![]() ![]() Earlier this year, he made controversial comments about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, suggesting that she was past her prime. However, the new morning show that Lemon co-anchored, "CNN This Morning," failed to gain traction with viewers, and Lemon himself became the subject of criticism. Lemon had been a key player in CNN's efforts to improve its ratings and rebuild under new CEO Chris Licht. “At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network,” he said.Īssociated Press Writer Meg Kinnard contributed reporting from Columbia, South Carolina.CNN's efforts to improve ratings backfire with the failure of Don Lemon's "CNN This Morning" Lemon said he learned of his firing from his agent. Some people close to Lemon have suggested that the morning job was essentially a demotion for him, and he was given little support to succeed. ![]() The lousy vibes were beginning to cost CNN advertising sales and some potential guests were becoming reluctant to appear on “CNN This Morning,” said a CNN staff member familiar with the decision to oust Lemon but not authorized to speak publicly. The show has made little headway in the ratings against the more popular “Fox & Friends” and “Morning Joe” on cable news competitors. It’s all a bad look for a morning news show, where the audience is primarily women and casts try to depict themselves as a big happy family. Lemon also had a tense on-air interview last week with Republican presidential contender Vivek Ramaswamy where Lemon, who is Black, disputed Ramaswamy’s interpretation of racial history. Lemon had a well-publicized on-air tiff with Collins last December, when he accused her of trying to interrupt him. men’s soccer team should be paid more than the women’s team, saying that the men were “more interesting to watch.” He attracted negative attention last fall by saying that the U.S. midterm elections, as one of the first major programming moves under Licht. Lemon used to host the prime-time “Don Lemon Tonight” but moved when the network launched “CNN This Morning” last November, just before the U.S. Haley, who had criticized Lemon’s statements as sexist and used the incident to fundraise in February, took to Twitter on Monday to call Lemon’s ouster “a great day for women everywhere,” linking to the beverage sleeves emblazoned with “Past my prime? Hold my beer.” Are you talking about prime for childbearing or are you talking about prime for being president?” Harlow challenged Lemon, trying to clarify what he was referencing: “I think we need to qualify. During a February discussion on “CNN This Morning” with co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins about the ages of politicians, he said that the 51-year-old Haley was not “in her prime.” A woman, he said, was considered in her prime “in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.” CNN said that Lemon was given the opportunity to meet with management but released a statement on Twitter instead.ĬNN offered no public explanation for Lemon’s dismissal. “After 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have the decency to tell me directly,” Lemon said. While CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht announced, after Lemon had co-hosted the show Monday, that they had “parted ways,” Lemon characterized it as a firing and said it was surprise to him. NEW YORK (AP) - CNN fired longtime host Don Lemon on Monday following his short and disastrous run as a morning show host, a little over two months after he apologized for on-air comments about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley being past her prime. Digital Replica Edition Home Page Close Menu
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