In a stunning move that left the media industry astonished, CNN has parted ways with longtime host Don Lemon (“CNN and Lemon part ways,” CNN). Lemon had been with the news network for 17 years (“CNN fires anchor Don Lemon,” CNBC). His departure comes in the wake of controversies over his on-air comments and treatment of female colleagues (“Don Lemon fired from CNN,” NBC News). CNN has not provided an explanation for the sudden decision to let go of the news anchor (“Don Lemon ousted from CNN in move that left him ‘stunned’,” The New York Times).
Many have compared Lemon’s exit to that of Tucker Carlson’s departure from Fox News, which happened on the same day. The two cable news exits happened within a matter of minutes, dramatically changing the face of cable news in the U.S. (“Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon: A Tale of Two Cable News Exits,” TIME). While Carlson’s departure was voluntary, Lemon’s termination was unexpected and he claims to have been “stunned” by the decision (“Don Lemon says CNN fired him, is ‘stunned’ by his termination,” CBS News).
Lemon co-anchored “CNN This Morning” with Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow (“Don Lemon fired: Anchor terminated by CNN, after Tucker Carlson exit,” USA Today). Despite his severance from the network, CNN has expressed gratitude towards Lemon, stating that he “will forever be a part of the CNN family” (“News anchor Don Lemon is out at CNN,” NPR). Shortly after his termination, Lemon responded with a fiery tweet, stating that he was “informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated” (“CNN ousts host Don Lemon, who responds with fiery tweet,” Politico).
Lemon’s tenure at CNN has been marked by controversial on-air moments, including comments about white men being the biggest terror threat in the U.S. and his suggestion that unvaccinated individuals should not be allowed in public spaces (“Don Lemon says he has been fired from CNN,” NBC News). Additionally, there have been allegations of mistreatment of female colleagues (“CNN fires anchor Don Lemon,” CNBC).
As of now, it remains unclear what Lemon’s future plans entail. However, his unexpected departure from CNN has left many industry experts speculating about the future of CNN and the cable news landscape in general (“What Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon’s exit mean for cable news,” Axios).
