*Former CNN anchor Don Lemon parted ways with the network in April 2023, and now he’s hosting The Don Lemon Show via his deal with X/Twitter. But Lemon tells Page Six that having his show without the cushy backing of a major network is a bit unnerving.
“I am used to being in a studio system where you have producers [to] take care of you,” Lemon told the outlet. “Now I am the owner. I am the entrepreneur. I have to do payroll. Who is going to do my graphics? I have to hire a writer. I have to hire the producer. I have to do all these things.”
Lemon kicked off 2024 with the announcement about his own show launching on Elon Musk’s X/Twitter platform.
“I’ve heard you… and today I am back bigger, bolder, freer!” he said at the time.
“My new media company’s first project is The Don Lemon Show. It will be available to everyone, easily, whenever and wherever you want it, streaming on the platforms where the conversations are happening,” Lemon added. “And you’ll find it first on X, the biggest space for free speech in the world. I know now more than ever that we need a place for honest debate and discussion without the hall monitors. This is just the beginning so stay tuned.”
CNN parted ways with Lemon last year after 17 years at the network. He told Page Six that his new gig is “a lot of work, so I really enjoy doing it — but it is a little bit unnerving because it is new but exciting.”
Lemon also implied that he’s not in demand nearly as much as he was during his CNN days.
“I don’t mind my phone not ringing. I like the peace. I have always known who my real friends are… I don’t hold grudges. You do you, I do me,” he shared.
“I am going to be the same — but more,” he said of his new show. “Just wait, I don’t have to worry about getting in trouble. Freedom it’s the best feeling, freedom.”
READ MORE: Don Lemon Announces New Show on X/Twitter: ‘I’m Back Bigger, Bolder, Freer!’ | VIDEO