Don Lemon Talks Being Gay & Non-Liberal & Handling Criticism With GQ [Photos]

Known for a few awkward on-air moments and occasionally putting his foot in his mouth, Don Lemon has been occasionally criticized since gaining additional notoriety after his start with CNN. With comments made during the aftermath of the guilty verdict of the Ferguson officer who killed Mike Brown and asking an alleged Bill Cosby rape victim why she didn’t use her teeth to fight him off, we can say that Lemon’s way with words can sometimes get lost in translation.

The 49-year-old Louisiana native, who got his start at Fox then moved to NBC after being told by a journalism professor that aspiring to be an anchor was too high, was able to defeat odds and prove to his professor and other doubters that not only could he get an on-air job but he could also win an Emmy and receive an Edward R. Murrow award, a prestigious journalism honor.

During his interview with GQ, we learn that Lemon is in a relationship with a lawyer, we learn about his past with sexual abuse, how he views himself, and clears up those moments that made you scratch your head. Ultimately, we learn more about Don Lemon that meets the eye.

On his political views:

People expect me to be liberal because I’m gay and I’m not liberal…you keep saying I have conservative values. I don’t. I think I have values that are important and realistic. And they’re not necessarily spoon-fed by someone. I thought out what my values should be.

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