Don Lemon will not appear on CNN This Morning on Monday as his future on the network seems to hang in the balance after making controversial comments about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley being “past her prime.”
The 56-year-old presenter was due to be back on the morning show tomorrow with co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins – but he is not in the lineup now, according to a copy of the schedule obtained by Confider.
Lemon came under fire for making “sexist” comments on Thursday’s show when discussing Haley’s suggestion that politicians aged 75 and over should face a mental competency test.
CNN chairman Chris Licht called Lemon’s comments “upsetting, unacceptable and unfair to his co-hosts and ultimately a great distraction from the great work of this organization.”
Lemon wasn’t on the show Friday but did attend a CNN editorial call from Miami, where he apologized to staff for his comments.
Don Lemon, 56, will not appear on CNN This Morning Monday, just days after making controversial comments about women in their 40s who are past their prime.
The 56-year-old was seen swimming and frolicking on the beach for hours on Friday after joining a CNN editorial call from Miami, where he again apologized to staff for his comments
The 56-year-old presenter was due to be back on the morning show tomorrow with co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins but was not in the line-up
Monday’s show will be hosted by Harlow and Sara Sidner in New York with Collins in Poland for President Joe Biden’s visit. But Lemon’s future at CNN seems to be hanging by a thread.
“There are ongoing discussions about Don’s future,” a person familiar with the matter told Confider. “He’s a constant distraction.”
Lemon’s comments reportedly left many employees unimpressed and angered many viewers when he gave his opinion on when he thinks a woman is in her prime.
“Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime, sorry,” he had said on the show. “A woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe in her 40s.”
But Lemon was seen in Miami on Friday, washing away criticism by relaxing with partner Tim Mahone at the $2,000-a-night luxury beach resort of Faena.
Lemon was replaced by Audie Cornish for the day as the show avoided acknowledging the comments he had made the previous day, despite increasing calls for pressuring him out.
“His remarks were disturbing, unacceptable and unfair to his co-hosts and ultimately a huge distraction from the great work of this organization,” Licht told staff on Friday morning, according to a read of the call obtained by Confider.
Lemon said on the call, “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I didn’t mean to offend anyone.’
CNN chairman Chris Licht called Lemon’s comments “upsetting, unacceptable and unfair to his co-hosts and ultimately a huge distraction from the great work of this organization.”
But according to RadarOnline.com, Lemon’s colleagues have criticized him for having a “colossal ego” and believe he is planning to abandon ship.
“He’s got a colossal ego and he’s the kind of person who goes around saying he’s not going to take the fall for his show, it’s not his fault and the network is tanking and they wouldn’t have him out of his primetime.” slot,” an insider told RadarOnline.
“The ratings have plummeted, the new boss is introducing tough new rules and nobody is happy. All of these folks have been treated to perks and pats on the back up until now, and suddenly Don, Wolf Blitzer and others are at a point where they’re like, “Yikes, we’re in trouble,” the insider added.
Tensions on the network have continued to rise since Licht’s arrival, and insiders believe Lemon — and other top anchors — know they could be ousted if ratings don’t improve.
“Don still thinks highly of himself and is continuing to put out feelers elsewhere, although it’s going to be a tough sell,” the insider said. “Nobody’s going to want Don or any of his miserable peers chasing them with those bad ratings.”
Last week, insiders told that Lemon was “rude, self-righteous and downright sexist,” adding that “his apology meant nothing.”
They said: “Don has been walking on thin ice for so long and many wanted him fired in December when he freaked out on Kaitlin Collins for no reason. She was in tears and it was so inappropriate.
Regardless of his political affiliation, his comments that Nikki Haley was past her prime were sickening. Poppy was angry as she should be and still is.
“He’s rude, self-righteous and clearly sexist. Nikki did the right thing by calling him out.
“His apology meant nothing and there is so much pressure that he is canned. It would be a shock if he wasn’t.”
Collins was also quick to sing the praises of Cornish, her co-host for a day, by posting a picture of them together on her Instagram.
Harlow, Lemon and Collins had discussed Haley’s proposal during a speech Wednesday announcing her candidacy for president.
Lemon, who is five years older than Haley, 51, said the politician should approach the issue cautiously because “a woman is in her prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe in her 40s.”
Lemon, 56, went “ballistic” towards staffers who highlighted the argument with Collins, according to RadarOnline – with the presenter claiming she “interrupted” him during a broadcast in December.
Kaitlan Collins (right) opened the show by saying her co-host “has the day off” as Lemon was replaced by Audie Cornish (left) for the day, with the show reflecting on the comments he made the day before had not recognized
Lemon’s colleagues have criticized him for having a “huge ego” and say he allegedly made Collins run off set in tears after he verbally abused her in front of the crew
Haley herself responded to Lemon’s comments, saying in a tweet with a clip of the video segment, “It’s always the liberals who are the most sexist.”
Apologizing for his comments on Thursday’s show, Lemon tweeted: “The reference I made this morning to a woman’s ‘Prime’ was clumsy and irrelevant as colleagues and family have pointed out and I regret it.
“A woman’s age doesn’t define her personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.”
An angry Harlow is said to have stormed off the set after Thursday’s “sexist” exchange, sources told the New York Post.
Harlow took a “well-timed” bathroom break and was followed into the bathroom by Kaitlan Collins – with the source adding that the strained relationship “has been smoldering for months”.
Collins had her own encounter with her fellow host, who repeatedly interrupted her on camera throughout the December 8 show.
Lemon is said to have made Collins run off the set in tears after he verbally abused her in front of the TV crew and her other co-host.
Since the incident, Lemon has been sent to Memphis and other assignments, while Collins worked from Washington DC several times in January.
CNN This Morning has suffered a ratings bomb and earlier last month experienced its least watched week since launch, averaging just over 330,000 viewers.