Don Lemon Faces Heated Exchange in NYC

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon found himself in a tense confrontation with bystanders in New York City, where he was called a “king idiot” during a street segment for his podcast.

Lemon, who was dismissed from CNN last year, approached a man for an interview, but the interaction quickly escalated. “You’re an af, a king idiot, a man,” the passerby interrupted him just after Lemon introduced himself.

Lemon responded with a laugh, “Thank you. So too do you,” attempting to lighten the moment.

The exchange intensified when Lemon tried to ask about the man’s background, but instead, the stranger recognized him and immediately hurled an insult.

“I’m glad you’ve seen me,” Lemon replied, trying to downplay the insult.

“No, I don’t,” came the curt reply.

The heckler went on to criticize CNN and MSNBC, claiming they were “full of S-T” and accused them of misleading the public regarding Gaza’s situation.

Lemon defended the networks by pointing out they were merely reporting on the International Court’s findings, but the man dismissed this perspective.

“They would never say it’s genocide,” he said, asserting that the networks were biased in favor of Israel.

As the conversation shifted, Lemon called out the man’s inconsistencies, but the person likened their recognition of Lemon to knowing George Clooney without having seen his films, adding, “And I saw you spit out nonsense.”

When Lemon questioned why the man felt the need to insult him, the response was nonchalant: “It just came out, man. You’re big, and you think you’re something.”

In response, Lemon launched into a brief explanation about self-esteem, suggesting that men often lash out because they feel inadequate.

But the man wasn’t backing down. “I called you af-king moron,” he shot back. “I don’t need to explain that; it’s accurate.”

The dialogue devolved into a back-and-forth of accusations and defenses. Lemon insisted, “It’s on the tape. You said it three times,” while the man denied ever saying it and accused Lemon of embarrassing him.

Amidst this, a bystander remarked that the man appeared intoxicated, yet Lemon continued the exchange.

“You’re going to find the library,” Lemon retorted, pointing out a nearby bookstore.

Finally, Lemon remarked on camera that the argument felt “under the bottom,” but added he actually found it “fun.”

The post reached out to Lemon for comments, while the identity of the man involved remained unknown.

Lemon, 59, had a previous clash with a colleague before being let go from CNN in April 2023, following a series of controversies related to his comments about being “past Prime.”