The radical left’s obsession with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has gotten so out of control that even far-left former CNN host Don Lemon has begun speaking out against it.
Lemon was fired from CNN for several reasons — including for his “sexist” comments about failed Republican primary candidate Nikki Haley being “past her prime,” for “screaming” at his co-host Kaitlan Collins backstage at the morning show he was transferred to after losing his primetime spot and for his unhinged rant while interviewing entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
Best part of this is the producer begging @donlemon in his ear to stop bringing @cnn down with him. https://t.co/8QgZIZIHT9
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) April 20, 2023
Despite his abrupt firing from the far-left network, Lemon continued to espouse the same “woke” talking points and kept defending the credibility of leftist media. However, in an appearance on the latest episode of HBO’s “Real Time With Bill Maher,” Lemon finally spoke out against left-wing bias and DEI at National Public Radio (NPR).
Lemon, alongside Maher’s other guest, New York University professor Scott Galloway, were asked about a recent exposé on the bias at NPR. The revelations came via an essay in The Free Press from NPR’s senior business editor Uri Berliner, who argued that NPR had “lost America’s trust” by pushing leftist propaganda rather than focusing on the facts. Berliner was suspended over the essay and later resigned, citing the bias at the outlet and the actions of its far-left, pro-censorship CEO.
My resignation letter to NPR CEO @krmaher pic.twitter.com/0hafVbcZAK
— Uri Berliner (@uberliner) April 17, 2024
“What do you think of the hubbub Don, over NPR’s alleged — alleged, ok — liberal bias?” Maher asked Lemon. “The NPR flap, that was the big story last week. What do you think about that…as someone who’s had his tussles with media?”
“I think there’s always room for improvement and it’s unfortunate, I don’t listen to NPR I’m sure as much as many people do, I don’t get to listen to it, but yes, it does have a liberal bent,” the former CNN host responded.
“But I think a lot of media companies need to do some self-examination about what’s happening inside the company,” Lemon continued. “DEI is — look, there’s some great things about DEI, but it’s not all you know, roses and I think we need to take a look at it and do some rejiggering.”
“Because it’s gone too far. It’s become a religion,” he added, prompting applause from the live audience. “And if you don’t abide by the religion you get kicked out of the church.”
Galloway then joined the discussion, arguing that the taxpayer-funded network “should return the 1% of funding they get from the government so they can just be naked and unafraid about their bias, like the rest of media.”
The professor also pointed out that any entity that takes taxpayer money has a responsibility to the American people to tell the truth, not push propaganda.
“What you just said which I think is absolutely true and completely reasonable…That is the exact kind of thing if you said that on NPR, they’d fire you,” Maher chimed in, jokingly telling Lemon: “You’ve been fired enough lately.”
Lemon responded by plugging his new book, noting: “I’m going to get a lot of s—t from liberals for saying what I said but I do have a book coming out and I write about that. I write about that I like DEI but when it becomes a religion, it can be used as a cudgel.”
Don Lemon calls out the 'religion of DEI':
Maher: "What do you think of NPR's *alleged* liberal bias?"
Lemon: "Yes it does have a liberal bend. I think a lot of media companies need to do some self examination of what's happening inside the company.
DEI, it's not all roses.… pic.twitter.com/VSAj6i3lOw— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) April 27, 2024