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Megyn Kelly unloads on CNN for keeping Lemon: Does someone have to grab a boob for us to count, Chris Licht?

February 22, 2023 | | Print Article

Megyn Kelly got word of CNN host Don Lemon’s stint in a “re-education camp” and had a simple question for the network’s CEO over the half-measure in dealing with swirling controversy: “Does someone have to grab a boob for us to count, Chris Licht?”

The passionate rant from the podcast host started off measured and grew increasingly fervent as she sounded off on what amounted to just the latest wrongdoing committed by Lemon. As the CNN personality’s apology-led getaway tacked on another day Tuesday, with Licht informing employees Lemon had “agreed to participate in formal training” after insulting women everywhere, Kelly sought clarity.

“Here’s a question I have for him: Do women matter? Do we matter?” she began.

“It shouldn’t have to be that we are raped by a man, or 21 women come forward alleging that they’ve been sexually harassed by a man, or they’ve been inappropriately touched by a man for their offense to matter,” the commentator established, “because we have seen person after person get fired because they caused offense, mere offense, when it comes to race, when it comes to sexual orientation, when it comes to gender identity.”

Before rattling off the names of figures on the left who had spoken out against Lemon’s remarks that suggested a woman’s professional career was beholden to the limitations of sexual prime, like White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and author Anna Quindlen, Kelly highlighted where she believed the dividing line on showing the host the door really was.

“Does women’s offense matter? Does it matter? Because this guy managed to piss off half the country and it’s not left or right, it’s male or female — and by the way a lot of the men are with us,” she rightly argued. “You don’t have to be a ‘me too’ supporter to be irritated and offended by what Don Lemon said. This one’s not breaking down along partisan lines.”

After truly getting fired up, Kelly summed up her point by directly asking the network chief, “Does someone have to grab a boob for us to count, Chris Licht? That’s my question to you, because Don Lemon’s re-education camp is a farce. It’s a lie and we know it.”

“And for them to continue tolerating him makes them part of the problem,” she contended.

Meanwhile, employees of CNN, the same network that had allowed legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin to return after sexually gratifying himself during a video conference, seemed to be split over Licht’s leadership since Jeff Zucker resigned over an affair with then-executive Vice President Allison Gollust.

“Chris Licht has put all his apples in this cart with Don and the morning show,” one source told Page Six. “It has to work.”

The source added a caveat, wondering, “what does a future look like at this network with a show that is past the point of growing pains?”

“Jeff has a specific plan and approach through his tenure…that made sense to people,” another said. “He knew who fit well in what time slots, and frankly who didn’t.”

“The uncertainty, the absolute poor choices in the morning, and other issues have given rise to the voices of the Zucker-ites,” the source suggested and added, “He never would’ve let these three, (Lemon, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins) together in this Frankenstein morning show.”

To that point, many pointed out the ratings that have continued to suffer at the network while others contended it was only a matter of time before Lemon was fully removed.

Kevin Haggerty
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