Credit: CNN
For years now, Anderson Cooper has provided millions of people with their daily news. His smooth tone, his ability to provide opinions and facts in a level-headed way, and his willingness to express his own emotions make him one of the top journalists in the industry. Be it with Anderson Cooper 360, 60 Minutes, or his Facebook news series, Full Circle, Cooper is constantly working to provide the American public with the informational stories they deserve.
Between his live news shows, travel, and additional television appearances, Anderson Cooper is a man always on the move. He even opts for energy and protein drinks to avoid having to take a break from his busy schedule. Journalism fills up much of his schedule, but giving back to nearly a dozen charities and organizations makes him a well-rounded human being in the public eye. Cooper devotes his professional time to reporting the facts, and his personal time to those in need.
Perhaps this lifestyle is a stressful and undesirable one to many, but it is the one Cooper chose for himself.
“I’d rather be working than doing anything else,” he says in a recent profile on Hollywood Reporter where we learn what exactly goes on in the life of Anderson Cooper. “It’s like riding the breaking wave of history.”
A Loaded Life
Cooper is at the CNN headquarters to prepare for his eight o’clock show at two in the afternoon. In that time, he meets with editors and other executives to solidify the contents of the day’s episode. He talks with his publicist and agent about his schedule for the next couple weeks. Will he be in the state for certain events that may want him around? Or even the country? Each aspect of Cooper’s life must be properly arranged to ensure maximized efficiency. When this is all sorted out, Cooper prepares any pre-recorded content.
His Facebook show is filmed somewhere in between these blocks of time. Comparatively, not too much preparation is involved in this news show—the viewers choose the stories they want to watch, and ask Cooper questions. As a live, 10-minute program, this almost serves as his break.
Credit: Politico
During the week, Anderson Cooper remains close to his home in New York to better keep up with his live shows. Weekends, however, are not the traditional relaxation time many of us use them for. Cooper frequently uses weekends as a time to go out and do field reporting—be it on the other side of the country, or on the other side of the world.
“I’m not good at, like, sitting on a beach,” he says, “I’m not good at decompressing.”
Credit: Artspace
Working for Others
Even off-air, the renowned journalist seems to constantly be working—and often, for others. Anderson Cooper is a well-known supporter of many charities and foundations, where he dedicates his time and funds to furthering their causes. Anderson Cooper is a supporter of many charitable organizations, including the American Heart Association, Elton John AIDS Foundation, GLAAD, National Wildlife Federation, and the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial. His charitable nature extends past human kind— as a dog lover himself, in 2016, Cooper donated a substantial amount to Spike’s K9 Fund to raise money for bullet-proof vests build for police dogs.
Often times, Cooper uses his show as a platform to not only promote these charities, but to warn others about organizations that are less than honest. Whether these charities are not honest about the percentage of money donated, where their money goes, or skewed morals, Cooper lays out the facts to help others make an informed decision on where to donate their efforts.
Credit: Variety
Despite his warring opinions about this nation’s struggles, Anderson Cooper is a man who cares deeply about this nation and the people in it. He strives to provide stories with the most accurate information possible while staying true to his own voice and show, a feat many have lost the difficult battle to. As a champion of social equality, Anderson does not hold back or back down in important interviews, making him one of the righteous protectors of his cause: truth.
