American Journalist Don Lemon is an openly gay anchor who is currently affiliated with CNN. The outspoken journalist has been the center of many controversies during his career.
In an interview with the Times, Lemon linked his controversies regarding the lecture he gave to Afro-American citizens in 2013 with his own childhood.
Family Background
Don Lemon was born to Katherine Clark and Wilmon Richardson on March 1, 1966.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was a significant part of Don’s upbringing. Katherine Clark, the outspoken journalist’s mom, was also previously married, but she and her husband split up because he “wasn’t treating her well.”
Don’s late dad, Wilmon Richardson, was a lawyer who helped end segregation on public transportation in the city where the family was born and raised, Baton Rouge. Unfortunately, Wilmon passed away while our host was a child from issues related to his diabetes.
At age five, Lemon learned that his biological father was Wilmon, despite having been given the surname of his mother’s new spouse.
The anchor’s sisters are named Leisa and Yma, and the latter is the only one of his kin still alive now.
Leisa Lemon drowned in a fishing accident on January 31, 2018, in Denham Springs, Louisiana.
The newscaster announced her sadness on Twitter on Thursday, February 1:
“Thanks everyone for your words of sympathy.
Please keep my family in your prayers. Leisa was my oldest sister & partner in crime growing up. Always had my back. #RIPbigSis.”
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Is The Renowned Anchor Don Gay?
His birthday, April 6, 2019, also marked the day he proposed to his lifelong partner, Tim Malone.
The CNN host announced his engagement on Saturday and immediately took to social media. The two commenced dating in the summer of 2016 and made their romance public through a post on Don’s Instagram.
The acclaimed journalist wrote in his Instagram post:
“He gave me a present on his birthday. How could I say no?”
The two began dating in the summer of 2016 and made their romance public through a post on the newsperson’s Instagram.
Tim Malone, a real estate agent from Water Mill, New York, was born in April 1984. Tim has lived in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Long Island since he graduated from Boston College with a BA in journalism and history.
He worked for The Today Show and NBCUniversal before deciding to pursue a career in real estate. Malone has also worked in the sales divisions of SyFy and USA.
Is Stephanie Ortiz Don Lemon’s Wife?
There were multiple reports that the famous newscaster had married American actress Stephanie Ortiz more than a decade ago. The shocking news of a secret wedding ceremony shocked the entire world. Yet no proof was ever established.
Yet, none of them have publicly confirmed or denied the allegations. Then, a while later, the newscaster Don came out as gay and revealed he was seeing real estate agent Tim Malone.
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Lemon Asked Afro-Americans Community To Clean Up Their Act
In 2013, Lemon addressed the Afro-Americans Community on-air and proposed a 5 plan solution for racial uplift.
Lemon proposed these solutions while talking about the violence and chaos in the Afro-Americans Precincts. He said that if Afro-American people really wanted to fix the problems they faced, then there were 5 things that they needed to fix.
He counted down from five to one. For solution number five, he asked the community to ‘pull up their pants’. On number four, he listed the N-word and how it must be stopped within the Afro-American community. Respecting where they live and not littering made up number three, while asking the community to finish school was his number two.
The final and most controversial solution he gave was to stop having kids. He claimed that just because someone could have babies doesn’t mean they should. The journalist referred to this point in unplanned babies and babies who are born to unmarried parents.
He gave the statistics that over 72% of African American babies were born to unwed mothers, which meant absent fathers. He also pointed out that the lack of absent role models was an ‘express train’ to the prison and how the cycle continued.
Lemon Linked The Controversial Statement With His Childhood
In February 2021, the host of CNN Tonight with Don Lemon gave an interview with the Times regarding his new book, ‘This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism’.
When asked about his statement to stop having children out of wedlock, Lemon clarified that him being someone who was born out of wedlock, would have preferred a traditional family. He revealed that his single mother also wished to have a more traditional family.
As per the Guardian, Lemon’s mother was working for his father as a legal secretary while being married to a different man. His biological father was also married to a different woman during that time. The anchor was only nine years old when he lost his biological dad, and his divorced mother remarried. Then, he and his mother received the traditional family they always wanted. Tim Malone
In the interview with the Times, Lemon also admitted that he could have phrased the statement regarding being born out of wedlock differently to get his point across properly with no misunderstandings.
“I think the way I said it may not have been, may not have been understood. And perhaps I could have said it differently.”
Racial confirmation of stereotypes, illiteracy, crime, and children growing up in isolation are genuine issues that place contemporary African American communities in the US. While Lemon may not have stated his recommendations as properly as he wished, they are relevant and worth considering.
Some Quick Facts About Don Lemon
- Donald received an Edward R. Murrow Award in 2002 for his coverage of the D.C. sniper. He also received the prize for his Hurricane Katrina reporting.
- He is a dog lover with three dogs of the same breed: Boomer, Barkley, and GusGus.
- Don alleges that he has received several death threats while working for CNN.
- Don Lemon revealed publicly that he was transgender in 2011. In his 2011 book “Transparent,” Lemon said he had known he was gay from a very young age and mentioned sexual assault as a youngster once again.
- Don Lemon also hosts a podcast called “Silence is Not an Option,” He discusses injustice and promotes the stories of change-makers who deserve greater recognition.
- He got death threats filled with racist insults in October 2017 and submitted a police report outlining the event.
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