Don Lemon ruled CNN nights for years, known for sharp takes that drew loyal fans and plenty of heat. In 2023, he shifted to co-anchor the revamped CNN This Morning, a bold bet to grab early viewers.
Things unraveled fast. By April, the network axed him after 17 years, catching him off guard, according to his own tweets. He blasted bosses for not telling him face-to-face, while CNN called his account off base and said he skipped a meeting offer.
The spark hit in February when Lemon dismissed Nikki Haley as past her peak, saying women shine only in their twenties to forties max. Clips spread like wildfire, slamming him for sexism. NPR covered his forced apologies, first on air, then to staff.
Coworker Nightmares And Dark Secrets
Behind cameras, Lemon’s rep took harder hits. More than a dozen ex-colleagues told Variety he bullied women, from belittling remarks to blowups during breaks.
One standout: years back, he allegedly sent threatening texts from a burner phone to a female coworker after she got promoted. HR probed but buried results, shifting him off her show as punishment. Sources described him as hostile, with management often playing referee.
Don Lemon (Credit: CNN)
On CNN This Morning, friction boiled over. He reportedly yelled at Kaitlan Collins for cutting in, and guests shied away, per New York Times insiders. NBC News noted parallels to Chris Cuomo’s firing, another anchor sunk by scandals.
Lemon pushed back hard, calling the stories old gossip without proof. His team told outlets they were reckless hit jobs. Still, the pattern stuck, especially post-#MeToo, when networks face zero-tolerance heat.
Lemon flipped the script years later on Bill Maher’s podcast, claiming he endured harassment too. A woman tweaked his nipples in the Atlanta cafeteria, joking about the chill. Another pushed him to crash at her place after drinks, knowing his orientation. He never reported, citing double standards.
The Hollywood Reporter and the Independent detailed his frustration over unequal scrutiny. It added layers to the he-said-they-said mess but didn’t sway CNN’s call back then.
Show Flops, Strategy Shift, and Lasting Ripples
Numbers sealed it. CNN This Morning tanked, with key demo viewers sliding from 99,000 to 74,000 fast, Nielsen data showed. The NY Post even reported a ratings bump during Lemon’s hiatus. It lagged rivals despite hype, clashing with CEO Chris Licht’s push for straight news over fireworks.
Lemon signed through 2026, but CNN paid to part ways early. As of 2025, he admitted to Semafor he’s still bound by a non-compete, blocking TV gigs and fueling “unhireable” chatter.
He’s pivoted to creator mode, hosting YouTube chats and New Year’s Eve streams that pulled crowds without CNN’s muscle. Variety noted his chill vibe and direct fan ties in 2026.
His saga underscores cable news’s ruthlessness. Polarizing talent thrives in hot eras but crumbles under scrutiny, rating dips, or regime changes.
From burner scandals to harassment claims on both sides, Lemon’s exit exposed the raw underbelly of TV stardom. Fans miss his edge, but networks bet safer bets now. Who’s safe when viral clips and whispers can rewrite careers overnight?
Shane Gillis nailed a spot on Saturday Night Live in September 2019, right after impressing at Just for Laughs. The buzz felt real for the Philly comedian pushing raw stand-up style. Hours later, trouble hit from a 2018 episode of his podcast with Matt McCusker.
They riffed on Manhattan’s Chinatown, mocking accents and dropping a slur aimed at Chinese folks, calling the whole bit “nice racism.” Social media lit up, with users sharing the now-deleted YouTube video alongside other episodes using gay slurs on comedians like Judd Apatow.
The backlash spread beyond Twitter. A Philly comedy club cut ties, citing onstage and off patterns of offensive material. Gillis jumped on X to own it as boundary-testing misses over years of material, respecting SNL’s call while standing by his approach.
NBC News detailed how the clip showed him imitating a landlord griping about ducks in windows and loud phone chatter from kids learning English. That raw edge defined his early crowds but clashed hard with network eyes.
SNL’s Swift Exit Move
SNL’s team acted in days. A spokesperson for Lorne Michaels said they chatted with Gillis and cut him loose, praising his audition but slamming the unearthed language as offensive and hurtful.
They admitted the vetting missed clips circulating online, falling short of standards for diverse voices. Four days from announcement to out, before any sketches aired.
Shane Gillis (Credit: NBC)
Network pressure sealed it. Michaels later told the Wall Street Journal that NBC execs overruled him on keeping Gillis. Philly’s scene split: some cried cancel culture, others nodded at accountability.
Rob Schneider backed him publicly, while Asian American groups flagged the slurs as punching down. Gillis called it traumatic in a Theo Von chat, dreaming up nightmare headlines but no regrets on the podcast that landed the gig.
Rise From the Ashes
Gillis turned fallout into fuel. He launched Gilly & Keeves sketches online, dropped a YouTube special Live in Austin that cracked top lists, and then Netflix’s Beautiful Dogs in 2023.
Tires, his co-created series, hit Netflix’s top 10 and scored seasons two and three by 2026. His podcast tops Patreon charts with millions of downloads monthly.
SNL circled back. He hosted in 2024, joking, “Don’t Google that” in a monologue, mixing reviews but proving pull. Returned in 2025, arena tours shattered records in Toronto and Philly.
Turned down a full Trump impersonation for a fest gig and popped in Eminem videos and Bud Light ads. From fired to headliner, he carved a path, betting on fans who dig unfiltered laughs over polished TV fits.
The saga shows comedy’s tightrope in 2019’s scrutiny wave. Clips from casual pods reshaped paths overnight, yet Gillis packed arenas by owning the mess. Networks play safe; crowds chase the edge. His story fuels talks on when old jokes kill fresh shots, especially as he thrives outside studio lights.
