Don Lemon has spoken out about being sexually harassed during his time at CNN, saying he faced inappropriate behaviour from both men and women in the workplace.
The former anchor made the comments during an appearance on Club Random, Bill Maher’s podcast, where the two discussed power dynamics, gender, and media culture.
During the conversation, Lemon shared personal stories that he’d never made public before.
He told Maher, “I’ve been harassed by women and men in the work. There are some things that are really egregious, but not everything is Harvey Weinstein-level.”
Lemon said one uncomfortable moment happened in the CNN cafeteria in Atlanta.
A female colleague allegedly grabbed his nipples and said, “’Oh, it’s cold in here!’”. He responded to her, “’OK — you realize if I did that, they’d be walking me out the door right now?’”
He chose not to report the incident to HR, saying, “It’s a double standard for you.”
He also shared another incident involving a different female colleague, which he says didn’t happen on CNN property.
“She knew I was gay, and it was just bizarre. She was going through a divorce. It was just weird,” he said.
Lemon said he didn’t report the second case either, partly because of the woman’s position at the company.
“I thought if I tell this story, would I be believed?” he said.
The encounter happened after a business event in Atlanta. Lemon said that when he tried to leave, the woman encouraged him to stay the night at her home and suggested that he sleep in the guest room.
After he declined, he said the woman became “so mean to me afterwards.”
Lemon also reflected on the broader issue of harassment, noting the different pressures men and women might face.
He explained, “I’m an adult, and maybe I think it is different for men and women, depending on the power structure.
“I think it’s flattering as long as you can send them off easily.”
“As a man, I could say, ‘No, I’m not interested.’”
He also revealed something more personal, that he had been molested as a child.
He said, “But also someone who was molested as a child is a different thing. Because you know how to deal with it, and you know what’s really important or not. And you know, like, who has the power.”
He continued, “I figure as a man, I have the power to say, ‘I don’t want to.’ I don’t need to go to HR or ruin your career. I just tell you, ‘I’m not interested in this.”
“You were drunk. We had a couple of drinks or whatever. Let’s let it go.’”
Lemon left CNN in 2023 and currently hosts a show on X.
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