Accusations of sexism are being refuted by Don Lemon. The 57-year-old CNN anchor is defending himself in a statement to ET after Variety published an exposé on Wednesday alleging that he has displayed “troubling behaviour of women and unprofessional pranks” for almost two decades.
A spokeswoman for Don Lemon tells ET that the report is solely based on unsourced, unverified, 15-year-old anonymous hearsay and is littered with blatantly untrue tales and no supporting proof. “It’s amazing and terrible that Variety would be so careless.”
Also, a CNN representative tells ET in a remark, “The Variety article depends on unnamed
sources and unverified statements from 10 to 15 years ago rather than any actual evidence. CNN is unable to verify the reported accounts.”
According to the Variety report, Don Lemon notable conduct allegedly started in 2008, when he co-hosted Live From with Kyra Phillips.
Don Lemon Rejects ‘Patently Wrong’ Claims
According to the publication, Don Lemon had to be taken off the air more than once due to his “provocative antics.”
According to many accounts, Don Lemon allegedly called one of his producers obese in front of her at that time. According to the same sources, he imitated Nancy Grace on-air in order to “mock” her. Grace declined to comment for Variety’s report.
Subsequently, after Soledad O’Brien was chosen to headline CNN’s Black in America documentary series, two witnesses assert that during an editorial meeting with around 30 staff members, Lemon made the remark that she isn’t Black.
O’Brien, who wasn’t there for the alleged statement, told the publication that Don “has long had a tendency of saying dumb and wrong things, so that seems very on character for him.”
The CNN spokesman claims, in a statement to ET, “Her Afro-Cuban origin has been accurately mentioned in the past by Don, Soledad, and others because it is a distinctive aspect of her personal history. Don, however, disputes making any disparaging remarks about the subject.”
In the same year, the publication claimed that Don Lemon “antipathy for Phillips was particularly alarming.” According to two insiders who spoke with the site, Don Lemon showed his displeasure by “tearing up photographs and messages on top of and inside Phillips’ desk in the news pod they shared” when Phillips won the job in Iraq instead of him.
Phillips apparently received two threatening texts when she got back from her shift, one of which said, “Now you’ve crossed the line, and you’re going to pay for it.” According to the publication, Don Lemon is the source of the texts. Don Lemon was relegated to a weekend anchor position following an HR probe, according to the site. Phillips declined to comment on Variety’s article.
The network informs the outlet that Don “claims the claimed event never occurred and that he was never alerted of any inquiry.” CNN is unable to confirm the claimed 15-year-old incidents.
The publication claims that throughout his career, Lemon has “flouted rules and cozied up to power all while displaying open hostility to many female coworkers” and has long “appeared to charm his way out of facing any meaningful consequences,” citing more than a dozen of his former and current coworkers.
Some of the accusations against Lemon include the fact that he frequently mentions prior legal battles and is “a shameless name dropper,” which “signals that he was litigious.” The publication further asserts that Lemon displays “diva-like conduct,” including whining about his airtime at Michael Jackson’s 2009 tribute being less than Anderson Cooper’s.
According to the publication, Lemon’s actions persisted in part because of his strong connection with Phil Kent, the then-chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting System.
On-air Lemon made statements that raised eyebrows, such as saying that the Black community might solve their issues by pulling up their trousers.
Goldie Taylor, a former CNN consultant who regularly appeared as a guest on Lemon’s weekend show, said she was banned by the network for criticising Lemon’s contentious remarks. The CNN spokeswoman declined to confirm this, saying in a statement to ET, “We will not comment in on the network’s booking policies of unpaid guests a decade ago.”
She says to Variety of Taylor, “Don getting into trouble never surprises me. Seeing him sabotage his own achievement makes me neither pleased nor sad. There was a moment when it seemed as though he took the most offence to Black folks. Today, it appears to me that virtually invariably a woman is on the other side of his insulting statements.”
When disgraced actor Jussie Smollett testified that he initially discovered that police had doubts about his account after Lemon sent him a warning, Lemon came under criticism once more in 2021. Lemon afterwards refused to give the police his phone.
A CNN spokesman tells ET that the network “examined the situation in issue at the time and decided that any engagement was an act of journalism since Don was trying to get Mr. Smollett to respond and book him for his show.”
When Chris Cuomo was dismissed by CNN executive Jeff Zucker for counselling his brother, Andrew Cuomo, who was facing sexual harassment claims, Jeff Zucker supported Lemon at the time. According to the source, Cuomo’s attorneys stated in his arbitration filings that “his misdeeds were comparable to Lemon’s.”
Don Lemon continued to host even after Zucker left his position as CNN’s president in February 2022, despite having “woeful numbers,” according to the source. Lemon co-anchored CNN in November alongside Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow. One executive tells This Morning that the choice “was a formula for catastrophe.”
When addressing Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign in February 2023, Don Lemon garnered criticism for saying the candidate “isn’t in her prime.” According to those who spoke with the site, Collins followed Harlow as she left the scene in an attempt to speak with her.
Don Lemon later apologised on Twitter, calling his remark “inartful and irrelevant.”
“I regret it,” he wrote. “The age of a woman has no bearing on who she is personally or professionally. Several ladies in my life provide as daily evidence of this.”
CNN CEO Chris Licht promised in an email to colleagues that Lemon “committed to engage in formal training, as well as continuing to listen and learn” after he was taken off-air for his remark.
Don Lemon tweeted upon his return, “I appreciate the opportunity to be back on @CNNThisMorning today.” “I apologise to my network, my colleagues, and our wonderful viewers. I’ve listened to you, I’m taking what you’ve said to heart, and I’m determined to improve. See you shortly.”