The drama on CNN This Morning rolls on, with Don Lemon reportedly exploding at his co-host and earning a day off in response. According to the New York Post, Lemon allegedly screamed at co-host Kaitlan Collins off-camera during an incident in December.
As the Post notes, the crew at CNN This Morning was reportedly left “rattled” by the incident that now adds more wrinkles to the trio’s rocky start. “Don screamed at Kaitlan, who was visibly upset and ran out of the studio,” one source told the Post.
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Another source added that CNN CEO Chris Licht was allegedly furious at Lemon and his outburst. Others claimed a producer was sent to speak to Lemon for Licht and informed the host to “cool off” with a day away from the network.
The Dec. 8 incident happened shortly before the co-hosts were meant to appear at the White House Christmas Party together. According to the Post, Lemon, Harlow, and Collins, all arrived at the party separately.
For Collins, it seems to be the last straw or at least a point of no return with Lemon on the morning show. “At this point, Kaitlan wants to be on set with Don as little as possible,” a source claimed to the Post. “It’s messy.”
The Dec. 8 incident with a screaming Lemon followed a pair of awkward moments one week earlier. The difference with the prior moments is how they happened on the air and captured the awkwardness between the three co-hosts thrust on CNN This Morning.
The move hasn’t been without casualties at CNN. Executive producer Eric Hall was removed from his role leading CNN This Morning last month, moving to 11 p.m.’s CNN Tonight, while CBS producer Chris Russell has joined as his replacement. The Post adds that Collins and Lemon have been sharing less and less studio time since the incidents.
“The intent was always for the anchors to get out from behind the news desk, and they are doing an extraordinary job taking viewers inside the most important news stories of the day,” a CNN rep told the Post. Lemon recently landed in Memphis to cover the tragic death of Tyre Nichols. Collins has also been away, popping in remotely throughout January.
According to the Post, Lemon is the focus of much of the blame with sources at CNN. One reports that Lemon has allegedly been “given notes” from producers to “not talk so much, to let other people talk.”
“Don’s a bossy guy and difficult to work with – even he would admit that. He was a solo act before. He doesn’t want to be in Destiny’s Child,” the source adds, while others called out Lemon’s ego. “My understanding is he wants the show to be about him. I don’t know how you fix that. It’s a very difficult situation.”
