Anderson Cooper promised some changes this fall when his eponymous talk show returns, but we didn’t think that meant a change in his romantic life: As photos of AC beau Ben Maisani kissing a dark-haired stranger in Central Park have been circulating, questions about the Coop’s relationship status abound.
When he came out as gay earlier this summer, Cooper commented that he loved someone “and is loved.” But with Maisani, 39, clearly sucking face in the paparazzi snaps, you have to wonder if it was the bar owner he was talking about.
Or did he mean rumored new boyfriend Gavin Hammon?
London’s Daily Mail, which previously reported Cooper wanted to marry Maisani (above, with Cooper) on Labor Day, says the two men still share Cooper’s converted-firehouse condo, but our spies say Maisani moved out some time ago.
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The tabloid also claims the out anchor’s famous mom, Gloria Vanderbilt, approved of the relationship: She encouraged Anderson and Benjaim to ease their schedules and make time for each other—and to consider adopting a child together.
Does this mean no grandkids for Gloria? She’s not getting any younger, you know.
Cam
Now that he’s out I have sympathy for the guy, I hope they were broken up when those pictures popped up. Nobody should find out somebody is cheating by picking up a paper.
brian
why is it assumed he’s cheating? we don’t know what their arrangement is – could it possibly be that the coops and his lover are (gasp!) in an open relationship? this is the 21st century for crying out loud.
American Dreamer
I’m pretty sure how it played out here:
Once the novelty of dating a closeted celebrity wore out Ben Maisani realized he was stuck with a beady eyed albino rat.
Analog
I like the way the Daily Mail article says the couple were “spotted” kissing, when the photos couldn’t more staged if they tried. Come on, look at how close the camera is to them and yet they’re unaware of it!? It’s all perfectly framed and lit – it looks like a photo-shoot ffs.
Very odd.
Kim
Pics no different than Kstew pics her paparazzi says he was half mile from her using special long lens ca camera
UHH
@ Analog
You ever hear of a telephoto lens!? Paps use them ALL the time. How do you think they snap naked or intimate pics of stars at times? You think they walk up to them and start snapping?
Get in touch with the real world!
These pictures are real.
Lee
They may just have an open relationship. The Huffington Post article said they were just spotted together over the weekend at the gym and AC is on vacation, maybe with Andy Cohen and Mark Consuelos, AC and Ben sometimes mgo on group vacations with those guys and they may be all together right now and the uproar about those “cheating” pics ay be blown out of proportion.
Lee
They may just have an open relationship. The Huffington Post article said they were just spotted together over the weekend at the gym and AC is on vacation, maybe with Andy Cohen and Mark Consuelos, AC and Ben sometimes go on group vacations with those guys and they may be all together right now and the uproar about those “cheating” pics ay be blown out of proportion.
Analog
@UHH: That’s clearly not a telephoto lens. The lens isn’t very long at all, otherwise you wouldn’t see the grass in the foreground.
Trust me, these photos are staged.
FunMe
“our spies say Maisani moved out some time ago.”
Well there’s that possibility that Anderson and Ben had broken up already. So technically it wouldn’t be cheating. I guess it’s “moving on”.
Hey, the long hair guy seems like a good kisser! 😉
mc
@Lee: They may have an open relationship but AC is very private & don’t seem to like discussing his relationships. This was making out in a public park complete with hand holding & longing gazes. This seems a little in your face. He had to have known this would be embarrassing to Anderson Cooper.
And the story in HuffPO says that they were at the gym on Saturday. The pictures weren’t posted until Sunday. Their so called anonymous source implied that he was upset about the whole situation. Also AC didn’t post all day on Twitter yesterday when the story broke & only today says he’s on vacation. Looks like he’ll just sit this one out until the story fades away. I doubt he’ll comment on it.
Tim
@American Dreamer: Thanks for your catty comments! Leave it to some gays to continue the tradition of bullying our own while decrying it when people outside our community bully us
Chris
@American Dreamer: How’s life as a malicious, callous twat?
Lee
@mc, Anderson definitely has a pattern of being out of town when something embarrassing or controversial happens to him and THIS has to be one of his worst nightmares and why he stayed silent so long instead of coming out – a complicated love life that is being dissected publicly is probably not what he wanted when he made his coming out statement. You do have a point about how in your face and blatant those pics of Ben are – especially considering that all the pics of AC and Ben together never show them kissing or even holding hands – Ben has to know that having pics like those floating around would piss Anderson off – maybe he’s tired of having to live under AC’s apparent rule of not showing affection in public.
Lee
According to this article, Anderson and Ben are in Croatia on a yacht and the pics came out after they left. Anderson and Ben DO NOT have an open relationship, so Anderson is devastated. That’s going to be one awkward vacation unless they can work it out.
http://www.lifeandstylemag.com/2012/08/how-anderson-cooper-found-out-boyfriend-cheated.html
ned
That was a tacky and mean thing to do to the Coop!
michael
Boy lives with boy + boy moves out = boy trouble
Mason
And Cooper’s already 6 months pregant!! The Knave!!
Kim
@Analog: Staged for what reason? Money? Reality TV?
Randall
@American Dreamer:
Benjamin is such a world class guy. He’s average looking with a good body and he runs a couple of tacky gay bars. Does he have much education? Anyway he has a pretty thrilling resume. You just prove how shallow gay men still are. As if someone with nice biceps is at a higher social level than someone from a famous family who has accomplished many things on his own. You are sick and pathetic. And you epitomize everything that is wrong with the gay view of life. Tell us what your achievements are. An 8 inch cock?
Randall
PS. The “other man” is pretty homely. Bad nose, bad cheeks, too much hair, facial and otherwise. He’s younger than Anderson is all he has in his favor in gay terms.
mike ramon
I never did believe the coop was all that goodlooking, I’m mean he is nice looking but I wouldn’t call him handsome. Maisani, who is he anyway? I mean is he a celebrity, or just rich or just a gay gigolo, he doesn’t seem all that nice looking, not to me. If he isn’t rich then he’s just giving up a not-to-bad-looking sugar daddy.
PAUL GOLDSTON
LOOK TAKE SOME ADVICE IF HE CHEATED NOW WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE AFTER THE V MARRIAGE VOWS. BUT GIVE HIM A SECOND CHANCE , BUT HE DOESN’T CONFORM , I WOULD LIKE TO BE YOUR LOVER I’M OVER FORTY NO LOVER AND HIV/NEGATIVE SO THERE YOU ARE
I’M WILLING TO RELOCATE IF HE WON’T V COME BACK SEE MY EMAIL
BUT OTHER THAN THAT LIFE IS SHORT DON’T WAIT TIL YOUR LOOKS ARE GONE
YOU KNOW IN THE GAY COMMUNITY OVER FORTY YOU’RE DONE . WE ARE SO YOUTH ORIENTENTED THAT WE OLDER GAYS DON’T HAVE A CHANCE TO MEET SOMEONE WHO WILL
GIVE LOVE AND COMPANIONSHIP IN OUR TWILIGHT YEARS .
BUT GOOD LUCK I HOPE THAT YOU’LL FIND SOMEONE WHO CHERISH YOU AND GIVE YOU THE RESPECT AND LOVE YOU DEAR
Louie
Anderson…here´s my number…so call me, maybe
Tad
Dump the bum, Anderson. You can (and should) do better. These kind of guys are not wired for monogamy, baby. Don’t aim for bar trash next time except for a roll in the hay…
Randall
@Randall:
This is a legitimate comment. You are full of shit.
Randall
@Louie:
LOL
ned
@mike ramon: and we all know that nothing matters in the gay world besides looks.
leo
@Mason: He is thinking about abortion
Rob
Why are people assuming that Ben cheated? He was probably picking up some dude for a 3 way with he and AC. Or Ben and AC have an open relationship where they have agreed that it’s OK to have sex with other men at times when they’re not together or in a 3 way.
rpm
Dealing with infidelity is hard for low profile couples! It must be 10x harder when they are in the public eye. Good Luck Anderson.
Analog
Are we absolutely sure the other dude isn’t Anderson in a highly convincing disguise?
Kim
Anderson is on vacation with Andy Cohen he posted pics on instagram
northwesterndick
For God’s sake, leave them alone. Can’t anyone have an open relationship (with mutual consent, of course) without the whole country eating upon it????? What a sick society we are as gay men and women who ask to be accepted and yet cannot accept one of our own who happens to not be within “our definitions” of relationship? Sick bastards who feed on this type of thing – sick, lonely, dizzy queens that you are – leave them alone. Perhaps there but for the bounds of your own reality go you…..
Nelson
Dick apparently AC and Ben are monogamous and Ben cheated! On another blog entry about AC and Ben someone replied saying how they are into barebacking and meth which would not surprise me.
Sw4087
Maybe they are not together anymore. Why would Anderson go on vacation with Andy Cohen and Ben not go? I am sure Ben could take time off. He ownes the bars, it’s not like he is the bar back and could not get the time off.
Andrew
Probably a set up, the Daily Mail is a nasty rag.
Kelly
Ben has been on the boat all week with Anderson. There is a video of Ben there with Anderson. I bet this cheating thing was staged to make us think there won’t be a wedding. They are getting married for sure.
Kasnar
@American Dreamer:I’m just rolling with laughter…..That Ben was one hell of a hunky-looking dude, I must say…Must have tasted good while it lasted…. actually I have little problem with how Anderson looks for that matter. I happen to like his eyes……despite my frosty comment…..LOL
JackAndy
I am convinced this website/tabloid is no better than the damn inquirer. Leave them the hell alone and to their own damn business!!!!