Longtime CNN host Don Lemon is out at the cable news network a little over two months after apologizing to viewers for on-air comments about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, CNN announced Monday
鈥淐NN and Don have parted ways,鈥� CNN chair and CEO Chris Licht said in a memo to staff that was also posted on the network鈥檚 communications Twitter account. 鈥淒on will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years. We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.鈥�
CNN did not provide a public explanation for Lemon鈥檚 departure. But on the 鈥淐NN This Morning鈥� co-host鈥檚 own Twitter account, Lemon contended the news came as a surprise to him and characterized it as a firing. He had appeared on his show that morning.
鈥淚 was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned,鈥� he wrote in a statement posted shortly after 12 p.m. Eastern. 鈥淎fter 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have the decency to tell me directly. 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.鈥�
Around 45 minutes later, CNN issued a rebuttal on its PR account: 鈥淒on Lemon鈥檚 statement about this morning鈥檚 events is inaccurate. He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.鈥�
Lemon鈥檚 ouster came the same day that Fox News announced it was abruptly parting ways with its most popular host, conservative personality Tucker Carlson.
In mid-February, Lemon caused an uproar when, during a discussion on 鈥淐NN This Morning鈥� with co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins about the ages of politicians, he said that the 51-year-old Haley was not 鈥渋n her prime.鈥� A woman, he said, was considered in her prime 鈥渋n her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.鈥�
Harlow challenged Lemon, trying to clarify what he was referencing: 鈥淚 think we need to qualify. Are you talking about prime for childbearing or are you talking about prime for being president?鈥�
鈥淒on鈥檛 shoot the messenger, I鈥檓 just saying what the facts are,鈥� Lemon responded. He brought up the subject again an hour later, and was rebutted by commentator Audie Cornish.
Lemon issued a statement the same day saying he regretted his 鈥渋nartful and irrelevant鈥� comments. He was subsequently absent from the show for three days, returning the following week with a tweeted apology but no mention of the episode on air.
Licht told staffers in a memo at the time that Lemon would undergo 鈥渇ormal training,鈥� but did not specify what that would entail. Licht added that it was important to him that the network 鈥渂alances accountability with 鈥� fostering a culture in which people can own, learn and grow from their mistakes.鈥�
Lemon used to host the prime-time 鈥淒on Lemon Tonight鈥� but moved to the mornings when the network launched 鈥淐NN This Morning鈥� last November, just before the U.S. midterm elections, as one of the first major programming moves under Licht. But the show hasn鈥檛 had the intended ratings effect, and CNN leadership urged patience last month amid downturn in viewership across the board.
Haley, who had criticized Lemon鈥檚 statements as sexist and used the incident to fundraise in February, took to Twitter on Monday to call Lemon鈥檚 ouster 鈥渁 great day for women everywhere,鈥� linking to the beverage sleeves emblazoned with 鈥淧ast my prime? Hold my beer.鈥�
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Associated Press Writer Meg Kinnard contributed reporting from Columbia, South Carolina.
David Bauder, The Associated Press
