Times Square's 'Confetti Master' drops his New Year's secrets

TIMES SQUARE -- Treb Heining's official title is "Confetti Master," and the job is exactly what it sounds like. Every New Year's Eve since the early 1990s, Heining has coordinated the massive confetti drop at the stroke of midnight in Times Square.

"The proper way to do the confetti is a very physically violent act," Heining says. "You are basically scooping up confetti and throwing it as hard and as far as you can. And again. And again. And again."

There's a reason Heining says "again" so many times. There's about 3,000 pounds of confetti to unload in less than a minute.

"If you do it properly," Heining says, gripping his elbow, "you'll have what we call confetti arm the next day."

Heining shares his story, and incredible, behind-the-scenes video from his confetti-throwing perch above Times Square. Even with that, he insists there's nothing like being there in person.

"Pictures don't do it justice. When you're here, and they start playing 'Auld Lang Syne,' and Frank Sinatra starts singing 'New York, New York,' it's very emotional," he says. "I get a lump in the throat and a tear in the eye every year."

Don't miss "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2022" on Friday, Dec. 31, on ABC.