Return to Transcripts main page

CNN This Morning

Flight Delays, Cancellations After Snowstorm Hits Northeast; Winter Storm To Hit Upper Midwest, Northeast Today; Zelenskyy, Trump To Meet One Day After New Russian Attack On Kyiv; Russia's Latest Attack On Ukraine Kills Two, Injured Dozens; Zelenskyy Calls Putin Man Of War After New Attack On Kyiv; Trump To Meet Netanyahu In Florida On Monday; Trump Phase Two Of Israel-Hamas Peace Plan Struggles To Progress; Bardot Foundation: Iconic French Actress Brigitte Bardot Dies At 91; Seventy-Five Thousand Migrants With No Criminal Background Detained By ICE; Former "Lion King" On Broadway Child Actress Killed In Stabbing. Consumer Confidence Slides Heading Into 2026; The Psychology Behind "Dry January" And How To Stick With It; "I'm Chevy Chase And You're Not" Airs New Year's Day At 8P ET; Derrick Henry Runs Ravens To 41-24 Win Over Packers; Texans Clinch Playoff Berth With Win Over Chargers; BYU Rallies To Beat Georgia Tech In Pop-Tarts Bowl. Aired 6-7a ET

Aired December 28, 2025 - 06:00   ET

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

[06:00:47]

BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: It is Sunday, December 28th. Welcome to CNN THIS MORNING. I'm Brad Smith in for Victor Blackwell. A lot going on as we get ready to round out the year. Here's what's happening this morning.

If you're traveling today, you will be far from alone. Today is expected to be the busiest travel day of the season. We're tracking the regions where the weather may be a problem.

Plus, happening in just a few hours, President Trump will meet with the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in Florida. Will the talks today bring Kyiv any closer to an end to Russia's war? We'll preview what to expect there.

And later, when it comes to the economy, the vibes were off this year. If your resolutions for 2026 include getting your money right, then here are the top tips straight from a personal finance expert coming up.

A powerful winter storm is affecting the Great Lakes and the Northeast today bringing snow, ice and major travel disruptions on what the TSA says is the busiest travel day of the season. As of this morning, more than 800 flights across the U.S. are delayed, and more than 200 cancellations are already reported, according to FlightAware.

Now, those numbers they are expected to climb, unfortunately, as the day goes on. There were more than 1,000 flight cancellations on Saturday with some travelers taking it better than others.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I've been waiting to get home all day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn't bring gloves. It was 87 back home yesterday, so 19 and snow here was, for us, like I said, it was a good treat and I wish I had another day to take the granddaughter sledding, but I have to get back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Now, Airports across the region, including LaGuardia and Newark, are dealing with lingering snow and ice as crews work to keep the runways clear. But another round of snow, freezing rain and strong winds could worsen conditions later today and into Monday.

CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar is tracking all of this for us. Allison, what can travelers expect today?

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, we've got a little bit of snow, a little bit of sleet and rain and some very gusty winds. In fact, you can actually see this orange color here. Those are blizzard warnings, in effect. That combination of the very heavy snow that is expected to come down with 40 to 60 mile per hour wind gusts, that's going to be focused across the Midwest, but the system is going to continue to slide off into the Northeast as we go through the next 24 hours.

So, let's take a look at where it is now. Again, you can see the snow is mainly focused over the northern plains. We've got some rain, again, where it's a little bit warmer here across portions of the Midwest. But that's going to continue to slide to the east.

So, here's a look at this morning. Then as we push this back into late this afternoon, you can already start to see some of that freezing rain and rain begin to enter areas of the Northeast. But now you're talking incredibly heavy snowfall across areas of the U.P. of Michigan, Wisconsin, portions of Minnesota. Down to the south, you've got the heavy rain across areas of southern Michigan, but that will change over as we go into the overnight hours tonight and that system continues to spread eastward.

So, here you can see by early Monday morning, unfortunately, around commute time, you're going to be looking at the heavy snow showers across areas like Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland. But very heavy rainfall for places like Boston and New York. So again, kind of dicey morning commute conditions in a lot of different places. It's just going to be slightly different terms of weather, whether it's rain or snow.

Here you can see overall the pink color indicates that mix. So, much of the northeast is going to get a little bit of rain and a little bit of ice all at once.

SMITH: A lot to keep tabs on as we go throughout the day. Allison Chinchar, thank you.

Happening today, we're also just hours away from a high stakes meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they try to end Russia's war on Ukraine. Now, this afternoon's peace talks will happen in Florida. That's after Russia's brutal attack on Ukraine this weekend. The aerial assault left two people dead and dozens injured.

CNN's Nada Bashir joins us live from London. And, Nada, what are you hearing ahead of this meeting?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this meeting certainly couldn't come at a more critical time, as we have seen Russia ramping up its aerial assault on Ukraine, as you mentioned, that large scale deadly assault Saturday, overnight, seeing at least two people killed as a result and dozens injured.

[06:05:01]

Some 500 drones and 40 missiles used in that assault. And the message that President Zelenskyy has come into this meeting carrying is that Ukraine needs more support, more commitments and more guarantees when it comes to its security as Ukrainian officials and U.S. officials, as well as other international partners and allies, including European leaders and NATO leaders, continue to try to hammer out this 20-point peace plan.

Now, we've heard from Zelenskyy. He, of course, stopped off in Canada and met with the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, yesterday ahead of his trip to Florida to meet with the U.S. president. And it's there that we saw both leaders, again, reiterating the need for greater support for Ukraine. The Canadian prime minister actually committing more backing for Ukraine in the form of economic assistance, some 1.8 billion USD committed by Canada just yesterday.

And of course, now we have seen Zelenskyy arriving in Florida. He has expressed his wish to see Trump giving Ukraine legally binding security guarantees as part of any deal that is agreed. And of course, a crucial part of this agreement will not only be support and backing from international partners, but also, of course, potential concessions that Zelenskyy is set to make.

And given the ramping up of Russia's assaults that we've seen over recent days, President Zelenskyy has warned that it is Ukraine only that is looking for peace, that there needs to be more pressure on Russia to try to come to a peace agreement, that the current state of play is clearly not working. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINE: Putin doesn't want peace, and we want peace. And he is the man of war but he is afraid to speak about it publicly but we see the steps. And what we need, we need to stop this war in any way. And we need two things, pressure on Russia and sufficient strong support for Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: President Zelenskyy has indicated he may be willing to make concessions when it comes to ceding territory. That would be a reciprocal measure if indeed agreed. But there are still many details to be hammered out, and all eyes will be on today's meeting with President Trump in Florida to see if any firm results come out of those talks.

SMITH: All right. A lot of moving parts there. Nada Bashir, thank you so much. Well, let's discuss this further with CNN global affairs analyst Kimberly Dozier. Good morning, Kim.

As we think about what is on the table for these talks, there's everything from additional security guarantees to what allies might need to chime in. Let's start there, though. What additional security guarantees might come from the U.S. and E.U. allies as well?

KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, what Zelenskyy really needs to hammer down in his meeting with Trump is just how serious the U.S. is about those security guarantees, what would trigger them, would the U.S. be willing to share extensive intelligence, would it be willing to start supplying some of the weapons that right now it's forcing Europe to pay for, and will it be able to continue supplying those weapons over a long period of time to keep Russia from the temptation of invading again.

What Zelenskyy will be able to offer in return is to lay out for Trump what parts of the Donbass, the disputed region that Russia partly occupies right now, what parts he is willing to give up and how, and also to explain to President Trump that in order to do that, Zelenskyy is going to need a two-month ceasefire from Russia in order to hold a poll because, according to Ukraine's constitution, the people have to vote on any change of its borders.

SMITH: So with that in mind, Ukraine is in a difficult position of considering what and how much territory to cede. Is there any leverage that Zelenskyy does have on this matter

DOZIER: Not so much leverage as he can appear to Trump to be willing to make concessions. He's come to the table. He has said he will have presidential elections when possible and possibly give up his seat. In addition, to also saying that he would be willing to give up applying for NATO membership in return for these security guarantees. That's conceding on almost every major point in the 20 some odd point peace proposal that the Trump negotiators put forward.

So at the same time, Ukraine can make a pretty good bet that Putin won't make any concessions and may not accept all of these concessions from Zelenskyy. At that point, it should be clear to the White House that Putin isn't serious about peace. At least, that seems to be the gamble that the Ukrainians are taking right now, that they are blinking, they are making offers of concessions.

[06:10:01]

Now it's over to Putin. Let's see what he's going to do. And in the past, he hasn't moved.

SMITH: This has been a matter that President Trump has said that he would end on day one. We're a few weeks away from year one of Trump 2.0 being in the books. If talks do not produce a deal seen acceptable by Russia should we expect any additional U.S. sanctions to come?

DOZIER: Well, the most important thing from the Ukrainian point of view is that they appear willing to make concessions so that Trump doesn't just walk away and say neither side is willing to negotiate, I'm done with this.

They need the White House to remain engaged. And if through their actions, by being willing to compromise, they can paint Russia as the bad guy, than it is possible that the White House will further ratchet up some sanctions. But there's also the possibility that Trump gets on the phone with Putin and Putin changes his mind. We've seen that happen way too many times in the past.

SMITH: Florida's going to be hosting its fair share of international dignitaries, as Trump will be hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida tomorrow. What can Trump realistically secure to keep the ceasefire plan moving ahead? And what is Netanyahu going to be seeking from Trump in order so that he can stay in power?

DOZIER: Well, Netanyahu will be laying out a case of why they can't go forward with phase two of the Gaza-Israel peace deal right now. Phase two is where Israel withdraws from more territory, releases more prisoners, Palestinian prisoners.

What has happened within Netanyahu's government is he's had two of the most extreme parties in his coalition threaten to walk away if Israel takes either of these steps, conceding more territory or releasing more prisoners before Hamas disarms. And, of course, Hamas has said it won't disarm until Israel leaves all of Gaza territory.

So, you've got a Catch-22 situation, a sort of a logjam here. And somehow one of these sides has to blink. And in this case, President Trump will be putting the pressure on Netanyahu to move first.

SMITH: Kimberly Dozier, thank you so much for joining us this morning. Appreciate the time and context as well here.

DOZIER: Thanks, Brad

SMITH: President Trump will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tomorrow as the Gaza ceasefire nears the end of phase one. Now, under the deal, Hamas was required to return all living and deceased Israeli hostages. But one set of remains has not been located. Those of Ran Gvili.

CNN's Matthew Chance spoke with his mother, who will deliver a message to President Trump.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

A.I. GENERATED VIDEO OF RAN GVILI: President Trump, my name is Ran Gvili, the son of Talik and Itzik.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's an extraordinary message generated by A.I. from beyond the grave in Gaza, recreating the image and voice of the last Israeli hostage in Gaza, authorized by his relatives and released by the hostages families forum.

A.I. GENERATED VIDEO OF RAN GVILI: Mr. President, I'm asking you to see this through.

CHANCE (voice-over): It's a carefully crafted message. His mother tells me she'll personally deliver to President Trump when she meets him with the Israeli prime minister in Florida. Hamas is keeping hold of her son's remains, she insists, as a cynical bargaining chip. The group says it just can't find his body.

TALIK GVILI, MOTHER OF LAST HOSTAGE IN GAZA: We don't go to the second part of the agreement until Ran come back, because everyone in Israel understand it.

CHANCE: But U.S. officials, including the ambassador here in Israel from the United States, have suggested that the peace process can advance while the search for your son continues. Would that be?

GVILI: No, no.

CHANCE: Would that be acceptable?

GVILI: It's not acceptable because we don't want to a Gaza will build on my son.

CHANCE (voice-over): Under the ambitious second phase of the Trump plan, Hamas would be expected to surrender its weapons and power, something the group, which has survived an Israeli onslaught, may be reluctant to do.

Israel would also have to make painful concessions, like withdrawing from Gaza while handing control to an international force. Both sides, it seems, may share a common interest in stopping Trump's peace plan in its tracks.

But frustration in Washington is growing amid concerns both Hamas and a skeptical Israel are dragging their feet.

A.I. GENERATED VIDEO OF RAN GVILI: Mr. President, finish what you started. Bring me home before it's too late.

CHANCE (voice-over): While the unknown whereabouts of the last Israeli hostage is further complicating Trump's Gaza peace plan.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[06:15:03]

SMITH: This just in to CNN. French actress and animal rights advocate Brigitte Bardot has died. The Bardot Foundation released a statement a short time ago announcing her passing. Her role in the 1956 film "And God Created Woman" made her an object of desire in the 1950s and 60s, and she was one of the first actresses labeled as a sex kitten.

In later years, Bardot left acting and focused on promoting the rights of animals. Brigitte Bardot was 91-years-old. We'll have more on her life next hour.

Still ahead, three immigrants with families and no criminal background caught in President Trump's immigration crackdown. Why their stories may just be the tip of the iceberg.

Plus, drivers forced off the road and highway in southern California after a mudslide caused a natural gas line to rupture. What we're hearing from investigators there.

Plus, fewer people are feeling confident about their finances heading into the new year. Still ahead, we have some realistic financial hacks for 2026.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:20:22]

SMITH: This year, federal immigration agents, they have detained nearly 75,000 migrants with no criminal background. Three parents were among the thousands detained in what the Trump administration dubbed Operation Midway Blitz, the federal immigration crackdown in the Chicago area.

Now, they are all active in their communities with no criminal history. But they were held for weeks until judges ordered their release. CNN's Whitney Wild spoke with them about their uncertain futures.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, please, leave her alone. She's just working here.

WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice over): These are moments of heartbreak --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's got babies, bro, please.

WILD: -- and homecoming for Patricia Quishpe, Veronica Escobar and Victor Madrid. All three are migrants, parents who appear to have no criminal history, and yet were among the thousands arrested by federal agents during Operation Midway Blitz. They were detained hours from their homes then released by federal judges. Attorneys say mass arrests are designed to intimidate migrants into leaving the U.S.

VERONICA ESCOBAR, ARRESTED DURING OPERATION MIDWAY BLITZ: When I get there, they push me like a lot. They're like, you have to sign. You have to sign. You got to sign this. And I was reading. I'm like, no.

WILD: What did it say?

ESCOBAR: Is this for deportation thing? WILD (voice-over): Veronica spent 38 days in detention after her arrest outside this gas station on her son's eighth birthday.

(on camera): Because you've been here for 19 years, did you ever think that you would be one of the people that they would target?

ESCOBAR: No. No, because they say they're for criminals, and I was not a criminal. And I was like, hey, I'm a single mom. How you do this to me?

WILD: Did you ever come to a moment where you thought, maybe this isn't worth it, maybe I should leave?

ESCOBAR: Oh, yes, so many times. But I was -- in my mind, I was like I don't want to leave without my kids. I can't. I can't.

WILD: How did you feel when you finally walked out and you knew that you were going home?

ESCOBAR: And he was like, you're going to be released, so who's going to pick you up? And I was like, oh my God. It was (INAUDIBLE).

WILD (voice-over): Patricia also has an eight-year-old son. She sought asylum from Ecuador and has a work permit. Yet in October, she was arrested at a flea market.

PATRICIA QUISHPE, ARRESTED DURING OPERATION MIDWAY BLITZ (through translator): They told me to sign but I didn't want to sign when they processed me and I told them I didn't want to sign.

WILD: What was the hardest part about being in detention?

QUISHPE (through translator): The way we were treated. They took me out in handcuffs and chains. So for me, that's very traumatic because I've never experienced that.

WILD: What is giving you hope now that you're home?

QUISHPE (through translator): I have no words.

VICTOR MADRID, ARRESTED DURING OPERATION MIDWAY BLITZ (through translator): These are the moments you remember most.

WILD (voice-over): Victor is a Colombian citizen who moved to Venezuela, then fled the violence there. October 1st, federal agents arrested him while he sold street food.

(on camera): How did you feel when you made that call to tell your family that you had been taken by ICE?

MADRID (through translator): I picked up the phone, and it took me several minutes. I didn't know how to speak or how to break the news to my wife, you don't know what's going to happen to you and they don't tell you. What also overwhelmed me was the transfer the chains they put on me.

I've always been a hard-working person, always there for my family. I'm not a criminal.

WILD (voice-over): As Victor heads to an ICE appointment, we asked if the stress is worth staying.

MADRID (through translator): We feel safe here and we want to stay here.

WILD: Are these arrests about public safety?

MARK FLEMING, ATTORNEY: No, it's never been about that.

WILD (voice-over): Mark Fleming is an attorney who represents hundreds of other detainees in a class action lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's detentions. Fleming says more than a thousand people arrested chose to leave the United States.

FLEMING: They gave up because the vast majority of those people were being trapped not only in mandatory detention, but in squalid overcrowded conditions.

WILD: So, basically, the administration is putting them in conditions that are so horrible, making their life so miserable, that deportation sounds like the relief?

FLEMING: It's the only option out.

WILD (voice-over): Despite an uncertain future, Patricia, Veronica and Victor say their only option is to stay.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WILD: Veronica had applied for deferred action for childhood arrivals, but was denied.

[06:25:03]

Victor and Patricia both have immigration court dates in 2027. Finally, we reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for our story, but we did not hear back.

Whitney Wild, CNN, Chicago.

SMITH: And thank you, Whitney, for bringing us their stories. Coming up, boosting your 401(k) contribution and giving to charities. Still ahead, we talked to a financial expert about the money moves that you need to make heading into 2026.

Plus, filmmaker Tyler Perry facing a sexual abuse lawsuit for the second time this year. We've got the details ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SMITH: Let's take a look at some of the other stories and headlines that we are following this morning. A former Broadway child actress is dead after being stabbed inside her New Jersey home last week. Authorities have arrested and charged a man in the killing of 26-year- old Imani Smith.

[06:30:01]

She once played young Nala in Disney's "The Lion King" on Broadway. Police say the stabbing was not a random act of violence. Smith's father tells CNN that the suspect is the father of Imani's three-year- old son.

And Tyler Perry is facing another lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault. Mario Rodriguez, who appeared in Boo! A Madea Halloween, says the filmmaker and studio mogul repeatedly subjected him to unwanted sexual advances over the several years that they worked together. And it comes months after another actor filed a similar lawsuit.

Rodriguez is seeking $77 million in damages. In a statement, Perry's lawyer denied the allegations.

And a mudslide caused the natural gas pipeline in Southern California to rupture on Saturday. It happened in Castaic, which is about 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Officials say that the incident led to shelter-in-place orders for two nearby neighborhoods.

The orders have since been lifted. Both directions of Interstate 5 were shut down in the area for three hours due to safety concerns.

Americans are heading into the new year with growing financial unease. New data from the conference board shows that consumer confidence fell sharply in December, dropping nearly four points to its lowest level since April. And for the first time in almost four years, Americans now view their own family finances negatively. Concerns about the job market are also rising across all income levels, as unemployment recently hit its highest level in four years.

Joining me now, we've got Michelle Singletary. She is a personal finance columnist for The Washington Post and author of What to Do With Your Money When Crisis Hits.

Michelle, good to have you here with us.

Many Americans right now, they're feeling uncertain about their finances right now. What are some habits that families should adopt to ease their financial anxieties going into 2026?

MICHELLE SINGLETARY, PERSONAL FINANCE COLUMNIST, THE WASHINGTON POST: Well, you know, this time of year, lots of experts talk about, oh, you know, you should, you know, try to max out your retirement account or if you've got children and you've got a 529 plan, stuff some money in there and do, you know, make a lot of moves. But, you know, most families don't have several thousand dollars just sitting in a bank account saying, oh, you know, let me just put it in my retirement account.

You know, people are struggling to pay their rent. They're struggling to pay their mortgage. You know, groceries are up. If you want to buy a car, it's going to cost you more. And so, what I try to do is get people to do things that they can realistically do before the end of the year, like calculate your net worth.

Now, most people have never done that. So you take your assets, how much you have in bank accounts, retirement accounts, anything that you own, and you subtract what you owe. And that gives you your net worth. And that gives you a benchmark of where you are financially.

So as you go into 2026, you go, I'd like to increase my net worth by one to 10 percent. And that might mean saving more, reducing debt, those kinds of things. Check your beneficiary designations. You know, lots of times people, you know, things happen, you pass away, and they've never updated who's supposed to get their, you know, workplace account. And in one court case, this gentleman had never, for like 30 years, updated his beneficiary. And it went to an old girlfriend from 30 years before. And his brothers thought they were going to get that money.

And so those are some of the kind of things that you want to do to protect your family. You know, lock down your bank accounts. In the last two months, I got two notices that information about my social security number, my bank account numbers have been compromised.

SMITH: Wow.

SINGLETARY: And so if you haven't done this already, please make sure that you put in all those safety features for your bank accounts.

SMITH: Core to the mood ring or the vibe right now in the economy among consumers is job prospects. What can people be doing right now in order to upskill or prepare themselves for 2026 on the employment front?

SINGLETARY: Yes, you know, the best thing you can do is try to stay up to date with your skill set. I'm a big advocate for community colleges. And so if you live in a community that has a really good, strong community college system, look and see what kind of classes that they're offering for your computer skills, maybe tech, you know, resume writing, all those kinds of things that will prepare you in case you lose your job.

I mean, you know, I work for the Washington Post, been working there for a long time. But every year at the beginning of the year, I create a document. And every time something great happens on my job, I get a letter from a reader or somebody watching CNN says that girl was really good online. I'll write that down.

So when it comes time for evaluations, I have all the proof from the previous year of what I did, because sometimes managers will sit there, you know, weeks before your evaluation and not really have an accurate picture of how you did for the year. So, you need to do that.

And I would just say always have, you know, a little bit of maybe a side hustle, something where you can create income from yourself in case you lose your job. [06:35:08]

SMITH: That's called keeping receipts, I believe, as the group chats that I'm in call it as well. Keep the receipts of that work that you are doing.

You know, as we're thinking about some of the critical markers that are forthcoming in 2026, the Trump administration, we know that they're going to begin garnishing wages of student loan borrowers in default. That's starting in January. It could affect millions of Americans.

I believe Torsten Slok of Apollo had already looked at this being one of the major financial detrimental factors going forward, even as we were midway through this year. What is your take on this and how your advice to borrowers who are faced with this situation can prepare themselves?

SINGLETARY: Well, you know, if they garnish their wages, they can take up to 15 percent. Who can, you know, have that much taken out of their pay? So, you know, I'm a big believer of personal responsibility.

However, with what the economy is happening, lots of people have lost their jobs. And so what you can do is first thing is call your lender, find out what you owe, how -- what can you do to get back in compliance with your student loan. Lots of times when people face economic difficulties, they don't make those calls because they're scared.

And listen, if you don't have the money, you think, what's the point of calling? But you need to call to find out what your options are.

The last thing you want to do is lose control of your paycheck by having them garnish your wages.

SMITH: Michelle Singletary, great to see you. Thank you so much for joining us this morning on CNN.

SINGLETARY: Thank you. Yes. Happy New Year.

SMITH: Happy New Year. Well, are you taking the challenge and joining millions of others who plan to swear off alcohol in the new year? We'll speak with a doctor about how to make dry January a success.

That's coming up after the break.

And the countdown to 2026 with your favorite duo. "NEW YEAR'S EVE LIVE WITH ANDERSON COOPER AND ANDY COHEN" starts at 8:00 p.m. on CNN and you can watch on the CNN app.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:41:17]

SMITH: Some of you have been overserved for consecutive weeks. If you're thinking about taking a break from alcohol and trying dry January, you are not alone. Millions of people use the start of the year to reset their habits and there's some fascinating psychology behind why it works.

We're joined now by Dr. Richard de Visser. He is a Professor of Health Psychology at Brighton and Sussex Medical School in England.

Great to have you here with us.

When you look at the rise of dry January, what do you think is driving more people to take a break from alcohol?

RICHARD DE VISSER, PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX: There's a range of factors that influence it, but the main thing is that over 10 years of research we've found that most people who take part can make it through the month and they experience a range of benefits. So they feel better for doing it, even though they think it's going to be difficult, better sleep, saving money, maybe losing weight.

And a lot of people learn (ph) and with the research we're able to feed that back as a reason for people to take for taking part, they'll get something out of taking on this challenge something positive.

SMITH: It's not an all-out contrarian take but there is also pushback from experts who say dry January isn't helpful in the long run. How do you respond to that argument?

DE VISSER: Two things I would say to that, I guess is that dry January is not meant to be the magic kind of solution for everyone's drinking. Some people it would be advised not to take on dry January other people might -- might try different ways of doing things. You're cutting down their alcohol in other ways. But when we've done research which has followed people up over time, we find that around about half of the people who take part are drinking less when we follow them up six weeks later and they're either drinking on fewer days per week.

So they're deciding, you know in midweek actually I don't need to have a glass of wine with dinner or they're deciding to have fewer drinks on the days that they do drink. So that's, you know, around about half the people go back to what they're doing and around about the other half, do make a longer -- longer term reduction.

SMITH: And so, I wonder from your perspective and what you've studied, what are the real health considerations that people should keep in mind when they cut back or on the other side if they don't cut back on alcohol?

DE VISSER: Yes, yes. Well, the people who -- for people who do want to cut back, I guess things are really think about whether this is appropriate. For people who are heavy drinkers or dependent drinkers they should be actually seeking professional advice and support. For people who are looking to undertake dry January what we find really useful is that the more that they make use of online resources or you know, tips or online communities, those kind of things that it really helps what we're found with the research in the UK at least, well, the UK campaign we've looked at it attracts people from all over the world. People who engage more with the campaign and have that sense of community and belonging are more likely to succeed.

And one of the things is because they have a sense of not being doing it alone, there's a sense of community and belongingness. But another part of it is there is a lot more information about what to do instead of going out drinking or what to drink if you are out and other people are drinking alcohol. And so, a really important part of it I think is for people to plan how they're going to make this change, because it will affect their social lives and it will affect them at different times about they might really feel a craving.

So it's really good to plan what they would drink instead, where they will go instead, what they will do instead. So there's a lot of things that people can do to, to prepare themselves and the preparation is really key for that longer for that -- for the short-term behavior change, but also for the longer-term change.

SMITH: There's a lot someone could understand about themselves in that that month period. How can a month off from drinking help someone better understand their relationship with alcohol?

DE VISSER: Yes, that's -- that's a really -- really important part. And the organization that started doing this in the UK, it's not a -- it's not an abstinence or an anti-alcohol organization. The reason they set this up and run a lot of other activities is that they want to give people an opportunity to stop and think about their drinking.

And from the research we've done and that's both survey-based research but interviews with participants is a lot of people say, you know, it wasn't till I stopped and made a change that I realized that my default was I would just have a drink in that situation or admit these people, we'd always be drinking alcohol.

[06:45:12]

So, it really is an opportunity to give people a supported time when they can stop and think about their drinking and maybe, maybe they will decide to cut down in the longer term. Maybe they will try something different and find something else.

SMITH: Yes. Dr. Richard de Visser. Thank you. Twenty-one days to make or break a habit. See if we can do it.

A new CNN film explores the life and career of actor and comedy legend Chevy Chase.

CNN's Stephanie Elam spoke with the film's director and Chase's wife Jayni to discuss why they think Chevy is misunderstood. First a warning that you'll hear some language that's not suitable for all ages.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From Fletch in 1985 and -- UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKERS (in unison): Free amigos.

ELAM (voice-over): -- to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

CHEVY CHASE, COMEDIAN: Hallelujah! Holy (INAUDIBLE). Where's the title?

ELAM (voice-over): Chevy Chase, the charismatic comedian ruled the bar.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was the one that people went nuts over. Two years after a premiere of a show where no one knows him. He's now co- starring Goldie Hawn.

GOLDIE HAWN, ACTOR: They opened the door and there comes a six-foot four guy. He's got presence. I mean, aside from being funny. But I mean, he really was kind of adorable.

ELAM (voice-over): Saturday Night Live was the perfect showcase for Chase's talent.

C. CHASE: Live from New York, it's Saturday Night.

ELAM (voice-over): Chase's signature weekend update intro --

C. CHASE: I'm Chevy Chase and you're not.

ELAM (voice-over): -- is also the name of a new documentary debuting on CNN about Chase's life and career.

But while cracking up crowds, Chase gained a reputation for being --

C. CHASE: Basically, an asshole to part of the expression.

MARINA ZENOVICH, DIRECTOR, I'M CHEVY CHASE AND YOU'RE NOT: There's his, his family and his friends who adore him and are so protective of him. Then there's Hollywood. And I would say just doesn't really like him. And then you have his fans. They just adore him.

C. CHASE: Thank you.

ELAM (voice-over): An improv master who knows how to use his stature to his comedic advantage. Chase is always after the laughs.

C. CHASE: It's the laugh that means everything to them and to me, because it's as if I'm being told I'm loved, you know, as a child.

ELAM (voice-over): This from a man who had a less than loving childhood.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Chevy had a lot of pain and he still carries around a lot of trauma to this day. His way of dealing with it was being funny.

ELAM (voice-over): His wife of more than four decades says it was time to set the record straight for Chevy and their three daughters. JAYNI CHASE, CHEVY C. CHASE'S WIFE: It's been very hard and hurtful. We've been in love and we've been through some rough stuff.

ELAM (voice-over): The rough stuff includes addiction and depression. The 82-year old's more recent health battles also spurred the desire to open up.

J. CHASE: We almost lost him to heart failure in February of '21. He was in the hospital for six weeks. He was on life support.

ELAM (voice-over): Zenovich hopes the film gives both his fans and haters perspective.

ZENOVICH: I think people will walk away from this and go like, you know, wow, he's been through a lot. Maybe he's a bit of an asshole, but I understand why.

ELAM (voice-over): But Jayni Chase believes her husband is chronically misunderstood.

J. CHASE: If Chevy says something and you feel offended, it's a little more on you than him. He takes risks. You can't get where he got without being a risk taker.

So, dial it back. Get a sense of humor. He's not an asshole and neither are you.

ELAM (voice-over): Stephanie Elam, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMITH: Be sure to tune in the new CNN film, "I'M CHEVY CHASE AND YOU'RE NOT," airs New Year's Day at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

Well, it's win or make vacation plans on the football field. Coming up in sports, the NFL teams that are looking to keep their playoff dreams alive.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:53:19]

SMITH: A history-making night for the Baltimore Ravens, Derrick Henry. Oh, my goodness. This was one to watch. Both starting quarterbacks were out, so it was a battle of the backups, and the game played out on the ground, headlined by a career night from Henry.

The Ravens running back, rushing for 216 yards and four touchdowns on 36 carries. This was his seventh career 200-yard game, passing Adrian Peterson and O.J. Simpson for the most in NFL history, and he also set a record for the most rushing yards by a visiting player ever at Lambeau Field. The Ravens keep their postseason hopes alive with a 41- 24 win.

They need the Steelers to lose to the Browns later today to set up a winner-take-all season finale for the AFC North title next week. With the loss, the Packers are locked into the 7th seed in the NFC.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Any messages for the Cleveland Browns from you guys?

DERRICK HENRY, RUNNING BACK, BALTIMORE RAVENS: Go win. You feel me? Hey, I know we need to go win, man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Elsewhere, the Texans beat the Chargers 20-16. C.J. Stroud opened the game with two massive touchdown passes on Houston's first two drives, beginning with a 75-yard bomb to rookie Jayden Higgins, longest fire rookie in Texans history.

Houston's defense was all over Justin Herbert, who, despite playing with a broken left hand and then being under constant pressure, threw for 236 yards and a touchdown. He kept the game and the Chargers in the game until the final minutes, but L.A. struggled with unforced mistakes, and that really proved to be the difference. Kicker Cameron Dicker missing a 32-yard field goal, and a crucial extra point late in the fourth quarter as Houston picks up a historic win, securing their third consecutive playoff berth for the first time in franchise history, extending their winning streak to eight games

[06:55:11]

And we'll end with the bowl game that has become a college football fan favorite. It's the Pop-Tarts Bowl. The game was thrilling and chaotic.

Georgia Tech dominated the first half. They were up 21 to 10, but after the break, BYU's defense, they stepped up, shutting out the Yellow Jackets, while the team scored 15 unanswered points. BYU freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier was surgical in the final two minutes to put the Cougars ahead. Georgia Tech nearly pulled off a miracle with a 66-yard attempt on fourth and 15, but the pass by Haynes King intercepted in the end zone, meaning it was a Pop-Tart time. Instead of one mascot, there were six this year, divided into team sprinkles and team swirls.

After BYU won, team sprinkles was sent to the giant toaster. But in a viral twist, Slammin' Strawberry opted out, escaping into the tunnels while his two pals were toasted and eaten.

What a visual.

Thanks so much for joining me this hour. We've got much more headlines coming up after a short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)