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>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY. WELCOE BACK.
MY GUEST TONIGHT IS AN EMMY AND PEABODY AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST
WHO IS A CORRESPONDENT FOR CBS'S "60 MINUTES" AND THE HOST OF
"ANDERSON COOPER 360."
PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW," ANDERSON COOPER!
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>> Stephen: NICE TO SEE YOU.
LOOK AT THE PEOPLE.
>> CRAZY, FANTASTIC.
>> Stephen: SO, THIS IS OUR THIRD SHOW BACK WITH A FULL
AUDIENCE HERE.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: AND IT'S-- IT'S SORT OF STRIKING HOW QUICKLY
THINGS ARE STARTING TO FEEL NORMAL.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: TO ME.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: WAS THERE A MOMENT, OR HAVE YOU GOTTEN THERE
YET, WHERE-- HOW ABOUT NEW YORK?
YOU GREW UP IN NEW YORK.
IS THERE A MOMENT WHEN YOU FELT LIKE, "OH, GOD, THIS IS WHAT NEW
YORK FEELS LIKE?" IT'S BEEN GHOSTLY FOR PART OF
THE YEAR.
>> IT HAS BEEN GHOSTLY AND I HAVE BEEN RIDING MY BIKE
THROUGHOUT THE CITY BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN GOING TO THE OFFICE.
>> Stephen: AND YOU COULD RIDE DOWN BROADWAY FOR PART OF IT.
>> I FEEL LIKE NEW YORK IS BACK, BUT WAY BACK.
WHEN I GREW UP IN NEW YORK CITY, AND I LIVED RIGHT BY WASHINGTON
SQUARE PARK.
WHEN I WAS A KID, WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK WAS WHERE YOU WENT
TO GET MUGGED.
AND, LIKE -- >> Stephen: I'M SORRY, I HAVE
AN APPOINTMENT.
>> I GREW UP IN NEW YORK IN THE 70s AND EARLY 80s, AND ALL
WE TALKED ABOUT AS KIDS WAS WHEN WE WERE GOING-- LIKE, WHEN WE
WERE GOING TO GET MUGGED, GETTING MUGGED, WHO STOLE MY BUS
PASS.
>> Stephen: WHAT'S THE ETIQUETTE FOR BEING MUGGED.
>> EXACTLY.
AND I WALKED THROUGH WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK THE OTHER DAY AND A
COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE PARK HAD
BEEN TAKEN OVER BY FOLKS WHO WERE VERY, YOU KNOW, DEDICATED
TO USING SUBSTANCES.
>> Stephen: THERE'S LIKE A NIGHTLY RAVE SCENE NOW.
WHATEVER THAT MEANS THESE DAY.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHY ANYONE WOULD WANT TO GO TO A RAVE IN
WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK.
IT SOUNDS JUST, LIKE, AWFUL TO ME.
AND I I GUESS THE LAST ONE ON SATURDAY NIGHT PEOPLE WERE
STABBED.
SO THAT DOESN'T SOUND GOOD.
THE PARK HAS BEEN, IT'S, LIKE, BACK INDEPENDENT 70s.
I FEEL LIKE I'M BACK TO THE FUTURE.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: SO THERE'S GOING TO BE-- THERE'S GOING TO BE A
PUNK SCENE.
I'LL SEE YOU AT STEREO 54.
>> EXACTLY, YES.
>> Stephen: DID YOU GO TO STUDIO--
>> I WENT TO STUDIO 54 TWICE.
BOTH TIMES MY MOM BROUGHT ME, WHICH TELLS YOU A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT HOW I WAS RAISED.
I WAS 11 YEARS OLD WHICH, AGAIN, DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A GOOD IDEA.
>> Stephen: "HONEY, MOMMY IS GOING TO GO DANCE.
YOU STAY HERE WITH MICK AND BIANCA."
>> ACTUALLY, THAT'S NOT A JOKE.
FIRST TIME I WENT IT WAS FOR THE PREMIERE OF "THE WIZ," BECAUSE
MY MOM WAS DATING SIDNEY LAMET AND I WENT WITH MICHAEL JACKSON
AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHO MICHAEL JACKSON WAS BECAUSE I DIDN'T
LISTEN TO MUSIC AS A KID.
I WAS PLAYING "DUDGEONS AND DRAGONS."
AND MY ONLY MEMORY WAS SEEING MICHAEL JACKSON DANCE WITH
SOMEBODY.
AND I TURNED TO THE PERSON NEXT TO ME AND SAID, "HE'S REALLY
GOOD AT THAT.
HE SHOULD PURSUE THAT."
>> Stephen: THE MOST BELIEVABLE PART OF THAT STORY IS
THAT AN 11-YEAR-OLD ANDERSON COOPER WOULD USE THE PHRASE "HE
SHOULD PURSUE THAT."
>> YEAH, THAT'S TOTALLY TRUE.
I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT -- >> Stephen: HE SHOULD BROADEN
HIS HORIZONS, MOTHER.
>> AND THE SECOND TIME WE WENT, GRACE JONES PERFORMED.
>> Stephen: HOLY COW!
>> YEAH.
AND MY MEMORY-- I DON'T KNOW IF THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
BUT AT SOME POINT, WITH THE MICROPHONE CABLE, SHE SEEMED TO
HAVE MADE SOME SORT OF A, LIKE, A NOOSE, PUT IT AROUND THE NECK
OF SOME GUY IN THE AUDIENCE.
AND I REMEMBER HER LIFTING HIM UP.
I DON'T WILL THINK THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED, BUT THAT'S HOW IT
LOOKED TO ME AT 11.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: OKAY, SO, NOW...
( LAUGHTER )
ME, ACTUALLY.
NOW YOU'RE A DAD YOURSELF.
>> IT'S A VERY RELATABLE CHILDHOOD, I THINK.
>> Stephen: SPEAKING OF CHILDHOOD AND RELATING TO IT,
YOU■ ARE NOW A DAD OF YOUR OWN.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: OF YOUNG WYATT, RIGHT HERE.
>> YES, YEAH.
( APPLAUSE )
>> YEAH, HE TURNED ONE APRIL 27.
HE TURNED ONE YEARS OLD.
>> Stephen: IS HE TALKING?
>> HE TALKS IN A DIALECT OF HINDI OR URDU, I'M NOT SURE.
IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING DIALECT.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS.
IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE AT THIS POINT BUT HE'S VERY
COMMITTED TO IT.
>> Stephen: LOOK AT THOSE EYES.
THE EYES DO NOT FALL FAR FROM THE DAD THERE.
>> I KNOW, I KNOW.
SO JUST FOR THE FIRST TIME, I WAS IN ISRAEL LAST WEEK, MY
FIRST WORK TRIP FOR "60 MINUTES," AND I WAS DOING AN
INTERVIEW, AND I GET THIS TEXT FROM WYATT'S OTHER DAD,
BENJAMIN, AND HE SAID, "HE JUST WALKED."
EXCLAMATION MARK, EXCLAMATION MARK.
>> Audience: OOOH.
>> YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE MY REACTION.
MY REACTION WAS FURY,s I WAS LIKE, "A," I CAN'T BELIEVE I
MISSED THIS, THAT I'M COULD GO THIS INTERVIEW IN ISRAEL OF ALL
PLACES.
AND, SECONDLY, THEN I GOT REALLY PISSED AT BENJAMIN FOR-- I WAS
LIKE, IN MY HOUSEHOLD, WHEN I GREW UP, YOU WOULD LIE ABOUT
EVERYTHING.
( LAUGHTER )
SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID HE JUST WALKED.
HE SHOULD HAVE LIED AND SAID HE'S NOT WALKING AT ALL.
SO WHEN I GOT HOME AND HE WALKED WE WOULD HAVE BEEN, "OH, MY GOD,
IT'S THE FIRST WORK."
>> Stephen: WOW, WOW.
( APPLAUSE ).
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: BUT THE THING IS-- >> AND HE WALKS --
>> Stephen: MISSING YOUR CHILD'S FIRST WALK--
>> RIGHT.
>> Stephen: PROVES YOU ARE A FATHER.
>> I KNOW, EXACTLY, YES.
AND HE WALKS LIKE A DRUNKEN SAILOR.
AND -- >> Stephen: NOT WELL THEN.
>> HE WALKS LIKE SOMEONE AT THE RAVE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK.
( LAUGHTER )
ABOUT WHAT HE WAS DOING IN ISRAEL.
>> Stephen: DON'T GIVE HIM A KNIFE.
SUNDAY IS FATHER'S DAY.
THIS IS YOUR SECOND.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: HOW HAS FATHER-- WHAT?
>> NO, GOOD AHEAD.
>> Stephen: DID I GET SOMETHING WRONG?
ARE YOU FACT CHECKING ME?
>> NO, IT WAS FUNNY, BECAUSE YOUR PRODUCER SAID-- I TALKED TO
HER ON THE PHONE BEFORE I CAME HERE.
AND SHE SAID, "STEPHEN MAY ASK YOU ABOUT THIS WEEKEND."
I SAID, "GREAT.
WHAT'S THIS WEEKEND?" AND SHE WAS LIKE, "IT'S FATHER'S
DAY."
AND I WAS LIKE OH... BECAUSE MY DAD DIED WHEN I WAS 10.
>> Stephen: AS DID MINE.
>> AND FOR ME, FATHER'S DAY WAS SOMETHING I AVOIDED-- I JUST--
JUST DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT.
AND WHEN ALL KIDS IN SCHOOL-- AND I THINK FOR ANYBODY OUT
THERE WHO LOST A PARENT EARLY-- YOU KNOW, HOLIDAYS AND
ESPECIALLY FAWGD'S DAY, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A DAD, IT'S JUST--
I'S NOT EVEN BITTERSWEET.
IT'S JUST LIKE -- >> Stephen: KIND OF
INEXPLICABLE.
>> YEAH, IT'S INEXPLICABLE.
AND THE PAIN WAS SO GREAT FOR MY ENTIRE-- MOST OF MY LIFE, I
DIDN'T KNOW FATHER'S DAY WAS THIS DATE, AND THE INTERESTING
THING FOR ME ABOUT HAVING A SON, A CHILD, IT HAS MADE ME SORT OF
CONNECT WITH MY DAD AND MY MOM'S PAST AND MY BROTHER'S PAST IN A
WAY THAT I NEVER REALLY ANTICIPATED.
LIKE, I FEEL LIKE I AM IN COMMUNION WITH THEM IN SOME
STRANGE WAY, AND I REMEMBER THINGS ABOUT MY DAD THAT I NEVER
REMEMBERED BEFORE BECAUSE I'M EXPERIENCING THEM WITH WYATT AS
A DAD.
IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.
>> Stephen: THAT'S VERY BEAUTIFUL.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: THAT'S VERY BEAUTIFUL.
I'M VERY HAPPY FOR YOU.
>> YEAH, NO, IT'S INCREDIBLE.
>> Stephen: IT'S AN UNEXPECTED GIFT OF BEING A FATHER
( APPLAUSE ).
>> IT REALLY IS.
AND SO MY MOM PAINTED A LOT, AND SHE DID A PORTRAIT OF HER AND MY
FATHER, WHICH I REALLY LIKE.
AND I PUT IT OUTSIDE WYATT'S ROOM.
AND EVERY MORNING WHEN I WALK BY, HE STOPS,S AND HE INSISTS ON
GOING OVER AND TOUCHING THE PORTRAIT OF MY MOM AND MY DAD.
WHICH I FIND REALLY...
WONDERFUL ( VOICE BREAKING ).
>> Stephen: THAT IS VERY BEAUTIFUL.
( APPLAUSE )
SAID-- I'VE ALWAYS SAID TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ABOUT TO HAVE
KIDS, IT CAN BE HARD, BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: EVEN WHEN YOU THINK HOW CAN I GO ON.
I HAVEN'T SLEPT FOR DAYS.
BUT IT TAPS YOU ON THE SHOULDER AND PUNCH YOUS IN THE FACE WHEN
YOU DON'T EXPECT IT.
IT PUNCHES YOU WITH THE BEAUTIFUL.
IT'S NOT THAT IT'S NOT PAINFUL BUT IT'S HUMAN AND CONNECTS YOU
ON A PRIMAL LEVEL FLOTONLY TO YOUR FATHER BUT ALL THE FATHERS
ALL THE WAY BACK.
>> EVERY CLICHE COMES TRUE.
IT CHANGES THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT THE WORLD.
AND I DID NOT KNOW MY HEART COULD GROW NEW CHAMBERS AND NEW
VENTRICLES-- I'M NOT SURE WHAT A VENTRICLE IS.
>> Stephen: IT IS IN THERE.
IT DE-GRINCHIFIES YOU.
>> IT WHAT.
>> Stephen: IT DEGRINCHIFIES YOU.
ARE YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH "HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS.
DO YOU HAVE PLANS FOR THE WEEKEND?
>> I'M GOING TO GO HANG OUT WITH BENJAMIN'S OTHER DAY-- I MEAN,
WYATT'S OTHER DAD, BENJAMIN.
>> Stephen: BENJAMIN'S DAD CAN COME, TOO,s THAT WOULD BE
COOL.
>> AND WE'RE GOING TO HANG OUT IN CONNECTICUT AND JUST-- JUST
BE DADS.
>> Stephen: I HAVE A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU, THOUGH.
>> UH-OH.
>> Stephen: YOU SEEM TO BE TAKING THIS DAD THING VERY
SERIOUSLY.
AND THAT'S GREAT.
IT'S WONDERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE SAID IS
GREAT.
>> WOW, THAT REALLY CAME FROM THE HEART.
>> Stephen: IT REALLY DID, "IT REALLY DID.
YOU WILL SEE WHY IN JUST A SECOND.
WHERE IS THE DAD BOD, THOUGH.
ANDERSON, YOU'RE NOT REALLY COMMITTED UNTIL I SEE A GUT.
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
THIS IS WHAT A DAD LOOKS LIKE.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ).
THIS IS A DAD, OKAY.
RIGHT THERE, BABY.
YEAH.
THERE IT IS.
ANYTHING?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, STEPHEN I'M A GAY MAN.
WE CAN'T LET OURSELVES GO.
>> Stephen: HIRE STANDARDS!
HIGHER STANDARDS!
>> SET AN EXAMPLE.
>> Stephen: WELL WE HAVE TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK.
PLEASE STICK AROUND.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE ANDERSON COOPER.
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