It apparently has become something of a tradition for comedian and Bravo producer Andy Cohen, during CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live specials, to launch into booze-fueled rants against out-going New York City mayors. After previously nipping at Bill de Blasio (D) while ringing in 2021, Cohen kicked off 2026 by kicking Mayor Eric Adams (D) in the rear on his way out. Much to co-host Anderson Cooper’s chagrin.
Ten and a half minutes after midnight and flanked by Cooper and actor/comedian B.J. Novak, Cohen started his ranting. Novak recognized what was happening immediately, recalling Cohen’s de Blasio rant; Cooper tried to duck for cover out of frame, but the cameraman did him dirty and widened the shot:
COHEN: I would like to say, watching the final moments of Mayor Adams.
COOPER: No.
COHEN: Chaotic, Horrible.
NOVAK: Are we going on a de Blasio style?
COHEN: No.
COOPER: Oh no. I’m out. I’m out.
Cohen told Adams to take his pardons from President Trump and leave New Yorkers to pick up the pieces. Following some instigation from Novak, Cohen also mocked how they were probably going to see Adams at the high-end, Manhattan club Zero Bond and how he partied away his mayorship:
COHEN: No, I’m just saying. Great. You got your pardons go off into the sunset! We’ll – we’ll fiddle with what we have, with what you’ve left us with!
NOVAK: This is the thing with you and mayor’s man.
COHEN: Go dance away! We’ll see you at all the parties!
COOPER: He can’t help himself. He can’t help himself.
COHEN: You partied your way through four years
NOVAK: We’ll see you at Zero Bond.
COHEN: You’ve got – Yeah. We’ll see you at Zero Bond.
NOVAK: 12:35. Don’t be late, Eric.
COHEN: All the clubs. We’ll see you there. You got the pardon?
After the ball dropped and after having a few, Andy Cohen goes off about he’s relishing the end of Mayor Eric Adams’ time as New York City mayor.
Anderson Cooper desperately tried to get out of frame but the cameraman does him dirty and goes wide. pic.twitter.com/rmzWi5upN4— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) January 1, 2026
“Is this how we’re entering 2026?” a seemingly disappointed Cooper asked. “No! I just want to say goodbye Mayor Adams you did it,” Cohen replied.
The negative tone did turn around slightly as Cohen credited Adams with how “he may have dented the rat population.” But, of course, there was a pivot:
COHEN: I think he got rid of some of the rats.
COOPER: No, no. The rat population has – A lot of it has to do with the –
COHEN: Is that a metaphor of sorts?
COOPER: [Doubles over in laughter and cringe] God.
COHEN: I mean, let’s call it as it is.
COOPER: Oh my gosh.
In other cringey parts of the evening, Cohen gushed to soon-to-be-former Late Show host Stephan Colbert that he was “a martyr of free speech and everything right in the world,” he also announced that he and Cooper was “transitioning,” and discussed how he gifted an old bed to Cooper and “black lighted it” to check for stains.
But in a deep and heartfelt portion of the show, Cooper shared a touching and emotional message to those feeling lonely and/or struggling with grief during the holidays and into the New Year.
“[S]ome of you watching right now, maybe a lot of you watching tonight, may see all these crowds and the merriment and feel alone, even if there are others around you,” he said in part. “So, wherever you are in the world or in your grief, you are not alone. You are here with us, and I am grateful that we are together.”
The transcript is below. Click “expand” to read:
CNN New Year’s Eve Live
January 1, 2026
12:10:39 a.m. Eastern(…)
ANDY COHEN: I would like to say, watching the final moments of Mayor Adams.
ANDERSON COOPER: No.
COHEN: Chaotic, Horrible.
B.J. NOVAK: Are we going on a de Blasio style?
COHEN: No.
COOPER: Oh no. I’m out. I’m out.
[Anderson Cooper tries to step out of frame, but the camera man goes wide]
COHEN: I just want to say – don’t I mean, he’s got his pardons.
COOPER: I’m out.
COHEN: He’s –
NOVAK: Andy. Andy, I’ve got to cut you off.
COHEN: No!
NOVAK: I’ve seen this happen.
COHEN: No, I’m just saying. Great. You got your pardons go off into the sunset! We’ll – we’ll fiddle with what we have, with what you’ve left us with!
NOVAK: This is the thing with you and mayor’s man.
COHEN: Go dance away! We’ll see you at all the parties!
COOPER: He can’t help himself. He can’t help himself.
COHEN: You partied your way through four years
NOVAK: We’ll see you at Zero Bond.
COHEN: You’ve got – Yeah. We’ll see you at Zero Bond.
NOVAK: 12:35. Don’t be late, Eric.
COHEN: All the clubs. We’ll see you there. You got the pardon?
COOPER: Okay. Is this how we’re entering 2026?
COHEN: No! I just want to say –
COOPER: No?
COHEN: – goodbye Mayor Adams you did it.
NOVAK: He did a good job with the rats, right?
COHEN: You did it, didn’t you? Honestly. But I will say this. I think he may have dented the rat population.
COOPER: Oh, no.
COHEN: No, I think.
[Crosstalk]
NOVAK: That was in the Ricky van Veen newsletter.
COOPER: I love, I love how quickly you turn. Like.
COHEN: No, I will say –
COOPER: He did do great work on rats.
COHEN: I think he got rid of some of the rats.
COOPER: No, no. The rat population has – A lot of it has to do with the –
COHEN: Is that a metaphor of sorts?
COOPER: [Doubles over in laughter and cringe] God.
COHEN: I mean, let’s call it as it is.
COOPER: Oh my gosh.
COHEN: Honestly. But anyway, there may be less midnight. Well, guess what it is 2026 and there are less rats.
NOVAK: Fewer.
COOPER: What’s gong on with you?
NOVAK: Fewer rats.
(…)
