How to Watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live For Free to See Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen’s Drunk Moments

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If you’ve loved their drunken antics from the past few years, you may be wondering how to watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live online for free to Anderson and Andy Cohen ring in 2024 with their usual iconic banter. Wondering where to watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live for free? We have the best and one of the only ways to do so at no cost. Keep reading for how to watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live.

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New Year’s Eve Live, is CNN’s exclusive New Year’s Eve television special. The special was first broadcasted on December 31, 2001, with CNN correspondents hosting the show from Times Square. Anderson Cooper, who hosts Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN, took over as the CNN New Year’s Eve Live host in 2002. The show was also expanded from 30 minutes to 90 to 120 minutes in 2003. Though the special airs from Times Square in New York City, the show has also featured cities like Nashville, Tennessee, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Austin, Texas. In 2008, comedian Kathy Griffin joined Cooper as the co-host of CNN New Year’s Eve Live. Griffin was replaced by Watch What Happens Live and Real Housewives host Andy Cohen in 2017 after she came under fire for a photo of her posing with a decapitated head of former President Donald Trump.

Watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live

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In an interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in 2021, Cooper explained the difference between CNN New Year’s Eve Live and other New Year’s Eve specials, describing his and Cohen’s “messy” and “sloppy” behavior he and Cohen sometimes show when they drink throughout the night. “That’s what we like about this New Year’s show is it’s sort of like everybody’s New Year’s Eve,” Cooper explained. “It’s like you think it’s gonna be one thing. It ends up going off the rails. You sort of have a good time. But sometimes it’s just messy. And sloppy,” he said. During the interview, Cohen also joked that Cooper is a “lightweight.”  “The irony is I’ve become the straight guy and have to drive the bus,” he said. “Because this one is down for the count. He’s such a lightweight. If news breaks when we’re on the air, I’m going to be the guy that’s handling it.”

So where can fans stream CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live online for free to see Cohen and Cooper’s drunken moments? Read on for how to watch CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live for free to see the drunkest and messiest New Year’s Eve special on TV.

Andy Cohen, Anderson Cooper - CNN New Year's Eve Live
Andy Cohen, Anderson Cooper - CNN New Year's Eve Live

When does CNN New Year’s Eve Live air?

CNN New Year’s Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen airs on December 31, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET on CNN. The Time Square Ball Drop happens on Monday, January 1, 2024, at 12 a.m.

How to watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live for free

CNN New Year’s Eve Live airs on CNN, which is is available to stream on services like DirecTV Stream, and Hulu+ With Live TV. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial, and starts at $74.99 per month after the trial ends. While Sling TV and Hulu+ With Live TV don’t have free trials, they are cheaper per month than the other options. Sling TV starts at $20 for your first month, while Hulu+ With Live TV starts at $68.99 per month, and offers plans that include free subscriptions to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus.

Best Overall Pick to Watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live: DirecTV Stream

Watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live With DirecTV Stream

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Direct TV is our best overall pick to watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live for free for its free trial, price, and channel selection. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial. DirecTV offers four plans: Entertainment, which costs $74.99 per month with the first three months at $64.99 per month; Choice, which costs $99.99 per month with the first three months at $89.99 per month; Ultimate, which costs $109.99 per month with the first three months at $99.99 per month; and Premiere, which costs $154.99 per month with the first three months at $144.99 per month.

As for other differences between the plans, Entertainment includes more than 75 channels, the ability to stream on unlimited devices in your home, unlimited cloud DVR storage, and a special offer on premium channels. Choice, which is the most popular plan, includes more than 105 channels, regional sports networks, and everything included in Entertainment. Ultimate includes more than 140 channels and everything included in Entertainment and Choice. Premiere includes more than 150 channels including premium channels like HBO and Starz and everything included in Entertainment, Choice, and Premiere. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live with DirecTV Stream’s free trial.

  1. Visit streamtv.directv.com‘s packages page

  2. Click “Try It Free” for the plan of your choice

  3. Enter your information and payment method

  4. Search for CNN and start watching

Best Budget Pick to Watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live: Sling TV

Watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live With Sling TV

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Sling TV is our best budget pick to watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live for free for its price and channel selection. Sling TV offers three plans: Sling Orange for $40 per month; Sling Blue for $45 per month; and Sling Orange + Blue for $60 per month. Sling also has a current deal where subscribers can sign up for 50 percent off their first month, bringing Sling Orange’s price down to $20 for your first month; Sling Blue’s to $22.50 for your first month; and Sling Orange + Blue’s to $30 for your first month. All three plans include CNN.

As for the differences between the plans, Sling Orange, which is most suited toward sports and family channels, includes 32 channels and the ability to stream on one device at a time. Sling Orange, which is most suited toward news and entertainment channels, includes 42 channels and the ability to stream on three devices at a time. Sling Orange + Blue includes all the channels offered on both Sling Orange and Sling Blue, as well as the ability to stream on three devices at a time. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live with Sling TV.

  1. Visit Sling.com

  2. Click “Try Us Today”

  3. Create an account

  4. Select your plan

  5. Enter your payment information and check out

  6. Search for CNN and start watching

Best Upgrade Pick to Watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live: Hulu+ Live TV

Watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live With Hulu+ With Live TV

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Hulu+ With Live TV is our best budget pick to watch CNN based on its channel selection and its free subscriptions to Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus. Hulu+ With Live TV offers four plans: a $68.99 per month plan with access to only live TV; a $69.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; a $74.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads; and a $82.99 per month plan with free subscriptions to Hulu with no ads, Disney Plus with no ads, and ESPN Plus with ads. Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to watch CNN with Hulu+ Live TV.

  1. Visit Hulu.com/liveTV

  2. Click “Sign Up Now”

  3. Enter your information and payment method

  4. Search for CNN and start watching

CNN New Year's Eve Live
CNN New Year's Eve Live

Who are the CNN New Year’s Eve Live hosts?

CNN New Year’s Eve Live is hosted by Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen. Cooper has hosted the special since the second broadcast on New Year’s Eve 2002, while Cohen joined in 2017. Cooper and Cohen will host CNN New Year’s Eve Live from Time Square in New York City. At 12:30 a.m. ET, CNN’s Sara Sidner and Cari Champion will take over as hosts to count down the Central Time Zone. Sidner and Champion will host from Auditorium Shores in Austin, Texas. The special will also include other CNN correspondents, such as Richard Quest and Stephanie Elam.

“There’s no one I’d rather spend New Year’s Eve with and nowhere I’d rather be at midnight than New York’s Times Square!” Cooper said in a statement. Cohen added in his own statement, “Spending new years with my dear friend Anderson is my idea of a great time, and a happy tradition that I look forward to all year long.”

See a full list of CNN New Year’s Eve Live hosts and correspondents below.

New York, New York (Time Square)

  • Anderson Cooper (Host)

  • Andy Cohen (Host)

  • Richard Quest (Correspondent)

Austin, Texas (Auditorium Shores)

  • Sara Sidner (Host)

  • Cari Champion (Host)

Bahamas (Atlantis, Paradise Island)

  • Stephanie elam (Correspondent)

Key West, Florida

  • Gary Tuchman (Corespondent)

Las Cruces, New Mexico

  • Lindsay Tuchman (Correspondent)

Miami, Florida

  • Boris, Sanchez (Correspondent)

Who are the CNN New Year’s Eve Live performers?

CNN New Year’s Eve Live will include performances from seven artists. See a full list of CNN New Year’s Eve Live performers below.

  • Enrique Iglesias

  • Maroon 5

  • Jonas Brothers

  • Flo Rida

  • Miranda Lambert

  • Darius Rucker

  • Rod Stewart

What celebrities will be on CNN New Year’s Eve Live?

CNN New Year’s Eve live will also include live interviews and special appearances from six celebrities. See a full list of CNN New Year’s Eve Live special appearances below.

  • Patti Labelle

  • Jeremy Renner

  • Neil Patrick Harris

  • Bowen Yang

  • Matt Rogers

  • David Blaine

CNN New Year’s Eve Live airs on December 31, 2023, at 8 p.m. on CNN.

Watch CNN New Year’s Eve Live With DirecTV Stream

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