Andy Cohen said a longtime colleague and friend inspired him to become a first-time father at age 50.
During a January 7, 2025, appearance on the “Today” show, the Bravo host and producer shared that Hoda Kotb helped him make the decision to become a father after giving him a life-changing pep talk.
“The courage and strength that you gave me to have my kids later in life,” Cohen, 56, said to Kotb, 60, on the NBC morning show. “You and I had a very impactful conversation in the hallway at Radio Andy one day. And you were like, ‘It’s right on time. It’s okay.’ Because I was worried about where I was in my life and my age, and you really set me straight. And that conversation was very impactful to me personally, and I really thank you for that guidance.”
Cohen welcomed his first child, Benjamin, in 2019 via surrogate. His daughter Lucy was born in 2022.
Hoda Kotb Became a Mother at Age 52
Kotb was 52 years old when she became a mother in 2017. She first adopted her daughter Haley Joy, and then two years later adopted Hope Catherine, with her then-fiancé, Joel Schiffman, per E! News. Kotb and Schiffman split in 2022 but continue to co-parent their daughters.
Kotb previously admitted that he may not have had the courage to embark on parenthood without her ex. “I have two incredible children I share with him,” she told People magazine in an interview published in 2021. “And it’s because of Joel that I have Haley and Hope, without question. I think I might have been too afraid to do it alone.”
Andy Cohen Didn’t Want to Wait For a Partner to Become a Dad
When Cohen made the decision to become a single dad, he decided he didn’t want to wait to find a husband. He admitted to People, “It’s not something in your mind — ‘Oh, I want to do this alone.’” But he further explained, “I didn’t want to wait. To me, it would have to be a very special person to say, ‘Let’s do this together.’”
Cohen added, “I will say, my first night back in New York City, I had a moment where I was in the apartment and [Benjamin] was upstairs and I was like, ‘Wow, man, this is on you.’ And it was heavy.”
In a 2023 interview with The New Yorker, Cohen said he decided to have a second child so his son would always have a family. “I did it for Ben, because I’m an older dad, and I’m a single dad, and I want him to feel like he has a family,” he told the outlet. “And if something, God forbid, ever happened to me I don’t want to abandon him. So he and his sister will always have each other.
“And, by the way, of course, I’m so glad I did it, and it’s wonderful, and she’s so cute. And I’m so glad I have a girl now,” the “Watch What Happens Live” host added.
