Former CNN anchor Don Lemon has sharply criticized his ex-boss, describing him as a ‘white man who failed upwards’ in what many see as an attempt to grab attention.
In a nearly 2,000-word essay published on Thursday and titled “Don’t Cry For Stephen Colbert. Cry For The First Amendment,” the 60-year-old Lemon targeted white male leaders, spotlighting an issue he feels is often left unspoken.
“It is a world that has been extraordinarily good to a very specific kind of person,” Lemon wrote, referring to CNN’s former head, Chris Licht, who dismissed Lemon in 2023.
“White men who fail spectacularly and are promoted for it. White men who make catastrophic decisions and are handed bigger offices for it,” Lemon stated, expressing frustration with the systemic promotion of underqualified individuals.
He further criticized white men who, despite lacking qualifications, continue to gain power. Lemon reflected on his three-decade career, saying he has observed, managed, and even been adversely affected by his white colleagues.
He added that he has watched, managed, and been ‘undone’ by his white colleagues for thirty years.
Lemon refused to name Licht directly but detailed specific details about Licht’s career, making it clear to readers that his criticism was about his former boss.
‘The executive producer who ran The Late Show for years eventually left. And somehow landed in my world,’ wrote the ex-CNN star.
Former CNN star Don Lemon published an essay to Substack on Thursday titled, Don’t Cry For Stephen Colbert. Cry For The First Amendment. the 60-year-old took aim at white men in power and his former boss
The essay was seemingly about Chris Licht, who axed the journalist in 2023
‘That same person, from that same television orbit, eventually became my boss at CNN. And fired me. I won’t name him. I don’t need to.’
Lemon added that it was one of the most spectacular examples of a white man failing up that he had ever witnessed in the media industry.
He continued by throwing a few insults: ‘Profoundly unqualified. Visibly incompetent. Elevated anyway.’
Lemon also briefly glanced over his own arrest after he stormed into a Minnesota church on April January 18 to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stopping the service.
He described his actions that day as simply ‘covering an anti-ICE protest at Cities Church as an independent journalist.’
The essay came just hours before the final showing of Stephen Colbert’s talk show, which was announced to be canceled last year.
Lemon highlighted that the Colbert show was losing $40 million to $50 million a year, according to CBS.
He said that he believed that Colbert was a martyr for free speech.
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Lemon criticized white men and Licht writing, ‘White men who fail spectacularly and are promoted for it. White men who make catastrophic decisions and are handed bigger offices for it’
The essay was published hours before the final showing of Stephen Colbert’s talk show. Lemon also called Colbert a martyr of free speech
Lemon continued by claiming that talk show hosts like Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon are all freedom fighters for criticizing President Donald Trump before taking a shot at Republicans entirely.
‘Republicans love to call themselves free speech absolutists. First Amendment warriors. They say it constantly. They built entire political careers on it,’ wrote Lemon.
‘And every time someone says something they don’t like, every time a comedian lands a joke that stings, every time a journalist asks a question they cannot answer, they find a way to make it stop.’
He claimed the right cancels shows, pressure networks, and arrest journalists at protests.
‘They are the biggest snowflakes in American public life, wrapping themselves in the language of free speech while working every day to eliminate it for anyone who disagrees with them,’ Lemon added.
He called on readers to ‘cry’ for the First Amendment before noting that he had ‘built something’ after being fired.
Lemon’s Substack post at the time of this report has fewer than 400 likes.
