How New Year’s Eve – and confetti – transformed Times Square

A blizzard of confetti in the early 90s was supposed to help cleanse an area known for its porn theaters and peep shows

On 31 December 1992, armchair revelers tuned to CBS for the annual New Year's Eve festivities, broadcast live from New York. The Cheers actor and emcee for the night Jay Thomas volleyed hosting duties to Fame actor Nia Peeples, who stood atop a building in nearby Times Square.

[It's] Times Square ... some of the men are women and some of the women are men so be careful who you pet out there," Thomas gruffly warned Peeples, with more than a dose of transphobia and disdain for sex workers.