‘Beardski’ helps anchors stay warm, look fashionable

>>> our first take, i want to point something out, al. i was hosting a fund-raiser for this group that does work with children in malawi. there was a live auction item called do the weather with al in studio. i don't know if you can see right here. there's the auctioneer. giant picture of al roker 's head behind. the bidding is going up and up and up. it's near something like $2,000 just to meet al and do the weather.

>> wow!

>> i go up and whisper into the auctioneer's ear say throw in a closed-mouth kiss with al roker . closed-mouth kiss. right up to $2,500, sold. to a handsome gentleman right up front.

>> i knew it!

>> have fun with that, al.

>> thank you so much.

>> it's a great group.

>> it is.

>> you drew a big number.

>> and meredith has done an amazing job with this organization. she really has.

>> it's great.

>> anything for a good cause.

>> closed-mouth kiss in a flu outbreak.

>>> right to the flu outbreak, worst in ten years according to flu experts reported in 41 states, including new york. 15,000 cases. kids, teens, elderly are most susceptible to this. 19 children have died of this. sharing phones, keyboards, staplers, doorknobs, usual culprits. dr. nancy snyderman did a story last night for "nightly news" and the trauma, emergency rooms are stacked with people.

>> outside.

>> outside in the parking lot and some emergency rooms have closed to new flu cases and are sending them out to other places.

>> and there is still time , we should point out, to get a flu shot . they're encouraging people to get out there and do that. i have an appointment right after the show.

>> that's funny. i was feeling guilty.

>> women do everything together.

>> flu shot date.

>> there's this facebook app for everybody who loves social networking . it's the flu app. basically if someone last night were to post that they haven't been sleeping well, they're not feeling well, even if they go out and party late -- because apparently if your partying you're not sleeping. it quarantines these people and alerts you to stay away from them in the office, which i think is hilarious. i would just call in sick because i don't want to be near them.

>> so many people come in, they're hacking. it's like, stay home.

>> we're all guilty -- we've all done it.

>> i never call in sick.

>> some of us come in with no voice.

>> oh, yeah.

>> mr. roker.

>> whoa!

>> great thing about this app, it lets you blame somebody and that's good.

>> right when someone walks in, herbert's sick again. all right. spotlight on the guy.

>>> just how unpopular is congress? a new polling survey shows congress less popular than the following. colonoscopies, cockroaches, root canals, france of all things.

>> wow!

>> if you can believe that.

>> even head lice , believe it or not, on that list.

>> that's another one. i was amazed of the positive numbers on cockroaches, 47%.

>> people like cockroaches?

>> who knew?

>> cockroach lobby.

>> who put this list together? nickelback is on there, meth lab , lindsay lohan . the kardashians are on there.

>> congress has a higher approval rating than the kardashians, lindsay lohan .

>> they are known to do these fun, exotic polls. some people have criticized it but they've made their point. 9% was the number.

>>> number three, take three. kim kardashian versus duchess kate . these are obviously the two most famous pregnant women on the face of the earth. and apparently some people are saying the style of kim kardashian is -- resonates more with women than that of kate .

>> i guess according to vogue, they say that when it comes to influencing fashion that the other k name, kim kardashian , is the one who has a greater influence. everybody, of course, waiting to see when kate middleton starts showing a little bit more, the baby bump, how she's going to dress in maternity wear . we've actually see a lot of kim kardashian and how she has been dressing. it's been a lot of open clothing and very revealing.

>> our today.com poll has kate beating kim.

>> interesting.

>> i'm kind of surprised by that. i thought every time kate middleton wears anything, it flies off the shelves and she was like this fashion inspiration.

>> she wears things from past seasons so when people go to the stores it's been sold out already so they can't get it anymore. so that was one of the --

>> she's thrifty. maybe that's also -- it's a bonus for everybody to afford and go buy what kate middleton is wearing.

>> let's face it. how much can the average person afford to buy what kim kardashian is wearing?

>> exactly. exactly.

>> but --

>> happy 31st birthday for her.

>> kate middleton .

>>> let's do our bonus take. i think we'll make our way down here. this is an actual thing, we should point out.

>> it is?

>> to be worn in winter.

>> for some.

>> we're going to have to work through this.

>> is this a mop?

>> this is a male accessory, right?

>> it can be if you want it to be. it has a half ski mask effect.

>> we put this on one of our guys and they're flying off the shelves.

>> really? come on?

>> i wear this when i pick up girl girls.

>> make the jump to hyper space .

>> what are those for?

>> ooh.

>> hey, the camera crew is getting in on it. everybody likes it.

>> zz topp look.

>> five colors. 35 bucks, $34.95.

>> it's also very dangerous --

>> al has the right idea.

>> that looks good.

>> kind of an ewok look.

>> way to think outside the