Andy Cohen will host show on SiriusXM

[June 06, 2012]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Andy Cohen loves pop culture about as much as he loves to talk. Now he'll be talking pop culture even more for a five-week run on SiriusXM.

Cohen, who currently hosts the Bravo talk show, "Watch What Happens Live," says the new satellite radio show will cover more than "The Real Housewives" franchise.

"There will be some `Housewives' talk, I hope," Cohen said in a telephone interview on Monday. "I want to talk to Caroline (Manzo, "The Real Housewives of New Jersey") about a story that I tell in my book about when they were cast and how that casting went down."

Then he added: "But it's not the `Housewives' radio show."

He wants the show to pick up where his book, "Most Talkative: Stories From The Front Lines Of Pop Culture," left off. Among the topics he brings up is his love for television, which he says began with it "two inches from my face."

Being passionate about television as a kid, Cohen says one of his favorite shows was the "Battle of the Network Stars," a reality series that pitted stars from the three major networks against one another.

"To me it was like the gay Olympics. It was the biggest stars all wearing bikini-little speedos and tank tops," Cohen said.

His first scheduled guest on his radio show appeared as a contestant.

"Valerie Bertinelli. I really want to talk to her about that," Cohen said intensely.

While he's doing the radio show for only five weeks, Cohen will be burning the candle at both ends. Besides hosting the radio show and "Watch What Happens Live," he's also Bravo's executive vice president of development and talent.

While Cohen is busy, he doesn't think he's approaching Ryan Seacrest territory.

"I don't know. Hopefully, I'll have as good a head of hair as Ryan," Cohen joked.

The one-hour show kicks off Thursday at 10:00 am ET.

[Associated Press; By JOHN CARUCCI]

John Carucci covers entertainment for The Associated Press. Follow him at http://twitter.com/jcarucci_ap.

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