Reporter Hearthrobe Anderson Cooper Talks Coming Out

On the second season premiere of reporter Anderson Coopers talk show guest co-host actress Kristen Chenoweth casually and playfully brought up the his over the summer public announcement of his sexuality, always one for honesty Anderson is open and shy about his decision.

"I think we both had big summers," she prodded. Someone in the audience gasped loudly.

"Am I wrong?" Chenoweth joked. "I guess I did have a big summer," Cooper said, starting to blush.

"You ... came out ... and talked," Chenoweth went on. "So you heard that?" Cooper replied.

As the audience applauded, he explained what was behind his decision:

"Everybody in my life ... since I've been an adult and since I was a kid, I mean, I came out in high school," he said. "I told my friends, I told my family, I've always been out to my coworkers and stuff. It's just not something I talked about publicly because as a reporter I didn't think it was appropriate. It didn't seem part of my job."

Chenoweth asked what had been the tipping point that made Cooper decide to go public.

"I've been torn for a long time between a desire as a reporter to do just do my job," he said. "And at the same time, I think visibility is important -- that the tide of history only moves forward when everybody is visible ... I didn't want to send a message that there was anything I was ashamed about."


Catch the clip of Anderson and his blushing below.