bottom of it was are there any records and we weren't able to find any corroborating reports. >> fascinating story, steve, thanks very much. >> thank you. >> that's it for me. big night ahead. cnn special report, all of the best and worse of 2018, premiers right now. >> buckle up, keep your hands inside and hold on tight. 2018 was a rip-roaring heart-pounding ride with the highest highs, the lowest lows. and we'll go through all of the big stories, politics, pop culture, sports, music, movies and more with our guest. sports illustrator senior writer and host charlotte wilder, the stuff you should know. along with stand up kmeed yaj and actress and reverend

and our own john bu rman. it's all the best and worse of 2018. >> welcome. this year was one wild ride after another. if you weren't frightened, upset or confused maybe you weren't pay attention. so many times it was chaotic, spinning out of control. grab tickets and climb aboard. this ride is taking off. >> 2018 of year of dorothy we're not in kansas any more. >> this year was a dumpster fire. >> for the world in general it was a hot mess. >> start with the hottest worst story to heat up the headline, the california wild fires with scores of people killed, thousands of homes incinerated and the town of paradise lost. >> heavenly father, please help

us. >> can you believe that, city of 25,000 people literally wiped off of the face of the map because of this fire. >> best realization to come out of that tragedy and some of the natural disasters this year for some advocates it was the mounting evidence of the devastating cost of climate change. >> feels a poll lytic, feels like climate change is real. >> to that point global temperatures soared once again on pace to make 2018 the fourth hottest year on record. >> does that mean mine yous humidity. i can take the hot i just don't like the humidity. >> best case keeping the heat on, me too movement, with names taken down for sexual harassment and more. bill cosby was sent to jail for

sexual assault. >> i don't want to remember laughing at the bill cosby show after knowing what bill cosby did. >> he vi>> larry nassar, i hate >> i cried watching all of them. >> you think this is hard for you, imagine how all of us feel. >> and we're just fed up. never under estimate the power of a group of people who are just b. fed up. >> best bang for your buck, u.s. economy remains strong. >> i'm happy the economy is booming thank you president barack obama. >> fans of the current president give him credit. either way unemployment is way down and wages went up faster than they have in almost a decade. >> it's going. >> the biggest retailers are sitting pretty. but online giant amazon is right

there with them. >> wow. wow, wow, wow. so, you know, who will challenge amazon prime? that's the next question. >> i don't even know hamazon dos it. i can think about something and ads start popping up on my feed, how did they know. >> of course old stallworths continue to struggle despite the news. >> have you been to a mall lately though it's really depressing. >> speaking of online worse friend to share a secret with, facebook. scandals of access unleashing private data of millions, found the owner leaning out zblx i think his new year's resolution should be to stop giving away our private information to literally anyone who wants it. is that too much to ask? >> i think facebook is in a position everyone loves to hate it but everyone's going to check what photos their friends are

posting. >> it came a mid data leaks among other companies and countless consumers. >> don't know what it will take to get our privacy back again. we're paying for technology that eavesdrop on us. >> worse problem that just won't go away, the mass shootings that happened at high schools in florida, texas, a newspaper in maryland, a nightclub in california and plenty of other places too. >> how many more kids, teachers, how many more innocent people have to die to have change? >> another unfortunate thing is we have become numb to these shootings. they just don't register any more because we're hit with them every day. >> some go hand in glove with the worse social trend the blatant rise of hatred.

>> when someone walks into a synagogue and kills someone because they're jewish there's no ambiguous uity there. >> it's terrible we're numbering ourselves looking at this stuff on the internet. >> we have to find maturity and build a wall against racism for generations to come. >> worse foreign relations, a horrific tie between slaughter of washington post columnist at the hands of agents in turkey and attacks by former russian spy and his daughter in the unite the kingdom. >> it's shocking to think russian agents are poisoning people on the streets in england. >> if you wrote a movie and put this in it, the editors would send it back and say that's not realistic, tone it down a little bit. >> best hollywood ending what could have been the worst story when the soccer players and coach were trapped by rising

waters and rescue seemed impossib impossible. >> i feel it should be made into a movie now. it's an amazing story. >> after days divers brought them out through a tiny, twisting under water passage, safe and sound. >> the one man who died in the process of trying to get to the boys, i believe, like, the picture they took afterwards with all of the boys around his picture i was just sobbing. >> you know, stories like that we really need in the world right now. duckies, bunnies, and rescuing children. bring it all on. >> we're going to take couple jaw-dropping moments of sports. >> we'll look at those that soared. >> and that those that soured. >> i thought you were dead. >> why's everyone always think

i'm dead. >> later, the best in pop culture, worst in politics and an out-of-the-world parking job. all of the best and worse of 2018. >> all the best, all the worst 2018 brought to you by -- share the love event, we've shown just how far love can go. (grandma vo) over one hundred national parks protected. (mom vo) more than fifty thousand animals rescued. (old man vo) nearly two million meals delivered. (mom vo) over eighteen hundred wishes granted. (vo) that's one hundred and forty million dollars donated to charity by subaru and its retailers over eleven years. (girl) thank you. (boy) thank you. (old man) thank you. (granddaughter) thank you. but before you do that, you should meet our newest team member, tecky. i'm tecky. i can do it all.

go ahead, ask it a question. tecky, can you offer low costs and award-winning wealth management with a satisfaction guarantee, like schwab? sorry. tecky can't do that. schwabbb! calling schwab. we don't have a satisfaction guarantee, but we do have tecky! i'm tecky. i ca... are you getting low costs and award-winning wealth management? if not, talk to schwab. and award-winning wealth management? at t-mobile get the unlimited plan with the latest phones included for $40 dollars! we're included? included! ♪ ♪ at t-mobile get the unlimited plan and the latest phones included for $40 dollars. feels so good to be included.

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on it. [ crash ] and sometimes the expert the expert needed needs insurance expertise. it's all good. steve, you're covered for general liability. and, paul, we got your back with workers' comp. wow, it's like a party in here. where are the hors d'oeuvres, right? [ clanking ] tartlets? we cover commercial vehicles, too. i think there's something wrong with your sink. god i love sports. let's talk about it. >> in the whole wide world of sports the best shootout came in the super bowl. one of the highest scoring championships of all time. the under dog philadelphia

eagles soared over the new england patriots. and in the current season, despite some of the worst scandals and fan complaints. >> they're over officiating, i think, officially at this point. >> there's been enough record-break ago accomplishments to keep football number one sport in america. >> i look at drew brees and say all things are possible. isn't it amazing. >> best consolation prize for the city of boston. >> eh, i thought you'd never ask. the red sox won the world series did you know that. >> the red sox went 86 years without winning a world series and now can't go five year without winning a world series. >> and other sports. >> basketball is absolutely the most important sport in the world. >> in the nba championship, the golden state warriors clash with

the cleveland cavaliers for the fourth year in a row and swept them off the court. then king lebron james ab ducated leaving cleveland for the los angeles lakers. >> i'm going to predict this will be the last year for a while it will be the warriors versus the cavs. >> pretty safe bet. >> in hockey the capitals reached stanley cup finals for the first year. >> if one team i associate with ice it's las vegas, nevada. >> all the glitz couldn't hold off the smile for the capitals who took the cup with a smile. >> best freeze out. the winter olympics in south korea. >> i love watching men in tights, good excuse to watch tv, wig or no wig.

>> i've never related more to an athlete until that hungarian woman got in the half pipe and skied down normally. >> best in the long run kipchoge set a record in 2 hours one minute and 39 seconds and in a freezi freezing, wet, windy boston marathon, the first american won in more than 30 years. best horsing around. justify, the triple crown. worse lane change, great danica patrick retired from auto racing. >> good for the sport to have her in there. >> best cook in the pants. >> i went to bar and watched the world cup and was surrounded by screaming, sweaty, drunk, hot, englishmen and i love the world

cup now. >> best way to stand up for working moms. the legendary serena williams came back from maternity leaver and was still lelegendary. >> she is one of the greatest athletes period. so just apologize if you put female in front of that. >> best case for flipping out. simone biles dominating the u.s. and world gymnastics championships. >> and was so good that she fell down and still won. >> worse prediction, anyone who said tiger woods was finished before this year. best come back without suiting up, colin kaepernick no team wanted him since his protest against minorities but nike chose him. >> i think it's amazing when brands get behind what's right. >> it was not about the flag. it was one of the most respectful protests ever. >> i love that athletes are

talking about reality. >> let's turn from sports to another favorite pasttime now. watching television. it's true. for all of the laptops, tap tbl and phones, most households have the tv on close to eight hours a day. meaning big numbers for new shows and for one old favorite in particular. ♪ >> it all started with "the big bang theory" a decade ago and now the gang are sizzling through their final season. >> i got magic to do. >> with the best mix of comedy and science to keep their ratings astronomically high. >> also no talk of "rocky v". >> why "rocky iv"? >> because he fights a russian. i'm sorry about her. >> this is us. ncis.

bull. blue bloods and more stood out on the major networks but big buzz on other outlets. the remarkable atlanta. >> can you see? >> the riveting river dale. >> is this some kind of test. >> and you passed. welcome to the family. >> which is fun and dark and secretly is terrifying. >> no more evil. it's over. >> look me in the eye and tell me you've never lied to us about anything. >> have you killed other people. >> we do not kill people. >> guys that's it. to school. learning. >> second season of ozark. >> brings me back to what i loved about "breaking bad" except in the hill billy woods of the ozarks. >> i'm trying to keep you alive. you and our baby. i'm helping >> and the hand maids steal

terrifying once again. >> i saw a little bit. it got too real. >> reality and competition shows show nod signs of dieing out. dancing with the stars. the voice. ellen's game of games. >> obsessed with the great british baking show. obsessed. >> baby. >> thought it was something else. ♪ >> leave me alone. >> i love shark tank. >> oh, my god i'm so obsessed with shark tank. it makes me feel like i can do anything. >> sold, we got a deal. >> work it. ♪ >> and the best counter culture success story still going strong, drag queens sweetening up the row. >> congrates to ru paul. she deserves this. we deserve this, okay. >> the best surprise, the

haunting of ill house. >> worse real life character andrew in the assassination of versace. >> i can't do this. >> the chilling adventures of sabrina cast a fun spell. >> it's dark and i like how dark it got. >> baby you're our secret weapon. >> and pose struck a cord too. >> i think everyone should watch it. it's incredible. >> real beauty is on the inside. >> so is your colon and it's packed with crabs. >> they did a show about big mouth, which was about teenagers coming of age, puberty and it was just hilarious. >> captain, incoming. >> star trek discovery, unbelievable. brilliant. brillia brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. >> this doesn't work.

>> worse case of our imitating life, sasha baron cohen. drop the gun. >> it was way too close to home. when satire becomes reality it's no longer funny. >> i support israel but not this kind of stuff. >> quit looking meat, dan. >> i'm just checking to see if i had any calls. got it. >> worse second act roseanne returned with massive ratings until a racist tweet she apologized for but got the boot anyw anyway. >> oh, roseanne, please can i have talk about her. can i have a moment of silence for roseanne. >> other showed faired better while still taking off sensitive material. >> every show should watch blackish and black man standing there's a happy medium of comedy. >> why cancel a popular show that everybody loves?

>> maybe they're a bunch of idiots. [ laughter ] >> but the best new show in the mix, give it up for barry. the hit man that is just killing it. >> i feel really motivated right now. these are professional actors who are the real deal. they say i got something. >> really funny in barry. funniest guy of all is henry winkler, the fonz, he's freaking hilarious as an acting coach. >> when we come back a different kind of reality tv. the world of politics where this year nothing seemed off limits. >> we'll also listen to the songs of summer, go for the most terrifying ride and check out the biggest, baddest superhero to stalk the cinema in ages. it's all the best, all the worse, 2018.

i'm ken jacobus and i switched to the spark cash card from capital one. i earn unlimited 2% cash back on everything i buy. and last year, i earned $36,000 in cash back. which i used to offer health insurance to my employees. what's in your wallet?

it was easy to see america was deeply divided over education, economy, religion, rights and so much more, but often came down to one explosive word, politics. >> football's about politics. mus music, theater is about

politics. >> donald trump has pulled everyone and everything into politics. >> at this point you can't even say the president's name without both sides just exploding before anything has been said. >> with triumphs and trials coming at a break-neck pace, president trump was the biggest political player of the year, but was he the best or worst? >> what a stupid question that is. what a stupid question. >> for his fans the answer is easy. trump was the best. >> thank you, thank you. >> overseeing an economic boom, wiping out regulations they see as excessive and hampering >> i see it as over reach. >> and for foes he was just worst. >> i feel like the lies and deceit and all the bull [ bleep ] is done to create c e

chaos and it's working, it's crazy. >> best accomplishment, snagging a row for new supreme court justice. >> here's what i learned about brett kavanaugh, he likes beer. >> in his confirmation, kavanaugh faced multiple acquisition of sexual miscondublgt in his younger -- misconduct in his younger years but got the job anyway. >> i can't imagine to bear everything in hopes of changing something and it not changing something. >> and ruth bader gingsburg we hope lives into her 90s. >> strangest moment. summit with north korea's kim jong-un that produced lots of headlines and photographs but not much else. >> was it a win for trump? for north korea who was the real

winner? >> i think dennis rodman was the real winner. >> most divided issue still immigration. say my grant caravan portrayed as an invasion. >> people are talking about this caravan like it's a scene out of mad max fury road. >> that threw gasoline on an already combustible debate. >> i don't think any american citizen is saying open the borders to everybody, no process, no paperwork, i don't think anyone is saying that. >> worse fashion faux pas, first lady wearing the jablgt that says i really don't care. it's never just a jacket. are you kidding. it is never just a jacket. >> still it went well with what many considered her worse interview. >> i could say i'm the most bullied person in the world. >> you think you're the most bullied person in the world.

>> one of them. >> punching bag to the xi light of the fans. trump pummeled the media insisting he's constantly the victim of -- >> -- fake, fake news. >> he doesn't mean the news is fake it means he doesn't like what the news is saying. >> people believe what they want to believe and if they don't want to believe it they just say fake news. >> it's not only annoying, it's dangerous. >> plenty of folks shared that fear after bombs were sent to trump's critics and cnn too. worse case the president tweeted out policies. attacks on enemies. sometimes useful information. sometimes just plain lies. >> i'm pretty sure he tweeted about what my mom was making for dinner and there was a lot of explanations. >> he made plans for military

parade. converted with kanye. over saw staff with more turnovers than pastry shop. >> red white air force one is going to be incredible. >> it all kept washington spinning. >> i think there's no question that donald trump is most comfortable when things are chaotic. >> i don't think people realize their buttons are being pushed. or they don't care. but the result is still the same. >> what result? well his conservative base found a lot to like. republicans polls showing they think he's the best president in ages though the rest of the country disagrees strongly. >> has this administration brung the nation together no it has not. has it done good things for the community yes it has. >> they solidly gained control

the republicans in the midterm. >> if you think it's contentious in washington with unified government, imagine what it's like with dividing government. >> however they did not take the senate. with hilly clinton winking at a third run, and joe biden saying his party is not ready for the next election. >> don't think the republicans walk away like, that's great. let's go pop some champagne. >> the passing of two major figures in american politics former president george w. h. bush and arizona senator john mccain signalled the end of an era, at least for a few moments some old-fashioned bipartisan. then it was right back to the fight with all eyes on the russia investigation. a story that could still be the best or worst of the trump presidency, depending on how you see it and how it turns out.

>> eh. hopeful bethany wants something out of this russian conversation but the bethany who has been hurt before doesn't think anything will come out of it. >> with that let's push the politics aside and you better grab some snacks because coming up next it's movie time. we'll check out everything from an impossible mission to an infinity war as holiday goes deep into action. >> are you making your voice deeper. >> no this is my voice. >> so cool. >> and unbeat able beats and more. stay with us. ♪ >> it's all the best, all the worst, 2018. i'm 85 years old in a job where i have to wear a giant hot dog suit. what? where's that coming from? i don't know. i started my 401k early, i diversified...

i'm not a big spender. sounds like you're doing a lot. but i still feel like i'm not gonna have enough for retirement. like there's something else i should be doing. with the right conversation, you might find you're doing okay. so, no hot dog suit? not unless you want to. no. schedule a complimentary goal planning session today with td ameritrade®. hi. maria ramirez! mom! maria! maria ramirez... mcdonald's is committing 150 million dollars in tuition assistance, education, and career advising programs... prof: maria ramirez mom and dad: maria ramirez!!! to help more employees achieve their dreams.

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> . one name dominated the silver screen this year, marvel. >> we're the avengers, man. >> you know thor? >> yeah, tall guy. not that good looking. needing saving. >> guy behind those characters passed away. >> stan lee. stan lee.

god bless you. >> but what a legacy he left. >> you'll be known as x-force. >> isn't that a little derivative. >> absolutely right. >> i'm a big fan of the marvel universe. was a big year for marvel. "black panther" was great. >> what's up. >> i never yielded. lest you can see, i am not dead. >> i'm a huge marvel comedy film fanatic. i loved infinity wars and black panther, hello. wakanda forever. >> millions said black panther was the best action film of the year and the box office loved it too. >> made a billion dollars because every black person on earth was required to see it, doesn't know if you were aware of that. we were required to see it. >> amazing movie.

brilliant. loved it. >> how long before a man like that has had enough? >> this year saw more mortal adventures unfolding as well from mission impossible fall out. to the meg. >> because a movie about just a shark isn't good enough any more. it needs to be about a giant shark that more or less eats giants. >> rom-coms always do well. best comedy duo to kevin hart and tiffany haddish. >> i'm going to do the work we'll see. great. superb. excellent. good. >> she's fantastic. he's great. that's a comedy team i think we will see a lot of funny out of those two. >> the nick you're dating is nick young? >> you know him or something. >> hells yeah. >> best over due lineup the

all-asian cast of crazy, rich asians. >> it was really great and hopeful to see movies with people who didn't look like me. >> like the asian bachelor. >> it was like a accepty love story by it was cute. >> i'm not playing. >> what did you do? >> hollywood spent fair amount of time tangling with issues of race, power, and influence. >> we had movies like "the hate you give" which was very real about a police shooting. >> who am i speaking with? >> this is david duke. >> grand wizard of the kkk what can i do you for. >> well, since you asked, i hate blacks. >> i enjoyed black clansmen zblx some thought ocean's eight was great. >> i like everything about it. >> as capper films go, the best was widowed. cnn lit it up with rvg and three

strangers. >> i tell them it's the story of the trip lets. >> you guys have been on the front paper of every newspaper in the world. >> true. >> it blew my mind it was amazing. >> thank you young man. >> in animation incredibles two and ralph breaks the internet gold. but i love dogs was the treasure. >> don't know if i can stomach this. >> same here. >> i want to give the audience a song they can perform. >> what's the lyric? ♪ we will, we will, rock you ♪ >> and so it went with dozens of sf films making their mark with queens of old to the modern music variety. ♪ >> hey. >> what. >> i just want to take north point look at you. >> but the genre that rock in 2018 was horror. films such as hereditary, the

latest version of halloween. >> heart-warming to see michael meyer stand after all these years. >> and a quiet place. they were scary good. >> the acting is amazing. the directing, the visuals, so beautiful and creative that this genre can't be written off any more, it has too much to say. >> easy there big fella. away from the theaters the music scene had a lot to say as well with some very big acts turning out some very big hits with unforgettable hooks. ♪ >> music's reigning royal couple beyonce and jay z unleashed a dazzling new album. >> that was obviously very big. >> you ever seen a crowd going ape [ bleep ]. >> even as material from taylor swift's old one swept stealing

the spotlight and ariana grande kept going from one hit to another. ♪ >> but the biest challenger for new queen of pop give it to cardi b. ♪ >> i love cardi b. i love cardi b so much. >> cardi b. >> huge cardi b fan. ♪ i don't play when it comes to my heart ♪ ♪ >> even spiced up maroon 5's hit. ♪ >> i still haven't found a pal at cleanser from desposito. ♪ do you want me, you do you want me ♪ ♪ back in your life. >> the song of the summer produced strong contenders.

♪ from a warm country ballot to post-malone super psycho. ♪ >> wasn't there a song about the middle. >> why don't you meet me in the midd middle. ♪ i'm losing my mind just a little, so why don't you meet me in the middle ♪ ♪ >> but the song of the summer goes to george ezra's shotgun. ♪ i'll be riding shotgun ♪ ♪ under the hot sun ♪ feeling like someone ♪ >> oh, know you can't dress it up. lace around stones. >> country music saw super hits from carry underwood. chris stapleton. florida georgia line and more. ♪ >> best use of a video budget. give it to drake who gave it all away. close to $1 million to the beat of his hit song "god's plan".

♪ >> some amazing talents were loss, including rapper mac miller and legendary roy clark. there was nothing but r-e-s-p-e-c-t when one life went out. ♪ >> moment of silence for the queen of soul aretha franklin. >> we didn't deserve her to begin with. she's incredible. one of my favorite artist of all time. >> but there were a lot of tunes to help everyone forward. ♪ >> this year i have gotten into komasi washington. >> i think robin is incredible. >> you don't have mark anthony in your play list something's wrong with you. ♪ >> romantic single of the year. give it to ed sheer an's "perfect". ♪ so in love ♪ ♪ fighting against all odds

♪ >> and best music video just made for 2018. ♪ this is america ♪ look at you just living ♪ >> this is america. by childish gam beano. the alter ego of the enormously talented donald glover. >> really showed us what 2018 looked like unfortunately. everyone dancing, having a good time with all of this disaster around us. ♪ get down ♪ >> hang tight. we have more coming. including a distant touchdown. >> touchdown confirmed. disappearing dog owners. and scooter warz. -- wars. all the best and worst rolling on. if you have moderate to severe

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a book that you're ready to share with the world? get published now, call for your free publisher kit today! in science, the internet and pop culture, the best way to stick the landing. after seven months of travel, nasa's insight touched done on mars.

>> touchdown confirmed. >> maybe it was the only place to park after entrepreneur elon musk left a tesla in earth's orbit. >> they put a tesla in orbit for what? just cuz? >> worst takeoff. give it to that guy from florida whose hang-gliding pilot forgot to strap him in and left him dangling for more than two minutes. best way to beat the rush hour. give it to denise mueller-korenek, who pedaled her bike over 183 miles an hour. >> i hope she was wearing a helmet. >> i don't bike in new york city because it feels too dangerous, so -- >> best trend in transportation. >> oh, my god, i'm obsessed. i'm obsessed. i'm obsessed with the electric scooters. like i cannot -- i want to scoot everywhere. >> worst trend in transportation. >> we have videos of people destroying them, which, you know, isn't right. but i'll be honest, it is funny. >> best video game, fortnite. >> i don't even know what

fortnite is. >> this is the most brilliant game ever. it's free, and then you spend all your money on new clothes and new dance moves. you pay extra for this one. >> best harvest. apple became the first u.s. company worth $1 trillion. >> how do you write $1 trillion? what does that look like? >> worst continuing problem with the iphone? >> oh, girl, i can't with apple. bring the headphone jack back. you know how many adapters i have to have with me at all times? it's ridiculous. >> best and worst technology trend. the continued rise of robots, which are helpful, sure, but seem to be listening to a lot of what we say and tracking everywhere we go. >> do they enhance our daily living? yes. are we going overboard? probably. >> most creative computer. the machine that scanned 15,000 classic portraits, then painted this one, which sold for more than $400,000.

best human response, banksy, who auctioned an iconic image for more than a million and rigged the frame to shred it moments later. >> i thought it was great. >> i thought it was cool, but i didn't buy it. >> best picture-perfect moment. the royal wedding. >> here's meghan markle, an american black woman, marrying prince harry, and meghan markle's mother is there. oh, my gosh, i'm getting emotional talking about it. >> hey, it's a new day indeed. that was redemptive. >> i mean he's super hot. that's cool. >> still, why didn't prince harry become an american? why did meghan markle have to go be british? >> worst charity case. a trio in new jersey charged with fabricating a sob story to collect hundreds of thousands in donations for themselves. >> i'm getting hit up with so many gofundmes, that i'm actually going to start a gofundme to donate to all the gofundmes hitting up.

>> best media trend, the popularity of podcast. >> it's relaxing, and it's an inclusive medium. i think that's what people like about it. >> best food showing up everywhere, avocados. worst flavor overstaying its welcome? >> pumpkin spice. don't take that away from me. i'm going to pretend you didn't say that. >> best social climber, a raccoon that scaled more than 20 stories up a minneapolis building. and, yeah, it's fine. best prognosis, batkid, cancer-free. best big beef, nickers the cow, only he's really a steer. best surprise for those concerned about plastics polluting the ocean? >> guess what? no straws. go to a bar, ask for a straw. see what happens. >> best run for it. the canadian couple in the convenience store who really did not want to talk with the police. and worst dirty trick that turned into the best, funniest,

happiest thing all year long when we really needed it. people disappearing from their dogs. >> i didn't try it with my dog because i felt like that would be being mean to my dog. i didn't want to lie to my dog. >> but when dogs are confused, it's the cutest thing in the world. i did it to my cat. she didn't care. >> don't you disappear. we have just enough time left for our wishes for the new year. they are all the best and all the worst. hyah! aaaaaahhhhhhhh! ballooned your car. call meeeee!

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we're almost done, but before we go, let's pop into the fortune-telling tent and have our guests tell us as we do every time what they wish for next year. >> my hope for the next year is that we as a country can start having conversations with each other without assuming the worst of the other person before those conversations even begin. >> and maybe talk with someone face to face. you might learn something instead of shouting into the echo chamber of social media. >> that's my wish too, that we all just get kinder. just kinder. >> i think if there's one thing that the country could use most right now, it's unity through serenity.

>> we're not defined by what happens in washington, d.c. we're defined by what happens at home in our communities n our churches and synagogues, in our neighborhoods and schools, how we treat one another. >> well, we can't have barack obama again, but maybe we can find another one. a democratic candidate. please, someone, a grown-up who reads. >> i would like things to get lighter in this country. that is my deepest hope. >> i want america to be hydrated in 2019 because it's achievable, and at this point i'm not sure anything else actually is. >> i guess i would just ask for more wishes because i think we're going to need them. >> and with that, it's time to shut down the rides, turn off the lights, and say good-bye to 2018. thanks to all of our guests. thanks to you for watching. on behalf of "anderson cooper 360" and the cnn family worldwide, i'm tom foreman, wishing you all of the best and none of the worst in the coming year.

this is "cnn tonight". i'm don lemon. thank you so much for joining us. well, president trump finally, finally visited troops in a war zone today after nearly two years of being in office. it is a good thing that he went to iraq. but as with this president, the comments he made there, the mess he left at home requires a whole lot of fact-checking, and we'll do that for you this hour. however, just like previous presidents, he and the first lady were enthusiastically greeted by service men and women in a dining hall decked out for the holidays. some troops even took selfies with him and mrs. trump at ramstein air base, which was near baghdad. back at home, some service members, some 42,000 of them protecting america's coasts, they're working without pay because the commander in chief shut down the government before he left.