Meet Anderson Cooper's Secret Weapon

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed)
Sep 16th 2009 at 10:02AM

CNN 360° host Anderson Cooper has been getting a lot of attention lately for his buff physique (check out this video on TMZ.com). While it may seem like a sudden transformation, in fact Cooper's muscles are the result of two years of workouts with a personal trainer, Thelonious "T.J." Johnson (right).

In addition to getting Cooper and other high-profile clients in shape, Johnson is also an actor and model, with appearances in Vogue Italia, Details, and the cover of Maximum Fitness. His acting credits include roles on Law & Order: Criminal Intent and All My Children.

Johnson, a New York native whose jazz musician father named him after the great Thelonious Monk, was also picked as one of 2008's Most Eligible Bachelors by Extra. He customizes his training sessions to fit the needs and goals of each individual client.

An extreme sports enthusiast, he also specializes in extreme outdoor training, providing fitness sessions that feature mountain-biking, hiking, "tough man" workouts and boot camps. Citing confidentiality he declines to say exactly how he got Cooper so cut, but the results speak for themselves.

Tags: Anderson Cooper, AndersonCooper, celebrity, fitness, model, personal trainer, PersonalTrainer, T.J. Johnson, T.j.Johnson, Thelonious Johnson, Thelonious T.J. Johnson, TheloniousJohnson, TheloniousT.j.Johnson

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping, Sports

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

dhayescharlotte Sep 17th 2009 1:27PM

He needs to work on his attitude. Arrogant LIBERAL!

Darksid3yogi Sep 17th 2009 8:12PM

A. Cooper is the Paris Hilton of news...
not sure how he got there, but is smart enuff to enjoy the ride...
Celebutard fo-sho.

TAMI Sep 17th 2009 3:23PM

This guy is way too good looking to be having an affair with a certain commentator on MSNBC evening's lineup. I'll believe it when I see it.

Scott Sep 17th 2009 3:44PM

I doubt anyone would notice because nobody watches his dumb ass

jvrtex Sep 17th 2009 4:31PM

Cooper is gay, but closeted. He's been seen out shirtless at several gay bars I was told by a friend who was there.

Dino Sep 17th 2009 4:45PM

Bad time Buddy!!!! A good looking Gay Man without good body is usually not what we expect from him !

Mary Sep 17th 2009 4:45PM

OH PLEEEEEZE....this guy is a $3.00 bill...No body watches his bull shit!!

chaz Sep 17th 2009 4:58PM

Anderson Cooper & Ellen DeGeneres? As Archie Bunker would say,Tutti & Frutti.

slyder66666 Sep 17th 2009 5:15PM

ARE YOU SURE ANDERSON COOPER IS GAY? HE IS THE SON OF GLORIA VANDERBILT FOR GOODNESS SAKE. I THINK HE IS A NICE MAN.

redrum1124 Sep 17th 2009 5:24PM

anderson cooper is a good guy and does a great job on the show. who cares who he has sex with? who someone has sex with does not define a person!

slyder66666 Sep 18th 2009 2:47PM

why are you accusing anderson cooper of being gay? his mother is gloria vanderbilt.

clark chacon Sep 17th 2009 5:15PM

gay racist and black-he just doesnt look it

slyder66666 Sep 18th 2009 2:47PM

NO WAY IS ANDERSON COOPER GAY. HIS MOM IS GLORIA VANDERBUILT. EVEN IF HE WERE GAY HE IS STILL A GOOD COMMENTATOR, EVEN FOR CNN - COMMUNIST NEWS NETWORK, THE MOST DISTRUSTED NAME IN NEWS

franco parilo Sep 17th 2009 5:43PM

gloria vanderbilt 'er anderson vanderbilt cooper is just a rich poor boy. Pass the HGH.

mojo Sep 17th 2009 5:26PM

when has Anderson Cooper ever been caught out on a date with a woman ?

Hattie Crabtree Sep 17th 2009 7:27PM

I saw his speech two years ago ( on CSPAN ) at his alma mater ( some college in NY ).He said at one college prom that he didn't remember the prom that much and asked if any white headed kids about 21 years old were in the audience?

th Sep 17th 2009 5:29PM

This a guy is good looking in a hard kind of way, great bod that's for sure but most personal trainers have that. Checked out his website, range as actor very limited, goes from like A to B, limited ability to convey emotion beyond anger, and fear driven arrogance, pronounced accent. Should spend less time on the mountain bike and more in the acting studio and language lab. Is most likely straight"ish" but has probably become addicted to the new found sexual power and attention his looks/bod (from both gays and straights) give him. This is likely to make it a insurmountable challenge for to find the humility to grow as an actor. Actors must bare their emotions and he has carefully and laboriously constructed a disguise for his. He also seems to have a strange obsession with his own body which probably means his favorite lover is himself. He is always pinching and grabbiing himself. Could probably make a fortune in gay porn and as an escort.

Anderson Cooper is the best main stream journalist working today regardless of his sexual preference or the state of his muscles. He has a fine, quick mind and knows to ask the right follow up questions. He has a "nose for news" as they say. It would be a shame if he were to become a narcissistic muscle head.
He is not a "dumb ass" but I guess the teabaggers on the right will never forgive him for beating the failed Bush administration to New Orleans after Katrina and expoosing the lies and incompetence of the federal response.

cas3270126 Sep 17th 2009 5:34PM

Anderson Cooper is not in the closet, he has stated on several different occasions that he is gay, and proud of it.. stop hating....

bubbly2c Sep 18th 2009 3:02PM

As a loyal and long time viewer of 360, I've been wondering what he was doing. It's been gradual but becoming more obvious he was working on being 'more cut'. Nice work.
I don't care what his sexual orientation is, he is charming and intelligent, insightful and nice to look at! I will be forever grateful for the coverage he gave us after Katrina! He and Brian Williams were the only ones who told the awful truth - those people - fellow citizens of this country - had been completely abandoned by their government - and all for political and class reasons. The people 'left behind' were too poor to be cared about! May the world remember who and where and when the Republicans (party in full power then) looked away!
I am a progressive who watches a bit of all the news channels but I have a low low low tolerance for the Faux channels fakies.....