Cool, Don Lemon Has a New Show on X
“We need a place for honest debate..without the hall monitors,” Lemon wrote. By “hall monitors,” does he mean the female co-workers who called him out in 2022??
It was only a matter of time before Don Lemon began publicly sharing his bad takes again. And, folks, after less than a year of blessed silence, that time has arrived.
On Tuesday, the former CNN anchor and accused workplace misogynist announced that, not only has he launched a new media company (the name of which I cannot immediately find, strangely enough), but the company already has its first project: The Don Lemon Show.
“I’ve heard you…and today I am back bigger, bolder, freer!” Lemon proclaimed in a classic notes app Instagram post. “It will be available to everyone, easily, whenever and wherever you want it, streaming on the platforms where the conversations are happening.”
Now, you’re likely wondering where the hell Lemon’s show will be hosted given his unceremonious ousting from CNN in April. Well, it’s set to debut on the one platform where the bad takes of accused workplace misogynists just make sense: X (formerly Twitter) or, in Lemon’s words, “the biggest space for free speech in the world.”
“I know now more than ever that we need a place for honest debate and discussion without the hall monitors,” Lemon wrote in his little post. One has to assume by “hall monitors,” he means the cavalcade of female co-workers who’ve called him out in the last year.
Lemon, lest anyone forget, was fired from CNN following his on-camera comments about former South Carolina governor and presidential hopeful, Nikki Haley. On February 16, Lemon and co-hosts, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, discussed Haley’s presidential candidacy, specifically her calls for “mandatory mental competency tests” for her fellow older candidates—the ones past the age of 75. Lemon offered this: “She says people, you know, politicians are suddenly not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime. Sorry, when a woman is in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s…”
“Are you talking about prime for, like, childbearing? Or are you talking about prime for being president?” Harlow pushed back.
“Don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just saying what the facts are,” Lemon then doubled down. “Google it. Everybody at home, when is a woman in her prime? It says 20s, 30s, and 40s. I’m just saying Nikki Haley should be careful about saying that politicians are not in their prime, and they need to be in their prime when they serve. She would not be in her prime according to Google, or whatever it is.”
Lemon, of course, apologized in the days that followed.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. I did not mean to offend anyone,” he said on a phone call to staffers, per the Daily Beast. “What I said came out wrong and I wish I hadn’t said it. I believe women of any age can do anything they set their minds to. The people I am closest to in this organization are women.”
Then, reports of his misogyny and “diva-like” behavior at work—particularly in interactions with women—arrived. The most memorable was the Variety investigation wherein more than a dozen former and current colleagues said that Lemon’s misdeeds ranged from “saying idiotic and inaccurate things” to embracing “power imbalances” in relationships with young colleagues to being a “shameless name dropper.” Shortly thereafter, he was abruptly terminated from the network.
“Don’s new media company will take his no holds barred approach to storytelling to the next level in this raw and authentic program,” Oren Rosenbaum, the United Talent Agency executive who brokered the deal told The Hollywood Reporter, as if his “no holds barred approach” has previously boded well for him. “Leveraging technology like AI and many decades worth of experience, Don will break news and provoke thoughtful conversation through his direct and unfiltered take on today’s most important stories.” AI, huh? Can’t possibly see how that could go wrong on X…
Along with Lemon, former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and former Fox Sports host (and current sports radio personality) Jim Rome will also be launching their own shows on X.
“This is just the beginning so stay tuned,” Lemon concluded his announcement. Can’t wait!