Another hysterical gem from CNN stalwart Don Lemon

By Ethel C. Fenig

Last week, Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, age 51, stated, "America is not past our prime — it's just that our politicians are past theirs." She called for "mandatory mental competency tests" for politicians older than 75.

Hearing this, CNN This Morning co-host Don Lemon, turning 57 in two weeks, authoritatively informed his 40-year-old and 30-year-old female co-hosts, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, respectively, plus his general audience:

"This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable[.] ... I think it's the wrong road to go down. She says people, you know, politicians are suddenly not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn't in her prime."

To the bewilderment of Harlow and Collins, Lemon then said: "A woman is considered to be in their prime in the 20s and 30s and maybe 40s." ...

"That's not according to me," he said. "It's like, prime. If you look it up. If you Google when is a woman in her prime, it'll say 20s, 30s, and 40s."...

He continued: "I'm just saying Nikki Haley should be careful about saying that politicians are not in their prime and they need to be in their prime when they serve. Because she wouldn't be in her prime according to, you know, Google."

Granted, Lemon has a point — a very small one, that Haley should be careful. But Lemon's very broad sexist and ageist generalizations did not go over well with his co-hosts. With his program's staff. With CNN executives. And most importantly, with his television audience. And so Lemon disappeared from CNN for a few days to learn politicial correctness — uhm, for "formal training."

He learned. Something. Yesterday, prior to his reappearance, he tweeted:

I appreciate the opportunity to be back on @CNNThisMorning today. To my network, my colleagues and our incredible audience — I’m sorry. I’ve heard you, I’m learning from you, and I’m committed to doing better.
See you soon.
— Don Lemon (@donlemon) February 22, 2023

So Lemon is back. But for how long? And really, who cares? CNN in general, CNN's morning show — all suffer from lack of viewers. This headline-grabbing incident might bring in a temporary, additional audience, curious to see what the teapot tempest was about. But unless CNN can take advantage of this — which it probably can't — the newcomers, after satisfying their minimal curiosity, will probably once again mostly tune out.

And then? Who cares?

Certainly not forever "prime" me.