‘The View’ Co-Host Sunny Hostin Defends ‘Friend’ Don Lemon Following Controversial CNN Firing: ‘He Loves Women’

Sunny Hostin, Don Lemon

‘The View’ Co-Host Sunny Hostin Defends ‘Friend’ Don Lemon Following Controversial CNN Firing: ‘He Loves Women’

Sunny Hostin is standing ten toes down behind her friend Don Lemon following his recent termination. 

Sunny Hostin defended her friend of 20 years on Tuesday’s (Apr. 25) episode of “The View.” You may be aware that Don Lemon was recently fired by CNN, after 17 years with the network, seemingly due to allegations of him being sexist and misogynistic. 

While speaking about her friend and the claims that surround him, Sunny Hostin, 54, expressed:

“I know that I’m biased here because Don is my friend and he has been my friend for 20 years.” 

Hostin, who previously worked at CNN with Don Lemon, continued:

“Our offices were directly across from each other, for most of that time that I worked there, and I will say I don’t believe — in my experience with him — that he’s a misogynist.”

Sunny Hostin

According to Hostin, despite how it may seem, Don Lemon “loves women.”

“I think he loves women. He loves his mother. He loved his sister. He loves me. He loves [co-host] Joy Behar.”

Hostin also spoke out against critics comparing her longtime friend’s departure from CNN to Tucker Carlson’s exit from Fox News. On Monday (Apr. 24) it was announced that the conservative Fox News prime-time host left the network after he called an executive a “c*nt” via text message.

Hostin stated:

“It’s a false equivalency and just to put a button on it, Don, yes, said some things that were sexist and I think, ageist. He apologized for them and received formal training.”

She added:

“And apologized, and Tucker never apologized for anything.”

Sunny Hostin

As previously reported, Don Lemon took to Twitter Monday morning to announce that he had been abruptly fired from CNN. Lemon wrote:

“I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have the decency to tell me directly.  At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network.”

The 57-year-old added:

“It is clear there are some larger issues at play.  With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run. They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them all the best.”

The termination comes after Lemon’s remarks on “CNN This Morning” about women being “past their prime” once they hit a certain age.  

Back in February, Lemon and his female co-hosts shared their point of view on Nikki Haley’s request that politicians, once they hit 75 years old,  should go through mental competency exams. As previously reported, Lemon said:

“This whole talk about age makes me uncomfortable. I think it’s a wrong road to go down.”

The Los Angeles native continued:

“She says ‘politicians are something and not in their prime,’ Nikki Haley isn’t in her prime. Sorry a woman is considered being in her prime in her 20’s and 30’s and maybe 40’s.”

Don Lemon

After his co-hosts seemingly became upset by his comments, Lemon clarified:

“That’s not according to me.”

The television host added:

“When you google ‘when is a woman in her prime’ it’ll say 20’s 30’s and 40’s. I’m not saying I agree with that, so I think she has to be careful about saying that politicians aren’t in their prime –”

Lemon eventually took to Twitter to apologize for his “inartful and irrelevant” comments. He wrote:

“The reference I made to a woman’s “prime” this morning was inartful and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, and I regret it. A woman’s age doesn’t define her either personally or professionally. I have countless women in my life who prove that every day.”

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