Controversy and Comedy: A Look Back at CNN's New Year's Eve Coverage with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin
Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin teamed up to host CNN's New Year's Eve coverage in 2007, bringing humor and controversy to the broadcast. Griffin's edgy jokes and antics often made headlines, but it was her photo shoot with a fake severed head of then-President Donald Trump in 2017 that led to her departure from the show. Cooper then joined forces with Andy Cohen as his cohost, starting a tradition of taking shots during the broadcast. The duo faced backlash in 2021 when Cohen threw shade at Mayor Bill de Blasio and Ryan Seacrest, resulting in an alcohol ban for the following year.
Griffin's tenure on the show was marked by her provocative behavior, including cursing, kissing crew members, and stripping down on air. Cohen also made waves with his on-air antics, such as getting his ears pierced after taking shots during the 2016 broadcast. CNN cut ties with Griffin in 2017 following the fallout from her controversial photo shoot.
During the 2018-19 broadcast, Cohen criticized The Times Square Alliance for singling out him and Cooper for using umbrellas on the rainy holiday. The Alliance defended its policy of not allowing umbrellas on the media riser to avoid blocking other media colleagues' sightlines. Despite the tensions, CNN's coverage of New Year's Eve continued to be a highly anticipated event with memorable moments and occasional controversies.