Don Lemon has said he feels “justified” after Chris Licht was suspended by CNN just months after the former network boss unceremoniously fired him.
The controversial broadcaster focused on Licht’s tumultuous tenure as network chief, which was plagued by massive layoffs, falling ratings and a disastrous town hall with Donald Trump.
Lemon, 57, also claimed that the public is “mistaking” him and wants him back on the air, despite the sexist storm his own firing caused in April.
The former This Morning host was 16 years old before Licht arrived at CNN as network boss, and it was immediately clear he was not in favor of the new man in charge.
Lightly bumped Lemon initially from primetime to mornings before pushing the veteran anchor out after a spate of controversy.
Former CNN This Morning host Don Lemon said he felt “justified” by the firing of his former boss, Chris Licht, just months after Licht fired him
Light was suspended from the network after a tumultuous 13-month period best known for massive layoffs, dwindling ratings and a disastrous town hall with Donald Trump
Licht had also alienated staff through his mission to rid CNN of its inherent leftist bias
Asked by Kara Swisher, co-host of the Pivot podcast, if he felt justified by Licht’s own impeachment, Lemon replied, “Yes, I do.” Read the story and you and you speak to the people who are there, and I think people understand what happened.
‘You just have to read The Atlantic Ocean story, read subsequent stories that came out and how it played out.
‘They’re gone now. So do I feel justified in that sense? Yes I do.’
Lemon referenced the scathing profile in The Atlantic that sealed the fate of his former boss. The devastating article, in which Licht participated enthusiastically, portrayed him as aloof and described how he alienated staff with his mission to purge the network of his left-wing bias.
The humiliating profile, which was widely reported, was apparently the last straw for network executives, who dropped Licht days after it was published, despite his fawning apologies to staff.
Lemon also claimed that he was not given the opportunity to publicly comment on comments he made on-air about Nikki Haley, which caused his own demise.
The broadcaster had said the GOP presidential nominee was no longer in her “prime” because she is in her early 50s, leading to accusations of sexism.
Speaking on Pivot, Lemon said, “I was never allowed to address the issue on air. I wish I could, but I’ve never been allowed to.’
The 57-year-old said he hadn’t spoken to Licht since they split, but revealed how he had spent his time since coming off the air.
Lemon claimed he connected more with everyday people now that he was outside of the cable news “bubble.”
The final straw for Licht was this Atlantean profile published over the weekend, in which Licht made disparaging comments about the network’s coverage before taking over
One of Licht’s attempts to revitalize the network was his morning show, CNN This Morning. He brought lightning rod host Don Lemon out of an evening primetime slot to co-host the show with Poppy Harlow, a veteran reporter, and rising star Kaitlan Collins.
Licht’s strategy included a one-hour town hall with Donald Trump. It boosted ratings, but saw former President Kaitlan Collins and the irate staff furious that Trump had been given a platform
“I’ve actually traveled a lot,” he said. ‘I have travelled a lot. Spending time with my family, my fiancé and my dogs. I’ve been to Baton Rouge where my family lives. I went to New Orleans. I went to Park City and I went to Italy. I’ve been in Europe for a while and talked to a lot of people.’
He claimed his time out helped him escape the echo chamber of network television and understand the issues that really matter to people.
Lemon also claimed that they told him in his conversations with the public that they wanted him back on the air.
“They worry about walking down the street in certain parts of the country, in certain cities. They want to be able to pay for their family. How high the rents are, how much mortgage interest,’ he said. “They talk to me about that, and they say they miss me on CNN.”
He also pitched for the return of his friend and former boss Jeff Zucker, Licht’s predecessor as CEO.
Lemon, who recently vacationed with Zucker and retains his girlfriend and former CNN executive Allison Gollust as a PR consultant, claimed his old friend was the best placed man to reverse the network’s decline.
“There isn’t a better person alive who could run CNN, and I don’t know if anyone could do it. look, someone can do it. I don’t know if they’ll get it right, but I think the best person to run CNN was and would be Jeff Zucker,” he said. “If anyone could save CNN if it needs to be saved, if you want to put it in that context, it would be Jeff Zucker.”
Lemon also hinted that his future might be in podcasting, but didn’t rule out a return to television.
“I was having dinner last night with an old television friend who ran a network for a long time, and he said that, recently, streaming and digital or online had surpassed linear television for the first time,” he said. . “So that gives you an indication of where I’m going.”
He added, “I don’t know if it’s being streamed. It will likely be streamed and in the digital space. It doesn’t mean I don’t want to work in traditional linear television, certainly not for the next 14 months. I expect to have a voice. So keep an eye on it.’