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CNN Live Event/Special
Coverage of the New Year's Eve Countdown in Time Square. Aired 8-9p ET
Aired December 31, 2015 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[20:00:14] WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: I'm Wolf Blitzer "the SITUATION ROOM."
We're following a developing story that's happening now in Times Square. In a hotel room in Times Square where Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper, they are deep into their preparations for another extraordinary evening.
To our viewers around the country, indeed, around the world, you need to see this. It's exclusive to CNN and the stakes couldn't be higher. New Year's Eve, live with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin starts right now.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Wolf, thank you very much.
KATHY GRIFFIN, CNN HOST: Thank you, Wolf.
COOPER: We welcome everybody to Times Square, New Year's Eve. Exciting night.
GRIFFIN: With Kathy Griffin.
COOPER: I've been unable to get Kathy out of the hotel room where we spent the day.
GRIFFIN: OK, first of all, America and Norway, he just asked what hotel this is. He doesn't --
COOPER: It's in Times Square. Lovely hotel.
GRIFFIN: Although, I'm on the cover of "Ad Week". And I'm available for endorsement.
COOPER: How did you get on the cover of "Ad Week?"
GRIFFIN: Because they actually want to do a story about know how I can be this famous and not have endorsements. And I'm not even kidding.
COOPER: Wow.
GRIFFIN: Happy New Year. (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE). COOPER: We're on for the next four-and-a-half hours. So I have been
trying to get Kathy to come outside. She's worried it is too cold. But it is actually quite balmy outside. The crowd have assembled --.
GRIFFIN: Climate change is a hoax. It's real. I'm kidding.
COOPER: The crows has assembled in Times Square.
GRIFFIN: You just spoke to my mom on the phone.
COOPER: I just spoke to Maggie. That's true.
GRIFFIN: Maggie Griffin is 95 and still going strong.
COOPER: She wasn't sure what channel CNN was on.
GRIFFIN: But she loved calling you Jake Tapper. She was like give Jake a big hug. And I said I would. You know, she is 95.
COOPER: So, there is - expected as many as -- I'm already nervous. I'm sweating.
GRIFFIN: OK. I have one question and then we'll get to the jokes.
COOPER: OK.
GRIFFIN: How far is your sexual relationship with Caitlyn Jenner gone? Like is it first base?
COOPER: I don't even know what that means. I don't know what you're saying.
GRIFFIN: That's how we start a show.
COOPER: The crowds are assembled outside, about 1 million --
GRIFFIN: Would you cuddle with Caitlyn Jenner? I think you're being transphobic.
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: About a million people expected to be out in Times Square tonight. Security is incredibly tight.
GRIFFIN: Would you have killed for the "Vanity Fair" though?
COOPER: I've been on the cover of "Vanity Fair." I'm just saying.
GRIFFIN: That's transphobic.
COOPER: I don't know what - I don't know what to say.
GRIFFIN: It is a new word.
COOPER: I know.
GRIFFIN: You don't think Caitlyn looks a little bit like Jessica Link.
COOPER: I'm very happy for Caitlyn Jenner.
GRIFFIN: That was very cautious.
By the way, this is how much we prepped.
COOPER: This is how it's going to start.
GRIFFIN: Fighting girl-- what's her name?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Janet.
GRIFFIN: Janet.
COOPER: OK. This is how what it's like working with Kathy. Kathy had -- Janet's entire job is to walk around with this special -- what is this light called?
GRIFFIN: It is called (INAUDIBLE) lighting plot.
COOPER: A lighting plot?
Beth meddler, chief, we all have one.
GRIFFIN: Yes. (INAUDIBLE) has when Barbara Walters has one. Cheryl has. And we all have one.
COOPER: So, I'm going to look like I'm going --
GRIFFIN: You're going to look like a dumb model.
COOPER: You're going --
GRIFFIN: And that is a reference --
COOPER: I got it.
GRIFFIN: Only for you and my mom.
Anyway, Janet, honey, you took the barn door off. It was like a hair commercial, I think. I can do a hair campaign, really. Anyway, barn door is part of the life that makes it go down. It's like your emotions.
COOPER: OK. So this is not -- absolutely true, seconds before we went on, Kathy kept yelling open up the barn door, open up the barn door. I thought she was talking to me. I didn't know what she meant.
GRIFFIN: His barn door has been open a little bit too much lately. Close the barn door. OK? And don't be transphobic. Anyway, get my lighting --
COOPER: So everywhere we go tonight, she's going to be --
COOPER: What's her name, Jessica? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Janet.
COOPER: Janet.
GRIFFIN: Honey, I didn't ask.
COOPER: You're awful. Awful.
GRIFFIN: I need you to follow me and ignore this one. So lighting is like this the whole time.
COOPER: I was outside earlier today because I needed to, you know, make sure everything was all set up for you and I was doing a hit and -- for television. And so, there is a lot of people excited here.
GRIFFIN: So would you kiss Caitlyn Jenner open mouth?
COOPER: The truth is we have no preparation. I got a text --
GRIFFIN: He knew I was going to ask all about Caitlyn Jenner.
COOPER: Ryan Seacrest is preparing for days.
GRIFFIN: Months. I have dinner with Ryan Seacrest last night.
COOPER: Those folks at NBC have been preparing for weeks --
GRIFFIN: And what did you do last night?
COOPER: I was stuck in an airport. I was in the Denver airport, which was lovely, which is one of my favorite airports.
GRIFFIN: By the way, what are you the spokesperson for the Denver airport? You were tweeting all day, dear at Denver airport, I love you. I love Denver.
COOPER: I was stuck for five hours. I didn't have anything else to do. And everyone was very nice.
GRIFFIN: I was at dinner with Ryan Seacrest. And we threw you under the bus hard.
COOPER: Really?
GRIFFIN: Yes.
COOPER: You had dinner with Ryan Seacrest last night.
GRIFFIN: The slept with the enemy. I had sex with Ryan Seacrest last night.
COOPER: You did not.
GRIFFIN: Yes, I did.
COOPER: You did not. GRIFFIN: Sure did. I'm on the cover of "Ad Week".
COOPER: How was dinner with Ryan Seacrest?
GRIFFIN: Ryan is sore. He's still sore.
[20:05:03] COOPER: Why? Because he is angry? What does he angry about? Is he angry about?
GRIFFIN: No, he's sore from --
COOPER: He's angry, that's what you mean by sore.
GRIFFIN: He wasn't angry at all. He was smiling up a storm.
COOPER: I heard he paid the check.
GRIFFIN: No. I picked up the tab like always because he's cheap. Now, he has a fragrance line. Do you have fragrant line?
COOPER: Ryan Seacrest has a fragrance line?
GRIFFIN: Yes, called Demon and it is going to be at Macy's.
COOPER: It's not called demon.
(LAUGHTER)
GRIFFIN: Oprah? He might call it Oprah because he's so scared of her. When is the last time you seen her? You're scared of her, right?
COOPER: I haven't seen Oprah in years. I mean, I watch.
GRIFFIN: You're in a fight with Oprah. Oprah, it's me, Kathy. I would like to apologize. I can't believe that Anderson said --
COOPER: I get lovely emails from Gail King, you know. She's lovely.
GRIFFIN: Well, that is her --.
COOPER: She is lovely.
GRIFFIN: Gail is her --
COOPER: Her good friend.
GRIFFIN: OK. We'll go with good friend. Anyway, Oprah, I apologize and Gail. I'm assuming they are cuddling together in a way -- don't nervously fidget.
COOPER: I literally am drenched in sweat already and we just began.
GRIFFIN: Vanderbilt. I miss your mother.
COOPER: My mother is good. She is watching. GRIFFIN: On the phone, when he called my mom, and that is (INAUDIBLE)
for me. Come on. Janet, up, up, up, let's go. How many times have you do this?
(LAUGHTER)
GRIFFIN: Anyway, remember when you would do shoots (INAUDIBLE) when you were four. Mommy, where are my short pants?
Anyway, so that's a better angle for me. And last night at dinner I just want you to know not only did I say some things about you that may or may not be true but Ryan Seacrest has totally changed and thinks you're a horrible person.
COOPER: Really?
GRIFFIN: Yes.
COOPER: That's too bad.
GRIFFIN: Well, that's after I banged the heck out of him.
COOPER: Why would you hit him?
GRIFFIN: He likes it during.
COOPER: All right.
GRIFFIN: It's the 8:00 hour. No one is watching. I mean, honestly, where is Tom Foreman for the year end round up? I mean -
(LAUGHTER)
GRIFFIN: Hi, it's me Poppy Harlow.
COOPER: Come on.
GRIFFIN: That was awesome. You know I love me some Poppy. Why are you putting a pregnant woman on the air? It was a greatest hitch. She's like, it's me Poppy Harlow and then you guys make her go back on the air and she's like pregers and fainting.
COOPER: She's incredible.
GRIFFIN: She's like I'm fine.
COOPER: Poppy is incredibly hard working and great.
GRIFFIN: But what's her birth name? Because that's her stripper name. Now I'm transphobic.
COOPER: That's her real birth name.
GRIFFIN: I heard you're a birther now. How are things at the campaign headquarters?
COOPER: What campaign headquarters.
GRIFFIN: Aren't you heading up the Donald Trump for president make America great again campaign headquarters?
COOPER: No, I'm just a reporter.
GRIFFIN: Who are you going to vote for?
COOPER: You know, I don't -- I'm not sure.
GRIFFIN: You're undecided. Well, Frank would love to talk to you. I can't stand the undecided. Make your mind up. Don't vote.
GRIFFIN: No. I think he's obviously bias and a Republican --
COOPER: Anyway.
GRIFFIN: Sorry. What are you going to do?
COOPER: I'm just fiddling because I'm nervous.
GRIFFIN: All right, fine. We're going to -- look, OK, here is -- hold on.
COOPER: So, by the way, we're not spending all four-and-a-half hours, as soon as Kathy is ready because she's in her pajamas, we're going to leave and we are going to make out way down to Times Square.
GRIFFIN: Follow me. Whatever your name is. I have to put something on the door. I'll be right back.
COOPER: OK.
GRIFFIN: OK. This is going to be great. Right here. Right here, thanks.
COOPER: All right. We got to go. We got to go to Times Square.
GRIFFIN: Yes. We do.
Well, we're going to stay here for a minute and then we are going to go to something called a patio and then Times Square.
COOPER: OK.
GRIFFIN: Before you try to rush us not a long.
COOPER: You know, the clock is ticking. People want to see us outside. People want to see us outside. I want to see you outside.
GRIFFIN: Caitlyn Jenner, Anderson would like a tweet from you. He said you spent the night with him and left.
COOPER: We're counting down in New York to Times Square. We are actually going to be on until 12:30. We'll bring you --
GRIFFIN: We have Adele, after the break we have Adele singing her smash hit singing "hello".
COOPER: We don't have Adele.
GRIFFIN: in which actually Richard Quest is down in Rio --
GRIFFIN: With one direction. Richard Quest is with One Direction live singing "you are so beautiful, you are beautiful to me." Their hit song.
COOPER: And they are ringing in the New Year. At the top of the hour, we are going to join Richard in just a second.
GRIFFIN: With Salina Gomez live. That would be great.
COOPER: No, we don't. What else? We'll take a look at ringing the New Year in Australia in SYDNEY in 2015.
GRIFFIN: With Nicole Kidman and Hue Jackson and the president -
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:13:01] GRIFFIN: This is temporary and it shows how fantastic you are. All right. Open. Open.
COOPER: You got to be kidding me. Oh my God. What have you done? I can't --
GRIFFIN: I dyed your hair.
(LAUGHTER)
GRIFFIN: I dyed your hair red and blue. And I decided if you argue, if you don't love America. My hair --. This is it. Every year, I tried to pick us. I dyed of hair red, white and blue.
COOPER: How am I going to get this out?
GRIFFIN: I don't know.
COOPER: Look down at your light. Your light is following you are.
GRIFFIN: I'm sorry.
COOPER: That was last year after -- I think that was right before the stroke of midnight.
GRIFFIN: But that was the stroke of genius because, honestly, you did not know I was going to do that.
COOPER: I have no idea you are going to do that.
GRIFFIN: That was a real moment.
COOPER: It absolutely was a real moment. I have no -- this is all honesty and you can tell because we -- there is no preparation. Kathy has been preparing for weeks. GRIFFIN: You never thought of that. I've been preparing for months.
I mean, all year. June and July I wake up at 4:00 in the morning.
COOPER: You've been preparing since you were fired last year.
GRIFFIN: Since I was born. Yes. I was fired last year technically. Yes.
COOPER: So I basically show up and --
GRIFFIN: Hope for the best.
COOPER: I just hope for the best. I just wing it.
GRIFFIN: All right.
COOPER: So we are going to get -- you got to change very quickly.
GRIFFIN: OK. But I also have a surprise for you.
COOPER: OK.
GRIFFIN: OK. You have to stay right here.
COOPER: OK.
GRIFFIN: And trust me.
COOPER: OK. I never like it when you say trust me.
GRIFFIN: Come in. Hi, come on in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi.
GRIFFIN: Hi. Go sit next to Anderson.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi.
COOPER: Hey.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It said knock if you want to meet Anderson Cooper.
GRIFFIN: I put a sign outside.
COOPER: Are you serious?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can I sit down?
GRIFFIN: YES. Sit down right here.
COOPER: Hi, how is it going?
GRIFFIN: No, sit right here. Can you take your lob off and share it with her.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Should I take my shoes off?
GRIFFIN: Yes. Whatever you want.
All right. So this is Nina. And Nina, what did you think when you saw the sign?
COOPER: This is, by the way, how high-end we are. I thought you were a celebrity and I just didn't recognize you and I was like --
[20:15:02] GRIFFIN: Well, face the camera.
COOPER: Hi, Nina, where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm from New York.
COOPER: Are you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
GRIFFIN: Why did you want to meet Anderson Cooper and what did you think when you saw the sign outside his hotel door?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love Anderson Cooper.
GRIFFIN: Did you know he has that sign outside every hotel room?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
GRIFFIN: What do you want to ask him?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What did I want to ask him?
COOPER: Are you staying at the hotel?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am.
GRIFFIN: Do you know what hotel it is?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, the New York (INAUDIBLE).
COOPER: I didn't know.
So where are you from? Do you live in New York?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do live in New York.
COOPER: So you live in New York but came to this hotel to party.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On Times Square.
COOPER: See? It's the place to be.
GRIFFIN: Is there a theme to your party like an office party or what?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. It is the New York (INAUDIBLE) Time Square party. GRIFFIN: All right. I think we should take a selfie. Do you have
your phone on you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
GRIFFIN: They probably told you not to bring it.
COOPER: Ann has my phone.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love selfies.
COOPER: I will send that to you. And then we got to go because we got to get -- have you been outside? It's crazy outside.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I know. I know.
COOPER: It's a lot of fun.
GRIFFIN: So will you tweet this and then you'll have the photo.
COOPER: This will be great for people at home. Here we go. I'll take three of them. Cool. So nice to meet you. Thanks for coming.
GRIFFIN: Have a great time to your party.
COOPER: Let's go down to Richard Quest standing by live right now in Rio De Janeiro where they are going to ring in the New Year at the top of the hour.
Richard, how is it going?
GRIFFIN: I love Richard. Hello, Richard.
Thank you, Nina.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Good evening to you. I don't know how cold it is where you are but it is a balmy, 80, 85 degrees and is quarter past 11 at night. And I got the tough assignment. I'm in Copa Cabana beach in Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil is getting ready for 2016 which is going to be a big year. The Olympics, of course, take place in August. And so, on New Year, everybody wears white, while nearly everybody wears white on New Year's Eve.
COOPER: Richard, was somebody just --
QUEST: A tire --
COOPER: Richard was somebody porky pigging it, walking by? Porky pig just walked around with just a top and no bottom. You know porky pigging?
GRIFFIN: No. What is that?
COOPER: Porky Pig walk around with just a top with no bottom. I though I just saw somebody --.
GRIFFIN: No clothes at all?
COOPER: No. Just on bottom half no clothes.
QUEST: Absolutely.
Listen. Anderson, Kathy, the key thing is not what you're wearing on top but what you're wearing underneath. What is the color of your underwear tonight? Because in Brazil, as you know, Anderson, the tradition is if your underwear is white, you're looking for peace and harmony. If your underwear tonight is red, you're looking for passion and if your underwear is yellow, you want money. So Kathy, what color is your underwear tonight?
COOPER: What color is yours?
QUEST: Assuming you're wearing any.
COOPER: She doesn't have an ear piece. So I'm telling her.
GRIFFIN: My underwear is lace and naughty, Questy.
COOPER: All right. I think that is more than we need to know.
QUEST: Be still my beating heart.
GRIFFIN: That's when I wear it.
(LAUGHTER)
COOPER: Richard, how did you get this assignment in Rio? I was just in Brazil about a week ago and I came back up here to do this. How did you get to go back down?
QUEST: And we found your underwear that you left behind, Anderson. We decided this is clearly the sort of thing that -- because after all, Anderson, real men wear (INAUDIBLE). Now, let me show you what's going to happen in about 45 minutes. In about 45 minutes --
COOPER: Go ahead, Richard.
QUEST: The bar -- I'm just ignoring you. The barges are going to be out there. There are six of them and 24 tons of fireworks will explode across Copa Cabana beach. It is going to be one of the biggest displays of fireworks that they have ever seen here in a place where they are used to seeing large firework displays.
COOPER: No doubt about that. Richard, it's going to be great and that's Richard wearing white, a lot of people wearing white there. It's one of the traditions there. They had a tough year, the economy --
GRIFFIN: Keep it light. Keep it light.
COOPER: They have had a tough year. GRIFFIN: Happy New Year.
COOPER: In Brazil.
GRIFFIN: Whatever you're doing Questy, keep doing it.
COOPER: We will check back in with Richard. We are going to see those fireworks. We got fireworks displays from over the country and all over the around the world because a number of countries had already have their displays. We are going to be heading down outside --
GRIFFIN: We'll go to a patio.
COOPER: Well, we will go to a patio first and then we will head down into the crowd.
GRIFFIN: There is a whore plan.
COOPER: More than a million people expect here in Times Square. Security incredibly tight. We will take you down to the crowd coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[20:23:28] GRIFFIN: First of all, all these people are plants. They are Ryan Seacrest moles and --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think?
GRIFFIN: I know he does. He bought Times Square.
COOPER: Why weren't we invited to his preshow party?
GRIFFIN: My God, it's so much fun there.
COOPER: He invited you? Did he send you a gift? He sent me a gift, which I though was like a dominant move.
GRIFFIN: But he sent me a gift and he begged me not to tell you he sent me a gift.
COOPER: He sent me a gift. And Carson daily sent me a gift.
GRIFFIN: I know.
COOPER: I thought it was a dominant move like showing --
GRIFFIN: Totally. Look, he is trying to hump our leg and it's not happening on our watch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: It happens every year and yet here we are back again live from New York's Marriot Marquee new outdoor terrace. It is an amazing vantage point looking over the crowd as many as a million people may be expected to be out on the streets tonight in New York. Kathy is about to join me now. She's -- I'm not exactly sure where she is. She's changing out of her PJs and she will join me here and there we are going to be down in the crowds in a couple minutes.
But there is a lot of excitement. I want to show you some of the images that we're seeing of all the people down out in the crowds. People have been gathering for more than 12 hours. And once you're here, you're here. You're really not allowed to leave the area. You're in. And so that means no bathroom breaks or anything. So there is a lot of people who are very excited, jumping around probably for a whole variety of reasons. Hey, how is it going? Nice to see you. Welcome.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to New York.
[20:25:00] COOPER: Thanks. Happy New Year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On behalf of the Marriott Marque we're presenting you with drinks.
COOPER: OK, cool. OK. That's nice. Thank you. Put this over here. All right. So. I don't really drink but have some champagne. Great. All right.
Let's take -- let's check in with Don Lemon and Brooke Baldwin standing by in New Orleans. Happy New Year, Don and Brooke.
DON LEMON, CNN HOST: Happy New Year, Anderson. How are you?
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: Happy New Year.
LEMON: You have champagne.
BALDWIN: Great. The night is young.
LEMON: I got a beer.
BALDWIN: Not only are we working some Louisiana, shall we show everyone to make them jealous of our -- is that good? Did you enjoy that?
LEMON: Mr. Cooper?
BALDWIN: Let's show them what we're about to eat. Take a look. As we turn. Where is our New Orleans crawfish king? Roll with us. We are going to roll down here.
LEMON: So Anderson, we're at -- we're right at --
BALDWIN: All right. Where is shaggy? Here we go. Check this out. Check this out. Shaggy, thank you. Shaggy with New Orleans crawfish king. Look at this. Look at this. Shrimp, crawfish, go, coming in hot, watch out, watch out. Watch out. That looks so good. And you are -- BALDWIN: My God, it is good.
BALDWIN: You got a little thing hanging out of your mouth, baby. There you go.
In the courtyard in his house party and amazing brass band you enjoy that, don't you? You're enjoying that very much. You're going to see a lot more of this. We got bands. (INAUDIBLE). We're going to bring in the New Year here with some. You're a Louisiana boy.
LEMON: As you can see, Brooke is going to carry the entire show because I'm going to be eating and drinking.
BALDWIN: This is awesome. This is awesome. Anderson?
COOPER: Let me (INAUDIBLE) in New Orleans but the party has really been going on here.
GRIFFIN: Are you kidding me? Forget about it.
COOPER: Did you just put -- are you still wearing your PJs?
GRIFFIN: Yes, I did a costume change. Did I miss the last hit? It was very Hillary Clinton of me. I forgot to tell you. Last night at dinner with Ryan Seacrest where he said everything we talk about is off the table. So now I'm just going to say it. He said he loved when you moderated the Republican debate.
COOPER: I moderated the Democratic.
GRIFFIN: You moderated the Democratic debate but he thought you did a great job moderating all of them outside and when I asked about the Republican field, I said name all the candidates and he said I can't. And I said name three Republican candidates and he said Donald Trump, Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton.
COOPER: I don't believe that. You're making that up.
Kathy performed at Carnagy hall just recently.
GRIFFIN: I showed out at Carnagy hall for the third time in my career.
COOPER: And I was working so I sadly couldn't be there.
GRIFFIN: Anderson ditched me. He had a better offer, apparently. And so, he did in a way host my party but I didn't find out about it.
COOPER: This is an after party you had.
GRIFFIN: You're darn right.
COOPER: And I agreed to host your after party but I couldn't be there.
GRIFFIN: No. But we had a clip of what happened. And this is what happens when Anderson Cooper hurts you. Let's go to the tape.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi. Carnagy hall, baby.
GRIFFIN: Thank you. What is this?
BASH: You're even more my Cher, by the way.
GRIFFIN: I love that. Trigger warning. Look, I don't mean to be rude but I can't hang out because Anderson is hosting my party.
BASH: The party.
GRIFFIN: Yes. And so, he is probably like setting up and he is probably doing the place settings and so I feel like he's been spending all day on it.
BASH: He probably has. We should go.
GRIFFIN: All right. Do you want to walk with me?
BASH: Yes. Let's go.
GRIFFIN: Cool.
GRIFFIN: What's going on?
BASH: My God. I have breaking news.
GRIFFIN: What?
BASH: Anderson is not coming. He is not coming.
GRIFFIN: Wait a minute. What are you talking about?
BASH: He is not going to be there.
GRIFFIN: I need to know --
BASH: He was called away on breaking news.
GRIFFIN: What are the sources?
BASH: I can't reveal my sources.
GRIFFIN: What do you mean you can't reveal your sources? You should go to jail. Are your sources the Pentagon?
BASH: No.
GRIFFIN: Are your sources inside the White House?
BASH: No. I'm telling you. I have very good authority that he is not going to be there.
GRIFFIN: I can't talk to you. The whole union is upset about this. I don't want to talk to the press right now. I don't believe you. I think Anderson is there. I don't know what you're talking about. Brooke Baldwin --
BALDWIN: Brook Baldwin, CNN. Great to see you. Can I please have your autograph?
GRIFFIN: You don't even have a pen.
BASH: Please tell me what your reaction is.
GRIFFIN: This has to be a rumor. I'm not talking to the press now. I don't believe you. Anderson will be there. None of you understand.
What's happening? Anderson, where are you? I have been chasing Anderson Cooper for years. And now, (INAUDIBLE). I got to go. Please watch us on the New Year's Eve
[20:30:00] CNN, thank you. I got to go. I just want some privacy. Anderson. Oh, hi. Anderson. Hi, everybody. He made it.
COOPER: How is it going? Good to see you. Of course, I remember you.
GRIFFIN: Anderson Cooper, your co-host for the party.
COOPER: Back then, of course I remember you. Back stage, sure. Having a fun time, Kathy, aren't you?
GRIFFIN: Having a great time.
They are so nice.
COOPER: I know how to throw a party.
Hey, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, if I can have your attention.
GRIFFIN: Here comes a toast.
COOPER: I just want to thank you all for being here and I want to welcome you to the party to celebrate our amazing friend Kathy Griffin. She did just an amazing job, so glad I could be here for this great party. So cheers, everybody.
GRIFFIN: Thank you, thank you.
COOPER: Great. Okay. I'm just going to go to the bathroom for a second.
GRIFFIN: But you'll be right back, right? Because. All right, Anderson is going to be back in a second but welcome, everybody.
Oh my gosh, hi, how are you? Lopez. George Lopez is here, ladies and gentlemen. George Lopez is here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: That's about as most fun I am at a party.
GRIFFIN: That is not different than if you're really there.
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: That's more entertaining than that. So --
GRIFFIN: Would you like --
COOPER: That's right.
GRIFFIN: Do you trust me?
COOPER: No, I don't trust you.
We're going to head down to Times Square.
GRIFFIN: (inaudible) strawberry allergy like that movie with Jeff Bridges and this was it. You just choke.
COOPER: What movie with Jeff Bridges was that?
GRIFFIN: "Fearless."
COOPER: Okay. All right.
GRIFFIN: Sorry.
COOPER: We'll head to Times Square and go down to the crowd. We'll monitor their celebrations there. We got a lot ahead. A lot of fun ahead.
GRIFFIN: Can I just read to you a text that I got from Cher on my way to Carnegie Hall? I'm very proud of this.
I was going to Carnegie Hall for my sold out performance, and I said, I want to text you, Cher, I think I need seminal moments in my life like this, and she wrote back, "I think of you as a little pink lacy tank. You're a talented b word that kicked the door open a little wider so the new chicks could click clack through. That's our job, sister. Now get down there and bring that house down to its knees. Cher." You met her, you know she talks like that.
COOPER: She does.
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: She's great. All the people in Times Square, we're going to join them in just a second. I want to toss it back to Brooke and Don in -- actually, New Orleans will do that. We'll take a short break first and we will see you shortly.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:37:00]
LEMON: Live now in New Orleans. This is -- are we on?
BALDWIN: Are we live on television?
LEMON: I don't know. But we're partying.
BALDWIN: We made a friend. Do you like that.
LEMON: This is about the worst thing CNN could do. They probably had no idea.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Look at this.
Thank you, Abita.
LEMON: A beer. Thank you, Abita.
BALDWIN: Check this out. Check this out. With crawfish, shrimp, crabs, all the fixings for a rocking crawfish boil to roll in the new year. Shaggy. Come on over. Come here, my friend. This is Shaggy, New Orleans crawfish king.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you? How is everyone out there? Happy new year.
BALDWIN: You're the reason why we'll be well-fed this evening.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good.
BALDWIN: What is it about tradition, crawfish down here in Louisiana?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is how we do it down here. My business, called the Crawfish King, we do off site catering, on site catering all around the city and nationwide. Crawfish are here early because we had some great weather.
BALDWIN: Never crayfish, crawfish.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Crawfish.
BALDWIN: We got it.
LEMON: I was just down here last week and we had crawfish. I was surprised at how big they are. This early, the season usually doesn't start for like a couple of months.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had such warm weather so, you know, they come out of ground early and we take advantage of that, you know.
LEMON: What about crabs? Are crabs in season?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Crabs, we do crabs all year round here. There is a certain time of year where they are a little lighter than normal.
LEMON: What is the secret? Because some people steam them, right, and just season them, and other people do the good old fashioned old school boiling, and you boil.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Down here in Louisiana we don't steam nothing. We boil it. And, you know, crawfish we boil, everything is boiled. You know, we do a lot of seasoning down here. Our trick and all the crawfish king's trick is we use a lot of citrus. We use oranges.
LEMON: It's all about the food and drink here and music. Who is that over there, Brooke?
BALDWIN: Let's just take a look and listen for a second. New Orleans Survivors.
(MUSIC)
BALDWIN: Where are you guys from?
LEMON: Why are you here? How did you end up in New Orleans?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My husband manages (inaudible) the band playing tonight.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: Where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Indiana.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Look at this. Can you twirl for me? Oh. This is New Orleans. This is New Orleans. Over here.
LEMON: Who do you want to talk to?
BALDWIN: You're from New Orleans.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I live in New Orleans.
BALDWIN: What is so special about New Orleans?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So hard to say. It's something, the combination of the spices, the humidity, the music, the culture, the people, all coming together in this one sort of magic.
BALDWIN: I call it Oz. I feel like New Orleans is Oz.
[20:40:00]
LEMON: Can I tell you something, the last time I was at Tipitina (ph) was college in the '90s.
BALDWIN: You remember that? LEMON: I went home with not very much clothing on. Because -- right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's happened.
LEMON: It happens, so it could happen tonight, and there is a hot tub right behind us.
BALDWIN: Five feet behind us. Don is like should I? Maybe.
LEMON: I brought a bathing suit. Did you bring yours?
BALDWIN: I'm sorry, you packed a bathing suit to go live on CNN?
LEMON: It's Louisiana in December. You could get up to 80. It was 83 degrees last week when I was home. So you can actually swim.
BALDWIN: So stay tuned for that, maybe.
LEMON: Yes.
So I think I'm going to get in the hot tub if you guys stick around, hopefully build the audience, because I don't think Anderson and Kathy are going to get in a hot tub in Times Square.
BALDWIN: I don't think they have a hot tub standing by in Times Square.
LEMON: If you think I should, tweet me @donlemon.
BALDWIN: You can tweet me if he shouldn't @brookebCNN.
LEMON: What do you think? So we're again, (inaudible) in New Orleans, uptown.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: We got a good assignment, but I actually think--
BALDWIN: I keep coming back.
LEMON: I think Richard Quest got a great assignment. He's in Rio.
BALDWIN: All about apparently the color of your underwear.
LEMON: I hate you, Richard.
BALDWIN: Richard Quest, all you, baby.
LEMON: All right. Well, we don't have Richard Quest. We're having fun here.
BALDWIN: Let's give it one more shot. Richard Quest, can you hear us down in Brazil? No?
QUEST: Can you hear me, guys?
LEMON: Oh, yes, yes, Richard! How goes it? Yes, we can hear you. It's like a cell phone commercial. Can you hear me now?
QUEST: Absolutely brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Here we are on the Rio de Janeiro beach. We're just about 20 minutes or so away from the fireworks which will absolutely illuminate the whole area. Where are you from? Where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're from Barcelona.
QUEST: You're from Barcelona. You're from --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm from Barcelona also.
QUEST: Barcelona. Anybody actually here from Rio?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From Rio, no.
(CROSSTALK)
QUEST: Barcelona, are you having fun?
CROWD: Yes.
QUEST: Now it is the anniversary, it's the anniversary, the 100th anniversary of the samba and they are celebrating that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love samba.
QUEST: Is that your best samba?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not.
QUEST: Keep drinking.
Over this side, hello. Basically, you have about 2 million people across two miles of beach. It goes -- hello. Going to get some translation over here. You speak English.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I do, sir.
QUEST: Where are you from, sir?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm from Switzerland but I live in--
QUEST: You're from Switzerland.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I'm English but I live in Switzerland.
QUEST: All right, so you're a tax exile in Switzerland.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly.
QUEST: You're avoiding paying taxes. Right. Your first time here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First time here in Rio, yes.
QUEST: What do you think? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's fantastic.
QUEST: Is it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.
QUEST: Remember, Rio, what are you doing?
(CROSSTALK)
QUEST: Take a picture. Go on, take a picture.
All right. Let me tell you what is going to happen in about 20 minutes from now. In about 20 minutes over there, you're going to see the fireworks, going to see the fireworks -- hello. Aw, look at this.
This is what you call Rio and Brazil. In 25 minutes time, come on, Anderson and Kathy will be with us on the other side of this break. Come on, Rio, cheer.
[ CHEERS ]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:48:00]
COOPER: So welcome back. You heard from Rio, you heard from New Orleans.
GRIFFIN: There are a lot of people here tonight.
COOPER: There are a ton of people here. We're now making our way from the Marriott Marquis to the position -- sure, wait. Hold on. The camera is off you for a second. Hold on. Don't get in the shot.
(CROSSTALK)
CROWD: We love you, Kathy.
COOPER: Not appropriate. All right. Oh, goodness. Kathy.
GRIFFIN: Take a picture.
COOPER: That's right. We don't need any pictures of this, actually. Do you want a mike?
GRIFFIN: Hi, how are you? Want to meet Anderson Cooper?
COOPER: There is children here, Kathy.
GRIFFIN: It's me, Kathy Griffin.
COOPER: Okay, let's -- let's -- all right, Kathy.
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: Watch your step. All right. All right.
My thoughts, exactly.
Do you want your coat back? Do you want your coat back, please. Do you want your coat?
GRIFFIN: Not yet.
COOPER: Not yet? All right. Are we going up here? All right. Let's go up here. All right. Yes.
GRIFFIN: I don't want anyone to notice us.
COOPER: I know. Yes. All right. So as you can see, as you can see, there are hundreds of thousands of people here in Times Square tonight.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Step away.
COOPER: Okay. Well.
GRIFFIN: You're too close.
COOPER: That's all right. Look, yes, yes. So where are you from?
[20:50:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm from Fairfax County right outside of D.C., Northern Virginia.
GRIFFIN: I have a show coming up in Fairfax County.
COOPER: It's not time to plug. It's not time to plug.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will absolutely--
COOPER: How many times have you been here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is my fourth new years in Times Square, every other year.
COOPER: How long have you been standing here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got here in this spot right around 3:00, but we got downtown here in Times Square around 1:00.
COOPER: Where are y'all from?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Texas.
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: Have you ever been here before?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not in -- we've been in New York, but we haven't done this before. (CROSSTALK)
COOPER: We'll take a short break. She's going to put some clothes on. We'll be right --
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: No, no, we'll be right back. See you later, bye bye. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Gary Tuchman at the sweetest place in the world, Hershey, Pennsylvania. They call it chocolate town, and I have the great honor of working with my daughter, who is a reporter at one of our great CNN affiliates, WBOC in Salisbury, Maryland, Lindsey Tuchman.
LINDSEY TUCHMAN, WOBC: Hey, everybody.
G. TUCHMAN: Last year, Lindsey took my place in Eastern Maryland, the crab drop, (inaudible) overseas for a breaking news story. She was so good, she has been asked to work with me this year, and we're here for what great event?
L. TUCHMAN: It is the Hershey kiss raise, and yes, we're raising this giant kiss tonight. We're not dropping it. That makes it extra sweet.
G. TUCHMAN: Right. What we want to tell you is this Hershey kiss weighs 300 pounds, it is seven feet tall, with a wrapper on top that's 12 feet. And Lindsey, one thing everyone asks us is what is inside this 300-pound Hershey kiss?
[20:55:00]
L. TUCHMAN: That was my first question, is there chocolate inside? And unfortunately, there is not. But I don't think you would want to eat 300 pounds of chocolate to start the new year.
G. TUCHMAN: Right, so this is steel. But instead of the drop in Times Square and we see all over the country in other events, this is going to be raised to the top of this building here in downtown Hershey, Pennsylvania. Population 14,000. But there are expected to be 10,000 people here, almost the entire population of Hershey in the streets, because there are concerts, there are activities, and then at the stroke of midnight, the raising of the Hershey kiss for a sweet 2016, and we'll be here all night having fun in balmy Hershey, Pennsylvania, where it's about 40 degrees, which is really warm for Hershey.
Anderson, Kathy, one other thing I wanted to mention, very important. This is a total coincidence, but we found out after we planned to come to Hershey, that Kathy Griffin will be performing here in February, and the people of Hershey cannot wait to see her right across the street at the Hershey theater. Anderson, Kathy? COOPER: Gary, now you're plugging for Kathy Griffin? Everybody is
plugging for Kathy Griffin. It's great to have you guys with us. We'll check in with you throughout tonight. Kathy is getting some clothes on.
GRIFFIN: Not a lot.
COOPER: Not a lot.
GRIFFIN: I will be at Hershey, Pennsylvania. Come see me.
COOPER: Gary Tuchman just plugged that.
GRIFFIN: I love Gary Tuchman. I (inaudible) appreciate it.
COOPER: We're about three hours away from the stroke of midnight here in New York City. I thought you were going to put some clothes on. You got a rocking bod, I got to say.
GRIFFIN: Maybe David Gergen will call.
COOPER: Maybe so. We are on a platform right now, one of the most exciting places in the world, counting down to the final hours of 2015. We want you to share your party pictures with us, even if you're not partying, you are just at home with your pets, your kids, whatever it is, your loved one, send us a picture, send it on twitter using #CNNnye.
GRIFFIN: We're trending.
COOPER: I don't know about that.
GRIFFIN: We are, I swear.
COOPER: You can also go to CNN.com/nye to see the photos and New Year's highlights from around the world. New years in Rio is just about to get under way. I want to toss to our Richard Quest, who somehow got the amazing assignment to be in Rio.
GRIFFIN: I always want to talk with Richard Quest.
COOPER: Richard, we're just minutes away from the fireworks there, right?
(CROSSTALK)
QUEST: -- it seems only appropriate to wear something suitable here in Rio from carnival as we head towards, let's go down towards the beach. We are just moments away from new year. The drinks are already here. Hello. Where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm from Brazil. From Rio, yes.
QUEST: You're from Brazil.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes. QUEST: Nearly time for the new year. Have you made a new years
resolution wish? Anything for the new year?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Many things for --
QUEST: Many things for the new year. On we go towards the beach. Let me tell you what's going to happen. I have a nasty feeling wearing this I'm making a Youtube moment for myself that I'm going to regret. In just a matter of seconds, 2016 will arrive in Rio. As it arrives in Rio, tons of fireworks will go off from six barges across the bay and out to the sea. There are eight crew ships out there. 2016, a crucial year for Brazil, racked by economic problems, deep political crisis, but none of that matters tonight. Because today they look forward to hosting the Olympics, and once the new year has arrived, people will then make their way to the water where they will throw flowers into the water as they give themselves wishes for the new year. New year in Rio de Janeiro. It's literally just seconds away. Let's enjoy the moment in peace.
One minute to go. Counting down. One minute to go as New York watches, the world watches and Rio prepares.
COOPER: So Richard is in Copa Cabana. If you're just joining us, nearing the top of the hour here, we're just about 30 seconds away from the top of the hour where a fireworks display is just about to take off, off the beach in Copa Cabana in Rio de Janeiro. You see most people dressed in white.
(CROSSTALK)
GRIFFIN: I saw Barry Manilow last weekend. He wrote Copa Cabana.
COOPER: Did he really?
GRIFFIN: I think Barry Manilow has more (inaudible), what do you think?
COOPER: I think Barry Manilow (inaudible).
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: He wrote an incredible song. We're just seconds away now from the fireworks display in Rio. Let's go there live, actually, just try to take the sound
