Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist - Season 9 / Year 2023

Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn surprised and thrilled residents of Plains, Georgia when they took a drive through the annual Plains Peanut Festival. The Carter's outing comes seven months after the former president entered hospice care.

96-year-old George Freeman fronted his first band as a teenager in the mid-1940s before eventually playing along the likes of jazz legends like Billie Holiday. Some eight decades later, Freeman is still performing for crowds with the release of his new album, "The Good Life." NBC's Shaquille Brewster shares Freeman's story in this week's Sunday Spotlight.

Bobby Schiffman, the man who transformed his father's Harlem Apollo Theater into a mecca for rhythm and blues, has died at 94. Schiffman's mission to showcase new talent at the theater became a hub for music stars, politicians, civil rights leaders and athletes and remains a mecca of Black culture. Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist remembers a life well lived.

New Jersey's indicted Democratic Senator Bob Menendez says he has no plans to resign amid mounting pressure from his own party to step down. Federal prosecutors indicted the senator and his wife on charges they took hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes.

In this week's Sunday Sitdown, TV personality Ryan Seacrest joins Wille Geist to discuss his new gig as the host of "Wheel of Fortune," his journey into becoming a media titan and the opening of a new Seacrest Studios inside a children's hospital.

Willie Geist runs through the Highs & Lows of the week, including the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce fascination that made its way to the White House briefing room, the furball fashion spectacle at Paris Fashion Week, the 104-year-old sky diver appearing to break a world record and the yule log video that had residents concerned about an actual fire.

In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Darius Rucker opens up about dedicating his new album, "Carolyn's Boy," to his mother, how an appearance on "The Late Show with David Letterman" changed the trajectory of Hootie & the Blowfish and how he was able to overcome the initial negative response to his first country single after going solo.

Kevin McCarthy was removed from his role as speaker of the House in a historic vote this week. With a leadership vacancy at a crucial time, what happens next? NBC's Julie Tsirkin reports in the Sunday Focus.

There is a growing movement to utilize oysters to clean waterways in the United States — and now farms for the mollusk are popping up thanks to different organizations. NBC's Harry Smith repots in the Sunday Spotlight.

In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Grammy Award-winning musician Jack Antonoff joins Willie Geist for a conversation about his music shaped by the loss of his sister Sarah, a new album from his band Bleachers and the hit-making magic between him and pop superstar Taylor Swift.

Porto's Bakery is a family-owned institution that has been a part of the fabric of Los Angeles since its owners fled Cuba nearly 50 years ago and have passed the business down through generations. The bakery is a must-stop shop in California for its famous potato balls, guava cheese strudels and countless Cuban specialties. NBC's Gadi Schwartz reports in this week's Sunday Spotlight.

Hughes Van Ellis, one of the three known remaining survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died at 102. Van Ellis lived a life of service by fighting in World War II and righting the wrongs against Black families in American history. Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist remembers a life well lived.

Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist runs through the Highs and Lows of the week, including Will Ferrell taking over the turntable at a USC fraternity party for parent's weekend, a bear grabbing a late-night snack from the freezer and more!

In this Sunday Sitdown lookback, actor Kate Hudson talks with Willie Geist about her role in "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" and how she keeps herself busy with her three companies, including the activewear line Fabletics. She also talks about overcoming her fear of singing in public, her upcoming album and her celebrity support group that helps her cope with her kids going to college.

Those trying to buy or sell a house are entering into a tough housing market with high prices and skyrocketing interest rates that put the cost of buying a home out of reach for many Americans. NBC's Liz Kreutz reports in this week's Sunday Focus.

Gene Woods is a prominent healthcare CEO whose successful side gig as the front man for the jazz band Gene Woods and the Soul Alliance has him strapping on a guitar to pursue a life-long passion of spreading healing in a powerful way. NBC's Anne Thompson shares his story in this week's Sunday Spotlight.

Rudolph Isley, a founding member of the famed Isley Brothers who created wedding staples such as "Shout" and "It's Your Thing," has died at age 84. Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist remembers a life well lived.

Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist runs through the Highs and Lows of the week, including Travis Kelce's reported "good luck charm" Taylor Swift, a baboon's humorous frustration with the relative intelligence of human beings and more!
 

In this week's Sunday Sitdown, country music icon Chris Stapleton joins Willie Geist for a wide-ranging conversation about guitars, his new album "Higher" and his Super Bowl performance that brought grown men to tears.

School districts grappling with teacher shortages are getting creative in their efforts to attract candidates by building affordable housing for faculty to live closer to the classroom. NBC's Jake Ward reports in this week's Sunday Spotlight.

Herbert "Bertie" Bowman, the longest-serving African-American congressional staffer, has died at 92. Bowman was hired as an aide to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1966 and served the country until his retirement at 90. Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist remembers a life well lived.

In this week's Sunday Sitdown, John Stamos joins Willie Geist to share revealing details from his new memoir, "If You Would Have Told Me," his journey to "Full House," his struggle with sobriety and a last meal he shared with his late friend Bob Saget. Last week, a group of state attorneys general sued Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, over claims the company knew its products were addictive and harmful to young people. Meta denied these claims. NBC's Dana Griffin reports in this week's Sunday Focus. Dr. Rex Marco, a prominent spine surgeon at UTHealth Houston, found a new purpose in his profession when a serious bicycle accident turned him into a patient. Now at TIRR Memorial Hermann for rehab, Dr. Marco's life-changing injury has given him a new perspective on the importance of hope. NBC's Priscilla Thompson reports in this week's Sunday Spotlight. Dr. Wanda Półtawska, a Holocaust survivor who helped to treat traumatized survivors and offered counsel to Pope John Paul II, died last week at 101. Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist remembers a life well lived. 

In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Henry Winkler joins Willie Geist at Katz' bustling deli in New York for a discussion about his new memoir, "Being Henry: The Fonz… and Beyond," in which he gets candid about his difficult childhood, his charmed career and his defining role in "Happy Days." One morning about 15 years ago, United States Vietnam veteran Ric Ryan pledged 25 cents for every friendly wave he got on his long daily walks to Operation Mend, which provides free, lifesaving care to America's wounded veterans. Ric's pledge has reached over a couple of a hundred thousand dollars and counting. NBC's Harry Smith caught up with the vet in this week's Sunday Spotlight. The FDA has approved Zepbound, the latest in a growing number of drugs that are revolutionizing weight loss as America faces an epidemic of obesity. Will insurance companies begin to cover the cost and are doctors sure they are safe? NBC's Liz Kreutz reports in this week's Sunday Focus. Cody Dorman, a boy with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, has died one day after his namesake horse, Cody's Wish, made a miraculous victory at the Breeders' Cup. Dorman was 12 years old when the Make-A-Wish Foundation introduced him to the horse that he would form a special bond with. Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist remember a life well lived.

Early polling for the 2024 election is already pointing to a Joe Biden-Donald Trump rematch, but this time around they may not be alone on the ballot. Senator Joe Manchin has shown interest in joining a crowded group of candidates, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. NBC's Vaughn Hillyard reports in this week's Sunday Focus. The 107-year-old Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has named 31-year-old Jonathon Heyward as its first Black music director. Heyward is the youngest music director at any of America's top-tier orchestras and he says his goal is to captivate a younger audience. NBC's Joe Fryer reports in this week's Sunday Spotlight. Sunday. TODAY's Willie Geist runs through the highs and lows of the week including the Lewiston High School soccer team winning the state title just weeks after the community was shaken by a mass shooting, Harry Styles' new haircut and more! Peter Tarnoff, the principal architect behind the hostage escape plan that inspired the Oscar-winning film "Argo," has died at 86. Tarnoff's "Canadian Caper" scheme involved six CIA operatives posing as filmmakers to rescue 52 hostages held in Tehran. Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist remembers a life well lived. Willie Geist wraps up Sunday TODAY by sharing mug shots sent in by viewers. This week, Willie gives a shout out to Clarke, Logan, Ruth, Cinnamon and Spice-Leroy! To share your photos, use #SundayTODAY on social media.  

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing holiday shopping by helping you narrow down choices or pick out gifts for the people you love. NBC's Brian Cheung reports in this week's Sunday Focus.

The University of Iowa football team has a memorable tradition. At the end of the first quarter, thousands of fans stand to wave to the patients at Stead Family Children's Hospital, which overlooks the field. Now, a former patient at the hospital is taking to the gridiron as a member of the team. NBC's Harry Smith reports in this week's Sunday Spotlight.

Lyn McLain, the founder of the D.C. Youth Orchestra program, has died at 95. McLain is remembered for sharing his love of music with generations of young Americans. NBC's Hallie Jackson for Sunday TODAY remembers a life well lived.

Sunday TODAY's Hallie Jackson runs through the highs and lows of the week, including a second grade class' take on a Thanksgiving parade, a daughter's holiday chore chart and more!

In this week's Sunday Sitdown, five-time Grammy-winner Jon Batiste joins Willie Geist for a discussion about his new Grammy-nominated album "World Music Radio," growing up in a legendary New Orleans music family and the gig with Stephen Colbert that changed his life. Batiste also opens up about his wife's Suleika Jaouad's cancer battle depicted in their new documentary, "American Symphony."

In recent weeks, prominent brands pulled their advertising from social media platform X in response to an antisemitic comment made by the platform's owner, Elon Musk, who later apologized. So why does the world's richest person continue to overshadow his "genius for innovation" with a problematic persona? NBC's Jake Ward reports in this week's Sunday Focus.

Charleston, South Carolina, a city not afraid to confront its painful history, will honor enslaved people at a new memorial using the hands of descendants who live in the city today. NBC's Priscilla Thompson reports in this week's Sunday Spotlight.

Mary Cleave, a trailblazing astronaut and environmentalist who became the 10th woman to travel into space when her crew launched in the shuttle Atlantis, has died at 76. Dr. Cleave was the first woman to fly on a space shuttle mission following the Challenger disaster. Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist remembers a life well lived.

As Americans look to cut back on subscriptions, streaming giants like Netflix and Max are teaming up in an effort to retain customers by offering bundles. NBC's Christine Romans reports in this week's Sunday Focus.

In the summer of 2018, the world was gripped by the rescue of a junior soccer team with 12 players, aged 11 to 16, who were trapped while exploring a cave in northern Thailand. Five years later, one of the players is now living a new life as a student in the United States. NBC's Anne Thompson reports in this week's Sunday Spotlight.

Bronka Sundstrom, who survived years of Nazi concentration camps and became a legendary mountaineer, has died at 98. Sundstrom, an avid hiker, continued her daily five-mile walks right up until her final weeks. Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist remembers a life well lived.

Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist runs through the Highs and Lows of the week including Taylor Swift fans attempting to recreate her Time Person of the Year cover with their cats, China's hottest new snack of grilled ice cubes and more!

In this week's Sunday Sitdown, Willem Dafoe joins Willie Geist to talk about his Golden Globe nomination for his latest role in "Poor Things" and why he's still holding out to win his first Oscar. Dafoe reflects on getting fired from his first movie to becoming a recognizable face globally as the Green Goblin in "Spider-Man." With Christmas eight days away, the holiday shipping season is reaching a fever pitch which means delivery drivers will now need to be on-guard for a rise in thefts. NBC's Jesse Kirsch reports in this week's Sunday Focus. NBC's Joe Fryer runs through Sunday TODAY's Highs and Lows of the week, including a bull on the loose on a New Jersey train track and a grandpa tucking and rolling his granddaughter into bed.

2023 saw a huge boom in the use of artificial intelligence in many aspects of people's lives. In this week's Sunday Focus, NBC's Jacob Ward looks back at the hype, concerns and what could be ahead for technology in 2024. Ethan Hill, 13, has been spending the last few holidays helping thousands of people in need with his nonprofit Ethan's Heart-Bags4Blessings. With the help of his family, donations and volunteers, Ethan's Heart has distributed over 5,000 care packages to those experiencing homelessness. NBC's Kristen Dahlgren reports in this week's Sunday Spotlight. Elliott Erwitt, the legendary photographer who captured moments in history like Nixon's "kitchen debate" with Khrushchev and Jacqueline Kennedy holding a folded flag at the burial of her husband, has died at 95. Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist remembers a life well lived. Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist runs through the Highs and Lows of the week, including a nativity play that is reminding people of "Love Actually," an 11-month-old who can't contain her excitement for Christmas and more!

From riding through Central Park with Melissa McCarthy to grabbing lunch with Henry Winkler, Willie Geist wraps up 2023 by looking back at the highlights from his Sunday Sitdowns this year. The daily news can feel overwhelming and heartbreaking, but there are agents of change making a positive difference in their communities. NBC's Harry Smith takes a look back at some of the people he met in 2023. Sunday TODAY's Willie Geist looks back at the best and worst moments of 2023, including Taylor Swift's "Eras Tour," Will Ferrell taking over the turn tables at his son's frat party, a slew of naughty bears and more.