Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper quickly reconnected during CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live” on Tuesday, as the two hosts and real-life best friends teased each other and served alcohol.

Cohen excitedly brought tequila to sip with Cooper on the hour. While Cooper, a light drinker, took the first shot in stride, he gasped at the second.

The hosts remained lighthearted throughout the show, discussing fits of giggles during commercial breaks and FaceTiming with Hoda Kotb, who hosted NBC’s New Year’s Eve special “A Toast to 2024.”

A silly second-hour costume contest, held in front of the duo’s Madame Tussauds wax figures, featured a range of 2024 pop culture get-ups – including pygmy hippo Moo Deng, viral French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati and sad Glaswegian Oompa Loompa left Cooper giggling back.

In other media moments, Roy Wood Jr., host of CNN’s weekend comedy panel show “Have I Got News For You,” appeared with the show’s “team captains,” Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black, but declined to be recorded with the hosts and joked that “the last black guy who drank on this network got fired,” which seemed to be a reference to Don Lemon getting the ax from CNN in 2023.

The alcohol marched on alongside the guests, as even serious stars like “Conclave” lead Ralph Fiennes threw back a shot with the duo. Amazingly, Fiennes, a respected actor, also dramatically recited the “Very Demure, Very Mindful” meme.

This year marks the eighth year Cohen and Cooper have hosted the chatty New Year’s Eve show, which also featured many of their celebrity friends, including chats with Amy Sedaris, Jon Hamm, Ziwe and more. Country singer Mickey Guyton helped the pair ring in 2025 by performing John Lennon’s “Imagine” just before the famous ball drop began on the countdown to midnight.