CNN has been at the center of major speculation as of late due to potential changes that might permeate it in the near future. Should Paramount Skydance merge with the network’s parent corporation, Warner Bros. Discovery, the news brand would be under new management. It’s been speculated that CBS News’ Bari Weiss will be put in charge if that happens, and it’s alleged that Anderson Cooper plans to leave should that occur. Now, sources claim another one of the network’s correspondents might make the same move.

A CNN Correspondent Is (Allegedly) Aiming To Leave Amid The Merger Chatter

The veteran CNN personality at the center of this latest rumor is Clarissa Ward, who’s been with the network for more than a decade now. Status alleges that Ward is leery of working for Bari Weiss, as she’s reportedly been watching the decisions she’s made at CBS. Per the outlet, this claim regarding Ward supposedly wanting to leave the network aligns with the recent business move she made earlier this year.

Ward – who’s helped spearhead war-related coverage on the aforementioned network since 2015 – opted against signing a long-term deal with the broadcast giant this year. She, instead, chose to sign a one-year contract extension. Apparently, the decision was viewed as a bit of a head-scratcher, since CNN’s CEO, Mark Thompson, reportedly wanted to lock Ward down for the long haul. This should all be taken with a grain of salt, though, considering neither the network nor reps for Ward have commented.

News of Ward supposedly being "hesitant" to remain with the Ted Turner-co-founded news company coincides with reports about Bari Weiss’ tenure as CBS News editor-in-chief. The past few months have seen Weiss let go of numerous staffers at 60 Minutes, which supposedly sparked low morale at the company. Per insiders, Weiss’ management of morning meetings have left a lot to be desired, as they allegedly became tense. It’s since been alleged that Weiss has been changing her ways in the wake of backlash.

As of this writing, Paramount CEO David Ellison has not officially confirmed whether Weiss will run CNN if the merger goes through. Some sources even claim Ellison is considering having someone run the network alongside Weiss. Regardless of whether Weiss runs it in tandem with someone or does so solo, Anderson Cooper purportedly has strong feelings either way.

How Does Anderson Cooper (Reportedly) Feel About Bari Weiss Potentially Running CNN?

Cooper served as a correspondent on 60 Minutes from 2007 to 2026, with Weiss’ CBS News tenure overlapping with his final few months on the show. The veteran journalist signed off for the final time in May, at which point he expressed his hope that “60 Minutes remains 60 Minutes.” Cooper’s departure was attributed to his packed schedule and an aim to spend more time with his kids. Yet it’s been rumored that Cooper did not want to work with Weiss long term and that he allegedly refuses to do so at CNN as well.

A report that dropped this week suggested that Cooper was adamant about not wanting to work with Weiss again and that he would pursue other opportunities if that were to happen. One insider alleged that Cooper had the financial security to step away from his longtime post and try a different kind of media venture.

While rumors on the future of CNN and Bari Weiss’ potential impact on it continue to make the rounds, it’s seemingly business as usual at the network. Clarissa Ward’s departure would be a major blow to the company, but only time will tell if she does indeed choose to step away.

Anderson Cooper has long been synonymous with CNN, as he joined the network in 2001 before landing his own show – Anderson Cooper 360° – in 2003. Right now, the network is facing potential changes due to the Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery merger. If that agreement is solidified, Paramount would take ownership of CNN, and it’s been rumored that CBS News’ Bari Weiss would run it. Weiss and Cooper previously worked together, and the former allegedly doesn’t want to again. With that, Cooper’s reportedly making plans.

For context, Weiss and Cooper previously worked together on 60 Minutes during the final stretch of the latter’s tenure on that show. Cooper exited the news magazine series this past May, citing a desire to spend more time with his kids as his reason for stepping down as a correspondent. It was later reported by The New York Times, however, that Cooper told colleagues at CNN that he refused to work with Weiss, who was named the head of CBS News in late 2025. Reps for Cooper have neither confirmed nor denied that.

Sources have since alleged to RadarOnline that Weiss’ hiring prompted Cooper to step away from his post at the conclusion of his contract. One insider also claims Cooper will step away from CNN if Weiss is put in charge. As to why he’d have no problem doing that, the insider reported the following claim:

Further claims were made by another source, who said Cooper reportedly “wasn’t comfortable with the direction [60 Minutes] was taking under Bari” Weiss. Notably, when he signed off the show for the final time, he stated his hope that “60 Minutes remains 60 Minutes.” Another insider now alleges that if the CBS News head were to make her way to CNN, Cooper would reportedly have one course of action:

Much has been said about the state of CBS News and 60 Minutes as of late, considering the host of staffing changes that have happened as of late. Weeks after Anderson Cooper signed off for the final time, several correspondents and producers were let go, including Sharyn Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega and Tanya Simon. Longtime series alum Scott Pelley was also fired after accusing Weiss of “murdering” 60. Pelley and others have since claimed the show has lost editorial autonomy and that political partiality is in effect. Weiss and others at the company have denied those claims.

Bari Weiss’ purported workplace tendencies have been criticized, with insiders even saying that her morning meetings had allegedly become tense. However, a more recent report suggested that Weiss had changed some of her methods of working with her colleagues and was becoming more available to them. All the while, the gears of speculation continue to churn in regard to whether Paramount CEO David Ellison will put Weiss in charge of CNN. As of right now, the exec hasn’t announced any plans on that front.

If CNN were to hypothetically lose Anderson Cooper after the merger, it would mark the end of an era for the network. What’s unclear, based on this latest rumor, is what exactly Cooper would do if he were to love the news network. Still, an insider claims “there are countless opportunities beyond hard news, and Anderson finally has the freedom to pursue them.”

Bari Weiss’ tenure as CBS News’ editor-in-chief continues to be a topic of discussion, as some have taken issue with editorial and personnel changes she’s made. More recently, pundits and insiders alike have been weighing in on the prospect of Weiss possibly running CNN. That change in leadership could become a possibility if the Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery merger is solidified. Now, a CNN alum is sharing their concern that Weiss will “murder” the network should she be given control of it.

Jim Acosta is the latest ex-CNN host to speak out about the notion of Weiss being put in charge of the company. An 18-year-veteran of the WBD-owned network, Acosta discussed his former place of employment while appearing on MS NOW’s The Best People with Nicolle Wallace. Acosta didn’t hold back his feelings about Weiss’ management of CBS News (including 60 Minutes) as well as his belief that said practices could seep into his old stomping grounds:

What Acosta was referencing were the claims of editorial partiality that have been leveled at Weiss and CBS in the months since she began running the news brand. During his interview, Acosta went on to assert that the viewing public didn’t want “puff pieces” on U.S. President Donald Trump or direct salutes to other politicians who hold specific political ideologies. Acosta also shared the following thoughts:

Jim Acosta joined CNN in 2007 and, by 2012, he was named the network’s national political correspondent. He eventually became the chief White House correspondent and, during the first Trump Administration, he vocally disagreed with President Trump during press briefings. By the time Acosta signed off from the network for the final time in 2025, he was serving as the chief domestic correspondent and weekend anchor.

These comments from Acosta come shortly after another CNN alum, W. Kamau Bell, criticized Weiss as well. While discussing Weiss, Bell opined that the “damage she's done to CBS News,” doesn’t bode well for her potentially running the Ted Turner-founded company. As for Acosta’s assertion, that also isn’t the first time someone has accused Weiss of “murdering” a news entity. Former 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley claimed she’d do that to the news magazine show, and he was fired shortly after amid a host of other staff firings and exits at the series.

At present, rumors continue to swirl around Bari Weiss’ workplace habits at CBS News. What should be made clear, however, is that David Ellison has not indicated whether Weiss will be put solely in charge of CNN should the merger be finalized. It’s also been alleged that Ellison is considering pairing Weiss with a more experienced exec to run the brand. For now, however, Jim Acosta and the public at large can only wait and see what lies ahead for the network.

As media analysts continue to discuss Bari Weiss’ work as CBS News’ chief, talk has also turned to what may lie ahead for her career-wise. The merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery is close to becoming absolute and, with that, CNN would be under the latter corporation’s purview. With that, Weiss could theoretically be put in charge of the long-standing news network. As uncertainty remains, insiders are sharing claims about why Weiss could have a hard time managing the brand.

Recent reports suggest that Paramount CEO David Ellison has yet to decide whether Weiss will run CNN once the merger is completed. It’s also been alleged that he’s considered having Weiss co-run the brand alongside an executive with more experience in the broadcast business. Regardless of that, one person who reportedly has knowledge of the network doesn’t seem sold on Weiss taking on the job. They theorized that the Free Press founder would have a “problem” when it comes to building talent for the network:

CNN employs a robust number of media personalities, from Wolf Blitzer and Erin Burnett to Abby Phillip and Anderson Cooper (who recently left CBS’ 60 Minutes). The individual who spoke to Variety seemed to suggest that Weiss could experience issues when trying to attract new talent that fits with the brand. Such rationale may or may not stem from the personnel-related developments that have unfolded at the Eye Network’s news division in recent months.

At the end of May, 60 Minutes correspondents Cecilia Vega and Sharyn Alfonsi were fired alongside EP Tanya Simon and executive editor Draggan Mihailovich. The following month would also see veteran correspondent Scott Pelley fired after accusing Weiss of “murdering” the news magazine show. At the same time, a number of producers like Nichole Marks and Henry Schuster have exited the show as well. Insiders have since claimed that staffers at the show are becoming “increasingly anxious” about what lies ahead for the new season.

While even Editor in Chief Weiss’ morning meetings have reportedly come under scrutiny at this point, it’s been reported that she has David Ellison’s full support. Weiss herself has also been adamant about wanting to move 60 Minutes and CBS News as a whole in a direction that she thinks is ideal. However, another person who talked to Variety provided some words of caution about the notion of Weiss taking over CNN:

It would be an understatement to say that CNN is a major media asset, so it would behoove Ellison and co. to put it in the best possible hands for the sake of its success. The public at large will just have to wait and see if those hands end up being Bari Weiss’, of course. Regardless of who’s granted oversight, though, it’s fair to say that it’ll mark a new era for one of TV’s premier news networks.

As the Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery merger inches closer to becoming a reality, major changes are expected to unfold across brands belonging to both companies. The Warner-owned CNN is one of the most notable corporations that could be heavily affected due to the possibility of CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss potentially running it post-merger. Per reports, this prospect has been met with mixed-to-negative reception by current employees and, now, a former CNN host is sharing blunt thoughts.

W. Kamau Bell is arguably best known for his work as a comedian, but he also hosted CNN’s United Shades of America for seven seasons between 2016 and 2022. Due to his link to the network, Bell was recently asked for his take on Weiss possibly handling operations at some point in the future. While speaking with The Daily Beast’s Obsessed podcast, Bell was civil when addressing his colleagues who still work at the network but, when it came to Weiss, he expressed discomfort over the thought of her being the boss:

Weiss was installed as the head of CBS’ news branch in October 2025 by Paramount CEO David Ellison. Since her tenure began, Weiss has been criticized for her editorial decisions, with a number of people accusing her of exuding news bias. This past December, Weiss notably made headlines when she decided to drop a 60 Minutes story at the last minute. She later defended her decision, saying that the story – which focused on the U.S. reportedly sending immigrants to a prison in El Salvador – needed more work.

Aside from dealing with claims of partiality, Weiss has also received blowback for changes she’s made to 60 Minutes by firing correspondents and parting ways with producers. Reports also allege that morale at CBS has been low as of late and that Weiss’ work practices are disliked. Since-fired journalist Scott Pelley has criticized Weiss’ handling of the show and CBS News as a whole. Bell is also of the opinion that Weiss has done “damage” to the brand and, in making his point, he even mentioned the cancellation of The Late Show:

Given that rationale, Bell believes this situation isn’t so much about money but about “power.” What should be mentioned, though, is that David Ellison hasn’t given any indication as to whether Weiss will actually be put in charge of CNN once the merger is complete. Still, Bell feels “bad” for his co-workers that still work at CNN and does not believe Weiss will “restore more trust” between the network and its viewers.

Although it remains to be seen whether Bari Weiss will take charge of CNN, it’s clear that W. Kamau Bell has no interest in working with her. The Totally Biased creator went on to say that he has fans who continue to ask if he’ll ever return to the network. Now, Bell says that with Weiss possibly taking over, “that chance, which was already small, is now absolutely dead.”

Paramount Skydance’s CBS News has seen a considerable amount of changes in recent months, with much of that being due to the installation of Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief. Further change could be on the way for the brand as well due to Paramount’s proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. Should that arrangement be finalized, Paramount would have control of CNN as well as other entities. There’s, of course, the question of whether Weiss would run that network too, and sources are speaking out about that.

With Weiss currently running CBS’ news branch, it may almost seem like a given that she’d be tasked with running CNN if it does officially come into the corporate fold. Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison has yet to reveal his plans for CNN, though it’s been alleged that he’s still deciding whether he’ll put Weiss in charge of that operation. As noted by The New York Times, the Ted Turner-co-founded network is much larger than the brand Weiss is running now, and it stands to generate even more revenue.

It’s also said that one course of action would be to have Weiss – who hadn’t worked in broadcast news before joining the Eye Network – to work in tandem with a more experienced executive. Said comments come from two sources who are allegedly in the know regarding internal comments, and they also say a second exec would handle the network’s financial and technical matters.

Something that also reportedly remains unclear is how CNN’s chief executive, Mark Thompson, will figure into the company after the merger. Nevertheless, Thompson allegedly told top execs that he was not keen on splitting oversight of the brand with another person. That report should be taken with a grain of salt, though, as Thompson has not publicly discussed the matter, as of this writing.

All the while, employees at WBD-owned brands and Paramount have purportedly been bracing for a “blood bath” due to the impending merger. The consolidation of both companies is expected to lead to significant layoffs across different sectors of both companies. Said job eliminations could also (theoretically) seep into Warner’s aforementioned news brand as well. There’s also the matter of what kind of editorial direction Weiss would take the company in and, thus far, her decisions have been met with mixed-to-negative responses.

Bari Weiss drew significant backlash in late 2025 for several of her editorial-based moves, including her decision to initiate a town hall featuring Erika Kirk, the widow of late political activist Charlie Kirk. Also, Weiss caught flak for her last-minute decision to drop a 60 Minutes story about the Trump Administration reportedly deporting migrants to a prison in El Salvador. Weiss defended her decision to cut the story, arguing that more reporting needed to be done before it could be run.

The decision to drop the 60 story furthered the notion that Weiss and co. were exemplifying media bias, and accusations are still being made on that front. Former 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley, who was fired by Weiss this past June, has been vocal about his issues with CBS News’ current leadership. Before he was let go, Pelley also had a heated discussion with the news magazine show’s new executive producer, Nick Bilton, during which he accused Weiss of “murdering” the show. Other series alums have also made claims about editorial bias like former EP Bill Owens and ex-host Steve Kroft.

When it comes to the Paramount/Warner Bros. merger, it’s been approved by the Antitrust Division of the United States Justice Department. The UK government, however, has since expressed its intention to take action amid the corporate takeover attempt. So, with that, it’s unclear as to when CNN will fully be folded into Paramount. These latest claims, however, suggest that whenever that happens, Bari Weiss – who reportedly has David Ellison’s support – could become a major player within CNN down the road.

The 2026 TV schedule has already seen the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show and the layoffs of many morning and evening news anchors. Now, CBS News may be facing another major behind-the-scenes shift, one that could affect some of the network’s biggest programs, including 60 Minutes, CBS Evening News and CBS Mornings. After months of internal tension, ratings pressure and talent changes, Paramount leadership is reportedly considering a new structure for Bari Weiss’ role at the news division.

According to a report from Puck, senior leaders at Paramount have had informal talks about changing Weiss’ mandate at CBS News, and eventually CNN, in a way that would give her less control over the company’s linear TV news products. The report comes as Paramount continues to move toward its planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which would place both CBS News and CNN under the same corporate roof. Journalist Dylan Byers writes:

Puck also reported that the internal conversations point toward a possible narrowing of Weiss’ day-to-day power over CBS’s flagship news shows. Byers continues:

The report stresses that no formal change has been announced. Paramount also pushed back publicly, with a spokesperson saying that Weiss has the full support of Paramount and of David Ellison, the editorial leader overseeing CBS News and 60 Minutes. Still, the fact that this conversation is reportedly happening at all adds another wrinkle to an already unsettled CBS News era.

CBS News Has Already Been Going Through A Lot Of Change

This latest report follows a stretch of significant movement around CBS News and 60 Minutes. Anderson Cooper recently signed off from 60 Minutes after more than two decades with the program, using part of his farewell to say he hopes the program’s core remains intact as it evolves. That comment landed with extra weight because 60 Minutes has been one of CBS News’ most closely watched shows amid the broader ownership and editorial changes.

Cooper’s exit already marked a significant loss for 60 Minutes, though his reasons were more practical than dramatic. The longtime anchor explained on 60 Minutes Overtime that balancing the CBS newsmagazine with his CNN work had become difficult, with much of his vacation time and weekends going toward 60 Minutes pieces. He also said his young children factored into the decision, noting that he wanted more time with them while they still wanted to spend that time with him.

The uncertainty around Weiss has also been tied to concerns about her lack of traditional television news management experience. Puck reported that one possible outcome would be for Weiss to focus more on digital growth and broad editorial influence while a more experienced TV executive handles the linear side of the business. That would include day-to-day control over CBS Evening News, CBS Mornings and 60 Minutes.

Weiss came to CBS News after Paramount acquired The Free Press, the digital media company she founded. Her arrival was framed as part of a broader push to reshape the network’s editorial identity. Still, that shift has also brought internal unease and a steady stream of media scrutiny.

For viewers, the biggest question is what any structural change would mean on screen. 60 Minutes is not just another CBS program, but is one of the most recognizable brands in TV news, and even small changes to its tone, story selection or leadership tend to draw attention. The same goes for CBS Evening News and CBS Mornings, both of which play major roles in how the network defines itself daily.

After months of CBS News turbulence, the possibility of Paramount adding a seasoned TV news executive over the linear operation feels like more than hallway gossip. It sounds like a company trying to figure out whether one person can steer a legacy broadcast division, a digital strategy and (eventually) a combined CBS-CNN future without the whole control room lighting up like a malfunctioning switchboard.

For now, we'll have to see what happens, but you can catch the long-running program at 7 p.m. ET on Sundays on CBS or stream it with a Paramount+ subscription.

Just weeks after Back to the Future cast members paid tribute to a star in the wake of his death, a new report from CNN began to circulate that seemed to indicate that Michael J. Fox had passed away. Fortunately, the report has already been debunked: not only is the Shrinking actor alive, but he was making appearances as recently as the day before rumors started to spread.

The whole story started when CNN made a post that set off alarm bells for many people. Although it has since been taken down, the post was titled "Remembering the life of actor Michael J. Fox" and included both an article and video, per TMZ. While that wasn't techically the news outlet claiming that he had died, what else were people supposed to think after seeing such a title?

Fortunately, TMZ was quickly able to confirm that Michael J. Fox is, in fact, still alive. Via the outlet, Fox's representative said:

Fox appeared at PaleyFest for the wrap party of Shrinking Season 3, which he joined after retiring from acting. His appearance was reportedly a surprise, but also well documented with posts on Instagram with the actor looking alive, well, and happy among his castmates. (You can find Shrinking streaming now with an Apple TV+ subscription.) Much like Mark Twain back in the day, reports of Fox's death were greatly exaggerated. CNN has since released a statement via a spokesperson:

While Michael J. Fox stepped back from acting due to declining health from his diagnosis with Parkinson's disease, he arrived on Apple TV+ well before his Shrinking debut. The Still: A Michael J. Fox documentary arrived on the streamer in 2023 to showcase the actor's life while struggling with the effects of Parkinson's, and ranked as one of the best movies of 2023. His first episode of Shrinking launched in early 2026, and he took on some voice roles in the meantime, including in Zootopia 2.

Joining Shrinking was quite a big deal, not least because star and co-creator Jason Segal already "idolized" the Spin City star. Harrison Ford praised Fox's "courage, his fortitude, and his grace" that made him "essential" for Season 3, and co-creator Bill Lawrence already assured fans well ahead of the premiere that Fox wouldn't just be "a walk-by" or quick cameo.

It remains to be seen if Michael J. Fox will make a statement about the rumors of his death after CNN's misleading post, but his most recent post on Instagram at the time of writing was from just a few weeks ago to congratulate the people who ran for Team Fox for Parkinson's Research on behalf of The Michael J. Fox Foundation at the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half marathon. He was all smiles there, and his badge rightfully identified him as a VIP.

Suffice it to say that everybody can celebrate that CNN's headline was not breaking the news of Michael J. Fox's death, and he's alive and well.

The Warner Bros. acquisition saga took a major turn this past week, as the studio’s board determined that a new bid from Paramount Skydance proved to be “superior” to the one Netflix offered. With that, the streamer’s heads confirmed it wouldn’t match the offer, paving the road for Paramount to acquire WB. Of course, there have since been a myriad of responses from people within and outside the entertainment industry. Now, per a new report, some CBS employees allegedly had f-bombs to drop after the news came down.

CBS is a division of Paramount and, as of late, the brand has been going through changes, especially when it comes to its news branch. The prospect of a merger with another massive entertainment brand would, of course, bring a plethora of other changes, and some workers at the Eye Network apparently aren’t happy. The Guardian obtained comments from one staffer, who reportedly responded to the merger news by saying, “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Meanwhile, an unnamed producer simply said, “Well, fuck.”

As suggested by The Guardian, those f-bombs seem to symbolize the uneasiness that some employees feel over the potential ramifications of the merger. If the Warner Bros. acquisition is finalized, Paramount will also be in control of another major news entity, CNN. So there’s a firm chance that, as has been the case with past corporate consolidations, that layoffs will ensue. To that point, another CBS employee purportedly told the news outlet that they believed their department would be cut due to the WB merger.

On the other side of this equation, some CNN employees were also interviewed as part of this report. A member of that staff admitted that “because CNN is so big and makes so much money, it was always going to attract the Ellisons,” who head up Paramount. When asked for comment, a producer at the network provided a grim outlook:

Much has been said about Bari Weiss, who was installed as the editor-in-chief of CBS News in October 2025. Some of Weiss’ decisions have been questioned by analysts, with insiders also alleging that there have been growing pains for staffers internally. Weiss – who’s allegedly been granted a pricey security detail – notably made headlines this past December when the decision was made to pull a 60 Minutes story about Trump Administration’s reported deportation of migrants to an El Salvador-based prison.

That aside, CBS had already experienced layoffs due to Paramount’s merger with Skydance, which was formally approved in 2025. Since then, the network has even lost anchors, with Maurice DuBois even signing off from CBS News last year. There’s also been speculation about host Gayle King’s future at the company, though King herself – who called out leakers – stated that she wasn’t going to give any energy to those rumors.

Whatever specifically happens with CBS News should the Paramount/Warner Bros. merger go through, staffing changes are inevitable. It was previously reported that employees were expecting a “blood bath,” and those sentiments align with the f-bombs recently shared by other employees.

Don Lemon, who has been in Los Angeles this week to cover the 68th Grammy Awards (scheduled on the 2026 TV schedule for this Sunday), was released on Friday, January 30 after he was taken into custody on Thursday night on civil rights violation charges. The former CNN anchor, who currently operates as an independent journalist, was arrested by two federal agents for attending an anti-ICE protest inside a church in St. Paul, Minnesota on Sunday, January 18.

After his hearing on Friday afternoon, he's been allowed to walk free by U.S. District Judge Patricia Donahue, who denied the government's request to order a $100K bond and limit his travel to New York or back to Minnesota, per Variety. But that's not the end of his legal troubles. Lemon has been asked to make another appearance in court in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Monday, February 9. Following his release, Lemon said the following, per his Instagram:

The journalist is being charged with violating federal laws by reportedly going past the line of activity that is protected by the First Amendment and impeding the right for citizens to practice their religious beliefs. While Lemon was live-streaming the protest that began outside a church before going inside with protestors where he proceeded to interview them, congregants, and a pastor inside.

Lemon has earned restrictions to his international travel as a result of the arrest aside from a vacation to France this summer, as requested by his attorney Marilyn Bednarski. She argued that he has no history of violence nor does he pose any flight risk following assistant U.S. attorney Alexander Robbins alleging that Don Lemon "knowingly joined a mob and stormed into a church and terrorized people engaged in worship services" while he attended the protest. Lemon says he was simply reporting on the event.

Early on Friday morning, United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi shared on social media that Lemon and three other people were arrested at her orders. Check out her post:

Don Lemon's lawyer said the journalist is "committed to fighting his case." We don't currently know if Lemon will still be part of the Grammys red carpet livestream he's in Los Angeles for the time being. The 68th Grammys will be on CBS this Sunday, and will stream live for those with a Paramount+ subscription.

While Chevy Chase’s professional career has included some of the greatest comedies of all time, the man doesn’t simply have a reputation for being a great comedian, although he is one. He also has a reputation for being difficult and frequently clashing with others on set. Chevy Case’s wife of four decades has certainly heard it all, and it sounds like she’s heard enough.

Jayni Chase and Chevy have been married since 1982, so the pair have certainly been through it all, from the heights of his fame to the heart problems that left him in a coma. She’s likely also heard every negative thing anybody has ever said about her husband. Speaking with CNN, which aired the recent documentary film I’m Chevy Chase, and You’re Not, Jayni Chase made it clear that in her opinion, if you’ve ever taken issue with anything Chevy Chase said, that’s a you problem. She said…

The general argument here seems to be that everybody has said and done things that maybe weren't the best, or at least done things that weren't taken the way we were meant, and doing so doesn't make you a terrible person. I suppose there's some truth in that.

Chevy Chase has a history of behavior that has made headlines of its own over the years. The new documentary reportedly had difficulty finding anybody from the show Community who was willing to appear. Chase had a rather famous falling out with creator Dan Harmon.

The documentary itself even rekindled some feuds, as it brought back an infamous battle between Chase and Terry Sweeney, who clearly was offended by his SNL co-star reportedly suggested Sweeney perform in an allegedly homophobic sketch concept at the height of the AIDS crisis. However, Chase says in the film that he doesn’t remember it the way Sweeney claims it happened.

Even the documentary film itself isn’t without its controversy, as it contains a moment where Chevy Chase berates the film’s director as she is interviewing him. She has spoken openly about the fact that interviewing the comedian was a difficult task.

Certainly, sometimes comedians say and do controversial things, and sometimes those things can upset people more than the comedian necessarily intended. At the same time, many of the people who have been upset by Chase’s actions and statements in the past are also comedians.

Still, it is good to hear Jayni Chase’s own perspective and understand how she feels about the whole situation. The documentary on the life of Chevy Chase is currently available via CNN’s streaming platform, and will be available with an HBO Max subscription on January 31.

It would take longer than I’m Chevy Chase And You’re Not’s hour and 37 minute runtime to unpack everything that gets said, explained, and is still often left unexplained about the enigmatic comedian. One thing that is very clear about the SNL star and occasional guest host is that he got famous during a rampant era of drug use and abuse, and I can’t stop thinking about one shaving cream can story after watching.

I’m not a person that could tell you literally everything about every cast iteration of Saturday Night Live, but Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller’s Live From New York is one of my favorite books, and I did know a thing or two about Chevy Chase and his career following his run on late night TV. I specifically came of age in this industry during the era of Chase’s Community run ending and the drama that followed, so I know a bit about how the comedian developed a difficult reputation (and continued to do so with the release of the doc). But I can’t remember ever having heard or read this cocaine story before.

Chevy Chase Allegedly Brought Cocaine In A Shaving Cream Can

Cocaine came up pretty early in I’m Chevy Chase…’ SNL writer Rosie Shuster mentions Gilda Radner used to call it “the devil’s dandruff” and Dan Aykroyd admits everyone did it in the cast, though he “didn’t much like the coke.” Cut to Chevy Chase, who was allegedly the biggest user of the stuff around set, and “the person that they worried about most.”

If you haven’t watched the doc, the story in question came from Alan Greisman, a producer who spent considerable time with the funnyman. He mentioned one wild story about them spending time together in Hawaii that I can’t remember ever hearing about the comedian’s drug use, noting:

Chase confirmed the story, noting he'd ship the drugs from the "mainland" to Hawaii, and cracking a "mail's here" joke. His fellow SNL stars also said Tuesday became the late night on set to get the writing ready for late night TV, and that was the night where the drug use was most rampant. The seventies were a wild time at 30 Rock (so were the '80s), and it sounds like it was Chevy Chase who was often bringing the party.

Yet, people like Goldie Hawn and more also spoke about Chevy Chase’s softer side, how he would put her kids to bed, and show her empathy when she was a single mom in Hollywood. More on his multi-faceted personality has been explored in plenty of media in the past. Or, as the director of the doc noted, interviewing him wasn't "freakin' easy."

Chevy Chase Has Been Clear About How Drugs Came Into Play When He Got Famous

In the doc, Chevy Chase says being famous “made no difference” to him, but years ago he tried to explain how getting famous on Saturday Night Live at 32 was a “wonderful” thing from one standpoint, but also a “frightening” thing from another. This contrarian point of view I think really helped me to understand the person he is, or seems to be in I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not. Years ago he told the aforementioned to Shales and Miller:

Chase also said in Live From New York that he has always been living “this kind of dualism,” a dualism “between the marvelous magic of becoming accepted” and “a lingering sense that one doesn’t deserve it.” It almost sounds like a weird sort of famous person’s survivor’s guilt. Meanwhile, he did also share one piece of advice Lorne Michael once gave him about coke.

Eventually, Chevy Chase’s partying ways in his younger days caught up with him, and his new documentary goes into the heart failure incident he faced in 2021 that left him in bad shape and with subsequent memory issues. His daughter Caley admitted he was still drinking before the incident, though he’d stopped using cocaine after a rehab stint in the ‘80s.

I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not, a documentary that recently hit the 2026 TV schedule, offers a look into the life, career and mind of the eponymous comedian – warts and all. The doc – directed by Marina Zenovich – has sparked various conversations on social media and, most recently, a number of fans took offense to a clip from the film that showed Chase insulting Zenovich. In the aftermath of the hoopla surrounding the Vacation star’s slight, Zenovich herself discussed why she kept that portion in the finished production.

Early on in the doc, Zenovich tells Chase that she’s trying to figure him out, leading the comic to say, No shit. It’s not going to be easy for you. The documentarian then asks why, and Chase declares, “You’re not bright enough. How’s that?” Those sentiments rubbed a lot of viewers the wrong way, based on the comments many shared online. Check it out for yourself:

During that clip, Chase voices his hope that the exchange won’t be added to the completed doc. When asked about that moment from the movie, Zenovich said:

Maria Zenovich – whose credits include Lance and Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic – has her fair share of experience talking with celebrities. However, it sounds like interviewing Chevy Chase was something else entirely. During her appearance on The Daily Beast’s Obsessed podcast (which was shared to YouTube), Zenovich further explained how while doing research on Chase, she learned more about his reputation for being difficult. She further recalled how she was worried about bringing that status up during her chat with Chase:

So, while fans saw the Saturday Night Live veteran’s remarks as insulting (which they were, of course), Zenovich also viewed them as a prime component for her documentary. Many filmmakers – whether they’re crafting scripted features or not – gush about the magical moments that can spring forth when the cameras are rolling. As for Zenovich’s moment with Chase, she also had this to say:

Maria Zenovich’s documentary lays bare Chevy Chase’s career, shedding light on his professional and personal highs and lows. Among the topics covered are the disparaging comments Chase allegedly made about fellow SNL alum Terry Sweeney as well as Chase’s omission from the sketch comedy show’s 50th anniversary special. Also mentioned is Chase’s medical emergency from 2021, which saw him put into a coma for eight days due to heart failure. That situation apparently caused memory loss for Chase, which Zenovich attributes to some of his denials of stories told about him.

Although Chase may not have been the easiest interview subject for Zenovich to converse with, she’s also said that he does care a great deal about his reputation and that he was quite emotional while watching the film. So I’d take it that, given that and the acclaim the film has received, Zenovich seems pleased with how everything turned out, in spite of the insult. Check out I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not now by streaming it with CNN, and know that the doc will also be available for HBO Max subscription holders starting January 31.

The recently released CNN documentary I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not seeks to provide insight into the psyche of the eponymous actor and comedian. With that in mind, director Marina Zenovich had a major task set before her. Part of that process, of course, also meant that Zenovich would have to interview the now-82-year-old Chase. Zenovich recently opened up about that experience and, as she put it, that wasn’t “freakin’ easy.” However, that level of difficulty isn’t due to the reason some fans might be thinking.

Over the course of Chase’s legendary career, he’s gained a reputation for being “difficult,” as he apparently even irritated his Saturday Night Live co-stars. Zenovich also got a taste of the Vacation star’s occasionally blunt way of speaking while making the doc. Early on in the production, Chase even muses that the filmmaker isn’t “bright enough” to figure him out. Zenovich spoke to USA Today and revealed an expletive Chase threw her way, and she explained one particularly tiring aspect of it all:

As someone who’s interviewed a fair amount of people at this point, I can understand why she found the interview to be “exhausting.” The Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic helmer isn’t referring so much to Chase’s demeanor here but more so to the fact that as an interviewer, she needs to conjure up enough energy to get him going. Such vivaciousness (among other things) is crucial for a great interview. At the same time, Zenovich also had to take part in a bit of a “dance” to get answers from her main interviewee:

Through I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not, Zenovich manages to cover a lot of ground. Her documentary chronicles Chase’s formative years, including the abuse he suffered at the hands of mother and stepfather. Of course, it also delves deep into his career, from his rise as one of the OG stars of SNL to his unceremonious exit from Community. Zenovich also recently explained how she had a hard time getting anyone from the NBC sitcom to be interviewed for the doc. (Eventually, series director Jay Chandrasekhar agreed to participate.)

In the end, Marina Zenovich does indeed believe she was able to get to the core of Chevy Chase (who also recently drew the ire of SNL alum Terry Sweeney). The seasoned filmmaker holds that belief, in great part, because she was able to dive into the comic’s backstory and unpack his personal trauma. I honestly can’t imagine speaking about such delicate subject matter with any celebrity let alone the Fletch star. So kudos to Zenovich for getting Chase to open up, at least to some degree.

2026 is officially here, which makes the fact that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is ending seem a lot closer than it did just a few days ago. As Colbert moves forward on the last few months of his show, which will end in May on the 2026 TV schedule, he was given a chance to reflect on what he learned in 2025, and he has a very smart (and blunt) way of looking at things.

Colbert was a guest on CNN New Year's Eve 2026 with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen just before the ball dropped and the new year got underway. Cohen asked the late-night host what he had learned from 2025, and Colbert, not one to mince words, gave a very honest, if laughing, response when he said…

It’s a notably blunt and honest assessment from a notably blunt late-night host. While the decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was a financial one, according to CBS, it has not gone unnoticed that the hammer fell just days after Colbert called CBS settling a lawsuit with President Trump a “bribe” as part of parent company Paramount’s planned merger with Skydance, a merger which was approved shortly after the cancellation was announced.

It’s a somewhat casual response from Colbert, though it should be said that the via satellite conversation was fairly casual in general. The CNN New Year’s Eve show has something of a reputation for getting at least slightly out of hand as the co-hosts openly drink during the show. Cooper even specifically mentioned that he hadn't wanted Cohen to ask Colbert the question, perhaps because of the can of worms it might open. This might also have been the reason Cohen asked the question in the first place.

New Year’s Eve is a party after all, and everybody involved was having a good time. Colbert even played “Never Have I Ever” because it was just that sort of night. Watch for yourself:

The whole situation is somewhat rare. Usually, when a host leaves a show with a long lead time, it’s because they made the decision to leave. In this case, Colbert has made it clear this was not his decision, which has left the rating leading late-night host to basically do and say whatever he likes about the situation for months before his exit.

While some have suggested that CBS should simply undo its decision to cancel The Late Show, the fact that it hasn’t happened yet, since the new CEO took over, makes it seem unlikely that it will. An exact date for the final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has not yet been announced, but it will happen this May.

Millions of people headed out Wednesday night to ring in the new year by watching the ball drop in Times Square (or Chicago, as Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve shook things up), but those who stayed in to enjoy the revelry from home got quite the treat from Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper. The unlikely duo have been a hit in the past, covering New Year’s Eve for CNN, and this year was no different, as the news anchor gave us quite the silly start to 2026 with a dramatic reading of Taylor Swift’s viral 2025 song “Wood.”

Anderson Cooper must not be too much of a Swiftie, because he was not familiar with “Wood,” a song off of the Eras Tour artist’s latest album The Life of a Showgirl that is basically an ode to Travis Kelce’s manhood. Andy Cohen got his co-host to read the double entendre-filled lyrics during CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live, and the giggles they caused the journalist are giving me the energy I need to kickstart this new year. Check out the video below:

It’s stunts like this that make Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen such a successful duo to pull off this holiday show (even if some people get snarky about it), because I can’t get enough of the Watch What Happens Live host’s devilish grin. I think Cooper quickly found that he was in over his head with the “Wood” reading, because that, “Oh!” read as both part of the lyrics and a realization of what that “redwood tree” was meant to symbolize.

The news anchor then fell into a fit of giggles not unlike the time he and Andy Cohen interviewed John Mayer in a cat bar, and you didn’t have to be a few drinks in to join in the infectious laughter.

Props to Andy Cohen if bringing “Wood” to the party was his idea, because not only did it provide one of the best moments from all networks’ New Year’s Eve coverage (in my opinion), but it celebrated what was a huge pop culture moment from 2025.

Not only was the song one of the “bangers” on Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album that came out last year, but it honored her relationship with Travis Kelce. 2025, after all, was the year that saw the celebrity couple get engaged with the already iconic announcement that: “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.” TNT emojis all around!

I don’t think I was the only one that joined in Anderson Cooper’s giggle fits, because several fans weighed in with comments like:

• These two are beyond adorable! Anderson’s giggles are everything! – KristinShoots
• Anderson laughing are the highlights of the night – kristynkazumi
• Anderson’s giggle is the best I’d so hang out with these 2! – tamirenfisher702
• Anderson laugh gets me every time 😂😂 – tatianah2999
• 😂😂😂 They’re a whole freakin vibe – nirlamejia
• Anderson, I Love your laugh❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ – TheresaMorgan-y7c
• Anderson’s laugh is what we need to put this past year behind us & look forward to a better one! 😂 – Dashleyn

The glee in Anderson Cooper’s laughter combined with Andy Cohen’s, “Knock on wood, baby!” is such a vibe, and I agree with the comments that it sets the perfect tone for new beginnings in 2026.

Anything can happen when you’re on live TV — just ask Jenna Bush Hager, who had a complete meltdown after cursing on her live NBC talk show. Now one man has gone viral for an epic fail that occurred when he tried to do a backflip live on CNN. This video is what the Internet was made for, and the reactions are perfectly hilarious.

According to Deadline, during an episode of CNN News Central airing on the 2025 TV schedule, RobertAnthony Cruz, a member of the exhibition baseball team Savannah Bananas, was meant to open a segment on “America’s favorite pastime” by executing a backflip. Instead, this is what transpired:

As of this writing, the viral video had accumulated 7.5 million views in less than 24 hours. The echoing thud of the ball player hitting the floor is pretty horrifying, and the situation is only made more cringeworthy by host Kate Bolduan audibly exclaiming, “Oh Jesus,” as she covers her face with her hands, and fellow host John Berman energetically beginning to read from the teleprompter:

That certainly was a twist, but probably not the one anyone was expecting.

However, while the Savannah Banana may have taken a pretty big hit to his pride, two fans had a unique take on why this failed flip was anything but a fail:

• 1,000 times funnier and more interesting than a successful backflip. He should be very proud. – lafauexprod
• Agree! Who would have remembered this backflip had he not flopped? It would have not made a dent in the world, boring. Now he is cemented in eternity. – stuartpatten

I have to admit, they make a compelling argument. While RobertAnthony Cruz does seem to be making the rounds on social media, another person called for this man to get the full experience of his 15 minutes of fame, writing:

Others recalled its similarity to a classic viral fail. Who wore this face-plant better?

There were also several comments comparing him to musician Benson Boone, who’s known to execute flips during his energetic performances.

Other hilarious reactions included:

• How 2025 has felt so far – neverbeentoihop
• Technically they did accomplish a backflip – bestfoodalex
• man i would quit everything move to a new country assume a new identity and go in to hiding for the rest of my life bc no fuckin way – oldfashionedjaz
• Is he…is he okay? – SuperClaire25

To answer that last question, yes, RobertAnthony Cruz is OK, which he confirmed in a lighthearted Instagram post, saying:

Poor guy needed stitches after that failed backflip, and that probably didn’t hurt as bad as his bruised ego. The viral video continues to get played and replayed, but at least he’s able to have a sense of humor about it.

Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking trial is approaching and, all the while, the embattled 55-year-old rapper continues to face lawsuits and allegations while in prison. Before his arrest in September 2024, though, Combs was embroiled in controversy due to a video recorded in 2016. The footage appeared to show Combs in a hotel, at which point he appeared to be assaulting then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. CNN released the video and, now, Diddy’s lawyers are claiming it’s an altered video, leading the news network to respond.

What Was Shown In The Hotel Video And What Did Diddy’s Lawyers Have To Say About It?

CNN released the aforementioned footage, which was recorded at Los Angeles’ InterContinental Hotel, on May 17, 2024. In it, Cassie Ventura appears to make her way towards an elevator after leaving a room, before a towel-clad Diddy chases her and throws her to the ground by her neck. While a motionless Ventura is lying on the ground, Diddy appears to kick her multiple times The video also shows the Grammy winner throwing an object at Ventura and dragging her by her sweatshirt.

Per People, Sean Combs’ legal team filed documents this past week, through which they alleged that the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned network bought the only known copy of the video. The lawyers go on to allege that the company ultimately got its hands on a free editing software platform and changed the OG video. On top of that, the attorneys alleged that the original footage was ultimately destroyed. You can read a portion of the letter from Combs’ camp:

Shortly after the video was released last spring, Diddy issued an apology for his actions on social media, saying that his actions were “inexcusable” and that he’d take “full responsibility.” His statements were subsequently criticized by Cassie Ventura’s lawyer, Meredith Firetog, who said the businessman made the statement “more about himself than the many people he has hurt.” After the recent alteration claims, Ventura’s other attorney, Douglas H. Wigdor, called out the “disingenuous argument” to have the video not shown at Diddy’s upcoming trial.

Whether or not the “Bad Boy for Life” performer and his attorneys will be successful remains to be clear, but they seem to be set on their arguments. All the while, CNN appears to be standing firmly in its own position.

What Did CNN Say About The Video Alteration Allegations?

As the legal filing news broke, CNN released a statement of its own. The news organization denied the claims made by Sean Combs’ associates:

The hotel video sparked responses from people around the entertainment industry. Among those to comment were various people who’d had personal dealings with P. Diddy over the years. Fellow rapper Slim Thug spoke out on the matter, saying, at the time, that he “can’t stand behind this.” Former Bad Boy Records signee Aubrey O’Day also weighed in and said “Diddy did not apologize to Cassie” but merely “apologized to the world for seeing what he did.”

As for Sean Combs’ current circumstances, he’s incarcerated at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center (where Luigi Mangione is also being kept.). Combs’ arrest came months after his homes were raided by the feds in connection to a sex-trafficking operation. The media mogul is charged with offenses including sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, racketeering and arson. May 5 will mark the start of his trial, which may or may not include the hotel footage.

As the media landscape continues to change, so has CNN. The political news network has made major talent changes over the last several years and even a CEO shakeup. Now, it would seem that the company is losing yet another key player in longtime broadcaster Jim Acosta, who’s publicly spoken out on his decision to step away. A formal reason for Acosta’s departure from the media giant has not been shared, as of this writing, though it seems that shifting time slots (likely related to the fluctuating ratings) may have factored into this.

Jim Acosta acknowledged his exit during his hour of Tuesday’s edition of CNN Newsroom. During his address, he reflected upon the work that he’s done with the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned corporation. He also noted that the highlight of his tenure was the trip he took to Cuba with former U.S. President Barack Obama in 2016. Additionally, Acosta took the time to thank viewers for their support over the years:

The former CBS News correspondent has been hosting the 10 a.m. hour of Newsroom on weekday mornings. However, as recently reported by TVLine, the aforementioned network confirmed that the slot would be taken over by the Wolf Blitzer-headed program The Situation Room. Blitzer’s show would be moving there from its longtime 6 p.m. ET timeslot. Despite that, the network previously noted that it was in “active discussions” to find a new spot for Jim Acosta amid the programming shift. Upon Acosta’s departure, the news corporation shared the following statement:

During his tenure at the news network, Jim Acosta held several different positions. Among them were national political correspondent and chief domestic correspondent and weekend anchor. He was also notably promoted to White House Correspondent in 2018 and, in that same year, his WH access was revoked after a verbal clash with U.S. President Donald Trump. CNN ultimately took legal action over that and a video circulated by the White House at the time, which the cable news entity claimed was doctored. The lawsuit was dropped after Acosta’s access was restored.

As mentioned, a few other notable pundits are no longer with the network but for reasons vastly different from the former American Morning host. 2021 saw the firing of Chris Cuomo, who was reported to have aided in the defense of his brother, ex-New York governor Andrew Cuomo, against sexual assault allegations. Chris later sued his former employers for millions over wrongful termination. Also, Don Lemon was fired from CNN after facing misconduct allegations, though Lemon believes he was let go for corporate reasons.

What lies ahead for Jim Acosta after his exit from CNN remains to be seen, but he hinted that his future plans will be revealed within the next several days. Right now, though, he still has to give his final broadcast, for which a date has yet to be announced.

Readers are probably used to seeing Wolf Blitzer on TV, even if CNN isn't a go-to for news, but it's a rarer sight to see him watching television himself. Such was the case over Wildcard Weekend, though, as the longtime on-air reporter watched his favored Buffalo Bills advance in the NFL playoffs. He was so thrilled that he shared a photo commemorating the win, thus allowing the entire internet to see the wildly quaint entertainment set-up that he's seemingly been rocking since 24-hour cable news became a thing.

Blitzer, who went viral in 2024 for rushing from a restaurant to the newsroom when former President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign, shared a photo of himself posing in front of the television on X. Take a look at the picture and why everyone on the internet is far more concerned with his television than Josh Allen's latest performance for the Bills.

Wolf Blitzer is no doubt paid handsomely for his work for CNN that we'll see throughout the 2025 TV schedule and beyond, so it's stunning to learn that he still him owns such an archaic batch of electronics. That 32-inch flat screen appears to be one of the first ever put on the market, and I can't imagine that the Sony CD player and bulky DVD player below the TV are exceedingly more modern.

There are also five remotes shown lined up on the top shelf of the entertainment center. And one remote appears to still be in plastic wrap just behind the television. Maybe there's a laserdisc or 8-track player inside one of those drawers lower down.

I could go on further, highlighting the massive entertainment center, but the internet beat me to the punch. I'm sure the CNN reporter didn't expect to be light-heartedly roasted for his television set, but the comments were flooding in from all over, as seen below:

• Damn. You can get something from this century at Costco and it is not a budget buster. - @jeffnolan
• I love Wolf Blitzers entertainment set up. 32-In 420p TV with the DVD and CD player on the ready. Absolutely no notes. @COAbrah_
• How does that TV still work? - @GA_SKOL
• What year is this? - @rbmungal
• lol got that 2003 setup - @B_Jones2009
• Wolf said “I’m not buying a new set until the Bills go back to the Super Bowl.” - @realKingpin_MMA

I assumed when Whitney Cummings was roasting CNN's ratings that was meant in jest. Now, after seeing Wolf Blitzer watching a television so old I'm not even sure he could use a Netflix subscription on it, I can't help but wonder. How does one of the most popular pundits in the world have such a shockingly old television?

While this should probably be taken with a grain of salt, one commenter's post claimed that the TV Blitzer owns stopped being produced back in 2005.

The world may never know, as Blitzer did not respond to the slew of comments hounding him on X. In fairness, CNN reporters face a lot of backlash for comments they make on the internet, so the fact he received such a massive response might've encouraged him to look any further into what people were saying. Or, he just doesn't care what people think of his old television, and honestly, why should he?

Depending on how the Buffalo Bills do in the next round, there's a chance we'll get a sequel post. The team is set to take on the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL Divisional Round, and the winner will advance to the AFC Championship. Josh Allen has never been to a Super Bowl, and I can't think of a better time for it to happen than months after proposing to Hailee Steinfeld. We'll see if he and the team will go the distance.

The Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer airs on CNN on weekdays at 6:00 p.m. ET. I'm curious to see if the anchor will poke fun at his own viral fame on an upcoming episode, or if he'll have much bigger headlines to talk about.

CNN's New Year's Eve show is usually a blast, and while last year people were talking about John Mayer in Tokyo with cats, it looks like comedian Whitney Cummings will be the hot topic around the water cooler this week. As we kick off the 2025 TV schedule, Cummings didn't hold back, throwing out a roast that called out CNN's ratings--literally while she was on the network.

Apparently, Andy Cohen calling out Ryan Seacrest isn't the spiciest thing that can happen on the CNN New Year's Eve broadcast, which has a long history of going off the rails at some point each year. Whitney Cummings was a part of the broadcast and even did a "Roast of 2024," but it's possible the network and the show's producers didn't expect her to take a jab at its viewership. Here's what she said (via @CNViolations):

That's a sick burn to CNN, and even worse, she made it on a night when their viewership is likely much higher than it usually is. While I'm guessing producers and executives at the network weren't exactly thrilled with the comment, Cummings was invited to the celebration to act as a roast comic. On the other hand, even if anyone was mildly upset at the network about the comment, they had to expect she'd take a shot or two at them, given her job as a comedian.

Really, CNN should be used to this type of snark from its on-air personalities. Whether it was Andy Cohen calling out an X user in 2022 or Don Lemon making an inappropriate comment about Kathy Griffin way back in 2016, this program has a history of dicey comments that normally wouldn't fly on the air.

That being said, I'm sure her jab stung at least a little bit. Both MSNBC and CNN have had a lot of struggles since election night. The Washington Post recently did an entire write-up on the network's ratings issues, and Yahoo recently ran a story calling out the network's ratings issues and predicting possible layoffs.

Fortunately, a little sting isn't the worst thing in the world. It seems everyone is in the holiday spirit and a little more forgiving when it comes to New Year's Eve. I mean, if Roy Woods Jr. could get away with making a joke about former anchor Don Lemon's firing (via Mediaite), then I would say that jokes about ratings and the like are going to slide underneath the radar in comparison.

That said, the bar is set for 2025's New Year's Eve party later this year, so maybe Whitney Cummings can up the ante if she's invited back next year. I know that I'd love to see her back, as the program is always better with a few comedians mixed in.

CinemaBlend is ringing in the new year by keeping an eye on all the shows returning to television with new episodes and keeping an eye out for upcoming 2025 movies on the way as well. Additionally, we'll see if CNN and Cummings enter a feud after her comments or if this was just a silly remark taken as the roast joke it was meant to be.

What starts off as a lazy Sunday afternoon often ends up leading to a lazy Sunday evening, but that eventuality is never a guarantee, as CNN’s Wolf Blitzer can certainly attest. The longtime anchor’s weekend went from boozy to sobering after Joe Biden’s major election news, and the Internet has definitely had a laugh or two over how wildly Blitzer’s day changed in just a few hours.

Right around brunchtime, Blitzer took to X with a photo and caption that made it pretty clear he was not in “working man” mode, and delivering up-to-the-minute updates on major political news was likely as distant from his brain as could be. Check out his optimism-fueled share below, combining cocktails and name puns:

Just when he thought it was perfectly safe to knock back one or more drinks that rhyme with his name — a luxury I’ve yet to enjoy myself — at a famed Washington D.C. eatery, one of the biggest breaking news stories of the year erupted from the same city: Joe Biden officially ended his re-election campaign and pledged his support for current Vice President Kamala Harris. It’s basically like rewatching Clerks, only with every detail changed besides a dude who wasn’t supposed to be at work.

Thus, rather than being able to later share photos of himself wearing a lampshade as a hat and other time-honored visual signs of intoxication, Wolf Blitzer was instead seen by CNN viewers looking not-exactly-overjoyed for his day off to have gone out the window. Which has led to quite a few social media posts poking fun at the sudden change in location and atmosphere, such as the one below.

If only Wolf Blitzer had immediately downed five or six of those Wolf Spritzers as soon as he arrived at the restaurant, he might have lucked out of returning to work to cover the big news. But it appears as if he was indeed feeling level-headed enough to jump on the air along with his fellow CNN colleagues. Part of me would have loved to see the journalist sailing three sheets to the wind on live TV, or so drunk that he'd attempt to replicate his mask-ripping Mission: Impossible - Fallout cameo with his own skin, but it's probably good for everyone that he didn't.

Here are some other solid comments that X users shared to poke fun at Wolf Blitzer's truncated day-drinking excursion.

• my brother had to take that bev to go😭 - @jrosethereturn
• Wolf Blitzer had to drop his Wolf Spritzer and turn into a Wolf Sprinter - @tylerduran21
• Being at brunch to be called into work is wilddddddddddd 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 - @iAmDaConnector
• they said get your ass back to the studio - @hjessy_
• "check please." - @BrodyLogan
• Poor Wolf Blitzer was just trying to vibe in his brunch era before getting called into work on a Sunday. - @Garytt
• My mans got a buzz going on at the three pm news hour - @anthonydmusa
• Instantly on the Mt. Rushmore of top 10 pics taken right before disaster - @kirk_bado

Suffice to say, much fun was had at Wolf Blitzer's expense, even though a large percentage of the comments were sympathetic to his plight. And also on a positive front, quite a few posts celebrated the fact that the CNN anchor's Apple watch indicated he'd already closed all three rings for the day, and still couldn't catch a break.

If SNL was still recording new episodes, one has to imagine Lorne Michaels & Co. would bring back Beck Bennett, who left the NBC series in 2021, to reprise his impression, which previously earned Wolf Blitzer’s approval as compared to other impersonations. But given that's still months away, this will probably be far too dated to react to, unless it happens again the next time he attempts to drink namesake cocktails on the weekend.

In closing, let's turn to the wisdom of Kim Kardashian, as it were, for a final reaction to Wolf Blitzer's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad brunch interruption.

With or without a mixed drink in hand, head to our 2024 TV premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows are hitting primetime in the near future, both ahead of and following the next election.

It has been a bumpy year for Don Lemon. After a wave of sexist comments about politician Nikki Haley, among others, put the anchor's future at CNN in jeopardy, Lemon was officially fired from the news network in April 2023 after nearly two decades as one of the channel's most high-profile personalities. (The media pundit has since gone on to claim that those misconduct allegations weren't the real reason for his dismissal.) Now, he has another issue on his hands as his X show has been canceled by Elon Musk.

For some context, after rumors of exactly how Lemon would professionally move on from the CNN firing (remember that time we all really thought he would be joining The View?) spread, word hit that he had scored a contract with tech billionaire Elon Musk to start a new show on X. However, it looks like both that contract for The Don Lemon Show and the content partnership with Musk are kaput, as the former CNN host revealed on social media on Wednesday, March 13. 

In a video posted to his Twitter, the 57-year-old journalist seemed to insinuate that Musk terminated the deal following an interview between the two men, which was planned to air during the first edition of The Don Lemon Show on X on Monday, March 18. Lemon said: 

Lemon continued to discuss his reasonings for why he initially decided to collaborate with a controversial figure like Elon Musk, much to the chagrin of the anchor's loyal fans. Around the same time Lemon's show pick-up, it was announced that X would also be supporting content from former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and sports commentator Jim Rome, along with a show hosted by former Fox News-er Tucker Carlson. 

Continuing to speak about his decision, the former CNN anchor said:

However, despite previously believing that Musk was a "free speech absolutist," Lemon alleged that the tech boss wasn't pleased by his line of questioning during the interview:

It's not the first time Elon Musk has canceled a planned business partnership last minute. Per The Hill, the X mogul said in a statement that, while Lemon's show is "welcome to build their viewership on this platform along with everyone else," he was displeased with its approach, which was "basically just ‘CNN, but on social media’, which doesn’t work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying." 

Despite no longer being backed by Musk, The Don Lemon Show will reportedly move forward with its debut episode on March 18, which will include the tense interview with Elon. 

Chris Cuomo has found himself embroiled in a few notable controversies over the past several years. Among them are his termination from CNN in 2021 as well as a matter involving sexual assault allegations, which occurred that same year. Now, someone else is making claims against the noted newsman, and it’s someone he worked with during his time on the Cable News Network (which experienced a CEO shakeup last summer). Angela Rye, who shared the sentiments during a recent discussion, that Cuomo created an “embarrassing” situation for her when he previously commented on a bikini post of hers. Rye specifically alleges that her former colleague referred to her as “tinsel crotch.”

Angela Rye worked with CNN for several years, before she was ultimately dropped from the network in 2021. During her stint with the company, she served as a regular contributor for Cuomo Prime Live. Rye just began co-hosting the Native Land Podcast alongside Andrew Gillum and Tiffany Cross and made her claim against Cuomo (who currently works at NewsNation) during the premiere episode. She did so in an attempt to explain why she supposedly parted ways with the network. The 44-year-old news pundit said it stemmed from a situation that happened on New Year’s Day 2021, when she dropped the aforementioned post. While on the podcast (which was shared to YouTube), she laid out the reported matter as such:

The ESPN reporter recalled that Chris Cuomo allegedly tried to text her “hello” shortly after and avoided attempts to discuss work with her over text. Supposedly, Cuomo was looking to touch base with her about a new segment idea for the show. As she put it, Cuomo “was suddenly excited about a prominent role for me where I would ‘check the left.’” Angela Rye said she eventually touched base with him about a week later to see “if he still wanted to discuss his work idea despite him mentioning tinsel bikini and tinsel bottom along the way.” 

The former BET personality also says that on January 21, 2021, she was contacted by the CNN exec who oversees contributors and was told that her contract was not being renewed. She was purportedly told that this was due to the network “focusing more on COVID coverage and less on politics.” She says that she knew it was “a lie,” as two other Black female contributors were hired for half her rate. While summing up the matter, the podcast co-host said, “In 10 short days, what felt like a ride to the promised land turned into quicksand.” As of this writing, neither CNN nor the former Cuoco Prime Time host have responded to these comments.

Ahead of Chris Cuomo getting picked up by NewsNation, he came under fire in May 2021 due to a matter involving his brother, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo. Andrew was facing sexual harassment claims at the time and, at the time Chris said that he would not report on the matter due to the conflict of interest that was present. (Chris, after his bout with COVID, did notably interview Andrew in 2020.) It was learned later in 2021, however, that the political pundit had assisted in making key decisions for his brother’s response to the accusations and was later found to have used media resources to get information on the accusers. Cuomo, who has since denied the assertions, was indefinitely suspended from CNN that November due to the findings. And, after the formal review was officially completed in December, he was let go by the network.

Chris Cuomo is currently in the process of suing CNN for $125 million and has gone after some of the company’s media personalities in the process. Additionally, Cuomo has also opened up about his headspace following his ousting, saying that he was “going to kill everybody.”

As for how the claims from Angela Rye might affect his professional status at this point, that remains to be seen. Rye, for her part, thanked her former collaborator for the platform, though also said it was “not worth the emotional turmoil” and has no plans to work with him again.

Celebrating the new year on the small screen usually involves celebrities stepping up to host, musical guests, and the annual ball dropping in New York City. In recent years, however, December 31 celebrations on television have involved a mini "feud" between Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve's Ryan Seacrest and CNN New Year's Eve's Andy Cohen. The Bravo host, who teamed up with Anderson Cooper to get the giggles over John Mayer's cat bar appearance, called out Seacrest in the final hours of 2023 as the latest development, so it's time to look back at how the back-and-forth started years ago.  

New Year's Eve 2021

Back in 2021, Ryan Seacrest was hosting ABC's New Year's countdown to 2022 while Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper were leading the festivities for CNN, and one noticeable difference was that Cohen and Cooper were drinking during the broadcast. The Bravo personality commented on what was going on over in the ABC camp at the time, saying on-air: 

It was a bold statement that you wouldn't usually expect to see during a New Year's broadcast, with Anderson Cooper laughing at Cohen's comments. It was also only the beginning of a back-and-forth with Ryan Seacrest about ringing in the new year. 

New Year's Eve 2022

CNN decided to put a limit on on-air drinking for the 2022 broadcast with Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper, and Ryan Seacrest opened up to Entertainment Weekly on the news. Although he didn't specifically name Cohen (or Cooper), it seems clear who he was alluding to. Seacrest said: 

Given that Andy Cohen is known for his presence on Bravo for the Real Housewives franchise – and is no stranger to guests getting mad at him – while Anderson Cooper is a longtime CNN host, it's safe to say that Cooper is the "serious journalist" who Seacrest was alluding to. It's hard to argue that Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve isn't bigger and broader, though; airing on ABC rather than CNN gives it a much larger audience. 

Ryan Seacrest, who was tapped to replace Pat Sajak as Wheel of Fortune host, then said in an early 2023 episode of Live! with Kelly and Ryan that Cohen didn't greet him while they filmed their respective New Year's specials, despite standing just ten feet away. Seacrest credited Anderson Cooper for turning around and saying to "have a good show," but "Andy did not turn around."

Cohen responded on his own radio show, saying that Anderson Cooper usually gives him the heads up when he's about to wave at Seacrest, but didn't this time around. Cooper said that Cohen was involved in "some producing thing" at the time and assumed that Cohen had already said hello. 

The Hosts Clear The Air To Start 2023

While it may sound like the hosts were genuinely annoyed with each other about their respective New Year's broadcasts, they cleared the air in early 2023 when Cohen stopped by Ryan Seacrest's On Air radio show and established that while he does "like watching people fight," he doesn't "like fighting with people." Seacrest confirmed that they weren't fighting, then explained an interaction he had with a woman who mentioned Cohen to him:

That seemed like it could be the end of the story, but Andy Cohen dropped some comments about Seacrest in the final hours of 2023 that thickened the plot.

New Year's Eve 2023

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen were drinking to ring in 2024 on CNN, and there were just a few hours to go in 2023 when Cohen commented on Seacrest, who was once again hosting on ABC. After taking a shot at 9 p.m. ET, Cohen said (via THR):

After Seacrest and Cohen made it clear that they were longtime friends, it sounds like this was just a jab between pals rather than prolonging a genuine feud. If anything, I feel like it should be a New Year's Eve tradition at this point! Anderson Cooper – who once battled the NYE cold in NYC with heated clothing – might disagree, as he told his on-air partner "Don't start it" and "Don't even mention it." 

Whether this fake "feud" continues remains to be seen; Ryan Seacrest hasn't commented at the time of writing. We may have to wait nearly a full year for another development. 

New Year's Eve is arguably one of the most exciting times for live television, and Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper are a large reason for that. The two famed friends have frequently shouldered the responsibility of  hostingCNN's New Year's Eve broadcast from Times Square, and it doesn't take much else to get them and viewers at home giggling at the sillier moments of the night. (Especially when booze is allowed.) 2023's biggest near-cat-astrophe involved a check-in with a hilariously straight-faced John Mayer from a cat bar in Tokyo, and the internet couldn't get enough of the entire thing. 

As the drinks flowed at Times Square in New York City, Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper catwalked into an interview John Mayer, who was already well into New Year's Day in Tokyo. Mayer was stationed at a "cat bar" for the segment, which, as he'll lay out in the video below, is exactly what it sounds like. Check out the segment, and watch Cooper lose any ability to form a sentence due to a wild case of the giggles: 

I'm not sure how many snarky comments Andy Cohen will respond to after that laughing fit by Anderson Cooper, but readers can rest assured that there was no shortage of people who loved seeing the entire segment from start to finish. Some, like @xoraveen, almost lost control more than the CNN host, and couldn't get enough of John Mayer fully embracing the mission of telling all there is to know about a random cat bar in Japan many watching will never venture to:  

The real highlight of this clip has to be Anderson Cooper, who couldn't get enough of the cats' buttholes frequently being exposed to the camera. Perhaps this celebrity with a famous parent wasn't used to being confronted with a cat's butt so intimately, or he was aware of how much some folks at the network likely hated that image going out to countless viewers. In either case, his giggles made the segment, and many like @caliiinoel loved it because of that:

And while Swifties may still attack John Mayer despite Taylor Swift's plights to inspire other behavior, he's certainly won some cool points with me for this interview. This segment wouldn't kill if Mayer didn't maintain his deadpan seriousness during the interview, unwilling to even acknowledge any ridiculousness of it all. @Vandel_Buster noticed the same thing and loved the contrast between the two parties: 

I've known John Mayer had comedic chops since his criminally underrated sketch on Chappelle's Show, and power to him for stone-facing it through this interview, but he can't get all the credit in this instance. I know I've already mentioned it, but it can't be said enough how the entire hilarity of this whole New Year's Eve segment boils down to seeing a cat butthole on television. As @MrEAnders pointed out, the whole segment descended into chaos as soon as the cat butt was right at the camera:

I have to say that it's refreshing to wake up in 2024 with some pleasant viral moment to kick off the year rather than some phony drama where Andy Cohen snubbed Ryan Seacrest like we had last year. That said, the new host of Wheel of Fortune might be a little miffed in the new year, knowing that one of the biggest viral moments of the night didn't happen on his special: 

I have to agree with @thekennaj's take, and if this viral moment is any indication of the energy the 2024 TV schedule will bring into the new year, we're in for a treat. That said, I do hope that's the final time I see a cat's butt on my screen for a while, unless it's tastefully done. 

New Year's Eve on CNN was a great time, but it's time to look ahead to 2024. CinemaBlend will, of course, continue to deliver the news on some of the best things coming to television in the new year, and keep readers updated on the movies front as well. I can't promise it'll be as hilarious as John Mayer in a cat bar, but few things in life are. 

Months after letting longtime anchor Don Lemon go, CNN has finally announced his replacement, as well as a slew of additional lineup changes. In an effort to improve ratings and provide some stability, the struggling cable news network will move around a lot of its pieces and launch some new programming. The big changes were announced on the company’s website in an extended article that also took pretty direct aim at former CEO Chris Licht, accusing him of letting MSNBC surpass the network in ratings and ruining staff morale, among other things.

First, let’s get to the lineup changes. The biggest news is probably the network finally announcing a replacement for Don Lemon. After almost twenty years at CNN, the fashionable and free-wheeling host was let go earlier this year, not long after he was taken off the air following comments he made about women of a certain age being past their primes. Co-host Kaitlan Collins was also moved to primetime, which left Poppy Harlow as the only one of the three that remained on CNN This Morning. She’ll now be joined by Phil Mattingly, who has been serving as the network’s chief White House correspondent. 

In addition to that change, Abby Phillip, who currently hosts Inside Politics Sunday, will be getting her own 10 PM ET nightly show, and Laura Coates, the network’s chief legal analyst, will also be getting her own nightly show that’ll run at 11 PM ET. Beyond that, Kasie Hunt has been named the new host of Early Start and investigative correspondent Pamela Brown will be getting her own show that’ll air at 3 PM ET. None of the changes will affect Anderson Cooper, Jake Tapper, Erin Burnett or Wolf Blitzer, who will stay in their current timeslots. 

It’s not a surprise that CNN would be open to making so many changes at once. Things haven’t gone super well in the ratings department. There’s often shuffling after a CEO departs an organization, but I’m frankly a little rattled at how much CNN’s story about its own changes takes aim at Chris Licht. The former CEO clearly didn’t win many friends over there if they’re dropping sentences like this…

I know that might not sound that bad compared to the discourse on Twitter everyday, but for a lineup announcement on a company’s own website, that is as vicious of a middle finger as you’ll see. Referencing the ratings is one thing but just openly admitting a “decline in staff morale” is quite another. It would make it seem like there’s still a lot of animosity there, but that probably shouldn’t come as a surprise given his abbreviated year or so in charge did not go well and generated a lot of stories about unnamed staff allegedly being unhappy. 

We’ll see whether these changes at CNN, made by the network’s interim leadership team, have a positive effect on ratings, and at some point in the future, we’ll see whether CNN’s next CEO will be able to build a better relationship with their employees.  

Former CNN host Don Lemon has largely stayed out of the public eye since he was let go by the cable news giant not long after some controversial comments about women of a certain age being past their prime. As a popular newsman with more than a decade of on-air experience, the internet initially speculated about where he might end up, but over the past few months, the rumor mill has been unexpectedly quiet, at least until now. 

Lemon recently hosted a party at his Long Island home to celebrate the release of Sunny Hostin’s new novel Summer On Sag Harbor. Radar Online claims the talking head was seen “buttering” up The View host, as well as her co-star Joy Behar. That tracks with a story The National Enquirer wrote on the same event, which claimed Lemon put a ton of effort into the planning and execution of the party. There’s also been unconfirmed reports that he reached out to Whoopi Goldberg directly and spoke to her about how he’d love to be a guest host or even permanent co-host on the long-running ABC talk show. 

Now, everything about this story, at this point in time, should be treated as a rumor. Neither Don Lemon nor anyone involved with The View has commented on the matter publicly, and there are some pretty obvious reasons to be skeptical. That being said, there are also some reasons to think this isn’t as far-fetched as it might seem. So, let’s jump in here and talk out what passes the smell test and what does not.

First and most obviously, it’s a bit weird to think about Don Lemon allegedly angling to become the first male co-host of The View when he was just fired from CNN not long after making comments many felt were sexist. Prior to his termination, there were also more than a few stories going around featuring quotes about how some women at the network didn’t love working with him and felt he talked over them. On paper, he doesn’t exactly sound like an ideal candidate to jump into a job working with a panel of women. Throw in the fact that these reports only quote unnamed sources, and there’s plenty of reason to be skeptical.

That being said, in other ways, it’s pretty easy to imagine Don Lemon on The View. During his time on CNN, his work sometimes bridged the gap between harder news and celebrity culture, which is right there in the wheelhouse of The View. He would offer instant credibility to the show if it wanted to push a bit harder into politics and/ or more complicated social issues. He’s also a bit of a mini-celebrity in his own right and has long shown a flair for personal fashion and style. Add in his willingness to speak his mind on any issues and disagree with others, and he’d add a fun dynamic. 

Plus, if other rumors are to be believed, The View may need a bit of a shake-up regardless. Some whispers of a possible cancellation have been going around with some at the network allegedly fed up with all the controversies and the disagreements between the hosts. That seems far-fetched given it still does well in the ratings, but there may be some truth to frustration at the network over all the bad publicity.

It’s hard to imagine The View would simply add Lemon as a co-host without a trial run. Rival The Talk added Jerry O’Connell to change up the dynamic back in 2021, and his presence was well-received by fans. But that doesn’t mean The View is eager to add a man to the panel, nor does it mean it’s eager to add this specific man who would seemingly come with some baggage. So, for now, this should be treated as nothing more than a very interesting rumor, but if he's announced at some point in the future as a fill-in or temporary guest host, don't be surprised. 

In 2021, former CNN producer John Griffin was fired after being charged with coercing a minor into sexual acts. An accusation stemming from a 2020 encounter where Griffin invited a mother and nine-year-old daughter “for the purposes of sexual training,” the legal process involving this matter has now concluded. As a result, the former New Day producer has now been handed a prison sentence after accepting a plea deal.  

Deadline reported the official sentencing, which saw the ex-CNN employee sentenced with jail time exceeding 19 years, along with 15 years of supervised release. What’s more, Griffin is also expected to pay restitution to his victims, as this case that’s been ongoing since 2021 has now been closed. 

The incident at the heart of these proceedings happened in 2020, when John Griffin flew out Heather Carriker and her daughter from Nevada to his Vermont home. There, he coerced Carriker's daughter into performing sexual acts. Ms. Carriker is currently charged with child abuse and sexual assault charges, per additional reporting from The New York Post.

That report also elaborated on the ex-news producer's plea deal, which saw him pleading guilty to "interstate commerce for the enticement of a minor," and two other counts against him for "enticement of a minor" being dropped as a result. It was also noted that as his sentencing was handed down, the unnamed victim in this case said that she would "never trust anyone again" after the acts she was coerced into performing. 

This is just the latest controversy that CNN has found itself connected to. Recently, anchor Don Lemon was fired, due to allegations of workplace misconduct on Lemon's part. This issue, of course, isn’t anywhere near as severe as the case of John Griffin, seeing as Lemon's actions were more in the realm of ageist comments towards his co-workers. Though it is another story that’s seen the established cable news brand making headlines yet again. That is especially true when whispers of Lemon’s potential rehiring after CNN’s CEO shake up have been growing louder.

More along the wavelength of this crime is the report from a 2020 lawsuit that alleged several Fox News hosts of sexual misconduct. In either case, the magnifying glass has been firmly trained on huge media corporations when infractions of all sorts have been brought to light. It's unfortunate that such events continue to be reported, though it would now appear that the victims are now be better suited to seek justice through their side of the story. 

In the wake of the #MeToo movement, stories of this nature have come from all corners of culture, including the newsrooms of the nation. The cold, hard truth of this story in particular is that justice has been served, and a punishment has now been enforced. As of this writing, no further statements have been provided by any of the camps involved, and time will tell if said updates might be presented.

Back in April, the world of cable news was thrown for a major loop, as Fox News parted ways with Tucker Carlson on the same day that CNN terminated anchor Don Lemon following a series of behavioral issues both on the air and behind the scenes. Now, it appears as if the latter’s ousting could be reversed in the aftermath of former CEO Chris Licht being removed from duties by Warner Bros Discovery head honcho David Zaslav. 

CNN was front and center in a lot of big headlines in the past week, tied in part to a blistering profile in The Atlantic for which a large group of employees spoke candidly about many issues they’ve had with Licht ever since his tumultuous stint as CEO began in 2022. He was let go on Wednesday in one of the more amicable CEO firings in recent memory, but given that Licht’s working relationship with Don Lemon was known for being anything but amicable, TMZ reports that those close to Lemon are apparently harboring expectations for CNN execs to start reaching out anew. 

Which isn’t to say that everyone at the news network was just waiting for Licht to be fired in order to bring Lemon back into the fold, but it’s noted that their disputes and contentious relationship were recognized and documented by colleagues. Licht reportedly took issue with comments that Lemon would make on the air, and was also critical of the anchor’s outfit choices when hosting CNN This Morning opposite Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow. (Interestingly enough, Lemon’s outfits were also dinged by Stephen Colbert on The Late Late Show, which Licht was the boss of before making the jump to CNN.)

Which isn’t to say that Chris Licht’s opinions and views on Don Lemon were the only reason the latter was booted from the network in the first place. Lemon took a lot of heat for his age-related comments about Nikki Haley in February, which gave way to quite a few other negative-skewing anecdotes coming out regarding his behavior behind the scenes. That said, it’s unclear just how many of the channel’s execs were looking for Lemon to get terminated, and how many might have fought for him to stick around if not for Licht.

That said, CNN’s Executive VP for Talent and Content Development Amy Entelis was announced as an interim leader following Chris Licht’s exit, and her relationship with Lemon was apparently on the opposite end of the friendliness spectrum. She and Lemon have been close and friendly for going on 15 years, so if anyone would be gauging whether or not the Louisiana native would be good to bring back into the fold, it’d probably be Entelis. 

Of course, given that Licht was trying so hard to save face in the aftermath of the news profile, one can generally infer that his firing was more of a gametime decision rather than something that had been in the cards for ages. And so there are likely lots of wheels still turning behind the metaphorical curtain that might make it difficult for anyone to make the call for Lemon to return in some form.

For what it’s worth, the former CNN This Morning host has kept his word about going into the rest of the spring and summer with an off-work mindset. In recent weeks, his Instagram page has been filled with posts of him and partner Tim Malone smiling while on the beach, in Madison Square Garden, and elsewhere. Here's his latest post celebrating Pride Month.

So while it might be difficult for him to bring a halt to the vacationing, he supposedly won’t be too shocked if CNN comes crawling…er…calling.

Compared to previous months, May was as positively calm and inviting as can be for the world of cable news, without any major personalities getting shown the door. Indeed, it was the first full month of programming for Fox News without its former viewership king Tucker Carlson, who notably parted ways with the network in April for reasons that still aren’t 100% confirmed, even if the rumor mill worked overtime on generating reasons. And to be expected, the numbers were markedly down across the board for the entire month, even if it wasn’t all bad news. 

In seemingly every base of measurement for the month, Fox News’ numbers trailed relatively far behind the network’s stats from a year previous, and were also clearly lower than they were during the final months of Tucker Carlson’s hosting run. For instance, the channel’s average primetime viewership throughout May was 1.42 million pairs of eyeballs, which is a 37% decline from where that average was for May 2022 (via Deadline). While not a full split-in-half situation, losing more than a third of an audience based on any one factor is not a great sign, even if it’s an insightful one.

When it comes to the all-important age demographic of 25-54-year-olds that’s more specifically fitting for cable news crowds, Fox News brought in an average of 135,000 viewers. That dropoff is far steeper, comparatively, as it’s 62% lower than what that demo average was the year prior. There’s a pattern here. 

For total day stats, Fox News enjoyed its most minimal dropoff, averaging 1.09 million viewers across the full slate. That’s a 25% dip from previous numbers, though the percentage gets higher again when it comes to the 25-54 demo average for total day measurements. Fox News pulled in 126,000 on average, which is a 45% decrease.

It was immediately obvious that there were going to be viewership issues, with ratings numbers immediately falling in the wake of Tucker Carlson’s exit. Since that point, Fox News replaced its crown jewel Tucker Carlson Tonight with Fox News Tonight, which has employed a revolving door of temp hosts, from Brian Kilmeade to Kayleigh McEnany to Lawrence Jones and beyond.

For all the dourness that comes with lower numbers, Fox News isn’t exactly getting pummeled by the competition or anything. In fact, all of the numbers noted above still managed to put the network on top of rivals MSNBC and CNN. The latter was also part of the de-anchoring mess in April when the allegedly problematic Don Lemon was fired, though he was part of the morning lineup and had no direct impact on primetime numbers.

While not the most flauntable victory, Fox News can still tout itself as the most-watched cable news provider out there. That said, MSNBC was the only one of the three to enjoy positive gains in all areas, and is closing the gap in that respect, even if there’s still a ways to go. MSNBC is averaging 1.16 million in primetime (up 14%), with 120,000 in the 25-54 demo (up 14%), and is averaging 736K viewers in total-day stats (up 16%), with 85,000 of that in the desired age bracket (up 21%).

CNN, meanwhile, is averaging 494,000 in primetime (down 25%) with 113K in the age demo (down 25%). The drop was only slightly lower, percentage-wise, for total day averages: 426,000 (down 21%) and 84,000 in the demo (down 21%). And that third place ranking may only get more stark if MSNBC’s numbers continue to rise accordingly.

Though Tucker Carlson’s primetime replacement didn’t make the cut for the Top 5 cable news shows, as measured by total viewers (or demo stats), Fox News still managed to take hold of all five slots with its programming, as laid out in the average-viewership totals below.

• The Five - 2.63 million (276,000 in 25-54 demographic)
• Jesse Watters Primetime - 2.14 million (194,000 demo)
• Hannity - 1.91 million (178,000 demo)
• Special Report with Bret Baier - 1.81 million (187,000 demo)
• Gutfeld! - 1.65 million (224,000 demo)

Give it up for Greg Gutfeld for pulling off a Top 5 placement, with a second-place average for its key demo ratings. And during a month when the WGA writers strike took out almost every other nightly talk show on TV. 

Only time will tell if Fox News will figure out a way to reverse the declining numbers going into the summer months, or if MSNBC will find its own way to take over the top spots. 

This year’s White House Correspondents Dinner arguably happened at a perfectly fitting time for headlining comedian and Daily Show royalty Roy Wood Jr., as it happened very soon after Fox News split ways with Tucker Carlson, as well as after CNN terminated Don Lemon’s contract. Understandably, that gave Wood even more material than he would have already had for his 30-minute spot, and he used that advantage to deliver some fiery roasts for the currently unemployed news anchors.

Roy Wood Jr. could potentially take over as permanent Daily Show host if asked, having previously joined the rotating slate of guest hosts in the wake of Trevor Noah’s absence, and he further proved how excellent he is at winning over a crowd during the White House dinner. Even when that crowd is already preconfigured to laugh at political humor. He brought up what he dubbed the “elephant” in the room as he started off his time slot, as televised on C-SPAN:

Reginald VelJohnson, who recently returned to Sitcom Dad status for a Geico ad, probably wouldn’t be the TV talent many would expect to jump on stage and rail on Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon. And even if he was, he probably wouldn’t be equipped with the zingers that Roy Wood Jr. had. Here’s how he first delved into the Fox News of it all:

Wood then joked about how he couldn't remember which reality show Vanderpump Rules was, and joked about it being the white version of BMF, before going for a more racially sharpened punchline. 

The longtime Daily Show comic brought President Joe Biden into his jokes quite a few times during his 30 minutes or so on stage, but perhaps this was the biggest barb where Biden wasn't Wood's direct target. 

Which earned the below reaction from the POTUS:

Soon after, Roy Wood Jr. joked that Tucker Carlson's firing being somewhat rare for Fox News, in that it wasn't largely tied to harsh treatment of a woman, and then shifted his aim over to fellow ousted cable newsman Don Lemon, who is reportedly getting prepped for a possible legal battle over the millions still left on his contract. Wood continued:

That joke drew possibly the biggest laugh of any aimed at the two outgoing anchors, and that's as much a stellar comedic set-up as it is a burn on Don Lemon, even though it's indeed a great jab. 

Roy Wood Jr. did vaguely address Lemon's on-air controversy involving Nikki Haley, referring to it as him saying "a couple of women were raggedy to their face." But Wood invoked another uncomfortably scandalous incident, and the offending journalist, when dunking on Lemon. 

Everybody remembers Jeffrey Toobin, right? He's the CNN and New Yorker guy who...yeah, that's right...while on camera with co-workers. Not the most timely reference to make, but then time isn't really the main issue there. 

Currently, Tucker Carlson is rumored to be sparking a mega-offer from Newsmax, even if he probably can't take any jobs while still under any contractual non-compete clauses. The same goes for Don Lemon, who was also reportedly being courted-via-conversation by Newsmax. But as Lemon put it when asked about his future, he's doing just "great."

Could Roy Wood Jr., Tucker Carlson, and Don Lemon ever share the screen or stage together? Probably not, but one can certainly imagine how loud that room would get, regardless of its size.

Following Don Lemon’s firing at CNN after months of misconduct allegations, there’s been a lot of talk about why he was let go. Now, The View’s Sunny Hostin, who explained that she was friends with the former anchor, is sharing her thoughts on his firing, saying “it doesn’t make sense.” 

Hostin was among the attendees at the “Politics & Inclusion” dinner, a pre-cursor to the White House Correspondents Dinner. While there, The View panelist shared her thoughts on Don Lemon’s firing, and the media landscape in general, noting that she’s “biased” when it comes to Lemon. Speaking directly about the former CNN anchor, she told People: 

She continued to talk about Lemon, and her experience working with him, telling a story about when they reported together from Ferguson, South Carolina: 

For context, Lemon’s firing came a few months after he faced backlash over "sexist" comments he made on air about Nikki Haley. He also faced multiple allegations regarding misconduct in the workplace. The day after it was announced he no longer worked at CNN and would not be appearing in another episode of CNN This Morning on the 2023 TV schedule, his former co-anchors, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, addressed his absence and read an official statement from the network. 

Since then, it’s come out that Lemon is reportedly preparing for a possible legal fight with the network. Although when asked what is next for him, the former CNN anchor said “I’m great,” explaining that he would be enjoying the summer. 

Along with bringing up her disapproval of Lemon’s firing, Hostin also talked about MSNBC’s Tiffany Cross, who was fired by that network last November. The View star made a point to note she thinks both their departures made her “disappointed, actually, in the state of things.” She said: 

Along with these comments, Hostin also explained on an episode of The View earlier this week that she disapproved of Lemon's firing. She made it clear she believed he shouldn’t be compared to Tucker Carlson, who was fired by Fox News this week as well. She did admit that her former colleague said “sexist” and “ageist” things, however, said he apologized and received “formal training.” 

As more news continues to come out about Don Lemon leaving CNN, we’ll be sure to keep you posted. 

There’s been quite a shakeup in the cable news landscape this week, as Fox News parted ways with longtime commentator Tucker Carlson on the same day that CNN fired Don Lemon amid multiple workplace misconduct allegations. Both men have since broken their silence, and while the former seems to be questioning the content of modern cable news, Lemon seemed to be in a good place, despite his removal from CNN after 17 years. In fact, when speaking to reporters at the Time 100 Gala, he said he was doing “great.”

Don Lemon was apparently blindsided by the news of his firing — which came months after backlash over perceived sexist comments and a few weeks after reports of “volatile” behavior against some of his CNN colleagues. The anchor appeared on the air on the morning of April 24, before revealing on Twitter just hours later that he’d been informed of his termination. You’d never have known that, however, by his comments to USA TODAY at the April 26 gala, where he told reporters: 

The reveal of Don Lemon’s summer plans come as he is apparently gearing up for a legal battle against CNN, in the case that his former employer would deny him the $25 million he’s allegedly owed due to the terms of his contract, which ran through 2026. His lawyer Bryan Freedman will also reportedly be looking into whether Lemon could be eligible for further damages in regards to the conditions of his termination.

I suppose the promise of a beach vacation and $25 million payout would have anyone in high spirits, and Don Lemon went on to say that it’s not in his nature anyway to stay mad about his circumstances. He told Page Six: 

Perhaps the topic of career changes came up as the embattled journalist and his longtime partner Tim Malone rubbed elbows with Kim Kardashian at the Time 100 Gala. The billionaire entrepreneur admitted at the 2023 TIME100 Summit earlier this week that she would “absolutely” be willing to give up her reality TV career to become an attorney full time.  

Speaking of career shakeups, Tucker Carlson seemed to be skeptical about the state of cable news in his first public comments since getting the ax from Fox News. He said after he stepped “outside the noise” for a few days, he had come to notice “how unbelievably stupid most of the debates you see on television are. They're completely irrelevant. They mean nothing. In five years, we won't even remember that we had them.” 

It sounds like he also may be seeking a change for the future. We’ll have to see where the cards fall for Don Lemon and the rest, and in the meantime, you can check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what shows are premiering soon. 

CNN fired noted media personality Don Lemon, who’d been employed there for 17 years, earlier this week in what proved to be a high-profile move for the company. His termination came weeks after he stirred up controversy for making “sexist” comments on the air. Shortly after, he was leveled with a number of misconduct allegations, with some accusing him of exhibiting “volatile” behavior. In the aftermath of his exit, it was reported that the news network owes Lemon $25 million. Now, it appears that he’s gearing up for a possible legal battle in the event that his hefty payout is disputed.

As of right now, there doesn't seem to be any indication that Don Lemon’s former employer will prevent him from receiving that full sum. Though he’s apparently enlisted the services of a top-tier legal expert in the event that things get dicey. Page Six reports that the 57-year-old journalist hired Los Angeles-based entertainment lawyer Bryan Freedman to oversee his exit proceedings. A source for the news outlet provided further alleged details on Lemon’s deal with the cable news channel as well as how Freedman will assist him: 

Page Six specifies that the newsman’s contract was worth $7 million per year and that said deal was signed in September 2022. As mentioned by the insider, Bryan Freedman will not only seek to secure the $25 million for his client but also determine whether he’s entitled to more money. Freedman has a lot of experience when it comes to entertainment law and has represented A-listers like Robert Downey Jr., Kate Beckinsale and Vin Diesel. In terms of news media officials, Freedman is notably representing another CNN alum, Chris Cuomo, as he’s seeking a lot of cash amid arbitration following his dismissal in 2021. The attorney also recently took on Tucker Carlson, who parted ways with Fox News this week.

Don Lemon personally confirmed his own firing via a Twitter post this week. In the statement, he alleged that he was given no advanced notice of his termination. CNN later refuted that claim, saying that he was “offered an opportunity to meet with management” but instead decided to speak out on social media. When addressing his situation, Lemon also thanked his colleagues, some of whom have since acknowledged his ousting. Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins reacted during the network’s This Morning broadcast. Both wished him the best and acknowledged his importance to the corporation. The network itself actually reported on the firing, which you can see in the video below:

Those comments differ from some of the ones that have been aimed at the TV host over the last few months. He received heavy backlash after he said that presidential candidate Nikki Haley is past her prime as a woman, and he subsequently left the air for a few days. Though he eventually returned, the tension seemed to be far from over, as his viral comments continued to make the rounds. 

In April, Don Lemon made headlines again following the release of an exposé, which detailed a number of allegations. Sources alleged that during his tenure at the TV news entity, he had negative encounters with a few of his female colleagues. One such person was Soledad O'Brien, as he purportedly questioned her Black ancestry during a large editorial call. Those close to the situation also claimed that he threatened Kyra Phillips after she secured an assignment that he allegedly coveted. 

Whether any of these allegations figure into the negotiations over Don Lemon’s exit agreement is unclear. If they do come into play though, one would think that he’ll defer to his newly appointed legal representative to ensure that his $25 million payout remains unaffected.

Following Don Lemon being fired by CNN, CNN This Morning aired its first episode on the 2023 TV schedule that did not feature the longtime anchor. Yesterday’s events were quickly addressed by the show’s other two co-anchors Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins where they read a statement from the network’s CEO, and explained their own feelings about Lemon being let go. 

The broadcast began with Poppy Harlow saying (via People):

The anchor continued talking, reading the official statement from CNN’s CEO Chris Licht, part of which stated:

After Harlow’s comment, and the reading of Licht’s statement, Kaitlan Collins said:

Following Collins comment, Harlow explained that she also wishes him the best, and said Lemon was “one of [her] first friends here at CNN.” She also noted that she was “thankful” to have worked with him over the last 15 years. 

This morning’s show also opened with a logo that only featured Collins and Harlow’s names, per Deadline. 

Lemon announced that he would no longer be at CNN on Twitter yesterday, writing in part: 

He went on to say that since he had been at the network for 17 years he was shocked that management reportedly did not tell him directly. Then CNN posted a reply to Lemon’s announcement saying his statement “about this morning’s events is inaccurate.” They proceeded to write that he was “offered an opportunity” to speak with management, but he took to Twitter instead. 

This news broke after months of reporting surrounding Lemon’s actions, and reported misconduct. In February the former CNN anchor made “sexist” comments about Nikki Haley which went viral and reportedly had backlash behind the scenes. Lemon released a statement after his comments went viral, and following this event, people started to wonder if his future at CNN was in jeopardy. 

Upon Lemon’s return to CNN, it was reported that there was still tension, and he allegedly had one strike left. Then this month a new report came out that included allegations of “volatile” behavior involving Soledad O’Brien, Nancy Grace and Kyra Phillips. 

As of right now, CNN has not said anything more about why Lemon was fired of if he'll be replaced on CNN This Morning. So, as more news comes out regarding the network’s next steps, and the former anchor’s future, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.  

CNN has made some significant moves in regards to its talent over the past few years, but a decision that was revealed this week may be one of the biggest yet. Longtime media pundit Don Lemon has been fired by the network, as the 57-year-old journalist confirmed the news himself via social media on Monday. This development comes months after he faced backlash for making comments that were viewed as sexist while on the air. And just a few weeks ago, a number of workplace misconduct allegations were leveled against Lemon as well.

Don Lemon, who appeared on the air just this morning, announced the news in a Twitter post. Based on his statement, he was given no indication that he would be let go. He proceeded to thank his colleagues while seemingly suggesting that his termination is the result of bigger issues at the media corporation: 

After he shared that message, CNN issued its own on Twitter. As the company put it, the account that the ousted media personality gave is "inaccurate":

The newsman started working with the (now-Warner Bros Discovery-owned) corporation in 2006 and, over time, he established himself as one of its most vocal pundits. By 2014, he began to make a name for himself within the primetime sphere due to his eponymous show, Don Lemon Tonight, which was canceled in 2022. During his tenure, he also participated in other programs and even served as one of the headliners of the network’s annual New Year's Eve Live broadcast. 

Despite his popularity, Don Lemon also courted controversy on a number of occasions as a result of controversial statements he made. In February, he was heavily criticized for saying that politician Nikki Haley was past her prime as a woman while discussing her presidential campaign announcement. Lemon took some time off after his comments went viral and eventually returned to his post days later. Around that time, however, there was still a question as to whether his job at CNN was in jeopardy, as there was still said to be tension in the aftermath.

He found himself making headlines again earlier this month when an exposé filled with allegations began making the rounds. The lengthy story detailed alleged encounters between him and fellow personalities he’d worked with at the network. In one instance, he reportedly called out Soledad O'Brien during an editorial call and implied that she isn’t Black. Another purported source claimed that he mockingly mimicked Nancy Grace during an encounter that took place during the late 2000s. On top of that, other insiders accused the Emmy winner of threatening former colleague Kyra Phillips after she secured an assignment in Iraq that he apparently wanted.

News of Don Lemon’s termination actually comes right on the heels of a big development at one of CNN’s competitors. Fox News Media confirmed today that Tucker Carlson is no longer employed with the company. Needless to say, this has been a whirlwind of a day for the broadcast journalism industry.

Time will tell whether CNN provides details on why it chose to move on from Don Lemon. As of right now, it also remains unclear as to how Lemon might move forward professionally though, based on a new report, NewNation has already shown interest in him.

In the month and change since CNN anchor Don Lemon caused a backlash and was temporarily pulled from TV for referring to Presidential hopeful Nikki Haley as being past her prime as a woman, the This Morning frontman has largely avoided courting controversy. However, Lemon is now at the heart of a host of new and resurfaced allegations and criticisms regarding his behavior at the cable news network over the years. 

Don Lemon’s on-air comments and his apologies were criticized back in February, and CNN staffers were reportedly among the many who were upset with how quickly he was allowed to return to his duties. The allegation-filled report from Variety reflects many of the previously reported claims and feelings happening behind-the-scenes at the network, while also pinpointing specific instances where he was said to have intentionally disrespected colleagues such as Soledad O’Brien, Kyra Phillips and Nancy Grace. 

Soledad O'Brien

From 2003-2013, Soledad O’Brien was at the helm of multiple positions and programs at CNN, starting with American Morning, before exiting to expand her professional horizons elsewhere. Some of her more timeless work for CNN includes the Black in America docuseries, and Don Lemon was reportedly highly peeved that she was the top choice for the job. To the point where two sources claimed he, during an editorial call with 30 or so co-workers, made a comment suggesting O’Brien isn’t actually Black.

While the former Real Sports correspondent and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt guest star wasn’t on the aforementioned call herself, she did share her thoughts on it allegedly occurring, saying: 

As shocking as the alleged comment was said to be, one colleague who spoke to Variety said that Lemon was always aiming to be “front and center” for whatever higher-tier projects came around, particularly whenever the topic of race was involved. A CNN spokesperson did share a statement on the matter:

• Statement from CNN spokesperson: Don, Soledad and others have in the past correctly referred to her Afro-Cuban heritage as it is a unique part of her personal story. But Don denies making any related remark in a derogatory way.

Race wasn't the only factor that played into the claims made about Don Lemon, however. He also reportedly displayed misogynistic behavior through comments on and off the air, which is where Nancy Grace comes in.

Nancy Grace

Don Lemon was criticized for an incident in the late 2000s in which he was on the air with Nancy Grace and mimicked her in a mocking way, earning shocked reactions among others at the network. One of the anchors' colleagues who was reportedly present during filming said:

• Statement from colleague who witnessed the incident: That was the beginning of when you knew that Don was kind of volatile and didn’t say good things about women.

Nancy Grace herself apparently declined the option to comment on that time, but someone close to the podcast host claims that Grace considers Don Lemon to be an "ass." Further, the person called him out for being "rude, dismissive, and unfamiliar" with the news topics being tackled.

Kyra Phillips

Arguably the most disturbing details in Variety's report stem from Don Lemon's alleged treatment of, and behavior towards, his former Live From co-anchor Kyra Phillips, who left CNN for ABC News in 2018 after spending most of the previous 19 years there. Back in 2008, when Phillips was sent to Iraq on assignment, Lemon is accused of being so upset about not getting the job that he's said to have ripped up a number of pictures and notes that were on and inside of Phillips' desk.

After she returned to the U.S., a dinner with co-workers was interrupted by a text from an unknown number, with a message that stated: Now you've crossed the line, and you're going to pay for it. When she reported the threatening message to her bosses at CNN, sources say the number was traced back to Don Lemon, and an HR investigation reportedly ensued. It's claimed the details of the investigation were never disclosed to any of the staffers aware of the message, but that it coincides with the time when Lemon was suddenly shifted from weekdays to weekends. The move was alleged to be a means of disciplinary punishment for Lemon, who was apparently held back from being partnered with female co-anchors between that point and the time when he landed CNN This Morning alongside Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow.

While Phillips declined to comment on the claims made, a CNN spokesperson says Lemon is denying all of it. 

• Statement from CNN spokesperson: Don says the alleged incident never occurred and that he was never notified of any investigation. CNN cannot corroborate the alleged events from 15 years ago.

The report from Variety includes various other claims and allegations about Don Lemon's behavior and views, with past CNN consultant Goldie Taylor claiming she was "personally banned" from the network after disagreeing with Lemon's comments about the Black community. Several sources therein point to a growing fascination with being a celebrity and attracting fame as being responsible for a change in his behavior, which ties into his past mini-rift with Dave Chappelle and other entertainers. 

Through it all and more, including lawsuits, CNN has continued to have Lemon's back. Whether or not that will change after these newly emerging claims remains to be seen.

To the surprise of many, Don Lemon made his return to CNN This Morning on Wednesday for the first time since his controversial comments about presidential hopeful Nikki Haley sparked a backlash that hasn’t entirely subsided. It was initially unclear how the channel would proceed after keeping Lemon for an additional two weekdays following his pre-planned day off. CNN boss Chris Licht quelled those curiosities on Tuesday via staff memo that went public later, confirming the anchor would return to his morning duties mid-week. Sure enough, the hosting status quo was in place, but tensions are reportedly still quite high amongst his colleagues and bosses. 

Don Lemon Shared Latest Apology Ahead Of Return 

A little under 30 minutes before hitting the air again alongside Poppy Harlow, Lemon took to Twitter to share blanketed appreciation for the chance to get back to work, along with another public apology for having labeled Nikki Haley as being beyond her “prime” at 51 years of age. 

Given the nature of Twitter, the post was met with equal waves of seemingly genuine empathy, overtly genuine snark, meanness, niceness, and occasional randomness. 

Nothing Was Referenced During CNN This Morning

While some viewers may have expected Wednesday morning’s telecast to make some form of reference to Don Lemon’s absence, or his comments that preceded his absence, nothing of the sort happened. Instead, things kicked off with him sitting astride Poppy Harlow as if nothing too dire had happened. 

Perhaps the only time where Lemon appeared to specifically have that whole ordeal at the forefront of his mind was during a segment later in the broadcast that addressed British companies starting to test out four-day work week. The anchor voiced his opinion that such a change wouldn’t win his favor, saying:

Granted, he wasn’t holding a sign saying “Talking to you, CNN bosses,” but the overall sentiment was likely a genuine one all the same, even if it’s rumored that he would be perfectly fine with parting ways with the channel should better offers come from elsewhere.  

Don Lemon Reportedly Has One Strike Left At CNN

Had this been Don Lemon's very first case of questionable and anger-inducing behavior, this likely wouldn’t be such a complicated return for the anchor. However, his on-air comments — and then subsequent pushback against Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins — were only the latest reported instances where his words and/or actions have lit others’ fuses.

Having garnered public criticisms from late night TV and comedians, with Dave Chappelle’s Netflix special comments setting him off in particular, Lemon has also reportedly earned his fair share of off-camera complaints. Weeks ahead of his Nikki Haley comments, the New York Post reported on an alleged incident in December where Lemon is said to have screamed at Collins once the cameras stopped rolling because she interrupted him on the air, which caused her to leave the set.

It’s to the point, TMZ reports, that Don Lemon agreed to return to CNN This Morning with the knowledge that he doesn’t have any leeway left with execs, and will get no future warnings. If any other negative comments are made about or to his co-workers, or if there are complaints made about his at-work behavior, he will allegedly be shown the door. 

The fact that Don Lemon isn’t bringing the kinds of ratings and viewership numbers that CNN is looking for could also be a factor in his alleged short leash at the company. He was shifted away from primetime due to dipping numbers, and things haven’t been going so well for his morning audiences either. 

While Fox News is currently facing fallout from its ongoing lawsuit battle against Dominion Voting Systems, CNN is dealing with a controversial situation of its own thanks to Don Lemon’s past-her-prime comments about presidential hopeful Nikki Haley. The outspoken anchor has been off the air since the start of the backlash, which arguably began in-segment thanks to pushback from co-anchors Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, but is now confirmed to be returning this week after  multiple apologies were voiced. It doesn’t seem like the controversy will be fully concluded, however. 

When Don Lemon Is Returning To CNN

Despite some speculation that Don Lemon might lost his day job over his comments, CNN’s big boss Chris Licht shared a memo with the network’s stacked staff on Monday night to break the news that the anchor will be back on the air starting on Wednesday, February 22. Here’s what he said in the memo, according to the Daily Beast: 

Don Lemon took a day off the Friday after his comments were made on the air, which included him questioning why the 51-year-old Nikki Haley was speaking about others’ mental capacities when she herself is, if you look at “Google or whatever it is,” past her prime. Lemon claimed that such research would show that women are in peak mode in their “20s, 30s, and 40s.” 

Lemon’s post-segment apology on Twitter didn’t exactly go over well with the outside world, and a similar reaction was granted to his call-in apologies to CNN staffers on Friday morning. He was eventually pulled from his duties for Monday’s CNN This Morning. However, he and Chris Licht reportedly met up early Monday to hash things out, coming to whatever agreement led the network head honcho to reveal to others that Lemon would be back.

Don Lemon hasn’t exactly sparked a whole lot of positive headlines and goodwill in the last year or so. He managed to duck an assault lawsuit in mid-2022 after his accuser dropped it, but became embroiled in another one when former CNN personality Chris Cuomo sued the network for firing him over ties to brother Andrew Cuomo’s downfall. 

The Aftermath Of Don Lemon’s Controversial Comments

As noted in Chris Licht’s memo, part of the stipulations for Lemon returning to his co-anchor spot on CNN This Morning will revolve around him taking part in some kind of formal training, though those details were not relayed. One could assume there will be some kind of classes or meetings that are meant to instruct and inform about gender equality and workplace behavior. Though it doesn’t sound like his colleagues at the network believe this to be a proper punishment for comments that he doubled-down on during the segment. 

While Lemon may be holding onto steady employment at CNN, the anchor has apparently dropped out of an upcoming event for which he’d been announced as a moderator. He was set to be front and center for Agents of Change, which is described as being “a conversation about race and real estate in honor of Black History Month,” and is being held on Tuesday, February 21.

According to TMZ, Lemon was reportedly concerned about how his own negative publicity might affect coverage of the event, which fell in line with the views shared by event coordinators for the company Douglas Elliman. As such, he exited, and has been replaced by real estate broker John Gomes as the moderator.

Expect for some more on-air apologies whenever Don Lemon is back on the small screen, and probably expect more than a few social media reactions about it, no matter which way it goes. Lemon has drawn criticisms elsewhere for taking Stephen Colbert’s outfit comments far too personally, and he was also vocal about jokes that Dave Chappelle made about him onstage. 

Cable news anchors like those at CNN and Fox News are well-known for voicing strongly worded opinions on all things political. However, when their comments cross over into other topics, that can lead to big trouble behind the scenes, and that seems to be the case for longtime CNN journalist Don Lemon. The host issued an apology for saying on February 16 that Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley “is not in her prime,” drawing protests from his co-hosts and the general public alike. Lemon has been absent from CNN This Morning since making the sexist comments, so is his future with CNN in jeopardy?

It’s unknown at this point what long-term effects Don Lemon’s comments will have on his career, but The Wrap reports that the anchor’s absence from CNN This Morning on Friday, February 17 was a scheduled day off. Following the backlash from his musings on former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's age, Lemon “chose to extend his vacation time through the Presidents Day holiday.” It’s unknown if a return date has been discussed.

Don Lemon has been with CNN since 2006 and serves as a co-anchor on the network’s morning show alongside Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins. During the February 16 broadcast, Lemon spoke about the 2024 presidential hopeful, who is 51, in response to Nikki Haley’s call for mental competency tests for politicians older than 75. 

His suggestion that Nikki Haley was not “in her prime” drew immediate pushback from Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, but the host attempted to defend his statement by invoking Google and saying: 

He reportedly even doubled-down on his statement in the next hour. Along with angering his colleagues and many viewers, Don Lemon also apparently drew the ire of CNN CEO Chris Licht, who The Wrap insiders say was “furious.” At the network’s Friday editorial meeting, Licht called the comments “unacceptable” and “unfair to his co-hosts.” 

CNN reports that Don Lemon was then allowed to address his colleagues in the virtual meeting, where he issued an apology. The journalist said:  

With the anchor’s leave apparently being extended from what was scheduled before the controversy, we’ll have to see what Chris Licht’s next move will be. Reports say the CNN CEO has been under pressure in regards to Don Lemon because of past problematic behavior from the host. Lemon was involved in an assault lawsuit that was suddenly dropped in 2022, in which he had been accused of “emotional pain and suffering” due to “aggression and hostility.” 

There have also been instances of tense moments with his co-anchors, and Don Lemon has a long track record of making odd comments. Past incidents include talking about comedian Kathy Griffin’s “rack” in 2016 and, more recently, taking a Stephen Colbert joke about his outfit a little too seriously.

We’ll have to see if Don Lemon returns to his regularly scheduled programming this week, or if CNN chooses to take further action. In his absence, Sara Sidner is filling in for Lemon. You can tune in to CNN This Morning on weekdays at 6 p.m. ET., and be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming your way soon. 

Following Don Lemon’s heavily criticized comments about when a woman’s prime is, he’s taken the day off, and allegedly there has been some behind-the-scenes backlash. It was announced two hours after his initial comments on the CNN broadcast that he’d be off the next day. Following Lemon’s apology, an insider is calling him out for his “sexist” comments about Nikki Haley, and they said the host is “skating on thin ice,” at the network.

Lemon's co-hosts Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow acknowledged his absence from the broadcast, and they said that he was being replaced for the day by Audia Cornish. That was the only comment made on air about the co-host, what he said yesterday was not specifically brought up. Now, an insider shared their feelings on Lemon with the Daily Mail, saying: 

Following his comments Lemon took to Twitter to post an apology that read: 

However, the source did not buy it, and continued saying:

For context, Lemon’s comments about women in their prime, seem to have been a tipping point, considering all the talk about the network reportedly being pressured to fire him. 

The reason for all this talk is while on air, the CNN employee and his co-hosts were talking about Nikki Haley, who had just announced she would be running for president. Lemon noted her age, she’s 51, and said the politician isn’t in her prime, elaborating with:

Harlow then pushed back on the comment, saying “Prime for what?” Lemon continued to make his point saying if you Google it those ages would come up as a women’s prime. His co-host then fired back again, asking if he meant prime for childbearing, or prime for being president, and then he said:

Allegedly, this is not the first time Lemon has been in trouble, and reportedly the boss of CNN, Chris Licht, has been under pressure to do something about the host’s actions. A source reported that there allegedly is pressure to fire Lemon following his repeated problematic actions. 

Lemon was involved in an assault lawsuit that was suddenly dropped this year, which involved Dustin Hice accusing him of “emotional pain and suffering” due to “aggression and hostility.” He’s also been involved with tense moments at CNN that have caused his co-workers distress, like the time he made Kaitlan Collins run off the set in tears after reportedly berating her in front of everyone, as The Daily Mail explained. 

While he’s had multiple issues crop up over the last few months, he has a track record of making odd comments and being talked about by comedians for what he says, and sometimes what he wears. For example, in 2016 he commented on Kathy Griffn’s “rack”. This year, he was clowned by Stephen Colbert for his outfit, and then took it like a personal attack. While both these moments were taken in a more humorous way, Dave Chappelle did call the CNN anchor out during one of his specials.  

Lemon has had his fair share of problematic comments, and the internet has not been afraid to call him out for them. If this source is correct, CNN is allegedly facing pressure to do something about it, specifically after he made those “sexist” comments on air. 

When it comes to being at the center of public scandals and professional downfalls, Chris Cuomo is more than a little familiar. He was notoriously fired from his high-profile position at CNN after an internal review determined him culpable for using his journalistic position to gain information about the women accusing his brother and then-Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment. The younger sibling has been adamant about his termination being wrongful, to the point where he’s suing the news org for millions upon millions. But in a new interview, he addressed how he had to change his mental state from the time of his firing, as he stated with possible hyperbole that he wanted to kill everyone, including himself, as it was happening.

Chris Cuomo appeared on the latest podcast installment of Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci, hosted by the financier who famously spent a ten-day stretch as Donald Trump’s White House Comms Director. Their conversation touched upon a variety of different subjects, though a lot of the topics hovered around that controversial period, with Cuomo having to transition from CNN’s top dog to taking on a new kind of series at Fox’s NewsNation. Saying he knows he’s far from perfect, Cuomo shared a self-assessment that tapped into the rage and despair he felt after getting fired.

Cuomo followed that up by explaining that he advises his kids to not idolize him or think of him as anything beyond someone to learn a few things from, even if not all of that knowledge is entirely positive. To that end, he seemed to be speaking of his own views on brother Andrew Cuomo when reflecting on what he wished he’d been told years ago. In his words:

Cuomo also addressed his self-awareness that speaking about such things publicly can always lead to his thoughts and words being misconstrued, as has happened previously in his career. He and others have also quantified such comments by putting the onus on their Italian heritage being a cause of heightened emotions. 

Scaramucci knows quite a bit about such public downfalls and career transitions, though he bounced back from his Washington D.C. stint in all kinds of ways, such as popping back onto the small screen for reality TV journeys through CBS’ misery-infused Special Forces and the same network’s Celebrity Big Brother, which he may or may not have quit. Cuomo’s shift took him from CNN to Fox’s NewsNation, where he currently hosts the titular program [Cuomo] that’s less focused on partisan politics and is crafted to appeal to more centrist viewers. 

Though he may have, albeit hypothetically, wanted to put the lethal kibosh on CNN during his termination, it hasn’t taken away from his respect of the company as a whole. And he’s come to accept that he’ll likely never hit the same career highs that he did while on the network. Though don’t expect him to pull his lawsuit or anything. As he put it:

The anchor hosts [Cuomo] every weeknight on NewsNation at 8:00 p.m. ET, regardless of whether audiences will be as big as CNN's or not. 

Don Lemon went viral for all the wrong reasons this morning when his on-air CNN This Morning comments about women being in their "prime" in their 20s, 30s and "maybe" 40s exploded on Twitter. The host was trying to say he was uncomfortable with Nikki Haley, who is 51, calling out Joe Biden, who is 80, about his age. He said she needed to be careful since she was past her prime as a woman. 

One of his co-hosts asked him to clarify, and he basically doubled down, saying the "facts" are a woman is in her prime in her 20s, 30s and maybe 40s. Well, upon further review he has decided to clarify even more. He hit up Twitter to apologize for what happened. You can see his tweet below...

At this point, it's unclear whether his apology will break the news cycle or whether it'll continue with people further being outraged by his comments. For, now you can check out the original article below, which contains more details and a video of the conversation everyone is talking about.

Original Story Follows:

News anchor Don Lemon was speaking with his co-hosts on CNN This Morning when the subject of age came up. Specifically, the panel was talking about Republican Presidential Candidate Nikki Haley’s recent comments about the age of President Joe Biden (and indirectly the age of former President Donald Trump). Lemon said the conversation made him uncomfortable because Haley, who is 51, is past her own prime as a woman. He then went on to say women are in their primes in their 20s, 30s and “maybe” 40s.

His statement didn’t go over particularly well with his female co-hosts, but they treated him with kid gloves compared to the Internet, which has been very aggressive with loudly condemning Lemon’s comments. Before we get into that response though, here’s a look at his exact words…

You may notice there are several ellipses in that quote. That’s because, on multiple occasions, co-host Poppy Harlow interjected with statements like “prime for what?” and “are you talking about prime for childbearing or are you talking about prime for being President?” Lemon just kept doubling down, inferring it was just the general prime for being a woman. Harlow was clearly not pleased with the conversation, and once Lemon realized it, he pivoted to talking about how much old people turn out to vote and how his mother, who is 80, could still be a good President.

Don Lemon is, of course, no stranger to controversy. He got in a back-and-forth earlier this year with Stephen Colbert after the Internet roasted one of his outfits, and he’s had plenty of other situations, including one with Dave Chappelle, in which he’s made the news, rather than reported it. That being said, the level of outrage from the Internet here is louder and more aggressive than he typically sees. 

At first, much of the angry chatter was concentrated to right wing journalists and talking heads on Twitter, but the conversation is starting to become much broader, to the point where he's trending and if you search Don Lemon, Twitter offers the term “prime” in the search bar. There are also more than a few users pointing out that he’s, in fact, older than Haley is. 

You can check out the video of Lemon’s comments below…

There have only been 9 total United States Presidents that were sworn in before their 50th birthday. Current President Joe Biden is 80 years old, and the topic of age seems likely to be a focal point of the campaign, given he’s already the oldest President in US history, and former President Trump, who is running again, is currently 76. Exactly what the public debate around those conversations ends up looking like is unclear at this point and will likely defend on numerous factors like polling and who else ends up running.

As for Lemon, it’s unclear whether anything will come from this. The Internet is currently very mad, especially on the right wing side of the aisle, but the Internet is always mad about something and many of those conversations just slowly go away. If this keeps building momentum, however, he may be forced to make a statement at some point. We’ll keep you updated if he does. 

Have you seen the back-and-forth exchange between Stephen Colbert and Don Lemon about the latter’s outfit? It’s probably the least important thing that has ever happened in the history of television, and I’m obsessed and need to talk about it. Let’s back up for those of you who might not be in the loop here.

So, Don Lemon was on CNN This Morning the other day. I don’t know if you watch the popular talking head on a regular basis, but he’s significantly more adventurous than most newscasters when it comes to his clothes. He goes way outside the realm of basic black suit, and more often than not, his fashion choices really pop. As a guy who loves a colorful button down or something that’s a little louder and more interesting, I support his choices and his willingness to be bold.

Unfortunately, when you get a little more adventurous,  other people are going to have something to say, and the Internet collectively had a lot to say about one of Lemon’s more recent outfit choices. You can take a look at this bold ensemble below…

Now, I need to be honest before I continue here. I’m not saying this is the best outfit I’ve ever seen. It feels a little under-dressed for being on TV, but it’s pretty striking visually. Plus, I’m all for taking a big swing; so, I’m not saying he should wear this on the regular but I don’t hate it. I'd give it like a C. I’d rather he try too hard than not enough. I, however, seem to be in the minority though because a lot of people thought this was the worst thing anyone has ever worn. More than a few of those critics went on Twitter to roast Lemon for the outfit choice, and it even got some run on other TV shows, most prominently with Stephen Colbert.

The late night comedian talked about Lemon’s outfit choice during a segment on his show, and he did not hold back on clowning him for it. Here’s a real quote from his teasing…

The tone of Colbert’s teasing was very light, and it came amidst him talking about how he consistently watches and loves CNN This Morning, but when Lemon was asked about the roasting the next day, his tone was anything but light. He laughed along as the clip was being played, but as soon as it was done and he was asked if he’d like to respond, he got very serious very quickly and delivered a lengthy, multiple minute response that touched on a lot of serious issues. Here’s a portion…

Have you ever made what you thought was a relatively light joke at a friend’s expense and hit way more of a nerve than you expected? That’s what this feels like. It’s like Stephen Colbert was trying to get in a little 2/10 zinger and Don Lemon took it like it was an 8/10 personal attack. That’s the absolute worst feeling. You’re expecting maybe a good-natured little middle finger back after your comment and suddenly you’re hearing about how the weird and creepy painting in your friend’s living room of a clown that you said might haunt your dreams has a personal connection to their late grandmother and you just want to run out the door and escape. 

Now, I’m not going to tell anyone what they should or should not get offended at. Clearly, the political commentator felt the joke had some heat on it, and he needed to defend himself. I get it. Making bold fashion choices is sometimes a frustrating experience. There’s nothing people who have never taken a fashion risk love to do more than point at people with bolder tastes and criticize them. That can get old in a hurry, and while Colbert is a snazzy dresser, he's not exactly known for going too far outside the box. So, I get where Don is coming from. That being said, there are always going to be haters, and as haters go, Colbert didn't seem like he meant any real harm. Plus, it's not like Don Lemon hasn't ever gone out on a limb with a joke before. 

Given how somber Lemon seemed in his response, I was a bit worried we might see safer fashion choices in the future, but don’t worry, fans. Lemon vowed he will wear the hooded sweater again, though he said he’ll accessorize it differently since he doesn’t like wearing the same exact outfit twice. I can’t wait to see it. Keep pushing it, Don! You'll hear it from some haters, but many of us like the big swings, whether they're our personal taste or not. 

Among just about every major network being live in New York City to ring in the new year on December 31st, ABC’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest and CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live with Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper were especially big ones to tune into if you were at home getting in the 2023 spirit. After Seacrest claimed this week that Cohen declined to say hello to him during their competing broadcasts on NYE 2022, Cohen has shared his side of the story. 

While Ryan Seacrest was on his morning show Live! with Kelly and Ryan on Tuesday, the host claimed that Andy Cohen, who was standing just 10 feet away from him as they each put on their own New Year’s Eve shows, “did not turn around” to greet him amidst the celebration. Here’s how Andy Cohen addressed it on his Radio Andy show: 

Andy Cohen claimed that he never saw Ryan Seacrest and somewhat blamed his co-host Anderson Cooper for not letting him know when he was waving to Ryan Seacrest so he could turn around and do the same. Per Seacrest’s comments while conversing with Kelly Ripa on their shared morning show on Tuesday, Cooper mouthed “have a good show” to Seacrest while he didn’t have an interaction with Cohen during NYE. 

Seacrest also shared that his stage was right in front of Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen and during commercial breaks, he was trying to get their attention. Apparently the programs usually go on commercial break at the same time, but this year they did not, allowing viewers to switch between the two programs that were available to stream during New Year's Eve 2022. 

During Cohen’s radio show on Wednesday morning, he then decided to call Anderson Cooper about the whole thing, who didn’t sound too pleased about getting him “involved” in “a thing with Seacrest.” When Cohen asked Cooper why he didn’t get his attention while Seacrest was behind him, the CNN broadcast journalist said this: 

According to all accounts, it sounds like there was a simple miscommunication between Andy Cohen and Ryan Seacrest, Cohen apparently not seeing the longtime New Year’s Eve host and Seacrest thinking Cohen intentionally did not greet him. Cohen also joked that he was more focused on getting Duran Duran’s attention than Seacrest during the whole thing. 

Now that that’s all sorted, you can stay updated with what’s being broadcast and streaming with the 2023 TV schedule here on CinemaBlend. Happy New Year!! 

Well, people, we are almost at the end of yet another year. As usual, one way to clear the decks and get ready for whatever hopefully lovely things are to come is for lots of us to put on flimsy finery and go out on New Year’s Eve. But! If the idea of joining revelers at varying degrees of nuttiness fills you with dread, guess what? You can always get your drink on at home and watch Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper party the night away in heated clothes on CNN. Now, though, after someone on social media got snarky with Cohen about those festivities, he actually responded. 

How Did Andy Cohen Respond To A Snarky Comment About CNN's New Year's Eve Live?

I think many of us would agree that this year has both flown by and also been somewhat of a confusing, maddening slog (for a number of not-so-delightful reasons). However, we’re now deep in the holiday season (which has gifted us with a number of entries on the 2022 Christmas movie schedule), and there will be several New Year’s Eve celebrations to watch on TV before long. One of those is the frequently wild and wildly unpredictable New Year's Eve Live on CNN, but the Real Housewives mastermind recently felt the need to reply to a snarky Twitter user who is not at all happy about the show:

Well, alright, Andy! That’s certainly one way to respond when someone calls you an “idiot,” you and your co-host both “clowns,” and declares that the network that has let you lead New Year’s fun since 2017 (Cooper’s been there since 2002) “could do much better” than both of you. 

Truth be told, while viewers can watch a number of celebrations on television at the end of every year, the Cohen/Cooper fest has been known for many years to be the most likely to go somewhat off the rails and lead to many viral moments. The Watch What Happens Live host has railed against Times Square umbrella policy on air, ranted about outgoing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and openly admitted to “getting smashed on CNN” as he and the other anchors who are a part of the event make no bones about drinking on live TV and letting frequently inappropriate comments fly.

Obviously, a lot of fans adore watching often serious news anchors let loose on one of the major party-and-booze-centric nights of the year, but with a bit of a leadership change at the channel, Variety reports that some of the imbibing which has led to such surprising and funny NYE viral moments might now come to an end. Let’s all hope that, if that does come to pass, we’ll still get at least some of the random weirdness that this special is known for.

Anthony Bourdain has been in the news again of late thanks to a new book detailing his life, but also some of his final moments. As part of this, Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain had recently made headlines thanks to reportedly revealing intimate texts and details from the days leading up to the Parts Unknown host dying at the age of 61. Some of the texts reportedly came from ex Asia Argento, who now has seemingly commented in an Instagram Stories post. 

Down and Out in Paradise reportedly detailed an exchange Bourdain had with Argento shortly before his death. The two had been dating for some time but were on the outs after papparazzi photos had emerged with the Italian actress spending time with another man. In the texts, he got candid with his feelings, reportedly noting:

He then asked the actress if there was anything that he could do, to which she reportedly texted back: 

In a new Instagram Stories post (via People) that reportedly dropped after the Down and Out in Paradise news broke, Asia Argento wore a t-shirt with Ronnie Coleman on it that read “stop busting my balls.” The post went live on Thursday after reports had rolled around about the content in the book, including the newly released text message exchanges. 

She’d allegedly sent the same message, as detailed above the night that Anthony Bourdain died by suicide. He had been on location in France filming for his CNN series Parts Unknown and had spent recent days filming with French Chef Eric Ripert, a longtime friend. 

The upcoming book, written by Charles Leerhsen, has come under fire for releasing the text exchanges.  Down and Out in Paradise’s publisher has already released a statement about the Anthony Bourdain texts, saying the material was not “defamatory” as had been alleged by Bourdain’s brother, Christopher, and that it was part of the story when it came to the television host’s life and impact.

Previously, Asia Argento shared her thoughts about getting bad press over what happened with Bourdain. She even said she hears that people feel his death was her fault. In 2018 she spoke out about what she’s heard, also saying "in a way" she sort of understands where people are coming from.

It’s difficult to believe that Anthony Bourdain has been gone for over four years, as his spirit has lived on in reruns of Parts Unknown and No Reservations, and through projects like Roadrunner, which explored his early career and all of the major moments and milestones piecing together his patchwork life, a life filled with travel and spontaneity, a life filled with food and learning. The new book, Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain, releases on October 11. 

Stephen King is a horror legend, famous for writing some of the most celebrated novels in the history of American literature, and many of his works have been adapted into big and small-screen hits. But when King isn't writing his next masterwork, the horror author is consuming movies, TV shows and more and tweeting about it like the rest of us. And just recently, he weighed in on the cancellation of a TV show he enjoys, and you'll probably never guess which it is.

Stephen King took to Twitter to lament the cancellation of a show that dwells in the horror realm or maybe even one that's more mystery-oriented. However, the series that the legendary writer posted about is a certain CNN program that aired for quite some time. Check out the tweet down below:

CNN’s Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter aired its series finale on Sunday, August 21st marking the end of an era. The show broke down how the American news media works and how it can affect the public's perception of major events. The show was a mainstay on the cable news network for many years, airing its first episode in 1993. Such a long run certainly led to a loyal audience, so I’m sure the It writer isn’t the only one disappointed by the cancellation.

Stephen King has never hesitated to speak out when it comes to the shows and movies that he loves. King even joined the Internet's campaign to “uncancel” Manifest. Their efforts were successful, as the NBC show was saved by Netflix, which is producing the fourth and final season. When the news broke, King, and the cast, reacted to the news with excitement.

The author also doesn't have a problem discussing productions related to his own work. A few years back, he revealed how he felt about Castle Rock (streamable with a Hulu subscription), calling it "really good." The show took inspiration from many characters and themes from the writer's wide-ranging bibliography. It also took place in the titular fictional town, which is located in suburban Maine, -- a frequently explored setting in the storyteller's novels.

Of course, there are plenty of other upcoming Stephen King-centric movies and miniseries in the works. A Pet Semetary prequel, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, and Salem’s Lot are only a few of the productions that are currently set to hit our screens at some point in the future. I suppose this isn't too surprising when you think about it. Both It films were box office hits, and adaptations like The Shawshank Redemption, Stand by Me, and The Green Mile received Oscar attention.

But getting back to Stephen King's current situation, I'm sure he'll find something to fill the void now that CNN’s Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter has officially signed off. And whenever he does, I wouldn't be surprised if he returns to Twitter to gush about it.

Chris Cuomo has been keeping a relatively low profile since being ousted from CNN at the end of 2021. The well-known TV journalist found himself at the center of controversy in May of that year, when he was found to be assisting his brother, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, amid sexual harassment allegations. Chris has now, however, landed a new media gig with another network. And as he prepares to settle in, he’s addressing the situation involving his older sibling. 

The 51-year-old Chris Cuomo is officially set to join Nexstar’s NewsNation this fall and made the announcement during a lengthy interview on one of the network’s programs, Dan Abrams Live. A number of topics were discussed, including sexual assault claims that he himself had faced. talk eventually turned to Cuomo’s brother and his alleged role in helping him overcome the harassment accusations he was facing. Chris was said to have assisted his brother by participating in strategy meetings regarding how Andrew should respond to the claims. While he denied being an advisor, legal documents released in November 2021 showed that Chris used his media contacts to learn about his brother’s accusers and also helped craft statements for him. The following month, he was fired by CNN.

In the recent interview, Dan Abrams sought clarification from the pundit in regard to his alleged discussions with people in the media. The former Cuomo Prime Time host then went on to deny that he’d tried to influence other people’s coverage: 

Dan Abrams then questioned that statement, asserting that Chris Cuomo “did make calls to the press about your brother’s situation.” Cuomo responded by discussing a “distinction” that he believes should be made note of:

After being fired, Chris Cuomo went after CNN via an arbitration worth $125 million. He asserted that the network had engaged in a “smear campaign” that sought to distort his journalistic image. The filing also mentioned other personalities on the network, who Cuomo says made false claims about him on air. Last year, during a televised segment, Don Lemon questioned Cuomo’s actions, mentioning the optics of having someone of his standing allegedly break “journalistic standards” and “get paid handsomely for it.” Jake Tapper also claimed that Cuomo threatened former network president Jeff Zucker amid the ousted TV personality’s reported demands for a multi-million-dollar payout. 

Right now, Chris Cuomo seems to be happy with his new post at NewsNation and, in the same interview, he expressed no ill will towards his brother for how things played out. We’ll see how things pan out for his show when it joins the 2022 TV schedule later this year.