Anderson Cooper appeared on Monday's episode of The Late Show and opened up about the role his ex Benjamin Maisani will play in his son Wyatt's life.
The topic came up after host Stephen Colbert asked the 52-year-old journalist about what it's been like to welcome a new life during a difficult time.
"My mom died in June, so it hasn't even been a full year," Cooper said. "In the course of one year, just on a personal basis, to have experienced the loss of her life and to have been there 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 her husband and my former partner Benjamin, who's going to be a co-parent 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. And so to be there and to see a new human being come into existence, which I'd never seen in person before, it was just extraordinary. I thought a lot about my mom and seeing the life leave her body and seeing the living being coming out of this wonderful woman, it's just extraordinary."
As fans will recall, Cooper and Maisani announced their split in 2018.
"Benjamin and I separated as boyfriends some time ago," Cooper said in a statement to the Daily Mail at the time. "We are still family to each other, and love each other very much. We remain the best of friends, and will continue to share much of our lives together."
During his interview with Colbert, Cooper described his first week of fatherhood as "extraordinary" and "astonishing."
"I just stare at him and hold him," the CNN star said in regard to his baby boy. "I just can't believe that…he's going to depend on me and that he's here. It's just astonishing…I've always dreamed about it, but I never thought I would actually be able to do it. It's been incredible."
He also talked about the hand-me-downs his child received from Andy Cohen's son Benjamin.
"He's actually really helped me 'cause my son is entirely wearing hand-me-downs from Andy Cohen's son," Cooper said.
While Cooper said he's "inherently cheap" and likes a "good value," he also suggested he didn't know where to start when it came to buying baby clothes.
"First of all, it's a pandemic. I was planning on kind of going shopping, which I hate to do. Then, like, online shopping—like, how do you do that for baby clothes? Like, do you go to, like, Buy Buy Baby or Amazon? I don't know. It just seemed weird," he said. "So, yeah, he just gave me all the clothes. I wanted my son to be like a Depression era child who grows up wearing hand-me-down clothes."
This wasn't the only way Cohen helped Cooper out. During Monday's episode of Radio Andy, the Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen host said Cooper actually hired Benjamin's former nanny. Cohen said he's also "so happy" for his friend.
"I'm so excited for the two of our sons to grow up together and be friends and get to know each other," he added. "It's a great age difference for them to be pals, only one year. It was fun over this past year for Anderson to come over and for me…to watch him with Ben and know that this would be his thing. He was obviously paying attention to a lot. It's just great."
Cooper announced the birth of his child last week.
"This is Wyatt Cooper. He is three days old," Cooper wrote via Instagram at the time. "He is named after my father, who died when I was ten. I hope I can be as good a dad as he was. My son's middle name is Morgan. It's a family name on my mom's side. I know my mom and dad liked the name Morgan because I recently found a list they made 52 years ago when they were trying to think of names for me. Wyatt Morgan Cooper. My son. He was 7.2 lbs at birth, and he is sweet, and soft, and healthy and I am beyond happy."
He also expressed his appreciation for his surrogate.
"As a gay kid, I never thought it would be possible to have a child, and I'm grateful for all those who have paved the way, and for the doctors and nurses and everyone involved in my son's birth," he continued. "Most of all, I am grateful to a remarkable surrogate who carried Wyatt, and watched over him lovingly, and tenderly, and gave birth to him. It is an extraordinary blessing—what she, and all surrogates give to families who can't have children. My surrogate has a beautiful family of her own, a wonderfully supportive husband, and kids, and I am incredibly thankful for all the support they have given Wyatt and me. My family is blessed to have this family in our lives."
At the end of the announcement, he remembered his family members.
"I do wish my mom and dad and my brother, Carter, were alive to meet Wyatt, but I like to believe they can see him," he concluded. "I imagine them all together, arms around each other, smiling and laughing, happy to know that their love is alive in me and in Wyatt, and that our family continues."
Watch the video to see Cooper's interview.