Don Lemon tells CNN staffers his best friends are women after his sexist Nikki Haley comments: report

While Don Lemon was conspicuously absent from “CNN This Morning” Friday — just 24 hours after he controversially said that presidential candidate Nikki Haley was no longer “in her prime” at age 51 — the embattled anchor reportedly jumped onto a staff call with colleagues to apologize for his sexist on-air comments and to essentially say that his best friends are women.

TMZ said Lemon’s apology “did not go over well,” citing sources with direct knowledge of Friday’s staff call. During his reported 90 seconds on the call, Lemon said he didn’t mean what he said and insisted that he’s going to continue to fight discrimination against women, TMZ said. He also cited his relationships with Dana Bash, Erin Burnett, Amy Entelis, and his mom and sister to demonstrate his solidarity with women.

Lemon landed in hot water Thursday while discussing Haley’s presidential campaign announcement and her call for “mandatory mental competency tests for politicians over 75 years old,” USA Today reported. In launching her bid for the Republican nomination at a rally in Charleston, S.C., Haley was referencing President Joe Biden being 80 and former President Donald Trump, another GOP challenger, being 76.

Speaking with co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, the 56-year-old Lemon said Haley’s “talk about age” made him uncomfortable, explaining that her comments about politicians not being “in their prime” was the “wrong road” to go down.

“Nikki Haley is not in her prime, sorry,” Lemon said. “A woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.”

CNN’s Don Lemon got personal when he criticized Nikki Haley’s comments calling for competency tests for politicians over 75 years old — an apparent shot at Trump, 76, and Biden, 80.

“Haley isn’t in her prime.,” he said. “A woman is in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.” pic.twitter.com/rJrTTnMPRB

— POLITICO (@politico) February 16, 2023

When Harlow asked Lemon to clarify what he meant by a woman’s “prime” — whether he was referring to a woman being in her “prime for childbearing” or being in her “prime for being president.”

Lemon responded: “If you Google, ‘when is a woman in her prime,’ it’ll say 20s, 30s, and 40s. … I’m not saying I agree with that so I think she has to be careful about saying that (politicians aren’t in their prime).”

Lemon brought up the topic again an hour later, when commentator Audie Cornish joined the discussion, USA Today said. Like Harlow, Cornish said the idea of “prime” that Lemon probably was referring to had to have been about reproductive years and didn’t concern mental health and aging.

“She’s in her prime for running for office,” Cornish said of Haley. “Political prime is what we’re talking about.”

The New York Post reported that Harlow furiously walked off the set after Lemon’s comments about Haley, taking a “well-timed” bathroom break. Thursday’s incident with Lemon comes weeks after co-host Collins had her own run-in with the anchor when he reportedly chewed her out in front of other staffers, the New York Post said.

Lemon issued a public apology Thursday afternoon for his remarks about Haley, writing on Twitter: “The reference I made to a woman’s ‘prime’ this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.”

The reference I made to a woman’s “prime” this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.

— Don Lemon (@donlemon) February 16, 2023

Lemon received support from some men, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who replied, “Don, we know your heart was in the right place. I think you were referencing women being in their prime during their ‘reproductive years.’ Women are always in their ‘prime’ because in my opinion, they get stronger, more courageous and more beautiful as they get older.”

But women accused Abdul-Jabbar of “mansplaining” and said that Lemon’s apology was pretty off the mark. “I didn’t know ‘inartful’ and ‘irrelevant’ where synonyms for “misogynistic” and ‘sexist.’ Still missing the point here,”  replied writer and activist Amee Vanderpool.

Lemon’s absence Friday made for some awkward viewing, the New York Post said. The broadcast started with Harlow — on location in Salt Lake City, where she is covering NBA All-Star weekend festivities — interviewing TNT’s star basketball commentators Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith.

The camera then panned to Collins next to Cornish, who was sitting in for Lemon.

“Don has the day off,” Collins said, without elaborating further. She then introduced Cornish.

.@AudieCornish is co-anchoring CNN This Morning with @kaitlancollins! pic.twitter.com/Z9vWYgzQ0N

— Joanna Preston (@JoPrestonTV) February 17, 2023

Lemon’s comments about Haley have put pressure on CNN boss Chris Licht to fire Lemon, who formerly starred on his own primetime show, the New York Post said. As tensions among Lemon, Harlow and Collins grow, Lemon’s on-air gaffe could compel Licht to cut ties with him.

“Chris isn’t happy, and he has spoken to Don a couple times today,” a network source told The Post on Thursday. “Don knows it can’t happen again.”