(HorizonPost.com) – CNN star and veteran anchor Don Lemon is described as a ”diva” and ”shameless name dropper” by a former colleague, but that sentiment is reportedly shared by many others. Lemon was caught sending threatening messages to a female co-anchor after he was passed over for an assignment in Iraq around 15 years ago, according to a report by Variety.
When Kyra Phillips was in Iraq, Lemon reportedly tore up photos on and inside her desk. It did not stop there. When she came back and was dining with members of her team, she received a text message from an unknown number, reading, “Now you’ve crossed the line, and you’re going to pay for it.” After making CNN officials aware of the matter, they were able to track the identity of the phone to Lemon, who was then demoted and moved to the weekend.
The move was allegedly disciplinary action and Lemon did not work with female co-anchors until his most recent assignment on “CNN This Morning With Don Lemon, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins.”
This behavior is not uncommon to Lemon, who was also described as a heavy drinker that likes to brag about knowing important people. Lemon once coveted another position landed by Soledad O’Brien on “Black in America.” He allegedly said that O’Brien wasn’t even black, which two witnesses said was an offensive comment.
One colleague reportedly said that Lemon craved attention and always wanted to be the center of it. in 2009, Lemon partnered with Anderson Cooper and O’Brien to cover the Michael Jackson memorial at the Staples Center. Lemon was set to cover the inside while the other two were covering the outside, but Lemon was not pleased because he allegedly complained that he was not given enough airtime in comparison, to which a senior executive said that he has to control his behavior.
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