Don Lemon criticizes his former employer and discusses the end of Stephen Colbert’s late-night program in an essay published on Substack. In the piece, Lemon says he will not name the person he is referring to, but argues that an unnamed “white man” has benefited from media systems that, in his view, elevate unqualified figures. Lemon uses the phrase “failed up,” describing what he calls a pattern in the industry.
Multiple outlets report that Lemon’s comments come as Colbert’s show is set to end, and that the essay is widely characterized by some outlets as responding to the broader political context around media coverage. Fox News reports that Lemon also raises claims about media enabling right-wing voices and suppressing liberals. The Daily Mail and Mediaite similarly describe the essay as attention focused on race and power dynamics, portraying Lemon’s remarks as directed at his former boss. New York Post quotes Lemon’s language calling the situation “spectacular” and “profoundly unqualified.”
