CNN Anchor Don Lemon Fired

May 20, 2023

CNN This Morning anchor Don Lemon is out at CNN.

The anchor shared a post on his social media accounts saying that he was informed by his agent on Monday morning that he was being terminated.

"I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly."

Lemon when on to say, "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. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play. With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run. They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them all the best."

CNN PR released a statement on Twitter saying that Lemon "was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter."

In a memo to CNN staff Monday, which was obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, CNN CEO Chris Licht confirmed that Lemon was exiting the channel, and wrote that "Don will forever be a part of the CNN family and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years."

"We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors," Licht added.

Lemon was most recently the co-anchor of CNN This Morning alongside Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow. Licht said in his memo that "we are committed to its success." It is not clear who will succeed Lemon on the program.

Before joining the morning show, Lemon had anchored primetime series Don Lemon Tonight since 2014. He had previously worked as a dayside news anchor.

Lemon agreed to undergo "formal training" and was temporarily pulled from CNN after controversy erupted over comments he made about GOP presidential hopeful Nikki Haley.

Lemon was discussing Haley's comments that there should be a mental competency test for any politician over age 75. (Both President Joe Biden and fellow Republican candidate Donald Trump are over the age of 75.)

While discussing her remarks, Lemon said that the former South Carolina governor, who is 51, wasn't "in her prime."

"Nikki Haley isn't in her prime, sorry," Lemon said. "A woman is considered to be in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s. If you Google ‘when is a woman in her prime,’ it’ll say 20s, 30s and 40s."

Lemon and Licht were in the same room just a few weeks ago at Semafor's first media summit, where Ben Smith was interviewing Licht. Smith noted that Don was seated in the audience, and noted the "outsize presence" Lemon has in coverage of the channel.

"How do you navigate Don Lemon, who is sitting exactly in my line of sight?" Smith asked Licht.

"I’ll speak like he's not in the room," Licht replied. "Don Lemon is a lightning rod because he really came to prominence during an era where that was celebrated and encouraged in primetime — that was CNN's primetime. That is not CNN's primetime [now]. The world has moved on from that. Don has moved on from that. Don was the first one to go, ‘I’m tired of having to set my hair on fire every night. I want to try something new.’"

Now Lemon will have no choice but to try something new.

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