Most Talkative: Stories from the Front Lines of Pop Culture

by Andy Cohen

The man behind the Real Housewives writes about his lifelong love affair with pop culture that brought him from the suburbs of St. Louis to his own television show

From a young age, Andy Cohen knew one He loved television. Not in the way that most kids do, but in an irrepressible, all-consuming, I-want-to-climb-inside-the-tube kind of way. And climb inside he did. Now presiding over Bravo's reality TV empire, he started out as an overly talkative pop culture obsessive, devoted to Charlie's Angels and All My Children and to his mother, who received daily letters from Andy at summer camp, usually reminding her to tape the soaps. In retrospect, it's hard to believe that everyone didn't know that Andy was gay; still, he remained in the closet until college. Finally out, he embarked on making a career out of his passion for television. The journey begins with Andy interviewing his all-time idol Susan Lucci for his college newspaper and ends with him in a job where he has a hand in creating today's celebrity icons. In the witty, no-holds-barred style of his show Watch What Happens Live , Andy tells tales of absurd mishaps during his ten years at CBS News, hilarious encounters with the heroes and heroines of his youth, and the real stories behind The Real Housewives . Dishy, funny, and full of heart, Most Talkative provides a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the world of television, from a fan who grew up watching the screen and is now inside it, both making shows and hosting his own.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Humor, Audiobook, Biography, Celebrity, Pop Culture

288 pages, Hardcover

First published May 8, 2012

About the author

Andy Cohen is an American television executive, host, and author. As of 2012, he is the Executive Vice President of Development and Talent at the Bravo cable television network, a subsidiary of NBC Universal. He is also the host of the network's nightly live talk show Watch What Happens Live and the author of a memoir, Most Talkative: Stories from the Front Lines of Pop Culture. He is the first openly gay host of an American late night talk show.

Reviews

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A completely random pick, needed a light easy listening audio to accompany my stressful working week and boy did this do the trick! I've only ever watched the Real Housewives when it's been on the TV in the background so didn't know all the key players he refers to in this book but I didn't even care this was pure indulgent entertainy Hollywood gossipy froth that I lapped up. I adore Andy after this fun read and if you happen to be a fan or not it doesn't even matter as he delivers it perfectly. His inflections are hilarious and I couldn't help want to be HIS sidekick best friend after reading this. The AUDIO is the only way to go. It's all in the delivery!!

[Tan Markovic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviews can be found at: www.booknerdtan.wordpress.com

Seeing as The Real Housewives franchises have basically been the reason for my sanity during this whole pandemic, I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at the man who is responsible for this wonderfully awful TV series that I can’t look away from.

I enjoyed learning about his childhood, his heritage and family dynamics. He also gave insight into his sexuality and how he dealt with it growing up. Was interesting to see how his interactions with celebrities as time went on and he got more famous.

There definitely needed to be more about the housewives though, the last few chapters were just not enough for me! I did enjoy learning the backstory about Taylor Armstrong’s storyline regarding her abuse and her husbands suicide.

Overall a interesting read and insight into his life and was great to digest via audiobook!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy Cohen


Andy Cohen is the executive producer of the 'Real Housewives' franchise, and if you're interested in those programs, Cohen writes about them in this memoir. Cohen's coverage is extensive, but he does not include everything you ever wanted to know. That out of the way, I'll continue.

Andy Cohen, born in 1968, grew up in a close Jewish family in St. Louis, Missouri. Cohen writes, "I was a good kid, but I've had one Achilles' heel that's stayed with me through the years: talking. I simply could not shut the f**k up - I still can't - and that small issue has gotten me in all sorts of trouble." Relating an anecdote about his constant chatter during a trip with relatives, Andy recalls, "My Aunt [Judy] - my own flesh and blood by marriage - dumped an entire pitcher of iced tea over my head!"


Little Andy Cohen


Teenage Andy Cohen

Andy includes lots of stories about his youth, including this one about vacationing in Sarasota with his extended family. Andy remembers, "I loved doing impersonations. My specialty was the Reverend Ernest Angley, who wore a white suit and a big toupee and healed people. I often took my Reverend Angley act in the street and 'preached' around the neighborhood.....now I wonder what people thought of the screamy little Jewish boy pretending to be a Bible Belt preacher."


Reverend Ernest Angley (whom young Andy Cohen liked to impersonate)

Regarding his sexuality, Cohen writes, "To be clear, I've been gay since the day I was born, but even though I knew it somewhere in my head, I didn't want to face the facts of what that meant." Andy grew up in a time of widespread bigotry against homosexuals, and notes, "I really believed my life would be over once I came out." Recalling an Eddie Murphy show he attended, Cohen writes "Every other word out of [Murphy's] mouth was 'faggot.' Cohen goes on, "My friends loved it. I was surrounded by thousands of people in hysterics, and they were laughing at 'faggots.' And ipso facto, laughing at me."


Comic Eddie Murphy


Andy Cohen at his high school prom

After high school, Cohen went to Boston University (BU) in 1986, to study Broadcast Journalism. According to Cohen, he picked BU because "it was urban, with a good communication school, and, I'd found out on the sly, a semblance of a gay community." Andy began to hang out with gay men, but stayed in the closet to his friends and family, for fear they'd ostracize him. Cohen also worried about his health. He observes, "The dark side of my initial forays into the gay world was that I was absolutely terrified that I was going to get - or had already gotten - AIDS."


Andy Cohen sporting his 'Jewfro'

When Cohen finally decided to come out in college, he wrote a journal entry that he read to each friend after he told them his secret - an explanation that was long, explanatory, and heartfelt. As things turned out, Andy's friends and parents accepted him. Cohen writes, "Overall, the support was overwhelming, although two friends later confessed to barfing hours after our conversations. I'm going to choose to blame that one on processed foods, whether it's true or not."

Cohen writes a great deal about his career, which started with a summer internship at 'CBS This Morning' in 1989. After graduating from college, Andy returned to CBS as a newsclerk, and he "answered phones, ripped scripts, collated packet for the anchors, and did irritating work for producers."


Andy Cohen at CBS News


Andy Cohen and friends on shirtless Tuesdays at '48 Hours' on CBS

Andy slowly worked his way up to a producer on CBS news, and mentions many of the famous people whose appearances he produced - including Mary Jo and Joey Buttafucco; Buddy Hackett; and Tammy Faye Bakker, of whom Andy speaks with great affection. Andy also had to rush to disaster scenes (floods, hurricanes, fires, bombings, plane crashes, etc.) to line up people to be interviewed on the news. These experiences were difficult and haunting.


Televangelist and singer Tammy Faye Bakker

Eventually, Andy started working for the new Bravo network, which was "seriously gay friendly", with shows like 'Boy Meets Boy'; and 'Gay Weddings.' In time, Bravo morphed into a very successful network, airing reality programs such as 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy','Project Runway', 'Top Chef', 'My Life on the D-List', 'Shear Genius', 'Flipping Out', 'Million Dollar Listing', and others. Bravo is also the home of the popular 'Real Housewives' franchise, and Andy writes a good bit about the cast members (including those awful Salahis) and the reunion shows, which he hosted.


Real Housewives of New Jersey Reunion Show


Michaele and Tareq Salahi dressed for a (notorious) dinner at the White House

Once Cohen got on-air there was no stopping him, and Andy went on to host reunion shows for other Bravo programs. Finally, in 2008, Cohen got his own show, called 'Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen', where he discusses pop culture topics with celebrities and reality show personalities.


Carol Burnett on What's What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

Andy includes lots of chit-chat in the memoir, including his camp experiences as a boy; his fascination with Susan Lucci and Oprah Winfrey; his college travels in Europe; his good friend Graciela, with whom he pulled (what they thought) were hilarious pranks; his wonky eye; his work; his parents Evelyn and Lou; and much more. Many of the stories are funny, and Andy's exuberant personality comes through loud and clear.


Andy Cohen with Susan Lucci


Andy Cohen with his parents, Evelyn and Lou

From a boy, Andy wanted to be on television, and when he's asked if his life is different now that he's famous, Cohen responds, "Sometimes I can get into a great restaurant, sometimes people want to have their picture taken with me, and sometimes people come up to me and say something that they perhaps intend to be nice or funny, but that leaves me feeling....sweetly bludgeoned. Something like: You are cuter than I thought you would be! Or, The Housewives are the end of civilization."


Andy Cohen on the Red Carpet

On the down side, every mistake of a celebrity is trumpeted on social media. For instance, when Andy criticized public school children who sang on the Oscars - thinking he was being funny - all hell broke loose. Andy recalls, "That was the day I realized I was kind of famous....and I wish I could've enjoyed that moment instead of having it tied to the nauseous feeling in the pit of my stomach....as it became clear that I would now be world famous for being a child-hater." Andy sincerely apologized and now has two children, Benjamin and Lucy, so he's not a child hater at all....and he likes dogs as well. 😀


Andy Cohen with his children, Benjamin and Lucy


Andy Cohen with his rescue dog Wacha

I listened to the audiobook and had a digital copy. I enjoyed Cohen's memoir, and recommend it to fans of Andy Cohen and people who enjoy Bravo television shows.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Jaclyn Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the perfect summer/beach/poolside book. If you’re a Bravo fan or Real Housewives fan, it’s a must-read for all the insider tidbits that Andy spills.

Unlike some other Bravo-catapulted celebrity books (Bethenny’s Skinnydipping and Taylor Armstrong’s memoirs, ahem), this one is actually worth your time. Yes, it’s fluff—but it’s entertaining and fun fluff. I actually had no expectations when I began the book except that I wanted gossipy tidbits about the Housewives, so Andy’s humorous and engaging writing caught me off guard.

I have a few little quibbles. First, it’s not long enough. Some of the chapters felt rushed and while he spends a lot of time discussing his work at CBS and describing various assignments while there, it feels like he hits the fast-forward button at the end of his tenure there and suddenly he’s Executive VP at Bravo. The sections describing the Bravo programming he was almost singlehandedly instrumental in bringing to the network are all too brief. Furthermore, while he does devote a significant number of pages to the Housewives franchise, he only mentions other major Bravo shows like Top Chef or Flipping Out in passing. What was in the book was great, but I kept hoping for more. Additionally, I really hoped he would describe more thoroughly reasons behind some of their more controversial programming decisions. He does broach the Being Bobby Brown disaster, but on the other hand, he doesn’t venture beyond one sentence as to why the Real Housewives of DC wasn’t renewed. (One assumes poor ratings, but I think it could have been great franchise with a casting shake-up for a second season.) He also touches on Real Housewives of Miami, but doesn’t address what an utter snoozefest that season was to Bravo viewers. He barely mentions the huge casting changes for the sixth season of Real Housewives of New York. There is absolutely nothing about Project Runway moving to Lifetime. It feels a little too light sometimes, like he wants to indulge Bravo fans but only just enough. That’s okay—it’s his book, not mine—but after letting dozens of people bare the most intimate details of their lives on TV, it seems anticlimactic not to continue in that same vein when discussing behind-the-scenes programming decisions.

One interesting note: he seems to have a barely disguised dislike of Jill Zarin that comes up again and again. She definitely comes across high-maintenance and diva-like, and while I guess that isn’t too surprising, it was interesting to read between the lines and guess as to the reasons she wasn’t brought back for this sixth season of RHONY.

[Janel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a blast!...I admit it: Bravo is my automatic default channel. I will watch just about anything they tell me to. Top Chef, Millionaire Matchmaker, Flipping out, and I have been reluctantly sucked into the drama and campiness of several of the Housewives. I totally get a kick out of Andy Cohen and his show Watch What Happens Live! and am completely predisposed to love this book....and I did. It was enlightening and fun to learn a bit about Andy's roots, how he grew up, and his born love of pop culture. There is a part about when he comes out of the closet when he's in college that very successfully conveyed the total angst and anxiety that one must feel when doing this, and it gave me more compassion for people dealing with that. My favorite parts of the book for sure were learning about Andy's rise to success from college to intern to producing and eventually his arriving at Bravo. And he really paid his dues! The field sounds exciting, and frenetic with lots of pressure and ups and downs. The behind the scenes celebrity stories are so funny, and of course, the latter part of the book is filled with all you ever wanted to know about the Housewives. A memoir with a lot of heart, a breezy touch, but with more depth than you might think. A winner!

[Trina Gloury · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun audiobook! Andy Cohen is hilarious, energetic and engaging, and who better to narrate his own book than the man himself. Being the massive housewives and wwhl fan that I am, hearing stories about these shows productions was incredibly fun and insightful. His other stories were likewise charming and interesting. There were instances throughout this audiobook where my interested wasn't as piqued as in other sections, however for a good 85% of it I was hooked on Mr. Cohen's every word.

I adored his personal and frank discussion about his sexuality and coming out experience, as well as his relationship with his family. I adored anything he discussed which involved his mother. The tone of the entire book was true of Cohen and only made me love him more. It felt as though the two of us were gossiping and sharing our inner true selves, which was truly a wonderful experience.

Four big thumbs up!

[Arjun · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty cool. To be honest, I skipped straight to the Housewives and Reunions chapters. They were by far the best because lets face it, that's all I'm interested in.

I've always envisioned Andy as a sort of flamboyant puppetmaster of Cougar Town aka The Real Housewives. And he freely admits it, which was cool. I found his justifications for blatant exploitation of the Housewife crazies interesting and mostly believable. He wants to make good entertainment and as such doesn't see much value in hiding the best parts from the viewer. Part of me assumes that any "reality" show always censors the really revealing stuff, however, it seems like they would show anything that would generate more controversy/ratings.

There isn't a whole lot of new "dirt" provided. The anecdotes reinforce what anyone who is paying attention already knows: Jill is a ultra calculated overbearing drama queen (her attempts to get a picture of her dog to replace Giggy were hilarious), Kim has no good reason for wearing wigs, the Salahi's ruined the DC Housewives, and the Russell Armstrong suicide was a tragedy. Personally, I was more interested in hearing about Kelly's psychotic breakdown and the behind-the-scenes talks that went into it. I wish there was more explanation about certain elements, but really there is such a thing as "too much" when it comes to reality TV.

After reading those chapters, I was interested to skim the rest of the book. Andy is basically the complete opposite of me but he's an interesting guy who has had some crazy times. He comes across (intentionally) as the dorky little brother of Very Famous people. If you're super into pop-culture (and specifically anything Bravo related), you will really enjoy this book. If you're an occasional spectator due to the women in your life, you should just skip to the parts you're interested in. Lastly, if you're the type of person to paint your face for a sport event, you should probably avoid this book altogether.

[Matthew Boyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh Andy Cohen... Because of it's targeted and somewhat limited audience, I decided to give this book 3 stars, only because had I not been a fan of his and Bravo I wouldn't have picked it up at all.

A good book to pass the time when you don't have anything else to read. I could have done away with the later chapters about the Housewives Franchise even though it's a huge part of his success and without it, he wouldn't have written this book.

He's got a sweet coming out story but I wish he had elaborated more on his love life, just one sweet, albeit short lived affair in Paris or at the very least talked more about his experiences as a Gay man.. Something that gave the readers more, to show more of his personal life rather than his life indentured in the media.

Congratulations to Andy Cohen and all his successes, if you're ever in Fort Myers, Florida hit me up.

[Alley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a HUGE HUGE fan of Bravo and am addicted to 99% of their programming and mostly due to the genius that is Andy Cohen. I love everything about him and didn't think i could love him more until I read his book. I finished it within hours and felt every emotion possible as I went through the pages. I loved the smaller inclusions like his camp letters and photos, and other personal mementos. I have never read something where not only am I familiar with the writer but I could here Andy talking as he was writing his book that to me made it almost more special as a reader. I loved all the inside scoop on the Bravolebrities and other tidbits from his beginning on CBS. This is a wonderful read that doesn't feel like an autobiography but more like a close friend telling you their life story. I recommend to all. ********

[Angela Risner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must confess, I am a fan of most of Bravo's programming. I love the Housewives (except for Miami - WHY are they coming back?!?!), I love Top Chef (I want Tom Colicchio and Bobby Flay to make me a sandwich), I love Project Runway (and I liked Bravo's version better; I really think the show floundered for a bit when it went to Lifetime), and I love Jeff Lewis (delightful dry wit.)

At first, I wasn't a huge Andy Cohen fan, though. I just wasn't sure what to make of him when he hosted the reunion shows. But over time, his humor and willingness to "go there" with the Housewives won me over.

This was an interesting trip down his lane o' memories. I had often wondered how people get to where they are today. I didn't know that he had started out with CBS as a morning producer. I never knew he was with the TRIO channel for a time. It was so fascinating to read about that part of his life.

I share in his inability to be quiet. My childhood report cards always had an "Unsatisfactory" rating for those measurements.

The book is very well-written and hysterical to boot. If you're a fan of any of the series on Bravo, I recommend this book. It gives you the behind-the-scenes details that everyone craves.

[D.J. Lehrhaupt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really surprised how enjoyable this book was. Campy? Of course, it's written by the man behind Real Housewives. But the book has a lot of heart too as Andy reveals the mistakes he's made professionally and some of the personal hardships he had as a gay man coming out of the closet at the height of the AIDS epidemic. This isn't Just Kids by Patti Smith, but it's not trying to be. It's an entertaining autobiography worth reading, especially if you love Andy or the Bravosphere.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars yet can’t quite round up to 4

[RNOCEAN · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The man behind the Real Housewives writes about his lifelong love affair with pop culture that brought him from the suburbs of St. Louis to his own television show

From a young age, Andy Cohen knew one thing: He loved television. Not in the way that most kids do, but in an irrepressible, all-consuming, I-want-to-climb-inside-the-tube kind of way. And climb inside he did. Now presiding over Bravo's reality TV empire, he started out as an overly talkative pop culture obsessive, devoted to Charlie's Angels and All My Children and to his mother, who received daily letters from Andy at summer camp, usually reminding her to tape the soaps. In retrospect, it's hard to believe that everyone didn't know that Andy was gay; still, he remained in the closet until college. Finally out, he embarked on making a career out of his passion for television.

The journey begins with Andy interviewing his all-time idol Susan Lucci for his college newspaper and ends with him in a job where he has a hand in creating today's celebrity icons. In the witty, no-holds-barred style of his show Watch What Happens Live, Andy tells tales of absurd mishaps during his ten years at CBS News, hilarious encounters with the heroes and heroines of his youth, and the real stories behind The Real Housewives. Dishy, funny, and full of heart, Most Talkative provides a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the world of television, from a fan who grew up watching the screen and is now inside it, both making shows and hosting his own."

Rate 4/5 I became a fan of Andy Cohen after starting on my journey of guilty pleasures of watching Bravo's Housewives series. This book describes his ascent into fame and Bravo in a lighthearted and witty way. I love his take on all of the shows and thoroughly enjoyed the book!

[Cynthia Corral · Rating 5 out of 5]

I "read" the audiobook, because I love hearing people read their own autobiographies. I'm giving it 5 stars for what it is: Andy Cohen's memoir about growing up as a gay man in a wonderful family, and working his way up to running the Bravo TV network and getting pummeled by Real Housewives. It doesn't pretend to be any more important to the world than any particular Bravo TV show. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me think and have a lot of compassion for what he went through growing up gay in the 80s. He doesn't take himself too seriously in this book, and gives us a lot of inside info about the Real Housewives, as well as a bit of read-between-the-lines opinions on a few of them. (I'm thinking that he and Jill Zarin are not BFFs by the way)

The book probably isn't for everyone; a reader would likely need to already be an Andy Cohen fan or a sucker for Bravo shows (I am both). But there is also a lot of insight into what he went through growing up and some great stories about his journalism exploits including many anecdotes about Dan Rather, Ross Perot, Oprah and, of course, Susan Lucci. All in all, I loved the book and would listen to it again.

There were a few times that I listened to it on headphones while walking my dog, and I would laugh so hard my dog got upset. A book that entertains like that gets 5 stars from me.

[Deviant-Muse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not give usual reviews spewing the content of the book I've just read. I do tell how I felt about the book and if I enjoyed it or not.

I would not have bought this book and I actually didn't. I received it for Mother's Day from my kids. I do watch some of the Housewives shows and other Bravo television shows. My husband was listening to Howard Stern and Andy just happened to be on that day promoting this book. My husband thought I would like it, so, I got it as a gift.

I enjoyed the book immensely! Andy has had a very interesting life leading up to his fame today. I loved reading about behind the scenes that I would not have known without having read this book.

Andy has come so far from that little town he grew up in. Thanks to him, those who like Andy and the Bravo shows, have something fun to watch.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves (even likes just a little) Andy Cohen and/or Bravo shows. Without Andy, we wouldn't have some of the good shows we see on Bravo today. Even if you dislike Andy, give it a read. You will find that you may respect him, on some level, even if you still dislike him or the shows.

[Madeline Dahlman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will say this-- I love me some Andy Cohen. He's funny, sassy, and smart. I thought his memoir had a decent amount of gossip in it and some entertaining stories. I didn't however, actually want to read as much about his life growing up. I was expecting this to be a total gossip rag and it only hit about 65% of the mark. Also, he's clearly most interested in RHNY and RHNJ. Throw me some serious OC gossip, yo! oh well. I read this while traveling so it was fairly appropriate for that. Easily put down and then picked back up. I still heart you Andy Cohen. Oh, and side note, Andy is an All My Children fan just like myself (he mentions it a LOT in the book) so I thought it was fairly crazy when I met Walt Willey (aka Jackson Montgomery) at the airport while reading this...

[Brandice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great, light read!! As a Bravo addict, I really enjoyed it. Andy is likable, the stories (about Andy's career path & his interactions w/ Bravolebrities & celebrities) were entertaining. It's a good read for any fan of the channel and/or Bravo's shows and/or oh yeah, Andy.

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I read this I always just thought Andy Cohen was a fun guy doing whatever, but this book revealed that he is both extremely smart and also very crazy

I thought the audiobook was great (it's important to hear Andy doing the impressions of celebs) but when I picked up the paper copy I was just as impressed. His tone is thoughtful and fluid in a way that doesn't translate to audio ...I can't decide which version I would recommend more!

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and chatty memoir: exactly what I would expect from Andy. Per usual for a memoir, this is something that has to be listened to, as Andy brings it to life with his patented charm and bite that has made him millions. A warm look at the beginnings of the man that has shaped modern reality TV, or Soap Opera 2.0 as he might say. Four stars.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like Andy Cohen himself, I am guilty of flip-flopping. There are many things I said I'd NEVER like (One Direction, Justin Bieber, vegetables), and ended up slowly coming around to the side of liking them anyway (well, except for vegetables. They still haven't totally won me over).

Andy Cohen was actually one of those things that, in the not-so-distant past I just wasn't a huge fan of. I loved him at Real Housewives reunions on Bravo, but that was about as far as it went. I couldn't watch an entire episode of Watch What Happens Live without wanting to throw something at my TV screen. Like, a lot. But somehow, for whatever reason, I began to thaw towards Andy. Maybe it was his great guests on the show? Maybe it was his close friendship with Anderson Cooper? I mean...how could anyone that Anderson Cooper liked that much be THAT bad, really? I was still undecided though. So, when I was looking for a new audiobook to listen to, and came across Most Talkative, I thought I'd use that as the deciding factor. If I could get through the audiobook (which he narrated) and enjoy it, he had officially won me over.

And guess what? My flip-flopping ways have undone me again! I loved Most Talkative, and it swayed me to the dark side. Cohen is definitely his typical self as narrator - obnoxious, boisterous, loud, but also very candid. It was really interesting hearing about his start in the news business and how he worked his way up to the Bravo exec and mastermind behind the Housewives that he is today. I liked that he recounted both his successes and missteps, and all in a very relatable way. His obsession with Susan Lucci, Oprah, and the B-52s all reminded me of my own celebrity obsessions and crushes. And were I ever in a position where my job helped me cross paths with those people, I'd probably have much the same (often embarrassing) interactions that he did.

As much as I loved the story of his rise to the fame he has today, I can't lie -- the most exciting part of the book was probably when he started talking about his time at Bravo, the Housewives, and how Watch What Happens Live came to be. It was really fun to get those behind the scenes peeks into a network that, for better or worse, kind of rules my life.

So, yes, Andy Cohen has won me over. I can now get through Watch What Happens Live without shouting at the TV (most of the time), and I was definitely able to complete an entire 9 hour audiobook that he narrated. And damn it, I had fun doing it.

[Alyssa Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was first attracted to this book because I saw Andy Cohen promoting it on The Colbert Report, and I thought he was easy-going and funny. Even though I don't watch The Real Housewives, I was still interested in the stories Andy had to tell.

And my goodness, does Andy Cohen have some stories! For Real Housewives fans, know that this is a memoir. Though he talks about the show, it's not all about it. But Most Talkative has something for everyone, I think, as it's mostly about Andy's path from intern to producer and the funny situations and obstacles he encounters along the way. Who hasn't embarrassed themselves, and who hasn't messed up at work? His stories are easy to relate to and you'll have a laugh while hearing about them. There are some truly funny moments, and there were situations that made me shake my head in embarrassment for him. But the upbeat and self-deprecating way in which he tells about it lessens the empathetic pain.

The narration took me a bit to get used to. In terms of telling a story, Andy talks a little too fast for me. At first, I kept getting confused because I often missed what he said, but after a couple of chapters, I got used to it and had no problems with it. I did love the fun, easy-going style his narration has. He takes time to make asides and directly address the listeners, which I also loved. It fit in with the tone of how Most Talkative is written, and I didn't feel like I was listening to a memoir, really. It was more like sitting down and listening to a friend recount old stories. And that's the brilliance with this audiobook, I think. Andy talks to the readers just like they're old friends, so I instantly felt a connection with him and was with him the whole way through. I felt his pain through the difficult stuff and felt the elation with the successes. I definitely recommend the audiobook over the printed version for this one. Andy Cohen has a lot of personality, and it shines through his narration.

*In exchange for my honest review, I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher through Audiobook Jukebox's Solid Gold Reviewer program.*

Also posted on Purple People Readers.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do not watch Bravo. After they dumped reruns of The West Wing in September of 2009, I haven't been back since. I don't do reality. So why did I pick up this book? Mainly because Andy went from executive to hosting his own show and I was wondering how that happened. And I have flipped on Watch What Happens Live and with the exception of all the reality guests (flip), I like it. Even though the reviews for this book weren't that great, I still wanted to pick it up. And unfortunately, the reviews were spot on. I don't know. there was just something off about this book. It shouldn't have taken me this long to read it, but it did. It was okay, fans are going to loooooooooove it, but everyone else, eh. The layout was okay and I liked the way it was written (I love when writers write in a conversation setting) and I actually liked it more about his past then present, mainly because I don't do Real Housewives of Anywhere. Too many people listed and I didn't bother keeping anyone straight because I didn't really care. Which didn't bode well for the book. Oh well. No regrets, but only for the huge Bravo fans.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Andy Cohen. He seems to be as fascinated by kooky behavior as I am. I don't think I have missed a single episode of his fabulous let's-put-some-liquor-in-Jackee-and-see-what-happens kind of talk show. Saturday Night Live got it right, he is "adorable." That's why I thought there was no chance I would win this book in the giveaway, than I did! http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho... (Don't tell the editors, I would have ended up buying this anyway.)
This book is your perfect beach read for the summer. Take it with you on vacation, pick it up now and then, then put it down, and you will have no problem picking right back up. I don't know how good the latter part of the book will be if you are not a Bravo viewer like myself. Which come to think of it, the Housewives are like a perfect summer read too. Junk food, not for the soul, but at least for the bored. I am currently lapping up bowlfulls of the New Jersey crew. I kept thinking this is probabaly even more fun on audio.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enlightening and humorous all in one, Cohen knows how to pack a punch. This is his story of how he went through life which started out a closeted gay Jewish boy. I have watched Andy on Bravo many times which he is an executive of that network and have felt intrigued with him each time I watched him. I am still fascinated by the man and after reading this memoir of his, I continue to be fascinated by him.



Nothing is out of bounds in this book from him telling his nearest and dearest he was gay, travels through Europe during college and how he came to where he is in the entertainment world it is all here. I have watched the Housewives he mentions throughout the book only a few times, but after reading this I am a bit more curious about them.



His light hearted way of writing about the various things that have happened in his life make me want to go back and review some of these and look at them from his perspective which he shares in this memoir.



Witty and fun, it is worth the read and I am so glad I have fallen in love with Bravo and Andy.

[Noel Adolph · Rating 4 out of 5]

fans of bravo's 'watch what happens live' host andy cohen will absolutely love this breezy fun read delving into the rise of a network executive. Andy was born 1 year earlier than I was so relating to his obsessions was like a walk down memory lane. Besides his childhood in St. Louis, Andy covers off on coming out in college to his friends and family, working for CBS news in the 90s, and working at Trio and Bravo (including a lengthy chapter on the housewives franchise, including some transcripts of the most outrageous reunion bits, which tbh i found to be a tad filler-ish).

throughout the book, andy comes across on the page very much like he does on tv, full of asides and mentions of meeting famous and infamous people along the way (there is a particularly funny story about meeting Tammy Faye Baker and her dog, Tuppins), his warm relationship with his mom Evelyn, and obsessions with everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Susan Lucci.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't get enough. Could not contain my laughter on the #11 bus, on the brown line, in bed while Chris was trying to sleep. Reading this basically felt like one of my best friends was telling me hilarious stories for a few days in a row, with touching anecdotes popping up here and there.

Bravo, Andy Cohen (see what I did there?).

I wonder how many other dweebs included 'bravo' in their review. I can't help it.

[Jenn O'Brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Andy! Listening to him and his impressions made me laugh out loud. Reading this made me realize that I want to meet Andy's Mom Evelyn. She sounds hysterical!!! I was really hoping for more insider Housewives information but overall I liked listening to his story.

[Kelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny if you like Andy Cohen, Bravo, and just generally ridiculous stories. There was one story within the book where I could not contain my laughter. He is a nut and I really like him.

[Maria Trajano · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so funny 😂😂 the audio book made it 10x better. Listening to Andy tell his life stories himself was what made this. I needed a light book and this was perfect.

[Natalee Jobert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andy Cohen the man that you are!