Don Lemon is an American journalist who worked as a news anchor on CNN from 2014 until 2023. He started his career by anchoring weekend news programs on local television stations in Alabama and Pennsylvania.
In 2006, he joined CNN as a correspondent and became the presenter of Don Lemon Tonight in 2014. He was also a co-host of CNN This Morning until his firing in April 2023. Lemon has won several awards, including an Edward R. Murrow Award and three regional Emmy Awards.
Don Lemon Biography
Don Lemon is an American journalist who was born on March 1, 1966, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He attended Brooklyn College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in arts. Lemon has been working for CNN since 2014 and has won awards such as the Regional Emmy Award and the Edward R. Murrow Award for his journalistic work.
He is also an Independent political party member. In 2017, Lemon became engaged to Tim Malone, his partner of four years. Don Lemon once worked for NBC as a news correspondent on Today and NBC Nightly News.
Family Background | Education
Don Lemon was born on March 1, 1966, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His father was a lawyer who fought against the segregation of public transportation in Baton Rouge. Lemon’s mother was previously married, so he was born with his stepfather’s surname.
However, he discovered his biological father’s identity when he was five years old. He went to Baker High School in East Baton Rouge Parish and was voted class president in his senior year. Lemon attended Louisiana State University and was a Republican who voted for Ronald Reagan.
He graduated from Brooklyn College in 1996 with a degree in broadcast journalism. During his time at Brooklyn College, he interned at WNYW. He worked for Fox affiliates in St. Louis and Chicago and was a correspondent for NBC affiliates in Philadelphia and Chicago.
Career
Don Lemon is an American journalist born on March 1, 1966, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He graduated from Brooklyn College and began his career as a news anchor in Alabama, Pennsylvania, St. Louis, and Chicago.
In 2006, he joined CNN, where he has been a news anchor and correspondent ever since. Lemon has been known for his outspoken opinions on cable news and the African American community. He has won multiple Emmy awards for his reporting.
Lemon has hosted several shows on CNN, including The Don Lemon Show and CNN Tonight with Don Lemon. He has also co-anchored CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live and will be co-anchoring a new morning show called CNN This Morning later in 2022.
Personal Life
Don Lemon lives in an apartment in Harlem, New York and also has a home in Sag Harbor on Long Island. In a 2010 on-air interview, he revealed that he was sexually molested as a child by a neighbor teenage boy. Lemon came out as gay in his 2011 memoir, “Transparent”, becoming one of the few openly gay black men in broadcasting.
He also spoke about colorism in the black community and dedicated the book to Tyler Clementi, a college student who killed himself after his roommate outed him online. Lemon’s sister, L’Tanya “Leisa” Lemon Grimes, died in 2018. Lemon met Tim Malone in 2017 and the couple got engaged in 2019.
Don Lemon Gender
Don Lemon is a fired anchor on CNN who made headlines in 2011 when he came out as gay in his memoir, Transparent. He is known for his outspoken criticism of former President Donald Trump.
While there is no information about his gender identity, there are reports of him making sexist and ageist remarks. ((npr.org)) ((thedailybeast.com)) He has consulted with lawyers about a possible lawsuit over reports that he is a sexist. ((outkick.com))
Political Commentary
Lemon has been critical of former US president Donald Trump and called him a racist after he referred to some countries as “shitholes”. Lemon also highlighted the threat of domestic terrorism by white supremacists in the US, which he argued was a bigger threat than foreigners.
He cited data from a report by the Government Accountability Office showing that killings by far-right extremists were more prevalent than those by Islamic extremists. Lemon’s comments were criticized by some conservative figures who accused him of “race baiting.”
Allegations of Sexism | Misogyny
Don Lemon, a former CNN anchor, was involved in a heated debate with his co-anchors about pay inequity in women’s sports in December 2022. He argued that men’s sports are more popular but was criticized for making sexist remarks.
Later in February 2023, he faced backlash again when he commented on Nikki Haley’s proposal for mandatory mental competency tests for politicians over 75 years old.
He said that age should not be a factor and that women are considered to be in their prime in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, which was also criticized as sexist. Lemon later apologized for his comments.
In April 2023, Variety published a report alleging that Lemon had a history of misogynistic behavior towards his colleagues, including Soledad O’Brien, Kyra Phillips, and Nancy Grace. Lemon denied the allegations, and his spokesperson called the report based on unsourced and unsubstantiated gossip.
Firing from CNN
On April 24, 2023, CNN fired Don Lemon before his contract expired in 2026. CNN had trouble booking guests who were willing to appear on-air with Lemon, and his popularity among viewers had declined according to polls, according to The New York Times. Lemon said that he was surprised by the firing and that the network failed to inform him in person, which CNN denied.
Honors | Awards
Don Lemon has won many awards for his journalism, including an Edward R. Murrow Award for his coverage of the D.C. area sniper and reports on Hurricane Katrina. He also earned three Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards for his work on business features and reporting on the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa.
Ebony magazine named him one of the 150 most influential African Americans in 2009, and The Advocate listed him as one of the 50 most influential LGBTQ people in media in 2014. Lemon has also received awards that recognize and encourage the increased visibility and impact of black gay men in society.
He was named on Out’s Power 50 list in 2017, and in 2019, Queerty named him one of the Pride50 “trailblazing individuals who actively ensure society remains moving towards equality, acceptance and dignity for all queer people” to mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.
