Heavy/Getty Andy Cohen.
Andy Cohen dropped a hint that his New Year’s Eve won’t be alcohol-free.
The “Watch What Happens Live” host traditionally teams up with his close friend Anderson Cooper to co-host CNN’s live New Year’s Eve special. But the duo found themselves in hot water following their heavy on-air tequila drinking during the 2021 show.
Cohen issued several rants during the live broadcast, including a diss against the outgoing New York City Mayor, Bill DiBlasio, and an insult aimed at rival “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” host Ryan Seacrest’s show. As a result, CNN banned drinking on-air for 2022. Many fans felt the show was boring without Cohen’s alcohol-fueled antics.
But Cohen offered a glimmer of hope regarding 2023. On the December 17, 2023 episode of “Watch What Happens Live,” he plugged his upcoming New Year’s Eve broadcast with Cooper. “I really hope you all join us on New Year’s on CNN. We have so much fun planned,” he said.
After Guest Werndy Osefo asked him “Are you gonna drink?,” Cohen crossed his fingers and replied, “Watch and see!”
Andy Cohen Said CNN Needs to Let Him Drink
GettyCNN NYE hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.
This isn’t the first time Cohen has talked about resuming the drinking on CNN. He previously told E! News that he is hopeful that he will be allowed to drink tequila again this year.
“Hopefully, I will not be sneaking it,” Cohen said in November 2023. “I haven’t heard anything yet, but come on, they need to let us drink. It’s New Year’s Eve. That didn’t go well last year in terms of viewer happiness about us drinking. People really cared and I hope CNN gives the people what they want.”
“Give the daddies some juice!” Cohen added.
Cohen previously said he only has one regret from the controversial 2021 NYE broadcast. In January 2023, he revealed on his radio show “Andy Cohen Live,” “The only thing that I regret saying, the only thing is that I slammed the ABC broadcast and I really like Ryan Seacrest and he’s a great guy. And I really regret saying that, and I was just stupid and drunk and feeling it.”
Andy Cohen Promised to Party Hard in 2022 But Drank Pickle Juice Shots Instead
In late 2022, Variety reported that CNN chairman Chris Licht announced a directive to broadcast a sober New Year Eve show. But Cohen told The Hollywood Reporter that Licht told him he still “wanted Anderson and I to do our thing” and planned to ban drinking for the correspondents, not the hosts.
“My job is to be a party ringleader,” Cohen told Rolling Stone in December 2022. “My job is to take Anderson out of his comfort zone …And that is what I will continue to do. And as a matter of fact: If the correspondents are not drinking this year, I will be partying even harder on their behalf.”
But at the beginning of the CNN 2022 New Year’s Eve Show, a frustrated Cohen announced, “We can’t drink! We can’t drink! But it’s fine.”
Instead of tequila shots, Cohen and Cooper downed hourly mystery shots which included buttermilk, pickle juice, and apple cider vinegar. Guests like John Stamos and Kevin Hart complained about the sober sendoff to 2022.
Cohen addressed the criticism the following day. In a video posted to Instagram, he claimed the dry New Year’s Eve was much different from past years. “By the way, I don’t think we acted really discernibly much different than if we had been drinking.”
Cooper noted that at least Cohen didn’t insult any New York City officials.
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