It’s Not New Year’s Eve Without Andy & Anderson Getting Boozy

It’s so hard to get a genuine moment of men being men on television these days.

One of the only corners of genuine honesty and surface-level fun on TV was tuning in on New Year’s Eve to see favorite network anchors loosened up and drinking booze alongside viewers waiting for the ball drop in New York City. At least that’s how it was on CNN until last year.

Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper, known for getting sloshed during their NYE hosting duties, hosted CNN’s New Year’s Eve broadcast sober last year due to network restrictions on on-air drinking.

Special guests, including John Stamos and Amy Sedaris, playfully teased the hosts about their alcohol-free celebration. Meanwhile, Kevin Hart, who was live in Las Vegas, took a shot in solidarity with Cohen and Cooper.

This came after a controversial moment during the 2021 broadcast when Cohen referred to Ryan Seacrest and the New Year’s Rockin’ Eve crew as a “group of losers.” To tell the truth, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest could use a little alcoholic beverage. Although we doubt Seacrest could ever feel the effects of alcohol being the consummate (robotic) professional he is.

Andy Cohen has made a plea to CNN, urging them to permit him and Anderson Cooper to consume alcohol during the network’s annual New Year’s Eve broadcast this year. Cohen, expressing his hope for a positive response, emphasized the significance of allowing them to drink, citing last year’s viewer dissatisfaction with their sober hosting. The Watch What Happens Live! host stressed the importance of meeting viewer expectations on New Year’s Eve and advocated for both himself and Cooper to be allowed to enjoy some drinks on air.

“Hopefully, I will not be sneaking it. I haven’t heard anything yet, but come on; they need to let us drink; it’s New Year’s Eve,” Cohen said during BravoCon 2023. “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.”

Give the daddies some juice, indeed. Drunk anchors are the only reason to watch a New Year’s Eve program before 11:50 pm.

This is the public consensus, the opinion of Cohen and Cooper, and the vibe that permeated last year’s events from the special guests.

“Imma do what you can’t,” Hart said during last year’s festivities. “Imma take a shot because you guys have been hoodwinked. I can’t believe you. I can’t believe CNN telling you guys not to go and cut loose in such a good, true fashion. That’s perfect TV.”

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The comedian said joked he was “pissed” at CNN for making Cohen and Cooper perform sober, adding, “Here’s a shot for what you’re supposed to do — from me to you guys.”

He then got serious about the ridiculousness of the entire ordeal, saying, “You guys are who you are. You shined on this platform because they allowed you to be you. Don’t take that away. You celebrate that, and you toast to that, and you amplify it. That’s what good TV is. That’s why good TV works.”

While CNN has not provided any updates on the duo indulging in drinks this year, they have not officially acknowledged or refuted the possibility. Let’s hope the network makes the right choices this year, especially considering all the good faith and instances networks and studios have garnered when it comes to making decisions in favor of quality content.

But let us know how you feel in the comments, and if you feel different, please try and change our minds below!

Happy Holidays!