According to Variety’s report, Don Lemon’s cruel and unprofessional behavior in 2008 made life tense for many on the Atlanta-based CNN crew, and things got worse with the treatment of his fellow “Live From” host, Kyra Phillips. When Phillips was given an assignment in Iraq that Lemon wanted, Lemon reportedly showed his frustration by destroying some of the notes and photos on Phillip’s desk in their shared cubicle. After she returned home, she started receiving anonymous threatening texts with warnings like “Now you’ve crossed the line, and you’re going to pay for it.” When CNN’s people investigated, the texts were traced back to Lemon.
Though the results of the HR investigation were not disclosed, Lemon was taken off the show and given a different assignment as a disciplinary action. That was Lemon’s last time with a female co-anchor until his current show with Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins. Phillips has been with ABC News since 2018, and Lemon denies the incident took place.
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As history has shown, Lemon often faces little repercussions for his controversies. Furthermore, it’s certainly easier to get away with things if the ratings are good. Because ratings have dropped significantly since the Warner Bros-Discovery merger put Chris Licht in place of former CNN President Jeff Zucker — who resigned suddenly due to an undisclosed romantic relationship — execs are starting to pay more attention to Lemon’s questionable behavior, especially with his current female cohosts.
