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Bradley Cooper on plans for post-'Sexiest Man Alive' life: 'Decompression'

Bradley Cooper may have come on TODAY Tuesday to chat with Matt Lauer about his new film, "Silver Linings Playbook," but the occasion was also significant for another reason: It was his last official day as People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive."Lauer wanted to know how he was going to deal with someone else (likely) taking the title tomorrow. "I think it was instituted back with (George) Clooney,

Bradley Cooper may have come on TODAY Tuesday to chat with Matt Lauer about his new film, "Silver Linings Playbook," but the occasion was also significant for another reason: It was his last official day as People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive."

Lauer wanted to know how he was going to deal with someone else (likely) taking the title tomorrow. "I think it was instituted back with (George) Clooney, but there's a whole decompression," said Cooper, tongue firmly in cheek. "After this I get whisked away to somewhere in Wisconsin and they talk me down for a week. I think Matt Damon runs (the program) now."

Well, it'll give Cooper more free time to promote "Playbook," in which he plays a man recently diagnosed as being bipolar, trying to rebuild his life (and yes, it's a comedy and a drama). He stars alongside Robert De Niro, who plays his character's father, and the two really hit it off. "He's just a great human being. He's a family man, I love his morals ... he's a superior human being," said Cooper.

But lest anyone think he's being overly effusive, the two actually did become friends, and Lauer noted De Niro had said so on Monday's show. Cooper began chuckling: "I tell everybody we're friends, so it's nice that he says it once in a while so I don't seem like some psychotic!"

"Silver Linings Playbook" opens in theaters Nov. 21.

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