Media personality Megyn Kelly said she has “had it” with CNN host Don Lemon’s comments after he called Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley past her prime.
“This is blatant sexism,” Kelly blasted during her SiriusXM the Megyn Kelly Show. “Shame on him for doing this on the air, and frankly, those other women on set with him were pathetic and weak in calling him out. He deserved a more robust response. He deserves it now from colleagues at CNN, he deserves it from the colleagues in the news industry and the bosses at CNN.”
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After announcing her candidacy, Haley called for politicians older than 75 to participate in “mandatory mental competency tests.” Lemon reacted to her statement during his CNN This Morning show, saying it made him “uncomfortable.”
"This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable," Lemon said. “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, sorry. When a woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s."
CNN This Morning co-anchor Poppy Harlow asked Lemon to clarify what he meant by a woman's "prime for childbearing.” Lemon told Harlow to "Google it."
“If you Google ‘CNN,’ it comes up as 'the most trusted news source.' So we can't always rely on Google, Don,” Kelly said. “I’m so irritated by this guy and, honestly, his misogyny — and I don't use that word about a lot of people.”
Kelly then noted several females who have held powerful positions across the world.
“He doesn't understand anything about women, about America, about prime,” Kelly added. “He's 56, by the way, I guess he'd be the first to tell you he's still in his prime, but the internet says, ‘That we women, we’re well past our prime so we about to be put out to pasture.’ I'm sorry. This is absurd. I've had it with this guy.”
Lemon has since apologized for his comments, calling them “inartful and irrelevant."
The reference I made to a woman’s “prime” this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. A woman’s age doesn't define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.
— Don Lemon (@donlemon) February 16, 2023
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“The reference I made to a woman’s 'prime' this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. A woman’s age doesn't define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day,” Lemon tweeted.
Lemon’s CNN This Morning show was recently noted for having drawn the network’s lowest viewership among the key 24-54 age demographic and its second-lowest total viewership when compared to any of CNN’s other morning shows since New Day in June 2013.