Don Lemon’s New Year’s Eve Drunk Meltdown On CNN Made Him More Likable [Opinion]
If you were watching CNN on New Year’s Eve, you likely noticed that one of their most popular anchors, Don Lemon, was very drunk, and it wasn’t “make-believe” drunk. His appearance was funny, real, and a great way to end 2016. The Blaze describes what happened.
“At some point, the tequila finally hits and Lemon begins to explain to Baldwin that he might be open to a relationship in 2017, even though he thinks he’s a bad person to date and is very self-centered. Major respect to Baldwin for playing best friend to your drunken buddy who has a come-to-Jesus moment after too many shots of tequila.”
As the article notes, Lemon got his ear pierced, but he considered getting his nipple pierced instead. After Lemon started dancing on the table and was trying to declare what an awful year 2016 was, CNN cut him off. The commenters after the article mostly condemn Lemon and his antics.
“His behavior was unbecoming to someone who is supposed to be a professional. I wonder what Brooke Baldwin had to say to him after he sobered up? I didn’t bother to watch CNN and this is one reason why,” says Nelsone201.
“This is what passes for professional journalism in the liberal controlled media. Disgusting,” claims Dirtydog1776.
Twitter has been mostly negative towards Don Lemon as well.
@CNN why do you let people like Don Lemon give you such a bad name? Why can't you hire decent journalists. Don Lemon is a DRUNKEN IDIOT! https://t.co/gZ5VIh8YJQ
— Suzanne Fleming (@SuzanneFleming9) January 2, 2017
has CNN disciplined Don Lemon for his alleged alcohol fueled broadcast? Unprofessional to say the least. Gee wonder why?
— Blueskies (@blueskies6123) January 2, 2017
However, this author feels that this event, professional or not, was the perfect way to end 2016. It also made Don Lemon a lot more likable after a bunch of foul-ups over the past couple of years. This includes holding up a sign with the “N” word (though he was trying to make a point), his claiming that the disappearance of a Malaysian flight might have been supernatural, and telling one of Cosby’s alleged victims that she should have “bit him” down there. Don Lemon has basically made some idiotic comments about situations that should be taken more seriously.
Last year, a petition to fire Don Lemon appeared on Change.org. The mission statement was pretty harsh.
“Since the tragic incident of Trayvon Martin in 2012, CNN anchor Don Lemon has consistently antagonized and defamed the characteristics of African-Americans on the national scale in his mass communications.”
The petition added that holding the “N” word sign before the national audience and disrespecting the mayor of Baltimore ignored the challenges faced by African Americans. It garnered over 39,000 signatures. A lot of people thought the petition was hypocritical since Don Lemon himself is African American and his comments, even if they were dumb, were taken out of context.
There is a lot of censorship in the news media these days from both the right and the left. It seems as if anybody gets offended, they demand that the anchor who made the alleged offense gets fired. Bill O’Reilly from Fox News is a perfect example of this. One would think that instead of acting goofy, Don Lemon would tighten up, act serious, and show people what a great anchor he could be. That would be boring! Instead, we get to see a news anchor finally act like they aren’t reading off of a teleprompter and act like the rest of us. Good job, Don Lemon!
2016 was a tough year for a lot of people. However, watching Don Lemon on New Year’s Eve felt like a wave of relief. CNN should compliment Don Lemon on Monday morning instead of trying to reprimand him.
[Featured Image by Mike Coppola/Getty Images]
