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CNN Live Event/Special
Countdown to 2024; Interview with Las Culturistas Podcast Host Matt Rogers; Interview with Las Culturistas Podcast Host Bowen Yang; Interview with Singer John Mayer; East Coast and Central Time Zone Ring in New Year 2024. Aired 11p-12:30a ET
Aired December 31, 2023 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[23:00:00]
(ENRIQUE IGLESIAS singing BABY I LIKE IT)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Welcome back. It is no longer hours, plural. We are now 60 minutes -- well, 59 minutes away from the ball drop and a new year. But before the ball drops, we have even more amazing guests lined up for you, including John Mayer and --
ANDY COHEN, CNN HOST: And we're doing more shots.
COOPER: All right.
COHEN: OK. Here we go.
COOPER: If you're joining us at home, please do.
COHEN: Please do.
COOPER: This will be the last shot For us of --
COHEN: 2023.
COOPER: -- 2023.
COHEN: Wow.
COOPER: All right.
COHEN: Cheers, everybody. Oh, wow. Oh, my God. OK. OK. She's sputtering now. Let me do this intro. You, OK? OK. OK, but first, I am so excited by these next two guests. Two of the funniest comedians out there. Bowen Yang from "Saturday Night Live".
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: And Matt Rogers, both are hosts of the very popular podcast "Las Culturistas." Hey.
CROWD: five, four, three, two --
MATT ROGERS, HOST, "LAS CULTURISTAS" PODCAST: It's not time? BOWEN YANG, HOST, "LAS CULTURISTAS" PODCAST: Oh, it's not time yet. No?
COHEN: No, one more hour.
COOPER: One more hour.
ROGERS: You guys.
COHEN: One more hour.
ROGERS: We'll save it for the next hour. We'll do it.
YANG: Hi, guys.
COOPER: How are you?
COHEN: Hey.
ROGERS: Hey.
COHEN: Oh my, God. It's so good to see you. Thank you for being here. Have you --
ROGERS: We're so happy to be here.
YANG: We're happy to be here.
COHEN: Have either of you ever been in Times Square?
ROGERS: No.
YANG: Never in my life.
ROGERS: No, we would never do this.
YANG: I like it here a lot. It seems like a fun vibe. There's an olive garden right there.
ROGERS: It's surprisingly quiet. Like everyone's kind of just like patiently waiting for the ball drop.
COHEN: I know. They're waiting.
COOPER: They've been here for 12 hours.
COHEN: Yes.
ROGERS: Peeing on themselves.
YANG: They're in their diapers.
COHEN: Exactly. Bowen, disgraced Congressman George Santos said during his "Seaway" interview that you should get an EGOT for your impression of him on SNL. Did he reach out to you directly and what's the key to a Santos impersonation? YANG: He hasn't reached out to me directly. I think the key to an impersonation is just to be like any other gay effeminate man and have a nasally voice. I think we both have that in common.
COHEN: OK.
COOPER: All right.
YANG: How's that?
ROGERS: He's snarling away through it.
YANG: Snarling.
COOPER: Did you watch a lot of videos and stuff of him?
YANG: Of course, I did.
ROGERS: He's obsessed with George Santos.
YANG: His thing about opening -- oh no, peeling a banana with his feet is like the thing that we're not talking about enough in the media.
COOPER: What?
COHEN: I was unaware of this.
YANG: He has a thing where he likes to peel banana with his feet, and he likes to seek out people who can do that as well.
ROGERS: Are you an OnlyFans subscriber?
YANG: No, I'm not a subscriber.
ROGERS: How would you know that he loves to peel bananas with his feet?
YANG: He said this publicly.
ROGERS: You absolute freak.
YANG: He said this publicly.
COHEN: Both of you, what do you think was the most important cultural moment of 2023?
ROGERS: It was you coming on our podcast, Andy.
YANG: Absolutely.
COHEN: Besides that?
ROGERS: Anderson, open invitation.
COHEN: Oh, yes. ROGERS: We'll pass you around on our podcast.
COOPER: I merely -- you'll pass me around?
ROGERS: Yes, sure.
YANG: Passed around.
COOPER: I mean, pass around patty? Is that what you're --
YANG: Yes, sure.
COHEN: Pass around Party Bottom.
YANG: CNN.
ROGERS: Pass around podcast guests, why is this going crazy?
COHEN: What was the most important cultural moment of 2023?
YANG: I'm going to say the tours. The girls were doing the concert.
COHEN: You both were at Beyonce and Taylor, right?
ROGERS: I saw Taylor four times. I saw Beyonce twice. I was supposed to see Beyonce three times.
YANG: He wants to see Adele.
ROGERS: I saw Adele -- I -- it was like my year of concerts. I saw Adele. I saw Kylie Minogue for WorldPride pre-"Padam".
COHEN: Me too. I saw you there.
ROGERS: Yes, we were there. Yes.
YANG: Oh my, God.
COHEN: Pre-"Padam".
ROGERS: Pre-"Padam".
COHEN: Oh my, God. And then, did you see Madonna yet?
ROGERS: No, no.
COHEN: Unbelievable.
[23:05:00]
ROGERS: And we --
COHEN: Unbelievable.
ROGERS: -- Madonna's on the list.
YANG: Yes.
COHEN: Yes.
ROGERS: She's actually playing in my birthday on --
COHEN: Madison Square Garden?
ROGERS: -- in L.A.
COHEN: Yes. Well -- no, she's at Madison Square Garden.
ROGERS: No, I know, but next year my birthday in L.A. is she's playing. I think.
COOPER: You know, it's rare that I feel like the least gay person in a group.
ROGERS: Well, come on -- like, what's going on?
COOPER: I feel like a straight person, like, I don't --
ROGERS: Gay it up, Anderson.
COOPER: I don't know what you're --
ROGERS: Jesus. We're begging for it.
COOPER: -- I don't know what you're all talking about.
COHEN: Bowen, you're in the film adaptation -- it's going to get gayer, of the new -- of the musical "Wicked." It's due out in 2024.
ROGERS: This is where we break into our edition of "For Good", right?
COHEN: Can you do it?
ROGERS: No.
YANG: WE could.
ROGERS: You have heard that it was said --
YANG: Said --
ROGERS: No, we're not doing it.
COHEN: What can you preview about the movie?
YANG: I can preview that at the end of the first movie, because there are two, people will leap out of their seats at Cynthia's final note. I've already said too much, I'm already going to get in trouble.
COHEN: OK.
ROGERS: It goes like this -- that was good, Andy.
YANG: That was good.
ROGERS: Oh, my God.
YANG: You should be Elphaba. You should do an Elphaba track.
ROGERS: Do you have an Elphaba belt?
COOPER: I don't know what you're talking about.
ROGERS: You don't? I bet you do.
COOPER: An Elphaba belt?
COHEN: Yes, it's Elphaba at the end of Act 1, she belts the song.
COOPER: I've never seen it.
COHEN: OK. What?
ROGERS: You've never seen "Wicked"?
COHEN: Anderson.
COOPER: I haven't seen "Steel Magnolias" either. I know, I'm sorry.
ROGERS: Two different worlds. Well, we got to really work on him, huh?
COHEN: What do you think has been the cringiest moment we've witnessed in pop culture --
ROGERS: Cringiest?
COHEN: -- in 2023?
YANG: Woah, that's tough.
COHEN: "Housewives" aside.
YANG: "Housewives" --
ROGERS: "Housewives" aside?
YANG: -- aside. Cringiest, I'm going to say --
ROGERS: Oh, Lauren Boebert getting felt up. Her jugs felt up.
COHEN: Oh, right.
ROGERS: That was crazy. Getting her jugs felt up during "Beetlejuice".
COHEN: Yes, yes, yes.
ROGERS: It was the most I felt seen by her, but it was also the cringiest. I think it's because -- you know, when you see yourself in someone in the public, you're like, oh no, I hate them? That was me when Lauren Boebert got her jugs felt up during "Beetlejuice" in Denver.
YANG: District 3 of Colorado, you deserve better.
COHEN: OK. We're going to play a game called 1, 2, Agree or Disagree 2023 edition.
YANG: Oh, here we go.
ROGERS: I know these panels.
COHEN: These two are pop culture obsessed. This is a classic watch what happens live game. I'm going to run through various pop culture controversies from 2023. Everyone weighs in on whether they agree or disagree with the statements. Flip your signs. Here we go.
Beyonce's "Renaissance" tour is the greatest stadium tour of the past decade.
YANG: Sure.
ROGERS: It's tied with "Eras."
COHEN: I would pay $500 for a cameo by George Santos
ROGERS: Deplatform.
YANG: Deplatform.
COHEN: Deplatform. I've lost more than three hours strolling TikTok.
ROGERS: I don't do TikTok,
COOPER: Never --
YANG: My TikTok time --
COOPER: Too old. Way too old.
ROGERS: I'm on Instagram.
YANG: My algorithm doesn't know me.
ROGERS: Yes.
COHEN: Watching the videos of people stuck in the mud at Burning Man was highly entertaining.
YANG: That was dangerous.
ROGERS: Joe Ken Booster (ph) was out there really struggling.
COOPER: Really? I thought it was sort of --
COHEN: You liked it. ROGERS: I don't like human pain.
COHEN: I don't care who is or isn't on Ozempic. Let suddenly skinny celebrities live.
YANG: And Mounjaro inclusion.
COHEN: I want to know.
YANG: Majora erasure.
COHEN: I want to know.
ROGERS: I want to know.
COHEN: I want to know. You know, I'd kind of like to see Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk fight.
ROGERS: I don't care. I don't get off on --
COHEN: I would like to see it.
YANG: I want to see the women fight.
ROGERS: Oh, no. I disagree.
YANG: I want Grimes and Priscilla Chan to duke it out. I want the women.
COHEN: I am more into Travis Kelce after reading his old dumb tweets.
ROGERS: 100 percent.
YANG: He hosted "SNL", he's a king. I love him very dearly. Travis, if you're watching, I love you.
ROGERS: Yes.
COHEN: I love how "Succession" ended. Love it.
COOPER: Oh, yes.
ROGERS: Yes, that's good.
YANG: So good.
COHEN: We can all agree on that. Despite seeing it already in 2023, I will be attending the Eras tour again in --
ROGERS: We're going to go, 4th of July in Amsterdam.
YANG: Amsterdam.
COHEN: Wow.
COOPER: Wow. ROGERS: Yes.
COHEN: I never think about the Roman Empire.
YANG: Only about Hadrian and Antinous, the two gay guys.
COHEN: You do think about it.
COOPER: I do.
COHEN: I asked you about it.
COOPER: I disagree that I never think about it.
COHEN: All right.
YANG: Oh, I don't think about it.
ROGERS: Oh, I don't think about it.
YANG: Oh, right. Then I do disagree.
ROGERS: I don't think about that.
COHEN: Madonna was right. I really am a troublemaking queen.
COOPER: I mean --
ROGERS: You really are, and you knew she was right.
YANG: It's what got on his Hamptons house.
COHEN: I did not watch King Charles' Coronation.
COOPER: I covered that.
YANG: How did I not watch?
ROGERS: You covered it?
COHEN: He was there.
COOPER: I covered it.
YANG: You were there?
COOPER: Yes, of course I was there.
YANG: And it was still boring.
ROGERS: Would you have watched it if you didn't have to cover it?
COHEN: No. What did Camilla wear?
COOPER: I covered the wedding of Charles to Camilla.
COHEN: And who cared about that?
ROGERS: Are you, like, a Camilla stan? Are you one of those gays that's like --
COOPER: No, no.
ROGERS: -- you guys, respect Camilla? No?
COOPER: I don't have an opinion on --
COHEN: He has no opinion.
COOPER: -- on Camilla.
ROGERS: Yes, of course you don't.
COHEN: He's a newsman. He's a newsman.
YANG: Right, right.
COHEN: He won't be good on your podcast.
COOPER: No, I would totally --
ROGERS: No, we're going to pass him around.
COOPER: Yes, yes, yes.
ROGERS: No, it's going to be great, Anderson. We're going to have a lot of fun with you.
COHEN: Janet Jackson deserves justice for how the public treated her after the Super Bowl. Yes, yes.
ROGERS: She deserved justice 20 years ago.
COHEN: Yes, yes, yes.
YANG: Listen to "Damita Jo", her album.
COOPER: Oh, "Damita Jo". Oh, my God.
ROGERS: "Damita Jo's" edition.
YANG: "Damita Jo", you lit up at "Damita Jo".
COOPER: And it starts out with like, I love the islands --
ROGERS: Yes.
YANG: Don't we all?
ROGERS: "Damita Jo" is that album.
YANG: It's that girl.
ROGERS: Yes.
[23:10:00]
COHEN: Where are you all going tonight? It's -- the night is young in New York City. Where are you two queens going?
ROGERS: I don't know. Knowing us --
YANG: Knowing us, when --
ROGERS: -- we'll end up in like Barracuda, like ass up. I'm -- I actually shouldn't have said that on CNN.
YANG: This is CNN, sweetie.
ROGERS: I mean, smile up.
COHEN: Yes. All right. Any -- Matt Rogers has a great Christmas album out. I want to plug that.
ROGERS: Oh man, that was so sweet. Have you listened to it once?
COHEN: Yes.
ROGERS: Oh, yes.
COHEN: Catch Bowen on "Saturday Night Live".
ROGERS: Wait, what about the last one?
COHEN: No, that was it.
ROGERS: Didn't you have one more question?
YANG: That was it?
ROGERS: Oh, that was it. OK.
COHEN: That was it.
YANG: We love you, guys.
COHEN: We love you, guys.
YANG: Thank you for this day.
ROGERS: Happy New Year.
COOPER: Happy New Year.
COHEN: Thank you so much.
ROGERS: We love you, guys.
COHEN: Coming up next, the legendary John Mayer joins us live from Tokyo after this. (MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIANNE MOORE, ACTRESS: My New Year's resolution is to lift more weights. I'm going to get really buff. I'm going to get big.
DIPLO: My New Year's resolution is to spend more time with my family.
JEMELE HILL, AMERICAN SPORTS JOURNALIST: I need Andy Cohen drunk on TV again. That is my New Year's resolution.
JANA KRAMER, SINGER AND ACTRESS: Let the goodness in and not fight the good things coming.
PARIS HILTON, MEDIA PERSONALITY AND BUSINESSWOMAN: My New Year's resolution is to keep living your best life loves it.
JAMIE-LYNN SIGLERM ACTRESS: My New Year's resolution is to give less --.
[23:15:00]
Josh gad, actor: My New Year's resolution is for my hair to fall as elegantly as Andrew Rannells ' hair falls on his forehead.
NATALIE PORTMAN, ACTRESS: To properly learn French. I live in France now, and I don't want to be the person who like, lives there for 10 years and doesn't actually speak well.
SAMANTHA BEE, COMEDIAN AND WRITER: My New Year's resolution is watch more "Housewives."
KERRY WASHINGTON, ACTRESS: My New Year's resolution is to really, truly try to get more sleep this year. To not think that five hours is enough.
KATIE COURIC, JOURNALIST AND PRESENTER: My New Year's resolution is to eat less red meat, write more handwritten thank you notes, and exercise more. And I make those resolutions every single year, and I don't follow anything.
SHERRI SHEPHERD, ACTRESS AND COMEDIAN: Not beating myself up or overthinking anything. And no is the answer. You ain't going to get nothing. No.
KARAMO BROWN, TV HOST: My New Year's resolution is to be a lot more patient with myself. We all deserve a little patience. And my second one is to get a kiss from Andy Cohen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: All right. Well, I got to give a man --
COOPER: There you go. Do you have a new year's resolution?
COHEN: Yes, spend less time on my cell phone. Spend less time on my phone in front of my kids.
COOPER: OK.
COHEN: Yes. OK. A sneak peek at 2024 from one of my all-time favorite guitarists and singers who is currently performing in Japan. Happens to be a dear friend of mine. We are joined by John Mayer at a cat cafe in Tokyo. John, this doesn't look --
JOHN MAYER, SINGER: Yes.
COHEN: -- sanitary, John.
MAYER: Hi, Andy.
COOPER: John --
MAYER: It's -- you know what --
COOPER: -- there's cats everywhere.
MAYER: I believe it passes all health codes. So, I think it's just fine. Yes, we are at a cat bar. It's called Cats in the Box in Tokyo. Celebrating New Year's -- we're already halfway through the first day of 2024.
COHEN: John.
MAYER: I'm here with --
COHEN: So, John --
MAYER: -- Shin and --
COHEN: Just --
MAYER: -- five other proprietors of the bar.
COHEN: Talk to me about this bar. You are in the bar, and there are cats everywhere.
MAYER: Yes.
COHEN: They are licking each other.
MAYER: There are cats.
COHEN: They're -- I mean -- yes.
MAYER: Yes, this is a --
COHEN: And --
MAYER: Yes, this is a place you can come enjoy a drink or two and talk to cats. It's a cat bar.
COHEN: And, John --
MAYER: I mean, I don't know how much more clear I can be about the objective of this place.
COHEN: You -- John, you are in Tokyo, Japan.
MAYER: I can't see Anderson, but I know exactly what he looks like.
COHEN: Yes.
MAYER: Yes, I'm in trouble.
COHEN: Yes, you do. Yes, you do. He's gone. He's off with the fairies here. Just the shot of the cat's ass in your face is making him delirious. Yes. He is now -- oh, you have -- John, do you have catnip there or cat food that you're giving the cat?
MAYER: Well, Anday, I got to be honest with you. I thought these were solid treats. This seems to be a paste of some kind that you feed the cats directly from a tube.
COHEN: Wow. Well, John --
MAYER: So, it turns out this is a gelatinous cat paste.
COHEN: I mean, John, I have to ask because, do you know the name of that cat? Is there a possibility that we could play one of my favorite games --
MAYER: Yes.
COHEN: -- called "Name That Pussy"? Can we come up with the name of one of the cats?
MAYER: Well --
COHEN: And then you tell us what the cat's name is?
MAYER: I don't -- you might as well try. I know the name of this cat. We've hung out for a little while. So, I know the name of this cat.
COHEN: OK, good. So, let's try to guess the name of this cat?
MAYER: Can you guess the name of this cat?
COHEN: OK. So, I think that that cat's name is Calico (ph). What do you think the cat's name is? This is a great game.
COOPER: I don't know.
COHEN: Well, guess, sweetie. Trixie?
COOPER: OK, Trixie.
COHEN: OK. John, what is the name of that cat? Can you reveal?
MAYER: This cat's name is Lin Lin (ph).
COHEN: Wow.
COOPER: Wow.
COHEN: Wow, John. You look really cute --
MAYER: Yes, Lin Lin (ph). So, you were --
COHEN: -- with that cat.
MAYER: Yes, you were close.
COHEN: And I love that you coordinated your outfit. Yes.
COOPER: I mean, the shot is --
MAYER: I did.
COHEN: The shot is crazy.
MAYER: I coordinated my outfit.
COHEN: Yes. John.
MAYER: Hold on. It's time to administer more paste to the cats.
COHEN: I -- oh, you're giving, -- oh, you're giving more treats to the cats. John, give us a preview of 2024 because I need to point out, John performed at the Blue Note last night on New Year's Eve in Tokyo --
MAYER: Yes, I did.
COHEN: -- and it is now 2024.
MAYER: Yes.
COHEN: What can you tell us about the year ahead? It's 41 minutes from now for us.
MAYER: Yes. Well, if it's anything like my 2024, you'll be surrounded by cats.
[23:20:00]
These are my buddies now.
COHEN: That makes sense, yes. We will.
MAYER: Watashi wa tomodachi. Watashi wa tomodachi.
COHEN: You know, John, Anderson loves talking about how much he loves my SiriusXM channel, "Radio Andy" and my music channel -- MAYER: Right.
COHEN: "Andy's Kiki Lounge". And what you -- and thanks for that, Anderson, for those plugs. I really appreciate it. You talk about that all the time. And I just want to save you --
COOPER: Thank you.
COHEN: -- from talking about it now.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: To tell you that there's a new channel called "Life with John Mayer" at Channel 14.
COOPER: Oh, wow.
COHEN: It is so good.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: It's been in my house for all the holidays. What is -- what can you tell the people about your new channel on SiriusXM, John?
MAYER: So, I'm not a major plugging guy. I don't always plug what I'm doing.
COHEN: OK.
MAYER: But I think you're going to love this. It's channel 14 on SiriusXM, it's called "Life with John Mayer." And it's a channel that plays a bunch of music, but the concept is, is that it changes throughout the day. So, it plays different music through different times of day, different days of the week. I figured everyone was kind of tired of reporting to their phone what it was they wanted to hear. And then hearing this very sort of narrow group of songs there, you can kind of hear the same songs every day based on what you, kind of, come up with that you want to hear.
This is sort of like going to a restaurant or a cat bar. Think about going to a cat bar where all the cats are already picked out for you. And so, you turn it on and you leave it on and it's been really, really fun and it's one of those things --
COHEN: Oh, the cats are already picked out for you.
MAYER: -- I think it's great to --
COOPER: That's what I want in a cat bar. I'm tired of going in these cat bars where the cats haven't been picked out for me.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: And I have to try to find the cat.
COHEN: Yes. MAYER: Yes. No, these cats are at least --
COOPER: And there's so many cats to choose from.
MAYER: Yes, these cats are --
COHEN: Yes.
MAYER: Yes, these cats are curated, heavily curated. I believe you have 20 cats? He has 20 cats.
COHEN: Wow.
MAYER: These are the most camera-ready, best of the best. These cats have what it takes. The cats --
COHEN: Oh, they brought the camera ready, the ones near you. Yes.
MAYER: Yes, yes.
COHEN: John.
MAYER: Yes, they did.
COHEN: I saw you this summer --
MAYER: They did.
COHEN: -- with Dead & Company and it was the final tour of Dead & Company. Can you preview --
MAYER: Yes.
COHEN: -- anything that may come? Could we maybe -- do you think we could see this band come together in the next year? Is there any hope you could give us, in that regard? I know you're going back on your solo tour in -- around the world, but any Dead & Company info you could tell us?
MAYER: I'm not at liberty to say just yet. But have hope, is what I'll say. Have hope.
COOPER: OK.
COHEN: All right. I like it.
MAYER: Just like you should for all things in 2024. Yes, yes.
COHEN: John, before we go --
MAYER: Could -- will you pardon me one moment? Will you pardon --
COHEN: Yes.
MAYER: Andy, will you -- Andy, will you pardon me one moment?
COHEN: Yes.
MAYER: Who's my good little schmoogie (ph) boogie? Who's my good little schmoogie (ph) boogie? Thank you. Just wanted to have a moment.
COHEN: Before we let you go, is there anything else you'd like to say, John? You've brightened our night tonight.
MAYER: Wow. I feel like, this all speaks for itself. I just want to say, have a very, very happy, peaceful, prosperous 2024. Both you, Andy, and Anderson, and everyone watching. May this be the best year yet. And I send you all my love from Cats in the Box.
COHEN: Love you so much, John. And tell that Ken Healy in the wide brimmed hat next to you that I send my regards. Love you, man. Thank you for hanging out with us tonight, dude.
MAYER: I sure will. Andy sends his regards. Love you. Love you, guys.
COOPER: Meow, meow, meow.
MAYER: Thank you so much. Thanks, Anderson.
COHEN: Meow, meow, meow.
COOPER: Meow, meow, meow.
COHEN: Meow, meow, meow.
MAYER: Who's my little babies? Who's my babies?
COHEN: Yes.
MAYER: Who's my little babies?
COHEN: We are just a short time away from the countdown. Maroon 5 is here in our annual tradition of "Goodnight Moon". Coming up, here's Flo Rida performing his hit song, "Low", right here in Times Square. We'll be right back.
(FLO RIDA singing LOW)
[23:25:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: And welcome back to New York's Times Square. It is almost 11:30, 31 minutes left. 30 -- yes, 31 minutes left in this year.
COHEN: We're going to throw this year in the dumpster. It is time for our annual tradition. Goodnight 2023 inspired by "Goodnight Moon". What do you say? Should we do this?
COOPER: All right. do you want to start?
COHEN: Yes. Good night, King Charles, newly crowned. Good night, Twitter, driven into the ground. COOPER: Good night, Kim Kardashian's stolen wedding. Good night, Ozempic, fuel's celebrity weight shedding.
COHEN: Good night, UFO hearing. Good night, Taylor Swift football cheering.
COOPER: Good night, strikes and pickets. Good night, life savings spent on "Eras" and "Renaissance" tickets.
[23:30:00]
COHEN: Good night, Michelle Williams narrating Britney's book. Good night, George Santos, America's favorite crook. Allegedly.
COOPER: Good night, Gwyneth. We wish you well. Good night paying $2 per eggshell.
COHEN: Good night, "Barbie". Good night, "Oppenheimer". Good night thinking about the Roman Empire.
COOPER: Good night, Posh and Becks still dreamy. Good night, Senate hearing room sex. So steamy.
COHEN: Good night, "Vanderpump Rules" affair. Good night, Beyonce, a stride, a silver mare.
COHEN AND COOPER: It was quite the year, if you ask me. Good night, 2023.
COOPER: The final break of the night before the big moment, and we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: And welcome back to New York's Times Square. 11:33 p.m. here. We -- the crowd is certainly getting much more excited right now.
COHEN: It's stumping. It's --
COOPER: It is starting to --
COHEN: It's stumping.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: And I have to say, the city is stumping. I mean, just coming up here tonight --
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: -- it is thumping. But now -- Times Square has been pretty quiet all night.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: There's people everywhere. There's definitely a million people here.
COOPER: Let's --
COHEN: That's scientific, I'll tell you right now.
COOPER: Please --
COHEN: No, you shut up. There's a million people here.
COOPER: Let's go down to Richard Quest who's down in the crowd for us. Richard, how is it?
RICHARD QUEST, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR-AT-LARGE AND ANCHOR, QUEST MEANS BUSINESS: Ah, magnificent. I'm over here, Anderson. Look to your left.
COOPER: Oh, smashing. There you are. Oh, yes, yes, yes. Smashing.
QUEST: It's a great night. Down here in the Square, they have woken up. I was a bit worried --
COHEN: Yes, we were too.
QUEST: -- when I left to go over to Blue Man Group. But as you can see, are you awake?
CROWD: Woah.
QUEST: So, they make quite a lot of noise. So, do this lot.
CROWD: Woah.
QUEST: Which side is louder?
[23:35:00]
CROWD: Woah.
CROWD: Woah.
COHEN: All right. OK.
QUEST: I could play this game all night. It's amazing. My 23rd year in Times Square on New Year's Eve and it's just as exciting as it always is.
COHEN: Yes, it is.
COOPER: So, Richard, like how long have a lot of the people who are there? How long have they been there?
QUEST: Right. Yes, I could check.
COHEN: Yes, ask someone.
QUEST: So, what time did you get here? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 10:00 this morning.
QUEST: They got here at 10:00 this morning. Where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pennsylvania.
QUEST: Venezuela?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pennsylvania.
QUEST: Oh, Pennsylvania. Sorry.
COHEN: Pennsylvania, Venezuela, very --
QUEST: Pennsylvania, Venezuela, easy mistake to make.
COHEN: Yes.
QUEST: And yourself, where are you come from?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Romania.
QUEST: From where?
COHEN: Wow.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Romania.
COHEN: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Romania.
QUEST: Romania.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Romania.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Romania.
QUEST: A lot of people from Romania here tonight.
COHEN: Wow.
QUEST: Where are -- are you warm?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: France.
QUEST: France.
COHEN: Wow
QUEST: Bienvenue, Monsieur.
COHEN: Wow.
QUEST: The thing is, they wait outside The Square from about 9:00 or 10:00 in the morning. They're finally -- or even earlier, but they're not allowed into The Square until about 3:00 in the afternoon. And then, yes, Anderson and Andy, the old question, how do they go?
COHEN: Yes.
QUEST: Well, as you know, when you leave The Square, there are some very strange fluids in bottles.
COOPER: OK.
COHEN: All right.
COOPER: We'll leave it at that. Richard, we'll check in back with you in the crowd. Joining us now in Austin, Texas are Sara Sidner and Cari Champion. They'll be counting down the New Year for those of you in the central time zone after we leave at 12:30 tonight. Hey.
COHEN: Hey.
COOPER: Hey, how's it going, guys?
COHEN: You guys ready to go?
CARI CHAMPION, "SPORTSCENTER" ANCHOR, ESPN: We're having so much fun. Look at the crowd behind us. Hi, Barbie.
SARA SIDNER, SENIOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi Barbie.
CHAMPION: Hi Barbie. OK. So, we have to explain to everyone. We have a --
COHEN: Yes, Barbie.
CHAMPION: OK, guys.
SIDNER: We have an announcement to make.
CHAMPION: We have an announcement specifically for Anderson and Andy.
SIDNER: Specifically for Anderson and Andy because you guys have been really fun tonight.
CHAMPION: You guys have been so much fun tonight. And we wanted to let you know you can't be the only people that are in love. We are in love.
SIDNER: We're together.
CHAMPION: We're together. It's an announcement.
SIDNER: Yes. We're putting it out there.
COHEN: Wow.
COOPER: There you go.
COHEN: OK. We're not -- COOPER: Yes. No.
COHEN: Just --
SIDNER: Yes.
COOPER: Well, we look forward to you guys bringing in the --
CHAMPION: OK, so what does everyone to expect from us tonight?
SIDNER: We've got so much food but we don't have cats and we don't have drinks. I thought that Andy would send us that nice bottle of whatever it is. We -- we're drinking tea.
CHAMPION: Tea.
SIDNER: This is apple juice.
CHAMPION: Apple juice.
COHEN: I'll send you some De-Nada tequila, no problem.
SIDNER: Something.
COHEN: Yes. Yes.
SIDNER: No, Anderson says he can't do it. And I'm kind of with Anderson. It's too much. It's too hard.
COHEN: Right.
COOPER: Yes. We will see you guys at 12:30 --
SIDNER: But we like to be --
COOPER: -- and watch you guys.
SIDNER: We'll be here.
COOPER: Yes. We'll see you guys ringing in the New Year at 12:30. We'll be joining you then.
Let's check in with Boris Sanchez, who is in the Little Havana section of Miami right now. Boris, what's the scene there?
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN NEW DAY WEEKEND ANCHOR: Anderson, Andy, it is such a pleasure to be with you on New Year's Eve. We're live from the world-famous Ball & Chain Bar in Little Havana in Miami, Florida. And guys, I am so pleased to be with you. I raised my hand to do this because in years past -- you know I love you guys, but I felt like the show lacked a little bit of -- (speaking in a foreign language). Some Latin flavor. And what better way to bring to that to CNN's viewers than with a salsa lesson.
So, let's bring in my friend Rene (ph). Rene (ph), teach us how to dance salsa. RENE (PH), DANCE INSTRUCTOR: So, I'm so glad you guys are here. We're going to do the fastest salsa lesson for everybody out there before 2024.
SANCHEZ: You're going to learn to dance salsa before 2024 right now. OK.
RENE (PH): We're going to go forward with the left.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
RENE (PH): Forward with the left, feet together, back with the right. And one, two, three and five, six, seven and one, two, three and five, six, seven.
SANCHEZ: All right. The basic. The basic.
RENE (PH): All right. We're going to go side to side. We're going go, open with the left. Open with the right. Open with the left. Open with the right. You ready?
SANCHEZ: (Speaking in a foreign language).
RENE (PH): We're going to --trial --
SANCHEZ: We'll do a trial.
RENE (PH): We're going to meet my partner, Isabela.
SANCHEZ: Isabela. A pleasure to be with you, Isabela. Now, here's a secret. I've been dancing salsa since I was a little kid, but I haven't done it since I was in high school when I was doing teen stuff (ph). Let's see if I can wear the rust top. You ready, Isabela? Un, dos, tres, y, vamos.
RENE (PH): Not bad. Not bad.
SANCHEZ: What do you think? What do you think?
RENE (PH): It's amazing. Oh, that was amazing.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: A little bit has changed in like the -- 20 years since I was in --
RENE (PH): Hey, I'll give it to you.
SANCHEZ: 30 seconds.
RENE (PH): Not bad. Not bad. Amazing.
SANCHEZ: Isabela, thank you so much. Anderson, Andy, you saw how it's done. Now, let's see what you got.
COOPER: Well, we're going to need some -- COHEN: Yes, let's see what you got.
COOPER: -- we're going to use some practice, Boris.
COHEN: Yes, salsa dancing.
COOPER: Boris, we'll check in with you in a little bit later on.
SANCHEZ: Come on. Come on.
COOPER: Thank you very much.
COHEN: I know. This guy.
COOPER: Yes, I know.
COHEN: This guy.
COOPER: Maroon 5 are parting (ph) at the Atlantis Paradise Island in The Bahamas. But if you want to catch the three-time Grammy Award- winning band stateside, you can check him out at the residency at the park MGM in Las Vegas in 2024.
[23:40:00]
Take a look, Maroon 5 performing their hit, "This Love."
(MAROON 5 singing THIS LOVE)
COOPER: And that was Maroon 5. Welcome back live in New York's Times Square. Let's check in with Randi Kaye, who is in Key West, where they have a very special tradition of the drag queen drop. Randi, how's it going there?
[23:45:00]
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's going great here in Key West. We're getting so close to midnight. We moved up to the balcony where, as you know, Sushi used to be in this shoe for 25 years. And now we have Christopher Peterson, who is taking over the role. Does the shoe fit Christopher?
CHRISTOPHER PETERSON: It's a little big right at the moment, Randi. But I'm trying -- my feet are swelling anyways from wearing my own pumps. So, sooner or later, I'll fit into it, I'm sure.
KAYE: How do you feel? You have big shoes to fill. Sushi was here for 25 years.
PETERSON: I know, it's pretty amazing. I'm really grateful to Sushi for helping me through all of this, this thing. Also, Joey Schroeder for actually asking me in August. I was a little shocked when he first asked. I thought, well, what could I do that she couldn't do? And then I thought, well, I can look a little bit better, couldn't I?
KAYE: You look amazing. I don't know if you could tell, but you are really high up. Like, it's pretty scary, this height. How do you feel about that? Are you scared?
PETERSON: Well, in Key West, everything's a little high at times.
KAYE: Anderson, what were you saying?
COOPER: I was saying, we should just explain to viewers the tradition in Key West is that at this stroke at midnight -- here, obviously the ball drops in Times Square, but in Key West, a giant shoe is lowered with -- traditionally, it's been a drag queen named Sushi, and now that has changed. But the tradition is the shoe is lowered, basically in a very precarious way down to the floor and there's large crowds and it goes wild.
One year, I remember the shoe --
KAYE: Exactly.
COOPER: -- I think, got stalled and Sushi was like clamoring around the shoe. It looked, it looked precarious and scary, but it's a great local tradition, Randi.
KAYE: Yes. Yes. I mean, Christopher has been sort of floating up here for about an hour or so, trying to entertain the crowd.
COHEN: Wow.
KAYE: This is the shoe, and you can see the crowd below them. I mean -- and you're not afraid at all. You're just, kind of, dangling up here.
PETERSON: Well, it's like the Macy's Day Parade. I'm just like the big blow-up thing that they suck up on the shoe right at the moment, so.
KAYE: That's amazing, you are very brave. There's a huge crowd waiting for her to drop at midnight in about 25 minutes or so.
COOPER: Yes. And we'll show -- after the ball drop here, we'll show how that went. Make sure it all went successfully down at Key West. Randi, thank you. Christopher, thank you very much. We also got some viewer shoutouts from --
COHEN: Yes, let's do some more viewer shoutouts. We got a lot from you all. Here are more. Megan Krexmer (ph) -- I hope I pronounced that right, said, can you tell my husband, Tim, that we are having our rainbow baby.
COOPER: Wow.
COHEN: It would be the best pregnancy announcement ever. Baby number 11. So, I'm running out of ideas. I love both aces (ph) so much. We love you too, Megan.
COOPER: Congratulations.
COHEN: And congratulations, Tim and Megan. You're having another baby.
COOPER: That's awesome. Cynthia Lopez, a special happy new year. Shout out to my sister, Michelle (ph), my brother-in-law Jimmy, my special first nephew on Andres, who's currently serving -- living overseas as Jimmy is a member of the U.S. Navy. It means so much to me to be able to give them a shoutout internationally, as well as recognizing the men and women who serve our country. Your family in New York misses you. We can't wait to be reunited. Love, Cynthia.
COHEN: OK, this is from, Divansha Gupta (ph). Dear Shreyashta (ph), Happy effing New Year. This year was full of you acting like crap to your friends and being --
COOPER: All right. Let's not do that one.
COHEN: Oh, this is -- she really reads her.
COOPER: Yes. Let's go.
COHEN: Oh, my God.
COOPER: Let's not do that.
COHEN: This is terrible.
COOPER: Nicole Goldsby (ph). Let's not start the --
COHEN: Not the way --
COOPER: -- not get the New Year with that.
COHEN: With this mess.
COOPER: No, no.
COHEN: With this mess. You want me to read this mess?
COOPER: Calm down. This is from Nicole Goldsby (ph). I'm asking to surprise my husband after four days in the hospital in 2021, my husband said he would never drink again. He stuck to his word. We're going to be celebrating a thousand days of sobriety in April. Our marriage is stronger than ever. I love him beyond words. Happy New Year. Greggie (ph). I love you, Honey bun. That's their photo. That -- congratulations.
COHEN: That's incredible.
COOPER: That is awesome. That is so awesome.
COHEN: Wow.
COOPER: So, in about five minutes, it's about five minutes until the 2024 -- well, actually, no. We're about 12 minutes away.
COHEN: We're going to hear "My Way".
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: We're going to hear "Imagine".
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: And then we're going to go right into the ball drop.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: And 2024 will be here.
COOPER: So, we'll --
COHEN: We will get a rousing rendition of "New York, New York".
COOPER: Yes. And we are of the tradition. We -- as long as I've been doing this, we've always -- we don't talk during like the actual ball dropping because we like for you to hear and feel the excitement of the crowd.
COHEN: Suit yourself. You don't need us.
COOPER: Because in truth --
COHEN: We've done our work.
COOPER: What is exciting about being here and what I hope transmits through the camera is just that window from, like, five minutes to midnight to, like, five minutes after midnight. There's really nothing like being in Times Square. I was a lifelong New Yorker. I had never been here until I started coming here -- what, in like 2003 or something.
COHEN: I mean, that's been 20 something years now. It's been a little long.
COOPER: Yes, I know. Getting a little long in the tooth.
[23:50:00]
COHEN: Well, I appreciate you continuing to come so that I can come with you. Coming with you is a great joy, and I love being here.
COOPER: And I love being here with you as well.
COHEN: It's fun.
COOPER: It is fun.
COHEN: I've had so much fun tonight.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: I mean, this has just been just a total off riot.
COOPER: And we said this earlier, but I know there's a lot of people watching who have had a tough year or are worried about the coming year. Who have lost somebody this year or missing somebody who -- they have lost in their life. I'm glad that we're all together in this and recognizing all of you out there who are feeling, you know, a tough time on this evening. Feeling maybe alone. You are with us. And we're all in this together. And we look forward to ringing in the new year with you. So, 10 minutes from now.
COHEN: You asked me this earlier, I didn't ask you back. But do you have any resolutions? Do you ever keep -- do a resolution?
COOPER: I don't -- I mean, I -- you know, all the usual boring ones of being fit.
COHEN: I mean, mine's always about my phone.
COOPER: It's about your phone?
COHEN: It's always about my phone and staying away from it. Yes.
COOPER: I will give you an honest answer. The honest answer on it -- the only thing I've resolved this year is to -- and again, I hate to bring it back to this, but is to -- yes --
COHEN: Spit it out. What is it?
COOPER: To speak --
COHEN: To grieve.
COOPER: Yes, to just to allow myself to grieve --
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: which I've never really done, and to speak about it because I think the silence around grief makes it harder for those of us who are grieving. And so -- yes. So, I -- so to speak about it. So, that's it.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: Anyway, yes. So, let's check in with Richard. Richard Quest --
COHEN: Well, no. Actually, we're going to the Bahamas, actually.
COOPER: All right.
COHEN: We have a special performer with Stephanie Elam in the Bahamas.
COOPER: OK. Stephanie. How's it going, Stephanie?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there. Hey there.
COHEN: Hey, Stephanie.
ELAM: We are live at Atlantis in Paradise Island. Hello, Anderson and Andy. We're having a great time.
COOPER: Hey.
ELAM: Nelly is our surprise performance. And look who I got here. I've got Jermaine Dupri.
JERMAINE DUPRI, RAPPER AND SINGER: What up? What up?
ELAM: And also, Timbaland. Timbaland is here with us as well.
TIMBALAND, RECORD PRODUCER: Hey.
ELAM: And these two gentlemen right here are responsible for about -- I don't know, what, 90 percent of the dance shoes (ph) that we have had over the last few decades.
DUPRI: I hope so. I mean, something like that. This is the king right here.
ELAM: Yes, I mean --
TIMBALAND: No, no, no.
DUPRI: The king.
TIMBALAND: No, no, no.
ELAM: What do you mean no? Last night, I listened to you DJ.
DUPRI: Exactly.
ELAM: You just got off stage, and you don't realize how many songs you each have performed. And then, you're here with Nelly. I saw Usher's in the building.
DUPRI: Yes.
ELAM: What's -- are you guys having like a reunion New Year?
DUPRI: I mean, it's just how we do it. This is the energy. You know, they took that away from us when the COVID came. So, we just outside. We just outside.
TIMBALAND: Yes, we outside. We outside with it.
DUPRI: We outside.
TIMBALAND: We're having a good time.
ELAM: And I was having fun watching the crowd sing the lyrics to songs that you have produced. What's that like when you see the crowd is so hyped?
TIMBALAND: Hey man, I'm just here to -- I warmed them up for this guy right here, for this legend. I'm like the host. I'm the best host you could ever get. ELAM: Yes, you're the DJ hosting with the DJ because you had a DJ spin in your tunes.
TIMBALAND: Yes, yes, yes.
ELAM: You're like the hype man for your own boss.
TIMBALAND: It was like -- it's a new genre. Like a DJ not a DJ.
ELAM: OK. So, you're both from places where it can get cold. What's it like being in the Bahamas for New Year's?
DUPRI: Right now, being outside is new. It's amazing. It ain't as hot as I want it to be --
COOPER: Stephanie Elam, thank you. We're coming back to live in New York Times Square because we want you to be here and feel what everybody else is feeling here. We are seven minutes away from the new year. Let's listen to the legendary singer and songwriter Paul Anka performing the song he wrote and Sinatra made famous, "My Way", as well as the song "Imagine".
PAUL ANKA, SINGER: To be, so gratefully. The symphony, above the chatter. Rejoice, we have a choice. Life needs our voice, because you matter. The trite, the useless plight of might makes right. Why take the coward's way? Paths intertwined by all that's kind so help us, help us find it a way. With follow through. It's not naive. Dreams can come true, when you believe.
[23:55:00]
Embracing blessings each and every day. When human kindness leads the way. From yours truly, Paul. Happy New Year, one and all. Let's do it our -- our way. Our way. Happy New Year everybody. Happy New Year. Let's do it. Our way.
John Lennon, great song tradition for you tonight from me.
Imagine, there's no heaven. It's easy, if you try. No hell below us. Above us, only sky. Imagine all the people, living for today. Imagine there's no countries, it isn't hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace. You. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us and the world be as one.
Imagine no possessions. I wonder if you can. No need for greed or hunger. A brotherhood of man. Imagine all the people sharing all the world. You. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. And I hope someday you'll join us and the world will live as one. As one.
CROWD: Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!
[00:00:27]
(MUSIC: "AULD LANG SYNE")
(MUSIC: FRANK SINATRA, "NEW YORK, NEW YORK")
ANDY COHEN, TALK SHOW HOST: Yes!
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Happy new year, everyone.
COHEN: Happy new year! That was euphoria!
COOPER: 2024.
COHEN: That was amazing. Is there a better song than "New York, New York"?
COOPER: There is not, no.
COHEN: There is not, especially in Times Square one second after the new year has struck. How exciting? That was amazing. Mind is blown.
COOPER: It is now officially the new year, 2024. A leap year, one extra day to get those -- those resolutions.
COHEN: We get an extra day this year?
[00:05:01]
COOPER: I think so, yes.
COHEN: Oh, hell yes. What are you going to do with your extra day, Anderson? You know what I'm going to do?
COOPER: What?
COHEN: Pour us a shot.
COOPER: OK. There you go.
COHEN: More De-Nada for us. De-Nada to you, Anderson. Yes!
Anderson, you are and I are going to stay out tonight until the sun rises. We're going to tell each other all our secrets.
COOPER: I don't think so.
COHEN: Yes, we are. Here, cheers!
I love you so much.
COOPER: I love you, too.
COHEN: I love you all so much.
COOPER: Thank you all for being with us.
COHEN: Thanks for hanging out with us tonight. How exciting. Wow.
COOPER: Richard Quest is here.
COHEN: Oh boy.
COOPER: Richard, join us, Richard. How you doing? So nice to see you.
COHEN: You are painted blue.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT/ANCHOR: My hands are still blue.
COOPER: How many -- how many years have you done Times Square?
QUEST: Times Square, 23.
COOPER: Twenty-three, yes.
QUEST: Twenty-three and still going strong. It still -- I mean, it still makes me want to cry.
COOPER: It is incredible. That, like, 10, 15-minute window.
QUEST: You can't explain it.
COOPER: I learned for the first time today the confetti is actually manually thrown out.
QUEST: Yes. There's a whole lot of people. Because otherwise, it would just come down in a big --
COOPER: Like, they like -- It's such an interesting detail.
QUEST: It's amazing. It's -- I think back to the pandemic when there was no one here. And remember, no one.
COOPER: Yes.
QUEST: And we were walking around all day, and I've actually been to the top of there. It's just --
COOPER: Yes.
QUEST: -- I'm like a child. Excuse me. L'chaim.
COHEN: L'chaim, cheers. It's very exciting.
So far I'm giving 2024 an A plus.
QUEST: It's only just begun. It's going to be the best.
COOPER: Yes, really.
COHEN: Is it?
QUEST: Oh, come on.
COHEN: We're like, what? Is it? I know, I know.
COOPER: It's good to have hope for the new year. QUEST: Thank you. Happy new year to your families, as well.
COOPER: Thank you. Appreciate it.
COHEN: By the way, we are talking earlier. You were talking about new year's resolutions. I just wanted to say you are such a great dad, dude. You're such an attentive -- you're -- I was saying, I want to be on my phone less around my kids and stuff. I really marvel watching you with the kids. You're so present, and you're really present, so.
COOPER: Thank you. It is hard, though, with the phone thing. Like, it is such a real thing. And you make all these promises to yourself, like I'm never going to have the phone around them and all this stuff. But it's -- it's hard. I think you've got to keep on it.
COHEN: Yes. You think that drag queen dropped down well in Key West? I think we should check.
COOPER: Let's check out Randi. Randi, did --
COHEN: Did she go down right?
COOPER: Everything land right?
COHEN: Oh, my God, Randi is dancing.
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're celebrating here. It's midnight! Happy new year! This is the best dancer, Tim (ph).
COOPER: Oh, Randi.
KAYE: You've got to teach me. Let's do it!
COHEN: I mean --
COOPER: It's not going to go anywhere. Yes, Randi.
COHEN: I've seen this play out in cities around the world. It feels like love right now. But --
KAYE: This is how we do it in Key West!
COHEN: -- this guy.
COOPER: It's not going to go anywhere.
COHEN: He's strictly dictly (ph), as they say.
COOPER: Oh, my God. OK, wow.
COHEN: Well, it's true.
COOPER: Oh, my God.
COHEN: Sorry. Is Randi Kaye --
COOPER: She's married.
COHEN: -- does she have a fella? OK, well, good, because that guy ain't it. I'm just saying that. I mean, there's shirtless guys eating pie. And now we're going to go over to that.
Please, why don't we go to Boris Sanchez in Little Havana in Miami.
COOPER: Boris, how's it going?
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Andy, Anderson, the party is just starting in Little Havana. We are pumped to be here. Folks are dancing salsa, they're drinking. I think I saw my grandmother somewhere.
Hey, how's tonight going?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
SANCHEZ: OK. She says her night is fantastic.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
SANCHEZ: How's your night going?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I had the best time ever. Happy new year 2024.
SANCHEZ: Twenty-twenty-four is here. As I said, the party's just starting. These people are so excited. I'm excited to be with them. We're --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
SANCHEZ: She's from Colombia. Colombia. (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
SANCHEZ: This is the best night of her life. And she's had a lot of good nights. You can tell.
[00:10:03]
Anderson, Andy, we're going to keep the party going here right now. I'm going to send it back to you. I'm still waiting for that salsa dance, Anderson. You see it. I see it.
COOPER: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Are you going to give it to us, Anderson?
COOPER: Well, I think we're going to have to wait a while longer. Boris, I appreciate the effort. Thank you.
COHEN: I would like to see that. Actually, I --
COOPER: We're going to have more. The other interesting thing that happens in the next 20 minutes here in Times Square is it clears out incredibly quickly. And they start cleaning up. We'll show you all that.
We're going to take a quick break. More guests will join us live here. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: And welcome back, 12:14 in New York. It is 2024.
COHEN: Twenty-twenty-four. It is crazy. We've got to remember how to write that on our checks.
I have to say, it was such a relief not seeing the mayor doing the victory dance on the Seacrest stage.
COOPER: Don't start.
COHEN: No, but I'm saying, I'm glad I didn't have to see that.
COOPER: Don't -- Don't start the new year with a rant.
COHEN: I would have had a rant.
COOPER: Don't start the new year --
COHEN: This is the time for my customary "I hate the mayor" rant.
COOPER: But it's not going to happen.
[00:15:04]
COHEN: I do have one ready to go. Would you like a little bit? I just think this town needs some parents. That's all. We need some caring parents, that's all.
COOPER: Oh, my gosh.
COHEN: That's it.
COOPER: Oh, my goodness.
COHEN: But if they'd been dancing, I might have.
COOPER: Let's check back in with --
COHEN: I might have. I really might have. But I'm not going to.
COOPER: He's this guy at the party.
COHEN: They weren't dancing.
COOPER: Let's go back to Richard Quest in the crowd. Richard, you have -- you've been in Times Square, what, 23 years?
QUEST: Yes.
COHEN: We established that a few minutes ago. COOPER: Yes, but was it on air? Oh, was it on air? I thought it was an
off-camera -- I thought it was an on-camera conversation. I'm sorry.
COHEN: No, it was on camera.
QUEST: Hey, did you just say, Andy, that you've got to remember to write "2024" on your checks? What century are you in?
COHEN: Oh no, I write checks!
COOPER: Sweetie, you have no idea.
COHEN: I pay my bills. By the way, I was just scammed out of a bunch of money.
QUEST: Oh, no.
COHEN: Google it, you can see. Be careful. If someone calls you saying they're from your bank on fraud alert --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy new year!
COHEN: Oh!
QUEST: What is your new year's resolution?
CHRISTINE (ph), NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTYGOER: See the world.
QUEST: This lady wants to see the world.
COHEN: Well, we want to know more about this lady. Who is this magical woman?
QUEST: Who are you?
CHRISTINE (ph): I'm Christine.
QUEST: You're Christine (ph)? And where are you from?
CHRISTINE (ph): New Jersey.
QUEST: She is from New Jersey.
CHRISTINE (ph): Originally, Ohio.
COHEN: Want to be a Housewife?
QUEST: And Andy says, would you like to be a Housewife?
CHRISTINE (ph): No. I'm not a housewife.
QUEST: She's turned you down.
COHEN: Well, I wasn't serious.
QUEST: Well, he wasn't -- hey! I'm not getting stuck in the middle of this.
The crowd, actually -- what's interesting this year, the crowd is sticking around.
COHEN: I know, this is odd!
COOPER: It is weird.
QUEST: Really weird.
COHEN: 12:15 a.m., the crowd is predominantly still here. Why?
QUEST: By the way, this gentleman --
COOPER: I just want to print out, Richard, as a point -- just a point in history. Traditionally, this is when the show goes off the rails.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: So I'm just sending up a slight warning flare. We still have 14 minutes.
COHEN: OK.
QUEST: I'm not going to rescue you.
COOPER: Let's keep it. Let's keep it tight, you know what I mean?
COHEN: OK. Yes, yes, yes.
QUEST: This gentleman is from Nashville, wearing this splendid attire. Has it kept you warm?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has, it has. I am not as good -- I'm not as good-looking, though, as you are tonight.
QUEST: Oh! Careful, my husband is standing just over there.
COHEN: Oh, my God. Let's let this play out. I'll stay silent.
QUEST: Something tells me we'll both have a lot of answering to do after the night's over.
COHEN: Oh, me too!
COOPER: My God. Wow, I mean. Teetering, teetering --
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: -- teetering on the brink of disaster.
COHEN: Yes, but it is --
QUEST: Where are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm from Colombia! QUEST: Colombia! Absolutely. The world is all here just waiting --
COOPER: Yes, I love Colombia. I was in Colombia.
QUEST: You were. You are a very adventurous parent. I do want to say, it is interesting how many people are still here.
COOPER: Yes, traditionally, Richard -- and talk to this fact -- normally, people, I mean, they clear this whole place out by this point.
QUEST: Completely. By this point, it's normally clear. The street cleaners, the sanitation workers. I've never seen it this full so late.
COOPER: Yes.
QUEST: Which is great. It means the party is about to begin!
COHEN: Oh, yes. Absolutely.
COOPER: Should we check in with the --
COHEN: Well, one of the good things about 2023 is a book that Anderson spent a lot of time researching and co-writing, was published.
COOPER: That's right, Katherine Howe and I wrote a book, "Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune."
COHEN: And it's about one of the most famous and richest families the country has ever seen.
COOPER: The Astors, who actually owned much of the land upon which New York was built. They built their fortune with beaver furs, and then plowed all that money into New York real estate, John Jacob Astor. And in fact, Times Square -- they had a hotel, the Astor Hotel, just a few blocks from here.
COHEN: Yes, yes. Well, guess what, Anderson, I have a surprise for you.
COOPER: Yes?
COHEN: Joining us is the ghost of one of the most famous Astors of all. It's the ghost of John Jacob Astor IV.
COOPER: God.
COHEN: Now, John Jacob Astor, you're -- you're frozen. Were you -- is this how you met your end?
COOPER: He was on the Titanic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, yes.
COHEN: You died on the Titanic? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I went down on the ship. That is true.
COHEN: Wow.
COOPER: He was with his second wife, who was --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, she was the good one, yes.
COHEN: Good one.
COOPER: She was pregnant. She survived, and the baby survived.
COHEN: Oh, yes.
[00:20:04]
COOPER: But Jack Astor, you probably don't remember this, but your cousin built the Astor Hotel just a few blocks from here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, William.
COOPER: Yes, oh, you do! You've done your research. Wow.
COHEN: And do you know what happened at that hotel?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it has come to my attention that it was --
COOPER: It was one of the earliest gay bars in New York.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: The bar, the Astor Hotel --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, they do know how to pick a good spot, don't they?
COHEN: Yes, they do. And you know, I think, since you're a ghost and you're here, I think maybe he -- I think maybe the ghost of John Jacob Astor IV should run for mayor! Jacob Astor!
COOPER: Don't go down --
COHEN: Now, it is not about that. I'm just saying.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A position of power sounds lovely. Yes.
COOPER: You look -- I will say, you look very similar to the ghost of Cornelius Vanderbilt who joined us -- I believe it was last year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was Richard, I think.
COHEN: Oh! Were the Astors richer than the Vanderbilts?
COOPER: You know, the Astors, actually, because John Jacob Astor plowed his beaver fortune into New York land and charged -- basically became the biggest slum lord in New York, other than Trinity Church, they sustained their fortune much longer than the Vanderbilts did.
COHEN: Wow.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Much longer, yes, yes.
COHEN: Oh, my God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Much, much longer. For you.
COHEN: Thank you. Wow, thank you. Wow, John Jacob Astor. Jacob Astor's ghost is handing out money! This is exciting, wow.
COOPER: Yes. Well --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cash lasts a lot longer than life.
COHEN: Wow, cash lasts longer than life, is that what you said?
COOPER: Wow.
COHEN: That is --
COOPER: Wow, you're dropping some nuggets tonight.
COHEN: You're really --
COOPER: Wow.
COHEN: Are you cold?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, once you're frozen by the deep blue sea, this 40 degrees doesn't really bite.
COHEN: Until it sunk, was the adventure on the Titanic wonderful?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was most terrific, yes. Lots of wine, except that Molly Brown lady, couldn't get her off my back.
COOPER: Well, thank you very much for being with us. I wish you a happy new year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a pleasure.
COOPER: Wow, your hands are icy cold.
COHEN: Oh my God, really. They are.
COOPER: All right, Jesus.
COHEN: Wow, he gave me at 100-dollar bill.
COOPER: Is it actually real?
COHEN: No, I don't know.
COOPER: I think that's about it for us here tonight. Well, I mean, I'm looking into the crowd --
COHEN: I think we have eight minutes.
COOPER: I'm actually amazed.
COHEN: I think we have eight minutes.
COOPER: Well, we could wrap it up if you want. But it is amazing how many people are still here.
COHEN: I know, it is kind of wild. Usually, when Anderson and I pick up the pieces and leave Times Square, there is no one here. What do you suppose this crowd is waiting for, now?
COOPER: I don't know, because there's nothing else happening.
COHEN: Is there breaking news that we need to discuss?
COOPER: No, no.
COHEN: No, there's not. No.
Do you have a highlight from the night?
COOPER: High highs, low lows.
COHEN: OK.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: Do you want to do to a rose and thorn.
COOPER: Rose and thorn, sure.
COHEN: My rose, I loved -- I always love hearing you giggle.
COOPER: OK, yes. I did that.
COHEN: And I loved in general spending the time with you. I did enjoy John Mayer from the cat cafe.
COOPER: Very funny.
COHEN: And I enjoyed seeing my parents, of course.
COOPER: Yes. Bridget Everett.
COHEN: Bridget Everett. And I think -- Amy. I mean, it was -- it was a lot of fun.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: It was a lot of fun. Madame Bowen (ph).
COOPER: Yes. COHEN: Did you have a rose and thorn, Anderson? What was your thorn?
What did I do that you're going to talk to me? Anything that you're going to talk to me about later?
COOPER: No, no.
COHEN: OK, I behaved. Did I drink responsibly?
COOPER: I think so, yes.
COHEN: I think so too. Everything is intact?
COOPER: Yes. And again, we want to thank everybody who joined us and stuck with us through the night. And we are with you, and we're -- hope you have a great new, happy and healthy new year.
COHEN: Absolutely. Thank you all. Thanks, CNN, for having me, by the way.
COOPER: Sara and Cari pick up coverage for all of you in the Central Time Zone with Nelly and so many others, but first, more from the Jonas Brothers.
COHEN: Thanks, guys. Happy new year.
COOPER: Happy new year.
(MUSIC: JONAS BROTHERS)
[00:30:03]
