CNN’s relationship with Don Lemon has turned sour as the longtime anchor has announced that he was unceremoniously fired.
Source: Cindy Ord / Getty
“I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN,” the newsroom vet tweeted. “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.”
The 57-year-old continued, “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.”
The anchor also speculated that “there are some larger issues at play” and concluded his message with thank yous for his colleagues and team for the “incredible run.”
After Don’s statement was released, CNN clapped back and responded calling it “inaccurate” while saying that they offered him a chance to meet with management but “instead [he] released a statement on Twitter.”
Although his firing comes as a shock to many viewers, some predicted the journalist’s departure after he made controversial ageist remarks regarding Republican presidential candidate, Nikki Haley.
One Twitter user referenced the incident under his departure post and said that Lemon was their “brother in propaganda” who is “no longer in his prime,” a direct jab at what he said about Haley.
Another user claimed that Don is just unskilled at his job…
“larger issues at play” … no it’s not that…. it’s because your ratings stink and no one wants to listen to your nonsense
and someone else accused the anchor of being racist.
“They should have fired you years ago. You are the epitome of a true racist. Good riddance!”
Something tells me these individuals voted for Trump.
As previously reported, after the ageism controversy and especially damaging Variety article stated that Don had a history of questionable behavior towards women during his career. More than a dozen of Don’s former and current colleagues (most of whom spoke anonymously) described Don as hostile and stated he displayed “diva-like” behavior.
There were even claims that Lemon ripped up photos and notes on top of anchor Kyra Phillips’ desk when she was given a coveted assignment in Iraq over him. After her return, the correspondent received threatening text messages that CNN higher-ups allegedly traced back to Don.
Source: Taylor Hill / Getty
The Emmy award-winner denied the allegations and said that the story was “riddled with patently false anecdotes and no concrete evidence.” He added that it is “entirely based on unsourced, unsubstantiated, 15-year-old anonymous gossip.”
Interestingly enough, Lemon’s firing comes on the same day as Tucker Carlson’s abrupt departure from Fox News and less than two years after former CNN anchor, Chris Cuomo, was released from his duties.
Speaking on Lemon’s firing, CNN CEO, Chris Licht said,
“Don, will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years,” NBC News reports. “We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.”
Lemon began his career at CNN in 2006 after anchoring NBC Chicago and working as a correspondent for the Today show and NBC Nightly News.
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