CNN asserted on Monday that Don Lemon lied when he said no one from higher management contacted him to advise him of his firing. Lemon was laid off last week.
During his last few months at CNN, Lemon reported on a number of major events. Earlier in the day, he had expressed surprise upon hearing of his termination.
Ignore what Don Lemon said earlier regarding what happened this morning. CNN said in a statement sent through their PR team’s Twitter that “he was given the opportunity to meet with management, but instead he put out a statement on Twitter.”
Lemon’s outraged response stood in sharp contrast to his calm explanation of his leaving an hour and a half earlier.
My agency found out this morning that CNN no longer wants to hire me. A tweet from Lemon’s personal account said, “After 17 years at CNN, I would have thought someone in charge would have the decency to tell me directly.”
“I was never told that I couldn’t keep doing the work I loved at the network,” he said. A “much larger events must be at play.”
Don Lemon’s claim from earlier today is completely untrue. Instead of accepting a meeting with higher-ups, he complained about the company on Twitter.
April 24, 2023 CNN Communications (@CNNPR)
At initially, the network’s reaction to Lemon’s departure was more measured. The word “parted ways” appeared in the paperwork.
Don has been an integral part of CNN for the past 17 years, and we will never forget his contributions. According to an earlier CNN statement, “We wish him well and will cheer him on in his future plans.”
The events leading up to Lemon’s fall were strange to say the least. Since the previous fall, he has been working mornings instead of evenings as a co-host on “CNN This Morning” alongside Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow.
Nikki Haley, a Republican presidential contender, was the target of Lemon’s most infamous remark in February, when he said she “isn’t in her prime.” This comment was roundly panned as sexist. Lemon apologized for his actions later.
A bombshell piece about Lemon’s alleged “diva” behavior and terrible treatment of women at CNN came in Variety a few weeks later.
Employees at CNN are reportedly “ecstatic” about his leaving because of how much of a disruption he was.
Several circumstances within CNN apparently came together to lead to Lemon’s dismissal.
Instead, CNN’s higher-ups saw a “pattern” in Lemon’s angry outbursts and terrible conduct and decided to remove him from the show.