Anderson Cooper

Journalist
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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his two-and-a-half-hour interview, Anderson Cooper talks about his early life, including his appearance on To Tell the Truth and his travels to Africa. He discusses his time working for Channel One News where he covered complex international stories from Vietnam and Somalia. He describes going to work as a correspondent for ABC News, which led to him anchoring the overnight program World News Now and appearing on the short-lived spin-off 20/20 Downtown. He recounts being hired by CNN in the wake of 9/11 after two seasons of hosting the ABC reality show The Mole. Cooper outlines his early years at CNN, where he took any fill-in anchoring job he could get when he felt his job there was threatened. He details being anchor of CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, and discusses reporting such stories as Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti. Jenni Matz conducted the interview on December 16, 2014 in New York, NY.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"It's thrilling and incredible that this has happened. I started out with this idea of just going to wars by myself, building a little fake press pass and carrying a hand-held camera. I've been able to forge a life out of it. I'm very lucky."

People Talking About ...
Anderson Cooper
Highlights
Anderson Cooper on covering 9/11 and going to work for CNN
02:10
Anderson Cooper on covering Hurricane Katrina 
10:56
Anderson Cooper on hosting CNN's New Year's Eve Live
01:40
Anderson Cooper on his mentors and people who have impacted his career
04:34
Anderson Cooper on dealing with fame and celebrity
01:58
Full Interview

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Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on television he watched growing up; on appearing on To Tell the Truth as a child; on traveling to Africa in his youth
On his first job in television as a fact checker on Channel One News; on becoming a correspondent for Channel One News; on doing stories for Channel One News from Vietnam
On covering the famine in Somalia for Channel One News; on reporting complex stories for Channel One News and navigating Somalia
On going to work as a correspondent for ABC News; on the kinds of stories he covered early on as a correspondent for ABC News and his admiration for Bob Simon
On stories he did at ABC that stood out for him; on his safety while covering stories

Chapter 2
On winning an Emmy for his coverage of the death of Princess Diana, and his feelings about awards in general; on anchoring for ABC News' World News Now; on being a correspondent for 20/20 Downtown
On covering 9/11 and going to work for CNN; on becoming weekend primetime anchor for CNN and saving himself at the network; on becoming the regular weeknight anchor on CNN
On dealing with breaking news as an anchor live on air; on coming to host Anderson Cooper 360
On covering Hurricane Katrina; on being called the "emo anchor"
On covering the earthquake in Haiti; on maintaining his neutrality as a journalist 

Chapter 3
On the "RidicuList" on Anderson Cooper 360; on utilizing social media on-air at CNN; on dealing with fame and celebrity
On being a correspondent on 60 Minutes and what makes a good interview; on the legacy of 60 Minutes; on appearing on Jeopardy!
On the then-current state of CNN and dealing with ratings; on appearing on Finding Your Roots and learning about his ancestors; on his book, "Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival"
On his mentors and people who have impacted his career; on career highlights and regrets; on what excites him about his job and where he sees himself in the then-future; on advice to aspiring television journalists 
Shows

20/20

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Anderson Cooper on being a correspondent for 20/20 Downtown
03:10

60 Minutes

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Anderson Cooper on being a correspondent on 60 Minutes and what makes a good interview 
04:39
Anderson Cooper on the legacy of 60 Minutes
01:11

ABC World News Tonight

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Anderson Cooper on going to work as a correspondent for ABC News
04:54
Anderson Cooper on the kinds of stories he covered early on as a correspondent for ABC News  and his admiration for Bob Simon
05:28
Anderson Cooper on stories he did at ABC News  that stood out for him
06:53
Anderson Cooper on anchoring ABC News' World News Now
04:33

Channel One News

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Anderson Cooper on his first job in television as a fact checker at Channel One News
03:49
Anderson Cooper on becoming a correspondent for Channel One News
06:33
Anderson Cooper on doing stories for Channel One News  from Vietnam
02:32
Anderson Cooper on covering the famine in Somalia for Channel One News
06:10

Jeopardy!

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Anderson Cooper on appearing on Jeopardy!
02:13

To Tell the Truth

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Anderson Cooper on appearing on To Tell the Truth as a child
00:40
Topics

9/11

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Anderson Cooper on covering 9/11 and going to work for CNN
02:10

Advice

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Anderson Cooper on advice to aspiring television journalists 
01:11

Creative Influences and Inspiration

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Anderson Cooper on the kinds of stories he covered early on as a correspondent for ABC News  and his admiration for reporter Bob Simon
05:28
Anderson Cooper on his mentors and people who have impacted his career
04:34

Emmy Awards

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Anderson Cooper on winning an Emmy for his coverage of Princess Diana, and his feelings about awards in general
03:01

Fame and Celebrity

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Anderson Cooper on dealing with fame and celebrity
01:58

Historic Events and Social Change

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Anderson Cooper on covering 9/11 and going to work for CNN
02:10
Anderson Cooper on covering Hurricane Katrina 
10:56
Anderson Cooper on covering the earthquake in Haiti 
05:54

Natural Disasters

View Topic
Anderson Cooper on covering Hurricane Katrina 
10:56
Anderson Cooper on covering the earthquake in Haiti 
05:54

New Media

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Anderson Cooper on utilizing social media on-air at CNN
01:55

Pop Culture

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Anderson Cooper on dealing with fame and celebrity
01:58

Television Industry

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Anderson Cooper on utilizing social media on-air at CNN
01:55
Anderson Cooper on the then-current state of CNN and dealing with ratings
03:42
Anderson Cooper on advice to aspiring television journalists 
01:11
Professions

Anchor

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Anderson Cooper on maintaining neutrality as a journalist 
06:46
Anderson Cooper on dealing with breaking news as an anchor live 
07:05
Anderson Cooper on advice to aspiring television journalists 
01:11

Journalists & News Producers

View Profession
Anderson Cooper on maintaining neutrality as a journalist 
06:46
Anderson Cooper on dealing with breaking news as an anchor live 
07:05
Anderson Cooper on advice to aspiring television journalists 
01:11
Genres

Game Shows

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Anderson Cooper on appearing on Jeopardy!
02:03

News and Documentary

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Anderson Cooper on being a correspondent for Channel One News
25:51
Anderson Cooper on his time as a correspondent for ABC News
20:47
Anderson Cooper on anchoring ABC News' World News Now
04:33
Anderson Cooper on being a correspondent for 20/20 Downtown
03:09
Anderson Cooper on fill-in anchoring at CNN 
17:14
Anderson Cooper on hosting Anderson Cooper 360  (Part 1)
33:24
Anderson Cooper on being a correspondent on 60 Minutes  
05:50
Anderson Cooper on anchoring Anderson Cooper 360 (Part 2)
12:00
Anderson Cooper on hosting CNN's New Year's Eve Live
01:40

Reality TV

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Anderson Cooper on hosting the reality show The Mole
00:58
People

Bob Simon

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Anderson Cooper on the kinds of stories he covered early on as a correspondent for ABC News  and his admiration for reporter Bob Simon
05:28

All Interviews

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