Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Event/Special
New Years Eve Live in Times Square. Aired 9-10p ET
Aired December 31, 2020 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[21:00:00]
ANNOUNCER: --With the appearances by Mariah Carey, Snoop Dog, Stephen Colbert, John Mayer, Cameron Diaz, Carole Baskin, Desus & Mero, Jimmy Buffett, and many other surprises. Now, your hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN NEWS HOST: And we are now less than three hours away from the end of 2020.
ANDY COHEN, CNN NEWS HOST: Thank god!
COOPER: Good riddance. About time. Coronavirus may limit the number of people who could be here with us in this space tonight. It cannot limit the number of stars who are going to help us ring in 2021. Stephen Colbert is coming up at the top of the hour next hour--
COHEN: He's going to do a shot with us.
COOPER: To do a shot with us. We're very thankful for. We've got a performance by Jimmy Buffett also John Mayer is going to be performing with us or for us. In just a moment we'll be joined by two of the biggest stars of 2020, Carole and Howard Baskin from the hit true crime documentary series on Netflix "Tiger King". But first it's the top of the hour.
COHEN: That's right.
COOPER: If you're following along--
COHEN: Guys, no one is alone tonight. We're all together.
COOPER: We're all together.
COHEN: Let's do this together. Cheers to you guys. Cheers to a fecal year being over.
COOPER: A what?
COHEN: A fecal year. The end of a fecal year.
COOPER: Is that a thing? Does one say that?
COHEN: I just said it. Cheers. I think you know what it means.
COOPER: Well, I know. But--
COHEN: Anyway. Cheers, guys.
COOPER: Tequila? OK.
COHEN: All right. OK. One thing we all did this year besides zoom with our families and hang out, we all Binge TV. I mean there was so much TV to binge.
COOPER: Oh, my god. I've done it. There's nothing else left. I've done everything.
COHEN: I know more about NXIVM - I could lead a dos seminar. I know more about, I could hypnotize Nancy Salzman.
COOPER: Nancy Saltzman is the mystery of that whole thing. I want it more in her. I know there have already been two documentaries but I feel like a whole one could be on Nancy Salzman.
COHEN: Me too. And is there. Also Catherine Oxenberg saved the world as it turned out, Amanda from "Dynasty".
COOPER: In those gorgeous cashmere sweaters in Malibu, with the big mugs of coffee.
COHEN: We love her. I finally--
COOPER: But what was the attraction about (inaudible)?
COHEN: He's so hot. I mean with his volleyball games. Oh, god. I know. And the head bands, I have been waiting to fall in love to watch Binge - to watch Binge of Thrones, to watch "Game of Thrones". That didn't happen. But a pandemic happened. And I finally watched the entire--
COOPER: You mean, you've been waiting to watch "Game of Thrones" until you fell in love.
COHEN: Yes, because I thought I'll watch it with my lover.
COOPER: You weren't waiting to fall in love so you could watch--
COHEN: No, I wasn't. Anyway, that didn't happen. I finally watched "Game of Thrones" and I found out something so disturbing--
COOPER: Will you take a lover in 2021?
COHEN: I will take a lover in 2021. And it might be you. The night is young and the show has just begun. I found something disturbing after I watched "Game of Thrones." Which is that Anderson did a story about "Game of Thrones"--
COOPER: Yes, I did.
COHEN: --For "60 minutes" he was dressed as a White Walker. And he was given the opportunity to purchase a prop from "Game of Thrones." And what did you buy? COOPER: I bought Ramsay Bolton's shield. I donated money to charity and they gave me the shield.
COHEN: And Ramsay Bolton is perhaps the - sickest on the entire show.
COOPER: No, no. He's like a psychopathic - but the shield is cool.
COHEN: That is weird.
COOPER: First of all, I was in the warehouse in Belfast where they have all the "Game of Thrones" stuff. And like--
COHEN: Did you pick up some Hitler Memorabilia?
COOPER: But I figured they had a lot of shields, so they'd probably be willing to part with one, and I donated money to charity and I just thought it was a cool thing to have.
COHEN: Now, I will tell you this. Anderson and I are a little out of it sports wise.
COOPER: Oh, my god.
COHEN: We both knew that Michael Jordan was the goat. But we--
COOPER: It blew my mind.
COHEN: We didn't totally know why. But man.
COOPER: We both watched "the last dance." I watched it first. Andy was like I'm not going to watch that. He watched it. And like me got hooked on this. If you haven't seen it, it's incredible. I'm sure you have because it's like four years old or something.
COHEN: No, it came out this year, babe.
COOPER: No, No.
COHEN: Yes, on Netflix. It was on ESPN before that.
COOPER: See? I know these--
COHEN: No.
COOPER: But I suddenly realized, a, how out of touch I am because everyone obviously is in on this but like I feel like if on - for sports, when they play sports matches and games and they have them on TV I feel like they should have like a background explainers on who the characters are.
COHEN: They do that.
COOPER: And what the drama is behind the scenes.
COHEN: They do that.
COOPER: Because that's what made--
COHEN: That's what the announcers do. You don't ever watch a match or game--
COOPER: No. But if I knew who the characters were and like what their life story was I would be totally into. I think that's the way to get me to love sports.
COHEN: American murder: The Family Next Door.
COOPER: Oh, my god, incredible, so good.
[21:05:00]
COHEN: The lesson is ladies, who are watching, if your husband gets buff, he is having an affair and he's going to kill you.
COOPER: That seems to be what the police were saying.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: As soon as they brought in that awful murderer for an interview the cop was like oh, you've been working out.
COHEN: Right.
COOPER: Kind of pointing that you're having an affair. "Murder in Middle Beach" was really well done on HBO max, also "a murder at White House Farm" which I just watched, which is a drama, really good.
COHEN: You loved "the undoing", right?
COOPER: I do. I loved "The Undoing".
COHEN: I love Nicole Kidman. I love her "far and away" hair. The coats are questionable.
COOPER: Really?
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: Oh, no. I loved her like - I loved her in these big giant red and velvet coats wandering flu the streets of New York all night long.
COHEN: Christmas Coats. Now--
COOPER: John Hill on your show.
COHEN: John Hill said that--
COOPER: Christmas Tree.
COHEN: Yes, Christmas pageant.
COOPER: I loved every moment of it. COHEN: Nothing says 2020 and COVID like "The Tiger King". Everybody watched it at the beginning of the pandemic. It was right at the beginning. It was - if you had to rank Joe exotic's husbands by hotness.
COOPER: That's not something I am going to entertain.
COHEN: You would not entertain that?
COOPER: I would not entertain that.
COHEN: During a commercial break would you entertain it?
COOPER: You interviewed Dylan Patton.
COHEN: I did. It was an exclusive interview on Radio Andy. Yes. And you listened.
COOPER: Yes, I did.
COHEN: Yes, you did. OK. Joining us now, Carole and Howard Baskin, two of the stars of "Tiger King" wow!
COOPER: Wow. Oh, my goodness.
COHEN: That is a whole lot of look in Tampa, Florida for New Year's Eve. We should point out, of course, Carole, that is a stuffed tiger. That is not a real tiger.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: In your lap of course.
COOPER: Of course. Carole and Howard, welcome to Happy New Year. Thanks for being with us.
COHEN: Why do you think that "Tiger King" was such a big hit? Why do you think people loved it so much?
CAROLE BASKIN, CEO OF BIG CAT RESCUE: I think it was because everyone had been sent to their room by Mother Nature to reconsider their relationship with wildlife and it just seemed like the perfect thing for people to watch and then they got mesmerized by the dumpster fire that it turned out to be.
COOPER: Now, how did you come up with "hey there all you cool cats and kittens"?
BASKIN: I've been saying that for years because we do a big cat briefing every day about everything that happens at the sanctuary. And they repeated that line in "Tiger King" and it just kind of took off after that.
COOPER: OK.
COHEN: Wow. The hats that you're wearing tonight are those - I mean, would you be - I mean you have colorful clothing.
HOWARD BASKIN, ADVISORY BOARD CHAIRMAN, BIG CAT RESCUE: These were custom made for you guys for tonight. And Anderson, for an appropriate donation you could own this hat.
COHEN: Howard, you're trying to get money out of the Vanderbilt boy. Carole, you were unfortunately one of the first contestants to be eliminated from "dancing with the stars". Do you feel like you were sent home too early? And were there other cat-themed songs that were on your playlist that you were planning to dance to?
BASKIN: Oh, we had a whole roster of cat-themed songs. But they scratched for perfectly good reasons because I just could not dance.
COOPER: Well, I'm with you on that one, Carole. You're brave for even trying. I try to avoid that at all costs. How do you think Kim Kardashian looked this year when she dressed up as you for Halloween?
BASKIN: So much better than I do.
COHEN: That was an amazing - that was an amazing costume. You know, earlier this year after you criticized Cardi B for using big cats in her video were you surprised when she said she didn't want to engage with you about it?
BASKIN: No. And I think it was really taken out of context. I was glad she didn't use any live animals on the set. It's just I felt like they shouldn't have been used to even make it look like they had animals there.
COOPER: And Kate McKinnon is going to play you, I understand, in the upcoming "Joe Exotic" series for NBC and Peacock. Have the two of you had any discussions with each other about it yet? Kate McKinnon is amazing on "Saturday Night Live".
BASKINL: I love her. And I think she will absolutely give me a sense of humor when she portrays me. And I think she's got the eye roll down just perfectly. But I have not spoken to her.
COHEN: I saw this summer that you were legally awarded the Oklahoma Animal Park that "Joe Exotic" once owned. What is happening with that park now? Is it still open? And what will you do with it?
BASKIN: It's not still open. Jeff Lowe is so incompetent he couldn't move all the animals in time. So he left us with three tigers, with the bull or bears which have gone to a sanctuary in Colorado.
[21:10:00]
And so there is no animal on it now. And we've been cleaning up the mess he left in order to sell it.
COOPER: Wow. And will it be sold as? As like - who do you think - who do you hope would buy it?
BASKIN: Well, I'll tell you what it will not be sold at. We put into the deed that it can never be used for exotic animals. It can be never used for anything that's open to the public that in any way is named or connected to, you know, "Joe Exotic" or "Joe Maldonado" or "Tiger King".
COHEN: Do you think that Trump will pardon "Joe Exotic" on his way out of office?
BASKIN: I'd prefer not to comment on that.
COHEN: Have you heard from "Joe Exotic" or his team since he went to prison?
BASKIN: No.
BASKIN: I've never spoken to "Joe Exotic".
BASKIN: I met Joe a number of times in mediations.
COHEN: After all of the "Tiger King" hoopla and we're ending the year what do you think is the biggest misconception that people have about you after all of this time?
BASKIN: Yes. I think the biggest thing that people came away misunderstanding, thinking that sanctuaries and zoos are the same. And they're absolutely not. Sanctuaries don't want to be in business. We are rescuing animals from horrible situations and giving them a forever home, whereas these roadside zoos are constantly pimping out cubs and causing so much grief for the animals. So there couldn't be anything further apart than zoos and sanctuaries. And I think people really came away thinking that they were the same.
BASKIN: And for all the pain it caused, "Tiger King" had an enormous silver lining in just creating awareness of the issue that there are all these animals living in horrible conditions and the people who do these operations are obviously a disreputable group of people. And you know that helped us get the Big Cat Public Safety Act through the house at the end of the year, which was huge.
BASKIN: Whoo.
BASKIN: And really tees us up to get it passed--
COHEN: All right. Well, listen, we're going to leave it there, mazel tov on passing the bill. Thank you both so much.
COOPER: We hope you have a great New Year.
COHEN: Kiss that tiger. Now let's get to Gloria Gaynor here in Times Square singing our anthem "I will survive" Hit it, Gloria Gaynor.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
GLORIA GAYNOR, AMERICAN SINGER: At first I was afraid I was petrified kept thinking I could never live without you by my side but then I spent so many nights thinking how you do me wrong and I grew strong and I learned how to get along so now you're back from outer space I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face I should have changed that stupid lock I should have made you leave your key, if I'd have known for just one second you'd be back to bother me oh, now go walk out the door just turn around now 'cause you're not welcome anymore weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with good-bye did you think I'd crumble did you think I'd lay down and die, oh no, not I will survive oh, as long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive I've got all my life to live and I've got all my love to give and I'll survive and I will survive, I will survive hey, hey.
COHEN: Love her. Coming up next, Anderson's Baby is "People" magazine's cutest baby alive. But is he? Coming up, also, where are Don Lemon--
COOPER: Where are they?
COHEN: Let's bring them in. We're going to reveal their mystery location, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[21:15:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRAD PAISLEY: I have a quote that's attributed to me, which is today is the first page of a 365-page book, write a good one. But I would change this quote at this point. Write a different one than 2020. Can we do a new book? Can this be an entirely new script? I'm off 2020, never again. Hashtag.
LONI LOVE: Hello, Anderson and Andy. My New Year's resolution is for everyone to be healthy in 2021. It can't get any worse because 2020 was hell.
DREW BARRYMORE: My New Year's resolution is to tell my inner voice to be a little nicer. It's not nice in there. If anyone else goes through this, we've got to tell ourselves to be kind to ourselves the way we are to other people.
JOEY KING: My New Year's resolution is to use the full Mr. Clean magic eraser sponge instead of using half of it and then forgetting about it.
SAMANTHA BEE: For 2021, my resolution is to wear hard pants with a real waistband and shoes that go on your entire foot. Not just flip- flops.
GLORIA ESTEFAN: My New Year's resolution is to always salute with the Wakanda salute. No more shaking hands.
COOPER: Well, interesting.
COHEN: Absolutely. Wakanda forever.
COOPER: There were actually great moments this year. Certainly for me it was becoming-- COHEN: Before you say that I want to say two things.
COOPER: OK. Yes.
COHEN: We heard from Barbra Walters' Publicist Cindy Berger, and she alerted Ms. Walters--
COOPER: Who's already watching?
COHEN: Who is watching, to watch Cheri Oteri. And she watched it and she loved it. And so we just want to send all of our love to Barbara Walters.
COOPER: Yes. We love you and we hope you're doing great and we hope this year.
COHEN: And Happy New Year.
COOPER: Good.
COHEN: Yes. And then the second thing is people on twitter are thinking there was like a "weekend at Bern Carrie's" thing happening with Carole Baskin and her husband.
COOPER: That Harold was dead?
COHEN: Well, I mean not dead.
COOPER: Well, "Weekend at Bernie's" isn't that the whole thing?
COHEN: Well, I know you took it a step too far. Anyway, so just quoting what people on twitter are saying. That's my homework.
COOPER: Who does that?
COHEN: Me.
COOPER: People are talking. Yes. My - clearly my having a baby was the highlight of my year, my life.
[21:20:00]
COHEN: Yes, it was. And why it was named "People" magazine's cutest baby alive which is so wonderful. And of course many of you recall that of course my son Benjamin was the cutest baby alive last year, the previous winner.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: Now, you may not realize that Ben passed on the opportunity this year.
COOPER: What?
COHEN: Because, well, "people" reached out to Ben and he said I feel like Anderson has been in that newsroom nonstop and this would give him a little lightness if Wyatt was the cutest--
COOPER: You're saying "people" wanted to make Ben the cutest baby for the second year in a row?
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: But it was a hard pass.
COHEN: He felt sorry for you with all the Trump nonsense. So we said we should give it to Anderson.
COOPER: Wow. I didn't know that I was the - that - wow, that you had passed.
COHEN: What's very fun is that we - I have so loved giving you Ben's hand me downs and toys and we call them Ben-me-downs.
COOPER: Yes. Wyatt basically has been wearing all of Ben's--
COHEN: All of Ben's clothes, although if it's too designery Anderson will not accept it. But he loves a costume.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: So I thought it would be fun if we did a little who wore it better, Ben or Wyatt.
COOPER: That's completely inappropriate.
COHEN: Yes, Well, let's do it. OK. So here we have them in some chic PJ's. Now, Wyatt has the lip and the eyes there but I'm going to give it to Ben because he's doing the - these cups. OK. Now let's see bananas. I mean, well, this is kind of a face-off. You always love a baby with a - something in their mouth. But Wyatt is giving me know nothing about that. OK. So next up we have - oh, puppies. I'm going to give that to Wyatt. OK? Snowsuit, gift from Kelly Ripa.
COOPER: Oh, yes, Kelly gave that to us.
COHEN: Ben got--
COOPER: I think Wyatt looks like a baby naut in this. Like a baby astronaut.
COHEN: He does. Ben was born with that head of hair. OK, the navy one see, keeping it classy. Oh, that's a Wyatt. Oh, and there's the baby. That means drink.
COOPER: No. That does not mean--
COHEN: Have a cocktail.
COOPER: No, it doesn't. That's the baby New Year.
COHEN: All right, are we done with this?
COOPER: Yes, we're done with this. It's wildly inappropriate.
COHEN: OK. All right. Sorry. I set those up. I set those things up. Now, OK. We got it.
COOPER: Usually in New Orleans with us - joining us but Don Lemon and Brooke Baldwin found a new hangout this year. Guys, where are you? Oh, my gosh. This is--
COHEN: Oh, my god.
COOPER: Where are you two?
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: We wore it best.
COHEN: Check us out.
COOPER: Oh, my god. You guys are so chic.
BALDWIN: Magical clogs.
COHEN: Drinking champagne.
COOPER: Cindy Crawford's House.
COHEN: Oh, my god--
BALDWIN: We, we, we we.
COHEN: This is where Don Lemon lives?
BALDWIN: We're at Don's house.
COHEN: Wow.
DON LEMON, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: We're hanging out in an undisclosed location.
COHEN: I've got to tell you something. Don Lemon, in my fantasy about like what your house would look like, it would be the two of you in these outfits on the cream couches with a fire and the - look, his back yard is lit beautifully.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: This is incredible.
COOPER: Yes.
BALDWIN: We could not - we could not be more comfortable. We're playing it super safe.
LEMON: Super safe.
BALDWIN: We've had our COVID tests. As you guys have.
LEMON: But check out these - look at these fabulous highball - or lowball glasses.
COOPER: Oh, my god.
COHEN: By the way, in another age you guys would be in a loveless marriage together living in this house. You know what I mean? Like if this was like another age--
LEMON: Who says that we aren't, Anderson?
BALDWIN: Yes, who says that doesn't happen all the time?
COHEN: Whose marriage isn't loveless?
BALDWIN: With our dogs and each other.
COHEN: Here's my question--
BALDWIN: Like we need anything else, except for champagne. Actually I am speaking of champagne--
COHEN: Usually when we talk to you guys you wind up getting so drunk. Will you be getting really soused at Don's house this year? You're not in New Orleans. This could really go off the rails in a deeper way.
BALDWIN: Listen, I mean no one has to drive. We would be super, super safe. But listen to this--
LEMON: You can help us answer this question. Anderson and Andy go ahead.
[21:25:00]
BALDWIN: This guy has not had - like we all do a little dry January, some of us, in better years. This guy has not had a drop of alcohol in 361 days.
LEMON: Nothing. Stone Cold Sober.
COHEN: Good for you.
BALDWIN: Through the entire pandemic.
LEMON: Yes. You know, I did dry January, right? Because it's the whole charity thing, Like November and the beard or whatever and it felt so great, guys, I just kept going. And I was really happy that during the pandemic it was very clear you woke up you didn't...
BALDWIN: Wide-eyed, being aware. Doing the job, talking to all these folks on TV.
LEMON: So the question is should I drink tonight?
BALDWIN: That's the great to be in the house of two.
LEMON: In the loveless marriage.
BALDWIN: In our loveless marriage the debate is--
COHEN: Yes. In your loveless marriage, you should. You should. Because I have to give it up to you, Don, because you've been so spot on all year on your show and you've been--
BALDWIN: Now we know the secret is no sauce.
COHEN: Now that I know you haven't had a drink after your show every night, it's actually so commendable you have earned this drink, Don Lemon. I want you to drink a bottle.
BALDWIN: He's earned it.
COHEN: Yes.
LEMON: I said oh, we're doing dry January and friends were like oh, my gosh, you guys haven't - then it became into February and March and then we had the whole quarantine and it was just great--
COOPER: That's just great.
LEMON: I had the quarantine 15. Imagine if I had been drinking. I would have had the quarantine 30.
BALDWIN: Do you have abs of steel?
LEMON: Before you go, I know you guys have to go, but I want to tell you, we're always in New Orleans but we have an ode to the south. We've been cooking up a storm.
BALDWIN: We've got jambalaya happening.
LEMON: We're going to do? Gumbo, jambalaya. Cabbage.
COHEN: Wow.
COOPER: We have--
LEMON: Crab and everything that we're going to cook.
BALDWIN: We have a cocktail; mocktail corner is ready to rock and roll.
LEMON: We have cocktails. And you've got to see - show them - this is what I've been doing to kill time. That's why I've gained so much weight.
BALDWIN: Show them the cakes.
LEMON: Show them the cakes. I've been baking my ass off.
COHEN: Wow.
LEMON: And baking my ass on.
COOPER: Oh, wow. BALDWIN: Is that crazy? Yes. There you go.
BALDWIN: Some eating and some drinking and some fire safely. So we'll see how it goes.
COOPER: From an undisclosed location.
LEMON: We'll check in a little bit later. I look forward to hanging it out.
COHEN: Love you guys. Congratulations, guys, on the babies.
COOPER: Thank you. Love your hair, bro.
COHEN: We love you.
BALDWIN: So cute.
COOPER: Brooke, love your hair. Hope you win.
COHEN: What about mine?
BALDWIN: Thank you. I love you, Andy.
COOPER: Yours too. Coming up next, we play "agree or disagree" with two of the hottest names in late night. Plus we'll throw our least favorite parts about 2020 in a dumpster fire. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[21:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DIONNE WARWICK: My wish is that peace, harmony, and love return to us. We need it desperately.
CARLOS VIVES: Sending my best energy to enjoy every moment. Let's make 2021 the best year we can. Happy New Year and I love you.
WOLFGANG PUCK: Hello. I'm wishing you and your families and everybody around the world a happy healthy New Year.
SHARON STONE: Happy New Year's. My New Year's resolution is to make this year a happy, healthier New Year's for everyone.
KANDI BURRUSS: Hello, Andy. Hello, Anderson, Happy New Year, everyone. I am your girl Kandi and I want to say for this New Year 2021 my wish is for us to have so much love for one another. Be healthy and have great times and get away from 2020 and never have to see what happened in 2020 again.
RODNEY ATKINS: Rodney Atkins here. Thank god 2020 is over, Happy New Year.
CHIP & JOANNA GAINES: Anderson and Andy, how are you doing? Happy New Year's from Waco, Texas.
CHIP & JOANNA GAINES: Here's to much peace, health, unity and grace as we step into 2021. Happy New Year from the Gaines family and here's to fresh haircuts, maybe.
COOPER: Oh, that's so nice.
COHEN: Lovely. Joining us now, Desus Nice and the Kid Mero. They are Authors and Co-Hosts of "Desus And Mero" on Showtime. Hey, guys.
COOPER: Hey, guys how's it going?
DESUS & MERO: Yo, Andy, Anderson. What's going on?
COOPER: Happy New Year!
DESUS & MERO: How are you doing? How are you doing?
COHEN: We love you guys. We miss you guys. Are you guys - do you guys want to do a little shot with us right now? I poured a little mini.
DESUS & MERO: I'm ready. Let's go. I was born ready.
COHEN: This is a mini. To you guys.
COOPER: OK. All right. To 2021. Cheers.
DESUS & MERO: To better things.
COHEN: You guys--
COOPER: All right. Let's get it. Yes.
COHEN: You guys have barely left your homes all year. Desus, you've been in the Bronx. Mero, how has being in the house with four kids been? What have you learned from being at home all this time?
THE KID MERO, AUTHOR & CO-HOST OF DESUS & MERO: I've learned that I have a much higher tolerance for alcohol than I used to have. You know what I'm saying, but also that you can have sex in a bathroom very quickly.
COOPER: OK. That's a key pandemic take away. Oh, fan. Listen.
THE KID MERO: My apple watch. There's no point. What am I tracking my steps for? I'm just going from room to room.
COHEN: You guys talked a lot about Rudy Giuliani this year. How would you characterize his role in 2020?
DESUS NICE, JAMAICAN-AMERICAN COMEDIAN: So 2020 was the Smurfs. Remember the Smurfs? He would be Gargamel. Rudy Giuliani is Gargamel.
THE KID MERO: Remember there was a commercial for like a toenail fungus and he was like a little virus? That's Rudy Giuliani, that little creepy gets underneath your skin, just a creepy character. NICE: Yes. He's the Mucinex guy.
THE KID MERO: Yes.
NICE: Every time you least expected to see him he just popped up.
THE KID MERO: Earlier this year you helped--
NICE: America's Mayor. And he decided to be--
COOPER: That's one of your kids.
NICE: That's Mero Jr. in the house. You know what I'm saying making a cameo.
COOPER: You helped a local bodega in the Bronx cover all their 2021 rent expenses, helped them through the pandemic. What do you see happening to New York City in the next year?
[21:35:00]
NICE: Hopefully with this vaccine you know, we can get back on our feet and try to get the city back to some semblance of normal. You know, all the small businesses, a lot of them closed down. So hopefully get some of the bars and restaurants and Broadway reopening. Just trying to get New York back to what it used to be because right now it does not feel that way. You guys know what I'm talking about.
THE KID MERO: Yes.
COOPER: But I have no doubt New York is coming back.
COHEN: What's the first thing you guys want to do when New York comes back and everybody's back out there?
THE KID MERO: Drinking outside shirtless.
NICE: The first thing I want to do, I want to go to Times Square and complain about tourists. Why are these guys here? Go home. Old New York traditions like that.
THE KID MERO: Take a picture with Elmo, first time ever.
COHEN: Desus, you binged every single possible thing this year. What would you say was your top binge and your bottom binge?
NICE: Ooh. All right. It's go time. Top Binge I was actually surprised. Shout out to "The Flight Attendant" which blew my mind. I didn't think that was going to be very good. That wasn't even in my circle. What was bad? I'm not going to slam anything on air. I'm not going to say any shows were bad. But there was a particularly bad superhero movie that dropped recently that I don't recommend to other people. So there's that.
COHEN: All right. OK. Well, listen, you guys are very opinionated and so much happened this year. And I want to play a game we've been playing all year on "watch what happens live". It's called "agree or disagree". I'm going to read out a statement. I'm going to count down three, two, one, I spilled tequila on our signs. And then we will all hold up a sign to see if we agree or disagree. OK? Here we go first statement. "I spent more days during the pandemic a little stoned than sober". Three, two, one. Agree or disagree?
THE KID MERO: Big agree. Big agree.
COHEN: OK. Statement two. "Wap" is the anthem 2020 desperately needed. Three, two, one, agree or disagree?
NICE: I'll go with it. I'll go with it.
THE KID MERO: What to got to do with the pandemic. We've got to see some shaking butts. Nothing wrong with that.
NICE: Need that.
COHEN: New York City is a lawless ghost town. Three, two, one, agree or disagree?
THE KID MERO: I'm going to disagree.
NICE: Disagree.
THE KID MERO: We all disagree.
COOPER: I agree if they keep moving here and making the rent go back up.
THE KID MERO: Oh, yes, it's terrible. Oh, yes. People on the streets - it's mayhem in the streets. Don't move here.
COHEN: OK. People overreacted to Kim Kardashian's private island birthday, three, two, one. Agree or disagree? People overreacted.
THE KID MERO: I disagree.
NICE: She made a--
THE KID MERO: She's going to a private island; she's playing animal crossing with her friends? Come on, that ain't right.
NICE: So what? If you're a Kardashian, this is what we want from her. This is what we want from her. Everyone got COVID tested. It was her birthday. It was her birthday.
THE KID MERO: I'm saying--
THE KID MERO: Obviously you want to be invited to the next private island bash.
COHEN: I do. OK. Next one. Dolly Parton can do no wrong. Three, two, one, agree or disagree?
THE KID MERO: Agree. COHEN: OK. JLO and Shakira's super bowl performance was in the top five halftime shows of all time. Three, two, one, agree or disagree?
THE KID MERO: All time?
COHEN: I'm just asking. It happened this year.
NICE: Didn't Michael Jackson--
COHEN: I love JLO, by the way.
THE KID MERO: Of all time?
NICE: All right. Chris Cuomo is the superior Cuomo Brother. Three, two, one agree or disagree?
THE KID MERO: Come on. We know what channel we're on.
COOPER: I'm not touching that.
THE KID MERO: I know what channel I'm on.
NICE: For the record, I don't have a sign on this one.
COHEN: OK. Three more. The Trump campaign intended to hold that press conference at four seasons total landscaping. Three, two, one. Agree or disagree?
[21:40:00]
THE KID MERO: I disagree.
NICE: Zero self-awareness.
THE KID MERO: They did but they just don't know what they're doing. So yes.
COHEN: OK. All right.
NICE: They got the measurement in inches instead of feet.
COHEN: 2021 is the year I get into Tiktok, I being all of us. Agree or disagree? Three, two, one.
THE KID MERO: Listen, get--
COOPER: You're going to get into Tiktok?
THE KID MERO: You know what?
NICE: I got too much stuff on my phone I don't want China reading. I can't do that. So if sorry guys.
COOPER: Are you going to start a Tiktok house there?
THE KID MERO: Last question.
NICE: If you guys join us--
THE KID MERO: Tiktok house.
COHEN: Last question. Even though "The Undoing's" ending was obvious to some, it was still a satisfying finale. Three, two, one. Agree or disagree?
THE KID MERO: I'll agree to that.
NICE: No.
COOPER: Oh!
NICE: No. The truck, the kid should have pushed him off the bridge. The lady just landed on the helicopter. The cops just - it made no sense. Enough is enough!
COOPER: But nothing in the show made sense. Her wandering around the streets dressed in velvet green coats? It was fun to watch.
THE KID MERO: From the jump they said it was him and my brain said it wasn't and at the end I had to admit they had gotten me. So that's why I'm upset. You know what it is.
NICE: There were days where I was like oh, it's that lawyer, it's that female lawyer, why is she in the show?
THE KID MERO: I thought it's got to be her. It was the head of the school maybe.
NICE: So many people--
THE KID MERO: It's been him this whole time.
COOPER: We love you guys. We love you so much.
THE KID MERO: Happy New Year.
COOPER: Happy New Year. You guys are great. We can't wait to see you in person. Coming up, we'll take you down to Margaritaville. Plus do we have matching doppelgangers? We'll meet them after the break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[21:45:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COHEN: OK. Our next guest is a legend. Jimmy Buffett, the man from Margaritaville. I love Jimmy Buffett. He's also such a great guy. He changed the lyrics of his hit "Changes in Latitudes" to match 2020, can't wait to hear this. Take it away, Jimmy Buffett. JIMMY BUFFETT, AMERICAN SINGER-SONGWRITER, MUSICIAN: Thank you, Andy and Anderson. And thank you, CNN, for including us tonight. Here's wishing everyone a Happy New Year and a better latitude in 2021. Let's go there now.
(SONG PLAYING)
I took off for a weekend last March it somehow became the whole year all of the faces and all of the places wondering where they all disappeared I didn't ponder the question too long I was hungry and stayed in for a bite. A virtual chum and a bottle of rum and we wound up zooming all night it's these changed in latitude, changes in attitude, nothing remains quite the same, with all of our running and all of our cunning if we couldn't laugh we would all go insane.
I let my hair grow. I lived in pajamas and learned a new language called mask washed 10,000 dishes made me some wishes and learned how not to multitask. Breaking bad reruns and tequila there were times I just better called Saul, a boy in a bubble tried to stay out of trouble all winter spring, summer and fall it's these changes in latitude, changes in attitude everything seems rearranged through all of the islands and all of the highlands if we couldn't laugh we would all go insane let's go crazy everybody.
I think about Paris when I'm high on red wine, I can't wait to get back again so many nights I still dream of the ocean and I want to go sailing, again 2020's over my shoulder I can't look back for too long there's still too much to see waiting in front of me, and I don't think I can go wrong with these changes in latitude, changes in attitude, nothing remains quite the same. With all of our running and all of our cunning if we couldn't laugh we would all go insane, if we couldn't laugh we would all go insane, if we weren't all crazy we would go insane?
Thanks again for having us, guys! Maybe next year we could join you at our brand new Margaritaville resort Times Square, fins up and back to you.
COHEN: Yes!
COOPER: That was awesome.
COHEN: That was great.
COOPER: He rewrote the whole thing.
COHEN: Yes, he did. Love it.
COOPER: I love it. Thank you. That was awesome.
COHEN: You're awesome.
COOPER: No, you're awesome.
COHEN: Ah!
COOPER: Excuse me. Let's go to Randi Kaye again in Florida. Randi, what's going on? Oh, my gosh, puffy mayhem.
COHEN: This is Greek.
[21:50:00]
COOPER: Oh, I love it. I mean, I would love to be in a sea of puppies right now.
RANDI KAYE, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Champagne and puppies on New Year's Eve. Just look at this guy, this guy's named t-bone. Don't you like how he's all dressed up for New Year's Eve? He has a little bow tie. I don't know if you can see.
COOPER: I love his pink belly.
COHEN: I love those bellies.
KAYE: And the - this is we have AC1, and then we have AC2, and then this guy over here is AC3, yes. Check it out guys, look at this, these are their fresh two toys we have made special for this puppies. And I should point out don't forget that these dogs are all up for adoptions so you can go to big dog race rescue btrr.org on the our website.
COHEN: Btrr.org. OK, that's what I want to know.
KAYE: Btrr.org. And they're enjoying some champagne with the rest of us tonight.
COOPER: That's not actual champagne of course. Of course Randi just to be clear that's not alcohol.
KAYE: No. It is water in a champagne bottle. You know we would not do that.
COOPER: OK.
KAYE: But I may actually take this little guy home. That I have to show you guys.
COOPER: They're so cute.
KAYE: We have done some work here at the ranch. Here you go. Here you go. They are so cute. We're going to come back to the puppies. But in the meantime I want to show you couple of things. Because we found some dogs that might look a little familiar to you. OK. Check this out, this is Anderson's Doppelganger just look at that dog.
COOPER: Yes, it is.
COHEN: No, he's beautiful.
KAYE: I mean look at him, he's a silver fox. He went silver after he was neutered at an early age.
COHEN: Anderson was also neutered.
KAYE: Right. Exactly. And he's a true news hound. And he's real news hound, aren't you, and he's up for adoption, gorgeous, right?
COOPER: And is he like a husky mix?
KAYE: This is Andy.
COOPER: Randy, is he still like a husky mix?
KAYE: He's a husky, yes. And this is Andy's Doppelganger before Andy cut his hair.
COHEN: That's my doppelganger?
COOPER: Yes. That looks like your hair.
KAYE: He once had a cameo shoe sales man on binge and his favorite snack. And his favorite snack is Chiba Choos. Which is so funny about that, right?
COHEN: Oh, I love Chiba Choos. That's my favorite. Is that what I look like to you?
KAYE: No. you are so handsome. No, no. But, check this out.
COHEN: When did you have your balls cut-off?
KAYE: This is Blitzer. Meet Wolf Blitzer.
COHEN: Oh, that writes itself.
KAYE: And every time he needs something, he says happening now for some reason. We don't know why.
COOPER: By the way, Wolf is watching. We wish him a Happy New Year.
COHEN: Love you Wolf.
KAYE: He works for animal planet before coming in and he's up for adoption. He's gorgeous.
COOPER: He's beautiful.
KAYE: And lastly, the Doppelganger, I know you guys can probably guess this. Because he is coming up later in the show, this is the Snoop Dog Doppelganger. Check him out, this is Snoop. We call him Calvin. Isn't he gorgeous? He's ten-year-old. We call him Calvin, because that is Snoop's real name. He said quite a life he used to be a drug sniffing dog at the Miami airport. And his favorite chew toy is this. Here you go, Snoop.
COHEN: Oh, big (inaudible). I love it.
KAYE: It is a doggie joint.
COHEN: Oh, we love you Randi. Thank you. I forgive you for insulting me with that Doppelganger. COOPER: This year, CNN heroes focused on the fight against the coronavirus and the battle for (inaudible) and social justice, we made it easy for you to help the world make a better place and stay safe while helping others by highlighting eat organizations which are doing a really work. A long time sponsor, Subaru of America is once again generously matching your donation up to a total of $500,000.
Just go to cnnheroes.com click donate beneath any of this year's organizations to make a direct contribution to their go fund charity campaign. You will receive an e-mail confirming your donation which is tax deductible in the United States.
[21:55:00]
No matter the amount, you can make a big difference in helping them continue their life changing work. You can donate from your laptop your tablet or your phone. Just go to cnnheroes.com, CNN is proud to offer you the simple way to support each cause.
COHEN: Coming up next, we're going to fly down a bunny slope with CNN's Gary Tuchman. Plus, comedy and politics collide with our next guest Stephen Colbert is going to do another shot with us. Anderson. We are doing another short with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KRIS JENNER: Wishing everyone a healthy and Happy New Year.
CATHERINE ZETA-JONES: Hi Anderson. Hi, Andy. And hello to everybody this is Catherine Zeta-Jones wishing you call a prosperous happy new year. And certainly a healthy New Year.
BILL MAHER: Now that the 2020 is over I am going to party like its 1999.
NE-YO: What's going on, this is NE-YO, and everybody across the world. I just want to take this opportunity to say Happy New Year. I am personally thanking god that 2020 is done, so for you and everybody else across the world, make the best of 2020 and the worse of 2021.
SUSAN LUCCI: There are a couple of songs that expressed it best. I wish you love and I hope you dance.
DAVID ARQUETTE: Happy New Year, CNN! And Happy New Year to everyone out there, I am sending you love, 2021 is going to be a fantastic year. It is the year of the OX. It is a strong year. 2020 was the year of the rat. But let's leave that year behind.
KRISTINE CHENOWETH: Say good-bye to 2020 and ring it in with AC, oh welcome to AC Square, Anderson and Andy, my buddies. Happy New Year.
COOPER: Last year Senior Gary Tuchman and his daughter were at the last place you would expect them to be which was at the rave. Tonight they are socially distance on the slope in Oregon. Gary, Happy New Year.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Andy, Anderson Happy New Year to you!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Happy New Year, yes, this isn't exactly an rave but it's definitely weird.
TUCHMAN: This is great. We were in an in-door rave last year but this year we decided to do something different. This is a snowball trail. This is a microphone (inaudible) so Lindsey and I decided to come here and ski. We are taking safety measure outdoors and here we are talking. So here we are talking to stairs with our James Bond skip hole, can I ask you quick question?
