Childhood and Education Journey of Anderson Cooper in Timeline

Discover the defining moments in the early life of Anderson Cooper. From birth to education, explore key events.

Anderson Cooper is a prominent American broadcast journalist and political commentator, best known for anchoring CNN's Anderson Cooper 360°. He also contributes to CBS News' 60 Minutes as a correspondent. After graduating from Yale, Cooper began his career filming war zones for Channel One News. He later joined ABC News in 1995, taking on diverse roles including co-anchor, reality show host, and morning talk show fill-in, before eventually finding his niche in cable news at CNN.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

2008: Dyslexia Revelation on Oprah

In 2008, Anderson Cooper revealed to Oprah Winfrey that he had dyslexia as a child.

July 2, 2012: Public Acknowledgement of Being Gay

On July 2, 2012, Anderson Cooper gave Andrew Sullivan permission to publish an email in which he publicly acknowledged being gay, becoming the most prominent openly gay journalist on American television.

2014: Purchase of Rye House

In 2014, Anderson Cooper and his partner Benjamin Maisani purchased Rye House, a historic estate in Connecticut.

2014: Advice to Tim Cook

In 2014, Apple CEO Tim Cook sought Anderson Cooper's advice before publicly coming out as gay.

March 2018: Split from Benjamin Maisani

In March 2018, Anderson Cooper confirmed his split from his long-term partner, Benjamin Maisani.

June 8, 2018: Tribute to Anthony Bourdain

After Anthony Bourdain's death by suicide on June 8, 2018, Anderson Cooper paid tribute to the celebrity chef and CNN host in a special CNN program, "Remembering Anthony Bourdain".

April 30, 2020: Announcement of Son Wyatt's Birth

On April 30, 2020, Anderson Cooper announced the birth of his son Wyatt Morgan Cooper, who was born via surrogate on April 27, during a CNN Town Hall on Anderson Cooper 360° and later on Instagram.

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2020: Tribute to Bourdain on Full Circle

On the Thanksgiving 2020 episode of Anderson Cooper Full Circle, Anderson Cooper paid tribute to Anthony Bourdain, calling him a friend and expressing how much he is missed.

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February 10, 2022: Announcement of Second Son's Birth

On February 10, 2022, Anderson Cooper announced the birth of his second son, Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper, at the beginning of his show on CNN. Benjamin Maisani is adopting Wyatt, who will then be known as Wyatt Maisani-Cooper.

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2022: Launch of grief and loss podcast

In 2022, Anderson Cooper launched a deeply personal podcast exploring grief and loss, interviewing notable people, inspired by his own life experiences of loss.