Don Lemon fired from CNN

Don Lemon fired from CNN

Don Lemon Fired from CNN After Allegations of Misconduct

Don Lemon, a longtime CNN anchor, was fired from the network on Monday. The news comes after Variety published a story earlier this month on allegations that Lemon mistreated his female colleagues over the course of his career there. And earlier this year, he faced backlash over widely criticized comments he made on-air.

Lemon Fired After Allegations of Mistreatment

Variety published a story on March 7, 2023, alleging that Lemon had mistreated his female colleagues over the course of his career at CNN. The story cited unnamed sources who said that Lemon had created a “toxic” work environment and had made inappropriate comments and advances towards women. Lemon denied the allegations, calling them “false and defamatory.” However, CNN launched an internal investigation into the matter.

Lemon Faces Backlash Over On-Air Comments

In February 2023, Lemon made a comment on-air that drew widespread criticism. During a segment on “CNN This Morning,” Lemon remarked that Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, 51, was no longer in her “prime.” The comment was made while discussing a suggestion by Haley that candidates over the age of 75 should be subjected to mental competency exams. Lemon’s comment was widely seen as sexist and ageist. He was accused of body-shaming Haley and of suggesting that women are only valuable in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.
Lemon apologized for the comment, saying that he “misspoke.” However, the damage was done. The comment had already damaged Lemon’s reputation and had led to calls for his firing.

CNN Fires Lemon

On April 24, 2023, CNN announced that it had fired Lemon. The network said that the decision was made “after careful consideration.”

In a statement, CNN CEO Chris Licht said that the network “takes all allegations of misconduct seriously.” He added that “we have a zero-tolerance policy for any behavior that violates our company’s values.”