Andy Cohen on why straight guys love him

There’s a fun story on Bravo television personality and executive Andy Cohen in the current issue of GQ.

Here’s a section of the story, written in first person by Eric Ray Davidson, that I found really interesting and it has to do with Andy’s show Watch What Happens Live:

Here’s something else that started happening around the time the show moved to five nights a week: Men were tuning in to WWHL in big numbers. Men who were maybe paying half-attention while their wives and girlfriends cackled at Flipping Out or a Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion but who closed the laptop and locked in for WWHL.

“It happens all the time now,” Andy told me in September. “Yesterday, for example, I volunteered at Cantor Fitzgerald, did this 9/11 charity day. And I walked onto the trading floor, which is like being in the locker room of a football team or something—there’s a lot of testosterone. And every one of those guys knew who I was and had watched my show.”

“I said this the other night on the show; I basically spoke directly to the straight men,” he said. ” ‘I know you’re watching. I met you on my book tour. You come up to me everywhere I go. And I’ve figured out why you like me: I show a bunch of boobs and asses and good-looking women. I get your wives and girlfriends playing drinking games. I get ‘em wound up, I get ‘em drunk, and just when they’re at the point where’ “—he snaps—” ‘I’m off the air.’ ”

“You’re their fluffer,” I said.

“I’m their fluffer!”