Anderson Cooper comes out of the Closet...No One really stunned

[DiscoBerry]

I have to say that I understand his unwillingness to publicly out himself because he fears unintended consequences for his career.  Can't say I blame him.  But he made a nice little statement to the Daily Beast: 

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.

http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/07/anderson-cooper-the-fact-is-im-gay.html

[ironbite]

Beaten by a few seconds.

Ironbite-gay really?  I never would've guessed.

[Art Vandelay]

Beaten to the punch by a mere 18 seconds. That has to be a new record.

[nickiknack]

I've been hearing that Cooper is gay for years, not shocked. Actually, a co-worker of my sister's said that her mother's neighbor's son was dating him at one time.

[DiscoBerry]

I've been hearing that Cooper is gay for years, not shocked. Actually, a co-worker of my sister's said that her mother's neighbor's son was dating him at one time.

Was that part serious or all joke?

[Smurfette Principle]

I'd heard he was gay, but him coming out makes me happy.

[SpaceProg]

It'd be a nice day when there would be no need to broadcast this kind of stuff as news.  No hiding or fear or what have you.  It'd just be one aspect of a person's life and no big deal.

[nickiknack]

What?? The part about my sister's co-worker?? As far as I know she was serious. My sister works at a tax firm in NYC, and there's a bunch of her co-workers who come from money or upper middle class backgrounds. So they tend to know "people".

[DiscoBerry]

What?? The part about my sister's co-worker?? As far as I know she was serious. My sister works at a tax firm in NYC, and there's a bunch of her co-workers who come from money or upper middle class backgrounds. So they tend to know "people".

Ahhhhh I see now.

[Fpqxz]

Gay or not, he's still a shit-tier journalist and a smug asshole, just like his colleague Wolf Blitzer (whom I also dislike).

Now Don Lemon, on the other hand, is one of the only people left on CNN for whom I actually have some respect.

[ironbite]

Wow really?  Shit-teir?  K gonna have to ask you why on that.

[Her3tiK]

In other news, Fox News gains what little of the bigot crowd it didn't already have.

[Witchyjoshy]

Good for him.

Still not a fan of CNN.

[Old Viking]

What is this American compulsion to divulge one's private life?  I've always considered my private life to be, like, you know, private.

[Fpqxz]

Wow really?  Shit-teir?  K gonna have to ask you why on that.

OK, maybe calling him "shit-tier" was a bit too harsh.  But seriously, have you ever watched Anderson Cooper 360°?  It's one of those shows that pretends to be "real news" but isn't.  It's a few "serious" stories wedged in between pop culture nonsense.

Whatever journalistic credibility Cooper may have had went out the window when Time Warner/CNN executives decided to dumb down the content of the show.  When you think about it, the same could be said for 95% of what is on CNN right now.  But still, it's hard for me not to see Cooper as being just as much of a sellout as most mainstream journalists are.