Friendship under the spotlight: Andy Cohen gets honest about his bond with John Mayer

Andy Cohen is clearing the air once again about his famously close friendship with musician John Mayer, a relationship that has fascinated fans and fueled speculation for years.

Appearing on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast, the Watch What Happens Live host addressed the dynamic between the two men, insisting that while they share deep affection, their bond is strictly platonic.

Cohen didn’t shy away from describing just how close they are. 

“It is us going to dinner. We always sit on the same side of the booth. We sit next to each other always,” he said. “As the night goes on, I find myself sinking into him because he’ll have his arm around me. As a matter of fact, we were at the Sunset Tower [bar in West Hollywood] last week, and I was getting so physical with him by the end that he was like, ‘Andy,’ but I was kind of using his body to tell a story about a guy, and I was in my cups a little bit.”

The Bravo producer laughed as he recalled the moment,

“We were in a puddle of laughter. It ends, and we love each other deeply. We actually do.”

When Cooper pressed him on whether he was “secretly in love” with Mayer, Cohen was firm in his response,

“I’m not secretly in love with him,” he said. “If I could find a gay guy that was him, it would be magic, but you know what? I am so grateful for the love that we have.”

Watch What Happens Live Host on why the friendship works

Over the years, Cohen and Mayer have developed a bond that’s both public and deeply personal.

The two often attend events together, take vacations, and share photos from dinners and concerts.

Fans have noted their chemistry, but both men maintain that what connects them is respect and shared humor, not romance.

Their friendship dates back more than a decade, beginning when Mayer appeared on Watch What Happens Live. Cohen once recalled,

“He very quickly in our friendship started saying, ‘You know what, I gotta tell you something — I love you.’”

Since then, the pair have become inseparable in Hollywood circles, often spotted together at Grateful Dead concerts or celebrating birthdays and holidays.

Cohen even said during a previous interview,

“He’s a great friend. He’s incredibly thoughtful, and we talk about everything. There’s just a real trust there.”

Mayer, for his part, has also been vocal about defending the friendship from public scrutiny.

In a piece he wrote for The Hollywood Reporter, Mayer addressed how people sometimes misinterpret their connection.

“I think that to suggest that people are dubious of a friendship like mine and Andy’s is to undermine the public’s ability to accept and understand diversity in all facets of culture, be it in art or in real life,” Mayer said. “I’d like to think [they’re] sophisticated enough to see a relationship like ours without assuming it must include a sexual component.”

Breaking the Mold of Male Friendship

The Watch What Happens Live host and the Gravity singer have become an unlikely symbol of modern male friendship — affectionate, loyal, and comfortable with emotional openness.

Both have spoken about how their bond breaks traditional expectations.

“People seem dubious that a straight rock star can have a close, platonic relationship with a gay TV personality,” Mayer once remarked.

Cohen has echoed that sentiment on his show, telling viewers that their friendship “exists in this wonderful space where it’s just love and humor.”

The duo’s relationship also reflects a shift in how male friendships are portrayed in the public eye.

Mayer and Cohen’s ease with each other, from sharing hugs to expressing love, stands out in an entertainment industry often focused on labels and speculation.

That kind of openness has led many fans to praise both men for normalizing emotional intimacy between male friends.

Mayer’s appearances on Watch What Happens Live often highlight that playfulness. In one episode, Cohen introduced him with a grin, saying,

“He’s my best friend, he’s the man of the hour, and he’s not sick of me yet.”

Mayer, laughing, responded,

“I never am.”

Shared Passions and Loyalty

Much of their friendship centers around shared interests, especially their mutual love of the Grateful Dead. Cohen once wrote,

“John Mayer and I have what some would consider an unlikely friendship. He’s one of our greatest living guitarists, and I’m regarded as the dude that stirs the s**t on late-night TV. But we do have one thing that bonds us: our love of the Grateful Dead.”

That bond has carried them through years of public curiosity and media chatter. When Cohen became a father to his two children, Mayer was among his most vocal supporters.

“He’s been such a good friend to me as a dad," Cohen has said, often noting how Mayer checks in regularly and offers advice.

Even as both men continue their busy careers, Cohen with Watch What Happens Live and Mayer with his solo tours, their friendship remains consistent.

“He’s one of the most loyal people I know,” Cohen told fans during a Bravo Clubhouse Q&A.

While speculation may never fully fade, both have embraced the attention with humor and honesty. Mayer summed it up best in an interview,

“At the end of the day, it’s two guys who genuinely love each other’s company. That’s it.”

And as Cohen reiterated on Call Her Daddy,

“We love each other deeply. We actually do.”

Stay tuned for more updates.