Anderson Cooper’s live-in boyfriend photographed making out with another man

The photos of Anderson Cooper’s boyfriend kissing another man are on The Daily Mail’s site. Photo above from 2010.

Dreamboat news anchor Anderson Cooper came out of the closet just last month after years of speculation. He issued a statement to The Daily Beast that was heartfelt, thoughtful, and detailed his reasons for publicly discussing his orientation, and for not being open about it for so long. He said that he was striving for privacy in his personal life so as not to interfere with his professional obligations as a journalist, but that he didn’t want to give the impression that he was hiding anything. Cooper concluded that “I still consider myself a reserved person and I hope this doesn’t mean an end to a small amount of personal space.” He also seemed to suggest that he was coming out in part because he had a long term partner, but he was vague about it, writing “In my opinion, the ability to love another person is one of God’s greatest gifts, and I thank God every day for enabling me to give and share love with the people in my life.

His statement was touching and gave the impression that Cooper was in a happy committed relationship. Only that might not be the case anymore. New photos have come out of Cooper’s live-in boyfriend, bar owner Ben Maisani, kissing another man. (We don’t have the pictures, you can see them on The Daily Mail’s website.) The two weren’t just kissing hello in a friendly way, they’re sitting down and holding hands too. It looks like they’re making out and honestly my heart kind of sunk seeing those photos. Can you imagine if you saw pictures of your partner like that with someone else? I would freak. Here’s more:

Anderson Cooper’s next set of tough questions could be reserved for his long-term boyfriend Ben Maisani after pictures of him surfaced kissing another man.

Maisani, 39, was spotted in a close embrace with a dark-haired, muscle-bound man in a New York park.

The images may come as a surprise to the CNN news anchor after it was reported last month that he wanted to marry his partner as soon as Labor Day.

The wedding rumor came several weeks after Cooper, 45, spoke publicly about his sexuality for the first time, saying: ”The fact is, I’m gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be more happy.’

There was no hint of upset from Cooper last night who looked typically sharp in a navy suit as he joined other A-listers in New York to watch Beyonce perform at the UN headquarters for World Humanitarian Day.

It is believed that Cooper has been dating Maisani, who owns gay bar Eastern Bloc in Manhattan’s East Village for around three years.

The couple live together at Cooper’s converted fire station townhouse and enjoy a low-key lifestyle, working out and going to dinner with friends including Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick.

They were encouraged to marry last year by Anderson’s mother, designer Gloria Vanderbilt. She reportedly helped the pair patch up their relationship after they struggled with conflicting work schedules.

Cooper agreed to cut back on trips abroad, while Maisani said he would do fewer night shifts at his bar. Vanderbilt, 88, was also reportedly encouraging the men to adopt a child.

[From The Daily Mail]

The story about how Cooper’s mom wanted these two to adopt a child came out last May in the National Enquirer. So whether that was true or not they’re reportedly serious. We know they’ve been together since at least 2009. I only hope that they’ve broken up and that Ben isn’t cheating on Anderson, and he’s not finding out about it through the press. It must have been huge for him to write that e-mail and to come out, and now he has to deal with the very thing he was trying to avoid – press speculation into his personal life. Whatever is going on with his relationship, you know he’s not going to address it.

I just thought of something – maybe this is a case of mistaken identity and that guy isn’t really Ben Maisani. Some of our photo agencies have been doing that lately and mislabeling average people as celebrities. It sure looks like him, but it’s hard to tell.

Photo credit: Pacific Coast News and WENN.com

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57 Responses to “Anderson Cooper’s live-in boyfriend photographed making out with another man”

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  1. Alex says:

    Yeah, these pics don’t look staged at all.

  2. Mirella says:

    Aw, that sucks! Poor Silver Fox 🙁

    • Anonny says:

      Who’s to say they don’t have an open relationship? Many gay couples I know opened up their relationships to 3rd parties; gays are just more accepting of alternative relationships than straights are.

      If that’s the case, this is all just judging another’s relationship by one’s own standards, which is a mistake. Consider the possibility that Cooper knows and is okay with it.

      • Monday Blues says:

        That is interesting about the open relationships. But “alternative relationships” just seems an easy way to excuse cheating. If a couple wants to be open, fine. Just don’t look at others as some sort of intellectual dinosaurs because open relationships seem like a why even bother saying you are committed to one entree if you want to taste off the whole menu.

      • Anonny says:

        Loosen your skirt, hon. The type of relationship another couple chooses to have is no one else’s business.

      • TJ says:

        That’s true Anonny. Thanks for making a great point. My husband and I enjoy dynamics that aren’t typical to most relationships, but it works for us. Sometimes people hit me up on FB because my husband does a ‘like’ on a pic of a hot girl. I usually have to tell them, “If I don’t mind, why do you?” The majority of our friends are gay and have healthier and more solid relationships than our straight friends. They truly do seem to be more about alternative relationships. They also remain true to each other because the lines are clear.

    • Kim says:

      Life & Style claim Ben and Anderson are on a cruise in Croatia,pics came out day after they boarded.Poor Andy.They claim they dont have open relationship.I’d throw Ben overboard, JK

  3. Joanna says:

    It does look like his boyfriend in those pics. All three are HOT, too bad they play for the other team!

  4. Roma says:

    My guess is this was a couple who were stagged, or followed. Perhaps they have broken up and this was a way of going public without Cooper having to issue an announcement.

    • Kim says:

      There was a story on Queerty about Anderson taking a blonde guy on vacation to Tanzania weeks ago.I thought they broke up.We will see

    • the original bellaluna says:

      Roma, I hope you and Kim are right. It sucks to be cheated on by someone you love!

    • Genevieve says:

      @ Roma:…

      From your mouth to God’s ear 🙁 I pray that if this isn’t something that was sanctioned by Anderson, he didn’t have to find out in the press.

      There is NOTHING as awful as having to publicly hold your head up and smile, while everyone around you knows the truth. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. OK, well….maybe the chick who…errr, never mind :0

  5. Katyusha says:

    Who would dare cheat on the Silver Fox?!?!?!?

  6. Aussie girl says:

    I just love how his mum supports him! But these pics do look like Anderson bf 🙁

  7. Jacq says:

    Dinner with Matthew Broderick… *snicker*

  8. bea says:

    Those pics are brutal. Would not want to learn about a cheating partner from a photo with visible tongue.

  9. hannah says:

    Would be quite a coincidence if the guy just resembled him AND was also gay.

  10. Steph says:

    These pictures look so staged. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them as a spread in a magazine.

  11. Blue says:

    Why would they need to stage photos? Anderson doesn’t talk about his life so if he and his bf broke up he wouldn’t talk about it. Seriously why would he agree to embarrass himself and stage a photo-op to let people know that the he and his bf were broken up instead of just keeping quiet like he has been. Not everything is a plot or conspiracy.

  12. bella says:

    Dreadful, this is…for anyone to learn of their partner’s cheating in the media, if that’s the case. Anderson must be heartbroken and humiliated. I’d certainly get in line to comfort him if he’d have me o_O

  13. Janet says:

    Ugh. Rupert-Kristen redux.

    • TheOriginalTiffany says:

      I mentioned this in the kscrew thread last night!
      Poor Coop, it is his bf, you can tell in the pics pretty easy on my pad. Same exact nose.

      Jeez people if you are going to cheat, go somewhere private!

      • Aussie girl says:

        What happend to the cheap hotel room for the cheap affair. No lets just go for it in a car park or park. I’m not famous nor am I screwing around but people come on!

      • Izzy says:

        THANK YOU OTiff and Aussie girl!! I was just thinking the same things. If Cooper and his BF were still together, then these are as bad as the KStew/Slimeders photos, hurtful to a third party who did nothing to deserve it.

        Also, someone needs to send a memo to the folks in the entertainment industry (and their partners) about some of their more ridiculous (RidicuList?) behavior:

        1. STOP cheating in public places. You may WANT to get caught, but it’s crass and undignified, and won’t win you any points with fans, friends or loved ones.

        2. STOP taking naked pictures of yourselves with your portable electronic devices. The photos will get hacked and published. It’s a constant in the universe, like gravity, or the speed of light.

      • the original bellaluna says:

        Aussiegirl – Maybe it’s the bed-bug epidemic?

        All lightheartedness aside, it’s an awful thing to learn someone you love has/is cheating, and it’s even WORSE if you’re a public figure and learn about it from the media.

  14. Rumorhasit says:

    Awwww no, if its true this means he Kstewed the Coop….what a way to thank him for coming out, and being proud, honest and open about who he is. If this is real, Anderson, you can do so much better. No one who gives back as much as Anderson, deserves this level of public embarrassment.

  15. Riana says:

    Yeesh the conspiracy theories are getting rather silly.

    Not everything is staged or an evil plot. That might be when it’s time to give the gossip blogs a break.

    I’m not sure what’s going on, poor Anderson. I hope they’ve broken up because if not that would suck so hard to have to deal with the actions of an inconsiderate lover who’s embarrassed you. Urgh.

  16. Julie says:

    Anderson Cooper got Kstewed.

  17. Jennifer12 says:

    Those photos have that same look as Kristen Stewart’s did. How did someone not notice those pictures being taken? That’s a hell of a long lens. Still…. poor Anderson. If I saw my significant other in pictures like that, there’d be no divorce- there would be a death. Perhaps two.

  18. Shannon1972 says:

    I really hope these pictures are old, and taken before he got together with Anderson. No one deserves this!

  19. jess says:

    I would like to know what kind of camera these paps use to get a good close up like that.

    Anyone else think Andersons BF looks like Rupert Sanders?

  20. Madhubala says:

    Brutal! Even if they’ve split up, which I doubt, this is not something you want to see your (recent) ex doing. What is it with people these days? Nobody seems able to keep it in their pants anymore.

  21. T.C. says:

    What a way to humiliate the Coopster after he was brave enough to come out and say he is in love. So cruel. Hope Coop is strong enough to kick this loser to the curb.

  22. Stacie says:

    I’m heartbroken for Anderson . 🙁

  23. Kloops says:

    Maybe they were already broken up? Time for Michael K to make his move!!

  24. lower-case deb says:

    i’m trying to figure out why they’d do it like that, blatantly-cheating-in-broad-daylight, or as my dear good friend dubbed it Stewperting.

    or maybe that guy heard from Mr Cooper that Le Boyfriend is a good kisser and has gotten the green light to get some pointers. but… did they run out of walls to hide from? or tall things to kiss behind? they’re sitting down and the grass couldn’t even grow quick enough to hide them. they should be so embarrassed. kissing in front of kid grass like that.

    ugh. people.

  25. mia girl says:

    Oh no! Poor Anderson! Even if they are recently split, it still stinks.

    This makes two of my favorites who are publicly cheated on! I can’t take anymore, so…attention to the wives/partners of James McAvoy, Collin Firth, Timothy Olyphant, Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor, Matthew Goode, Hugh Dancy…, dont cheat, but if you must, keep it indoors!!!

  26. RobN says:

    Does this guy own anything that isn’t a black t-shirt?

  27. Scorellini says:

    People on other sites are speculating that this could just be an open relationship, which many gay couples do have. So, it may not technically cheating, although there is no way to know I guess.

  28. barb says:

    A lot of gay men in committed relationships still have sex with other men. A good male friend of mine was with his partner for many years, and very happily so, yet my friend had his partner’s blessing to go out and have sex whenever he wanted to, and so he did. Apparently there are many gay male relationships like this, and maybe Anderson Cooper’s is one of them. Even if that’s the case, its a drag he got caught doing it and humiliated Anderson.

    • Kim says:

      They usually dont kiss the other guy in public they hook up in private in the open gay relationships that I know.

  29. celine says:

    gay man look hot when they’re kissing (at least these too).

    also, some not all gays have different relationship standards.they’re more open and all.

  30. Feebee says:

    Unfortunately it seems like his statement has heralded an ‘open season’ of sorts. Not that he hadn’t been photographed with his partner before that but I wonder if now people are looking for stuff.

  31. menlisa says:

    Who would cheat on Anderson?
    Who would cheat on Cooper?!
    Who would cheat on THE SILVER FOX??????????!!!!!!!!!!!

    Poor Andy!!!

    *opens arms wide in hopes that Cooper falls into them*

  32. erica says:

    Its definitely him…look at the way his facial hair is on the side, it’s the same in the photos with Anderson. Poor Anderson 🙁

  33. lucy2 says:

    If it’s all true, hopefully they broke up first, but still, ouch.

  34. Francesca says:

    The guy wears CUT OFFS?? Oh, no way.

    Well, if AC stays then they have an ‘arrangement’; his b/f looks pretty lovey dovey with that other guy.

    • Amanda_M87 says:

      Even if they do have an “arrangement” i.e. an open relationship, he shouldn’t be doing that in public in broad daylight!

  35. JRenee says:

    The pics do look like the BF.

  36. Amanda_M87 says:

    .

  37. G says:

    Uh oh…Michael K is sharpening his shank as we speak!

  38. Tyra says:

    OWWW this is nasty! how disgusting those pictures are, what is going on with this world!!!

  39. Onyx XV says:

    AC can do better anyway. Time to move on!

  40. Divorcee says:

    He can always say it wasn’t me lol.

    Dame, Anderson is only 45 I thought he was older.