The only thing more extra than a surprise birthday party might be a surprise birthday party live on cable TV – and that’s what Chris Cuomo got to celebrate his 53rd.
“Cuomo” was setting up to take viewer phone calls on Wednesday night when producer Alexandra “Dusty” Cohen stopped the host cold:
“You’ve got to listen to me – this is important. It’s your birthday, and we’re not taking calls. You’re just gonna listen to me and be quiet,” she said, basically asking the impossible of the talkative NewsNation anchor. “We put something together for you because we love you. I love you. A lot of people love you. … Be quiet and take a look.”
The first face onscreen belonged to Bill O’Reilly, Cuomo’s longtime friend – and one of the former CNN anchor’s many close media pals with whom he doesn’t share political views. O’Reilly stuck with the usual anti-Cuomo schtick:
“Today is August 9th. Know what that means?” O’Reilly said from his “No Spin News” podcast studio. “You don’t know what it means. It’s Chris Cuomo’s birthday! 53 years. So what.”
Thus began a montage of well-wishes, many of them good-natured roasts, with contributions from Cuomo’s family and friends, his priest, and celebrity cameos including sports analyst Stephen A. Smith, Public Enemy co-founder Chuck D, former Fox News host Geraldo Rivera, comedian Adam Carolla and of course, fellow NewsNation anchor Dan Abrams, who was – in the act of removing his shirt?
Abrams (and others) were throwing shade, of course, at Cuomo’s tendency to post topless selfies on social media, in particular a July thirst-trap photo of Cuomo – nickname, “Captain Jack” – hauling in a large fish.
Lucky for Abrams, his crew and anyone who was watching, the camera cut away before he fully emerged from his dress shirt.
“Somebody get that guy a sandwich,” Cuomo quipped.
Even the birthday cake had its fun, arriving in the shape of a boat called the “Captain Jack” with a tiny, shirtless Cuomo doll holding up a giant marlin.
Set the jokes aside, and the common refrain among well-wishers was how much they value Cuomo as a personal friend. Many went out of their way to point out how Cuomo’s reputation as a loyal, dogged, lifetime friend has shaped their own lives.
When he finally got his chance to speak, Cuomo paid tribute to the tributes: “I realized the other day that everybody’s got a special talent. My special talent, what I do best, is pick friends. I have phenomenal friends.”
Watch the party in the video above.
