Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper quickly jumped into their old rapport during CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live” on Tuesday, with the two hosts and real-life BFFs teasing each other and breaking out the booze.
Cohen excitedly brought tequila to take a shot at the top of every hour with Cooper. While Cooper, a light drinker, took the first shot in stride, the second one left him gasping for air.
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The hosts remained jovial during the show, talking about having giggle fits during commercial breaks and FaceTiming with Hoda Kotb, who was hosting NBC’s New Year’s Eve special, “A Toast to 2024.”
A silly second-hour costume contest, set in front of the duo’s Madame Tussauds wax figures, featured a series of 2024 pop culture get-ups — including pygmy hippopotamus Moo Deng, viral French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati and a sad Glasgow Oompa Loompa — which left Cooper in a fit of giggles.
In other media moments, Roy Wood Jr., host of CNN’s weekend comedy panel show “Have I Got News For You,” appeared with the show’s “team captains” Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black, turned down a shot with the hosts, quipping that, “the last Black man to drink on this network got fired,” which seemed to be a nod to Don Lemon getting the axe from CNN in 2023.
The alcohol marched on alongside the guests, as even serious stars like “Conclave” lead Ralph Fiennes threw back a shot with the duo. Amazingly, Fiennes, a distinguished actor, also did a dramatic recitation of the “Very Demure, Very Mindful” meme.
This year is Cohen and Cooper’s eighth time hosting the chatty New Year’s Eve show, which also welcomed plenty of their celeb friends, including chats with Amy Sedaris, Jon Hamm, Ziwe and more. Country singer Mickey Guyton helped the pair usher in 2025 by performing John Lennon’s “Imagine” shortly before the famous ball drop began at the countdown to midnight.
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