Don Lemon strikes again Selection‘s revelation, which known as claims of his “sexist” habits at CNN “patently false.”
On Wednesday, the outlet launched a report exploring Lemon’s allegedly questionable antics since he was employed by CNN in 2006. ‘” featured interviews with a number of unnamed sources. One of many extra disturbing allegations alleged that in 2008 he anonymously threatened his co-anchor when she bought a high-profile task he wished.
“The story, which is riddled with blatantly false anecdotes and no concrete proof, relies completely on baseless, unsubstantiated, 15-year nameless gossip,” a Lemon spokesperson advised Yahoo Leisure. “It is superb and disappointing that Selection could be so reckless.”
CNN additionally responds to particular allegations within the article.
Selection quoted two sources as claiming that Lemon was livid after his 15 years in the past Stay on co-host, Kyra Phillips, was given an task in Iraq as a substitute of him. Lemon reportedly “torn up photographs and notes on and in Phillips’ desk within the information pod they shared,” the article claims. When Phillips returned from Iraq, she reportedly acquired a textual content message from an unknown quantity that learn, “Now you have crossed the road and you are going to pay for it.” CNN began an investigation and the texts could possibly be traced again to Lemon, in keeping with the identical sources.
“Don says the incident by no means occurred and he was by no means made conscious of any investigation. CNN can not affirm the alleged occasions of 15 years in the past,” a community spokesperson advised Yahoo.
A few of Lemon’s former colleagues went on the document to name him out. Goldie Taylor, a former CNN marketing consultant who appeared on Lemon’s weekend present, claimed she was banned for talking out in opposition to the anchor after he made controversial feedback concerning the black group.
“It by no means surprises me when Don will get into bother,” she shared Selection. “It does not make me completely satisfied or unhappy to see him undermine his personal success. There was a time when it appeared that black individuals have been essentially the most usually the topic of his anger. Now it appears to me that when he says one thing offensive, there may be nearly at all times a lady on the opposite facet.”
A CNN consultant tells Yahoo, “I am not going to get into the community’s reserving practices of unpaid friends a decade in the past.”
The article additionally highlighted the Jussie Smollett controversy. In 2021, it was revealed that Lemon Smollett had texted two years prior that the Chicago Police Division had taken the wealthy star was the sufferer of a racist and homophobic assault. However did Lemon warn Smollett, or was he attempting to get data to interrupt by way of Don lemon tonight? Though a supply advised Selection that Lemon “ought to have been on the sofa” in the course of the community’s investigation, CNN stands behind his on-air star.
“CNN on the time reviewed the incident in query and located that any interplay was an act of journalism as Don tried to elicit a response from Mr. Smollett and guide him on his present,” the spokesperson famous Wednesday.
Lastly, the newest anecdote the community responds to includes former CNN host Soledad O’Brien. Selection claimed that Lemon spoke disparagingly about his colleague throughout an editorial name greater than a decade in the past. Lemon was reportedly indignant that O’Brien had been tapped to host CNNs Black in America docuseries, and for about 30 workers, recommended that O’Brien is not even black.
“Don, Soledad and others have accurately referred to her Afro-Cuban heritage up to now as it’s a distinctive a part of her private story. However Don denies making any associated remark in a derogatory method,” mentioned a consultant of CNN.
Though O’Brien was not current on the editorial assembly in query, she made her emotions about Lemon clear. “Don has lengthy had a behavior of claiming idiotic and inaccurate issues, so it sounds fairly odd to him,” she mentioned. Selection.
Lemon has been within the information frequently in current months. He was sidelined in February for stating that 51-year-old Republican presidential nominee Nikki Haley “is not in her prime.” He made “sexist” remarks concerning the US ladies’s soccer group in February and it’s speculated that he does not get alongside nicely along with his CNN this morning co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins. Following the Haley incident, Yahoo confirmed that Lemon will endure “formal coaching” from CNN, however particulars weren’t disclosed.
