# Anderson Cooper comes out. Finally. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 2, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006 "2012-07-02T15:14:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/21 "2012-07-02T16:02:29Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > If you refuse to discuss your sexuality, does that mean you’re in the closet? If you’re private about your sex life, for whatever reason, it’s really no ones business to begin with. Orientation =/= sexlife. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/22 "2012-07-02T16:06:47Z")
Off Topic, what’s “=/=” mean… Should I have rather said “Orientation”… it does fit better. I just don’t know what “=/=” means. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/23 "2012-07-02T16:08:56Z")
Good for him! This was probably one of the worst kept “secrets” in Manhattan…I believe I saw a recent photo of him with his then/current? boyfriend - a really hot guy who I think owns a bar/club in Manhattan. Also - he was just on the Kathy Griffin show last week, and well…let’s just say Kathy had him on the Gay ledge and gave him a friendly nudge. He didn’t come out and say it on her show, but you could tell he was ready and it was only a matter of time until this announcement was made. My wild ass guess is that he might have even planned to come out on her show, but decided at the last minute it was not the best forum to do so. Many continue to say, “Why do you care?” - but the point is, there are kids out there who feel isolated and alone and still think this is something to be ashamed of. Back in my day, in my small town in Illinois, before internet and more wide-spread acceptance, I thought I was the only one. You have no idea how difficult it is to come to grips with being Gay if you think you are a freak and nobody on earth is like you are, other than some weird dude in a trench coat you saw in a public toilet in Chicago! My brother and I were just talking about his last week and came to the conclusion our great uncle was probably Gay - but he lived in an era where it was illegal, let alone an option. When I think of his very sad life, I think how things could have turned out for me if times had not changed. So for every celebrity who makes this public, I envision some kid realizing you can be who you are and still strive to be successful and happy later in life. Might be a no-brainer to many of you reading this, but trust me - even today, not every kid grows up in a nurturing environment, waiting to embrace them for being open and honest. It really does help to have a few role models out there - and kudos to Anderson for this somewhat late, but step in the right direction! ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/24 "2012-07-02T16:09:15Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > Off Topic, what’s “=/=” mean… > > Should I have rather said “Orientation”… it does fit better. I just don’t know what “=/=” means. Thanks. ≠ means “is not equal to.” =/= is the quick way of doing it I suppose. On a Mac, you hold down option and “=” to get it. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/25 "2012-07-02T16:11:41Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > ≠ means “is not equal to.” =/= is the quick way of doing it I suppose. On a Mac, you hold down option and “=” to get it. Gotcha. I agree. BTW ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/26 "2012-07-02T16:18:00Z")
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying he shouldn’t “come out”. What I’m saying is that it’s completely his choice when to do so, and there should no finger wagging at him or anybody else who decides to remain private about their orientation. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/27 "2012-07-02T16:18:43Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > Should I have rather said “Orientation”… it does fit better. I just don’t know what “=/=” means. Thanks. My point is just that no one’s asking if he’s a bottom or a top or looking for lists of previous partners. Those are invasions of privacy, not revelations of orientation, especially if he’s cool with photogs snapping shots of him with boyfriends on the street. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/28 "2012-07-02T16:19:32Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > Confirmation on the world’s most poorly kept “secret.” To be fair, Cooper was only second in that category. The world’s most obviously closeted homosexual remains [Marcus Bachmann](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFYB5-18CGo). But, you know, yay to AC for coming out. Doesn’t affect my view of his work either way. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/29 "2012-07-02T16:20:04Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > My point is just that no one’s asking if he’s a bottom or a top or looking for lists of previous partners. Those are invasions of privacy, not revelations of orientation, especially if he’s cool with photogs snapping shots of him with boyfriends on the street. No, I hear you; And think you’re right. Really just didn’t know what “=/=” meant… ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/30 "2012-07-02T16:35:32Z")
Breaking from CNN: Anderson Cooper is straight. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/31 "2012-07-02T16:38:53Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I can’t imagine any bigger tell than how he giggles. If he didn’t lose ratings following the Depardieu Ridiculist incident, I don’t think they had anything to fear from him coming out. That was so adorable! I’m not surprised to hear the news at all…good for him, though! ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/32 "2012-07-02T16:41:54Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Breaking from CNN: Anderson Cooper is straight. I knew it all along. My Straight-Dar is never wrong. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/33 "2012-07-02T16:47:01Z")
I came to the SD as soon as unheard just to post this topic as an announcement to Sampiro. Something tells me there’s a road trip from AL to the ATL in the very near future. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/34 "2012-07-02T16:49:46Z")
He wanted to attend the premiere of _Magic Mike_ and this was the price demanded for a lap dance by Bomer and Mangianello. I’ll give a 50/50 split between the “Good for him” and “About damn time” factions. If it _does_ cost him any assignments or interviews then I think that will raise visibility to the “Just because being gay in 2012 is a helluva lot more open does not mean that it’s easy or that you don’t have to combat very real prejudice every day” factor, something many straight people don’t realize. > [@bobkitty](#): > > I came to the SD as soon as unheard just to post this topic as an announcement to Sampiro. Something tells me there’s a road trip from AL to the ATL in the very near future. 😃 Andy and I are just [future] very good friends and I would never do anything to disrespect his privacy, as I will detail in text and pictures on my upcoming blog, _[InWhichITotallyShagAndersonCooper.tumblr.com](http://InWhichITotallyShagAndersonCooper.tumblr.com)_. > [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Breaking from CNN: Anderson Cooper is straight. Scratch that. Turns out John Roberts got him aroused at the last second. (Actually CNN seems to be the only network that doesn’t have anything about it as of this writing.) ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/35 "2012-07-02T16:50:16Z")
I say good for him. It must be sad to believe that you need to hide what your preferences are. Let’s hope that in 50 years are grandchildren are amazed that anyone could have possibly cared about the preferences of others. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Quixotic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Don\_Quixotic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Quixotic)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/36 "2012-07-02T17:01:49Z")
Does anyone else have a Wishbone “Toss the salad to the beat” ad on this page? That seems just a little bit racy for the context. The Google is cracking me up. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/37 "2012-07-02T17:02:51Z")
Now that he’s out perhaps he’ll upgrade his hag. I’ve laughed at some of Kathy Griffin’s comedy and stunts over the years but I think she’s a dreadful human being, and particularly that the way she mercilessly taunted Clay Aiken in her act when he was closeted and clearly tortured and had a LOT more to lose personally (due to his fundamentalist Christian family and baggage) and professionally (due to his tweener fan base and many [blind] conservative fans) and financially (he’s earned nowhere near as much as Cooper and probably could not retire for life on his savings) but always gave her bud AC a free pass was infuriating. My choice for his new official hag: Jennette McCurdy. I know absolutely nothing about her as an individual, but she’s got great comic timing, would pull in the 14-29 demographic, is cute as a button, and I think would be a great upgrade. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/38 "2012-07-02T17:28:31Z")
I’m shocked! (No, not really. Seriously, is there anybody that didn’t already know?) ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/39 "2012-07-02T17:51:33Z")
I actually didn’t know he was in the closet. I could swear I remember he came out a couple of years ago. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006/40 "2012-07-02T20:30:47Z")
My immediate reaction when I saw the story was literally, “Good for him! About damn time.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anderson-cooper-comes-out-finally/627006.md?page=3)