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CNN Live Event/Special

Happy New Year 2019. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired January 01, 2019 - 00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(COUNTDOWN - MUSIC)

[00:10:00]

ANDERSON COOPER, ANCHOR, CNN: Wow. Happy New Year 2019.

ANDY COHEN, CO-HOST, CNN NEW YEAR'S EVE: Wow.

COOPER: I want to wish you all a great, great 2019. I hope it's a healthy and a happy one for you and all of your love ones.

COHEN: So what an incredible experience that was.

RICHARD QUEST, ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT, CNN BUSINESS EDITOR-AT-LARGE: I don't care how much rain fell. I would not - I'm getting quite emotional after midnight. I would not have missed it for the world.

COOPER: Yes.

COHEN: Incredible. I have to say, is there a better song than New York, New York?

COOPER: No.

COHEN: And let me tell you something, New York, New York at full volume on New Year's Eve in Times Square.

COOPER: It's incredible.

COHEN: It's like experiencing --

QUEST: It's up to you, New York, New York. You're supposed to join in.

COHEN: I mean, I don't know.

COOPER: I feel like --

COHEN: But let me say this, I saw Anderson Cooper take a swing directly out of a Casamigos bottle.

COOPER: I do not --

COHEN: I have never seen that happened.

COOPER: I don't think there's any photographic evidence of it. COHEN: Wow.

COOPER: What do you got there?

QUEST: Well, the hotdogs got soggy, the pizza fell apart, there's no chocolate on it, because I know you like chocolate on your cheesecake, but there's a cheesecake.

COHEN: Do I like chocolate on my cheesecake?

QUEST: No, I thought you like chocolate all over it.

COOPER: They were talking about something else.

QUEST: Not cheesecake?

COHEN: Anyway, where were we?

COOPER: I don't know.

COHEN: I'm done with the swirl if that's what you're saying, but yes.

QUEST: Anyway, I'll chat with you later on because actually --

COOPER: I don't think anything can compete with Ms. Patti LaBelle's ...

COHEN: Sweet potato pie, that was very good.

COOPER: ... sweet potato pie which I had earlier.

COHEN: Yes.

COOPER: That was something. How often do you go to the Olive Garden, I'm just wondering.

COHEN: Once a year. He goes ...

COOPER: It's like a weekly thing?

COHEN: He goes on New Year's Eve, I feel like. Wow, this is a real Junior's cheesecake.

QUEST: Oh, yes, I'm going to feed you. I'm going to feed you.

COHEN: You're going to feed me?

COOPER: Oh, okay.

COHEN: Okay.

COOPER: Yes, right.

COHEN: That is a New Year's --

COOPER: It's a New Year's tradition. COHEN: Okay.

COOPER: Oh, me too.

COHEN: It was very good. All right, thank you.

QUEST: Now that they can't speak, I'll just carry on.

COHEN: I would like to report if I can turn into Sam Champion for a second and let you know that the rain is ...

COOPER: It stopped.

COHEN: .. it seem to be clearing out.

COOPER: It stopped raining.

COHEN: Now that we've been out here for four and a half hours, the rain is clearing out.

COOPER: And maybe that's a good omen for 2019.

COHEN: Right.

COOPER: Yes.

COHEN: It's a metaphor.

COOPER: Yes, it's a metaphor. The sky have cleared.

COHEN: I don't love it that I ask you what your favorite in the year was and you absolutely couldn't come up with one.

COOPER: No, I will tell you what my favorite moment but there's not just one. My favorite moments of this year have been being on tour with you and after the show is done you and I hanging out.

COHEN: Ordering --

COOPER: Whether it's going out or going back to our room.

COHEN: Well, that's nice.

COOPER: Let me tell you what happens. We go back to our room after our show. This is starting to happen recently and it happened in Philly. We've decided we want to get something to eat so we go back to my room, Andy calls room service. In Philly Andy ordered to Philly cheesesteaks because we wanted that.

COHEN: And it's taking forever.

COOPER: It was taking a long time. So Andy repeatedly call room service with an increasing sense of urgency.

COHEN: I go, "It's a double rush on those."

COOPER: He's like, "It's a double rush. It's a double rush."

COHEN: And we want to keep saying - and Anderson goes, "You're being very frothy with those people."

COOPER: I was like, "You're being rude with them." And he was like, "Oh, it's okay. They think I'm you, because it's your room."

[00:15:02]

COHEN: They kept saying to me, "Sorry, Mr. Cooper. Sorry, Mr. Cooper." I'm like, "Well, sorry is not good enough."

COOPER: Terrible. Let's go back. Hey, Bill, how did things turn out for Sushi and the Drag Queen drop at Key West? It's always --

(CROSSTALK)

QUEST: ... everything dropped as it was supposed to?

COHEN: Yes, how did it go?

BILL WEIR, ANCHOR, CNN: Thanks. It went swimmingly, Andy.

COHEN: Good.

WEIR: Thanks for asking. Look, here's the whole cast. Here's Sushi and the cabaret all stars from the Bourbon St. Pub. Happy New Year.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy New Year, everybody from --

WEIR: How did it feel on the 22nd trip down?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It always feels fabulous, Charlie. Key West is fabulous.

WEIR: Any thoughts for the New Year for 2019? Any hopes and dreams?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I hope that everybody in the world comes to visit Key West. Come and visit Key West, because this is a fabulous place to live and visit.

WEIR: And right on cue it may be 76 degrees, but these guys made it snow. Look at this. It's snowing now on the Bourbon St. Congratulations.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

WEIR: Congratulations for pulling it off again.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Bill. Thank you, Anderson and Andy. We love you. We hope to see you again next year.

WEIR: Once again a testament to the kind of people. Look around. Say hi. Say hi, Key West. A testament to the kind of people who rallied around this place after Hurricane Irma. This laid waste so many homes and families. They bounced back with such resiliency and such love for this corky, funky little coral island down here at the southern tip of the United States. Much love to you guys. Happy New Year, everybody.

COOPER: Happy New Year, Bill. Thank you.

COHEN: Happy New Year, Bill.

COOPER: You know what's incredible about this? I mean if you just stop and kind of think about it that for generations gay, and lesbian and transgender people live in the shadows in this country and around the world. And now on this day, this year, you and I can be hosting a New Year's Eve celebration and Richard is with us, and Don Lemon is with us in New Orleans and we're highlighting a drag queen drop that's been a tradition in Key West for a long, long time before we started covering it. But people don't - it doesn't have to be in the shadows anymore, and it's people expressing love openly, and you're having a son and that's 2019.

COHEN: Certainly I never thought I would see this day.

COOPER: Yes.

COHEN: Any of it. That's really incredible. When I was young, I couldn't have dreamed of any of this.

COOPER: Yes.

COHEN: This has been an incredible night.

COOPER: This really has been, yes.

COHEN: Thank you so much for having me. It's been so fun and I look forward to a great year. Thank you, Richard. The best for everybody in 2019 ...

COOPER: Yes.

COHEN: ... what a great night.

COOPER: Thank you so much for joining us and it's really ...

COHEN: And (inaudible) about the umbrella but I came back.

COOPER: If I could also just say one other thing, I don't want to bring you down at all but as a kid I used to watch the show. I used to watch a New Year's Eve in Times Square with Dick Clark. And my dad died January 5th and I remember the year - excuse me, January 1st of that year in 1978 watching this with great fear and sadness because I knew something bad was going to happen, and I think there's a lot of people who watch on New Year's Eve. It brings a lot of people down because they're alone or they're not where they want to be in life.

And I just think it's always important to kind of acknowledge that there's a lot of us out there who feel that way, and that you're there, and we see you. And let's hope the New Year brings better things and you're not alone. So thank you very much for being with us.

COHEN: Every friend was once a strange.

COOPER: That is true. That is true.

COHEN: All right, the fun is not over. Don and Brooke are going ring in the New Year in New Orleans more in a moment. Thanks, Anderson.

COOPER: Thanks, everybody.

COHEN: Thanks, CNN, for having me.

[00:20:00]

DON LEMON, ANCHOR, CNN: Hey, everybody. Now, the real party starts. We have our two co-anchors here.

BROOKE BALDWIN, ANCHOR, CNN: These are your babies.

LEMON: These are my babies.

BALDWIN: Your latest edition. Hey, baby.

LEMON: That is Barkley.

BALDWIN: Barkley. Hi, Barkley.

LEMON: And this is Boomer and they are freaked out by all of the noise. Say hi you guys.

BALDWIN: They're so freaked out by all of the noise and all of the party machines. Hey, babies. It's okay. Listen, welcome to New Orleans' New Year's Eve where anything goes.

LEMON: Yes. My little babies.

BALDWIN: This has been so fun every year.

LEMON: It's so fun every year. Brooke, what have you been doing, this is like five years now or more together?

BALDWIN: I've been doing our New Year's Eve with CNN like six, seven or eight. But you, my dear, joined me about five years ago and made it, let's just say, a bit more fun.

LEMON: Look at all of the people around us. They come from all over. Say hi, everybody. So this is the real party that we have every year. We like to call it the after party. CNN after dark New Year's Eve.

BALDWIN: The after dark. Yes.

LEMON: And these people are from all over the world. There's one lady here --

BALDWIN: From Italy.

LEMON: Yes, she says she's from Italy. But there's one lady here she said her Christmas present was to --

BALDWIN: Oh, my gosh, was to come see us.

LEMON: And see us and she's here in the crowd.

BALDWIN: Where is she?

LEMON: Oh, there she is right now behind us.

BALDWIN: She go - she's behind us.

LEMON: Say hi.

BALDWIN: Hi.

LEMON: Happy New Year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy New Year.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy New Year.

BALDWIN: So fine. So sweet she came up to us earlier and - I mean, it's lovely when people say, "Hey." But she was like, I think my daughter or someone said for Christmas I just want to see Don and Brooke at the Spotted Cat, New Orleans. I love that people think we're that fun.

LEMON: Yes.

BALDWIN: Actually, we kind of are that fun. You'll just see it after the show.

LEMON: Everyone wants to see Don Lemon get --

BALDWIN: A drunk Don Lemon. What number are we on? I stopped counting. I think we're on seven.

LEMON: I stopped counting. I'm using a straw now. So if you're at home do a shot of a little vodka.

BALDWIN: Oh, my gosh.

LEMON: Tito's soda that's my favorite with a little lime.

[00:25:00]

BALDWIN: Take it in. How's your ear been, my dear?

LEMON: Oh, my gosh. It's been tough.

BALDWIN: It's been tough.

LEMON: Calm down, Boomer. BALDWIN: It's okay.

LEMON: Every day having to talk politics and I'm not a political reporter.

BALDWIN: Right.

LEMON: So I have to talk politics every single day for at least two hours. And then when I see people on the street I'm sure you as well they want to talk politics.

BALDWIN: All of the time, I wake up and I read about him. It's the first thing. You go to work and you talk about him, which is what we signed up to do as journalist.

LEMON: I'm over it.

BALDWIN: But my goodness then everyone wants to talk about him and we're like, "Can I just go home and watch The Great British Baking Show with my husband?" Seriously, that might have been what I did all last week in Costa Rica.

LEMON: Tim and I have a no Trump rule at the house.

BALDWIN: Do you?

LEMON: Yes, for the holidays. We didn't talk Trump. People would see us and we're like, "We're not talking about that."

BALDWIN: Yes, and they respected that.

LEMON: My mom is obsessed. She watches CNN religiously. She watches the rebroadcast.

BALDWIN: I love you, mom. Hi, mama Lemon.

LEMON: Hi, mom.

BALDWIN: I kept them in ...

LEMON: Hi, Kat.

BALDWIN: ... no piercings yet or tattoo.

LEMON: No piercings. Well, not yet.

BALDWIN: Hi, Kat. The night is still young.

LEMON: And there's a dunk talk somewhere, mom. So I may get in a dunk tank.

BALDWIN: So, yes, it's been that kind of year. Are there been ups?

LEMON: Yes.

BALDWIN: You and your amazing man are continuing on the love train -- LEMON: Do you remember the year everyone said, "Don Lemon was lit."

And when I said, "I'm open for a relationship, right?" Well, look what happened.

BALDWIN: No. Listen you guys, I'm going to let in a little something. So we've been doing this New Year's Eve thing in New Orleans for a few years and there's a certain bar that we go to in the quarter afterwards and I'm always like ...

LEMON: Well, tell me about it.

BALDWIN: ... he's cute, he's cute, he's cute, Don, what do you think? Two years ago, Don is like, "I'm not interested." And I was like, "Check your temperature." I'm sorry. Is this Don Lemon? And look who popped up in your life.

LEMON: Mr. Malone, Mr. Tim Malone.

BALDWIN: He obviously brought the babies to hang out with us.

LEMON: And what about Mr. James Fletcher? Your hubby?

BALDWIN: My James Bond is --

LEMON: Oh, he's in the truck.

BALDWIN: He's somewhere.

LEMON: He's in the satellite truck. He's in the satellite truck. Do we have a satellite cam? Hey, guys. Look, they're so excited. Hey. James is a big sweetie, by the way. I met him for the first time. When you sort of started hanging out with him for the first time, your first date?

BALDWIN: Yes. Look at this crowd. I love it. We needed some smiles after this year. Yes, I met him, I met my man three years ago at a party in New York just mutual friends and I thought he was such a hunk. He was like he's from Belize and he's from London and he was jet lag and he was like, "Can I just take you to dinner the next time I'm in New York?" And I look at him and I go, "What if I'm hungry now?" And he goes, "Get your coat." So we had dinner that night. Let's just say I invited him to New Orleans. I had to wake up early to go surfing with Brianna Keilar who's watching. So he threw me in a cap at 2:00 a.m. and we love Brianna.

LEMON: Your note, she broke her no drinking rule and I think she's smelling the tea on the air right now.

BALDWIN: I'm totally smelling the tea. I'm totally smelling the tea.

LEMON: And I smell the tea, smell tea, that's all right. That's all right.

BALDWIN: I am. I am. No, but that's what this is about.

LEMON: I'll be Wendy Williams, "How are you doing?" BALDWIN: Wow.

LEMON: Tell me, smell the tea.

BALDWIN: Oh, wow, thank you. How's your man?

BALDWIN: Happy in that way. You got to like find those - I read Michelle Obama's book last week over holiday.

LEMON: You did?

BALDWIN: By the way it's amazing and her whole notion of like becoming and inviting people in on your journey, it's just - I so respect her. And reading her stories of coming from the south side of Chicago and becoming who she is and still ever becoming, it's just a note for all of us despite all of it.

LEMON: And class.

BALDWIN: Class.

LEMON: We missed that class.

BALDWIN: Yes.

LEMON: You can't buy class no matter how much money you have.

BALDWIN: But authenticity, she seems like the real - I'm talking like her like I know Mrs. Obama but --

LEMON: I do know her, by the way. So listen ...

BALDWIN: I'm sorry.

LEMON: I do. I know the Obamas. I was in Chicago when they - well, he was my State Senator in Chicago and I was a local news anchor and so I'd have to go to all of these like chicken dinners and whatever. "Oh, and in the crowd is such and such, and joining us tonight is our State Senator Barack Obama and Mrs. Obama."

BALDWIN: Sure.

LEMON: And so I knew them that way. But they are really who they are. She is the one in the family who's the best.

BALDWIN: Balenciaga Boots.

LEMON: Yes.

BALDWIN: I'm sorry --

LEMON: So I got to get a refill of my drink.

BALDWIN: You need more drinks and we ...

LEMON: We got to get the dogs back to their dad. He's in the crowd. BALDWIN: ... well, we'll put him on TV at some point, you guys. Tim

is somewhere.

LEMON: There he is. He's back there.

BALDWIN: Behind us. We got to go to commercial break. We're going to keep spilling the tea.

LEMON: Don't go anywhere. We're going to keep spilling the tea and maybe we'll get even more lit. All right, make a trend. Make a trend.

BALDWIN: It's all about New Year. We're live in New Orleans. Guys, we'll be right back.

LEMON: We will be right back.

[00:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DON LEMON, ANCHOR, CNN: Can I say hi to my friends? My friends are watching me at The Palm, Robert Mark, Donner, Brad Jakeman, and Rylan. Hey, guys.

BROOKE BALDWIN, ANCHOR, CNN: Hi, guys.

LEMON: You got a shout out on the day. I love you, guys. I'm sorry.

BALDWIN: Hi, mom. Hi, guys. Hi, dad. Hi, Ryan, and Raymond, Roger (ph).

LEMON: Are you having fun? Are you having fun?

BALDWIN: I have fun every year.

LEMON: Every year.

BALDWIN: Every year.

LEMON: I was so mad earlier about the technical problems because you know how we like to talk back and forth with Andy and Anderson.

BALDWIN: I know. You can't always ...

LEMON: But it's over.

BALDWIN: ... but it's working now.

LEMON: Yes.

BALDWIN: It's working now. It's all good. I hope you all got fun through the New Year and we sit at the satellite truck like big nerds in between and we read your tweets. We read the comments. Don is like, "Did you see this?"

LEMON: Make a trend. Make a trend. Let Don Lemon - drunk Don Lemon. I'm not drunk but whatever.

BALDWIN: He's on his way.

LEMON: So listen, do you like Mexico?

BALDWIN: I studied in Mexico City.

LEMON: Take it away.

BALDWIN: (Foreign Language) Mexico con Leyla Santiago.

LEMON: Okay.

BALDWIN: Feliz Ano Nuevo.

LEMON: Leyla.

BALDWIN: Leyla, what's up, girl?

LEMON: Hey, baby.

LEYLA SANTIAGO, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Hey. Feliz Ano Nuevo. He still have about 20 to 30 minutes to go and like blowing smoke. We are getting ready for the New Year here in Mexico City. And I'll tell you what, guys, they love to eat grapes with one with per month. So I've been hanging up with Gillermo here. How are you?

GILLERMO: Fine. And you?

SANTIAGO: I'm good. How are you with today?

GILLERMO: I'm with my family, actually.

SANTIAGO: All right, but he's right with his family. I'm going to give him some grapes and we're going to make wishes. If you guys want us to eat a grape with a wish from you, just let me know. I'm doing one grape for good health. What are your wishes?

GILLERMO: I'm sorry?

SANTIAGO: What wishes do you have?

GILLERMO: I wish, I don't know, getting in form. I get fit.

[00:35:01]

SANTIAGO: All right, so fitness. Go ahead. Grapes are good for your health so I think that's a good one. What else? Oh, you're still eating, okay. That's okay. What else?

GILLERMO: Okay. I wish my grades are okay, are good.

SANTIAGO: Okay, good grades in school. I'm on board with that. I don't know, Brooke, Don, what do you want me to eat a grape for? What are your wishes this year?

BALDWIN: Why is smoky?

LEMON: Oh, I can't say it on television. Why is it so smoky there? What the heck is going on, Leyla Santiago?

BALDWIN: Why is it so smoky there, Leyla? What's with the smoke?

SANTIAGO: There is a party. There is a party. The smoke. No, the smoke is from the party, the concert. Oh, here comes more. Standby, more smoke on the way smoke and grapes. Why do they do this? They haven't done this all night and now all of a sudden - can you see me? Can you guys see me.

LEMON: Leyla, I think you're being affected by the smoke.

SANTIAGO: What is happening?

LEMON: What kind of smoke is that?

BALDWIN: Yes, whatever that smoke is. I'm just wondering what's going on with all of the grapes.

SANTIAGO: You guys, this is not been happening.

BALDWIN: Wait, are those grapes filled with something?

SANTIAGO: No. That was it.

BALDWIN: What's with those grapes, that's what I want to know.

LEMON: Tim told me about the grapes early. He said they're absolutely great.

SANTIAGO: There is nothing in those grapes. There is nothing in the grapes. But I do want to talk about one more tradition and that is ...

LEMON: Okay, go ahead.

SANTIAGO: If you wear red underwear it is good for the love of 2019. So Gillermo, what color of underwear you're wearing?

GILLERMO: I'm wearing red underwear.

SANTIAGO: You're wearing red underwear.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: What if they're commando?

BALDWIN: TMI, Don. I love you. TMI.

LEMON: Okay, time to go.

(CROSSTALK)

SANTIAGO: We have red underwear for everyone, red underwear. BALDWIN: Yes. I love it, Leyla. You've done amazing reporting, by

the way.

LEMON: Leyla, pass out the red underwear and have fun.

SANTIAGO: Bye, guys.

BALDWIN: She's done amazing reporting for us, for CNN. So thank you so much.

LEMON: Yes. Bye, Leyla. Bye.

BALDWIN: Bye, Leyla. Let's go now to Niagara Falls.

LEMON: We're going to go to Niagara Falls, but first after the break.

BALDWIN: Oh, that's a good tease.

WANYA MORRIS, MEMBER, BOYZ II MEN: The beautiful thing about it is we're going into a new year and I think the best - you know what we're here for and I really would like to try sing the most impossible song to sing.

[00:40:00]

SHAWN STOCKMAN, MEMBER, BOYZ II MEN: Yes, come on. Let's go. Let's do it. Here we go. Happy New Year to everybody singing ...

NATHAN, MEMBER, BOYZ II MEN: Something like that. As long as you know it, we were just trying to do it and we didn't do it right.

STOCKMAN: Why do we sing that song?

W MORRIS: Everybody sing that song.

STOCKMAN: All right, can we ask you all of that question?

N MORRIS: Because there's nothing else to sing.

STOCKMAN: Listen, I want to hear you all sing the song like I wanted ...

(CROSSTALK)

N MORRIS: I know you all like the fact check. Once you go and fact check those lyrics everybody could know how to sing that song.

(Crosstalk)

LEMON: The Boyz II Men.

BALDWIN: I love them. Do you prefer dancing? I dance with Boyz II Men in junior high. Remember when you were dancing with boys like this, you guys remember that.

LEMON: You're driving the truck and your parents are like ... BALDWIN: Oh, my gosh.

LEMON: Back it up. Do you know what makes it great every year besides being with you? These people and the ...

BALDWIN: I know.

LEMON: Come on guys.

BALDWIN: The City of New Orleans.

LEMON: Show these guys. Look at this. They come every year just to see us live. I think I see a former college girlfriend in the crowd.

BALDWIN: Say what?

LEMON: Yes, I do. I think there's Michelle. Hi, Michelle.

BALDWIN: Did you smooch?

LEMON: I used to date her. Say hi. Right here, hi. Right there. Right there. There she is. Oh, my God.

BALDWIN: Oh, my gosh.

LEMON: Mom, if you're watching at home, do you remember Michele? Anyway, I dated women.

BALDWIN: Wow. Are you serious?

LEMON: Yes, I did.

BALDWIN: She's just randomly in the crowd in Spotted Cat.

LEMON: She's here. But you know what? You know who I never dated, because he's married and happily with the kid, is Gary Tuchman.

BALDWIN: You said you date --

LEMON: I said I never dated. It was a bad transition, whatever. I've had a lot of Tito's.

BALDWIN: Gary Tuchman. Yes, he has. I can vouch for that.

LEMON: Hi, Lindsay. Hi, Gary.

BALDWIN: Gary Tuchman and Lindsay Tuchman in Niagara Falls. I love the Tuchman family, Cathy Tuchman, the whole Tuchman clan. Hi, guys. How's Niagara Falls?

GARY TUCHMAN, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Brooke and Don, Happy almost New Year to you. It's till 2018 in New Orleans, but here in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada it is what year?

LINDSAY TUCHMAN, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: It is 2019 and it just got really windy all of a sudden. It was really great weather for most of the night.

G TUCHMAN: This was Canada's largest celebration of New Year's in Queen Victoria Park with that concerts. There are like tens of thousands of people despite the pouring rain, but unusually warm. It's about 45 degrees Fahrenheit right now compared to two degrees Fahrenheit last year at the same celebration. And we are on the banks of the Niagara River and this is the Niagara Falls right here. These are the American Falls. They light it up in beautiful lights and Lindsay can tell you an amazing story looking down about the lights of Niagara Falls.

L TUCHMAN: So it may not be as cool as pressing the button for the ball to drop in Times Square, but we got to press the button to turn the lights on in the Falls and change the color. We got to pick whatever color. There are really easygoing about it. They're like, "Pick whatever color you want."

G TUCHMAN: There's like 12 colors. We pick them and here's the other fall, this is the Horseshoe Falls. This is the biggest of the Niagara Falls.

L TUCHMAN: That's a big one.

G TUCHMAN: It span in Canada and America. When Nik Wallenda from the tightrope-walking family in 2012 walked across Niagara Falls, that's where he was.

L TUCHMAN: Not in this weather.

G TUCHMAN: Yes, not in this weather, but the Horseshoe Falls - you can see people who left the concert are standing along the rails to see the Niagara Falls. And right here, this building on top of this is the Skylon Tower it looks like the Space Needle in Seattle, but this is Ontario's Space Needle and we saw the most amazing fireworks at the stroke of midnight come out of the top of that tower, on the roof of that tower.

L TUCHMAN: It must have been a good view for the people that are up there.

G TUCHMAN: Yes. And there's a restaurant up. It's really really beautiful. This was a great celebration. Canada's largest celebration.

L TUCHMAN: And I got to ask you guys a question, what is the one thing that you think my dad should have done but didn't do related to the Falls?

G TUCHMAN: What do you think of the daredevil, Brooke and Don? What do you think ...

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: I think he should go over Niagara Falls in a barrel.

BALDWIN: In a barrel, I'm trying to think. G TUCHMAN: Yes. And I will tell you, Don and Brooke, if we had a

dollar for every person ...

(CROSSTALK)

G TUCHMAN: Yes, Tafetta Mooney (ph) here in Canada, every person who's asked us, we bought a barrel to go over the Falls, we'd be very rich people. But I want to tell you a public service announcement before we say goodbye that only about 20% of daredevils have tried and survived, the rest don't. So my advice to you and Lindsay's advice to you is don't get a barrel, do not go over Niagara Falls, live a good and happy life and have a happy 2019.

L TUCHMAN: Happy New Year, guys.

[00:45:00]

LEMON: You're absolutely right. Hey listen, Gary. We love you. You know we're proud of you. But Lindsay, we're so proud of you. Lindsay followed in her dad's footsteps.

BALDWIN: Yes.

LEMON: We watch her on television and

(CROSSTALK)

L TUCHMAN: And Don, I interviewed you earlier this year, do you remember that?

BALDWIN: Yes. Yes.

LEMON: I know, yes.

BALDWIN: We love Lindsay. We love Lindsay. She's working her way up.

L TUCHMAN: Professionally.

BALDWIN: She's working her way up.

LEMON: Yes. Yes. But we're proud of you, Lindsay. Keep up the great work.

G TUCHMAN: Happy New Year.

BALDWIN: Yes, Lindsay

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Happy New Year, guys.

BALDWIN: Happy New Year, Gary. I love you.

LEMON: Happy New Year.

BALDWIN: This is so fun. I love talking and we're all friends and there he goes. There he goes. Are you having a good time?

LEMON: Yes, I'm having a great time. I'm just starting to get my - listen, everybody should get their drink on a New Year's Eve. Look at these guys, every time I think of a drink ...

BALDWIN: Oh, wow.

LEMON: ... they're like drink, drink, drink because it's New Year's Eve. People are letting off steam for the entire year. It's been a rough year. We've got to deal with a lot of stuff, so have fun. We're not talking policy. We're not talking hard new stories. Have a great time.

BALDWIN: You look so handsome.

LEMON: So do you. Wait, who is this?

BALDWIN: This jacket?

LEMON: Thank you, by the way.

BALDWIN: This is Naeem Khan. He's an Indian-American designer.

LEMON: It's beautiful.

BALDWIN: He did my wedding dress and I was like, "Naeem, it's the most beautiful beadwork from India." So it's borrowed, it's not mine. It's Naeem, unless you want to change your mind. And you?

LEMON: There was this company that I shop at all of the time that was very nice to me, J.Crew. This is all J.Crew.

BALDWIN: I love some J.Crew.

LEMON: I saw it on the website and I called my friend who works for J.Crew and I said, "I want that." And they said, "We'd be happy to dress you for New Year's Eve."

BALDWIN: And just like that.

LEMON: So thank you, J.Crew.

BALDWIN: I love it, you're bringing it this year.

LEMON: Yes, thank you.

BALDWIN: You are bringing it this year.

LEMON: I know. I did the bow tie. The bow tie is actually Brooks Brothers, but everything else is J.Crew.

BALDWIN: You want to bring it for New Orleans. You want to bring it for this crowd. You want to bring it. You want to roll it in 2019 in style. I've be in my pajamas there at home.

LEMON: Happy New Year. We got to take a quick break. We're going to be back from New Orleans. Look at this wonderful band and all of these amazing people.

BALDWIN: We're counting down till midnight.

LEMON: Right back from New Orleans in a minute.

[00:50:00]

LEMON: And we are back.

BALDWIN: And welcome back.

LEMON: We're back.

BALDWIN: You're watching the after the parties, the after parties New Orleans show.

LEMON: I have a surprise for you. So Bill is the owner of this establishment. Show them what we're going to get at midnight, Bill.

BALDWIN: Oh, whoa.

LEMON: Check this out. Oh, yes. I love that.

BALDWIN: Whoa. You guys, Spotted Cat.

LEMON: That has my name written all over it. Thank you, Bill.

BALDWIN: Thank you.

LEMON: Spotted Cat is amazing. We're going to get that at midnight, so you're with us ...

BALDWIN: Thank you, Spotted Cat.

LEMON: ... you're with us till midnight. Do you like Keith Urban?

BALDWIN: I love Keith Urban. I love Nashville. We're southerners. I love that town so much, so let's listen in to Keith Urban. I think he's performing in Nashville.

[00:55:00]

LEMON: Keith Urban is good.

BALDWIN: Hot.

LEMON: He's got some guns too.

BALDWIN: He's got some guns. You were remarking on his guns as we are watching him.

LEMON: I was like, "I never knew Keith Urban had guns like that."

BALDWIN: Good on you, Keith Urban. Good on you.

LEMON: We have about two minutes until we crack this baby open. BALDWIN: Do we have enough champagne?

LEMON: I don't know.

BALDWIN: Why did it take us five years to finally get a Magnum. It's almost night time.

LEMON: Someone had a premature eruption.

BALDWIN: Thank you so much for being with us. You are ridiculous and that's why we love you. Love you. Love you.

LEMON: It's an eruption. It's an eruption. I'm having such a great time. I hope you guys are having a great time watching us at home, because --

BALDWIN: As fun as we've had doing the show each and every year.

LEMON: Hey, Bill, tell me the name of the band again.

BILL: Meschiya Lake & The Little Big Horn.

LEMON: Meschiya Lake & The Little Big Horn is performing behind us.

BALDWIN: And a huge thank you to Spotted Cat. You all had us in so many years in a row and put up with our shenanigans. And if you only could see our crew, Rich Brooks, one of our photojournalist is sort of standing and profusely on this ladder. Yes.

LEMON: Oh, Brooke, I got the big balls.

BALDWIN: You have your big balls again like always right with the ....

LEMON: Do we get a boa? What do we need?

BALDWIN: Standby, hold.

LEMON: Hold please. Oh, 35, 35 seconds, is that right? Forty, 40. I don't know, Brooke, what do you think? Hey, look, those are my friends. Say hi, guys. Say hi. All of the ladies came out to see me tonight. We got 30 - hold on, Brooke, don't open it till we're on camera. Okay, so we got 30 seconds. Rich, this way. Twenty seconds, 20.

[01:00:00]

Fourteen, 13, 12, 11, 10, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Happy New Year. Merry New Year.

BALDWIN: Oh, Happy New Year, honey.

LEMON: Happy New Year, I love you. Oh, boy.

BALDWIN: Happy New Year.

LEMON: Happy New Year, everybody.

BALDWIN: Happy New Year. Cheers.

LEMON: That's good. That's a good ...

BALDWIN: We're about to drink confetti.

LEMON: ... that's a good stuff.

BALDWIN: That is a good stuff.

LEMON: That's a good-ish. Wherever you are, wherever you're celebrating with your family, alone or whatever, Happy New Year.

BALDWIN: Happy New Year.

LEMON: May 2019 be the best ever, 2018, it was good but it kind of suck too.

BALDWIN: There was a good and a bad. I choose to only think about the good especially right now. I have a good feeling about 2019.

LEMON: I do too. That is the southern part of me right there.

BALDWIN: Where is my --

LEMON: Look at their hair. I love the purple hair.

BALDWIN: Hi, honey.

LEMON: Hi.

BALDWIN: Cheers. Cheers. I hope you guys are at home in your PJs ...

LEMON: Tell us what you're doing. We're drinking confetti.

BALDWIN: ... drinking really good champagne and are enjoying yourselves. And you're toasting yourself to the goods and maybe the not as good, not as great.

LEMON: A hot dayt up in here.

BALDWIN: ... I'm sweating. I'm spitzing.

LEMON: Hey, baby.

BALDWIN: Where's your man?

LEMON: He's back there. He never want to come up.

BALDWIN: We're so proud of you, guys.

LEMON: He doesn't want to be on TV this year. Where's your man?

BALDWIN: He's stuck back outside. He was like, "See you all." LEMON: "I don't want to be on TV this year."

BALDWIN: "See you all."

LEMON: We're going to leave that TV stuff to you guys.

BALDWIN: I know.

LEMON: Brooke, I don't want to talk, can we go late? I don't want to end.

BALDWIN: I know. Why don't we go another hour?

LEMON: Why don't we go another hour? I mean, come on, what else do you guys have to do?

BALDWIN: I mean, we have a Magnum, the champagne. We do a magic ...

LEMON: We have a whole Magnum.

BALDWIN: ... what that television would look like.

LEMON: We got the band playing behind us. We got good looking women.

BALDWIN: I don't want it to end.

LEMON: What?

BALDWIN: I don't want it to end.

LEMON: I know but we got to do our traditional quarter love crawl.

BALDWIN: Our quarter crawl. You all don't want to know what we look like at 4:00 a.m. This is just the beginning of the party. We have like - well, some of us have like drinking jet lag while everyone has been out for hours we're like, "What's up?"

LEMON: Give me some more of that, Bill.

BALDWIN: For all of you who have been tuned all year to this guy and me, whoever else with CNN, thank you. For all of you, say thank you. Thank you.

LEMON: Hey, listen, if it's been bad, it'll get better. If it's been great, it'll get greater. We got one heck of a year ahead of us.

BALDWIN: I did get married this year, so I've been to all of it.

LEMON: You did, so congratulations. So part of the government is shut down.

[01:05:00]

BALDWIN: Thank you, honey.

LEMON: Let's hope people get their paychecks back. But anyway we're going to say Happy New Year from New Orleans. Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Don Lemon.

BALDWIN: Thank you, guys. Happy New Year. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

LEMON: Goodnight. Happy 2019.

BALDWIN: Happy New Year.