Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Event/Special
CNN LIVE: New Year With Don Lemon And Brooke Baldwin; East Coast of U.S. Sees in New Year. Aired 12:30-1:30a ET
Aired January 01, 2021 - 00:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:32:17]
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: It is not over yet. It is not over yet.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: I would just say it has just begun, my dear.
LEMON: This is the after party.
BALDWIN: This is the after. We're about to have the after after so stick with us.
LEMON: You always have more fun at the after party or at the after after party.
BALDWIN: Cheers, boo.
LEMON: Cheers. How are you doing? How is 2020?
BALDWIN: You know. It was -- it was all of the things.
LEMON: It was a little this and a little that.
BALDWIN: It was all the words I can't say on my television right now.
LEMON: Happy new year, everyone. Its new year in the -- it's a new year in the east. But we're going to celebrate central. There's still a couple more time zones to go.
BALDWIN: Because normally we're in New Orleans.
LEMON: Yes.
BALDWIN: We're in Nashville. So we're rolling in Central Time Zones. So we're going to hang for the next hour. We're both from the South, so we've got some southern flavor happening in a little bit.
LEMON: Can we talk about our outfits?
BALDWIN: Obviously.
LEMON: This is real silk. This is real -- BALDWIN: You're so fancy.
LEMON: This is real silk.
BALDWIN: This is real silk.
LEMON: This is -- no, I don't want to say that. I was going to say something. I'm not going to get political.
BALDWIN: So here's the thing. We're sitting in Don's house in an undisclosed location. It's very, very cozy with our most precious pets. You guys, 17 New Year's with this pug.
LEMON: My babies. My Boomer.
BALDWIN: Seventeen New Year's with this pug. Seventeen.
LEMON: Gus is somewhere.
BALDWIN: Gus is somewhere.
LEMON: He's 17?
BALDWIN: He's 17.
LEMON: Four, four.
BALDWIN: So we're COVID safe. We got tested yesterday so we can hang together.
LEMON: Oh, good.
BALDWIN: Us and the crew, all good.
LEMON: Keep safe, you all.
BALDWIN: Keeping it safe. And yes, we'll talk about the year it was.
LEMON: I feel like (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I love that.
BALDWIN: You keep referring to Hugh Heffner.
LEMON: When I went to get the outfits, at first we were going to do sweats, right? We were going to do sweats. Then we said, why don't we go, like --
BALDWIN: I was like, let's just do PJs.
LEMON: Everybody's been home, and they've been in sweats and jeans. I haven't worn a suit. I've only worn, like, special things for politically -- I wear a special suit.
BALDWIN: Yes. I won't wear high heels ever again.
LEMON: My jackets at work lately, either they're shorts in the summer.
BALDWIN: Yes, jeans.
LEMON: Sweatpants.
BALDWIN: I'm going to have ripped jeans, clogs and then fancy on top. I call it -- I call it an outfit mullet.
LEMON: Business on the top, party on the bottom. But I said, I feel like since we've been home.
BALDWIN: Yes.
LEMON: And we've been, like, dressed like you're at home. Why don't we -- it's New Year's Eve.
BALDWIN: Let's be casual and comfortable. What I also love is when we both said, we were talking about our PJs, we ended up looking like we're twinning.
LEMON: With the same thing, yes. Listen, I wanted -- I was going to channel Hugh Heffner. And we were going to be -- so let's go over here. We'll tell everyone what we've been doing.
BALDWIN: OK.
LEMON: I have a present for you. I'll give it to you a little bit later on, all right?
BALDWIN: Ooh, thanks!
LEMON: So let's just walk over here and tell everybody.
So we have been cooking, because we're usually in New Orleans. So we've got a bunch of great stuff for you. We're going to show you the food later.
BALDWIN: Yes. We'll get to the food in a second, but we have a super special --
LEMON: We have a very, very special guest, who we want to bring in.
BALDWIN: Dionne Warwick.
LEMON: I love this lady so so much. And I'm so happy that she was able to join us now. Dionne Warwick.
BALDWIN: Dionne Warwick, not worthy. Not worthy.
LEMON: How are you, Mama?
BALDWIN: Happy New Year.
I can't hear her. Can you hear?
LEMON: Yes, she's coming. A big delay. How are you?
BALDWIN: There she is. Happy New Year, Dionne. DIONNE WARWICK, SINGER: I'm fine. How are you?
LEMON: We're doing great.
BALDWIN: We're blessed. We're blessed.
LEMON: So can I call you -- Ms. Warwick, may I call you, Dionne? If you say call you Ms. Warwick, I will call you Ms. Warwick.
WARWICK: Yes, Don, you can call me Dionne.
BALDWIN: She is Dionne Warwick.
WARWICK: Just Dionne.
LEMON: I'm going to call her Ms. Warwick.
BALDWIN: Yes.
WARWICK: No.
LEMON: And you have become such a legend on social media. You've become the queen of social media now.
BALDWIN: Seen on Twitter.
LEMON: In your thirties and forties. I can't believe it. How did this happen?
WARWICK: My niece, Brittany. I was watching her on Twitter one afternoon, and she's having so much fun.
BALDWIN: Ms. Warwick, can you hear us?
WARWICK: Yes, I can.
Can you hear me?
LEMON: We're not hearing Ms. Warwick.
BALDWIN: I'm not hearing her.
LEMON: We're going to get that fixed.
BALDWIN: Shall we work on that?
LEMON: Sorry, guys, while we work on that --
BALDWIN: Should be talk tattoos first?
LEMON: I think we should talk tattoos.
BALDWIN: Let's talk tattoos.
LEMON: Let's go Bang Bang now.
BALDWIN: Bang Bang.
LEMON: Well, Bill Weir has gotten himself a tattoo. We understand that it is finished.
BALDWIN: Dare we -- dare we ask where and what's happening?
BILL WEIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Don, well, we had so many different options, so many ways to go. We considered a tiny coronavirus, maybe a mail-in ballot. I was thinking to have "2020, No Regrets," and then intentionally misspell "regrets."
But let's go something a little more personal. Andy Cohen suggested a portrait of Gloria Borger on my back. We didn't -- we didn't go that way.
BALDWIN: Nice, nice. Nice. I'm sure she would have -- she's happy about that.
WEIR: But here's the backstory my tattoo I'm about to show you. I had a baby son this year. This is River Weir, who is adorable. And as a bonus, he looks exactly like my dad. Every time he smiles, he reminds me of my dad, who really made me who I am today. I mean, he used to take me on canoe trips and taught me to love the outdoor world and everything else.
So this is a design that, actually, my daughter Olivia came up with, and look at Trudy's handiwork here. This is my -- this is me and my son River in a canoe. And this is Mount Sopris, where my father's ashes were spread. I snowshoed up there about 14 years ago when he passed.
And then when you turn it upside down, the reflection is me as a child and my dad. So I can see, the circle of life.
BALDWIN: That is so special.
WEIR: As it were.
LEMON: Bill --
WEIRD: Congratulations, you did such great work.
LEMON: -- we heard from Andy Cohen earlier.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
LEMON: We heard that the you are going to get this tattoo on your backside. That's not true? Andy was not telling us the truth?
BALDWIN: Fancy that. It's absolutely beautiful, Bill.
WEIR: If you think I'm going to show off my pandemic dad on national television, Don, you've got a -- you've been having too many of those clementine cocktails.
(CROSSTALK) LEMON: You know, I thought it was true.
BALDWIN: Bill -- Bill, how long did the tattoo take? It looks pretty intricate? How long did it take?
WEIR: Yes, it's pretty -- but she's really fast. What did it take, two hours or something?
BALDWIN: That's what I was about to say.
WEIR: Yes. Something like this?
BALDWIN: No way.
WEIR: You guys mentioned -- Trudy has a master's in art history from the University of Vienna. She was recruited to come to Bang Bang, hands down the coolest tattoo parlor in the world. Really, it's where every rock star you know gets their ink. And I'm so honored to get -- to get in here and get a private session like this.
BALDWIN: On New Year's Eve.
WEIR: On New Year's Eve.
BALDWIN: Wow.
WEIR: You're an incredible talent. Thank you so much. Happy new year to you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy new year to you.
WEIR: Happy new year to you guys. I never thought I'd be revealing a tattoo after Dionne Warwick, but here we are.
We love you all.
LEMON: Bill, we're luckier that you're here, because we are having technical problems with Dionne Warwick.
Hey, here's cheers to you.
BALDWIN: Cheers to you and your dad, and your son, and your beautiful family, Bill. It's been quite a year for you. Congratulations, friend. And that's a beautiful, beautiful piece of ink. Well done.
WEIR: Thank you. Thank you, Brooke. And to all, everybody out there, take your kids out into the wilderness. Make them fall in love with the wilderness, because then they'll protect it.
BALDWIN: Cheers! I love it!
LEMON: Cheers. Happy New Year, guys.
BALDWIN: Thank you so much.
LEMON: So -- BALDWIN: Do you have any ink, by the way?
LEMON: No. (AUDIO GAP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:42:28]
LEMON: OK, so it wouldn't be 2020 without, like, a glitch, right? So sorry.
BALDWIN: I mean it's 2021, technically. But still --
LEMON: Well, not in the Central Time Zone.
BALDWIN: OK, we're going to make up. We're going to make up. Ms. Dionne Warwick --
LEMON: The one and only Ms. Dionne Warwick.
BALDWIN: -- is back. Ms. Warwick --
LEMON: How are you, ma'am?
BALDWIN: Hello. Happy new year.
WARWICK: I'm wonderful. How are you?
LEMON: Great. So I asked the question before. Now that you're in your -- I think you just turned 40, 45 or something.
BALDWIN: Yes, I think she's not even -- I think she's not even 40.
LEMON: How did you become this Internet, social media sensation? I haven't even been able to capture what you've captured on social media? What happened?
WARWICK: You know, I've been being schooled by my niece, who is a computer whiz kid. And I watched her one afternoon while she was doing her Twitter. And she was having so much fun. I said, Well, I want to learn how to do that. Because I want to have some fun, too.
And so she said you really do, Auntie? And I said, yes. So she taught me how to do. It and I've been having a bunch of fun ever since.
LEMON: I love that everybody calls you anti-Dionne on social media. And they ask you for advice. Or that you give people shade or that you read people.
Do you figure out, like, who you want to, you know, give shade to? Because I'm waiting. I'm like, if anti-Dionne gives me shade, I'm just -- I don't know what I'm going to do. How do you figure it out?
WARWICK: You know, I don't intentionally do that.
BALDWIN: That's what they all say. LEMON: Right, right.
BALDWIN: So here's the --
WARWICK: More of an advice kind of situation. If I only -- you know what I'm saying? And I'm old enough to say what I want to say and do what I want to do.
BALDWIN: As you should be. As you should be. Yes, at age 40.
LEMON: Do you mind if I tell your age, or no?
WARWICK: I'm 80.
BALDWIN: She just had a birthday. Happy belated birthday.
LEMON: OK.
BALDWIN: She just said it, yes. Yes, she's 80. I'm curious -- you know, I've been asking a lot of people. 2020 was awful for a million reasons. But I'm wondering what one gift, Ms. Warwick, did 2020, other than becoming, like, the queen of Twitter -- what one gift in 2020 give you?
WARWICK: Come on. The art of doing exactly what I'm doing with you. Face time. I was able to because of COVID -- I was still able to be with my grandchildren, with my sons, their spouses. So it, you know, gave me a sense of family was still with me. And I was still with him. Big gift.
[00:45:28]
BALDWIN: Love that.
LEMON: Well, besides being the queen of Twitter, I have to say that I love your music. And you are the queen of --
BALDWIN (singing): Say a little prayer for me.
LEMON: -- the soul, the empress. We love everything that you do. And I do know the way to San Jose because of you. That's all I have to say.
WARWICK: I'm glad somebody found it!
BALDWIN: We admire you.
WARWICK: You asked me --
LEMON (singing): The moment I wake up --
BALDWIN (singing): Before I put on --
LEMON: Before I put on my makeup.
BALDWIN: Happy new year, Ms. Warwick. Thank you for coming here. Thank you, thank you, thank you. LEMON: Love her. Love her! She's amazing.
BALDWIN: I mean --
LEMON: Happy new year.
BALDWIN: Like truly, living -- living legends.
LEMON: So let's talk -- Can we get our grub on?
BALDWIN: I was about say, I'm kind of hungry.
LEMON: Yes. Look, somebody's in there --
BALDWIN: I think we're on this second wave. We're both -- Louisiana, Georgia. We need a little southern infusion in the New Year's Eve night. And so we enlisted our dear friend, Chef Michael Hamilton, who we talked to earlier for cocktail.
Who is -- his restaurant, Rosie's in Amagansett, he also has amazing places in the city. Flower shop in little ways. And so, Chef, you have helped us whip up something extraordinary in this kitchen. What -- what do we have going on? Happy new year, by the way, my friend!
MICHAEL HAMILTON, OWNER OF ROSIE'S RESTAURANT: Happy new year, guys! Happy new year. I believe to the left you have a beautiful, like, cabbage with pomegranate. And then you have a --
LEMON: OK.
BALDWIN: That's the cabbage.
LEMON: That's the cabbage.
HAMILTON: Cabbage, yes.
BALDWIN: Keep going, Chef.
HAMILTON: And then you have -- you have, like, the shrimp. Like a bit of, like, a jambalaya, dirty rice. Like, it's already cooked down rice with shrimp, some fat in there and some pretty large chunks of ham. So you guys should be pretty set.
LEMON: I'm going to try one of those shrimp. Excuse me.
HAMILTON: Please do.
LEMON: Oh, my God.
BALDWIN: Doesn't it make you a little homesick?
LEMON: Oh my God. That is really, really, really good!
BALDWIN: Speaking of family, my family, love you all. Sorry we can't be home.
LEMON: That is really good, Chef.
HAMILTON: Very glad to hear that.
BALDWIN: Then black beans, black-eyed peas.
LEMON: We've got some black beans over here. Let me go right here. Excuse me. Don't show the inside of --
BALDWIN: Don't show the inside of, like, your cabinets?
LEMON: -- my drawers.
BALDWIN: It's super-organized, guys. Guys.
LEMON: And we've got some black beans, which is a New Year's tradition. You have to eat it on the first day.
BALDWIN: Yes, Michael, talk to us about just the significance -- I mean, this is a special New Year's Eve feast, too, or New Year's feast.
HAMILTON: Yes, I believe -- I believe it's prosperity. It's -- The rotund pigs that, you know, are fat wallets. And they, you know -- they move forward where they eat.
So generally speaking, it's a good luck -- a sign of good luck. And then those traditional hearty vegetables like braised cabbage and the black beans. Just a sign of prosperity and health and wealth. And really keeping it within the family. It's -- yes, it's all good nosh. And yes, top, top stuff to have on New Year's Eve.
BALDWIN: And before we let this go.
LEMON: And you also have to have this. We have something in the oven that you left for us. We've obviously worked hard. We've worked hard. The magic of television.
HAMILTON: You guys were slaving over this.
BALDWIN: We would be natural on "Iron Chef."
LEMON: We've got some corn bread.
BALDWIN: Corn bread.
LEMON: And you do that with the black-eyed peas.
BALDWIN: OK, we're going to be doing all of this as. Michael, we love you. Happy new year.
HAMILTON: Lots of love, guys.
BALDWIN: So he uses his place (ph), and it's still open. Lots of -- lots of love. Thank you.
LEMON: Thank you. Bye, Michael. BALDWIN: Bye, Michael.
HAMILTON: Happy new year!
BALDWIN: Should we go see -- shall we go? Thank you.
LEMON: Oregon (ph).
BALDWIN: Oregon (ph), our favorite father-daughter duo, the Tuchmans.
LEMON: Who are usually rolling through Central Park. But what happened? Where are you now?
BALDWIN: They were in Miami. Oh my gosh, night skiing. Happy new year, guys.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's what we wanted to say. Happy new year's to you guys to. In previous years, we've gone to jump off a building --
LINDSAY TUCHMAN, REPORTER: -- in Las Vegas.
G. TUCHMAN: In Las Vegas. Let me take off the helmet for one second.
[00:50:00]
L. TUCHMAN: Yes, we jumped off a building in Las Vegas. We -- what else did we do? Last year we had a rave. It was pretty crazy. And we've done a lot of stuff. We had rollerblading last year. So I thought we -- you know, we'd step it up a notch. That's kind of what we're doing right now.
G. TUCHMAN: Sorry. Let me take off my ear piece, because there was a reverberation. So sorry about that. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Very adventuresome this year. But it's also exciting, fun. And all --
L. TUCHMAN: A unique experience, to say the least, for New Year's Eve. And there's a lot of people here. To do something outdoors, and that's been the big thing of 2020, is finding new outdoor activities. And this is a perfect one for socially distancing and for staying warm with the mask.
G. TUCHMAN: It's relatively COVID safe. We're in front of the historic (UNINTELLIGIBLE) hut, in the middle of the mountain. Mt. Hood Skibowl, Oregon, 60 miles east of the city of Portland. And this place is historic. It's 87 years old. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
We want to take you for a ride.
L. TUCHMAN: All right. Let's hope nobody falls. We're going to make it through the rest of the year without a big ski accident.
LEMON: How can you guys even see? Oh, the lights -- I see, the lights are on.
L. TUCHMAN: We have to give a shout out to our photographer, Mike. Keeping up with us here.
BALDWIN: Mike on skis with camera. Not nothing. It looks gorgeous.
Gary --
LEMON: Well, you guys are way more adventurous than I. I can't even do that during the day.
BALDWIN: I love the quiet -- the quiet of being on the slopes and the crunch of the snow. I'm so jealous.
LEMON: All right, guys. Take care. We'll see you soon. Happy new year to you.
L. TUCHMAN: Happy new year.
LEMON: So I'm very, very excited.
BALDWIN: We love you guys.
LEMON: I'm very excited to have our next guest on. And, you know, I was sitting in my office, and I sit in my office, and we I have, like, different --
BALDWIN: You have your big thoughts. Big, deep thoughts.
LEMON: Yes. And then I said, as they were singing, I thought it might be this person on "The Masked Singer." And guess what? I was right. He's a recent run-up on "The Masked Singer." His new album is out, like everything is out right now. Singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc joins us from La. Oh, that's L.A.
Hey, man. Congratulations on your new album. And also congratulations -- believe it or not, I was watching, and I guess that it was you. Can you believe that?
BALDWIN: Hey, Aloe.
ALOE BLACC, SINGER: I just heard you singing hors-d'oeuvres with Dionne Warwick, so I know you've got a voice.
BALDWIN: Yes, yes, he's got a few --
LEMON: What was that like, Aloe?
BLACC: "The Masked Singer" was a lot of fun. It was definitely a lot of pressure. Because I've never had to do choreography before. I've never had to wear a mask onstage before. Usually, I just do my thing and I'm free. But this was a lot of pressure. A lot of pressure.
LEMON: Did you -- How did you -- because I know someone who was on, by the way -- who is -- here you go. Who is actually going to join us tonight. Had a tragedy in the family, and I'll just be honest. Maybe you were on -- I'm not sure if you are on when she was on, Ms. Wendy Williams. And so Wendy was thinking about you. BLACC: Owe, I didn't get see her backstage. But I saw her episode. And
her voice was way too easy to recognize. I knew as soon as she opened her mouth.
LEMON: Yes, she -- you know, she told me about the experience and how just great it was in changing -- and just all the precautions that you take. And all the secrecy and the silence around it. It's amazing. So, what did -- what has this experience done for you?
BLACC: Well, it definitely gave me a sense of, like, you've got to put it all out there. You can't phone it in. You were behind the mask and you think, oh, this is easy. Nobody can see me. I'll just do whatever I want, but you want to get one take. And they're filming. And they're not going to let you do it over just because you have a mask. So you know, you've got to give them 110 percent every time.
LEMON: I want to hear you sing, but I'm going to say.
BALDWIN: I feel like that should be the mantra, by the way, for our 2021, you know. Just give it your all, you know? Give it everything you have.
I was reading -- I read so much about you. And the comparison, Aloe, to the late great Bill Withers. He was a friend of mine. His Carnegie Hall. You know, there was a huge show in his honor a couple years ago. And just to be even be, you know, in the same lane, compared, is just goosebumps. Such an honor for you.
Hey, will you please -- will you do a little song --
LEMON: Absolutely. I was at that Carnegie Hall.
BALDWIN: I was sitting right next to him.
LEMON: That was a beautiful night.
BALDWIN: It was, like, one of the best nights of my life.
LEMON: Aloe Blacc, everyone.
BALDWIN: Aloe Blacc.
BLACC: So what do you want to hear?
LEMON: Whatever. Let's do it. "Wake Me Up."
[00:55:00]
ALOE BLACK (singing): ("WAKE ME UP")
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: OK, so welcome back.
BALDWIN: Welcome back.
Jinx.
LEMON: I know, right? It's almost time. Knock on wood. Pinch, punch, rubber donkey.
BALDWIN: OK. Almost --
LEMON: It's almost -- we have about, what, 20 seconds until it's --
BALDWIN: Twenty seconds until Central Time.
LEMON: Central Time Zone.
BALDWIN: Here in the U.S. Normally, we're in New Orleans or Nashville. So we're normally rolling in the new year with you guys. So we just wanted to - hey, what...
[01:00:00]
LEMON: I'm going to do my Arlie Street (ph), my red drink.
BALDWIN: In case you are just tuning in --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CROWD: Five, four, three, two --
BALDWIN: Mr. Don Lemon has been sober for 361 days and we're so proud. Here we go. Three, two, one --
LEMON: Three, two, one --
BALDWIN: Happy New Year.
LEMON: Happy New Year. Happy New Year, my dear.
BALDWIN: Love you.
(Auld Lang Syne - Band plays)
LEMON: Whoo. That was Nashville. Remember? We were right year last year.
BALDWIN: Were right there in the thick of the crowd --
LEMON: I know.
BALDWIN: Can you -- that was like forever ago.
LEMON: And we're thinking about them because --
BALDWIN: We are. Christmas Day, just when --
LEMON: Yes.
BALDWIN: -- everything happened, New Orleans. The year and the pandemic and the storms. I know it's been tough specifically for y'all in Nashville.
LEMON: Before we go to the next test, can I give you something? Because it's the New Year I wanted to give you something real quick.
BALDWIN: Don Lemon.
LEMON: Can you open that real quick?
BALDWIN: Are you opening my own gift for me?
LEMON: This is a present that I want to give to you. It is from Nicole Dana (ph), an New York City artist --
BALDWIN: Ah.
LEMON: -- and you're going to love it. So Happy New Year and Merry Christmas. Wait till you guys see what it is.
BALDWIN: Guys -- Oh. It's a Pug (ph) ornament. Look, Walter. Get a close up on that, that is awesome.
LEMON: This is Brooke's dog and she hand paints them. You send her a picture or she'll do a photo shoot. And so she did all of our dogs.
BALDWIN: I love it.
LEMON: That was my present from my fiance.
BALDWIN: I love it. I love it, thank you. Thank you, Tim.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Happy New Year.
LEMON: It was actually Tim. Who's hiding back there.
BALDWIN: It's always all Tim. Let's be real. It's always all Tim.
LEMON: You went downstairs and he said, "Best fiance ever," and I'm like what are you talking about.
BALDWIN: Totally. So with my new fancy ornament --
LEMON: Let me tell you, my friends are mad at me because we talked about someone else's juice.
BALDWIN: Oh.
LEMON: So Arlie's Juice, that's what I actually drink.
BALDWIN: Delicious. We'll be drinking it in between (inaudible).
LEMON: So Paula (ph), don't be mad at me.
BALDWIN: So let's go back to New Orleans because --
LEMON: Yes.
BALDWIN: Because, really, you're from Louisiana.
LEMON: Yes.
BALDWIN: Gosh, we just love -- we love New Orleans and all things; music in Frenchmen Street --
LEMON: That's our traditional. That's where we usually are.
BALDWIN: Spotted Cat, that is our thing.
LEMON: Yes.
BALDWIN: And so Cheryl (ph) and Brad (ph) are standing by from the Spotted Cat, which we love, love. And so Happy New Year.
LEMON: Hi guys, Happy New Year, how are you?
BALDWIN: How are you?
(Music)
BALDWIN: We know that window.
LEMON: (inaudible).
BALDWIN: We know that window exactly. Sitting at the bar right across the way.
(Music)
BALDWIN: There they are. Cheryl and Brad, can we talk to you all while the music is playing?
LEMON: I don't think they can hear us.
BALDWIN: No, they're just moving. Moving and grooving. Moving and grooving. OK.
[01:05:00]
LEMON: All right. So let's keep it in Louisiana.
BALDWIN: Let's keep it in Louisiana.
LEMON: Let's keep it in Louisiana.
BALDWIN: To a special someone.
LEMON: Guess who's here? Popped up on the monitor in my kitchen --
BALDWIN: And do you see her?
LEMON: Do you see her face right there?
BALDWIN: She's going like this.
LEMON: Hi, mom.
BALDWIN: Hi, mom.
LEMON: Katherine (ph), how are you? Look in the camera.
BALDWIN: Hi, Kat.
KATHERINE LEMON, DON LEMON'S MOTHER: I'm looking in the camera.
LEMON: How are you, Happy New Year?
BALDWIN: Happy New Year, Kat.
KATHERINE LEMON: Happy New Year. I can't see myself in the camera.
LEMON: All right. Well, don't look. Look in the camera --
BALDWIN: She's looking at the TV.
LEMON: Look right in the camera, not at your TV.
KATHERINE LEMON: Oh, my God. I see myself now.
LEMON: Happy -- how are you? How's your year been.
KATHERINE LEMON: Oh, it's been very flat.
BALDWIN: She's like just give me a minute. Oh, did I see matching leopard with -- outfit. Loving the outfit, Kat.
LEMON: Mom, stop looking at yourself and look in the camera. OK.
BALDWIN: Now we know where he gets it.
LEMON: So tell us, Mom. Brooke says -- Brooke wants to know if she sees matching leopard.
BALDWIN: I see matching leopard. Show me that watchband, Kat.
KATHERINE LEMON: Oh, yes. It's leopard, everything.
LEMON: So how you've been, mom? Mom, I have not seen you, usually you are here for the holidays. Don't tell you where we are but usually you're here for the holidays and you're not here. I haven't seen you in a year. I haven't hugged your face.
KATHERINE LEMON: I know, it's been very, very, very upsetting. And sad. There are so many things that are going on.
LEMON: How you holding up?
KATHERINE LEMON: How? What'd you say?
LEMON: How you holding up? I said how you holding up?
KATHERINE LEMON: I'm hanging in there. I'm hanging in there. LEMON: Have you seen my nieces and my sister and my great nephews?
KATHERINE LEMON: Well, I saw Ashley (ph) today because I told her to come over and pick up gumbo I made.
BALDWIN: (Inaudible).
LEMON: Yes.
KATHERINE LEMON: And I have not seen Kema (ph) in quite a while. That's just -- and I've seen great grandbabies from a distance.
So it's been rough (ph) not to (inaudible) family (inaudible) New Year.
LEMON: Yes.
BALDWIN: It's so hard for so many families. My own mom, who I know is watching -- and while we're talking to your mom, I'm going to say hi, mom and I love you. And I know it's been hard that we haven't been able to see each other and hug each other in a number of months.
BALDWIN: Kat, can I just try to embarrass Don as much as I possibly can? And I know you said he's not embarrassable and you may be right --
KATHERINE LEMON: OK.
BALDWIN: But will you just tell me a baby Don, a baby Don story? I'm all ears, I have all night.
KATHERINE LEMON: No, I'm not going to do that. He's just been a wonderful child.
LEMON: Yay.
BALDWIN: What?
LEMON: Mwah.
KATHERINE LEMON: He's still a (inaudible).
LEMON: So mom, last time you were here I was going to pretend I made all this gumbo but I know you would bust me out.
BALDWIN: She would totally know.
LEMON: So last time you were your here, we froze gallons and gallons of gumbo. And guess what?
KATHERINE LEMON: What?
LEMON: I'm whipping it up now -- your gumbo --
BALDWIN: So it's a home-made roue?
LEMON: It's a home-made everything. We did it all here last year.
BALDWIN: Wow.
LEMON: Last year we had an open house for all of our friends in the neighborhood -- again, won't say where we are -- and family. And Tim's family was here, you were here and all of our friends and we had -- Tim's nephews played violin, we had gospel singers.
BALDWIN: Amazing. What a difference (inaudible) makes.
LEMON: It was a really beautiful open house for the holidays, right? And here we are stuck at home now.
KATHERINE LEMON: I know. I remember the carolers. It was very nice and -- (inaudible) you've been doing a lot of baking.
LEMON: You should see my hands.
BALDWIN: Oh, my gosh. Can we show the cakes? Kat, there are like ten cakes in this house. I was asking these boys what they've been if they haven't been drinking alcohol for the last 361 days.
And all Tim did was text me photos of the cakes and the cookies and the brownies. I even might have had a slice of Don's --
LEMON: Come on in here.
BALDWIN: Come here, Walter.
LEMON: Yes, we're going to --
KATHERINE LEMON: (Inaudible).
BALDWIN: We're going to show everyone. This is --
LEMON: What?
BALDWIN: Look at this, look at this. Carrot cake, cherry pie --
KATHERINE LEMON: He was calling, he was calling while he was baking.
BALDWIN: Oh, so you were --
LEMON: Every time -- how many times did I call you and facetime?
KATHERINE LEMON: Yes. You facetimed me.
BALDWIN: So you were giving him pointers. I got to say the cake's delicious.
[01:10:00]
KATHERINE LEMON: He facetimed me 24/7.
BALDWIN: (Inaudible) laughing in the corner. Yes.
LEMON: Yes. But you got the loving, mom. I talk to you every single day.
KATHERINE LEMON: Yes, you do. But you called me 24/7 when you are baking.
BALDWIN: Well, we all need a little motherly love and help.
LEMON: But mom, do you remember? It was so funny because we were talking earlier in the year -- and this was before the quarantine, it was right in the beginning.
And I was asking you, I said, mom -- because you had left here for the holidays. And I said mom, you know what I want to learn how to do, I want to learn how to bake a cake from scratch, right?
KATHERINE LEMON: Yes.
LEMON: Without Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker. And I was in the car on the way home one night and you were giving the recipe. And I stopped at the grocery store and I got all the ingredients and I never made the cake.
Until this Thanksgiving. And I made two cakes, from scratch, with Swansdowne cake flour --
KATHERINE LEMON: Cake mix.
LEMON: Butter, eggs, what have you -- cake mix. From scratch. No recipe. And I made my own icing. And it turned out amazing --
BALDWIN: This is the cake. This is your cake.
LEMON: That is my cake.
BALDWIN: Look at how much of it is gone.
LEMON: It's so moist. I have never -- it was so moist that the dressing was sticking to the cake. I had never had a cake that fluffy before. Your recipe was right on, baby.
BALDWIN: It's mighty fluffy, Kat. I might have to do something bad.
KATHERINE LEMON: You might have to do what, babe (ph)?
BALDWIN: I might be eating cake live on TV. I'm giving up sugar in January. You're looking at me like -- are you eating my cake?
LEMON: It's January 1. You can eat it. I'm looking at you eating my cake just straight from there.
BALDWIN: OK. I'm in California in my mind right now. So I'm going to have a little bit more sugar and we're going to be fine.
Kat, we love you. Thank you (inaudible), cheers.
LEMON: Mom, before we go -- cheers, I love you. What's your wish for 2021? (Phone rings)
KATHERINE LEMON: Cheers. My wish it is that 2021 is better than 2020. And hopefully, we can get out and do things and I can come and visit you.
(Phone rings)
LEMON: That must be your sister calling. All right, mom, I love you.
BALDWIN: Looks like I see her. I see that on TV.
KATHERINE LEMON: I love you too. They can wait, that's (inaudible). I not worried about that, they can wait.
BALDWIN: They can wait. Again, another mom joke, 2021.
LEMON: I love you, mom. I'll talk to you later. Big kiss. Mwah.
KATHERINE LEMON: Love you, guys. Love you.
BALDWIN: Love you, Kat. Great to see you.
LEMON: Bye. I love her.
BALDWIN: I remember having dinner with your mom and you weren't even there.
LEMON: I know. You guys took her out to dinner, I know. And they got my mom really hammered.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: No.
BALDWIN: No.
LEMON: No, it wasn't that time? Tim got her hammered at the Mexican --
BALDWIN: We were eating --
LEMON: (Inaudible) back there. That's (inaudible) back there.
BALDWIN: We were totally behaving --
LEMON: And James is her husband.
BALDWIN: Yes.
LEMON: Anyway, so --
BALDWIN: Where were we?
LEMON: Were going to go -- maybe the Goo Dolls.
BALDWIN: The Goo Goo Dolls, your favorite band.
LEMON: Yes. The (inaudible) album, it's Christmas all over. A very special performance; "Better Days" from the Goo Dolls.
(Better Days - Goo Dolls)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:15:00]
(CNN HIGHLIGHT)
SEBASTIAN KANOVICH, CO-FOUNDER & CEO, dLocal: We help international companies like Amazon, like Spotify to collect payments and pay in markets like Nigeria, Brazil, India, Turkey. So essentially, those which are outside of the U.S. and Europe.
In some of the markets where we operate, up to 80 percent of the population won't have an international credit card). And these are markets that are becoming more and more relevant for international companies.
We mentioned Amazon, we mentioned Uber but this always applies to Chinese which are growing heavily into emerging markets.
So what we do is we make sure that users are being able to pay with their preferred payment methods. If anything, we've seen that there's more and more payment methods appearing. There's more fragmentation and it just becomes impossible from a merchant perspective to accept all of those without a company like ours and others to -- that help bridge that gap.
(ENDS)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Look at these babies.
BALDWIN: Look at the little sleep poochies.
LEMON: They're so sleepy, they're so -- they're worn out, all these people. They're like yes.
BALDWIN: (Inaudible).
LEMON: So what -- we (inaudible) talk about 2020. What are you going to do new this year? You're doing something really fun this year.
[01:20:00]
BALDWIN: Well, I -- you know what, I said I wanted to do something in terms of empowering women and really leaning into that space.
LEMON: Yes.
BALDWIN: So I made good on that.
LEMON: Yes. BALDWIN: And I wrote my first book. It comes out in April, it's called "Huddle." I want this word to be part of our lexicon, honestly.
It's just -- I needed a little help, I don't know about you all. I needed a little help coming out of this pandemic. Aand so, if you have a special women, best friend, wife, daughter -- and the men also. It's about instead of leaning -- a love lean in (ph), right, but it's more about leaning on.
And just how women, groups of women, collectives of women are getting amazing sh-- done.
LEMON: Yes. And --
BALDWIN: And you, sir --
LEMON: I'm done.
BALDWIN: I'm sorry, we're authors here.
LEMON: We went through this whole year of race and riots --
BALDWIN: Yes.
LEMON: -- and George Floyd and Armant Arbery --
BALDWIN: You were beautiful through it.
LEMON: -- and Breonna Taylor. And people kept calling me, all my friends --
BALDWIN: How do we have a conversation?
LEMON: -- saying what do we do, how do we have a conversation? And that's how this book came about. I've been wanting to write a book for race for years and I kept saying it's not the right time.
BALDWIN: Yes.
LEMON: And then this year I did it. And it's called "This Is The Fire," it's an ode to James Baldwin which is "The Fire Next Time."
"This Is The Fire. What I Say To My Friends About Racism."
BALDWIN: It's beautiful. I need it.
LEMON: And it's going to be amazing. I'm so proud of this book, I'm so proud of where I take people. And some really and honest truths but I talk about how we can all come together, how we approach the subject and how we can actually make things better.
We talk about policing and friendship and all kinds of things. And you know what --
BALDWIN: I'm proud of you. Proud of you. LEMON: Cheers.
So go, order it on -- if you have the full screen, put it up.
BALDWIN: Both of us.
LEMON: Amazon, you can pre-order your book and my book on Amazon.
BALDWIN: Both of us. Or (inaudible) indy bookstores. Go to (inaudible).
LEMON: Well, speaking of friends of all different types.
BALDWIN: Oh, my gosh. We love this woman.
LEMON: One of my dearest friends, I love her so much.
BALDWIN: Ana Navarro was good enough to hang out with us.
LEMON: Hey, Boo.
ANA NAVARRO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, there's Cha-cha.
LEMON: Happy New Year.
NAVARRO: Happy New Year. And here am I in my regal black pajamas because you're not going to be the only ones --
BALDWIN: : (Inaudible).
NAVARRO: -- impersonating Hugh Heffner. And by the way, it was Christmas and it was my birthday and I'm still waiting for the copy of the book.
LEMON: Ana, you just had a birthday what, three or four days ago?
NAVARRO: Yes, I'm the same age as Dionne Warwick, in my thirties.
BALDWIN: Right, right.
LEMON: Happy birthday.
BALDWIN: Happy 35th, happy 35th. So where's Al (ph), is Al already asleep?
NAVARRO: Yes, no, Al's probably watching a "Twilight" marathon or something like that. We celebrated and we did some of the rituals and superstitions and traditions that we do in Latin America.
So you've got to eat twelve grapes, one for each month, good luck for each month in the first minute of the New Year. You've got to have lentils for good luck and prosperity so I've been soaking all day.
Some people go and go around the block with a (inaudible) for more travel -- we know how that worked that last year. Some people tell me they wear red panties or yellow panties. I
haven't figured out what that's for. I will tell you I went and found --
BALDWIN: It's a (inaudible) a girl thing --
NAVARRO: Yes, I want to go --
BALDWIN: (inaudible) -- then you go to to Rio.
LEMON: Yes. There's a thing like that in gay culture but it's with bandanas but we won't even go there.
BALDWIN: I have to take it there, I have to take it there.
NAVARRO: The red panties I was able to find in my closet, fit me so small, it was like wearing a bandana. But anyways, it's been a tough year.
LEMON: Ana, we've got to go. We love you.
NAVARRO: I love you.
LEMON: But you (inaudible) really great.
BALDWIN: Have a good year.
LEMON: I know. But you've been really great.
BALDWIN: You've been --
LEMON: I love watching on CNN. I love watching you on THE VIEW.
BALDWIN: Love how you don't hold it back. Love your texts.
NAVARRO: I'm hoping in 2021 we can hug, we can hug again.
BALDWIN: Yes, I can't wait.
LEMON: Bye, baby. Happy New Year to you and Al and Cha-cha.
BALDWIN: We love you. Send our love to Al, (Inaudible) and Cha-cha.
LEMON: Come on, boy.
BALDWIN: And speaking of --
NAVARRO: (Inaudible) Don.
LEMON: Thank you.
BALDWIN: We've got some boys coming our way.
LEMON: We've got some guys coming here. 2021.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: You're 2-0 -- BALDWIN: Oh, wait. No, I'm 2-0.
LEMON: Thank you. And a third dog.
BALDWIN: I love how James is is like peace out, I'm out. He's out.
LEMON: There's Tim -- that's our fiance and husband. Happy 2021, everybody. And Gus (phonetic) can't wait to get down.
So anyway, we're so happy. This is a song that was written during quarantine from the new album, "Harmony."
BALDWIN: Oh, yes.
LEMON: And that is none other than the one and only Josh Groban.
BALDWIN: Happy New Year.
LEMON: Happy 2021, everyone. Happy New Year.
BALDWIN: We love you.
LEMON: We'll see you in the New Year.
BALDWIN: Love you.
LEMON: I love you. Bye. Bye from an undisclosed --
[01:25:00]
(Song - Josh Groban)
