MSNBC host Rachel Maddow has suggested
that CNN anchor Anderson Cooper should come out of the closet.
Despite never acknowledging – or
denying – that he's gay, Cooper has become a staple on gay glossy
Out's annual list of the most powerful and influential gay
people in America. (A distinction he shares with actress Jodie
Foster.) Cooper,
43, ranked 3rd
in this year's roundup, just ahead of fourth-place finisher Maddow.
The 38-year-old Maddow arrived at MSNBC
in the fall of 2008 to host her own show, The Rachel Maddow Show,
becoming the first openly lesbian host on cable television news.
In a recent interview with UK daily the
Guardian, Maddow said being a role model for the LGBT
community “gives [her] joy,” and added that gay anchors have a
responsibility to come out.
“I'm sure other people in the
business have considered reasons why they're doing what they're
doing, but I do think that if you're gay you have a responsibility to
come out,” Maddow told the paper.
Maddow and her partner, artist Susan
Mikula, have been together nearly 13 years.