Times Square Alliance scolds CNN New Year’s Eve host Andy Cohen over umbrella meltdown

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How the Times Square Alliance responded to Andy Cohen

How the Times Square Alliance responded to Andy Cohen's claims that it tried to take his umbrella and threatened to pull CNN's spot from the New Year's Eve broadcast.

The Times Square Alliance is fighting back against Andy Cohen, who had a meltdown during CNN’s New Year’s Eve broadcast when his umbrella was taken away and suggested that he was being singled out.

Cohen took a break from hazing CNN anchor Anderson Cooper with shots of alcohol on Tuesday to complain that he was getting damp as it rained during the broadcast.

“I had this umbrella, the lady from the Times Square Alliance came over and said, ‘You have to get rid of the umbrella,’” Cohen complained on air. “I said I won’t do it… get the paddy wagon because that’s what it’s going to take. But now they are threatening to pull CNN’s spot… from Times Square.”

Cohen continued: “If this umbrella is such a threat to the Times Square Alliance, what does the Times Square Alliance do besides f with my New Year’s Eve?”

The Bravo host, who has co-hosted CNN’s New Year’s coverage since the network fired Kathy Griffin for posing with a faux-decapitate President Trump during a photo shoot, complained on-air that Univision has umbrellas on its set. He then posted a photo montage on Twitter of hosts from other networks using umbrellas, but the Times Square Alliance provided an explanation.

“It has been our policy that umbrellas are not permitted on the media riser so as to not interfere with media colleagues’ sightlines. There were over 100 credentialed members of the media and 15 live broadcast camera spots on the media riser this year,” the Times Square Alliance told Page Six. “We don’t monitor this issue on other stages that are stand-alone with no other networks present, thus no potential for other camera shots to be blocked.”

The not-for-profit group, which ”works to improve and promote Times Square,” also denied that it threatened to revoke CNN's access.

“Some tempers flared, but it was never the case, nor will it be the case, that CNN would be denied credentials or the ability to cover New Year’s Eve,” the Alliance told Page Six.

ABC’s Jenny McCarthy and NBC’s Carson Daly and Leslie Jones were among CNN's competitors spotted with umbrellas. Jones even accidentally hit Chrissy Teigen in the face with her umbrella on live TV.

CNN did not immediately respond to a request for comment.