Anderson Cooper's Days 'Could Be Numbered': Longtime Correspondent Doesn't Fit 'Alpha Male' Profile CBS Network's New Boss Bari Weiss Is 'Demanding'
Anderson Cooper is the latest CBS talent to come under Bari Weiss' scrutiny.
Jan. 15 2026, Published 4:17 p.m. ET
Anderson Cooper's days as a 60 Minutes contributor could be numbered, as the CNN host lacks the "alpha" male energy that new CBS News boss Bari Weiss expects from her talent, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Cooper, 58, has been part of the venerable news magazine since 2006, but his calm, measured delivery style doesn't align with Weiss' vision for investigative bulldogs.
Anderson Cooper's Days at '60 Minutes' 'Could be Numbered'
Anderson Cooper has been with '60 Minutes' for the past 19 years.
"CBS isn’t looking for gentlemen anymore. They want someone who commands the room, projects dominance," a source tells Hollywood insider Rob Shuter, who writes on Substack.
"Anderson? He’s calm, thoughtful, precise. That doesn’t cut it under the new regime," the insider warned about the Anderson Cooper 360° host.
"Honestly, his days there could be numbered," another source cautioned about the New York City native. "The new regime wants alpha. Anderson’s a talented gentleman. That’s no longer enough."
New CBS Regime Wants 'Presence and Authority' From Anderson Cooper
Anderson Cooper reportedly doesn't want to play along with his boss' wish for 'alpha male' energy.
Cooper is reportedly not on board with projecting a different energy to please his new boss.
"He’s a consummate professional, a gentleman. But the new CBS doesn’t reward that. They want presence, authority, someone who dominates the narrative. Anderson doesn’t do that and doesn’t want to," said a second source.
Cooper has been an integral part of 60 Minutes for the past 19 years, providing about five stories per year under a unique talent-sharing agreement CBS has with CNN.
The deal began three years after the newsman launched his signature CNN prime-time news show, capitalizing on his red-hot popularity in 2006. But times have changed.
Anderson Cooper Is 'Failing the Alpha Test'
Bari Weiss reportedly has Anderson Cooper's latest '60 Minutes' story under heavy scrutiny.
Cooper is finding the work environment at 60 Minutes brutal under Weiss, who reportedly has his latest piece on hold while she goes over it with a fine-toothed comb.
"Bari is hands-on like we’ve never seen,” a source spilled to Shuter. "Normally, Anderson gets creative freedom. Now every frame, every word is scrutinized. It’s clear the bosses are testing him — and he’s failing the alpha test."
Cooper's latest segment is in editorial purgatory, as he examined President Donald Trump's move to accept white Afrikaner farmers as refugees from South Africa, saying they are victims of an ongoing genocide.
The piece is undergoing an "intense level of editorial scrutiny," with Weiss delivering "extensive editorial feedback," The Status newsletter reported on January 8.
One staffer called the amount of attention The Free Press founder was giving the story "abnormal," leaving Cooper's veteran producer on the piece "exasperated."
However, an insider told the New York Post that Weiss has only been part of one screening of the South Africa refugees segment thus far.
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New 'CBS Evening News' anchor Tony Dokoupil has already brought a more 'alpha' energy to the newscast.
The former New York Times opinion writer has already left her mark by rebooting the CBS Evening News, ditching the longer-form story format, and elevating hunky CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil to the anchor chair.
The higher-energy host replaced the far-left-leaning team of John Dickerson and Maurice Dubois, both of whom announced their departures in late 2025 after seeing the writing on the wall and the changes ahead.
Weiss was hired by David Ellison, Chairman & CEO of Paramount Skydance, in October 2025 to overhaul the CBS news division and drive it to a more centrist style after it was dubbed far too "woke."
