Anderson Cooper: The Next Oprah?

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http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/10/01/anderson-cooper-signs-daytime-talk-show-deal/

So, Oprah's TV heir has been announced and it's none other than The Silver Fox himself: Anderson Cooper.

According to Reuters, Cooper has signed a deal to host a syndicated daytime TV talk show from fall 2011. But he'll be doing double duty as he also gets to keep his job as host of CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360." Warner Bros. announced the deal Thursday, and said the daytime show would cover social issues, pop culture and human interest stories.

Cooper -- who described daytime TV as "fun and interesting" -- will also conduct undercover investigations using hidden cameras, and hold town hall meetings on topics like race, infidelity and Internet predators.

Cooper got his start in TV as a correspondent for ABC News, rising to be co-anchor of 'World News Tonight.' He joined CNN in 2001 after two seasons hosting the TV game show, 'The Mole.' He's hosted 'Anderson Cooper 360' since 2003, and became a household name in 2005 following his intense and emotional coverage of Hurricane Katrina.

Speaking about Cooper's new daytime venture, CNN Worldwide president Jim Walton said it would be "good for Anderson, good for CNN and good for Time Warner."

[Sylph]

Looking forward to it or...?

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It will beat the hell out of Free Trips to Australia and interviews with Tom Cruise.

[Sylph]

[Sylph]

But look at this, from Business Insider:

[Toups]

I've been hoping for an Oprah type show next fall - someone who will discuss serious issues and pop culture (I hope he's able to get big celebs), so I'm looking forward to this.

[DRW50]

I think Anderson is too above it all to ever have a big following. He's very much reserved and the only time he ever seems otherwise is with Kathy Griffin.

[MichaelGL]

If it gets me more Kathy Griffin then I will anticipate it, but I have this gut feeling that it'll probably be a flop.

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I just wonder how Ellen feels about having a new kid on her turf...they are both distributed by Warner Brothers, IIRC. If Anderson gets better ratings or is more critically lauded, I wonder how she will feel about that. No doubt WB will spend less time promoting Ellen and more time on Anderson.

Also, are they pushing Anderson as Oprah's heir apparent? Ellen may have thought she was gonna be pushed into Oprah's role as "queen of the talk show dynasty." Now that Anderson is coming out of the gate with a show almost identical to Oprah's, what does that say to Ellen, who has been building towards eventually taking that role?

[DRW50]

I think Ellen is always going to be a goofier type of host. Oprah is much more self-serious and ponderous, and her attempts to lighten that up have seemed more and more labored in recent years. I think one of the reasons Oprah stayed popular for so long was the earlier years where her humor was more natural.

Anderson seems to be in the vein of the condescending Oprah, the one who has steadily eroded viewers. I don't know if he has any chance at all.

I can't actually think of a time when Anderson was on a popular show. The Mole was not popular, and he's been a figurehead at CNN as they have bled more and more viewers.

[MichaelGL]

Wasn't Anderson first at HLN/Headline News, before coming over to CNN as a figurehead? I vaguely remember watching his show on that network, then suddenly Glenn Beck of all people getting his timeslot, along with the very same set Anderson had on that network.

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Anderson Cooper was never on HLN as anything more than a correspondent or reporter. He has always been with CNN with AC360. Before Glenn Beck came to HLN, the lineup was:

7PM: Showbiz Tonight

8PM: Nancy Grace

9PM: Headline News Prime

10PM: Nancy Grace(Repeat)

11PM: Showbiz Tonight (Repeat)

12AM: Headline News Prime (Repeat)

1AM: Nancy Grace (Repeat)

When Glenn Beck came to the network, he did shuffle the lineup around, but he never "bumped" Anderson Cooper off of HLN. This was the lineup:

6PM: Headline News Prime

7PM: Glenn Beck

8PM: Nancy Grace

9PM: Glenn Beck (Repeat)

10PM: Nancy Grace (Repeat)

11PM: Showbiz Tonight (First-Run)

12AM: Glenn Beck (Repeat)

1AM: Nancy Grace (Repeat)

[Sylph]

Cooper is upset with Vince Vaughn:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i22ebc6f33ed6ca2ed14562b9915b5c53

[DRW50]

I'm glad he said something. Movies have been using gay-baiting and homophobic slurs more and more. You often hear "Well this is IRONIC" or "They aren't saying gay people are bad, they're just using that as an insult." I doubt a lot of those going to see the movie would notice the difference. I remember the gay jokes Vaughan's only successful film in recent years, Wedding Crashers, used. I guess he's going back to that.

Now Cooper should criticize Judd Apatow.

[SFK]

Rosie was the only one who came close to being the next Oprah before she began taking her *power* and herself WAYYY too seriously. Cooper is too wry, too sharp, too icy to endear like Oprah, Ellen too sly, too calculated, too power bent behind the masque for us ever to trust her quite like O.