Don Lemon hosted CNN’s New Year’s Eve celebration and his comments went viral on social media
The veteran CNN host discussed his haters in a drunk New Year's Eve rant during the network's live celebration stream
CNN host Don Lemon reprised his New Year’s tradition of hosting an entertaining event during the network’s New Year’s Eve Live celebration.
The veteran television journalist brought in the new year for the central time zone on Friday, hosting in New Orleans with fellow CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota and comedian Dulce Sloan.
As the night progressed, Lemon, who had seemingly consumed alchohol, ranted about some of the critiques hurled at him.
“I don’t give a — what you think about me, what do you think about that,” said Lemon in the now-viral clip from the live show. “I don’t care, I’m a grown-a** man, and I don’t care what you think about me.”
Lemon continued his rant, stating that he is hated because he is a “successful Black man” and people are not used to seeing Black people in his position. Lemon became one of the lead CNN hosts in 2014.
“I am to be able to share my point of view on television and it freaks people out and you know what,” he continued. “You can kiss my behind, I do not care. I don’t care. … I have one life. It is who I am, and I feel very … blessed and honored to be in this position, to be able to do this, for all of the hate I get, it’s motivation to me. Bring it. I don’t care.”
Recently, CNN has been facing pressure to fire Lemon following allegations that he tipped off former Empire star Jussie Smollett about being investigated by police.
Lemon’s rant was not the only part of the night that got people talking.
In another clip, Sloan said that in 2022 there will be no more “broke d*ick.” To which, Lemon asked, “No more what?”
Sloan then repeatedly stated “no more broke d*ck,” and added “no more penis from a man that has no money.”
The two laughed and carried on the conversation while Camerota and another woman sat with shocked faces.
The clips from the show received a lot of comments by social media users who both cringed and enjoyed the uncouth banter of the night.
The Daily Show comedian Roy Wood Jr tweeted about Lemon, writing, “Don Lemon is the sh*t because you can tell he’s the type of friend who gets drunk enough to make sure everybody has a good time but is juuuusssttt sober enough to make sure nobody goes to jail.”
One user reposted a video of Lemon dancing and captioned it, “Don Lemon drunk on tv, the annual New Years tradition.”
Another user compared ABC’s New Year’s Eve special with Ryan Seacrest to CNN’s special tweeting, “CNN made the decision a long time ago that drunk Anderson Cooper, Andy Cohen, and Don Lemon was far more entertaining to people than Ryan Seacrest and company.”
CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Bravo’s Andy Cohen were hosting the east coast ball drop in Times Square for CNN.
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