TV host Andy Cohen has officially responded to the rumors about him dating singer-songwriter John Mayer.
At 56, Cohen is celebrated as a reality television mastermind, known for his role as the executive producer behind Bravo’s hugely successful Real Housewives franchise. In addition to his production work, the A-lister also hosts the popular talk show Watch What Happens Live, cementing his status as a major figure in the entertainment industry.
With his level of fame, Cohen inevitably faces rumors and media speculation. One relationship in particular has sparked curiosity among fans, with one social media user commenting, “I am happy for them if they are in a relationship. I love them both!”
The American media mogul and 47-year-old singer Mayer have been closely connected for years. According to Billboard, their relationship dates back to 2015, when the pair took a road trip together to see the rock band Grateful Dead.
During his appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Cohen was asked about his relationship with John Mayer. In response, the 56-year-old confidently stated, “I am in love with John Mayer, we are in love with each other.”
Cohen has been candid about his sexuality, having publicly come out during the first Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion in 2009.
When Watch What Happens Live debuted, Cohen made history as the first openly gay host of an American late-night talk show.
Though he has never been married, Cohen is a proud father to two young children, Benjamin and Lucy, whom he welcomed through surrogacy.
During his appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Stern commented on how often Cohen and Mayer go on camping trips together, playfully asking if anything sexual had ever occurred between them.
Cohen emphatically swore on his young children’s lives that nothing of a romantic or sexual nature had ever happened between him and Mayer.
This wasn’t the first time Cohen has publicly denied any romantic relationship with the singer. When CNN asked if they were dating, Cohen replied, “Listen, we have a very sweet friendship, and we are together all the time.”
Cohen added, “I think that I was not surprised because we also have a great love for each other. So, it just seems like the obvious assumption.”
In a more recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cohen was asked about the ongoing speculation surrounding his relationship with Mayer.
The THR writer remarked to the late-night show host, “People seem dubious that a straight rock star can have a close platonic relationship with a gay TV personality.”
Cohen responded, “Let them speculate! I honestly love John Mayer, and he loves me. But because we’re so affectionate toward each other, people don’t know what box to put that in.
“They assume we’re sleeping with each other, which we are most definitely not.”
In response to the article, Mayer sent an email to the writer, THR’s Co-Editor in Chief, Maer Roshan.
The ‘Your Body Is a Wonderland’ singer pointed out that, over the years, there have been many close friendships between rock stars and those in the LGBTQ+ community. He also expressed that the interview undermines the public’s acceptance of diverse friendships.
Mayer wrote, “I’d like to think they’re sophisticated enough to see a relationship like ours without assuming it must include a sexual component.
“That turns the concept of being gay into an ignorantly two-dimensional one, which I know you know it’s not. I don’t question that at all.”
Mayer ended the email with, “Reinforcing the idea that any gay/straight relationship needs qualification that it’s not sexual devoids everyone involved of their dignity.”
Both Cohen and Mayer have consistently stated that they share a strictly platonic relationship.