Roy Wood Jr. rejected a New Year’s Eve photo from CNN’s Anderson Cooper by making a brutal joke about ousted anchor Don Lemon.
The comedian joined Cooper and Andy Cohen for their annual broadcast in Times Square, as the duo continued their tradition of taking a shot every hour from 8 p.m.
But when the dynamic New Year’s Eve duo Wood Jr. offered an opportunity, he objected.
‘Oh no!’ said Wood Jr. when Cohen offered him the drink on live television to ring in 2025.
‘No, I don’t. The last black man to drink on this network was fired,” he said. ‘I’ll stick to water for now. I need some stability.”
Cohen and Anderson moved on quickly and did not allow any follow-up questions to be asked.
Although Wood Jr. mentioning no one in particular, he appeared to be referring to Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor who previously would host the network’s New Year’s Eve coverage.
Lemon will retire from the network in 2023 after 17 years as one of their notable faces.
Comedian Roy Wood Jr., 52, refused a shot from Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen during this year’s live New Year’s Eve broadcast – joking that ‘the last black man to drink on this network got fired’
Although no names were specifically mentioned, Wood Jr. appeared. to refer to Don Lemon, the former CNN host who would previously host the network’s New Year’s Eve coverage before being terminated by the network in 2023.
“I was told this morning by my agent that I have been fired from CNN. I’m stunned,” Lemon said in response to the seemingly abrupt news on X in April 2023.
“After 17 years at CNN, I would have thought someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly,” he added.
“At no time was I given any indication that I would not be able to continue doing the work I love at the network. It is clear that there are bigger problems at play.’
His sudden resignation came after he made a series of comments that sparked controversy at the network during a segment about Republican Nikki Haley, CBS News reports this.
Lemon responded to Haley’s call for mandatory mental competency testing for politicians over 75 by 2023 when he said, “Nikki Haley is not in her prime, sorry.”
“If a woman is considered to be in her prime – in her 20s, 30s and maybe 40s,” he added.
He doubled down on his statement, saying a simple Google search would show that women at the ages he mentioned are considered in their prime.
He later apologized for his statement saying they were “artless and irrelevant” after being widely regarded as sexist by the public.
‘Oh no!’ said Wood Jr. on air while appearing at the infamous party in New York City. ‘I’ll stick to water for now. I need some stability’
Lemon’s 17-year career at CNN ended in 2023 after a series of comments he made about women in their prime that sparked controversy at the network during a segment on Republican Nikki Haley
“A woman’s age does not define her personally or professionally,” Lemon wrote on X in February 2023.
“I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.”
In an X-post responding to Lemon’s departure, Haley wrote that it was “an amazing day for women everywhere.”
Despite the quick televised joke, Cooper and Cohen pressed on with their eighth straight year of broadcasting live from the big apple before the huge ball officially dropped — marking the end of 2024.
As usual, Cohen promised viewers there would be gunfire every hour – one of the hallmarks of the broadcast as the nation gets to watch the pair socialize with celebrities and get more drunk as the night goes on.
Just five minutes into the live special, Cohen grabbed a bottle of tequila and two shot glasses.
“We’re going to do this every hour,” he explained to those celebrating from the comfort of their own homes. “And we want you to join us.”
“That’s the nice thing about New Year’s Eve…Anderson doesn’t drink,” he continued.
“This is our virtual party, whether you’re home alone with family or with someone else, we’re all here together. This is an incredible community that we’ve built together over the past eight years, and that’s why I’m excited.”
Despite the quick joke on television, the audience was still looking forward to the eighth year in a row that Cooper and Cohen broadcast live from the big apple, continuing their tradition of taping every hour from 8 p.m.
Just five minutes into the live special, Cohen grabbed a bottle of tequila and two shot glasses and downed them.
And of course, he revealed that he and Cooper took pictures out of their “Daddy Got His Juice” glasses.
“When you come to our home, wherever you are in the world – if you’re with friends, if you’re alone – you’re here with us, and we’re here with you, and we see you,” Cooper added. ‘Welcome.’
“We’re all together,” Cohen continued. “Raise your glasses, everyone. 2025: health and happiness for everyone. Cheers, friend. I am so honored to spend this with you.”
After taking their first shot, Anderson revealed it may have already had an effect, leading the pair to joke that it would be a “long night.”
CNN announced it would cut back on-air drinking in 2022, prompting a sober 2023 celebration.
But the loved-up couple were able to continue their alcohol tradition this year, leaving viewers excited about their potential unfiltered thoughts on live television.
In an exclusive interview with Parade Earlier this month, Cohen announced that he was willing to “come out” this New Year’s Eve, but that he and his co-host would still “drink responsibly.”
“To me, game just means fun, and our guideline is to have fun,” he explained. ‘That’s what I’m focused on. My focus is to make Anderson relax and create lots of laughs and memorable moments.”
And his favorite part of the evening: “just hanging out” with his old friend.
“It’s such an unusual experience,” Cohen described. “It’s standing in the elements in Times Square for five hours, just shooting and having fun.”
“It’s a very unique broadcast, and it’s a lot of fun, and you’re really counting down to something,” he added.
“You wait for something to happen, and then something does happen, so that’s great!”