AMALFI, ITALY: Fired anchor Don Lemon has apparently started rumors about his possible return to CNN after he was spotted having dinner with the controversial network's former CEO Chris Zucker and Allison Gollust. In a photo Lemon posted on Instagram, the group can be seen having dinner at sunset on the Amalfi Coast. The meeting took place on the tiny island enclave of Ponza near Italy's west coast.
The 57-year-old news personality, who was sacked from his anchor position in April, took to his Instagram on Tuesday, July 4 to share some special moments of his Fourth of July celebrations with spouse Tim Malone, including videos of the duo jumping from boats into bright blue waters. Lemon also shared a rapid-fire reel from the same vacation, which briefly features photographs of the wider group dining. The group also included Gollust and Zucker, who were forced to resign in February 2022 after 15 years of employment.
Why Chris Zucker was ousted from CNN
Lemon's holiday snaps came amid growing speculations that Warner Bros Discovery might sell CNN in the upcoming year, with the 58-year-old Zucker emerging as a potential buyer. Experts have cautioned that a significant portion of the funds that Zucker would invest in CNN would come from the United Arab Emirates because of his strong business ties with Abu Dhabi-based International Media Investments, according to Daily Mail. As per media reports, he is eager to make a comeback after being ousted over his alleged secret romance with former CNN shill Gollust. For many years, the pair and their families resided in the same apartment complex, and several sources have stated that the affair was well-known among CNN workers.
Meanwhile, Lemon was sacked from his longstanding anchor position on CNN in April, amid a slew of controversies, including his notorious interview, where he criticized presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. His abrupt termination came as Chris Licht, who recently got fired from his CEO position, made some highly criticized changes. Lemon previously claimed that his dismissal was only the result of his speaking the truth. In his first interview after the firing, the TV mogul took aim at CNN heavyweights, calling their proposal to have more conservative voices a "dereliction of journalistic duties."
'I don't believe in platforming liars'
"I have a responsibility, not only as a journalist but also as an American, to tell this truth and to abide by the promises of the Constitution, because the Constitution says a more perfect union. Not a perfect union,'" Lemon told ABC24 Memphis. Later, he argued that he was "standing up for what is right" in order to uphold his journalistic obligations. "In order to fulfill the promise of the Constitution, we have to stand up for what is right. 'We have to stand up for the truth," he expressed. When questioned about his now infamous interview with Ramaswamy, Lemon replied, "I don't believe in platforming liars and bigots and, you know, insurrectionists and election deniers and put them on the same footing as people who are telling the truth for what's right, people who are abiding by the Constitution.”
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