A tipster tells us Ben Maisani was Anderson Cooper's guest at last night's Vanity Fair Oscar party. We turned up this picture that certainly looks like Cooper brought his very private boyfriend to a very public event.

This would mark a big turning point for the glass closeted Cooper, who refuses to acknowledge the relationship or his sexual orientation publicly, but isn't afraid to bring him to one of Hollywood's most high-profile parties. Too bad the photographers are in on the conspiracy. From what we can tell, this is the back of Maisani's head and it seems the Coop is introducing him to Jessica and Jerry Seinfeld. The caption by WireImage—the agency that pays the magazine a massive sum each year for exclusive photos of party guests—only has three names and one ends in Cooper and the other two in Seinfeld. (According to our tipster, Maisani and Cooper were seated at a table with Mary Richardson Kennedy, Aaron Sorkin, Katherine Ross, Ron Howard, Tabitha Soren and Michael Lewis.)

Is this a step out of the closet for Cooper? First he purchased a home (and former firehouse) with his main squeeze, and now he's taking him out in public for the first time.

Anderson: You're in love. Now you just need to share the news with the rest of the world!