Monday marked a seismic shift in the world of cable news, as two top stars, Don Lemon of CNN and Tucker Carlson of Fox News, were both dismissed within an hour of each other. The sudden departures of these prominent personalities have sent shockwaves through the industry, and many are left wondering what could have led to such a dramatic change. Details about their departures inside…
Fans, colleagues, and media pundits are left reeling as they try to make sense of this “stunning” turn of events in cable news.
Don Lemon, the beloved CNN anchor, announced on Monday via Twitter that he has been terminated from the network. CNN has confirmed that they have “parted ways” with Don, but reassured fans that he will always be a part of the CNN family. In a statement, CNN expressed their gratitude for Don’s contributions over the past 17 years and wished him the best in his future endeavors.
CNN and Don have parted ways. Don 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.
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) April 24, 2023
“CNN and Don have parted ways. Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years,” CNN’s public relations team tweeted. “We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.”
The famed anchor, on the other hand, expressed his shock and disappointment, stating that he learned the news from his agent and was never given any indication that he wouldn’t be able to continue doing the work he loved.
— Don Lemon (@donlemon) April 24, 2023
“After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly,” he tweeted. “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. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play.”
Things took a surprising turn within the hour after his tweet, as CNN’s public relations team released a counter statement accusing Don Lemon of misrepresenting the events that transpired. According to CNN Communications’ tweet, Don’s statement was “inaccurate,” and he was actually given an opportunity to meet with management. However, he allegedly chose to release his statement on Twitter instead.
“Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate,” the PR team tweeted. “He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.”
This conflicting information has left many wondering what really happened behind the scenes at CNN.
The firing of the 56-year-old “CNN This Morning” anchor followed months of backlash for comments he made about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley being “past her prime.” Don made the remarks on “CNN This Morning “on February 16th while discussing politicians’ ages with co-hosts Poppy Harlow, 40, and Kaitlan Collins, 30.
“This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable,” Don said, alluding to comments Haley, 51, has made suggesting that politicians over the age of 75 should be forced to take mental competency tests. “I think it’s the wrong road to go down.”
He continued, “She says … politicians are not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime. Sorry. A woman is considered to be in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.”
Asked by Poppy to clarify what he was trying to say, Don responded, “That’s not according to me. … If you Google ‘When is a woman in her prime,’ it’ll say 20s, 30s and 40s. I don’t necessarily — I’m not saying I agree with that.”
Watch the clip below:
After the show, Don issued an apology, tweeting, “A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.”
After that episode, Don did not appear on air during the next three broadcasts, but returned in February, following “formal training.”
As for another cable news firing…
Fox News announced on Monday that their popular prime-time host Tucker Carlson, the highest-rated single host at Fox News, is leaving the network, effective immediately.
In a short statement released by a spokesperson, Fox News expressed gratitude to Carlson for his service as a host and a contributor and confirmed that his last show was on Friday, April 21st.
Despite the abrupt announcement, Fox News still promoted an interview between Carlson and presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy that was scheduled to air later that day.
Tucker Carlson has now been fired from all three major cable news networks- CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News. pic.twitter.com/2R7w4dKXAq
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) April 24, 2023
The news of Tucker’s departure comes on the heels of a major lawsuit settlement by Fox News, which saw them pay out over $787 million in a defamation case brought against them by Dominion Voting Systems.
Interestingly, Tucker was named in Dominion Voting Systems’ lawsuit, but he’s also currently facing his own legal troubles. His former senior booking producer, Abby Grossberg, has filed two separate lawsuits against him, accusing him and Fox of sexism and harassment. Abby’s lawsuits detail examples of misogyny and inappropriate behavior in the workplace, including images of Nancy Pelosi in a bathing suit and a questionable poll among staffers.
Don Lemon and Tucker Carlson have reportedly hired the same attorney, Bryan Freedman, known for securing hefty payouts for people who have been terminated from large networks.
Although neither Don nor Tucker have indicated that they plan to sue their former employers, Forbes reports that both have retained Freedman’s services. Freedman has a track record of successfully negotiating multi-million dollar settlements for clients who have been let go from their jobs.
Will it get messy? Time will tell…
