CNN star Don Lemon has jetted off to Miami to spend time sunning himself with his fiancé amid rising calls to fire him from the flagship morning show.
The 56-year-old was seen swimming and frolicking on the beach hours after he joined a CNN editorial call from Miami where he apologized to staff yet again for his comments.
CNN’s Chairman Chris Licht slammed his remarks as ‘upsetting, unacceptable and unfair to his co-hosts, and ultimately a huge distraction to the great work of this organization.’
Lemon made several ‘sexist’ comments on Thursday’s show when discussing GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley’s suggestion that politicians 75 and older should face mental competency tests.
His comments reportedly left many staff unimpressed, but Lemon has washed off the criticism by relaxing with his partner Tim Mahone at $2,000-a night luxury beach resort Faena.
The 56-year-old was seen swimming and frolicking on the beach hours after he joined a CNN editorial call from Miami where he apologized to staff yet again for his comments
Lemon was seen smiling hours after the backlash intensified, as he relaxed at a luxury resort in Miami
The pair were seen sunbathing and taking a dip in the ocean, with Lemon taking a break to smile and laugh on the phone – though it is unclear if it was the CNN call.
Lemon took the day off on Friday, just one day after he made the controversial comments and apologized for them on Twitter.
During the call Lemon said: ‘I’m sorry I don’t mean to hurt anyone. I did not mean to offend anyone.
‘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.
‘When I make a mistake. I own it and I own this one as well. I understand why you are upset and disappointed.
‘I was trying to make the point that no one’s age should define their ambition or potential for success and I was saying those comments to Nikki Haley. I’m going to continue to be who I am.’
Lemon also cited his relationships with Dana Bash, Erin Burnett, Amy Entelis, and his mom and sister, according to TMZ.
His comments ruffled feathers, with a senior CNN staffer rebutting, ‘this is great, but it’s our viewers who deserve an apology.’
One insider said that there was mounting pressure for Lemon to be fired after his continual gaffes on the early-morning show
Lemon didn’t seem to have a care in the world as he laughed and joked with someone on his phone during the trip
The pair were seen sunbathing and taking a dip in the ocean, with Lemon taking a break to smile and laugh on the phone – though it is unclear if it was the CNN call
CNN employees reportedly called Lemon ‘tone deaf’ after the call, with one saying it looked like he was giving himself a pat on the back for owning his mistake.
One insider said that there was mounting pressure for Lemon to be fired after his continual gaffes on the early-morning show.
They told DailyMail.com: ‘Don has been skating on thin ice for so long and many wanted him fired in December when he freaked out on Kaitlin Collins for no reason. She was in tears and it was so inappropriate.
‘Regardless of his political affiliation, his comments that Nikki Haley being past her prime were disgusting. Poppy was fuming, as she should be, and still is.
‘He is rude, self-righteous and clearly sexist. Nikki did the right thing by calling him out.
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‘His apology meant nothing and there is so much pressure for him to be canned. It would be a shock if he wasn’t.’
Kaitlan Collins opened Friday’s show by saying their controversial co-host ‘has the day off’ as Poppy Harlow joked that she was going to ‘complain to bosses’ after going to the all-star NBA game in Utah.
His comments reportedly left many staff unimpressed, but Lemon has washed off the criticism by relaxing with his partner Tim Mahone at a luxury beach resort
CNN’s Chairman Chris Licht slammed his remarks as ‘upsetting, unacceptable and unfair to his co-hosts, and ultimately a huge distraction to the great work of this organization’
Lemon was replaced for the day by Audie Cornish, as the show avoided acknowledging the comments he made the day before despite rising calls for him to be squeezed out.
CNN did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com, but the hosts did reference that Lemon would be missing from the show on Thursday.
They said: ‘A special treat. Audie is going to be joining us tomorrow, Don’s going to be off, Poppy is going to be on assignment anchoring from Salt Lake City.’
However, the announcement came two hours after his initial comments during a 6.30am segment of the show – with Lemon laughing and telling Audie ‘this is a hot seat, I hope you can handle it.’
Insiders told DailyMail.com that Lemon is ‘rude, self-righteous and clearly sexist’, adding that ‘his apology meant nothing.’
They said: ‘Don has been skating on thin ice for so long and many wanted him fired in December when he freaked out on Kaitlin Collins for no reason. She was in tears and it was so inappropriate.
‘Regardless of his political affiliation, his comments that Nikki Haley being past her prime were disgusting. Poppy was fuming, as she should be, and still is.
‘He is 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 for him to be canned. It would be a shock if he wasn’t.’
Collins was also quick to sing the praises of Cornish, her co-host for a day, by posting a picture of them together on her Instagram.
Harlow, Lemon and Collins had been discussing Haley’s proposal during a speech on Wednesday where she announced her run for president.
Lemon, who is five years older than Haley, 51, said the politician should tread lightly on the topic because ‘a woman is in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.’
Haley herself responded to Lemon’s comments, saying: ‘It’s always the liberals who are the most sexist’ in a tweet with a clip of the video segment.
Lemon apologized for his comments on Thursdays show, and tweeted: ‘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.
‘A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.’
A furious Harlow reportedly stormed off the set following the ‘sexist’ exchange on Thursday, sources told the New York Post.
Harlow took a ‘well timed’ bathroom break and was followed into the bathroom by Kaitlan Collins – with the source adding the tense relationship has been ‘smoldering for months’.
Collins had her own run-in with her fellow host, who was seen on camera repeatedly interrupting her throughout the show on December 8.
Lemon allegedly made Collins run from the set in tears on after he berated her in front of the television crew and their other co-host.
After that, he was reportedly told to take a day to ‘cool off’ by boss Chris Licht but instead blew up on staffers after a company newsletter featured a story about his altercation with the White House Correspondent.
It seems as though he has been given the same advice following his ‘sexism row’, though sources at CNN insisted his day off was pre-approved.
