CNN‘s chief executive says there’s no friction between two of the network’s top anchors. Chris Licht was named CNN CEO on Feb. 28, and this week, The New York Times published a feature on the new executive and his plans for the beleaguered news channel after a “rough start” at the beginning of his tenure. The piece also examined the changes Licht has implemented thus far, including those at CNN This Morning. The Times noted that when inquired about the show and its hosts — Don Lemon, Kaitlan Collins, and Poppy Harlow — Licht “visibly came to life” during the interviews. “They obviously like each other,” he said. “The chemistry is great. I love the collaboration. Every day, it evolves. It’s not like me giving orders. It’s so much fun.” The CEO also hand-picked the hosts, personally persuaded Lemon to give up his prime-time slot for early morning, and modeled the show after CBS This Morning (of which he was executive producer for six years), The Times reported. Licht’s comments follow intense scrutiny directed at CNN This Morning’s anchors following a few on-air incidents that suggested all was not well behind the scenes.
The troubling incidents on the This Morning set began earlier this month when Lemon outspokenly challenged Harlow and Collins’ opinions on equal pay in sports, declaring, “I know everyone’s gonna hate me,” Lemon began. “But the men’s team makes more money. If they make more money, then they should get more money. The men’s team makes more money because people are more interested in the men!” Lemon stubbornly stood by his position in the ensuing debate despite the other two anchors’ counterarguments. Another uncomfortable moment occurred on the Dec. 15 broadcast, during which Lemon and Collins engaged in a verbal spat. Following a segment on Brittney Griner’s return to the U.S. from a correspondent on the scene Thursday morning, Lemon attempted to read through the latest updates. While looking at his notes and trying to get through a certain number of facts before moving on, Collins attempted to make the conversation more conversational by repeatedly interjecting. As a result, the hosts talked over each other, which left viewers complaining about the lack of chemistry between them.
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As Puck News reported in a story about the broader issues impacting CNN behind the scenes, the incident did not end there. Lemon, according to insiders, took that Friday off work, leaving Collins and Poppy Harlow to host without him. He is believed to have taken the day off to avoid another confrontation after the tense encounter the day before with Collins. However, since Lemon attended the White House Christmas party the previous day, others believe he just took the day off because he was tired from traveling. Despite the reported rift between Lemon and Collins, Harlow recently showed her co-hosts some love in a recent Instagram post. The anchor uploaded a black and white picture of the three journalists posing for photos at the Dec. 11 event, CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at the American Museum of Natural History. Harlow, Lemon, and Collins are all smiles, seemingly at ease. Harlow wrote the caption, “The only two people who could make me smile this big after a 3am wake up,” with a heart emoji.
