CNN’s Kaitlan Collins will now be in charge of the evening programming after she and Don Lemon, her co-host on the morning show, had a public spat.
On Wednesday, Kaitlan Collins did a double shift for CNN, first as one of the co-anchors of CNN This Morning alongside Don Lemon and Poppy Harlow, and then later as one of the evening anchors for CNN. Collins, who is 30 years old, had no trouble securing the midnight hosting post, a move that most likely irked her competitor on television who had been competing against her previously. Collins gave off the impression that she was completely at ease when presenting the coveted time block. She held her own with CNN’s usual nighttime anchors as they discussed the grand jury’s highly-anticipated decision over whether or not to indict Donald Trump. Lemon, who used to take up the most of CNN’s coverage of the evening news, seemed to struggle with his new responsibilities.
It’s a fascinating twist of fate that has resulted in Collins being offered the job that Lemon held in such high regard all these time. The decision was made several months after it was revealed that Lemon had a temper tantrum in front of Collins, his much younger co-anchor, “screaming” at her and accusing her of “interrupting” him while they were broadcasting on December 8th. The move comes after it was revealed that Lemon had a temper tantrum in front of Collins, his much younger co-anchor.
As a result of Lemon’s anger tantrum, Collins was left “visibly distressed,” and sources report that she now wants to deal with Don as little as possible. She went as far as terminating her agent at the United Talent Agency, Jay Sures, who was also representing Lemon. She did this in order to get rid of him.
Following Lemon’s outburst, a number of people who are close to Collins have asserted that he made a threatening statement about going back to Washington, D.C. from New York.
Harsh criticism from @RepAdamSchiff on the DOJ’s Jan. 6 investigation as it appears the Manhattan DA is poised to be the first to move to indictment: “The Justice Department has moved very slowly…For that reason, you have other prosecutions now that are going forward first." pic.twitter.com/1CdPNeDoNW
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) March 23, 2023
The problems in their relationship between Lemon and Collins were never able to be resolved. According to an exclusive report published by RadarOnline.com, Lemon’s second outburst took place after he discovered that the disagreement he had with his co-anchor had been detailed in the company newsletter. Lemon and his co-anchor had been working together at the time.
An informant let slip in February that Don “lost his head internally and went ballistic at staffers when the CNN newsletter accentuated a story about him ranting,” adding that this information came from the month of February. An source revealed that Don became quite irrational toward his coworkers after the CNN newsletter highlighted a story about him screaming.
Lemon continued to fan the flames when he suggested that women are at their sexual and intellectual peak in their “20s, 30s, and maybe 40s.” He made this statement in reference to Nikki Haley, who is running for president at the age of 51. Lemon’s comments have been criticized for being sexist and ageist. It was alleged that Lemon’s statement infuriated Harlow, and she hurriedly left the set to take a “well-timed” restroom break, with Collins closely following in her footsteps.
Yet the animosity between them goes far deeper than the fight they got into and Don’s words in which he made fun of her age.
When CNN chief Chris Licht moved Don Lemon from primetime to morning television, it forced Lemon to give up his own show and co-host with two anchors who had less experience. A source indicated that this move injured Lemon’s ego, and that it forced him to give up his show. The information was provided by a person who was familiar with the circumstances of the case.
The dependable source adds that Lemon is “both disappointed and amazed at how things have turned out.”