History of Anderson Cooper in Timeline

Anderson Cooper is a prominent American broadcast journalist and political commentator, best known as the anchor of CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360°." He also contributes to CBS News' "60 Minutes." After graduating from Yale, Cooper initially gained experience filming in war zones for Channel One News. He later joined ABC News in 1995, taking on various roles including co-anchor, reality show host, and fill-in talk show host before transitioning to CNN and establishing himself as a leading figure in news broadcasting.

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Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

2004: Coverage of Tsunami

In 2004, Anderson Cooper helped lead CNN's Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award-winning coverage of the 2004 tsunami.

2008: Cooper reveals he had dyslexia

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

July 2, 2012: Cooper publicly discusses private life

On July 2, 2012, Anderson Cooper, who had avoided discussing his private life, gave Andrew Sullivan permission to publish an email, publicly acknowledging that he is gay and becoming 'the most prominent openly gay journalist on American television'.

2014: Purchased Rye House

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

2014: Cooper advises Tim Cook

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

2016: Not Registered to any Political Party

As of 2016, Anderson Cooper was not registered to any political party.

March 2018: Split with Benjamin Maisani

In March 2018, Anderson Cooper confirmed that he and Benjamin Maisani had split up.

June 8, 2018: Tribute to Anthony Bourdain

After Anthony Bourdain died by suicide on June 8, 2018, Anderson Cooper paid tribute to the celebrity chef and host of the CNN series Parts Unknown in a CNN special program, Remembering Anthony Bourdain.

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April 30, 2020: Birth of son Wyatt Morgan Cooper announced

On April 30, 2020, Anderson Cooper announced the birth of his son, Wyatt Morgan Cooper, who was born via surrogate on April 27. He made the announcement on his show, Anderson Cooper 360°, and shared details on Instagram.

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2020: Tribute to Bourdain on Thanksgiving

During the Thanksgiving 2020 episode of Anderson Cooper Full Circle, Anderson Cooper paid tribute to Anthony Bourdain, calling him a friend who is greatly missed.

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2021: Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty published

In 2021, Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe published "Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty", a history of the Vanderbilt family.

Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty

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February 10, 2022: Second Son Born

On February 10, 2022, Anderson Cooper announced on CNN the birth of his second son, Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper. Benjamin Maisani is adopting Cooper's son Wyatt, after which Wyatt's surname will become Maisani-Cooper.

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2022: Podcast launched exploring grief and loss

In 2022, Anderson Cooper launched a deeply personal podcast that explores grief and loss, featuring interviews with notable people on their experiences. He shared that the inspiration came from the loss of his father, brother, and mother, saying he hadn't dealt with it and wanted to explore this universal human experience.