Anderson Cooper Haircare Challenge: Anchor Offered $1 Mill to Give Up Gray

Anderson Cooper, the blue-eyed anchor of CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360°," is considered, in most ladies’ book, THE definition of a silver fox. His assuredly calming, but firm tone while reporting on everything, from the presidential elections to the earthquake in Haiti, and his wiser-than-thou, worldly gray locks are all part of what’s become defined as a Cooper staple. Suffice it to say, his gray hair is what makes him visually stand out beyond the average, pretty face anchor. (Having reported for 60 Minutes, Planet in Peril, and had his memoirs on the South Asia tsunami and Hurricane Katrina top the New York Times Bestsellers list, helps too.)

This begs the question—why would anyone proffer the Calvin Klein-Ralph Lauren model-turned-journalist to eradicate such debonair gray? We’re talking to you, Cathy Beggan, founder and CEO of Rise-N-Shine, a Florida-based energy-supplement company. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel recently reported that Beggan is willing to write Cooper a check for $1 million if the anchor pops a double dose of (ahem, non-FDA-approved) Go AWAY Gray for 60 days—all the while Tweeting and Facebook-ing his thoughts on the product.

According to their website, Go AWAY Gray is "formulated to prevent and reverse unwanted gray hair. Based on recent scientific studies, low levels of the enzyme Catalase in your body can turn your hair gray. Hydrogen peroxide is naturally produced by the body and Catalase breaks it down. If you are not producing enough Catalase, the hydrogen peroxide cannot be broken down. This causes the hydrogen peroxide to bleach the hair from the inside out, making it gray. Go AWAY Gray contains the enzyme Catalase, along with other special nutrients to reverse and prevent gray hair and to also promote thicker, healthier hair."

"We feel like Anderson Cooper is a really visible and well-respected figure and thought he would be a great spokesperson for the product and the company," Beggan told the Sun-Sentinel. "And it doesn't hurt that he's a handsome gentleman."

Handsome, indeed.

Besides trying to give a Vanderbilt a measly one mill, the apparently ageist Beggan has certainly overlooked reality, in that part of Cooper’s "really visible and well-respected" appeal--not to mention, Cooper mojo--derives from that gray hair.

In our opinion, it would be like asking John Travolta to get plastic surgery done on his adorable chin dimple--hat tip to the John Travolta Chin Dimple Appreciation Society on Facebook, by the way.

"Go Away Gray!" Our thoughts exactly.

--Sarah McClure