Can Don Lemon Sucker MSNBC Into Hiring Him?
CNN fired Don Lemon on Monday, leaving his future in question.
Most ousted hosts turn to podcasting. There's an evergrowing list of audio suitors hoping to sign former television hosts.
Yet, in podcasting only the top echelon of stars succeed. And Don Lemon is not that.
Despite a decade of promotion, Lemon failed at CNN. He failed in primetime and in the morning. He was the lowest-rated host in both timeslots.
Viewers turned off CNN when he appeared.
So a successful venture into podcasting hardly seems plausible for Don. He'd likely end up as one of those hosts who suspiciously debut in the top 10 on Apple Podcasts and then never chart again.
Hosting a podcast for an audience of a few thousand would hardly fulfill Don Lemon's hefty ego.
Perhaps only landing at MSNBC would.
Don Lemon during New Years.
Lemon wouldn't have to alter his schtick to work there. His privileged, egotistical, smug dirtbag persona would play well.
See Chris Hayes, a straight white male version of Lemon.
MSNBC would provide Lemon with the relevance he could not muster on his own.
Calling women past 40 used goods would be more newsworthy at MSNBC than on a podcast not even the incels would find intriguing.
The question is whether MSNBC wants him.
On one hand, hiring a far-left fired gay black man reeks of the positive PR that MSNBC so desperately seeks.
Don Lemon is also more known than some of the current MSNBC propagandists.
Have you heard of José Díaz-Balart? Neither have we. But apparently, he hosts the 11 am hour at the network.
Chris Jansing? Word is he hosts two hours at the network.
After Morning Joe signs off at 10 am, it's not until Katy Tur at 3 pm that a recognizable face emerges. And challenging it is to take Tur seriously given her past dating preferences:
So while Lemon would be an upgrade in terms of recognition, recognition doesn't promise success.
In Lemon's case, most viewers who recognize him do not like him. Oft it's better to air unknown folks than those who viewers detest.
That's where José comes in.
If MSNBC is out on Lemon, perhaps only NewsNation can prevent his undertaking into the lowly podcast ranks.
NewsNation, the upstart cable news network, brands itself as a moderate alternative to the rest of cable news.
Mostly, that branding is accurate. But the channel -- as OutKick first reported -- did hire Chris Cuomo after CNN fired him last summer.
Lemon landing there is possible, to the chagrin of NewsNation's purported mission.
Whether it be NewNation, MSNBC, or the abyss, Don Lemon's next endeavor is not imminent. He already retained hotshot lawyer Bryan Freedman, of Megyn Kelly-NBC fame, following his firing.
The notoriously petty and bitter Lemon is about to sue for being canned.