Don Lemon has rejected accusations of “sexist” behavior at CNN, calling claims made in a recent Variety exposé “patently false.” The article, published on Wednesday, alleged that Lemon had exhibited questionable conduct since he joined CNN in 2006, including sending malicious texts, mocking female colleagues, and engaging in “diva-like behavior.” The report cited multiple unnamed sources, some of whom accused Lemon of misbehaving toward female co-workers.
One of the most severe allegations against Lemon concerned an incident in 2008 when he allegedly threatened his co-anchor after she was given a high-profile assignment that he had wanted. According to Variety, Lemon tore up pictures and notes on the desk he shared with his co-anchor and sent her an anonymous text message saying, “Now you’ve crossed the line, and you’re going to pay for it.”
The article claims that CNN investigated the incident and traced the texts back to Lemon. However, Lemon denies the incident and says he was never informed of any research. CNN also says that it cannot corroborate the alleged events.
Some former co-workers of Lemon spoke out against him, including Goldie Taylor, a former CNN consultant who appeared on Lemon’s weekend show. Taylor claimed she was banned from appearing on the show after criticizing Lemon for controversial comments about the Black community. She said that she was not surprised by Lemon’s behavior and that he seemed to target women.
The article claimed that Lemon had spoken derogatorily of former CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien on an editorial call over a decade ago. Lemon allegedly suggested that O’Brien was not even Black and was upset when she was chosen to host CNN’s Black in America docuseries. Lemon denies making any derogatory remarks about O’Brien’s race, and CNN says that he and others have correctly referred to her Afro-Cuban heritage in the past.
Lemon has been in the news frequently in recent months for several incidents that have raised concerns about his conduct. In February, he made “sexist” remarks about the U.S. women’s soccer team and was temporarily sidelined for declaring that Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley “isn’t in her prime.” There have also been rumors that he is not getting along with his CNN This Morning co-hosts. In response to the Haley incident, CNN confirmed that Lemon would undergo “formal training” but did not provide specifics.
Don Lemon has rejected accusations of “sexist” behavior at CNN, calling claims made in a recent Variety exposé “patently false.” The article, published on Wednesday, alleged that Lemon had exhibited questionable conduct since he joined CNN in 2006, including sending malicious texts, mocking female colleagues, and engaging in “diva-like behavior.” The report cited multiple unnamed sources, some of whom accused Lemon of misbehaving toward female co-workers.
One of the most severe allegations against Lemon concerned an incident in 2008 when he allegedly threatened his co-anchor after she was given a high-profile assignment that he had wanted. According to Variety, Lemon tore up pictures and notes on the desk he shared with his co-anchor and sent her an anonymous text message saying, “Now you’ve crossed the line, and you’re going to pay for it.” The article claims that CNN investigated the incident and traced the texts back to Lemon. However, Lemon denies the incident and says he was never informed of any research. CNN also says that it cannot corroborate the alleged events.
Some former co-workers of Lemon spoke out against him, including Goldie Taylor, a former CNN consultant who appeared on Lemon’s weekend show. Taylor claimed she was banned from appearing on the show after criticizing Lemon for controversial comments about the Black community. She said that she was not surprised by Lemon’s behavior and that he seemed to target women.
The Variety article also discussed Lemon’s involvement in the Jussie Smollett controversy. In 2019, Lemon texted Smollett to tell him that the Chicago Police Department did not believe he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack, which the actor had reported. The article suggests that Lemon may have been trying to get information to break on his show rather than warning Smollett. Although one source told Variety that Lemon “should have been benched” amid the network’s investigation, CNN is standing by its star.
The article claimed that Lemon had spoken derogatorily of former CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien on an editorial call over a decade ago. Lemon allegedly suggested that O’Brien was not even Black and was upset when she was chosen to host CNN’s Black in America docuseries. Lemon denies making any derogatory remarks about O’Brien’s race, and CNN says that he and others have correctly referred to her Afro-Cuban heritage in the past.
Lemon has been in the news frequently in recent months for several incidents that have raised concerns about his conduct. In February, he made “sexist” remarks about the U.S. women’s soccer team and was temporarily sidelined for declaring that Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley “isn’t in her prime.” There have also been rumors that he is not getting along with his CNN This Morning co-hosts. In response to the Haley incident, CNN confirmed that Lemon would undergo “formal training” but did not provide specifics.
Lemon and CNN have vehemently denied the allegations made in the Variety article, calling them “unsourced, unsubstantiated, 15-year-old anonymous gossip.” While some former colleagues have criticized Lemon’s behavior, CNN is standing by him and says it cannot corroborate the claims made in the article. The controversy surrounding Lemon highlights ongoing concerns about workplace culture and behavior in the media industry, particularly gender, and race.
While some former colleagues have criticized Lemon’s behavior, CNN is standing by him and says it cannot corroborate the claims made in the article. The controversy surrounding Lemon highlights ongoing concerns about workplace culture and behavior in the media industry, particularly gender, and race.
