Anderson Cooper
A silver-haired journalist who transformed personal tragedy into a career defined by empathetic, frontline reporting from the world's crises.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American journalist·Birthday: June 3·Generation X
Biography
Anderson Cooper did not follow a conventional path to the anchor desk. The son of heiress and artist Gloria Vanderbilt, he was shaped by the early loss of his father and, later, his brother. After university, he forged his own identity by grabbing a camcorder and a fake press pass, heading into war zones like Burma and Somalia to sell raw footage. This gritty, self-made start defined his ethos: a reporter who goes to the story, often with a quiet, intense focus on human cost. His move to CNN cemented his status as a calm, credible presence during breaking news, from Hurricane Katrina to election nights. Beyond the 360-degree news cycle, his vulnerability in discussing personal grief on air and in writing has created a unique bond with audiences, making him a singular figure in broadcast journalism.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Anderson was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anderson Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Anderson's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Has anchored CNN's prime-time news program *Anderson Cooper 360°* since 2003, covering major global events and elections.
- Served as a correspondent for CBS's *60 Minutes* for nearly twenty years, producing long-form investigative reports.
- His coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was widely praised for its raw, emotional portrayal of the disaster's impact.
- Published the bestselling memoir *The Rainbow Comes and Goes* with his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, in 2016.
Did You Know?
He is a descendant of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the 19th-century railroad and shipping magnate.
As a teenager, he modeled for fashion brands like Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren.
He is openly gay and has a son, Wyatt, born via surrogate in 2020.
He once interned at the CIA while in college but decided the agency's culture was not for him.
“I think in life you should work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen.”
