If you were to date heartthrob CNN correspondent Anderson Cooper, there are some known deal-breakers. First off, don’t mention his mom, Gloria Vanderbilt—he’s his own man. Or, as his longtime friend and one-time suitor Andy Cohen learned, keep your cool. The Watch What Happens Live host spoiled his chances at a blind date with one short, overenthusiastic phone call.

“I just imagined him gesticulating with his hands,” Cooper told Houstonia. “The whole idea of dating him would never enter my mind.”

Even so, the duo became close friends and, now, have hit the road together for their AC2: Deep Talk and Shallow Tales tour—an evening of (slightly inebriated) frankness in which the two interview each other and invite questions from the audience. It’s an evening, Cooper says, meant to make audiences feel like they’re out for drinks with the two friends. Translation: the newsman will be off-duty.

Cohen is known to make Cooper take a shot or two before launching into the politics-free chat, which often includes the divulging of personal details. For example, the worst part of dating Cooper, Cohen has revealed, would be how moody he is. Cooper, meanwhile, told us that the worst part of dating Cohen would be competing with his personal magnetism. “He walks into a room and people want to be around him,” Cooper said. “When he leaves, the party literally ends.”

Oh, and if you were wondering, Cooper said—without equivocation—that Houston is the best city in Texas. He explained: “Dallas is great, don’t get me wrong. I just think there’s a friendliness and openness in Houston that’s really appealing.”

We love you, too, Anderson.

AC2: Deep Talk and Shallow Tales, Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. Tickets from $70. Smart Financial Centre, Sugar Land, 18111 Lexington Blvd. 281-207-6278. smartfinancialcentre.net.