Don Lemon on Monday denied former CNN colleague Chris Cuomo’s claim that their televised camaraderie was a put-on at the behest of then-CNN boss Jeff Zucker.
Cuomo told interviewer Patrick Bet David earlier this year that Zucker had asked him to remain on air after his prime-time show to "help mitigate whatever’s going to come out of [Lemon’s] mouth," a characterization Lemon disputed on the "Mixed Signals" podcast. Lemon said he asked Zucker about the allegation and that Zucker "just laughed and said, ‘Uh, that’s really sad.'" Lemon added that he could have ended the handoff at any time and that the idea for the extended exchange was his.
Lemon described the handoff — a routine moment when one anchor wraps up and the next begins — as a deliberate, ratings-driven bit he devised after Zucker encouraged more interaction between shows. "He wanted a handoff," Lemon said. "So there was a handoff with Anderson to Chris… And so he wanted a handoff between shows and I said, ‘Oh, you want a handoff? I’m going to give you a handoff.'" He said he leaned into the segment to make it entertaining and that it became one of the network’s highest-rated stretches.
Cuomo and Lemon’s nightly banter grew popular with viewers and led to a joint podcast, "The Handoff," and a tour. The friendship unraveled after Cuomo was fired by CNN in December 2021 following revelations that he had advised his brother, then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, during an investigation into sexual harassment allegations. Cuomo later moved to NewsNation and has at times criticized Lemon from that perch.
Lemon, who was dismissed by CNN in April 2023 after a series of on-air controversies and internal complaints about his conduct, has launched "The Don Lemon Show" on YouTube. This week he drew attention when a filmed man-on-the-street segment in Manhattan ended with a passerby calling him "full of s–t" and a "f–king moron." Lemon said he does not hold a grudge toward Cuomo and has offered mixed statements in public about their relationship, at times calling Cuomo a friend while acknowledging they had not spoken.
Cuomo has publicly expressed bitterness over what he sees as a lack of support from colleagues, including Lemon, in the period before his firing. Asked this year whether he would consider reviving a partnership with Lemon, Cuomo dismissed the idea, saying, "Why would I do it?... I am a loyalty guy… You’re ride or die, or you’re not." Lemon told Mediaite in 2024 that he and Cuomo "needed a little break" but that he loved Cuomo and his family.
The wider personnel shakeups at CNN provide context for the dispute. Zucker, who had been the network’s CEO, left in February 2022 after disclosure of a romantic relationship with a subordinate. Lemon’s exit followed more than a year later after criticism of on-air remarks and internal complaints.
The New York Post reported Lemon’s denial and sought comment from Zucker and Cuomo. Cuomo, now at NewsNation, has continued to use his platform to critique former colleagues, while Lemon has pursued independent projects online. In the latest exchange, Lemon said he was unaware of the basis for Cuomo’s claims and ended his comments this week with, "I don’t know what Chris is talking about. I just, you know, I feel, you know, whatever. Good luck to him."
Both men remain public figures in cable news and digital media, and their dispute underscores lingering tensions among former CNN staffers amid years of turnover and controversy at the network. The parties did not provide new documentation to substantiate either version of how the handoffs were arranged, and the disagreement centers on participants’ differing recollections of editorial intent and behind-the-scenes direction.
CNN and representatives for Zucker and Cuomo did not immediately respond to requests for comment made through the New York Post, which reported the initial accounts.