursue your political aspirations. Register now for one of LI’s already scheduled Youth Leadership School trainings, or contact Matt Kneece or Daryl Ann Dunnigan to schedule one on your university campus.
Just maybe Peggy will be teaching, and you’ll get the opportunity to hear firsthand some of her stories about America’s 40th president. Check out LI’s 2013 training schedule here.
LI’s President Morton Blackwell also worked with President Reagan. In 1980, Morton organized and oversaw the national youth effort for Ronald Reagan, and then served as special assistant on President Reagan’s White House staff from 1981-1984.
“Every person plays a unique and vital role in the democratic process,” Peggy said. “I like to say that politics happens -- and it happens to matter. We all have an obligation to be informed, involved, and learn how to be influential. If we are not part of the process then we are part of the problem and have no one to blame but ourselves when we are victims of our own government.”
Please welcome Peggy Grande as the LI’s Graduate and Faculty of the Week.
“I appreciate the LI model as a ’do-tank,’ not a think-tank. We aren’t looking to recruit people to join the Leadership Institute, but instead we aim to empower others to be more effective in promoting or advancing the conservative cause or candidate to which they are already committed,” Peggy said. “LI brings together individuals from a wide range of political ideology on the right, and unites them in a common commitment to excellence in strategy, media, messaging, events – and winning!”
To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Day, formerly Lauren Hart, at Lauren@LeadershipInstitute.org.
The President Will See You Now: My Stories and Lessons from Ronald Reagan's Final Years
Publishers Weekly. 264.1 (Jan. 2, 2017): p51.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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Full Text:
The President Will See You Now: My Stories and Lessons from Ronald Reagan's Final Years
Peggy Grande. Hachette, $28 (256p) ISBN 978-0-316-39645-5
With this glowing photo-packed memoir of President Ronald Reagan's last California years, Grande, a veteran member of Reagan's staff, fondly shares remembrances of the conservative icon at work and play. Grande came to the White House as a college student and quickly rose to executive assistant from 1989 to 1999. She writes that her work with Reagan strengthened her optimism, values, and patriotism. From a staunch Republican view, she chronicles the failures of Democratic leadership, past and present, and lauds the vitality, humility, traditional beliefs, and vision of the popular 40th president. Grande describes the Great Communicator as "a man who knew himself, knew his mind, confident in his abilities." In addition to describing Reagan's meetings with Hollywood friends, political leaders, and citizens, Grande reveals the powerful bond the president had with his wife Nancy, his key adviser and protector. This is an impassioned, highly enjoyable memoir that includes candid behind-the-scenes photos of the Reagans after their withdrawal from public life. (Feb.)
Well, in her new book, Peggy Grande, the former
executive assistant to Ronald Reagan after his
years at the White House, takes you behind the
Today.
2017.
COPYRIGHT 2017 NBC News Archives, a division of NBC Universal, Inc.
http://www.nbcnewsarchives.com
Full Text:
NATALIE MORALES: Hey, guys, good morning. Well, in her new book, Peggy Grande, the former executive
assistant to Ronald Reagan after his years at the White House, takes you behind the scenes with a very personal look
into the President`s life, his relationship with First Lady Nancy Reagan and his struggle with Alzheimer`s disease.
(Begin VT)
PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN: You go out there and win one for the Gipper.
NATALIE MORALES: He was known as the great communicator inspiring millions with his warmth, faith, and
everyman demeanor.
PEGGY GRANDE: You can`t help but be changed by Ronald Reagan.
NATALIE MORALES: And few knew him like Peggy Grande. In her new memoir, The President Will See You Now,
Grande recounts her decades serving as Reagan`s executive assistant post White House through his passing in 2004.
You say in the book that you got to see his true self.
PEGGY GRANDE: It was wonderful to see that there really weren`t two Ronald Reagans. Whether it was with world
leaders who came from all around the world to visit him and pay respects to him or interacting with my own children
or ordinary Americans. He loved them all and really just had a graciousness.
NATALIE MORALES: This is the largest of all the presidential libraries, right?
PEGGY GRANDE: It is.
NATALIE MORALES: We spoke at the majestic Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, home to his Air Force
One and memorabilia from his life.
He talks about how close you were in your relationship and you have to get some signatures from the President. You
show up at his home in Bel Air.
PEGGY GRANDE: I was still very young. I hadn`t worked for him very long. I drove up to the house. Secret Service
let me in. And here comes the President around the corner in his monogrammed bathrobe and his pajamas. And I was
horrified. He didn`t seem to be bothered.
NATALIE MORALES: He had that warmth, that sense of humor. But his critics, some of them called him an amiable
dunce.
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PEGGY GRANDE: Mm-Hm.
NATALIE MORALES: How did he react to that?
PEGGY GRANDE: A lot of times, I think, he used that to his advantage because if they thought he was amiable
dunce, he was able to kind of go around them and outsmart them.
NATALIE MORALES: Now inevitable comparisons between Presidents Reagan and Trump. Both voted in to shake
up the status quo.
PEGGY GRANDE: Donald Trump, the way he talks to the American people. Now, he uses Twitter. We didn`t have
that. But I have to believe that Ronald Reagan would have been a tweeter. He--
NATALIE MORALES: Really?
PEGGY GRANDE: I do. I do.
NATALIE MORALES: Yeah.
PEGGY GRANDE: Because it was important to him to talk to people. Not about people. Not above them. Not beneath
them. But right to them.
NATALIE MORALES: What advice do you think he would give President Trump now?
PEGGY GRANDE: I think he would remind President Trump that it`s all about the people. Ronald Reagan just never
thought it was about him. And so as long as we`re listening to We the People as long as we are empowering We the
People, we can`t go wrong.
NATALIE MORALES: Grande says the greatest person in Reagan`s life was his first lady, Nancy. Their love
deepening even further after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer`s disease in 1994.
How did she handle that?
PEGGY GRANDE: With strength, like she did everything. With a grace and a poise. And an elegance that we all look
to to keep us strong.
NATALIE MORALES: Being so close to the President, you saw some of the first signs, what were they?
PEGGY GRANDE: He was such a great storyteller. So it was little things like getting caught up in the middle of a
story I knew he knew how the story should go. It was things like that that I thought, hmm, I wonder if something has
changed. I wonder if something is going on.
NATALIE MORALES: Grande says despite his memory fading, the President`s warmth and charm remained. She was
by his side as he wrote his famous letter to the American people, disclosing his diagnosis.
PEGGY GRANDE: They thought it was important to use their platform as somebody very visible and public to use it
for good.
NATALIE MORALES: You asked him at one point can I give you a hug? And that was the first time you had ever
hugged him.
PEGGY GRANDE: Yeah. I said, Mister President, would you mind if I give you a hug? And I just felt like it was a
way to say I`m here for you and we`re in this together and I will stick with you.
NATALIE MORALES: When was the last time you saw him?
PEGGY GRANDE: It was probably a couple months before he passed away. I was just at his bedside and talking to
him and just enjoying being in his presence. And he just gave me an opportunity to tell him how grateful I was for
everything he had meant to me. And say good-bye.
(End VT)
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NATALIE MORALES: And again the book is The President Will See You Now by Peggy Grande. It`s a fascinating
read with so many great stories. Guys, back to you. Comes out today.
BRYANT GUMBEL: All right, Natalie. Thanks very much.
MATT LAUER: Thank you, Natalie. Up next, Allison Williams will stop by to talk about the last season of Girls and
her feature film debut. But first, this is TODAY on NBC.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MATT LAUER: Back now, eight forty with Allison Williams, one of the stars of HBO`s acclaimed series, Girls, which
ends its six-season run this year. She plays Marnie Michaels, a Type-A art gallery rep turned singer/songwriter with a
love life that always seems to be a bit in shambles. Take a look.
(Excerpt from Girls/HBO)
MATT LAUER: As it should be. Allison, nice to see you.
ALLISON WILLIAMS (Girls): It will be on Marnie`s tombstone.
MATT LAUER: Yeah? It`s all about me?
ALLISON WILLIAMS: It`s all about me.
MATT LAUER: I love your hair, by the way.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Thank you.
MATT LAUER: I really-- what`s the reaction been to that?
ALLISON WILLIAMS: People don`t recognize me and it`s hysterical because I now get to see what people I know do
when someone hugs them really warmly that they don`t think they know.
MATT LAUER: Yeah. No, it`s very, very nice. Your husband like it?
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Yeah, he does.
MATT LAUER: Good.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: He`s always like so when do you think-- I love it, when do you think you`re going to go
back?
MATT LAUER: Go back to the other? That`s a sure sign.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Yeah.
MATT LAUER: So we got a glimpse last week as to where Marnie is as season six is going to now come to--
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Not great.
MATT LAUER: She`s a mess.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: She`s a mess.
MATT LAUER: She is sleeping with her ex-boyfriend.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Ex-husband.
MATT LAUER: I`m sorry. Ex-boyfriend.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: And her ex-boyfriend actually.
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MATT LAUER: I was going to say both of them.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Yeah.
MATT LAUER: She`s got this online analyst. What`s happening? Is this where you pictured she would be at this
time?
ALLISON WILLIAMS: No. But she`s just grasping at anything. I mean, she isn`t as lucky as I am. She did not have
my parents so she has no ability to ground herself. So she`s like reaching for boys to do that for her. Her mom wants to
be her friend, played beautifully by Rita Wilson. Her dad is absent. We always imagined it was Tom Hanks just
because that was fun.
MATT LAUER: Yeah.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: It`s not. He would never be like that as a dad. So it-- like my parents have been saying for
years they wish they would have raised Marnie and I feel that way, too.
MATT LAUER: Well, you know, you say that. And I`ve known you for years.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Yeah.
MATT LAUER: You were never this person.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: No.
MATT LAUER: You were never really part of that generation. And I hope you take this as a compliment. You were
always a little older than your years.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Yes. My mom was reminding me recently. She was like-- I was wearing makeup first thing in
the morning or something. And I said, well, it`s because, you know, if someone-- if I run into someone on the street or
whatever. She goes, Allison, no. You used to put on a full face at three to leave the house, like a full look.
MATT LAUER: Not twenty-something, by the way. Most twenty-somethings don`t care that much about those things.
At the time, you did.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: No, definitely not.
MATT LAUER: I had a funny experience with you last year. We sat next to each other--
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah.
MATT LAUER: --at a big gala of some kind.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Yes.
MATT LAUER: And somewhere in the middle of dinner, the waitress came over and do you want dessert? And you
looked at me and said I can`t have dessert because I have a full day of sex scenes tomorrow. And just the way it came
out of your mouth so naturally I was like I`ll take her dessert. That`s fine.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Yeah, exactly. Did you also want to do my sex scenes for me?
MATT LAUER: No, I didn`t want to.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: That`s interesting that you`ll have the dessert and not the-- you know, it`s very weird like
now looking at the rest of whatever happens in my career thinking that I now have this very odd, peculiar Liam
Neeson type set of skills that will help me, I don`t know, conquer romantic situations. But it does mean that I`m not
going to sift through scripts as some actors do and ask to take out the sex scenes.
MATT LAUER: Right.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: It will probably mean that I`m very awkward when I`m supposed to look like I`m enjoying
myself.
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MATT LAUER: But don`t people also tend to confuse you and the character?
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Very frequently.
MATT LAUER: There was one very well-known sex scene--
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Yes.
MATT LAUER: --that I`m not going to get into.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Yeah.
MATT LAUER: And you always heard people call it the Allison Williams sex scene.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Yeah. And I wanted to be-- it`s very-- it`s annoying because when they want to they separate
us. Then when it`s click bait, they`ll just merge us into the same person.
MATT LAUER: Got it.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: And, you know, if I were to do something like that, which I don`t think I would, but, hey, you
never know, I would probably not televise it. It`s just my guess--
MATT LAUER: Yeah.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: --based on prior behavior.
MATT LAUER: I`m thinking based on knowing your parents I think that`d be true as well.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Exactly.
MATT LAUER: Get Out is your first feature film. Congratulations.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Thank you.
MATT LAUER: Big decision as to what to do post-Girls? Was it a big choice?
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was. Also because I hadn`t done a movie so then the longer it went, the more
pressure I put on myself for it to be like really exciting and new and good. And I got the script from Jordan Peele. And
I knew it wasn`t a comedy. And immediately I was in. I thought this is going to make people talk and think and it will
probably rub some people the wrong way. I`m really proud of it and I`m really excited for it to come out.
MATT LAUER: Suffice it to say Girls changed your life. And you`re going to be seeing a lot of scripts from now on.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: I hope so.
MATT LAUER: You will.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Girls was-- I mean, I don`t know what it would be like without it. But I`m just so grateful.
It`s been the most amazing experience.
MATT LAUER: And for me, it`s been fun to watch you come along. Allison, congrats.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Thank you.
MATT LAUER: Appreciate it.
ALLISON WILLIAMS: Good to see you.
MATT LAUER: And she`s back, by the way, with Kathie Lee and Jenna a little later. And Girls airs Sunday nights on
HBO. Get Out from our sister company, Universal, opens on Friday.
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Up next, Bryant gets cooking lesson from one of his favorite chefs, Michael Lomonaco. But first, this is TODAY on
NBC.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
BRYANT GUMBEL: This morning on TODAY Food, some of my favorite dishes from a restaurant I`ve been known
to visit quite often. Michael Lomonaco is the chef and partner of the Porter House Bar and Grill here in New York
City. Pal, it`s good to see you.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: Great to see you.
BRYANT GUMBEL: All right. What are we cooking? What do you got going?
MICHAEL LOMONACO: These are Porter House pork chops, heritage pork.
BRYANT GUMBEL: What does heritage pork mean?
MICHAEL LOMONACO: You know, this is some of the original breeds like Berkshire pork, really flavorful,
delicious and they`re T-bones, Porter House chops--
BRYANT GUMBEL: Okay.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: --with vinegar peppers which is really a favorite, you know, sort of Southern Italian
cooking style. This is really great. You can put peppers.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Put peppers with anything, it`s fabulous.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: Yes. Vinegar, peppers and a little bit of broccoli rabe with a bit of greens. It`s a really
delicious dish.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Okay. So what are we going to do here? Just paint this guy, this bad boy?
MICHAEL LOMONACO: So let`s put a little oil on there, sure.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Yeah.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: We`re going to grill them. And you can do them in a saute pan. You can do them on an
outdoor grill. Let`s put a little salt and pepper on it. The only thing is we want to make sure they get cooked
sufficiently, about a hundred and fifty degrees on the internal temperature, a little meat thermometer.
BRYANT GUMBEL: You see, now, this is where we part-- you and I part company because my problem is I always
want my pork rare.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: Yes, you do.
BRYANT GUMBEL: And you can do it that way, right?
MICHAEL LOMONACO: Yes, you do. Well, yes. You know, they`ve lowered-- exactly. They have changed the
cooking temperatures that they feel pork should be cooked at. And a hundred and forty-five degrees is--
BRYANT GUMBEL: We no longer have the fears that we have when we were kids.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: No, at all.
BRYANT GUMBEL: So you can have this just as you would a steak?
MICHAEL LOMONACO: Yes. And many people do. It`s very, very common.
BRYANT GUMBEL: All right.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: We cook it about medium, just grilling it here. If we have to put it in an oven for a few
minutes, we`ll do that.
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BRYANT GUMBEL: Okay.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: We`ll let that grill.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Okay.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: And really--
BRYANT GUMBEL: Leave it alone, resist the temptation to keep flipping it.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: Yes, leave it alone. You have nice, hot grill.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Right. The meat will release on its own.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: Exactly.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Okay.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: And, you know, that whole flipping is what cools everything off and then it takes longer
and it doesn`t cook properly. So vinegar peppers, just cherry peppers cured in vinegar. We make our own peppers
which we pickle our own peppers. So we have Italian peppers and jalapenos and some serrano peppers that we just do
in a brine.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Okay.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: I have some olive oil here. This is going to flip you out a little bit. That`s an anchovy.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Nothing bad about anchovies.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: I love an anchovy. So what anchovy does and it will just melt into this olive oil. It will
disappear. It adds a great flavor level to this. This is where all the vegetables are going in.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Okay.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: The anchovies--
BRYANT GUMBEL: A little bit of garlic. Don`t let it brown.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: No, don`t let it brown. We`re going to put our peppers right in. Everything will just melt
away. The anchovy adds like umami. People talk about umami now.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Right. Little broccoli rabe chops up.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: Yes. The broccoli rabe, those bitter greens, the spicy peppers and the sweet pork.
BRYANT GUMBEL: And the cannoli (unintelligible) back in--
MICHAEL LOMONACO: Yes.
BRYANT GUMBEL: --just to dress. You put them in--
MICHAEL LOMONACO: Well, we let them cook. We roast them a little. We let them cook with them a little bit so
we can draw out some of their flavors.
BRYANT GUMBEL: All right. Let`s show what it looks like.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: And some-- we can put some chicken broth--
BRYANT GUMBEL: Some chicken stock, too.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: Yeah. You can use chicken broth or not, you know. You can use beef broth or even water if
you want it to. You can--
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BRYANT GUMBEL: But you want to maintain the color of the peppers. You don`t want to leave that on too long.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: Exactly.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Okay.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: And here we have it. We have some butter. We`re going to add a little bit of butter to this.
BRYANT GUMBEL: The guys are downstairs enjoying this right now. What`s it taste like down there?
AL ROKER: It`s terrific.
MATT LAUER: It`s got a little kick to it which is good. Great kick.
CARSON DALY: It`s delicious.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: That`s good to hear.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Listen, none of them want to speak. Come up for air, someone.
AL ROKER: We`re eating.
MATT LAUER: It`s great.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Yeah.
CARSON DALY: What is there to say? It`s delicious.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: So we like the hot peppers. I like the hot peppers. They`re pickled. They`re not too spicy, I
don`t think.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Nothing`s ever too spicy.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: So we just add a little butter to it to sort of make it creamy sauce. Here we have it chopped.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Mm-Hm.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: It`s fully cooked now. We can slice it and we can plate it up. And, you know, the Porter
House chop is the loin and the fillet of the pork. It`s just so good. See the fillet. That`s right. That`s the fillet portion
right there. And we can just slice this and we can add it to a plate with some of our-- with some of our peppers.
BRYANT GUMBEL: It`s phenomenal.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: You know, this is like my-- this is my Sunday night go-to dish.
BRYANT GUMBEL: You and I are going to eat while we take a break. Michael, thanks very much. You can find the
recipes at today.com/food. Michael, thanks very much.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: Thank you so much.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Pleasure, pal.
MICHAEL LOMONACO: Great.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Up next, we`re going to help Dale Earnhardt Junior get ready for his NASCAR comeback with
a special race out in the plaza, Matt against Carson. This I want to see. First, this is TODAY on NBC.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
BRYANT GUMBEL: I`m sorry. I`m sorry. What up, Dale?
DALE EARNHARDT JR. (Daytona 500 NASCAR Racer): Good to see you.
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BRYANT GUMBEL: How you doing, buddy?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.: Yeah.
BRYANT GUMBEL: All`s good? Obviously, I have to run down from the kitchen. I`m sorry I was late.
DALE EARNHARDT JR.: No problem.
BRYANT GUMBEL: We have transformed the plaza to our very own soapbox derby in honor of our next guest. This
weekend is Daytona 500. Dale Earnhardt Junior has been sidelined for six months while he recovers-- recovers from
concussions. First of all, how are you feeling?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.: I`m feeling great. It`s been a long recovery. But I was with some great doctors up in
Pittsburgh and feeling good and ready to go race.
BRYANT GUMBEL: But choosing to come back at the Daytona 500. That`s kind of like trying to come back from an
injury in the World Series. Why?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.: Well, the Daytona 500 is the first race of the season, the biggest race of the season for us.
And I`m very comfortable there. Had a lot of success there. So if there`s a track that I could, you know, choose to
come back at, Daytona probably the one I`d pick.
BRYANT GUMBEL: When you were sitting out for that time, did you give any thought at all to just kind of go and
(unintelligible) and saying, no, I`m done, that`s it?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.: Certainly, you have to ask yourself some pretty tough questions. But I still have some
racing left in me and didn`t want to have any regrets. And I feel great. My doctors gave me a lot of confidence that I
can come back and be healthy and continue to compete so I`m ready to go.
BRYANT GUMBEL: All right. You couldn`t find two better drivers?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.: I think we`re going to be okay.
CARSON DALY: Hey.
DALE EARNHARDT JR.: This is going to be a competitive race.
BRYANT GUMBEL: I hope somebody has a picture of you in this helmet.
MATT LAUER: I have a little bit of a disadvantage. He outweighs me by like thirty pounds.
CARSON DALY: We`re playing for pinks, buddy.
MATT LAUER: Yeah?
CARSON DALY: Let`s go.
MATT LAUER: I`m going to tell you. If I start to lose, I`m taking out your rear wheel.
CARSON DALY: There we go.
MATT LAUER: I`m going to take you out.
BRYANT GUMBEL: All right. So how do we want to do this? You want to go over there and start them?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.: All right. I`m going to ask you to wave the green flag.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Okay.
DALE EARNHARDT JR.: And when you wave it, I`m going to turn them loose.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Okay. Oh, wait. Who is letting Carson loose?
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CARSON DALY: It does both.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Oh, they both go. Okay.
MATT LAUER: Come on. Come on.
DALE EARNHARDT JR.: Looks like Carson has an early lead. He`s going to get there.
CARSON DALY: Yes.
DALE EARNHARDT JR.: Checkered flag, Carson Daly.
CARSON DALY: Yes.
BRYANT GUMBEL: I love it. Carson won. Carson won.
MATT LAUER: Darn you, Daly.
CARSON DALY: Yes.
AL ROKER: Carson is the winner. How does that feel?
CARSON DALY: Oh, it feels great. Brother, I thought-- I thought you were going to leap on me.
MATT LAUER: You got to win everything? Is that what it is?
CARSON DALY: Listen, I`m having a heck of a month.
AL ROKER: Here you go. Here`s your jacket.
CARSON DALY: Thank you so much. Thank you.
AL ROKER: Look at that.
CARSON DALY: Oh, that`s awesome.
AL ROKER: That is spectacular.
MATT LAUER: That`s nice.
CARSON DALY: Dale, thank you so much. Wherever you are, I really appreciate it.
MATT LAUER: Back down there with Bryant.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Hey, Dale, thanks very much. I appreciate it. All right. Good luck. Stay safe.
MATT LAUER: By the way, do we have a close here? Can we do a close? Or is this it?
BRYANT GUMBEL: I don`t know. You`re in charge. I`m just a guest.
MATT LAUER: How about Bryant Gumbel filling in on the TODAY Show this morning?
AL ROKER: Fantastic.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Thanks very much, buddy. Appreciate it.
MATT LAUER: Way to go, buddy. Thank you so much.
BRYANT GUMBEL: Thank you.
MATT LAUER: We`re going to have much more ahead on this Tuesday morning. I want a rematch.
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AL ROKER: That`s right.
CARSON DALY: Let`s do it. Justin Hartley from This Is Us is going to be co- hosting with us.
MATT LAUER: Oh, cool.
AL ROKER: Very excited.
MATT LAUER: Don`t take the helmet off, Daly.
AL ROKER: And we`re going to do a rematch with Justin and Sheinelle racing out here.
MATT LAUER: Oh, yeah? Sheinelle, take the blue car.
CARSON DALY: Blue car. It`s the hot car.
MATT LAUER: Thanks. Good job.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
AL ROKER: This morning on TODAY`s Take, NASCAR superstar, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., ready for a big comeback.
Then Flip or Flop star Tarek El Moussa, opens up about his very public split in his first live TV interview.
And from the hit series, This Is Us, this is Justin Hartley, our celebrity co-host, coming up right now.
ANNOUNCER: From NBC News, this is TODAY`s Take, live from Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza.
AL ROKER: All right, Charlie. In just a little bit, Charlie will be replaced by Sheinelle. And we`ve also got a call for
Justin Hartley as well.
SHEINELLE JONES: Nice.
AL ROKER: We`ll hook up with Dale Earnhardt Jr. as he makes-- as he tries his comeback at the Daytona 500. We`re
going to be racing those bad boys coming up in just a little bit.
Welcome to a Tuesday morning, a Freebie Tuesday morning, February 21, 2017, listening to Call On Me by Starley.
And we called on Justin Hartley from This Is Us. And he answered the call.
SHEINELLE JONES: Yes, yes, yes.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: That`s right. Well, thank you for having me.
SHEINELLE JONES: Welcome, Justin.
AL ROKER: Oh, my gosh.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Thank you so much for having me. I love being here.
AL ROKER: You know, I first met you at the Thanksgiving Day Parade.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah.
AL ROKER: And the show was just kind of taking off.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Mm-hm.
AL ROKER: And did you guys have any idea what kind of a juggernaut this thing was going to turn out to be?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Boy, you know, I don`t think you can predict something like that, to be honest with you. When I
read the script, I knew it was special. I connected with it right away. And I-- you just sort of hope-- you know, the
unknown is hoping that people will watch it. You never really know, so.
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SHEINELLE JONES: Well, they watched.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: They do.
SHEINELLE JONES: In fact, Justin, we`re taking a look at the scene. I was just telling you off camera this morning,
everyone is talking about this most recent episode.
AL ROKER: Okay. I haven`t seen it yet, haven`t seen it yet.
SHEINELLE JONES: So, you cover your ears, Al. Everybody else, look at the screen. This was a scene between you
and Randall. Can I talk about it? Al, this isn`t going to work.
AL ROKER: I`ll be back. You guys talk.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: He`s not kidding.
AL ROKER: I`m taking my eyes off you now.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: That`s fun.
SHEINELLE JONES: But this is true, Justin. Here`s the thing. I watch the show. I watch the show on DVR. So the
next morning, I go to Facebook. And I`m like, no, everybody is giving it away. This was a hearty, meaty episode for
you. Okay, go ahead and talk about it because Al is--
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Al legit bugged out.
SHEINELLE JONES: He did.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: He was legit. He bugged out.
SHEINELLE JONES: He genuinely doesn`t want to know.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: You know, that-- so that scene was special to me for a couple reasons. That Sterling K. Brown,
my co-star, is special to me personally. I love that man. And he just gives so much to every single scene, all of our
actors on the show do. And it was sort of a-- I love Kevin, the character that I play. I really do. I love that guy. And
you know, as an actor sometimes, it`s your job to take care of the characters that you play.
SHEINELLE JONES: Ooh.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Our writers do that sort of for us and--
SHEINELLE JONES: And in this scene-- so is it okay to say that Randall--
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah.
SHEINELLE JONES: --has panic attacks or anxiety attacks?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Anxiety attack, yeah.
SHEINELLE JONES: And we don`t learn that until, you know, pretty recently.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah. And he`s had a history of that.
SHEINELLE JONES: Yeah.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: And then-- and then they sort of-- we tell the story of how these two brothers sort of-- how Kevin
reacted to that when they were growing up. And now, you see how he`s sort of grown from when we met him as the
nanny, and now he`s becoming a man. So it`s cool.
SHEINELLE JONES: And what makes this a moment to me for your character, he`s about to have a huge moment of
his own. He`s about to, you know, transition from the nanny. You`re on a stage play. It was about to be your opening
night--
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JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah.
SHEINELLE JONES: --in New York City.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah.
SHEINELLE JONES: The lights go out. Everybody is waiting for his big moment. And you see him-- cut to him
running to help his twin, Randall.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah, yeah. It`s--
SHEINELLE JONES: Do I call him the twin, your triplet?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: You can.
SHEINELLE JONES: Okay.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: And that`s-- he`s--
SHEINELLE JONES: Look at Al.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: We`re all good. We`re all good.
SHEINELLE JONES: You can come back.
AL ROKER: I can come back now?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Oh, that`s great.
AL ROKER: It`s okay? I can come back in? Okay.
SHEINELLE JONES: He`s not kidding.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: That`s great.
AL ROKER: All right.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: And that`s-- so that`s how-- when I co-host the TODAY Show, I-- I get-- Al leaves.
AL ROKER: No. I just--
JUSTIN HARTLEY: This will be my last co-host.
AL ROKER: I told Justin earlier. My daughter, Leila, is the one who turned me on to this. Dad, we`ve got to watch
this. And so we-- we started watching it together. And then this weekend-- but I haven`t seen it since Toby`s heart
attack.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Right.
AL ROKER: So--
SHEINELLE JONES: Do you know what happens? Here`s what happens.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: No.
SHEINELLE JONES: I`m kidding. I`m kidding.
AL ROKER: So anyway, one of the things I love about the show, I mean, from the get-go, I don`t know how many
people knew it was a flashback at the beginning of that first episode. But we want to take a quick flashback and look at
some-- some older pictures of you.
SHEINELLE JONES: This is your life.
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AL ROKER: Yes. Okay. By the way, we`re going to have a sneak peek of the new episode of This Is Us coming up a
little later. But there you go.
SHEINELLE JONES: Oh.
AL ROKER: All right. That`s very nice.
SHEINELLE JONES: It reminds me-- it`s kind of Timberlake-y, the early days.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: In my defense, I was playing a character that had that hair. That was a character--
AL ROKER: Was this in Green Arrow?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah.
AL ROKER: Yes.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: So that`s a character that I was playing. But I`m not going to lie.
SHEINELLE JONES: That wasn`t your look?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: No, I`m not going to lie. I think I liked it at the time.
SHEINELLE JONES: I like that look.
AL ROKER: Yeah.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: I don`t remember. It was a long time.
SHEINELLE JONES: I think it was appropriate at the time.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah.
AL ROKER: Okay. So--
SHEINELLE JONES: How about this one?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Oh, dear lord.
AL ROKER: Hey, now. It`s getting wilder.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: I think that was just basically-- that was back before I knew better.
AL ROKER: Yeah.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: To tell people to get the blow drier away from me.
AL ROKER: Yeah.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: I think that was before I knew I can do that.
SHEINELLE JONES: You were an artist. No?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Was I?
SHEINELLE JONES: I don`t know. Were you--
JUSTIN HARTLEY: I think I was just lost.
SHEINELLE JONES: Okay.
AL ROKER: It was kind of like-- you know, those hats that they wear that have the hair sticking out?
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JUSTIN HARTLEY: My hairstyle was like that.
AL ROKER: I want to get one of those. I need to get one of those.
All right. So we got a little game. We want to find out about you a little bit more.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Okay.
AL ROKER: And our-- we`ve got these questions in a fishbowl.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Okay.
AL ROKER: It`s Heart-to-Hartley we`re calling.
SHEINELLE JONES: You get it? Heart-to-Hartley?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Got it. I like it.
SHEINELLE JONES: The `80s show, pretty good. All right. So if you just-- our producer, Gavin, even direct-- put the
arts and crafts and put the little hearts on it.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Up all night.
AL ROKER: Yes, all night.
SHEINELLE JONES: Leftover from Valentine`s Day.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Do I grab?
AL ROKER: You jump in and--
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Okay.
AL ROKER: --answer some questions.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Let`s do it.
Okay. Start in passions. What`s the secret to creating on-screen passion? There`s really no secret. You know, you just--
you have good co-stars. Pretty much that`s what it`s all about, I think.
AL ROKER: Yeah.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah. Have good co-stars and trust, you know, like you guys trust each other.
AL ROKER: Absolutely, yeah.
SHEINELLE JONES: That helps. Absolutely. I trust you.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: All right.
AL ROKER: There`s your cast right there, good-looking group.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Oh, yeah.
SHEINELLE JONES: It`s good.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: They are. Most romantic gesture you`ve ever done for your fiancee? Well, let`s see. We just
bought a house. That was pretty romantic.
AL ROKER: That`s very romantic.
SHEINELLE JONES: Congratulations.
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JUSTIN HARTLEY: We did-- gosh, most romantic thing. I proposed to her, I would say, you know, that was pretty--
AL ROKER: Where did you propose?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: I did it in the kitchen. It was a whole thing where, you know, I kind of surprised her. We`re very
lucky and we get to travel quite a bit. And so I didn`t want to make a grand thing about it. I wanted to like do
something sort of simple. But I wanted to surprise her.
SHEINELLE JONES: Okay.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: So I ended up surprising her. And she said yes. So--
AL ROKER: Even more of a surprise. There you go. One more.
SHEINELLE JONES: She really didn`t-- she didn`t see it coming?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: No, she didn`t, not at all actually.
AL ROKER: Really?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: No. She`s like I need to walk the dogs. I`m like I got a question for you. She`s like but they`re
dogs. I`m like but I have a question. I have a question. Yeah.
SHEINELLE JONES: What was that, Al?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: It`s chemistry. If you could time-hop to any past era, which one would it be? Man, gosh, you
know, I`m a bit of a history nut. Gosh.
SHEINELLE JONES: That`s a good question.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: The `60s for me just seem sort of-- I mean, I wasn`t alive during the `60s but I kind of wish I
was. They seem kind of-- what happened?
SHEINELLE JONES: Well, I guess because--
AL ROKER: Well, I was alive in the `60s.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: But it`s a good-- it was a good time, right?
AL ROKER: Depending on where you were and who you were.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: But that`s any time, right?
AL ROKER: That`s true. That`s very true.
SHEINELLE JONES: Okay. Well, speaking of all things heartwarming--
AL ROKER: Oh, my gosh.
SHEINELLE JONES: --did you hear the announcement this morning?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Oh, yeah.
SHEINELLE JONES: Guess what? Yeah, some amazing heartwarming news to share with you about our TODAY
Show family. Our own Hoda Kotb is now a mommy.
AL ROKER: That`s right. Little Haley Joy. She adopted a beautiful bundle of joy. It`s her Valentine`s Day baby. And
we are just so, so happy for her.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: That is fantastic.
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SHEINELLE JONES: That is so fantastic. You know, a lot of people were asking her, she was off last week and most
people assume you deserve, you know, vacation.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Sure.
AL ROKER: Yeah.
SHEINELLE JONES: But then, I think today, people are starting so say and yesterday, where is Hoda? And she was
posting. You know, I tell her, I love her quotes on Instagram.
AL ROKER: Yes.
SHEINELLE JONES: So they were-- they were-- you know, was there a tone to them?
AL ROKER: Yes.
SHEINELLE JONES: Kind of cryptic, you know, about new beginnings and what have you.
AL ROKER: Holding things in both hands.
SHEINELLE JONES: Holding things, and now.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Oh, and now when you replay them, you see what`s-- oh, this is great.
AL ROKER: Yeah.
SHEINELLE JONES: Yeah.
AL ROKER: Now it all makes perfect sense.
SHEINELLE JONES: It all makes--
JUSTIN HARTLEY: That`s perfect.
SHEINELLE JONES: You know what? She-- we all know, your life will be forever changed.
AL ROKER: Yes.
SHEINELLE JONES: I mean--
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah.
AL ROKER: In the greatest of ways.
SHEINELLE JONES: In the best way possible.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yep.
AL ROKER: Greatest joy.
SHEINELLE JONES: Haley Joy, isn`t that a cute name?
AL ROKER: So perfect.
SHEINELLE JONES: Haley Joy.
AL ROKER: All right. So another we have a lot of joy for the live action Beauty And The Beast remake coming out.
We`re getting our first look at Emma Watson as Belle singing that opening number, Belle. Take a look.
(Excerpt from Beauty And The Beast)
SHEINELLE JONES: How sad is it?
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AL ROKER: Oh! We know the words. Oh, my gosh!
SHEINELLE JONES: Justin is like these two people are weird.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: No. You guys are great.
AL ROKER: This is so exciting. Anyway--
SHEINELLE JONES: I think this is so great. I have to tell you, a lot of us have been waiting to see how you become
an animated character. So many people know--
JUSTIN HARTLEY: They`ve been doing a great job with it though, haven`t they?
AL ROKER: Yeah.
SHEINELLE JONES: It`s fantastic, right?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: This whole thing is--
AL ROKER: Keep taking these movies kind of a little spoof there in Madeline. But, you know, they basically have
done a terrific job. It`s really-- I can`t wait for this movie.
SHEINELLE JONES: It`s like what will they think of next? This was genius to me.
AL ROKER: Yes.
SHEINELLE JONES: I mean, so many of us love it. And it`s interesting to me because, you know, I used to babysit,
right?
AL ROKER: Mm-Hm.
SHEINELLE JONES: So the kids I used to babysit for loved it. I loved it. And now, my daughter, I can take her to see
it in a different way. But it lives on.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: And it`s new for you as well because it`s a new version.
SHEINELLE JONES: Exactly.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah. It`s great.
AL ROKER: Exactly. It will be your-- your kid`s generation`s--
SHEINELLE JONES: Yep.
AL ROKER: --Beauty And The Beast.
SHEINELLE JONES: Very true.
AL ROKER: Well, speaking of something that everybody is-- belongs to everybody, Star Wars. Well, wait until you
see how Josh Gad tries to get actress Daisy Ridley to reveal a few spoilers of the new film. She has rebuffed him
before. But he goes to new lengths to get answers. You`ll blow up when you see what happens.
SHEINELLE JONES: And maybe we`ll get a spoiler from Justin.
AL ROKER: Yes.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
AL ROKER: Back now with TODAY`s Take. Our guest co-host Justin Hartley. True or false, Toby wears a fat suit?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: True.
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SHEINELLE JONES: Really?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: True. Yeah.
SHEINELLE JONES: How does Milo die?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Well, Milo-- Milo is still alive.
AL ROKER: You saw him.
SHEINELLE JONES: I mean, okay-- wait, wait, wait.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: I just-- I just talked to him a couple of hours ago.
AL ROKER: Okay. That`s good to know. Good to know. All right.
SHEINELLE JONES: How does Jack-- okay, fine.
AL ROKER: Okay. So-- we love this. Josh Gad co-stars with Daisy Ridley in the new movie, Murder on the Orient
Express, one of all-time my favorites, with Peter Ustinov. Rent it if you haven`t seen the original. But he`s been
grilling her about another project, Star Wars. So the first time he does it, she blows him off. So now, he`s gone to a
higher level to try to get some spoilers. Check it out.
(Excerpt from Josh Gad video)
AL ROKER: Oh, my gosh. All right. Also-- so you`ve got Penelope Cruz, Bryce Dallas Howard, star for-- star of Star
Wars: The Force Awakens, director J.J. Abrams, Leslie Odom, Jr.-- just-- Chris Pratt-- I mean, just unbelievable.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah, yeah.
AL ROKER: All that.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: It`s a great setup.
AL ROKER: So-- okay. Boom. Oh.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Right in the--
SHEINELLE JONES: Right in the nose.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Right in the kisser.
AL ROKER: Oh, so you`ve got to-- have to deal with this in a sense. Everybody wanting spoilers.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah.
AL ROKER: We`ve been peppering you all throughout the commercial about this.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: I appreciate it. You know, I mean people-- people are interested in the show, right? That`s what
that shows.
SHEINELLE JONES: But you say that we don`t want to know. I want to know.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Here`s the thing, you think you want to know.
SHEINELLE JONES: No, I--
JUSTIN HARTLEY: And-- and people that I ask, I know you-- I know you think you do. But what happens is, I made
a mistake one time to a relative of mine, my mother--
AL ROKER: Okay.
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SHEINELLE JONES: Fair enough.
AL ROKER: That`s a relative. That`s fairly close.
SHEINELLE JONES: That`s fair. That`s fair.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: She`s the closest relative I have, my mom.
AL ROKER: A relative, my mom.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah. My mom, Jackie. Hello, Jackie.
AL ROKER: Hello, Jackie.
SHEINELLE JONES: Hi, Jackie.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: But-- so I made a mistake one time. She was like, what happens here? I was like, I tell my mom,
you know, we talk all the time.
AL ROKER: Sure.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: I said, oh, mom, you`re never going to believe it. It`s this. And she`s like, oh. Oh, I didn`t-- I
thought-- I didn`t realize that was going to go that way. And I ruined it for her. So I`ve learned that when people ask
you for spoilers and they think they want them, they don`t want them. No. So I don`t give them. I don`t give them.
SHEINELLE JONES: It`s such a burden to carry, I feel like for you.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: It is. You know what-- you know what`s a burden is when it`s-- when we have a week or two off.
AL ROKER: Oh.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: So when we`re week-to-week, everyone is talking about the show all week so it`s okay.
AL ROKER: All right. So speaking of spoilers, we`ve got one for you.
SHEINELLE JONES: Yes.
AL ROKER: An exclusive sneak peek at tonight`s all new episode of This Is Us. Take a look.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: And there he goes.
SHEINELLE JONES: Where is he going? Okay. Let`s look.
(Excerpt from This Is Us)
SHEINELLE JONES: Wait. What`s going on? What`s going on?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah.
AL ROKER: Alright.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: So-- so this-- you know what? Actually, you-- you probably could have watched that.
SHEINELLE JONES: Yeah. Because I don`t get it.
AL ROKER: Okay.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Probably. It`s kind of a--
AL ROKER: Okay. Let`s roll it. No. Okay.
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JUSTIN HARTLEY: I don`t want to call it a standalone episode but it`s-- it`s kind of a-- it`s a special-- very special
episode.
AL ROKER: A very special episode.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah, yeah.
AL ROKER: I love that in the promo whenever they say a very special This Is Us, airs tonight at nine, eight Central
right here on NBC.
SHEINELLE JONES: I just love it so much.
AL ROKER: Yeah.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Thank you.
SHEINELLE JONES: I just do.
AL ROKER: I`m going to do a This Is Us weather.
SHEINELLE JONES: Oh, how do you do that?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Go do it.
AL ROKER: No, no.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: I want to see that.
SHEINELLE JONES: How do you do that?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: I want to see that.
AL ROKER: Well, I`m going to flashback to do the weather in the `70s first. And then, I`ll do the weather for today.
It`ll be amazing. Let`s show you what today`s weather is like. We`re looking at more wet weather coming into the
Pacific Northwest and California. But it is starting to slack it off. We`re also looking at heavy showers and
thunderstorms making their way through the Central Gulf. That wet weather will continue to make its way east. Look
at these temperatures. We`ve got record-setting temperatures from Texas all the way into the Central Plains. Cooler in
Northern New England and the Pacific Northwest and along the West Coast where it`s raining. Southeastern Atlantic
also toasty as well. You can see, we`ve got plenty of sunshine along the Eastern Seaboard. Rain, wind and mountain
snow out west. The sunshine continues from the Southwest down into Texas into the Mid-Plains. Record highs
stretching from Denver all the way to Chicago today.
That`s what`s going on around the country. Here`s what`s happening in your neck of the woods.
(Weather follows)
AL ROKER: And that is your latest weather. Coming up, a Freebie February giveaway that`s going to be music to
your ears. And you as well can win big at home.
And we`ve got Dale Earnhardt, Jr. returning to life in the fast lane. Getting ready for a big, big come back. We`ll look
at it all coming up after these messages.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
AL ROKER: Freebie February in full swing. All week long, we`ve got great giveaways for our fans. Each day we
select a fan from the plaza to answer a trivia question for a chance to win. And you can win at home. So you`ve got to
keep watching. Joining me, Mike Bruno. He`s the editorial director of Billboard. And our fan from the plaza, Frida
Conyers Brinkley (ph) from Hampton, Virginia who is here with her-- with her high school, Phoebus High School.
They`re outside at the window right now, cheering-- cheering her on. In fact, we`re going to make this Fiba`s Friday.
Okay. All right. Fiba`s February-- Freebie Fiba`s February. Anyway, we`re going to ask you a trivia question. And see
if you can answer it correctly.
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FRIDA CONYERS BRINKLEY: Okay.
AL ROKER: And you will be a proud winner of some fantastic stuff here that we`re going to tell you about in just a
little bit. So let me ask you a question.
FRIDA CONYERS BRINKLEY: Okay.
AL ROKER: What is the bestselling record album of all-time? Adele`s 21, Michael Jackson`s Thriller, or C, The
Beatles, Abbey Road? Frida, what`s your answer?
FRIDA CONYERS BRINKLEY: Since I`m a Michael Jackson fan, I`m just going to go with B.
AL ROKER: Michael?
MIKE BRUNO: You are right. It is Michael Jackson`s Thriller.
AL ROKER: Yes.
MIKE BRUNO: Way to go.
AL ROKER: I mean how big is this album.
MIKE BRUNO: That 1982 classic sold more than a hundred million worldwide.
AL ROKER: Wow. So--
MIKE BRUNO: Huge.
AL ROKER: Congratulations, Frida.
FRIDA CONYERS BRINKLEY: Thank you.
AL ROKER: You have won a Crosley C100. It`s an amazing turntable. Turntables are back. Vinyl`s bigger than ever.
MIKE BRUNO: Vinyl is huge.
AL ROKER: That`s right. And you get five vinyl albums to go with it. But Frida is not the only fan going home with
this great prize. We`ve got Sheinelle and Justin outside on the plaza. Guys?
SHEINELLE JONES: All right. Here we go. Who is ready for one?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: We`re going to give these away, huh? All right.
SHEINELLE JONES: This is so much pressure, right? Thank you, guys, for coming.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Everybody wants them.
SHEINELLE JONES: Thank you for coming.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Oh, lucky winner.
SHEINELLE JONES: Congratulations. Where are you from?
WOMAN #1: Thank you. From Maine.
SHEINELLE JONES: From Maine. And we`re going to give you five records to go along with it. Thank you for
coming.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: That`s great. I have this another one here. See who we got down here. Right here? For you.
Would you like this? There you go. And where are you from? Where are you from? Where are you from?
WOMAN #2: Indianapolis, Indiana.
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JUSTIN HARTLEY: Indianapolis, Indiana. Well, there you go.
SHEINELLE JONES: Indianapolis. There you go.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Congratulations.
SHEINELLE JONES: Thank you so much for coming. Okay. One more. One more. Pressure. Pressure.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Hello, everybody, how are you?
SHEINELLE JONES: One more. Right here.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: You made it. This is great.
SHEINELLE JONES: Congratulations. What`s your name?
ASHLEY: Ashely.
SHEINELLE JONES: And what`s your name?
GIRL: (Unintelligible).
SHEINELLE JONES: And where are you guys from?
ASHLEY: (Unintelligible), Georgia.
SHEINELLE JONES: Welcome, welcome. Congratulations. It`s fun to give away stuff. Thank you to Crosley. We`re
giving away two more Crosley C100s and five vinyls-- vinyls to go with it. To viewers at home, Al?
AL ROKER: That`s right. So all you have to do is visit our Facebook page. Facebook.com/TODAY`sTake to find out
how to enter. Forget-- don`t forget to like us. And we`ve got Charlie here. It`s like his master`s voice. So fantastic.
Hey, coming up, we`ve got superstar and newlywed Dale Earnhardt, Jr. getting ready for his big comeback in Daytona
this weekend. We`ve got a race on our plaza, between Sheinelle and Justin. Dale will set them down the track. We`ve
got it all and so much more. But first, a check of your local news and weather.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
SHEINELLE JONES: It is a big weekend for millions of NASCAR fans. And this man right here, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
after being-- after six months recovering from a concussion, Dale is returning to the track.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: He`ll be looking for his third Daytona 500 win. And in honor of Dale and the big event, we`ll be
doing some racing of our own here on the Plaza.
SHEINELLE JONES: Are you ready?
AL ROKER: Sheinelle and Justin just about ready to face off in a good, old- fashioned soapbox derby. In the
meantime, Dale, so good to see you; we`re so happy for you.
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: Thank you.
AL ROKER: And-- and congratulations, also, you just got married.
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: Yeah, we did. We got married on New Year`s Eve, me and Amy. She`s down--
SHEINELLE JONES: Congratulations.
AL ROKER: She`s down at the finish line.
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: Yes, she`s at the finish line, going to wave these guys through the checkered.
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AL ROKER: In fact, you-- you say-- you say she is one of the reasons you were able to make such a strong
comeback?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: Yes, she was pushing me really hard through my recovery, making sure I was doing all the
things that required to get well. And I`ve got really thank her for all the help and support.
AL ROKER: You`re staging a comeback at the Daytona 500?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: Right.
AL ROKER: Is-- is there special meaning for that?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: Well, it`s the first of year, biggest race of the season. Feel good and healthy. If I had to
pick a track to come back to, it`d be Daytona. I feel most comfortable there anywhere else.
AL ROKER: Well, everybody like you to chant, do you have any tips for our soon-to-be racers?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: Yeah, we`re going in a straight line so they go fast. Don`t turn the wheel. Don`t mash the
brake.
SHEINELLE JONES: Okay.
AL ROKER: All right
SHEINELLE JONES: I can`t reach the brake. Don`t worry.
AL ROKER: Okay.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: No, no, he said mash the brake. Don`t mash.
AL ROKER: That`s it. All right. Here we go. Dale is going to release.
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: All right. Here we go.
AL ROKER: He`s got to do the release.
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: I`ve got the flag.
(Cross talking)
AL ROKER: On your mark.
SHEINELLE JONES: Let`s go.
AL ROKER: Get, set, go.
SHEINELLE JONES: Ooh.
AL ROKER: All right. Here we go.
SHEINELLE JONES: I don`t-- I don`t know what it is.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: A close race.
AL ROKER: Oh.
SHEINELLE JONES: Here we go.
AL ROKER: Looks like, Sheinelle is going to win.
SHEINELLE JONES: Where is the brake? Where is the brake?
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AL ROKER: Impressive.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: That`s 2-0, for the 88.
AL ROKER: Wow.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: That crushed me. You rush crushed me.
AL ROKER: Unbelievable.
SHEINELLE JONES: I don`t know what this is going to do.
AL ROKER: Number 88 seems to be the lucky winner, Dale.
SHEINELLE JONES: Okay.
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: Absolutely. Earlier it-- earlier, it was the fantastic Carson Daly winning. So the cup goes
to you, Sheinelle.
SHEINELLE JONES: Oh.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Almost as tall as you are.
SHEINELLE JONES: How amazing is this?
JUSTIN HARTLEY: What a great trophy.
SHEINELLE JONES: Now we`ll share it.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: For you`re so generous. Thank you.
SHEINELLE JONES: Yeah. Here you go. Only because I love your role in This Is Us.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Well, thank you very much.
SHEINELLE JONES: No, I`m just kidding.
AL ROKER: How did they do, Dale?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: They did great the 88. Just seems to be the better car today. It`s one two races so far.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: It could carry-over all weekend.
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: Absolutely. It`s going to--
SHEINELLE JONES: Thank you for the having-- have your name on it.
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: That`s right.
(Cross talking)
AL ROKER: We like the sound of that. All right. Dale, thank you so much.
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: Thank you.
AL ROKER: And we want to also have a special thanks to the New Rochelle Firefighters for helping us with the
soapboxes.
SHEINELLE JONES: Yes.
AL ROKER: So who you most concerned about at the Daytona 500? Who is-- who is you think is going to be your
biggest threat?
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DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: Well the Gibbs team has been really strong the last several trips to Daytona, Talladega.
Also the Penske cars, those guys are looking pretty good. Obviously, Joey Logano won the class this weekend.
AL ROKER: Hmm.
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: So, they`re strong as well. But we`ve got our stuff ready to go. We are all-Hendrick front
row. Me and Chase Elliott lead up fronts, start at Daytona 500 on Sunday. So we`re sure you tuned in.
AL ROKER: Are you worried about the weather at all?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: I don`t think the weather is going to be a problem. We`ve got all day long. We`ve got
lights. So we`ll get it done.
AL ROKER: All right. Dale, thank you so much.
And you can watch Dale and the others compete in the Daytona 500 this Sunday, NBC group`s coverage of the 2017
NASCAR Cup series season kicks off Saturday, July 1st on NBC.
Coming up next, Flip or Flop--
SHEINELLE JONES: All right, I`m going to do my victory lap now.
AL ROKER: Okay. You want to choose your story.
SHEINELLE JONES: Okay. Come on.
(Cross talking)
AL ROKER: Flip or Flop star, Tarek El Moussa begins to explain everything that was going on with the break up to
his wife, Christina, in his first live TV interview since their split right after these messages. She`s still going.
JUSTIN HARTLEY: Yeah.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
END
[Copy: Content and programming copyright 2017 NBCUniversal. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Transcription
Copyright 2017 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be
reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of CQRoll
Call. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.]
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Well, in her new book, Peggy Grande, the former executive assistant to Ronald Reagan after his years at the White
House, takes you behind the." Today, 21 Feb. 2017. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA482126922&it=r&asid=8005f3a5e5d0985df8f5ec0508bf7042.
Accessed 22 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A482126922
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PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN'S
PERSONAL ASSISTANT
States News Service.
(Jan. 21, 2013):
COPYRIGHT 2013 States News Service
Full Text:
ARLINGTON, Va. -- The following information was released by the Leadership Institute:
Sunday America swore in her 44th president for a second term. Twenty-eight years agouin 1985uAmerica bestowed a
second term to the 40th President Ronald Reagan. His personal assistant Peggy Grande, a Leadership Institute
graduate and volunteer faculty member, worked a decade for the former president who was loved dearly by many
conservatives.
"From the time I was young my dad always said, 'Someone has to have that job you want -- and it might as well be
you!' How right he was," Peggy shared with me. "I never could have predicted that a small town girl like me who
dreamed of going to DC but stayed in southern California and studied communications and business, not politics or
government, would wind up sitting at the feet of greatness! Likewise, only in America can a young boy named Ronald
Reagan, from a poor family with an alcoholic father, raised in the Midwest grow up to be president and not only lead
our nation, but become the leader of the free world."
Peggy worked for President Ronald Reagan from 1989 to 1999 during his post-presidency years in Los Angeles, and
was his personal assistant for six of those ten years. She was the liaison between him and his staff, the public, local
dignitaries, and world leaders. She drafted correspondence for his original signature, reviewed invitations, scheduled
visitors, made appointments, answered phone calls, and attended to a wide range of office and personal needs.
"Ronald Reagan was known as 'The Great Communicator' and most of the world remembers him for his written
words, his famous speeches, and his public statements. However, I was blessed to know him 'behind the scenes' and
was constantly amazed at how his actions spoke even louder than his words," Peggy shared.
"The gentlemanly ways in which he treated me as his personal assistant -- like holding my elbow as we would walk up
and down stairs, always waiting for me to walk in front of him into a room or event, and always offering to assist if
there was a need," Peggy continued. "There was no difference between his public persona and his personal persona.
He didn't behave differently when he knew people were watching than he did in private. He was kind and humble,
polite and genuine -- always. He had an awareness of others and trusted his staff which inspired their loyalty. He
generously gave respect rather than demanding it and didn't take himself too seriously. Though not a day went by
without my realizing the unique and overwhelming honor of serving such a great man, he always communicated
gratitude for my work, which gave me the confidence I needed to serve him with excellence."
Peggy was born and raised in southern California and grew up in a family of educators. Her mom was a college
professor and her father was a superintendent of schools.
She met her husband, now of 22 years, in school at Pepperdine University. Together they have four children who range
in age from 11 to 19.
After school and before going to work for President Reagan, Peggy worked as a salesperson at Nordstrom where she
learned about customer service and how to diplomatically deal with others.
Still today, Peggy works to preserve her boss' legacy. For the past 20-plus years, she has worked with the Reagan
Foundation in variety of capacities, including assisting with the President's funeral, helping Harper Collins publish a
book on Reagan, and working for the Reagan Centennial Office.
"I facilitated many of the complex logistics involved in the centennial birthday weekend and was involved in
implementing both celebratory and substantive events all year long here domestically and around the world," Peggy
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told me. "It was like a 'victory lap' of Ronald Reagan's life, which was an honor to be part of, especially since I had
known him personally and worked so closely with him for so many years."
Peggy recently founded The Quiggle Group, which promotes and expands excellence in leadership through retreats,
corporate training, and keynote speaking. The premiere program, called The Reagan Experience, is unique training
held at The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California for CEOs, top executives, and management
teams.
Peggy met Dan Quiggle, her current business partner, while working for President Reagan. He's a volunteer faculty
member at the Leadership Institute and for years has encouraged Peggy to come teach at LI's Youth Leadership
Schools.
"Once I did, I was hooked," Peggy said. "LI's 'bootcamp of politics' teaches young people why they should be
involved in the political process -- and equips them to be successful and effective in their area of interest or passion."
Peggy is now a regular volunteer faculty member at LI's Youth Leadership Schools, and has even taken LI's One-onOne
Television Workshop. Since 2009, she's traveled with the Leadership Institute to eight states to train hundreds of
conservative college students.
"After President Reagan passed away I felt an incredible burden of responsibility as a first-person observer to the
greatness of Ronald Reagan -- to share all that I had learned and observed," Peggy said. "I am proud to serve on
faculty for the Leadership Institute and travel the country sharing my 'front row seat of history' with others. LI
provides me with an incredible opportunity to take the leadership lessons I learned directly from President Reagan and
invest them in the next generation of great leaders through LI's programs. I am confident that I am right where Ronald
Reagan would want me to be -- on the front line -- connecting directly with those who will eventually lead our great
nation."
Peggy is thrilled to mentor young conservative women. As a wife and mother of four, Peggy helps young women
determine their roles in the public policy process while encouraging them to pursue their professional and personal
dreams.
"Ronald Reagan kept a plaque on his desk which said, 'It CAN be done.' I believe it, and I enjoy sharing his optimism
with others," Peggy said.
Come pursue your political aspirations. Register now for one of LI's already scheduled Youth Leadership School
trainings, or contact Matt Kneece or Daryl Ann Dunnigan to schedule one on your university campus.
Just maybe Peggy will be teaching, and you'll get the opportunity to hear firsthand some of her stories about America's
40th president. Check out LI's 2013 training schedule here.
LI's President Morton Blackwell also worked with President Reagan. In 1980, Morton organized and oversaw the
national youth effort for Ronald Reagan, and then served as special assistant on President Reagan's White House staff
from 1981-1984.
"Every person plays a unique and vital role in the democratic process," Peggy said. "I like to say that politics happens
-- and it happens to matter. We all have an obligation to be informed, involved, and learn how to be influential. If we
are not part of the process then we are part of the problem and have no one to blame but ourselves when we are
victims of our own government."
Please welcome Peggy Grande as the LI's Graduate and Faculty of the Week.
"I appreciate the LI model as a 'do-tank,' not a think-tank. We aren't looking to recruit people to join the Leadership
Institute, but instead we aim to empower others to be more effective in promoting or advancing the conservative cause
or candidate to which they are already committed," Peggy said. "LI brings together individuals from a wide range of
political ideology on the right, and unites them in a common commitment to excellence in strategy, media, messaging,
events -- and winning!"
To nominate a Leadership Institute graduate or faculty member to be featured as LI's spotlight of the week, please
contact LI's External Affairs Officer Lauren Day, formerly Lauren Hart, at Lauren@LeadershipInstitute.org.
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Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN'S PERSONAL ASSISTANT." States News Service, 21 Jan. 2013. General
OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA315961177&it=r&asid=cb00559bc5c67af303ce1aa43ad283de.
Accessed 22 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A315961177
The President Will See You Now: My Stories and Lessons from Ronald Reagan’s Final Years
By Peggy Grande Hachette Books 272 pp.
Reviewed by Kitty Kelley
June 2, 2017
A worshipful ode to the Gipper from his private secretary
I picked up The President Will See You Now, a memoir by Peggy Grande of her 10 years with Ronald Reagan after he left the White House in 1989, with misgivings. Since that time, more than 500 biographies and staff memoirs of Reagan have been published, in addition to his own autobiography and 15 volumes of his Presidential Papers.
There is also the Ronald Reagan Legacy Project, which works to place a monument or memorial to the former president in every state, and, to date, has established Reagan landmarks in 38 of them. The next stated goal is to place a public building named after Reagan in the 3,140 counties in the U.S., proving, if nothing else, a continuing commitment to the Gipper.
At one time, I, too, was fascinated by all things Reagan and researched the subject thoroughly to write Nancy Reagan: The Unauthorized Biography, a 1991 book featured on the covers of Time and Newsweek. Some people, particularly the Reagans, who held a press conference to denounce the book, felt it was too critical of the former first lady, although I gave her full marks for making possible all of her husband’s stunning success.
So, I did not come to Grande’s memoir without interest. Truth to tell, I was seduced by her rationale for writing the book. She said she couldn’t shake a passing comment from a colleague: “If there was a woman who sat outside Abraham Lincoln’s office every day for ten years, don’t you think we would want to know what she saw? And wouldn’t she owe that to history?”
I was all in and wanted to know about the last decade of Reagan’s life, when Alzheimer’s began robbing him of his golden ability to communicate.
The most poignant recollection in the book comes when the author, who writes worshipfully of her boss, recounts the first time she knew something was wrong. She had escorted a group of visitors in to see the former president in his Los Angeles office, and he began telling his pony story but could not remember the punchline.
Anyone familiar with Reagan lore knows about the pony. It was an old chestnut the president had polished to perfection and told so often that staffers knew every word by heart: A father had two sons — one exceedingly pessimistic, the other eternally optimistic. The father locks the pessimist in a room full of toys, convinced the youngster will jump for joy. Instead, the little boy cries because he says the toys will eventually break. The optimist is locked in a room piled high with horse manure, which the father feels sure will elicit yowls of complaint. But the youngster laughs with glee and starts digging. “With all this manure, there has to be a pony in here somewhere.”
Five years into his retirement, the former president could no longer find his pony. After he visited the Mayo Clinic and received his dreadful diagnosis, the buoyant man who always saw “Morning in America” announced that he was entering the dark shadows of the Alzheimer’s disease that would finally claim him in 2004.
Grande writes with knee-bending reverence for Reagan, but she circles Nancy with the kind of arms-length respect one reserves for a tiger. This is the point in her story where the author could have heaped praise on the former first lady as she began her campaign to expand stem-cell research into the disease that was taking her husband.
In 2004, Nancy Reagan put herself at odds with her own political party to publicly oppose President George W. Bush’s policies, which limited federal funding to stem-cell colonies created before August 2001. She joined Michael J. Fox and helped raise $2 million for stem-cell research into Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. She lobbied members of Congress to revive legislation to expand federal funding.
At the age of 86, looking frail but sounding firm, she continued speaking out. “There are so many diseases that can be cured or at least helped,” she said. In 2009, she praised President Obama for overturning the restrictive Bush policy. “We owe it to ourselves and our children to do everything in our power to find cures for these diseases.”
It’s puzzling not to applaud Mrs. Reagan’s efforts to find a cure for the disease that killed her husband, whom the author describes with all the genuflecting adjectives of an adoring acolyte. In another glaring omission, she writes that “the Reagans loved children,” and, trying to prove her point, she includes many photographs of her own children visiting the president and first lady at their home in Bel Air, where she tells us the president frequently wore a “striped matching pajama set and white monogrammed RWR robe with leather slippers.”
Yet her book, which purports to chronicle the president’s last years, makes no mention of the Reagans’ own children or grandchildren. She cites no visits, no phone calls, no letters, no emails. She does not even acknowledge the death of the president’s eldest child (with first wife Jane Wyman), Maureen Reagan, 60, in 2001, three years before the president died.
That the Reagans put their marriage before their children will come as no surprise, but that they substituted staff for family, as Grande writes, seems such a sad ending to a book that proposed to pay a debt to history.
Kitty Kelley has written several number-one New York Times bestsellers, including Jackie Oh!, Nancy Reagan, and The Family: The Real Story Behind the Bush Dynasty.
Book Review: The President Will See You Now
by L.A. Luebbert, Managing Editor, America’s 1st Freedom - Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Book Review: The President Will See You Now
When it comes to public figures, it generally holds that the image is one thing and the individual is something else, and often the two perspectives don’t mesh. Still, there is bound to be some crossover, especially as it pertains to entrenched values or personality traits that shine through no matter how hard the scrutiny of the public eye tries to cover them up.
For generations of Americans who came of age by the 1980s or earlier, Ronald Reagan stands as a shining example of someone who didn’t let being under the watchful eye of the world’s media outlets taint his core values. His respect for America and its way of life, his unbridled optimism and hope, and his gentlemanly manners not only survived, but transcended, eight years of being on the global political stage.
Peggy Grande—who turned an internship at the 40th president’s California office into a full-time job right out of college—spent about a decade working for Reagan in his post-presidency years. The death of Nancy Reagan in 2016 gave her the nudge she needed to write a memoir, The President Will See You Now, in which she reveals a side of the man that proves that Reagan’s penchant for putting the welfare of this nation above all else was more than a passing fancy that he projected in office; it was more like his selfless love of the American way of life and the freedoms we cherish was encoded in his DNA.
Grande relates how she grew up with a love of all things political, specifically things related to the presidency and the men who have held that office. So the chance to work for Reagan’s office was a dream come true for a California-raised political history buff.
As she reflects on her impressions of Reagan, she shares how she, too, realized that the real person often is a departure from the larger-than-life image someone holds of him. “Ronald Reagan was one of the few who did not seem smaller than his image, which was enormous to most. He was even more charming, more handsome, and more gracious than imagined. He was a man who genuinely delighted in meeting new people and had a way of making everyone feel as though they were important to him—because they were,” she writes.
Whether relating the story of how he interacted with an autistic boy who seemed to know more about Reagan than the former president himself did, or his meeting with an elderly Romanian woman who dropped to her knees and bowed to the floor beneath him in an expression of gratitude for his work in getting people in the former Eastern Bloc countries a taste of freedom, Grande paints a picture of Reagan’s private self that, indeed, lives up to the image he conveyed.
“In all those meetings there was a common thread,” Grande writes. “One life, the president’s, had made an overwhelming, positive impact and had changed the course of each of their lives forever.”
Her narrative takes readers on a behind-the-scenes look at the daily life of a former president, a masterfully woven account in which, through skillful use of vignettes, she peels back the layers of Reagan’s persona to reveal—without having to come right out and say it—the depth of the man’s honor and integrity.
Grande peppers her chronology of 10 years as a Reagan staffer with a mix of anecdotes about life lessons learned and examples of Reagan the raconteur. But more importantly, through lively descriptions capturing his interactions with people—from the average person on the street to those who were his contemporaries on the world stage—the reader sees evidentiary cases of the man’s down-home style and unflagging faith in mankind, along with his undying optimism that humanity must strive for something better.
It was his gift as a storyteller that served as a telltale sign for Grande that something might be wrong with Reagan. In the mid-90s, she tells of how he’d sometimes get lost in recounting his exploits to visitors—tales she knew well from having heard them before. And it was after a couple of instances of his faltering when he regaled his guests that she first suspected he might have a problem. It was a few short months later that he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Grande does an admirable job, without being overly maudlin, of capturing the struggles the Reagans and the staff went through as they came to grips with the toll of the disease.
The President Will See You Now is well structured, bookended by recounts of two deaths, Nancy Reagan’s and the role it played in Grande’s decision to publish the book, and recollection of the former president’s state funeral. And the author closes it out with the salient lesson learned from Reagan’s stewardship of this nation: “We don’t just need that one man, Ronald Reagan, now again in America. We need everyone who was blessed and touched by that one man to bring his legacy in their lives back to their families, their workplace, their community, and the world.”
The President Will See You Now, $28, hardcover, Hachette Book Group.
THE PRESIDENT WILL SEE YOU NOW
My Stories and Lessons from Ronald Reagan's Final Years
by Peggy Grande
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KIRKUS REVIEW
Ronald Reagan’s former personal assistant reminisces.
Grande was a senior at Pepperdine University when she was offered a position as an intern in Reagan’s office in Century City, California. It was the summer of 1989, and Reagan had only been out of office for a few months. The author ended up working for him for 10 years, quickly rising to become executive assistant to the former president. About halfway through her tenure, Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and her job evolved to accommodate the former president's declining abilities. By the time she left her post, she was married with three children, and Reagan was no longer able to come into the office at all. From her position, Grande had an unparalleled opportunity to observe Reagan promoting his legacy as a vigorous ex-president and then struggling against a disease that he knew would ultimately force a retirement from public life. She undertook some unusual responsibilities at a relatively early age. Unfortunately, she lacks the objectivity and discernment necessary to produce an insightful view into either Reagan's situation or her own. From the beginning, she was, and remains, utterly star-struck by Reagan; her narrative bubbles over with the reverent enthusiasm of a teenager with a backstage pass to a Justin Bieber concert. Ron and Nancy both appear as paragons of public and private virtue, everyone on their staff always pulled together to achieve logistical miracles, and so forth. The author appears as an appealing character—self-deprecating, gaining in confidence and ability, eager to assist a boss for whom she feels equal parts awe and genuine affection—but her occasional poignant observations about coping with Alzheimer's or maturing in her job are overwhelmed by an onrushing tide of uplifting anecdotes.
Relentlessly positive in tone, Grande's narrative never dives deeply enough to reward readers’ time.
Pub Date: Feb. 21st, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-39645-5
Page count: 256pp
Publisher: Hachette
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3rd, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1st, 2016
Book Review: The President Will See You Now
By Steve Donoghue (February 15, 2017) No Comment
The President Will See You Now: A Memoir
by Peggy Grande
Hachette Books, 2017
President Ronald Reagan, now lionized and nearly-legendary, left office in 1989 and commenced the weird quasi-storefront post-administration life that has been the lot of US Presidents for the last 40 years. These men, who only weeks before were making executive decisions the affected millions, are suddenly private citizens again, and their idleness is rendered all the more conspicuous by the bright-spotlight intensity of their former job.
They make speeches. They found their presidential libraries, even if such a prospect is decidedly out of character, as in the case of George W. Bush, or the set-up to a string of caustic jokes, as in the case of Richard Nixon. They collect consulting fees. They attend state funerals. They do charity work. They endow foundations. On some occasions they do the kind of unfettered humanitarian relief they were often prevented from doing by the trench-warfare politicking of their administration years. They usually refrain from commenting on their successors in office. They make no trouble for their Secret Service details. They write their memoirs. It’s a calm, air-conditioned, suit-buttoned existence that seems very pointedly drained of drama, a time of aggressively making money and burnishing legacies. In the case of hardly any ex-president since Theodore Roosevelt has the post-presidency struck many historians or memoirists as fruitful material for book-length studies.
President Reagan’s case is deepened and saddened by the fact that he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1994, a diagnosis that raised many questions about exactly how long the President might have been exhibiting symptoms of the disease before his diagnosis made it official. After the diagnosis, even the slightly hollow career afterlife of a US President was increasingly denied to Reagan; the friendly meetings in his California offices, the courteous phone calls to world leaders past and present, the speeches to usually-warm receptions – these and other things gradually drifted out of the man’s reach, and his closest employees entered the gray zone between professional and personal, between worker and caregiver.
It’s all the more amazing, then, in a low-key and deeply touching way, that author Peggy Grande has been able to transform this exact period of President Reagan’s life into a tale very much worth reading. Grande’s new book, The President Will See You Now, is a chronicle of her time working for Reagan from 1989 to 1999, and at first glance, the book seems to offer exactly the kind of antiseptic, make-work atmosphere that should freeze readability to a complete standstill:
The office was formal, and we were all conscious of maintaining that tone. Although the staff had warm, fun-loving friendships, office business was conducted in a polite, professional manner: hushed, respectful tones of conversation; no music playing during office hours; and no eating at your desk when visitors were on the floor. Desks needed to be kept tidy (or quickly made tidy) at all times. I often had to stash projects that were overflowing my desk to the “basement” under my desk until after the president left the office for the day. Then I would haul everything back up to my desktop to get through it all before I left.
But Grande is exactly the kind of sunny storyteller that, in fact, Reagan himself was; she takes her readers inside that tidy, formal work atmosphere of the California office and recounts all the best stories from her years there, workplace antics of a universally recognizable kind that are here given a slightly greater vibrational frequency by the fact that world figures like former Soviet premiere Mikhail Gorbachev can make appearances. Nancy Reagan, an easy target for vilification both during the administration years and after, is throughout these pages shown in her more human registers, fussing over her husband and caring for his public image but also showing glints of humor and care to the whole staff. And the symbiotic relationship between Grande and her boss becomes a smoothly-working thing over time, with procedures in place to brief the former president about the identities of his frequent visitors:
Prepared in this way, the president was free to greet each guest as a friend. When I entered his office with a first-time visitor it was wonderful to experience him as if for the first time again and again. I remembered how it felt when he approached me, looked me in the eye, and shook my hand that first day in the lobby. This legend, who had loomed so huge in my imagination, was suddenly before me … He was even more charming, more handsome, and more gracious than imagined. He was a man who genuinely delighted in meeting new people and had a way of making everyone feel as though they were important to him – because they were.
By rights, this kind of partisan enthusiasm ought to make The President Will See You Now an unbearably treacly affair, and maybe some readers will find it so. But the warm glow of Grande’s memories suffuses these pages, and the book fills a lacunae in Reagan’s long public life. The closing segment is heartbreaking and comes to concentrate on exactly the things all twilight-years memoirs reach eventually: short, delicate visits, hushed prognoses, bedsides.
“He had given me a future I could never imagine,” Grande writes simply, “and had done so without even meaning to.” She’s returned the favor with a charming, sad tribute.