Everything else in the economy may be shrinking, but there’s one thing that’s getting bigger: the ball that drops on New Year’s Eve.
On Nov. 11, Times Square Alliance and Countdown Entertainment revealed a new ball that’s double the size of previous balls at 12 feet in diameter; it weighs nearly six tons.
The ball is covered in nearly 3,000 Waterford crystals and powered by 32,000-plus LED lights, making it capable of producing a near infinite variety of kaleidoscope patterns. The new ball will hang atop One Times Square year-round, although it will still drop just once a year.
TV viewers will able to watch that ball drop on ABC, NBC, Fox and CNN, with all networks making a point of returning to New York in time to see that crystal bauble get the new year off and running.
Dick Clark will continue to count down the minutes to New Year’s, but most of the show’s heavy lifting now is done by Ryan Seacrest. “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2009,” starts at 10 p.m. ET and keeps right on going through 2:05 am ET. Black-Eyed Peas front-woman and solo artist Fergie will host and perform from the West Coast, while “American Idol” finalist Kellie Picker reports from Times Square.
Over at NBC, Carson Daly will be live from Times Square from 10 p.m. ET – the show’s earliest start yet – and continuing through 12:35 a.m., all in high definition. Performers joining the former MTV host include Ludacris, Katy Perry, and T.I. and the Ting Tings. Daly will get on-hand assists from “Today” co-anchor Amy Roback and NBC News correspondent Luke Russert.
Fox might be hosting the night’s hippest program.
Late-night’s Spike Feresten and “Hole in the Wall'”s Mark Thompson will emcee live from Las Vegas with performances from rockers David Cook, Scott Weiland, former lead singer of the Stone Temple Pilots, and Velvet Revolver.Feresten and Thompson will throw it to New York to count down New Year’s and then return to Las Vegas. There, daredevil Robbie Kneivel will attempt to jump 200 feet and clear the Mirage’s new volcano on a motorcycle. The stunt falls on the 41st anniversary of his father Evel Knievel’s own bone-shattering jump at Caesar’s Palace.
CNN is typically a serious place to be, but not so on New Year’s Eve. Like last year, comedian Kathy Griffin will Anderson Cooper in Times Square, while CNN correspondents fan out across the country to see what people are up to on the biggest party night of the year. “Anderson Cooper 360” co-anchor Erica Hill joins Cooper and Griffin in Times Square, while correspondent Gary Tuchman reports live on the annual Midnight Run from New York City’s Central Park. Musical acts will be performing sets from cities all around the U.S.
Li’l Wayne will rap in Atlanta, Lynyrd Skynrd will rock in Pikeville, Ky., My Morning Jacket will perform in New York, Coolio will heat up Las Vegas, 3 Doors Down will jam in Duluth, Ga., and Hinder will appear in Dayton, Ohio.