The man behind the Real Housewives writes about his lifelong love affair with pop culture that brought him from the suburbs of St. Louis to his own television show
From a young age, Andy Cohen knew two things: He was gay, and he loved television. Now presiding over Bravo's reality-TV empire, he started out as an overly talkative pop-culture obsessive, devoted to Charlie's Angels and All My Children—and to his mother, who received daily letters from him while he was at summer camp, usually reminding her to tape the soaps. In retrospect, it's hard to believe that everyone didn't know that Andy was gay; still, he remained in the closet until college. Finally out, he embarked on making a career out of his passion for television. The journey begins with Andy interviewing his all-time idol Susan Lucci for his college newspaper and ends with him in a job where he has a hand in creating today's celebrity icons. In the witty, no-holds-barred style of his show Watch What Happens: Live, Cohen tells tales of absurd network-news mishaps, hilarious encounters with the heroines of his youth, and the real stories behind the Real Housewives. Dishy, funny, and full of heart, Most Talkative provides a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the world of television, from a fan who grew up watching the screen and is now inside the TV, both making shows and hosting his own.
“A wonderfully fun, funny and inspirational journey, peppered with colorful, crisis prone women. I loved it! Most Talkative is most read-ative!”
—Amy Sedaris, author of I Like You and Simple Times
Andy Cohen is Bravo's executive vice president of original programming and development, responsible for overseeing the development and production of such hits as Top Chef, The Real Housewives franchises, and The Millionaire Matchmaker.
In addition, Cohen is the host and executive producer of Watch What Happens: Live, Bravo's late-night, interactive talk show. He also hosts the network's Watch What Happens reunion specials. He lives in New York City.