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CNN Live Event/Special
Countdown To 2017 with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin. Aired 8-9p ET
Aired December 31, 2016 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[20:00:00] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE SPEAKER: Sanjay, Anderson's trying to get in touch with you.
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Who?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE SPEAKER: Anderson.
GUPTA: Cooper?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE SPEAKER: Yeah.
GUPTA: (BLEEP) Just trying to get away for a little bit. Needed to get away, meditate. You know, that kind of thing. Went to the other side of the world, literally, just to get away.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE SPEAKER: Actually, we're on right now.
GUPTA: We're on right now?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE SPEAKER: Yeah.
GUPTA: Oh. Hey, Anderson, buddy, how are you doing? Kathy. Just kidding, guys. Happy New Year!
ANNOUNCER: Live from New York City, it's New Year's Eve with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin. We're live across America. Richard Quest, high above Times Square. Nischelle Turner, star struck in Music City. Randi Kaye somewhere in the Caribbean. Gary and Lindsay Tuchman, partying poolside in Miami. Lynn Smith toasting lone star style. And Don Lemon and Brooke Baldwin all jazzed up in the heart of New Orleans. And now your hosts, still going strong after 10 years, Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin.
KATHY GRIFFIN, HOST: Hey, everybody. It's me, Kathy Griffin, here with Anderson Cooper, who's very busy reading an excellent new book. Is that the bible?
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST: I can't believe you wrote this stuff. GRIFFIN: Yeah, I did. I wrote things in my book that are revealing, some of them about you.
COOPER: My attorneys are going to be calling you. Good evening, everyone. Welcome. We are at the R lounge in the Renaissance Hotel at Times Square right now for a, kind of, pre-party party. We're going to be spending about a little bit of time here and then we're going to walk over --
GRIFFIN: Yeah, we're in the room 20s right now.
COOPER: It is. It's a Gatsby-themed party here at the Renaissance.
GRIFFIN: 23 skidoo. And I didn't mean to swear. I'm actually -- as if I was skiing with Jay Gatsby. By the way, clearly you kind of think you're Jay Gatsby.
COOPER: Well, I decided to wear a tie because I thought it was a party. But you know what's sad, it's actually the tie that I moderated one of the debates with, because I'm very short on ties.
GRIFFIN: I do not see it. But it was weird when you left --
COOPER: You've been on tour all year round, pretty much.
GRIFFIN: It was weird when you left with Barron in his limo. Like I don't know if he's home schooling or if you're trying to get a job with him or he's a cabinet member now.
COOPER: That didn't happen. Good evening everybody. It is our 10th anniversary year. They said it wouldn't last.
GRIFFIN: It did, though. It did.
COOPER: Multiple teams of management at CNN said it would not last.
GRIFFIN: I've been fired by like four heads of CNN. And somehow they still kept you.
COOPER: The good thing in TV is, as you know as well as I do is that, the more you stick around, management changes. And so management --
GRIFFIN: But we stayed.
COOPER: And management forgets what happened the year before.
GRIFFIN: That's right.
COOPER: Right. And they don't talk to the old management. So they don't call up and say --
GRIFFIN: They're all fighting. So no one said, for God's sake, don't let Kathy Griffin anywhere near that place, just keep her on Spike where she belongs. By the way, what are your favorite shows on Spike?
COOPER: Well, let me tell you. There's the --
GRIFFIN: Wow.
COOPER: Yeah. Spike. I'm not familiar.
GRIFFIN: At least say that --
COOPER: Oh wait, is Spike the one that had the UFC reality show of like a bunch of UFC fighters living in a house? Which is sort of my dream.
(CROSSTALK)
GRIFFIN: Who are sensitive. They have feelings. I know. And also they have a, you know, lot of ink competition shows.
COOPER: I -- Which I'm obsessed also with tattoos.
GRIFFIN: You have -- by the way, does everyone know he's tatted? You've got sleeves all the way down, all the way.
COOPER: I think this is the year I'm going to get a tattoo. I've been talking about it for I think maybe all 10 years that we've been together.
GRIFFIN: And I assume you're going to get the barbed wire? Or what, the muscles that kind of (CROSSTALK)
COOPER: Chinese character.
GRIFFIN: It's more like a couple of pieces of the wire. Like maybe, like a, like a bread wrapper or something like that. It's all right. We get it.
COOPER: That is the danger with tattoos, that you get something that seems OK, say, in the early 90s like a barbed wire and then --
GRIFFIN: Where is the text? You've got to get a tattoo lift. That was very big in the 20s. I mean, they were really ahead of their time.
COOPER: It is a very exciting night here in New York. There are as many as a million people outside braving the cold temperatures. It's not that cold tonight.
GRIFFIN: Wait, are we still doing this?
COOPER: Well, it is -- that's what we do.
GRIFFIN: It's a million Asians. Just be honest. There's not one single New Yorker down there and you know it. It's a million Asians. We feel guilty. We apologize to the Asian community.
COOPER: It's a lot of people from out of town.
GRIFFIN: So, they go down there with (INAUDIBLE) bags in tens like (INAUDIBLE). And I'm --
COOPER: Wow. We're already going there? That's usually like an 11:50 when it's too late to yank you. And --
GRIFFIN: Oh, I have a whole plan. My plan this year is to be -- is to try to be fired by five tonight. That's it. Because, you know, I mean you guys fire me the next day. It's so predictable. I'm only visiting here. I'm out of here by 8:45.
COOPER: I'm contractually obligated, by the way, to hold Kathy's book for about three and a half hours (INAUDIBLE)
GRIFFIN: Until you read it, apparently.
COOPER: I've read, I've read it.
GRIFFIN: OK, what are your favorite parts?
COOPER: Well, Ryan -- basically, the book is, it's all Kathy's sort of incredible celebrity interactions, which she has incredible skills.
[20:05:02] GRIFFIN: Often.
COOPER: Often. All the time. But Ryan Cranston.
GRIFFIN: Bryan Cranston. Or as you call him, "Ryan". I'm sorry. Correction, it was Walter White. It was a show nobody watched. Anyway --
COOPER: It's my favorite show. But, and he's a lovely guy. I've -- he's one of the few celebrities in the book who I've met. Yes.
GRIFFIN: He's a very talented, amazing actor. Yes.
COOPER: When you saw him, though, what did you think?
GRIFFIN: When I saw him, I -- it was the season 1 of Breaking Bad and I was the only person who never saw it. And I knew him from Malcolm In The Middle. And I saw him at the Emmys where I was nominated. And I remember feeling bad for Bryan because, you know, he was losing his hair and he had like a weird hat on and I didn't know if I should hug him.
COOPER: You thought he was sick.
GRIFFIN: I thought he was ill and also had fallen on hard times and maybe was going to hit me up for money. And I was like, uh, Bryan, how much do you need? Like I can give you 100k, but I'm not going to give you 500. And then it turns out he played Walter Whitt or some famous character that people love. In the 20s, whatever he did would have been legal.
COOPER: I ran into him years ago, and the first time I ever met him and I, you know I don't have as many encounters with celebrities but I love --
GRIFFIN: B.S. number one.
COOPER: I love-
GRIFFIN: Drinking game, drinking game. B.S. statement number one. Anderson doesn't know any famous people. And I'm sorry. Hi, Angelina! Angelina Jolie's over here. She's actually Anderson's dresser. So she's just making sure his tie is perfect. He's good.
COOPER: Anyway, I loved Breaking Bad so --
GRIFFIN: Hi, Pax. I know you know Pax. I know you know Shiloh. Like I know you know every --
COOPER: I love that you know the names of her children?
GRIFFIN: As if you don't. Like you know you've been to their house a million times.
COOPER: I haven't.
GRIFFIN: And you know all the kids.
COOPER: I have interviewed her a couple times. But -- so I went up to Bryan Cranston and I said -- I went up to him and I normally I wouldn't approach a celebrity because I don't know what to say to them.
GRIFFIN: Oh, yeah.
COOPER: No, because I always feel like what they've --
GRIFFIN: He is shameless. I've been with him when he's like pushing me out of the way and I'm like a scar on my face. He's like oh, my god, it's Heidi and Spencer.
COOPER: So anyway, I did go up to Bryan Cranston. I did go up to - I did go to Bryan - what's happened to them, by the way?
GRIFFIN: As if you don't know.
COOPER: So I go up to Bryan Cranston and I said like, oh, you know, I normally don't talk to celebrities but, like you know - and I know I'm not -- I don't want to be that guy who's always like, you know, go in your face telling you how much I like you, but I really, really admire you. And I was that guy. And I got so nervous I just rambled on like I am right now.
GRIFFIN: And he said I love you, John King.
COOPER: Finally, his wife came over and did the whole like he's got to go.
GRIFFIN: Mrs. Cranston had to --
COOPER: Yes. Rescued him.
GRIFFIN: -- save him from --
COOPER: Yes, from my fandom.
GRIFFIN: -- Mr. Vanderbilt. You officially changed your name back, right? For the party?
COOPER: You do in the book refer to me as Vanderbilt quite a lot actually.
GRIFFIN: Because you're a Vanderbilt.
COOPER: Let's check in with my good friend Richard Quest, who is above Time Square --
GRIFFIN: My good friend.
COOPER: Your good friend as well. Richard Quest. Richard, happy New Year!
GRIFFIN: Richard!
COOPER: Richard? Hey, Richard!
RICHARD QUEST, CNN QUEST MEANS BUSINESS HOST: Yes. Good evening.
COOPER: Can you hear us?
QUEST: Good evening!
COOPER: It's Anderson and Kathy.
QUEST: I can hear you loud and clear from the other side of -- from the other side of Times Square. I am over here. I'm at the top of number 1 Times Square by the numbers 2017. So that puts me about 450 feet above Times Square itself. It's a terrific view. If you wave to me at some point, I should be able to see you.
COOPER: Richard, is Toshiba like a sponsor tonight or something? Because it seems like we're giving a lot of time --
GRIFFIN: Richard, do you - do you live in that Toshiba building?
QUEST: I am everywhere tonight. This is - this is truly phenomenal. We're starting -- we're starting off in good old-fashioned construction wear because we are at the top here. Over the course of the next four or five hours, you're going to gradually see things getting more grand. But come and have a look at my view. Come and have a look and see what I can see. These letters, by the way these numbers next to me --
GRIFFIN: Richard, I've often wished I could see what you see.
QUEST: -- are seven feet tall.
COOPER: Wow.
QUEST: And every now and again fireworks go off, which are truly terrifying.
COOPER: I'm hoping, Richard, that your outfit changes tonight throughout the course of the evening you are going to be each member of the village people at one time or another.
GRIFFIN: Or I.M. Pei or Richard Meyer. Is it Richard Meyer? Who's the architect?
COOPER: It is Richard Meyer.
QUEST: Hey, come on. I tell you what, Anderson, I will do the -- I will do the actions if you join me in them.
GRIFFIN: Richard, I will join you to the ends of the earth. You know this, and I've proven it. Also, I am worried about your safety because your brain must be protected because it's your essence. I mean, your body is fantastic. Your face is model-worthy, but it's your thoughts that we need, Richard.
COOPER: My I.P. is out. So you're going to have to run this show.
GRIFFIN: I'm happy to. Anderson says a lot of bad things about you off camera and his earpiece fell out. So I'll tell you later. Call me.
QUEST: I will.
GRIFFIN: Richard. Richard, I was kidding. Don't jump. Don't jump. Oh, great. Now, I've gone too far -
QUEST: It's too late.
GRIFFIN: The beloved Richard Quest.
[20:10:01] COOPER: He is beloved.
QUEST: This is - this is an event. This is an event for the first time they've allowed a network, which, of course, is CNN to come up here and actually be by the flag. Look, there's the flag by the numbers. By the fireworks. Terrifying. So bad they've had to harness me in. Now, you know a thing or two about a harness, Kathy.
GRIFFIN: Do I ever. I know a thing about your harness, buddy, and how to get out of it.
COOPER: Do you -- Richard, how much have you traveled this year?
GRIFFIN: By the way, do you know that that's what you do, you ignore what I say, which is I'm clearly trying to get in a harness with Richard and you get nervous.
COOPER: It makes me nervous.
GRIFFIN: And you go hey, how's the weather down there? Kathy's serious about the harness, let's move on. Go ahead with your boring question.
(CROSSTALK)
QUEST: 300,000 miles at least, Anderson.
COOPER: My I.P.'s out anyway.
GRIFFIN: He says 300,000 miles at least, Anderson.
COOPER: Oh, OK.
GRIFFIN: And I don't remember the question. Because that's a very long way to go, Richard. Richard, what is it like up there? Is it windy? Is it cold? Are you all right?
QUEST: It's not that cold tonight. I've got my thermal underwear on because I thought it was going to be much colder. But it is, it is a little bit breezy. And look, just showing you the view straight down. That's what it's like up here.
GRIFFIN: You know what, Richard? I'm not even going to go for that joke. But I could hear you say straight down all night long in your adorable "Oliver Twist" affectation. Because I know you're from Boise. I know it.
QUEST: We have only just begun.
GRIFFIN: Seriously.
COOPER: That is true.
GRIFFIN: I love him. And he means it. He really means it.
COOPER: It's going to be a bumpy ride. A long night. And I won't have an I.P. for most of it. so that's sounds (INAUDIBLE)
GRIFFIN: That is my dream. That doesn't happen.
COOPER: Do you think, this is why -- this is why Ryan Seacrest practices?
GRIFFIN: Look, she's had a big night tonight. She's got all kinds of big stars going over there. And, you know, it's a busy night. Does she still have that gig or not? (INAUDIBLE)
COOPER: Yeah. He does.
GRIFFIN: Wait. Did you just say - yes, one down. Several to go.
COOPER: All right, we're going to have to be talking to Richard throughout the evening. Also, Randi Cruise is on a cruise ship.
GRIFFIN: OK, Randi Kaye. It's not -- OK, wow. All right. Look, the intern is doing the best he can. Randi Kaye,
COOPER: I just flew in. I just landed. I'm jet-lagged.
GRIFFIN: Randi Kaye is on a cruise ship. And I have been on - I have worked many cruise ships. I have in fact, this is a fun fact. I have actually done nine gay cruises and one heterosexual cruise.
COOPER: Really?
GRIFFIN: Yes. And there's a difference. I'm not going to lie.
COOPER: You're like one of those, like Atlantis or RSVP or --
GRIFFIN: It's so weird how those rolled off your tongue. Yes, Atlantis and RSVP. And they are very wild. And the hetero cruises I'm not going to lie, they're a little on the boring side. But I love them all. All of the bunches, Randi Kaye, which is her name.
COOPER: I know. I love -- we're going to check in with Randi Kaye on the cruise ship, all our correspondents. We're going to show you New Year's Eve from around the world. We'll be right back at Kathy Griffin's New Year's Eve live with Anderson Cooper.
GRIFFIN: With Anderson without an earpiece.
RACHEL PLATTEN, SINGER: It's getting louder, louder every time I think about you, about you. I'll be better off without you, without you, I wish my heart would stop, wish my heart would stop beating me up, beating me up, beating me up. I wish my heart would stop, I wish my heart would stop, beating me up. How I let you get the best of me? How did my heart become my enemy?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[20:15:00] DAVE GROHL, AMERICAN SINGER: Kathy, Anderson, Happy New Year! Here's to a clean, fresh start 2017.
JOSH GROBAN, AMERICAN SINGER, SONGWRITER: Hey, Kathy And Anderson, it's Josh Groban. My party is all here. We are wasted, and we can't wait to watch you guys countdown to 2017. Wishing you and everybody watching a safe, healthy, prosperous 2017, and sending you guys lots of love.
KRISTIN CHENOWETH, ACTRESS AND SINGER: Happy New Year, Anderson Cooper And Kathy Griffin. It's Kristen Chenowith here. I'm on my way to the Oklahoma City Thunder game, as you can see by my bedazzled hat that I did myself. Anyway, I wish I was in New York with you guys, but I'm at one place better. That's Oklahoma. Happy New Year.
RON JEREMY, AMERICAN PORNOGRAPHIC ACTOR: Hi. I'm Ron Jeremy. Have a Happy New Year.
USC SONG GIRLS: Happy New Year, Anderson and Kathy. Congratulations on 10 bizarre years together. Fight on!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: All right.
GRIFFIN: Slow clap. Come on.
COOPER: I mean, Ron Jeremy?
GRIFFIN: I made some calls.
COOPER: Where -- how did? Where? How? What?
GRIFFIN: I know Ron. I had him over for thanksgiving. It's in my book. Ron Jeremy.
COOPER: And I love that he's in the sort of a darkened room somewhere.
GRIFFIN: Yes, and he plays the harmonica besides other things. And Kristin Chenowith sends her love from Oklahoma to some sporting event. And then David Grohl, who I was yelling at for the last two days. Every time I call him he'd go, I'm going to do it. I have to take the shower. .
COOPER: So you can just call Dave Grohl?
GRIFFIN: Yeah. I just called Dave Grohl and demanded he make it. And I go have your wife shoot you in the shower. And he's like, good idea. (INAUDIBLE) and just hang up. Thanks, David!
COOPER: Welcome back to Kathy Griffin's New Year's Eve live from Times Square.
GRIFFIN: With my special guest Anderson Cooper. But we have even more special guests, if I may. Incredibly talented other Kathy and Anderson. Maybe better than us.
COOPER: This was in case my flight got canceled, I didn't show?
GRIFFIN: Or in case I got canned.
COOPER: Hello.
GRIFFIN PUPPET: Hey.
COOPER PUPPET: Hello! Good evening! Happy New Year! Happy New Year, everybody.
GRIFFIN: They're very friendly.
COOPER PUPPET: I'm very life-like.
COOPER: You're very life-like.
GRIFFIN: Hi, Anderson.
COOPER PUPPET: I may be more life-like than you are.
COOPER: Well, you know what's sad, is you're actually wearing exactly what I'm wearing except for the tie. If I took my tie --
PUPPET COOPER: It was good that you called me before the broadcast.
COOPER: No, I'm just, I'm very predictable.
PUPPET COOPER: I just lost the tie. I'm sorry. I lost the tie in Times Square somewhere because I'm - frankly, I'm a little tipsy.
GRIFFIN: Oh, tipsy Anderson's here.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Not appropriate. Not appropriate.
PUPPET COOPER: Oh no, nothing is inappropriate tonight. I think it's the end of the year. We should just do whatever the heck we want to.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Wrong. I am politically correct, mild-mannered Kathy Griffin, in case that one does anything out of line. So I'm watching you.
PUPPET COOPER: Oh, well, getting out of the line--
COOPER: That's a relative term. I love what you're wearing, Kathy.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Oh, thank you. I got it from her closet.
PUPPET COOPER: You know, you look terrific as a puppet. You really do.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Thank you. I finally got my nose right.
PUPPET COOPER: Yup, and I can hardly see the stitches.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Oh thanks.
PUPPET COOPER: And it's just awesome. It's really awesome. How do I look?
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Oh, you look fantastic.
PUPPET COOPER: Well, thank you. I put an extra layer of Elmer's glue in my hair.
[20:20:02] PUPPET GRIFFIN: Yes.
PUPPET COOPER: It's not going anywhere.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: That's nice.
COOPER: It's awesome.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: It is!
COOPER: It's white.
GRIFFIN: I also very much appreciate that drunk Anderson is here and frankly Kathy Griffin's here.
PUPPET COOPER: Oh, yeah, absolutely. Well, you know, you know-we'd see, she's like, you're always giving in threat of being fired and stuff.
GRIFFIN: Sir, you're slurring, you're slurring your words.
PUPPET COOPER: Am I slurring? Well, you know, that's one of my resolutions this year, my New Year's resolutions.
GRIFFIN: Cut down on the sauce?
PUPPET COOPER: Yeah, I want to b -- I want to be the very first CNN anchor ever to go on camera sober. GRIFFIN: Oh, wow.
PUPPET COOPER: I'm working on it, I'm working on it. But I keep falling off the wagon. You know what I'm saying?
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Well, mine is to meet a good catholic boy, settle down and have a litter of children.
GRIFFIN: You got me down. That's me.
COOPER: Incredibly likely. Yeah.
PUPPET COOPER: Hey, by the way, why do I have this bug here? Why is it on my side of the screen? Can we get rid of that?
COOPER: Yeah, it's the bug on the screen.
PUPPET COOPER: Seriously. Like we don't know the time is passing anyway.
COOPER: It's the countdown bug.
PUPPET COOPER: Seriously?
COOPER: Yes.
GRIFFIN: We'll take care of that.
COOPER: We like, we like a countdown clock at CNN.
PUPPET COOPER: You don't mind if I just going to of lay here, do you?
GRIFFIN: Hi, babe. How are you?
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Inappropriate. Can you see this? Can you believe this?
PUPPET COOPER: I like this. I like this.
GRIFFIN: It's appalling.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: It is appalling, disgusting. Thank you, Anderson.
PUPPET COOPER: Oh, don't mess up my hair. Don't do that red, white and blue thing either. That was awful. That's one of my worst memories. So anyway.
GRIFFIN: Drunk Anderson's very fun.
PUPPET COOPER: Yeah, that's why I'm here.
COOPER: I love totally appropriate Kathy Griffin.
PUPPET COOPER: It's the end of the year. We just need to have fun. 2016 pretty much sucked.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: 2016 was the best year ever.
PUPPET COOPER: Oh, no. All those celebrity --
GRIFFIN: He passed out.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Puppet Anderson!
PUPPET COOPER: No, I'm kidding. I was - I was doing a celebrity death. That's what it was.
COOPER: Too soon.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Too soon.
GRIFFIN: I know. How many times have you passed out on the air?
COOPER: I don't think I've ever passed out.
GRIFFIN: Anderson?
PUPPET COOPER: I do it all the time. By the way, you don't - you don't mind if I go to the bathroom, do you?
GRIFFIN: Right here? Or anywhere you please.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Don't do it! Don't do it. Not appropriate!
PUPPET COOPER: I'm good, I'm good now.
GRIFFIN: Kathy, Kathy, since you're the professional one, would you please toss to the beautiful Randi Kaye?
COOPER: On a cruise ship.
PUPPET COOPER: Cleanup on aisle six.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Randi Kaye on a cruise ship. Hi, it's appropriate Kathy Griffin and friends. Hi, Randi.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANDERSON COOPER 360 REPORTER: I'm not -- Hi! I'm not sure if I should talk to you guys or your alter egos there. But I'll go with it. I'm working with it. We are on board the "Harmony of the Seas" somewhere, somewhere in the middle of the ocean, we are making our way towards the Caribbean. Sometime around midnight we're going to be off the coast of Cuba. So this is quite the party here. This is the largest passenger ship in the world. All right, there are 6,000 -- 6,000 passengers on board. 2,500 crew members. This is one area where the party's going to be started. This is -- this is called the boardwalk. And, but some of the folks here - some of the folks here -- wow. OK. OK. You can tell people are pretty excited. All right. So people come from all over the world. Where did you come from?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We came from New York.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ironically we're here from New York. KAYE: Oh my goodness, where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brazil.
KAYE: And why did you want to come on a cruise for here? Parents made you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah. Pretty much.
KAYE: Yeah, pretty much so. What are you going to do at midnight? Are you going to be awake?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah. Probably.
KAYE: Yeah? How about you, where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brazil also.
KAYE: Brazil also. Oh, my goodness. Who else is from Brazil?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Me!
KAYE: Really? Who else is from New York? No. OK. So why -- tell me - tell me why you want to go on a cruise for New Year's Eve.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, this is the first time on New Year's Eve, but I think it's our fourth cruise and it's really exciting.
KAYE: You feel the ship shaking a little bit?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, a little bit.
KAYE: See, I thought maybe it was the -- I had a little too much champagne already. But now I'm beginning to think maybe it wasn't -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's (INAUDIBLE) ship, right. It's (INAUDIBLE)
KAYE: All right. So the party is going to get started. These folks are getting through. Let me just get through here for one second and show folks what's going on here. This is part of the warm-up act right here. This is the aqua theater. They're going to do some acrobatics and high-flying aerials. That's going to be happening. And in the meantime, Anderson, I just have to tell you. I know, I'm not sure how you feel about cruising. But I do know that there was a member of your family who was pretty popular once on "The Love Boat."
We have dug this up from the archives. Take a look. That's your mom right there cruising along with one of the stars on "The Love Boat." I think it was back in 1981. And Anderson, tell me if my research is correct. I think the plot of the show was they were on their way to a fashion show in Acapulco and your mom played herself, right?
COOPER: Yeah. It was a lot of designers appearing on "The Love Boat" like Halston and Jeffrey Beane. And my mom lost her luggage on the way there, so she showed up in like a big fake fur coat on the cruise.
[20:25:07] GRIFFIN: And then they actually dressed her?
COOPER: No, they didn't dress her. Like she's just -- like her only scene was in a big fake fur coat.
GRIFFIN: As it should be.
COOPER: Yeah. But as Randi said, I don't - she's not sure how I feel about cruising.
GRIFFIN: I know exactly how you feel about cruising.
COOPER: I have not been on a cruise like that.
GRIFFIN: Not on a boat. No, exactly, not on a ship. You got my point.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: I'm all about the cruise game.
COOPER: I'm not good at cruising. The high seas --
GRIFFIN: But you've tried. Now, look, Randi, was it me or did you just say to somebody I'm glad you're white?
COOPER: What?
GRIFFIN: I thought I heard her say I'm glad you're white. And I didn't know where we are going to go there.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: That's not politically correct at all.
PUPPET COOPER: That's my deal.
COOPER: See now, she's making stuff up. So Randi, have you had a little champagne?
KAYE: Just a little bit. But the night is early. You know me, I'm just getting the party started here. There are 42 bars and lounges on this ship, and I am determined to hit every single one of them.
GRIFFIN: And you have earned it already. So go for it.
KAYE: You know, you know how New Year's goes.
COOPER: I'm going to check in with you -- Sure why not? What's going to happen? You're on a cruise ship. What could possibly happen?
GRIFFIN: That's right.
KAYE: Exactly.
COPPER: Gary Tuchman is poolside next. I'm not even sure. Gary's down in Miami, I think at the Fontainebleau Hotel.
GRIFFIN: Gary e-mailed me last night.
COOPER: Did he? GRIFFIN: Yes. Gary, did you not e-mail me last night?
COOPER: He'll be right back.
GRIFFIN: OK, sorry. We'll talk about it --
COOPER: Oh, there.
GRIFFIN: Hi, Gare. It's me.
COOPER: Or not.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:30:00] COOPER: Hi, welcome back. Live in Times Square. We're live at the R Lounge in the Renaissance in New York here in Times Square. They're having a big party at the Renaissance Lounge. We appreciate hanging out with them.
GRIFFIN: It's a Great-Gatsby theme.
COOPER: It is.
GRIFFIN: And we have special guests.
COOPER: Yes, we do.
PUPPET COOPER: Well, she's special. I'm not - I'm not feeling very special right now.
GRIFFIN: You're just feeling a little tipsy. That's all.
PUPPET COOPER: That's OK.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: That's right.
GRIFFIN: Right.
PUPPET COOPER: Why not?
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Enough with the booze. You're not supposed to be drinking on camera.
PUPPET COOPER: Says who?
PUPPET GRIFFIN: You're a disgrace. This is not the time, nor the place.
PUPPET COOPER: I'm trying to get fired by 9:05.
GRIFFIN: No, that's me.
COOPER: I want to - I want to thank --
PUPPET COOPER: No, that's me.
COOPER: I want to thank both of you for coming with us tonight. You guys are fantastic.
(CROSSTALK)
GRIFFIN: (INAUDIBLE) lying puppets.
COOPER: With lying puppets. I've never felt this way about a puppet before.
GRIFFIN: You're (INAUDIBLE)
PUPPET COOPER: I'm a puppet? Really?
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Uh-hmm.
COOPER: Thank you.
GRIFFIN: You're very -
COOPER: You shattered my reality really badly. I'm confused now. I'm going to go cry somewhere.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Yeah.
GRIFFIN: Well, I have a quick question for the puppets.
COOPER: Yes, yes.
GRIFFIN: What did you love the most about the roaring 20s, the Great Gatsby era?
PUPPET COOPER: The drinking.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Yeah, apparently.
GRIFFIN: So you knew the code word to get in the speakeasy?
PUPPET COOPER: The code word was "Kathy."
GRIFFIN: Oh, hi.
PUPPET COOPER: Oh.
GRIFFIN: Get a room. Oh, I'll get us a room.
PUPPET COOPER: I think we should smooch.
PUPPET COOPER: Ah.
GRIFFIN: And so, it begins.
PUPPET COOPER: Tongue next time, OK?
GRIFFIN: You gave her the cheek.
COOPER: Hey, wait a minute. It's a puppet.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Oh, my goodness.
GRIFFIN: Respectable Kathy, I apologize.
PUPPET GRIFFIN: Well, thank you.
PUPPET COOPER: Hey, me next, me next.
COOPER: You're so soft. Are all puppets so soft?
PUPPET COOPER: So am I.
PUPPET GRFFIN: Just me.
COOPER: I'm soft.
PUPPET GRIIFIN: He got a rough voice but a soft interior.
COOPER: I want to check in with our Gary Tuchman who's at poolside in Miami Beach with his daughter Lindsay.
GRIFFIN: Yes.
COOPER: Who I hear is actually moving to join us in New York, in this winter, in New York as a reporter at New York 1. Congratulations, Lindsay.
PUPPET COOPER: Is Gary a puppet?
COOPER: Happy New Year.
LINDSAY TUCHMAN, WBOC ANCHOR AND REPORTER: Thank you guys. Happy New Year to you guys, too. Thank you so much.
GRIFFIN: Hi, Gare.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NEWS REPORTER: Yeah, it's a great honor, Anderson and Kathy.
GRIFFIN: Gary, will you do me a favor?
G. TUCHMAN: Kathy, we did have an e-mail conversation --
GRIFFIN: I'm so sorry I interrupted.
G. TUCHMAN: Yes.
GRIFFIN: There you go. I just wanted to confirm that you and I are so close that we were e-mailing last night at 10:00, 11:00 at night.
G. TUCHMAN: In honor of journalistic honesty, Kathy, I was in bed while we were doing it. So yes, we had that e-mail conversation indeed. You're absolutely correct, Kathy.
GRIFFIN: There you go. See? I'm very tight with the CNN family.
COOPER: So Lindsay, this is not your first time on New Year's Eve live with Kathy Griffin?
L. TUCHMAN: No, this is my third time. So it's even more special this time because we're in Miami Beach, which is better weather than the past two years.
G. TUCHMAN: Here's the deal to our viewers who don't know Lindsay was a reporter for one of our great affiliates, WBOC-TV in Salisbury, Maryland. As you said Anderson, she starts next week at New York 1, and all of our great affiliates in New York City. But we are now in Miami Beach at the Fontainebleau Hotel for a very special occasion. This is about to be starting at 9:00 Eastern Time, the largest poolside New Year's Eve party in the world. Right, Lindsay?
L. TUCHMAN: Yeah. I'll give you a little bit of history about the hotel itself. You're looking at the magnificent 1500-room hotel, the Fontainebleau. And it was built more than 50 years ago and it's pretty famous for its architecture and its art. And dad, this may be something you don't know, there are three beautiful chandeliers in the lobby and they're worth $1 million each.
G. TUCHMAN: We should get one of them -
L. TUCHMAN: Yeah.
G. TUCHMANH: --for your new apartment in New York City.
L. TUCHMAN: Oh, that'll fit.
G. TUCHMAN: I will say lots of movies and TV shows. We're going to walk down the stairs here -- have been shot here. Goldfinger, James Bond Goldfinger, a segment of The Sopranos were shot here. Lots of stars (INAUDIBLE) Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Elvis Presley -- what a great place. So this pool party, it starts at 9:00 as they said, and one of the great things about this pool - one of the great reasons to come here to Fontainebleau. This pool -- I'm going to show you right now. I'll splash my cameraman -- 90 degrees, the temperature you could swim all hours of the night. It's a wonderful place. And there are going to be throngs of people here, open bar, but the initial price $500 for a ticket. But it goes much higher. Right here is Phil Goldfarb. He's the COO of Fontainebleau Hotel. Phil, thanks for talking to us.
PHIL GOLDFARB, COO OF FNTAINEBLEAU HOTEL: Happy New Year. Welcome to the Fontainebleau.
G. TUCHMAN: Happy New Year. How many people will be poolside starting at 9:00?
GOLDFARB: We're going to have thousands of our favorite guests as well as huge fans of Justin Bieber about to enter. We're about 30 minutes away from opening the gates.
G. TUCHMAN: And you said the surprise, I was about to say, who's performing here tonight?
L. TUCHMAN: It is Justin Bieber. G. TUCHMAN: On that stage, right?
L. TUCHMAN: On that stage, right behind here, as well as later tonight will be famous DJ Skrillex.
GOLDFARB: And he'll be inside Liv.
L. TUCHMAN: He'll be inside Liv, right.
GOLDFARB: In our nightclub. And it's just going to be an amazing evening here at the Fontainebleau.
G. TUCHMAN: And also another famous DJ, for those of you who like electro music, his name is Marshmallow. Google Marshmallow, you'll see what he looks like. It'll be a treat. But you won't recognize his face. He's kind of anonymous. That's Marshmallow. This will be a wild night. There are about to be 3,000 people poolside here. Anderson and Kathy, we throw it back to you.
COOPER: All right.
[20:35:00] GRIFFIN: Gary, can I have you for one more minute? Because I have a confession to make. One of the many conversations I was having with Gary last night was that I sort of, couldn't tell his daughters apart. And so, he wanted to make sure I knew that Lindsay's not the one he used to run with, that was Sally.
G. TUCHMAN: OK.
GRIFFIN: Am I close, Gare?
G. TUCHMAN: Well, Samantha. Samantha, Samantha, very close.
(CROSSTALK)
L TUCHMAN: She's not here tonight, though, unfortunately.
GRIFFIN: Is she still running in the park?
G. TUCHMAN: You're right. Samantha runs -- Samantha's still finishing the marathon.
GRIFFIN: She's terrific.
G. TUCHMAN: She does it by the way -- by the way, really quickly, she's at the Snow Globe Music Festival in Nevada right now. So she's having a good time on the other coast. But Lindsay and I are here and her brother's in California watching football right now. So there you go. That's the whole family story.
(CROSSTALK)
GRIFFIN: Gary, did I understand you correctly that Justin Bieber will be performing there tonight?
COOPER: That's what he said. GRIFFIN: Justin Bieber.
G. TUCHMAN: Yeah, so here's the deal.
GRIFFIN: The little girl with the --
G. TUCHMAN: I want to show you. Justin Bieber will be on this stage. It starts around midnight. As you can see they're getting the stage - they're getting the stage ready, but also Skrillex, the famous DJ, electronic music, very popular man in this business right now.
GRIFFIN: Yes, we know Skrillex, Gary, for God's sake.
(CROSSTALK)
G. TUCHMAN: -- inside the hotel. OK. We got to make sure (INAUDIBLE)
GRIFFIN: Now, when you see Biebs, first of all, tell him I said hi.
G. TUCHMAN: He's a great guy, a friendly guy.
COOPER: OK.
GRIFFIN: Who? Skrillex? I didn't know you were like the Skrillex apologist.
COOPER: He was - he was texting with Skrillex as well.
GRIFFIN: I had no idea. He was like --
COOPER: He was - he was snapchatting with Skrillex while he was e- mailing with you.
GRIFFIN: Bieber went down the toilet. He did not have Bieber's back at all. It was all Skrillex all of the time. Now, be careful, Gare, because Bieb is a bug. And if I've had that lil' twist or lil' da -- and you don't want lil' Lindsay to have to deal with that, trust me. I know that world.
L. TUCHMAN: Thank you, Kathy.
G. TUCHMAN: Have you ever gotten in a - have you ever gotten in a -in a --
GRIFFIN: I'm looking out for you, Linds.
G. TUCHMAN: Have you ever had any interaction with Bieber?
GRIFFIN: Oh, yeah. I mean, I usually go through scooter, naturally. But I've actually --
COOPER: Scooter Braun?
GRIFFIN: Yeah.
COOPER: See? Do I not get any props for knowing Scooter Braun? I don't know him personally. I just know his name.
GRIFFIN: Exactly. You just know him from the tabloids.
COOPER: He's the manager.
GRIFFIN: He's the manager. That's right. Now, I've actually been in a fist fight with Justin Bieber, and it was about 30 seconds, and he went down hard. But, you know, he can sing. He can sing. People have that pool, Lindsay. Biebs will, you know --
COOPER: Do you like - do you like the EDM?
GRIFFIN: Well, I don't do it the way you do with all the drugs and the waking up not knowing where I am. And I love Skrillex. You know what I mean? Like, sometimes he gets night terrors when he stays over and just goes where's diplo? Like he's really into it. Calvin Harris is his real name. I get it. He's an Encyclopedia of knowledge. Yes, you'll love the EDM.
COOPER: Wait, is diplo the same thing as Calvin Harris?
GRIFFIN: They're separate people.
COOPER: OK.
GRIFFIN: Oh, my gosh. Welcome to Kathy and grandma. I didn't know it was that kind of night, but yes. Here we are in the roaring 20s and Anderson is still there mentally. Now, by the way, is this not, like, a normal lunch for you when you were 10?
COOPER: Pretty much, actually. Yeah, it is. I worked at a restaurant like this.
GRIFFIN: Now, when you would have parties like this with your beloved mother - I know we keep (INAUDIBLE) and I know it looks like he's trying to get away from me.
COOPER: It's an Aberciser. We're actually selling them later tonight.
GRIFFIN: Susan Summers, do not steal this idea.
COOPER: It is. It's good for the core.
GRIFFIN: It is.
COOPER: Oh.
GRIFFIN: I -- but what I wanted to know is when you would have these parties daily, because I imagine this is your life.
COOPER: Yeah.
GRIFFIN: What would happen when like the Rockefellers and Duponts would come over and the Rothschilds? Would you guys get into, like, just play cards or would you count your money? Like what were the money counting parties like?
COOPER: There were no money counting parties. There's really just money burning it's because, you know --
GRIFFIN: That's how much you guys have. You were just, "We're cold. Put some money in the fire."
COOPER: No. Because many - yeah. That's what I worried about as a kid, just like expenditures of money. To me, any party seemed like a big wasteful event.
GRIFFIN: It was.
COOPER: It was a wasteful event.
GRIFFIN: Because of bunch of rich people (INAUDIBLE)
COOPER: Why do you think I'm working three jobs now?
GRIFFIN: Why do you think my family came over in steerage? Tell people what steerage is. As if you know. It's the bottom of the boat.
COOPER: Steerage is the bottom of the boat, yes.
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: I'll have you know, my ancestors came over as indentured servants.
GRIFFIN: Not Corney.
COOPER: Yeah, one of the Vanderbilts. Yeah, the first Vanderbilts came over --
GRIFFIN: Is Corney your - is Corney your little brother? Who's Corney?
COOPER: My, like my great, great, great, great grandfather?
GRIFFIN: People are actually leaving. They're so offended. But I'm saying bad things about Cornelius Vanderbilt. They're like, not on my watch. Now, what - so you must know - I know - wait a minute. I'm going to bust you. You do know famous families. One time I was with you. We ran into Jamie Johnson of Johnson & Johnson.
COOPER: I do not know that person. I saw there was a - there was a -
GRIFFIN: We were at the (INAUDIBLE) party. It was for your mother. Your mother had a book coming out and we went together (INAUDIBLE)
COOPER: Someone at some public party.
GRIFFIN: Yes. And then --
COOPER: Because he did a documentary. GRIFFIN: Yes.
COOPER: That's how I know of him.
GRIFFIN: And then I'm so excited to see someone from the Johnson & Johnson family. I was like, hey, here's a Vanderbilt. And he was like, I don't even know him.
COOPER: I -- he did a documentary that was controversial.
GRIFFIN: I know about it.
COOPER: That's the only thing I know about.
GRIFFIN: It's very -- it's very Mariah Carey of you to act like you don't know Jamie Johnson or --
COOPER: She's playing tonight. Isn't she? On our show, right?
GRIFFIN: Yes. Mariah Carey's going to be here live in 20 minutes singing "Butterfly," "Vision of Love," and we're going to rap.
COOPER: We're going to take a quick break. We're going to go down to one of my favorite cities - one of my favorite city in America, New Orleans and besides New York, and the world famous Spotted Cat, one of my favorite bars in New Orleans where our CNN New Year's celebration continues. We'll be right back.
[20:40:08] GRIFFIN: We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN NEWSROOM ANCHOR: Hello. Happy almost New Year. How are you, Don?
DON LEMON, CNN NEWSROOM ANCHOR: Happy New Year. OK. This is a moment you've all been waiting for, not that Kathy and Anderson.
BALDWIN: I mean, really, it's all about New Orleans.
LEMON: It's all about New Orleans. Just kidding, Kathy and Anderson.
BALDWIN: No, we love being in New Orleans each and every year. Of course, when the - when the shotgun jazz band, they're taking a second to just breathe. Look, this is an insane, amazing crowd here at the Spotted Cat. Yes.
LEMON: So, we are at the Spotted Cat.
BALDWIN: We're getting them riled up, very early.
LEMON: On Frenchman Street - Frenchman Street is the new cool Bourbon Street, right?
BALDWIN: Dude, I wouldn't even compare it to Bourbon. It's like, music, DBA, snug harbor, Spotted Cat. This is the jam. Forget Bourbon Street.
LEMON: Yeah.
BALDWIN: I love coming to Frenchman Street.
LEMON: So, I got to tell you, Brooke is making me class it up this year. So I'm wearing a little --
BALDWIN: Someone has to.
LEMON: A little outfit. Thanks to Brooke's brothers. This goes back at the end of the night.
BALDWIN: Oh, fancy.
LEMON: But, I do have --
BALDWIN: Let me show you my shocked face on who's already drinking. Dude, do you know what time it is in New Orleans? It's not even 8:00.
LEMON: It's 5:00 somewhere. Hold that. Oh, no, no, no, we've got to do it now. You got to do it now. Cheers.
BALDWIN: This is way too early to start this. This is way too early to start this. What is he thinking? What is he thinking?
LEMON: I'm thinking it's New Year's Eve. It's been a really crazy year. We need to blow off some steam. So, what do you expect us to do on television on New Year's Eve?
BALDWIN: I mean, I fully expect you to drink all of the Abita Purple Hazes in this refrigerator, first and foremost.
[20:45:01] LEMON: If you haven't figured out, we're behind the bar. Check out my shoes. Put them down here again.
BALDWIN: You want a shoe shot?
LEMON: Check this out. How do you like those? How do you like those babies?
BALDWIN: You have shoe game.
LEMON: Yeah. You like that, right? You like that.
BALDWIN: OK. So, should we talk about what might happen later?
LEMON: Besides me drinking and drunk Don Lemon trending again? Which I wasn't really drunk last year, right?
BALDWIN: Seriously? He was like, you know, I was trending last year, remember that? I was trending. OK. So last year was the year of the hot tub, so many of you loved it, so many of you wanted to see him in a hot tub.
LEMON: So -- yes, you did. You wanted to see me. BALDWIN: So basically, we're upping the Emmy this year and we want your feedback on a potential tattoo.
LEMON: Or piercing.
BALDWIN: You seem very into the piercing idea. No, I don't want to touch your nipple. No.
LEMON: So if I -- maybe I should get a tattoo. But if I get a tattoo, it's got to be like a stamp, right?
BALDWIN: A tramp stamp?
LEMON: Can you say that on T.V.? Can you say that on T.V.?
BALDWIN: No, that was totally politically incorrect of me.
LEMON: A tramp stamp or can I get a Trump stamp?
BALDWIN: A Trump stamp.
LEMON: A Trump tattoo right there.
BALWIN: What do you think?
LEMON: No.
BALDWIN: So as we're contemplating tattoo situations with this guy, we'll be in the Spotted Cat all night. So if the Shotgun Jazz Band were rocking out behind us.
LEMON: Yeah.
BALDWIN: Later it's the Jazz Vipers. They were one of the first groups really, to come back after Katrina.
LEMON: You did your homework. I didn't do my homework.
BALDWIN: I mean, one of us had to.
LEMON: Yeah, I know.
BALDWIN: And then -- and then two members of the band Chicago. We'll be interviewing them later when we take over.
LEMON: All right. So there's a reason that we're behind the bar, because I like to drink on New Year's Eve. But do you mind if I go around and talk to people?
BALDWIN: I think we should absolutely -
LEMON: What about these guys? These guys -- hey, come here. Step in here. Where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Malibu, California.
LINDSAY, TOURIST: Lindsay and Greg. Hi.
BALDWIN: Malibu.
LEMON: Malibu? What are you doing in New Orleans?
GREG: Well, you know what, New Orleans is the best place to spend New Year's Eve, hands down. Everybody has a good time here.
LINDSAY: You just open up your heart to love and jazz and music and friendship. And that's what New Orleans brings out. It's a new year.
BALDWIN: You have some serious bead game happening here.
LINDSAY: I was working the floats. It's - I love the parades. It's my favorite thing. You've got to make eye contact.
LEMON: What is - what did you have to show for that?
LINDSAY: Not one thing. I had to show my heart and -- no.
BALDWIN: Her heart and soul. Her heart and soul.
LEMON: I mean, seriously, though, but New Orleans from California every year?
GREG: No, not every year. But I've been here like four or five times in New Orleans and New Year's Eve is the best place. This is one of the great American cities.
LEMON: All right. So here's the thing, should I get a tattoo or a piercing or none of it?
GREG: Tattoo.
BALDWIN: You just think about it and have the memory of it and you don't do it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. Tattoo in a private place like you, honey.
BALDWIN: OK and we're being wrapped for now.
LEMON: I can't hear.
BALDWIN: We're going to go to Lynn Smith. Lynn Smith is playing this year.
LEMON: Where is Lynn?
BALDWIN: Lynn's in Dallas, the big D. I bet Lynn isn't taking --
LEMON: Lynn Smith's in Dallas in the big D.
LYNN SMITH, CNN WEEKEND EXPRESS ANCHOR: Wait a second, you guys. I want to find out, tattoo or piercing? Which is it? Talk about leaving us hanging. Good Lord. Hey, we're here in Dallas. Happy New Year, everyone! Dallas, what a place to be for the New Year. We're at an Italian restaurant called Saint Rocco. And here's why, they have this incredible rooftop bar overlooking, bump, ba, da, ba, bump -- Phil, pan over, show the people.
Reunion Tower, you guys. If you've never been to Dallas, Reunion Tower is kind of like the Empire State building. And this year, it's a first for the City of Dallas. They're having fireworks, 4,000 pyrotechnic fireworks going off from that tower right there. And let me tell you, I got a tour of this tower a little earlier today. Incredible views of the City of Dallas, the great city of Dallas. But also, we got a little sneak peek at what this fireworks show is going to be.
No doubt you're going to want to stay around. I know that New York is already going to have their show, but Dallas is where it's going to be at midnight Central Time. Let me show you a little bit of what the bar looks like. OK. A tad quiet because it's a restaurant and everyone's downstairs and they're eating, which our food should be here any minute. Anyone know where our food is? I'm just kidding. He's like, it's coming, it's coming. But let me just talk to a few of these people. Hey, Happy New Year! You're starting early.
BILL: Yes, we are.
SMITH: What's your name?
BILL: My name is Bill.
SMITH: Bill and?
ROBIN: Robin.
SMITH: So why Saint Rocco's? Why are you guys celebrating here?
BILL: It was her recommendation.
SMITH: Are you aware that there's going to be a huge fireworks display at Reunion Tower?
ROBIN: Yes. And I'm so excited.
SMITH: So you guys are just going to sit here with us until this happens?
ROBIN: Possibly.
SMITH: You're not going downstairs and have some food?
BILL: We just did. We just had our food.
SMITH: Oh, so you're butt marinating. I just saw you at the bar. What's the cocktail did you order here?
[20:50:00] BILL: Old fashioned.
ROBIN: Piante. SMITH: Piante, all right. We're going Italian. Just - they told me there's Italian margaritas, we're going to test that out. We're not going to start too early but we'll send it back over to you. Happy New Year, everyone. We'll see you soon. Go cowboys.
LEMON: Yes. All right. Lynn, thank you.
BALDWIN: Thank you, Lynn.
LEMON: Yeah, it's very loud so forgive us if we're a little bit slow here. So, Brooke, you're not mad at me, are you?
BALDWIN: Over which thing?
LEMON: How many can I count?
BALDWIN: Why am I mad at you?
LEMON: Because I always do crazy things and I wonder if I embarrass you on live television?
BALDWIN: I mean, we kind of have a thing. I expect nothing less. There is a tattoo parlor across the street here, at Frenchman Street. They know we may be coming.
LEMON: Can I show them around? I hope I don't rip my pants.
BALDWIN: Hop off.
LEMON: I'm going to hop off. Ken, can we hop off? Can we walk around?
BALDWIN: Ken (INAUDIBLE) is on a chair with a foot on the bar.
LEMON: All right. Come on, Ken. Don't fall down. Oh! There we go. So we're going to hop off here. I'm going to spin around. You guys go that way.
BALDWIN: OK, let's walk this way. We're going to walk around into the crowd in the Spotted Cat.
LEMON: I'm going to walk on the bar, Brooke.
BALDWIN: OK.
LEMON: Can we get up here? Can I get up on the bar? What's up, guys? I should do my cowboy thing. So I'm going to talk to you guys. What's up? Hey, there's someone like England right here, right? Where are you guys from?
NICK: We're from London, England!
LEMON: From London, what is your name?
NICK: Nick, that's Clair.
CLAIR: Clair.
LEMON: Do you mind if I get up here and serve your drink?
NICK: Please do, please do.
LEMON: What would you like? You want a shot?
NICK: Yeah. We'll have a shot.
LEMON: All right. I'm going to get down here. If I break my neck on live TV, you guys will know -- All right. Can we get some shots? Can I pour them some shots? We need - what do you want? What do you guys want?
NICK: We're going to Mexico in a couple of days, so tequilas.
LEMON: Tequila shot. Which one do you want?
NICK: Jose Cuervo, mate.
LEMON: Where's Brooke? Jose Cuervo. Can I do this? There we go. Can I get one for me? All right. Here we go. Brooke, here we go. We're getting a shot for them. Brooke Baldwin is here with me. Brooke, I think we got to toss back to Anderson and Kathy. And I will do a shot for Anderson.
BALDWIN: I have moved away from the bar! I have moved away from the bar! Don Lemon.
LEMON: Cheers. Back to you.
BALDWIN: Back to Anderson.
LEMON: See you, Anderson.
COOPER: All right. All right, Don and Brooke. You guys are -- you have the Spotted Cat, it's one of my favourite places in New Orleans.
GRIFFIN: Hi, Don. Hi, Brooke.
COOPER: But there's no place like, here in Times Square and no place like, here with you.
GRIFFIN: And we have our own puppets this year.
COOPER: I know.
GRIFFIN: I mean, it's very special.
COOPER: I know. It's like us, amplified.
GRIFFIN: That's right. But I like that they have opposite - they have opposite personalities. The puppet Anderson is naughty and the puppet Kathy is appropriate.
COOPER: Yes. Hey, how are you? So, now, would you ever come -- GRIFFIN: I'm sorry. Why doesn't - why doesn't everyone here want a picture?
COOPER: Because they're all - they all want to go to the bathroom.
GRIFFIN: All right. Does anybody want a picture? This is pitiful.
COOPER: No.
GRIFFIN: No? All right. Hey.
COOPER: They're all - they're all from out of town.
GRIFFIN: Do you want a picture?
COOPER: Where are you all from?
GRIFFIN: Wait. Where are you from? Huh?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: England.
GRIFFIN: Brooklyn?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From Brooklyn.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's different.
GRIFFIN: You got to repeat yourself.
COOPER: Understand what everyone's saying?
GRIFFIN: Yeah. How's your English?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We work in translation.
COOPER: Are you guys having fun?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm having a blast.
GRIFFIN: Get your selfie.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yeah.
GRIFFIN: Stop your porn.
COOPER: I don't have to be in it. That's fine.
GRIFFIN: Get in it. Oh for -- oh.
COOPER: All right. Happy New Year.
GRIFFIN: Get back to Brooklyn.
GRIFFIN: (INAUDIBLE) COOPER: Let's get a -- we'll hang out with the crowd here a little
bit. Live in Times Square (INAUDIBLE) Nischelle Turner in Nashville. Nischelle?
NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, how are you guys? You look like you're having so much fun already. I kind of wish I was there with you, but I like that I'm here in Nashville. You know, there is no other night of the year that Nashville lives up to its nickname of music city than on New Year's Eve. They are going to be partying here in Nashville. In fact, they already are. Hi, guys.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, hello, hello.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello.
TURNER: Hello, hello, hello. Now, we are here at the Honky Tonk Central. We're on Broadway, that's kind of like a main drag here in Nashville, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
TURNER: OK. I know people at home are saying, hmm, something's going on in this picture. And I'm going to ask. Was there a group text that said, hey, I'm wearing my blue shirt with white piping, what about you?
[20:55:00] UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) Three, two, one --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go.
TURNER: Wow. OK. There we go. Now, listen. I guess that's what's happening here in Nashville. All right. There we go. Let's come back on over here so we can show you guys where we are. These guys actually -- the rest of the guys are from Chicago. It just shows you that Nashville is becoming a New Year's Eve destination, a big one and they've got a huge celebration that's actually over at the Bicentennial Mall.
You can see all these people out here tonight and there's a big free concert at the Bicentennial Mall as well, tonight. So next time you see me, I will be over there where they are expecting up to 100,000 people at the Bicentennial Mall tonight for this concert and headlining that concert, none other than country music superstar, Keith Urban. He's going to be with me a little later on tonight, as well. Nashville, they do things a little different here.
They don't have a ball drop at midnight. They have a music note drop. It's going to be really cool, a 15-foot tall music note dropping from 145-foot tower. We're going to have a great time here in Nashville tonight. I think I'm going to rival the Central Time zone. I heard Don and Brooke talking about New Orleans is the best. I heard Lynn talking about Dallas is the best. So I'm going to throw my hat in the ring saying Nashville is the best.
We're going to see who comes out on top later on at midnight because they're going to cap off their big celebration here with a huge fireworks display, which I cannot wait to see, because I'm told that it's the biggest one, a pound for pound, that you're going to see tonight on New Year's Eve. So, we're just getting started. This party is going to go on throughout the night. We cannot wait. Stay right there for CNN's New Year's Eve celebration live with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin. When we come back, Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin, they'll be on the ride. That's next.
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