Andy Cohen

In his one-and-a-half-hour interview, Andy Cohen talks about his childhood in St. Louis, and his early love of television. He then talks about starting his professional career with a college internship at CBS News (on CBS This Morning), then details his rise to senior producer and his years working at 48 Hours, including a memorable piece the show did on Nicholas Sparks. He talks about what he learned there, about "letting the reality tell the story". Cohen then moves on to his tenure as senior vice president of original programming at the cable channel TRIO, and how that opportunity led to his eventual move to Bravo. He tells stories about the production of Project Runway, the development and casting of Top Chef, and the impact that Queer Eye for the Straight Guy had on Bravo's identity as a network. He also details the development of The Real Housewives of Orange County and discusses various cast members and the controversies and tragedies that have rocked the franchise over the years. Finally, Cohen discusses Watch What Happens Live, and his approach to hosting his own late-night show. Jenni Matz conducted the interview on July 27, 2015 at the Bravo Clubhouse in New York, NY.