Hilarious Highlights from Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper’s New Year’s Eve Celebrations
Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper are famous for their amusing — and occasionally chaotic — behavior during CNN’s live New Year’s Eve coverage.
Cohen joined Cooper as his cohost in 2017, stepping in for Kathy Griffin. However, the two have a long history, first meeting when mutual friends tried to set them up on a blind date in the early ’90s.
“We had a phone call to arrange the date, and within 45 seconds, I knew I was never going on a date with Andy Cohen,” Cooper shared with Jimmy Fallon during a 2017 visit to The Tonight Show, explaining that he canceled the date. “He broke my cardinal rule by asking about my mom [Gloria Vanderbilt] within the first minute.”
Cohen, on the other hand, expressed his excitement about the call, stating, “I wanted to date the Vanderbilt boy!”
Though their romantic setup didn’t materialize, they became close friends while traveling with mutual friends in the early 2000s. They both have successful careers and growing families: Cohen is a father to son Ben and daughter Lucy, while Cooper co-parents his sons, Wyatt and Sebastian, with his friend and former partner, Benjamin Maisani.
The chemistry of Cohen and Cooper’s genuine friendship shines through on camera, drawing viewers back year after year to see them together. Their antics, often fueled by alcohol during the broadcast, have sparked mixed reactions from fans over the years.
In 2023, CNN instructed its correspondents to refrain from drinking during the New Year’s Eve event, prompting Cohen to appeal for a policy reversal as they prepared for 2024.
“Hopefully, I won’t be sneaking it,” Cohen mentioned at BravoCon in November 2023. “I haven’t received any updates, but come on, they need to let us enjoy ourselves. It’s New Year’s Eve! Last year didn’t go well in terms of viewer satisfaction because of our drinking, and I hope CNN caters to what the viewers want!”
Continue reading to discover Cohen and Cooper’s funniest moments from NYE:
Cooper Shares a Risqué Story About Gloria Vanderbilt
During the 2019 broadcast, Cooper tried Jägermeister for the first time and proceeded to deliver a hilarious story about his late mother.
When Vanderbilt appeared on Watch What Happens Live to promote her 2017 book, The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son on Life, Love, and Loss, she expressed concern that Cohen might pose an awkward question.
“She suddenly asked me, ‘He’s not going to ask me who has the biggest c–k in Hollywood, is he?’” Cooper recalled during the live show.
Cohen Proposes They Drop Acid
Snoop Dogg joined the 2020-2021 broadcast, causing Cooper to uncontrollably giggle about the numerous locations where the rapper had smoked marijuana.
“Have you ever tried acid?” Cohen posed to Cooper, who exclaimed he had never done the drug. Cohen responded, “Well, it’s time. We’re doing it tonight.”
Cohen’s Comment on Ryan Seacrest
“If you look behind me, you’ll see Ryan Seacrest’s pool of losers performing. I’m sorry, but if you’re watching ABC, you’re watching nothing,” Cohen stated during the 2021 broadcast about Seacrest, who hosts Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
Cohen later shared on Sirius XM’s Andy Cohen Live that he “regretted” his remark about Seacrest’s event, acknowledging him as a “great guy.”
Cohen’s Memorable ‘Sayonara, Sucka!’
While preparing to welcome 2022, Cohen took two shots of alcohol and made a few pointed remarks about former mayor Bill de Blasio.
“Witnessing Mayor de Blasio doing his ‘victory lap dance’ after four years of a terrible mayorship, the only consensus among Democrats and Republicans is how bad a mayor he has been. So, sayonara, sucka!” Cohen exclaimed. “2022 is a new year, and I have a feeling I’ll be right here next year, and you know what I won’t be looking at? Dancing as the city crumbles.”
Cohen Calls Cooper a ‘Nepo Baby’
After Cooper humorously remarked about the Vanderbilt “fortune being lost long ago,” Cohen quipped, “Look at this little nepo baby! He’s so adorable.”
Cooper Tries Pickle Juice
As they counted down the final moments of 2022, Cooper and Cohen engaged in a game of “Mystery Beverage,” sipping various drinks while blindfolded.
The hilarity peaked when they both tried pickle juice live on air. “I’ve never had a pickle,” Cooper protested. Cohen replied, “You’ve never had a pickle? What! Sweetie, you must have had a pickle.”
Cohen Jests About CNN’s Drinking Restrictions
After CNN lifted the ban on alcohol for Cooper and Cohen for New Year’s Eve 2023, the pair celebrated right at the beginning of the broadcast — and kept raising their glasses throughout the event.
“I’ve been hearing a lot of chatter, and I’m curious: Does Daddy get his juice?” Cohen asked. Cooper replied, “Can Daddy handle his juice responsibly?”
Once the Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen host agreed, tequila flowed freely throughout the night.
Cooper’s Hilarious Encounter with John Mayer to Kick Off 2024
Cooper couldn’t believe his eyes when John Mayer joined the broadcast from a cat café in Japan.
“I believe it meets all health standards. I think it’s perfectly fine,” Mayer said while surrounded by over 20 furry friends. “Yes, we are at a cat café. It’s called Cats in the Box in Tokyo, and we’re already halfway through the first day of 2024.”
Cooper struggled to ask any follow-up questions, laughing throughout the segment.
Cooper Can’t Contain His Laughter as Ralph Fiennes Recites a Meme
When Conclave actor Ralph Fiennes joined Cohen and Cooper on New Year’s Eve 2024, the duo challenged him to recite the “very demure, very mindful” meme that gained popularity over the summer. Despite having never seen the TikTok video fueling the trend, Fiennes’ performance had Cooper in stitches.
“Well, look, this is how I do my makeup for work — very demure, very mindful,” Fiennes began dramatically.
By the time Fiennes unzipped his jacket saying, “See my shirt,” Cooper had to step out of the camera’s frame to regain his composure.
“I really enjoyed that,” Cooper confirmed when Cohen asked if he appreciated the performance.
Cooper Roasts Cohen’s Viral Dancing Clip from a Concert
As Cohen and Cooper shared their favorite moments from 2024, Cohen made the unfortunate decision to bring up the time he was caught dancing solo in a tie-dye shirt at a Dead and Company concert in Las Vegas.
Before the footage even started, Cooper was already doubled over with laughter.
As Cooper tried to speak through his giggles — maybe shedding a few tears — Cohen inquired, “Have you ever had fun?”
“This is fun? No, this is pathetic,” Cooper managed to reply. “Sweetie, what are you wearing? Is that a circus tent? Where did you find that? Did you buy it in the parking lot?”
