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CNN Live Event/Special
New Year's Eve Celebration; Aired 11-12p ET
Aired December 31, 2017 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DION: Thank you so much.
COHEN: That was awesome.
DION: By the way, I got to say something. You guys are show business people. You know what, you know what we're going to do? We're going to sing a little song, okay? Any time you want.
(SINGING)
For all those times you stood by me. For all the truth that you made me see. For all the joy you brought to my life. For all the wrong that you made right, for every dream you made come true, for all the love I found in you, I will be forever thankful, baby. You're the one who held me...
COOPER: Celine Dion, I mean I totally want to see that show. I've never seen a show in Vegas.
COHEN: Really?
COOPER: Yes. I've only ever been there for work.
COHEN: That theater is amazing.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: Some of the theaters are a little deadly but that theater is amazing...
COOPER: I am very excited that we are a part of Celine Dion's show.
COHEN: I am too.
COOPER: I'm like all atwitter. I'm-
COHEN: Yes. I kind of thought she was going to give me the business about asking...
COOPER: I know. I thought you were...
COHEN: I was worried. I was like, yes, I'd do it again.
COOPER: I know.
COHEN: I thought that was an innocent question. COOPER: I was like, I think you insulted, I think Nicole Kidman is
annoyed at you and then I was like, don't ask her about Lady Gaga.
COHEN: She was awesome.
COOPER: I know. I mean...
COHEN: I love Celine Dion.
COOPER: I think I brought her back though by saying I want to come to the show. Yes.
COHEN: You figured that?
COOPER: I did.
COHEN: Thank god, you saved the interview. Listen. I'm going to do the show now without you. No, also, the thing about Celine Dion is, why am I having so much problems with my Britney thing and you're having no problems.
COOPER: I'm having no problems.
COHEN: Anyway, the thing about Celine Dion is hit after hit, after hit, after hit. You go to see her, she has so many number one hits.
COOPER: Right.
COHEN: So I think that would be something that you would like. I am trying to...
COOPER: Yes, yes,
COHEN: Okay.
COOPER: Welcome back. Top of the hour. We missed the big countdown that they do.
COHEN: Yes, they did a fake countdown.
COOPER: It's not a fake.
COHEN: I thought that Celine heard it and was getting confused...
COOPER: No. I think that's what happened. That was happened.
COHEN: Yes. I had it too.
COOPER: By the way, we didn't bring the whole song because we couldn't afford the whole song.
COHEN: Okay.
COOPER: We could I think afford about 30 seconds. You got it. I think you got it.
COHEN: That was the song, Because You Love Me, you know how it goes.
COOPER: Dave Chappelle is coming up.
COHEN: With John Mayer, yes.
COOPER: John Mayer as well, very exciting. What a night we've had, my goodness.
COHEN: Yes, right, really fun. We're kind of warming up.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: It's all good.
COOPER: All right. Let's take a quick break and we'll be right back.
COHEN: Countdown to midnight, one hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: And welcome back, Anderson Cooper.
COHEN: Oh my god, look at them making out.
COOPER: Yes, Andy Cohen here in...
COHEN: They're all making out.
COOPER: I think they should have stayed on the making-out couple.
COHEN: Is that what's going on?
COOPER: Yes, people make out.
COHEN: That's why it's so quiet.
COOPER: They're all making...
COHEN: They're making, tongue kissing in Times Square.
COOPER: Well that's not true. Let's not get into that.
COHEN: Well I just saw two couples making out.
COOPER: Yes. Did we mention it's cold here? It is.
COHEN: And that would be a good way to stay warm for people.
COOPER: Well, absolutely, yes. Let's go to Bill Weir where it is certainly not cold in Key West, Florida.
Bill, how is the scene there?
WEIR: Anderson, Andy, greetings from Duval Street in Key West, everybody. How are you? We're waiting for the sushi descent. We look for signs
of normalcy after a storm, right? And much of the way that the, I don't know, the swallows return to Capistrano, sushi climbs up into -- the giant stiletto heel above the Bourbon Street pub and will descend at the stroke of midnight to the cheers of revelers from around the country. Snowbirds and the people who love them, all the pirates, from the dreamers and the drop-outs who call this place home.
Look at this, Happy New Year, Key West. Who thought this was possible 105 days ago as a category 4 storm ripped the Keys to shreds. But this speaks to the resiliency of the people who call probably the most vulnerable neighborhood in America home. It's a little necklace of islands down here in the southernmost neighborhood. And of course they have been embracing the LGBTQ community here since the '70s. And so, the drag scene very much in force, very much celebrated.
It's interesting that Monroe County. In spite of what you see in here, pretty conservative politically. But down in Key West, here is where you come to let your freak flag fly, and especially on a night like tonight.
Andy, Anderson, we're getting close to the sushi drop.
COOPER: All right. We certainly are, Bill.
COHEN: Bill can get it.
COOPER: Bill Weir has got it. He's got it. We're going to take just a 60 second break. We've got a special surprise guest for Andy coming up. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Welcome back here in Times Square live with Andy Cohen. You're watching New Year's Eve on CNN.
COHEN: Yes, we are, yes we are. We've been here for more than three hours.
COOPER: More than three hours, yes. Holding up, our heated clothing is holding up.
COHEN: Yes, yes, yes, yes, great.
COOPER: Now we've talked about Andy's parents, Evelyn and Lou, have you checked in with them tonight at all?
COHEN: I didn't. I left them a message before we went on here.
COOPER: All right, well, we've made contact with Evelyn who we wanted to surprise you with. So let's hope this works.
COHEN: No.
COOPER: Evelyn and Lou Cohen on Skype from Los Angeles.
COHEN: There they are.
COOPER: Hey, guys, how are you doing?
COHEN: From Los Angeles, it's Saint Louis.
COOPER: I'm sorry, Saint Louis, I'm sorry. How are you doing?
COHEN: Mom and Dad, you look great.
EVELYN COHEN, MOTHER OF ANDY COHEN: You think so?
LOU COHEN, FATHER OF ANDY COHEN: Yes.
COHEN E: Happy New Year.
COHEN: Mom, you look really cute.
COHEN L: Happy New Year.
COHEN: Thank you. You too. Hey, Dad. Mom, look at the view.
COOPER: Yes, don't look at yourself, look at the camera.
COHEN: Yes, look at the camera. Mom, what have you thought of the show so far?
COHEN E: We just got home.
COHEN L: So far it's great.
COHEN: You haven't been watching the show? You just got home.
COHEN E: No.
COHEN: You taped it...
COHEN L: We have been since we got home.
COHEN E: We taped it.
COHEN: But where were you?
COHEN E: We went to a movie and out to dinner like people do. We have a life, it's New Year's Eve.
COHEN: You have a life? I've been on CNN for three hours freezing my butt off. What movie did you see?
COHEN E: The Churchill movie.
COHEN L: The Darkest Hour.
COHEN E: Oh, yes.
COOPER: I just watched that yesterday, on tape, on DVD, yes.
COHEN E: Did you like it, Anderson?
COOPER: I love Gary Oldman. I felt like it just ended though. And I also feel like maybe I've seen it before, you know. I feel like it's a story...
COHEN E: I agree.
COOPER: We've known, I thought -- but the acting was great and everything.
COHEN: Mom, look at the camera. Don't look at the -- look at the camera, Mom.
COHEN E: I don't know what to look at, Andy.
COOPER: Evelyn, do you know who we had on the show tonight, Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban and we were just part of Celine Dion's concert.
COHEN E: I saw that.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN E: That was great.
COOPER: Okay. Okay, good.
COHEN E: We're going to, we taped it. We're going to stay up all night and watch it.
COHEN L: Yes.
COOPER: Evelyn, your son insulted I think Nicole Kidman a little bit. Not really, but I think he sort of...
COHEN: I'm a little worried, Mom.
COOPER: ...pushed her buttons just a little.
COHEN: Yes.
COHEN E: Well, you know what, that's her problem.
COOPER: All right. All right.
COHEN E: I'm worried about...
COOPER: I know. He's (inaudible). We've got to go.
COHEN: Okay, love you, Mom.
COOPER: Okay, Evelyn and Lou, thank you so much. Happy New Year. We wish you the best.
COHEN: Love you, Dad, love you, Mom.
COHEN E: Thank you. COOPER: Coming up next Dave Chappelle and John Mayer, we're back in 60 seconds. Bye. Happy New Year.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: We could not be more excited about our next guests, two of the world's biggest stars, Dave Chappelle, celebrating his 30th anniversary as a comedian this year with an epic 16-show residency at Radio City Music Hall. He did Netflix stand-up specials already earlier this year, one of which was their most watched comedy special of all time.
Tonight he has two new stand-up specials debuting on Netflix. I watched both of them today, titled Equanimity and the Bird Revelation.
John Mayer of course is the multi-Grammy winning singer who has topped the charts, sold millions of albums around the globe. And Dave and John join us now live from the Forum in Inglewood, California, the latest stop on their Controlled Danger tour.
Guys, Happy New Year's Eve. Thank you so much for being with us. Thanks, Dave and John, how are you doing?
JOHN MAYER, SINGER: Happy New Year. Good, how are you guys doing? Hey, Andy, hey, Anderson.
DAVE CHAPPELLE, COMEDIAN: Happy New Year.
COHEN: Hey, Johnny. It's so cold here. You have no idea.
MAYER: Hello, everybody.
COHEN: You guys look so comfortable. We're good.
COOPER: So, Dave, congratulations on the two new -- yes, congratulations.
COHEN: It's so LA. I can't handle it.
COOPER: Congratulations on the two shows that just appeared on Netflix. Both Andy and I watched them today.
CHAPPELLE: Thank you so much.
COOPER: They're so amazing. Do you have like -- as you look back on the year, what are your best and worst things you think for 2017?
CHAPPELLE: One of my favorite things in 2017 was Black Thought's Freestyle on Hat 97 Funk Flex. And one of my least favorite things was the passing of Dick Gregory. That to me...
COOPER: He's one amazing guy, yes. I mean what an incredible career and he was an incredible Civil Rights icon. He's really a remarkable, remarkable guy.
I got to ask you about your tour. You guys are touring together. You know, Dave, you and I were in D.C., I don't know, a couple of years ago and you were kind of perplexed that Andy Cohen and I do a stage show together. What do you and John Mayer do on stage together? How does that work?
CHAPPELLE: Johnny, do you want to take this one?
MAYER: Yes, it's not the loftiest of questions. I start out playing my music. I do about half an hour. I hand if off to Dave. He does a half an hour and 40 minutes of stand-up and then he brings me back out. And we sort of have what I think other people have described as sort of just like a hang-out.
It's like a party. It's like being -- it's best described as like being in a room at a house party where a couple of people get together and they hang out and everyone has a great time.
CHAPPELLE: It's very like a very expensive piano bar.
MAYER: Right. It's called Controlled Danger and that's what it's all about. It's riding the edge between what we're sure we know is going to work and what we're not sure is going to work.
CHAPPELLE: Yes, you know, and a lot of these -- and all these shows we lock everybody's phones up, so we take a lot of chances on the stage, that a lot of celebrities might not want to take because of the cellphone cult culture, this "got you" culture. But we go hard on the (inaudible), man. We have a good time. That's the title Controlled Danger.
MAYER: Yes.
COHEN: That is so cool. Wait, do you have people check their phones when they come in? They're not allowed to have their phones there?
CHAPPELLE: Well they have them but they're like in these bags. This company named (Yanna) makes these bags, so they lock the phones up. If they want to access their phones they have to leave the show room.
COHEN: That's so cool.
MAYER: And I have to say this, every artist, every live performer who has come to see the show always says to me how jealous they are that the phones are locked up because I think artists want to be able to have that experience as well. And I owe that to Dave.
I've actually done some shows on my own just playing songs where the phones are locked up, because you can perform with a really honest heart without worrying about how it's going to read second, third, millionth time. And I guess some moments, they get their power from the wash of memory. You know, memory is a good thing when it comes to not remembering every last little thing and walking away from somebody and saying that was great, you know.
COOPER: It's also going to be hard, Dave and John, when you look out on the audience and you see people just on their phones, holding up their phones and they're not even necessarily being present, they're just kind of trying to record the moment as opposed to actually experience the moment and listen in it.
CHAPPELLE: Yes, this weird combination of being engaged yet wildly disengaged.
MAYER: Yes. I try to tell myself however they want it if that's how they want it, they bought the ticket. The one that annoys me, the only one that annoys me is when someone in the front row turns around to do a picture of themselves with me in the background as I am singing a song about, I am singing from my heart and soul and I'm being used as a cardboard background prop. That's the only one. If you're watching and you're going to come to the show in the next couple of years, don't turn your back to the artist in the front row.
COHEN: That's a good rule of thumb.
Hey, Dave, JC (ph) told the New York Times recently that he would vote for you for president. Which made me start thinking, if you were president, what would your first official act be?
CHAPPELLE: If I were president what would my first official act be?
COHEN: Yes, sir.
CHAPPELLE: That's a tough one, man. Man, I don't know. The "if" part of it is what makes it so extraordinary. That's a huge if.
MAYER: I have one. If I were president I would have wet wipes in every stall for every American, wet wipes.
COHEN: Really?
COOPER: Wow.
CHAPPELLE: Every weekend would be three days.
MAYER: See?
COHEN: Yes. Every weekend would be three days. I would fight tooth and nail for that.
COOPER: Hey, guys, I hate to do this. We're going to take a 60- second break. Can you stick around for 60 seconds and we'll come right back?
CHAPPELLE: Sure, yes, I've got 60 seconds.
COOPER: All right, all right, cool. We'll be right back. We've got to take a quick break. And we'll more Dave Chappelle and John Mayer in just a second.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: And welcome back. We are live in Times Square and we are joined in California with Dave Chappelle and John Mayer who are performing tonight.
COHEN: That's awesome. See how it feels? I love it.
COOPER: That's great. That's great.
COHEN: That is so good. That is really good.
John, you and I talked about this all the time. You know I love you on Twitter. You're so funny and you've been on fire the last few months.
MAYER: Thank you.
COHEN: Is there a Tweet this year that you were proudest of?
MAYER: Oh my goodness, is there a Tweet this year that I was proudest if? Yes, I wrote one about beauty. I wrote one about basically being loving, as being a main part of being beautiful. And the re-Tweets were crazy.
I go back and forth between being very sincere and then being very jokey, but that one was a very sincere one about beauty and kindness and how they have to -- well, you can't have one without the other. And people really resonated. That resonated with people. You can't resonate with something, something has to resonate with you. You see what I mean?
CHAPPELLE: I should tell you all, I'm not even on social media.
COOPER: Well I was about to ask you, Dave, what do think is Twitter. To me I basically dropped off, it seems really toxic to me. What do you think?
CHAPPELLE: I've never, I literally made like maybe five or six Tweets in my life and then I got out of the business. It was years ago. I just knew it wasn't for me. I can't speak in small increments.
MAYER: I think, if I may, I feel like the problem with Twitter is that it doesn't register the problem correctly. So there is a problem in the world and what happens is Twitter seems to represent a certain repetition of the same problem that I think frustrates and annoys people faster than they need to be. And I think it doesn't give the right dimension to a problem when you read the recurrence of the thought of the problem so many times.
I feel like Twitter logs multiple votes for problems. And I think everyone walks around that carries this weight all day and I think it's because of the way that these problems are accounted for.
Do you know what I mean? You can feel the same problem occur over and over, and over again because of reading Tweets about it. It re-injury is what I want to say.
COHEN: Now what's interesting is, Dave, you were trending all day on Twitter because people were watching you on Netflix and going crazy and loving it. Is there any part of you that has any desire to see what people are Tweeting about or saying about your new specials?
CHAPPELLE: Only if it's good. I don't want to read all those boos of outrage.
COOPER: There's a lot of that on Twitter.
COHEN: There definitely are.
Hey, Johnny, Johnny, who are you going to smooch at midnight?
MAYER: Yes. I really haven't thought about it. Just really into a -- I don't know. Who should I?
COHEN: I don't know. I mean, LA is your oyster I feel like.
MAYER: Yes, I don't know. I didn't really think about that.
COHEN: Okay, well, let me know.
COOPER: Dave, have you ever been to Times Square for New Year's Eve?
CHAPPELLE: You know years ago I was playing Caroline's. Yes, years ago I was playing Caroline's, you know, which is near Times Square and almost couldn't get to the gig because there was so much chaos that went on. And it looks like it is about four degrees in Times Square.
COHEN: It's so bad. It's crazy.
COOPER: Yes. Our faces are frozen which is why we're slurring.
COHEN: Yes, it's really bad.
CHAPPELLE: I understand.
COHEN: You guys are performing tonight at the Forum. How are New Year's Eve audiences by the way?
CHAPPELLE: Well I think you can feel that in terms of how New Year's Eve audiences are. Well this is my first New Year's Eve working in years. Normally I'd be home watching you guys because the crowds get so drunk tonight. I mean I don't know if you can hear this behind me but they're already at it and it's going to be (inaudible).
So tonight my plan is...
COHEN: Hey, John, what do you think was the best song of 2017...
COOPER: Yes, go ahead, sorry, sorry, Dave, go ahead, sorry.
CHAPPELLE: I said I was just going to surf the energy, that's my plan.
MAYER: The best song of 2017. I have a hard time thinking about something that I didn't like.
COHEN: I think Emoji of a Way which I love.
MAYER: Thank you. That's one of my songs. Thank you, Andy. You're a company boy. I feel like Kendrick Lamar, DNA is hard to beat as a song, as the best song of the year. That's pretty hard to beat. Yes.
COOPER: Hey, guys, I know this is kind of a cheesy question but, Dave, after watching your specials today I think you had, really, a lot of important messages for people. I'm just wondering, both of you, do you guys have a message for people out there for the New Year who are listening tonight?
Dave?
CHAPPELLE: You know, at all costs no matter what is said, we should make a point to be decent to one another and we'll get through anything because that's all that really matters.
MAYER: I agree.
COOPER: John, how about you?
MAYER: Yes, I would like to see, I would like to see a little more reason, a little more exercise of reason. And I also feel like in the quest to make a better world at large, we are losing a little bit of the user experience from day to day. I hope there is a better balance next year between fighting and living. I think we're a little short on the living. I feel like the theoretical fight vacuum is getting a little bit, it's eating up a little too much actual lifetime.
CHAPPELLE: Which is nothing that a three-day weekend wouldn't fix.
MAYER: And wet wipes for every American in every stall, that would be -- I am running on wet wipes, 2020. America runs on wet wipes.
COHEN: Chappelle, Mayer 2020, yes. Thank you, guys, so much. Happy New Year. It's so fun seeing you, guys.
CHAPPELLE: Always and may God Bless.
MAYER: Happy New Year.
COHEN: Have a great show tonight.
COOPER: Yes, we wish you the best. Have a great year, continued success.
MAYER: Thank you. You guys too.
CHAPPELLE: Likewise, man. All the best, guys.
MAYER: Happy New Year, America.
COHEN: Yes, Happy New Year.
COOPER: And again, for those of you guys who haven't seen Dave's Netflix specials which just came out today, they're so good.
COHEN: They're so great. And if you get a chance go see John on tour solo or with Dead & Company.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: It's like two of the greatest shows. I've seen so many Dead & Company shows.
COOPER: It's so cool to see them together and just hang out.
COHEN: It's really cool and it actually makes sense.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: When you hear them.
COOPER: Yes, yes, yes, I'd like to see that.
COHEN: Yes. Me too. Well...
COOPER: I don't know.
COHEN: I think we're going to Richard Quest.
COOPER: Okay, let's check in with Richard Quest -- there you go. No, actually...
COHEN: Randi Kaye.
COOPER: No, we're going to Randi Kaye who is the grand reveal.
COHEN: It's the pot and paint party masterpiece reveal.
COOPER: She's been riding around on a pot bus in Colorado where marijuana is legal.
Randi, oh, goodness, you're just giggling now, Randi.
KAYE: I'm great.
COHEN: Oh my god Randi's does is kicking in.
KAYE: This is for Andy. Andy, this is for you. This is a puff, pass and paint party. Do you want this?
COHEN: This is CNN.
KAYE: It's a pink joint.
COHEN: Oh my god, this is the best.
Thank you, Randi. That is a gorgeous joint.
KAYE: Someone just passed this to me. Someone just passed it to me because that's what you do.
COHEN: Ever think you would see it on CNN?
KAYE: This is a puff, pass and paint party. You just pass it on, so.
COOPER: Randi is just going to pass it on. She is just going to pass it on.
KAYE: So I am just going to pass it on to somebody. I was going to pass -- hello. I mean I get another one passed to me it's so funny. But here everybody just puffs, passes and paints. And I got to show you something else, they have a thing here called "The Incredible."
I got to show you how this works. We have a willing participant right here. If you thought this was nice, wait until you see this. Okay, let's see how it works here. This is all part of the puff, pass and paint. This is where they get their creativity. They just get it right in there...
COHEN: Oh my god I love that.
KAYE:...and then they paint.
COOPER: You know this doesn't seem like a good idea.
KAYE: Isn't that amazing? It's called "The Incredible." And so, the guy who teaches one of these puff, pass and paint classes...
COHEN: Wow, this guy is horny.
COOPER: The what?
COHEN: Horny.
KAYE: This guy, this guy Mike here teaches these. I got to pass this on. I can't hold this in my hand anymore. Thank you.
So anyway, so you are the facilitator of fun, Mike?
MIKE: Yes, that's what I say.
KAYE: And you tell them to paint, what are your tips?
MIKE: Yes, well, we say, you know, it's not about the end product, it's about the journey, man. And so, we want people to be one with the paint. Oh man, that seems like math, that's too much math, man. That's too much math right now.
KAYE: Wow.
MIKE: What I can say also is like if you get really mad at your painting, I like to make sure I get really, really high so my eyes get really squinty and things look so much better when you squint.
KAYE: That's awesome and you may be -- let me just show you a couple quickly, that people are working on over here. This one is really interesting.
Wow, what do you have going on here? Is that a bottle of champagne?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm trying to paint a bottle of champagne that's painted from my bone.
KAYE: And what are you painting over here?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I started with the original, with the bottle of champagne and now I'm not sure.
COHEN: These are good paintings.
KAYE: Okay, it doesn't look like champagne but imagine this, all the way over here, you guys are going to love this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's lost the pot, darling.
KAYE: You're going to love this. Check this out. Is that, who is that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That would be you.
KAYE: Hey, you painted me. I love it. That looks really good. I got it. It's a little blonde.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.
KAYE: And, you know, at least my eyes aren't squinted in that picture, that's good. But I got to tell you, we have a couple of folks here who are painting you two. They have puffed, they have passed and now they are painting AC2. And wait until you see, we're going to have the big reveal next time. They're going to puff a little more and paint a little more.
COOPER: I can't wait. All right.
KAYE: And then we'll have it for you.
COOPER: All right, thanks, Randi.
COHEN: Thanks, Randi.
COOPER: We'll check back with you.
Let go to Richard Quest. Richard, where are you?
QUEST: Down to your left, look to your left and you'll see. Yes, there you go.
COOPER: There you are, okay.
QUEST: I'm down with the ordinary people.
COHEN: You stay there. You stay there.
QUEST: All right, it's nearly midnight.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, how are you doing?
QUEST: What time did you get here?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Eight AM. QUEST: Oh no, you can't...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm in the city since 8:00 AM waiting for this.
QUEST: Really?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
QUEST: Are you excited?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm so excited. I'm really ready for this.
QUEST: What about yourself?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm so ready for this. I mean I was out here for a long, long time too, so, I'm really excited. It's going to be worth it. It really is.
QUEST: It's going to be worth it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's going to be worth it. It is.
QUEST: All right. So they've been here since eight or nine in the morning. It is now nine degrees Fahrenheit which is the second coldest on record, okay? So we've beaten the 1962 record or at least it looks like that. And everybody at last there is getting ready for -- they are.
I hope you are keeping warm up there. It must be nice in the expensive seats.
COOPER: Oh, yes.
QUEST: Don't worry about those of us down here. Don't worry.
COOPER: It's actually -- at least you're down there, it's warmer down there, warmer where the air is hitting us.
QUEST: A crumb from your table, Mr. Cooper, a crumb from your table.
COHEN: Richard Quest is throwing us major shade right now.
COOPER: He's fawning, I like that.
COHEN: Yes, too.
COOPER: He's been down there for a long time.
COHEN: He looks a little (inaudible) if you want to know the truth.
COOPER: Yes, to be fair he's been down there an awfully long time.
COHEN: I would like to say it's like CNN Gone Wild.
COOPER: It is so.
COHEN: Now you're going crazy.
COOPER: I know. Yes. Have you ever coughed and you have a bad back and it's every time you cough -- I know, I sound like (inaudible).
COHEN: (Inaudible), about a year and a day.
COOPER: Yes, June 2nd and June 3rd. Yes.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: So Randi Kaye, I don't quite understand why would people want to paint if they are high?
COHEN: Well it's fun to paint when you're high. It's fun to do anything when you're high but I mean...
COOPER: I don't understand that.
COHEN: ...those paintings were nice, I think.
COOPER: Sure, why not, absolutely.
COHEN: I like that guy Mike, who said that everything looks better if you squint which is true, actually. I mean you think about it.
COOPER: And it's probably true.
COHEN: Lots of truisms to go from John. By the way I love the interview with Mayer and Chappelle.
COOPER: I know it was really nice.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: It was really just calm and nice, and then smart. So we're about 25 minutes away from the stroke of midnight which is obviously going to be very exciting.
COHEN: Slow march to midnight but I feel like it's...
COOPER: It's the energy. Yes...
COHEN: Yes, yes.
COOPER: It's, yes, yes. And you're like projecting onto everybody. We need to take a quick break. When we come back we're going to have a lot more, when we come back we'll check in with all the hottest spots around the country where people are waiting for the big countdown obviously. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Welcome back. And we're about 22 minutes away from the stroke of midnight and the beginning of 2018, here with Andy Cohen.
COHEN: You would not know that it is so freaking cold... COOPER: You would not.
COHEN: By looking at that aerial shot. But I have to say the energy is really picking up in Times Square.
COOPER: It is, yes, yes.
COHEN: And I feel warmer.
COOPER: The New Year is in sight, Richard Quest is out there in Times Square below us with a special guest.
Richard, who do you have?
QUEST: I have New York's finest, New York's strongest and New York's bravest. Lets start here with you, Chief (Muller). How many of your NYPD's finest have you got here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got thousands. I'm not going to give you an exact number but we are thousands keeping this area secure, cops everywhere. Everywhere you turn you'll see another police officer.
QUEST: And they are incredibly good tonight. They are just enjoying the spirit while keeping us safe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's exactly it. We're out here and making sure that everyone else has a great time, in force in a secure area and working hand in hand with our partners here but we couldn't do it without Sanitation and the Fire Department here with us.
QUEST: That goes to you, Roger, at the Fire Department. I mean your members, absolutely phenomenal work this week in the Bronx. We applaud you for what you did. And tonight a great night, what are you working on?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, what happens, we can't get rigs into this area, so our members are on foot, surveying the area, investigating alarms by foot and bringing units in when necessary with PD's help.
QUEST: And when it's all over, you and your people, the New York's strongest have to put it all together again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now we have 246 sanitation workers ready to go, 46 officers. You want to talk equipment we've got 44 rear-loader collection trucks. We've got 30 mechanical brooms. We've got 56 guys with back-track rollers.
QUEST: How quickly will you have it all done?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We look to get it done by daybreak.
QUEST: By daybreak. So here you have it. You've got the bravest, you've got the strongest and you've got the finest. And if you really want to know, do you actually enjoy it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love being out here. Being out here with the people in this city, this is the best in the world. This is what it's about.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's all New York, it's about New York.
QUEST: And New York.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's amazing.
QUEST: There you have it, Anderson and Andy, the bravest, the finest, the strongest and there's how many people tonight do we think here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Over a million people here tonight having a great time.
QUEST: Over a million people on the second coldest night on record.
COOPER: Yes, that's great.
QUEST: And I'm putting my gloves on.
Gentlemen, I salute you or I would if I had my hat on. Thank you.
COOPER: Yes, Richard, give them our best. Amazing work they're all doing...
COHEN: It's amazing that a million people turned out.
COOPER: I know and the police are, I mean, they've done this, they're so experienced with this, the Fire Department, the EMTs, everybody. Just a few minutes left until 2018 here in New York.
COHEN: You're starting to shiver.
COOPER: I'm starting to shiver, yes.
COHEN: I am too.
COOPER: Down in New Orleans things are heating obviously. Let's check in with Don and Brooke to see how things are going.
COHEN: What's up, guys?
BALDWIN: Hi, guys. Hi from the Spotted Cat, you like our masks?
LEMON: We went to makeup and they gave this to us.
BALDWIN: And we grew feathers, so they're bad.
LEMON: What do you think?
BALDWIN: Do you guys like this?
COOPER: I like it. I like the look. It's a good look.
BALDWIN: So here on Frenchman Street at this -- do you like the look? Very good. As long as Andy likes it, I'm good.
Okay, so we have this special little something...
LEMON: We have something really special...
BALDWIN: Really special.
LEMON: So Andy and Anderson, if you'd give us a little time, we won't cut into your New Year's Eve time, trust us. But we want to introduce you to this guy. What's your name?
DUSTIN: My name is Dustin.
LEMON: Dustin. We understand you have something special.
DUSTIN: Yes, yes, for sure.
LEMON: All right, well, come on, hey, come here.
BALDWIN: And your girlfriend in the red, beautiful. Where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Atlanta.
BALDWIN: And I'm an Atlanta girl.
LEMON: Let's do it.
DUSTIN: Marissa, I love you. And will you marry me?
BALDWIN: She said yes. She said yes.
MARISSA: Yes. I love it. (Inaudible).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
LEMON: He went to Jerrod (ph) or somewhere else. She said yes, she said yes.
BALDWIN: She said yes. She said yes. We love that. We love that.
LEMON: So guess what, Andy and Anderson, quickly. Someone else who said yes this year is...
BALDWIN: Me, where is he?
LEMON: Brooke Baldwin is getting married this year, where is your man?
BALDWIN: Someone in here.
LEMON: Somewhere in here. They're going to get married. So from here in New Orleans. What do think? It's amazing.
COOPER: I love that. I love that.
COHEN: I love a live proposal.
COOPER: Yes, absolutely, that's great. That's so great.
LEMON: Brooke, will you marry me?
BALDWIN: I think I've already said yes like the past four years.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here this, so that's the last.
COHEN: You guys seems to (inaudible) the last time we saw you.
BALDWIN: We love being here. We love the Spotted Cat. We love New Orleans. Thanks to you all in New York.
COOPER: Yes, well, thank you guys so much for being there and picking up our coverage at 12;30. We got a lot still to go, about 15, 16 minutes until the stroke of midnight.
COHEN: Wow, wow. They seem like they've sobered up a little bit.
COOPER: Yes. Or maybe they're just, I don't know, maybe because they're sitting down or something, I don't know.
COHEN: Yes, right.
COOPER: You know, when you like rise up and you're suddenly like wow, and you get walloped.
COHEN: Yes, do you think it just went down a little bit, the temp?
COOPER: I can't tell. I mean...
COHEN: How is your heated--
COOPER: The heat, it's less now.
COHEN: Okay, I think we need to change our batteries.
COOPER: We need to change our batteries, yes.
COHEN: It also seems to be getting a little windy up here.
COOPER: Yes, yes. It is windy which adds to it.
COHEN: Well, wind is nice, yes. We obviously got a little breeze.
COOPER: It's freezing.
COHEN: Right, yes, yes, yes, yes.
COOPER: Yes. Do you want to do more under-reported stories of the year?
COHEN: Sure. Yes I will.
COOPER: Yes, okay.
COHEN: You know, this was a really good one. This was in a -- do you know that Tom Cruise had to deny that he had butt padding on the set of -- how do you pronounce the name of the movie?
COOPER: Valkyrie, Valkyrie.
COHEN: Yes. You see that movie?
COOPER: I did see that movie. I liked that movie.
COHEN: There was an image of Tom Cruise's butt from the movie. It went viral this year, leading people to think that he was wearing butt padding and he came out and said -- but Tom Cruise has always had kind of a big can. He has...
COOPER: What are you talking about, I do not know that.
COHEN: He's got a famously big can.
COOPER: I did not know that.
COHEN: But it's nice.
COOPER: Yes, I know, you're not criticizing it.
COHEN: Okay, I love this. (Gideon) was at the Met Ball and he took a picture with Whiz Khalifa, Amigos, Jaden Smith, and Travis Scott. He -- the -- he posted this picture with -- and Kylie and Kendell Jenner, he posted the picture -- you seemed bored with my little stories.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Well no, no. I think they're fine.
COHEN: I think you're really -- I think you're going into a little cold, cold hole.
COOPER: No, no, no. No, no, no. Okay. Okay.
COHEN: Okay. He cut out Kendell Jenner and Kylie Jenner from his picture.
COOPER: Why?
COHEN: And they posted a picture and he cut them out. But those are good people to get likes on a picture. You want --
COOPER: Oh, you want them.
COHEN: -- Jenners and Kardashians in your pictures.
COOPER: Do you?
COHEN: Absolutely. Did you know that Jane Judi Dench carries around a tiny fidget spinner?
COOPER: No.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: Why? COHEN: She does.
COOPER: Why?
COHEN: She's so fidgety, she pulled out a teeny fidget spinner --
COOPER: I've actually interviewed Jane Judi Dench.
COHEN: Her grandson gave her one.
COOPER: Oh, okay. I've interviewed her, she's lovely.
COHEN: Yes. Since this is CNN, there is breaking news and that is that Mariah Carey just did a very good performance behind us. Am I allowed to say that?
COOPER: Yes. Sure. Yes, of course.
COHEN: Yes. So she did redeem herself, the emancipation of Mimi is complete, Mimi is emancipated, you have heard it here on CNN. We are in the --
COOPER: They released the Mariah glitter.
COHEN: They released the Mariah glitter.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: And Mimi --
COOPER: Did you see the "Backpack Kid" on Saturday Night Live --
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: When Katy Perry performed on Saturday Night Live, the "Backpack Kid" stole the show this year.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: And for me, I was obsessed, with that song "Swish Swish" and it's back-to-back that kid.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: I tried to do this, like for the longest time, look, he's got like a gazillion followers on Instagram.
COHEN: Yes, he does.
COOPER: Yes, I love that kid.
COHEN: You love the "Backpack Kid?"
COOPER: I do. Yes, yes.
COHEN: Really? COOPER: Yes. He's like my favorite sort of discovery this year.
COHEN: Okay.
COOPER: Let's check back in, we have about --
COHEN: I feel like you're turning on me. I really think you're bored with me.
COOPER: No, not at all.
COHEN: Oh, okay. Good. All right.
COOPER: No.
COHEN: We're going to check in with Bill Weir?
COOPER: Bill Weir, yes.
COHEN: Okay.
COOPER: Bill Weir. Hey Bill, how are things there?
WEIR: Hello Andy, Anderson. We've made our way to the top of the Bourbon Street Pub where somebody wants to say hi to guys. Hey look, it's Sushi, it's Key West legend Sushi.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where's my jacket?
WEIR: Happy New Year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy New Year almost, yes. Where's my jacket?
WEIR: I didn't want to take away from your outfit, you look amazing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anderson in there?
WEIR: Anderson and Andy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Guys, how are you? Love you.
(CROSSTALK)
WEIR: They're happy to see that things are back to normal. Things are back to normal in the Keys. I mean, you're a sign of normal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, you know Joey Strodder, the one who --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm the man behind the Su.
WEIR: Oh, this is your place?
(CROSSTALK)
WEIR: But what does it say about the resiliency of the Keys that you have this kind of New Year's Eve? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my God --
WEIR: A hundred and five days after Irma?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you seen the crowd out here? I'm sweating, it's so hot out here, it's absolutely wonderful. I mean Key West is -- we came back. Hello Anderson. Come down and be in the (inaudible).
WEIR: Andy, Anderson, back to you guys.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What? We agree -- I agree. (inaudible) man, that's the headline of the night.
WEIR: I'm making all kinds of friends up here. They're so friendly.
COOPER: Bill?
WEIR: Yes. I'm sure people are very friendly to you (inaudible) we're going to have a big night. You better get your ass to Miami pretty soon.
COOPER: I might need an exit strategy
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wish you were here.
WEIR: The recovery continues, back to you.
COOPER: All right. All right Bill, thanks so much.
COHEN: Thanks Bill.
COOPER: So at the stroke of midnight in Key West, the Sushi who you saw there is lowered in a giant stiletto. One year, it actually like got stuck and she had ended up like crawling along the roof of the bar one year. It was -- yes.
COHEN: Wow. She just seems very calm considering she's about to be dropped.
COOPER: But it's a very slow, slow drop. We'll play it after --
COHEN: Well I think it will be very exciting if they lowered Mariah Carey down in Times Square.
COOPER: Of course.
COHEN: That would be amazing.
COOPER: Oh, that would be huge.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: Probably difficult. We are 11 minutes away.
COHEN: The gown and the hair, she likes to be photographed from a certain side.
COOPER: A lot going on. It would be a whole meshugas.
COHEN: That would be a meshugas.
COOPER: So we're actually about 10 minutes away now, so let's -- I think usually about 5 minutes or so before they start playing music and we're we're going to bring you all of that. We really want you to be able to experience what it's like to be here.
It's easy to make fun of as a New Yorker, most New Yorkers don't come here, they say it's for tourists and stuff. But I got to say, every year, I find it really moving like that 10-minute window before, 5- minute window before --
COHEN: Talk about it, I'm excited to experience it.
COOPER: It's really incredible and so we're going to stop talking during a lot of that.
COHEN: We are?
COOPER: Well at like --
COHEN: Okay.
COOPER: To let people experience the music and the moment and feel the emotion of the moment. I find it an emotional moment.
COHEN: Let's go to Richard Quest.
COOPER: Yes. Hey Richard, how's it going? Are people getting excited?
QUEST: -- Square for New Year's Eve for about 15 years and I could not agree with you more. More people are arriving.
COOPER: I can't hear.
QUEST: Where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Vancouver, Canada.
QUEST: Vancouver, Canada. Where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: London. London.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're from London, Happy New Year.
QUEST: So, can you hear me guys? Can you hear me?
COOPER: Yes, yes. We got you Richard. We got you.
QUEST: I was just saying for 15 years I've been --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Party. Hi. QUEST: I'd say this is something quite different.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: YEs.
QUEST: Ten minutes to go, these have just arrived -- what are you doing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're from Australia. Woo.
QUEST: You get the idea. People are grabbing me, it's very cold. Well, you -- what can one say, they are thoroughly enjoying themselves. Have you ever been to Times Square before?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I have.
QUEST: You have? No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Best time ever, it's awesome. Happy New Year.
QUEST: Happy New Year to you. What can I say, the mood is absolutely electric. Yes, it's very cold, second coldest on record but in the last 20 minutes, Andy is quite right, the energy has picked up and people are ready for midnight.
COOPER: Yes, it's really interesting Richard. As you were saying, when we first got here, I also feel like it's gotten more crowded, like they've let more people get closer.
QUEST: They have. They have. This whole area -- this whole area has been allowed to come in, so they're letting a lot more people into the parts of the Square which is what they normally do.
COHEN: People are truly packed in like sardines. People are really packed in. I have to imagine that that is one way that they're keeping a little bit warm but --
COOPER: Oh, without a doubt. Yes.
COHEN: Yes. But -- I mean, it's still does not look like a place that this reporter would like to be. But that's just this reporter.
COOPER: really? So you're not calling yourself a reporter?
COHEN: Well, I am a reporter. I'm on CNN --
COOPER: Okay.
COHEN: -- for four and a half hours. Yes.
COOPER: That's true.
COHEN: And by the way, with all due to your team of experts in the field, some of them are drunk, one's at a pot party, I mean --
COOPER: Well, she's just reporting.
COHEN: It's tonight. It's tonight. I know.
COOPER: She's just reporting on it.
COHEN: I know. I'm a new -- I'm a big Randi Kaye fan.
COOPER: I mean, she's Randi Kaye.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: She's fantastic. Do you have any New Year's wishes or resolutions for next year? You really don't?
COOPER: I do. I mean, they're always the same, they're boring.
COHEN: You know, you are more of a softie than I think people realize. I mean you're a very sweet guy and you're very loyal guy. But you also -- I just -- I'm surprised that you don't have anything to say about this.
COOPER: About what?
COHEN: Any New Year's wishes.
COOPER: Well look -- I mean obviously, I think we're in a very divided time, (inaudible) time and I think events like this as you said earlier, it's nice that people are able to come together and I think there's more that unites us than actually divides us and --
COHEN: That's a good -- see, that's a good thought, there you go. That's what I'm saying, I was trying -- I was look -- I was trying to pull something from you.
COOPER: From my cold dark little heart?
COHEN: What?
COOPER: From my cold dark little heart? Is that what you're saying?
COHEN: Clear eyes, full heart, can't lose.
COOPER: Oh, I mean please.
COHEN: Oh my God, I love it. But I agree --
COOPER: Don't get me started on Friday night. I mean --
COHEN: I know. No, do not get me started on that.
COOPER: Hey, let's quickly check in with Randi Kaye, see how the -- Randi, do the folks you're with even realize - well, actually I guess since it's in Colorado, so midnight is not approaching, but are they aware of the time at this point or does time doesn't really matter anymore?
COHEN: The time doesn't matter to them.
KAYE: I'm not sure if they're aware of the time, I'm not even sure they're aware of the year to be honest with you at this -- things have really gotten out of control. We have now moved on to cannabis- infused cocktails.
I know we're really close to midnight Eastern Time but this is our bud tender and he is making a cannabis -- trying to get these drinks ready, oh my goodness, this is live TV, come on. So this is a little bit of THC and what is --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. So what we're using is a water soluble THC packet from a company called Ripple or (inaudible) water. So this is going to be pineapple, orange, lemon, and a little bit of grenadine, got to get you the grenadine real quick.
KAYE: Okay, pour that in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then --
KAYE: And so this makes you feel really, really nice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. So this is going to be a really nice, mild high. So nothing too intense.
KAYE: I'm just going to -- I'm sure. It looks delicious. I wish I could give it to you guys but I'm going to pass it on, ready to move on into the puff, pass and paint party and how about this, would you like an infused cocktail? Very nice.
COOPER: We'll check back in with Randi shortly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Okay.
KAYE: The key here obviously is making these puff, pass and paint parties, the key is to paint --
COOPER: All right. Let's check back in with Randi shortly.
COOPER: Well you know -- well the time has come --
COHEN: Very exciting.
COOPER: They're going to start to play Imagine and which we'll bring to folks live. Also the mayor is out on the podium ready to press the --
COHEN: The mayor presses the --
COOPER: Well the mayor is special guest press, like touch it and then that starts the --
COHEN: The countdown?
COOPER: The lowering.
COHEN: Oh my God, this is very exciting, 2018.
COOPER: Wait, are they -- are they doing it a little early? Do they want to bump in a little early this year? Let's listen in to Imagine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy New Year's to you, I love you all.
