Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was confronted and repeatedly insulted by a passerby while conducting a street interview in Manhattan, a viral livestream clip shows.
The exchange, filmed Sunday in the East Village, captured the unnamed man telling the 59-year-old journalist, "You're a f**king moron, dude," after Lemon approached him during a man-on-the-street segment. The two initially shook hands, but the conversation quickly turned hostile as the man accused cable news networks of lying and pro-Israel bias and admonished Lemon for speaking over him.
Lemon at times appeared taken aback and responded directly to the insults, saying "Thank you. So are you," and later "I'm glad you watch me," to which the man replied, "No, I don't!" The man said he no longer watched networks such as CNN and MSNBC because, in his view, "they lie" and "they lie about genocide," drawing further disagreement from Lemon.
The encounter escalated when the man waved a finger in Lemon's face and told him, "Don't tell me when I can speak." A passerby also interjected, calling Lemon a "racist," which Lemon acknowledged aloud and invited that person to speak; the offer was declined. As the man walked away, he told Lemon to "go find a library," and Lemon called after him, "Hey, let me tell you. Go find a life," before concluding the livestream by saying the man appeared "drunk" and remarking, "That was fun. I like that. I know it is beneath me. I shouldn't have argued with that guy, but that's okay. I like it. It's fun."
Lemon worked at CNN for 17 years before his departure in April 2023. His exit followed public backlash over on-air remarks about then-GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley, when he commented that women were "in their prime" in their 20s, 30s and maybe 40s. Those remarks prompted an on-air apology from Lemon and drew attention after co-anchors Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins briefly left the set during the broadcast.
Earlier in 2023, a Variety investigation published allegations that Lemon had torn up a desk belonging to a former co-anchor and had sent threatening texts from an unknown number; Lemon has denied those allegations. Since leaving CNN, Lemon has continued to appear on media platforms, including his own YouTube channel, where he reportedly has more than 800,000 subscribers.
The clip adds to a string of public confrontations and controversies involving prominent onetime cable news personalities who have remained visible after leaving network posts. The confrontation in the East Village underscores the polarized environment in which former anchors now operate when engaging members of the public, particularly on contentious topics such as media coverage of international conflicts.
No physical altercation was shown in the video, and there were no immediate reports of injuries. Lemon did not announce any further action following the encounter; the livestream concluded shortly after the man left the scene.