Andy Cohen Revealed the 'Vocal' Way His Mom Questioned His Parenting
Even Andy Cohen can’t escape the occasional criticism from his mother (does this ever stop?). He opened up about the “vocal” way his mom Evelyn Cohen questioned his parenting with son Ben, 4, and Lucy, 1, and our hearts go out to him.
In a new interview with TODAY, the Bravo TV host shared that he is struggling with how much of his kids he should share on social media. “The last time I showed Ben’s face [on social media] was when I got my star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And Lucy, I’m teetering towards not showing anymore,” he explained.
“I just feel funny about it. People need to understand that my kids are not me and they didn’t sign up for this,” Cohen continued.
One reason he might be feeling weird about posting his kids? Because his mom doesn’t like it. “I’m figuring it out as I go,” he added. “My mom is really on me about it. She’s really like, ‘You have to stop.’ She was very vocal about, ‘OK, you can’t show Ben anymore. When are you going to stop showing Lucy?’”
It’s understandable, and Cohen is certainly not alone. Many celebrities refuse to show their kids’ faces on social media, instead opting to wait until their children are old enough to decide for themselves how much of a public life they want to live. But it’s interesting that the reason Cohen is walking back his public posts of his kids is because of his mom’s influence.
Previously, Cohen has shared how much his mom has “empowered” him and also criticized him in the past.
“She always celebrated me being myself,” he told PEOPLE in Dec. 2021. “She empowered me. She taught me to speak my mind. And she keeps me on my toes. He explained, “She’ll text me after Watch What Happens Live and say, ‘That was horrible,’ or ‘Those guests are boring,’ or ‘You look fat.’ She’s a major ballbuster. But when she texts, ‘That was a great show,’ I know she means it.” Yikes! It sounds like she subscribes to the tough love type of parenting.
It probably wasn’t just his mom’s opinion that changed Cohen’s mind about social media. The Real Housewives host’s own experience getting criticized on social media may have also influenced his decision.
“If I go on Twitter at any given moment, it’s a battlefield about politics, or people telling me that I messed up a show completely, or that I’m this, that, or the other,” he told TODAY. Cohen also shared how he keeps things in perspective: “But Ben today: I was like, ‘Ben, I love you.’ He goes, ‘However many stars there are in the sky is how much I love you.’ And I’m set for the day. I don’t give a f— what anyone’s saying about me on Twitter. This little boy loves me for as many stars as there are? The rest doesn’t really matter!” So sweet!
Before you go, check out these celebrities who fight to keep paparazzi away from their families.