Thanksgiving Day Parade All Set; Black Friday Frenzy; Packers Lineman Slams Detroit Lions Team; Illinois Town Marks Thanksgiving After Tornado; Last-Minute Thanksgiving Dinner Tips
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Behind me the start of the parade now just getting under way and look, the first -- helium balloon making its debut, Snoopy and Woodstock. And I have to tell you, there have been so many people out here, we were out here, what, since, like, 6:00 a.m. this morning. Something like that. And it was touch and go. A lot of people were wondering, you know, are these balloons going to fly? Are they not going to fly? The decision made the last hour that the 16 giant helium balloons will indeed fly. Certainly good news to the Brindell family that came in from Long Island. You guys have been out here, wondering like the rest of us, would the balloons fly, yes or no.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And they're up.</s>CARROLL: And they're up.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're up.</s>CARROLL: You can see they're going. They're about to go.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, that's terrific. We've been here since 5:00 in the morning waiting.</s>CARROLL:  5: 00 in the morning, I said 6:00 in the morning.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.</s>CARROLL: Even earlier. I know you guys are excited as well to hear that the balloons are going to be flying.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I'm so excited and to see all the celebrities and everyone, it's going to be so close.</s>CARROLL: Actually I think, Carol, some of these young girls are more excited to see some of the celebrities than the balloons. That's -- but I know that you said you've been waiting a long time for this.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nineteen years, it's been my dream to come and we're finally here to see the balloons. So we're excited.</s>CARROLL: And, you know, that's what it's really all about. When you come down here, you know, yes, there are bands, yes, there are the clowns -- I'm not going to cut you off. I know you wanted to get your shout out in. But it's not just about the -- you know, the bands, it's not just about the clowns. These guys come down here for the balloons as well and I know you wanted to talk about your performers.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Austin Mahone, he's the -- he's the best person alive and he's performing and it's going to be outstanding.</s>CARROLL: He's not filled with helium but he's still important to the young girls out here. So --</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very.</s>CARROLL: Thank you very, very much for that.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go Austin.</s>CARROLL: Yes. Thank you. Thank you. So, Carol, the parade now, is now just getting under way. Tom the Turkey will be heading things off. Once again Snoopy will be out here. One of the newest balloons in the parade is from "How to Train Your Dragon," so once again, touch and go for a little bit, but it looks like tradition is going to weigh out here, the balloons are going to fly -- Carol.</s>CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: That's terrific news. The young lady who told you she'd been waiting 19 years, she doesn't look much older than 19.</s>CARROLL: I know, right?</s>COSTELLO: It's amazing. Jason Carroll, we'll get back to you, thanks so much.</s>CARROLL: All right.</s>COSTELLO: In much of the -- in much of the country, temperatures are below freezing this holiday morning including right there in New York City. Here in Atlanta, it is the coldest Thanksgiving morning in more than a century. So let's take a look at the holiday forecast so we can share in the misery together. CNN's Jennifer Gray is in New York. Good morning.</s>JENNIFER GRAY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning to you. Yes, even the Deep South experiencing very, very cold temperatures this morning. It's been breezy in New York and all across the northeast but luckily those winds are starting to die down. Right now, seven-mile-per-hour winds with gusts of about 26, so looks like those balloons are going to be flying high, it's going to be perfect out there. We're seeing winds of about 25 miles per hour in Boston, with gusts up to 39, so a windy start for you. Current temperatures outside, 30 degrees in New York, 32 in Boston, 32 in Philly, and seeing temperatures around 19 degrees in Pittsburgh. If that's not cold enough, you factor in the winds and the windchills are down in the 20s. New York City, it feels like 23 degrees for all those folks along that parade route and windchill factors will not get out of the 20s throughout the entire day so it is going to stay awfully cold throughout much of the northeast, including the south. Little Rock, 33 degrees, by the time you wake up tomorrow morning, as all of you head out to do some Black Friday shopping. If you are in the north, 18 degrees, International Falls for you Black Friday shoppers. Chicago, 28 degrees, to start your morning on Friday. It looks like things are going to stabilize a little bit more, though, Carol, as we head into the end of the weekend.</s>COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Jennifer. Black Friday shoppers, Black Thursday shoppers, Jennifer.</s>GRAY: No kidding.</s>COSTELLO: Yes, some die-hard shoppers out already this morning. They're foregoing Thanksgiving festivities to camp out in front of stores like Best Buy and Toys "R" Us hoping to snag some of those crazy door-buster deals. Adding to the appeal of a good discount, freebies. We're talking free iPhones when you sign up for a new contract at Best Buy, $20 gift certificate if you buy a K-Cup brewer at Office Depot, and a $50 gift card if you buy a Samsung 50 inch TV at Target. But is sitting out on Thanksgiving Day morning in freezing temperatures really worth it? It depends.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Supposed to be home with your families, not shopping.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's really for the experience because it's been tradition for six years.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You say you're focused on your family and your family all comes to shop, then that's fine.</s>COSTELLO: That's right, it's a joyous family gathering. Kyung Lah is tracking them all madness in Burbank --</s>KYUNG LAH, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And, Carol, it is 6:05 in Los Angeles right now and people are out here shopping. I mean, look at this line. There are about -- I don't know, I counted about 50 people outside. People are lining up here and what are they lining up for? They're lining up for CDs, TVs. Those TVs, $179. All of this is part of the frenzy of Black Friday.</s>LAH (voice-over): The shoving. The screaming. The swearing.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Push one of my kids, I will stab one of you</s>LAH: Let the fists fly. Retailers call it the Super Bowl of shopping or Black Friday but scenes like these that flood the Internet give the bark and battle a black eye. This ugly clash at a Los Angeles Wal-Mart two years ago was captured by Juan Castro.</s>JUAN CASTRO, BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPER: All the people just went in there and started destroying the boxes.</s>LAH: All this for markdown Xbox games.</s>CASTRO: People were fighting, trying to get those deals, and that's when some lady brought out pepper spray and just started going at it.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My eyes are burning. My eyes.</s>LAH (on camera): Was that moment a turning point for Walmart?</s>RACHEL WALL, WALMART SPOKESWOMAN: Certainly. I think we could do a better job at managing crowds and helping customers get into the store, find the item they're looking for and get out. So I think we learned a lot.</s>LAH (voice-over): Walmart says this time, it's a calmer Black Friday, orderly lines through the store, shoppers will get wristbands and rain check tickets to ship items that run out, but what won't change are the surprise deals through the store.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Forty seconds and then all the people will go crazy.</s>LAH: So predictably wild that his dad brought his kids to Walmart to witness the mayhem firsthand.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's something about Black Friday. Your integrity --</s>LAH: These Chicago area cousins don't care about mayhem. In fact they thrive on it every year, using shopping apps and meticulous planning to save on toys for their young kids.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What, eight hours of shopping? Yes, it was all night. Yes. Eight hours or so.</s>LAH: Seriously, all night.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was worth it.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So yes, the jig had to happen and I would do it again if I got a deal like that.</s>LAH: Not a laughing matter to Victoria Caruso, who's seen enough video of the fighting.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Me and you, any time you want</s>LAH: And doesn't want any of it even if it's literally a pillow fight.</s>VICTORIA CARUSO, SITTING OUT BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING: I think they're crazy. To them it's a sport. Lacrosse is a sport. Black Friday is not a sport.</s>LAH: She shops all online. Sure, she gives up on some of the deals but savors her serenity.</s>CARUSO: Savings aren't worth the bail money.</s>LAH: After capturing the Walmart wildness Juan Castro avoids the retailer on Black Friday but still can't resist the short outing.</s>CASTRO: I should get a bulletproof vest. And make sure -- maybe some football gear would do me good.</s>LAH: That may be good advice because for shoppers like these, it's game on.</s>LAH: Yes. And kickoff has begun when it comes to the sport of Black Friday. You see people lined up there, people are winding around here through the aisles, a lot of people are here. I'm actually surprised, and again, it's only about 6:10 on Thanksgiving morning here in Los Angeles. And I'm actually going to ask Armando a quick question. How much sleep did you give up?</s>ARMANDO, BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPER: A few hours of sleep but it was worth it.</s>LAH: Worth it.</s>ARMANDO: Yes.</s>LAH: And what did you buy?</s>ARMANDO: A television, 32 inch.</s>LAH: And how much did you pay for this?</s>ARMANDO: $179.</s>LAH: Are you still going to eat turkey today?</s>ARMANDO: Yes, I am.</s>LAH: OK. Thanks, Armando. People are apparently going to still try to eat turkey but working off those pounds before they even put them on -- Carol.</s>COSTELLO: You know, I'm not quite paying attention, because I'm writing down my new motto, my life's lesson that you just taught me this morning. Savings aren't worth the bail money. Words to live by.</s>LAH: She's a wise woman. I don't know.</s>COSTELLO: She is very wise. Kyung Lah, it was a lot of fun. Thanks so much. The idea of being without family for the holiday is certainly not something everyone supports. Last night dozens turned out in Chicago to protest Whole Foods' decision to stay open on Thanksgiving.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We stock the food, we ring up the food, in many cases we prepare the food, and we also deserve to participate in the holiday.</s>COSTELLO: Protesting employees are being backed by a local union group. Whole Foods says Thanksgiving hours are voluntary and those who do work will be paid time and a half. An Indiana Pizza Hut manager who says he was fired by franchise owners for refusing to open on Thanksgiving Day has been offered his job back. Tony Rohr says when he refused the Thanksgiving hours he was asked to write a letter of resignation. Rohr says Thanksgiving is important.</s>TONY ROHR, PIZZA HUT MANAGER: Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only two days that they're closed in the whole year and there are only two days those people are guaranteed to have off to spend with their families.</s>COSTELLO: He just wanted to -- he just wanted to give his employees Thanksgiving Day off. The franchise owners fired him. But now as I said they offered him his job back. Pizza Hut's corporate office says it was an error in judgment. No word on whether Rohr has accepted the offer to stay on. Today's Thanksgiving football feast kicks off with the Detroit Lions hosting the Green Bay Packers. But as Lions' head coach Jim Schwartz says, I guess we don't have to worry about setting an extra place for Josh Sitton. Here's what the Packers lineman said about Schwartz and his team.</s>JOSH SITTON, PACKERS GUARD: The entire</s>COSTELLO: Seriously? Scumbags and dirt -- I mean, come on. I know the Lions have a few problems with dirty play, I know, but scumbags and dirtbags?</s>ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: We're spicing up this rivalry, right, Carol?</s>COSTELLO: Exactly.</s>SCHOLES: Well, I mean, can we really argue that Ndamukong Suh really had some controversial Thanksgiving over the past two years.</s>COSTELLO: Well, he just stomped on that guy's arm one year.</s>SCHOLES: Two years ago he stomped on a Packers' offensive lineman, then last year he kicked Texans quarterback Matt Schaub in the groin.</s>COSTELLO: That was an accident.</s>SCHOLES: Yes. Both of them accidents. I guess, right? So, I mean, it's no secret that Ndamukong Suh, he's a fierce competitor, as some would say. Some call him dirty. I know you would not use those words, Carol.</s>COSTELLO: No. No. No. I'd be the first to admit that Ndamukong Suh has problems. But he's not been the biggest problem for the Lions this year as far as dirty plays go. It's been Nick Fairley.</s>SCHOLES: Well, yes. They have a whole host of characters on that Detroit defense. It's going to be interesting to see what happens today.</s>COSTELLO: OK. Well, let's -- well, the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, they hate each other anyway so.</s>SCHOLES: And it's funny. Aaron Rodgers, he's coming back from that broken collarbone, he's maybe ready for this game, but it -- you know, looking at the Lions' defensive line with Suh and Fairley, I'm going to sit this one out. I'm waiting for next week.</s>COSTELLO: Smart move, Aaron Rodgers. Let's talk about Dallas, because that's another much anticipated game. Because, you know, Tony Romo, you love him or you absolutely hate him.</s>SCHOLES: Right and I covered Tony Romo for a couple of years down in Dallas. And I think he gets so much unfair criticism, it's unbelievable. Without Tony Romo, the Cowboys wouldn't even be in some of these games. You know, everyone gives him all that -- they get on him for throwing those fourth quarter interceptions. Well,</s>COSTELLO: Now I got to guess Tony Romo.</s>SCHOLES: Got to guess and that's correct, out of every quarterback to ever play the game he's the highest rated quarterback in the fourth quarter. And most people don't think about that because they always think about those terrible interceptions he throws. Now he does throw those but, I mean, he should get more credit than he's due.</s>COSTELLO: Well, we'll see if he wins today.</s>SCHOLES: Yes. Just the Raiders. He should.</s>COSTELLO: You'll be back.</s>SCHOLES: All right.</s>COSTELLO: Yes, really. Thanks, Andy. Still to come in the NEWSROOM, despite giving thanks, despite tragedy that's the task for residents of an Illinois town devastated by recent tornadoes. We'll take you there next. And what are you thankful for today? Give me an answer, facebook.com/carolCNN or tweet me @carolCNN.