Don Lemon Drops Bombshell Sexual Harassement Claim By Men & Women Years Before His Sexist Exit From CNN
The television journalist famous for his days on the network recently opened up about his traumatic experiences. He claimed both genders harassed him at work; however, he never reported the alleged crimes to management.
Don Lemon's bombshell confessions come two years after his termination from CNN. His exit followed a shocking exposé that accused him of threatening a female co-worker, among other sexist and misogynistic allegations.
Lemon shed light on the alleged harassment at his former workplace during a recent appearance on the "Club Random" podcast. He described the experiences as "ridiculous," telling host Bill Maher that men and women had harassed him.
"There are some things that are really egregious, but not everything is Harvey Weinstein-level," he explained, referencing the infamous film producer whose rape and sexual assault allegations sparked the #MeToo Movement.
As for Lemon's alleged experiences, he recalled a woman touching him inappropriately while getting something to eat at the CNN cafeteria in Atlanta. The journalist, per Page Six, said:
"This young lady tweaked my nipples and said, 'Oh, it's cold in here.' I said, 'OK, you realize that if I did that, they'd be walking me out the door right now?'"
Lemon confessed that he never told HR about the harassment because he saw the incident as a "double standard." He had the same thoughts following a second incident where another woman offered to let him spend the night at her place.
Lemon noted the incident occurred after a work event when ride-share services like Uber and Lyft did not exist. "I never told this story. Someone who I worked with also harassed me at CNN, and I never went to management," he lamented.
"First of all, I was so new there. She knew I was gay. It was just bizarre. She was going through a divorce. … It was weird," Lemon added. He reiterated his fear of "double standard," saying he was worried management wouldn't believe him and "get rid" of him.
Looking back on the situation, Lemon wished he had chosen a different option instead of letting fear control his decisions. "I thought, 'OK, they may find a way to get rid of me, because if I told this story, I don't know if they're gonna believe me or not,'" he shared, adding:
"But then she was so mean to me after that, I was like, 'I should have told the story.'"
Lemon joined CNN in 2006 but was fired in 2023 after making sexist remarks on air. The Blast covered the drama, reporting an exposé by Variety had accused the journalist of misogyny.
The scathing article was titled "Don Lemon's Misogyny at CNN, Exposed: Malicious Texts, Mocking Female Co-Workers and 'Diva-Like Behavior.'"
The exposé alleged that Lemon had engaged in questionable conduct since his employment. Several interviews with sources backed these claims, including one that accused the journalist of anonymously threatening his co-anchor Kyra Phillips in 2008.
The drama between the former co-workers allegedly started over a high-profile assignment that Phillips won. However, a spokesperson for Lemon denied the allegations, claiming:
"The story is riddled with patently false anecdotes and lacks concrete evidence, relying solely on unsourced and unsubstantiated 15-year-old anonymous gossip."
According to the exposé, Lemon was outraged when his former co-host Phillips was assigned to Iraq instead of him. He took his anger out on his ex-colleague, allegedly tearing up pictures and notes on her desk.
Afterward, Lemon allegedly sent her threatening texts from an unknown number. The exposé claimed CNN investigated the case and traced the messages back to the journalist. However, a spokesperson for CNN alleged the network could not verify the accuracy of these alleged events from 2008.
Besides his alleged threats to Phillips, Lemon gained infamy in 2023 for making sexist remarks. During an on-air discussion with co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, the journalist suggested that politician Nikki Haley was beyond her prime at 51.
When Lemon's former co-hosts asked him to explain what he meant by Haley being beyond her prime, The Blast noted the journalist said: "She says ... politicians are not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn't in her prime. Sorry. A woman is considered to be in their prime in [their] 20s, 30s, and maybe 40s."
"That's not according to me. If you Google 'When is a woman in her prime,' it'll say 20s, 30s and 40s. I don't necessarily — I'm not saying I agree with that," Lemon added.
He walked back his comments on X, apologizing for his insensitive reference. Unfortunately, his apology was not enough. In April 2023, Lemon revealed CNN had fired him. He shared the news in a lengthy statement, writing:
"I was informed this morning by my agent I have been terminated by CNN. 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."
What bombshell stories from his CNN days will Don Lemon share next?
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