A furious Poppy Harlow walked off the “CNN This Morning” set Thursday following a tense exchange with Lemon after he said GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley was “not in her prime,” according to The New York Post. Sources with knowledge of the situation, Harlow took a “well-timed” bathroom break and was followed into the restroom by co-host Kaitlan Collins — who recently had her own run-in with Lemon.
“This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable,” the 56-year-old Lemon said on air. “I think it’s the wrong road to go down. She says people, you know, politicians are suddenly not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime.”
To the bewilderment of Harlow and Collins, Lemon then said: “A woman is considered to be in their prime in [their] 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.” Harlow immediately called out the failed primetime host: “What are you talking about, wait … Prime for what?” Lemon quickly tried to save himself by claiming he wasn’t stating his personal beliefs. “That’s not according to me,” he said. “It’s like, prime. If you look it up.
During an informal meeting Thursday, dubbed “Coffee with Chris,” 30 staffers peppered Licht with questions about the ratings-challenged network. One allegedly asked about Lemon’s comments about the 51-year-old Haley.
“People say stupid things and that if it’s a trend then there’s recourse,” the source said, paraphrasing Licht’s comments.
The tense relationship between Lemon, Collins and Harlow has “been smoldering for months,” the source said. However, CNN boss Chris Licht seems content to keep rolling out the reportedly troubled trio. “Licht isn’t doing anything about it,” the source said.
CNN did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Harlow did not comment. But a source close to the veteran anchor quipped: “As a woman in her prime, Poppy Harlow does use the bathroom, including on Thursday mornings.” Collins did not return requests for comment.
After receiving widespread backlash internally and via Twitter, Lemon issued a public apology. “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 tweeted.
