As a co-host on CNN’s New Year’s Eve broadcast alongside longtime friend Anderson Cooper, a conspicuously inebriated Andy Cohen went off the rails before heralding the arrival of the new year.
The executive producer of Bravo's late-night talk show, Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, mocked Ryan Seacrest, who was also ringing in 2022 nearby on behalf of ABC on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve program.
Andy Cohen regrets slamming Ryan Seacrest on CNN's \u201cNew Year\u2019s Eve Live\u201d broadcast.https://trib.al/0BG8mPk— SNYDE (sorry, not sorry celebrity news) (@SNYDE (sorry, not sorry celebrity news)) 1641317632
“If you look behind me, you’ll see Ryan Seacrest’s group of losers performing," said Cohen, as Cooper nervously giggled throughout the evening's revelry.
Cohen added of the competing broadcast:
“I’m sorry but if you’re watching ABC, you’re watching nothing.”
Leave it to @Andy to keep it real what others were thinking about #ryanseacrest #RockinEve \n #CNNNYEpic.twitter.com/DZwkf7hpkR— M & M (@M & M) 1641057039
As the focus turned to Eric Adams, who was being sworn in as the succeeding Democratic Mayor of New York City, Cohen went on an unfiltered rant aimed at the exiting Mayor, Bill de Blasio.
New Yorkers didn't care much for the unpopular Mayor in local and national politics, but New York locals have a reputation for not being embracing of their Mayor, whoever it may be, anyway.
If alcohol acts as a truth serum, its effect on Cohen was on full display when voicing his strong opinion about the 109th Mayor of New York City.
Andy Cohen just dragged Bill DeBlasio up and down 7th Avenue #CNNNYEpic.twitter.com/5m1DEVvZwx— Wes Reynolds (@Wes Reynolds) 1641013813
“Watching Mayor de Blasio do his ‘victory lap’ dance after four years of the crappiest job as the mayor of New York!" exclaimed a visibly blitzed Cohen.
"The only thing that the Democrats and the Republicans can agree on is what a horrible mayor he has been, so sayonara, sucka!”
"It’s done. What’s done is done. I liked ‘sayonara sucker.'”
Some of his fans were left in stitches after Cohen's intoxicated rant.
I love @Andy !!! Keeping it real! I was laughing my rear off!!! You kicked off my New Year the Best Ever!— Tammy (@Tammy) 1641319255
So much politics! These are public figures, but human beings also. True, maybe not the best play on words, but come on\u2026all in good fun! Maybe the world just needs to relax the f up, and take everything with a grain of salt. Just keep scrolling, or change the channel! HNY!— Nancy Ferreira (@Nancy Ferreira) 1641323893
well he ain\u2019t wrong but he probably won\u2019t be on CNN again— Ghost (@Ghost) 1641023428
Others failed to detect any levity in his behavior.
Really inappropriate drunken rant. Anderson could not get a word in edgewise. Embarrassing.— Cynthia S (@Cynthia S) 1641058502
I hope Andy finds his way to rehab. Such ranting is not funny or amusing. I hope he is replaced for next year.— Anita Mann (@Anita Mann) 1641063654
Keeping it real\nBiggest loser on national TV ever! Poor Anderson!— Marsha Boothe (@Marsha Boothe) 1641313031
Cohen admitted he was "overserved" in a tweet the following morning.
good morning! . Um, I was a bit overserved last night\u2026.— Andy Cohen (@Andy Cohen) 1641040909
A couple of days after the ball had dropped and the last of the confetti was swept from the streets of Times Square, Cohen also cleared the air about his comments from the New Year's Eve broadcast.
Whether or not he was prompted by mea culpa or online backlash, he expressed his one regretful comment on Monday's episode of his Radio Andytalk show.
You can hear the clip of his apology, here.
“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,” he said, adding:
“And I really regret saying that. I was just stupid and drunk and feeling it. I just kept talking and I shouldn’t have, and I felt bad about that.”
He did not express any sense of remorse for his true thoughts about de Blasio, however.
“So that is the only thing. It’s the only thing,” he said.
Cohen added he was criticizing Journey–saying the classic rock band known for hits like, "Don't Stop Believin'," and whose current frontman is Arnel Pineda–was "not Journey" without original lead singer Steve Perry.
Cohen reportedly said on the New Year's Eve special:
"We were doused with confetti from fake Journey on ABC. If it's not Steve Perry, it doesn't count! You get it? It's not Journey!"
"It's propaganda! It's propaganda! It's not Journey! It's not Journey! No, that was not Journey. Steve Perry is Journey."
On Monday's Radio Andy, Cohen explained:
"I was continuing the Journey rant and I just kept talking and I shouldn't have and I felt bad about that, so that is the only thing."
He also addressed the headlines indicating he was trashing Seacrest, saying:
"The headlines about Ryan Seacrest are all like I trashed Ryan Seacrest and I really… I hope he hears the clip."
Responding to the backlash, a CNN spokesperson issued a statement, saying:
"Andy said something he shouldn't have on live TV. We've addressed it with him and look forward to having him back again next year."