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CNN Live Event/Special
New Year's Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin, Hour 2
Aired December 31, 2013 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KATHY GRIFFIN, CO-HOST: You are trying to kill me. I knew it. That was some sort of a drone attack. Stop it. What do you think of those Amazon drones? Do they freak you out?
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: I don't believe. I believe it's a PR stunt.
GRIFFIN: What if one just hit you in the head and ruined your face which is your fortune? Welcome back to New Year's EVE, CNN --
COOPER: This is the moneymaker right here.
GRIFFIN: Wait, what?
COOPER: Right here, right here, moneymaker, right here.
GRIFFIN: I know, honey, trust me. That's the whole -- hey, when are you going to get that um --
COOPER: What?
GRIFFIN: Some work done. Is it a bad time to bring it up?
COOPER: Do I need work?
GRIFFIN: Yes. Obviously. Just some fillers. You should at least get your lips done, please.
COOPER: We're going to be bringing you New Year's celebration from around the city, around America, around the entire world including the crew that ship stranded off the ice in Antarctica.
GRIFFIN: Oh my gosh. Everyone is tuned in to see that. Not the watermelon dropping.
COOPER: Melissa Etheridge was just joining us. Macklemore is joining us.
GRIFFIN: Macklemore is really coming. I'm not even making that one up.
COOPER: I think in like 20 or 30 minutes or so. Pretty soon. I think Deborah Harry also may be coming down our way. Isha is down at street level along with hundreds of thousands of partiers and revelers as well. Deborah Harry is actually making her way right here. We've got Brooke Baldwin who is New Orleans. We're going to check in with her a little bit later on.
GRIFFIN: What are you so nervous about? Deborah harry is here, asking whoever --
COOPER: Hey, Deborah Harry. Hey, I'm Anderson Cooper. How are you? Kathy Griffin.
GRIFFIN: Hi Deborah. Hi. Take a seat. Stand right in the middle.
COOPER: Happy New Year.
DEBORAH HARRY, BLONDIE LEAD SINGER: Happy New Year.
COOPER: I am such a fan of yours.
HARRY: Oh, thank you.
COOPER: I'm so glad you were back and performing. How did it feel to perform here tonight?
HARRY: Wonderful. So exciting --
GRIFFIN: You sounded great. You sounded fantastic.
HARRY: It's an incredible -- I mean, my God, there's no spectacle like this.
COOPER: And you have -- you got a new album.
HARRY: We have a new album coming out in March. It's all new material so I'm very excited about that, too.
COOPER: That's cool.
HARRY: And I wish we could have actually played more songs. But I understand time is short, right?
COOPER: I'm a terrible dancer, but when I first started dancing I thought I was rocking out to "Heart of Glass." I thought I was a pretty good --
GRIFFIN: Don't let us stop you from singing anything a cappella. I mean, if you wanted to sing "Call Me" or "Hanging on the Telephone"
HARRY: I'm in the phone booth, it's the one across the hall --
GRIFFIN: What's the next one?
HARRY: If you don't answer, I'll just ring it off the wall. I know he's there, but I just had to call. I'm -- know he's there but I just had to call. Don't leave me hanging --
GRIFFIN: I'm going to be singing background --
COOPER: You were also one of the early rappers. You were rapping early on.
HARRY: Yeah, we did. We had the first rap song to go into the charts in the states.
COOPER: Is that right? Yeah. I remember, yeah. You're so awesome, really so excited that you're out there performing and doing great.
HARRY: It's great.
COOPER: You look amazing.
HARRY: Thank you.
COOPER: You're a fashion girl. You ran with the Warhol posse. There's nothing you haven't done. What haven't you done yet, Deborah Harry?
HARRY: Well, I haven't climbed big mountains.
GRIFFIN: You can climb Anderson Cooper right now if you know what I'm saying. He's climbable. He's a big mountain of a man.
COOPER: Deb, do you have a New Year's resolution?
HARRY: No, not really. I just want to get out there and play the new music. And it's our 40th anniversary.
COOPER: That's awesome.
HARRY: I know.
GRIFFIN: I'd like to apologize --
COOPER: Kathy Griffin is mouthing to me that I am lame --
GRIFFIN: My question is what are you going to have for breakfast tomorrow and what time do you wake up?
HARRY: I'll probably wake up about -- I don't know, maybe 10 o'clock. It depends on how late I stay out tonight.
COOPER: Where do you go after this? Do you have a party to go to?
HARRY: Yeah, I've got a couple of them.
COOPER: OK.
GRIFFIN: Because Anderson is having an after party. It's at 1218 Lexington, Apartment 3A.
COOPER: She's making that up. I'm not.
GRIFFIN: Everybody's going to be there. 1218 Lexington.
COOPER: Thanks so much for being with us. I wish you a great New Year. HARRY: Thank you. Same to you.
COOPER: Thanks very much.
HARRY: Happy New Year.
COOPER: Great. Deborah Harry.
GRIFFIN: The one, the only.
COOPER: Let's check in with Isha who's down in the crowd. Isha, we're about an hour and 55 minutes away from the ball drop. A lot of excitement here now?
ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah, there is so much excitement. People are in such good spirits. They may have been out here for a long time. Some people -- these guys have been out here since 12:30, but they're still ready to party. There's a lot of dancing, a lot of huddling for warmth. Let's talk to a couple of them because that's what is all about here in Times Square. The people have from far and wide. These guys are from Chicago. Whose bright idea was to it come here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mine.
SESAY: OK. So why did you want to be here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've always wanted to do it. It's on my bucket list.
SESAY: It was on your bucket list. But now you guys are freezing. Are you having fun, though?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah. We're having lots of fun. We're glad we came to do it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have people from Columbia, Mexico. It's a giant party. We're dancing up here. New York is great.
SESAY: What's the best part of being here with all these people?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think just the excitement. It's something you don't get to experience if you watch it on TV or if you're celebrating with a small group of friends. The amount of people that are here tonight is incredible. And like he said, they're from all over the world, so we like make new friends while we're here.
SESAY: Well, thank you guys. Stay warm. Have fun. Like you hear them say, people here from all over. They are here from all over the world. At least 1 million people here to celebrate New Year's Eve. And it's just a great atmosphere. It's a great party. We're all dancing away down here, Anderson and Kathy.
COOPER: Isha, thanks. By the way, all during that Kathy is telling me how lame I am. I promise O will no longer ask anybody their New Year's resolution. GRIFFIN: I cannot even believe --
COOPER: When Macklemore is here --
GRIFFIN: Oh, I can't wait for you to hit him with the hard question of, hey, Macklemore, with your ground-breaking cd and your multi- Grammy nominations what is your New Year's resolution? I hope it's to eat you carbs.
COOPER: I'm balancing -- I got a lot of things --
GRIFFIN: Are you rocking it out?
COOPER: I'm not rocking, not yet.
GRIFFIN: #Andersonrocksitout. All right. A lot of people watch the show because they're impressed or dazzled by you. They think you're intellectual. Obviously you went to Yale. You talk about it every five seconds.
COOPER: I never mention it.
GRIFFIN: When you were in Skull and Bones, which is a secret society of Yale --
COOPER: I was not in Skull and Bones.
GRIFFIN: Who else was in Skull and Bones with you?
COOPER: I was not in skull --
GRIFFIN: What's interesting is I looked it up online. When you were attending Yale, no other famous person was in Skull and Bones. Did your mother in fact buy out all of Yale so you could attend it by yourself, therefore not ever have to be social?
COOPER: I don't even understand that question.
GRIFFIN: I mean, would you admit that all through college you were so anti-social that you would have preferred to just attend Yale and have it be empty?
COOPER: Oh, yeah. I was anti-social. I was very anti-social. I totally admit that I've never been to any of my reunions, I don't know anybody. Yeah, no, no.
GRIFFIN: Who do you think like is --
COOPER: And all my roommates were all anti-social.
GRIFFIN: Who looks at you?
COOPER: Everybody.
GRIFFIN: When you think of your Yale comrades and think oh, my gosh, I can't face this person because they're so much better than I am -- COOPER: They were all really smart people there and I felt like you know --
GRIFFIN: Which brings me to Anderson Cooper will now name every member of the Supreme Court. Go.
COOPER: No. I'm not playing this game.
GRIFFIN: Oh. If you don't know this --
COOPER: No, no. But can I tell you? Do you know who's dropping the ball this year? Do you know who's pressing the button?
GRIFFIN: Of course I do. Justice Sotomayor.
COOPER: Do you know her first name?
GRIFFIN: Sonia Sotomayor. She's from Brooklyn.
COOPER: I've actually interviewed rather in her home in Brooklyn.
GRIFFIN: Name the Supreme Court now --
COOPER: I'm not going to name all the Supreme Court members.
GRIFFIN: Now.
COOPER: I'm not going to play this game because I know on your list --
GRIFFIN: Anderson Cooper cannot name the Supreme Court members --
COOPER: I know on your list you have a progression of increasingly more difficult questions and once I start playing one, I'm going to end up -- you're going to end up asking about Pashtunwali again.
GRIFFIN: No. I wanted to know if you spoke Pashtun or Urdu.
COOPER: Yes.
GRIFFIN: And which do you speak?
COOPER: I speak neither --
GRIFFIN: I thought you could say Merry Christmas in Urdu or Pashtun.
COOPER: No. I used to be able to say like "don't shoot" in a lot of languages but I --
GRIFFIN: Don't try to play the pity card. You're in no danger. Melissa Etheridge was singing to you. Debbie harry was here. We wanted her resolution --
COOPER: You got Debbie Harry to sing. That was cool
GRIFFIN: I do let it out with Debbie Harry. All right. True or false, on the Supreme Court, is there a Justice Alito?
COOPER: Yes of course --
GRIFFIN: Is there a Judge Joe Brown?
COOPER: No, there's no --
GRIFFIN: Is there a Justice Breyer?
COOPER: Yes.
GRIFFIN: Is there a Judge Reinhold? Is there a Justice Scalia?
COOPER: Yes.
GRIFFIN: Is there a Judge Judith Sheindlin?
COOPER: No. Although my mom this year just covered Judge Judy. So my mom --
GRIFFIN: Your mother Gloria Vanderbilt --
COOPER: Yes. This year --
GRIFFIN: Living icon watches Judge Judy.
COOPER: She called me up and she was like, do you know this Judge Judy?
GRIFFIN: So let me do the voice. I do your mom better than you do, Kathy, I've been watching Judge Judy. It's such a microcosm for society. People come with their problems and she's brilliant. She solves them.
COOPER: Yeah. And my mom is like, I've learned so much about the law.
GRIFFIN: Your mother is studying the law as is mine via Judge Judy.
COOPER: And she just started watching Phil Donahue. She's like -- no, not Phil Donahue, Dr. Phil, and she's like, and his wife is on every show with him.
GRIFFIN: Well, yes, Dr. Phil's wife Robin sits in the front row in leather pants and she supports him by holding his hand as they exit the show, which I think he should do with me.
COOPER: Yeah?
GRIFFIN: Yeah, as part of your prep. No. I do want to bring up and I hope the booth is ready for this, I do watch you on "60 minutes." You're very good.
COOPER: Thank you.
GRIFFIN: When you interviewed author Malcolm Gladwell -- COOPER: Yeah.
GRIFFIN: I just want to point something out, in all of your amazing investigative journalistic work, why during this interview did you, not unlike Cher, have seven costume changes? I believe we have some photos of you interviewing a highly intellectual --
COOPER: Right, Malcolm Gladwell, of course.
GRIFFIN: Malcolm Gladwell. I mean, some may say --
COOPER: Best-selling author.
GRIFFIN: Yeah. So there you are looking kind of normal Anderson. Then you're surprisingly in a blazer. Then now you're being pensive but like a different shirt, having -- OK, now you look Morris Day in the "Time". You're like shimmery. Now I love when you walk down the street and try to look normal. I'm surprised you're not on your bicycle. Why did you do -- you were like Diana Ross there.
COOPER: There were a lot of different shoots on different days.
GRIFFIN: Of all people --
COOPER: It's not like I'm doing costume changes..
GRIFFIN: No, I think you were. I think it was all in one day --
COOPER: No. I'm actually wearing the same shirt because I have a limited number of shirts so --
GRIFFIN: Oh no. And this is real - I actually got an e-mail from his crack staff saying that, we're worried Anderson doesn't have a proper coat for tomorrow.
COOPER: It's true. I bought this coat over at North Face today.
GRIFFIN: Why didn't you call Ralph?
COOPER: What do you mean?
GRIFFIN: You know what I'm talking -- he can just call Ralph Lauren. He has like a Ralph Lauren hotline and he goes, Ralph, it's me get over here. Or Dolce & Gabbana.
COOPER: No. I was going to go to EMS and then the cab was right by North Face so I went --
GRIFFIN: Hold on. I love this part. So you're going to act like you took a taxi here, really?
COOPER: No, no. I took a taxi after "The Nutcracker" to go buy a coat.
GRIFFIN: You want us to believe you took a taxi to see the ballet at the met? COOPER: No, I didn't take a taxi there. I took a taxi afterwards to get my coat.
GRIFFIN: You couldn't call Uber?
COOPER: What?
GRIFFIN: You couldn't call Uber? First of all, he has a driver. He's in like an armored car like he's a five-star general.
COOPER: I joined Uber this year. It is the greatest thing ever. I feel it's like one of the --
GRIFFIN: Oh now you're a paid spokesperson for Uber.
COOPER: No, I'm not. I'm not --
GRIFFIN: I don't get any of this Uber money. I don't get his Nivea cut. This whole thing is somewhat sponsored by Nivea. He keeps saying the commercial hey, your hands look dry. You want some Nivea? It's an extra 100 bucks for me.
COOPER: Why she's talking about Nivea is because if you look down in the crowd, everybody is wearing these blue hats and I guess it's a big promotional thing --
GRIFFIN: Have they taken over Times Square?
COOPER: Yeah, it's a big promotional thing they do.
GRIFFIN: By the way, did you watch "The Best of Nancy Grace" last night?
COOPER: I did not watch "The Best of Nancy Grace" last night. I missed it. I must have DVR-ed it though.
GRIFFIN: It's fantastic. First of all --
COOPER: You're a huge Nancy Grace fan.
GRIFFIN: Of course. You know why, she believes in lady justice. And there are times when Nancy Grace feels that lady justice is asleep today. Is Nancy Grace here?
COOPER: No, no, but I brought you a gift this --
GRIFFIN: Nancy does not like injustice, can I just say that?
COOPER: One of the things that Nancy Grace -- that happened this year and was a big breaking news headline, Nancy Grace lost her necklace. You know, she -- Nancy Grace wears a, which I was unaware of, a handcuff necklace.
GRIFFIN: OK. How can you be unaware of her signature handcuff necklace?
COOPER: And I actually interviewed her about this. Do we have that?
GRIFFIN: Yes.
COOPER: Can we play that? OK. Let's play it.
((BEGIN VIDEO CLIP))
COOPER: Hey Nancy, are you wearing handcuffs as a necklace?
NANCY GRACE: Yes, I am. Would you like a pair?
COOPER: No. I guess I'm near-sighted or far-sighted.
GRACE: I did it for you, Anderson.
COOPER: I saw something shiny and then the more I looked at it I was thinking are those handcuffs? They really are?
GRACE: Yes they are and they work. In case I need to arrest somebody.
((END VIDEO CLIP))
COOPER: All right. So that was the first I learned of it. She then went and lost them. She felt they were stolen --
GRIFFIN: OK, she didn't lose them. I spoke to her. She alleges, and I know to use the terminology because I watch "Nancy Grace" so I feel that I also am a former prosecutor. Now she is not a prosecutor right now but she is a former prosecutor - and she alleges that you and/or Mark Geragos stole her necklace. I don't know why you would steal Nancy Grace's necklace. She's a nice lady.
COOPER: She's now apparently selling these necklaces on her website --
GRIFFIN: As she should.
COOPER: And here's a little gift for you.
GRIFFIN: Is this a real live Nancy Grace --
COOPER: It's a gift. Do you want me to open it for you?
GRIFFIN: Yes, yes. I'm so excited because I bet it didn't come from Mark Geragos and I like when she cuts his mike, cut his mike, cut his mike -- Geragos, cut his mike.
COOPER: Look what I got for Kathy Griffin right there - a real Nancy Grace --
GRIFFIN: I am very --
COOPER: -- handcuff necklace.
GRIFFIN: Hi, friend, how are you? Hi, friend, do not make me unleash the lawyers. This has made my night. You can ask me my resolution. It's going to be to wear these every day.
COOPER: We're going to take a short break. If you want to join the conversation on Twitter --
GRIFFIN: We're live tweeting.
COOPER: Well, yeah. You're tweeting it.
GRIFFIN: Yes, and is my mother --
COOPER: See if you got any response back from Seacrest, Rachael Ray.
GRIFFIN: I have a few more texts to send out on your behalf.
COOPER: Tweet us your questions. We'll try to answer as many as possible. Use #cnnnye. Also on Instagram send us your photos of your party, also #cnnnye --
GRIFFIN: Send nudes. Why not? Just send to me material.
COOPER: You can follow me on Twitter or whatever. You don't need to know about all that. I mean, whatever.
GRIFFIN: You know what I love about this night? Do you know how many tweets I've gotten from like religious people saying, if we even do this you're going to hell?
COOPER: Really?
GRIFFIN: Yes. There's a lot of people that tweet me, they're like, I heart Jesus and they say, you know, dear Anderson Cooper, if you're with that heretic you're going to hell.
COOPER: Your mom -- well, anyway.
GRIFFIN: My mom has probably said that.
COOPER: I think that was your mom.
GRIFFIN: My mom thinks I'm a heretic. All right. I admit it. I admit it.
COOPER: We're going to show you New Year's celebrations around the United States, around the world. Kathy is particularly looking forward to seeing how they're celebrating in Antarctica --
GRIFFIN: It's all I talk about.
COOPER: -- on a ship. We're going to go there live, talk to some very funny guys who are actually -- they are trapped in the ice, but they are still --
GRIFFIN: Can't we get them out?
COOPER: They were trying. They are still celebrating New Year's Eve. We're going to talk to them when we come back in a little bit. We'll be right back. And Macklemore too is going to be here, so we'll be right back.
GRIFFIN: I would lead with Macklemore, frankly.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Matthew Chance on the river Thames in London and these are the final moments of 2013. You can see the giant clock ticking down the seconds of 2013 behind me. It's soothing and happy minutes. It started to pour with rain, but it is not dampening the spirits of the tens of thousands of people who have gathered here and who have now started their final countdown.
ALL: 3, 2, 1. [Cheers]
CHANCE: There you have it, Anderson, a spectacular fireworks display and a special one, too because the organizers say that filling air you're your roses and these flavors of fresh fruits to match these colors making it a very tasty start indeed to 2014 here in London. Back to you.
COOPER: And there they are, the fireworks in London as the world celebrates 2014. Meanwhile, 74 people off the coast of Antarctica are on a ship. We're going to talk to them shortly. Macklemore is here.
GRIFFIN: How do you segue from people lost at sea to like Macklemore in his fur coat?
COOPER: Because you see, when you see them, they're all very fun and celebrating. They're having a fun time...
GRIFFIN: OK.
COOPER: That's what they say.
GRIFFIN: I'm just worried about Gary Tuchman with that watermelon. I really am.
COOPER: In my heart I do not believe it Ryan Seacrest is having as much fun as we are having here.
GRIFFIN: I know he's not.
COOPER: Yes.
GRIFFIN: Because he keeps texting me saying I wish I were you. I wish I were you.
COOPER: He's not doing that.
GRIFFIN: Clearly. Look, if you were not doing this, what would you be doing seriously?
COOPER: I would be at home watching this on TV.
GRIFFIN: No, no. Let me rephrase. If this didn't exist, like CNN fantastic New Year and you weren't even watching TV, what would you be doing?
COOPER: I would not be doing anything. I'd be reading or hanging out with -- I don't know. I wouldn't be out. I'm not -- yeah.
GRIFFIN: Would you be rocking it out?
COOPER: Yeah. I'd probably be rocking it out.
GRIFFIN: Would you be at the Britney Spears show or would you be tweeting tweeting things like -- I'm going to quote another one of your tweets --
COOPER: OK.
GRIFFIN: Here we go, 5 million Twitter followers, so now all of a sudden Instagram has direct messaging?
COOPER: Oh, wait, I'm sorry. The folks on the ship are actually ready for us, so we want to go to them. Here is how they rang in the New Year on that ship that I is stuck in the ice in Antarctica. Let's watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALL: Still stuck here Ice thaw cha-cha cha, ice thaw cha-cha cha. Ice thaw cha-cha cha. Ice thaw cha-cha cha. Lots of ships around us now, boats at our stern and boats at our bow. Up in the air the --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: I want you to meet Alok Jha, Chris Turney and Laurence Topham. Guys, welcome. Happy New Year. I'm so glad you're joining us. Alok and Laurence inaudible Chris is the expedition leader. Are you guys doing all right?
inaudible
COOPER: I had a hard time hearing them. We're going to try to reconnect, because the audio is not working. We're going to try to reconnect.
GRIFFIN: They want you to buy a blanket. I specifically think they want a blanket.
COOPER: They celebrated New Year's like six hours ago and I think they've been drinking.
GRIFFIN: A little drinky drinky?
COOPER: I think they've been drinking so I'm not sure they're operating --
GRIFFIN: I wouldn't blame them one bit.
COOPER: -- the Skype all that well. GRIFFIN: Well, they shouldn't have to. They're going through possibly hell. You know, your thrust is they're having them back. They're going to hell and back. You might want to show them that special right now then "Weed. Rerun "Weed" here on CNN.
COOPER: Sorry, we're going to try to reconnect back with them shortly. So how are you doing?
GRIFFIN: Are they okay?
COOPER: No --
GRIFFIN: What's the deal here?
COOPER: There were two ice breakers that tried to get them and didn't get there. They're waiting for helicopters to come and take them off the ship.
GRIFFIN: But they're not waiting for us, right?
COOPER: They're not waiting for us. We are not rescuing them. They've got 10 days' worth of food.
GRIFFIN: Are you sure? Is it like that movie "Gravity" where Sandra bullock is in trouble?
COOPER: I interviewed them last night. They're very funny. They're having -- you know, they're in good spirits.
GRIFFIN: Are you going to party with them like you did with the Chilean miners?
COOPER: Let's give them another shot. Let's see -- can you guys hear us?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello. Hello, Times Square.
COOPER: They are perfect. We can hear you very well. So how did you guys ring in the New Year? We saw that video you were all singing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had a special song written by the team we came up in the top deck and we broadcast it live. We're four o'clock in the afternoon and looking good.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's like all of the great poets at the time telling stories of what happened to us. This was our odyssey and we're sort of telling it as it goes along.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With sort of typical lit spirits.
COOPER: Speaking of spirits, have you guys been imbibing spirits? Because it looks like some of the folks in that video are kind of red in the face.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just a little bit of champagne I think, actually. Just a little bit. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't have telltales but there has been alcohol on the ship. I mean, what would you expect to us do? It's cold out there and we're alone from everyone else. And yeah, but we have to drink something.
COOPER: There is certainly no shortage ice for your drink so you can certainly keep them nice and cool. You guys are waiting for a helicopter. But I've never met people who were like jollier and happier.
GRIFFIN: They're like "Sex in the City" having mimosas. Which one is Carrie?
COOPER: You guys are keeping up morale.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're working on to keep everyone going and everyone's been fantastic with a great team spirit and just to get party getting home really.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yesterday the passengers went out onto the ice and they stamped flat an area where a potentially a helicopter could land to evacuate us and everyone sort of linked arms and sang "Auld Lang Syne" and sung -- it was a wonderful sight to see.
COOPER: That's really cool. I would love to see that.
GRIFFIN: We do the same thing here. We're just waiting for the helicopter to come rescue us - me in particular.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anderson, we hear you're cold, Anderson. Here's a coat. We're going to send it to you via penguin.
GRIFFIN: I told you.
COOPER: Excellent. Thank you very much. We could use it here. What is the temperature where you guys are at?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Inaudible wear base layer, then your mid layer, then a down layer.
COOPER: OK.
GRIFFIN: You're losing your minds. You need psychological help.
COOPER: Listen, you guys, I really think you're so inspiring in the way you're facing all this and we wish you just the best and we hope to get you home to your family soon and we'll talk to you then. Chris, thank you so much, Laurence Topham as well, guys, Alok, really all the best.
GRIFFIN: Happy New Year.
COOPER: -- just remarkable. Happy New Year, guys.
GRIFFIN: Like no other New Year. It's a great story. COOPER: Yeah. I'll never forget that one. We'll see you. Hope you get back soon. We're going to be -- shortly we'll go down to New Orleans.
GRIFFIN: Are we going to see the Hornets game? I love the Hornets. I hope they go to the finals.
COOPER: They used to be called the Hornets until last year. They're now the Pelicans.
GRIFFIN: I hope they go to the World series.
COOPER: And this is some of the celebrations happening in New Orleans where it's 9:27 p.m. We're about an hour and 30 minutes from the ball drop here.
GRIFFIN: Yeah. Go out and do your job. Rocking out - it says rocking out.
COOPER: It says rocking out.
GRIFFIN: The guy writing the teleprompter is making fun of you right to the face.
COOPER: I know he is. I know he is.
GRIFFIN: Rocking it out.
COOPER: Here's how they celebrated in Amsterdam.
GRIFFIN: Oh, weed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[singing]
(END VIDEO CLIP)
((COMMERCIAL BREAK))
ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello. I'm Anna Coren in Hong Kong, but we're a moment's away from farewelling 2013 and welcoming in the New Year. We are down at the Victoria Harbor along with 400,000 other people who've come to see the spectacular fireworks show that Hong Kong is so famous for.
We can hear the crowd. They are counting. So let's go to the count down.
ALL: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
COOPER: Amazing fireworks display in Hong Kong.
GRIFFIN: It's no Dubai, I'm not going to lie. Dubai really wins this year.
COOPER: But I thought that was very good.
GRIFFIN: It was great. How many times have you been to Hong Kong?
COOPER: Only once actually.
GRIFFIN: Have you ever tweeted any angry tweets from there?
COOPER: No. I've not tweeted any angry tweets from Hong Kong.
GRIFFIN: When you're angry tweeting how often are you on Ambien? Twenty percent? Because the last time you tweeted on a flight gnawing on an Ambien.
COOPER: Did I really?
GRIFFIN: Yeah, gnawing like a chipmunk.
COOPER: I was going to say the only time I take Ambien usually is when I'm on a flight. And I learned Dr. Drew told me this year you're not supposed to take Ambien and red wine on a flight.
GRIFFIN: Maybe because it's a prescription drug and alcohol.
COOPER: I know, but I --
GRIFFIN: OK. You don't know where the Supreme Court is. You don't know you're not supposed to mix drugs and alcohol. I just, by the way, e-mailed Anderson's mom, Gloria Vanderbilt. I said Anderson is crying. I didn't know any other way to tell her.
COOPER: Has Rachael Ray responded?
GRIFFIN: Yeah. So --
COOPER: She's sending lies to Rachael Ray. She's sending lies saying I'm saying terrible things about Rachael Ray's cooking.
GRIFFIN: I did.
COOPER: I have nothing -- Rachael Ray seems like a lovely person and looks like a very good cook.
GRIFFIN: It's not what you said. I texted Rachael Ray and said, Anderson Cooper thinks your cooking sucks. And she wrote back, wow, he can't handle the marathon. Wow. Do six hours instead of him. Wow. Best New Year's show. Sorry about Anderson. She's not happy.
COOPER: She didn't say that.
GRIFFIN: And Rachael Ray is so sweet. I mean --
COOPER: Did she really say that?
GRIFFIN: But as long as I can get you to think she said it for 30 seconds I've won. COOPER: We're here in Times Square, about 90 minutes or so away from the start of 2014. And for me as much as I love your witty repartee, I love the moment when the ball drops and for about ten minutes --
GRIFFIN: I shut up?
COOPER: Well, yeah, because -- actually, I have a silence rule where we don't talk during that time and we just allow the natural sound to play and so --
GRIFFIN: It is a nice moment.
COOPER: It's an incredible moment. It really is an extraordinary moment and just to witness that is an incredible thing. Melissa Etheridge is here and is going to be singing "Imagine" for the entire crowd.
GRIFFIN: It's really great, a truly inspirational song. And by the way, in all seriousness, I want to give a shout out to my brother Gary who's fighting stage four esophageal cancer. He's being so brave. He's Been fighting it for two-and-a-half years. Gary, I love you and I hope you're doing great tonight. He promised he would watch.
COOPER: Well, that's nice. Well, we wish you the best.
GRIFFIN: That's right. So we have the serious moment along with your ridiculous tweet.
COOPER: My nephew Miles is watching tonight as well. I just got a text from him. He's 15.
GRIFFIN: Is he trying to stick up for you in the big battle with Rachael Ray that you're having? I don't know. If you make an enemy with Rachael Ray that could be some gnarly mac-and-cheese.
COOPER: I know, I know because she's got magazine. She's got an empire.
GRIFFIN: Honey, she's got so much more money than you, it's ridiculous --
COOPER: Does she have more money than Seacrest? I don't think so. Nobody gets more money than --
GRIFFIN: No because she gives a bunch to charity. She's doing that like Bill Clinton
COOPER: Of course, Seacrest does it too.
GRIFFIN: Do you think Ryan Seacrest gives to charity? No.
COOPER: No. I'm sure he does.
GRIFFIN: Here's one of your tweets, and I'm quoting once again, because I'm fascinated that you have 5 million people hanging on your every word and here's one of the pearls of wisdom. "I appreciate the birthday wishes, but my birthday is actually June 3rd. Thanks, though."
COOPER: No, no. That's not the right tone.
GRIFFIN: OK. Clearly. Thanks, though. Why don't you say thanks though in your face.
COOPER: No. The other day I started getting all these birthday wishes --
GRIFFIN: OK. People love you.
COOPER: -- and I thought it was very sweet, but then it's not my birthday. So I was saying, you know, thank you very much. This is how I interpret it, thank you very much for all the birthday wishes. My birthday is not until June but thanks, though.
GRIFFIN: But thanks, though. Never. It's like this "thank you very much. It's the wrong day. Take back the hope diamond."
COOPER: I was thanks, though.
GRIFFIN: Easy, four tenors. What's going on here? By the way, we'll have the Four Tenors here live in 20 minutes.
COOPER: No. They're not going to be here live. But Macklemore will be here live --
GRIFFIN: Macklemore really is going to be here. I'm actually now afraid people think we are kidding --
COOPER: No, he's going to be here and I promise I will not ask him what his New Year's resolution is.
GRIFFIN: Oh, I can't wait to hear Macklemore's resolution because that's what the kids want to know. Let me ask you about the year's movies.
COOPER: OK, yeah.
GRIFFIN: Did you see a movie starring Oprah and apparently there was some butler in it? Anyway it was called "The Oprah" directed by Lee Daniels.
COOPER: Lee Daniels is butler, yeah.
GRIFFIN: Yes.
COOPER: I interviewed Oprah about it.
GRIFFIN: You guys are back?
COOPER: And Forest Whitaker.
GRIFFIN: I heard she was really angry with you. Oprah called me yesterday --
COOPER: Really?
GRIFFIN: -- and she was like, do not talk to him. And then Gayle got on the line --
COOPER: Really?
GRIFFIN: Yeah, they were serious.
COOPER: I get e-mails from Gayle every now and then. She and I go back forth.
GRIFFIN: Not Oprah though. Not Oprah. Be honest.
COOPER: No, it's not.
GRIFFIN: When you get one from Gayle, you're like, it's Gayle, right?
COOPER: Yeah, I'm very excited. I like Gayle her very much.
GRIFFIN: I know, but not Oprah --
COOPER: And I like Gayle on the morning show. There was certainly -- oh yeah, my favorite movie of the year --
GRIFFIN: By the way, that's how tight the show is. Anderson occasionally goes oh, gosh there's something I wanted to tell you. I mean, the prep he does is so detailed.
COOPER: I'm telling you how I prepped today.
GRIFFIN: OK, go ahead.
COOPER: "Lone Survivor" comes out January 10th. I did a piece on "60 Minutes" about Marcus Luttrell who the movie is about. It is a great, great movie.
GRIFFIN: All right. I watch all your work. I'm a big fan. Did you like "Gravity"?
COOPER: I haven't seen it yet.
GRIFFIN: Well, here's the deal. Sandra Bullock has a short wig and she's trapped in a spaceship. It's very gritty. It's like inaudible.
COOPER: I wanted to see it in IMAX but then it was so crowded and then by the time I figured it wouldn't be crowded it was no longer in IMAX, so I kind of feel like I missed it. I just saw "Wolf of Wall Street" which I loved.
GRIFFIN: I thought you just said, I just saw Wolf Blitzer who I'm in love with. Breaking news, Anderson Cooper is in love with Wolf Blitzer. And I don't blame you. He's an every man.
COOPER: What's your New Year's resolution?
GRIFFIN: Are you being coy with me? COOPER: Yeah --
GRIFFIN: Did you just actually give me a little bit of the old Sears catalog Anderson?
COOPER: I never did Sears catalog. I did Macy's. I did a lot of Macy's --
GRIFFIN: Sorry.
COOPER: Oh yeah. And I did Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein.
GRIFFIN: Of course you did Ralph Lauren. Boy, you are really --
COOPER: We're talking about my modeling days when I was 10 years old because I wanted to earn money.
GRIFFIN: Look, it's not that different what you're doing now, all right. First of all, he can barely read because he keeps saying rock it on out. What did the Dow close at today?
COOPER: What did what?
GRIFFIN: The Dow.
COOPER: I can't hear you.
GRIFFIN: What did the Dow close at today?
COOPER: What did the Dow close at? Probably like 16,200 and something?
GRIFFIN: No, 15,576. Yeah.
COOPER: OK.
GRIFFIN: All right, fine. Which states accepted Medicaid expansion under ObamaCare? Go.
COOPER: I can barely hear you. What is it?
GRIFFIN: Which states accepted Medicaid expansions under ObamaCare?
COOPER: I don't know. It's too late for this.
GRIFFIN: California, New York, Texas, Kentucky, North Dakota -- oh, wait.
COOPER: OK.
GRIFFIN: This is where you get to show America how smart you are.
COOPER: I'm sorry?
GRIFFIN: This is where you get to show America how smart you are.
COOPER: OK. Bring it.
GRIFFIN: All right, fine. Let's just talk about our texting.
COOPER: No, no, no --
GRIFFIN: I actually have screen shots of our texts between us, our personal text.
COOPER: OK.
GRIFFIN: And one of them I want to talk to you about tonight. And I texted you the simple question, are you nervous? And then your answer was always.
COOPER: Is that maybe -- yeah. That might have been true right now, but I don't remember it all. Lately I have not been remembering texts I've been sending.
GRIFFIN: What's going on? Are you and Sanjay smoking a lot of weed?
COOPER: No, I do not do that.
GRIFFIN: What's going to happen in Colorado at midnight?
COOPER: That's what's really interesting, actually. It's actually legalized.
GRIFFIN: Yes. I saw you guys did a story where there's a dude I've never even seen on the channel in the middle of a field of weed reporting.
COOPER: Did you say a dude from the channel?
GRIFFIN: From this channel. I don't know the name. I tweeted it. There's a picture of a CNN dude like just sitting in a field of weed. That's it.
COOPER: Do you ever remember those commercials, for Wheat Thins with Sandy Duncan where she was -- and she said, why am I in the middle of a wheat field?
GRIFFIN: Yes.
COOPER: And she had her little shirt tied in a bow in the front?
GRIFFIN: I remember everything about Sandy Duncan.
COOPER: Let's check in with Brooke Baldwin who is down in New Orleans and see what's up with her.
GRIFFIN: And Hornets. Go Hornets.
COOPER: Brooke, how are you doing?
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: We're doing pretty well, you know. There's a little rain happening in New Orleans, but if you all have ever been in New Orleans at any given time, on any given day, at any given hour inaudible so it is here in Jackson Square.
I have Sib and I have Doug standing with me. They have come for four years in a row from Erie, Michigan to be part of this amazing city. And I love your story because you said it was Katrina that really inspired you to come down. How so?
DOUG: Well, you know, a few similarities with southeast Michigan and New Orleans here. We had some rough times and we wanted to come down after Katrina hit and really kind of show our support.
BALDWIN: And you are clearly doing that. You're all bedazzled and beaded and blinking and I love it. Let me ask you, Sib, do you believe it New Year's resolutions?
SIB: Yes, I do.
BALDWIN: What are you thinking for 2014?
SIB: I want to do a 365-day challenge of yoga this year.
BALDWIN: Yoga. I love it. I tried it for a couple of months to get new high for me. Do you have a resolution, my friend?
DOUG: Well, nothing really specific except for just to keep my lovely wife happy.
BALDWIN: Having a good time. Just reminder to all of you watching, we will stay here even though Anderson and Kathy maybe going to bed, we will be right here when the fleur de lis drops, so don't leave me until 1:00 a.m. Eastern time here on CNN. Back to you guys in Times Square.
COOPER: All right. Brooke, thanks very much. We are about an hour and 18 or so away from the ball drop here in Times Square. Let's check in with Susan Hendricks. She is live in Nashville.
GRIFFIN: I think Brooke said that we're going to bed together later tonight. That's all I heard.
COOPER: No, no. She didn't say that. We're done at 12:30. Let's check in with Susan Hendricks in Nashville. Susan.
SUSAN HENDRICKS, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Anderson and Kathy, I'll tell you, when there's 70,000 people in one place you make friends and you make them fast. I have three of them up with me. This is Matthew here decked out with the American flag and also a fancy guitar, and my two friends Kitty and Debbie. What are you guys here for? Who are you here to see?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hank Jr.!
HENDRICKS: Does the crowd bother you at all? Are you having a good time?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Having a ball. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Having a great time.
HENDRICKS: All right, we'll go over to Matthew here. Matthew, your third time here. What do you think this year? The crowd is massive.
MATTHEW: Well, the crowd is having a great time. And I enjoy the party. I enjoy Nashville.
HENDRICKS: Do you wear this during the fourth of July? Or you save it for New Year?
MATTHEW: Yes I do. I've got three shirts. So I dress like this on the weekends when I come out and have a good time.
HENDRICKS: Are you going to play the guitar or just hold it? Can you play a chord?
MATTHEW: I think I'll hold it because I don't know how to play.
HENDRICKS: But it looks good. It looks good. And that's all that matters. All right. Matthew, Kitty and Debbie, great to talk to you guys. We're making friends here, Kathy and Anderson, waiting to bring in the New Year here in Nashville. Back to you guys.
COOPER: Hey, we're back on air.
GRIFFIN: We are?
COOPER: Yes, we are.
GRIFFIN: We weren't watching the other broadcasts at all. That's crazy.
COOPER: No, we weren't. There's no other broadcast that is having as much fun.
GRIFFIN: All I'm saying is the ceiling can't hold us.
COOPER: The what?
GRIFFIN: Because the ceiling can't hold us.
COOPER: Macklemore is coming here. Very excited. Yeah, very excited and --
GRIFFIN: Yes. And somebody said we're going to bed together later which I would like to debunk right now. You wish.
COOPER: Completely and I can't handle it.
GRIFFIN: First of all, that's your dream, not mine. OK. I could have any guy I want in this whole -- I could have Macklemore, I could have Seacrest, obviously.
COOPER: How did you now become friends and linked with Seacrest? GRIFFIN: Because you are the evil that united us. That is the kind of -- don't you give me the shocked look. Do not give me the shocked look. I've not seen that for inaudible 27 years?
COOPER: She claimed that I blew her off for dinner with Seacrest last night. I had to work last night.
GRIFFIN: OK. First of all, I have connected with Ryan and Ryan Seacrest was hosting Jingle Ball. Miley Cyrus was there. I got to see Selena Gomez have one of her fits on stage which is very exciting --
COOPER: Why did Selena Gomez have a fit?
GRIFFIN: How could you even ask that after the year she's had?
COOPER: What kind of year has she had? I don't know. I'm unfamiliar.
GRIFFIN: Selena and the Biebs broke up finally. I mean, they were on, they were off, they were -- where have you been, grandma? Why don't you move the rock that you're living on --
COOPER: What else was the big stuff this year? Rob Ford --
GRIFFIN: Look, I'm part of Ford nation and I know this goes against everything I stand for. I'm sorry. I apologize. I can't help it. I love that he shows up to the city council meetings in the Argonauts jersey. He's not even a maple leaf's fan, and I like that he accidentally just knocks over old ladies, so I know it's wrong, but I like that he calls bicyclists assholes. We got to get rid of the bicycle lane and they're assholes. I mean, these are all quotes. Rob Ford, the mayor of Toronto is funny. He's accidentally funny.
COOPER: He had those extraordinary news conferences where -- I mean, the one time where he said he probably smoked crack in one of his drunken stupors.
GRIFFIN: Well, I might have smoked crack but probably in one of my drunken stupors.
COOPER: And then he thinks there's no way he could top that press conference --
GRIFFIN: But he did.
COOPER: -- and then he did by talking about other stuff, you know --
GRIFFIN: Now you're going to act shy?
COOPER: Yeah, I'm --
GRIFFIN: Because on "Anderson 360" you were happy to talk about it with Andrew Sullivan. You and your good buddy Andrew Sullivan were just talking about the storm of (EXPLETIVE).
COOPER: Anyway.
GRIFFIN: It was actually a quote on the Rob Ford conference.
COOPER: Yeah. I know, I know because that's what Rob Ford was talking about.
GRIFFIN: And then I believe there was a connection with your mother.
COOPER: We don't need to go there.
GRIFFIN: Because she wrote about it in a book.
COOPER: She wrote about it in a book, but we --
GRIFFIN: She's more open-minded than you --
COOPER: Yes.
GRIFFIN: In many ways.
COOPER: It makes me very untouchable. I don't need to -- we don't need to talk about it.
GRIFFIN: All right. I just want to say my annual you do realize you will never live up to your mother. I need to say it once a year. I just need you to know that.
COOPER: I do.
GRIFFIN: Are we going to talk about Mayor Ford anymore? I'm obsessed with him of course. Does he have any power at all until I move there?
COOPER: No. He does not -- his power has basically been taken away.
GRIFFIN: Why?
COOPER: Well, because the way the system works there, with the city council which is -- it's not a mayoral system like they have here in New York.
GRIFFIN: I know, but how can you have that TV show for only one night? He had a TV show with his brother who maybe is an enabler. I say that with quotes.
COOPER: But you know, it's easy to make fun of this stuff, but he very well may have a serious problem.
GRIFFIN: No. Clearly and also the things he actually stands for are against everything I believe. He's just accidentally amusing to watch. He's a good YouTube.
COOPER: I saw I think it was a statement by Chris Farley's brother saying --
GRIFFIN: Kevin Farley really should play Rob Ford no doubt.
COOPER: But the brother was saying how if only Chris Farley was still alive he would have been amazing.
GRIFFIN: That's really true. That is no insult to any Farleys.
COOPER: Let's play actually that incredible sound bite from the mayor talking.
GRIFFIN: OK.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROB FORD: Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine. But no, do I -- am I an addict? No. Have I tried it? Probably in one of my drunken stupors.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: I mean, the incredible thing about that is, he also then claimed that reporters -- that the reason he denied it a million times before is that reporters never asked him the right way --
GRIFFIN: Correct.
COOPER: -- because they always said like, are you smoking or do you smoke crack? And he's like, I never said -- was I smoking crack in that moment? No, I wasn't.
GRIFFIN: I could be his press agent because my favorite line of his is as he's getting into the elevator and the mobs are following he keeps saying "be careful on what you write, be careful on what you write" which is as you would say via Twitter not grammatically correct. And I love when you correct people's grammar on Twitter, as if they're not like hammered tweeting you at 2:00 in the morning saying --
COOPER: No, the only times I --
GRIFFIN: I can just see you. Sir, first of all you've made a grammatical error.
COOPER: Well, I don't like when people tweet completely factually incorrect things about like -- or things I have reported on and are just wrong.
GRIFFIN: I agree. I think you should go after every single one of them.
COOPER: No, no, not --
GRIFFIN: Because twitter is a reliable source for news and accuracy.
COOPER: I just -- you know, anyway.
GRIFFIN: I know. Look, are you going to go to the Super Bowl? It's here in New York. You have to know that.
COOPER: No, I'm not.
GRIFFIN: But it's here in New York --
COOPER: Well, I don't think I can get tickets. I don't know. How do you get --
GRIFFIN: Here we go. Do you know who's playing?
COOPER: No.
GRIFFIN: You don't know who's in the Super Bowl? You have to know who's playing in the Super Bowl.
COOPER: They haven't -- the playoffs haven't even started.
GRIFFIN: All right. OK. I saw that guy cheat and tell you.
COOPER: Nobody said anything. They haven't even started. So the teams are not yet determined.
GRIFFIN: All right.
COOPER: Didn't you know that?
GRIFFIN: Yes, I did.
COOPER: You know that because it's written on a card probably.
GRIFFIN: No, but I -- well, all right. But you're supposed to know. You're newsman.
COOPER: I never pretended --
GRIFFIN: You just interviewed the NFL or whatever. Didn't you just do an interview before the broadcast with some like sports channel?
COOPER: Oh yeah. I was on the -- like NFL pregame show.
GRIFFIN: What? Why and how?
COOPER: I don't know. The NBA.
GRIFFIN: Same thing.
COOPER: They asked me to be on they were very funny and they're very nice guys and I had a chat with them. I was petrified because I was afraid they were going to ask me about like what my team is --
GRIFFIN: All right. What team is --
COOPER: -- and before I went on I was like saying to the guys, like, what team would I support if I support a team and --
GRIFFIN: Clearly the New Orleans Pistols or whatever you call them.
COOPER: But tonight it was Oklahoma City versus Portland --
GRIFFIN: Yeah. COOPER: -- and I like both cities a lot, so I was torn. So anyway. We're going to take a quick break. What's become somehow a New Year's tradition, the sushi dropping in a shoe-in key west?
GRIFFIN: If she's there.
COOPER: She's in the shoe now. She is dumped precariously in the shoe. And that's what's fun about this - it's always teetering on the brink of disaster.
GRIFFIN: It's clearly live. It's clearly live.
COOPER: One year the shoe stalled and she was falling on the roof of the bar.
GRIFFIN: She can also be a little sassy with you.
COOPER: Which is fine.
GRIFFIN: I know.
COOPER: So Nashville, we're live in New Orleans, Indiana, the watermelon drop - all the hardest to get bookings we have tonight.
GRIFFIN: We're rocking it out. We apologize to Britney.
COOPER: As we go to break let's take a look at New York City, the shot from high atop the Marriott Marquis right behind where we are, ready to ring in 2014. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Erin McLaughlin at a restaurant in Rome. There's an old Italian tradition that says, the more you inaudible on New Year's Eve, the more money you get in the New Year. And with the recession, well, this country moves it inaudible now it's time to party. Here we go, the final moments of 2013.
That's how we do it in Rome. Back to you, Anderson.
COOPER: Welcome back. We are live here in New York with Kathy Griffin. We're joined by rapper Macklemore and collaborator and producer Ryan Lewis who just performed here. You guys were awesome tonight. How's it going?
MACKLEMORE: Thank you, man. It's going amazing.
COOPER: You had an incredible, incredible year.
MACKLEMORE: It has been a ride. We kind of came into 2013 underground rap group and here we are with you guys on some platform in Times Square right now.
GRIFFIN: I have a question for you. I hope this isn't too personal. What is your New Year's resolution? COOPER: She's making fun of me because I stupidly asked that question.
GRIFFIN: He asked the question --
MACKLEMORE: It's so personal.
GRIFFIN: I know.
COOPER: You don't have to answer.
MACKLEMORE: I want to get into the studio and make music. 2013 we toured all year long and i want to get back into the studio and make some art.
GRIFFIN: Hey, I was at Jingle Ball when you guys were there. Remember when Selena Gomez said what the F really loud and then boom, threw the mike down at Chris Rock?
MACKLEMORE: I did.
GRIFFIN: Confirm it, yes.
MACKLEMORE: I watched it on the internet.
GRIFFIN: Wasn't it great?
MACKLEMORE: It was impressive. I heard R. Kelly was there. I missed R. Kelly which really bummed me out.
GRIFFIN: He's always controversial and great.
MACKLEMORE: Yes. He's a hero of mine for the music that he makes. He's a genius.
COOPER: When did you guys start working together? How long have you been --
MACKLEMORE: Six years ago? Something like that.
COOPER: How did you meet up?
MACKLEMORE: We met on MySpace.
COOPER: Really?
MACKLEMORE: For everyone who knows what MySpace is. An old booty call site.
COOPER: Purchased by Rupert Murdoch for like $500 million and then it's now worth like 50 cents.
GRIFFIN: I thought Justin Timberlake had a stock in MySpace. He's trying to bring it back.
COOPER: Really? GRIFFIN: That's what I heard. What can you say, Macklemore?
MACKLEMORE: It's going to take a lot. Justin may be able to do it. If anyone can do it, it would be Justin Timberlake.
GRIFFIN: I want to admit to you, as fellow Grammy nominee, I thought Ft. was a person. I'm not kidding. Every song that says Nicki Minaj Ft. Lil Wayne --
MACKLEMORE: Ft. is on everything.
GRIFFIN: Ft. should win everything.
MACKLEMORE: It's everything, everywhere.
GRIFFIN: It's short for?
MACKLEMORE: Feature.
GRIFFIN: Thank you.
MACKLEMORE: Featuring. Yes.
COOPER: One of your songs "Same Love" has gotten huge amount of pick up this year, huge amount of attention. What made you write that song?
MACKLEMORE: My mom actually sent me a news article of a gay bullied kid who had committed suicide who was 13 or 14 years old. And I realized that some stories affect you personally. I have two gay uncles, a gay godfather. I realized that this had become an epidemic, was becoming an epidemic in America and as an artist you have a voice and I wanted to speak on that.
I didn't know how to speak on it. I tried writing it from the perspective of that gay bullied kid and brought it to Ryan and Ryan said, no, this is not your side of the story to share but you do have a story in this. And I was raised a Catholic - Irish catholic background. Gay godfathers, gay uncles in a gay area of Seattle and I'm a hip-hop artist, so there's all these different things to pick from, all these different communities and I shared my story honestly and, you know, it managed to affect people.
COOPER: That's a beautiful song and it's really --
MACKLEMORE: Appreciate it.
COOPER: -- affected a lot of people's lives.
MACKLEMORE: Appreciate it.
COOPER: We wish you the best for the New Year --
MACKLEMORE: Thank you guys. Thank you guys. We're big fans of both of you.
GRIFFIN: Great performers -- great live performers, real performers. No lip syncing. Real deal.
MACKLEMORE: Yeah.
GRIFFIN: Appreciate it.
MACKLEMORE: Appreciate you guys.
COOPER: We've got to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
