Andy Cohen Dishes on Ringing in the New Year With Anderson Cooper

As the host of CNN’s New Year’s Eve special, Andy Cohen knows a thing or two about how to celebrate in style. For years, the hilarious TV personality, who also hosts Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live and executive produces The Real Housewives franchise, has relied on his go-to cocktail of a Fresca mixed with tequila (“I called it a Fresc-quila, cleverly enough,” he says), and with New Year’s Eve and all the drinks that come with it on the horizon, he just partnered with Fresca Mixed, the soda brand’s new line of ready-to-drink cocktails.

Cohen sat down with First for Women to dish on his long journey with Bravo and why he loves ringing in the New Year with Anderson Cooper.

Reflecting on 20 years with Bravo

Andy Cohen has been a central part of Bravo’s signature over-the-top reality TV programming since 2004. “When I look back at 20 years, I just think about the amazing people that have been on all the shows and what incredible work they’ve done,” he says.

“I’ve learned a lot about putting people who are dynamic, different, real and unreal on television,” he continues, and when it comes to making good reality TV “characters,” he says it’s all about finding personalities who are “Funny, dramatic in a good way and willing to speak their thoughts and have opinions.”

“I think that humor is a huge draw for The Real Housewives,” he says. “People start watching the show, and they continue to watch it because it’s so funny.” Two decades into his Bravo career, Cohen still takes a hands-on approach: “I watch every episode of The Real Housewives and give notes on them, so it’s still pleasurable for me. I’m a huge fan.”

Staying grounded amid all the drama

While The Real Housewives series is famous for getting into messy drama, Cohen likes to keep things chill in his personal life, saying he intentionally avoids getting distracted by social media. At the end of a busy day, “I unwind with music and documentaries,” he says. “I loved the Martha Stewart doc, and I’ve heard the Yacht Rock doc is amazing.”

“I’m a huge Deadhead, and I listen to a ton of that,” Cohen adds. “I also have my own music channel, Andy’s Kiki Lounge, on SiriusXM, and I program the whole channel. It’s all music that I love, so I listen to that a lot at home. It’s either the Dead channel or my own channel.”

The low-key vibe extends to Cohen’s holiday plans. As he describes, “I’ll just be with my kids at home, chilling out and being cozy. I like being in New York for the holidays. It’s really fun and it feels warm and easy to get together with friends. Plus, there’s no traffic.”

Ringing in the New Year with Anderson Cooper

Cohen may enjoy relaxing for the holidays, but his New Year’s Eve plans get pretty intense, as he reports to millions of viewers directly from the chaos of Times Square, where he and his cohost, Anderson Cooper, banter the night away along with an eclectic lineup of guests.

Cohen’s philosophy for celebrating the New Year is simple: “I just want to be with my friends,” he says. “That’s why being in Times Square with Anderson is so important to me. I’ve spent many New Year’s with Anderson when we weren’t in Times Square, because he’s my good friend, so getting to do this with him is amazing.” As for a resolution, he says, “My New Year’s resolution is the same every year: To be on my phone less.”

Cohen is happy to highlight what sets his special apart from other New Year’s broadcasts, saying, “I think Anderson and I have gone to great pains to really include people who may be alone or may have lost someone or may find New Year’s Eve to be a sad night. It’s a communal experience just to hang out and get through the night together.”

Asked what we can expect to ring in 2025, Cohen says, “We’re definitely going to have fun. We’re definitely going to do shots. I’m definitely going to get Anderson to giggle. I’m working on a surprise or two for him. Our friend Amy Sedaris is going to be back, Patti LaBelle will be back. We have a lot of guests with us in Times Square this year.”

Andy and Anderson have become synonymous with New Year’s Eve for many fans, but Cohen admits that filming the special still feels novel as ever. “It’s really surreal,” he observes. “It’s crazy that people stand around and wait for that long, and it’s surreal to enter Times Square when there are hundreds of thousands of people. It’s very odd, but it’s electric and surprising. And you’re out in the elements, so it’s a real sensation.”

We’ll definitely be welcoming 2025 with Andy Cohen on our screens, and we can’t wait to see what surprises he has in store.