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CNN Live Today
Holiday Shopping Season Kicks Off
Aired November 28, 2003 - 19:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Fill up on too much turkey? Well, how about some power shopping to burn off that extra helping of stuffing or maybe even a piece of pumpkin pie? The holiday shopping season kicked off bright and early this morning.
Kris Osborn was there. He is live once again from Chicago, right in the thick of it.
Kris, are you all right? Are you battered and bruised or anything?
KRIS OSBORN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Heidi. Just getting going. As you said, power shopping.
It's been quite a day, and it's been filled with holiday cheer, the streets along Chicago's Magnificent Mile. We have our live camera positioned outside. We can give you a look.
It's snowing a little bit. The lights are out. People seem festive and somewhat happy.
I'm standing inside Hammacher Schlemmer, which is a store known for its uniqueness for a long, long time. Unique gifts as well.
And on that front, let's introduce Sabrina Balthazar. Thank you very much for being live with us this evening.
SABRINA BALTHAZAR, SPOKESPERSON, HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER: Happy holidays, yes.
OSBORN: And tell us what this magnificent -- speaking of magnificent, tell me what this is.
BALTHAZAR: This really is magnificent. This is the ultimate tailgating tool. This is known as the Grill and Chill.
So we've got a 468 square-inch grilling surface. Additionally, we've got a 56-quart cooler. And so you can do some grooving.
You also get an -- this great CD stereo with the integrated speakers. And a great flag pole to fly your favorite team flag off of. It goes up to 15 feet in the air.
OSBORN: A: little high-tech tailgating.
BALTHAZAR: Yes.
OSBORN: Now, what does this cost? You said $2,200 or so?
BALTHAZAR: This is $2,200. Yes. It starts there, and you can upgrade it with a great flat panel TV as well, so you can watch...
OSBORN: Well, I'm going to hit you up for one of those chickens afterwards. But first, the star of the show.
BALTHAZAR: Yes.
OSBORN: Need we say more?
BALTHAZAR: Here we are. We've been strolling around today actually with (UNINTELLIGIBLE) here. This is known as the Pet Stroller. You can hold a cat or a dog, up to 25 pounds, in this great little stroller. And as anybody that has a house cat, they know that it's impossible to put a leash on them and go for a walk. So the stroller is great for that.
(CROSSTALK)
OSBORN: Let's take a look at this foosball table.
BALTHAZAR: This is a three-in-one rotating game table. So in the space of just one game, you're able to get foosball or ice hockey or billiards all in one. So it's really cleverly designed the way they did this.
OSBORN: A lot of things there. It kind of brings to mind like something that vacuums. You don't even have to push.
BALTHAZAR: Yes. This is the new robotic sweeper vac that they've been talking about. And what's new about this one, this is the Rumba Elite Pro. It's exclusively available this holiday season from Hammacher. And all have you to do is just press a button and it will vacuum an entire room without any help.
OSBORN: There it is. Thank you so much, Sabrina Balthazar. There you have it, uniqueness from Hammacher Schlemmer.
Heidi, back to you.
COLLINS: All right. Kris Osborn, thanks so much for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 28, 2003 - 19:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Fill up on too much turkey? Well, how about some power shopping to burn off that extra helping of stuffing or maybe even a piece of pumpkin pie? The holiday shopping season kicked off bright and early this morning.
Kris Osborn was there. He is live once again from Chicago, right in the thick of it.
Kris, are you all right? Are you battered and bruised or anything?
KRIS OSBORN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Heidi. Just getting going. As you said, power shopping.
It's been quite a day, and it's been filled with holiday cheer, the streets along Chicago's Magnificent Mile. We have our live camera positioned outside. We can give you a look.
It's snowing a little bit. The lights are out. People seem festive and somewhat happy.
I'm standing inside Hammacher Schlemmer, which is a store known for its uniqueness for a long, long time. Unique gifts as well.
And on that front, let's introduce Sabrina Balthazar. Thank you very much for being live with us this evening.
SABRINA BALTHAZAR, SPOKESPERSON, HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER: Happy holidays, yes.
OSBORN: And tell us what this magnificent -- speaking of magnificent, tell me what this is.
BALTHAZAR: This really is magnificent. This is the ultimate tailgating tool. This is known as the Grill and Chill.
So we've got a 468 square-inch grilling surface. Additionally, we've got a 56-quart cooler. And so you can do some grooving.
You also get an -- this great CD stereo with the integrated speakers. And a great flag pole to fly your favorite team flag off of. It goes up to 15 feet in the air.
OSBORN: A: little high-tech tailgating.
BALTHAZAR: Yes.
OSBORN: Now, what does this cost? You said $2,200 or so?
BALTHAZAR: This is $2,200. Yes. It starts there, and you can upgrade it with a great flat panel TV as well, so you can watch...
OSBORN: Well, I'm going to hit you up for one of those chickens afterwards. But first, the star of the show.
BALTHAZAR: Yes.
OSBORN: Need we say more?
BALTHAZAR: Here we are. We've been strolling around today actually with (UNINTELLIGIBLE) here. This is known as the Pet Stroller. You can hold a cat or a dog, up to 25 pounds, in this great little stroller. And as anybody that has a house cat, they know that it's impossible to put a leash on them and go for a walk. So the stroller is great for that.
(CROSSTALK)
OSBORN: Let's take a look at this foosball table.
BALTHAZAR: This is a three-in-one rotating game table. So in the space of just one game, you're able to get foosball or ice hockey or billiards all in one. So it's really cleverly designed the way they did this.
OSBORN: A lot of things there. It kind of brings to mind like something that vacuums. You don't even have to push.
BALTHAZAR: Yes. This is the new robotic sweeper vac that they've been talking about. And what's new about this one, this is the Rumba Elite Pro. It's exclusively available this holiday season from Hammacher. And all have you to do is just press a button and it will vacuum an entire room without any help.
OSBORN: There it is. Thank you so much, Sabrina Balthazar. There you have it, uniqueness from Hammacher Schlemmer.
Heidi, back to you.
COLLINS: All right. Kris Osborn, thanks so much for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
