Editorial note: This interview is archived from August 2007.
Cooper Lawrence is a developmental psychology expert and the host of her own nationally syndicated radio show aptly named The Cooper Lawrence Show from Dial Global airing weekdays M-F 7pm-10pm ET. Cooper is a radio geek who has been working in radio for over 12 years, with on-air stints at WLIR/Long Island, and as part of Elvis Duran’s Z Morning Zoo in New York City. She’s also worked at Q104.3, WKTU and WPLJ, and produced The Joan Rivers Show for the WOR Radio Network.
Cooper is the author of Been There, Done That, Kept The Jewelry (Adams Media/Polka Dot Press) and CosmoGIRL’s All About Guys (Sterling Publications) along with many published articles for magazines.
She has two new books set for release in January. The Cult of Perfection: Make Peace With Your Inner Overachiever and The Fixer Upper Man: How to Turn Mr. Maybe Into Mr. Right.
Cooper is a regular guest and expert on CNN’s Showbiz Tonight and on Fox News Channel’s Live Desk with Martha McCallum as well as various shows for the Fox News Channel. She has been seen on The Today Show, CBS’ The Early Show, Your World with Neil Cavuto, America’s Newsroom, Studio B with Shepard Smith, The Morning Show With Mike and Juliet, Fox & Friends, CNN Presents, Nancy Grace, The Insider, The CW11 Morning News and The Big Idea With Donny Deutsch. Cooper has been featured in print for IN STYLE Magazine, SELF Magazine, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Family Circle, The New York Post, The New York Daily News, Life & Style, Star Magazine and US Weekly. Cooper’s first magazine cover was in February 2007 for Today’s Charlotte Woman Magazine.
She’s also on the advisory board for CosmoGIRL! Magazine, where she writes a column called The Love Doctor and several features, she has also consulted for actress Mariska Hargitay’s Joyful Heart Foundation. Cooper tells us she has a BA from University of Maryland, a Masters from Fordham University and is in the
process of finishing up her doctorate in developmental psychology. “I did almost two years of developmental research at Nickelodeon, and have worked on numerous studies headed up by other psychologists,” she adds.
When asked about the show’s mission statement, she says it’s smart talk about real life: “The majority of us don’t want to talk about carburetors and tight ends (Well, not in the “sport talk” way at least). We want to hear dirty little secrets and we want to tell them; we want to complain about relationships, and mortgages, and we want to have real conversations and learn something that can make our lives better.”
She adds, “I fill the huge niche that conglomerate radio companies have taken away from radio stations. My show actually involves the listeners; I’m there for them live every night as opposed to all the voice tracking they get elsewhere. So, whatever is going on in the world or the lives of the audience, they know I’m there for them. In everything I do I ask myself ‘is it about the listener?’ the answer always needs be ‘yes’. The show is more free-flowing than topic based, whatever happens in my daily life; the news; the lives of our listeners; this is where the topics come from.”
How did she make the transition from on-air talent/producer to well known psychology expert? “Always being available when CNN, Fox News, The Early Show, Star Magazine, Cosmo etc., calls.”
Is there a Cooper Lawrence TV show on the horizon? “God I hope not,” she responded. “But if The Price Is Right Is interested my number is 555-…..”
Tell us about working at WLIR-FM Long Island in “the day”. “The vibe there was not like any other I had experienced before or since. It was the last few years when you can hear something great at a club or a new band on the horizon and then come in the next day and just play it on the air. It was the kind of freedom that people get into music radio for.”
Cooper adds, “My first full time radio job was a real dues-payer, at WLIR. I was on-air, drove the van, voiced/wrote/produced the spots and did several appearances a week. One day Danny Toy who was then at the helm of Metro Networks called out of the blue and asked if I wanted to come do traffic and news for him, I said yes and when I got there I talked David Saperstein into letting me be the entertainment reporter for the then brand new Metrosource and in no time I was the go to gal for traffic and news for Z100, KTU, Q104 and many other Metro affiliates. When the job was offered to me to produce Joan Rivers at WOR I took it and my love of talk radio began.”
How does she help affiliates? A good example is at FM107, Hubbard’s Chick Talk station in Minneapolis: “I’m going to do a week of “stunt wife” which means, I fill in for a week on the morning show with Ian while Marjory is on leave. For all my affiliates I am available for station events, contests, whatever they need me to do they know that I will hop on a plane and be wherever they need me to be.”
Anything you’d like to tell our readers, advice-wise, for their careers, love life, etc? “When I was first starting out someone said to me “hard work will never betray you” and I think it’s true, at least it has been for me.”
Cooper’s books & column
Her column for CosmoGIRL is called “The Love Doctor” and the questions come directly from the readers, just as her first book CosmoGIRL! Quiz Book All About Guys was based on columns that she had written for the magazine from topics the readers wanted to know about.
Been There, Done That, Kept The Jewelry
Explores the litany of men whom you date before finding The One. Then in the second half of the book you are taken through a step-by-step process called The Essentials, your individual, specific keys to finding your Mr. Right.
The Cult of Perfection: Make Peace With Your Inner Overachiever
One in six women is an overachiever, constantly striving to do more, better, faster, and look fabulous at all times. The stick-thin athlete who won’t stop working out; the guilt-ridden executive who always feels she has to do more than others to stay ahead; the grown-up “Little Miss Perfect” who can’t stop being the Stepford wife and mother. No matter how hard you try, no matter how much you achieve, your life remains totally out of balance.
The Fixer Upper Man: Convert Your Dud Into a Stud
The book is an expert guide as to how to turn Mr. Maybe into Mr. Right in every aspect of his life. Hair and fashion experts give practical tips on how to help his look, business advice experts suggest ways to get him from middle manager to career-show stopper all while the reader is advised how to build a supportive and nurturing relationship.
–Carl Marcucci
