Andy Cohen pulls double duty on CNN and Bravo. But CNN is reportedly ready to cut ties with him amid a takeover. Keep reading to find out why.
Warner Bros Merger Could Change Cable News
A year after merging with Skydance Media, Paramount is on the verge of becoming a monopoly. The company outbid Netflix in the war to take control of Warner Bros. The merger with Skydance Media led to a major shakeup in CBS’s news division. Conservative journalist Bari Weiss took over as editor-in-chief. Staff were cut or resigned amid the takeover.
The $111 billion mega merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. hasn’t gone through just yet. But if it does, Paramount will take control over Warner Bros. massive film collection, as well as its TV networks, including CNN. Paramount CEO David Ellison is close friends with Donald Trump. The President has a tense relationship with CNN and its reporters. Everyone at CNN is reportedly on the chopping block, starting with Andy Cohen.
CNN Reportedly Cuts Ties With Andy Cohen Amid Takeover
Andy Cohen has been the face of Bravo for over 20 years. He was hired by CNN in 2017 to replace Kathy Griffin as Anderson Cooper’s co-host for the network’s New Year’s Eve celebration. Viewers tune in for the musical performances, but also for Andy Cohen’s drunk rants. CNN briefly banned alcohol due to the pair’s drunken antics.
However, Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen are ratings gold. CNN reunited them this weekend for an Independence Eve special. But it might be Andy Cohen’s last time on the network. Insiders spilled to Rob Shuter that the Bravo host’s name is at the top of the list for cuts after Paramount takes over Warner Bros.
People inside the business are already talking as though Andy’s time at CNN is winding down,” a source told Rob Shuter. “Major ownership shake-ups almost always come with major talent shake-ups. Andy is a liberal New Yorker who has never hidden his disdain for Donald Trump. Many insiders don’t see him fitting into the next chapter.”
Another source claimed that Andy Cohen might not be the right fit for CNN’s new vision, especially if Bari Weiss takes over as editor. “Andy’s authenticity is his brand. He’s funny, fearless, and says exactly what’s on his mind. That’s made him enormously successful, but it’s not necessarily the profile the new ownership is expected to embrace,” the insider said.
Anderson Cooper’s time at CNN may be coming to an end, too. The journalist reportedly doesn’t want to work with Bari Weiss. It would truly be an end of the era if Anderson Cooper or Andy Cohen were no longer on CNN. Stay tuned for more shakeups once the merger goes through.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger