Most Talkative: Stories from the Front Lines of Pop Culture

Some people dream that they will make it big in television. Some people work hard and make the dream a reality. Andy Cohen, the man behind the Real Housewives television series, tells all the juicy details of his lifelong love affair with popular culture, media, and fame. And boy, can he talk!

From a young age, Andy Cohen was sure of one thing: he loved television, namely the overly-dramatic soap opera All My Children. In Most Talkative: Stories from the Front Lines of Pop Culture, Andy Cohen describes just how deeply devoted he was to his television shows. In the beginning of the book, there is a comical exchange of letters Andy wrote while in summer camp, pleading with his mother to remember to "tape the soaps" so that he could marathon view them when he returned home.  Andy describes how he was (and still most certainly is) an overly talkative devotee to pop culture, regaling tales of how he was convinced and determined to become a television star. He began his journey with a dreamlike meeting and interview with his all-time soap opera idol Susan Lucci, which he was able to nab thanks to a college newspaper project.  Cohen would experience not-as-dreamlike internships at local St.Louis (his hometown) television stations, absurd mishaps while working for CBS News, and unbelievable encounters with the idols of his youth. 

Cohen also dives into his personal struggles. In retrospect, it's hard to believe that people didn't seem to realize that he was gay. Cohen remained in the closet until his college years, where he experienced a few key events that shaped him into the person he is today. His personal story is a story of unconditional acceptance and devotion. This book is a no-holds-barred memoir that shares triumphs, embarrassments, joys, and dreams. Reading this book was like gossiping with an old friend. Cohen dishes on the behind-the-scenes dirt about the reality stars of The Real Housewives franchise. He reveals embarrassing moments where he may have been a little too enthusiastic when meeting a celebrity, or may have said something beyond strange during an interview on his show Watch What Happens Live. Andy Cohen may be the brains behind a media empire, but he shows that he is human after all and has on and off days like the rest of us. 

Most Talkative allows the reader to catch a glimpse into the complicated inner-workings of television. From a boy who probably thought about television a little too much, to the ruler over Bravo's reality TV empire, Andy Cohen shows that a fun devotion to what you love can turn into an unimaginable journey. 

Most Talkative: Stories from the Front Lines of Pop Culture by Andy Cohen is available at Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, and retail booksellers. It is available on Nook, Kindle, and audio book.