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CNN Live Event/Special
Independence Eve Live; Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are Married; Independence Eve Live With Anderson And Andy. Aired 8-9p ET
Aired July 03, 2026 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ERICA HILL, CNN HOST: Yes, Hadas, appreciate it, thank you. And thanks to all of you for joining us tonight. Stay tuned, CNN's special Independence Eve live with Anderson and Andy starts right now.
[20:00:26]
CAROL BURNETT, COMEDIAN AND ACTRESS: Hey Anderson and Andy, it's Carol Burnett here. Have fun celebrating tonight and I'm wishing you a happy fourth and a very happy 250th birthday to America.
ANNOUNCER: Live from Times Square, it's Independence Eve live. The countdown is set. Celebrating the best of America just before its 250th birthday, with appearances by Dave Chappelle, Mary J. Blige, Cardi B, Henry Winkler, Jim Gaffigan, Cheri Oteri, Bevy Smith, Alysa Liu, Kristen Kish and performances from Darius Rucker, Journey, Brad Paisley and more surprises.
And now, your hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "ANDERSON COOPER: 360": And happy birthday America. We are here in Times Square, counting down the 250th when a special ball will drop at midnight. It is, of course, the nation's semi-quincentennial.
ANDY COHEN, HOST: Semi-quincentennial.
COOPER: By the end of the evening, Andy we will be able to pronounce it.
COHEN: I don't think I would.
COOPER: It is just literally now, just started to pour with rain about two minutes before we went on air.
COHEN: It is beautiful and 94 degrees now.
COOPER: You look like, you're like, covered in alcohol or something.
COHEN: Well, I'm not, it's just raining, thank you very much. Tonight is all about celebrating our great country. We have icons, legends, trivia, amazing performances. We're going to have so much fun. But that's not the only news breaking tonight.
COOPER: The wedding of the century is happening just down the street right now.
COHEN: Yes it is, but first, guys, Anderson and I are taking part in a great American pastime, which is we going to be drinking beer all night, everybody.
COOPER: All night?
COHEN: All night. Has the Vanderbilt boy ever gotten Beer drunk?
COOPER: I honestly, I don't think I've had a beer since college.
COHEN: College maybe.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: Your time at Yale.
COOPER: Well, you know what, you don't have to --
COHEN: Hold this.
COOPER: --as unrelatable as I actually am.
COHEN: Here, just here, tilt your cup, because I don't want the foam --
COOPER: Oh, is that a thing? Okay.
COHEN: Yes, it's a thing, and now you did it wrong, so.
COOPER: Oh, well, okay.
COHEN: No, that's double, wrong.
COOPER: I don't know.
COHEN: All right, anyway, wherever you are in the United States --
COOPER: Or if you're watching around the world, I hope you stick with us throughout the night. I'm told the rain is only going to last an hour. Is that true?
COHEN: I think it's, what's going to happen is the temp is going to drop about ten degrees. We'll be soaking wet by then, I have these nice white pants on that are now all wet. Anyway, cheers, happy 250th America and happy 250th to you fellow Americans watching from wherever you are. Toast with us. We'll be drinking a different American beer at the top of every hour. This is --
COOPER: All American beer.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: All night long.
COHEN: This is Michelob Ultra-Light. COOPER: Okay.
COHEN: This is brewed in my hometown, Saint Louis, Missouri.
COOPER: Oh, that's why it's --
COHEN: So, I wanted to start there, and, Anderson --
COOPER: You selected all the beers.
COHEN: Yes, yes. Anderson and I are, of course, very patriotic. We love our country. We are patriots. And I was going back and thinking about all my favorite family vacations, I think were colonial Williamsburg. I loved going to Monticello. I was a huge Monticello geek. And there was a tour lady at Monticello who I used to imitate to all of our neighbors.
COOPER: Wait a minute.
COHEN: I can't remember --
COOPER: You came back to Monticello with an imitation of the tour lady.
COHEN: Of the tour lady, yes, yes, yes. She's like, welcome to Monticello. She was so excited.
COOPER: Night parties with --
COHEN: Yes, it was me doing Monticello drag.
COOPER: Did everybody have to sit down and watch you do your --
COHEN: They wanted to. And you, of course, were here in --
COOPER: New York City.
COHEN: New York City for the bicentennial.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: What do you remember about that?
COOPER: I remember, well, the biggest thing I remember about that, it was the tall ships, and it was this incredible celebration. It was the biggest celebration in the U.S. anywhere. Gerald Ford, the President, Gerald Ford, came here. The thing that really sticks in my mind, I was nine years old, was it is the first and only time I --
COHEN: Oh, God, what's --
COOPER: I saw my mom ride the subway.
COHEN: Oh, Gloria Vanderbilt on the subway.
COOPER: Yes, all of New York was shut down. And to get to see the tall ships, you had to get on the subway. There were six million people--
COHEN: Wow.
COOPER: Coming here, it was the biggest event in the country.
COHEN: Wow.
[20:05:00]
COOPER: --and we slept on the subway.
COHEN: How was that?
[20:05:10]
COOPER: I, you know --
COHEN: There were the subways --
COOPER: We've been up there 1976.
COHEN: It was a dangerous place.
COOPER: It was a very different experience.
COHEN: Yes, but I'm sure they were all wearing your mom's jeans.
COOPER: It was before, it was, it was before, it was on the cusp of the jeans.
COHEN: Got it, got it, got it.
COOPER: But once the jeans started, then my brother and I played a game where we would just try to count how many times we saw my mom's names on people's butts.
COHEN: Relatable.
COOPER: Very relatable.
COHEN: I would like to tell you that --f
COOPER: Who amongst us is a child hasn't played that game.
COHEN: Yes. I cannot believe this rain. Every time I get up here, we were so excited to do a summer ball drop because it was going to be --
COOPER: I know, endless calls and conference calls about his wardrobe.
COHEN: Yes. and it was going to be warm.
COOPER: Oh, is that lightning?
COHEN: Yes. Wonderful, suddenly here we are. It is pouring. Literally, this came out of nowhere, you guys, I do want to plug that, Anderson and I are hitting the road. You can see us at Constitution Hall in D.C. on October 10th. Plus, the academy of music in Philadelphia on November 14th.
COOPER: That would be very fun. It's our A.C. squared tour.
COHEN: A.C. squared tour.
COOPER: We are so close to Taylor Swift. I can feel the energy.
COHEN: I can too, and I have tell you something, you and I are the only two celebrities, if you want to call us celebrities, because we're clearly not. Not invited to Taylor Swift's --
COOPER: It seems like everybody --
COHEN: The guest list is I mean, Hugh Grant is there. Everyone in sports is there.
COOPER: Yes, I saw Jason Sudeikis, I think going in.
COHEN: Yes. Our Jimmy Fallon's there. Our first stop on tonight's birthday tour has to be at Madison Square Garden just a few blocks from here. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have tied the knot, and Elizabeth Wagmeister is there. Elizabeth, what can you tell us? What is the story?
ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Okay, so first of all, they say rain on your wedding day is good luck. These signs behind me, Andy, at Madison Square Garden lit up and they said, JUST&T, Taylor and Travis MARRIED and literally two minutes later, it started pouring, as you guys know.
So, we are all now soaked, we are just rolling with it. I want to tell you guys that there was a hurricane on my wedding day. And look, all these years later, I'm happily married. So, congrats to Taylor and Travis and this is a huge moment.
Yes, yes, we're happily married. It's all good, Andy, but I want to give you some of the details that just went down here at Madison Square Garden. After weeks and months of secrecy, are they getting married at MSG? Are they not? We heard from our sources over the past few days that they certainly were. And then, as I said, these signs behind me, they lit up. It said, just married and then I got a press release from Taylor's rep, Sharif Caine, which gave us the details.
Now, maybe my favorite celebrity wedding detail of all time. Guess who officiated? Adam Sandler, I mean, you can't make this up. Adam Sandler was the officiant. Jason Kelce, of course, Travis' daughter was --
COHEN: Was it a Jewish wedding?
WAGMEISTER: You know, Andy, now that Adam Sandler was the officiant --
COHEN: Adam Sandler, nice Jewish boy.
WAGMEISTER: -- I am hoping that they're going to do the -- nice Jewish Boy. I hope they're going to do the Hora tonight. I hope they stepped on a glass. I'm guessing probably not. But in our Jewish dreams, Andy, hopefully. But Austin Swift, who is Taylor's brother, he served as her man of honor and they had no bridesmaids, no groomsmen. They just kept it a family affair in front of a thousand of their closest friends, of course.
COHEN: Very low key, very low key.
WAGMEISTER: Super low key, super low key with the press release in signs.
COOPER: And, so I have, is everybody, how late does this go tonight? Because we're on air until 12:30, is that still going to be going on? I mean, could we like head over there?
COHEN: Yes, where's the afterparty?
WAGMEISTER: Oh yes. Yes, so you guys should come and join me because at 12:30, they still have hours to go. We are told that this is prepped to go till 4:00 A.M., but what we hear is that it's likely going till 2:30 A.M. So, the celebrities, the guests, they started arriving at 2:30 P.M. over here is when I saw all of the black cars lining up. It took about two or three hours for them to get in. There was a cocktail party at 4:30 P.M. The ceremony that we heard from sources started on the arena floor at 5:30, and then the party was supposed to begin at 6:30.
So right now, while the three of us are getting rained on, and by the way, the two of you should have been invited. I was thinking about that. I don't know why you weren't but while everyone is in there partying --
COHEN: We're good.
COOPER: Yes, we're good.
WAGMEISTER: --we're standing in the ring.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: We're worker bees.
WAGMEISTER: Exactly and I'd rather be with you two, than at the wedding, okay?
COHEN: Thanks, Elizabeth.
COOPER: Thanks.
COHEN: We'll check back in later. Anderson, out of curiosity --
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: And I don't want to put you on the spot.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: Can you name a Taylor Swift song? COOPER: That would poem that you made me read.
COHEN: Oh, yes, yes, yes.
COOPER: Was it called Would?
COHEN: Yes. Good job.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: Well, joining us now, someone who also was not invited to the wedding, one of Americas favorite comedians, Jim Gaffigan, Jim.
[20:10:10]
JIM GAFFIGAN, AMERICAN COMEDIAN: You know, for the record, I am --
COOPER: By the way, Jim, an enormous bolt of lightning.
GAFFIGAN: You know, I don't know. I feel like guys standing on top of a roof holding metal. Didn't Ben Franklin do this with a kite? And were not supposed to do this.
COOPER: I also am glad that we provided you with a hospital bed sheet.
GAFFIGAN: No. By the way, you didn't realize this is actually a tablecloth. But --
COHEN: No, actually, Anderson is wearing a tablecloth tonight.
GAFFIGAN: But this is, you know, there's a new Pope here in New York City and I've been made a bishop. And so, it's a special honor. By the way, I was invited to the wedding. I turned it down.
COOPER: Wow, for this gig, I turned it down because I had an opportunity to work on the Giving Forth event that I'm going to be doing.
COHEN: Yeah, you are hosting the ball drop as part of the America 250 Giving Forth.
GAFFIGAN: I'm hosting the ball drop.
COHEN: Have you ever performed in Times Square before, and why was it important for you to be a part of it?
GAFFIGAN: You know, fourth of July is fun. And, you know, it's like what I loved about this event, it was like, this is a nonpolitical, it has no association. It's for this 250 organization that that really is trying to instill Giving Forth is the idea turning fourth of July into a giving activity day because nonprofits really struggle during the summer. So that was one of the things. And also, I wanted to get away from my family.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: What do you normally do? What's Gaffigan family life?
GAFFIGAN: Well, it's, you know, I'm from more upper Midwest than him, but like bratwurst or a necessity. My Wife's from Wisconsin. A lot of sunscreen, a lot of sunscreen. Let's be honest, you know, and but I have so many fond memories of fourth of July. I remember the bicentennial. I mean, you guys are too young.
COHEN: No. We loved it.
COOPER: Yes.
GAFFIGAN: I remember.
COOPER: I was nine.
GAFFIGAN: I was I was nine also, I guess, wait a minute, maybe I'm 66. So, maybe I was 10.
COOPER: I was born in 67.
GAFFIGAN: And I, I was dressed up. I was dressed up like Benjamin Franklin.
COHEN: Were you really?
GAFFIGAN: Yes.
COHEN: Wow, you know what?
GAFFIGAN: My mom, who is very --
COHEN: You favor him, Jim.
GAFFIGAN: I know. Well, I was --
COHEN: You do.
GAFFIGAN: I think my mom looked at me and goes, this guy's probably going to be bald, so he should be Ben Franklin. And so yes, no, I have a, you know, like there's something.
COOPER: Did you look like his --
GAFFIGAN: No, I have a, like there's something. They gave me a skull cap and then I walked around with a kite that was the only kite they could find in 1976 was a British Airways.
COHEN: Yes. Oh, well that's ironic.
GAFFIGAN: And so, but it was so fun. My brother was Huck Finn. My sisters were dressed kind of like they were from the gilded age for some odd reason. And then my other two brothers were kind of Uncle Sam knockoffs
COHEN: But it was an amazing event.
GAFFIGAN: Like, I remember that excitement of the bicentennial.
COOPER: I was telling Andy, the main thing I remember, I was in New York for the tall ships was my mom, it was the first and only time I saw her riding the subway.
GAFFIGAN: Wow.
COOPER: That's the only way you could --
GAFFIGAN: Yes, that was the only way to get there, right? I remember watching that on T.V. it was a huge to do.
COHEN: Huge.
COOPER: It was the biggest event in the country.
COHEN: You talk about food a lot in your stand up. Are there, what are your favorite American foods?
GAFFIGAN: Oh my gosh, there's just so many. I mean, it's but fourth of July, I mean, I had a joke about how fourth of July, all holidays are just so we can eat more, right?
COHEN: Yes.
GAFFIGAN: And there is patriotism tied into like, we got to have a burger and a broth and a hot dog and all this stuff. But I love, I love cold fried chicken. I like fried chicken on fourth of July that's cold, that's been put out.
COHEN: Yes.
GAFFIGAN: I love the different potato salads. You know, my wife's family is Jewish and, and German. So, like there's different, they have competing potato salads.
COHEN: Nice.
GAFFIGAN: So, like there's a lot of that kind of stuff but --
COOPER: I thought it was just one kind of a potato salad.
GAFFIGAN: No, there's one that's much more mustardy. it's like, by the way, this is how the apocalypse starts, right. It starts with a small raining...
COHEN: You know it's crazy.
GAFFIGAN: Can I point something out? This beautiful building that we're standing on, Anderson's great grandfather owned it.
COOPER: Is this true?
GAFFIGAN: I don't know.
COHEN: Well, it's the Knickerbockers where we are. GAFFIGAN: But it is so much history in this building, and it's a beautiful building.
COHEN: Yes, you're currently on your end, everything is wonderful, stand-up tour. What are your favorite places to perform in America, do you--
GAFFIGAN: Oh my gosh, you know, I have gone, I've gotten to a bizarre point where I think I was so frustrated and annoyed with traveling that now I just relish it. And I love even the unique weirdness of the smallest or largest town, so.
COHEN: You like traveling now?
GAFFIGAN: I love it. I love, I mean, some of it is probably because I have five kids, you know, but, I love sitting in a hotel room.
COOPER: You just want to be I a quiet hotel room.
GAFFIGAN: I love kind of exploring a regional dish, whether it's a Runza in Nebraska or, you know, toasted ravioli or what is -- there's that gooey butter cake.
[20:15:12]
COHEN: Yeah, you're talking Saint Louis right now yes.
GAFFIGAN: Every city has these, you know, like they -- in Illinois, there's the horseshoe. It's just all over the place and there's just so much of it that I just, you know, the foodie side of me can't get enough.
COHEN: Anderson, did you know Jim is going to be playing President Grover Cleveland in the next season of the gilded age?
COOPER: Is that true, really?
GAFFIGAN: Yes, over at Cleveland.
COOPER: That's awesome, I mean, I kind of see it.
GAFFIGAN: Well, you know, it's interesting, I met -- because the show is such top notch, right? I mean, obviously we know the actors and the writers are amazing, but they have all these historical experts there. And this woman came up and I run into her at a graduation party and she was like, you know, you're not heavy enough. And I was like, that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said.
COHEN: Yes.
GAFFIGAN: Because being a pudgy guy my entire life, I was like, I'm too thin for once.
COHEN: I want to play a little game. We are going to play, is it whiter than Jim or Anderson. I will read out something americana and Jim and Anderson have to guess if they are whiter than that object. GAFFIGAN: Okay.
COHEN: Are Jim and Anderson, whiter than the White House, we'll just start there day or night.
GAFFIGAN: I think that's pretty, I mean, well, obviously it was built by slaves, so it's like, uh, you know, just to bring some levity.
COHEN: Oh, well, yes. Okay.
COOPER: Were you always this pale, like from the time you were a little kid? No, I was Puerto Rican when I was --
COHEN: We're both very bad.
GAFFIGAN: What do you mean? Of course I was --
COOPER: I feel like as a kid, I had a tan, which is why I probably have some skin cancer now.
GAFFIGAN: Oh, no. I am so much --
COHEN: Okay, so the answer is, Anderson is whiter than the White House. Jim is not Are Jim and Anderson whiter than --
COOPER: Oh wait, these three shots, you look enormous and we look tiny.
GAFFIGAN: I want to do a shout Do a shout out to my dermatologist Dr. Eidelman, who I am paying for his summer house because I have so much skin cancer. He's like, see you next week.
COHEN: Are Jim and Anderson, whiter than Lady Bird Johnson's white gloves that she wore to the inauguration.
COOPER: Oh, Darling Lady bird.
GAFFIGAN: I think, I think Anderson's more waspy, I think that you could pull off the white gloves. I wouldn't, I'd lose one of the gloves.
COHEN: How about Elvis Presleys jumpsuit?
GAFFIGAN: That's, I feel that's more me.
COOPER: Yes, so we could pull that off.
COHEN: What about Thomas Jefferson's hair?
GAFFIGAN: Did Thomas Jefferson, or did people kind of like call him at ginger, like did we have to know what's that ginger something like, you know.
COHEN: I highly recommend Monticello as a tourist destination. Are they whiter than Mount Rushmore? Everybody, what do we think? GAFFIGAN: I think, well, those I think those carvings, you know, I had a whole joke about how it was on sacred territory that they did it. But, I think that they are probably the carvings are probably paler than Anderson and I. I'm more of pink, you've to a little color. I'm more of a pink, ruddy pre cancer.
COHEN: Just one more time before we let you go. You want to shout out your dermatologist name again?
GAFFIGAN: Dr. Eidelman? I assume I'll get some free, some free visits.
COHEN: I'm hoping to hop in on that too, yes. All right, Dr. Eidelman, thank you for your service. Jim Gaffigan, always love this.
GAFFIGAN: Thank you so much, guys.
COOPER: Thanks so much, appreciate it.
GAFFIGAN: Thanks for having me.
COHEN: Have fun down at the ball down at the ball drop.
GAFFIGAN: Have a great fourth.
COOPER: You too.
COHEN: Stay dry, have a great fourth.
Coming up next, we are going to Randi Kaye in Provincetown. Plus, top chefs Kristen Kish blindfolds us for a taste test, the rain keeps coming.
COOPER: Oh boy.
COHEN: We'll be back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:22:43]
COOPER: And welcome back, we are in a very rainy Times Square.
COHEN: We can see the sunset over there, which makes us feel like maybe this mess is going to stop.
COOPER: The sun is setting over Brooklyn right now. So, I feel like it's going to come here and it's going to stop raining. We were just talking to Jim Gaffigan. We're on until 12:30. We're drinking American beer, which, what is this? This is Michelob Ultra-Light. I already finished one.
COOPER: Well, it's a long night. You might want to pace yourself.
COHEN: Yes, goes down like water. Do you like the taste?
COOPER: We want to check in -- I mean, it's yes, it's I'm way better than that other stuff you give me on New Years' Eve, Tequila. I mean, it's very different.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: Yes. It feels like it's not as alcoholic.
COHEN: Right, yes.
COOPER: Is that why people drink it?
COHEN: Yes, and you watch a ball game.
COOPER: Oh, yes, okay.
COHEN: Okay, let's go to Provincetown, Massachusetts, where the first pilgrims landed on the shores.
COOPER: They landed in Provincetown?
COHEN: That's where they landed. The first pilgrims and Randi Kaye is joining us. Hey, Randi, is that where the pilgrims landed, right there.
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Andy.
COHEN: For real, and what's going on there now? What blasphemous thing?
KAYE: Well, the pilgrims landed here in, like, a really long time ago on the Mayflower before they went over to Plymouth Harbor. But there aren't any pilgrims here. What I did find are some really nice go, go, boys, right. You guys dressed for the heat? I can tell.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely.
KAYE: Right, you packed very light for the weekend. Very smart, very smart. And I, my main thing is I need to get a Martini before we go on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You said Martini, we got Martini for you.
KAYE: Martini, on my new friend Tristan.
TRISTAN: How are you doing?
KAYE: Thank you so much.
TRISTAN: We're ready to settle you up later, too.
KAYE: Oh, boy.
TRISTAN: It's an all-night affair.
KAYE: Okay. It's an all-night affair here. We're going to party up. You want to escort me to the stage, please? Thank you. This is all about game night here. We are in Provincetown at the crown and anchor and this is, this is game night here. So, you go over there. All right, this is Willem, you're going to teach me the games here, right at the beach club.
WILLEM: Oh, money, you ready to throw it back?
KAYE: I am ready, will you hold my drink?
WILLEM: I would love to.
KAYE: I don't know what's up with the pink balls, so.
WILLEM: Were at the Tryst and we love pink balls because we don't do blue balls here.
KAYE: Oh, boy. We're going there. Okay, all right, I'm going to hold this. You're going to teach me how to play this game. What do I do? I just toss?
WILLEM: Okay, so firs, you grab one ball, one ring.
KAYE: One ring.
WILLEM: And then you throw it over the golden boy.
KAYE: Oh, okay. Here we go. Ready?
COHEN: All right.
COOPER: All right.
COHEN: Very good, congratulations, Randi. You did it. She got one, she got a go-go-boy and I would like to point out, I think this might be the first and last time that Randi Kaye is in hot pants on CNN. I don't think we've ever seen that before.
COOPER: I feel like maybe we have.
COHEN: But have we?
COOPER: Let's move on.
COHEN: Okay. Enjoy that Randy. That looks like a lot of fun. They pilgrims are rolling over in their graves.
COOPER: Joining us is an amazing American. She just appeared in the recent season of Traders, top chef winner and host Kristen Kish.
COHEN: Hey, Kris.
COOPER: Hey, welcome, how are you?
COHEN: Great to see you. I know it's insane, actually...
KRISTEN KISH, AMERICAN CHEF AND TELEVISION HOST: Look at that sunset.
COOPER: I know see, I I'm optimistic.
COHEN: The sunset is amazing. We're optimistic that this is going to stop.
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: You, of course --
COOPER: I feel like maybe it has.
COHEN: --won top chef, Seattle you returned as the host for top chef. Wisconsin, Canada. Most recently the Carolinas. What is your favorite food city in America?
KISH: I knew that question was going to come, and it's one of the most impossible things. We are here in New York City where I feel like you can get every cuisine from any culture.
COHEN: Yes.
KISH: So my answer right now is going to be New York City.
COHEN: It's New York City. You grew up in Kentwood, Michigan.
KISH: Also, not very known for its food like New York is.
COOPER: Were you always interested in food from the time you were a little kid?
KISH: It's not raining, is it?
COOPER: No, I mean, it's a little drizzle.
KISH: Yes, I was always interested in the process of cooking. It just took me a while to understand what it meant to cook food for other people.
COOPER: As a little kid, did you eat everything?
KISH: Everything, Chicken fingers, in every different form, every different ranch dressing.
COOPER: Wow.
COHEN: Do you have a favorite July 4th food?
KISH: Oh gosh, we had a lot of salads that weren't salads. They were mayonnaise-based things.
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: Yes, of course.
COHEN: Very American.
KISH: In the Midwest, I really enjoy a mayonnaise salad.
COHEN: Yeah. Okay, so here's the deal. We're going to play a little game. Anderson and I are going to be blindfolded. We're going to put on these Mary M. Cosby eyes.
COOPER: Okay.
COHEN: And you are going to feed us.
KISH: I am.
COHEN: --Great American foods and we have to guess what they are, right?
KISH: There is a little wet right now.
COHEN: Okay, that's okay, so are we.
KISH: The texture might be a little off.
COOPER: Okay.
KISH: Okay, hold on. I have to get my paper. Okay, are we ready?
COOPER: Yes.
KISH: Were going to start with -- You're going to feel it. Can you take it?
COHEN: Okay.
KISH: Feel that little thing.
COOPER: Oh, sweetie.
KISH: Here, there you go.
COOPER: Okay.
KISH: It's slimy, normally it isn't as slimy as this, but because of the weather, it's a little bit wet. I will, I'm going to join you, because it's solidarity.
COHEN: Is it a fish-based thing? Oh, it's spicy.
KISH: Fish?
COHEN: Is it pepperoni?
KISH: Okay, it's a meat.
COHEN: Okay, oh, is it like beef jerky?
KISH: Okay, but a closer. What's a bigger animal than a cow, that sometimes you find in the west.
COHEN: Animal, buffalo, buffalo?
KISH: Oh, it's Elk Jerky.
COHEN: Oh.
KISH: Oh, did you just spit it out.
COHEN: No.
KISH: Did you spit it out because you don't like it?
COHEN: I just -- I am uncomfortable.
KISH: You're uncomfortable. That's okay. All right. Next one.
COHEN: Oh, God.
KISH: My hands are clean.
COHEN: Okay. And Anderson.
COOPER: Okay.
KISH: Gosh, it's so salty.
COHEN: Oh, my God, I feel like my son at the dinner table right now.
KISH: And what does that remind you of? This is --
COOPER: It's like a -- it's like leathery gummy.
COHEN: Yes.
KISH: Think Wisconsin.
COHEN: Cheese.
COOPER: Oh, cheese.
KISH: Cheese curds.
COHEN: Cheese curds.
COOPER: What is a cheese curd?
KISH: This is what they make cheese out of. But wait, why did you make that face?
COHEN: Well, it is raining still. Why did I make that face? It is just -- I -- this is weird.
KISH: Okay. That's all right.
COOPER: It's very strange when you're eating things that are weirdly textured and you don't know what they are.
COHEN: That is correct.
KISH: It's almost -- it is the texture of string cheese. This one I am very excited for. COHEN: Okay.
KISH: Grab it gently. Oh, it is very fragile.
COHEN: Oh, this is -- I think this is going to be a pickle. What is this?
COOPER: Oh, no. Ive never had a -- I don't eat pickles.
COHEN: Really?
COOPER: It is really a pickle?
COHEN: That's not --
KISH: You don't eat pickles?
COHEN: This is really good. It's like a sweet pickle.
COOPER: Ugh!
KISH: Wait. Hold on. Oh, you don't want to do it? Okay, you know --
COOPER: I'll try a pickle.
KISH: It's a little sweet. it's a little spicy. Oh, I am going to give you a hint.
COOPER: Has this been like in a jar that people are reaching in and picking from?
COHEN: No.
KISH: Yes, they have actually.
COHEN: No.
COOPER: It is like with pickles, everyone is just touching them.
COHEN: I think. Maybe we need the --
COOPER: Why are they marinating in juices all the time?
KISH: It's been soaked in a fun, colorful drink often seen at birthday parties, festivities, picnics.
COHEN: Where -- what region is this?
KISH: Mississippi Delta.
COHEN: Oh, Mississippi Delta.
COOPER: Okay. I doubt --
COHEN: I love this.
KISH: It's a pickle soaked in Kool-Aid, FYI.
COHEN: Oh, okay. That's why I liked it. My daughter, Lucy loves.
KISH: Well, now, this might be a little off because of the rain. I feel like the heart and soul of this is still very much popcorn.
COOPER: This I like.
COHEN: Caramel corn.
COOPER: Great!
KISH: So where are we thinking? What region of the world?
COHEN: Caramel corn. Oh, like Cincinnati or something.
[20:30:11]
COOPER: Like Lowe's Theater?
COHEN: Chicago.
KISH: Close, Maryland.
COHEN: Maryland?
KISH: All right. Oh, it's Old Bay. I don't get the Old Bay. I think it's because it's washed off.
COHEN: I feel like I'm in filth right now. This is so weird. I feel like I'm swimming.
COOPER: Is there someplace I can put the pickle and the elk that I spit out?
COHEN: There's a table in front of me.
COOPER: Well, I know, but I don't want to put it in front of you.
COHEN: Just put it down.
COOPER: I have white cover in front of me.
KISH: You're very polite.
COHEN: Just put it there.
COOPER: OK, but I have all this elk --
COHEN: It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. Don't have to deal with it.
KISH: Wow. I'm so sorry for this.
COHEN: Oh, boy. You are? KISH: Yes, I don't know if there's a camera can see. It's kind of turned into something that it wants -- what's the first thing you're tasting?
COHEN: Oh, this is good. This is like --
KISH: Yes.
COHEN: -- caramel or?
KISH: Close.
COHEN: Is it?
KISH: Is it salty?
COHEN: Toffee? Saltwater toffee?
KISH: Yes. Very good.
COHEN: From pizza?
COOPER: Saltwater toffee? I've always wondered what that is.
KISH: You've never had it before?
COOPER: No.
COHEN: You've never had saltwater toffee?
COOPER: Where would I have saltwater toffee?
COHEN: In America. You're an American.
KISH: Any place that has salt.
COHEN: Where's my beer?
KISH: OK. All right, you can drop that wherever you want to drop it.
COHEN: I want my beer.
KISH: Oh, wow. These --
COHEN: I really do.
KISH: Your hands are so gross. Here.
COHEN: I know.
COOPER: I really --
KISH: Here, drop it.
COOPER: I'm a bit of a germophobe, and to be eating food I'm not looking at it is very disconcerting to me. COHEN: I feel like Lucy right now. Like, when she was two.
COOPER: Oh my God.
COHEN: Like in a --
COOPER: Who can tell me these are Doritos.
KISH: All right. I'm going to give you the stage.
COHEN: Chips.
COOPER: Are they Ruffles?
KISH: OK.
COHEN: Barbecue chips.
KISH: Close. But what's the seasoning? What's the flavor?
COHEN: Barbecue.
COOPER: Barbecue.
KISH: Is it a little spicier than barbecue?
COHEN: Yes, mesky.
COOPER: Tangy barbecue.
COHEN: Mesky.
KISH: Red hot, perhaps?
COHEN: Red hot. Oh, jeez.
KISH: Ruffles? Yes, from Missouri.
COHEN: Oh, my state.
KISH: Ding, ding, ding. Got it wrong. OK. Next.
COOPER: But it rather stays in your mouth.
KISH: I am so sorry for this, mostly for you, Anderson. I apologize in advance.
COOPER: Oh, that's not good.
KISH: I got to put it on a fork. One second.
COHEN: Oh, boy.
KISH: Maybe the fork is pointless at this point.
COHEN: Oh, God. I know it. COOPER: Have you ever been camping? This is like eating when camping. Everything is just like wet and we're --
COHEN: Of course.
COOPER: -- savage in a tent.
COHEN: You're a basin --
KISH: OK, this is --
COOPER: We're regretting our life choices.
KISH: This is from the northeast. So, not --
COOPER: No.
KISH: -- too far. We don't want to hurt anyone's feelings.
COOPER: I don't know what it is. It's just so disconcerting.
COHEN: Corn something?
KISH: There is cornmeal in it.
COHEN: Cornmeal?
KISH: The name of this dish is similar to a game that children play with an extra letter.
COHEN: Corn --
COOPER: Chips and ladders?
COHEN: No.
KISH: Have you ever played Scrabble?
COHEN: Yes.
KISH: Have you ever heard of Scrapple?
COHEN: No.
KISH: OK.
COHEN: Is it apple?
KISH: It's basically pork and all the odds and ends that aren't really used, and then it's cooked with cornmeal and kind of put into a log. That's one of your favorites.
COHEN: Are you done?
COOPER: Oh my God.
KISH: Unfortunately, no, we're not.
COOPER: Oh, my Lord.
KISH: OK. This one's OK. It's a palate cleanser of sorts.
COHEN: OK.
KISH: Here you go.
COOPER: Wow.
KISH: This is delicious.
COHEN: Oh, it's like a cracker. Rhode Island.
KISH: Yes.
COHEN: A cracker. Alicia.
KISH: What's it taste like, though?
COHEN: I love a cracker.
It tastes like --
COOPER: Cheesy.
KISH: Cheese.
COOPER: Yes, it's like a pre-dinner cheesy cracker.
KISH: A little. -- are you cheating? I can see you looking --
COOPER: Well, I'm looking just at you over.
COHEN: Do you see that?
COOPER: No, I was just looking. I'm just at her.
KISH: Where is our favorite recent new trader from? What state?
COHEN: Oh, Rob is from Louisiana?
KISH: Alabama.
COHEN: Oh, Alabama.
KISH: Yes, Alabama cheese fries.
COOPER: OK. I mean --
KISH: Last one.
COHEN: All right, well, OK.
KISH: Very last one. COOPER: OK.
KISH: Here you go.
COOPER: Oh, pretzel.
KISH: Yes. Very good.
COHEN: OK. From?
KISH: From New York City.
COHEN: OK.
KISH: From right down the street.
COOPER: Awesome.
COHEN: Wow. That was a journey.
COOPER: Wow. Thank you. Well, this is like one of those videos where the people have been in a cave for like a month, you know? And you take them off and you're like, oh my god, I'm rethinking everything.
COHEN: Can you throw me your towel, sir?
COOPER: Oh, wow.
COHEN: Like, I'm very upset.
COOPER: I just -- my fingers are --
COHEN: I'm upset.
COOPER: Really.
COHEN: Wash your (INAUDIBLE).
COOPER: I feel like I've been like --
COHEN: That was fun.
COOPER: Yes, it was fun.
KISH: I apologize, but also thank you so much.
COHEN: You brought the party.
COOPER: Thank you.
KISH: Thank you very much.
COHEN: But you know what else you did?
KISH: What did I do?
COHEN: You brought the sun.
COOPER: Oh my gosh.
KISH: Look at this.
COOPER: And look at that sunset over there.
KISH: It's amazing.
COOPER: It's gorgeous.
KISH: It's a beautiful night.
COHEN: Coming up next --
COOPER: We're going to go to New Orleans.
COHEN: Essence Festival in New Orleans. We're going to play shag roulette with Debbie Smith, one of my favorite people. Thank you, Kristen.
COOPER: That was awesome. Thank you so much.
COHEN: This was fun. Oh my God. That was crazy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[20:37:54]
BROOKE SHIELDS, ACTRESS: My favorite city in America is Manhattan. I was born and raised in Manhattan. I'm a New Yorker.
ANDREW RANNELLS, ACTOR: I would like to give a special shout out to Carhenge in Alliance, Nebraska. Carhenge is Stonehenge recreated with old cars. It's real. So check it out next time you're in Alliance, Nebraska.
LISA KUDROW, ACTRESS: I have a favorite place. It's in Concord, Massachusetts. It's the graveyard. And you can see on the tombstones who fought in the Revolutionary War and had like Patriot medals on them and the Civil War and all of that. And I don't know why I found that thrilling.
NATHAN FILLION, ACTOR: One of my favorite places in the United States of America is Disneyland. Because it's the happiest place on Earth and they do fireworks every night.
ASHLEY IACONETTI, TV PERSONALITY: My favorite American city is Newport, Rhode Island. It's quaint and it's on the ocean.
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The White House. Going into the White House as a reporter every day, it is so special. And as a presidential history nerd, I mean going in there and being in the halls of the West Wing, in the Oval Office, in the briefing room where so many huge historic decisions were made, I would have to say it's incredibly special. And always a reflection of our nation's founding and what power in this country meant and what they wanted it to look like.
DAVID SEDARIS, COMEDIAN: My favorite place in America is the Comme des Garcons store on 22nd Street in New York City.
LUKAS GAGE, ACTOR: My favorite city in America is Wheeling, West Virginia.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why?
GAGE: I'm shooting there and it's a beautiful -- I love the wild, wild west.
EMILY BLUNT, ACTRESS: It's New York City, guys.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: Thank you to some of my guests from Watch What Happens Live. We're going to be hearing from a lot of them throughout the night.
COOPER: We've got a special reporter joining us from the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans, the great city of New Orleans, media star and entrepreneur, Bevy Smith. Bevy, thank you so much for being with us.
COHEN: Hey, Bevy.
BEVY SMITH, MEDIA STAR AND ENTREPRENEUR: Hello, lovers. Hey, guys. I'm here. I'm Nola Bevy right now. You have to address me as Nola Bevy. I'm no longer New York Bevy.
COOPER: OK.
COHEN: Nola Bevy. Hey, Nola Bevy, what does the semi-quincentennial mean to you?
SMITH: Well, you know, for me --
COHEN: What does this -- yes.
SMITH: -- Fourth of July always coincides with Essence Fest, and so this is a family reunion. It's a block party. It's a cookout. It's all the things that when you think about having freedom to party and to have joy and all the things, that's what we do at Essence Fest.
[20:40:27]
COHEN: You are a native New Yorker --
SMITH: Yes.
COHEN: -- what did the Fourth of July holiday look like for you when you were growing up? SMITH: Oh, when I was growing up, my parents would always take us to, like, the seaport to see the tall ships in 1976 when they had the tall ships come in like they did this year as well. We would sometimes spend it at Coney Island. Sometimes we would even go up to West Point. So we were always doing different things all around the city, and then sometimes we would take little road trips.
But, I mean, my daddy is a World War II veteran, so you know, of course, Fourth of July meant a lot in my household.
COOPER: How did that impact -- did you talk to him a lot -- did he talk a lot about his experiences during World War II, or a lot of folks from that generation maybe didn't talk about it so much?
SMITH: Yes, well, my dad was in the Pacific Theater, and here's a funny story, Anderson.
COOPER: Wow.
SMITH: My daddy snuck into the Navy. So he was actually too young to join the Navy, and he joined the Navy a week before Pearl Harbor. So talk about bad timing. So he snuck into the Navy.
COOPER: Wow, that's incredible.
SMITH: And then, of course, World War II started. So, I mean, really bad timing on daddy's behalf, right?
COHEN: Yes. Hey, Bevy, before -- I want to play a little game with you, but just talk to me a little bit about -- I know how important Essence Fest is for the culture and for you specifically. Tell me about --
SMITH: Yes.
COHEN: -- the vibe down there. What's going on in New Orleans, and why is it important?
SMITH: Well, the vibe down here is nothing but love, and it is black joy personified, and it's black excellence. As you guys know, tonight at the Superdome, there will be Michelle LaVaughn Obama. So, I mean, that's really exciting.
And then, of course, we also have headlining the show, Cardi B. So talk about a juxtaposition, right? I mean, from Michelle Obama, the forever First Lady, for most of us who attend Essence Fest, that's our forever First Lady. And then, of course, then we have Cardi B, who just, you know, is a raw New Yorker, telling it like the T.I. is.
And so it's just a lot of love. It's a lot of excitement. It's a lot of joy. And we're just down here to party with a purpose, honestly, you all.
And even though I'm no longer drinking, I'm going to be drunk off the vibes and the energy of the crowd. And most of my friends will be drunk, including Miss Lawrence, Andy. He's down here, too. COHEN: Oh, tell Miss Lawrence I said hi. And, by the way, Cardi B is going to be joining us from New Orleans in a little while. And while we have you, I know what a history buff you are. And I want to play a special game of Shag Roulette, American History Edition.
Bevy Smith, I'm going to present you trios --
SMITH: OK.
COHEN: -- of notable people from history. You say if you want to shag, marry, or your history. OK? And we're going to start with John F. Kennedy --
SMITH: OK, OK.
COHEN: -- Abraham Lincoln, and Ben Franklin. Yes. John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, Ben Franklin. Who are you going to shag?
SMITH: Well, you're going to shag -- oh, gosh, JFK. And then I think you're going to make history, Abraham Lincoln. And you'll probably make history, Ben Franklin. Yes. Yes. So, I mean, you're not going to keep any of them.
COHEN: OK. What about Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, and George Washington?
SMITH: Ooh, George Washington, you're definitely going to make him history. Aaron Burr, he lived in Harlem, so was it Alexander Hamilton that lived in Harlem. So I guess I should marry him so I can keep my Harlem residence.
And then Aaron Burr, gosh, what's the other options? Shag, marry, ooh, I don't want to marry him.
COHEN: Shag, marry, and then your history.
SMITH: Make him history. Yes.
COHEN: OK. And then what about Ida B. Wells?
SMITH: So we got two histories, and we only got one --
COHEN: OK. Ida B. Wells, Susan B. Anthony, and Harriet Tubman.
COOPER: What?
SMITH: OK, Harriet Tubman, of course you're going to marry her because she's very resourceful and resilient. And then Ida B. Wells, I guess you could marry her. And then who was the third?
COHEN: Susan B. Anthony.
SMITH: Oh, Susan B. Anthony, she's got her own dollar. So, yes, I would marry her as well. But I would shag her for the money.
COHEN: She does have a dollar. SMITH: I would shag her for the money.
[20:45:07]
COHEN: OK. OK. Let's do one more. Astronauts.
COOPER: No, no, do the singers.
SMITH: OK.
COHEN: Oh -- what did you say?
COOPER: Do Frank Sinatra.
COHEN: Oh, OK, well, let's skip to Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.
SMITH: Oh, Sammy Davis Jr. was notoriously a good lay, so let's go for that. Rita Hayworth could not get enough of Frank Sinatra, so let's marry him.
And then let's make history, Dean Martin, oh, boy, now that's a tough one. I want to marry Dean Martin, too. Yes, I want to marry him, too.
COHEN: Hey, Bevy --
COOPER: You know, my mom actually had a relationship with Frank Sinatra.
COHEN: Oh?
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: Hey Bevy --
SMITH: I know that, Anderson.
COHEN: So the word on Sammy Davis was --
SMITH: I do know that. I have book.
COHEN: -- the word on -- yes. The word on Sammy Davis was that he was a great lover, Bevy?
SMITH: That he was a great lover. He was a Lothario darling. He was, what they call a, you know, I can't say it because we're on the TV. But, yes, he knew how to show a girl a good time, allegedly. That's why he was -- he betted all those really glamorous women.
And it wasn't because he was tall, dark, and handsome. He was definitely dark, but he was not tall or handsome. So he had to have something going for himself. Wink, wink.
COHEN: He was a nice Jewish boy. Hey, Bevy, we're going to come back to you in a little bit, OK?
SMITH: Yes, bro.
COHEN: Thanks for hanging out with us.
COOPER: Thank you, Bevy.
COHEN: Coming up next, we are joined by a gold medalist in a special game for America's favorite mascot. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:50:14]
COOPER: And welcome back. We are live in New York's Times Square on the eve of the semi-quincentennial.
COHEN: Good.
COOPER: 250 years of America. Amazing. Very exciting.
There's going to be a ball drop at the stroke of midnight, just like on New Year's Eve. It's going to be right up there behind us. So I hope you stay with us. We're going to be on until 12:30.
And the rain has almost basically stopped. There's a little drizzle right now.
COHEN: It's like (INAUDIBLE).
COOPER: But we're having a good time. The beer is flowing. We're doing an American beer, a different American beer every hour.
COHEN: Yes. She competed in the Winter Olympics in Beijing when she was just 16 years old. And this year in Milan, she won Olympic gold for the U.S. in women's figure skating, ending a 24-year drought, Alysa Liu. Hi, Alysa Liu?
COOPER: How are you doing?
ALYSA LIU, SKATER: Hello. I'm doing good. How are you all doing
COOPER: Good, good.
COHEN: We're great. We'd love to see you. Where are you spending the holiday weekend?
LIU: I'm going to be just at home in the Bay Area. Hopefully we'll see some fireworks. That's the plan.
COHEN: You have traveled the country far and wide, training and attending figure skating events all over the place. Do you have a favorite place in America to visit or to skate?
LIU: Oh, I love New York. I'm a big fan of New York. I know a lot of people from there, so I'm going to go with that.
COOPER: We were all obsessed with your choice of Donna Summer's MacArthur Park suite for your free skate performance at the Olympics. I know that Andy asked you the last time that you were on his show. What songs are you currently obsessed with? What's your -- do you have a song of the summer?
LIU: Oh, my God. I think my song of the summer -- oh, it's got to be, right now, "E85" by Don Toliver.
COHEN: All right.
COOPER: OK.
COHEN: I think that's what I'm going to skate to when I next.
COOPER: You're obsessed with Madonna's album.
COHEN: Yes. Madonna's album came out today, which is great.
LIU: Yes.
COHEN: Yes, yes. It's so good, by the way. "Danceteria" is just a total jam. Hey, Alysa, you're set to return to the ice this fall with the U.S. national team at the 2026 Skate America competition. So are you practicing day and night right now? And do you know what songs you're going to be skating to?
LIU: Yes, well, we're choreographing programs right now. We're really focused on doing that, and then next steps from there. But for now, we're focused on the programs. We've got two ideas.
COHEN: All right. Well, I can't wait to see --
COOPER: Yes.
COHEN: -- what you come up with next. We absolutely love you. You are -- you don't break a sweat, which is one of the many things that I love about you. Have a great Fourth, and we'll see you soon, OK?
COOPER: Happy Fourth of July.
Let's go live to Danny Freeman, who's at a 250 celebration underway in Philadelphia. Hey, Danny, how are things?
DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Anderson, Andy. Things are great. This is the Phillie Phanatic, if you are unaware. But if you're unaware, you're living under a rock. This is the best mascot in the world. And together, for you, we have procured the Declaration of Independence.
But in order to earn it, you're going to have to help identify some other great mascots. Does that sound good to you? Does that sound good to you?
PHILLIE PHANATIC, MASCOT: Right.
FREEMAN: Phanatic, you're OK with that, right?
COHEN: Yes.
COOPER: Sure.
COHEN: Yes.
FREEMAN: OK. OK. Fantastic. Let's start. Let's put the picture up there and see our first mascot. Can you tell me who this is?
COHEN: That looks like maybe a Seattle mascot.
COOPER: It's the Burly Daddy? I don't know.
COHEN: The Burly Daddy?
COOPER: I don't know. Who is that? What's his name?
COHEN: He does look like a bartender at the Eagle.
FREEMAN: His name is, he's a friend of Phanatic, actually. Bernie, Bernie Brewer, mascot of the Milwaukee Brewers. Close, though. Burly Daddy is close.
COHEN: Oh, shoot. I should have known that.
COOPER: Yes.
FREEMAN: What do we got here, boys?
COHEN: Oh, that's the Cincinnati Bear? Is it Cincinnati? I mean, I see the seat.
FREEMAN: That's close. That's close.
COOPER: Great name.
FREEMAN: No, not with the Declaration, Phanatic. Not with the Declaration. It is T.C. Bear, the Twin Cities Bear for the Minnesota Twins. All right, put up the next graphic.
COHEN: Oh, my God.
COOPER: All right.
COHEN: That is --
COOPER: That's the shark. The --
COHEN: Yes, that's the gay shark.
COOPER: No, not the gay shark.
COHEN: I don't know.
COOPER: That's --
COHEN: It's shark. FREEMAN: Very close.
COOPER: It's the hockey team. They're a hockey team, right?
FREEMAN: Yes. Yes, it is hockey. It's S.J. --
COOPER: Yes.
FREEMAN: -- Sharkie, the San Jose Sharks mascot, Anderson. Andy, come on. I know you knew that.
COOPER: S.J. Sharkie, yes.
FREEMAN: Let's keep it rolling. Let's keep it rolling. You're earning the Declaration here. OK, put up the next one.
COOPER: OK.
[20:55:10]
COHEN: That's a chipmunk?
COOPER: The --
COHEN: Is that a chipmunk?
COOPER: A gerbil? Chipmunk?
COHEN: Gerbil?
FREEMAN: No.
COOPER: A rodent?
COHEN: Georgia gerbils?
FREEMAN: Not even a little bit close.
COOPER: Ricky the rodent?
FREEMAN: That, gentlemen --
COOPER: Who's that?
FREEMAN: That is not Ricky the rodent. That is Lou Seal. Lou Seal is a seal, the mascot of the San Francisco Giants. I know. I know. They're trying. Phanatic, they're trying. They're trying. I know. It's hard.
COOPER: OK.
COHEN: OK.
FREEMAN: Let's try another one, though. I think --
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: All right, last one.
COHEN: OK, one more.
FREEMAN: OK, last one. Fantastic. Last one.
COHEN: I have no idea.
COOPER: An ant? What is that?
COHEN: That's so cute. It's a bug.
COOPER: The --
FREEMAN: This is --
COOPER: Wow.
FREEMAN: This is Stinger.
COOPER: Yes, that was (INAUDIBLE).
FREEMAN: This is -- his name is Stinger from the Columbus Blue Jackets. A great mascot. Listen, do you think that they do go up to win? I mean, they did OK, right?
COOPER: Yes. Danny Freeman --
FREEMAN: You know what? We're still going to --
COOPER: -- thank you very much.
COHEN: Thank you. We got our Declaration of Independence.
COOPER: Whoa, we got a declaration.
COHEN: We don't want to get it rained on.
COOPER: Hold on.
COHEN: Coming up next, Journey is going to sing one of its most famous songs.
COOPER: Is that Thunder?
COHEN: That is continuing Thunder.
COOPER: Wow. That is continuing --
COHEN: Plus Mary J. Blige and Butter Sculptors have a surprise for us. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: And welcome back to the Michigan Awesome (ph) Manhattan. It is the top of the hour. We are three hours away until the --
