‘CBS This Morning,’ ‘Today’s Professionals’ Talk Anderson Cooper

By Alex Weprin 

Two of the morning shows have acknowledged Anderson Cooper’s gay acknowledgment.

“CBS This Morning’s” Erica Hill, a friend of Cooper’s from her days at CNN, discussed his coming out with country music artist Chely Wright, who revealed two years ago that she’s gay. Video after the jump.

ABC’s overnight show “World News Now,” which Cooper once anchored, gave it a mention as did the pre-GMA show, “America This Morning.” “Good Morning America” didn’t.

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On NBC’s “Today,” Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford talked about it on the 4th hour. “He is a sweet guy,” said Gifford. “We just wish everybody to be happy.”

It also was the subject earlier on “Today’s Professionals.” The panelists, Star Jones, Donny Deutsch and Dr. Nancy Snyderman, all seemed to take the cynical route, arguing that Cooper made the announcement for some sort of ratings gain. They seemed to be unaware that his daytime talk show is on hiatus, and that Cooper is in Africa on assignment, not hosting his CNN program.

And comedian Kathy Griffin, a close friend of CNN anchor Anderson Cooper (and of course the co-host of CNN’s New Year’s Eve specials with him), writes about Cooper’s personal revelation in The Daily Beast.

I’m not really sure at what point it changed, but the press—or at least the press who covered my little carnival—became fixated on Anderson’s orientation. And for years, I talked around it.

Believe it or not, I don’t “out” people. It is neither my business nor my desire. Remember, folks, I am a comedian, not a journalist

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