Andy Cohen just turned the Times Square ball drop into a verbal takedown of epic proportions.
During CNN's New Year's Eve Live broadcast from Midtown Manhattan on Thursday morning, Jan. 1, the Bravo host unleashed a blistering critique of former New York City Mayor Eric Adams, calling his four-year term a disaster, while also witnessing the transition to new Mayor Zohran Mamdani, as the New York Post reports.
Moments after the iconic ball dropped to ring in 2026, Cohen, the 57-year-old Emmy winner, grabbed a shot glass and let loose on Adams, age 65, with a ferocity that could rival any Times Square countdown.
He didn’t hold back, branding Adams’ tenure as “horrible” and “chaotic,” a sentiment that many fed-up New Yorkers might quietly share after years of contentious policies.
“Great, you got your pardons, go off in the sunset,” Cohen sneered, mistakenly referencing federal corruption charges against Adams that were dismissed with prejudice by a judge, though not as actual pardons.
That barb stings, but let’s be honest—mixing up legal terms on live TV might just be the least of Cohen’s worries when the cameras are rolling and the drinks are flowing.
Co-host Anderson Cooper looked visibly uneasy, wrapping an arm around Cohen in a futile attempt to dial down the drama, while guest BJ Novak of The Office fame quipped that Cohen should be “cut off.”
Clearly, that suggestion wasn’t about the broadcast feed, but rather the liquid courage fueling this tirade, a nod to CNN’s past struggles with on-air drinking antics during New Year’s Eve shows.
Remember, the network once banned such behavior for most anchors after issues with former host Don Lemon, yet made exceptions for Cooper and Cohen—perhaps a decision they’re now rethinking.
Cohen’s history of New Year’s Eve outbursts isn’t new. Back in 2022, he lambasted Adams’ predecessor, Bill de Blasio, calling his term the “crappiest” and later admitting he couldn’t recall the rant due to overindulgence.
This time, he sarcastically tipped his hat to Adams’ late-term executive order creating the Office of Rodent Mitigation, quipping, “I think he got rid of some of the rats, but isn’t that a metaphor of sorts?”
While a jab at bureaucratic fixes for urban woes might land with conservatives tired of symbolic gestures over real solutions, one wonders if Cohen’s metaphor cuts deeper than intended.
Meanwhile, as Cohen vented, the city saw a historic transition at midnight, with Adams symbolically passing the keys of Gracie Mansion to Zohran Mamdani, the 34-year-old Democratic Socialist now leading New York.
Mamdani’s swearing-in, conducted by state Attorney General Letitia James in a striking, abandoned subway stop below City Hall Park, saw him take the oath on a Quran held by his wife, artist Rama Duwaji. It's a moment of cultural significance that’s sure to spark debate among traditionalists.
For those wary of progressive agendas, Mamdani’s ascent signals a shift that bears watching, though it’s only fair to give the new mayor a chance to prove whether his policies will unite or further divide an already polarized city.
