CNN Host Comes From a Family With Money, But He Won't Inherit a Dime — Here's Why He Says It's One of the Best Things to Ever Happen to Him

You might not know this, but CNN's Anderson Cooper is the great-great-great grandson of railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt. His mother has a reported net worth of $200 million.

Nevertheless, the distinguished news anchor won't receive a dime of the fortune.

"My mom's made clear to me that there's no trust fund. There's none of that," Cooper told Howard Stern Monday.

Anderson Cooper speaks onstage at the "Together to End AIDS: An Evening to Benefit amfAR and GBCHealth" at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, July 21, 2012 in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

In fact, the CNN host even went one step further. Cooper said that he's thankful he isn't in line for the fortune.

"I don't believe in inheriting money," he said. "I think it's an initiative sucker. I think it's a curse."

[sharequote align="center"]"I don't believe in inheriting money … I think it's an initiative sucker. I think it's a curse."[/sharequote]

"Who has inherited a lot of money that has gone on to do things in their own life?" he continued. "From the time I was growing up, if I felt that there was some pot of gold waiting for me, I don't know that I would've been so motivated."

Of course, now that Cooper earns a reported $11 million per year as CNN's chief news anchor, he says he doesn't need the extra money.

"I'm doing fine on my own, I don't need any," he told Stern.

Listen to the interview:

And, despite being surrounded by money throughout his life, Cooper said he stayed oblivious.

"I've never paid attention to it, honestly," he explained. "My dad grew up really poor in Mississippi — I paid attention to that because I thought that's a healthier thing to pay attention to than like some statute of a great great great grandfather who has no connection to my life."

(H/T: Business Insider)

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