Anderson Cooper’s farewell on “60 Minutes” took viewers through a career-defining retrospective that ended in the same way it always began — with the journalist stating his name.
But this time, Cooper appeared visibly emotional, struggling through tears as he tried to deliver the show’s signature opening line for the final time.
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He bowed his head, paused, and fidgeted briefly before looking back into the CBS camera.
“I’m Anderson Cooper,” he said, his voice cracking. “I’m Anderson Cooper,” he repeated, still unsteady. On a third attempt, he finally managed it with more control: “I’m Anderson Cooper,” he said, before stepping away from the set to applause.
In a “60 Overtime” segment released by “60 Minutes,” Cooper reflected on how even the simple introduction once challenged him when he joined the program in 2006. He recalled that Mike Wallace used to tease him about it and that his earliest taping required as many as 20 takes.
This time, however, it marked the end of an era. Cooper, who also works as a CNN anchor, said his decision to leave “60 Minutes” was driven primarily by a desire to spend more time with his two young sons, aged 4 and 6.
His departure also comes at a moment of internal tension and broader concerns about changes within the network under editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, including questions over editorial independence at “60 Minutes.” Weiss recently came under scrutiny after reportedly pulling a segment about an El Salvador prison linked to Trump-era immigration policy, which later aired.
“In my view, it was the result of a more aggressive contagion: the spread of corporate meddling and editorial fear. It’s hard to watch,” said correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi in a recent segment.
Former top producer Bill Owens also reportedly resigned amid concerns over tightening editorial oversight.
“I hope ‘60 Minutes’ remains ‘60 Minutes,’” Cooper said. “There’s very few things that have been around for as long as ‘60 Minutes’ has, and maintain the quality that it has… I think the independence of ‘60 Minutes’ has been critical. The trust it has with viewers is critical to the success of ‘60 Minutes.’”
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