Andy Cohen talks dishy new book 'Daddy Diaries,' 'Vanderpump Rules' cheating drama
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If there's one thing that's clear about Andy Cohen from his latest book, it's that he never slows down.
That's evident on a Zoom call with the radio and television host, who recently touched down in his hometown of St. Louis, where he was honored with a star on the city's Walk of Fame. In addition to releasing "The Daddy Diaries: The Year I Grew Up" (Henry Holt, 288 pp., out now) and getting his hometown star last Friday, he's continuing to host the headline-making "Watch What Happens Live" and run Bravo's "Real Housewives" empire.
Oh, not to mention he's also a single dad to two young children.
"One of my struggles is the struggle to do everything, and there's kind of a little Dr. Seussian illustration on the cover of me juggling everything," Cohen says, referencing the "Daddy Diaries" cover image. "I think the weight of being a single parent really hit me as I was writing the book, and my book became something of a therapist."
"Daddy Diaries" follows Cohen's previous books, 2014's "The Andy Cohen Diaries: A Deep Look at a Shallow Year" and 2016's "Superficial: More Adventures from the Andy Cohen Diaries," with Cohen keeping a diary entry for nearly every day of the past year.
And 2022 was a big year for Cohen ? one that started with a drunken televised New Year's Eve rant against New York City's then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, ended with a controversial sober New Year's Eve special and included the birth of his baby daughter Lucy via surrogate in April. Cohen is also dad to 4-year-old son Ben.
"I feel like it's kind of a race against my own sense of 'Can I do it all?' and 'Can I be healthy?' and 'Can I do it all without having a nervous breakdown?' " Cohen says of balancing parenthood with his demanding career, a theme throughout the book.
His writing process involved jotting down diary entries any time he could, sometimes on his phone while leaving "WWHL," on a flight or in wee morning hours before his toddler woke up. Some particularly dramatic days, he says, resulted in "a brain dump" at the end of the night, and some weekends he would spend turning his notes into fuller entries.
The result is a book that charts not only Cohen's eccentric, star-studded daily life, but also his personal growth from an extroverted socialite to a grounded father of two, happy to be a homebody.
'It was really surreal': Andy Cohen details first moments as a dad
Several of Cohen's celebrity friends make appearances in the book, including his best friend, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, as well as singer John Mayer.
"Anderson read it, and he loved it. He thinks it's comical," Cohen says. "I worked hard to try to name as many names as I could and be as dishy as I could. I'm a good editor for myself, and I push myself to be vulnerable and be gossipy and be self-deprecating, and all the things I know I need to be for the book to be a success."
"Real Housewives" diehards will also get a kick out of the book. In one entry, Cohen, who executive produces every series in the franchise, describes receiving a baby Dior dress for his newborn daughter Lucy from former "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Jen Shah ? only for Shah to plead guilty to defrauding thousands of people in a nationwide telemarketing scheme not long after.
Shah is serving a 6?-year prison sentence.
So what did Cohen end up doing with the baby dress potentially purchased with Shah's ill-gotten gains? He says he "regifted it" to "someone famous who's a 'Housewives' fan."
"I said, 'I feel like you could have it and enjoy it, not only as a 'Housewives' fan, but because it's a beautiful thing,'" he says. "But I didn't feel appropriate accepting it because of obvious reasons."
More: 'Real Housewives' star Jen Shah sentenced to 6.5 years in prison for telemarketing scheme
In addition to those enthralled by all things Bravo and celebrity, Cohen says his book is also for fellow parents.
"When I see another kid having a tantrum on the street, I feel seen as a parent, so I think that parents will feel seen reading this book," he says. "I think people could look at my life and think, 'Oh, this guy must just have this wonderful, drama-free life.' And I think you read the book and you see, look, I'm dealing with everything you're dealing with."
Cohen also weighed in on the "Vanderpump Rules" cheating scandal, what celebrity he'd love to have join the "Real Housewives" franchise and more.
Question: What do you think of Lisa Vanderpump deciding to close her West Hollywood, California, restaurant Pump on July 5, and what does it mean for the future of Bravo's "Vanderpump Rules"?
Cohen: Well, we don't shoot much at Pump, so I don't think it has any effect on "Vanderpump Rules." And my only reaction is Lisa's been a restaurateur for many years, and she's had tremendous success. So if she thinks it's the right time to close Pump, then I think I would follow her lead. She's someone to bet on in terms of the restaurant world.
How have you approached filming the alleged cheating scandal involving "Vanderpump Rules" stars Tom Sandoval, Raquel Leviss and Ariana Madix?
You just bring cameras to the principles and see what happens. I'm so surprised by the level of interest and the dominance that this has had over the cultural conversation for the last couple months. It's been interesting to watch. These are real people with real lives, and I think people feel that they know them and that's why they're so invested.
Why do you think the "Scandoval" has had such a grip on our culture?
I think it's a relatable story. Someone cheats with someone's best friend, but the fact we know all the players and have for years and they've been on the show and you saw this relationship come together nine years ago ? I think that makes it relatable to people in a way that is shocking.
'Vanderpump Rules' cheating allegations: What Tom Sandoval, Raquel Leviss and Ariana Madix have said
Which celebrity would you love to cast in a "Real Housewives" series?
Chrissy Teigen is always the one for me. I've never talked to her about it seriously, but she's on my show in the next week or two, so I'm going to bring it up.
What's your favorite memory shared in the book?
The day Lucy was born is a favorite. I think (getting my star on) the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a favorite. I think the New Years are favorites. ... There's some just random days, and then there are other days I can't put my finger on. And sometimes in New York, just crazy stuff happens in the course of the day. If you love New York City, you'll love this book too.
Do you prefer hosting CNN's 'New Year's Eve Live' drunk or sober?
I loved our New Year's Eve show this year without the drinking, but people were so upset. I hope we can drink next year, because it seems so important to people. More people bring that up to me than I can believe.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Andy Cohen talks 'Daddy Diaries,' 'Vanderpump Rules' cheating drama
