Tensions Rise With Don Lemon And Another Female Co-Host: Report

Don Lemon began Thursday by mansplaining to his female co-hosts that women over 40 are no longer in their "primes." He cited Google -- yes, Google -- as his source to raise concerns over Nikki Haley running for president in 2024 as a 51-year-old woman.

Lemon's sexism raised tensions on set with Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins. And according to the New York Post, tensions boiled further after the segment:

A furious Poppy Harlow walked off the “CNN This Morning” set following a tense exchange with Lemon after he said the GOP presidential candidate was “not in her prime,” according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
One of the sources said Harlow took a “well-timed” bathroom break and was followed into the restroom by co-host Kaitlan Collins...
The tense relationship between Lemon, Collins and Harlow has “been smoldering for months,” the source added.  

Don Lemon, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins.

The reference to Collins comes from a December incident in which Lemon berated Collins after a segment for speaking more than he wanted while on set.

But Lemon is not only a menace to his co-hosts. He's also ruining the foundation of the network by shrinking its morning audience.

CNN demoted him in the fall from primetime to his current position as co-anchor in the morning. He has since tanked the time slot to the lowest-rated cable news show in a decade.

His struggles in the morning have rippled up the entire lineup. The network as a whole recently set a nine-year low.

What does CNN CEO think of the problematic, not-that-talented Don Lemon?

According to the same report, Lemon's dramatics have irked even Licht.

“Chris isn’t happy and he has spoken to Don a couple times today,” the network source said. “Don knows it can’t happen again,”
During an informal meeting Thursday, dubbed “Coffee with Chris,” 30 staffers peppered Licht with questions about the ratings-challenged network.
One asked about Lemon’s comments about the 51-year-old Haley, according to a source with knowledge.
“People say stupid things and that if it’s a trend then there’s recourse,” the source said, paraphrasing Licht’s comments.

Before his demotion

CNN would undoubtedly have fired Lemon if he were a straight white man. He is not worth the trouble. He's not worth much.

Lemon hosted the lowest-rated primetime show in cable news (among Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN) before his demotion. He now fronts the lowest-rated morning television show in a decade.

But Lemon is not a straight white man. And firing a gay black man is no easy task in 2023.

So, don't expect Lemon's behavior to change. Or for viewers to watch him at any point during the day.

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