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trodding the boards

by Brian Sands Email: [email protected] AC²: An Intimate Evening with Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen at the Saenger Theatre At the recent AC²: An Intimate Evening with Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen, the crowd at the Saenger Theatre seemed to be made up mostly of two groups, gay men and female Real Housewives fans. Addressing this early on in the program, Cooper gave an apologetic shout-out to the “straight husbands and boyfriends” of the latter group who allowed themselves to be dragged to the show. He needn’t have as there was some- for—a backstage view of all the Real House- thing for everyone to savor in this nearly two wives. hour long chatfest. While I enjoyed Cohen’s breathless Journalist/author Cooper and House- discussion of the part-Shakespearean com- wives producer/late night talk show host edy, part-Greek tragedy world of the House- Cohen first crossed paths about 25 years wives, I preferred Cooper’s account of how ago when friends tried to set them up on a he was named the Pussy Willow Prince of date. But when the celebrity-obsessed Buffalo’s Dyngus Day celebration (google Cohen brought up Gloria Vanderbilt, for the improbable details); a clip of him Cooper’s mother, Cooper recoiled. Years diving in search of the dangerous Nile later they became pals and have been crocodile; and, especially, his serious in- mobile hanging out around the world ever since. sights on his uncommon life’s path. paparazzi Promising “Deep Talk and Shallow Tales”, AC² offers both with Cooper providing more of the former, Cohen a healthy help- ing of the latter. Ambling onto the stage with a hurricane (Cohen) and a Hansen’s sno-ball (Coo- per), Cooper averred that they had “no idea what to expect. It’ll be like we’re all out drinking to- gether.” Which in our liquid- friendly city was probably a more literal description than other places their AC² tour has taken them. After mentioning Trump, Andy Cohen & Anderson Cooper in AC² Obama, and the tragedy in Or- at the Saenger Theatre lando, Cooper did comment that “Politi- Best of all was the rarely told 2005 tale cians answer the questions they want to be of the two ACs’ vacation in Dubrovnik and asked rather than what was asked.” And what Cooper was up to the night before he when the topic turned to Katrina and Coo- flew out to New Orleans to start his cover- per stated “It was a privilege to be here [for age of Katrina. I’m not gonna say more it], one of the great honors of my life”, the except that Cooper’s “new friends” that he raucous audience became hushed at “met” that evening were the least of it, and Cooper’s moving sincerity. that it’s so wild that even though you know Amid the friendly ribbing and wonder- how it ends (after all, Cooper is right there ful dishing between the two ACs, the self- on stage telling all this), you’re on the edge deprecating Cooper described how he stood of your seat, wondering “How is he gonna out as a “pale newt” on the beach in Rio make it out alive?” during a trip there while Cohen, left alone Throughout the evening, the casual on the gay playa and busy looking at the camaraderie between Cohen and Cooper “passing packages”, managed to allow a is evident, and they play off of each other backpack to be stolen. Which wasn’t as bad very well echoing such classic buddy pairs as a nearby baby which had also been as Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin or Oscar purloined. and Felix. One senses that if they were in About halfway through, the focus the same high school, Cohen would be shifted from Cooper to Cohen starting with named “Class Clown” while Cooper would th clips from his 40 birthday when friends be the valedictorian. Perhaps most satisfy- in Mobile & The Golden Lantern New Orleans ~ Photos by Miss Cie Miss Cie does B-Bob's read his letters home from summer camp, ing is their acknowledgment of their gay- certainly among the gayest missives ever ness without it being an overriding concern, written by a lad. Still evincing the enthusi- a welcome and almost inconceivable asm of a 12-year-old and unlike the more change for celebrities of their status from 30 stay-at-home Cooper, it came as no sur- or even 20 years ago. prise when the man-about-town Cohen Having appeared in 20 cities so far and said “I didn’t move to New York City to though the ACs do refer to notes to keep sleep.” them on track, the entire show has an off- After stories about Scott Baio, Tori the-cuff feel to it. That said, having seen Spelling, and a clip from Cohen’s talk show, some promotional clips, while I don’t think Watch What Happens: Live, in which he the show is too heavily scripted, if certain asked Shaquille O’Neal the one question parts might be oft-told tales, they keep the you wouldn’t think would ever be asked of delivery fresh enough to make it all seem a man on anything but cable access TV, spontaneous. AC² finally got around to what clearly a majority of the audience had been waiting [continued on 31]

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