Anderson Cooper, the silver fox CNN anchor and a prominent LGBTQ figure, recently revealed a rather unexpected encounter with the Queen of Pop, Madonna. During a candid conversation on his friend Kelly Ripa’s podcast, “Let’s Talk Off Camera,” Cooper opened up about an incident that left him “mortified.” The episode delved into their shared experiences at Madonna’s concerts, particularly one during her Rebel Hearts Tour.
Reminiscing about attending Madonna’s 2015 tour stop at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Cooper discussed a moment that he had seemingly tried to forget. Kelly Ripa brought up the incident when Cooper was plucked from the audience and onto the stage by Madonna during her performance of “Unapologetic Bitch.” Cooper confessed, “Oh god. That I chose to forget.” He expressed mixed feelings about the experience, recounting, “I loved the whole idea of it, loved the experience of it, I don’t love the video that exists of it.”
The encounter involved Madonna faux humping and spanking Cooper before handing him a banana. Cooper recalled the surreal sequence of events, admitting, “And right before that she pushed me over and humped me. Which I didn’t expect at all.” Despite Cooper’s initial embarrassment, the incident became a humorous anecdote. Cooper and Madonna later joked about his lackluster dance moves during a subsequent reunion on “Live with Kelly and Ryan.”
For Cooper, this unexpected moment became part of his unique connection to LGBTQ culture. While he might have been “mortified” by the experience, he found a silver lining in being able to discuss it openly. As Madonna prepares to kick off her Celebration Tour’s North American leg, Cooper’s recounting of the incident serves as a reminder of the unpredictable and memorable moments that can arise during live performances.