Why Andy Cohen Blames Anderson Cooper For The Ryan Seacrest Feud Rumors
While others celebrated the new year, Andy Cohen rang in 2024 with fellow TV host Ryan Seacrest on his mind. The two media personalities, known for their years of friendship and mutual admiration, found their connection being questioned after rumors of a feud emerged during their joint New Year's Eve coverage in December 2021. While Cohen hosted CNN's New Year's Eve special and Seacrest led ABC's "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," tensions rose unexpectedly.
Cohen openly criticized Seacrest's programming during the live feed after one too many shots, leaving CNN staff fuming over his on-air behavior. "If you look behind me, you'll see Ryan Seacrest's group of losers performing," Cohen quipped, adding, "I'm sorry but if you're watching ABC, you're watching nothing," (via Us Weekly). Fast forward two years to another New Year's Eve at Times Square, where Cohen, alongside co-host Anderson Cooper, interrupted their scheduled programming to address the lingering Seacrest feud rumors on air.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cooper cautioned Cohen against bringing the drama up again, warning, "Don't start it. Don't even mention it." Shortly thereafter, Cohen appeared on Seacrest's radio show, shifting the blame for the whole debacle entirely onto Cooper.
Cohen and Seacrest took multiple jabs at one another
After publicly dissing Ryan Seacrest's ABC special in 2021, Andy Cohen took to his SiriusXM show, "Radio Andy," to clear the air. In fact, Cohen profusely apologized to Seacrest, clarifying, "I really like Ryan Seacrest, and he's a great guy." The Bravo star continued, "I was just stupid and drunk and feeling it," (via The Independent). At the time, Seacrest didn't publicly address the drama but he did seemingly fire back at Cohen almost a year later.
In December 2022, Seacrest spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the upcoming New Year's Eve coverage, touching upon CNN's decision to have their hosts, Cohen and Anderson Cooper, cut back on drinking while hosting live. The former E! News host reasoned, "I don't advocate drinking when one is on the air. I don't know how that started as a tradition, but it's probably a good idea [to scale back], CNN."
Seacrest understood that Cohen's comments were influenced by alcohol, so there seemed to be no hard feelings. However, during the 2022 New Year's Eve festivities, the Cohen-Seacrest feud apparently got ugly. Days after both hosts were present at Times Square for their respective specials, Seacrest claimed on "Live! with Kelly and Ryan" that he tried to get Cohen's attention but Cohen ignored him, adding a new layer of drama to the story.
The awkward media triangle was ultimately settled
Andy Cohen addressed his alleged Ryan Seacrest snub during the 2022 New Year's Eve programming on his radio show, "Radio Andy" (yes, for the second time). In the segment, Cohen clarified that he simply didn't notice Seacrest waving at him and humorously put the whole thing back on his co-host, Anderson Cooper. After calling Cooper on the show, Cohen detailed their usual practice of signaling each other when Seacrest is around so that they don't miss the opportunity to greet him.
"You didn't say that to me this year," Cohen yelled at Cooper, to which the CNN journalist argued that Cohen was in the middle of a headset conversation at the time. A couple of days later, Seacrest and Cohen reunited on "On Air With Ryan Seacrest" and dispelled all feud rumors. "I like watching people fight; I don't like fighting with people," Cohen said, with Seacrest responding, "That's the funny thing, is that we're not," (via the Los Angeles Times).
A year later, during the 2023 New Year's Eve coverage, Cohen made a point of ensuring that Seacrest saw him waving, per THR. He playfully remarked on the effort, reassuring the cameras, "We waved at Seacrest. He saw us waving, so he cannot go around saying that I dissed him." Cooper, who was Cohen's co-host again, pleaded with him to behave. Cohen joked, "I'm not starting it. I'm just keeping it real clean. We have waved. Connection has been made."