Back in May, Kathy Griffin caused quite the stir when a photo of her holding a fake severed head of then-U.S. President Donald Trump went viral. The backlash was immediate and intense. Kathy lost her contract with CNN to host their New Year’s Eve special, several endorsements vanished, her shows were canceled, and it seems her friendship with co-host Anderson Cooper came to an abrupt end. Now, Andy Cohen has stepped in to take her place on the holiday special.
Andy Cohen Joins Anderson Cooper for New Year's Eve Special
Andy Cohen Steps In
“The news is finally out! I’m co-hosting New Year’s Eve on CNN with @andersoncooper, and I couldn’t be more thrilled!” Andy Cohen announced on Twitter back on October 11. Anderson Cooper chimed in with his thoughts, saying, “Andy is the life of the party wherever he goes, and what bigger party is there than New Year’s Eve? It’s going to be an absolute blast!”
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What About Kathy?
It’s hard not to wonder how Kathy Griffin feels about Andy’s new role, especially now that she and Anderson reportedly aren’t even friends anymore. According to The Cut, Kathy wasn’t too pleased with Anderson’s appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in July. During the show, Anderson spoke about Kathy’s controversial photo incident, saying, “Yeah, we’re still friends. Look, I said a lot. I said what I said. I didn’t think what she said was appropriate, but I wish her the best and hope she gets back on the road.”
However, when the photo first surfaced, Anderson was quick to voice his opinion on Twitter. “For the record, I am appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in,” he tweeted at the time. “It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate.”
Friendship on the Rocks
Writer Yashar Ali, reporting for The Cut, revealed that Kathy was deeply hurt by Anderson’s actions. “The fact that Cooper was telling people publicly they were friends, while not checking in with her, really hurt Griffin,” Ali explained. “When he finally reached out to her in a series of text messages, she told him their friendship was over.”
Kathy and Anderson in November 2014.
After the photo went viral and Kathy faced immense criticism, she took to social media to apologize. “I’m just now seeing the reaction to these images. I’m a comic. I cross the line. I move the line, then I cross it again. But this time, I went way too far,” she wrote. “The image is too disturbing. I understand how it offends people. It wasn’t funny. I get it. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career, and I’ll probably make more. I ask for your forgiveness.” While the entire situation has been tough, fans can’t wait to see what Andy and Anderson bring to the table this New Year’s Eve!
