Steve-O, co-star of “Jackass,” currently touring the US
“In the final days of 1999, people thought that computers were going to crash on New Year’s Eve and wipe out bank accounts, even that the world was going to end. Thanks to all of the hype, I put two solid months of planning and work into doing an ‘earth-shattering stunt’ on New Year’s Eve that would change the course of my life forever. My highest goal at the time was for the stunt to be featured in a skateboard magazine called Big Brother, and in one of the magazine’s videos. My plan was to walk on stilts, with my stilt-pants on fire, while a guy rode a unicycle through my stilts, and a skateboarder jumped over my head (and through a fireball I was blowing out of my mouth) from the roof of a house. All of this would happen before I cracked open a beer, chugged it as the fire continued to burn, and tipped myself over, crashing onto the ground. The editor-in-chief of Big Brother loved my plan, and waited until we met up on Dec. 30, 1999, to tell me that we were going to shoot it for an MTV pilot. It was the first time I met the man who blasted me with a fire extinguisher once my body hit the concrete. His name was Johnny Knoxville.”
Sherri Shepherd, co-host of ABC’s “The View”
“My worst was when I was a struggling comic back in the early ’90s. I had a New Year’s Eve gig because I needed the money. I wore these Payless shoes. The heel was practically down to the metal but I couldn’t afford to get the heels fixed. So I’m walking up the stairs and I kept saying to myself, ‘Be careful. You don’t want your heel, or what’s left of it, to catch on the carpet and fall.’ Well, I fell down 17 stairs in my glittery outfit and runway shoes. Everybody was drinking. Once they sobered up enough to find out if I was OK they went back to drinking. So the new year came in with everybody whistling and shouting and kissing, and I’m sprawled on the floor, saying to myself, ‘Is this a premonition of what my life is going to be?’ Thank God it wasn’t. But I always resole my shoes and get the heels fixed.”
Nigel Lythgoe, judge on “So You Think You Can Dance”
“I love New Year’s Eve — getting drunk, kissing strangers, casual sex. It’s like being Charlie Sheen for a night. After last year’s New Year’s Eve party, I was so exhausted I went to sleep as soon as my head hit the lawn. This year I’m not mixing my drinks. I’m only going to have Veuve Clicquot until I can’t say it anymore.”
Jonah Hill, star of “The Sitter”
“My best New Year’s Eve was probably in high school. I was 17 or 18. This was in Los Angeles. We were at a friend’s house, and we were all dressed up, and it was just so much fun. I remember it vividly, being with all my friends, having a great time.”
Method Man, Wu-Tang Clan member and co-star of “Red Tails” (opening Jan. 20)
“My most memorable New Year’s Eve was in 1998. I got to perform on MTV’s ‘New Year’s Eve Live.’ I was there with my crew, the guys I roll with. Ninety-eight Degrees was there. Nick Lachey and them. I got to meet Jennifer Love Hewitt. She was mad cool. Mad down to earth. Carson Daly, he’s my dawg. Being in Times Square for the first time, seeing all the people, I’ll never forget it. It’s cool seeing it on TV … but when you are actually there, there’s no feeling like that in the world.”