Anderson Cooper Struggles to Hold It Together During Live Reading of Taylor Swift’s ‘Wood’ on New Year’s Eve

Anderson Cooper giggles while reading Taylor Swift lyrics on New Year’s Eve.
Credit :

CNN/Instagram

NEED TO KNOW

• Anderson Cooper burst into laughter during CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live special while reading the lyrics to Taylor Swift’s “Wood.”
• The lyrics from Swift’s latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, include thinly veiled references to her fiancé, Travis Kelce.
• Cooper admitted he was unfamiliar with the song before reciting the lyrics live on air.

Anderson Cooper found himself in a lighthearted moment on New Year’s Eve as he co-hosted the annual CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live special alongside Andy Cohen.

The 58-year-old CNN journalist shared laughs as Cohen, 57, enjoyed a drink and encouraged Cooper to read from Taylor Swift’s suggestive track “Wood,” featured on her 12th studio album, released in October.

“You’re probably familiar with this song; I was not,” Cooper said, chuckling as he read the lyrics live.

Cohen responded teasingly, “Sweetie, yeah.”

Anderson Cooper breaks down laughing while reading Taylor Swift lyrics on New Year’s Eve.

CNN/Instagram

The host of Anderson Cooper 360 was unable to contain his laughter multiple times while reading lyrics that included lines like “Redwood tree, his love was the key that opened my thighs,” along with “New Heights of manhood.”

Cohen further delighted the audience by leaning in towards Cooper and playfully adding, “Oh yeah, oh yeah, knock on wood, baby!”

Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper co-host ‘CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live.’.

Craig T Fruchtman/Getty

The song contains blatant references to Swift’s fiancé, Travis Kelce, who has discussed the lyrics on his podcast, New Heights.

“It’s a great song,” Kelce remarked in an October episode when his older brother, Jason Kelce, asked for his thoughts on “Wood.”

When pressed for more details, Travis humorously feigned ignorance, saying, “I love that girl, so what do you mean? Any song that she would reference me in that way…” and added, “I think you’re not understanding the song.”

Due to its popularity, the song was named the most Googled song of 2025, with the lyric “he ah-matized me and opened my eyes” becoming one of the most viewed on the platform Genius.

Alongside the Swift lyrics, Cooper and Cohen also enjoyed themselves by taking shots on air, playing with handmade puppets resembling their images, and FaceTiming Stephen Colbert for an additional shared drink.