I have always been curious about why people become journalists. What compels them to spend their lives seeking out the news? What makes them tick?
My current obsession is Anderson Cooper, the anchor of CNN’s nightly news roundup Anderson Cooper 360º .
Cooper fascinates me. He’s the son of heiress Gloria Vanderbilt, the “poor little rich girl” who grew up to head a fashion empire that launched millions of pairs of tight-fitting jeans. He’s the great-great-great-grandson of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, whose statue stands at New York’s Grand Central Station.
This guy could have gone the route of many heirs to fortunes and sat around doing nothing but enjoying the fruits of his family’s labors.
So why become a reporter who frequently puts himself in harm’s way to cover bloody conflicts and natural disasters? With no formal journalistic education, Cooper has said the loss he felt after his older brother committed suicide compelled him to search for answers as a reporter: “I think when you experience any kind of loss, especially the kind I did, you have questions about survival: Why do some people thrive in situations that others can’t tolerate?”
While he has proven himself to be a serious journalist, Cooper has a breezier side. He took a break from covering breaking news with a two-year stint hosting the reality show The Mole. He banters with bawdy comedian Kathy Griffin during their annual New Year’s Eve countdown specials in Times Square. He sandwiches the satirical “The RidicuList” segment into his otherwise staid nightly news program (his giggle fit during a recent RidicuList story is now the stuff of YouTube legendAnd although he’s a celebrity of sorts in his own right, he frequently seems smitten with movie stars and other show biz personalities.
To me, Cooper’s appeal as a journalist is that he comes across as genuine, not a robotic talking head. He’s relatable, even goofy at times. He can laugh at himself, which reflects his approach to anchoring the news: “I think the notion of the traditional anchor is fading away, the all-knowing, all-seeing person who speaks from on high. I don’t think the audience really buys that anymore. I think you have to be yourself, and you have to be real… I tend to relate more to people on television who are just themselves, for good or for bad, than I do to someone who I believe is putting on some sort of persona.”
Cooper recently announced he’s adding daytime talk show host to his repertoire: Anderson debuts on September 12.
My curiosity duly piqued, I’ll be tuning in. How about you?