Some female staff members have reportedly given CNN an ultimatum: Either the left-leaning cable network fires TV host Don Lemon, or they will quit.
Lemon, co-host of "CNN This Morning" with Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, has not been on the air since Thursday, when he said former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who announced her candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination that day, was "past her prime" at age 51.
The Daily Mail reported Monday, citing an unnamed source, that if Lemon, 56, who has since apologized, isn’t fired, others have threatened to quit.
"People are hurt by his actions and are not going to let this go," the source said, according to The Daily Mail. "It is like every woman over 50 in America has taken this as a personal insult. The female staffers at CNN definitely have. He needs to make his vacation a permanent one."
The Daily Mail cited another source who disputed reports that Lemon is being forced to resign. The report, though, cited CNN "insiders" who are adamant about Lemon being fired because the network has been "flooded like a tidal wave" with offended loyal viewers.
"There is not one person at CNN who thinks that he should remain on air," an insider told The Daily Mail. "He knows how badly he screwed up and he also knows that he cannot talk his way out of this one. His apology meant nothing."
Lemon's comments came during a discussion about Haley's proposal to have mental competency tests for elected politicians age 75 and older.
Also, Lemon said Haley should tread lightly on the topic because "Nikki Haley isn't in her prime, sorry. A woman is in their prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s."
When challenged by his female co-hosts, Lemon said "if you Google, 'when is a woman in her prime,' it will say 20s and 30s and 40s."
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to hurt anyone. I did not mean to offend anyone," Lemon said Friday in an apology to staff members, according to The Daily Mail. "What I said came out wrong and I wish I hadn't said it. I believe women of any age can do anything they set their minds to. The people I am closest to in this organization are women."
The New York Times reported Friday that CNN chairman Chris Licht opened his 9 a.m. editorial call that day by saying Lemon's remarks "were upsetting, unacceptable and unfair to his co-hosts, and ultimately a huge distraction to the great work of this organization."
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.