A brief history of Don Lemon saying questionable things

The CNN journalist's foot stays firmly planted in his mouth.

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Image via Complex Original
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Don Lemon reports on the day's headlines—but also frequently makes headlines himself. 

Since 2006, the 49-year-old Louisiana native has been just one of a few black CNN news anchors to appear on television. Unfortunately, Lemon's presentation of the news is often overshadowed by his frequent verbal flubs.

His latest gaffe? Complimenting comedian Kathy Griffin for having a "nice rack" during a live national broadcast on New Year's Eve. Did Lemon have one drink too many before ringing in 2016, or was he just "Don-Lemoning"—that is, popping off at the mouth—as history proves he tends to do?

The CNN Tonight host is no stranger to making controversial comments. The black communitysexual assault victims, and even children have all been subjected to Lemon's questionable questions. That might be why the Columbia Journalism Review named Lemon among 2014's worst in journalism.

Here are some of Lemon's worst foot-in-mouth moments:

1. Requesting more proof after watching the Spring Valley video

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Lemon ended 2015 on a sour note after he suggested that more information was necessary before passing judgment on South Carolina Deputy Ben Fields, the student resources officer who dragged a black female student from her desk in October. 

After video of the incident went viral, Fields was fired, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Justice Department opened a civil-rights investigation into the case.

Following his controversial remarks, Black Twitter was convinced that Lemon was trolling everyone:

Members of the black community are tired of Lemon—so tired, in fact, that a petition to remove him from CNN received nearly 40,000 supporters. "Lemon has consistently antagonized and defamed the characteristics of African-Americans on the national scale in his mass communications," the petition says. 

2. Saying blacks shouldn’t wear baggy pants, use the n-word, or litter

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U.S President Barack Obama cited the shooting death of unarmed black teen Trayvon Martin as a reason for why the country should reexamine state laws, specifically, the "Stand Your Ground" law. In response, Fox host Bill O'Reilly suggested that the problems confronting the black community were mainly due to the disintegration of the black family, rather than institutional racism.

But even more alarming than O'Reilly's flawed logic was Lemon's public agreement with him. In fact, the CNN anchor said O'Reilly "doesn't go far enough," and added that black men should also stop wearing baggy pants, using the n-word, dropping out of school, having children out of wedlock, and littering.

 

3. Telling an alleged sexual-assault victim: 'There are ways not to perform oral sex'

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4. Comparing corporal punishment of children to training dogs

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During a CNN Tonight segment titled "How Parents Discipline Children," Lemon discussed corporal punishment with his colleague Chris Cuomo. Cuomo argued that research does not support spanking children as an effective method of discipline, but Lemon disagreed, saying that spanking enables parents to assert control over their kids. 

Lemon's evidence? It worked on his dog:


Listen, I went to training—I hate to do this—with my dog, and fear is the same thing. You have to teach who's in control. It doesn't matter whether it's fear or what have you, I'm saying this because it stops you from doing it. 

5. Asking whether MH370 disappeared into a black hole

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On March 8, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370—and the 239 people on board—mysteriously vanished. Plane debris wasn't found until July 2015, and investigators have yet to find the rest of the plane.

As MH370's disappearance attracted international attention, some proposed various theories about its fate, including Lemon, who questioned whether it could've been sucked into a black hole. His primary sources for these conspiracy theories? Random Twitter accounts, of course. 

Mary Schiavo, a former U.S. Department of Transportation inspector general, was quick to shut down Lemon's question:


"Well, it is ... A small black hole would suck in our entire universe so we know it's not that. The Bermuda Triangle is often weather. And Lost is a TV show. So I think—I always like things for which there's data, history, crunch the numbers. So for me, those aren't there.

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