The drunk 'Watch What Happens Live' presenter causes drama back in 2021 when he mocked ABC's rival show 'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve' during CNN's New Year's Eve broadcast.
- Nov 8, 2023
AceShowbiz - Andy Cohen has begged CNN to allow him to drink on New Year's Eve. The "Watch What Happens Live" presenter and his friend Anderson Cooper had to curb their boozing on last year's 31 December broadcast after their antics the previous year, including mocking ABC's rival show "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" and its host Ryan Seacrest, caused a stir, but he's urged the network to have a change of heart for this year's festivities.
Asked if he'll be sneaking any alcohol onto the set, he told E! News, "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. 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."
During the 2021 broadcast, Andy, fuelled by cocktails and tequila shots, criticized the "group of losers" performing on ABC's show, including Journey, Ashanti and Ja Rule, and ranted about New York's former mayor Bill de Blasio, but later insisted he wouldn't be "shamed" over his conduct. He said, "I will not be shamed for having fun on New Year's Eve. That's why I'm there. That's why they bring me there."
"It's a four-and-a-half hour show. The booze started kicking in around 11:30. So everyone's focusing on kind of the last 45 min or hour we were on the air," he continued. "It kicked into high gear with 45 minutes left. We'd done 15 interviews before that point! And I won't be shamed for it. I had a blast. Anderson had a blast. We left and we were like 'That was fun! What a fun New Year's Eve.' There will be no apologies for drinking on New Year's Eve. None."
But he later apologized for some of his comments. He said on his SiriusXM show in January 2022, "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."
