Angry female employees at CNN have threatened to quit if Don Lemon stays on the air after his sexist comments last week that Nikki Haley and women in their 40s are “past their prime”.
Amid widespread speculation that the embattled host, 56, could leave the struggling network imminently, a source close to “the most popped name in the news” told : “If Don doesn’t go, others will.” threatened to quit”.
“People are hurt by his actions and will not let it go. It’s like every woman over 50 in America took that as a personal insult. The female staff at CNN definitely have that. He needs to make his vacation a lasting one.”
In fact, another CNN insider said, “The women of CNN are angry. He made it impossible for them to do their jobs. He’s an embarrassment to the network and has to go.
When asked for comment about female employees who threatened to leave the company if Lemon didn’t, a CNN spokesperson declined to specifically address the issue.
Don Lemon was seen in Miami over the weekend causing a stir with his comments on CNN, which was rocked by women
When asked if it was true that Don Lemon was being pushed to the exit door following this latest scandal, another CNN spokesman told : “It is obviously wrong to say that Don is being pushed to resign.”
However, CNN insiders are adamant: “CNN has literally been inundated like a tidal wave of extremely angry and offended loyal viewers.”
“There isn’t a person at CNN who thinks they should stay on the air. He knows how badly he screwed up, and he also knows he can’t make excuses. His apology meant nothing.”
The host this morning made his comments on last Thursday’s CNN segment as he and co-hosts Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow discussed Nikki Haley’s suggestion that politicians aged 75 and over should be subjected to mental competency tests.
Lemon, who at 56 is five years older than Haley, 51, said the politician should approach the issue cautiously because “a woman is in her prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe in her 40s.”
Lemon has issued multiple apologies for his remarks, including sending out a tweet shortly after the show and apologizing to staff during an editorial call.
“I’m sorry, I don’t want to hurt anyone. I didn’t mean to offend anyone,” he said during the call. “What I said came out wrong and I wish I hadn’t said it. I believe that women of any age can do anything they put their minds to. The people I’m closest to in this organization are women.
Lemon has been sunbathing on Miami Beach as the storm rages over his behavior and has not been seen on the set of CNN’s morning show since last Thursday, although he was due to be back on the air Monday morning.
CNN chairman Chris Licht also criticized Lemon’s comments as “upsetting, unacceptable and unfair to his co-hosts and ultimately a great distraction from the great work of this organization.”
Nikki Haley is 51 years old. Don Lemon hinted that she was past her prime as a woman
Staff were also reportedly unimpressed by Lemon’s apology at the interview, with some saying it was “deaf” and making it sound like he was patting himself on the back for admitting his mistake.
“Don has been walking on thin ice for so long and many wanted him fired in December when he freaked out on Kaitlin Collins for no reason,” a source told . “She was in tears and it was so inappropriate.”
“Regardless of his political affiliation, his comments that Nikki Haley was past her prime were disgusting. Poppy was angry as she should be and still is.”
“He’s rude, self-righteous and clearly sexist. Nikki did the right thing by calling him out.
“His apology meant nothing and there is so much pressure that he is canned. It would be a shock if he wasn’t.”
Haley herself responded to Lemon’s comments, saying in a tweet with a clip of the video segment, “It’s always the liberals who are the most sexist.”
Harlow reportedly stormed off the set last week after Lemon’s comments and just weeks ago he allegedly went into a screaming fit after one broadcast because he was angry that Collins interrupted him on air.