POWER OF GOODBYE

Anderson Cooper Says He Just Needed a Sidekick

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It’s tough out there for a talk show host, but Anderson Cooper has an idea that might have saved his daytime program. While reflecting on the demise of Anderson Live Cooper says he’s had fun developing a new set of skills, but he’d have been more comfortable emulating the format of Live With Kelly and Michael, rather than hosting solo a la Oprah.

As the show struggled for ratings, it was given a makeover during its second season, including a name change and a new set. In an unfortunate coincidence the series was cancelled just as it began to hit its stride when Cooper enlisted close pals such as Andy Cohen and Kathy Griffin to guest as co-hosts.

“I really wanted a sidekick from the get-go,” Cooper tells The Hollywood Reporter. “That was something I really regret and we kind of realized early on, but you know, we weren’t able to make the change until the second year.”

Still, the recent GLAAD Award-winner describes the experience was “absolutely worthwhile,” adding, “I like learning new things and I like developing new skill sets and I like challenging myself in different ways, and I think the daytime show has done that, you know?”

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