Don Lemon Says Blasting Megyn Kelly Was ‘Out Of Character’

In late February 2025, Don Lemon had choice words for former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly after the latter shared insensitive comments about Joy Reid losing her show, “The ReidOut,” on MSNBC.

During a rant on his YouTube channel, the former CNN anchor blasted Kelly, who addressed Reid’s public firing and dismantling of her show with a bold post on X and even mentioned her being axed from NBC for problematic comments years ago on the air.

Days later, Don Lemon addressed his words about Kelly and said that although they were unlike him, they needed to be said.

According to several reports, major news network MSNBC will undergo programming changes in 2025, which means some of its shows, including “The ReidOut,” will not return to the air.

In a Townhall clip, Reid, who hosted her show from 2020 to 2025, sheds tears while discussing the loss of her program during an important time.

“My show had value,” she said. “What I was doing had value.”

Kelly, who hosted a political show called “The Kelly File” on Fox News from 2013 to 2017, replied to the emotional clip on X, formerly Twitter, and blasted Reid before saying the tears didn’t move her.

“Joy Reid has viciously mocked the tears of every white person she’s helped cancel over the years for some imaginary racial slight. She’s had zero empathy for anyone. Now, she wants us to feel sorry for her.

Lemon replied to Kelly’s social media comments during a segment on his YouTube show, and he shared his unfiltered thoughts immediately.

“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-ck yourself. Okay?” he said.

Then, Lemon took another shot at the podcaster, reminding her that she was fired from NBC in 2018 after sharing offensive commentary about blackface on national television.

“The worst person from television was fired from NBC and the ‘Today Show’ a few years ago, and that was Megyn Kelly,” he said.

On Wednesday, February 26, a day after Lemon’s comments about Kelly went viral, the journalist discussed the situation again on his YouTube channel.

During the seven-minute segment, Lemon called Kelly a “troll” before saying she “thrives” on speaking negatively about people, especially women.

Later, he described his explosive moment the day before in which he told the former NBC host to “f-ck” herself as “out of character” before saying someone needed to “stand up” for Reid following her post to X.

Lemon finished, “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?”

CNN fired Lemon after 17 years in 2023 following a string of accusations that he displayed misogynistic behavior in the workplace. In a shocking exposé titled “Don Lemon’s Misogyny ay CNN, Exposed: Malicious Texts, Mocking Female Co-Workers and ‘Diva-Like Behavior,’ the journalist was accused of abusive and threatening conduct, which his team has slammed as “patently false.”

Eventually, the network released a statement saying they “parted ways” with Lemon before thanking him for his work.

Lemon, however, was not as gracious. “I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN, I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network,” he said.

After being fired by CNN, Lemon made a surprise appearance at the Time 100 Gala in New York and assured his fans that he would be okay following the change in his career.

“You guys are more worried about me than I am. Life goes on. That’s behind me, and we’ll see what happens. I live my life with no regrets, and whatever I did, I did, I owned. I don’t look back and don’t want to change things in the past … Onward,” he said.

Later, the news anchor said he was “excited for a new chapter” before saying he’s used to rolling with life’s punches. “… there are lots of unexpected things that come your way, but I’m a survivor. I come from strong, sturdy stock in Louisiana, and many people are rooting for me and who love me,” he said.