‘It’s Not Journey!': CNN Hosts Debate Band’s New Year’s Eve Show
CNN became the unlikely location for a debate about Journey on New Year's Eve.
Shortly after the group's energetic performance of "Any Way You Want It" and "Don't Stop Believin'" in New York City's Times Square for Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest on rival ABC, CNN's ebullient Andy Cohen -- co-hosting his network's festivities with good pal Anderson Cooper -- appeared on camera, draped in a streamer he said was shot from Journey's stage. (CNN countered with Katy Perry from Las Vegas.)
The duo's farcical exchange, which you can watch below, went like this:
Cohen: "Wow, I just got doused with confetti. Journey is appearing on ABC. If it's not Steve Perry, it's not Journey!"
Cooper: "Really?"
Cohen: "You get it? NOT JOURNEY!"
Cooper: "That's not true."
Cohen: "It's propaganda!"
Cooper: "That's not true..."
Cohen: "It's propaganda! Not Journey!"
Cooper: "Settle down..."
Cohen: "No! It's not Journey! Steve Perry is Journey!"
Cooper: "It's I-Ching. Things evolve. It's OK, it's OK, it's OK. Come back to us..."
There was no further discussion as it was nearing midnight and the traditional ball drop.
Journey's spot, also embedded below, was easily the most-hyped by ABC before and during its broadcast, and the sole classic rock performance on the show.
The following morning on Twitter, Cohen admitted to having been "overserved" while founding Journey guitarist Neal Schon succinctly dismissed anybody criticizing the band's current lineup: "F the haters we are great."
It's been over 30 years since Perry last performed onstage with Journey, at a Nov. 3, 1991 all-star tribute concert for promoter Bill Graham. Arnel Pineda has served as the group's lead vocalist since 2008.
Journey, who performed their first-ever concert on New Year's Eve of 1973, is prepping for its upcoming Freedom Tour, which kicks off Feb. 22 in Pittsburgh and runs through mid-May, with Billy Idol opening the first half of the trek and Toto joining for the second half.
They have also been working on a new album, which has no announced title or release date yet. The group released a single, "The Way We Used To Be," in June.