Don Lemon finally broke his silence after being fired from CNN after 17 years.
Lemon spoke exclusively with ABC 24 about life post-CNN and said he has no plans on changing or looking back. The veteran journalist has been taking gigs catering to his people such as traveling to Bluff City, Tennessee, after being invited by the Memphis chapter of the NAACP for its annual “Freedom Fund” gala.
After Lemon was granted the first interview with Tyre Nichols’ mother, Rowvaugn Wells, he said it sparked curiosity about his roots, being raised in the South.
“That made me curious about life; about how things ran, what’s behind things and about America,” Lemon said. “That’s how I ended up becoming a journalist—just by being curious and asking questions.”
Things have since
changed at his former network. Months after Lemon was fired earlier this year, so was the network’s CEO, Chris Licht. Critics and fans looked as Lemon’s firing as one of the many mistakes made by Licht, causing the vast decline in ratings.Rumors sparked that Licht’s mission was to pull news coverage back to center, catering to both sides of the spectrum regarding certain topics. While some question if that’s why Lemon was dismissed, he said not telling the truth goes against his journalistic responsibility.
“I don’t believe in platforming liars and bigots, insurrectionists ,and election deniers and putting them on the same footing as people who are telling the truth; people who are fighting for what’s right, people who are abiding by the constitution,” Lemon told ABC 24. “I think that would be a dereliction of journalistic duty to do those sorts of things.”
As for what’s next, Lemon said he is in no rush to get back behind a news desk. “I’m not going to let other people’s timelines influence me. I know people say, ‘I miss you on television,” Lemon told ABC 24. “What is your next move?’ I’m figuring that out.”