Looks like Anderson Cooper will be making room for another gay anchor with a solo show in CNN primetime.
Out newsman Don Lemon is going to be getting his own show on CNN…kind of. While Erin Burnett is on maternity leave, Lemon will be hosting one of two shows that will take over the 11 pm hour. Lemon’s show, imaginatively titled The 11th Hour, will run from 11-11:30 pm for three weeks starting on December 2.
The “test” format has proven to be popular with new shows in this age, and if the numbers are encouraging, Lemon and The 11th Hour will probably return in some form after the three week trial.
The news perfectly explains why the previously hard-news oriented anchor has been delving more and more into punditry and identity politics as of late. Lemon stays relatively silent on gay issues, but has caught some flack as of late for his take on issues concerning the black community. Earlier this year, he stated on CNN that Bill O’Reilly didn’t “go far enough” in his criticism of black culture, and was recently criticized for defending New York City’s controversial “stop and frisk” law.
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There’s little information available on the format of the show, but with CNN regularly running a distant third in ratings behind their cable news counterparts MSNBC and Fox News, look to Lemon to spice it up with some Cooper or Maddow-style personality driven pieces along with his commentary on the hot topics of the day.
Charles175
One week he said that he was molested and a short time later he came out. Common move back in the day that helped very much create and solidify the gay-pedo connection mess. Glad that we no longer feel the need to do this any more.
northwest
Figured he was angling for his own show when he started talking nonsense about what it means to be African-American. I won’t be watching.
Kieran
I was going to say he’s definitely cuter than Bill O’Reilly, but what isn’t? Congratulations Don.
Yoco
Don revealed he was molested in September 2010 while covering Eddie Long story.Six months later while promoting his book he publicly came out .He has stated many times his molestation did not cause him to be Gay.He was born Gay he has stated in many interviews.He has also talked about being a Gay Black Man dozens of times including in The Advocate a few weeks ago.
hyhybt
That’s horrible.
Obviously the 11th hour *ends* at 11.
Rockery
LOL at “openly gay anchor”
Tackle
@northwest: I agree.
DShucking
@Yoco: May I ask, why do you capitalize the word gay?
Kangol
@northwest:
Exactly. But I guess I should follow the old admonition, “Don’t hate the playa, hate the game.”
Charles175
@Yoco: Was unaware of this.
Yoco
I don’t know I generally capitalize Gay , Straight, Black, White, etc when describing people. Is that wrong?
DShucking
@Yoco: I don’t think it’s wrong but I think it might not be correct when it comes to the written word.
Degas
Nice looking man!
BrandoPolo
Hot. Check. Smart. Check. Accomplished. Check. Win win win. Good for CNN — this is bold. I’ll be supporting the network.
Disagree with him completely about Bill O’Reilly though. I just can’t take serious old white dudes who concern troll about black criminality while supporting the very policies and party that sustain the poverty, undereducation, and hopelessness that leads to that criminality. Don Lemon should know better.
KDub
@northwest: Don Lemon is black now? Lol