CNN’s Don Lemon faces allegations of misogynistic and unprofessional behavior

CNN host Don Lemon, who has recently faced backlash for making derogatory remarks about women, now faces bombshell allegations about his past workplace behavior, including threatening text messages to a colleague and a pattern of misogynistic and "diva-like" conduct.

Despite CNN downplaying these claims as "patently false anecdotes," the report by Variety sheds light on Lemon's history of controversy.

The report in Variety revealed scandalous allegations about Don Lemon's past, including tensions with his female co-anchor Kyra Phillips during their time co-hosting "Live From" in 2008.

Variety's Tatiana Siegel wrote that on more than one occasion, a producer and a newsroom supervisor had to remove Lemon from the air during a commercial break due to his provocative antics.

When Phillips went on assignment in Iraq, an opportunity Lemon had wanted, he allegedly vented his frustration by tearing up pictures and notes on her desk. Upon her return, Phillips received two threatening text messages from an unknown number, warning her she had crossed the line and would pay for it.

Sources claimed that the texts were traced back to Lemon, leading to a human resources investigation. Although the findings were never disclosed, Lemon was subsequently pulled from his co-anchor duties with Phillips and moved to weekends.

CNN denies the alleged incident occurred and states that they cannot corroborate the events from 15 years ago. Phillips, now with ABC News, declined to comment.

In 2022, Lemon was paired with female co-anchors Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins for the newly launched "CNN This Morning." However, the show has faced internal dysfunction and low viewership.

In February, Lemon's comment that former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley was past her "prime" at age 51 sparked further controversy and accusations of sexism.

Variety's report claims that Lemon's troubling behavior towards women and unprofessional conduct dates back nearly two decades. Over a dozen former and current colleagues described Lemon as flouting rules, cozying up to power, and displaying hostility towards many female co-workers. Despite this, he has managed to charm his way out of facing significant consequences.

According to Fox News, Lemon's show "CNN This Morning" has struggled with ratings, drawing only 360,000 total viewers last week compared to 1.9 million for "FOX & Friends." However, Lemon continues to be one of the faces of CNN, even amid these ongoing controversies and allegations.