Steve Granitz/WireImage.com; Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesAnchors away, indeed. Away on a verbal tear.
Anderson Cooper last night proved that he's more than just a pretty face, silver fox, unabashedly hysterical urine-pun aficionado and, yes, vaunted newsman, debuting an all new side to himself on the airwaves of AC 360: namely, masterful deliverer of the sarcastic remark.
The subject of his scorn was none other than fellow pundit Rush Limbaugh, who earlier this week went on the attack against the CNN anchor, accusing him of spending more time in the gym than the studio.
Turns out, Cooper gives as good as he gets.
"Now, Rush Limbaugh is a broadcaster of the highest caliber, known for taking a carefully measured, well thought out approach to each topic he tackles," Cooper began at the top of last night's show, somehow managing to keep a straight face. "His show is really the last bastion of calm, erudite reasoning, and he clearly has a noble desire to elevate the national discourse to a place of respect, civility, and above all, minding one's own beeswax."
Cooper then replayed Limbaugh's comments the radio host delivered on his airwaves Wednesday, when he read out a news report on CNN's dropping ratings. Limbaugh seemed to revel in the fact that the ratings hit an all-time low while under the watch of "what's his name, the silver fox…Anderson Cooper."
"I swear, that guy is reported more in gossip columns to be in the gym or that bar or restaurant than he is in the studio," Rush said. "I hear more stuff about Anderson Cooper at a bar or at a gym or in a health club than I do about what he is doing in a studio."
After replaying the comments, Anderson went in for the classy kill.
"I don't know if you noticed, but he spoke for quite a while there and didn't call me a slut even one time," Cooper said. "Now, I don't have my Rush-to-English dictionary handy, but I'm pretty sure that means we're best friends now."
Anderson went on to say that he has "no control" over what gossip columnists report about him, but that he "had no idea Mr. Limbaugh was such a gossip enthusiast."
"I've never tried to pick a fight with this guy, I really have no interest in doing that now. But because I'm sure that Mr. Limbaugh cares about accuracy, I just want to point out to him: I have three jobs…The idea that I'm hanging out in bars and health clubs is sadly not true."
The idea that Rush just landed himself a permanent spot on Cooper's RidicuList, however: We're pretty sure you can take that to the bank.