In the midst of cratering ratings, the last thing that CNN wants is a scandal.
But a former mega-star of the cable news network has done just that, opening the curtain on alleged sexual misconduct he says he was the victim of.
Don Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023, alleged that female colleagues sexually harassed him while he was working at the network.
Lemon made the bombshell claim during an appearance on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast on Monday.
“I’ve been harassed by women and men at work,” Lemon told Maher.
“There are some things that are really egregious, but not everything is Harvey Weinstein-level,” he added, referring to the disgraced movie mogul who was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison after being convicted for numerous sexual assaults.
During the two-hour conversation, Lemon (who is gay) pointed to an interaction with one female CNN co-worker who approached him in the cafeteria of CNN’s Atlanta headquarters and pinched his nipples, joking, “Oh, it’s cold in here!”
Take a listen:
Don Lemon claims he was sexually harassed at CNN: "This young lady tweaked my nipples!" pic.twitter.com/4gopgXaAXy
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) March 18, 2025
The stunned anchor said he told her: “OK, you realize if I did that, they’d be walking me out the door right now?”
Despite feeling uncomfortable, Lemon said he decided not to report the incident to human resources, attributing his silence to a perceived double standard.
Lemon also referenced a second woman who he alleged acted inappropriately toward him, despite knowing he was gay:
“I’ve never told this story as well; someone who I worked with also harassed me at CNN, First of all, I was so new there — a woman, and she knew I was gay. And it was bizarre.
“She was going through a divorce, it was just weird. And I never went to management. First of all, I thought, like, ‘OK, they may find a way to get rid of me because if I told this story, I don’t know if they’re going to believe me or not. But then she was so mean to me after that, I was like, ‘I should’ve told the story.'”
He did not name the alleged harasser but when pressed by Maher for more details, Lemon clarified that the incident also took place in Atlanta after a professional event.
He recalled how limited transportation options at the time left him stranded, resulting in the woman insisting he stay at her residence.
“‘No, don’t go home. Stay in the guest room,’” Lemon recounted her urging him, adding that she later became notably hostile toward him.
Reflecting further, Lemon shared his perspective on gender dynamics and harassment, suggesting that as a man, he felt empowered to say no without fearing significant repercussions.
“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 told Maher.
Lemon did not detail any of the alleged incidents involving his former male colleagues.
However, Lemon himself was accused of misogynistic behavior during his tenure at CNN, which included several high-profile incidents that generated headlines and outrage, according to The New York Post.
In December 2022, Lemon claimed on-air that men’s soccer is “more interesting to watch,” leading to an heated, live TV disagreement with co-hosts Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow.
Then in February 2023, Lemon faced backlash after stating that presidential candidate Nikki Haley, then 51, was “not in her prime,” suggesting that a woman’s prime is in her 20s, 30s and 40s.
His comment was criticized as sexist, prompting Lemon to apologize to his colleagues.
Two months later, the entertainment news magazine Variety reported that Lemon was accused of misogynistic behavior towards female colleagues, including Soledad O’Brien, Kyra Phillips and Nancy Grace.
Lemon is alleged to have questioned O’Brien’s racial identity. Variety also reported that Lemon allegedly threatened Phillips and mocked Grace.
A CNN spokesperson declined to comment.