The fabulous Ms. Xtina has surfaced with her account of Saturday evening. I'm posting it on top so those of you checking back are sure to see it. There are more accounts further down in today's post. Thank you Xtina and all the others who took the time to share their experience with us.
Nov. 11, 2006 - Anderson is in rare form, excited to be paying his first visit to AC360 viewers in Buffalo, NY, and he's in a wonderful mood, ready to listen and respond. The University has set him up in the basketball arena, with fold-up chairs on the court and a portable stage backed by Anderblue portable drapes. People also sit in the stands. Two screens, one on each side of the stage, project the action and although the acoustics makes things “echoey”, videographers are set up at three or four points around the arena (there possibly will be a tape or dvd of this event.)
The University rep introduces Anderson, calling him a “self-proclaimed crisis junkie”, and that he reports on “what people are capable of doing to each other- the brutality and the great kindnesses,” “a child of privilege”, and known (after his work during Katrina) as “the man with the power of a dozen bulldozers.”
Anderson says “he’s embarrassed to admit” that it's his first time in Buffalo and that he tends not to do speaking engagements much because he gets called away often for news assignments. He’s say he dislikes having to cancel, and warns that his beeper may go off ay any moment: “like if Michael Jackson does something.” Anderson says he emailed Wolf Blitzer- who attended UAB- for advice. Anderson whips out the infamous Blackberry (!) and reads Wolf’s email, which he says just arrived a few hours ago. Wolf says, “Hi!...make sure you say ‘Go, Bills!’, ‘Go, Sabres!’…tell them my years at UAB were the best of my life…talk about bocci pizza (Anderson sounds puzzled by this one)…and above all, avoid jokes about snow!” Anderson says he really prefers to talk to the audience, saying “What y’all talk about is more interesting than what I have to say” (he’s uses y’all a lot tonight). The evening will be open to questions now, and there are a lot!
There are some questions about the political climate. Anderson loves politics and compares the country to a ship, saying we’ve just witnessed a shift in power, and it’s as if the ship tilts one way, then the over way. He recounts his big assignment covering the ’04 election, saying how amazed he was at the specifics of running a debate, from the height of the podium to the type of pens and pencils used, to the temperature of 
the room. Al Gore tended to sweat and George Bush’s people wanted the room warm, because Al Gore sweats ! He says “sweat is impordant in politics!” and asks if we ever noticed that politicians tend not to sweat. But, he says, he was so nervous , he was "sweating like Albert Brooks in 'Broadcast News!'" Anderson does the “politicians’ thumb gesture”, saying, ‘did you ever notice that this move is only done by politicians?’ Here’s the gesture:
He says he’s “concerned about all this focus on red and blue states”, and that most people aren’t willing to engage others’ opinions. “There shouldn’t be ‘Republican news’ and ‘Democrat news’,” he says. He seems disdainful of the current trend toward people with news shows sort of “shouting” their views. “If you look at cable news, it’s all about shouting.” “I’m sure anyone in this audience can get a show if you yell loud enough – no really.” He recommends not closing yourself off to others’ views.
A few people bring up Darfur, a topic on which Anderson is well-informed. “Darfur is such a frustrating thing,” he says. “There’s been a lot of evangelical groups increasing their level of interest in the past year.” He is also frustrated that most of the news on this tragic situation comes in print form. “There’s just no video images or pictures.” In other words, it’s happening, but no one can get there. “There’s not an easy solution in Darfur.”
He thinks people will become weary and feel helpless and lose interest if they feel “it’s just an endless cycle.” But he adds that he thinks of all the countries worldwide, America really cares about what’s happening overseas.
One brave soul says she and her husband only watch Anderson from 10:00 to 11:00pm, then switch to Comedy Central. Anderson isn’t insulted, but asks “do you have a Neilsen box?” “No,” says the woman. “Then, I don’t care!”Another brave person asks the whereabouts of Aaron Brown. Anderson says he has the the same agent as Aaron and that he hears Aaron is doing really well, is building a home in Arizona, spends time in NY, that Aaron is still under contract with CNN, and that we’ll be hearing from him soon ! (nothing on exactly what Aaron will be doing).
Anderson tells a bit about his day-to-day operations, saying he reads ten newspapers every morning (later he changes it to “six or seven”) and that he reads blogs all day and confers every morning at 10:00 with his staff about which stories are most timely for airing that night. He has two “researchers” who read all manner of news and internet info on his behalf.
Someone sings the lyrics to the WNN polka, and Anderson loves it! He laughs and says to the unresponsive audience, “she’s not crazy!”. Then he goes into some of his old stories about being on overnight when “no one is watching”, not even station management, and that “we could do whatever we wanted!” When his co-host was off for the evening, they would place a cardboard cut-out of her in her place! The same audience member wants Anderson to add funny bits to the show again. She says people at CNN “just aren’t as funny as you !” And Anderson says, “Very few people are.” Then, she holds up the Web MD magazine, offering it to Anderson. He says he has it, then corrects himself, “well, my mother has it.”
Someone touches on the “risk factor” of going to dangerous places. “I don’t like to make a big deal about risk.” On the military, “I think it’s fantastic – I joined the Marines in college, and got sent packing” (some issue with cartilage [sp?] in his knee). “We need people to protect us.” Some of his favorite interviews are with military personnel. He says he talked to a lot of soldiers returning from Afghanistan. He says it frustrates him that people say to these soldiers, “Oh, at least you’re not in Iraq”. He thinks it’s unfair and inaccurate to call Afghanistan any less dangerous. Anderson points out to the audience the special segment on Willsun Mock that aired on CNN several times in recent days, saying he is really sad and bothered about Sgt. Mock's story.
He mentions he will go back to Iraq “in a couple of weeks”.
On the three people he’d most like to interview: without hesitation, “K- Fed.” He doesn’t have a second or third, “that’s it, just K-Fed.” He thinks out loud, saying he’s “not into celebrities” and “politicians don’t speak from the heart.” He likes “real people in real situations - I don’t have a wish list.”
Now here’s a high point of the evening for an Anderfan. Anderson says to the audience:
“Are you familiar with the Unbuddon Lean? – let me show you!” He touches his coat buddon, twisting slightly and bending slightly at the waist, and he unbuddons. “Well, it works better if you’re sitting down,” he says, but has nothing on which to sit. He does it once more with feeling! (He doesn't call it the "Unbuddon Lean-In")
One audience member says, “ this question isn’t so much for Anderson Cooper the reporter; it’s for Anderson Cooper, the model.” And he asks if Anderson will be doing more modeling. Anderson says he really only modeled from ages eleven through 13. The audience member says he thinks he saw Anderson in Maxim magazine. Anderson says there is a model who resembles him in Maxim, but that it’s not him. “Well, if the CNN thing doesn’t work out… “ and in usual Ander-fashion, “I don’t think there’s a market for pale, skinny guys with chicken legs!”
On his job, he says sometimes it’s easy. “I only have to be able to read!” He loved doing the political returns because most of it was not on the teleprompter. He likes being on air live without the teleprompter.
Anderson occasionally gets philosophical, talking about his approach to life. “When I was young I used to go to the beach and run along the tops of the dunes. If you stopped, you’d fall in, but if you kept moving quickly, you’d stay up on top of them."
Thanks to Krissy for another fabulous wallpaper
In Sunday's comments an anonymous poster submitted a well written, carefully thought out reflection on PurpleTie's post. If you are the author of the aforementioned comment please don't expect to get spammed here at ATA. Even though none of our blog team agrees with the ideas you put forth, we respect your right to do so. We try to do the 360 on our blog, just as AC does on his show.
That said, we don't usually go into the sexuality issue, because Anderson hasn't addressed it. How can we discuss something that we can't back up with credible sources? That being said, I really let the comments go on much longer than I was comfortable with. This subject is a tired horse that just doesn't ride anymore with me.
I really don't want to come off as some sort of saint. Of course I'd love to know if Anderson has ever been in love. I'd love to know what attracts him to someone, etc. but more important that he's happy. By violating his privacy I can't imagine we would be making him happy and for that I'm sorry. So let's move on.
Several ATA readers made it to Anderson's lecture in Buffalo on Saturday night. Here are the accounts we've received so far.
This from someone who wanted to remain anonymous:
I just got back from hearing Anderson Cooper speak at my school. He was awsome to hear live and in person. He was witty and smart and serious and really funny. After he spoke he signed books and things and took pictures with people. I was so close to getting my ticket signed, but he had to leave. I am really bummed but I am glad that heard him speak. I must also say that he is even more handsome in person. :o)
This from American Tomboy:
I was also at the University of Buffalo Distinguished Speaker Series featuring Mr. Cooper and it was a great evening. He is better looking in person if you can believe it. He wore the black and white striped tie and seemed taller than I would have thought. We (I went with my husband) had good seats - on the floor and to the left of the stage. They set up two huge screens on either side of the stage - but I wanted to look at him in person - I can see him on TV anytime! But I couldn't help myself but look at the screens too. The first half hour he talked about much of the same stuff that we already know. His background, the follow your bliss not being specific enough, all that stuff. He said Wolf Blitzer (a Buffalo native and UB alum) sent him some points on his "blackberry" - he always has to put that in and he was actually holding it and looking at it - to talk to the crowd about and those were funny and Buffalo specific. He said that he has a tendency to ramble and didn't want to talk the whole time and wanted to open it up to a Q and A. Now, my husband was not a big Anderson fan before last night. He was a little skeptical of him and thought he had some kind of agenda or his views leaned a little too far one way or whatever. I always assured him that Mr. Cooper reported the facts and always seeked out the true story over showing any kind of opinion or bias unlike other tv journalists out there. So my husband kept an open mind and really enjoyed the discussion and thought he was very funny and a good journalist. Of course for the Q&A I couldn't think of anything and a bunch of people went up to the microphones ahead of me. That was the best part of the evening. He answered everything thoroughly - sometimes too thoroughly - like 3 and 4 minute answers - but always very thoughtful answers. And when he didn't know he said he didn't know how to answer that or would apologize if he thought he didn't give the person the best anwer he could. Some lady gets to the microphone and starts singing the World News Now polka song! I hadn't heard of it - but she said that's when she became a fan of his and a "groupie" and he thought that was pretty funny. She said she enjoyed his style back then and hoped he would do something like that again. I never saw the program but it seemed to be pretty cool and a little irreverent. He said he will be in Iraq in a couple of weeks. That was really the only mention of future plans or whatever. Someone asked about Aaron Brown and what he's up to. Anderson and he have the same agent so he keep up to speed on what he's doing through him. He is building a house in Arizona and golfing but he's still under contract with CNN and might be back. Another guy asked about a Ralph Lauren ad in Maxim magazine -he thought it was Anderson - and wanted to know if he will be doing any more modeling. Anderson said that it's not him - he can't promote any brands like that under CNN contract but he knew that they had a model that looked like him - he said he has grey hair and that they think we all look alike. He said he probably wouldn't be doing any more modeling. He asked who would want to see a grey-haired, pale guy with chicken legs - something like that. I'm like - I would! He was just very loose, very gracious, really funny, just very cool and very smart. They had to end the Q&A but he said he'd take a couple more questions -I think he would have stayed there another hour or so just to talk and answer questions. One young woman asked if he could remember a light-hearted, touching moment that he recently experienced - since we were talking about some heavy stuff most of the evening. He said he was drawing a blank and couldn't think of anything but he'd think about it and took more questions. Then it was really time to wrap it up and I think he genuinely felt bad that he didn't have an answer for her. I felt bad for him too that he couldn't think of a recent light-hearted moment. So it ends and he comes off the stage and there are ropes there but people go right up and start getting pictures with him and stuff. Of course, I had my camera with me, but it just didn't seem appropriate or something - plus I'm a big chicken and people were just like running up there, so we headed out. I'm sure he stayed there awhile but eventually had to go.
The other things that I was remember were - he kept mentioning that his job was to shine the light on stories and not give an opinion on what we/the US or whomever should do about it - but tell the story. He hopes when people see his reports on the Congo, or Darfur, or the plight/crisis of AIDS in Africa that maybe someone will be affected by it and try and help, send money, etc. But he stressed that it wasn't his job to give an opinion.
He also said that we get the TV journalism that we deserve. Someone asked why didn't we know about the horrible things going on in Darfur and the Congo, etc. and that those shows got poor ratings and stuff and Anderson said that more people are interested in "missing blondes" and Scott Peterson's, etc. He said that a missing girl in Aruba is a story but alluded to it being the only story for months and stuff was a little absurd.
He said that at 10pm hedocumentariest documentaires about prisons, Greta (but he didn't say her name), some other ridiculous programming and that's what people are watching. But CNN and he believe in important stories and they will send him wherever. It's not about the ratings and guiding stories by how they think they will rate and how many people will watch.
All in all, it was a great evening and he is a great speaker.
As to the question of the Anderson look alike model, in the Ralph Lauren ad, here's what we received from Anthony.
Be still my heart! That's one fine looking man.
And this from Michelle:
I was the girl who asked Anderson about what his favorite light hearted or touching story was. At first it was a little awkward standing there after he decided to take another question and think about it, and I thought for sure he'd come up with something. Afterwards, the usher came up behind me and said "Wow you really stumped him!" It made for a funny story later, because at the end of the event my friend and I managed to get close to him and he posed for a picture with us. When we were taking the picture I leaned into his ear and said "Sorry I stumped you before." and he laughed and apologized again for not being able to come up with anything. He took some more pictures with other people, and my friend and I managed to get close to him once more and he signed our books. While he was writing my name out in mine, that same usher who had talked to me earlier was standing behind him and said "Hey! That's the question stumper!" So Anderson looks up and smiles and my friend said to him "You should have told the story about those gorillas" And he replied "But you already knew that story!" Then I said "What about the Steven Segal story?" And he said "Oh yeahhh! Why didn't you prompt me?" So it was great, got to meet and talk to him for a second. gorgeousn more gorgoeus in person if that's possible, and even skinnier too. He's incredibly genuine and appreciative of his fans. There were a lot of people swarming him on his way out, and he handled it so graciously and calmly. I don't know how I would have reacted to that many people pushing and reaching out to me all at once. If anyone out there ever has a chance to attend one of his events, I would definitely recommend it.
Continuing with reports from Buffalo an ATA reader found this in blogland:
Respected CNN news anchor, the very intelligent and even more passionate (and utterly adorable! *sigh*), the one and only Anderson Cooper made an appearance for University at Buffalo's Distinguished Speaker Series. I went to the Arena, dressed up in nice heels, my nice pants, and my cute blouse and my nice coat, with a dash of my sample Estee Lauder perfume just in case he might ask me out for a drink after.
At the end of the session, I managed to wrangle through the masses to come up near the stage to just oogle at his piercing blue eyes and shake his hand. This guy next to me then thrusted a disposable camera into my hands and asked me to take a photograph of him with AC. I politely obliged him, and snapped a quick photo. Unfortunately, the flash didn't go off in the rather poorly lit auditorium. Anderson said "Uh-oh, the flash didn't go off," and I dumbly nodded my head and stared intently at the camera unsuccessfullyt unsucessfully looking for the 'press for flash' button. After a few moments, Anderson reached over, brushed my hand (!), and pressed the 'pressed for flash' button and politely told me I needed to wind up the camera again.
So there it is. My only close encounter with the dashing Mr.Cooper immortalizes me as the silly giddy girl who didn't know how to operate a disposable camera.
We have at least one more reader who has yet to check in with her report. I do know that she stayed in the same hotel that Anderson did. Maybe that explains her delay in getting back to us? I'll post her comments (and hopefully some more pictures) as soon as they arrive.
Hey Guys! How is everyone today? I had a nice afternoon! I got a manicure and a pedicure today and my feet and hands look FABULOUS! Next week a massage is in order! OOH LA LA! 
-I’m thankful for steely blue eyes
