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Andy Cohen Talks Parenting Secrets, Being a Gay Role Model and More

andy cohen Became the first openly gay host of a late-night talk show Watch what happens live Started in 2009.

The 56-year-old has son Ben (5) and daughter Lucy (2). Publicly supported LGBTQ+ rights Over the years: He has served as an ambassador for the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, raised money for victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting and was honored with the Vito Russo Award by GLAAD in 2019. He also uses his platform to speak out on issues close to his heart, including on his SiriusXM channel, “Radio Andy.”

Cohen specifically takes part in The latest issue of our weekly He said his status as a gay icon is not something he takes lightly.

“Whenever a mom comes up to me and says, ‘I have a gay son, and we love watching your show together,’ or a gay person says, ‘I’ve watched you all my life, and it means a lot to me to see that you’re OK and happy,’ it means a lot,” he says.

Here, the Emmy-winning producer, who recently teamed up with Fresca Mixed to invite fans 21 and over to join the Fresca Mixed Club, explains We More information about his life today.

Don Arnold/WireImage

How will you commemorate Pride Month this year?

I’m going to split the city and celebrate at my house [Hamptons] Beach house. Proud wherever I am.

Your son, Ben, is 5. Have you ever talked to him about pride?

I didn’t. But he understands what the LGBTQ+ community is and that he needs another dad before he can get anything else. He has friends who have two dads and one mom and one dad or two moms, so I never had to explain how different families are. He just understood it because he saw it, which is great.

You’re a single dad, but you make it look easy. What’s your secret?

Everything looks easy on Instagram. I don’t show you my moments of extreme vulnerability, loneliness and frustration because they’re not fun to watch. But those moments are there for all parents.

What is the hardest part of being a parent for you?

Being the good cop and the bad cop and everything in one person [to them]But I also think that having children late in life has been good for me. I don’t like to take on the burden of everything.

Almighty dad Andy Cohen reveals his parenting secrets
Courtesy of Andy Cohen/Instagram

Do your famous friends give you advice?

Kelly [Ripa] And Mark [Consuelos’] The kids are very polite and kind. They have brought them up properly, so I look to them for advice. The couple shared sons Michael, 27, Joaquin, 21, and daughter Lola, 22.)

What is your plan to keep your kids grounded?

I try to teach them values ​​and have very strict boundaries and rules. Both of these will work – I just don’t want them to start being too obnoxious.

Andy Cohen expressed gratitude to his father Anderson Cooper, who has been his best friend for years

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Does Ben understand that you’re a celebrity?

I don’t think so. He knows which of my friends are famous. He’s seen a few movies a while back. [my] New Year’s Eve [live shows]So he must know that Anderson [Cooper] is on TV, and we’ve seen Kelly on TV in the taxi. She thinks everybody has a show. She doesn’t know any better!

Do you let him watch ‘Watch What Happens Live’?

No, but he has been [on set] A lot, and he knows I have a show and people like it because people always come up to me and say, “I like your show.” He says, “They like my dad,” which is really nice.

Almighty dad Andy Cohen reveals his parenting secrets
Courtesy of Andy Cohen/Instagram

You said recently that you like Lucy’s feminine energy in the house. What is she doing?

She’s really great with her speech; she’s saying a lot. She knows what she wants. I love it – I say, “Oh, son, let’s get started.”

What is Ben and Lucy’s relationship like?

They get along very well with each other and Ben takes great care of her. They both look very cute together.

Ben is going to start kindergarten next year. Are you emotional about that?

I’m excited. We were at the nursery school yesterday, and some of the moms were crying, but I was fine. I love it.

Where do you currently stand with respect to sharing?

The last time I showed Ben my face was when I got my star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame [in 2022]You can hear their voices on my Instagram, which I think is awesome. I would love to feature them both on my feed every day, but I want to keep their identities private. They didn’t ask for it, so I’m trying to respect that.

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If you could join any Housewives franchise for a day, which one would it be?

It would be nice to live in New York City so I wouldn’t have to leave the city. I would fit in perfectly there.

You’ve been an executive producer on Housewives since 2006. When do you think you’ll stop doing that?

When Bravo tells me.

So, no plans for retirement?

[That word] It is not in my dictionary.

For more from Cohen, watch the exclusive video above and buy the latest issue. our weekly — is now available on newsstands.

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