One of the most well-known newsreaders on television is Don Lemon. He worked for a number of networks during his 35-year journalism career, but his lead anchor position at CNN helped him gain widespread reputation.
In February 2023, Lemon made sexist remarks regarding Nikki Haley that caused a stir. As a result, he was temporarily removed from the air. Now, audiences want to know more about the reporter, including his wages and net worth. To learn more, keep reading.
Don Lemon Net Worth
Don Lemon has a $12 million net worth, according to the website Celebrity Net Worth. His riches are the result of his lengthy and accomplished journalism career. According to reports, he currently earns $4 million a year from CNN.
In 1996, Lemon earned a degree in broadcast journalism from Brooklyn College. After graduating from college, he worked as a correspondent for NBC affiliates in Philadelphia and Chicago as well as Fox affiliates in St. Louis and Chicago. He covered the Today and NBC Nightly News in New York City during his early career.
He began working as a local news co-anchor and reporter for WMAQ-TV in Chicago in 2003. He started working for CNN in September 2006, and since then, he has gained notoriety for his passionate ideas. He is also regarded as one of the most important LGBTQ broadcasters.
Career with CNN
In 2014, Lemon received his own primetime programmes on CNN, The Eleventh Hour and The Don Lemon Show. Later, along with Don Lemon, he took over as CNN Tonight’s regular host. He started his podcast The Handoff in 2021 with Chris Cuomo, another journalist. Don Lemon Tonight replaced CNN Tonight with Don Lemon in the same year.
Together with Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow, he assumed anchoring duties for CNN This Morning in October 2022. For his reporting on the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa, he received various honours over the years, including a Native Son Award and three Chicago / Midwest Emmy Awards.
The reporter made significant real estate investments as well. He spent $1.5 million buying a condo in Harlem in 2013. In 2020, the 1,400 square foot house with two bedrooms and 2.5 baths had a $1.75 million price tag. He paid $3 million for a home in Sag Harbor, a community in the Hamptons, in 2016, and it is now worth $4.5 million.
Controversies
Due to his strong opinions, Lemon has become involved in a number of issues over his career. Several people did not agree with his views on how the African American community may improve their life.
He mocked the followers of the outgoing president with a false southern accent as a harsh criticism of Donald Trump, igniting new controversy. Most recently, when Nikki Haley declared she was running for president as a Republican, Don Lemon said on his morning show that the politician was just five years old and not yet “in her prime.”
A woman is thought to be in her prime while she is in “her 20s, 30s, and maybe her 40s,” he continued. A sizable portion of the audience called the statements sexist, and the reporter was denounced. Before receiving formal instruction, he also skipped a week of watching television and apologised, adding, “When I make a mistake, I own it. And I also possess this one.