Don Lemon Off CNN for Second Day as Abysmal Ratings Indicate He's Past His Prime

Amid disastrous ratings that would embarrass anyone, CNN *may* finally have an excuse to shelve Don Lemon.  

Last week, the panel on “CNN This Morning” got awkward when Lemon commented on Nikki Haley criticizing Joe Biden over his age, describing her as “past her prime” despite being nearly three decades younger than Biden. “She says people, you know, politicians are suddenly not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime. Sorry, when a woman is considered to be in her prime, is in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s,” Lemon said to his two female co-hosts, who naturally disagreed. Lemon then attempted to defend himself by telling people to “Google it.” 

Lemon posted an apology to his Twitter account, and hasn’t made any posts since.

The reference I made to a woman’s “prime” this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. A woman’s age doesn't define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.

— Don Lemon (@donlemon) February 16, 2023

Lemon was noticeably absent from the show the next morning - and that’s continued this week.
 

As the NY Post reported: 

Embattled CNN anchor Don Lemon won’t appear on the network’s morning show Monday for the second consecutive day as the fallout from his sexist remarks controversy swirls at the cable network.

Lemon was scheduled to be back in the anchor chair at “CNN This Morning,” but opted to take off for the Presidents’ Day holiday, network spokesperson Matt Dornic told The Post. 

“I thought he was coming back tomorrow but he is taking the holiday,” Dornic said in an email. 

One source quoted in the Post's article claimed that there are “ongoing discussions about Don’s future,” and that “he is a constant distraction.” 

Though to be fair, it’s hard to imagine is distracting all too many people given his ratings, which are the lowest that CNN has seen for a morning show in a decade. Someone with that as the most recent item on their resume is arguably far past their prime.  

Matt Palumbo is the author of Fact-Checking the Fact-Checkers: How the Left Hijacked and Weaponized the Fact-Checking Industry and The Man Behind the Curtain: Inside the Secret Network of George Soros

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