In a chaotic conclusion to CNN's New Year's Eve Live broadcast, host Andy Cohen unleashed a scathing, alcohol-fueled critique of former New York City Mayor Eric Adams, leaving co-host Anderson Cooper scrambling to contain the fallout.
A Scorched-Earth Monologue Minutes After Midnight
The incident unfolded in the early hours of January 1, 2026. Shortly after the ball dropped in Times Square, a visibly inebriated Andy Cohen began his rant. "Watching the final moments of Mayor Adams' chaotic, horrible [term]," Cohen slurred, approximately ten minutes into the new year.
Cooper immediately tried to intervene, pleading, "No, don't!" Guest comedian B.J. Novak also attempted to shut down the diatribe, noting Cohen's history of similar attacks on outgoing mayors, referencing a 2022 incident involving Bill de Blasio.
Cohen and Novak Double Down on Jabs
Undeterred, Cohen sarcastically remarked that it was "great" Adams "got [his] pardons," a clear dig at the 2024 corruption charges against the former mayor that were dismissed by a judge after Department of Justice involvement. Cohen told Adams to "go off in the sunset" and "go dance away."
Novak, initially a voice of restraint, soon joined in. "See you at Zero Bond!" he quipped, referencing an exclusive Manhattan club Adams is known to frequent. "12:35, don't be late, Eric," Novak added. Cohen enthusiastically agreed, "Yes! We'll see you at Zero Bond! All the clubs."
An exasperated Cooper could only sigh, "Sweetie… He can't help himself." The segment then took a bizarre turn to Adams' much-publicized war on rats, with Novak joking, "He did a good job with the rats, right?" Cohen called it a potential metaphor, claiming, "It is 2026, and there are less rats."
Adams Fires Back, Telling Cohen to 'Seek Help'
Hours later, Eric Adams responded directly on X. He labeled Cohen's actions a "sloppy drunken rant" and advised the TV personality to join Alcoholics Anonymous. "If anyone actually cares about him, they'll tell him to get help. New Yorkers aren't laughing with him. They are concerned about him," Adams wrote. He concluded his post with "AAA: Andy's Alcohol Anonymous."
The response from the public on social media was largely critical of Adams. Many users defended Cohen's right to celebrate on New Year's Eve and accused the former mayor of weaponizing addiction language. One user wrote, "As a New Yorker, I can assure you, we were laughing with him." Another stated, "I prefer the drunk over a corrupt fraud as yourself, sir." Critics also called Adams a "sore loser" and told him to "go away."
The fiery exchange capped off a controversial term for Eric Adams and provided a startling, unscripted moment to ring in the new year for CNN viewers.
