♪ >> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY.

SAY HELLO TO OUR FRIEND JON BATISTE.

>> Jon: HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON.

>> Stephen: YOU KNOW, JUST DOING A SHOW.

>> Jon: THAT'S RIGHT.

WE'RE BACK IN THE SADDLE.

>> Stephen: WE'RE IN THE BELLY OF THE BEAST RIGHT NOW.

>> Jon: ACTUALLY, I CHALLENGED YOU.

DID YOU SEE?

>> Stephen: NO!

>> Jon: I CHALLENGED YOU TO COOK MY MOTHER'S RECIPE FOR RED

BEANS AND RICE BECAUSE FOLKS KEPT ASKING ME ABOUT IT.

>> Stephen: IS THIS THE REAL RECIPE?

>> Jon: IT'S THE ABRIDGED VERSION.

IT WILL GET YOU STARTED AND THEN, AFTER THAT, YOU CAN FIGURE

OUT YOUR OWN WAYS TO IMPROVISE IT.

>> Stephen: YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT TO YOUR OWN LEVEL, BUT YOU'RE

NOT GIVING AWAY YOUR MOTHER'S SECRETS.

>> Jon: NO, IT'S ENOUGH FOR YOU TO GET THE TASTE BUT YOU'VE

GOT TO FIGURE THE SECRET SAUCE OUT YOURSELF.

>> Stephen: THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE ME, IT WILL BE A PHOTO OF ME

HOLDING RED BEANS AND RICE, ALL RIGHT?

>> Jon: LET'S GO, LET'S GO!

( PIANO RIFF ) >> STEPHEN: HE IS AN EMMY

AWARD-WINNING HOST ON CNN, A CORRESPONDENT FOR CBS'S "60

MINUTES," AND NOW, A PROUD NEW FATHER.

PLEASE WELCOME TO A "LATE SHOW," ANDERSON COOPER!

ANDERSON, I'VE GOT TO SAY, YOUR LIGHTING IS FANTASTIC.

THANKS FOR JOINING US FROM A REMBRANDT PAINTING.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> YES, I'M THE BOY WITH THE GOLD EARRING.

>> Stephen: CONGRATULATIONS, DAD!

>> YES.

>> Stephen: AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING ALL OF US SOMETHING

JOYFUL TO SEE!

IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL.

LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, I WATCHED THE CLIP OF YOU ANNOUNCING THE

BIRTH OF YOUR SON WYATT MORGAN COOPER.

RIGHT?

>> YEP.

>> Stephen: THAT'S A CLASSY NAME, MY FRIEND.

>> THEY'RE ALL FAMILY NAMES.

WYATT IS AFTER MY DAD WHO DIED WHEN I WAS TEN AND MORGAN IS MY

MOM'S MOM'S MAIDEN NAME.

WHAT I DIDN'T REALIZE TO ME, SOMEONE POINTED OUT TO ME I'VE

ACTUALLY PICKED TWO MEMBERS OF THE URP FAMILY NAMES.

>> Stephen: OH, WYATT URP: QUITE A BURDEN FOR HIM.

( LAUGHTER ) LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, I WATCHED

IT AND I WAS DEEPLY MOVED.

I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY BEAUTIFUL.

MY FAVORITE THING IS I CAME TO MY WIFE EVIE AND I SAID, HERE,

WATCH THIS.

I HELD IT UP AND I WATCHED HER WATCH IT, AND IT WAS JUST -- SHE

WAS SO MOVED, AND I JUST -- I KNEW WHEN THE TEARS WERE GOING

TO BE COMING.

I KNEW WHEN THE TEARS -- BUT THANK YOU FOR THE TEARS OF JOY.

HOW'S IT BEEN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF BEING A DAD?

>> YEAH, THIS IS ONE WEEK.

HE'S BORN LAST MONDAY.

>> Stephen: REALLY?

YEAH, 6:03.

IT'S ASTONISHING.

I JUST STARE AT HIM AND HOLD HIM AND I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE, A,

THAT HE'S GOING TO DEPEND ON ME AND THAT HE BELONGS -- YOU KNOW,

THAT HE'S HERE, AND IT'S JUST ASTONISHING.

I JUST NEVER DREAMED -- I MEAN, I'VE ALWAYS DREAMED ABOUT IT BUT

NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO DO IT.

IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLE.

>> Stephen: IT'S ABAMAZING THING.

IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE CHILDREN WHAT

THAT FIRST EXPERIENCE WAS WHEN YOU SEE YOUR CHILD FOR THE FIRST

TIME.

>> IT'S LIKE TECTONIC PLATES SHIFTING EXCEPT IT DOESN'T LEAVE

YOU IN RUBBLE.

IT'S A GOOD TECTONIC SHIFT.

>> Stephen: MY FIRST REACTION WHEN I SAW MY DAUGHTER FOR THE

FIRST TIME WAS, OH, I HAVE BEEN STUPID...

>> YES, WHAT IF I BEEN WASTING TIME DOING?

WHAT AM I DOING WITH ALL THIS?

>> Stephen: I THOUGHT I KNEW WHAT LOVE WAS.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

>> Stephen: AND, ALSO, LIKE, I HVE BEEN A BAD SON.

>> REALLY?

YOU THOUGHT THAT?

>> Stephen: A LITTLE BIT.

BECAUSE I THOUGHT IF MY MOTHER LOVES ME AT ANY FRACTION OF THE

AM THAT I LOVE THIS CHILD, INSTANTLY, I HAVEN'T LOVED HER

BACK ENOUGH.

>> I DON'T BELIEVE THAT FOR A SECOND.

I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT FOR A SECOND.

>> Stephen: WELL, THAT'S GOOD OLD CATHOLIC GUILT, I GUESS.

>> YEAH.

WELL, I KNOW I WAS A GOOD SON BECAUSE I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN

READING MY MOM'S, LIKE, JOURNALS AND STUFF BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN

GOING THROUGH ALL HER STUFF.

SUDDENLY I DISCOVER ALL THIS STUFF SHE THOUGHT ABOUT ME AND

IT WAS ALL PRETTY NICE STUFF.

I DID ALL RIGHT.

NOT BAD.

>> Stephen: NOW, YOUR GOOD FRIEND ANDY COHEN HAD A CHILD

JUST LAST YEAR.

>> YEAH.

>> Stephen: ARE YOU GUYS CONNECTING?

YOU GETTING ADVICE?

>> YES.

HE OBVIOUSLY KNEW ABOUT IT WELL IN ADVANCE AND HE'S BEEN

ENCOURAGING ME ALL ALONG.

I FIGURED IF HE CAN DO IT, THAT SORT OF GAVE ME THE FINAL PUSH.

I WENT, ALL RIGHT, IF HE'S GOT A KID, THEN -- AND BENJAMIN IS

INCREDIBLE.

HE'S ACTUALLY REALLY HELPED ME BECAUSE MY SON IS ENTIRELY

WEARING HAND-MANY-DOWNS FROM ANDY COHEN'S SON.

>> Stephen: OKAY.

A, I'M INHERENTLY CHEAP, I LIKE A GOOD VALUE, AND IF I WAS

GOING TO GET CLOSE TO THE KID -- FIRST OF ALL, IT WAS A PANDEMIC.

I WAS PLANNING ON KIND OF GOING SHOPPING WHICH I HATE TO DO.

AND THEN ONLINE SHOPPING, HOW DO YOU DO THAT FOR BABY CLOTHES?

DO YOU GO TO, LIKE, BYE-BYE BABY OR AMAZON AND -- IT JUST SEEMED

WEIRD.

SO, YEAH, HE JUST GAVE ME ALL THE CLOTHES.

>> Stephen: HAS HE GIVEN YOU ANY ADVICE?

>> I WANTED MY SON TO BE A DEPRESSION-ERA CHILD WHO GROWS

UP WEARING HAND-ME-DOWN CLOTHES, AND --

>> Stephen: WELL, GOD, I HOPE HE DOESN'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO

BECAUSE THAT'S NO LONGER IN JUST A METAPHOR.

>> THAT'S TRUE, ACTUALLY.

>> Stephen: ARE YOU GETTING ANY SLEEP?

ON BEHALF OF NEW PARENTS EVERYWHERE, IF YOU ARE, YOU GO

TO HELL.

( LAUGHTER ) >> YEAH, IT'S BEEN A SHIFT.

I ACTUALLY DISCOVERED COFFEE.

SO THIS IS MY -- I ONLY ALLOW MYSELF TWO A DAY.

>> Stephen: WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU JUST DISCOVERED COFFEE?

YOU'RE 52 YEARS OLD.

>> YEAH, I CAN'T BELIEVE I'VE GONE THIS LONG WITHOUT COFFEE.

I FIGURED THERE'S SODA, SO IF THERE'S SODA, WHY NOT COFFEE?

I TRIED ONCE OR TRIES ON TV A CUP OF COFFEE AND I DON'T SEE

THE POINT.

NOW I TOTALLY GET IT.

I CAN'T BELIEVE -- AND NOW I THINK I'M ADDICTED BECAUSE IT,

LIKE, SNAPS YOUR MIND INTO FOCUS.

>> Stephen: MM-HMM.

AND I WAKE UP THINKING -- I MEAN, I THINK OF MY SON FIRST,

BUT CAFFEINE IS A CLOSE SECOND.

>> Stephen: WOW.

WELL, CONGRATULATIONS.

>> YEAH, WELL -- >> Stephen: FOR JOINING THE

TEAM.

THE WINNING SIDE.

>> I'M NOT SURE IT'S GOOD.

>> Stephen: NO, YOU'RE A COFFEE ACHIEVER NOW.

>> WHAT'S STRANGE IS I'M ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE CONTINUING TO

WORK AT OUR OFFICES AT CNN.

I RIDE MY BIKE EVERYWHERE AND I GO IN AND THERE ARE, LIKE,

SECURITY GUARDS ON THE FRONT BUT REALLY NO ONE ELSE THERE.

MY ENTIRE STAFF IS AT HOME AND PRETTY MUCH EVERY SHOW'S STAFF

IS AT HOME.

BURNET STILL COMES IN.

BUT I DO A LITTLE CAMERA WITH A ROBOTIC CAMERA AND A TRASH

STUDIO NOW THAT I'M IN THE OFFICE.

I DISCOVERED, BECAUSE I NEVER MADE COFFEE BEFORE, IS I I JUST

STARTED DRINKING IT, I TAUGHT MIFERL HOW TO MAKE A NICE

COFFEE.

IT'S A REVELATION.

THE MACHINES, YOU JUST PUT THE PACT IN, AND I TRIED FOR THE

LONGEST TIME TO RIP IT OUT.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

YOU PUT IT IN THE MACHINE AND SOMEHOW THE MACHINE DOES WHAT I

COULD NOT DO.

>> Stephen: YOU COULD HAVE KILLED YOURSELF!

YOU CAN'T LEFT ALONE, ANDERSON COOPER!

YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT LOSS BEFORE.

YOU'RE NO STRANGER TO TRAGEDY.

WE'RE NOW GOING THROUGH A GLOBAL TRAGEDY.

>> YEAH.

>> Stephen: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL

LIFE INTRODUCED IN TO YOUR WORLD RIGHT NOW?

WHAT DOES WYATT MEAN TO YOU IN THE CONTEXT OF THAT?

>> YEAH, I HAVE BEEN THINKING SO MUCH ABOUT IT.

MY MOM DIED IN JUNE, SO IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN A FULL YEAR.

IN THE COURSE OF ONE YEAR, JUST ON A PERSONAL BASIS, TO, YOU

KNOW, EXPERIENCE THE LOSS OF HER LIFE AND TO HAVE BEEN THERE WITH

HER WHEN SHE BREATHED HER LAST BREATH AND TO WITNESS THAT AND

TO BE HOLDING HER AT THAT TIME, AND THEN TO SUDDENLY, YOU KNOW,

LAST MONDAY NIGHT, TO BE IN A DELIVERY ROOM WITH THIS AMAZING

SURROGATE AND, YOU KNOW, HER HUSBAND AND MY FORMER PARTNER

BENJAMIN WHO IS GOING TO BE A CO-PARENT TO -- TO -- TO WYATT,

EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT TOGETHER ANYMORE, BUT, YOU KNOW, HE'S MY

FAMILY AND I WANT HIM TO BE WYATT'S FAMILY AS WELL.

SO TO BE THERE AND TO SEE A NEW HUMAN BEING COME INTO EXISTENCE,

WHICH I'VE NEVER SEEN IN PERSON BEFORE, IT WAS JUST

EXTRAORDINARY.

AND, I MEAN, I THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT MY MOM AND SEEING HER --

SEEING THE LIFE LEAVE HER BODY, AND SEEING LIFE COME -- YOU

KNOW, SEEING THE LIVING BEING COMING OUT OF THIS WONDERFUL

WOMAN, IT'S JUST EXTRAORDINARY, AND JUST AT A TIME WHEN SO MANY

OF US -- YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN WAR

ZONES I'VE TRAVELED TO IN SARAJEVO AND SOMALIA AND RWANDA,

AND THE GENOCIDE, AND IN THE MIDST OF THE TRAGEDY AND HORROR,

YOU EXPECT TO FIND HORROR, BUT YOU FIND HUMANITY AS WELL, AND

YOU EXPECT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, TERRIBLE THINGS, BUT THERE'S

ALSO TRIUMPHANT THINGS AND EXTRAORDINARY THINGS, AND I

THINK -- I DON'T KNOW, IT'S PAINFUL TO SEE -- IT'S PAINFUL

BUT IT'S ALSO -- IT IS JUST AN EXTRAORDINARY -- IT'S THE

FULLNESS OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE.

YOU KNOW, YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS, AND YOU SAID IT AND YOU

SAID IT SO WELL, AND I'M GOING TO BE PARAPHRASING YOU, BECAUSE

I'M NOT THAT SMART, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEING THE MOST HUMAN

YOU CAN BE.

IT'S NOT BEING THE BEST, BUT IT'S BEING THE MOST HUMAN.

YOU WANT TO LIVE THE MOST HUMAN LIFE YOU CAN POSSIBLY LVE, AND

THIS IS -- I MEAN, LIKE YOU SAID, I'M WONDERING WHAT WAS I

WASTING MY TIME DOING ALL THIS TIME?

>> Stephen: ANDERSON, WE HAVE TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK.

I'LL TAKE CARE OF THE SPONSORS, YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR SON, AND

I'LL SEE YOU IN JUST A MINUTE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> Stephen: ALL RIGHT.

♪ ♪