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If you can't envision respected newsman Anderson Cooper sitting down and watching any of the "Real Housewives" shows produced by his pal Andy Cohen, you need a little more imagination.
"I actually used to watch them a lot," said Cooper, who said he was "a fan."
He hasn't kept up, but he does tune in to "Watch What Happens Live" and the various "Housewives" reunion shows "just because they're so surreal."
Speaking of surreal, the longtime friends are bringing their act to town on Saturday, June 10, at the Eccles Theater in downtown Salt Lake City. Modestly titled "AC2: An Intimate Evening with Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen" — and subtitled "Deep Talk and Shallow Tales" — it's exactly as billed.
Yes, it's sort of an odd pairing — the serious journalist from CNN and "60 Minutes" and the over-the-top gossip who hosts "Watch What Happens Live" and "Love Connection." And they know it's odd.
"Absolutely," Cooper said with a laugh. "I mean, that's the whole idea."
It's "kind of" like "Watch What Happens Live," Cohen said. "There are cocktails. There's storytelling."
The show began when Cohen asked Cooper to interview him onstage when his first book was published.
"Andy loves an awkward pairing and he loves creating awkward moments, so that's really how this sort of started," Cooper said. "And it was really fun and the audience had a great time. But there was something about it."
Something that clicked. It's a couple of pals sharing funny stories. Talking about their unusual encounters with celebrities. Or with people who think they're celebrities.
"It's not a lecture. It's not like a speech on a college campus," Cooper said. "It's not an erudite discussion of the state of politics in America. It's two friends from different worlds in television discussing their lives. And it's a very intimate conversation."
And it's a lot of fun for Cooper, even though Cohen goes out of his way to unsettle him.
"I'm definitely uncomfortable," Cooper said with a laugh. "I'm an introvert, so I'm uncomfortable pretty much in most situations.
"Andy always says I am the best version of me when we're doing this show together because I put myself out there and I totally enjoy it."
But Cooper gives as good as he takes.
"I think I push him more than he pushes me. But he makes a lot of fun of me," Cohen said. "We have great rapport. Great chemistry."
They're both TV stars, but they're not actors. And they've been friends for 25 years.
"Andy and I have known each other so long," Cooper said. "We have so many shared stories and weird, shared experiences."
"I liken the experience to going out drinking with me and Anderson," Cohen said. "And hearing our stories and having a lot of laughs."
And they might talk some news because, with Donald Trump in the White House, the news has gotten weird.
"Andy now feels completely vindicated because he feels that the world that I inhabit most of my time — which is, these days, politics — is basically now like a 'Real Housewives' episode," Cooper said.
They originally launched the AC2 tour with just four dates; since then, they've generally performed one weekend a month.
"It's certainly the weekend I look forward to more than anything," Cooper said. "It's actually just a joy. It's probably the thing both of us look forward to most because it's such a break from our day-to-day lives and our day-to-day work lives.
"I'm on [CNN] two hours every weeknight and I work for '60 Minutes' in my spare time on weekends," Cooper added. "So be able to hang out with your best friend and go into an auditorium of 3,000 people and get a great response and make people laugh and get that sort of live interaction with people, it's an amazing, amazing thing. I look forward to this and I know Andy does, too. I mean, it's not work. I wouldn't even pretend to call it that. It's just pure pleasure and joy."
According to Cooper, Cohen selects cities for their "AC2" performances based on places he wants to visit and party.
"He often goes a couple days in advance — he says he wants to suss it out. I'm like, 'What's to suss out?' I don't quite understand what that means," Cooper said with a laugh.
Cohen loves the nightlife, and if there's any here on June 10, he'll find it.
"I've never been to Salt Lake and I hear it's great. So I just want to go there," he said. "It seems like a fun place."
"Andy loves nothing more than going to a city he hasn't been to and going out afterward and meeting people," Cooper said. "He's the most social person I know."
Twitter: @ScottDPierce —
Do tell
AC2: An Intimate Evening with Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen — Deep Talk and Shallow Tales.
When • Saturday, June 10, 8 p.m.
Where • Eccles Theater, 131 S. Main St., Salt Lake City
Tickets • $55-$350 at the box office or artsaltlake.org