Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper…The Silver Fox Comes Out

He lived in one of the biggest glass closets ever but he finally made it public. In a letter to pundit Andrew Sullivan,  journalist and media superstar Anderson Cooper publicly stated he was a gay man.

Recently, however, I’ve begun to consider whether the unintended outcomes of maintaining my privacy outweigh personal and professional principle. It’s become clear to me that by remaining silent on certain aspects of my personal life for so long, I have given some the mistaken impression that I am trying to hide something – something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed or even afraid. This is distressing because it is simply not true.

I’ve also been reminded recently that while as a society we are moving toward greater inclusion and equality for all people, the tide of history only advances when people make themselves fully visible. There continue to be far too many incidences of bullying of young people, as well as discrimination and violence against people of all ages, based on their sexual orientation, and I believe there is value in making clear where I stand.

The fact is, I’m gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud.

I have always been very open and honest about this part of my life with my friends, my family, and my colleagues. In a perfect world, I don’t think it’s anyone else’s business, but I do think there is value in standing up and being counted. I’m not an activist, but I am a human being and I don’t give that up by being a journalist.

Read the rest over at Andrew Sullivan’s “The Dish” at The Daily Beast website.

No, this wasn’t a surprise to US, but we’re guessing there are a few clueless yokels at there who will profess shock (and for a few, horror) that their favorite journ-a-hunk is a pole smoker but we’ll need to calmly explain to them that all the proof was there all along…The giggling over pee pee jokes; his “girlfriend” Kathy Griffin; the many paparazzi shots of Mr. Cooper biking all over Manhattan with his sexy, usually Latin boyfriends.

And, he’s the son of Gloria Vanderbilt…how could he NOT be gay!

Welcome Out Andersoon! We’d giggle with you, any day!