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CNN Live Event/Special
Independence Eve Live With Anderson & Andy. Aired 12-1a ET
Aired July 04, 2026 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[00:00:00]
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's watch the countdown.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 25, 24, 22, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, ten, nine, eight, seven six, five, four, three, two, one, whoo. Happy Fourth of July. Happy Birthday. Whooo. Absolutely amazing.
ANDY COHEN, CNN ANCHOR: (inaudible) your excitement, (inaudible).
(Mary J. Blige performs)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, everyone, there it is. America is 250 years old. We did it. We had a great time tonight. We hope you get home safely and remember --
COHEN: All right.
COOPER: All right.
COHEN: That was great.
COOPER: That was cool.
COHEN: That was very cool. Here's Stanny (ph). We lit the candles too soon, but Stanny (ph) has an American cowboy cake.
COOPER: Nice, very good, Stanny.
COHEN: Very good. Stan, and you know what, by the way, it's fitting. This is actually my trainer, Stanny (ph).
STANISLAV KRAVCHENKO, ANDY COHEN'S UKRAINIAN TRAINER: Yes, this me. Thank you.
COHEN: And he is from Ukraine.
COOPER: I know.
KRAVCHENKO: Yes.
COHEN: And he is -- and I'd like it that we have an immigrant bringing in the cake.
KRAVCHENKO: Bring the 250.
COHEN: You've been a citizen for how long?
KRAVCHENKO: 2018
COOPER: Wow.
COHEN: What does that mean to you -- what does that mean to you to become an American citizen?
KRAVCHENKO: I'm very grateful, and I like it to be American citizens. I feel like that's the best, you know, having opportunity to live here and living the American dream.
COHEN: Are you -- you're living the American.
KRAVCHENKO: I am living the American dream. I'm standing here with you guys.
COHEN: Yes, you are. Stanny, did you make this cake?
[00:05:00]
KRAVCHENKO: I did not make this cake, but I hope you're going to eat this cake.
COHEN: I do too.
COOPER: Sweetie, don't just gouge.
COHEN: Sweetie, for Taylor's wedding, come on.
COOPER: No.
COHEN: Come on sweetie.
COOPER: No.
COHEN: For America.
COOPER: Put it in your own mouth. I won't -- I'll get a spoon.
KRAVCHENKO: I guess calories doesn't count.
COOPER: Yes. Let's check in with Harry Enten, who's at the platform where the ball -- the ball dropped just above us. Harry, what's the scene up there?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I will tell you that I have never been prouder to be an American than right now, that is what the deal is. We watched the ball drop, it came down from there. You know, we've had numerous New Years in which that ball has come down. We've watched you two gentlemen usher in a New Year, but we have now ushered in the 250th birthday of America.
You know, I can remember when the millennium birthday came for the world, I didn't have my pants on. I have my pants on now, but I am dressed to the nines, because let me tell you, there are few people in this country who are more proud than I am.
COOPER: All right, Harry.
COHEN: All right.
COOPER: Appreciate it. Thanks. Joining us now from the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans, the one and only Cardi B.
COHEN: Hey Cardi B, are you there?
CARDI B, ARTIST: Hi guys. Yes, I am here.
COHEN: Oh yeah.
CARDI: Am I freezing?
COHEN: Oh my God, you look so good. You are joining us from your dressing room at the Essence Festival. You're about to perform there. Tell me, what is the energy like there on America's 250th birthday?
CARDI: It is live, and it is free, and it is black. That is the energy at the 250th anniversary of America.
COHEN: As it should be. Yes.
CARDI: (inaudible) Can you hear me?
COHEN: Yes.
CARDI: Can you hear me?
COOPER: How -- do you have a long history in New Orleans? What's it like performing in New Orleans? It is such a great city. It is such a city of music and American culture. What's it like performing there tonight?
CARDI: It is amazing. I actually hope that, like, I don't get the stomach cramps, because I have eaten so much. New Orleans have the best food in America. I am telling you, you always got the best food in the whole America. And I'm from New York, and I must say they have the best food in America.
COOPER: If you have time, you should stop by Domilise's for a po' boy tomorrow after -- after you perform. What's it been like connecting with fans at the festival?
CARDI: It's been very amazing that -- everybody has been kind, nobody has been aggressive. It's just been like such a fun, such a fun two days. I'm having -- I'm having a ball. I'm about to perform in a little bit, so I cannot wait to fill the stage. I'm like performing in a stadium.
COHEN: I bet.
CARDI: Yeah, yeah. COHEN: By the way, congratulations. I know that Grow Good, which is
your hair care line, has a booth at the Essence Festival, and everybody's going crazy about it, and also I do want to mention your mom, who is from Trinidad, right?
CARDI: Yes.
COHEN: And --
CARDI: Yes.
COHEN: And I mean that -- tell me, what it means. We were just talking to my friend Stan, who is an immigrant here. Talk to me about the American dream, and your mom, and here you are, and your -- you're headlining at this event, and you have your hair care line, and you have all this stuff going on. I mean, I have to -- I have to think that this is kind of a special moment for you.
CARDI: Yes, it's very special, because my hair products, like, I got the inspiration from my family, for my grandmother, from both sides of my family, especially like my Dominican roots, on how to take care of my hair, so something that, like, my grandmother used to do in the kitchen, and then for me to take that little, like, that little formula and take it to Korea, and make it like, you know, like -- like something that is like for everybody, and I just feel like it's amazing, and I'm so thankful, and I'm so grateful, like, I just sold out today.
Now I'm about to perform, and then I have taken a flight, going out the country, and I'm just very excited, I'm so happy, I'm so thankful, I'm so grateful. This is amazing.
COHEN: You -- you --
CARDI: Why you keep breathing?
COHEN: You know, I saw a clip of you -- I know, sorry. You -- I saw a clip of you recently on your Little Miss Drama Tour, speaking about the contributions that African Americans have made in the United States, and I think that's an important thought as you're down there at the Essence Festival to talk about tonight.
What do you want people to know in that regard?
CARDI: I mean, I feel like the reason why Caribbeans like me, like Caribbeans like my family, and Latinos and Hispanic people. The reason why they could thrive in this country is because black African Americans, black African Americans fought for everybody to, like, be equal. If it wasn't for them, it wouldn't be no Carribeans thriving here.
[00:10:00]
CARDI: Like they was the ones that fought for this. So I'm always going to be thankful, and I'm grateful for that. And it's very important that, like, you know, this is -- is -- it's important for the history, and it's important to get flowers, because you know somebody wants to erase the history of the schools, but you got to keep these histories alive. Let me not get too political, I might get in trouble.
COHEN: You're not going to get in trouble. We love you so much. By the way, talk to me about your hair tonight.
CARDI: Thank you.
COHEN: So, you went with the yellow, you went with the yellow tonight.
CARDI: Yes, yes, (inaudible) yellow is because it matches my outfit. It matches my outfit. My first outfit is edgy.
COHEN: But you're in --
CARDI: Yes, it does. You haven't seen my outfit yet, I haven't performed yet, we are one hour behind.
COHEN: Yes, you are. You're one hour behind.
CARDI: Yes.
COHEN: And have you seen any of the other performances at the Essence Festival yet? Did you get a chance to see Michelle Obama earlier, by the way?
CARDI: No, because I've been -- I've been having to do so many things, and I am so upset. Let me tell you something, I was trying to get some bro good to Ms. Obama, but you know, in order to give her something, you got to put a two weeks' request, and I'm glad they got our girl protected, because they be hitting on my girl, so I'm glad, you know, what I'm saying.
You got to put two weeks ahead notice. Yeah.
COHEN: yeah, yeah. Are you -- so is that -- is your hair Grow Good tonight?
CARDI: Under this wig, yeah.
COHEN: Yeah.
CARDI: Under the wig. Yeah, there's a wig. Stop pretending like you don't be around the girls.
COHEN: Cardi --
CARDI: (inaudible)
COHEN: Cardi, we love you so much. Thank you so much for hanging out with us. I want you to break a leg tonight.
CARDI: Thank you.
COOPER: Have a great show tonight. COHEN: Have a great show.
CARDI: Break a leg? You want me to break a leg?
COHEN: Thank you for hanging out with us. Well, I mean, I want you to break a leg, showbiz style. You know what I'm saying.
CARDI: I know, I know. You -- you don't know that tea (ph) You don't know that tea (ph). You -- you're not that (inaudible)
COHEN: Cardi, come see me soon in the clubhouse. Ok?
CARDI: All right, I'm over there. I'll bring you the tea.
COOPER: Cardi B, have a good show. Thank you.
COHEN: Thank you. Have a great show.
CARDI: Thank you.
COHEN: And speaking of shows, we're going to end ours tonight with a special 250th reading of Oh, the Places USA will go.
COOPER: Oh, wow.
COHEN: OK, here we go, Anderson.
COOPER: All right.
COHEN: Here we go. This is special.
COOPER: Congratulations today is your day. It's been 250 years. You're well on your way.
COHEN: From the Redwoods of Oregon to the lights of Times Square to the bayous of Louisiana, there's wonder out there.
COOPER: You can eat a gigantic sandwich, call it hoagie hero or sub, you can eat a whole brisket with a signature rub.
COHEN: You can hike through deep canyons and over mountains tall, or get an $8 oat milk iced matcha at the nearest mall.
COOPER: You'll get mixed up. There are two Portlands, you know, one has lobster rolls, one has cold brew to go, both have flannel, both have rain. Just pick one and hop on a plane.
COHEN: Just never forget there is something worth seeing around every corner and up every hill. 250 years of people still trying and arguing loudly, but loving it still.
COOPER: And will you succeed? Yes, you will indeed. 98 and three quarters percent guaranteed.
COHEN: So be your name Dolly or Anderson or Andy. Really, any name here is more than just standy (ph). COOPER: You're off to great places. Today is your birthday. The Fourth of July is waiting now. Get on your way.
COHEN: Thank you, everybody, for hanging out with us tonight. This was a lot of fun.
COOPER: It was a lot of fun.
COHEN: It's a wild ride.
COOPER: It was a wild ride. That storm that started off the thing.
COHEN: We had Taylor Swift's wedding, we had a visit from Barbara Walters. We had a visit from Cornelius Vanderbilt. We had Cheri Oteri coming from the wedding. We have our butter sculptures, which still have not melted.
COOPER: Not completely melted yet. Where does the evening take you from here, Andy Cohen?
COHEN: Well.
COOPER: I'm getting ready to go to Boston tomorrow for more coverage.
COHEN: Yes, you are. The night is young.
COOPER: The night is young.
COHEN: Yes, and the show is just begun. I think I'm going to go blast the new Madonna albums.
[00:15:00]
COOPER: It's so good.
COHEN: Yeah, it's so good. Coming up next, we have performances from Darius Rucker, and a whole lot more. Thanks for having me, CNN. Thanks, Anderson.
COOPER: I hope you join me tomorrow for coverage from Boston and Washington and New York all day long and into the night. Have a great night, everybody.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DARIUS RUCKER, AMERCIAN SINGER: You know, it's Fourth of July, so I want to say Happy Birthday to this great country. To all you people who serve, thank you so much. Thank you so much for your suffering. Thank you for all you do. So, Happy Birthday to America right now.
(Darius Rucker performs the song, "Beers & Sunshine")
[00:20:00]
(Darius Rucker performs the song, "Alright")
[00:25:00]
(Darius Rucker performs the song, "Alright")
(Brad Paisley performs the song, "Take me home, country roads")
[00:30:00]
(Fireworks)
COOPER: Our next guest is a social media influencer whose mission is to find undercover heroes who are going through the most difficult situations. He meets strangers, gives them an honest test, and hopes that they tell the truth and are kind. If they do, he rewards them. Jimmy Darts joins us.
COHEN: Hey, Jimmy.
JIMMY DARTS, SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER: How's it going? Thanks for having me.
COHEN: It's going great.
COOPER: I love what you do, it's so cool. How did you get started?
DARTS: Yeah, it's pretty crazy, but my life got changed when I was 18 years old. Didn't really have a ton of purpose, didn't really feel like I was on the planet for a very specific reason, and when I was 18 years old, crazy story, but my life got changed, gave my life to Jesus, and I just got a heart for people, and I realized one thing specifically, that God wasn't mad at people, but that it's his goodness that leads people to repentance, and so I was like, man, how can I love on people?
So I lived in India, I lived in Brazil, lived in Australia as a missionary, and then about five years ago I was walking, I was like, man, how can I use my gifts with videos, social media to help people out, and that's when I feel like the Lord said to me, I want you to ask people for help, and then when they help you, change their life. I was like, wait, what, I'm going to ask someone for help, I thought I was going to help them.
And sure enough, started doing these kindness challenges, where I'd ask someone for a quarter for the bus or for a hug, because my family, I hadn't seen them in a long time, and sure enough, it went from giving people $100 who passed these tests to giving them hundreds of thousands of dollars and being able to just change their lives, love on them, but --
COHEN: That's amazing.
DARTS: It's been an absolute blast.
COHEN: Tell us about some of the most inspiring Americans that you've met.
DARTS: Yeah, yes. COHEN: (inaudible) to some of your people.
DARTS: Absolutely. One of the most inspiring ones that comes to mind is Cruz (ph), and I was in Nashville. I was at a Goodwill, and I had some crutches, and I said, "Hey, man, is there any way you could help me buy these crutches? Like, I have a limp in my leg, it would mean the world." And sure enough, he goes, buys me the crutches, and right when I'm about to give him the $500, I notice his son comes over limping, and he can barely walk, and I'm like, oh my gosh, I go, sir, I have $500 for you, I've just seen the first kind person to help me out.
And he starts freaking out in the store, and he's crying, and basically shares the story that his son had been hit by a car in Honduras eight years ago, and they were never able to do surgery in his leg, so it was fully bent and crooked, and he's a grown man, works as a mechanic. He'd come home crying, his son would at night, because of the pain he was in. And so I posted this video, we ended up raising over $50,000 for him to get surgery.
The craziest thing was it wasn't enough to cover the full surgery, but Vanderbilt College in Nashville, they actually came in and covered the rest, and so he got both of his legs brand new, he's back working healthy, and the funniest thing was I went to go see him a few months after the surgery, and he's this big burly guy, and I go up to him and his son doesn't speak much English at all, and so he pulls out the little translator app, and in the littlest, highest pitch girl voice, he said, "Thank you so much, I appreciate it."
COHEN: Oh.
DARTS: So that was a really awesome story.
COHEN: That's amazing.
COOPER: It's got to feel just so good to do what you do. How many people do you think you've helped total?
DARTS: Man, we've helped probably hundreds of families, but really it's not just me, it's -- I put the videos together, but it's the followers that donate, it's the people's stories. But we've raised over $6 million and probably hundreds of different families around the country.
COHEN: What's the most amount of money you've ever given in a single act of kindness?
DARTS: Yeah, a couple months ago, there was a family going through something really difficult. The husband had a brain tumor, and he had to stop working, and the wife I met her in Walmart, and she was just crying her eyes out to me, saying how she was terrified if her husband passed away.
They wouldn't have enough money to have somewhere to live, because he was the main breadwinner, and so she was worried that they were going to be homeless, and she would get her little girl taken away from her, and so I made this video, told them to shut their phones off for a day, I said, "Meet me back at Walmart tomorrow. I got a surprise for you."
And sure enough, in the last like 24 hours, it took around $750,000 came in.
COHEN: Wow, how many followers do you have?
DARTS: Total across all platforms, there's like 28 million people.
COHEN: Wow, and it's all people who want to do good.
DARTS: Yes.
COHEN: It's all people who want to help other people.
DARTS: Yeah, you'd be surprised, right? You -- I pull out on the highway every day, and like, I get three or four birds thrown at me because of my driving, or whatever, you know.
COHEN: You know that driver, Jimmy Dart? Really, people are throwing you birds?
DARTS: I don't know what it is.
COHEN: And what does Jesus say about that?
DARTS: And I think he just wants to give him a hug.
COHEN: Yeah, of course he does. Oh, man.
[00:35:00]
DARTS: Yeah, so I think there's just so many kind people willing to help in this country, and I just -- that's my goal, is to highlight them, you know? Like --
COOPER: What do you think people can do to kind of create more acts of kindness in their own lives?
DARTS: Man, just by the simplest thing, buy someone a cup of coffee, but I was in Fargo, North Dakota, getting a haircut at like a sports club, and I go to pay for my haircut, and the lady goes, oh no, you're good. I'm like, "What?" And this was years ago, before anyone knew who I was. And she's like, "Yeah, some old guy in here just paid for your haircut and left."
I was so shook by that. I went in my car, called like 20 family members, told him the story. It was like a $30 haircut, but how often does that happen? (inaudible) anyone else.
COOPER: And he didn't come up to you or anything?
DARTS: No, he disappeared. I don't know if the guy was real, but yeah.
COHEN: Wow. COOPER: That's awesome.
COHEN: How are you celebrating the holiday tomorrow?
DARTS: Well, you're kind of putting me on the spot here. I could lie and say I'm going out on the ferry to watch the fireworks, but shout out to my grandma Pat (ph), who's watching this at her nursing home. I'm actually flying into Minnesota to surprise my (inaudible)
COOPER: Now it's not a surprise.
COHEN: Oh, that's nice.
DARTS: It's good, it'd be better to do it on (inaudible).
COOPER: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
DARTS: Do you want -- do you want to invite Anderson?
COOPER: I'd be happy to. Yeah.
DARTS: Let's do it.
COOPER: I got to work.
COHEN: Oh yeah, you do. Well, Jimmy Dart, thank you. You're inspiring.
COOPER: yeah, I love what you do. Thank you.
DARTS: God bless.
COHEN: God bless you. We're going to go to Bill Weir at America's oldest rodeo in Arizona. Hey Bill.
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Hey guys. Andy Anderson, good to be with you. I wore the Grateful Dead T-shirt.
COHEN: Nice (inaudible) Bill. Yes, you're good.
WEIR: (inaudible) Andy Cohen.
COHEN: Yeah.
WEIR: Andy Cohen approved, but yes. Welcome to Prescott, Arizona, home of the world's oldest rodeo, 1888. You remember Trivial Pursuit, when that came out in the 80s. Well, a Trivial Pursuit question was, who has the world's oldest rodeo?
Prescott was the answer, and a town in Texas said, no, we're the oldest rodeo, and they threatened to sue, and Prescott says, we'll counter sue if you take us off the card, so Trivial Pursuit sent an investigator and determined this is the oldest rodeo in the world. So there you go, if Trivial Pursuit says it, but look at these cuties over here having dinner, these little blondies.
These little girls are going to be mutton busting in about an hour. You guys know what's mutton busting is?
COOPER: I just went to a rodeo in Connecticut that did it. Yeah, I just went to a rodeo, and my kids want to do it next year. They put kids on sheep at, like, at a -- it was at the (inaudible) fair.
WEIR: Exactly.
COOPER: It was incredible. So cool.
WEIR: I think we should --
COOPER: And the kids exactly hold on to the sheep for as long they can.
WEIR: Exactly. And I think we all have sons about the same age. We should start a mutton busting league at in the sheep meadow of Central Park, right? It's perfectly named. Later tonight, we're going to have -- you'd be down. We're going to have Bronc Busting and bull riding here, the folks settling in. This is a beautiful community. This -- this -- this rodeo nearly died in the 80s, because the community group that was keeping alive went under.
They had a fight, so the locals, some local cowboys, put up their own homes as collateral, took out loans to keep the Prescott Frontier Days rolling here. We got the smell of barbecue smoke sort of mingling with cows and horses.
COOPER: Wow.
COHEN: Wow.
WEIR: And these are true ranchers, you know, folks working the land here, and it's near -- we're sort of halfway between Flagstaff and Phoenix, Sedona, the beautiful Sedona, where John McCain had a refuge, is nearby here.
It's just beautiful desert landscapes, and this all started 1888 when it was the Lonesome Valley with just a few sort of pioneering cattle ranchers would have a cowboy tournament, and --
COHEN: Wow.
WEIR: -- you know, 136 years later, it's still going. It was the first one ever to be organized, charge tickets, give prizes, and you know the first cowboy that won Cowboy of the Year, turns out he was full- blooded Sonoran Indian from Mexico. So there's some sort of cosmic poetry that the best all-around cowboy in the world's oldest rodeo was an indigenous vaquero (ph) back in the day, but it's so cool hanging here. Come back later, I'll show you some mutton busting. We'll see what else we can dig.
COOPER: All right, I definitely want to see that.
COHEN: Awesome.
WEIR: I'm feeling the cowboy vibes, guys. COHEN: I love it. All right, dude, I love -- I love your Steely (ph).
And thank you, Bill Weir.
COOPER: By the way, it was the Goshen Stampede, the Goshen Fairs later on this year.
COHEN: Thank you. Yeah, we don't want any lawsuit.
COOPER: No, no.
COHEN: Coming up next, a special relative --
COOPER: Have you ever seen mutton busting?
COHEN: No, I can't wait to see it -- special relative of Anderson's is going to visit us. Plus, Darius Rucker performs, and Mary J. Blige joins us live. We're going to be right back. It seems like the rain is -- well, it's still raining a little bit. We're cool.
[00:40:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
K. MICHELLE, AMERICAN SINGER: My favorite American from history is Miss Dolly Parton. I think she should run for president.
JOHN EARLY, AMERICAN ACTOR & COMEDIAN: My favorite American is Brittany Jean Spears.
DENNE BENTON, AMERICAN ACTRESS & SINGER: My favorite American is Sojourner Truth. She runs her mouth like me and gets in good trouble.
BOWEN YANG, AMERICAN ACTOR: My favorite American is the one, the only wickedly talented Adele Desi.
KEKE PALMER, AMERICAN ACTRESS & SINGER: My favorite American is Michelle Obama, because she is an amazing wife. She's an amazing mother, and she has really cool ear piercings.
CASEY WILSON, AMERICAN SINGER: My favorite American is a foremother of this country, and her name is Victoria Gunvalson. She was the original Real Housewife, and I salute her on this day of all days and every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: Absolutely, thank you to our friends, our guests on Watch What Happens Live. Do you know who Victoria Gunvalson is?
COOPER: I do not.
COHEN: She is the OG of the OC.
COOPER: Oh, yes. Vikki (ph) COHEN: As we celebrate American history tonight, it's important to
also celebrate Anderson's history. Joining us now is the ghost of Cornelius Vanderbilt, one of the richest Americans of his time. And this is your what, Anderson? Great, great, great, great grandfather?
COOPER: Something like that.
COHEN: Something like that. And you have a game for us, Ghost of Cornelius. How are you?
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: I'm doing quite well, exhumed and feeling good.
[00:45:00]
COHEN: Yes. Very good. OK.
COOPER: You still have the venereal excesses you perished from.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: They never go away.
COHEN: Wow. So, what is the game that we're playing today?
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: So I'm going to give you a fact, all right, an event that has happened in the past. You tell me, did it happen before or after my death in 1877.
COOPER: OK.
COHEN: OK.
COOPER: You died 18 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: No, I was born 18 years --
COHEN: Yes, Anderson.
COOPER: Died in 1877.
COHEN: OK, so give us, give us an item, Cornelius Vanderbilt's ghost.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Did I live to see the debut of the song, The Star Spangled Banner?
COOPER: No.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Yes, I did. That was 1814.
COHEN: OK.
COOPER: OK.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: One for you.
COHEN: No money for you. COOPER: Oh, did you live to see it? I'm sorry. Yes, of course you did.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Yes. Did I live to see the invention of the passenger elevator?
COHEN: No.
COOPER: No, yeah, I don't think so.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Yes, I did.
COOPER: Oh, wow.
COHEN: When was that?
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: 1857.
COHEN: Wow.
COOPER: I didn't know that.
COHEN: Who knew? You have a rough complexion, don't you?
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Well, the rain isn't helping.
COHEN: And the VD (ph).
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: It's the moisture and --
COHEN: Well, what about the VD (ph)?
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: The VD (ph), yes.
COOPER: The venereal excesses.
COHEN: The venereal excesses.
COOPER: They weren't specific about it.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Well, we didn't have a name for it back then.
COHEN: Yes.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: (inaudible)
COHEN: You got around.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Yes.
COHEN: And was Cornelius Vanderbilt strictly (inaudible), or did he?
COOPER: What?
COHEN: Well, I mean, yeah --
COOPER: He actually sent his wife to a mental hospital, so he could cavort with others.
COHEN: Oh.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: I had to make it legal, you know?
COHEN: Oh.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Did I live to see toilet paper?
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: Yeah.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: No.
COHEN: Oh.
COOPER: No toilet paper?
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: No.
COHEN: When was that invented?
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: That was invented in 1880.
COHEN: Wow.
COOPER: Just missed it.
COHEN: You just missed it.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: It was a shame, but had lots of money, so it was OK.
COHEN: Oh, you wiped yourself with money.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Did I live to see the first U.S. World's Fair in New York?
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: I don't know. Yes, yes.
COOPER: Yes.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: There you go, Andy. Oh, yes. Oh, there you go.
COOPER: It's actual money.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Did I live to see X-rays?
COOPER: No.
COHEN: No.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: 1895. Did I live to see the zipper for the clothing?
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: I don't think so.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: No.
COOPER: No.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: That was 1893.
COHEN: Oh.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: No. OK, boys.
COHEN: Oh, you had to unbutton to get your --
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: It was -- we pulled them down those days.
COHEN: Yes. OK.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Did I live to see the invention of pasteurization?
COOPER: I don't think so.
COHEN: Louis Pasteur.
COOPER: I know, but I don't think so.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Yes, it was 1864.
COOPER: Oh, that was close. OK.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Now did I live to see the first motion picture?
COOPER: No.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: No. Motion picture, no. 1895.
COHEN: Right.
COOPER: Yes.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Did I live to see the invention of the ice box?
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: Yes.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Yes. 1802.
COHEN: Oh, wow. THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: And finally --
COHEN: And you were a toddler.
COOPER: Your house had them, definitely.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Yes.
COHEN: You had everything.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Did I live to see the invention of penicillin? COHEN: No.
COOPER: No, you did not. Really, guys.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: You are correct. No, that was 1928.
COHEN: Wow, Cornelius Vanderbilt, it's always nice to see you reunited. How do you feel about your family squandering all your money?
COOPER: I mean, it's true, he speaks the truth.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: Yes.
COOPER: Your son did very well. He doubled your fortune, but after that --
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: (inaudible) take it back.
THE GHOST OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT: My grandson, thank you.
COOPER: Cornelius Vanderbilt, thank you for coming on.
COHEN: Thank you very much. Hope to see him. Coming up next, we have more legends. Henry Winkler, Mary J. Blige, Dave Chappelle, a performance from Darius Rucker at the Grand Ole Opry, and a whole lot more. And we'll see in a bit.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:50:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: And welcome back, we are live in Times Square.
COHEN: OK, and guess what? It's time for a game of Pass the Popper.
COOPER: What?
COHEN: This is the popper. We're going to put 30 seconds on the clock with a random American category on the screen. We have to alternate answers. The person holding the pop -- party popper, when time runs out, is the loser and has to pop it.
OK, starting with national landmarks. 30 seconds on the screen. I'll start. Gateway Arch in St. Louis.
COOPER: I have to name national landmarks?
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: Mount Rushmore.
COHEN: OK. Statue of Liberty.
COOPER: The Mall -- the Mall, the National Mall.
COHEN: OK, the White House.
COOPER: No.
COHEN: That's not a national landmark?
COOPER: It's probably a national landmark. Monticello.
COHEN: OK. The Grand Canyon, is that a national landmark?
COOPER: Sure. OK. Well, how do we know? Somebody --
COHEN: Well, there's no judge. OK, time's out. You lost. OK. I can't pop it. It's the bottom. Oh yay. It's going to go in the camera. OK, give us another one. OK, next one. Super Bowl halftime performers.
COOPER: OK.
COHEN: Diana Ross.
COOPER: Madonna.
COHEN: Bad Bunny.
COOPER: Prince.
COHEN: Justin Timberlake.
COOPER: Lionel Richie.
COHEN: No.
COOPER: He wasn't a half-time performer?
COHEN: No sweetie.
COOPER: Really like a while ago.
COHEN: No, how do you? Because I know. You too.
COOPER: I don't know. Ricky Martin. He performed in the Bad Bunny show. COHEN: Oh, he was a cameo.
COOPER: Yeah, he was.
COHEN: OK. OK, Maroon 5. OK, that's it. Yeah. OK. Things our kids are obsessed with right now.
COOPER: OK.
COHEN: SpongeBob SquarePants.
COOPER: Ninja Turtles.
[00:55:00]
COHEN: Me.
COOPER: Oh please. Magnetiles.
COHEN: Making sandcastles.
COOPER: Spider-Man.
COHEN: Lucy loves pickles.
COOPER: Superman.
COHEN: Oh, now you're just going to name every hero?
COOPER: OK, I'll move on.
COHEN: OK. Um, um, what does he watch?
COOPER: Sweetie.
COHEN: Oh, what does he --
COOPER: Do you not spend time with your children? I'm kidding.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't aim it at him
COHEN: Don't aim it at him. CNN, the face of CNN. I can't even --
COOPER: Wow, I mean, we should have practiced that.
COHEN: You do.
COOPER: Our next performance is one of music's -- I think --
COHEN: Music's most successful acts from rock to country, South Carolina's own zone. He's currently on the Songs of Summer tour. Here's Darius Rucker from the Grand Old Opry. You can't get it.
(Darius Rucker performs the song, "Wagon Wheel")
