Who is Don Lemon? Biography | Wiki
Don Lemon is an American television journalist best known for his long-running career at CNN, where he served as a prominent anchor from 2006 to 2023. He rose to national recognition as the host of Don Lemon Tonight, which aired from 2014 to 2022, and later as a co-host of CNN This Morning alongside Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow.
Lemon began his journalism career anchoring weekend news programs at local stations in Alabama and Pennsylvania. He later worked as a news correspondent for NBC News, contributing to flagship programs like Today and NBC Nightly News.
Throughout his career, Lemon earned several accolades, including an Edward R. Murrow Award in 2002 for his coverage of the Washington, D.C. sniper case. He also won three regional Emmy Awards, recognizing his reporting on Chicago’s real estate market and an in-depth business feature on Craigslist.
Lemon joined CNN in 2006 as a correspondent and steadily rose to prominence for his direct reporting style and primetime presence. However, his time at the network ended in April 2023, following a series of on-air controversies and reports alleging a history of inappropriate behavior in the workplace.
How old is Don Lemon? Age and Birthday
Don is 59 years old as of 2025. He was born on March 1, 1966, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in the United States of America. Besides, he celebrates his birthday on the 1st of March of every year.
Don Lemon High School and College
Which school did Lemon attend? Don attended the University of Louisiana State but later graduated from Brooklyn College in 1996. While in college, he majored in broadcast journalism. Moreover, Don interned at WNYW while still at the college of Brooklyn.
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What is Don Lemon Nationality and Ethnicity?
Don is of American nationality and citizenship. Besides, he was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in the United States of America. In addition, he belongs to the black ethnicity.
How tall is Don Lemon? Height and Measurements
How tall is Lemon? Approximately he stands at a height of 5 feet 8 inches (Approx. 1.75 m) tall, as he is a man of average stature. However, he has not mentioned any details concerning his other body measurements in public places.
Don Lemon Family | Parents and Early Life
He was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United State to her loving and caring parents. His mother is known as Katherine Marie while his father is Wilmon Lee Richardson. His father is a previous prominent attorney. Besides, Wilmon and his group challenged the segregation of public transportation in Baton Rouge. However, his mother was married to another man before marrying his father. In addition, he was raised alongside his two elder sisters Yma and L’Tanya. Unfortunately, he lost his elder sister L’Tanya in a fishing excursion in Denham Springs, LA in 2018. Sadly, L’Tanya reportedly tripped and fell into the neighborhood pond accidentally and drowned.
Is Don Lemon married? Wife | Wedding
Don married his gay partner known as Tim Malone. Presently, Malone serves as an estate agent. In addition, the pair met each other for the first time in 2017 and started dating. Besides, they announced their engagement ceremony in April 2019.
How much does Don Lemon make? Salary
He receives his income from his present role as the host of his own show known as Don Lemon Tonight on CNN. Therefore, he receives an average salary of $100,000 as of 2025.
Don Lemon Net Worth
Most of his wealth has been garnered from his journalism profession. Therefore, he has an estimated net worth of $20 million as of 2025.
Why was Don Fired from CNN?
On April 24, 2023, Don Lemon was dismissed from CNN, despite having a contract that was set to run through 2026. According to reporting by The New York Times, the network had encountered challenges booking guests willing to appear with Lemon, and internal polling indicated a decline in his popularity among viewers.
Lemon publicly stated that the termination came as a surprise and criticized CNN for not notifying him in person—a claim the network disputed. Notably, his departure occurred on the same day Tucker Carlson was let go from Fox News, drawing widespread media attention to the parallel exits.
The Don Lemon Show (2024)
On January 9, 2024, Don Lemon announced the launch of his new program, The Don Lemon Show, on X (formerly Twitter). The show’s first guest was none other than Elon Musk, the platform’s owner. However, shortly after the interview was recorded—and before it aired—Musk abruptly canceled the show’s distribution on X. As a result, the interview was instead released on YouTube and as a podcast. Following the fallout, Lemon remarked, “Elon Musk is mad at me.” The interview touched on a range of sensitive topics, including legal battles involving Musk, his drug use, political ideology, views on immigration, and his stance on the Great Replacement theory.
Don Lemon CNN News
Don Lemon is an American television journalist best known for his long-running career at CNN, where he served as a prominent anchor from 2006 to 2023. He rose to national recognition as the host of Don Lemon Tonight, which aired from 2014 to 2022, and later as a co-host of CNN This Morning alongside Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow.
Lemon began his journalism career anchoring weekend news programs at local stations in Alabama and Pennsylvania. He later worked as a news correspondent for NBC News, contributing to flagship programs like Today and NBC Nightly News.
Throughout his career, Lemon earned several accolades, including an Edward R. Murrow Award in 2002 for his coverage of the Washington, D.C. sniper case. He also won three regional Emmy Awards, recognizing his reporting on Chicago’s real estate market and an in-depth business feature on Craigslist.
Lemon joined CNN in 2006 as a correspondent and steadily rose to prominence for his direct reporting style and primetime presence. However, his time at the network ended in April 2023, following a series of on-air controversies and reports alleging a history of inappropriate behavior in the workplace.
