Anderson Cooper has always rubbed me the wrong way. Yes, I know he changed his last name so he could ‘rise from the ashes’ without the aid of his previous powerful name – but what irks me is his projected sensationalism – his “whoa is me” persona he leverages at every opportunity.
Last night, CNN was covering the State of the Union – and a panel was discussing the probable issues that were going to be covered. Wolf Blitzer then cut to a live feed of Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay in Haiti, to discuss how Haiti might be covered in the speech. Wolf, with his no-nonsense flair, jumped right in with a question, to which Anderson replied along the lines: “Before we start, Sanjay and I were just noticing how well dressed and clean pressed everyone on the panel looks – sorry we can’t match that!” I wanted to annihilate my hotel TV.
Anderson - in the middle of some hard hitting, real, journalism
I cannot count how many times I’ve tuned into CNN, only to see a concerned look on Anderson’s face as he sports a bulletproof vest in the Green Zone. Give me a break.
Bob Simon – now there is a journalist. Hailing out of the Bronx, Bob has been tempered by his many years of journalism, across long term assignments including Vietnam and Tel Aviv. Assigned to the Gulf War in 1991, Bob and his crew were captured by Iraqi forces and held in prison for 40 days.
After learning he was previously captured, my respect for him grew even further when I watched a segment on 60 Minutes regarding Israel’s war on Gaza. Israli soldiers would frequently commandeer Arab’s homes and use them as look out points to ensure no Palestinians were sneaking into Israel. You can jump to the 4 minute mark to see for yourself:
Yep, there’s Bob, confronting what feels like a very charged up situation, being told to leave by an Israli Commander – oh, and without the aid of a bulletproof vest.
That, Mr. Anderson, is how it is done.
Tags: 60 Minutes · Bob Simon · But Anderson Cooper is so pretty!!4 Comments
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I like Bob Simon too, but I disagree with your comments on Anderson Cooper. It was a joke, you’re reading way too much into it. Cooper does not always wear bulletproof vests, either, not that that’s such a crime.
(And it’s “Woe is me.”)
I hear ya Cor. I still have no time for Cooper. Please try and convince me he is not a sensationalist….
I like Anderson Cooper. I dislike your constant hatred for him. I also think that perhaps what you see as problematic sensationalism is his effort to convey 1) the seriousness of the events he covers and 2) the stark contrast between the fairly charmed life we live in America to the immense problems and suffering in other parts of the world. Most Americans are fairly clueless and disinterested in events that do not concern them. Many people hear about the conflicts and disasters facing other countries but don’t grasp the full effect those situations have on the people living in those countries. Maybe his alleged sensationalism is an attempt to provide a visual that will stick with people.
When Anderson Cooper puts on a bullet proof vest it shows that yeah, like most Americans, he isn’t bad ass enough to live day to day without flinching in hideous, deadly conflict. And maybe when Anderson Cooper points out that his counterparts in the U.S. have gotten all dolled up to watch the State of the Union and he and Sanjay are dirty and tired it’s a reminder that the recovery work in Haiti is only just beginning. Remember, the US press spends a good bit of time reporting the massive (and generous) contributions made by the U.S. and it’s citizens. People have short attention spans. Hearing that millions and millions of dollars in aid have been donated might lead people to think that everything is under control, when in reality, things in Haiti remain incredibly haggard.
Maybe you’re right, maybe it is sensationalism. But maybe that’s how you get people to wake up and pay attention to what’s going on in the world. And if it’s working, is that really such a bad thing?
In short, I am not sure what you have against this silver haired fox, but I don’t care for it.
I have to agree with you on this one. I have been an Anderson fan forever, but Haiti put me right over the edge. I think his coverage was high drama and whoa is me. I think he got so lost in the story and was becoming the story that he lost total focus on what a journalist is there to do. I think he chose stories for high reaction and shock effect versus just reporting. I think he should have left there a week ago. You have got to remember, there are many people doing heroic things in this world, they just don’t have the advantage of having a camera man with them to run the tape. I think it would have been different if Anderson would have rescued that young boy AND NOT had the cameras going, As they rolled the cameras I had to stop and shake my head. Contrary to popular belief, I think he loves being the story.