CNN has been at the center of major speculation as of late due to potential changes that might permeate it in the near future. Should Paramount Skydance merge with the network’s parent corporation, Warner Bros. Discovery, the news brand would be under new management. It’s been speculated that CBS News’ Bari Weiss will be put in charge if that happens, and it’s alleged that Anderson Cooper plans to leave should that occur. Now, sources claim another one of the network’s correspondents might make the same move.

A CNN Correspondent Is (Allegedly) Aiming To Leave Amid The Merger Chatter

The veteran CNN personality at the center of this latest rumor is Clarissa Ward, who’s been with the network for more than a decade now. Status alleges that Ward is leery of working for Bari Weiss, as she’s reportedly been watching the decisions she’s made at CBS. Per the outlet, this claim regarding Ward supposedly wanting to leave the network aligns with the recent business move she made earlier this year.

Ward – who’s helped spearhead war-related coverage on the aforementioned network since 2015 – opted against signing a long-term deal with the broadcast giant this year. She, instead, chose to sign a one-year contract extension. Apparently, the decision was viewed as a bit of a head-scratcher, since CNN’s CEO, Mark Thompson, reportedly wanted to lock Ward down for the long haul. This should all be taken with a grain of salt, though, considering neither the network nor reps for Ward have commented.

News of Ward supposedly being "hesitant" to remain with the Ted Turner-co-founded news company coincides with reports about Bari Weiss’ tenure as CBS News editor-in-chief. The past few months have seen Weiss let go of numerous staffers at 60 Minutes, which supposedly sparked low morale at the company. Per insiders, Weiss’ management of morning meetings have left a lot to be desired, as they allegedly became tense. It’s since been alleged that Weiss has been changing her ways in the wake of backlash.

As of this writing, Paramount CEO David Ellison has not officially confirmed whether Weiss will run CNN if the merger goes through. Some sources even claim Ellison is considering having someone run the network alongside Weiss. Regardless of whether Weiss runs it in tandem with someone or does so solo, Anderson Cooper purportedly has strong feelings either way.

How Does Anderson Cooper (Reportedly) Feel About Bari Weiss Potentially Running CNN?

Cooper served as a correspondent on 60 Minutes from 2007 to 2026, with Weiss’ CBS News tenure overlapping with his final few months on the show. The veteran journalist signed off for the final time in May, at which point he expressed his hope that “60 Minutes remains 60 Minutes.” Cooper’s departure was attributed to his packed schedule and an aim to spend more time with his kids. Yet it’s been rumored that Cooper did not want to work with Weiss long term and that he allegedly refuses to do so at CNN as well.

A report that dropped this week suggested that Cooper was adamant about not wanting to work with Weiss again and that he would pursue other opportunities if that were to happen. One insider alleged that Cooper had the financial security to step away from his longtime post and try a different kind of media venture.

While rumors on the future of CNN and Bari Weiss’ potential impact on it continue to make the rounds, it’s seemingly business as usual at the network. Clarissa Ward’s departure would be a major blow to the company, but only time will tell if she does indeed choose to step away.

Anderson Cooper has long been synonymous with CNN, as he joined the network in 2001 before landing his own show – Anderson Cooper 360° – in 2003. Right now, the network is facing potential changes due to the Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery merger. If that agreement is solidified, Paramount would take ownership of CNN, and it’s been rumored that CBS News’ Bari Weiss would run it. Weiss and Cooper previously worked together, and the former allegedly doesn’t want to again. With that, Cooper’s reportedly making plans.

For context, Weiss and Cooper previously worked together on 60 Minutes during the final stretch of the latter’s tenure on that show. Cooper exited the news magazine series this past May, citing a desire to spend more time with his kids as his reason for stepping down as a correspondent. It was later reported by The New York Times, however, that Cooper told colleagues at CNN that he refused to work with Weiss, who was named the head of CBS News in late 2025. Reps for Cooper have neither confirmed nor denied that.

Sources have since alleged to RadarOnline that Weiss’ hiring prompted Cooper to step away from his post at the conclusion of his contract. One insider also claims Cooper will step away from CNN if Weiss is put in charge. As to why he’d have no problem doing that, the insider reported the following claim:

Further claims were made by another source, who said Cooper reportedly “wasn’t comfortable with the direction [60 Minutes] was taking under Bari” Weiss. Notably, when he signed off the show for the final time, he stated his hope that “60 Minutes remains 60 Minutes.” Another insider now alleges that if the CBS News head were to make her way to CNN, Cooper would reportedly have one course of action:

Much has been said about the state of CBS News and 60 Minutes as of late, considering the host of staffing changes that have happened as of late. Weeks after Anderson Cooper signed off for the final time, several correspondents and producers were let go, including Sharyn Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega and Tanya Simon. Longtime series alum Scott Pelley was also fired after accusing Weiss of “murdering” 60. Pelley and others have since claimed the show has lost editorial autonomy and that political partiality is in effect. Weiss and others at the company have denied those claims.

Bari Weiss’ purported workplace tendencies have been criticized, with insiders even saying that her morning meetings had allegedly become tense. However, a more recent report suggested that Weiss had changed some of her methods of working with her colleagues and was becoming more available to them. All the while, the gears of speculation continue to churn in regard to whether Paramount CEO David Ellison will put Weiss in charge of CNN. As of right now, the exec hasn’t announced any plans on that front.

If CNN were to hypothetically lose Anderson Cooper after the merger, it would mark the end of an era for the network. What’s unclear, based on this latest rumor, is what exactly Cooper would do if he were to love the news network. Still, an insider claims “there are countless opportunities beyond hard news, and Anderson finally has the freedom to pursue them.”

Newsman Anderson Cooper wrapped up his almost 20 years as a correspondent on 60 Minutes last weekend. In a postscript interview on 60 Minutes Overtime, Cooper, who himself has become known for asking the hard questions, let us all in on his decision to leave the show. I'm amazed at just how much it was cutting into his vacation time from his other gig as a CNN host. I admire Cooper for his dedication, and I certainly understand why he needed to step away from 60 Minutes.

20 Years In A Moonlighting Gig

Cooper joined CBS’s 60 Minutes, the venerable news magazine show that you can watch with a Paramount+ subscription, in 2006. The gig, at the time, one of the most prestigious in the news industry, came at a cost. Cooper was then, as he is now, the most visible face on CNN. That meant Cooper had to find a way to find time for two pretty demanding jobs. It turns out he had to use a lot of his vacation time from CNN to make it work for 60 Minutes. That weighed heavily on his recent decision to leave the show, telling 60 Minutes Overtime:

While he says 60 Minutes “never felt like work,” it still meant that he was burning the candle at both ends, by essentially moonlighting in a second full-time job at a show with a notoriously competitive environment. That’s going to put stress on anyone, no matter how much they love what they do.

Family Also Played A Part

Taking all your vacation time, not to mention your weekends, is also stressful on your family. Cooper has two sons, Wyatt Morgan Cooper and Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper, whom he co-parents with his ex-partner Benjamin Maisani. Working for CBS and CNN (not to mention other occasional gigs like a temporary Jeopardy! host) meant Cooper had little downtime to spend with his kids. And as any parent knows, that is a kind of stress that really weighs on someone. Cooper told Overtime:

Cooper came to that realization while on a story in South Africa, recognizing that he was thousands of miles away from home (again), while his son was leaving for school that morning. That is something that any parent can appreciate, and while I’ll miss Cooper’s contributions to 60 Minutes, I can’t begrudge him at all for his decision.

2026 is officially here, which makes the fact that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is ending seem a lot closer than it did just a few days ago. As Colbert moves forward on the last few months of his show, which will end in May on the 2026 TV schedule, he was given a chance to reflect on what he learned in 2025, and he has a very smart (and blunt) way of looking at things.

Colbert was a guest on CNN New Year's Eve 2026 with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen just before the ball dropped and the new year got underway. Cohen asked the late-night host what he had learned from 2025, and Colbert, not one to mince words, gave a very honest, if laughing, response when he said…

It’s a notably blunt and honest assessment from a notably blunt late-night host. While the decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was a financial one, according to CBS, it has not gone unnoticed that the hammer fell just days after Colbert called CBS settling a lawsuit with President Trump a “bribe” as part of parent company Paramount’s planned merger with Skydance, a merger which was approved shortly after the cancellation was announced.

It’s a somewhat casual response from Colbert, though it should be said that the via satellite conversation was fairly casual in general. The CNN New Year’s Eve show has something of a reputation for getting at least slightly out of hand as the co-hosts openly drink during the show. Cooper even specifically mentioned that he hadn't wanted Cohen to ask Colbert the question, perhaps because of the can of worms it might open. This might also have been the reason Cohen asked the question in the first place.

New Year’s Eve is a party after all, and everybody involved was having a good time. Colbert even played “Never Have I Ever” because it was just that sort of night. Watch for yourself:

The whole situation is somewhat rare. Usually, when a host leaves a show with a long lead time, it’s because they made the decision to leave. In this case, Colbert has made it clear this was not his decision, which has left the rating leading late-night host to basically do and say whatever he likes about the situation for months before his exit.

While some have suggested that CBS should simply undo its decision to cancel The Late Show, the fact that it hasn’t happened yet, since the new CEO took over, makes it seem unlikely that it will. An exact date for the final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has not yet been announced, but it will happen this May.

I knew Heated Rivalry was a certified hit; however, that was emphasized big time when Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper brought it up on their New Year’s Eve broadcast, not once, but multiple times. That’s right, these two mentioned the beloved, smutty, queer hockey show on during CNN’s broadcast on multiple different occasions. Now, the show’s creator and cast, as well as the books’ author, have shared their A+ reactions to being a big part of kicking off the 2026 TV schedule with the broadcasters.

As per usual, Cooper and Cohen's New Year’s Eve broadcast was unhinged in the best way. The journalist did a dramatic reading of Taylor Swift’s song “Wood,” both of them had puppets of themselves, and they mentioned Heated Rivalry (which you can stream with an HBO Max subscription) quite a few times.

At one point, Cohen and Cooper were discussing who was Ilya and Shane of the two of them. While the Bravo personality said he was Shane, and the journalist was Ilya, Cooper had to disagree with him. Rather than opting to relate to the two lead characters, he said he’s much more like the smoothie maker Kip, who is a supporting character at the center of Episode 3’s love story as he falls in love with star hockey player Scott. It was hilarious, and author Rachel Reid thought so too, as she reposted the moment with the following reaction on her IG story:

Along with Reid posting her thoughts about this hilarious interaction, Robbie G.K., who plays Kip on Heated Rivalry, responded too. He commented on Evan Ross Katz’s post about Cooper saying he was the most like Kip with the following statement:

What a fabulous reaction! However, the fun does not end there.

When Stephen Colbert appeared on the broadcast, his wife, Evie, also made a cameo. As Cooper and Choen joked with them, the Watch What Happens Live host said that Colbert’s wife was “the top of their relationship.” In response, The Late Show host said he’s “a bossy bottom.” That made Anderson Cooper lose it, and while laughing, he asked, “Has Heated Rivalry made everybody insane?”

This was the moment Jacob Tierney, the show’s creator, director, writer and executive producer, reacted to on Instagram. Posting screenshots of the three men during this hilarious interaction, he simply used an emoji to perfectly encapsulate his feelings about this situation:

At the time of this writing, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, who play Ilya and Shane, respectively, have not responded to this wild broadcast. However, if they do, there’s more for them to react to. That’s because, along with the aforementioned comments, Cooper and Cohen also asked Brandi Carlile if lesbians like Heated Rivalry, and she said it was all she could think about.

So, as you can see, this book-to-screen adaptation has quite the hold on pop culture, seeing as it was brought up multiple times on New Year’s Eve and was met with tons of hilarious reactions from fans and people who work on the show. As Evan Ross Katz’s post noted, it’s like we’re in “collective psychosis” with this wonderful romance, and clearly, Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen are bewitched by it too.

Millions of people headed out Wednesday night to ring in the new year by watching the ball drop in Times Square (or Chicago, as Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve shook things up), but those who stayed in to enjoy the revelry from home got quite the treat from Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper. The unlikely duo have been a hit in the past, covering New Year’s Eve for CNN, and this year was no different, as the news anchor gave us quite the silly start to 2026 with a dramatic reading of Taylor Swift’s viral 2025 song “Wood.”

Anderson Cooper must not be too much of a Swiftie, because he was not familiar with “Wood,” a song off of the Eras Tour artist’s latest album The Life of a Showgirl that is basically an ode to Travis Kelce’s manhood. Andy Cohen got his co-host to read the double entendre-filled lyrics during CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live, and the giggles they caused the journalist are giving me the energy I need to kickstart this new year. Check out the video below:

It’s stunts like this that make Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen such a successful duo to pull off this holiday show (even if some people get snarky about it), because I can’t get enough of the Watch What Happens Live host’s devilish grin. I think Cooper quickly found that he was in over his head with the “Wood” reading, because that, “Oh!” read as both part of the lyrics and a realization of what that “redwood tree” was meant to symbolize.

The news anchor then fell into a fit of giggles not unlike the time he and Andy Cohen interviewed John Mayer in a cat bar, and you didn’t have to be a few drinks in to join in the infectious laughter.

Props to Andy Cohen if bringing “Wood” to the party was his idea, because not only did it provide one of the best moments from all networks’ New Year’s Eve coverage (in my opinion), but it celebrated what was a huge pop culture moment from 2025.

Not only was the song one of the “bangers” on Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album that came out last year, but it honored her relationship with Travis Kelce. 2025, after all, was the year that saw the celebrity couple get engaged with the already iconic announcement that: “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.” TNT emojis all around!

I don’t think I was the only one that joined in Anderson Cooper’s giggle fits, because several fans weighed in with comments like:

• These two are beyond adorable! Anderson’s giggles are everything! – KristinShoots
• Anderson laughing are the highlights of the night – kristynkazumi
• Anderson’s giggle is the best I’d so hang out with these 2! – tamirenfisher702
• Anderson laugh gets me every time 😂😂 – tatianah2999
• 😂😂😂 They’re a whole freakin vibe – nirlamejia
• Anderson, I Love your laugh❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ – TheresaMorgan-y7c
• Anderson’s laugh is what we need to put this past year behind us & look forward to a better one! 😂 – Dashleyn

The glee in Anderson Cooper’s laughter combined with Andy Cohen’s, “Knock on wood, baby!” is such a vibe, and I agree with the comments that it sets the perfect tone for new beginnings in 2026.

While the podcasting market continues to expand, with everyone and their mom seeming to have one, there truly are some gems on the airwaves. Regardless of your familiarity and regularity in dabbling, where does one start? As someone who dabbles in a few series and loves a good pop culture injection of any form, a celebrity-hosted show can offer a lot! These stars’ pods cover plenty of ground from BTS on favorite sets to politics to emotionally forward conversations. If you’re lost, in a rut or just looking for another stellar title to add to your audio arsenal, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive in!

Oprah’s Super Soul - Oprah Winfrey

We know her, we love her, and the dynamic Oprah Winfrey continues to evolve and push interviewing bounds. Super Soul is more or less an adaptation of her inspiration and often a spiritual talk show that ran through the early 2020s. Be prepared to hear some deep conversations if you aren’t already, though we all know it tends to come with the unmistakable Hollywood giant.

Literally! With Rob Lowe - Rob Lowe

The 61-year-old Hollywood vet has wide-ranging conversations with plenty of well-known professionals. Whether it's well-established or rising stars in movies and TV, music or sports, Lowe jumps right in with them. And as a member of The Brat Pack, the pull he has with landing guests is pretty impressive and diverse.

Renegades: Born In The USA - Barak Obama, Bruce Springsteen

Though it only ran for one season and has 8 episodes to its name, the former president and The Boss’ collab rocked. Their conversations consisted of the changing dynamics of the USA through the lens of music, personal happenings, fatherhood and future revitalization. They also share their backstory on how the friendship and pod came to be.

Goop - Gwyneth Paltrow

Paltrow and Goop’s virality continues to regularly break the internet (especially those body-forward scented candles). But the Hollywood A-lister and her empire went to new heights with the addition of their own podcast, which she hosts. Naturally, it dives in holistically to grander topics with today’s ‘brightest thinkers and culture changers’ to dissect the conversation at hand.

Wiser Than Me - Julia Louis-Dreyfus

As always, when Louis-Dreyfus commits to a project, she knocks a role out of the park. One of her most recent titles as host of Wiser Than Me is no different; her interviewing women who are expert veterans in their given career is a true delight. She’s had everyone from Jane Goodall to Jane Fonda, and she’s just getting going.

Good Hang - Amy Poehler

Don’t overlook the Parks & Rec star’s Good Hang, even though it may be one of the newest entries on the list. Poehler’s sunshine bright vibes radiate through the show while she chats with A-list Hollywood names. But the most signature part shines through when she has a mini cameo from a friend of the guest who praises them ahead of the main convo. (If you haven’t seen or know where the viral clip of Rachel Dratch fumbling with headphones on a Zoom, now you do.)

Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend - Conan O’Brien

In the comedian’s corner of the interview world, you can certainly expect his signature smart silliness he has brought to the masses over the decades. But why did he jump into the world? As the title implies, and per his summary, O’Brien realized after years of interviewing celebs, ‘the only people at his holiday party are the men and women who work for him,’ and wanted to change that.

Fly On The Wall - David Spade, Dana Carvey

While not an outright Saturday Night Live podcast, two huge alums, Spade and Carvey, lead this industry-leaning show. The pair has their fair share of guests and covers plenty of Studio 8H lore depending on who’s with them that week. Beyond the sketch show conversations, they often jump into current pop culture, current events and even fan-submitted fare.

Bill Gates And Rashida Jones Ask Big Questions - Bill Gates, Rashida Jones

Gates and Jones came together at the beginning of the pandemic in search of musing about some big questions. Though there are only five episodes, nothing seems off the table, from climate change to the psychology behind lying. But the unexpected co-hosts tackle these larger sociological and worldly topics with intentionality and ease.

The Big Podcast With Shaq - Shaquille O'Neal

The dynamic retired basketball player continues to surprise us with his plays (he just confirmed he was a Swiftie on the Kelces’ pod), and did just that when he kicked off his new podcast network by way of his own. Aptly named, Shaq and co-host Adam Lefkoe, of course, talk sports among themselves and alongside guests, but also hit a range of topics.

Minnie Questions - Minnie Driver

The Good Will Hunting actress’ offering sets up each interview through seven thoughtful questions. Though each question is relatively simple, it’s proven time and again that it unearths quite a conversation. Her therapy session meets fireside chat structure stands apart from other celebrity podcasts since its intention dives into a soulful exploration of life’s questions.

All There Is With Anderson Cooper - Anderson Cooper

While plenty of entries on the list cover an array of subjects from casual conversations, behind-the-scenes Hollywood magic and love and relationships, Cooper dives into loss (which he’s experienced multiple times over since childhood). What started as the beloved CNN news anchor processing the passing of his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, and the ins and outs that go along with it, has blossomed into something much more. He’s built a safe ground for guests and listeners alike to reflect and process the big topic.

Red Table Talk - Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris

The multi-generational, familial women-hosted show has gone viral a few times over since its inception on Facebook. Nothing, as we’ve seen, is off limits in this conversational style show and doesn’t shy away when things get nitty gritty. Though the OG got the axe in 2023, it got going again with no ties to Facebook, and its episode catalog continues to rank with some of the best Hollywood fodder out there today.

The Weekly Show With Jon Stewart - Jon Stewart

The beloved TV host has a podcast that pairs with his regularly scheduled show. The Weekly Show offers a more expansive look into our ever-developing world with notable minds in essential roles across the professional field. If you’re looking for even more Stewart material, he had a short-lived but excellent 2 season show called The Problem with Jon Stewart that dove into topics that were ‘too big for TV.’ With either, you can count on a laugh paired with some big, thought-provoking discussions.

SmartLess - Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Sean Hayes

SmartLess is like an improv dinner party you weren’t invited to, but somehow snuck into. Each episode brings a surprise guest to the table, and with it comes comedy, curiosity, and the kind of bromantic chaos that three A-listers with zero filters can deliver. It’s part talk show, part therapy session, and all charm—who would’ve guessed the vibe would be achieved by the Michael and Gob Bluth actors with a dash of the Jack McFarland actor.

Armchair Expert - Dax Shepard

Maybe one of the most recognizable and longstanding on the list, Shepard started his series in 2018. Though the premise is relatively simple in terms of chatting with well-known faces, things can go deep quickly. The CHiPs alum has had ex-costars like Lauren Graham, incidentally spill about Parenthood peer, Mae Whitman’s baby daddy, and Oscar-nominated stars like Michelle Williams reflect about her late ex-partner, Heath Ledger. Needless to say, there’s a lot to work with here (and a 300+ episode backlog to sift through).

Office Ladies - Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer

Of course, there was bound to be at least one rewatch pod in the bunch, and with The Office ranking as one of the best sitcoms ever, it’s a natural pick to include. Kinsey (who played Angela Martin/Lipton/Schrute) and Fischer (who played Pam Beesly Halpert) recount excellent tidbits and memories as they rewatch the NBC classic while hosting Dunder Mifflin cast and crew members.

Life Is Short - Justin Long

First and foremost, I’ve got to give the Jeepers Creepers actor’s name for his show is A+ play on words (specifically short and long). But, behind the small chuckle the title of the pod offers is a surprisingly poignant base for Long and his brother, who co-hosts the show. The siblings jump in the deep end with their guests and discuss all there is about life, which includes everything from emojis to their perspective on life.

LeVar Burton Reads - LeVar Burton

Fiction lovers and previous PBS Kids unite! The beloved Reading Rainbow star’s pod is a modern-day take on the classic 26-year run show, but now catered toward adults. Short form stories are the main genre he dives into each week, and the whole thing feels just like a little bit of a time machine, for those who tuned in regularly to RR.

New Heights - Jason, Travis Kelce

No, I’m not talking about their mom, Donna Kelce, landing a spot on S4 of The Traitors US, but it’s worth mentioning. The NFL family show is full of BTS looks into being brothers while also playing football professionally. They also often go out of bounds of the shared ground and discuss everything from pop culture to UFOs.

The High Life - Ricki Lake

The former television host is getting back to her roots with The High Life. And while she still has plenty of Tinseltown names as guests, the focus with her offering is health and wellness. Nothing is off the table within the larger landscape; she hits everything from menopause to energy healing.

Las Culturistas - Bowen Yang, Matt Rogers

In case you’d like to know, this is my ride or die pick of the list. The college besties-turned-Hollywood-darling co-hosts have amassed a cult turned mainstream following thanks to culture catch-ups, regular bits they have A-list guests participate in (what sparked their interest in culture and their wry ‘I Don’t Think So Honey!’ critique of something) and their own award show. Clearly, I could go on about it, but if you need more proof, Tina Fey’s iconic advice to Yang speaks to why we, ‘readers, kayteighs, publicists, finalists and kyles,’ love it all.

WTF With Marc Maron - Marc Maron

The rough around the edges comedian and actor’s podcast is one of the most well-known celebrity series. As a blueprint of public figures' iterations to come, Maron got started in 2009 after his radio show got canned. In the decade-plus he’s been at it, he hosted writers, directors, comedians, actors and many more in the typical style that is commonplace today. But, heads up, he just announced his show will end this fall, so don’t miss out!

Podcrushed - Penn Badgley, Nava Kavelin, Sophie Ansari

The Gossip Girl alum’s shared show isn’t a far cry from the hit teen series fodder. They’ve just spun the clock a little further back to schoolyard drama and middle school crushes. Badgley, alongside Kavelin and Ansari, takes on listeners' stories, reads them and explores all the ins and outs of starting to grow up (and all the turmoil that tags along).

Broad Ideas - Rachel Bilson, Olivia Allen

While you may know of Bilson’s other pod, Beyond The O.C., involving ex-castmate Melinda Clarke, Broad Ideas includes her longtime bestie, Olivia Allen. The new duo essentially cover any ground two girlfriends would in any given conversation (mental health to ghosts are promised). But hosting a new guest to join in on the fun each week brings it to the next level.

The Mess Around With Hannah And Lamorne - Lamorne Morris, Hannah Simone

If you know anything about where these two co-hosts met, you can probably guess this is a New Girl rewatch series. And if you know that, you probably know they played CeCe and Winston (Bishop), respectively, and the title comes from a bit that the characters shared. Also, plenty of past cast and crew come through to reminisce about all the shenanigans that went down in 4D.

Films To Be Buried With With Brett Goldstein - Brett Goldstein

Though he’s still relatively new to the scene, the Ted Lasso star is hitting it big (and is now on Shrinking). With that success, his unique corner of the recording studio has only found more success. And while the title of Goldstein’s show is pretty straightforward and self-explanatory, it has me hooked. I think it’s safe to say he’s just getting started.

At Your Service - Dua Lipa

While I haven’t actually listened to the singer and actress’ show, it may be the hidden gem on the list. Heading into her third season, she continues to host a slew of knockout guests, and her collection of candid conversations runs the gamut of interesting fare. Everything from psychedelics to running Apple.

Getting Better With Jonathan Van Ness - Jonathan Van Ness

Ever since being introduced as the current generation’s hair & grooming lead on Queer Eye, JVN has been stealing the show as they help build up others. By natural curiosity and the drive to learn, the Getting Better podcast helps them grow and build spaces to learn even more. The weekly episodic content comes in all shapes and sizes–from finance lessons to discourse on culture, they’ve got it covered.

Why Won’t You Date Me? - Nicole Byer

The Nailed It! host is also a pro-podcaster. If you go looking for Byer’s love and relationship pod, you may find quite a slew aside from the aforementioned one (Best Friends!, 90 Day Bae and Newcomers). But this humorously titled one is the most well-known and long-standing one, where she has everyone from friends and experts to an occasional ex or two dish all about dating and love.

Lovett Or Leave It - Jon Lovett

While Jon Lovett’s beginnings aren’t traditional Hollywood standards material, the comedian was a former speech writer for Barack Obama. From there, he and fellow Obama peers (Dan Pfeiffer, Tommy Vietor and Jon Favreau–not to be confused with the A-lister) then co-hosted Pod Save America. His newest show is a hybrid of political news mixed with fun, well-known guests, and a bit of shenanigans all tied into one, always providing a laugh.

The Bald And The Beautiful - Trixie Mattel And Katya Zamolodchikova

One of RuPaul’s Drag Race’s biggest winners, Trixie and ride or die fellow queen, Katya, have taken the world by storm together. After meeting on season 7, they quickly went on their way to make creative projects together, starting with their viral cult followed series, UNHhhh, to their aptly titled pod. It’s a lot of the same banter, just funneled into discussing pop culture and Tinseltown-leaning topics.

Anderson Cooper has become a reliable and trusted American broadcaster since his beginnings in the field. And while many fans like me chose to ring in the 2025 TV schedule with him on New Year’s Eve, his career continues to showcase his journalistic eye knows no bounds. Kevin Hart and his height is one of the most recent, pointed endeavors Cooper tackled that the public needed confirming.

Anderson Cooper, a correspondent for 60 Minutes, discussed with Hart about balancing his stand-up career with owning an entertainment company among other ventures. Via the CBS new show's Instagram, the interview stretched to off-beat questions, including the comedian’s height. The CBS journalist led into the inquiry by sharing other sources who have noted the Ride Along star’s measurements previously, saying:

Despite the inconsistent reporting, the Anderson Cooper 360° host was sweet, frank and to the point in sharing the gathered info on the Central Intelligence actor. You can always count on Cooper to jump into any of these debated discrepancies and straighten it out for the rest of us.

During the lighter question, the duo shared a good laugh over the various reports before Hart jumped in with who had his height right and didn’t (and how it changes depending on shoe choices). He stated:

With the discourse laid to rest, officially, we can once again thank the tenured reporter for delivering this fun answer. And Hart’s note of varying heights, dependent on footwear, clears up the mixed numbers. It seems, without shoes though, the Times may have the official measurement if the entrepreneur.

Beyond Kevin Hart juggling standup with business ventures, he has plenty of other projects ahead. Most notably, the Hart-Ice Cube franchise has confirmed Ride Along 3 and is in development now along with a remake of Planes, Trains and Automobiles and The Great Outdoors. None of the three movies are slated for the 2025 movie schedule, but perhaps we'll see them during 2026. It’ll be interesting to see these reboots continue to develop and how they will fare when they get released.

With this Kevin Hart's height history officially answered via Anderson Cooper’s dedicated drive for hard-hitting news, we can look forward to what’s ahead for both professionals. I for one, am looking forward to seeing what story or rumored story Cooper takes on next in Hollywood.

Watch Cooper and Company on 60 Minutes with CBS on Sundays at 7 pm EST. You can also stream the program the following day with a Paramount+ subscription.

Celebrating the new year on the small screen usually involves celebrities stepping up to host, musical guests, and the annual ball dropping in New York City. In recent years, however, December 31 celebrations on television have involved a mini "feud" between Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve's Ryan Seacrest and CNN New Year's Eve's Andy Cohen. The Bravo host, who teamed up with Anderson Cooper to get the giggles over John Mayer's cat bar appearance, called out Seacrest in the final hours of 2023 as the latest development, so it's time to look back at how the back-and-forth started years ago.  

New Year's Eve 2021

Back in 2021, Ryan Seacrest was hosting ABC's New Year's countdown to 2022 while Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper were leading the festivities for CNN, and one noticeable difference was that Cohen and Cooper were drinking during the broadcast. The Bravo personality commented on what was going on over in the ABC camp at the time, saying on-air: 

It was a bold statement that you wouldn't usually expect to see during a New Year's broadcast, with Anderson Cooper laughing at Cohen's comments. It was also only the beginning of a back-and-forth with Ryan Seacrest about ringing in the new year. 

New Year's Eve 2022

CNN decided to put a limit on on-air drinking for the 2022 broadcast with Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper, and Ryan Seacrest opened up to Entertainment Weekly on the news. Although he didn't specifically name Cohen (or Cooper), it seems clear who he was alluding to. Seacrest said: 

Given that Andy Cohen is known for his presence on Bravo for the Real Housewives franchise – and is no stranger to guests getting mad at him – while Anderson Cooper is a longtime CNN host, it's safe to say that Cooper is the "serious journalist" who Seacrest was alluding to. It's hard to argue that Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve isn't bigger and broader, though; airing on ABC rather than CNN gives it a much larger audience. 

Ryan Seacrest, who was tapped to replace Pat Sajak as Wheel of Fortune host, then said in an early 2023 episode of Live! with Kelly and Ryan that Cohen didn't greet him while they filmed their respective New Year's specials, despite standing just ten feet away. Seacrest credited Anderson Cooper for turning around and saying to "have a good show," but "Andy did not turn around."

Cohen responded on his own radio show, saying that Anderson Cooper usually gives him the heads up when he's about to wave at Seacrest, but didn't this time around. Cooper said that Cohen was involved in "some producing thing" at the time and assumed that Cohen had already said hello. 

The Hosts Clear The Air To Start 2023

While it may sound like the hosts were genuinely annoyed with each other about their respective New Year's broadcasts, they cleared the air in early 2023 when Cohen stopped by Ryan Seacrest's On Air radio show and established that while he does "like watching people fight," he doesn't "like fighting with people." Seacrest confirmed that they weren't fighting, then explained an interaction he had with a woman who mentioned Cohen to him:

That seemed like it could be the end of the story, but Andy Cohen dropped some comments about Seacrest in the final hours of 2023 that thickened the plot.

New Year's Eve 2023

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen were drinking to ring in 2024 on CNN, and there were just a few hours to go in 2023 when Cohen commented on Seacrest, who was once again hosting on ABC. After taking a shot at 9 p.m. ET, Cohen said (via THR):

After Seacrest and Cohen made it clear that they were longtime friends, it sounds like this was just a jab between pals rather than prolonging a genuine feud. If anything, I feel like it should be a New Year's Eve tradition at this point! Anderson Cooper – who once battled the NYE cold in NYC with heated clothing – might disagree, as he told his on-air partner "Don't start it" and "Don't even mention it." 

Whether this fake "feud" continues remains to be seen; Ryan Seacrest hasn't commented at the time of writing. We may have to wait nearly a full year for another development. 

New Year's Eve is arguably one of the most exciting times for live television, and Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper are a large reason for that. The two famed friends have frequently shouldered the responsibility of  hostingCNN's New Year's Eve broadcast from Times Square, and it doesn't take much else to get them and viewers at home giggling at the sillier moments of the night. (Especially when booze is allowed.) 2023's biggest near-cat-astrophe involved a check-in with a hilariously straight-faced John Mayer from a cat bar in Tokyo, and the internet couldn't get enough of the entire thing. 

As the drinks flowed at Times Square in New York City, Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper catwalked into an interview John Mayer, who was already well into New Year's Day in Tokyo. Mayer was stationed at a "cat bar" for the segment, which, as he'll lay out in the video below, is exactly what it sounds like. Check out the segment, and watch Cooper lose any ability to form a sentence due to a wild case of the giggles: 

I'm not sure how many snarky comments Andy Cohen will respond to after that laughing fit by Anderson Cooper, but readers can rest assured that there was no shortage of people who loved seeing the entire segment from start to finish. Some, like @xoraveen, almost lost control more than the CNN host, and couldn't get enough of John Mayer fully embracing the mission of telling all there is to know about a random cat bar in Japan many watching will never venture to:  

The real highlight of this clip has to be Anderson Cooper, who couldn't get enough of the cats' buttholes frequently being exposed to the camera. Perhaps this celebrity with a famous parent wasn't used to being confronted with a cat's butt so intimately, or he was aware of how much some folks at the network likely hated that image going out to countless viewers. In either case, his giggles made the segment, and many like @caliiinoel loved it because of that:

And while Swifties may still attack John Mayer despite Taylor Swift's plights to inspire other behavior, he's certainly won some cool points with me for this interview. This segment wouldn't kill if Mayer didn't maintain his deadpan seriousness during the interview, unwilling to even acknowledge any ridiculousness of it all. @Vandel_Buster noticed the same thing and loved the contrast between the two parties: 

I've known John Mayer had comedic chops since his criminally underrated sketch on Chappelle's Show, and power to him for stone-facing it through this interview, but he can't get all the credit in this instance. I know I've already mentioned it, but it can't be said enough how the entire hilarity of this whole New Year's Eve segment boils down to seeing a cat butthole on television. As @MrEAnders pointed out, the whole segment descended into chaos as soon as the cat butt was right at the camera:

I have to say that it's refreshing to wake up in 2024 with some pleasant viral moment to kick off the year rather than some phony drama where Andy Cohen snubbed Ryan Seacrest like we had last year. That said, the new host of Wheel of Fortune might be a little miffed in the new year, knowing that one of the biggest viral moments of the night didn't happen on his special: 

I have to agree with @thekennaj's take, and if this viral moment is any indication of the energy the 2024 TV schedule will bring into the new year, we're in for a treat. That said, I do hope that's the final time I see a cat's butt on my screen for a while, unless it's tastefully done. 

New Year's Eve on CNN was a great time, but it's time to look ahead to 2024. CinemaBlend will, of course, continue to deliver the news on some of the best things coming to television in the new year, and keep readers updated on the movies front as well. I can't promise it'll be as hilarious as John Mayer in a cat bar, but few things in life are. 

In Hollywood, there are plenty of celebrities we all know and love, but sometimes, we might not realize that there are other actors they are related to, such as famous parents who have been around for decades. From new up-and-coming stars to people who have been in the business for some time, here are some celebrities with famous parents that you should know about. 

Gwyneth Paltrow

First up on this list has to be Gwyneth Paltrow. While the actress has built a career for herself over the last few decades with roles in movies like Shakespeare in Love, Seven, and of course, her role as Pepper Potts in the Iron Man movies, Paltrow comes from fame and is the daughter of Bruce Paltrow and Blythe Danner, both of which worked in the industry. 

Maya Hawke

Maya Hawke may be an up-and-coming star, with her breakout role as part of the Stranger Things cast and only continuing to grow as an actor as time passes, but her parents have been around for some time. Hawke is the daughter of the actor Ethan Hawke and the actress Uma Thurman, who were married for a time back in the early 2000s. 

Anderson Cooper

While we all know Anderson Cooper now for his presence on the cable news network CNN, Cooper came from a large family that we all know well. His mother was Gloria Vanderbilt, who was a part of the famous Vanderbilt family. 

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston has become a significant actress in the last couple of decades, specifically for her time as Rachel Greene in the Friends cast and many other great movie and TV roles. But Aniston also comes from Hollywood royalty, as her father was John Aniston, who was on the classic soap opera Days Of Our Lives for 37 years. 

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie's best movies have only evolved over the years, from her time as the classic Disney villain, Maleficent, to her critically acclaimed roles. Jolie's father is Jon Voight, an Academy Award-winning actor; and her mother is Marcheline Bertrand, a Hollywood actress.

Chris Pine

Chris Pine is another example of someone you would never expect is the child of another celebrity, but his father was Robert Pine, and his mother was Gwynne Gilford. Robert Pine is best known for starring in the TV series CHiPS, while his mother appeared in many TV shows during the '70s and '80s. 

Colin Hanks

Colin Hanks has appeared in various films and TV shows over the last few years, including Fargo, Band of Brothers, Dexter, and more, and he hails from famous actor Tom Hanks. In 2022, Colin Hanks was a part of The Offer cast on Paramount Plus. 

Margaret Qualley

Margaret Qualley is another actress who has been up and coming for some time now, appearing in films like Death Note, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, and more, as well as in TV shows like The Leftovers and Maid on Netflix. Qualley's famous parent is Andie MacDowell, a former fashion model and actress who has appeared in films like St. Elmo's Fire, Groundhog Day and Four Weddings and a Funeral. 

Zoë Kravitz

Zoë Kravitz's best movies include The Batman, the Divergent franchise, and more, but she hails from a family of famous faces. Her father is the renowned guitarist/actor Lenny Kravitz, and her mother is a Hollywood it girl, Lisa Bonet. Zoe Kravitz is also the granddaughter of Roxie Roker, from the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons. 

Dakota Johnson

Dakota Johnson has appeared in plenty of movies, including the Fifty Shades of Grey series, and she is the daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith. Johnson was known for his role on the TV show Miami Vice, and Griffith appeared in films like Working Girl, Something Wild, and more. 

Mamie Gummer

With a mother like Meryl Streep, it's no surprise that Mamie Gummer went into acting. Streep, known for many famous roles, was married to Don Gummer for several decades and had a few children with him, including Mamie Gummer. The actress has starred in the CW series Emily Owens, M.D., and appeared in films like Side Effects, Cake, and more. 

Rashida Jones

Rashida Jones is the daughter of the famous musician Quincy Jones. Considered a legend in the music industry, Jones was a significant influence and worked with several prominent musicians, such as Frank Sinatra and Count Basie. Rashida Jones  is known for numerous acting roles, including her part in the Parks and Recreation cast as Ann Perkins. 

Riley Keough

Riley Keough is an actress who has appeared in movies like The Runaways, Magic Mike, Mad Max: Fury Road, and more. She is the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley, who was the daughter of Elvis Presley. 

Liv Tyler

Liv Tyler is a well-known actress for her roles in movies like Heavy, Armageddon, Ad Astra, Wilding, and more, as well as the Lord of the Rings movies. But you might not know that Tyler is the biological daughter of Steven Tyler, the frontman of the famous band Aerosmith. 

Lily-Rose Depp

The actress is the daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis. Lily-Rose Depp made a name for herself in 2023 with her starring role in The Idol cast on HBO. Depp has also appeared in other movies and roles, such as Tusk and A Faithful Man. 

Tracee Ellis Ross

While many know Tracee Ellis Ross as one of the main stars of the hit family show black-ish, Ross is the daughter of another famous face in Hollywood – Diana Ross, a legendary singer from the 1970s and beyond. Ross can sing like her mother, too, and recorded an album for the film The High Note in 2020.

Bryce Dallas Howard

Bryce Dallas Howard is known for many incredible movies and TV shows. She'll even be in the 2024 release of Argylle on Apple TV+ and is a well-known actress. However, her father, Ron Howard, began in Hollywood first and is a renowned director. Some of his biggest movies that he's directed include Willow, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, and Frost/Nixon.

Jessica Capshaw

Jessica Capshaw is primarily known for her role in the TV shows The Practice and Grey's Anatomy, which has gone on for many years. However, Capshaw is also the daughter of actress Kate Capshaw, whom you might know from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, among other films. Jessica Capshaw is also the step-daughter of a famous Hollywood director you may have heard of – Steven Spielberg.

Jasmine Cephas Jones

Jasmine Cephas Jones earned much acclaim for her roles in the Hamilton cast and went on to star in the Starz series Blindspotting, but her father, Ron Cephas Jones, had been in Hollywood for far longer. While he has numerous movie and TV credits to his name, you may known him in recent years from his part among the This Is Us cast before he sadly passed away in August 2023. 

Lily Collins

Lily Collins is known for her starring role in the Emily in Paris cast and several other movies like The Blind Side and Mirror Mirror. Her father, Phil Collins, is a well-known musician and was the lead singer and drummer of the band Genesis. 

Jack Quaid

I knew who Jack Quad was before I knew who Dennis Quaid was, thanks to the young actor being in The Hunger Games franchise and then in one of the best Amazon TV shows, The Boys. His father, Dennis Quaid, has been in Hollywood for many years. Dennis Quaid's list of films include The Parent Trap, Breaking Away, Vantage Point, and more. Jack Quaid's mother is Meg Ryan, an actress known for her great romantic comedies and hilarious comedic timing. 

Harley Quinn Smith

Harley Quinn Smith is a young actress on this list who has appeared in movies such as Tusk and Yoga Hosers. Her father is Kevin Smith, a filmmaker who has made movies like Clerks, Mallrats, and more. He also directed both Tusk and Yoga Hosers. 

Laura Dern

Laura Dern is the daughter of Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. Bruce Dern has appeared in movies like Nebraska, Coming Home, and more, and Diane Ladd also appeared in films like Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Wild at Heart, Rambling Rose, and more. Ladd is the recipient of three Academy Awards. 

Allison Williams

Allison Williams has appeared in the show Girls and horror movies like the Jordan Peele-directed film Get Out and M3GAN. She is the daughter of Brian Williams, a famous news correspondent for NBC Nightly News. 

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson is a well-known actress who has appeared in movies like Desert Blue, Almost Famous, Bride Wars, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, and more. Her mother is Goldie Hawn, and her biological father is Bill Hudson. Based on the post she shared honoring Kurt Russell -- her mother's long-time partner -- on Father's Day in 2022, it seems she has a very close family relationship with him. 

Liza Minnelli

When you think of Hollywood it girls, Liza Minnelli is bound to be one you think of, appearing in such movies as Cabaret, Stepping Out, The Act, and more. An EGOT winner, Minnelli is the daughter of director Vincente Minnelli and Judy Garland, known for her starring role in The Wizard of Oz. 

Domhnall Gleeson

Domhnall Gleeson is primarily known for his roles in the Harry Potter franchise, where he played Bill Weasley, and appeared in Star Wars films and movies like Anna Karenina, Frank, and more. He is the son of Brendan Gleeson, a famous actor who has appeared in movies like 28 Days Later, The Banshees of Inisherin, Gangs of New York, and more. 

Kaia Gerber

Kaia Gerber is a well-known young model who has appeared in Fashion Week for the last couple of years. She is the daughter of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, two famous models. Arguably, Crawford was one of the most popular models of the 1980s and '90s, and it's fitting that her daughter is turning out to be the same in the 2020s. 

Maude Apatow

While everyone knows Maude Apatow from the Euphoria cast, as her character in the show, Lexi, is a fan favorite, the actress grew up as the child of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann. Judd Apatow's best movies that he has directed include Bridesmaids, Trainwreck, and The King of Staten Island, among others. Leslie Mann is a famous actress in films like This Is 40, Knocked Up, Big Daddy, and more. 

Jamie Lee Curtis

Jamie Lee Curtis first appeared in the BC drama Quincy, M.E., and continued to gain popularity over time with her roles in the Halloween franchise and many other films. She is the daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, two well-known classic movie actors. Curtis lets their legacy live on now, and even won an Academy Award for her acting in 2023 for Everything Everywhere All At Once. 

Hailey Baldwin

Hailey Baldwin is a model who is the daughter of Stephen Baldwin, an actor who has appeared in movies like Bio-Dome, 8 Seconds, and more. She is also the niece of famous actor Alec Baldwin. Her legal last name now is Hailey Bieber, as she is married to well-known singer Justin Bieber, but many remember her as Hailey Baldwin from her earlier years in the industry. 

Cazzie David

Cazzie David is a scriptwriter and actor. She appeared in The Umbrella Academy on Netflix and has written TV show scripts for Hannah Montana, Eighty-Sixed, and more. She is the daughter of comedian and actor Larry David and Laurie David. 

Wyatt Russell

Wyatt Russell has appeared in shows like Black Mirror, Under the Banner of Heaven and more, and also was a part of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier cast. The actor is the son of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.

Other celebrities have famous parents out there, but these are just some you might not realize were related to someone famous. And now, I need to figure out who else might be related to someone I never knew about—time to dive into some Hollywood history. 

In the three years since Prince Harry announced that he and his wife, Meghan Markle, would be stepping down from the royal family to pursue a life of their own, the Duke of Sussex has been at the center of several major TV events. First, there was the bombshell-laden March 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, which was then followed by the six-part Netflix documentary series that dove into their experiences with the royal family both before and after their shocking departure.

The next chapter in the sprawling saga will get underway in early January with one of the biggest TV moments of the year: a one-on-one interview with Anderson Cooper, who has quite a family legacy of his own. If you want to know how to watch Prince Harry’s 60 Minutes interview streaming, or on TV, don’t worry, because we have everything you need to know and more.

When Does Prince Harry’s 60 Minutes Interview Air? 

Those interested in hearing what Prince Harry has to say in his highly-anticipated 60 Minutes interview with Anderson Cooper should be happy to find out that the big one-on-one talk is slated to air at 7:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 8, 2023. However, as anyone who has watched the long-running news program during the NFL season knows, there’s always a chance the interview won’t take place until later in the evening, due to the unpredictability of live sports.

In the event that the second of two NFL games (the final of the 2022 regular season) goes into overtime, or simply runs late, the 60 Minutes interview will start as soon as all post-game coverage wraps up. 

How To Watch Prince Harry’s 60 Minutes Interview Streaming

If you are someone who got rid of your cable or satellite package and don’t feel up to dealing with an over-the-air antenna, you’re not out of luck, as you will be able to watch Prince Harry’s 60 Minutes interview streaming the same time it airs live on TV, as well as on-demand later on in the evening.

If you have the premium version of a Paramount+ subscription, you can watch the prince sit down with Cooper the same way you watch all the popular comedies and dramas through the live feed of your local CBS affiliate. If you don’t have the higher-tier version of the streaming service, now would be a good time to upgrade.

At some point after the interview concludes on CBS, you will be able to access the episode on Paramount+ in the 60 Minutes section of the streamer's website and app.

Prince Harry’s 60 Minutes Interview Debuts Two Days Before The Release Of His Memoir, Spare

Just two days after the debut of the 60 Minutes interview, the Duke of Sussex’s eagerly-awaited memoir, Spare, is scheduled to hit bookstore shelves around the world (and internet, in the case of Amazon). In a tweet promoting the upcoming interview, the news program described the appearance as Prince Harry’s first U.S. television interview to discuss the book, which will touch on his life in the royal family and the fallout of his shocking decision to step out on his own.

Preorder Spare on Amazon (Scheduled for release on January 10, 2023).

Make sure to check our site after Prince Harry’s interview, as there will surely be major revelations brought forward during his chat with Anderson Cooper. And, if you want to know what else you can see on the small screen, check out our 2023 TV schedule.

Among just about every major network being live in New York City to ring in the new year on December 31st, ABC’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest and CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live with Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper were especially big ones to tune into if you were at home getting in the 2023 spirit. After Seacrest claimed this week that Cohen declined to say hello to him during their competing broadcasts on NYE 2022, Cohen has shared his side of the story. 

While Ryan Seacrest was on his morning show Live! with Kelly and Ryan on Tuesday, the host claimed that Andy Cohen, who was standing just 10 feet away from him as they each put on their own New Year’s Eve shows, “did not turn around” to greet him amidst the celebration. Here’s how Andy Cohen addressed it on his Radio Andy show: 

Andy Cohen claimed that he never saw Ryan Seacrest and somewhat blamed his co-host Anderson Cooper for not letting him know when he was waving to Ryan Seacrest so he could turn around and do the same. Per Seacrest’s comments while conversing with Kelly Ripa on their shared morning show on Tuesday, Cooper mouthed “have a good show” to Seacrest while he didn’t have an interaction with Cohen during NYE. 

Seacrest also shared that his stage was right in front of Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen and during commercial breaks, he was trying to get their attention. Apparently the programs usually go on commercial break at the same time, but this year they did not, allowing viewers to switch between the two programs that were available to stream during New Year's Eve 2022. 

During Cohen’s radio show on Wednesday morning, he then decided to call Anderson Cooper about the whole thing, who didn’t sound too pleased about getting him “involved” in “a thing with Seacrest.” When Cohen asked Cooper why he didn’t get his attention while Seacrest was behind him, the CNN broadcast journalist said this: 

According to all accounts, it sounds like there was a simple miscommunication between Andy Cohen and Ryan Seacrest, Cohen apparently not seeing the longtime New Year’s Eve host and Seacrest thinking Cohen intentionally did not greet him. Cohen also joked that he was more focused on getting Duran Duran’s attention than Seacrest during the whole thing. 

Now that that’s all sorted, you can stay updated with what’s being broadcast and streaming with the 2023 TV schedule here on CinemaBlend. Happy New Year!! 

Well, people, we are almost at the end of yet another year. As usual, one way to clear the decks and get ready for whatever hopefully lovely things are to come is for lots of us to put on flimsy finery and go out on New Year’s Eve. But! If the idea of joining revelers at varying degrees of nuttiness fills you with dread, guess what? You can always get your drink on at home and watch Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper party the night away in heated clothes on CNN. Now, though, after someone on social media got snarky with Cohen about those festivities, he actually responded. 

How Did Andy Cohen Respond To A Snarky Comment About CNN's New Year's Eve Live?

I think many of us would agree that this year has both flown by and also been somewhat of a confusing, maddening slog (for a number of not-so-delightful reasons). However, we’re now deep in the holiday season (which has gifted us with a number of entries on the 2022 Christmas movie schedule), and there will be several New Year’s Eve celebrations to watch on TV before long. One of those is the frequently wild and wildly unpredictable New Year's Eve Live on CNN, but the Real Housewives mastermind recently felt the need to reply to a snarky Twitter user who is not at all happy about the show:

Well, alright, Andy! That’s certainly one way to respond when someone calls you an “idiot,” you and your co-host both “clowns,” and declares that the network that has let you lead New Year’s fun since 2017 (Cooper’s been there since 2002) “could do much better” than both of you. 

Truth be told, while viewers can watch a number of celebrations on television at the end of every year, the Cohen/Cooper fest has been known for many years to be the most likely to go somewhat off the rails and lead to many viral moments. The Watch What Happens Live host has railed against Times Square umbrella policy on air, ranted about outgoing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and openly admitted to “getting smashed on CNN” as he and the other anchors who are a part of the event make no bones about drinking on live TV and letting frequently inappropriate comments fly.

Obviously, a lot of fans adore watching often serious news anchors let loose on one of the major party-and-booze-centric nights of the year, but with a bit of a leadership change at the channel, Variety reports that some of the imbibing which has led to such surprising and funny NYE viral moments might now come to an end. Let’s all hope that, if that does come to pass, we’ll still get at least some of the random weirdness that this special is known for.

It finally happened: every member of *NSYNC is now on TikTok. Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, and Chris Kirkpatrick had already been on the social media app, but now JC Chasez has made a grand entrance, completing the boy band’s presence and rocking a full head of gray hair that screams silver fox. 

JC Chasez, who arguably had the best voice of *NSYNC, just proved he has the best hair, with a funny TikTok where a camera is waved his way and he asks “how does this shit work?” Check it: 

Move over, Anderson Cooper! There’s a new silver fox in town. The CNN host and last year’s guest Jeopardy host has some competition with those long locks of gray and baby blues on JC Chasez. Upon the reveal, *NSYNC fans immediately rejoiced at JC’s presence on the popular app – will he be the next member to do the “It’s Gonna Be May” TikTok challenge come spring? Here are some of the comments: 

Kakasmelo: The king has arrived

Mojaff: The *NSYNC member we WANT on tik tok

Shannonthesag1982: Is that JC or Richard Gere? 😂

Leannmce: Why does JC look like he’s ready to take on the Santa Clause series from Tim Allen?!?

While Justin Timberlake is the best-known former *NSYNC member, old school fans know JC Chasez was kind of the real MVP of the boy band thanks to his incredible vocals, hairstyles, and contributions to the music itself. Fans were very happy to see him on the app, but they did throw a joke or two out about his new look. 

JC Chasez is 46 years old and has pretty much stayed out of the spotlight as of late. He was the second lead singer of *NSYNC alongside Justin Timberlake. The boy band formed in 1996 and rose to mainstream fandom before the band broke up in 2002. Timberlake has since attributed leaving the band to needing to get away from the “avalanche” that *NSYNC became with its popularity.  

Following the end of *NSYNC, JC Chasez made his own album called Schizophrenic, which didn’t reach the kind of commercial success that the band's albums did. Down the line, Chasez used his songwriting abilities with acts like Matthew Morrison, David Archuleta, and The Backstreet Boys. In 2008, he was a judge on MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew in a gig that ran until 2012. In 2014, he was part of a tour of Jesus Christ Superstar and has continued to be part of music collaborations in recent years. In 2019, he and the rest of *NSYNC had an onstage reunion for the VMA Awards. 

As Justin Timberlake has found a successful solo career and delved into acting, Chris Kirkpatrick recently was in Celebrity Big Brother and Lance Bass pitched a movie musical to Sony about a pair of *NSYNC fans road tripping to their final tour. Maybe a TikTok reunion is in the members’ future now that they’ve all joined the app? 

Jeopardy! still finds itself in the midst of a transition as 2021 rolls on. At present, the show has welcomed a number of celebrities who have filled in as guest hosts. Aaron Rodgers and Katie Couric are some of the big names that have appeared on the game show as of late. One of the most recent personalities to fill Alex Trebek’s sacred post is CNN anchor Anderson Cooper. Early viewer responses favored Cooper but, now, it would appear that his debut didn’t fare too well in the ratings.

It’s recently been reported that Anderson Cooper’s Jeopardy! debut, which originally aired on April 19th, fell 7% to a 5.1 rating. According to TheWrap, this marks the lowest debut for any of the show’s guest hosts. The 5.1 rating also dropped the show from the top game show spot, giving it to Family Feud, which logged a 5.5 rating. These numbers also give Cooper’s first episode another distinction.

With this rating, Anderson Cooper’s first Jeopardy! episode falls below Dr. Oz’s debut episode, which netted a 5.2 rating (the previous low for a guest host). Oz’s tenure as host drew mixed responses from viewers, with many taking to social media to express negative feelings.

The trade does mention, however, that the ratings for Anderson Cooper’s episode were affected by a significant external factor. Around that time, Jeopardy!’s ratings were impacted by the news coverage of the Derek Chauvin trial. The April 19th and 20th were arguably impacted the most since they were the final two days of the trial.

While the numbers for Anderson Cooper’s debut episodes were relatively low, Jeopardy! has still seen some relatively solid numbers at points during its run of guest hosts. For instance, NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers started his stint with a 5.6 rating and ended his second week at 5.5.

It’s been interesting to watch the public’s response to the different hosts. Some have been received quite positively like Aaron Rodgers, who even managed to impress fiancée Shailene Woodley. On the other hand, hosts like Ken Jennings and Katie Couric faced backlash even before taking up their posts.

As of this writing, 60 Minutes correspondent Bill Whitaker is the host of the show, having began his stint on Monday, May 3. Whitaker will be followed by Big Bang Theory alum Mayim Bialik, Good Morning America’s George Stephanopoulos and Star Trek alum LeVar Burton, who has been actively campaigning to land the job permanently.

Even though Anderson Cooper’s Jeopardy! debut didn’t land massive ratings, the CNN host still did an admirable job while holding down the role. It even allowed him to capture a special moment with his young son.

Seeing as he’s a fan of the show, he likely can’t be too disappointed by the experience, though it will still be interesting to see how other guest hosts continue to perform on the program ratings-wise.

While not enough time has passed for "Who should permanently replace Alex Trebek as Jeopardy!'s host?" to have become an age-old question, that inquiry has indeed been debated on scales large and small since even before Trebek's death in November 2020. (The icon's own jokey pick was for Betty White.) Now that the latest, and likely final, batch of upcoming guest hosts has been revealed, Jeopardy! fan Ryan Reynolds weighed in on who he thinks should take over for the long haul.

Luckily enough, Ryan Reynolds' presumably ideal Jeopardy! host is someone from the newly announced group: Star Wars: The Next Generation vet LeVar Burton. Check out how Reynolds made his voice heard on the matter, even if he didn't phrase his support in the form of a question.

LeVar Burton, who is just as much known for his Reading Rainbow efforts as his Star Trek legacy, arguably inspired the most well-received reactions to any of the guest hosts, considering his name had been at the top of many fans' lists as a perfect candidate for the high-profile hosting gig. Once he showed his own support for the fan-fueled efforts, it was apparently only a matter of time before the powers that be at Jeopardy! decided to go forward with the idea. I like to think there was a "new" exec in the office that day that looked suspiciously like Ryan Reynolds, only with a big bushy mustache and large-framed glasses.

Not that Ryan Reynolds alone will be enough to convince the game show's decision-makers that LeVar Burton is an ideal choice to take over Jeopardy! going forward. One major element - one might even say the most important element - is that Burton isn't a full-blown disaster as a Jeopardy! host. No one expects that to be the case, to be sure, but how crushing would it be if he just froze up and made honking noises as soon as the camera's started rolling?

Starting with Jeopardy! mastermind Ken Jennings, the game show has already given viewers a growing variety of temporary hosts, from the surprisingly aces NFL superstar Aaron Rodgers to the unsurprisingly polarizing Dr. Oz. And with The Big Bang Theory vet Mayim Bialik coming to the podium soon, LeVar Burton has his work cut out for him when it comes to competition.

While Ryan Reynolds' Jeopardy! fandom obviously isn't exclusive to him, with million around the U.S. tuning into new episodes on a daily basis, he is rather unique for his connections to Jeopardy! ahead of Alex Trebek's death. For one, Reynolds actually appeared on the show to deliver a video clue tied to his yet-to-premiere feature Free Guy. As well, the actor revealed later that Trebek actually has a cameo appearance in Free Guy, which is currently slotted for an August 13 debut.

So while Ryan Reynolds obviously isn't the Grand Decider of all things Jeopardy!, which actually utilized executive producer Mike Richards when scheduling issues came up, here's hoping all the attention surrounding LeVar Burton's upcoming hosting stint will be enough to win everyone over .

Anderson Cooper is best known as an Emmy-winning journalist for CNN but, now, he can add another title to his resume -- Jeopardy! host. Yes, Cooper is among the star-studded list of celebrities that have been taking on the job since the beginning of the new year. Cooper just kicked off his stint on Monday, and he seems to be relatively comfortable in the role. As a longtime fan of the game show, Anderson has to be pleased with the gig but, based on the adorable picture he just shared, there’s another great aspect of the situation.

To mark his debut as the host of Jeopardy!, Anderson Cooper posted a picture to his Instagram, which showed his nearly-1-year-old son, Wyatt, watching him on the show. Cooper explained why the moment was particularly special for him:

It turns out little Wyatt Cooper doesn’t get to watch his father at work on a regular basis, which is understandable since Anderson Cooper usually has to cover some heavy subject matter. So it’s nice that the little guy gets a chance to see his pop on screen in a more relaxed setting. Check out the sweet photo for yourself:

Jeopardy!’s guest hosts have received some pretty varied reactions over the past few months. When former Jeopardy! champ Ken Jennings finished up with his stint earlier this year, a toddler actually cried upon hearing the news. Jennings then proceeded to send a nice response to the youngster. Aaron Rodgers, who finished his run as host last week, received positive feedback from fiance Shailene Woodley, who seems to be more into him hosting than “throwing balls.”

Some responses, however, haven’t been quite as positive, though. When it was revealed that Dr. Oz would take to the iconic desk to begin his Jeopardy! stint, fans weren’t too pleased. Many took to social media to voice their displeasure with the TV doctor.

Anderson Cooper, on the other hand, is already receiving mostly positive reviews from reviewers, with some noting how he likes to have fun with the job. It’s not too surprising that he’s a solid fit, given he’s a natural when it comes to on-camera work. Plus, he’s no stranger to the Jeopardy! stage, as he competed on the show four times between 2014 and 2016 on Celebrity Jeopardy!.

There’s very little reason to doubt Anderson Cooper won’t be able to keep the momentum as he continues his Jeopardy! stint through April 30. And you can bet that his son, Wyatt, will continue to tune in to watch his dad work.

Beloved journalist Barbara Walters starred in a wide variety of notable programs during her many decades long run in the public eye, but there was perhaps no catchphrase she was better known for than “This Is 2020!” Given the calendar change, fans have been petitioning for months to get the retired star involved in the New Year's Eve proceedings. Unfortunately, with her health an ongoing issue, a backup plan was needed. Enter Cheri Oteri.

The longtime Saturday Night Live comic, who played Walters a record 23 times on the show, stopped by CNN and busted out her best impression, much to the amusement of hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen who could not stop laughing. Check it out…

I always enjoyed Cheri Oteri’s Barbara Walters impression because it seems to come from a place of love. That’s really the dividing line between a lot of impressions. That doesn’t mean celebrities always like the ones that are meant as a compliment, but you can tell as audience members what the person is trying to get across. Sometimes that’s having a good-natured laugh at someone’s expense and sometimes that’s giving a middle finger.

You can tell Oteri has an affinity for Walters, and that’s probably why Walters was willing to stop by SNL after her retirement from The View to poke fun at a montage of the various impressions over the years. Good stuff.

Of course, Cheri Oteri’s wasn’t the only tribute to Barbara Walters in honor of 2020. Good Morning America also put together a fun video that featured the journalist saying her iconic line, as well as various celebrities getting in on the action. You can check that out below…

Our thoughts go out to the real Barbara Walters as we all welcome in 2020. Her balance of serious journalism and engaging personality was a delight to watch for decades, and the void she left has never been truly replaced, even with The View still pushing forward. She is missed and wherever she’s at right now, we wish all the best things for her.

Revelers in Times Square for New Year's Eve had to deal with the pouring rain for several hours, and it turns out that those broadcasting from the event were no different. After originally sharing a clear umbrella with co-host Anderson Cooper early in the night, Andy Cohen found himself getting into some trouble for brandishing the accessory that almost cost CNN their spot at the festivities in 2019. See, Cohen did not accept defeat without a fight when he was told to get rid of that umbrella.

So, how did Andy Cohen and his umbrella almost get CNN, of all outlets, cast out of Times Square New Year's Eve coverage? Well, according to Deadline, about 80 minutes into his broadcast with Anderson Cooper, Cohen left the stage for a commercial break, only to return without his beloved umbrella. As Anderson told it, Cohen had been refusing to let go of his clear rain cover for almost the entire broadcast, even though the Times Square Alliance had been after him to get rid of it all night, seeing as how umbrellas were banned at the event due to strict security measures.

Finally, during this commercial break, a woman from Times Square Alliance, which organizes the event, came over and told Andy Cohen to relinquish his umbrella or CNN would be denied media credentials for the event in the following year. Obviously, this was a much more severe threat than Cohen could have imagined would be coming just for using an umbrella in the driving rain, and, not wanting to get the news giant known as CNN ousted from the next New Year's festivities (and, likely, also not wanting to get banned from CNN's coverage in the future because of the trouble he caused) Cohen took one for the team and gave up his umbrella. But, Cohen didn't go quietly:

When Anderson Cooper remarked that the reporters at Univision were also told to toss the umbrellas, Andy Cohen yelled that the whole situation was "some grade-A BS!" This prompted Cooper note that at least Cohen's coat was fitted with a hood that he could use, which led to the hosts calling for viewers to take to Twitter and ask that Cohen be allowed to use his umbrella. While lots of folks complied, once the hosts' interview with Faye Dunaway was over, their shelter from the storm was taken away again.

If you were flipping among the New Year's broadcasts last night, like I was, you probably noticed that every set of hosts began with umbrellas which slowly disappeared as the night went on, leaving everyone without a hood cold, with their hair plastered unattractively to their faces, coats potentially ruined and soaked to the bone. At least now we know why everyone appeared to mysteriously lose their umbrellas on such a rainy night.

Now Andy Cohen and everyone else who plans to hit Times Square for New Year's Eve can stand warned for next time: always bring a rain poncho, just in case.

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen were in Times Square on New Year's Eve in order to ring in 2018 live for CNN. They were based out of Times Square, which meant that viewers got a good look at the ball dropping on top of all the Cooper/Cohen banter. Of course, broadcasting live from Times Square also meant spending hours outside in frigid temperatures. Luckily, Cooper came up with a way to keep warm while broadcasting the end of 2017, and it had everything to do with his wardrobe choice. He revealed his trick for not freezing, saying this:

Apparently Anderson Cooper was willing to shell out some pretty big bucks in order to stay warm in Times Square on New Year's Eve. He's probably not going to need his electrically heated clothing for most of the other nights of the year, although he could very well make them an annual part of his ensemble if he continues the tradition of co-hosting the CNN celebrations. Still, it's hard to blame him for taking drastic measures if they were within his means. It was very, very cold on New Year's Eve in Times Square.

In fact, New Year's Eve 2017 was the coldest in Times Square since way back in 1917 and the second coldest ever recorded for the celebrations in Times Square. The temperature for Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen was only nine degrees Fahrenheit, and the wind chill was almost certainly below zero. Good for him for taking precautions to keep warm and cozy! After all, the CNN broadcast wouldn't have been very entertaining if Cooper had been shivering with his teeth chattering for hours on end, and there were plenty of other options for viewing on New Years Eve if CNN hadn't been any fun.

Viewers wouldn't have known that Anderson Cooper was wearing heated clothes just by looking at him. Cooper went on in his chat with Stephen Colbert on The Late Show to explain how he managed to hide his secret weapon against the cold:

I'm guessing plenty of the other New Year's Eve hosts in Times Square will be retroactively jealous to find out that Anderson Cooper had battery-operated warmth in his winter gear all night. Who knows? Maybe this will be the start of a fad for folks who are on the Times Square hosting circuit every year.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV news. For your viewing options now that we're into the new year, check out our midseason TV premiere guide and our 2018 Netflix premiere guide. If you're not up on all the shows that didn't make it out of 2017, take a look at our breakdown of all the series that got the axe last year. The latest episode of The Cord Cutter Podcast can fill you in on some of the biggest and most exciting news on the streaming front in 2018.

A lot of people have seen Star Wars: The Last Jedi over the last couple of weeks. Some of those fans have even already caught the movie more than once; however, Anderson Cooper is not one of them. He recently copped to paying for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, making it all the way to the theater to watch the flick and then even sitting down for a chunk of the film before deciding to leave the theater. Regardless, if you were guessing he made this decision because of the polarizing nature of the new Star Wars movie, you would be wrong. Instead he told Stephen Colbert,

It's a new year, and with the first quarter of 2018 should come a lot of planning for the rest of 2018. I don't know exactly what all Anderson Cooper is juggling right now, but he took a break from his work on Anderson Cooper 360 in order to do the New Year's special with Andy Cohen and also take a holiday trip with his partner Benjamin Maisani. He only recently had the time to catch Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and when he did, all he could think about was work. As he feels Rian Johnson's new movie deserved his full attention, he told Stephen Colbert he decided to walk out. Presumably, he'll catch the flick later.

If you watch the lengthy clip from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, you should be able to see that even the late night host was surprised that Anderson Cooper said he walked out because his attention was divided. He previously was talking about the funny way his partner and his partner's family make a "meh" face without seemingly being aware of it. So, when Stephen Colbert asked him how he felt about Star Wars: The Last Jedi, he made the same "meh" face before launching into the explanation for why he walked out. You can check out the full exchange for yourself, below.

Anderson Cooper may not have made it all the way through Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, but he did sit all the way though I, Tonya and had nothing but praise for the Margot Robbie starrer. Both movies are still in theaters, so if they don't seem like the type of flicks you would walk out of check them out. And take a look at what is coming in 2018 with our full schedule.

Despite the election ending back in November, controversy regarding Donald Trump's election and presidency hasn't slowed down. Plenty of celebrities are putting in their two cents regarding the current administration, mostly through the use of social media platforms. And perhaps the most controversial and public of these instances revolved around comedian and occasional actress Kathy Griffin, who has almost universally admonished for her controversial photo with a bloody mask of President Trump. This resulted in Griffin receiving a ton of hate and losing her CNN gig, but is her former co-host Anderson Cooper also down the tubes? It turns out, not at all.

Anderson Cooper recently did an appearance on Bravo's What What Happens Live! alongside his bestie and host Andy Cohen. When Cohen asked Anderson if he was still friends with Kathy Griffin, he responded with:

Well, this is refreshing. While Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin often disagree in regards to what is or is not acceptable behavior, it's nice to know that their differing opinions haven't affected their interpersonal relationship with one another.

In the above statement, Anderson Cooper is referencing his personal response to Kathy Griffin's controversial photo with the Trump mask. Rather than attempting to stick up for his friend or rationalize her actions, he publicly stated his disappointment with her. As a reminder here is his Tweet, written in the midst of the controversy.

While it doesn't get more black and white than that, it's nice to know that he hasn't let Kathy Griffin's very public fall from grace affect his personal relationship with the comedian. They've worked together and socialized for many years, and it looks like the latter isn't going to end anytime soon.

Of course, the dynamic duo won't be working together at CNN anymore. Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper have co-hosted the network's New Years Eve celebration for many years, with his straight laced nerves and her bonkers antics providing a delightful juxtaposition. But following Griffin's disturbing image with a Trump mask, CNN cut ties with her indefinitely.

Many other networks have presumably distanced themselves from Kathy Griffin following the controversy. So while Anderson Cooper hopes that she bounces back soon, it's likely going to be a long uphill battle for the comedian. Only time will tell if and how the world allows Griffin to work again, but at least she'll have support in friends like Anderson Cooper regardless.

One of the biggest days of the year is approaching, and we will soon bid a not-necessarily-so-fond farewell to 2016. December 31 is a night where many like to hit the streets for communal celebrations with others, but it's also a night where many others like to avoid such crowds by staying indoors and participating in New Year's Eve festivities via the small screen. That's where we come in, and you'll be able to make the most of your final hours of the year by using our guide to find where New Year's Eve ball drops and specials will be streaming. Alcohol and fireworks sold separately.

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve

Probably the broadcast you think of first when thinking about year-ending celebrations, the annual Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve will once again be hosted by Ryan Seacrest, with Jenny McCarthy hanging out in Times Square and Fergie handling coverage at the Billboard Hollywood Party in L.A. With performances from Mariah Carey, Gloria Estefan and many more, the traditional New Year's Rockin' Eve will begin on Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Changing things up this year, however, is the long-time-coming decision to give audiences in different time zones different celebrations to watch. This marks the first year that New Orleans will get featured in the chaos, as coverage and performances will also come from the Allstate Fan Fest in the Big Easy. According to an ABC rep, the times may vary in some local markets; as well, it's unclear if there will be an exclusive stream for New Orleans, or if it will be enveloped into the main program.

How To Stream: ABC.go.com will have a live stream of the main special, as will ABC's mobile app.

Seth Meyers' New Year's Eve Special

Before NBC"s traditional countdown that actually crosses the midnight barrier, Late Night host Seth Meyers will get his own standalone special to go head to head with the primetime part of ABC's coverage. Starting at 10:00 p.m. ET, Meyers' show will bring in huge guests like Jennifer Lawrence, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Leslie Jones and Kelly Clarkson, who will provide a musical performance.

Where To Stream: NBC.com/live will do you right.

New Year's Eve With Carson Daly

For the 14th year running, NBC will bring New Year's Eve With Carson Daly to audiences on Saturday night, with Mel B as Carson Daly's co-host. There will be performances from Alicia Keys, Pentatronix and Blake Shelton (who works with Daly on The Voice). Nowhere near as long as ABC's yearly offering, NBC's New Year's Eve special will run from 11:30 p.m.-12:30 p.m. ET.

How To Stream: NBC.com/Live will be the best place to go, though you can also watch through NBC's mobile app.

Pitbull's New Year's Revolution

For the fourth year running, Fox's year-ending party will be held by Mr. Worldwide himself, as Pitbull's New Year's Revolution will tear up the evening in Miami at 12:00 a.m. ET on January 1. Performances will be from hip-hop icons like Biz Markee, Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty By Nature, Tone Loc and Young MC. The hosts will be fellow music legends Snoop Dogg and Queen Latifah.

Where To Stream: Fox's mobile app.

CNN's New Year's Eve Live Specials

For years now, one of the best places on cable to celebrate the yearly transition has been on CNN, with the New Year's Eve Live special hosted by network familiar Anderson Cooper and comedienne Kathy Griffin. The unlikely perfect pair will kick things off in New York City at 8:00 p.m. ET on CNN (and CNN International), and when their special is over at 12:30 a.m. ET, viewers will get another half-hour New Year's Eve Live special, with this one hosted by Don Lemon and Brooke Baldwin, live in New Orleans.

Where To Stream: Go.CNN.com will be your best destination.

¡Feliz 2017!

Univision will blow the competition with a whopping 12-hour special that kicks off on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET and doesn't officially end until 3:00 a.m. ET. It'll showcase performances from Paty Cantú, Régulo Caro, Villa 5 and many more, with appearances from Univision regulars, and the coverage will feature celebrations from all over the U.S. and Mexico.

Where To Stream: Univision's live streaming app, Univision Now.

Netflix's New Year's Countdowns

For the past couple of years, streaming giant Netflix has made life a little easier on parents whose kids are dead-set against going to sleep before the new year has officially come; a selection of pre-recorded countdown videos are there to fool children into thinking midnight has come and gone. This year's line-up is pretty big, and it includes three live-action countdowns from the shows Fuller House, Project Mc², and Chasing Cameron, as well as another seven animated countdowns from recent release Trollhunters, Word Party and more.

Where To Stream: This is kind of a no-brainer, considering it's Netflix.

Other New Year's Specials You Might Like

Just because the big networks have all the specials that people are most familiar with, that is no way indicative that they're providing the only New Year's coverage out there. Here's a quick rundown of other places you can celebrate.

Fox News' All American New Year: Starting at 11:00 p.m. ET on Fox News, this special will see Kimberly Guilfoyle and Eric Bolling handling coverage in Times Square, while other correspondents will pop in from other cities across the country. Head to FoxNews.com for streaming coverage.

Austin City Limits Hall of Fame New Year's Eve: Taped earlier this year, the ACL Hall of Fame induction is hosted by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally and features performances from Willie Nelson, Rodney Crowell and more. The special airs on PBS at 11:00 p.m. ET, though streaming capabilities on PBS' website aren't confirmed at this point.

Telemundo's Bienvenido 2017: After years of skipping New Year's festivities, Telemundo is back with Bienvenido 2017, which will be Spanish simulcast with NBC's coverage. Hosted by Patricia Manterola and Daniel Sarcos, this special will see exclusive appearances from Jennifer Lopez, Regular Caro, Gente de Zona and more. The special will likely be available to stream on Telemundo's website.

Free Code Camp's #Open2017: A 4-hour interactive livestream with a different group of web developers stopping by to talk shop for each timezone's ball drop. Head to the Free Code Camp Youtube page for streaming.

There are presumably more TV and online celebrations out there catering to more specific audiences, but there should be more than enough here to keep you and your family busy until next year's celebrations. And don't forget to head to our midseason premiere schedule to see what you'll be watching when 2017 does get here.

The world of morning talk show hosts got wild when Michael Strahan suddenly announced he was exiting Live with Kelly and Michael to focus on a bigger gig at Good Morning America. One might have imagined a replacement would've been found in the five months since he left, but Kelly Ripa is still rocking a revolving door of guest hosts. And though it seemed like one of her recurring sidekicks, Anderson Cooper, might sign on for a permanent gig, it turns out he won't be taking the job at all. Why? Because he just locked up a lot more money with his current home at CNN.

The cable news channel, where Anderson Cooper 360° is as big a hit as they come, agreed to a long-term deal with Anderson Cooper that will keep him in fans' news cycles for years into the future. The details of that deal weren't disclosed, but they are such that he had to drop out of the running for a Live with Kelly spot, according to THR. If you've ever watched the longtime news host at work, you'll notice that he's often in front of different backdrops, and that's because Anderson Cooper 360° requires a fair amount of traveling throughout the year, which doesn't lend itself well to another job that involves showing up to the same place every morning.

The deal was apparently made as early as last week, since Cooper told his show's crew the good news then. It's also stated he contacted Kelly Ripa and told her the news, too, before it was able to go public. (In direct opposition to how things went down when Michael Strahan left.) Thankfully, the new deal won't keep him from the Live with Kelly co-hosting gigs he'd already had planned, and the next one of those is coming next week.

60 Minutes fans don't need to worry about Anderson Cooper going missing, though. As it's gone with past contract extensions, the deal was worked out to allow Cooper to continue supplying his correspondence pieces.

It must have been sad news for Kelly Ripa, who held Cooper as a favorite to fill the co-host slot. She'd also wanted him back in 2012, though the network's desire to get Michael Strahan won out in the end. And now CNN wins out in that respect. Others such as Jeff Gordon and Rob Lowe have been tossed into the pile of possibilities for Live, but there's apparently no sign of when a permanent replacement will be found.

Live with Kelly airs mornings on ABC, and you'll be able to find Anderson Cooper filling in once again on Wednesday, October 12. To see everything that's sleeping through the morning shows and coming to the primetime hours, head to our fall TV schedule.

Jeopardy! has all sorts of gimmicky programming going on throughout the year. Week long tournaments, including the Teen Tournament, the College Tournament and more are meant to bring a vibrancy to a show that is often the same sort of thing week in and week out. Soon, the network is putting together a Power Players Week which will feature a slew of celebrities from different fields duking it out on the small screen.

You would think that there wouldn’t be a lot of big celebrities who would commit to a Jeopardy! tournament, but as it turns out, a few more big names than expected have signed on. Longtime CNN newsman Anderson Cooper will appear during the big taping, as will the star of Horace and Pete and FX’s Louie, Louis C.K., CBS News’ Lara Logan and Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner. The rest of the Power Players Tournament cast includes author Jonathan Franzen, Melissa Harris-Perry, Michael Steele, Kate Bolduan, Chuck Todd, Sunny Hostin, Ana Navarro, David Gregory, Jonathan Capehart, S.E. Cupp and Senator Al Franken.

A lot of these names are somehow involved in the journalism field, and while I would expect our country’s prominent newspeople to have the smarts to take on this sort of gig, I’m still a little surprised that so many of them are diving in for Power Players Week. You have to wonder if other celebrities in different fields were asked but couldn’t pass the dreaded Jeopardy! test. Still, some of these names—especially Al Franken and Louis C.K.—are totally unexpected. Al Franken is pretty busy acting as a Junior Senator in Minnesota, so I’m pleasantly surprised to see the former SNL writer on the list. Louis C.K., on the other hand, does what he wants, and if Jeopardy is something he’s interested in, I’m all for it.

Per a release from the show, we know the Power Players Week will kick off on Monday, May 16 with a battle between NBC News’ Chuck Todd, political commentator S.E. Cupp and Jonathan Franzen. On Tuesday, Anderson Cooper, Lara Logan and Michael Steele will face off. On Wednesday, Louis C.K., Kate Bolduan and Washington Post journalist Jonathan Capehart will face off. Thursdays’ battle will feature Franken, Republican commentator Ana Navarro and ABC News’ Sunny Hostin. Friday will see Elle’s Melissa Harris-Perry, political analyst David Gregory and Matthew Weiner battle it out. During each episode, the players will play for a specific charity. Episodes were taped in Washington, D.C.

While normal episodes of Jeopardy! feature a $2,000 and $1,000 prizes for the second and third place contestants, the Power Players Week will be a little different. The winner will get to give $50,000 to a charity of choice and the second and third place individuals will get $10,000 for a charity. Not bad way to help those in need. Now, we just have to wait and see which of these contestants are more competent at Jeopardy! than others.

If you’d like to catch new episodes of Jeopardy, you may do so on weekdays in syndication. Check your local listings for times, and see what else TV has coming up here.

Over the years, Saturday Night Live has delivered a ton of memorable celebrity impersonations. One of them came during last week’s episode, as a faux Democratic debate allowed Larry David to amaze audiences with an anger-driven portrayal of candidate Bernie Sanders. But there was someone who didn’t care for the way he was spoofed in the sketch: CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper.

Cooper appeared on Watch What Happens with Andy Cohen, who also knows a thing or two about being mocked on Saturday Night Live, and after Cohen offered up that he was offended that cast member Jon Rudnitsky “queened it up” as the debate host, Cooper shared his own thoughts on that aspect of the sketch. Here’s what he said, according to DailyMail.

That’s totally understood. For every great and inspired Saturday Night Live moment, there are even more bits where it feels like the writers and performers just phoned it in to reach the lowest common denominator. And while some may have found the Cooper impression amusing, it’s hard to argue with the fact that Cooper’s homosexuality (and moving his head around while he talks) was the guiding light informing the performance. I mean, he might as well have been wearing a purple tie. Oh. Wait.

You can check out the full sketch below.

Cooper went on to say that Rudnitsky went with “a Truman Capote vibe” with a side of snideness. And while I’m certainly sorry to hear that Cooper wasn’t impressed with it all, I’m now unable to think about anything but Truman Capote hosting a political debate. That idea seems like it would be much more at home on a sketch series than having Cooper front and center. Yeah, I know that he hosted the actual debate earlier this month, but not everything has to be tied to reality. Hopefully we’ll see something like that on David Cross and Bob Odenkirk’s new Netflix show.

But maybe we should all give Rudnitsky the benefit of the doubt here, as he’s the newest featured player and was just added to the Saturday Night Live cast at the end of August. Perhaps he just needs to work out the kinks. (Oooh, kinky!) What did you guys think of it?

The opinion-driven world of cable news anchors can bring out some of the cattiest behavior on TV, and just because the world was celebrating the introduction of 2015 last night doesn’t mean snide remarks were a thing of the past. Shots were fired on CNN’s New Year’s Eve special, as Anderson Cooper hit former CNN personality Piers Morgan with an insult that wouldn’t feel out of place on a schoolyard, "Piers who?"

Cooper felt the need to chide after his New Year’s tag team partner Kathy Griffin was telling a story about having a conversation with Sidney Potier. She said someone wanted to take a picture of the two of them, and Piers Who? apparently stuck his hand into the frame for a five-finger photobomb. Those Brits are so polite.

Griffin warns Cooper that he’s probably headed for some trouble on Twitter, and Cooper says that the social media-frequenting Morgan is “dying for a Twitter war.” After Griffin calls him the “Heidi and Spencer of formerly CNN,” and the giggling Cooper then says he hopes Morgan gets a job someday, and that he’ll soon be gainfully employed. Then there’s some talk about crabs. For anyone who likes watching famous people ragging on other famous people (in faux good nature), this was a pretty good time. Morgan fanatics probably won’t think it’s so funny.

A former America’s Got Talent judge, Morgan was one of the more controversial hosts on CNN in recent years, perhaps most memorably for his staunch opinions on gun control. But being loud doesn’t always equal ratings, and CNN ended up canceling Piers Morgan Live in February of last year due to a lack of an audience. For an editorial on THR in October, Morgan partly blamed his low ratings on Cooper as his lead in, saying he’s “stiff in studio,” regardless of his quality reporting skills, although they've seemed chummy-ish on air.

I’m rather shocked that Morgan hasn’t responded on Twitter yet, unless complaining about soccer is a veiled attempt to insult Cooper.

Will 2015 be the year when Fox debuts a Celebrity Newscaster Boxing series where Anderson Cooper and Piers Morgan get to duke it out on live TV? Is there a kind of cabbage or black eye pea that one can eat in order to assure this will happen?

Alec Baldwin wants to be left alone. He’s spent decades in the public eye, giving interviews, interacting with the press, and now, he just wants to go about the business of acting without a whole lot of fanfare. So, like any hyper-emotional, deeply bitter creative type, he recently decided to announce he was stepping away from public life by publishing a fascinating, extremely honest letter riddled with middle fingers at those who wronged him.

That letter ran today on Vulture, and it reads like the written embodiment of every single reason so many people love and hate the award winning actor. It’s pompous, funny, accusatory, mean-spirited, random, referential and aggressively honest. It’s a giant slice of Baldwin, and it takes no prisoners.

By the time it’s over, the letter namechecks more than a dozen people, and Baldwin makes it very clear how he feels about each. So, let’s touch on some of the highlights and talk about the five people he hit the hardest.

TMZ Editor In Chief Harvey Levin

Backstory: Baldwin blames Levin for much of his current public perception problem. Last year, TMZ ran video it claimed showed the actor using a hompophobic slur against a reporter. Baldwin immediately denied it, claiming the muffled audio actually captured him saying “cocksucking fathead”. Either way, that issue is just the tip of the iceburg when it comes to problems between the two men, the most pressing of which involves that vicious voicemail Baldwin left for his daughter that TMZ published.

Quote: “I get angry, and I’ve said all sorts of things in anger, but I’d never use that word. Levin has so little regard for the truth, which is odd, knowing he was once a legal correspondent for the CBS affiliate in L.A. He’s also the one who revealed the tape that my ex-wife’s lawyers provided of me yelling at my daughter seven years ago. Knowing that none of it would have transpired if I hadn’t left the message in the first place, I think he hurt my daughter more than anyone.”

Anderson Cooper

Backstory: Last year, a journalist claimed Baldwin’s wife Hilaria was tweeting during James Gandolfini’s funeral. Evidence later showed she wasn’t, and Baldwin went absolutely nuts on the reporter for saying it. In fact, he called him a ”toxic little queen” on Twitter, which didn’t sit too well with Anderson Cooper who had a field day about how the media jumps on noted Conservatives for homophobia but often gives Liberals a free pass. A few other members of the media argued the same thing, and that, coupled with other incidents, started a snowball effect that helped soil Baldwin’s reputation.

Quote: ”I flew to Hawaii recently to shoot a film, fresh on the heels of being labeled a homophobic bigot by Andrew Sullivan, Anderson Cooper, and others in the Gay Department of Justice. … (Much later in the same piece) In my rage, however, I called (a reporter) a “toxic little queen,” and, thus, Anderson Cooper, the self-appointed Jack Valenti of gay media culture, suggested I should be “vilified,” in his words.”

Shia Labeouf

Backstory: LaBeouf and Baldwin worked on a Broadway play together entitled Orphans. In short, it did not go so well. The two men clashed at almost every turn, and eventually, Baldwin gave the “him or me” line to producers. They decided to go with the theater veteran and LaBeouf quickly left citing creative differences. Ben Foster, who gets a glowing review here, stepped in to try and save the day, but the troubled production didn’t last very long.

Quote: "There was friction between us from the beginning. LaBeouf seems to carry with him, to put it mildly, a jailhouse mentality wherever he goes. When he came to rehearsal, he was told it was important to memorize his lines. He took that to heart and learned all his lines in advance, even emailing me videos in which he read aloud his lines from the entire play. To prove he had put in the time. (What else do you do in jail?) I, however, do not learn my lines in advance. So he began to sulk because he felt we were slowing him down. You could tell right away he loves to argue. And one day he attacked me in front of everyone. He said, 'You’re slowing me down, and you don’t know your lines. And if you don’t say your lines, I’m just going to keep saying my lines.'"

Rachel Maddow

Backstory: Prior to taking his job at MSNBC, Baldwin apparently didn’t watch the cable news network very much, but he had a begrudging respect for Maddow and her abilities as a newswoman. Let the record show that shine has almost completely worn off. The former 30 Rock star is convinced she’s the one who pushed hardest for his firing, and after spending so much time with her, he now realizes she’s one giant “phony” who cares about news and justice a hell of a lot more on the air than off of it.

Quote: ”Another told me, regarding the “toxic little queen” comment, that Rachel Maddow was the prime mover in my firing, as she was aghast that I had been hired and viewed me as equivalent to Mel Gibson. Another source told me, “You know who’s going to get you fired, don’t you? Rachel. Phil (Griffin) will do whatever Rachel tells him to do.” I think Rachel Maddow is quite good at what she does. I also think she’s a phony who doesn’t have the same passion for the truth off-camera that she seems to have on the air.”

MSNBC President Phil Griffin

Backstory: The Phil in question in the above paragraph is Phil Griffin, the president of MSNBC. He brought Baldwin in to convert his podcast into a television show and then apparently freaked out when he did exactly that, bitching and complaining about the guests while simultaneously saying the ratings would come. He suspended Baldwin following the homophobic controversy and allegedly told him he would be back on the air shortly when the bad vibes passed off. Then, out of nowhere, he fired Baldwin, leaving him in his current pissed off state.

Quote: “Phil is a veteran programmer who knows well the corridors and chambers of television programming—and couldn’t give a flying fuck about content. All he wanted to talk about was Giants tickets, Super Bowl tickets, restaurants, movies. The conversations about the set, about the physical production of the show, cameras, lighting—it seemed like he wanted to get those over with as quickly as possible. He didn’t care. He had four monitors on the wall. They were all on, muted. He never listened to them. He never watched them.”

It looks like CNN might be thinking about bringing Griffin and Anderson Cooper together more than once a year. Word is the two have filmed a pilot for an hour-long project at CNN’s New York studios in front of a live audience, but details about the show are pretty slim at the moment, including the format and whether it’s meant to air on CNN.

Deadline says new CNN head honcho Jeff Zucker was involved with the filming, which could be part of his plan to change the image of what is generally considered to be a fairly stuffy network. Certainly, Kathy Griffin would help shake off some of the dust. She joined Cooper as the co-host of the news network’s New Year’s Eve Live in 2007, and the duo have been bringing in good ratings on that special ever since.

Cooper may well be looking for something new to do since his talk show was cancelled. He’s also reportedly been considered to replace Alex Trebek on Jeopardy after the veteran host retires. Griffin’s show My Life On The D-List has been doing just fine in the ratings and her stand-up career is also going strong, earning her an Emmy nomination last year. A new show would make her a very busy comedian.

I don’t watch Griffin and Cooper’s New Year’s special, but I can see how they would make a good team on screen, so there could very well be something to a show featuring the pair. Whether or not the two will successfully bring a fresh audience to CNN is questionable, but we’ll have to wait on some more details to pass judgment on this one.

Matt Lauer may be able to stay on Today for as long as he wishes, but that may only end up being until his contract runs out. Early rumors are indicating that Lauer is at the top of the pile of names being looked at to potentially take over for Alex Trebek on the long-running series Jeopardy in 2016.

Trebek’s health has not been the best in recent years, having had two heart attacks, but the NY Post says he has signed one last three-year contract in order to give Jeopardy’s production company, Sony Pictures Television, time to find a host. The current frontrunners are Lauer and CNN’s Anderson Cooper, who both have contracts coming up for renewal in the next couple of years. According to the outlet, the original idea was to have Lauer pull double duty, but with Lauer’s tenure on Today up in the air, the man may not have to.

Lauer has come under fire recently after Today’s parent network, NBC, botched the removal of Ann Curry from the show, which was also widely credited to Lauer’s decision-making. Though both the host and NBC have since said the Curry decision is not the 55-year-old’s fault, Today has been continuously dropping in the ratings since.

Sony is still in the early stages of the decision-making process, so we’ll have to see how the decision pans out. Either way, I don’t think they can go wrong with Lauer or Cooper.

Anderson Cooper is not good with the laundry. Luckily, he doesn’t have a Cristina Yang sort of problem, with piles of clothes littered across the floor. The talk show host admitted on Thursday that he only washes his jeans about four times a year. I wonder if anyone in the past has told him that’s not a pleasant fact to share with people.

If you’re wondering who managed to pull out Cooper’s dirty little secret, it was none other than What Not To Wear’s Stacy London, who popped into the Anderson Live studio to talk fashion and her own badly-styled years. The two traded awkward pictures, after which Cooper admitted his “TV clothes” are not the clothes he prefers, instead choosing to pretty much wear the same pair of pants and hoodie whenever he’s off camera. He never really even washes the jeans, but he says that’s what he was told to do.

Pretty much everyone adamantly disagreed with the host, including London, who tried to school him on how to safely wash his pants and maintain the pants’ integrity. I’d say his dignity was more vulnerable in that moment, but Cooper didn’t really seem to mind. Seriously, I think the worst problem may not be those unwashed jeans, but that grody hoodie.

Photo credit: @Anderson Live

The daytime talk show market is a tough one, and Anderson Cooper gave it a good shot. In spite of the changes made to the show this season in an attempt to boost interest, Anderson will not be coming back for a third season. The news isn’t exactly surprising; with so many new talk shows attempting to fill the Oprah void, Anderson launched at a tough time.

Hot on the heels of the news earlier today that Queen Latifah will start up her new talk show on CBS next fall comes the word that Anderson Cooper won’t be among her competition. EW says producers have decided not to seek a renewal for Season 3. Anderson sought to raise the ratings after a its first season by changing to a live format and updating the set. It wasn’t enough to keep the show alive, however. In my opinion, Anderson Cooper was a bit of a long shot for a daytime talk show to begin with; to me he never did seem like the daytime host type.

After Oprah’s 25 year run as the undisputed queen of daytime television ended, the networks all scrambled to find someone to replace her. Katie Couric and Jeff Probst both launched talk shows, as well as Bethenny Frankel, who in spite of a rough start managed to earn herself a spot in the Fox daytime lineup for next fall. And Ricki Lake returned to the format as well this fall, albeit with a slightly different angle than the show that made her a household name. It’s become a crowded market, and it seems there’s no room for Anderson. But don’t worry fans, you can still see him on Anderson Cooper 360 and in his other various CNN roles.

Rumors about Anderson Cooper’s personal life have followed the journalist for years. He’s been outed in more places by more journalists than could easily be recounted here, but throughout it all, the affable host has refused to comment on who he’s attracted to and who he’s dating. To some within the gay community, his silence has been nothing more than a man charting his own course and making his own choices, but to others, his lack of confirmation has been a bit of a betrayal, especially in light of all the high profile bullying incidents and the fight over gay marriage.

Balancing his desire to not become a story himself and his wish to further advance GLBT acceptance, Cooper has finally decided to come out and open up about his sexuality. His decision wasn’t an easy one, but if you take it from him, it was the right play. In a long, thoughtful email written to The Daily Beast this morning, the journalist chronicles all the reasons he stayed quiet before and all the reasons that compelled him to come out now. You can take a look at an excerpt below…

Despite his new-found openness, Cooper vows to maintain objectivity moving forward. He’s promised to continue portraying both homosexuals and those who oppose them in fair and honest lights, and knowing his pristine reputation, it’s hard to imagine he won’t do that. Cooper has always been the picture of integrity, and this email does nothing to change that.

Pop Blend sends out its congratulations to Anderson, and its condolences to every woman who dreamed of the Silver Fox hitting on her at a party.

Ladies, if you’re ever preparing for a guest spot on Anderson Cooper’s new talk show and wondering whether wearing panties is a good idea, follow Bethenny Frankel’s lead. The former Real Housewife was taping an appearance on the program when the subject of pushups came up. The silver fox took off his jacket and got ready to assume the position. Unfortunately, or fortunately, when Frankel vaulted down to do the same, her dress flew up. I’m not talking rode up a few inches, I’m talking completely reversed, leaving her pink underwear staring half the audience in the face.

Cooper was noticeably amused by the situation, belting out his trademark laugh and joking about how annoyed the other half of the studio audience must have been. Frankel on the other hand let out a shocked scream before recovering and asking the audience how it looked. You can take a look at the humorous incident below…

I’m not sure there’s a woman in the world that hasn’t suffered a similar misfortune at some point. Now and again, it’s the tradeoff that comes with wearing a dress. Luckily, when a girl wears underwear, it’s a goofy situation that can be easily laughed off.

Anderson Cooper took a step away from respected news man towards leftist Rush Limbaugh today. He went on the Ellen Degeneres Show and launched an attack on the trailer for the new Vince Vaughn movie The Dilemma, a trailer which pretty much no one was paying any attention to at all until he started complaining about it. Well done Anderson.

His complaint is that Vince Vaughn’s very first line in the trailer is "that's gay" except at no point in the trailer does Vaughn say that. Actually what he says is this: “electric cars… are gay”. I guess maybe Anderson drives a Tesla. Or Anderson Cooper is just one of those people that’s really into telling people which words they’re allowed to use and somehow, Anderson Cooper now has enough clout to make major corporations do whatever he wants. Shortly after he aired his complaints today on Ellen, Universal Pictures told GLAAD (The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) that they're pulling The Dilemma trailer and will remove that line.

Earlier today I sat in a theater and watched the new trailer for Saw 3D in which the movie bragged about how many people it was going to kill, and how fucked up it was, and then threatened to kill the audience too. Nobody seems to have a problem with that. But Vince Vaughn, apparently, can’t call electric cars gay. Walk up to your garbage man and ask him what he thinks of electric cars. There’s a better than fifty-percent chance that the first words out of his mouth are “they’re gay”. Now walk into a gay bar, and ask the bartender what he thinks of electric cars. There’s a better than thirty-percent chance that the first words out of his mouth will be “they’re gay”. Welcome to reality Anderson Cooper.

Here’s The Dilemma trailer in question. Watch it before Anderson Cooper censors it out of existence.

Note that Vaughn goes out of his way at the beginning of the trailer to make it pretty clear that he’s not defaming homosexuals, and that he’s just using the word in the way the aforementioned garbage man is likely to use it in common vernacular. And the movie stars Vaughn as kind of a douchey marketing guy, the kind of guy who really would talk that way, even if you and I might not. Did Anderson Cooper miss the context and why does Universal care what he thinks? Let’s get gay marriage legalized in all 50 states and then start worrying about eliminating Vince Vaughn’s right to free speech. Wait, am I still allowed to call it gay marriage?

UPDATE! Here's a few direct quotes from Anderson Cooper's Ellen appearance this morning, as reported by Digital Spy.

UPDATE 2! Universal has released a new, longer trailer to replace this one. Watch it right here.