History of Anderson Cooper in Timeline
"Anderson Cooper 360°" anchor and "60 Minutes" correspondent Anderson Hays Cooper is an American broadcast journalist and political commentator. After graduating from Yale University in 1989, he began his career by filming war-torn areas for Channel One News. In 1995, he joined ABC News, where he held a number of roles, including correspondent, co-anchor, reality game show host, and temporary morning talk show host.
1950: Birth of Leopold Stanislaus Stokowski
Anderson Cooper's half-brother, Leopold Stanislaus "Stan" Stokowski, was born in 1950 to his mother Gloria Vanderbilt and her then-husband, conductor Leopold Stokowski.
1952: Birth of Christopher Stokowski
Anderson Cooper's second half-brother, Christopher Stokowski, was born in 1952 to his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, and her then-husband, conductor Leopold Stokowski.
June 3, 1967: Birth of Anderson Cooper
Anderson Hays Cooper was born on June 3, 1967. He would become a well-known journalist and political commentator.
September 17, 1970: Anderson Cooper Appears on The Tonight Show
At only three years old, Anderson Cooper appeared on The Tonight Show with his mother on September 17, 1970.
January 5, 1978: Death of Wyatt Emory Cooper
Anderson Cooper's father, Wyatt Emory Cooper, died on January 5, 1978 at the age of 50 after a series of heart attacks.
July 22, 1988: Suicide of Carter Vanderbilt Cooper
Anderson Cooper's brother, Carter Vanderbilt Cooper, tragically committed suicide at the age of 23 on July 22, 1988. This event sparked Anderson's interest in journalism.
1989: Anderson Cooper Graduates Yale University
Anderson Cooper graduated from Yale University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science.
1989: Graduation from Yale University
Anderson Cooper graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in political science in 1989.
1992: Cooper Reports from Several Countries
Anderson Cooper filmed reports in Somalia, Bosnia, and Rwanda in 1992.
1994: Cooper Experiences Desensitization to Violence
After years of reporting on violence around the world, Anderson Cooper realized in 1994 that he had become desensitized to it, an experience that was broken after witnessing the horrors of the Rwandan genocide.
1995: Cooper Joins ABC News
Anderson Cooper became a correspondent for ABC News in 1995.
1995: Joins ABC News
Anderson Cooper began working for ABC News as a correspondent in 1995.
September 21, 1999: Becomes Co-anchor of World News Now
Anderson Cooper rose to the position of co-anchor on ABC's overnight World News Now program on September 21, 1999.
2000: Cooper Begins Hosting The Mole
Anderson Cooper took a job as the host of ABC's reality show, The Mole, in 2000.
2001: Cooper Joins CNN
Anderson Cooper joined CNN in 2001 after leaving his role on the reality show The Mole.
2001: Joins CNN
Anderson Cooper joined CNN in 2001 and was given his own show, Anderson Cooper 360°.
2002: Becomes Weekend Prime-Time Anchor
Anderson Cooper became CNN's weekend prime-time anchor in 2002.
September 8, 2003: Anderson Cooper 360° Premieres on CNN
Anderson Cooper became the anchor of his own show on CNN, Anderson Cooper 360°, on September 8, 2003.
2004: CNN's Coverage of the 2004 Tsunami
In 2004, Cooper contributed to CNN's coverage of the devastating tsunami, which earned the network an Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award.
August 2005: Covers the Niger Famine
Anderson Cooper covered the Niger famine from Maradi in August 2005.
September 2005: Anderson Cooper Joins "NewsNight" as Co-anchor
In September 2005, Anderson Cooper temporarily joined Aaron Brown as co-anchor on CNN's "NewsNight" as the network sought to expand coverage of the hurricane season. This arrangement was later made permanent, with CNN president Jonathan Klein calling Cooper "the anchorperson of the future." The show's ratings increased significantly after Cooper joined.
November 2, 2005: CNN Programming Shakeup
On November 2, 2005, CNN announced a major programming shakeup. Anderson Cooper's show "360 Degrees" was expanded to two hours and given the 10 p.m. slot, which had previously belonged to Aaron Brown's show "NewsNight." This move effectively led to Aaron Brown's departure from CNN.
2005: Cooper's Emotional Response to Hurricane Katrina
Anderson Cooper's impassioned coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, specifically his reporting where he confronted government officials, led to his increased popularity and ushered in a new style of reporting that was more emotionally charged.
May 2006: "Dispatches from the Edge" Publication
Anderson Cooper released his memoir, "Dispatches from the Edge," in May 2006. The book recounts his experiences in Sri Lanka, Africa, Iraq, and Louisiana in the preceding year. A portion of the proceeds from the book were donated to charity.
June 18, 2006: "Dispatches from the Edge" Tops Best Seller List
On June 18, 2006, Anderson Cooper's memoir "Dispatches from the Edge" reached the number one spot on The New York Times Best Seller List.
October 2007: Planet in Peril Premiere
"Planet in Peril," a documentary hosted by Anderson Cooper, Sanjay Gupta, and Jeff Corwin, premiered on CNN in October 2007.
2007: CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute
In 2007, Cooper began hosting "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute," a show that highlights extraordinary acts performed by ordinary people.
2007: Guest Co-hosts Live with Regis and Kelly
Anderson Cooper served as a guest co-host for Regis Philbin on the talk show Live with Regis and Kelly in 2007 when Philbin was recovering from surgery.
2007: Multi-Year Deal with CNN
In 2007, Anderson Cooper signed a multi-year deal with CNN that allowed him to continue contributing to "60 Minutes" and doubled his annual salary to a reported $4 million.
2007: Cooper Becomes Correspondent for "60 Minutes"
Anderson Cooper joined the CBS News program "60 Minutes" as a correspondent in 2007, while continuing his roles as a CNN anchor and correspondent.
December 2008: Planet in Peril: Battle Lines Premiere
"Planet in Peril: Battle Lines," a sequel to the 2007 documentary "Planet in Peril," premiered in December 2008. It featured Anderson Cooper, Sanjay Gupta, and Lisa Ling.
September 2010: Anderson Cooper Signs Talk Show Deal
Warner Bros. and Telepictures announced that Anderson Cooper had signed an agreement to host a nationally syndicated talk show in September 2010. As part of the deal, Cooper also signed a new multi-year contract with CNN to continue hosting "Anderson Cooper 360°."
2010: Receives National Order of Honour and Merit
Anderson Cooper received the National Order of Honour and Merit, the highest honor granted by the Haitian government, for his coverage of the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
September 12, 2011: "Anderson" Talk Show Premieres
Anderson Cooper's nationally syndicated talk show, "Anderson" (later renamed "Anderson Live"), premiered on September 12, 2011.
September 2011: Begins Hosting Anderson Live
Anderson Cooper became the host of his own syndicated television daytime talk show, Anderson Live, in September 2011.
2011: Wins Edward R. Murrow Award
Anderson Cooper was awarded an Edward R. Murrow Award from the Overseas Press Club in 2011.
2011: Cooper Narrates Broadway Revival
Anderson Cooper lent his voice to the 2011 Broadway revival of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," serving as the narrator for the production directed by Rob Ashford and starring Daniel Radcliffe.
July 2, 2012: Cooper Publicly Acknowledges Being Gay
On July 2, 2012, Anderson Cooper publicly acknowledged his sexual orientation as gay through an email shared by Andrew Sullivan. At the time, The New York Times considered Cooper to be "the most prominent openly gay journalist on American television."
October 29, 2012: "Anderson Live" Cancellation Announced
It was announced on October 29, 2012, that "Anderson Live" would end after its second season due to low ratings.
2012: Comes Out as Gay
Anderson Cooper publicly came out as gay in 2012, becoming the most prominent gay journalist on American television at the time.
May 2013: Anderson Live Concludes
Anderson Live, Anderson Cooper's daytime talk show, concluded in May 2013.
May 30, 2013: Final Episode of "Anderson Live"
The final episode of "Anderson Live" aired on May 30, 2013, marking the end of Cooper's foray into daytime talk shows.
2014: Cooper and Maisani Purchase Rye House
Anderson Cooper and his then-partner, Benjamin Maisani, bought Rye House, a historic estate in Connecticut, in 2014.
2014: Anderson Cooper Appears on Finding Your Roots
Anderson Cooper appeared on Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s Finding Your Roots in 2014 and learned about his ancestry.
2014: Cooper Advises Tim Cook
In 2014, before publicly coming out as gay, Apple CEO Tim Cook reached out to Anderson Cooper for guidance and advice.
March 2015: AC2 Stage Show Debut
Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper launched their conversational stage show, AC2, in March 2015 with a debut performance in Boston. The show's concept originated from an interview Cooper conducted with Cohen about his book "The Andy Cohen Diaries."
2016: Moderates Presidential Debate
Anderson Cooper became the first LGBT person to moderate a presidential debate in 2016.
2016: Cooper Not Registered to Political Party
As of 2016, Anderson Cooper was not registered with any political party.
2017: Publication of "The Rainbow Comes and Goes"
Anderson Cooper and his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, co-authored a memoir titled "The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son on Life, Love, and Loss" in 2017. The book, composed of emails between the mother and son, explores their shared history and Gloria Vanderbilt's unconventional upbringing. The memoir secured positions on several best-seller lists upon its release.
2017: Cooper and Cohen Co-Host New Year's Eve Coverage
In 2017, Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen began co-hosting CNN's New Year's Eve coverage, taking over from Kathy Griffin.
March 2018: Cooper and Maisani Split
In March 2018, Anderson Cooper confirmed that he and his long-time partner, Benjamin Maisani, had separated.
June 8, 2018: Anthony Bourdain's Death and Cooper's Tribute
Following the death of his friend, chef and TV personality Anthony Bourdain, by suicide on June 8, 2018, Anderson Cooper hosted a special program on CNN titled "Remembering Anthony Bourdain."
October 2018: AC2 Tours Over 50 Cities
By October 2018, Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper's two-man show, AC2, had toured to over fifty cities across the United States.
2018: Cooper and Cohen's Second Year Co-Hosting New Year's Eve
Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen co-hosted CNN's New Year's Eve coverage for the second consecutive year in 2018.
2019: Cooper and Cohen's Third Year Co-Hosting New Year's Eve
Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen co-hosted CNN's New Year's Eve coverage for the third year in a row in 2019.
2019: Cooper Continues to Guest Co-host
As of 2019, Anderson Cooper still periodically serves as guest co-host on Live when needed.
April 30, 2020: Birth Announcement of Wyatt Morgan Cooper
On April 30, 2020, Anderson Cooper announced the birth of his son, Wyatt Morgan Cooper, who was born via surrogate on April 27. He shared the news on his show, Anderson Cooper 360°, and on Instagram.
2020: Cooper and Cohen's Fourth Year Co-Hosting New Year's Eve
Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen co-hosted CNN's New Year's Eve coverage for their fourth year in 2020.
2020: Cooper Remembers Bourdain on "Anderson Cooper Full Circle"
During a Thanksgiving 2020 episode of his show "Anderson Cooper Full Circle," Anderson Cooper paid tribute to his late friend Anthony Bourdain, expressing how much Bourdain was missed.
2021: Cooper Guest Hosts "Jeopardy!"
Following the death of Alex Trebek, Anderson Cooper filled in as a guest host on "Jeopardy!" from April 19 to 30, 2021.
2021: Cooper and Cohen's Fifth Year Co-Hosting New Year's Eve
In 2021, Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen returned to co-host CNN's New Year's Eve coverage for the fifth consecutive year.
2021: "Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty" Publication
In 2021, Anderson Cooper, in collaboration with Katherine Howe, published a historical account of his family titled "Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty." The book delves into the history of the Vanderbilt family, tracing their roots back to their arrival in New Amsterdam during the 17th century.
February 10, 2022: Birth Announcement of Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper
Anderson Cooper announced on February 10, 2022, that he had become a father for the second time to a son named Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper.
2022: Cooper and Cohen's Sixth Year Co-Hosting New Year's Eve
Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen co-hosted CNN's New Year's Eve coverage for their sixth year in 2022.
2022: Cooper Launches Podcast on Grief and Loss
In 2022, Anderson Cooper launched a podcast focusing on the themes of grief and loss, drawing on his personal experiences of losing his father, brother, and mother. On the podcast, Cooper interviews well-known figures such as Stephen Colbert, Laurie Anderson, and Molly Shannon about their experiences with grief.
April 16, 2023: Launch of "The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper"
CNN launched a new Sunday primetime series titled "The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper" on April 16, 2023.
2023: Cooper and Cohen's Seventh Year Co-Hosting New Year's Eve
Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen continued their tradition of co-hosting CNN's New Year's Eve coverage in 2023, marking their seventh year together.
2023: Cooper Wins Webby Award
Anderson Cooper won a Webby Award in the category of Best Series for his podcast "All There Is" in 2023. His acceptance speech was a succinct "All There Is, Is Love."