this morning we welcome laverne cox. laverne, thank you for joining us. >> hi. >> how are you? hear it for laverne. she's getting up early for us. >> it's way too early. >> it is way too early. i know it. you're so nice to do this for us. especially because we've known you since you have been on the come up, and now you're kind enough to actually call us at 5:30 in the morning. we really appreciate it because you were on the cover of "time." you were named "glamour" woman of the year, which is fantastic, and this welcome you're going to be working with our mutual friend cindy lauper. 50 cent is performing. salt and pepper. in the the line-up for the benefit concert this weekend. why did you want to be involved? >> i love what cyndi lauper is doing with her true colors fund. home for the holidays is a concert she does every year to support lgbt to homeless youth and ending homelessness in lgbt youth. 40% of nearly all lgbt youth -- we make up 3% to 5% of the population. it's an epidemic, and cyndi is doing a lovely thing, and i'm so honored to be a part of it to support this ama

. >> others are laverne cox and beyonce. >>> back in october, swift announced all proceeds from "welcome new york public schools. that's a great cause. >> and she's been very charitable to the romance life for so many men over the years. it's fitting she's doing well. >> oh, boy. >>> speaking of taylor swift, she performs tonight in times square on the big show by ryan seacrest. >> he appeared on "good morning america" and revealed one of his deepest, darkest secrets about what he does behind the wheel while listening to her music. >> "blank space," i crank that up. i have to put the windows up in my car because i'm singing out loud. when it's green i can put them back down. >> ryan seacrest and "blank spaces"? >> he's like one of those starbucks people as taylor says. >> starbucks people? >> because they think she's insane. >>> dick clark's rockin' new year's eve with ryan seacrest will air tonight starting at 8:00 p.m. eastern. >>> topping our list of celebrity birthdays, actor anthony hopkins turns 78. >> ben kingsley turns 71. >> val kilmer, 55. >>> and psy, 47 years old. happy birth

. >> lavern cox on the cover of time magazine. second, this is coming off the heels of that terrible katie couric interview that was tone deaf that she did with laverne. also jan mock who had been in this controversial with piers morgan. >> for the first time ever, it was amazing. and it's an amazing time to be having these conversations. five years ago, ten years ago, people would not have uttered the word transgender in the mainstream, let alone be on the cover of time magazine. >> give me your most incredible sports moment of the year. >> so the first one, obviously, that everyone has been talking about, ray rice, janae rice, the knockout in the elevator. it spurned too many conversations. >> kissing his boyfriend. >> richard sherman, his post-game interview where he's yelling, he's passionate, he is angry, he's frustrated -- >> let's take a second and listen to it if we can. >> just because you hear compton, you hear watts, you hear cities like that, you think thug, he's a gangster, he's this, that and the other. then you hear