Don Lemon addresses move to morning show: 'I was not demoted'

On Don Lemon Tonight Thursday, Lemon kicked things off by addressing his move later this year to host a morning show at CNN, alongside Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins. New CNN head Chris Licht, who asked Lemon if he’d be willing to make the move, has shaken things up at the network since taking over.

“I was presented with an opportunity that I can’t pass up at this network,” Lemon said. “And we have a new boss who is a morning show impresario, and he wants a morning show that will kick off the editorial direction of the network every single day, and I am honored that he would ask me to do it.”

Lemon also said that, despite what some are saying, this was his choice.

“For all of those who are out there saying, oh, he moved me, and without my — he asked me and I said yes. I could have said no,” Lemon said. “This is my show. I have a contract for this show. I decided that I would take him up on that and take this journey with him.”

And Lemon discounted all the online noise about his move, and the direction of the network.

“This is not someone moving me. And by the way, this is not someone saying, ‘You must move to the right, Don Lemon. And you must not be so — give so much of your perspective.’ None of that has happened,” Lemon said. “All of that is fodder for Twitter, which is not real. So stop it. I was not demoted, none of that. This is an opportunity. This is a promotion.”

Video Transcript

DON LEMON: I was presented with an opportunity that I can't pass up at this network. And we have a new boss who is a morning show impresario, and he wants a morning show that will kick off the editorial direction of the network.

KYLIE MAR: Don Lemon tonight kicked off Thursday with Lemon addressing his upcoming move to host a new morning show at CNN, alongside Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins. Lemon said new CNN head Chris Licht asked him to do it, and he was willing to give it a shot.

DON LEMON: I am honored that he asked me to do it. And for all of those who are out there saying, oh, he moved me and without my-- he asked me and I said, yes. I could have said no this is my show. I have a contract for this show. I decided that I would take him up on that and take this journey with him.

KYLIE MAR: The move comes as CNN been accused in recent weeks of attempting to move further to the right. At the same time, some far right pundits are mocking the move as a demotion for the host. But Lemon, who has never shied away from sharing his thoughts on his show, says neither of those narratives are true.

DON LEMON: This is not someone saying, you must move to the right, Don Lemon, you must not give so much of your perspective. None of that has happened. All of that is fodder for Twitter, which is not real, so stop it. I was not demoted, none of that. This is an opportunity, this is a promotion.

KYLIE MAR: But Lemon admitted there will be one thing that will make the move difficult.

DON LEMON: The only thing is the boss laughed and said I'm going to have to put some extra money in the budget to have someone come out to your house and wake you up every morning, because since I've been in this business, since the 1990s, seriously, I have only been on the night shift.