American broadcast journalist Anderson Cooper shared that Hollywood actor Richard Gere played a major role in making Cooper realize that he was a gay man.
Recalling an incident, the 55-year-old journalist in interaction with Andy Cohen of the radio show, Radio Andy revealed that when he was 11 years old, he attended a play with two other gay men, photographer Paul Jasmin and his boyfriend, who both were Cooper's mother's friends, reported Page Six.
Cooper said that actor Richard Gere starred in the play, titled 'Bent' and explained that the opening scene of the play was the 'gayest scene' he had ever seen.
"And they took me to see in 'Bent,' which if anyone doesn't know about the play 'Bent,' it's about two gay guys in the concentration camp," Cooper recounted. "I mean the opening scene... It is the gayest thing you can imagine," recollected Cooper.
Talking about Gere, the journalist admitted that Gere looked quite 'beautiful' in the play, reported Page Six.
"And this was Richard Gere in 1977, 'Looking for Mr Goodbar.' He was so beautiful. And I'm there. My mom didn't go. It was just me and my mom's two gay friends," Cooper confessed.
As soon as the opening scene ended on the stage, Cooper realized that he was gay, reported Page Six.
"And I just remember being like, 'Oh my God, I'm gay... I'm totally gay,' recalled the 55-year-old.
Further, Cooper said that since Paul Jamin was friends with Gere, they went backstage where the actor was shirtless in the dressing room, seeing which Cooper lost his ability to 'speak'. However, after becoming a journalist, Cooper admitted that he had interviewed Gere and narrated the whole incident to him as well, reported Page Six.
"And I couldn't speak...I had my Playbill and I wanted to get him to autograph it, but I... couldn't... fast forward to 10 years ago, I was interviewing Richard Gere and I took out the Playbill ... and I told him the whole story and I had him sign it. Yeah. He was very tickled with it," concluded Cooper.
Presently, Anderson Cooper and his ex-partner Benjamin Maisani co-parent their sons Sebastian and Wyatt. The couple parted ways in 2018
( With inputs from ANI )
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