After learning that his name would not appear on CNN’s This Morning breakfast program because his prime-time program had been canceled, Don Lemon was left with a bruised ego.
The 56-year-old allegedly became upset when he learned that his two co-anchors Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow would be working with him alongside CNN executives rather than by themselves.
Before the struggling morning show even debuted in November, network insiders informed Puck that there were issues with it.
After his ten o’clock program Don Lemon Tonight was canceled as part of a network reorganization, Lemon allegedly “expressed unease” with his new role.
Additionally, he had the impression that his name would appear on the new morning program because he had been told it was a “promotion.”
Lemon was given a contract renewal and a pay raise by CNN Chairman Chris Licht, who portrayed his new position as beneficial and assured the public that it was “not a demotion.”
For everyone who is saying, “Oh, he moved me, and without my input,” Lemon continued, “he asked me, and I said sure. I could have declined.
He insisted it was a promotion, but he was allegedly upset that his coworkers saw it as a step down for him.
Additionally, he frequently talked over White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins live on television during their conflicts.
On December 8, after a fight between the two as a consequence of the incident, Collins fled the set in tears after Lemon “screamed” at her.
After that, his supervisor Chris Licht reportedly instructed him to take a day to “cool off,” but instead he reportedly snapped at coworkers after reading about his altercation with the White House Correspondent in the company newsletter.
According to RadarOnline, Lemon went “ballistic” at staff members who brought up the altercation with Collins, with the host saying she “interrupted him” during a December broadcast.
Lemon has been assigned to Memphis and other tasks since the incident in December, and Collins has worked remotely from Washington, DC, on a number of instances in January.
It happened after he was made to go through “formal training” for making sexist remarks about Nikki Haley, a 51-year-old candidate for president in 2024, being past her peak.
Following Collins’ remark, Harlow took a “well timed” bathroom break. A insider later added that the tense relationship had been “smoldering for months.”
Insiders claim that after a string of offensive errors on the early-morning show, Lemon is conscious that he is on his “final warning” and has missed the show for three days in a row.
Lemon has consented to take part in training, according to a memo that Licht, who has criticized Lemon’s comments, sent to staff members on Monday.
Licht allegedly stated in a memo distributed to staff members on Monday: “I sat down with Don and had a frank and meaningful discussion.”
He has promised to continue to listen and learn while also taking part in formal training. We are very serious about this issue.
“It is crucial to me that CNN strikes a balance between responsibility and promoting a culture in which people can own, learn from, and grow from their errors,” said the author.
On Wednesday, Lemon made a comeback to the program but chose not to address the criticism he received in real time; instead, he posted a groveling apologetic online just before the program began.
During an editorial call on Friday, Licht stated that the comments were “upsetting, unacceptable and unfair to his co-hosts, and ultimately a big distraction from the great work of this organization.”
Just before going live, Lemon tweeted: “I appreciate the chance to return to CNN This Morning today.”
I’m sorry to my network, my coworkers, and our wonderful viewers. I’ve listened to you, I’m taking what you’ve said to heart, and I’m determined to improve. We’ll talk shortly.
The host, who had a planned vacation to Miami with his fiance that conveniently fell during the backlash, took an unscheduled day off on Monday.
Following his remarks, he also missed out on an interview with disgraced Congressman George Santos to TalkTV’s Piers Morgan.
According to several insiders, there has been a rise in calls for Lemon to be fired from the program due to his actions.
After his vacation in Miami, Lemon has been maintaining a low profile. In the midst of the controversy, he even withdrew from hosting an event about “race and real estate” in New York yesterday.
It comes after Nikki Haley, who is four years Lemon’s junior, once more criticized remarks that she is past her peak.
She advised Fox News yesterday to “hold my drink” and wait to see what she could say in response.
Lemon’s meltdown in December was not his first error in judgment as he learned to share the spotlight with his new coworkers.
Collins and Harlow had previously accused him of mansplaining why the US men’s soccer squad should be paid more despite their lack of success, and had then shot him down.
The interaction was awkward to witness, but he maintained that he was kidding when he said that men were “more interesting to watch.”
With an average of just over 330,000 people early last month, CNN This Morning had its least watched week since its debut.