Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper are known for their alcohol-induced antics each New Year’s Eve on CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live, but fans of the broadcast learned this week that CNN may not be as entertained by how the two television personalities choose to ring in the new year.
According to Variety, in a town-hall discussion on Tuesday between CNN staffers and Chris Licht, the company’s chairman and CEO, Licht expressed concern that on-camera drinking could cause CNN to lose “respectability” with its viewers. While Cohen and Cooper are said to be permitted to drink alcohol during the primetime portion of the show, Variety reports that they, along with other correspondents and anchors who may have, in previous years, drank alcohol both on and off camera in Times Square, will be asked not to imbibe.
But Cohen says fear not: His plans for welcoming 2023 include plenty of booze.
“I think New Year’s Eve is a night to go hard,” he tells Yahoo Life, “and I will be going hard on New Year’s Eve.”
And he’ll do it … for the fans watching from the couch.
“I think that part of the ‘play at home’ factor of New Year’s Eve is, I think people enjoy watching me try to get Anderson plastered, and I will be,” says Cohen. “The announcement yesterday was that CNN doesn’t want their correspondents drinking on New Year’s Eve. I think that people don’t understand. I will be drinking on New Year’s Eve — just rest assured of that.”
Cohen spoke with Yahoo Life as part of his work promoting Fresca’s new Fresca Mixed, a new twist on the classic soda that contains either tequila or vodka. A long-time fan of drinking Fresca mixed with tequila, Cohen says his partnership with the brand is a perfect fit.
“This is the most perfect pair of a person representing a product,” says the 54-year-old. “It not only tastes really great, but, for those of us who love to celebrate but are looking at what we’re drinking — if you look at a Fresca Mixed Paloma versus the sugar you’re gonna get in a margarita, it’s two totally different planets.”
But what will Cohen’s New Year’s Eve drink of choice be? The Watch What Happens Live host, who Fresca has named the “VP of Frisky,” says his favorite cocktail is Fresca mixed with tequila. Seriously.
“I’ve been drinking Fresca and tequila together for years,” he says. “That’s why I’m here, it’s no coincidence.”
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