NEWSAndy Cohen Insists He Has No Apologies About Drinking During New Year's Eve Show: 'I Will Not Be Shamed For Having Fun'
Jan. 5 2022, Published 10:34 a.m. ET
Sorry not sorry!
Andy Cohen has no regrets about his recent hosting gig during CNN's New Year's Eve special over the weekend.
After the TV personality had a little too much to drink while ringing in the new year with Anderson Cooper on CNN's broadcast Friday night — where began slinging insults at numerous celebs — he refused to apologize for simply having a good time.
Cohen appeared on Sirius XM's The Howard Stern Show earlier this week, where he defended himself for going on a drunken rant during the broadcast, telling the radio show host he was just trying to have a fun night.
"I will not be shamed for having fun on New Year's Eve. That's why I'm there." he explained on Tuesday, January 4. "It's a four-and-a-half-hour show. The booze started kicking in around 11:30…I kicked into high gear with 45 minutes left."
Cohen became unhinged during his drunken rant while yelling about Mayor Bill de Blasio for doing the "crappiest job" as the mayor of New York. The Bravo host even slammed ABC's Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest, calling the performers a "group of losers."
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"I had a blast. Anderson had a blast," Cohen continued on Tuesday. "We left, we were in the car [heading] home, and were like, ‘That was New Year’s Eve.'"
Cohen explained CNN president Jeff Zucker instructs him every year to "have fun" while hosting the special. "That is my job," he pointed out to Stern.
He also claimed he was trying to cheer up the world in the midst of Betty White's death and the skyrocketing COVID-19 numbers by lightening things up during the New Year's Eve celebration, which took place just hours after news broke that the iconic Golden Girls actress had passed away.
Cohen then took the opportunity to reiterate his only regret from the night, which was bashing fellow TV host Seacrest.
"That is my only regret from the night," he explained. "Because I really like Ryan Seacrest and he’s a really nice guy. I was — as they say — in my cups, and I was kind of enjoying the rant. I was like, 'Wow, it’s really fun being on CNN just ranting like a nutty guy,'" he remembered, before revealing he, "texted Ryan the next morning."
As reported by OK!, Cohen addressed his comments directed toward the American Idol host on his Andy Cohen Live radio show on Monday, January 3, insisting he "really regret" his unnecessary remarks. "I was just stupid and drunk and feeling it."
