Emmy Award winner Andy Cohen has taken the Real Housewives all the way to the bank on Bravo TV. He turned a then-struggling network into a Queer Eye for the Straight Guy success story. He has had the Midas touch, producing such highly rated shows as Top Chef, The Millionaire Matchmaker and Flipping Out.
Cohen is the first openly gay late-night talk show host with Watch What Happens Live, where he plays drinking games, talks current events and has two random celebrities "plead the fifth" where they can pass on one difficult question.
His first book, Most Talkative: Stories From the Front Line of Pop Culture, chronicles his journey into the spotlight. He will be in Chicago this weekend hosting Center on Halsted's Human First gala.
Windy City Times: Hi, Andy. First off, we are excited you are coming to Chicago.
Andy Cohen: Me, too. I love Chicago.
WCT: You are coming with kd lang. Have you met her before?
AC: I have never met her. I am such a fan of hers.
WCT: She has an incredible voice.
AC: Yes, she really does.
WCT: We appreciate you coming out for a good cause and human rights. If you get a chance you should check out the Center on Halsted while you are here.
AC: I hear it is great.
WCT: It is very impressive. So let's talk about the book. You had me at hello with your first interview with Susan Lucci at the beginning.
AC: Oh, good. It is a fun story, right?
WCT: Definitely; then it was full circle when you had her on Watch What Happens Live last night.
AC: Isn't it crazy? I got a little choked up at the beginning of the show. I don't know if you could tell.
WCT: You hid it well.
AC: Good. It was total full circle. Here is this woman who took me to lunch and changed my life in 1987. Here she is appearing on my show years later. It was very cool and life is so funny and amazing like that.
WCT: When did you first fall in love with celebrities?
AC: Well, I really fell in love with TV from as far as I can remember. With the Brady Bunch I just got hooked. I grew up two inches from the television, and I always wanted to be on TV somehow. The idea that I have gotten to do this for 23 years is amazing. The way it happened is a great story and it was one of the reasons that I wanted to write the book. I have so many funny stories about my life in TV. I also talk about my own coming out story, which I think is important for anybody to share and pass on.
WCT: I loved the Tammy Faye story and that mention of Queerdonna! Whatever happened to her?
AC: I am so glad. You are the first person to pick up on the Queerdonna reference.
WCT: My family is from Oklahoma and you mentioned covering [news there] in the book. Is it hard to switch and cover heavy topics?
AC: Yes, it was hard. I ultimately wound up getting burned out on the news business. It is pretty clear in the book how that happened. It was a wild time. I am glad I was in my twenties pretty much the whole time in the '90s, since I didn't get much sleep. Come to think of it, I haven't gotten much sleep since I was 18.
WCT: You must have a grueling schedule doing a live show five days a week.
AC: Doing that and the day job is a lot.
WCT: How long did it take you to write the book?
AC: Four and half months. I had a very hard deadline of Jan. 1. I started writing it in the middle of August. I did not have much time at all. I am very deadline oriented and good with them. I just had to jam it out. I spent every weekend as a shut in. It was pretty fun though. I think it was the most fulfilling thing writing a book. It is tangible proof of something that you did.
WCT: Have your family and friends read the book?
AC: Yeah; they are all amused.
WCT: It reads just like you. That Eddie Murphy part sounded so traumatizing…
AC: It really was. People forget that Eddie Murphy's whole act was built around dropping the F-bomb. That was a hard thing for me going to that show, and being on mushrooms didn't help matters. That was upsetting. There were no gay people on TV then. I felt like there were no gay people anywhere. That was a really hard time in my life. It is funny how far we have all come.
WCT: It still happens today. I went to see the comedian Jo Koy and he called an audience member a faggot and I wrote about it. Chelsea Handler even addressed the issue and the story blew up. It is not funny to me.
AC: People can't do that anymore.
WCT: Alright, before we get too heavy. It's time to play "Plead the fifth!" First question, I need the dramatic music but… Are you single?
AC: Yes.
WCT: Okay, who is your favorite or least favorite Housewife?
AC: Plead the fifth!
WCT: What celebrity disappointed you after meeting them?
AC: Oh, god…
WCT: You mentioned Diana Ross in the book.
AC: She was really nice but if you build something up in your mind that it is going to be the most profound experience ever there is almost no way that you won't be disappointed in some way. She was lovely. In my mind, I thought she was a superhero.
WCT: I met her last week, actually. I didn't know what to say to her. What do you say to someone like that, who hasn't heard it all a million times before?
AC: Exactly. What do you say to this woman: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough?"
WCT: I just said, "Thanks for a great show." Is there a dream guest you would like to have on your show Watch What Happens Live?
AC: Michelle Obama! How cool would that be? The Real First Housewife…
WCT: Hey, you had a Kardashian recently on your show so that is big.
AC: I also got Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson and Jerry Seinfeld. Some would argue that it is harder to get them than a Kardashian.
WCT: I have really enjoyed watching the show. I think it is important that we have an openly gay host on a nighttime talk show.
AC: I think it is fun that there is an out gay late night host. I like that.
WCT: I wanted to say congrats on Million Dollar Listing New York getting renewed.
AC: Oh my God! Isn't that great?
WCT: What about Shahs of Sunset?
AC: We picked that up, too.
WCT: I hadn't heard. Looks like there is a whole new batch of shows on the way.
AC: Around the World in 80 Plates starts this week and I love it so much.
WCT: I just talked to Cat, Curtis and Gary from the show. John is from local restaurant Seasons 52. Are you getting to try some restaurants while you are here?
AC: I haven't thought that far ahead.
WCT: Well, we are looking forward to you being here. Have a safe flight and I will see you at the gala.
AC: See you there!
Keep up with all of Andy's shows at www.bravotv.com and purchase Most Talkative where all books are sold such as www.amazon.com .
Andy hosts the Human First gala Saturday, May 12, at 7:00 p.m. at the Harris Theater at Millennium Park, 205 E. Randolph St. Visit www.centeronhalsted.org for tickets on how you can join him and watch an unforgettable performance by k.d. lang that night.