Barely on hour after Fox News announced it had fired Tucker Carlson effective immediately, Don Lemon announced via Twitter on April 24 that he had been fired by CNN. The ousted anchor, who has been with the network for 17 years, said he learned of the firing through his agent and that no one at CNN had the “decency” to deliver the news themselves. CNN has now denied that narrative, saying Lemon was offered the opportunity to speak with CNN management about their decision.
“I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned,” Lemon said on Twitter. “After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. 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.”
Lemon tweeted the statement at 12:14 p.m. ET on April 24. CNN issued its own statement on Twitter. At 12:20 p.m. ET, CNN’s PR communications account (@CNNPR) tweeted, “CNN and Don have parted ways. 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.”
A subsequent statement addressing Lemon’s narrative was then tweeted at 12:50 p.m. ET. It read: “Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate. He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.”
Lemon’s firing was also announced live on-air on CNN by John King and Oliver Darcy. In the video (below), Darcy informed viewers that CNN staff had just received a memo informing them of Lemon’s departure. The memo was the same statement tweeted by @CNNPR. The statement came from CNN and its CEO, Chris Licht.
CNN’s John King and Oliver Darcy informs CNN viewers at 12:38 p.m. Eastern that Don Lemon had been fired by CNN (and 24 minutes after Lemon broke the story himself on Twitter).
Darcy called it “shocking” and King says Lemon’s “always been good to me” and “wish[es] Don the best” pic.twitter.com/V1dYdPkru4
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 24, 2023
Lemon was the host of CNN This Morning with co-anchors Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins. He received swift backlash from Harlow and viewers in February 2022 when he made comments about “women in their prime,” saying women in their 50s and older were not “in their prime.” The comment was made in response to comments from Nikki Haley, who said politicians over 75 should have to take “mental competency tests.”
“This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable,” the 56-year-old said of Haley, 51. “I think it’s the wrong road to go down. 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.”
Harlow, 40, and Collins, 30, challenged Lemon’s statement, and Harlow reportedly walked off set afterwards. Lemon issued an apology later that day on Twitter, and Licht later told staff in a memo that Lemon agreed to partake in “formal training” to make amends for the sexist comment.
“I sat down with Don and had a frank and meaningful conversation. He has agreed to participate in formal training, as well as continuing to listen and learn. We take this situation very seriously,” Licht said in the memo.
On April 5, more than 12 of Lemon’s past and present colleagues detailed years of his allegedly misogynistic behavior at work in a Variety exposé. The report uncovered malicious texts from Lemon to his female co-workers and outlined a history of “diva-like” and disengaged behavior. Lemon’s firing seems to be a result of the last few months of CNN turbulence.
