Anderson Cooper talks about his mother Gloria Vanderbilt
No inheritance for Anderson! CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, who comes from the Vanderbilts, one of the wealthiest families in American history, said Monday, March 31, that he will not be receiving any fortune from his mother Gloria Vanderbilt.
“My mom’s made clear to me that there’s no trust fund” – Cooper told Howard Stern on his radio show. “There’s none of that.”
The CNN host said his 90-year-old mother, the great-great-great-granddaughter of the railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt, has told him he won’t get any of her wealth when she dies — and he says he doesn’t need the money.
“I don’t believe in inheriting money … I think it’s an initiative sucker. I think it’s a curse.
“Who’s inherited a lot of money that has gone on to do things in their own life? From the time I was growing up, if I felt that there was some pot of gold waiting for me, I don’t know that I would’ve been so motivated.
“I’m doing fine on my own, I don’t need any” – he said.
Gloria Vanderbilt, 90, who is reportedly worth $200 million, is arguably just as known for being a descendant of railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt as she is for her careers in fashion and art.
“She made more money on her own than she ever inherited” – Cooper said. “We believe in working.”
The CNN anchor makes $11 million a year and has been the cable network’s most popular personality. Cooper doesn’t “own any railroads” – he joked.
“Honestly, like my dad grew up really poor in Mississippi” – he said.
“I more paid attention to that because I thought that’s a healthier thing to pay attention to than like some statute of a great-great-great grandfather who has no connection to my life.”