Don Lemon at the American Museum of Natural History on Dec. 12, 2021, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
Broadcast journalist Don Lemon was fired on April 24 from CNN after weeks of turmoil during his morning show. Lemon, a longtime CNN reporter, had a disastrous run as a morning show host after years of successfully manning a solo evening show. On-air comments deemed as sexist brought his position with the struggling network to an end, as The Moguldom Nation predicted.
Lemon had been the host of prime-time “Don Lemon Tonight” but became co-host of a new am show called “CNN This Morning” last November.
The news of Lemon’s departure came a little over two months after he apologized for on-air comments about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley being past her prime.
During a February discussion on “CNN This Morning” with co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins about the ages of politicians, Lemon said that the 51-year-old Haley was not “in her prime,” adding that a woman was considered in her prime “in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.”
Harlow asked Lemon, “I think we need to qualify. Are you talking about prime for childbearing, or are you talking about prime for being president?”
“Don’t shoot the messenger; I’m just saying what the facts are,” Lemon answered.
Lemon later issued a statement saying he regretted his “inartful and irrelevant” comments.
There were also a number of other incidents that drew backlash. Lemon also had an on-air argument with Collins last December when he accused her of trying to interrupt him.
Plus, Lemon had a tense on-air interview in early April with Republican presidential contender Vivek Ramaswamy where Lemon, who is Black, disputed Ramaswamy’s interpretation of racial history, the Associated Press reported.
Variety recently published a story about allegations that Lemon mistreated his female colleagues, NBC News reported.
Enough seemed to be enough. CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht announced, after Lemon had co-hosted the show on April 24, that they had “parted ways,” Lemon went to social media to say the firing was a surprise to him.
“After 17 years at CNN, I would have thought someone in management would have the decency to tell me directly,” Lemon said. CNN said that Lemon was given the opportunity to meet with management but released a statement on Twitter instead.
Lemon joined CNN in 2006 after anchoring at NBC Chicago and working as a correspondent for NBC News, the “TODAY” show, and “NBC Nightly News.”
CNN gave no public explanation for Lemon’s dismissal.
FILE – Don Lemon attends the 15th annual CNN Heroes All-Star Tribute at the American Museum of Natural History on Dec. 12, 2021, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
