Do (or did) you guys have a cardinal rule in dating? Mine was height. I’m short so I wanted a tall guy for the genes. I never stuck with it, though, I just told whomever I was dating to say they were six feet. Anderson Cooper has been with his partner Benjamin Maisani since 2009. Prior to that, Cooper had his own set of dating rules and according to Cooper, Andy Cohen broke his main one so fast, he stalled at the starting line. Frequent guests Cooper and Kelly Ripa appeared on Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live last Wednesday. Many questions focused on Cooper’s love life, something he generally tries to stay away from. However, seeing as someone had tried to set Cooper and Cohen up, it was too good to pass up.
Anderson Cooper and Kelly Ripa sat down with Andy Cohen on Wednesday’s Watch What Happens Live, where the acclaimed CNN news anchor got pretty candid about his love life — including his failed romance with Cohen himself.
Well, “romance” might not be the right word. According to Cooper, they pair were once set up on a blind date, but Cooper decided he wasn’t interested in Cohen before it even went down.
The topic of their almost-date came up when Cohen, apropos of nothing, reminded Ripa that Cooper’s mom is the famous socialite and fashion icon Gloria Vanderbilt, which the Live! host already knew.
“Andy and I were first set up on a blind date, which never happened because we had a phone call and after two minutes I said, ‘I’m not dating this guy,'” Cooper recounted. “He broke my cardinal rule… he mentioned my mom within the first four sentences of meeting me.”
Cooper also got candid about a few other areas of his sex life, including answering a caller’s question about whether or not he’d ever “been with a woman.”
“I’ve gone on a date or two with a woman,” Cooper answered, hesitantly.
“That’s not answering the question,” Ripa pressed.
“I don’t think I’ve done more than kissing a woman, yeah,” Cooper clarified.
For those who may not know, Anderson’s mother is American heiress and fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt. The custody battle over Gloria was huge and scandalous and many believe the covering of it led to modern-day sensationalism in journalism. Cooper has a very close relationship with his mother and there isn’t any animosity between them. I think he just wants to be taken for his own merits and not a conduit for a gossip seeker looking for a glimpse into his famous family (his father was author/screenwriter Wyatt Emory Cooper). I’m fascinated with the Vanderbilts so I would’ve failed Cooper’s test right away… that one and the not being male one.
Cohen isn’t the only one that calls Cooper ‘The One That Got Away.’ Ripa does too. Cohen asked Ripa, who is still looking for a cohost for LIVE with Kelly, if Cooper was her number one choice to fill the seat. She claimed he was but as Cooper resigned with CNN, he’s not available. I think Cooper is great as the occasional fill in host but please don’t ever let him take the gig full time. Not only do I like him as a journalist but we saw his efforts at a full time chat show host. Plus, I can only imagine what that would do for their friendship.
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He’s so handsome!
I don’t date guys who cannot play any musical instrument.
Haha! My parents are musicians – I would never date one myself!
Half of my family are artists. The other half are sci freaks, as in they are scientists. I’m with the first bunch. Freedom beauty truth love all the way
After divorcing an engineer, dating another one and pretty much being ignored my entire life by an engineer father, my rule was no more engineers. Too emotionally unavailable. So I married a nurse! Could not be happier. He’s the kindest person I’ve ever known.
Having to play an instrument is a good one. There are many levels to that, I think; not least the idea that it shows they’re able to take the time to learn, and appreciate the beauty of the music is worth it. My partner plays several, but the clarinet he only learnt because an ex played and he wanted to prove he could do it too. That proves one of his less positive attributes.
I have to agree with Anderson on this. If I came from a famous family and the guy asked about my mother, I would be like ” Is he interested in me or my mother?” Something comparable would be like asking a person what they do for a living over the phone in the first minute. Wait until you meet in person. As for Andy Cohen, I think Anderson dodged a bullet. Andy comes across as very gossipy and would definitely “kiss and tell”. Not an attractive feature
I’m kinda sorta majorly obsessed with the Anderson “The Silver Fox” Cooper.
I’ve had a thing for him for as long as I can remember and I’m embarrassed to admit that I was a bit crushed when he came out.
Not that I can’t still have a huge crush on a gay man–and I still do, believe me–but now my fantasies seem a bit less…plausible lol.
Such a fox.
Meh. If you’re going to write someone off over something like that you simply weren’t into them from the get-go.
Eh – I think it’s a bit different when it comes to having a famous parent. I think it was more or less a protective instinct that made him shut down.
Exactly. And it wasn’t a rule of ‘don’t ask about mom ever’-just not in the first 4 sentences of the first time you talk to me. If you’re constantly dealing with people that want to attach to your parent, that rule makes sense to me.
+1
My first reaction would be “what are you using me to learn/get”.
My second reaction would be “I’m a person, not an extension of my famous parent.”
Wish his love life was the only thing we had to worry about. Anderson was one of my favorites but I am disappointed in him and all the CNN gang because they played a key role in electing and now normalizing Trump, the p*ssy-grabbing conman and soon-to-be top mob boss in America. Trump is talking/lying about “unity” now trying to avert future protests against himself while threatening businesses to stay in America and being applauded for it. He is giving Russia room to grow and using bully tactics and fake news similar to Russian propaganda. I want the news to investigate why Trump has not been arrested for working with Russia to win the election. Isn’t that treason? Why are news programs trying to understand the people who voted for him … the ones who supposedly “aren’t racist” or sexist while painting people who see through his bigoted ways as being in a “bubble”? John Oliver is the only one I trust for any inkling of truth nowadays as conman Trump continues to dominate the so-called news in America and around the world. Sad and scary.
Amen, Robyn. I like Cooper a lot and I’ve seen him press his guests pretty hard. But NO ONE is explaining the big questions!
All the mainstream news channels stopped doing any investigative journalism of ALL the candidates and issues. They are all equally biased to their particular POV and or whatever their pay masters want on the air.
It’s better to look for alternative news sources rather than depend on mainstream because at best you do not receive any information and at worst you are listening to propaganda rather than news.
The danger with alternative news sources is that there are conspiracy theories galore, but that’s the price you pay for getting anything remotely close to a truth.
“They are all equally biased to their particular POV and or whatever their pay masters want on the air.”
I 100% believe this, LAK. The key word here is “paymasters.” The cable news networks are out to make money, and they will not be putting the public’s interests in front of that. Jeff Zucker basically said as much. I can’t find the quote, but he said Trump is good for business, and that explains CNN’s position on how they are reporting the travesty that is our political system right now.
CNN is all talking heads. There is a time and a place for that, but in the alternate reality we live in, I want facts, not opinions. Though I struggle with that concept since we are now in the United States of Post-Fact America. Supporters of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named don’t care for facts and can’t be bothered with them. This is concerning, and I don’t know how to combat it. Anyone have any ideas?
Trump is a fascist and citizens who voted for him are either full on nazi sympathizers or just too ignorant to accurately label their own hatefulness. That’s what media is afraid of- – military backed corporate nazi regime.
I agree that it’s taking a painfully long time for journalists to find their bearings in covering Trump. I don’t think many have ever seen this kind of thing in their professional lives before. This is hard stuff. This is digging deep stuff. I like many are more accustomed to an easier brand of journalism. It’s gut check time. And that goes for the decision makers behind the scenes too.
It’s very telling that one of Trump’s most consistent critics is Carl Bernstein. Obviously, he knows corruption. And he knows how important it is for journalists to cover the big story truthfully no matter the perceived risks. Today’s high profile journalists need to be more like Carl Bernstein. They’re too soft.
I’m a journalist, and I don’t give any of these networks a break. It wouldn’t have been that difficult to point out, for example, that Obama deported an unprecedented number of undocumented immigrants and that illegal immigration has gone down, so no need to build the wall. It wouldn’t have been difficult to point out that undocumented immigrants tend to be law abiding people to counter Trump’s characterization that they are all violent criminals and rapists. I could go on and on. They had the facts, and they willfully ignored them. My husband asked me the other day why I don’t watch CNN anymore. I told him I blame the network for getting Trump elected and will not watch that All Trump, All the Time network again.
We need more Bernstein’s but since they are few and far between he needs to stop being just a critic and start doing new and intensive investigations on his own. This Russia/Trump connection has got to have some snarly devilish roots to unearth. Also, what the heck is really going on with the FBI where Comey was able to throw himself like a bomb into the election.
Isn’t this the consequence of having the news bought by corporations? Someone noticed that a certain network didn’t cover their corporate overlords pending government lawsuit. So it’s the same with Trump. They have something to gain by his getting elected. They don’t outnumber us but control what we see as news, so…
As for Anderson, his documentary on his mother was heartbreaking and sad.
I used to love Anderson Cooper. Until I was actually on the deep inside of a major national news story he covered extensively. And I saw just how wrong he got it ….he got bad interviews, he clearly picked a position and then he sensationalized to support that, he didn’t seek balanced reporting. It felt like a soap opera ramping up for sweeps week–not reporting.
He (and CNN) weren’t the only ones. Amazingly Fox and CBS reporting came closest in reporting the story accurately although they too reported inaccurately at times.
Lost a ton of respect for him as a journalist and I learned then to really not rely on the media as gospel.
My cardinal rule…..minimum of 6′ tall
My rule too. I’m 5′ 8″ and I need him to be at least 6′.
I would fail as well seeing as her family is the one that founded my alma mater. So I would’ve asked about her eventually ha
What’s up fellow Dore?!!!!
Cardinal rule for man dating me: shuts up when I speak. Which is most of the time.
Haha. As someone with the gift of gab herself, I hear ya. But I’m also a really good listener. I’m that person randoms will meet in the supermarket and within two minutes they’ll start telling me their life story, favourite recipes, why they’ve sworn off men/women, how many kids and or grandkids they have, etcetera.
I confess that I need to work on my listening skills! I do listen to the Sixlets!
I like a woman who does all the talking. Takes the pressure off me to keep the conversation going.
I have such a long list of don’ts that only unicorns can apply.
Now you have me all curious.
This is a really big one for me too, Sixer. My ex BF and my BF now are both REALLY good listeners—so important to me.
That being said, I always say that a “good conversationalist” is in my Top Five imperatives, because I like to listen too, you know? 😉
What are the other four?
LOL……..totally agree Sixer! I feel the same.
But the really big thing for me aside from smell is….nails. They must be CLEAN!
LOL!!
I never had any rules for dating….
It was more of a gut feeling, this explains because I married late in life, I guess.
I ended up with partners I wouldn’t have ever dated if I had put rules up from the get-go…
There wouldn’t have been all that time wasted either…..
I’d break his rule because I’d blurt something like “OMG! Your mom’s name was on my butt in the 80s – I loved her jeans!” Just as well I’m a chick and things would never get to that point.
That was my thought as well. Swans and her signature were on jeans and perfume bottles everywhere.
No offense to the “Live!” Show but every time I hear that Kelly wants him as cohost I feel like Anderson is too good for that. He’s an actual journalist, he’d be wasted on a fluff daytime talk show.
Also the whole Kelly/Michael debacle and her reaction to it really soured me to her as a person. Surprised people are still watching her show!
I think Kelly was disrespected by the show and wrongly maligned online while holding out hope for Cooper as her co-host. I admire her versatility for working with so many different personalities day by day. I view Anderson as weak in the news arena now since he didn’t fight hard enough to get out the truth about Trump and spent too much time talking about emails and why Hillary was really bad and a real liar for not telling the world she had pneumonia two days earlier. He is part of the puff pieces called news and would have done better on Kelly’s show.
The email server shenanigans was the least of Clinton’s shenanigans. The smoking gun is in the wikileaks podesta emails. She’s lucky very few people paid attention to tjose emails and concentrated on the email server business.
WikiLeaks dumping courtesy of Trump and Russia are another reason Trump should be in jail for treason.
The Wikileaks bs was mostly gossip as far I could tell. Absolutely nothing rose to the level of any one thing that Trump did or said on any given day.
Also, how convenient that wikileaks released only HRC or DNC emails and nothing from the Trump campaign or the RNC. I would love to see Bannon and Conway’ s emails. I am sure they are filled with love and light.
Pedro45: the wikileaks emails are only gossip if you read the bottom bit where they are complaining about Chelsea Clinton which by the way is taken out of context if you don’t read the body of the emails.
The body of the emails lists the many ways Bill/Hilary were receiving personal payments on top of donations to the Clinton Foundation directly linked to people or companies or countries whose involvement with the USA is publicly not great. It details how the foundation facilitates access to/between various parties to the financial benefit of everyone.
The emails end by complaining that Chelsea Clinton is an idjit for trying to stop the aforementioned activity. It actually leaves you with a better impression of Chelsea given the pathetic hissyfit the email correspondents are having over her desire to stop their activities.
On a different note, whether or not Russia facilitated the wikileaks dump, the fact remains that the contents didn’t make it to mainstream media. The NY post wrote a story that went no where and other news outlets framed the story around the part of the emails complaining about Chelsea and ignored the rest of the emails.
It was a drip drip thanks to Trump and Russia and it did make a difference. It didn’t make mainstream because despite what you say there is nothing there there. This was a charity for heaven’s sake and does good things all over the world. These are people the Clinton’s already knew in large part and who would have associated with them regardless. If you want to look at “pay for play” there is a mountain of business dealings Trump has with Russia and ethical rules that will be broken all over the place. I hope you will be watching.
LAK:
I read them . I live here and I am old enough to have followed the Clintons throughout their entire national careers.
Those emails were unsubstantiated gossip leaked by a foreign government and the Trump campaign. And even if every word were true, they STILL did not begin to compare to what Trump has said and done.
Hey, i’m not saying Trump is better or doesn’t have mud stuck to him. Just pointing out that the wikileaks emails were much more scandalous than the email server focus. And those emails were directly quoting Clinton Aides, never denied by them AND made it into a story by a new york paper.
I’m old enough to have followed the Clinton’s careers AND Trump’s career too.
I generally think Clinton was a poor candidate who fought a poor campaign, but making that observation doesn’t equate to thinking that Trump was a better candidate who fought a better campaign.
The false equivalence between the unsubstantiated material found in private emails that were leaked by the Russians to influence our election and the gross and blatant corruption of Trump is the reason why we are about to have four years of President Trump.
Pundits were falling all over themselves to explain why they didn’t like the sound of Hillary’s voice and, meanwhile, Trump was laughing all the way to the presidency.
LAK:
Thanks for the clarification. I still think we will have to agree to disagree.
I am old enough to remember when the late, great Spy Magazine referred to Trump as “the short-fingered vulgarian”!
The one that got away? They never dated so how can he be the that got away and the same Kelly..?
And Cooper dodged a bullet with Andy. He’s fun, handsome but I think he would of done and will do anything for gaining power, social status, money and gossip. And even though he has it all now, I think he’s the same. Yeah he’s goofy and funny but there is something about him I can’t put my finger on that I don’t like. You dont see it at first ..but I wouldn’t trust him at ALL.
His laugh, or rather giggle, gets me every time. 🙂
If that’s his cardinal rule so be it. When people have “rules” like that, it’s usually because they didn’t have that rule before and the results were bad. Always trust your gut. (BTW-I think Andy Cohen is just too thirsty for Anderson anyway)
My cardinal dating rule is “You can’t be Andy Cohen or a host of Watch What Happens Live,” so I wouldn’t have dated him, either.
Ok listen up short ladies you don’t need the tall ones if your’re 5′ nothing 5’10 is fine! There’s so many of them out there, but when you’re my height and all the tall ones are taken and we’re left with a guy that’s eye level, all the heels in our closets are wasted! Think of all the poor cute shoes we don’t get to wear!
lol that gives a new perspective on being petite and being mobbed by guys who are 5 foot 2 or 3 and all they want is someone shorter than them!
Laura… Wear your cute shoes! I don’t think anything of seeing a woman in heels and being taller than her guy. You guys would probably look like movie stars!
I like serious CNN Anderson and not the giggling sidekick of his bestie Kelly. When he had his own afternoon show, it took away from his credibility as a serious anchor that he was. Miss Kelly wanted him as her permanent sidekick but fortunately he signed on with CNN. Thank goodness, I love watching him in the role that suits him. He is rather handsome, Andy….not a fan, he created those horrible housewife shows and also is Kelly’s friend. She has a good rapport with gay men.
A couple named Andy and Anderson would have been golden! Greeting cards signed “Love Andy & Anderson” or ” Love AC & AC” or even “Love Andy & Andy” ! That kind of opportunity does not present itself too often ya know.
Ha!
Why didn’t Kelly shut that question down? It’s so rude. If she’s afraid of being an ungenial host, then she didn’t do a good job if she let her guest be uncomfortable.
I like a guy who is successfull at what he does – I love people with passion for something, as opposed to drifters or “just-to-pay-rent-and-my-drink-on-wknd” employees. But after dating for years I don’t have any iron clad rules. It’s eliminating and you might miss a big chance for something stupid and ridiculous anyway.
I find Cohen to be awful and a bit skeevy. I don’t blame Anderson for not dating him. He’d likely have said or done lots of shady things regarding their relationship and any family goings on had the relationship lasted. Great move, Anderson. And I’ve adored Anderson since his Channel one days. Channel one was a current events show that played in home room in grade school.
As for my dating rule it used to be all about athletes, specifically basketball players. Now it’s more about intelligence but I somehow still attract athletes of all types, especially basketball players, football players and track runners. Go figure.