An unexpectedly raunchy Taylor Swift lyric from ‘Wood’ became one of the most talked-about moments of CNN’s New Year’s Eve coverage, leaving Anderson Cooper struggling to keep it together live on air.
Anderson Cooper laughs about Taylor Swift’s song
While co-hosting CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live, Anderson Cooper found himself blindsided by the explicit lyrics of Taylor Swift’s song ‘Wood.’ As Andy Cohen sipped his drink and watched in amusement, Cooper read out lines from the innuendo-heavy track, released in October on Swift’s 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl.
“You’re probably familiar with this song, I was not,” Cooper said between fits of laughter, clearly caught off guard by what he was reading. Cohen, never one to miss an opportunity, shot back teasingly, “Sweetie, yeah.”
The moment quickly spiraled as Cooper repeatedly broke down laughing while reading lyrics that included phrases like “Redwood tree his love was the key that opened my thighs” and references to “New Heights of manhood.” Cohen leaned into the bit, inching closer and joking, “Oh yeah, oh yeah, knock on wood, baby!” as Cooper gasped for breath.
The song, ‘Wood,’ is widely believed to reference Taylor Swift’s now-fiancé, Travis Kelce. Kelce previously addressed the track’s viral lyrics on his New Heights podcast after his brother Jason Kelce pressed him for a reaction. “It’s a great song,” Travis said at the time, before playfully dodging further explanation.
Beyond the Swift singalong, Cooper and Cohen leaned fully into the party atmosphere, taking multiple shots on air, playing with handmade puppets modeled after themselves, and even FaceTiming Stephen Colbert for an on-camera drink. The NSFW lyric-reading capped off a night that reminded viewers why Cooper and Cohen’s unpredictable chemistry continues to be a New Year’s Eve staple, especially when Taylor Swift’s music enters the mix.
