Don Lemon, along with his fiancé Tim Malone and his partner’s parents, cut a fine figure at a posh Hamptons restaurant.
Lemon, 57, dressed casually for dinner with Malone, 39, and his parents Richard and Joanne Malone on Thursday night.
The former CNN host, who was fired from the network two weeks ago, is enjoying the warmer weather, dressed in light linen pants and a sky blue button-down shirt. He let his glasses hang out of his shirt pocket as he walked to their car.
Malone matched his old partner, wearing similar white trousers, a white T-shirt and topped off with a denim jacket.
Don Lemon makes unemployment look good at a swanky Hamptons restaurant with his fiancee Tim Malone and his partner’s parents
The former CNN anchor was enjoying the summer weather dressed in light linen pants and a sky blue button-down shirt. He let his glasses hang out of his shirt pocket as he walked to their car
Malone looked shocked to see photographers waiting outside the restaurant, while Lemon seemed a little annoyed.
Malone’s parents were only a few paces behind and seemingly didn’t notice when Joanne pointed out something off-camera to Richard.
Joanne wore a similar style to Lemon and her son, while Richard opted for darker shades, wearing a black jumper and jeans.
Before saying goodbye, Lemon took a moment to hug Joanne before getting into his car.
Lemon was sensationally fired by CNN on Monday amid a furious controversy over his “sexist” and “misogynistic” behavior – and now a source has exposed the toll his firing has had on his relationship.
DailyMail.com spoke exclusively to a friend of Tim’s, who said the scandal was “definitely a bump in the road” for the couple – especially since Lemon had been warned by his fiancee to “cool down” on his on-air tirades.
Before saying goodbye, Lemon took a moment to hug Joanne before getting into his car
Joanne cut a similar outfit to Lemon and her son, wearing white pants and a denim jacket
“He often told Don to just let it cool down and go with the flow, but Don’s not the type of person to listen,” the source revealed. “He pushes the boundaries in every facet of his life and this show was no different.”
In February, Don pushed the boundaries too far when he said presidential candidate Nikki Haley was “past her prime” at age 51, before stating that “a woman is considered to be in the prime of her twenties and thirties and maybe forties . — telling his stunned female co-hosts to “Google it.”
The sexist remark, which led to co-host Poppy Harlow, 41, storming the set, had Don off the air for three days and sparked a tidal wave of backlash – particularly from female staffers who demanded he be fired.
While Don’s abdication has caused friction between him and his partner, the insider adds that Tim is sticking with the former CNN anchor and “knows he’s not misogynistic.”
The source continued: “[Tim] says that [Don] is just gay with a very dry, harsh and sarcastic sense of humour.’
Lemon seemed annoyed to be followed by paparazzi after enjoying his dinner
Malone matched his old partner, wearing similar white trousers, a white T-shirt and topped off with a denim jacket
Lemon sensationally fired by CNN on Monday amid furious controversy over his ‘sexist’ and ‘misogynistic’ behavior
Once the couple got over the shock of Don’s firing, they started to get “excited” about the prospect of having more time together, the insider shared.
“To be honest, they’re actually quite excited that Don can now be home with their dogs since their dogs are their lives,” the friend shared. ‘Tim has said that Don can play houseman now.
Tim says Don wasn’t happy there for a while and he was worked to the bone. This is a much-needed break for him.”
Don and Tim got engaged five years ago, in April 2019. Tim proposed to Don on his own birthday with dog tags worn by their beloved dogs Barkley and Boomer. The tags were engraved with the words, “Daddy, will you marry Daddy?”
The pair can certainly also afford Don to take a break from his on-air career; Page Six reported that the ex-anchor walked away from CNN with a “$25 million payout” and that he “has engaged an attorney” in case he decides to sue the network over his firing.
A source told the outlet, “Don signed a seven-figure deal for last September’s morning show, and CNN has assured him he will be paid the remainder of his contract, which runs through 2026.”
Lemon worked at CNN for 17 years before being fired in April
DailyMail.com spoke to a second source who works in real estate in New York City with Don’s longtime fiancée – who said the many millions Don ends up with are actually irrelevant to Tim, who has made millions of them over the years.
“This won’t hurt them even a little bit financially,” says the home insider. “Tim is an incredibly wealthy man who has made millions in real estate.
“He’s top of the line in town and they’ve saved enough together to live on for years.”
The industry source added, “Even if Don never works again, Tim could support them financially and feel comfortable,” the source says.
“He wants Don to take some time off and relax, because anyone who knows him knows he’s been very tense these past few months.”
‘He’s not a bad guy; he just says what he wants, both in and out of work and is used to always getting his own way.’