CNN anchor Don Lemon has taken his share of hate on Twitter: a former Miss Teen USA called Lemon a “modern day house negro,” hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons labeled him “a dangerous talking head” and MSNBC’s Goldie Taylor accused him of being a “turn coat mofo.” And those are just the racial attacks; there’s also the matter of Lemon’s skills as a journalist.
Which brings us to the Columbia Journalism Review, which recently named Lemon a contributor to “the worst journalism of 2014.”
On March 20, he asked guests whether Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 could have been swallowed by a black hole: “I know it’s preposterous, but is it preposterous?” He later compared spanking children to training dogs and probed similarities between the release of US Army POW Bowe Bergdahl and the Showtime series Homeland. When an alleged Bill Cosby rape victim appeared on his show on Nov. 18, he lectured, “You know, there are ways not to perform oral sex if you didn’t want to do it…Meaning the use of teeth, right?”
Don Lemon named one of the year's worst journalists by the Columbia Journalism Review. I think his Bill Cosby interview secured that title.
— Brad Friedman (@BradFriedman713) December 27, 2014
Finally the recognition @donlemon deserves. #worstjournalism #ColumbiaJournalismReview
— James (@muffinlovesboo) December 27, 2014
Don Lemon named 1 of the Worst Journalists Of 2014 by The Columbia Journalism Review. I'm not the only 1 who thinks he's freaking terrible!
— Kj (@cardsfansquared) December 27, 2014
https://twitter.com/NotIrishEnough/status/548928116362850304
this screengrab RT @PzFeed CNN's Don Lemon named to 'Worst Journalism of 2014' list by Columbia Journalism Review pic.twitter.com/jFy8kOs4EL
— Bob Bonner (@RBonner_) December 27, 2014
Recommended
When you're named The Worst by the Columbia Journalism Review, that's a MASSIVE INDICTMENT.
MASSIVE.— Kevin D. Grüssing (Pronounced Grew-Sing) (@KevDGrussing) December 27, 2014
CNN Anchor Don Lemon On "Worst Journalism of 2014" List By Columbia Journalism Review via http://t.co/iulZVSrwVq pic.twitter.com/HHJRKF9muz
— Pelosi Stan Account Lnonblonde™ (@Lnonblonde) December 27, 2014
Thank you, Columbia Journalism Review, for confirming what everyone already knew, & straight-up announcing that @donlemon is just the worst.
— ChadTaylor (@ChadTaylor) December 28, 2014
Lemon’s black hole theory and the like are amusing, but Paul Bois of Truth Revolt wonders where the award is for CNN’s Carol Costello, who chuckled while inviting viewers to “sit back and enjoy” an audio recording of Bristol Palin and her sister describing to a police officer the details of an alleged assault, calling it “possibly the best minute and a half of audio we’ve ever come across.” Good call.
https://twitter.com/TruthRevoltOrg/status/549004620039614464
The best part of the Review’s “recap of this year’s most cringeworthy news blunders”? The inevitable correction at the end.
Columbia Journalism Review's "Worst Journalism of 2014" list has a correction, naturally. Hah. http://t.co/rYXM1S6cNr pic.twitter.com/QBdirxGwFR
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) December 28, 2014
Related:
‘F*ck him up’: Don Lemon wants to take ‘race out of’ Garner case, catches hate
‘Get off his lawn, new media’! Don Lemon blames ‘bloggers’ for Ferguson ‘stir’
Former Miss Teen USA calls Don Lemon a ‘modern day house negro’
CNN’s Don Lemon gets ‘side eyes’ from onlookers in Ferguson [photo]
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