The Associated Press’ David Bauder writes a piece on Don Lemon’s increasing airtime— and opinion giving—at CNN.
CNN has no problem with Lemon’s opinions, so long as he’s not predictably partisan. Janelle Rodriguez, vice president of programming at CNN U.S., said Lemon talks to viewers instead of talking down to them.
“Having a personality is a positive attribute,” Rodriguez said.
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The piece also touches on Lemon’s thoughts on the most recent media firestorm: Jill Abramson’s New York Times dismissal.
Last week while moderating a discussion with four women on the firing of New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson, Lemon said he didn’t believe in equal pay for equal work in all circumstances — the verbal equivalent of sticking his head in a lion’s mouth.
As we’ve reported, Lemon has certainly felt more comfortable offering his opinion lately. He recently called Rush Limbaugh a “stunt king,” which solicited a response from Limbaugh noting who Lemon sleeps with.
And earlier this year, after strongly denouncing the Michael Dunn verdict as “ridiculous” on-air, Lemon and Fox News anchor Gregg Jarrett got into it on Twitter, where Lemon told “old man” Jarrett to mind his business.