Don Lemon’s New Gig Revealed: Disgraced CNN Alum To Host Awards Show For Gay Black Men

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon, who has seen his star power fade since being dismissed from his longtime network, has announced he will take on a new role hosting an awards show for gay Black men.

Lemon, who is himself gay, will play host to the 7th annual Native Son Awards, according to Page Six. The awards show is set to take place June 16th in commemoration of Pride Month and will be geared toward “[shining] a light on those who are using their platforms to bring visibility to all the beautiful ways in which Black, queer men show up in the world,” said awards founder Emil Wilbekin in a statement.

In 2016, Lemon received one of the first Native Son awards at its first annual gala for being a “leader” in his industry.

The longtime CNN anchor was dismissed in May after the latest in a string of questionable statements that poked Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley for being “past her prime.” Lemon doubled down on his assertion before walking it back hours later, though the damage was done among industry observers who called out the host for making a sexist jab at the former Trump ambassador and South Carolina governor. Haley took the call-out in stride, saying she was “still in my prime.”

The Native Son Awards originally defended Lemon following his dismissal, saying, “As one chapter closes, a new one will open. We thank you Don Lemon for speaking truth to power.”

Ensuing fallout led Lemon and the CNN public relations team to openly feud on Twitter, with Lemon claiming he was dismissed without being notified by executives before the network’s PR account fact-checked him to state that he in fact declined an offer to sit down with company leadership. Lemon has hired a high-powered lawyer to dissect his firing in a move that hints his grudge is far from forgotten.