Less than a month ago, Kathy Griffin talked with Metro Weekly about people coming out on their own timeline, in part, because, “keep in mind it’s a big world out there and there are people – you know, obviously journalists – that go to parts of the world where they will assassinate you the minute they think you’re gay.”

Then, Anderson Cooper went on Griffin’s Bravo show, Kathy, talking about being on a flight with Johnny Weir and telling a person on the flight trying to take a picture of him, “Bitch, what the fuck are you doing?” The first commenter on a Gawker post about the appearance had written, “So this this part of his plan to be ever more gradually out?”

Today, Cooper ended any “gradual” coming out, telling Andrew Sullivan, “The fact is, I’m gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud.”

That move prompted out MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts to tell Metro Weekly, “I don’t think his raw honesty will hurt him and, with or without knowing it, he has helped many.” The Washington Post’s Jonathan Capehart, also out, agreed, telling Metro Weekly the decision to come out publicly “only enhances his stature as a an honest and thorough journalist.”