Andy Cohen Asks CNN To Change Its 'No Alcohol Policy' So That He and Anderson Cooper Can Toast

Andy Cohen is taking on CNN's decision to prohibit alcohol use on air. During an interview with E! News over the weekend, the host of Watch What Happens Live brought up CNN's alcohol prohibition for New Year's Eve as a personal request. Since 2017, the two best friends, Cohen with Anderson Cooper, have co-hosted CNN's annual Christmas special. However, they were not allowed to drink during the 2021 special after Cohen made a joke about being "over-served" and then criticized Mayor de Blasio live on TV. In fact, he said at the time, "Watching Mayor de Blasio do his victory lap dance after four years of the crappiest term as the mayor of New York [City]."

On the Nov 6 episode, he told the hosts Justin and co-host Adrienne Bailon-Houghton that, "Hopefully, I will not be sneaking it (Alcohol). 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." He concluded, "Give the daddies some juice."

Cohen stated on The Howard Stern Show in June that he was ready to celebrate the failure of the alcohol ban while live on television with a drink in his hand. As reported by People, he said, "What a bungle. After 7 years of co-hosting the program, Cohen informed Stern that he and Cooper were compelled to be inventive this year and sip pickle juice live on TV to keep themselves and the audience amused. Their attempts to "get around" the alcohol restriction, he continued, were "stupid."

CNN's new CEO Chris Licht said in November 2022 that employees were barred from drinking on camera since it undermined the network's credibility in the eyes of viewers. As reported by the New York Post, CNN hosts like Don Lemon were caught on camera looking visibly inebriated on New Year's Eve, prompting management to take action. After the ball dropped one year, he decided to get his ear pierced on air. Later, when under the influence, Lemon boasted that he was a "grown-a-man" who was "able to share my point of view on television and it freaks people out and you know what."

However, Cohen remained belligerent, admitting that he intended to bring booze to the party illegally if necessary. He made news in 2021 for making disparaging remarks about Ryan Seacrest, host of ABC's legendary Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. Following a performance by Journey, an angry Cohen branded the band "Ryan Seacrest's group of losers that are performing behind us." As reported by The Daily Mail, he said at the time, "I mean, with all due [respect], if you’ve been watching ABC tonight, you’ve seen nothing. I’m sorry." however he had to apologize for his comments later on. He said, "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. I really regret saying that, and I was just stupid and drunk and feeling it."