Andy Cohen, host of Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live, recently shared a humorous behind-the-scenes detail about co-hosting CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live with his longtime friend, Anderson Cooper. Cohen revealed that Cooper dissolves into laughter during the final 90 minutes of the broadcast, leaving Cohen to maintain a professional demeanor and handle all the commercial breaks.
Cooper’s Giggles and Cohen’s Straight-Man Role
“Well, [it’s] that I have to be the straight guy,” Cohen confessed. He explained that Cooper spends the last hour and a half of the show in a “puddle of giggles,” forcing Cohen to take on a more serious role. “Literally, he’s in a puddle of giggles for the last 90 minutes of the broadcast, and I’m the one that’s hitting all the commercial breaks.”
This dynamic leads to an amusing role reversal, with Cohen becoming “Mr. CNN” and Cooper transforming into “Mr. Bravo.” “I kind of turn into Mr. CNN for the last 90 minutes, and he turns into Mr. Bravo,” Cohen added. “It’s a very funny role reversal.”
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Cooper’s Pet Peeve About the Show
Cooper previously revealed his own biggest annoyance about co-hosting the New Year’s Eve special on an episode of Watch What Happens Live. He jokingly expressed concern over “who [Cohen’s] gonna insult and what the clean up on aisle 3 is gonna be in the morning.” This comment alludes to a 2021 incident where Cohen, admittedly overserved, criticized Ryan Seacrest’s competing New Year’s Eve broadcast on ABC, calling it a “group of losers.” Cohen later expressed regret for the remark on The Howard Stern Show, stating he liked Seacrest and regretted his drunken actions.
A Long-Standing Friendship and Shared Experience
This year marks the eighth consecutive year Cohen and Cooper will host CNN’s New Year’s Eve special. Their on-screen camaraderie and humorous interactions have become a beloved part of the annual celebration. Their friendship spans over two decades, originating from a failed blind date attempt. Despite the initial romantic mismatch, they forged a strong platonic bond.
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Their bond has further strengthened through shared parenthood. Cohen has two children, Benjamin and Lucy, while Cooper co-parents two sons, Wyatt and Sebastian, with his former partner. They’ve spoken about the joys and challenges of raising their children, finding common ground in their “geriatric” attempts to keep up with their kids. Cohen expressed his happiness that their children will grow up with exposure to families with two dads.
CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen airs live from Times Square at 8 p.m. ET on CNN and Max.
