Photos: COCKTAIL WARS Premiere Draws Lance Bass, Joey Fatone to New York
Mixologist Melissa Brooke and judge Peppermint joined the cast at Fifty Four NYC for the event.
E! held the New York red carpet and premiere event for its new competition series COCKTAIL WARS on Wednesday, August 12, at Fifty Four NYC. Hosts Lance Bass and Joey Fatone appeared on the pink carpet alongside the show's expert mixologist Melissa Brooke and celebrity guest judge Peppermint. After the carpet, cast members mingled with attendees over cocktails inspired by the series before a live DJ took over the dance floor.
Following the carpet, the cast joined party attendees for an evening of signature cocktails inspired by the show before hitting the dance floor to music from the live DJ.
COCKTAIL WARS premieres Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at 10pm ET/PT on E!
This season, Lance Bass and Joey Fatone are joined by expert mixologist Melissa Brooke and an all-star lineup of celebrity guest judges, including Emmy winning anchor and author Rachel Maddow (MS NOW's The Rachel Maddow Show), Golden Globe nominee Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls, Reminders of Him), Emmy winner Seth Green (Robot Chicken, Family Guy), reality TV icons Ramona Singer and Sonja Morgan (E!'s The Golden Life), Melissa Gorga (The Real Housewives of New Jersey), Adam Scherr also known as WWE Icon Braun Strowman (USA Network's Everything on the Menu), actress and recording artist Peppermint (Survival of the Thickest, Head Over Heels), actor and singer Nathan Lee Graham (Theater Camp, Zoolander), comedian and actor Devon Walker (Saturday Night Live); and Live from E! Host Justin Sylvester.
In a series of themed challenges, Cocktail Wars pits America's buzziest mixologists against each other in a lively, high-stakes competition with $10,000 on the line in every episode. Each installment showcases a fast, fiery battle of skill, creativity, humor, and flair. From playful flavor combinations to eye-catching technique, the focus is on having a good time, taking risks, and serving up drinks with personality. Each shake, stir, and splash could be the winning touch or the one that sends them home. It's a cocktail competition where the vibes are high, the drinks are strong, and the bragging rights are everything.
Photo Credit: Bryan Bedders for E!
COCKTAIL WARS is set to premiere on E!, with a celebrity guest judge lineup that includes Rachel Maddow, Lauren Graham, Seth Green, Ramona Singer, Sonja Morgan, Melissa Gorga, Adam Scherr, Nathan Lee Graham, Devon Walker and Justin Sylvester. Lance Bass and Joey Fatone previously discussed the series and their friendship on TODAY, where the conversation also touched on Fatone's role in Broadway's &JULIET.
Photo Credit: Bryan Bedders for E!
