CNN’s late tweak to their Monday schedule showed Don Lemon warming the bench but, as “distraction” chatter intensified, insiders weren’t towing the network’s official line on the reason.
Heading into Presidents’ Day weekend, Lemon looked to be escaping the PR firestorm he set off last week following his incendiary comments about what constituted a woman’s “prime.” What was intended to be a three-day getaway to Miami has now turned into a four-day holiday and one insider told The Daily Beast it may not have been his decision.
“There are ongoing conversations about Don’s future,” the person reported to the outlet. “He is a constant distraction.”
Up until Sunday afternoon, the on-air lineup included Lemon in his slot as co-host of “CNN This Morning” alongside Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow. An updated schedule was released by management that instead showed Sara Sidner in the studio with Harlow to anchor from New York while Collins joined in from a location in Poland.
“I thought he was coming back tomorrow but he is taking the holiday,” CNN spokesperson Matt Dornic told the New York Post.
A similar claim was offered by a spokesperson to Mediaite stating, “He is taking the holiday. He’s been chased by paparazzi all weekend. He’s been under attack. He’s not ready to go back on air.”
As previously reported, Lemon had been forced to apologize publicly and on a network conference call after he tried to criticize former UN ambassador Nikki Haley’s presidential bid announcement, and her suggestion of mandatory competency tests for candidates over the age of 75, by saying she “isn’t in her prime.”
“When a woman is in their prime, in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s…” he had offered, leading to backlash throughout the week.
“Female employees have reportedly been frustrated that he has never been reprimanded for a litany of sexist comments,” one source had said. “His apology did little to ease those frustrations.”
Another called Lemon a “f*cking a**hole” as he absconded with his partner to a $ 2,000-per-night resort.
CNN insiders seethe while Don Lemon hits the beach: ‘F**king a**hole’ https://t.co/duI1hIdlN0 pic.twitter.com/8f770CivDB
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) February 19, 2023
Others spoke with Fox News Digital and told the outlet “Everyone’s annoyed… People are definitely upset about it.”
“I was trying to figure out what the hell he was even talking about. None of it made sense, it was a stupid thing to say,” one insider expressed.
Sentiments to the same were shared with RadarOnline as an insider railed, “He has a colossal ego and he’s the kind of person who goes around saying he’s not going to take the fall for his show flopping, it’s not his fault and the network’s tanking, and they shouldn’t have pushed him out of his primetime slot.”
“The ratings are way down, the new boss is implementing tough new rules, and no one is happy,” they went on. “All these people were pampered with perks and pats on the back until now and all of a sudden Don, Wolf Blitzer and others are at a point of ‘yikes, we’re in trouble.”
“Don still thinks very highly of himself and he’s continuing to put feelers out elsewhere, though it’s going to be a tough sell. Nobody’s going to want Don or any of his miserable co-workers with those bad ratings trailing after them,” the insider added.
CEO Chris Licht, who is responsible for moving Lemon to the morning show after pulling him from primetime, also took heat over the sexist remarks and attempted to smooth things over on Friday’s call saying, “His remarks were upsetting, unacceptable, and unfair to his co-hosts, and ultimately a huge distraction to the great work of this organization.”
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Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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