Andy Cohen hosts Bravo’s five-nights-a-week late-night talk show, “Watch What Happens Live,” and a four-day-a-week show on Radio Andy, his SiriusXM channel. He’s an executive producer of the “Real Housewives” franchise, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in March — an achievement that Bravo continues to tout, assembling 60ish Housewives for “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th,” premiering in August.
Cohen began his career as an intern at CBS News, where he then worked for a decade as a producer. In 2004, he became a programming executive at Bravo, where he eventually began appearing as on-air talent, hosting “The Real Housewives” reunions, which created a now much-copied format — and also changed Cohen’s career. Ten years after joining the network, he transitioned from his executive role to focus on “WWHL,” as well as producing.
On June 5, Variety celebrated Cohen’s many achievements, honoring him with the Creative Impact in Television Award at the Newport Beach Television Festival, where I interviewed him in front of a raucous, vocal crowd of fans at the Lido Theater. Vicki Gunvalson — an original cast member of “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” who is returning for Season 20 — presented Cohen with the award, as fellow “OC” cast members Emily Simpson, Gina Kirschenheiter, Jenn Pedranti and Tamra Judge cheered from the audience.
