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CNN Live Event/Special

New Year's Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin

Aired December 31, 2014 - 23:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to Times Square, New York City. One hour away from the stroke of midnight. I am Anderson Cooper here with Kathy Griffin. Perhaps as many as a million people make up the virtual city down there. We want to welcome you here to Times Square.

KATHY GRIFFIN, CO-HOST: Isn't there like a virtual city in your head though? I wouldn't say the most real person.

COOPER: I think I am.

GRIFFIN: Sort of virtual.

COOPER: No, I think I am quite real.

GRIFFIN: Because I saw your "60 Minutes" piece on Mindfulness. You were wearing a cap that had electrodes that gave you your thoughts.

COOPER: Basically. One hour until the stroke of midnight and 2015 is here. Wherever you are watching us, we appreciate you joining us. We hope you are having a good night. We are about to bring you some of the iconic moments. Singing to John Lennon's "Imagine." All the things happen, performed this year by O.A.R., the ball drop New York, New York.

GRIFFIN: Don't tick them off. He didn't know the last group we had. We got an angry tweet.

COOPER: I didn't know the name of the last group.

GRIFFIN: American Authors.

COOPER: Yes, but I knew their song and I liked their song, and I thought they did a very nice job.

GRIFFIN: They're not having your crap tonight.

COOPER: They're not. That's OK. Wolf Blitzer could always stop by wearing nothing but glitter body paint. I saw some body I thought was Blitzer running through the crowd.

GRIFFIN: Tell me why are you tweeting Boy George? What is going on?

COOPER: Boy George sent me a tweet.

GRIFFIN: At Anderson Cooper, "Has anyone else seen today the musical. It's amazing. Boy George, not yet. I have, however, seeing that you are not following me. Boy George is mad you are not following him.

COOPER: So then I started following him.

GRIFFIN: And then you write, done. I wrote something like I will comment on this on New Year's Eve which I am. Have a wonderful 2015 which is code.

COOPER: No, it is not.

GRIFFIN: And here is my favorite. I love when you try to be cool. This is my favorite. This one tweets to Boy George. "Thanks, you too. I hope to hear you deejay in 2015." What is with you've try to keep up with the kids and the deejay?

COOPER: A friend of mine heard him deejay in London. He was really good. A friend of mine named Darren, who co-owns a bar downtown.

GRIFFIN: Stop plugging bars. You like an alcoholic. What's with you and the deejay scene?

COOPER: I don't know. I'm not part of the deejay scene. I don't know -- Junior Vazquez.

GRIFFIN: All right, fine.

COOPER: So there you go.

GRIFFIN: All right, fine. I didn't know you were such a D.J. fanatic.

COOPER: All right, welcome. Yes, we're having fun here.

GRIFFIN: Something odd about you and Boy George, spending the night deejay'ing. I think that's unexpected.

COOPER: I never met the guy.

GRIFFIN: Well, you can spin together since you're a big spin master. You and Calvin Harris.

COOPER: I heard he was a deejay and I heard he does it very well with it -- I don't understand the electronic dance music. It's a little too fast and jarring for me.

GRIFFIN: What do you like a hot toddy and a quilt? Twing swing music or maybe the Lennon sisters. They can harmonize. They were fantastic.

COOPER: A hot toddy and a quilt?

GRIFFIN: What is a toddy?

COOPER: It's like some sort of old-fashioned alcoholic drink, but it was hot.

GRIFFIN: I assume -- toddy.

COOPER: I will tell you once as a kid. I went to my cousin any house. Never mind.

GRIFFIN: I love that look. Tell me. In mid-sentence, he was like I shouldn't tell him. You went to your cousin any house, what happened?

COOPER: Nothing. Never mind. Let's check in with Michaela Pereira. She is down in the crowd here in Times Square.

GRIFFIN: What happened at your cousin's house? What happened at your cousin's house?

COOPER: Michaela, how are things down at Times Square?

MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: It's actually kind of really cool. It's been interesting to watch how the whole energy is changing. You can't hear me? Why can't you hear me? I can hear you.

COOPER: I'm sorry, now I can finally hear you.

GRIFFIN: Michaela, what happened?

PEREIRA: I think he had a little ear wax in his ears. Interesting, but it's really interesting to watch how the energy is changing and building. It has a great live music up here on the stage. Everybody is dancing.

They've got balloons. They've got balls. It's kind of like in a state of, I'm freezing, when is the party starting and wow as we are getting closer and closer to midnight. You hear that. They are having a great time. Come over and meet some more friends of mine. Where did you travel from?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We flew in from San Diego this morning at 5:00 a.m.

PEREIRA: So San Diego, I heard it was like 75 degrees there today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a little colder than that, but it's nothing look out here. That's for sure.

PEREIRA: Are you regretting your decision? Are you really happy to be here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're stoked.

PEREIRA: First time?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My first time in New York, yes.

PEREIRA: You know the ball. You're really in a good proximity, right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I do.

PEREIRA: But let's be honest. You thought it was going to be bigger. We're not sizests. We thought it was going to be bigger. We thought it was going to be little bigger. New Year's resolutions or no, you don't believe in them?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I haven't made one yet.

PEREIRA: Girl, you better start thinking about that. No pressure. I will come back to you. How are you guys doing? Where are you visiting from?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Indonesia.

PEREIRA: My goodness. How are we doing? When did you get here? Are you studying here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have been here, yes. We got here at 1:00 p.m.

PEREIRA: At 1 p.m. Are you tired?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Cold.

PEREIRA: I know. It is not this cold at home, is it? Wave at the camera say hi to mom and dad and everybody. Coming down here. Happy New Year, where are you from? Where are you from?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're from Houston.

PEREIRA: Houston. Texas. What's going on, girl? Let's see, you can't even, when's the last time you got to go to the bathroom. You can't anywhere around here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Probably 11:30.

PEREIRA: This is what I am talking about, people's dedication. We have Taylor Swift coming up. We have all of this other entertainment, my favorite, Florida Georgia Line. They are coming up, country music. Back to you guys. I'm excited, Kathy. I understand you. I am excited.

COOPER: I grew up in New York City. I have never been here until I started working here.

GRIFFIN: First of all, Michaela is wasted. I'm going to call it. Why was the girl from San Diego arguing? It's warmer there. It's not really that warm in San Diego. Just say hi. OK, you are from San Diego. Michaela, sounds kind of warm. It is 75ish. She is fine.

COOPER: We are not encouraging drinking, but I heard there is a drinking game.

GRIFFIN: The "Dallas Morning News."

PEREIRA: Really. GRIFFIN: Came up with a drinking game for and it says, if you are a lightweight, watch something PG like NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly, to go a little harder, watch raunchy host, Kathy Griffin, and watch her taunt Anderson Cooper on CNN.

COOPER: Yes. Well, it's been about two hours of taunting thus far, only another hour and a half.

GRIFFIN: Game night.

COOPER: Game night. If you want to join the conversation on Twitter, on Instagram --

GRIFFIN: Tweet your real feelings to Anderson. He can take it. He has a thick skin.

COOPER: Tweet us using #cnnnye. You don't think I have a thick skin?

GRIFFIN: No. I can read every tweet and then boom.

COOPER: We have a scene. Let's take a look at the scene down in Key West, Florida where traditionally we have gone down to Key West. John Zarrella who is no longer with CNN. Sushi the drag queen is in a giant red, what do you call that, a pump?

GRIFFIN: That will be a pump, yes, a lady's pump.

COOPER: A lady's pump and at the stroke of midnight. Sushi is lowered. This is the tradition in Key West. Thousands of people, tens of thousands of people go there. Families are there.

GRIFFIN: It's not an easy gig.

COOPER: It is not an easy gig. There was one year where there was like a malfunction.

GRIFFIN: There was a gaffe.

COOPER: The shoe stop. I remember Sushi ended up like crawling on the roof. I was afraid she was going to fall off.

GRIFFIN: Right, and turn into one of your confetti wishes when somebody wanted to be a fish. We actually have someone named Sushi.

COOPER: Look how many people have turned out there.

GRIFFIN: It's packed.

COOPER: It is packed.

GRIFFIN: Yes.

COOPER: So that is obviously tradition there. We are going to show you the ball drop here at the stroke of midnight and then stick around afterward. We'll show you all the other scenes that are occurring like the -- GRIFFIN: And then we're going to have Lil John sing "Turn Down For

What." Turn down for what?

COOPER: He's not joining us.

GRIFFIN: I heard that was your favorite song. What do you think turn down for what means? Just interpret it?

COOPER: I don't know.

GRIFFIN: You went to Dalton.

COOPER: The volume is too loud.

GRIFFIN: You're #urban.

COOPER: I am keeping it real. Keeping it real.

GRIFFIN: OK, right.

COOPER: Yes, that's me. Yes, keeping it real.

GRIFFIN: I hope Lil John tweets you.

COOPER: I would enjoy a tweet from Lil John.

GRIFFIN: I forgot you are into the electronic scene.

COOPER: I am telling you this is Taylor Swift's year. I am all about --

GRIFFIN: Are you actually quoting the song?

COOPER: I'm referring to the song, yes.

GRIFFIN: You are referring to the song.

COOPER: No treble is the song, but I'm saying I like a little bit of treble.

GRIFFIN: What do you think about the rivalry between Iggy Azalea and Azalea banks?

COOPER: I don't know.

GRIFFIN: I think you do. I think you have some thoughts. Go there --because it's a little controversial. I am not going to lie.

COOPER: No, I don't know.

GRIFFIN: But it is about Iggy Azalea?

COOPER: What else you got on your card?

GRIFFIN: A question, who beat House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in his GOP primary? COOPER: I can't remember.

GRIFFIN: You don't know. Chris Matthews.

COOPER: Where do you think he is tonight?

GRIFFIN: With the wife drinking. He talks about how he doesn't drink any more. I watch his show every day. I many I watch this show every day. What the heck was I thinking?

COOPER: Chris Matthews is very nice guy. I met him.

GRIFFIN: He is a former Capitol Hill police officer.

COOPER: Was he really?

GRIFFIN: I read his book.

COOPER: I did write a book. It's a "The New York Times" best seller.

GRIFFIN: Mine was "Kathy Griffin Official Book Club Selection."

COOPER: I was on Oprah. I had an hour on Oprah about my book.

GRIFFIN: I passed. How much -- how much does a stamp cost? That's why you are watching.

COOPER: When was the last time you sent a letter. When was the last time you sent a letter?

GRIFFIN: Answer the question, Congressman. How much is the cost of a postage stamp?

COOPER: Do you know how much I love you?

GRIFFIN: And a forever stamp.

COOPER: And by love you I mean hate your guts.

GRIFFIN: How much is a quart of milk? I can do this all night long.

COOPER: We have got --

GRIFFIN: Please tweet, #gamenight. Please tweet us what you think Anderson thinks a stamp costs. I go with $500 and a book is $1,000. He doesn't drink so much. It is so expensive, $1,000 a quart. That's what his assistant tells him, loading Madonna on his iPod. He wants Lorde. Make that a poll. CNN you want to do polls.

COOPER: Please.

GRIFFIN: Please what? Make it stop.

COOPER: Please make it stop.

GRIFFIN: Are you doing Namiste. Like are you doing like a Yoga moment?

COOPER: I'm all about Namiste.

GRIFFIN: I know. You were going to take a side in Gwyneth Paltrow/Martha Stewart Twitter feud.

COOPER: I don't know anything about that. At 12:30, we'll go off the air at 12:30. Our coverage continue with Don Lemon and Brooke Baldwin.

GRIFFIN: Until 5:00 a.m. this guy, this guy.

COOPER: We'll take a break. We'll be right back in Times Square.

GRIFFIN: This guy, this guy. This is CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anderson, Kathy, what better way to spend New Year's Eve than on a beach. Welcome to Dubai, here on city's Palm Island. People are gathering to watch one of the most extravagant fire work displays anywhere in the world.

And that is it, 100,000 fireworks before your eyes. The party just started. I am going to head down. A happy New Year from the Middle East. Happy 2015.

COOPER: That is the festivities tonight in Dubai.

GRIFFIN: Hold on. Let me ask you. What hurts the most?

COOPER: What hurts the most was the quart of milk.

GRIFFIN: Because of your mommy issue, the mommy issue. It's so obvious.

COOPER: During the break, $1.45. It turned out it's $1.41.

GRIFFIN: He has no clue what a quarter milk cost. He doesn't know what a postage stamp cost. He didn't know that males still exist.

COOPER: It's 49 cents.

GRIFFIN: During the commercial break, I swear he welled up. I don't mean laugh crying. It was a moment where I was like, are you OK? I said in a quiet intimate moment. What was it? He went the milk. I said, of course.

COOPER: Then I said. How much, did I say, $1.45.

GRIFFIN: You had a fit in front of the crew people. He had like a fit. Like when you hear about celebrities having fits, that's what it was. Randomly going up to people from Telemundo -- whatever Spanglish he can speak. I don't know. OK, Anderson, your big moment. Anderson Cooper, how much is a quart of milk?

COOPER: Well, subsequently, $1.41. I thought $1.45.

GRIFFIN: You had no idea.

COOPER: Any way, we are done.

GRIFFIN: It hurts. The hurt on your face.

COOPER: Yes, it hurt. It is 11:18. We are counting down to the New Year's. When you were a kid how did you spend New Year's Eve?

GRIFFIN: I used to watch shows like this. I wanted to watch a show off the beaten track. Like there was a local broadcast. I was all about that.

COOPER: Because I always watched -- I didn't like, there was something scary about New Year's Eve.

GRIFFIN: It was a good time to stay home.

COOPER: Yes, yes.

GRIFFIN: Watch marathons like Three Stooges.

COOPER: I thought it was sweet at the -- in Eastern Maryland where they had the crab drop. I like the fact -- going back there right now. I like the fact that they did a crab drop at 9:00 so that little kids who were there could feel like they saw -- you know.

GRIFFIN: A crab drop.

COOPER: Yes, and that they saw the New Year. When I was a kid --

GRIFFIN: What are crabs like? I mean, I, every year, you guys do this to me. How is that possible? Possibly -- he doesn't know how much a quart of milk is.

COOPER: For those who are just joining us, by the way, you are wearing Joan River's coat. I just want to explain. I am trying to protect you.

GRIFFIN: All right, thank you. Thank you.

COOPER: Because you are wearing --

GRIFFIN: I am wearing an actual Joan River's coat designed for her by Dennis Basso. It is real fur.

COOPER: Which is what surprised me and kind of shocked me because I didn't know, I don't know anyone.

GRIFFIN: As I am going to fill the role of the comedic, fearless, throne holder at "Fashion Police" in her honor. I reached out to Melissa. I can wear the coat.

COOPER: I don't think you should wear real fur, though. I'm just saying. GRIFFIN: I completely agree. This is it. I'm going to wear just quarts of milk, heated quarts of milk.

COOPER: Quarts of milk. Listen, 40 minutes now until midnight.

GRIFFIN: What you want to talk about chaser. I am trying to clean up Anderson's image a little bit because he's been a little offensive tonight as always. A "60 Minutes" piece about chaser dog that was smarter than he was. How does that feel?

COOPER: It was a piece about dog intelligence. What scientists --

GRIFFIN: I believe you admitted the dog is smarter than you are.

COOPER: Chaser is like the smartest dog in the world.

GRIFFIN: OK, please leave that up there for one second, do you see the resemblance? Because being a hollow shell of a person. Anderson is what's called a chameleon. When he is confused and doesn't know who he is or what to do. It could become a photo of a dog. You can see. He just gets so frightened to be who he is. He looks at a photo. I will be that guy. You can see he and Chaser actually look alike now. Congratulations.

COOPER: You are saying like a mutant to the X-men that's my power.

GRIFFIN: You're like a Transformer. Exactly, anything to be yourself. Read the angry tweets later. Keep them coming. There you are.

COOPER: Yes.

GRIFFIN: Doing --

COOPER: David Harry, a professor.

GRIFFIN: Why is the dog getting to the cup faster than you are?

COOPER: I'm not supposed to get to the cup.

GRIFFIN: Like a cup race and the dog is winning.

COOPER: Anyway.

GRIFFIN: I'm just saying it humanizes you. That's what I do.

COOPER: Do want to go back to Easton, Maryland, the crab drop.

GRIFFIN: I want to talk about crabs all night. You act like it is shocking innuendo. You are doing seven crab segments. Crab it up, baby. Off Lindsay Tuchman, who is the daughter of Gary Tuchman, our correspondent.

Lindsay is a young reporter starting out there. She is in Easton, Maryland where a giant crustacean is getting ready for its close-up. Lindsay, a lot of friends with you right now? LINDSAY TUCHMAN: Yes, when I talked to you earlier, there was not a lot of people behind me. As you can see, the small town of Easton is starting to get, really crowded. They're keeping me warm though. It's not too bad. But, we're not just sitting waiting for the giant crustacean like you said to drop.

I can't see. I'm a little too short. Over there, there is a fire dancer, juggler, entertaining us all night keeping us warm. Everyone has been enjoying it. And we are just getting ready for this, mechanical crab to drop.

There was a drop at 9:00 p.m. for the little ones. There are still little guys here, who are all very excited for New Year's to come. And I am excited too to see, see what happens when the crab drops. Back to you guys.

COOPER: All right, Lindsay, we will check back in with you after the crab drop -- a big part of the economy. It's nice to see all the kids out there having fun.

GRIFFIN: I mean, seriously in the middle of a crab bit. You are going to show children. You are going to throw me under the bus. Play the kid card from the bottom of the deck. And, look, I mean, what dirt does Lindsay have on you? She is doing seven segments now. And like Angelina Jolie with like children adorable. What do you think of crabs, Kathy? Here is a picture of children. That was planned for 11 months.

COOPER: It's 11:23. We are going to have limited commercial breaks from now until the New Year. We don't want folks to miss a single moment.

GRIFFIN: And also we have Nick Jonas coming up to sing his hit "Jealous."

COOPER: Do you remember the year, there was one year we were together, a couple of years ago, the Jonas brothers performed. This must have been four years ago or something. You threw things at them. Do you remember that?

GRIFFIN: I celebrated them in a way that was physical.

COOPER: Nick Jonas who was in --

GRIFFIN: Shirtless.

COOPER: How to succeed in business, which I did a voiceover for. I met him.

GRIFFIN: Where did you go to college?

COOPER: He did.

GRIFFIN: Yale. He went to Yale.

COOPER: He did "CNN Heroes" this year. GRIFFIN: As did I.

COOPER: As did you, yes, and he was very nice. He hugged me backstage. Give me a little bro hug.

GRIFFIN: It was a real moment.

COOPER: I got a little flustered. I will admit.

GRIFFIN: Like your moment with Taylor Lautner.

COOPER: I don't know what you are talking about.

GRIFFIN: When the Jonas brothers were the brothers you don't care. Now that Nick Jonas is hot. He is great. He was in a play. What about Joe? What did he ever do to you?

COOPER: He has a reality show and he is married.

GRIFFIN: That is the other one. That's the third Jonas.

COOPER: I work a lot.

GRIFFIN: Are you not watching "True Tori."

COOPER: I saw Tori on Oz recenty. We'll talk about that later. More from New York, New Orleans and all around the world who is ringing the New Year. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: In Key West, celebrate New Year's Eve sushi style!

COOPER: That is Sushi in Key West, Florida where they're getting ready to drop Sushi in the shoe. We have always checked in with Sushi.

GRIFFIN: Hopefully the cables are nice and strong.

COOPER: I hope everything is OK, a huge crowd, a lot of families going to that. It's a big traditional event.

GRIFFIN: There's a lot of things happened tonight. People don't know exactly what will happen. I will ask you to close your eyes and trust me.

COOPER: You are going to what?

GRIFFIN: I'm going to ask you to close your eyes and just trust me.

COOPER: Why would I do that?

GRIFFIN: If you are watching at home, this will be the time you want to stop the party for a second. I like to have fun. Show your fun side. So I will tell you when to open your eyes. Just lean your head down close your eyes. We will have a little fun. Shall we? Do it. COOPER: Really?

GRIFFIN: Yes. OK. Do it.

COOPER: Close my eyes.

GRIFFIN: Don't open your eyes.

COOPER: Somebody warn me if something bad is happening.

GRIFFIN: They will warn you. They will warn you. All right, it will take less than 10 seconds, Anderson. All right, just trust me. This is temporary and it shows how fantastic you are. All right, open.

COOPER: You got to be kidding me. My God, what have you done?

GRIFFIN: I dyed your hair. I dyed your hair, red and blue. I decided if you argue with me is you don't love America. I had it all planned. This is it. Every year I try to think of something. I dyed his hair, red, white and blue.

COOPER: How am I going to get this out?

GRIFFIN: I don't know. I don't know. I didn't think about it. I guess you -- wash it. I don't know. It's on my hands too.

COOPER: This is crazy.

GRIFFIN: I know.

GRIFFIN: So the rest of the show, we have an hour more on TV.

GRIFFIN: For the rest of the month. I hope you are not doing the news tomorrow.

COOPER: I don't know what to do.

GRIFFIN: Well, I don't either because -- I think when they say -- permanent dye. Here, with your face. You don't want to make it more -- more symmetrical.

COOPER: I think we are fine.

GRIFFIN: It looks a little bit like you were in a bar fight.

COOPER: Wow.

GRIFFIN: You are the most patriotic person here.

COOPER: Yes.

GRIFFIN: I dyed your hair.

COOPER: Yes. Thank you. I appreciate that. Wow. I'm not sure which side is better.

GRIFFIN: I'm busy posing. Take a look, America.

COOPER: All right. We are going to take a quick break. I'm going to try to figure out how to get this out of my hair.

GRIFFIN: Your hair is dyed, red and blue, red, white, and blue.

COOPER: We'll be right back. I can't believe I closed my eyes. Nobody warned me. Appreciate it, crew. Appreciate it, control room.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: And welcome back. We are here in Times Square. Anderson Cooper here with Kathy Griffin.

GRIFFIN: Did it!

COOPER: I have spent the last 2 or 3 minutes during the commercial break trying to get --

GRIFFIN: I dyed his hair.

COOPER: Trying to get the dye out of my hair. It's looking great.

GRIFFIN: It's half pink. Half purple.

COOPER: Look at this. I mean. What, what the?

GRIFFIN: You are very downtown, very edgy, very downtown. You might want to redo that cover now that you have a stylish hair style.

COOPER: I don't know. I think I am making it worse.

GRIFFIN: You're making it worse. I put a red stripe and a blue stripe. Now it's like half pink. Then it is going to the top of your head and the blue is baby blue. You look like a nursery. Like a nursery at Bloomingdale's now. This is fantastic.

GRIFFIN: Where are you going after this?

COOPER: I'm going home to wash this out of my hair.

GRIFFIN: It is not going to come out tonight.

COOPER: Are you serious?

GRIFFIN: If you are a hair person, please tweet Anderson some solutions because he is really going to need them.

COOPER: I am going to go to my barber tomorrow.

GRIFFIN: Now it's Isaac's problem.

COOPER: Isaac. I don't know. I don't know.

GRIFFIN: Let's face it. This is your fortune. COOPER: This is it. This is moneymaker. That's all there is. Let's check in with Michaela Pereira and Richard Quest, who are down in the crowd. Are folks getting excited?

PEREIRA: Yes, Richard is. I thought I would have to show him around Times Square and how we do things in America. Clearly I am not the one that needs to be helping him at all. Richard Quest, you are the best person to party with in Times Square. He is sober and this is him on his own natural energy. The part that is exquisite. He is making friend in the crowd.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: South Korea.

PEREIRA: How are you doing? All right, how are you doing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fine.

PEREIRA: Where are you visiting from?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: South Korea.

PEREIRA: Turn over this way. He is still dancing. These folks have traveled. Let them see. We have Germany.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very good. Yes, very good.

PEREIRA: Florida, which is very, very far away.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is. This is Italy.

PEREIRA: So, yes, you know. This is kind of happening. The crowds are getting a lot more.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The tension is getting greater. That's what is happening.

PEREIRA: Look behind us. Put the barriers down. People are crowding up.

QUEST: It's getting cold. Body warmth is called for.

PEREIRA: This is happening.

COOPER: That is right. It is 11:38. I decided. I put on this hat. My head is, if you are just joining us. Kathy has dyed my hair.

GRIFFIN: I dyed his hair live on the air.

COOPER: Yes, unfortunately.

GRIFFIN: It's red, white, blue.

COOPER: It is red, white and blue. It's very patriotic, which I appreciate. Yes. We are, counting down.

GRIFFIN: Are you, you look like an extra from "Das Boots." COOPER: "Das Boot."

GRIFFIN: A "Das Boot" reference.

COOPER: Like mid-80s, German cinema. It's a very good film. Today doing we're something we have never done before and that is saying something.

GRIFFIN: Yes, we dyed your hair live on the air.

COOPER: For the first time we are bringing you the New Year's in Cuba.

GRIFFIN: Boy, here we go. It brings me down.

COOPER: Patrick Oppmann is at the Tropicana Night Club in Havana. How are they going to celebrate at midnight?

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Everybody will dance with the performance, an amazing show. Everybody will get out of their seats. Conga beats, salsa, Cuban music, culture, all those things. People in the audience here tonight are taking this frankly incredible show.

You don't see a lot of Americans, at least not yet, of course, recently both countries, intend to normalize relations. You could have an American embassy in Cuba, more Americans in Cuba and they'll be taking in amazing shows just like this one -- Anderson, Kathy.

COOPER: All right. Patrick, looks like a lot of fun there and -- yes. How you doing?

GRIFFIN: I'm looking at Taylor Swift. I'm going to be honest.

COOPER: Taylor Swift is in Times Square.

GRIFFIN: Lip-syncing.

COOPER: You think.

GRIFFIN: I think.

COOPER: I don't care. She's so talented. I like her. This was her year.

GRIFFIN: What? What?

COOPER: The 2014 was all about her.

GRIFFIN: What? Who are you? Now that you have multicolored hair, I don't know who you are anymore.

COOPER: I know. Look. You know.

GRIFFIN: What? You want to shake it off, but you can't because it is hair dye. You can't shake it off.

COOPER: The players going to play, play, play, play. The haters going to hate, hate, hate, hate.

GRIFFIN: I'm not a hater. I'm a player.

COOPER: Let's check it with Randi Kaye. She is on the cruise ship going nowhere in the Bahamas. Randi, how are things there?

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Things are going very well, Anderson. Thank you for asking. Close to midnight. Somewhere still off the coast of the Bahamas. This is Jimmy Rhodes. He is the cruise director here. Listen, you used to be a dancer on the ship.

JIMMY RHODES, CRUISE DIRECTOR: I did.

KAYE: You worked up to cruise director?

RHODES: Yes, 14 years ago as a Royal Caribbean dancer and worked my way up to this newest and most innovative cruise ship in the world.

KAYE: This is the first time you have had New Year's Eve on the cruise ship?

RHODES: Yes, we have 2,000 guests on the pool deck. Parties around the ship.

KAYE: Listen, the last time I talked to Anderson and Kathy. We showed them the cake. Here it is once again, the cake. Jimmy, we would decide to who to eat first, Anderson or Kathy. I will give you the pleasure of deciding.

RHODES: I get to cut Miss Kathy. All right. Here we go, guys. One slice right there for Miss Kathy. Put some clothes on. All I will say. Put some clothes on.

COOPER: My word exactly. Put some clothes on. How many times I said that to you, Kathy.

GRIFFIN: You are totally team this guy.

COOPER: Thank you, guys. Happy New Year to you too as well. We're going to bring you at the stroke of midnight from the cruise ship as well as from Times Square. Do we need to get a break in? Control room, talk to me. We will get a quick break in. Then we want to be live all the way through to the midnight hour. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Welcome back to New York Times Square. We are just minutes away from the stroke of midnight. It is 11:44 here on the east coast. You can feel the anticipation building. Here in Times Square. I'm Anderson Cooper. Thank you for joining us.

I'm here with Kathy Griffith. If you are just joining us, the reason I am wearing this hat because Kathy has dyed my hair, red, white, red and blue. I don't know.

GRIFFIN: The white part was there, thank you. COOPER: I've been trying to get it off, but it doesn't seem to be working. It's not coming off.

GRIFFIN: Hat time. After the hat comes the mood swings. Ready to shake it off. Your idol, Taylor Swift, shake it off. Shake it off. Taylor Swift, she's faced so much adversity. She's millionaire at 15.

COOPER: So what? She works really hard. I like that.

GRIFFIN: Clearly.

COOPER: She works hard. She writes songs. She is very talented.

GRIFFIN: That's your story?

COOPER: That's my story. I am sticking with it. I am on record as being a fan.

GRIFFIN: What about Kylie and Tyga?

COOPER: I don't know.

GRIFFIN: Kylie Jenner, aren't you worried about her and Tyga. Aren't you worried?

GRIFFIN: Kylie Jenner of the Kardashians?

COOPER: I'm familiar with the name. I just don't know who they are.

GRIFFIN: You have no feeling about Kylie and Tyga.

COOPER: I don't know who Tyga is.

GRIFFIN: What about Bieber and Gomez? Where are you on that?

COOPER: I support them both.

GRIFFIN: OK, you have no feelings?

COOPER: I don't have an opinion about Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber.

GRIFFIN: You're doing too much shaking off, shake it back on.

COOPER: Player is going to play, play, play.

GRIFFIN: Shake it on. Shake it off.

COOPER: That's what I do when I drive in my car. Shake it off.

GRIFFIN: I would love to see. Why don't you do it the next time you drive yourself. You are like, "Chauncey, put on shake it off again." what about Jennifer Lawrence and Chase Crawford. That one is heating up?

COOPER: Jennifer Lawrence the actress? Chase Crawford. Yes, on one of those -- GRIFFIN: They've been going together for like six months.

COOPER: I didn't know that.

GRIFFIN: I made that one up. They're not going out. I thought you cared?

COOPER: No, I don't know this stuff.

GRIFFIN: Are we going to talk about "True Tori" or not?

COOPER: You're a big fan of the show?

GRIFFIN: I find it riveting. It's an accidental reality show.

COOPER: Really? How would you. If you were not here tonight, how would you be spending New Year?

GRIFFIN: I'd be Tori Spelling's house trying to calm her down. Dean would be up to no good. Lady, you know what I am talking about. I don't trust him as far as I could throw him. Tori is thin. Her boobs change. She talks about it on the show. It is a health hazard.

COOPER: Anyway. We want to let you know what is going to happen before, midnight, the stroke of midnight here in Times Square.

GRIFFIN: That was Taylor Swift throwing things at you, which is inappropriate.

COOPER: Confetti in the air.

GRIFFIN: Taylor, stop it.

COOPER: OAR playing John Lennon's "Imagine" we're going to bring that to you obviously that's before midnight. Then they're going to stop, about a minute before the actual -- before the stroke of midnight.

GRIFFIN: Taylor Swift keeps flipping him off. Tail or put down your middle finger. Not appropriate. A young woman and role model, can you imagine?

COOPER: I'm waving to the Univision guys.

GRIFFIN: I thought you were trying to stop a fight. If Devi Lovato shows up, I have to go. You know what I am talking about.

COOPER: Looking forward to O.A.R. playing "imagine" stroke of midnight bring that to you live. We are not going to during that. It kills Kathy.

GRIFFIN: I hate it.

COOPER: She hates it. I look to experience the moment. And look you at home to experience the moment as well.

GRIFFIN: He wants you to shake it back on. COOPER: Without us yapping over -- it's such an amazing scene at stroke of midnight.

GRIFFIN: I know, but you don't think it is the right to talk true tori.

COOPER: I don't think anyone wants to hear.

GRIFFIN: Tatum O'Neal was here with Candy. I don't know Tatum and candy were talking. Tori goes up to her room. A nervous wreck. Tatum O'Neal seems almost critical as if she doesn't know the stars that well. And dean, so flustered. Next thing you know. I want to go to Canada. I want to go to Canada.

COOPER: OK, so what else, anything else?

GRIFFIN: I don't know what tops that. Thoughts of Kate Hudson dating Derek Hough.

COOPER: I don't know what you are talking about. I like Kate Hudson, incredibly talented and beautiful. I love her mom.

GRIFFIN: I hosted an event for Goldy called mind up for her children's organization.

COOPER: She does the whole thing with the mantra brain.

GRIFFIN: I got to meet Goldie Hawn, it's like a unicorn, never goes anywhere.

COOPER: I met her once.

GRIFFIN: Some celebrities are more exciting than others.

COOPER: Who is your favorite celebrity to hang out with?

GRIFFIN: Cher, who texted both of us two days ago. She likes the Emojis. She does a lot of Emojis. She calls you her darling boy. The lips emoji and a rose --

COOPER: When I was growing up. My mom and I would watch, Sonny and Cher show. My mom would say Cher was her fantasy daughter. I grew up thinking Cher was my sister.

GRIFFIN: Cher will let it pass. Let her think she is your sister. Emoji. What Emojis do you use?

COOPER: I get confused.

GRIFFIN: Confused monkey. What?

COOPER: A lot confuse me. One that look like a pizza or a cake, I don't know what that is.

GRIFFIN: Pizza with legs on fire. I don't know. I don't know what that means. Hope someone makes an Emoji of his head, red, blue and sad face. Two years to get out.

COOPER: By the way as you know it is killing me to wear this hat.

GRIFFIN: I know everything that is killing you, the best part, the hair dye, the hat. It's the fortune. It's knowing that you don't know when it will come out. All of it is killing you.

COOPER: You are right.

GRIFFIN: You thought tori spelling had a rough year.

COOPER: That's true. Take a look at some of the scenes. Don't know if we have control of cameras, scenes in Times Square. Give you a sense of the scope of this, hundreds of thousands of people here, the excitement, certainly building. As we are 10 minutes away from the, the drop of the ball, the crowds really are huge.

GRIFFIN: I like to discuss, what do you think they do after this?

COOPER: That's interesting. At 12:15, we will still be on the air. This place clears out. From like 12:15 to 12:30, the place empties out when we leave at 12:30. It is basically empty.

GRIFFIN: Probably with your new besty, Taylor Swift. You are really -- up her swift.

COOPER: What?

GRIFFIN: You are into Taylor Swift. She can do no wrong.

COOPER: A lot of these people. Particularly ones so close to where the ball drops, a lot of people can't see the ball drop. A lot of New Yorkers don't come to this. A lot of people from out of town.

GRIFFIN: Swedes love it. Half the time they go in the audience. Where are you from?

COOPER: We haven't heard from any swedes tonight.

GRIFFIN: We heard from Houstonians. Closer Sweden than we are. You are right, foreigners love it. It is a treat. Taylor Swift is out of here. Just so you know. Watching until Taylor Swift is gone. She was wearing hot pants. Do you have hot pants?

COOPER: I don't.

GRIFFIN: I do.

COOPER: That does not surprise me.

GRIFFIN: Sometimes I roller skate in my mansion.

COOPER: Is that true?

GRIFFIN: Yes.

COOPER: I didn't know that. Let's take. Is Michaela down in the crowd? Just, seeing some people?

GRIFFIN: Swedes, any swedes?

COOPER: Let's take a look. Take a look at the scene at Key West. Just a scene --

GRIFFIN: How is Sushi?

COOPER: Let's see. Take a look at a live shot there in Key West. They're getting ready. Sushi addressing the crowd there, tens of thousands of people who --

GRIFFIN: Does Sushi have to narrate the entire way down? That's a lot of work.

COOPER: I don't know. I have never been there for the drop.

GRIFFIN: But we feel connected to Sushi.

COOPER: We do because every year we played it. A CNN tradition. Not sure how it began as a tradition.

GRIFFIN: I don't either.

COOPER: The crowd --

GRIFFIN: Is that --

COOPER: That's a bar. I believe, that's a bar. That's the crab drop. Easton, Maryland. Take place also at the stroke of midnight. This enormous crowd the crab is important to the local economy for fishermen there.

GRIFFIN: When they play the club. Crowds are very important. That is a commercial for next year.

COOPER: We are also going to show you the scene, obviously, later on. We are going to have the fleur-de-lis drop in New Orleans.

GRIFFIN: I love a good fleur-de-lis. What isn't dropping? That's the theme here this year at CNN.

COOPER: Places around the country have drops.

GRIFFIN: I just want to be honest.

COOPER: The scene in Memphis, Tennessee. Really?

GRIFFIN: Until this. When I was watching news broadcast in Chicago, as a little girl. I didn't know that people were very into dropping things.

COOPER: Did they not drop something in Chicago?

GRIFFIN: Not that I recall.

COOPER: They must have.

GRIFFIN: What does that mean they must have?

COOPER: I'm sure they did. The mayor of New York, Bill De Blasio and his family have actually just come out on the stage and it's tradition here, the mayor and invited guests are the one whose actually begin the ball drop.

GRIFFIN: Don't drop the mayor.

COOPER: The mayor is doing it with some representatives from the International Rescue Committee.

GRIFFIN: Don't drop. Just let them stand.

COOPER: OK.

GRIFFIN: lease, please.

COOPER: And just the scene. The number of people here is the, when you consider. The people who are in positions you are looking there on the left side of our screen. They have not been able to leave those spots for 12 hours. More than 12 hours. They don't eat. They don't drink. They don't go to the bathroom. They're here.

GRIFFIN: How is your catheter holding up? Mine is secure, thank goodness, by the way, big sponsor of the broadcast.

COOPER: I don't know who you are talking about. I don't know what that is.

GRIFFIN: I hope you are not ant anti-catheter. That crowd will come at you hard.

COOPER: A lot of people have been standing here for hours, and hours and really enjoying it.

GRIFFIN: You have to admit, a drink-free zone. That's unusual on New Year's to be with people not drinking. Are they chatting?

COOPER: People, what's nice about this. There really is this community feel. People really do talk to one another. They have spent hours, you know, pressed up against each other.

GRIFFIN: Also watching Richard Quest, twirl, dance like a ballerina. Don't know if they saw that. At one point, Richard was twirling.

COOPER: Let's listen in to O.A.R. playing "Imagine."

(OAR SINGING JOHN LENNON'S "IMAGINE")

COOPER: We are 2 minutes away from the stroke of midnight. That was O.A.R. singing John Lennon's "Imagine."

GRIFFIN: Can we talk about the two chicks almost making out. The cameraman got the two girls. What's up? COOPER: We have Bill De Blasio and his family, they pushed down the ball. The ball will begin its drop. It will take 60 seconds for the ball to fall all the way. And it has begun its drop. Let's listen in to the sights and sounds of Times Square.

GRIFFIN: It sounds like a cowbell.

(CROWD CHEERING)