Don Lemon Biography

Don Lemon is an American television journalist best known for hosting CNN. During his early days as a journalist, Lemon anchored weekend news programs on local television stations in Alabama and Pennsylvania. Before he joined CNN in 2006, Don also worked for NBC as a correspondent on its programming, such as Today and NBC Nightly News. He is the current co-host of CNN This Morning, alongside Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow.

Early life and family history

Lemon was born to parents Katherine Marie (mother) and Wilmon Lee Richardson (father) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. Richardson, Don’s father, was a prominent attorney who was part of a lawsuit successfully challenging the segregation of public transportation in Baton Rouge. Don discovered his father’s identity when he was five years old. He has two siblings: Leisa Lemon, who died on January 31, 2018, and Yma Lemon.

Don Lemon was born on March 1, 1966, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. He celebrates his birthday on March 1st every year, and as of 2024, he is 58 years old.

Don Lemon Height

Don Lemon stands 6 feet tall. He has black hair and weighs around 80 kg.

Don Lemon Education

Don attended Baker High School, a public high school in East Baton Rouge Parish. During his senior year there, he served as the class president. After completing high school, Lemon attended Louisiana State University, where he was a Republican and voted for Ronald Reagan. He then proceeded to Brooklyn College, where he graduated with a major in broadcast journalism in 1996 at the age of 30. During his time at college, Lemon interned at WNYW. He began his career as a correspondent for NBC affiliates in Philadelphia and Chicago, and he also worked for Fox affiliates in St. Louis and Chicago for several years.

Don Lemon Wife

Don publicly came out as gay in 2011, after being out in his personal life and with close colleagues. He revealed that he experienced sexual abuse as a child and penned a book honoring Tyler Clementi, a college student who died by suicide following his online outing. Don began dating real estate agent Tim Malone in 2017. They currently reside in an apartment in Harlem and have another home in Sag Harbor on Long Island, New York.

Don Lemon’s CNN career

Don Lemon first worked as a reporter for WBRC in Birmingham, Alabama, and for WCAU in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Before joining CNN, he worked for NBC News’s New York City operations, including as a correspondent for Today and NBC Nightly News, as an anchor on Weekend Today, and as a program on MSNBC. Lemon joined CNN in September 2006 and has been outspoken in his work, criticizing the state of cable news and questioning the network publicly. Besides being one of the most influential reporters, Don has voiced strong opinions on ways the African American community can improve their lives, which has caused some controversy.

Don Lemon’s honors and awards

Lemon’s achievements have received recognition within and outside the industry. For his reporting on the apprehension of the Washington, D.C., snipers in 2002, he received an Edward R. Murrow Award. While working in Chicago, he won three Emmy Awards for his local news reporting.

Don Lemon’s net worth | Salary

The average salary of an anchor or news reporter ranges from around $32,000 to $130,100. Don earns an annual salary ranging between $45,000 and $120,000, and he is estimated to be worth over $1 million dollars, thanks to his successful career as a journalist.