Anderson Cooper Reveals His Favorite Journalist (VIDEO)

Anderson Cooper answered audience questions between segments of his daytime talk show on Friday.

When asked to name his favorite journalist, Cooper jokingly said, "um — me."

Cooper then honestly answered the question and named his "60 Minutes" colleague Bob Simon, as being one of his favorite journalists.

He also named Life magazine's first African American photographer, Gordon Parks. "He was a remarkable guy...and he really inspired me," Cooper said of Parks.

Cooper has been asked journalism-related questions by audience members before. In mid-November, he was asked to give career advice to budding reporters. "Never underestimate the value...of out-hustling everybody else," Cooper said.

WATCH:

Comments

[VISO]

12:54 PM on 11/29/2011

As much as I admire his work, he would be a better journalist if he was authentic about himself. There too many battles to fight still.

[WhiteGuy]

06:45 AM on 11/29/2011

Anderson Cooper Reveals His Favorite

Woops I forgot this is the Gay page.

[wendoxia]

01:23 AM on 12/02/2011

ha. not.

[ali baba lol]

01:48 AM on 11/29/2011

HIMSELF!

[Randy Chidester]

01:20 AM on 11/29/2011

Liz Cheney , Palin kids ,Kennedy kids , all living off parents, grandparents name. Giada DeLaurentis would not be making 20 million a year if she did not have the famous last name. I think Anderson Cooper has talent,, likeable. If u were not aware his mother is Gloria Vanderbilt she don't pay atttention.

[Kathryn Talbert]

11:36 PM on 11/28/2011

I thought Anderson Cooper was an alright guy and a reasonably astute journalist, until I recently learned he was the spawn of Gloria Vanderbilt.

Now he's just another one of the 1%ers who've been filling positions in the media for the last twenty years. There's someone really talented somewhere, possibly much more talented who could use that job, but instead its given to what is essentially a trust funder.

How on earth people stomach someone like this reporting to them about their lives when these people don't know anymore about the life of an average American than they do about living on the moon.

[winniecm]

12:50 AM on 11/29/2011

I like him. I think he's serious about his job. And if you read about him you'll see his life hasn't been all roses, money aside. It's not always just about money that makes a happy life. And who else can wear a black T-shirt the way he can when he's on assignment. Nobody!

[wendoxia]

01:23 AM on 12/02/2011

Read his bio. You couldnt be more wrong.

[deven61]

06:54 PM on 11/28/2011

I'm shocked...shocked mind you....to hear it wasn't Anderson Cooper.

[Zweiback]

03:17 PM on 11/28/2011

I know it's supposed to make him seem like a regular guy, and it's fine for his talk show, but when he's doing what passes for news today, his constant stammering makes him come across as if he's not sure of his facts or not fully convinced of the things he says.

Not that anyone cares about such things in "modern journalism."

[RickM1969]

01:34 PM on 11/28/2011

I wasn't sure about his new show but it isn't bad. His Muslims in America show was pretty good and I hope to see more like it.

[YOKEL13]

12:47 PM on 11/28/2011

I think I know HuffPo's favorite journalist.

[josephbua]

11:51 AM on 11/28/2011

His advice to young journalists should be "Find a way to become the son or daughter off someone famous.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/28/chelsea-clinton-nbc-steve-capus-skeptics_n_1116186.html

Think of all the students not getting jobs b/c celebrity children soak them up.

[YOKEL13]

01:15 PM on 11/28/2011

To paraphrase Chicago's first Mayor Daley: "If you can't help your children, who ya gonna help?"

(Original was a response to reporters questions about a cheating incident on an insurance broker's exam.)

[Kathryn Talbert]

11:39 PM on 11/28/2011

Its not them, its the fawning public that allows this to go on.

[Kathryn Talbert]

11:38 PM on 11/28/2011

I absolutely agree, its sickening, especially in the news media where there once was a time when understanding your audience was crucial to being a good journalist.

Of course that was when people understood and studied the esoteric vocation called journalism.

[xpt2wndj]

09:52 AM on 11/28/2011

Who cares!

[Democrab]

09:38 AM on 11/28/2011

I'm surprised he didn't say Jack Cafferty. You've got to admire someone who hits a bicyclist with his car, runs two red lights trying to run from the witnesses and a cop, and gets off with a $250 fine and community service.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Cafferty

[Dan Stewart]

09:21 AM on 11/28/2011

It's interesting to hear the opinions of Anderson Cooper, not because of his expertise or experience as a journalist, but because he the scion of Vanderbilt wealth and privilege.

[LickMyDecalsOffBaby]

08:24 AM on 11/28/2011

Cooper doesn't amount to a zit on the rear end of a Jack Anderson or Sy Hersch or Greg Palast.

[evecaren]

06:37 AM on 11/28/2011

Anderson Cooper's mom is Gloria Vanderbilt. Yes, that's true. Anderson had Gloria on his show
a few weeks ago when he had John Edwards on as a guest. That show was very interesting and
informative. Anderson has a famous mom, however, he has worked very hard and I enjoy his
shows. Anderson is down to earth, very knowledgable and compassionate. So he jokingly said
he was his favorite journalist. What's wrong with that? Later, Anderson said Bob Simon is his
favorite journalist. Anderson Cooper is by far my favorite journalist because he's genuine, doesn't
put on airs and he's down to earth,knowledgeable, but not patronizing like some other journalists.

[Kathryn Talbert]

11:42 PM on 11/28/2011

If you think the wealthy don't have privileges and access that you don't have and that they work as hard as you, you are certainly in need of an education.

If you had the misfortune of spending time with people of extreme wealth, you'd realize that without their privilege and access, the majority of them would be stamping burgers with a spatula or rolling blunts at the local flop-house.

[evecaren]

06:00 AM on 11/29/2011

I think it's you who are in need of an education, Kathryn and by the sounds of your
comment an attitude adjustment. Anderson Cooper got to where he is as a journalist
through sheer hard work, determination, and as he states in the video, accepting
journalism assignments that no one else wanted or was available to cover.
There but for fortune go you and I.

[wendoxia]

01:26 AM on 12/02/2011

Read his bio, little miss judgemental.Then you can see how much work and sweat he put into his career.
I will say that his famous name got him into Yale, but his hard work in the years after college got him where he is today.