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CNN This Morning

Zelenskyy, Trump To Meet In FL After Weeks Of Intensive Peace Talks; Flight Delays, Cancellations After Snowstorm Hits Northeast; Flu Cases Break Records In New York As Cases Surge Nationwide; Bardot Foundation: Iconic French Actress Has Died At 91; Uncertain Future For Migrants Released From Detention In Chicago. Economic Uncertainty Clouds 2026 Outlook; The Psychology Behind "Dry January"; "I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not" Airs New Years Day at 8P ET. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired December 28, 2025 - 07:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:00:56]

BRAD SMITH, CNN HOST: It is Sunday, December 28th. Welcome to CNN This Morning. I'm Brad Smith in for Victor Blackwell.

A lot going on as we start to wrap up 2025. So here's what's happening this morning. In just a few hours, President Trump will meet with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in South Florida. Will they get any closer to an end to Russia's war today? We'll preview what to expect.

And if you're traveling today, you will be far from alone out there. Today is expected to be the busiest travel day of the season. We're tracking where the weather may actually pose a few problems.

And there's a good chance that you or somebody you know has dealt with this recently -- the flu. Cases are rising nationwide. New York health officials announced the highest number of cases ever recorded in a single week there. So, what's going on? We'll ask a former top official at the CDC.

And this morning, we are also remembering Brigitte Bardot, the iconic French actress, has died at age 91. How the president of France is remembering her this morning.

Well, happening today, this afternoon, President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be meeting in Florida to try to make progress on a peace proposal to end Russia's nearly four-year war on Ukraine. That's after Russia's deadly attack on Ukraine this weekend. Two people were killed and dozens were injured. Russia's air attack has also left tens of thousands of Ukrainians without heat in the middle of winter.

CNN Correspondent Nada Bashir joins us now with more on what we can expect. Good morning to you, Nada.

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. And, of course, all eyes will be on Florida later today to see what develops from this meeting between the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump. And, of course, this follows a round of consultations that have been held between the Ukrainian president and his European and NATO allies, including a meeting with Canadian leader Mark Carney just yesterday, where Canada stepped up its economic support for Ukraine.

And heading into this meeting with the U.S. president, President Zelenskyy has been clear that he is looking to secure concrete commitments from the U.S. and other allies as part of this 20-point peace plan for security guarantees, namely for aerial defense support. And, of course, this comes off the back of a ramped-up aerial assault by Russia targeting Ukraine over the Christmas period, including a massive, almost 10-hour-long assault, which took place overnight into Saturday, targeting the country's capital.

Now, President Zelenskyy is, of course, coming into this meeting looking for commitments from the United States and from other allies. But, of course, we've also been hearing from the Kremlin and, in particular, from Russian President Vladimir Putin trying to put pressure on Ukraine also. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIA (through translator): We see that smart people also appeared in the West. They recommend the authorities in Kyiv to accept decent conditions of ending the conflict and offer good basic conditions for ensuring Ukraine's long-term security, restoration of relations with the Russian Federation, and economic recovery of Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: Now, in part -- as part of that 20-point peace plan, Ukraine is looking, of course, for a ceasefire for guarantees of Ukraine's sovereignty and security. But we have heard indications that the Ukrainian President may be willing to make some key concessions when it comes to territory, including ceding territory in the Donetsk region. That is something that Russia has long pushed for.

Ukraine has said it may be willing to cede territory, for example, in the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, but it's unclear whether this will suffice for Russia in terms of a compromise. Russia would also be expected, of course, to also withdraw from parts of the Donbas region, and essentially that would create a demilitarized zone.

But these are all finer details that need to be hammered out. As part of this peace plan, it is expected that much of these details will be the focus of today's meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump. It remains to be seen, of course, what the results will be.

[07:05:03]

SMITH: Nada Bashir, thank you so much.

Well, 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 already the busiest travel day of the season. As of this morning, more than 1,000 flights across the U.S. are delayed, and more than 200 cancellations are already reported, according to FlightAware. Those numbers are expected to climb 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 FEMALE: I've been waiting to get home all day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn't bring gloves, and it was 87 back home yesterday, so 19 in 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: Airports across the region, including LaGuardia and Newark, are dealing with lingering snow, scenes like you're seeing here, as crews are working to keep the runways clear. And blizzard warnings across the upper Midwest could worsen conditions 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: Yes, they're going to see a little bit of snow, a little bit of freezing rain, and some very gusty winds, and the strongest winds are really going to be kind of focused over the Midwest today. You can see this orange color here, that indicates the blizzard warning, so it's not just the heavy snow that's going to be coming down, but you've also got wind gusts of 40 to 60 miles per hour, and the combination of those two is really going to reduce visibility down to about a quarter of a mile or even less, and you're talking for several hours in a row.

We look at the radar right now. You've got some rain on the southern side because, again, temperatures are so warm down here. You're talking 10 to 20 degrees above average. But where the temperatures are cold, that's where we've got the snow, and right now it's across portions of the northern plains and into the Midwest.

But as we go through the rest of the day today, that system will gradually push off to the east, so that by tonight you're looking at the heaviest snow to be across portions of Wisconsin, the UP of Michigan, and then that will continue to spread eastward as we head through the overnight hours.

Here's a look. 9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning, you've got heavy snow across Michigan, but it's also now starting to creep across the Great Lakes, so even Cleveland, Buffalo, also looking at some heavy snow. You are looking at heavy rain for the morning commute for places like Boston and New York, but we will see a changeover into freezing rain in the later hours.

SMITH: All right, a lot to keep tabs on there with the forecast. Allison Chinchar has got it all for us. Thank you so much.

Flu cases are surging across the U.S. and even breaking records in New York. Health officials say that the state is experiencing the highest number of cases ever recorded in a single week. And experts warn it could get worse since we haven't even reached peak flu season yet.

Joining us now is Dr. Debra Houry, she is the former chief medical officer and deputy director of the CDC. Good to have you here with us, especially on this topic, as we're not even at the peak of flu season --

DR. DEBRA HOURY, FORMER CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, CDC: Right.

SMITH: -- why are flu cases surging right now?

HOURY: You know, a number of factors. One, we've seen that vaccinations, there's been about 3 million less doses given this year so far, and it's a different subclade or kind of a different strain that might be a little trickier for people. And we just know that at this time, like with holidays and things like that, Thanksgiving, Christmas, people get together, expose one another, cough, travel like we just saw, and that can result in increased flu cases.

SMITH: Washing of the hands, of course, continues to be important --

HOURY: Exactly.

SMITH: -- to all of these different contact points. Do you believe that health agencies are equipped to deal with the surge, with all of the radical changes that we've seen across the Health and Human Services all the way into the CDC over the course of this year?

HOURY: So I'd say yes and no. You know, when you look at the CDC website right now, like I did, you know, before coming here, I could see the data is up to date. I could see where flu was increasing, like Louisiana, New York, Colorado. Even here in Georgia, we're starting to see an uptick.

So it's helpful from that standpoint, but what we're missing is really that interpretation. I haven't heard a reminder to get my flu shot. There hasn't been a flu campaign like the CDC normally does, so that's different. And I haven't seen the secretary get his flu shot. You know, usually you would see a CDC official or the Health and Human Services official getting their flu shots.

SMITH: You have a story career inside the CDC and inside some of these major agencies that Americans trust and rely on as well. You resigned from the CDC in protest, alleging an attack on public health. Do you believe that the Trump administration's approach, whether it's the flu surge or whether it's otherwise, favors ideology over science?

HOURY: Well, you know, President Trump actually got his flu shot, so I want to thank him for doing that. I think my concern is the Secretary has the ideology. This isn't politics, it's ideology, and that a lot of this is being driven by the Secretary. So I think if we can't focus on science and data. I'm a simple ER doc. You know, so if we can just take care of patients, and if people get the flu, know what to do. You can get treatment for it.

[07:10:05]

SMITH: Who should people be reaching out to in the meantime, then?

HOURY: So they can go see their doctor. Local health departments have the information. Flu shots you can get at, you know, different pharmacies. And if you get sick, call your primary care doc or go to one of the Minute Clinics and get seen because you can get an antiviral.

And, you know, you just had the Pop-Tart Bowl on there. Sugar Bowl's around the corner. And so if you think about going to Louisiana right now, a lot of the Georgia folks, time to get your flu vaccine.

SMITH: When you think about how long it could take as well to undo --

HOURY: Yes.

SMITH: -- some of the damage that we've seen, whether that be in the cultural climates for some of these organizations and how they're trying to make sure that they're surveying, getting the right data, and then the dissemination of that data is timely so that people and households can take action. How long might it take to undo some of that?

HOURY: It can take a while. And, you know, usually when you have, like, a new variant of the flu virus, you would see, like, a health advisory notice from the CDC. So I was really surprised that there wasn't any notification from the CDC about it. That's something that's missing, and I think that's probably because there's political leadership that's preventing that from happening.

So it's not the data, it's the dissemination, like you said. That's going to erode trust in our communities, and that takes a long time to build back.

SMITH: All right. Thank you so much for joining us here today. Dr. Debra Houry joining us here in the studio. Appreciate it.

New this morning, French actress and animal rights campaigner Brigitte Bardot has died. French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to the star, calling her a legend of the century and said that she embodied a life of freedom. Bardot was 91.

CNN's Stephanie Elam has a look back at her life and career.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Brigitte Bardot attacked everything she did in life with brute force and fierce passion, and it was that quality, along with her flawless face, that made her one of the most captivating women in the world. BRIGITTE BARDOT, FRENCH ACTRESS AND SINGER: Always I am myself, really myself. Even when I am playing, I don't play. I am myself.

ELAM (voice-over): A testament to her exceptional star power, the French icon didn't need to come to Hollywood to capture the hearts of American audiences. She played only bit parts in a few English- language films, including 1956's "Helen of Troy."

BARDOT: Shall I tell the king you said that?

ELAM (voice-over): And 1965's "Dear Brigitte," in which she played herself opposite Jimmy Stewart.

BARDOT: May I join you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you certainly may.

BARDOT: You know, I haven't met a fellow out here in more than a year that wasn't flat broke.

ELAM (voice-over): Always one to leave them wanting, the actress turned her back on the flashing lights at age 38, making her final film in 1973. But her star continued to shine. Bardot's effortless glamour situated her among art and fashion royalty. It was her influence that brought the bikini out of obscurity.

Her classic bouffant still inspires copycats. Her face inspired Warhol, and became the likeness of France's national emblem, Marianne, goddess of liberty. Bardot first became an international sensation after starring in Roger Vadim's French new wave film, "And God Created Woman."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You'd make a good wife, wouldn't you?

BARDOT: I suppose so, someday.

ELAM (voice-over): Vadim, so enchanted by the young siren, married her when she was just 18 years old. The marriage was her first of four. But Bardot's most famous relationship was with a man she never wed, the legendary musician Serge Gainsbourg. The brief coupling led to the creation of several songs in the 60s and 70s.

In 2003, she incited anger and disappointment among many fans by writing a book, "Un cri dans le silence," or "A Cry in Silence," which took aim at France's unemployed, gays and Muslims. Bardot was several times convicted of inciting racial and religious hatred, paying her largest fine in 2008, over $23,000.

She was also feverishly passionate about the rights of animals. In 1986, she established the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of Animals. And in 2013, the aging star threatened to leave France and move to Russia in protest of the pending euthanasia of two zoo elephants suspected of having contracted tuberculosis.

As proof of her everlasting influence, the elephants were granted reprieve. Bardot said in a 2019 memoir that she felt suffocated by her fame, but that a love of animals gave her comfort and a new calling. "Humans have hurt me," she wrote, "and it is only with animals, with nature, that I found peace."

As an activist, as an artist, Brigitte Bardot played her parts to the fullest by being true to herself.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[07:15:06]

SMITH: 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 highway in Southern California after a mudslide caused a natural gas line to rupture. What we're hearing from the investigators straight ahead.

Plus, fewer people feeling confident about their finances heading into the New Year. Still ahead, we have some realistic financial hacks for 2026. Stick around.

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[07:20:23]

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 walking here.

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

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She got babies, bro. Please.

WILD (voice-over): -- and homecoming --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mommy.

WILD (voice-over): -- 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.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Leave her alone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Leave her family alone.

WILD (voice-over): 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 and 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.

WILD: 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.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Leave her alone, man.

PATRICIA QUISHPE, ARRESTED DURING OPERATION MIDWAY BLITZER (through translation): 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 translation): The way we were treated. They took me out in handcuffs and chains. So for me, that's very traumatic because I've never experiences that.

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

QUISHPE (through translation): I have no words. VICTOR MADRID, ARRESTED DURING OPERATION MIDWAY BLITZER (through translation): 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.

WILD: How did you feel when you made that call to tell your family that you had been taken by ICE?

MADRID (through translation): 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 translation): We feel safe here and we went 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)

[07:25:00]

WILD (on-camera): Veronica had applied for deferred action for childhood arrivals, but was denied. 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 charity. Still ahead, we talk 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.

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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. She once played young Nala in Disney's "The Lion King" on Broadway.

Police say that the stabbing was not a random act of violence. The 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 a 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. But 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, AUTHOR, "WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR MONEY WHEN CRISIS HITS: A SURVIVAL GUIDE" AND SYNDICATE PERSONAL FINANCE COLUMNIST, 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 1, 2, 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. 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: 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 are 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 a little bit of maybe a side hustle, something where you can create income from yourself in case you lose your job.

[07:35:00]

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 Stock of Apollo had already looked at this being one of the major, 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)

[07:40:00]

SMITH: Some of you have been over-served 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?

DR. RICHARD DE VISSER, PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX AND BRIGHTON AND SUSSEX MEDICAL SCHOOL: 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 -- and with the research, we're able to feed that back as a reason for people to take 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?

DR. 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 try different ways of doing things, you know, 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-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?

DR. DE VISSER: Yes. Well, look, the people who -- for people who do want to cut back, I guess things are really to 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 kinds of things, it really helps. What we've found with the research in the U.K., at least, well, the U.K. 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 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 will drink instead, where they will go instead, what they will do instead.

So, there's a lot of things that people can do to prepare themselves. And the preparation is really key for that longer -- 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 month period. How can a month off from drinking help someone better understand their relationship with alcohol?

DR. DE VISSER: Yes. Well, that's a really, really important part. And the organization that started doing this in the U.K., 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.

[07:45:00]

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 until I stopped and made a change that I realized that my default was I would just have a drink in that situation, or I'd meet these people and we'd always be drinking alcohol. So, it really is an opportunity to give people a supported time when they can stop and think about their drinking, and maybe they will decide to cut down in the longer-term, maybe they'll try something different and find something else. Yes.

SMITH: Dr. Richard de Visser, thank you. 21 days to make or break a habit. Let's 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 --

CROWD: The "Three Amigos."

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

CHEVY CHASE, ACTOR: Hallelujah. Holy --. Where's the Tylenol?

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, and he's now co-starring with Goldie Hawn.

GOLDIE HAWN, ACTRESS: They opened the door and there comes this 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, if you're part of the expression.

MARINA ZENOVICH, DIRECTOR, "I'M CHEVY CHASE AND YOU'RE NOT": There's 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 laugh.

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.

ZENOVICH: 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, WIFE OF CHEVY CHASE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AMBASSADOR: 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. 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)

[07:50:00]

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 seventh seed from the NFC.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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

DERRICK HENRY, BALTIMORE RAVENS RUNNING BACK: Go win. You feeling? Hey, I know we're going 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 being under constant pressure, he 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.

[07:55:00]

And we'll end with the bowl game that has become a college football fan favorite. It's the Pop-Tart Bowl. The game was thrilling and chaotic. Georgia Tech dominated the first half. They were up 21-10. 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 with a 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)

[08:00:00]