Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen are jumping from New Year’s Eve shoots to Fourth of July fireworks.
The pair, who have spent the past few years hosting CNN’s New Year’s Eve broadcast from New York’s Times Square, will do the same again on July 3. “Independence Eve Live with Anderson & Andy: Celebrating 250 Years” will feature the dithering duo at crossroads around the world, counting down to the drop of the ball to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the nation’s founding.
Cooper and Cohen will interact with a variety of guests, including “prominent American icons, cultural legends, and inspiring everyday heroes.” In addition, CNN will deploy correspondents and reporters across the country to spotlight various celebrations.
Cooper has hosted CNN’s New Year’s Eve show since 2002, initially as a way for viewers to find solace in what was a very lonely night. There’s “too much pressure” to go out in the new year, he told Variety magazine in 2018. And while other New Year’s Eve shows feature concerts and big-name stars, CNN’s show is “the little engine that makes that happen.”
Before teaming up with Cohen, Cooper worked with Kathy Griffin for several years.
Under CEO Mark Thompson, CNN has shed some of the glitz and hype it had in the past, especially during President Donald Trump’s first term. But Mr. Thompson sought to promote CNN as a place for Americans to come together at a moment of national importance. CNN, for example, has been trying to serve as a platform for Thanksgiving celebrations for the past two years. In November, anchors John Berman, Sarah Sydner and Erica Hill gave viewers live highlights of Thanksgiving parades in New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston and Detroit, with celebrity guests sharing their holiday traditions.
CNN has more planned for July 4th. That day, CNN will feature more special coverage of the unique event. Special coverage begins at noon ET with Brianna Kaylor and Laura Coates anchoring from the nation’s capital. That night at 6 p.m., Cooper will co-host the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular with Pamela Brown. The event will feature performances by Laney Wilson, Chance the Rapper and Trombone Shorty, as well as a large-scale fireworks and drone display.
