CNN boss Chris Licht admits Don Lemon is a ‘lightning rod’ after sexist rant, misogyny history

Don Lemon’s boss at CNN admitted on Monday that the former primetime star has been a “lightning rod” for controversy — days after a damning report alleged years of “diva-like” and misogynistic behavior by the embattled “CBS This Morning” co-host.

CNN CEO Chris Licht was asked about Lemon — who recently drew scorn for saying that 51-year-old GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley was “not in her prime” — during an appearance at a media conference hosted by the news startup Semafor.

“Don Lemon is a lightning rod because he really came to prominence during an era where that was celebrated and encouraged in prime time,” Licht told Semafor’s Ben Smith when asked to comment on how he deals with the press coverage surrounding Lemon.

“CNN has moved on from that and Don has moved on from that,” Licht said.

Lemon, who was reportedly in the audience at the Semafor event, is said to have remarked to his boss that he was “nervous” when Smith asked Licht about the recent controversies, according to the news site.

The Post has sought comment from CNN.

Lemon on Monday appeared to snub former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart after he was caught during a hot-mic moment as saying that the former comedian had more “leeway” to grill a Pentagon official over defense spending.

During a “CNN This Morning” segment, Lemon played a 60-second clip showing Stewart hammering US Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks over the military’s health care services for wounded veterans.

When the clip ended, Lemon, 57, then appeared to take a shot at Stewart.

“He gets a lot of leeway with the comedian thing, though,” the embattled host was heard saying.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Lemon appeared to realize that his comment was caught by the microphones and that it went out over the air, prompting him to make an attempt to walk it back.

“We’re just discussing that Jon Stewart is so much more than a comedian — he’s a thought leader,” Lemon said.

Lemon’s reputation has taken several hits in recent weeks and months — most recently due to a Variety exposé which cited around a dozen former CNN staffers who listed several alleged instances of misogynistic behavior.

The magazine reported that Lemon sent threatening text messages from an anonymous number to co-anchor Kyra Phillips because he was angered that she was chosen to cover the aftermath of the US invasion of Iraq.

A spokesperson for Lemon told The Post that he never sent the text.

Lemon is also alleged to have once remarked to other staffers that he did not consider Soledad O’Brien authentically black, according to Variety.

A CNN spokesperson told The Post, “Don denies making any related remark in a derogatory way.”

Lemon, who is African American, was said to have been smarting from CNN’s decision to name O’Brien, whose father was white and whose mother Afro-Cuban, as the host of a docuseries about black people.

Last week, Lemon planted an awkward “air kiss” on the head of co-anchor Kaitlan Collins while gifting her a present for her birthday during their Friday broadcast of “CNN This Morning.”

In December, Lemon berated Collins in front of staffers for allegedly interrupting him on the air.

Lemon’s tirade left Collins and other staffers rattled, witnesses told The Post.

A week earlier, Lemon angered his co-anchors Collins and Poppy Harlow when he argued that the US men’s soccer team should get paid more than the women’s team despite the men’s relative lack of success at the World Cup.

Licht ordered Lemon undergo sensitivity training in February after his on-air comments about Haley prompted outrage.