The old stigma of news anchors being stiff, rigid and dull have just been shattered by CNN Anchor Don Lemon. Don’s new autobiographical book Transparent
Fitz: I’d like to start by telling you that I really enjoyed your book Transparent; it’s incredibly well written, easy to read and interesting. Full of wonderful stories – well done!
Don: Thank you so much, you’re very kind. Writing a book is like having a kid. It took me about four to six months to write, which wasn’t incredibly long, but it took me longer than I thought. I’d write in spurts and then on some days I just couldn’t even thinking about writing.
Fitz: You wrote a lot about your amazing relationship with your father, who passed away when you were quite young. How do you think he would feel about your career and your decision to come out?
Don: I think he’d be really happy about it all, and if he were around, I think I would have gone even further. He would have encouraged me to take my education seriously sooner than I did. I do think he’d be doing a heck of a lot of bragging if he were still here, he used to tell my Mom that I was a “smart little you know what!” My Mom loves it when people talk to her about me; she always says, “that’s my baby!”
Fitz: You’ve opened up completely, revealing publicly not only that you are gay, but that you were also molested as a child. When you were hired at CNN did they know you were gay? Have you ever been given a hard time about it in the workplace?
Don: I don’t know if they knew at CNN, in fact, I don’t think they did. It’s not something we discussed and really, a lot of people didn’t know. I’m not saying that they didn’t suspect it later on though. I don’t know if it’s ever been an issue; at least its hard to know how people subconsciously feel or how they discriminate. But I’ve decided not to worry about that and just keep moving. At one job though, I was brought in to an office to discuss it with a person who felt it was an issue, and certainly that was a struggle.
Fitz: Before you were at CNN, you began your career at a Fox affiliate. CNN has a reputation of leaning far left while Fox is considered conservative. Would you ever take a job on Fox News?
Don: Absolutely! I spoke with them once and never pursued it because I chose to stay at CNN, but I would definitely consider working with anyone who was willing to give me a platform to do what I do best. Say what you want about Fox; I respect what they do and I hope they respect what I do. They put on great television.
Fitz: I could see you sitting next to Bill O’Reilly and Megyn Kelly. In fact, I have a girl crush on Megyn.
Don: Is she the blond?
Fitz: They’re all “the blonds”, but they’re wicked smart too.
Don: Yep. Saying there is a blond on Fox is likely saying there’s concrete in New York City.
Fitz: Well, I think you’d look great with all of those blonds.
Don: Well I’d love to do that, so why don’t you call them and tell them?
Fitz: My next interview is with Glenn Beck (not really); I’ll pass that along. I’ll also ask them to choose me as their go-to fitness pro while I’m at it. Who’s the most intimidating person you’ve ever interviewed?
Don: I’m usually not intimidated by anyone, but strangely … I was intimidated by Stephen Colbert. It was weird because I’m so accustomed to seeing him in-character, and when he was out of character, it was off putting. I was definitely struck by how professional, intelligent and nice he is. His staff adores him and they all work perfectly to execute his vision.
Fitz: Do you have a dream interview?
Don: Living?
Fitz: Yep, you can’t pick Jesus or anyone like that.
Don: No, I wasn’t going to do that. I’d say, Bill Clinton. Not because of politics though, but because he’s extremely intelligent and has an incredible presence. I was at an event a while back in which he attended and he entered the room and we all just felt it. And then he belted out a big “Heeey. How are y’all doing?” It’s NOT his politics though, because the other person I’d feel that way about is Ronald Raegan, even though I never met him.
Fitz: Mine would be to go running with President George Bush. I bet he’d have some interesting stories to tell and he’d be a ton of fun.
Don: W?
Fitz: Yes!
Don: I like his presence too, because he’s so funny. He has a great sense of humor. And you know what I really respect about him? He has kept such a low profile since he left office. Bill Clinton can’t get out of it, he and the spotlight are like a moth to a flame. But have you heard from W? Nooo. He’s been totally respectful and supportive of President Obama, refusing to criticize and I really respect him for that. Maybe these two will work together someday like President George H. Bush and Clinton!
Fitz: On a completely different topic, in Transparent, you reveal that you are a clothes horse! Do you wear your own on CNN?
Don: Oh man, it’s ridiculous. It’s all me! I think I even influence folks around me. CNN used to be considered kind of boring. After I came, I received recognition as having the “best ties on television” and all of a sudden people started wearing ties like mine! I love fashion and I love design, and if I weren’t doing the news … I’d be an interior designer of some sort. I like to have fun with clothing though. Tonight I’m going to an event in New York and I’m going to wear a vintage plaid jacket with a pair of vintage pants, a traditional really nice shirt and patent leather shoes. I never understood why people want to be just like everyone else. I understand youthful peer pressure, but I want to be different. I want to be Don! Even my house is very personalized – walking in is like, walking in to DON!
Don Lemon’s book Transparency reveals all!
Fitz: That’s really silly and fun, but you look great so I won’t pick on you. What do you do to stay fit?
Don: I work out with a trainer, and have just recently lost a bunch of weight. I was a super skinny kid, so when I started working out, I focused on bulking up. As I got older though, I thought “this is just silly”, these big muscles just don’t look right on an adult. Instead, I started working to just be lean. My trainer put me on a set amount of calories, and I eat between four to six meals a day. If I’m going to the beach or something, I’ll stick with really clean lean foods. But on a regular basis, I eat what I want, I just maintain smaller portions. I don’t make a habit of cleaning the plate. I’ve lost about 12 pounds in the past few months by just being resonable with my eating habits. I wasn’t fat before, but I wasn’t lean either – there’s a difference.
Fitz: There’s a big difference! What’s your workout routine like?
Don: I do a P90X style workout. Lots of plyometrics, cario bursts, stretching and so on. It’s great because I used to be intimidated in the gym, but now I move from one thing to another so fast that I don’t have time to worry if some guy is looking at me weird.
Fitz: Are you dating anyone?
Don: I am, I’ve been with my partner for four years. He’s the most patient man in the world, because he puts up with my you know what! He’s a producer and he also works at CNN.
Fitz: Will you get married if you’re able to?
Don: I’m not in any rush to get married, because I’m not sure I’m the marrying type. I believe everyone should be able to get married, I just don’t think that I should do it because everyone else is.
Fitz: Would you like to be a Dad?
Don: That’s for sure! The older I get I think, “I better do it soon”. I don’t want to be 90 when my kids are graduating from high school. But I do think at this point, if I were to have kids, there would have to be a nanny involved.
Fitz: Lots of families use nannies!
Don: True, and I’d hate to drag a kid on an airplane as much as I am … on short notice too.
Fitz: Well get back to the news Don, thanks so much for the super fun interview!
Don pleeaase can i be the one to have a kid 4 u?and i want the kid 2 be just like his father. Beauty, class, and brains wiv a good sense of humour&a kind heart.
Awesome interview. Don is so likeable, intelligent, and funny!
i send you a nice letter but i did not see the b of the page well make the page did not pass,oh to much to write back i won’t that ok. just the contenue of the letter i send to you, i know you was gay since the first day i watched cnn,you doing a great job ,i like your interview everytime you go on the platform,and telling you i used to have three friends gay on different years each of them came because the first one die and he die young 33 years old by hiv one of his friend gave to him and he make a alliance with god he became nazireen he never gave back to someone else until he died the second die heartattack i was in usa when my sister told me he was young too and i remember we used to say we will disapear somewhere on the world to live and i letf paris to come to usa and he stay in paris was working for a airline corsair and later i learn he die sad i remember i loan him two dvd when he die he did not get the chance to give me back then i went buy it again in usa,but he was funny make me laugh ,young age really so funny,and later in usa i meet one again because i need a apt then he was the one take care they aptement to rent and later he became my friend he told me he have hiv one of his friend gave to him in california oh that so sad he young i remember i was with him during the frist primary called obama obama president in downtown we was laugh after i left i don’t know if kwame is a life or death became he was need medicine for his sickness i lost contact with him.i read your history i think all gay man they like to please them well i find funny well if they happy right not .that why i like your style .donlemen you funny.
sometime i make wrong key letter typing because he was need medicine and at the first primary obama we was screaming obama obama president to have fun.thank-you to correct all my mistake .
I watch Don Lemon on CNN all the time. I think he’s the coolest! He’s good looking, so calm, so intelligent. I had no idea Don is gay, but that’s all right, he’s still so cool! I just love him.
Looks like Lemon is a lemon. He is an abusive gay man. Wonder how he treats his poor boyfriend and other men he’s been with in past. I mean, if he can be so abusive to a total stranger, how does he treat the men he’s been with? What a creep. Get rid of him. He’s a disgrace to CNN. The guy is accused of sexual assaulting another man back in 2018 for God’s sakes. Yep, Donny boy got sexually aggressive with a man at Murf’s Backstreet Tavern in Sag Harbor in July 2018. Now he’s getting sued. Lawsuit says: “(Lemon) put his hand down the front of his own shorts, and vigorously rubbed his genitalia, removed his hand and shoved his index and middle fingers into (Hice’s) mustache and under (VICTIM Dustin Hice’s) nose,” reads the lawsuit, Lemon is a monster. A complete fraud. Fake. Phony. Predator. God only knows how many other men he’s abused. What a complete loser. Poser. Arrogant punk