Don Lemon Apologizes on CNN Staff Call for Nikki Haley Age Comments, but Network Remains on Alert

Lemon sought to tamp down internal and external backlash to polarizing comments he made on Thursday’s “CNN This Morning” about when women are in their prime, though it remains unclear whether all staffers will let the matter drop.

Speaking for a few minutes, one of these people said, Lemon said he regretted saying that women who are past their 40s are no longer in their prime, a comment that appeared to be off the cuff and inspired by coverage of Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who recently declared her candidacy for the 2024 U.S. presidential race. “Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime, sorry. A woman is considered to be in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.” Lemon said on Thursday’s broadcast, later adding: “If you Google ‘when is a woman in her prime,’ it’ll say 20s, 30s and 40s.” The comments appeared to rankle co-anchor Poppy Harlow, who tried to get Lemon to walk them back.

Lemon made his apology to staffers Friday at the behest of CNN CEO Chris Licht, according to the two people familiar with the matter. Executives at CNN are said to be concerned about the situation, and one of these people further action may be warranted if the story continues to generate outrage or keeps hovering in the news cycle.

Spokespersons for CNN could not be reached for immediate comment. Lemon’s apology on the Friday morning call was previously reported by TMZ.

During his remarks, Lemon tried to indicate that he owned the mistake, and that he had long stood against racism and sexism, according to one of the people familiar with the incident. He thanked many women who have been and are involved in his work. He also mentioned that he had been contacted by Nia-Malika Henderson, the CNN political correspondent, who urged him to “fix” the situation, telling Lemon that “this is not the person you are.” One of the people familiar with the event said it wasn’t clear whether Lemon assuaged the concerns of all employees.

Lemon had previously expressed regret via social media on Thursday, noting that: “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,” he said. ”A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.”

“CNN This Morning” was supposed to mark a new start for CNN under the aegis of its new owner, Warner Bros. Discovery. The program hews close to a formula that has proved to be a winning one in the past for Licht, who is known in the business for his work launching MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and giving a boost to “CBS This Morning.” But the show has had a rocky launch, with Lemon appearing in some instances to break out of the usual A.M. routine and offer commentary that doesn’t always his the mark. In one moment, he appeared to be criticizing Kaitlan Collins, the third co-anchor of the program, right after she had interviewed with James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, about upcoming hearings on the topic of Hunter Biden’s laptop. The trio has developed an unsteady chemistry, with Collins appearing circumspect and Harlow sometimes playing the role of referee when Lemon wanders away from expected interaction.
Morning-TV observers believe Lemon’s comments Thursday were particularly detrimental because they took aim at an important part of the A.M. audience: women over 40. Advertisers pay the most for news programs that attract the most people between 25 and 54, and with his remarks on Thursday, Lemon may have alienated some of them. There is also concern within CNN that his line of reasoning may have offended female newsmakers who CNN would hope to book on its programs.


---> Sau vụ này hong biết cha này có bị đuổi việc hong nữa ? ai mà make comment kỳ khôi vậy cà ?

mà who is he ?

CNN news anchor ...có show riêng , lúc trước mỗi tối lúc 10PM thì phải , sau anh bạn trai on tivi của mình là Cu-mô show lúc 9g ....sau này em hong coi nữa , nên hong biet schedule ra sao ....nói chung cha này là 1 guong mặt anchor quen thuộc everyday tren CNN channel

I like him ..đẹp trai

TT: Don Lemon nói chuyện rất tế nhị but from his show có thể thấy he nghiêng về bên left rất nhiều, khác với Anderson Cooper who is more in the center like chị Gạo .
Show của Don lâu nay ko hấp dẫn bằng Cuomo or Anderson đâu, nên he bị moved vào buổi sáng instead of prime time.
Đúng là he làm anchor ko nên phát biểu vậy but lý do lở miệng là he trã lời lại cái vụ Nikki yêu cầu competency test cho các cụ già như Biden, Trump, Mitt Romney, ... etc. Cho nên Don nói nếu kêu test cho cái lão già thì cô Nikki cũng đâu phải trong lứa tuổi prime của phụ nữ, sao ko nghĩ mình cũng chả phải in prima age nếu mà đem tuổi tác vào chính trường, ý him là vậy
Dĩ nhiên bên RIGHT có cơ hội là banh xé, còn bên LEFT thì so strict, cựa tí là buộc resign chứ ko như bên RIGHT.
Thấy tụi GOP ko? vẫn ủng hộ 1 George Santos quá xá tội !!!!!!!!! chúng mình vẫn đóng thuế trã lương cho tên khốn kiếp George Santos của GOP

chi. Rice,
em nho+' luc' truoc' show him right after anh bạn trai online Cu-Mô , chắc giờ bị moved qua buổi sáng ha ...

em thích Anderson Cooper

thanks chi giải thích lý do cho câu nói đó ....

BTW, like Anderson, Don is gay. He is engaged. Đã nghiêng về bên LEFT mà con GAY nữa nên bên RIGHT phải ghét chứ

TT: show bạn trai Cuomo của em là đắc khách, CNN buộc lắm mới cho anh Cuomo đi thôi

quá đau lòng chị ạ ....

xưa em cũng mến Cu-mô anh, nhất là khi ong^? cặp với bà Sandra Lee (?), em thấy đep đôi và mến 2 nguòi , giờ 2 nguòi 2 ngã , bả cặp trai trẻ thấy kỳ kỳ, ổng thì bị tai tiếng này nọ ...hy vọng anh bạn trai không bị bad reputation

8DonCo wrote:mà who is he ?

CNN news anchor. He’s my đen lai

TT: CNN la Democratic cho nen khong thich her la phai roi she’s a republican

Tên Lemon này đặt biệt mang cả Hai cái áo giáp trên người… nên CNN không làm gì nó đâu.