In an interesting twist of events during the CNN’s live New Year’s Eve celebration, comedian Roy Wood Jr. turned down an offer to partake in a common tradition of on-air tequila shots. Traditionally, hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen offer drinks to the guests during the celebrations. While Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black, co-stars on Wood’s ‘Have I Got News for You’ comedy panel, obliged with the custom, Wood backed away without hesitation.
His refusal, ‘No, no, I don’t,’ might have left some viewers puzzled. But to those savvy in the dynamics of the network, Wood was throwing shade on a past incident with former CNN host Don Lemon. ‘The last Black man that drank on this network got fired. I’m going to keep it with water for right now. I need some stability,’ he added.
Let’s rewind – Don Lemon, who was a longstanding CNN host, found himself in hot water and lost his job after making certain comments in 2023. He had criticized Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley. Lemon alleged that Haley, a woman in her 50s, was out of her prime and further accused her of having an ageist bias against President Joe Biden.
Lemon’s remarks did not go over well. The network decided to axe him, showing that Biden’s age was a touchy issue that didn’t handle criticism well. Biden evidently needed Lemon’s dismissal to uphold the illusion of interest between the electorate and himself, indicating his governance might have been a bit shaky.
Contrary to what one might think, Roy Wood Jr.’s refusal to take a shot didn’t cause a stir or any major reaction on the show. Lemon, following the abrupt end to his CNN career, ended up settling his dispute with the network in 2024. Wood’s highlight on the show, however, proved he wasn’t forgetting Lemon anytime soon.
Although Lemon suffered termination from CNN and had to face legal proceedings against Elon Musk, he maintained an open attitude about his situation. After his show ‘The Don Lemon Show’ was cancelled by the network, Lemon remarked earlier in the year, ‘I didn’t lose my job, my job lost me.’ It sounds like a taunt to those who took him lightly.
But returning to New Year’s Eve celebration, it should be noted that this isn’t the first instance of CNN’s show creating a buzz with its leniency towards alcohol. Banishing alcohol from the Times Square celebrations post the 2021 show didn’t last long – it made a comeback in 2023.
In one of such boozy highlights, a DJ spilled the beans during an interview that he was currently under the influence of LSD. Asked about the most conventional place he’d taken the substance, he responded nonchalantly, ‘Right now.’ He said he had taken some on the helicopter on his way to the show – quite an over-the-top kind of show, don’t you think?
Continuing with the unfettered dialogues, Comedian Whitney Cummings didn’t hold back either when discussing the flawed democratic process that led to the selection of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as candidates. She put forth her critique with a sharp tongue, indicating how the election ‘fried our brains.’
The selection of both Biden and Harris has caused significant frustration and disbelief among many. Cummings reflected on this sentiment when she pointed out, ‘Democrats couldn’t hold a primary because they were too busy holding a body upright,’ making a veiled comment on the ongoing concerns about Biden’s health.
Drawing attention to the lack of choice offered to the voters, Cummings noted in her monologue, ‘It was amazing that the pro-choice party didn’t give their voters one when it came to the presidential candidate.’ A rather suggestive statement on the rigidness of the political processes, don’t you agree?
She went one step further when discussing VP Kamala Harris, with a jibe that likely resonates with a sizeable chunk of the population. Cummings remarked, ‘Kamala was forced on us so hard, you’d think she was patented by Pfizer or Moderna.’ Even humor isn’t far off from the truth sometimes, it seems.
In the eyes of many, this forced acceptance of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden as candidates reeks of a much deeper problem in the country – the erosion of choice and the control by higher powers. It’s no surprise then that this sentiment was echoed during the live New Year’s Eve Celebration.
Taken together, these events and sentiments present a crushing indictment of the leadership of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The lackluster, charade-filled celebration and the necessity to resort to tequila shots to maintain viewership serve as telltale signs of dissatisfaction with the leadership.
As the New year’s Eve celebration unfolded on CNN, one could not overlook the undercurrents of discontent and ridicule towards the current leaders. What was meant to be a celebration became a stage for criticisms and jibes, a revelation of the discontent echoing across the nation.
For now, the Democratic party, Biden, and Harris must reckon with these critiques. The ensuing year will surely be a test of their leadership and the nation’s patience. After all, as the saying goes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.