Don Lemon Says Slamming Megyn Kelly's Comments About Joy Reid 'Is Out of My Character' but 'Someone Had to Stand Up'

Mar. 15, 2025

Don Lemon (left); Megyn Kelly.Photo:Kaitlyn Morris/Getty; Dia Dipasupil/Getty

Don Lemon; Megyn Kelly

Kaitlyn Morris/Getty; Dia Dipasupil/Getty

Kelly claimed Lemon was “trying to get press,” which he called a “weak” response. He then said that she “should be supportive of all women, even a Black woman, even someone as a journalist who she disagrees with.”

Lemon previously called out Kelly, 54, on the Monday, Feb. 25 episode of his show after the ex-Fox news pundit posted a message onXvoicing her approval of Reid being let go.

From left: Don Lemon, Megyn Kelly and Joy Reid.Jamie McCarthy/Getty; Dia Dipasupil/Getty; Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Don Lemon; Megyn Kelly; Joy Reid

Jamie McCarthy/Getty; Dia Dipasupil/Getty; Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

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“Remember when Joy Reid laughingly mocked ‘White women tears’ as pathetic and offensive to her? Who’s crying now, Joy?” Kelly wrote. “Good riddance to the absolute worst person on television, and shame on NBC for letting it go on this long.”

Lemon responded on his show, saying, “So let me just say to Megyn Kelly, in my 30-some years as a journalist and my 50-some years as a person of color: Go f— yourself. Okay?”

He added, “The worst person from television was fired from NBC and theTodayshow a few years ago, and that was Megyn Kelly.” (Lemon, meanwhile, was fired from CNN in 2023.)

Megyn Kelly onToday.Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty

MEGYN KELLY TODAY – Pictured: Megyn Kelly on Tuesday, June 19, 2018 – (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)

On Wednesday’s episode of his YouTube show, Lemon elaborated on why he felt the need to speak out, despite it being “something that is out of my character.” The podcast host said Kelly claims to be “some big proponent of women’s rights” while insulting women on a “daily” basis.

“Tell a woman to smile, see what their reaction would be,” he said.

Lemon then appeared to stop just short of calling Kelly a bitch, saying, “So just one last thing — and I don’t know if I’ll comment on it anymore unless she does something egregious — Megyn, okay, I’m just saying maybe people would like you, and the women would like you more, if you weren’t such a… what you said about my former colleague?”

source: people.com