In a recent episode of Howard Stern’s SeriusXM radio show, Anderson Cooper, the renowned CNN anchor and proud member of the LGBTQ community, regaled listeners with an amusing anecdote from his family history. This story involved none other than his late mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, and her rather eccentric proposal.
Cooper recalled the time his mother, already a fashion designer and socialite at the age of 85, approached him with a unique proposition. He recounted how he had become adept at not reacting to his mother’s “crazy statements” over the years, a skill that had served him well in his career as a journalist. When she called him one day, he half-expected some sort of catastrophe, perhaps even helping her “hide a body.”
However, what followed was anything but expected. Vanderbilt informed her son that her doctor had informed her she could still bear children at her age, leading to her excited declaration that she could have a baby. Anderson Cooper, surprised but maintaining his composure, responded with amusement, “Yes, mom, I think that is amazing that a gynecologist told you that at age 85 you could still bear a child.”
Cooper then humorously delved into his thought process on how to dissuade his mother from pursuing motherhood at 85, a notion he jestingly noted that many might have pondered. Fortunately, it became clear that Vanderbilt did not wish to have her own child but rather proposed to be a surrogate for her son. She suggested, “You get an egg, fertilize it with your sperm, and I’ll carry your child.” Anderson Cooper, while deeply appreciating his mother’s love, couldn’t help but find the idea “bats**t crazy” and politely declined.
In the end, Anderson Cooper chose a different path to parenthood, becoming a father to two sons through a surrogate, with co-parenting support from his friend and former romantic partner, Benjamin Maisani. The anecdote, filled with humor and family affection, serves as a reminder of the unique dynamics that can emerge within LGBTQ families and their journey towards parenthood.
As Howard Stern playfully remarked during the interview, Cooper might have escaped a peculiar family twist, joking, “Your sperm shouldn’t be anywhere near your mom.”
Anderson Cooper’s willingness to share this lighthearted tale highlights the diversity and humor that characterize the experiences of LGBTQ individuals and their families.