CNN fired Don Lemon, 17-year anchor 2023

Lemon tweeted, “I am stunned,” when his agency told him he was fired.

CNN “parted ways” with Lemon, who co-hosted its morning show, saying “we wish him well”.

Lemon said Republican Nikki Haley, 51, was not “in her prime” on-air.

The firing follows another significant US media exit. Fox News fired primetime personality Tucker Carlson shortly before Lemon’s announcement.

Lemon, a CNN veteran, co-hosted This Morning.

He made controversial remarks against Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, a former UN ambassador and South Carolina governor, earlier this year.

Lemon’s February offensive statement that Ms Haley was not “in her prime” was severely criticized.

“When a woman is considered to be in her prime – in her 20s, 30s, and maybe 40s,” he remarked.

“I’m just saying what the facts are – Google it,” he said in response to his female co-hosts’ protests.

Lemon apologized for his “inartful and irrelevant” remarks the same day. He apologized to the newsroom and promised “mandatory training” to handle the problem.

However, Michelle Yeoh, 60, appeared to reference the statements in her Oscar acceptance speech last month, saying, “Ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you’re ever past your prime.”

Ms. Haley tweeted “#StillInMyPrime” and called the firing a “great day for women everywhere” on Monday.

Variety’s April expose on Lemon’s misogyny toward CNN employees tarnished his reputation.

Variety said that he called a producer obese to her face, insulted and mimicked a colleague, and sent threatening texts to another. Lemon’s spokesman refuted them.

Last autumn, Lemon was criticized for saying that the US men’s soccer team should be paid more than the women’s because they were “more interesting to watch”.

Before his resignation was announced on Monday, the 57-year-old appeared on CNN’s morning program.

“After 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly,” Lemon tweeted.

“At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue doing the work I have loved at the network.”

“It is clear that there are larger issues at play.”

The network did not explain his firing. In a second statement on Monday afternoon, it labeled Lemon’s account “inaccurate” and said he had spoken with management.

According to reports, Lemon has retained Hollywood lawyer Bryan Freedman to negotiate his CNN contract, which runs through 2026.

CNN said Ms Harlow and Ms Collins will host CNN This Morning after Lemon’s departure.

Lemon joined CNN in 2006 from NBC Chicago. Don Lemon Tonight was his primetime show for eight years. He quit to establish CNN This Morning with Ms Harlow and Ms Collins in November.

The New York Times claimed that CNN producers found guests didn’t want to appear with Lemon after his comments regarding Ms. Haley.

Fox & Friends and Morning Joe have outperformed the show in recent months.

On Monday, former President Donald Trump called Lemon the “dumbest man on television” on Truth Social.

Tucker Carlson’s firing went unmentioned.