Anderson Cooper, the highly-successful CNN anchor and now host of two shows on the formerly-pioneering cable news network, has long been thought to be gay. Rumors surround Cooper and the man many believe to be his same-sex partner, Benjamin Maisani. But now Gawker’s Brian Moylan is reporting that Cooper may be paving the way to come out publicly, and step one — according to Moylan, who often writes about LGBT-related issues at Gawker — is happening today.
Moylan writes that a “tipster” is alleging that Anderson Cooper’s show Anderson “is prepping Anderson’s big coming out episode for February sweeps.”
Here’s what the tipster had to say.
Daytime talk show “Anderson” is having their first Christmas party tomorrow night, 15 December, at the Russian Tea Room. Anderson Cooper is bringing Benjamin Maisani. And introducing him as his “boyfriend” to the staff. The staff is prepping Anderson’s “coming out” show for the next sweeps. Check the ratings. They’re getting desperate.
A call to the Russian Tea Room verified that the party is in fact taking place there tomorrow evening, so at least that part is true. Whether or not Andy brings Ben and just how he introduces him, I won’t know since somehow I did not get invited. It makes sense he would attend since Anderson has already taken him to the Vanity Fair Oscar party and on his Mardi Gras float. The company Christmas party isn’t nearly as public and spouses are possibly invited, so it seems self-evident.
We have absolutely no idea if any of this is true, heck, until he says it, we don’t even know if the award-winning Anderson Cooper is gay, but if it is, please, Anderson, don’t cheapen your coming out for a ratings boost. That would be a slap in the face to everyone whose had to endure homophobic bullying and hate crime attacks.
Frankly, I’m sick and tired of people using gays — even gay people using gays — to boost their ratings, bank accounts, poll numbers, magazine sales, and so on, and so on, and so on.
Homosexuality is not something to be bought, sold, or traded.
Recently, the Kim Kardashian machine used an anti-gay attack on her soon-to-be-ex-husband, Kris Humphries, to sway public opinion and to generate cash.
Every major GOP presidential candidate this season has used “the gays” to burnish their conservative credentials.
NOM uses “the gays” to raise money. In fact, the entire reason for the existence of NOM, the National Organization For Marriage, is to fight “the gays.”
Logo’s A-List totally uses “the gays” and possible anti-gay hate crime reports to boost their ratings.
Ann Coulter loves to gay bash, and does t regularly to keep her entrenched in the good graces of conservatives, who politely “forget” she’s on the Board of GOProud, a gay tea Party group.
And don’t get me started on GOProud themselves.
So, Anderson, please, if you want to come out, please do. Just don’t use sweeps week as the reason.
Instead, why not do what so many others have done recently? Come out because our community’s kids are hurting and dying and need all the support and role models they can get.
This is the Anderson Cooper I’d like to think of when and if you do come out.
And this:
Friends:
We invite you to sign up for our new mailing list, and subscribe to The New Civil Rights Movement via email or RSS.
Also, please like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter!
{ 4 comments }
The show has already been renewed for a second season, so he certainly doesn't need to do it for sweeps. I think if he's waiting for February, it might be because he's choosing a time when lots of people are paying attention to the television industry who may not normally be doing so in order to truly discuss the issues, and also perhaps to give himself and his partner a little extra time to talk and prepare for what this will mean for them and their relationship when they do go public. I also wouldn't trust Gawker farther than I can throw a truck.
I think it's probably best not to assume the worst about someone who has an all-around reputation for being a kind, selfless and well-intentioned man, and for those of us who consider ourselves allies of the LGBT community to rally around him with our support, whether he comes out in February or not.
Frankly, I think using February sweeps to make a big announcement and use that as a springboard to discuss LGBT-related issues could be a really positive thing. Let's wait and see. xx
Ellen came out February 1997. I agree with Lauren. February seems to be the time when more people are paying attention to sweeps and "major announcements" are made. I wonder if there is a resource of who came out when? Some don't even make a big announcement such as Jodie Foster and NPH.
If Anderson follows the same path as Ellen (very few shows on LGBT topics) then he should be accepted by the viewing public for his talk show. Maybe it will give him more room on 360 to actually call out some of the incorrect, inaccurate, and fictional "studies" these experts use to slam the LGBT community.
I hear Anderson's sexuality discussed often in my group of friends and what good he could do if he just came out. I have a different view. Of all the shows on cable news, the only show that outdoes his on inclusion of LGBTQ issues is Rachel Maddow and she is far from what middle America watches. Almost everyone I know knows who Anderson is. I think it is the wink, wink nods he gives to our community that he is one of us and the plausible deniability he affords to the rest of the viewers of his show that gives him the latitude to have discuss the issues he does. Once he comes out, any LGBTQ issue will be seen differently. He will just be pushing his own agenda.
You whine if they don't come out, then you whine because they come out in February. And putting 'coming out during sweeps week' in the same category as the anti-gay hatred of NOM, Ann Coultier, and the GOP? That's a stretch, and frankly a comparison that fails.
Come on out during sweeps week, Anderson, if you indeed are gay. Which we pretty much all think is true (unlike the Tom Cruise rumours, where we pretend it is true, but it most likely isn't). We will collectively think "of course you are", and perhaps watch it on YouTube. And then the next week will start, and it will be old news.
Comments on this entry are closed.