Roy Wood Jr. rejects tequila on CNN's New Year's Eve show and makes Don Lemon a joke

Roy Wood Jr. took a hard shot at the free-flowing tequila during CNN’s live New Year’s Eve celebration.

On-air tapings are a tradition for hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, who offered the comedian and his CNN comedy panel co-stars “Have I Got News for You” Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black a drink during they announced the year 2025. Ruffin and Black accepted, but Wood quickly backed away.

“Oh no. No, no, I don’t,” Wood told Cohen and Cooper. “The last black man who drank on this network was fired. I’ll keep it with water for now. I need some stability.”

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The former “Daily Show” correspondent and guest host, 46, was apparently referring to longtime CNN anchor (and New Year’s Eve regular) Don Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023 after he said Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was a woman in her 50s, was no longer “in her prime,” while denouncing Haley for age bias against President Joe Biden. He then apologized for his comments.

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CNN had no comment when USA TODAY contacted Wood.

Wood’s refusal went unnoticed on the show, but he doubled down on X by sharing CNN’s recent clip and on

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Roy Wood Jr. rejects tequila on CNN’s New Year’s Eve show and makes Don Lemon a joke

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