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CNN Live Event/Special
CNN New Year's Eve. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired December 31, 2024 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[17:00:00]
LAURA COATES, CNN HOST: Fireworks displays all around the world. I'm Laura Coates in London. Boris Sanchez is in Paris. Let's go to Eleni as Athens is counting down to the New Year as we speak. Eleni.
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean, we've got about a minute to go. And as you can see, thousands of people behind me at the Stavros Niarchos Cultural Center. So people already going on with the fireworks. It's so exciting. Countdown is about to start in Greek.
I'm going to count with them. Pende, tesserae, tria, do, ena, Xronia polla. Happy New Year.
Look at this. Wow. This is a wonderful cultural heritage that we have bringing in the New Year. I wish everyone a beautiful 2025 from Athens, Greece. All the magic in the world.
(SINGING)
GIOKOS: And as you can see, we brought it into the year. The New Year 2025. Incredible display of fireworks. And let me tell you, I can feel the energy.
You know, one of the things we always say is xronia polla is many years we wish people health and of course, incredible success. And one of the fun things that we is we have a little triangle, just the middle of the triangle. And we say, xronia polla. And there's a little song that goes with it, (FOREIGN LANGUAGE). And I would sing the whole song for you, but then you'd have to pay me money because that's what kids do around the city of Athens and in all cities and villages across the country. So I'm not going to sing the whole song for you because then you'll owe me a lot of cash.
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: We'll put a check in the mail to Eleni Giokos' slide for us in Athens.
COATES: Oh, come on, Eleni.
SANCHEZ: It's so fascinating to see so many different --
COATES: That was great.
SANCHEZ: -- special observances throughout cultures with the triangle in Athens from Eleni. Thank you so much, Eleni Giokos there in Athens to all over the place where you are in London, Laura, obviously Big Ben playing a major role there in the big eye as well --
[17:05:01]
COATES: Yes.
SANCHEZ: -- which you actually match with, we should point out --
COATES: Yes.
SANCHEZ: -- to here in Paris, France. There is an enormous crowd on the Champs Elysees with the Arc de Triomphe behind me lit up. We were expecting almost a million of our closest friends to be here all around this central borough fair. As we listen to live music, we watch the strobe lights, these projectors that have been set up on the Arc de Triomphe. And as soon as the clock hits midnight in less than an hour, just about 50 minutes from now, we're expecting an exciting fireworks show and it will rival some of what you've seen around the world.
So please stay tuned for that. You are not going to want to miss it.
Right now we've got Colin Hay from Australian rock band Men at Work performing who "Can It Be Now," a hit that you and I love from the early 1980s. Take it away.
COATES: Yes. Yes.
COLIN HAY, AUSTRALIAN SINGER: This is the first song that anybody ever heard from our old band. It was like this.
(SINGING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:12:12]
COATES: Welcome back to CNN's special New Year's Eve coverage. We're checking Paris to ring in the New Year in just a few moments. We're all expecting a tremendous light show right here in London. We've got a lot ahead for you. Our performance by the Notre Dame choir.
We've also got a performance by Al Green, everyone. And you don't want to miss this, a live interview with NBA superstar Jayson Tatum. Oh, I can't wait for that.
Listen, you can't separate New Year's Eve traditions from food. Math. No different. Either you're in New York or you're right here in London. Isa Soares is here with me.
ISA SOARES, CNN ANCHOR: I've changed.
COATES: It's no longer her. It's now Harry Potter.
SOARES: (Inaudible) has gone. Elizabeth the first has gone expelliarmus, Laura. Actually, stay here. Don't go anywhere.
COATES: Oh my God.
SOARES: We need you. About 400 years after Queen Elizabeth, you have another great icon, right?
COATES: You have committed and I love it.
SOARES Dude, I'm expecting you to commit to this because --
COATES: To what? To what?
SOARES: Wait, wait. I know a great banquet. The Great hall of Hogwarts, I've got some yummy food for you.
COATES: Oh my God.
SOARES: Some traditions. Thank you, Brooke (ph). This is fish and chips.
COATES: A bouquet.
SOARES: A bouquet of fish and chips.
COATES: My favorite. A fried bouquet.
SOARES: Look, interesting fact here for everyone watching, this was the only --
COATES: Smells good.
SOARES: -- food that was not rationed during the Second World War.
COATES: Really?
SOARES: To boost morale. So you've got fish, you got chips. Go for it. Look, I'm committing. I expect her to commit right now.
COATES: I'm hungry.
SOARES: Cold chips. How's that? Good? You like it?
So, whilst you bite into that, you can check stock, pocket price with the Financial Time.
COATES: Can I have a (inaudible)?
SOARES: Maybe not. It's been sitting here for a while. But look --
COATES: It looks good, though.
SOARES: It is good. Fried fish, chips, a bit of lemon, it is fantastic.
COATES: I might have a bite later.
SOARES: We don't seven anymore on the newspaper because of the ink. It stopped in the 1980s, but I think it's just -- COATES: Oh, I was going to get poisoned today. Thank you.
SOARES: No, no, no. I've already taken a bite.
COATES: Thank you. OK. Wait.
SOARES: Top layer. Top layer.
COATES: I love it.
SOARES: We've got another one. This one you might like. Let's swap out.
COATES: Oh, here you go.
SOARES: Let's swap out.
COATES: OK.
SOARES: Pie and mash.
COATES: Oh, pie.
SOARES: For all our viewers, traditional British.
COATES: Can you guys see this?
SOARES: I'm not a big fan of peas, but you know, I do love my peas.
COATES: I do want to taste this one.
SOARES: Pie mash. Quinton (ph) says this is like traditional --
COATES: I don't have a fork.
SOARES: -- fast food -- or you've got a good excuse. Oh, she's going for it, people. We only commit in London. This is what we expect.
Good? Beef? Normally, beef, right? Really good. Really good.
And finally -- I mean normally that used to be served with eels, believe it or not. I know.
COATES: An eel?
SOARES: I know. And one of my kids favorite dishes, bangers and mash. In the olden days they had less pork, they had more water. So that's why it banged and made a sound. Now that's why it's called bangers and mash. This is a great dish.
Hey, welcome to London, Laura. Boris, try to beat us.
COATES: Boris, I mean, look, bangers and mash. What croissant have you had today?
[17:15:10] SANCHEZ: I've had a several croissants what I've -- since I've gotten here. I do got to say, you may want to trade in some of that food for some of what we had here in Paris. It's a city that's known for its restaurants, its cafes, its cuisine. I got to experience all of it firsthand and then some. CNN Saskya Vandoorne came along to see me try some of the city's most famous dishes and some that might also --
Let's do it.
SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN SENIOR FIELD PRODUCER: Shall we? Snails.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
VANDOORNE: (Inaudible) The garlic butter is the reason you want to --
SANCHEZ: That too, yes.
VANDOORNE: Yes. They're quite slippery.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
VANDOORNE: Pig's intestines is what you're eating. Do they feel like innards?
SANCHEZ: Pretty good.
VANDOORNE: Yes?
SANCHEZ: Pretty good. Yes.
VANDOORNE: What part of the animal do you have to guess?
SANCHEZ: It's a foot. Is that right?
VANDOORNE: Yes. Trotter.
SANCHEZ: OK. Trotter.
VANDOORNE: A plus B.
SANCHEZ: In the C ring, it reminds me of fried Spam. Never have fried Spam?
VANDOORNE: No.
SANCHEZ: Oh, yes.
VANDOORNE: Were you a child of the war? I mean --
SANCHEZ: Mercy.
VANDOORNE: Calf's head.
SANCHEZ: Oh, I can't. Oh, that was intense.
VANDOORNE: It's delicious. SANCHEZ: That?
VANDOORNE: That is delicious.
SANCHEZ: All right, I'll turn to the rice.
VANDOORNE: I think you will like this part better.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
VANDOORNE: Yes?
SANCHEZ: Yes.
VANDOORNE: OK. Does it taste like what you imagine head tastes like?
SANCHEZ: I feel like I can taste this calf's thoughts.
VANDOORNE: Ready for dessert?
SANCHEZ: Indeed.
VANDOORNE: (Inaudible) Just tap it. Hear a faint crackle there?
SANCHEZ: Yes. Some sounds.
VANDOORNE: OK, you go.
SANCHEZ: So good. So good.
VANDOORNE: It's the consistency again that is so delicious. Soft. Crazy.
SANCHEZ: Melissa Bell is back with us now. And I got to say, Melissa, I was impressed by how nothing goes to waste when it comes to French food. I had a pig's leg. I had the intestine sausage. I had calf brain.
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: I have to ask you, though, what did you like best? The pig's trotter or the calf's brain?
SANCHEZ: It's an unanswerable question, honestly.
BELL: Boris did it. First time in Paris, and you tasted everything that was put before you. I think that's pretty impressive.
SANCHEZ: I don't know if I did it or I attempted to do it. I'm fortunate that the editors cut out the portions where I ejected some of that stuff before I actually had to consume it. Some of it looked like roadkill, to be honest, but it was a special experience, and I'm glad I got to do it.
Speaking of special experiences, a few years ago, France and Paris specifically underwent a traumatic, almost tragic moment with Notre Dame catching fire. And so much of that iconic, special, world renowned structure being diminished. And not long ago, about a month or so ago, less than a month ago, it reopened.
BELL: It was five years ago, it had burned down. The flames coming up above Notre Dame or something. There's something that Parisians who saw it that day won't forget. We got to go back, of course, when it was reopened. Honestly, I can't recommend enough a trip to Paris as you've made to come and see Notre Dame.
It is spectacular what they've done with the renovation. I think anyone who has a chance to come and have a look really must. It's really beautiful and worth the trip.
SANCHEZ: I wanted to try and check it out, but the crowds outside were huge. I got to say, it is worth the time if you make it out here to Paris. We actually have something special from the Notre Dame choir singing a special song for us on New Year's Eve.
(SINGING)
[17:20:00]
(SINGING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:27:04]
SANCHEZ: You can feel the music thumping your chest here in Paris, where we are only about a half hour away from ringing in New Year's 2025. We should note Boston is about six and a half hours away from the New Year, but 2024 brought plenty to celebrate in that city, including an NBA championship for the Celtics, that team's 18th, that team now poised for a potential repeat. And one of the top players on that team, one of the best in the league was forward Jayson Tatum, and he joins me now moments after getting off the court playing the Toronto Raptors at the Boston Garden.
Jayson, thank you so much for joining us. This game obviously was a blowout. It seemed like you guys wanted to get home early to celebrate.
JAYSON TATUM, BOSTON CELTICS: Yes, thanks for having me. It was just good to get back out on the court, obviously, coming off a tough loss the other day. So it was a great opportunity for us to respond and I think we did that.
SANCHEZ: Fantastic. I'm so grateful that you're joining us in part because I've been a fan of yours, reluctantly for some time. I am a die-hard Miami Heat fan. And watching your postseason battles against the Heat has been some of the best basketball I have ever watched.
You finally got the monkey off your back this year. Bringing a championship to the city of Boston. Is that first title, that first ring of yours, your top memory of 2024?
TATUM: Yes, absolutely. At that point it was, you know, seven years in NBA, multiple trips to the conference finals. That was my second time to the NBA Finals. And that was the only thing that was kind of left to check off of the list. And to finally accomplish something that you dream about as a kid that you've been so close to throughout your career.
To do it in front of the best fans in the world, in front of your family, to do it at home, you know, is something I'll never forget. And then the parade that we had, honestly, like the two best hours of my life. And hopefully we can do it again one day.
SANCHEZ: Yes. It seems like you guys are having quite a season thus far and we'll see how that goes. Obviously, as we get further down the line, a lot of champagne is had after a championship. I'm wondering, are you drinking some champagne tonight?
TATUM: I think I'm going to keep it PG tonight. I got my family in town, grandparents. I'll be at home with Deuce, probably drinking apple cider and watching the ball drop tonight. So I think I'm going to keep it PG tonight.
SANCHEZ: Keeping it healthy, obviously. Probably not a whole lot of health resolutions for a professional athlete I imagine going into the New Year.
You did speak about your family and there's something I want to ask you because obviously somebody that you've feuded with on the court, LeBron James, made history this year. He is living his dream, playing side by side with his son Bronny.
[17:30:05]
Your son Deuce is only seven years old, but he appears to have some game just based on his videos that I -- I've seen on -- on the Internet. If you wind up playing 12 more years, could you see yourselpof tentially playing alongside Deuce on the court? Would that be a dream of yours?
TATUM: A lot of things would have to go right. I think recently he's really started to, you know, fall in love with the game on his own, right. I never wanted to, obviously, he's always around me, so he's always been at the games, always around basketball. But I never wanted to force it on him. I wanted him to, you know, organically and naturally want to go, you know, play and learn the game and -- and have fun.
I think at this point, it's the most important thing is for him to have fun. And if he's blessed enough to, you know, attain some of my athletic gifts and -- and -- and fall in love with the game later on in life and stay healthy, it would be incredible to do, right. Seeing LeBron and Bronny play together, you know, something we've never seen before. So I think it's -- it's super dope to see and, you know, who knows? We'll see.
SANCHEZ: Yes, yes. That's a sign of -- of a great dad. Not just that you're not trying to force anything on him, but also that you didn't call traveling on him in that video that we just played. Clearly he was picking up that ball and -- and running around. Jason, I do have a rapid fire round for you really quick. Would you rather hit a game winning three or hit a hole in one?
TATUM: A hole in one.
SANCHEZ: All right. So let's say you're a GM. I suspect what you might do with your first pick, would you go MJ, LeBron or Kobe?
TATUM: I am signed to Jordan brand. I love Michael Jordan, great mentor of mine. But Kobe Bryant was the reason I fell in love with the game, so I got to go Kobe.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Yes, totally. I -- I -- I've seen how much he -- he's meant to you over the years, and -- and obviously we think of him in moments like this and his family. I -- I also wonder, would you rather have lobster rolls or St. Louis barbecue, some hometown cooking?
TATUM: I am a St. Louis kid until the day I die, so anything St. Louis, I'm thinking. I feel like we got the best food in the country, and barbecue is at the top of that list.
SANCHEZ: I can't wait to have some myself. I -- I do want to ask, what was your top song on Spotify this year and why was it Taylor Swift?
TATUM: I love -- shout out to Taylor Swift. I know all the Swifties. I don't know my -- I don't know my top song buzz, but Taylor Swift was on that for sure.
SANCHEZ: I appreciate you being very diplomatic. Nobody wants to draw the ire of Swifties out there. So shout out to her and her fans. Hey, Jason Tatum, thank you so much for taking time to be with us tonight. I hope you enjoy that apple cider later.
TATUM: Thank you. Happy holidays.
SANCHEZ: Thanks so much. We will see Jason again in action on Thursday in a doubleheader on our sister network, TNT. The NBA on TNT features the Celtics at the Minnesota Timberwolves at 7:30 p.m. Eastern and East versus West coast feud there. Also the Philadelphia 76ers at the Golden State Warriors at 10:00 p.m. All kinds of NBA action you will not want to miss the day after New Year's day --
COATES: Yes.
SANCHEZ: -- at 7:00 p.m. on TNT. Laura, what do you think? Apple cider, is that all you're having tonight?
COATES: Are you kidding me? I'm hating on you right now. My son is like Jason Tatum. Jason Tatum, mom. I know. That was a great interview. Are you kidding me? They are so great. I mean, he is ridiculous. I'm still mad, though. On behalf of all of Celtics fans, I'm mad he didn't play more in the Olympics. I'm just saying he should have played every single game. I said it here. I said it here. Thank you very much. OK.
SANCHEZ: A lot of -- a lot of folks felt that way. A lot of folks felt that way. And the crazy thing is, he's only 26 years old. He has a very bright future ahead of him. A star to watch in Jayson Tatum. COATES: I know that. That -- that's so funny because I'm not even 26 yet. That's -- that's so crazy how that works. Don't laugh, Boris. Don't laugh at that joker at all. Thank you very much.
SANCHEZ: Another star to watch.
COATES: Don't laugh.
SANCHEZ: Another star to watch in Laura Coates.
COATES: Anyway, let's -- let's head over to Angola. Yes, 26. Sure. Let's head over to Angola where people in Luanda are set to bring in the New Year, honestly.
CNN's Larry Madowo is there. Larry, it's getting close to midnight in that part of Africa. What's going on?
LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're less than 30 minutes to midnight now, Laura, and the crowd is building. It's charged up. I notice a lot of people are wearing whites. So I wanted to ask one of the Angolas here, Isaias Paul (ph) is with me. Why do people wear white for the New Year here?
[17:35:05]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People wear white in Angola because for us, white symbolizes purity, prosperity and peace, which are values that Angolans really embrace.
MADOWO: And the other thing you do for New Year, what happens when this clock strikes midnight in Angola?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So people are here because this is a landmark. There's going to be the fires soon. But the more traditional way we spend the New Year is embracing the family exactly at midnight to enter the year with your loved ones. And after spending time with your family, we usually go to party.
MADOWO: OK, so party at midnight. But we're still getting the party started here with some traditional dancers and music from Angola. Vamush.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
COATES: Larry, we're going to come back to you to bring in a New Year there in Luanda, one of my favorite places. I have a beautiful mentor. May she rest in peace, Eunice Carvalho (ph), who is from there as well.
Coming up, though, we head back to Mississippi and Morgan Freeman's bar, because CNN's Omar Jimenez is there in all his glory. Omar, what's going on where you are? Are we going to hear you perform at all?
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Look, I showed up here again to just interview Morgan Freeman, interview some bandmates, including the Mauldin Brothers here behind me, and next thing I know, I ended up on stage. They said, you got to play with us. So I think -- I think that's what we're going to do. Mauldin Brothers, I'm on you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's do it.
JIMENEZ: Kick it. Let's do it. Yes.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[17:42:08]
COATES: Welcome back to CNN's special live coverage of New Year's Eve. We are less than two hours away from midnight right here in London. But revelers in Times Square still have a long way to go to the ball drop. Let's check back in with Coy Wire. Coy, you have a special guest from the famous Carmine's Italian restaurant in Times Square.
COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, New Year's is all about reflecting with friends, family and food. And, oh, we got some celebration going on tonight. Listen, where I'm from in Central Pennsylvania, pork and sauerkraut is the tradition on New Year's Day. The more you eat, the better prosperity after the next year. And the more you toot, maybe.
But when you're in New York, Italian food is one of the crown jewels. I am here with Carmine's owner and CEO Jeff and Chef Glenn. Chef Glenn, what are we throwing down tonight?
GLENN ROLNICK, CARMINE'S NYC FAMILY STYLE ITALIAN RESTAURANT CHEF: Tonight have our special spaghetti and meatballs. Meatballs is one of our most popular dishes at Carmine's. Jeff, how many of these we sell every week, day, month, whatever?
JEFFREY BANK, CARMINE'S NYC FAMILY STYLE ITALIAN RESTAURANT OWNER AND CEO: One million this year, 1 million and 12 actually after this.
ROLNICK: One million and 12.
WIRE: Now, however -- how -- who -- those who've never been to Carmine's, what makes it so special?
BANK: Carmine's Family Style been around 35 years. The wow factor, Southern Italian giant portions just like this that serve four to six people. Chef Glenn will come to your table, put a little cheese on for you. You get over to Atlantic City, we've had meatball eating contests. You might be able to take down Joey Chestnut.
WIRE: Oh, yes. I can take it down. Now, you said this is a single helping for like, four or five people, but this -- this is enough for me tonight. OK. Now, Chef, tell us, what is the secret for those watching home to a very good sauce.
ROLNICK: The secret to a good sauce is using Italian style tomatoes. Absolutely, cooking it, simmering it. Do not add sugar to your sauce. Fresh herbs and a lot of garlic and olive oil. Best way to do it, please do it that way. And our meatballs, fresh mixed meatballs, veal, beef, very slowly mixed. Very tender, very tasty.
WIRE: Now, I looked up Italian traditions for New Year's, and it was throw away old things and wear red underwear for luck, love, and fertility in the New Year. Is this true?
BANK: I'm not going touch that one.
ROLNICK: I don't know. I haven't tried it.
WIRE: Look, these people haven't eaten for hours. I say we make them very happy. Are you all hungry?
CROWD: Yes.
WIRE: Let's bring out the food. Bring it on out. We're going to have a party of celebration here. We are popping champagne, and we are serving some meatballs and spaghetti to celebrate and ring into New Year. We have our friends from Japan here all the way, our friends from Tennessee. First New Year's. You having fun, big man?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
WIRE: Yes. Let's go. I hope you're getting your bellies full and having some good meals on this New Year's. I know I am. We'll be back for more from Times Square soon.
[17:45:01]
COATES: Oh, Coy. I love how all of you said no to the fertility meatballs. It's hysterical to me. Thank you so much. We'll check back in with you very shortly. We've got so much coming up. Because aside from a good meal, there's nothing on New Year's Eve like a dance. And Boris and I got on our best dancing shoes and we headed to a studio to see if we have what it takes to become professional ballroom dancers. You decide.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Six, seven, eight.
COATES: We're ready.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, let's do this.
SANCHEZ: Let's get ready to humiliate ourselves live.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Five, six, seven, and basic, two basics, five, six, seven, one, two, three, side step. Here we go. Shake those booties.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boom. And push it off. Carry on.
COATES: What could possibly go wrong? OK.
SANCHEZ: I'm glad I agree to this.
COATES: Three.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Roll. Boom. Good.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One, two, three.
SANCHEZ: No, let's try one more time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Basic. Here we go.
COATES: You got it.
SANCHEZ: Let's keep forgetting there's -- there's one move that, like, I can't do. Like, my brain doesn't communicate with my feet.
COATES: No.
SANCHEZ: This is what you need to do, so I'm like, chopping.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here we go bodies. Six, seven. Turn.
SANCHEZ: Oh, my God. No, I missed it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's it. You done it. Yes. Oh, my God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to be doing the dip.
SANCHEZ: OK.
COATES: Oh, God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
COATES: How's your back?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Venetian salsa.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
COATES: Two, two.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
COATES: OK. Yes, yes.
SANCHEZ: Look at us. Look at us.
COATES: You got to have fun on New Year's Eve.
SANCHEZ: You got to sweat.
COATES: You got to sweat, otherwise you're not having fun.
SANCHEZ: Cleanse those toxins from the last year.
COATES: Is that we're doing OK?
SANCHEZ: All the bad juju, just get it out.
COATES: Well, my whole -- my whole back is covered in the toxins of 2024, so. Hope that's good for you.
SANCHEZ: I'm -- I'm not confident.
COATES: You know what?
SANCHEZ: We shall see.
COATES: Oh, I think I'm ready now Boris. We're going to do this?
SANCHEZ: Indeed. Look at that.
COATES: Let's do it.
SANCHEZ: Maybe we'll find out.
COATES: Uh-oh.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Five, six, seven, and right turn, step and slide. Shimmy, step and slide. Shimmy. Basic, cross body lead. Basic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
COATES: Free salad.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh.
SANCHEZ: Senorita Laura.
COATES: Boris Sanchez, everyone. There you go. Take it out.
SANCHEZ: All right, Tango next.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Yes, I don't know about that tango next.
COATES: Boris, it may always --
SANCHEZ: I -- I have to tell folks at home. Laura was a total -- Laura was a total natural. The folks in the studio were so impressed with her dancing. I, on the other hand, thank God for the editors at CNN. There was one spin that I could not do, and I just kept getting stuck over and over and over. Everybody's sweating. The instructors are getting angry with me. I felt so terrible about it. But thank goodness for Laura. And her swift feet, those salsa moves on fire and fuego.
COATES: Boris, if -- if only they knew how long it took us to get to that point in time. Are they going to call us again? I mean, maybe it's CNN with the stars, right? And were -- we had it. We had a waltz, too. We had the waltz. The waltz was good.
SANCHEZ: Yes. I would love to see John Berman try that.
COATES: Look, you were great Boris.
[17:49:04]
SANCHEZ: Come on, get out of here. Oh, thank you, Laura. I appreciate you saying that. You're too kind. You're too kind. Listen, we are just about 10 minutes away from 2025 here in Paris. About 11 minutes and 20 seconds right there. Much more of CNN special New Year's Eve coverage ahead after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome to CNN's special New Year's Eve coverage. We're following fireworks around the world. I'm Boris Sanchez coming live from Paris, where things are starting to get underway, joined by Laura Coates live for us in London, outside of the big eye.
So many places are ringing in the New Year in just moments. I want to show you live in Berlin. Later, we're also going to head to Madrid as they ring in 2025. And then we're going to go to Luanda, Angola. Look at Berlin there, an amazing array of fireworks and lights and spectacle around Europe and Africa as well.
And here in Paris, we're just minutes away from an amazing firework performance, but we are already starting to see a light show here on the Champs-Elysees with the Arc de Triomphe behind us, this display being projected behind us. Here to help me count down to 2025 is CNN's Paris correspondent, Melissa Bell. Melissa, obviously this is such a significant landmark to Paris, the Arc de Triomphe. We're starting to hear the crowd nearby, expecting some million or so people to share this moment. Talk to us about the significance of this moment and what you're seeing in the display itself, what it means for France.
[17:55:03]
BELL: So the Arc de Triomphe that you're seeing there, of course, one of the most impressive monuments in Paris, built by Napoleon I, meant to represent to celebrate his victory. (Inaudible) And what you're seeing there is a light and sound show ahead of what will be a spectacular fireworks play just a moment.
And those lights, what we've been just watching, Boris, has been a lot about Notre Dame. We were talking about it earlier on birthplace of Gothic architecture, Paris, of course. And what we saw was that cathedral reopen after five years of being rebuilt after the fire that it destroyed. It's great pomp and circumstance. President-elect Donald Trump came over 50 heads of state and there's been a lot of that displayed just on the Arc de Triomphe.
Again, like what we saw this summer during the Paris Olympics really about showcasing the city that the French like to think of as the most beautiful in the world, right, 50 million visitors a year. The most visited city in the world. And this is one of the reasons. The monuments that you see here right now, where these lights are being displayed, the monuments that you saw at the heart of the Paris Olympics over the course of the summer, this is what Paris is all about. And this light and sound display goes on for the next four and a half minutes. And then, Boris, we get the real firework display that these million people have turned out on the Champs-Elysees to watch as they do every year and spectacular it is. The French capital really rings in the New Year like few others.
SANCHEZ: As I've learned over the last few days, Paris is truly a beautiful city. And you see it here. You -- you hear the crowd reacting to the fireworks as they are popping. And obviously with so much to offer folks around the world, this city, as you mentioned, hosting the Olympics, as we're just about four minutes away, I do wonder what's next for France, what's coming up in 2025?
BELL: 2025, more political turbulence, I imagine.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
BELL: We are on our first -- fourth prime minister this year. God knows what next year is going to hold for us. But clearly 2024 was all about the Olympics. We have no particular huge events coming up next year. But what we did see specifically after the Olympics was an awful lot of people coming to visit Paris who hadn't been for because it was the first time that an Olympic ceremony had been held in a city center rather than in a stadium, right.
So the idea was that they showed so much of what is beautiful about this city. And there was this huge spike in tourism just afterwards. Having seen the opening ceremony, people wanted to come and see for themselves. And it is always packed with tourists.
There are again this New Year's down the Champs-Elysees, you'll find a lot of French families, but there are a lot of tourists from all over the world who've come specifically to watch this firework display tonight in the French capital. It's about its architecture --
SANCHEZ: Yes.
BELL: It's about the romance of the city. You're not feeling very well, Boris, but you're here for the first time. You must have felt it --
SANCHEZ: Oh, definitely.
BELL: -- beautiful and romantic about it.
SANCHEZ: Absolutely.
BELL: And people come in to soak in that spirit. I think there's something also about its history, the revolution, its ties to the United States, right?
SANCHEZ: Of course.
BELL: The foundation United States that really attracts people. In fact, some of the most numerous tourists to come are Americans. They come every year in huge numbers for these sites, for the feeling, for the romance and for everything, that very particular feel that Paris has, even --
SANCHEZ: Yes.
BELL: -- on a chilly night like this.
SANCHEZ: The United States oldest ally, we should point out.
BELL: Exactly.
SANCHEZ: As the fireworks are slowly kicking in, we're still just over about two minutes away. The crowd here is enchanted with what we are watching. Again, this is about a million people gathered together. I keep mispronouncing it. Help me with the pronunciation. The Champs- Elysees.
BELL: I -- I've been trying all evening, Champs-Elysees.
SANCHEZ: Champs-Elysees. Champs-Elysees.
BELL: You got it.
SANCHEZ: I'm going to keep trying all night. I do wonder, as we get closer to about a minute 50 or so, what a traditional New Year's Eve looks like in France?
BELL: Right. So we've been talking about the fact that on the Champs- Elysees tonight, you've got a million people. Actually, what most French people do on New Year's Eve is what they do on Christmas Eve is you are at home with your family. You drink champagne, you drink wine, you eat a lot. Some of the food you tasted only -- only yesterday, Boris.
SANCHEZ: Really? Really?
BELL: Pig structures and all, foie gras. And you tend to have a big family dinner. It's called (inaudible). The idea is that you're up from midnight, you stay at the table until the early hours of the morning, and then you dance. That is what most people do. The million who are out here today are the brave ones who've come out to brave the cold and the elements that we have tonight, Boris --
SANCHEZ: Yes.
BELL: -- in order to watch this. The traditional thing happens at home or with friends and around a table. That is the very French way of celebrating the New Year. It's all about the food.
SANCHEZ: So -- so as we get to about a minute left to go before the real show kicks off here in Paris, what is a traditional French dance, the Can-can. What are we -- what do you dance? What are we talking?
BELL: So we had a bit of Can-can down there earlier --
SANCHEZ: Yes.
BELL: -- with a very spectacular case that neither of us -- neither of us attempted tonight. But there is, of course, the dancers, the Moulin Rouge that you had here down earlier tonight, for those of us who can't quite get our legs that high in the air can also dance. And what you're going to see down the Champs-Elysees as soon as these fireworks kick off is a lot of dancing down there until the early hours of the night.
[18:00:06]
In fact, the people at home, they'll be having their dinner, their foie gras, their champagne and then they dance until the early hours. And then in the morning, you have onion soup. So depending on how brave you are and how far you've gone through your sickness, we can do that at 6:00 a.m.
SANCHEZ: Love some -- I would love some warm soup. As we key in on 10 seconds. We're now just 10 seconds away from ringing in the New Year here in Paris. Let's listen in to the count down.
