While the New Year sometimes brings uncertainty, one constant has been CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live coverage over the years. Every year, live television anchors Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen get wasted on shots while counting down to the ball dropping. Cooper’s guffaws, Cohen’s rants, and New Orleans correspondent Don Lemon’s shenanigans have been a welcome conclusion to the year.
CNN, on the other hand, has chosen to be sober this year. According to Variety, on New Year’s Eve Live, journalists are no longer permitted to drink on-air due to a directive from company CEO Chris Licht. And, while Cohen first stated that he would continue to imbibe with Cooper, he then stated that they would follow the new rule. “We won’t be drinking, but we’ll have a blast,” Cohen told Page Six.
Cohen and Cooper honored their pledge of dry coverage on December 31. Instead of the hosts’ usual tequila shots (and, on one occasion, Jäger), they opted for mystery shots. “It’s been our custom to toast with you every hour,” Cohen explained. In line with tradition, he said that they’ll be sipping unnamed liquids, dubbed “mystery shots,” and would try to identify what’s in the cups, which ranged from pickle juice to apple cider vinegar.
However, Twitter was dissatisfied and erupted, asking that the hosts be allowed to drink. “LET THEM DRINK!” one user repeatedly posted. Another person termed it a crime. “It’s a goddamn travesty that CNNNYE is robbing us of the national treasures that are intoxicated by Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen.”
The fact that #CNNNYE is depriving us of the national treasures that are drunk Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen is a goddam crime. pic.twitter.com/SEIxZtdn59
— Attorney at Paw 🐾 (@_AttorneyAtPaw) December 31, 2022
Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen not being allowed to drink on the CNN broadcast is a tragedy.
It’s not NYE unless AC is seven tequila shots in and giggling uncontrollably.
— Rachael (@forgetxclosure) January 1, 2023
LET THEM DRINK! LET THEM DRINK! #CNNNYE @CNN LET THEM DRINK! LET THEM DRINK! LET THEM DRINK! LET THEM DRINK! #CNNNYE @CNN LET THEM DRINK! LET THEM DRINK!
— Simon Forinash (@ASmallKeychain) January 1, 2023
The “mystery shots,” which comprised children’s juice boxes and buttermilk, were particularly unpopular on Twitter. Cohen was displeased with the apple cider vinegar shot, sarcastically exclaiming, “I need tequila!” “Honestly!” he said after taking a taste.
Some people thought the beverages were inexcusable. “What are juice boxes?” @CNN, I will never forgive you for stealing the most exciting portion of New Year’s Eve from us. Allow Andy and Anderson Cooper to gorge themselves!
Now they're literally taking shots of apple cider vinegar and drinking children's juice boxes. #BringBackDrunkAndersonCooper#CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/9pnCNwR0Rv
— Tattood (@Tattood210) January 1, 2023
“I NEED TEQUILA!!!! HONESTLY!!!” – Andy Cohen
A mood. #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/AUNMSWLKoz
— Sam Brodsky (@sammybrods) January 1, 2023
I'm watching Anderson & Andy hosting #NYE on #CNNNYE and I have a request for #CNN :
Let them have real shots instead of pickle juice, buttermilk & vinegar! I feel so bad they have to suffer thru drinking horrible stuff. Let them have tequila! CNN don't be so boring!
— EmJayBee Voted Blue 💙🐾🌊🗽♍🌴 (@MJBello3) January 1, 2023
Juice boxes? I will never forgive you for taking the most fun part of new years from us @CNN. Let @Andy and @andersoncooper drink!! #cnnnye pic.twitter.com/sDcm51yK1M
— Roems✨ (@Roems) January 1, 2023
This sucks @cnn that youre not letting the Andy’s have a drink! Cmon!! We will miss your drunk giggle Anderson. Pickle juice my ass. #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/rGMyGbIXVQ
— Mary Rose (@maryrosebrand) January 1, 2023
Cohen, on the other hand, could always be counted on to try to boost the ante. “Let’s simply address the elephant in the room.” “We can’t drink,” Cohen explained. Cooper inquired if his co-host would make it through the night while saying it wasn’t “a huge concern” for him. “Do I have a pocket full of edibles?” Cohen said. I do. Will I accept them? “I’m not sure.”
“Andy is already on it, and he’s completely sober,” user xoraveen remarked.
.@Andy: "Do I have a pocket full of edibles? I do!"@Andy and @andersoncooper can't drink! #CNNNYE pic.twitter.com/2bhioQolDB
— Joanna Preston (@JoPrestonTV) January 1, 2023
“Do i have alcohol? No. But do i have a pocket full of edibles.. I DO.”
Andy is on it already and he’s 100% sober. #CNNNye pic.twitter.com/5dPo0HbPfm
— raveen marie 🫶🏾 (@xoraveen) January 1, 2023
Nonetheless, it appears that the hosts will be drinking tequila.
@CNN let @Andy & @andersoncooper drink! They need tequila!!!
— Broken Bones (@RealBrogan) January 1, 2023
Some traditions are clearly not intended to be broken.