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Don Lemon was once the highly coveted CNN journalist who not only hosted his own primetime segment each night for nearly a decade, but also began working for the network back in 2006. His fall from grace officially came in April 2023, when CNN announced they were cutting ties with the former “Don Lemon Tonight” host. The shocking decision came the same month Lemon was accused of volatile and misogynistic behavior by inside sources within the network. Among other things, per Variety, Lemon allegedly body-shamed a producer and once sent threatening texts to fellow correspondent Kyra Phillips over her getting an assignment over him.
The Louisiana native denied these allegations but was previously under fire in February for claiming on “CNN This Morning,” [Presidential candidate] Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime, sorry.” Lemon later backtracked his statement, which many had deemed sexist, tweeting, “The reference I made to a woman’s ‘prime’ this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it.”
Lemon also publicly responded to his firing on Twitter: “I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network.” CNN pushed back on that claim, deeming it “inaccurate” and further tweeting, “He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.”
