Let’s talk about something that’s equal parts heartwarming and hilariously unexpected. Anderson Cooper, the beloved CNN anchor, recently opened up about his late mom, Gloria Vanderbilt, and her truly unforgettable suggestion for helping him start a family. If you’re thinking this story is wild, trust me, it gets crazier. Gloria, the iconic fashion designer and socialite, once offered to be Anderson’s surrogate! Yep, you read that right. His mom was ready to carry his child at the ripe age of 85. Can you even imagine?
Anderson, now 56, shared this story on “The Howard Stern Show” back on September 26. He explained that this conversation happened long before he even considered fatherhood—about eight years earlier, to be exact. “I was just living my life, and out of nowhere, my mom calls me up,” Anderson recounted with a chuckle. “She says, ‘Honey, there’s something I really need to talk to you about.’”
Gloria’s Bold Proposal: The Surrogate Idea
Anderson went on to explain that his mom had visited a gynecologist who told her she could still technically bear a child at the age of 85. Now, I don’t know about you, but this is the kind of news that stops you in your tracks. “I was floored,” Anderson admitted. “I thought, ‘Wow, this is amazing.’ But then I immediately started thinking, ‘How do I gently let her know this might not be the best idea?’”
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And let’s be real, who wouldn’t? Anderson joked about the absurdity of the situation. “And then I’m immediately thinking, ‘How do I stop my mom from bearing a child?’ Which, honestly, is a thought I’m sure we’ve all had at some point,” he quipped, bringing laughter to the studio.
Clarifying the Plan: It Wasn’t What You Thought
As it turns out, the whole thing was a bit of a misunderstanding. Anderson revealed that his mom eventually clarified her intentions. “She said, ‘I’m not thinking of bearing a child myself,’” he recounted. “She went on to explain, ‘You know you can get an egg anywhere nowadays?’”
Gloria’s actual plan was to help Anderson find the best method of family planning. “She said, ‘What I was thinking is you get an egg and fertilize it with your sperm, and I will carry your child,’” Anderson explained. It’s clear that Gloria was determined to help her son in any way she could, even if her methods were, well, a little unconventional.
Anderson’s Journey to Fatherhood
This wasn’t the first time Anderson mentioned his mom’s desire to become a grandmother. Back in September 2021, he shared another story on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” He described receiving a clipping from his mom about a grandmother in Italy who bore a child for her son at the age of 65 or 70. “She sent me this article with a picture of the woman in the labor room,” Anderson recalled. “I just laughed. My mom had this relentless drive to see me start a family.”
Of course, Anderson eventually became a dad himself. In April 2020, his eldest child, Wyatt, was born via surrogate. Then, in February 2022, his youngest son, Sebastian, joined the family. Anderson co-parents both boys with his ex-boyfriend, Benjamin Maisani. It’s a setup that works beautifully for them. “It’s awesome,” Anderson told People in September 2021. “It’s probably an unusual setup, but I knew he would be a great dad, and he is. We’re exes, but we’re family to each other, and we love each other as family and as co-parents.”
