Don Lemon was considered one of the top anchors at CNN but lost favor with the executive side after making a quip about Nikki Haley’s age during a broadcast which led to his ouster. In a new report, CNN paid Don Lemon the remaining balance of his contract with the network in a separation deal, clearing the way for Lemon’s new program on X.
The Wrap obtained exclusive details regarding CNN’s payout to Don Lemon via sources close to the matter. According to the outlet, Lemon, 57, was paid $24.5 million which covers three and a half years of his remaining contract and officially ends his connection to the network.
Back in February 2023, Lemon appeared on CNN This Morning with hosts Caitlin Collins and Poppy Harlow, and a discussion about the age of presidential hopefuls came up. Lemon took shots at Haley, 51, and suggested she “isn’t in her prime” and didn’t clearly state what he meant by that considering that President Joe Biden and GOP frontrunner Donald Trump are considerably older than the former South Carolina governor.
Lemon, who appeared to have every intention to remain with CNN, was reportedly told of his firing via an agent which the broadcaster took issue with. At the time, Chris Licht headed the network but was fired months later after pushing Lemon out of the spotlight.
The latest venture for Lemon is the upcoming The Don Lemon Show which will air exclusively on X, formerly Twitter, and promises to be a bolder take on Lemon’s previous broadcast ventures.
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