Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was called a “moron” during a heated street confrontation in New York City, which quickly escalated into a profanity-filled argument caught on video.
The former primetime host, who left CNN last year, approached a man on the street in Manhattan for a segment of his podcast, but the encounter turned tense almost immediately.
“You’re a f–king moron, dude,” the man said, interrupting Lemon shortly after he introduced himself.
“Thanks, you’re one too,” Lemon replied with a grin, attempting to steer the exchange back on track.
“I’m glad you watch me,” Lemon said, trying to defuse the tension.
“No, I don’t,” the man shot back.
He then accused CNN and MSNBC of being “full of BS,” claiming the networks had lied about “genocide” in Gaza and “all wars.”
Lemon argued that both networks were simply reporting the rulings of international courts, but the man was unconvinced.
“They would never call it genocide,” he insisted. “They were protecting Israel.”
Trying to redirect the conversation, Lemon noted the contradiction in the man’s claim of not watching him while referencing his clips.
“You must watch me,” Lemon said. “So you’re not making any sense.”
The man compared it to recognizing George Clooney without having seen his movies.
“And I’ve seen you spouting nonsense,” he added.
When Lemon asked why he would approach someone just to insult them, the man shrugged. “Because it just comes out, man. You’re big and think you’re something.”
Lemon then delivered a brief lecture on self-respect, suggesting the man was lashing out because he “hadn’t accomplished much” in his own life.
“I would never, in a million years, walk up to anyone—whether I knew them or not—and call them a f–king moron,” Lemon said.
“Not unless I had terrible self-respect and wanted to lash out because I felt bad about myself,” he added.
The man, however, refused to back down. “I called you a f–king moron,” he shot back. “I don’t need to defend that, because it’s accurate.”
The exchange quickly devolved into a cycle of accusations and denials. Lemon pointed out, “It’s on tape. You said it three times.” The heckler denied it and accused Lemon of insulting him in return.
“You called me a f–king moron too,” the man said.
CNN anchors Poppy Harlow, Don Lemon, and Kaitlan Collins on set before Lemon’s departure in 2023.
“You go find a library,” Lemon shot back. “There’s a bookstore right there.”
Afterward, Lemon admitted on camera that the confrontation was “beneath” him, but added that he found it “fun.”
The Post has reached out to Lemon for comment. The man involved in the encounter could not be identified.
Lemon, 59, was dismissed from CNN in April 2023 following a series of controversies, including comments about women being “past their prime” and reported conflicts with colleagues.
