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CNN This Morning
Pope Benedict To Lie In State In St. Peter's Basilica On Monday; Suspect In Idaho Killings Arrested In Pennsylvania; Questions Remain About Motive, Murder Weapon; Canada Australia To Require Negative COVID Tests For Travelers From China; More Than 15 Million Under Winter Weather Alerts; Experts Predict Home Prices And Mortgage Rates To Fall In 2023; Missiles Pummeled Ukraine As 2022 Drew To A Close; Massive Search For NC Girl Who Disappeared More Than A Month Ago; New CNN Film, "Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over"; Nelly Cheboi Awarded CNN Here of the Year; Top 10 Entertainment stories of 2022. Aired 7-8a ET
Aired January 01, 2023 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[07:00:16]
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Buenos dias. Good morning and happy New Year. Welcome to this special edition of CNN This Morning. It is Sunday, January 1, 2023. Can you believe it? I'm Boris Sanchez.
AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: No, I can't. We blinked, and now it's 2023. Boris, good to be with you. I'm Amara Walker. Happy New Year. We hope your new year is off to a great start.
Just ahead, home prices spiked in 2022, pricing many people out of the market. So, what can we see and expect to see this year? We'll take a look at that coming up.
SANCHEZ: Plus, inflation hasn't stopped people from spending, but they're not necessarily spending it on clothes and shoes. The concerns that retail stores could see losses this year and what people are spending their money on instead. But first, let's get you caught up in this morning's news headlines with Whitney Wild.
WHITNEY WILD, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, and happy New Year, Boris and Amara. And to all of you watching at home. We begin this morning in Vatican City, where thousands have gathered for the first mass of 2023 just one day after the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Benedict passed away Saturday at the age of 95 at his home in a monastery on the grounds of the Vatican.
And beginning Monday, his body will be moved to St. Peter's Basilica where for three days, the public will be able to pay their respects before a funeral on Thursday, that will be overseen by Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square. The Vatican has said the ceremony will be a, quote, solemn and simple affair after which Benedict will be buried in the papal tombs under the Basilica.
This morning, three NYPD officers are recovering after a man attacked them with a machete. According to the NYPD commissioner, a 19-year-old man carried out this unprovoked attack just outside of Times Square New Year's Eve security screening zone. And that's where the man approached an officer and attempted to strike him over the head with a machete.
He then hit two other officers before one of those officers fired his service weapon, that bullet hitting the suspect in the shoulder. The suspect is being treated for his injuries. The FBI, NYPD, and the FBI's JTTF are all investigating.
Meanwhile, in Alabama, one person was killed and nine others were injured in a shooting in Mobile, Alabama. It happened just last night, blocks from where people had gathered for the city's New Year's Eve celebration. The conditions of the injured are not clear, however, police said that the surviving victims were all transported to local hospitals. A motive for the shooting is still not clear at this point and no arrests have been made.
New this morning, the suspect charged in the deaths of four University of Idaho students is currently being held without bail in Pennsylvania. That's where he was arrested on Friday. 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger's lawyer says he will waive extradition back to Idaho, where he's charged with four counts of first-degree murder as well as felony burglary.
CNN's Veronica Miracle is in Moscow, Idaho with more.
VERONICA MIRACLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There has been such a sense of relief in this community now that the suspect has been arrested. Of course, it doesn't change the fact that four gruesome murders took place in this seemingly safe town in this rural college community. But now that there has been an arrest, we have heard from people who just feel such relief.
In fact, one business owner came by here to the Moscow Police Department to drop off a gift. He was so grateful. He says this community, of course, has been impacted emotionally. Everyone has been on edge for the last seven weeks, but it's also impacted the economy. He's a business owner and his employees are students, as are most of the businesses in this town.
There's other businesses who've been impacted where students have left because they just don't feel safe being in this city. And so they've been studying virtually. And so now, so many people are hoping that this community comes back together when students come back to class in the next couple of weeks.
In terms of the Moscow Police Department, you know, there's been a lot of criticism over the last seven weeks because they did not release hardly any information. And every time we would ask why that was, they said they wanted to protect the integrity of the investigation. There were no leaks from this small department and they kept all of their information close. They say that they are glad that they did that.
The police chief saying he wouldn't change a thing and, in fact, he is receiving apologies now. Here's what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHIEF JAMES FRY, MOSCOW, IDAHO POLICE: Few of them have sent me e- mails, some apologizing. You know, we're a pretty humble group here, and we know that people are going to be watching what we're doing. And some of that is criticism. And we have a job to do. We continue to do it.
And it does feel good to -- we held everything close for a long time, and we did it for the reason that we've stated. And I think the end result here proves to a lot of people that maybe it was exactly done right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[07:05:02]
MIRACLE: Bryan Kohberger remains in Pennsylvania right now, but he has an extradition hearing coming this Tuesday. His public defender has told CNN that he is going to waive his right to that extradition hearing and so he could be back in this state as early as Tuesday. I asked the police chief how long that process will take. He says it could be a couple of days, it could be as early as Tuesday. When he arrives back here, he will go to the Latah County Jail.
Veronica Miracle, CNN, Moscow, Idaho.
WILD: The resolution is certainly a relief for those families. Two more countries are ramping up. COVID testing requirements for people traveling from China. Canada and Australia are the latest to require a negative test before boarding a flight from the country. This comes just days after the U.S. and the U.K. issued the same requirement. U.S. officials did not estimate how long they expect these rules to remain in place, saying only that they would monitor the situation and then they would adjust if they need to.
Right now, in California and Nevada, more than a quarter of a million customers are without power after heavy rains and high winds slammed the region. Those conditions also prompting flooding in several areas. That includes this highway that you're looking at in the Bay Area that had to be temporarily shut down, although it has since reopened.
That storm system will continue to impact the west before pushing east, bringing the threat for severe weather to parts of the south. CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar is tracking all of that for us. So Allison, good morning to you. Happy New Year. And the question is, how does this play out across the country? Is it going to break up over any of the mountain ranges? Is it going to turn to snow? What's it going to look like?
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right, so good morning to you too. Yes, this is going to be a very important system to watch in the coming days because it's going to end up traversing across so many states. Right now, the focus is still over the western portion of the U.S. where we still anticipate some snow and even some rain. And the thing is, it's on top of pretty significant amounts of rain already.
Oakland, California, picking up almost 5 inches. San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe exceeding the 5-inch mark. Santa Cruz picking up over seven and some locations of California even picked up over 8 inches of rain in just a 24-hour period. Right now, the rain is focused across San Diego, Las Vegas, the general southwestern region.
But then it's going to begin to make its way across the east. As it does so, it's going to take that cold air and the moisture with it. So you've got winter weather alerts from California all the way over to Wisconsin where we anticipate the system is going to go in the 24 to 72 hours in the future.
Here's a look at that system as it makes its way over to the east on Monday. Once we'll start to see a lot of the winter weather aspects begin to impact the Midwest, but also severe storms along the gulf coast. States like Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, all under the threat for severe storms not just Monday, but also Tuesday. This is going to be a multi-day event. The main threats here will be tornadoes, damaging winds, as well as hail.
WILD: Allison Chinchar, thank you. All right, looking to cash in this New Year. The Mega Millions jackpot is still up for grabs, so you still have a chance. Friday's drawing failed to produce a winner. The jackpot now stands at an estimated $785 million. That is the fourth largest pot in the game's history. Your chance to win next Tuesday.
I'll see you right back here at about 20 minutes past the hour. For now, let's send it back to Boris and Amara.
SANCHEZ: Inflation priced many potential buyers out of the market. So will we see a turnaround in 2023 or just more of the same? We're going to discuss next.
WALKER: Plus, despite high prices on pretty much everything, shoppers are still willing to spend. But they're not necessarily spending it at the mall. The concerns for retailers this year and what people are opting to splurge for instead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:11:40]
SANCHEZ: The U.S. housing market went from red hot to ice cold in 2022 as spiking inflation and the threat of recession forced the Federal Reserve to put the brakes on the economy. Its rate hike strategy seems to be working. So what can we expect from the housing market in 2023?
Lawrence Yun, the Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors, is here with his crystal ball. Lawrence, we appreciate you being here. Happy New Year. First, Adam Slater, a lead economist at Oxford Economics, told CNN Business that, quote, this is the most worrying housing market outlook since 2007 through 2008, which, of course, was the start of the financial crisis. Do you concur with that assessment?
LAWRENCE YUN, CHIEF ECONOMIST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS: Well, happy New Year. And certainly, the housing market did chill down throughout last year when the mortgage rate rose quite sharply in such a short duration of time. But the good news is that mortgage rate appears to be stabilizing inflation, I should say decelerating inflation, is making the Federal Reserve to be a little less aggressive going forward.
Mortgage market already priced in the future, rate hike by the Federal Reserve to be more mild. So if the mortgage rate stabilized, home sales will stabilize and even possibly pickup by spring buying season, which means that home prices should be fairly stable.
SANCHEZ: So let's say that they happen to fall the way that some economists at Goldman Sachs are predicting. Will that hurt the confidence of homeowners that are trying to offload properties? How do you think that's going to play out?
YUN: You know, certainly some markets like San Francisco where you are seeing very high office vacancy rate, which means that people do not have to live so close to the city and then they are going to the other cities. So in some market, there would be some meaningful price decline.
But we think that especially in the cities along the southern states, Atlanta, you look at the Fairfield Bay, Arkansas or Riley, North Carolina, you'll probably see some continuing price growth even though it will be a moderate price growth for the simple reason they have a stronger job creation. Affordability is there and you have people moving in from other states coming into this area. So all real estate is local, but overall, nationwide I see more as a price stabilization in this year.
SANCHEZ: And how do you think that's going to affect the economy more broadly?
YUN: The housing leads the economy, so the economy has been struggling along because homebuilders have cut back on production. But with the mortgage rate stabilizing or even possibly declining, that will bring some return of the buyers. The builders will get more active and contribute positively to the economy.
SANCHEZ: So last year demand for housing massively outstripped supply. You noted that you foresee prices stabilizing. How do you see that playing out when it comes to inventory? Do you think we'll see a shortage?
YUN: We had a housing shortage prior to COVID coming into the country. Then the supply really got acute shortage during COVID when the demand was picking multiple offers widely prevalent, then the market calm down.
[07:15:15]
But if the mortgage rate stabilize, job creation continues, we may begin to see again return of the buyers and see a fresh round of a housing. That's why it's critical to assure that we have more supply, more building activity this year so that the supply matches up with the demand. SANCHEZ: And notably, Lawrence, borrowing costs more than doubled in 2022. The Mortgage Bankers Association, they're forecasting mortgage rates to end 2023 at around 5.4 percent. Currently, they're just sitting under 7 percent. Do you agree with that? Where do you see mortgage rates going?
YUN: The mortgage rates I think will bounce around at around 6 percent. 5.5 percent is clearly a possibility, but towards the year end. So the fact that we have passed the peak in mortgage rate, remember it was above 7 percent back in October, November of last year. So improvement in mortgage rate will certainly help housing market steadily revive.
SANCHEZ: I'm curious about what this looks like from a global perspective because the CEO of Bank of America, Brian Moynihan, told CNN that he's bracing for two years of pain before the housing market returns to normal. But he also thinks, quote, "Our economy is holding on better than the rest of the world". Is he right?
YUN: Well, you know, one looks at some of the distressed property sales like foreclosures. It is currently at historically low levels. So even though all the talks about potential housing market crashing down, the market is fundamentally sound. Homeowners are actually smiling. They have seen quite sizable gain in their housing wealth, but this does not mean that it will continue.
I think the home prices overall will stabilize. And certainly, one benefit here in America is that most homeowners have fixed rate mortgages. Their monthly mortgage payment do not change while, say, people living in Britain, next month their mortgage payment may be rising because Central Bank raised the interest rate. So, very unlike Britain, American homeowners are in a very sound, stable mortgage payment environment.
SANCHEZ: And so, for someone who's out there that wants to potentially invest in something new, would you recommend perhaps a rental property?
YUN: You know, definitely for potential home buyers, stay within budget, don't overstretch. But for real estate investors, as they look at some alternative, do they buy stocks, bonds or real estate and get the rental income? Because rental income has been quite good the past two years and with job creation, there will be more fresh set of renter demand appearing this year.
SANCHEZ: Lawrence Yun, we got to leave the conversation there. We appreciate you giving us your outlook for the New Year. We hope it treats you well.
YUN: Thank you.
WALKER: All right, more to come here. We've got a check of your morning headlines after this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:21:45]
WALKER: Welcome back, everyone, to the special New Year's Day edition of CNN This Morning. We hope your 2023 is off to you. A wonderful start. How's yours going, Boris?
SANCHEZ: So far so good. Some electrolyte drinks, you know, trying to replenish those fluids. How's yours, Amara?
WALKER: Replenish those fluids, all right. So far so good. You're right, I mean, look, it's so early, of course. You know, we woke up happy, and I'm with you now, so all this good.
SANCHEZ: Awesome. 2023, here we go.
Coming up, shoppers dug deep into their wallets in 2022, but they weren't necessarily spending it at department stores and shopping malls. And that has some analysts worried that 2023 could be a rough year for retailers.
WALKER: Plus, who can forget this image? It was one of the biggest moments and slaps heard around the world, right, in entertainment in 2022. We're going to take a look at what else made the list. But first, let's get you caught up on this morning's headline.
WILD: Good morning, Boris and Amara. And good morning to you at home. We're getting word of a new attack in Kyiv. Officials say almost three dozen drones attacked infrastructure in the region on New Year's Day. The attack came on the heels of a separate wave of strikes before this day began.
That is video of a strike caught on camera in Kyiv Saturday. Ukraine says that Russia launched missile attacks across the country, killing at least six people and leaving more than two dozen wounded. CNN's Ben Wedeman was within earshot of some of the strikes on the capital.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: OK, there have been several loud explosions. We see three points of impact. The air defenses are working. We also see puffs of smoke in the air where they've gone off. This is an ongoing barrage.
WILD: Saturday's attack hits schools, businesses and residential buildings in Kyiv. About 30 percent of the city was temporarily left without power.
Authorities in North Carolina say a massive manhunt is underway to find missing 11-year-old Madalina Cojocari. And that has been hampered by how late police were notified of her disappearance. CNN's Nadia Romero has the latest on the investigation.
NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Law enforcement tells us they've received about 250 leads spanning across the globe as they begin this search effort and as it continues this weekend, looking for 11-year-old Madalina Cojocari. So the timeline here is what's so interesting and disturbing about this case.
So let's start with November 21. You're taking a look at surveillance video on a school bus, and law enforcement officers tell us that that is Madalina on that school bus on November 21. That's our first timestamp. Then you go two days later, November 23, the day before Thanksgiving, that's when her mother told police that was the last time she saw her daughter.
But then there's this big gap in time from November 23 to December 15. Now, her mother reported her missing to her school only after school officials started asking questions about where Madalina was.
[07:25:10]
On December 15, the mother went to the school, told them that her daughter was missing. And then the school district, according to police, immediately called law enforcement and told them what was going on.
Two days later, on December 17, that's when Madalina's mother and her stepfather were arrested for failing to notify police about their daughter being missing within a reasonable time. That is a law in North Carolina. That is why they're both being held in jail right now. Madalina's mother told police that she didn't report her daughter missing because she didn't want to cause conflict in her marriage. But she told them that she did not know where her daughter was.
Now, this search that began in a small community has now involved that local police department, the county sheriff's office, now the FBI, as the search expands, all looking for this missing 11-year-old girl.
Nadia Romero, CNN, Atlanta.
WILD: Nadia, thank you. Officials in Alabama are investigating how an airline worker was killed at Montgomery's Airport Saturday. The incident involved an employee who was on a ramp where an American Airlines regional jet was parked. The airport briefly shut down operations following the incident.
In a statement, American Airlines offered condolences to the worker's family and called the death an accident. However, the circumstances of that death have not yet been made public. Anita Pointer, one of the founding members of the R&B Act, the Pointer Sisters, has died at the age of 74. She grew up singing in her father's church before she and her sisters formed that group.
They won three Grammys as a band and are remembered for such hits as "I'm So Excited and Jump." Her publicist says Anita Pointer staged a very heroic battle with cancer before dying at home in Los Angeles with her family by her side.
Brazil is making preparations for the public wake of football legend Pele. The ceremony will begin Monday at the stadium in Sao Paulo state. Organizers have been setting up tents and chairs and banners across the field where Pele's body will be placed. Thousands of people are expected to show up and say goodbye.
Pele died last week after a battle with cancer. He scored more than 1,200 goals in his career and won three World Cup titles. In New York, thousands of nurses are threatening to go on strike next week. The State's Nurses Association says at least 16,000 caregivers have delivered notices to eight private hospitals. They want a new negotiation of their union contract. The president of the association tells CNN hospitals just aren't doing enough to invest and retain nurses.
The newest members of Congress are scheduled to be sworn in this coming Tuesday, January 3. But House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy still has not secured the votes he needs to be the next House Speaker. CNN's Melanie Zanona has more.
MELANIE ZANONA, CNN CAPITOL HILL REPORTER: Kevin McCarthy is still on the hunt for 218 votes for Speaker. Kevin McCarthy convened a conference call on Friday with some of his critics and some of his supporters. But sources tell me and my colleague Lauren Fox that there were no major break throughs. This despite the fact that Kevin McCarthy has offered a number of concessions to his critics.
That includes agreeing to an investigative panel to centralize all the probes into the Biden administration. That's something conservatives have really been clamoring for, and perhaps most notably here. McCarthy has agreed to a lower threshold for a vote on triggering -- a vote on deposing the sitting speaker. That is something known as the motion to vacate the Speaker's chair. It has been a chief demand of his conservative critics.
Up until this point, McCarthy has been really reluctant to budge on the issue. That is because he's essentially giving power to his critics to fire him at any given notice. But as he has struggled to lock down the votes for speaker, he is now willing to come down to a threshold as low as five people, sources tell CNN. So that would be a major concession for Kevin McCarthy.
However, moderates in the party said on the conference call on Friday that they are very uncomfortable with that idea. And meanwhile, the critics who are pushing for that threshold still wouldn't commit to voting for Kevin McCarthy. So they wrapped the call, agreeing to work through the weekend.
They are hoping to resolve some of these outstanding issues and then finalize a rules package and then hope that everything else sort of just falls into place. But there is no guarantee of that happening, and, of course, time is running out to seal the deal.
WILD: It could certainly be a contentious start to the year. Melanie Zanona, thank you.
Still ahead, the new CNN film, "Don't Make Me Over" spotlighting the career of singer Dionne Warwick premieres tonight. Coming up, Don Lemon sits down with Warwick for a look at her legendary journey.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[07:30:00]
WILD: Tonight, on CNN, be sure to tune into the brand-new CNN film "Don't Make Me Over," chronicling the life and career of the iconic singer, Dionne Warwick. CNN's Don Lemon spoke with Warwick about her storied career.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIONNE WARWICK, SINGER: You can always count on me, for sure. That's what friends are for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DON LEMON, CNN THIS MORNING CO-ANCHOR: Oh, man. She is one of the greatest singers of all-time. Dionne Warwick's distinctive voice that some have said is like finding water in a desert. It has thrilled her legions of fans. And over the decades, the legendary vocal artist has brought us countless hits like "Alfie," "Do You Know the Way to San Jose." While also breaking through racial barriers and shining a spotlight on important social issues.
The new CNN film "Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over", that's another one of her hits, right? It tells the intimate stories behind the singer's rise from gospel choir to global superstardom. Here's a preview of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WARWICK: Shows were completely sold out every night. It was one side, which was white, where they were seated, and the other side was a ballroom-type setting, where everybody was standing. Blacks were on this side. Whites were on this side.
The stage was straight ahead. And I remember Sam saying, Dionne, do not turn your back on the white folk. And I said, well, why not? He said, do not turn your back on the white folk. I said, OK. First thing I did when I went out there, I walked straight to the band and turned my back and played to the ones that looked like me. Everybody can hear me. Everybody can see me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Joining us now, the legend herself, Dionne Warwick. So outspoken. Dionne, thank you so much for joining us. I really appreciate it.
WARWICK: My pleasure, my darling. You know I love you.
LEMON: I love you, as well. This is a beautiful film about your incredible life and career. Why did you decide to let audiences in now to get such an intimate look at you and your life?
WARWICK: You know, people have their own opinions and they suppose things, now they know the real deal.
LEMON: You were the first black person to win the pop vocal Grammy for "Do You Know Your Way to San Jose."
[07:35:00] Did you ever imagine reaching these heights when you were singing in the gospel choir in Jersey?
WARWICK: No, as a matter of fact, I never really wanted to record. I finally was talked into it because I was promised one particular song to be my first recording. And that song is, "Make It Easy on Yourself." And Bacharach and David we gave that song to Jerry Butler. And I was not very happy about that.
As a matter of fact, my first recording, "Don't Make Me Over," was because of something I said to them, that they could not do. And that was make me over.
LEMON: Oh, really? You said, don't try --
WARWICK: Yes.
LEMON: -- to make me into something that I'm not? Is that where that came from?
WARWICK: Exactly. Exactly. And, of course, Hal David pretend that they heard and "Don't Make Me Over".
LEMON: This looks at the way that you had to deal with racism throughout your career. So, tell us more about your approach when you faced that kind of injustice. Was that part of your "Do Not Make Me Over" approach?
WARWICK: No, you know, I didn't know anything about that coming from East Orange, New Jersey, AAA (ph). And that kind of confrontation, I never even dreamed of. I mean, I lived on street -- Sterling Street in East Orange, but I really likened it into the United Nations where every race, color, creed, and religion on that street. And we all lived very comfortably together.
We walked to school together. We had lunches together. People came my home. I went to their homes. So, being a -- subjected to the madness because of the color of my skin, traveling throughout the southern regions of our country, I kind of found the stupid side.
I'll be on your side forever more.
LEMON: But this film also highlights, Ms. Warwick, your work on the AIDS crisis. And you helped so many people, and particularly your Grammy-winning hit, "That's What Friends Are For," which has raised millions and millions of dollars for the cause over these years. Why did you decide to speak out then? Because it wasn't so popular to do what you did.
WARWICK: No, it really wasn't. In fact, it was frightening, the way people were shying away from it. We were losing so many people within my industry. I mean, we were losing hairdressers and dancers and cameramen and lighting people and wardrobe people. And I -- you know, being the nosey person that I am, I wanted to know what this thing was. Nobody knew anything about it until Rock Hudson put a face on it. I was appointed by President Reagan as the Ambassador of Health for United States. I decided that, let's see what's going on in other places because we're hearing that there were medications being applied. People getting wonderful results from it. And I kind of went on a jaunt. I ran around the world and I was bringing back medicines from different countries to see if they were going to work on our people here.
I just felt that I was going to practice what my grandfather taught me. He said, many, many -- you know, when I was child, that we were all put here on this Earth to be of service to each other. And I didn't find that too hard to do. So, there I was.
LEMON: That's why we love you. I've got to ask you -- and you know, I always love you because, you know, I follow you on Twitter. I wonder how you feel about the changes under Elon Musk because you have people like Whoopi Goldberg saying, I'm out until they fix this platform. Are you going to stay on the platform?
WARWICK: No, I have not met Mr. Musk yet and intend to do that.
LEMON: You said, you want to meet with him?
WARWICK: Yes, I do. I want to see what he's really up to. I've learned, you never judge a book by its cover. You've got to open it up and start reading it. And that's the way I feel about him as well. So, I'm going to see what he wants to and how he's going to really approach his new venture.
LEMON: I've got to tell people one of the biggest thrills of my life was an award that I got.
WARWICK: Yes.
LEMON: And a surprise, they said, someone is here to sing for you and introduce you, and it was you. I almost fell out of my chair. I could barely accept the award for crying. I know, you know, from knowing you, that this is, you know, there's still a lot more runway ahead for Dionne Warwick. So, what is the next chapter? Do you know?
WARWICK: No, I haven't -- I don't know what God has in store for me. You know, I'm just following in the path he's leading me down.
LEMON: Dionne Warwick, thank you. I love you so much. Thank you.
WARWICK: That's the way I feel about you, too. You know that.
[07:40:00]
WARWICK: Thank you. That's a song, too. Be sure to tune in the all- new CNN film "Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over" premieres New Year's Day at 9:00 p.m. only here on CNN.
WILD: So fascinating. Don, thank you so much for that.
Stay with us, we have a look at the top 10 entertainment stories of the past year, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: And now, the 2022 CNN Hero of the Year is --
CROWD: Nelly Cheboi.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: That was 2022's CNN's Hero of the Year. Nelly Cheboi's nonprofit TechLit Africa has provided thousands of students across rural Kenya with access to computers.
WALKER: And in a really special heartfelt moment, she brought her mom up on stage and sang with her. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NELLY CHEBOI, CEO AND FOUNDER, TECHLIT AFRICA: And now, in front of the whole world, I want to sing you this song one more time.
CROWD: (Speaking in a foreign language).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: I get goosebumps just watching that. Our colleagues at CNN This Morning, Don Lemon, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins spoke to Nelly about her win and what it means to her and her family.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF CORRESPONDENT: Nelly and her mother join us now. That moment, I'm so glad it was captured. You told us last night what the song meant. Can you tell -- share with our audience, why that song is so special to the two of you?
CHEBOI: Because, I saw how hard she was working. I really -- I saw, like, she was working really hard. And so, I could not do anything. I could not do anything about it. I was only four, or maybe I was only five.
[07:45:00]
And so -- but then she'll come home, sometimes even at midnight, like -- just -- and so, I would sing her at this song, (Speaking in a foreign language). And then she will light up. She will light up. She's exhausted. She's stressed, but she would just light up. And that moment, I realized that that became a tradition. She comes home. We go to bed hungry sometimes. I sing her this song, she lights up, we live for another day.
LEMON: Can I just ask you?
CHEBOI: Uh-huh.
LEMON: I'm a total mama's boy, so this is for me, and I share everything with my mom. Why are you crying?
CHEBOI: Why am I --
LEMON: Because you're not seeing that moment?
CHEBOI: No, I am crying, because she did not believe me. I kept singing it to her and she did not believe me. And so -- and to be able to sing to her on such a global stage and right now, even here at "CNN This Morning" is that I told her that I'm going to show her the world, and she did not believe me.
And she did not understand. She did not understand what was going on at the event. She was just like, oh, that's you. That's you. She didn't understand. So, when I sang to her, she was like, wait, what? Like -- she kind of like -- it dawned to her. It's like she got to experience the whole moment. And so -- yes.
LEMON: She doesn't speak English, right? That's why we have --
CHEBOI: Yes, she speaks --
LEMON: Yes. Can you ask her what that moment meant to her.
CHEBOI: (Speaking in a foreign language).
Yes, she says that she just felt so warm. She felt so warm and she believes me now, that -- when I said, like, I was going to show her the world, she believes me now.
LEMON: I know.
POPPY HARLOW, CNN THIS MORNING CO-ANCHOR: For a mother to see their child grow into what you are is beyond any mother's wildest dreams. I hope you know that, right? All we want for our children, I think, is just to be kind and happy, and not only are you those things, you have used your power to change this world.
CHEBOI: And then also, I think for her to be here with me, to be here with me, I think like so many people have lost their mothers. And when they make it, their parents are not there. So, I feel so lucky that she's here and she's able to share the moment with me.
COLLINS: And we're so glad that you won it and you have this $100,000 now to expand your work even further than you already have and the imprint you've already had.
CHEBOI: Oh, yes, thank you so much. It's great.
COLLINS: Don.
LEMON: Thank you. I --
HARLOW: Well, you mom is -- LEMON: You are amazing. I just -- I just -- I can't, really. That's
amazing. Congratulations.
HARLOW: You know amazing mothers, don't you?
LEMON: I do. And this is -- you did it for her and this is her moment, as well as yours.
CHEBOI: Yes, yes.
LEMON: Yes.
CHEBOI: She's my hero.
LEMON: Thank you, Nelly. Thanks, mom. Christina, thank you so much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN NEW DAY WEEKEND ANCHOR: Such an amazing story. Just gives you all the feels. Congratulations, again to Nelly and her mom.
WALKER: Yes. What a special bond they have.
SANCHEZ: 2022 brought us some big moments in entertainment. There were blockbuster hits and then just some actual hits that sent shock waves around the world.
WALKER: CNN's Stephanie Elam has a look at some of the biggest entertainment stories of the past year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's time --
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): "Stranger Things" time travels to the '80s.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ELAM (voiceover): While Beyonce's "Renaissance" skyrockets to the top.
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR, "TOP GUN: MAVERICK": This is your captain speaking.
ELAM (voiceover): And the triumphant return of blockbuster movies.
ELAM (on camera): Hollywood forged full steam ahead into 2022, and it was a wild ride from start to finish. Here's a look at the top entertainment stories of the year.
ELAM (voiceover): At number 10.
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hollywood stars Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez have finally said, I do. ELAM (voiceover): Second time's the charm for this love story 20 years in the making. The pair met in 2001 on the set of the rom com, "Gigli."
BEN AFFLECK, ACTOR, "GIGLI": Hello. I'm sorry, do we know each other?
JENNIFER LOPEZ, ACTRESS, "GIGLI": Not yet.
ELAM (voiceover): They got engaged one year later, but after a whirlwind romance, they called it quits three years after that. But the couple found their way back to each other last year and exchanged vows at an intimate ceremony.
At number nine.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The one thing they ask of us is to stay here.
ELAM (voiceover): Drama on the set of "Don't Worry, Darling." Harry Style, Chris Pine, and Florence Pugh. The all-star cast generated a lot of buzz for its behind-the-scenes gossip. It started when Shia LaBeouf, the thriller's original male lead left the project and was replaced by Styles, who was reportedly in a relationship with director and co-star, Olivia Wilde. Then there were tensions between Wilde and lead actress, Florence Pugh. And video seemed to show stylist stiles spitting on Chris Pine during a press tour, which his spokesperson denies.
[07:50:00]
But would the very public off-screen chaos hinder or boost the film's numbers at the box office? Turns out, there was nothing to worry about. "Don't worry, Darling", won the box office on opening weekend.
At number eight.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: See you on the other side.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On the other side.
ELAM (voiceover): Small screen hits dominate pop culture. "Stranger Things" took audiences into a time machine, fast-forwarding to 1986. The show's fourth season brought back Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill", Metallica's "Master of Puppets", and paid homage to '80s trends and style.
On ABC, critics credited breakout series "Abbott Elementary" for bringing back the TV sitcom.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: These new keys I made must be too thick.
ELAM (voiceover): While the "White Lotus" on HBO traveled to exotic locations and brought home 10 Emmy Awards. And over on Netflix, the Addams' Family reboot "Wednesday" proved to be a huge winter hit. With audiences logging over 1 billion hours of screen time.
Number seven belongs to the Queen B herself. Beyonce smashed records with the seventh studio album "Renaissance." Things got off to a rocky start when the tracks were leaked online. But her fan base came to her rescue. The Beyhive rallied fans on social media to wait for the official release so everyone could enjoy it together. And that they did. "Renaissance" blasted to the top of the charts, giving us house music, afro beats, and nods to jams of the past.
Number six.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tom Cruise's new "Top Gun: Maverick" had the biggest Memorial Day opening weekend of all time.
ELAM (voiceover): Blockbuster movies are back.
CRUISE: This is your captain speaking.
ELAM (voiceover): The summer blockbuster raked in nearly $1.5 billion worldwide.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going into combat on a level no living pilots' ever seen.
ELAM (voiceover): And "Black Panther" fans turned out for "Wakanda Forever". Marvel's iconic superheroes led the charge at the holiday box office. But another epic release is snipping at its heels, "Avatar: The Way of The Water" is set up for the next big wave.
WOLF BLITZER, "THE SITUATION ROOM WITH WOLF BLITZER" HOST: Foot Locker is joining the growing list of companies cutting ties with Kanye West.
ELAM (voiceover): At number five, Kanye's controversies. After making a series of anti-semitic remarks and wearing a shirt with a slogan linked to the Ku Klux Klan, Ye's business partnerships ended. Balenciaga and Gap also pulled the plug, and Adidas added their long- time flagship deal. Meta and Twitter suspended his accounts. And Ye announced he would be acquiring conservative leaning social media platform Parler, but that deal went bust, too.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Isn't it possible they are both guilty? Isn't it possible they both said defamatory things?
ELAM (voiceover): Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's courtroom battle.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you find that Mr. Depp has proven that Ms. Heard acted with actual malice? Answer, yes.
ELAM (voiceover): Amber Heard's stoic as the jury finds she did defame Johnny Depp in a 2018 op-ed in "The Washington Post". The jury awarding Depp millions in damages.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As against Amber Heard, we the jury award compensatory damages in the amount of $10 million.
ELAM (voiceover): As Depp fans cheered outside the courtroom, another $5 million in punitive damages was awarded. On Heard's counter claim, Depp was found liable for a statement by his lawyer claiming Heard set-up Depp. The jury awarded her $2 million in damages. In December, Heard and Depp reached a settlement on the defamation case. But Heard said, this is not an act of concession.
Number three, saying goodbye to Hollywood legends.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Actor and comedian Bob Saget has died.
ELAM (voiceover): It started with the sudden death of one of TV's most beloved stars.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ELAM (voiceover): And then Olivia Newton-John lost her battle with cancer. And sadly, the list of entertainers we lost this year grew to include some of our favorites.
Number two, Taylor Swift's Ticketmaster fiasco. A concert for the Eras. Millions of fans queued up to buy tickets for Swift's highly- anticipated worldwide tour as soon as Ticketmaster's presale began. The heavy demand snarled Ticketmaster's website. Thousands of Swifties were in line for hours and many left empty handed when Ticketmaster suddenly canceled the presale.
Swift blamed Ticketmaster for the snap boo (ph) saying, it's been excruciating. But nothing stopped her ultra-loyal fans from supporting the pop star. She became the first artist ever to claim all 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100, following the release of her latest album "Midnights."
At number one. The slap to the jaw that had jaws dropping.
[07:55:00]
CHRIS ROCK, COMEDIAN: Jada, I love you. "G.I. Jane 2", can't wait to see it. Oh, wow. Wow. Will Smith just smacked the -- out of me.
ELAM (voiceover): The audience inside the Dolby Theater and around the world stunned.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, ACTRESS: Let me say this, there are consequences.
WANDA SYKES, COMEDIAN: I physically felt ill, and I'm still a little traumatized by it.
ELAM (voiceover): Smith resigned from the academy and he was banned from attending any other events, including the Oscars for the next 10 years. He apologized to Rock and is trying to move on. He's currently seeking redemption in Apple TV's "Emancipation", already getting some 2023 Oscars buzz.
ELAM (on camera): There are some big things to come for our newsmakers on our list. Beyonce says "Renaissance" is act one of three she recorded during the pandemic. And the cast of "Stranger Things" is poised to start shooting their fifth and final season. In Los Angeles, I'm Stephanie Elam.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Thank you so much for sharing part of your new year's morning with us. We very much appreciate it. Amara, no resolutions from you but any goals you can share?
WALKER: Take it day by day, that's all we can do. Cherish every moment and every day is a new day, right? A very happy new year from all of us at "CNN This Morning." "Inside Politics Sunday" is next.
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