From CNN to the Streets: Don Lemon on Reinventing Himself and Refusing to Stay Silent
Who's With Me? with W. Kamau Bell
22,800 views
The interview starts with Kamau giving Don Lemon his flowers. The two reflect on their shared history at CNN, with Bell recalling that Lemon consistently welcomed and supported newer talent at the network. Lemon pushes back on claims made after his departure that he was difficult to work with.
The conversation shifts to Lemon's post-CNN career and his commitment to field reporting. Lemon explains that he has always been a reporter at heart and that getting out into the streets is essential to understanding public sentiment, citing his early read that Trump would win in both 2016 and 2024.
Discussion turns to Trump's potential interest in a third term, with both agreeing he should be taken seriously given his track record of delivering on policy promises, while noting his failure to lower the cost of living. They also raise concerns about Trump treating the White House as personal property and his apparent contempt for judicial authority.
The topic moves to CNN, Politico, and MSNBC being removed from the White House press pool. Lemon argues this is the result of corporate media bending to political pressure for financial gain, and calls for journalists to collectively refuse participation in briefings that compromise press freedom.
Lemon then discusses his arrest in Minneapolis, describing it as an ongoing legal case characterized by deliberate delays. He also highlights fellow journalist Georgia Fort, who was arrested at the same time, noting she deserves equal recognition.
The conversation broadens to the evolution of journalism, from a one-way broadcast model to the social media era, with Lemon stressing the importance of media literacy. Topics then covered include the Chris Brown and Jasmine Crockett controversy, the Israel-Gaza conflict and the debate over the word "genocide", and the role of independent journalism.
Lemon closes by endorsing the Committee to Protect Journalists as a cause worth supporting. You can do so at https://cpj.org
Chapters:
00:00:00 Kamau Gives Don His Flowers
00:11:10 Press Freedom, Corporate Media, and the White House Press Pool
00:19:45 Don Lemon's Minneapolis Arrest
00:26:04 The Evolution of Journalism
00:43:02 Gaza, Genocide, and Religious Doctrine as Law
00:48:40 Closing - Supporting Journalists and Independent Media
Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Distributed by Pushkin Industries.
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ABOUT WHO'S WITH ME?
Over his multifaceted career, W. Kamau Bell is known for having conversations about the issues that divide, enrage, and confuse us. Filling these conversations with humor, heart, and intellect, Kamau has shown us that a simple conversation can spark change, not only for the participants but also for an audience. Kamau is bringing all that and more to his new weekly podcast, Who’s With Me?
Inspired by Kamau’s bestselling Substack newsletter of the same name, Who’s With Me? is more than just a simple question. It is an invitation to connect, a call to action, and a reassuring pat on the shoulder in these increasingly hectic times. Every episode, Kamau will sit down with someone he admires deeply to give them their flowers, ask his most burning questions, and invite his guest to give him and his audience homework on how to make the world a better place.
ABOUT W. KAMAU BELL
W. Kamau Bell is a Peabody Award winner, 4X Emmy Award winner, documentary filmmaker, stand-up comedian, Celebrity Jeopardy! champion, Official Ambassador of the band Fishbone, self-proclaimed #1 Bruce Lee Expert (non-Asian division), part-time activist, and full-time family man. Kamau is a 2X New York Times Bestseller with Do The Work! - An Antiracist Activity Book and Who is Government? - The Untold Story of Public Service. Kamau is best known for his CNN docuseries United Shades of America, his four-part docuseries We Need To Talk About Cosby, and for scrawling “HAHA!” over his enemies’ faces on his Instagram account. Kamau is also the ACLU Artist Ambassador for Racial Justice. Kamau is on the Board of Directors for several nonprofit organizations, including DonorsChoose and LiveFree. Kamau has a bestselling Substack called W. Kamau Bell Asks, Who’s With Me?
#FreePress #IndependentJournalism #DonLemon #WhosWithMe #MediaLiteracy
20 Comments
Hey Don, thank you for this journey. It is always a pleasure to see you support independent journalism with W.K. Bell.
Just Keeping It Real!!!🤓🧐🤓
Peace & Blessings to you all 🙏🏾
Tried to tell SiriusEm listener's the day of the Joint Session Address was for Dems to Don't Go.
From CNN to the Streets: Don Lemon on Reinventing Himself and Refusing to Stay Silent
Who's With Me? with W. Kamau Bell
22,800 views
The interview starts with Kamau giving Don Lemon his flowers. The two reflect on their shared history at CNN, with Bell recalling that Lemon consistently welcomed and supported newer talent at the network. Lemon pushes back on claims made after his departure that he was difficult to work with.
The conversation shifts to Lemon's post-CNN career and his commitment to field reporting. Lemon explains that he has always been a reporter at heart and that getting out into the streets is essential to understanding public sentiment, citing his early read that Trump would win in both 2016 and 2024.
Discussion turns to Trump's potential interest in a third term, with both agreeing he should be taken seriously given his track record of delivering on policy promises, while noting his failure to lower the cost of living. They also raise concerns about Trump treating the White House as personal property and his apparent contempt for judicial authority.
The topic moves to CNN, Politico, and MSNBC being removed from the White House press pool. Lemon argues this is the result of corporate media bending to political pressure for financial gain, and calls for journalists to collectively refuse participation in briefings that compromise press freedom.
Lemon then discusses his arrest in Minneapolis, describing it as an ongoing legal case characterized by deliberate delays. He also highlights fellow journalist Georgia Fort, who was arrested at the same time, noting she deserves equal recognition.
The conversation broadens to the evolution of journalism, from a one-way broadcast model to the social media era, with Lemon stressing the importance of media literacy. Topics then covered include the Chris Brown and Jasmine Crockett controversy, the Israel-Gaza conflict and the debate over the word "genocide", and the role of independent journalism.
Lemon closes by endorsing the Committee to Protect Journalists as a cause worth supporting. You can do so at https://cpj.org
Chapters:
00:00:00 Kamau Gives Don His Flowers
00:11:10 Press Freedom, Corporate Media, and the White House Press Pool
00:19:45 Don Lemon's Minneapolis Arrest
00:26:04 The Evolution of Journalism
00:43:02 Gaza, Genocide, and Religious Doctrine as Law
00:48:40 Closing - Supporting Journalists and Independent Media
Who's With Me is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Chris Dowd. Distributed by Pushkin Industries.
-------
ABOUT WHO'S WITH ME?
Over his multifaceted career, W. Kamau Bell is known for having conversations about the issues that divide, enrage, and confuse us. Filling these conversations with humor, heart, and intellect, Kamau has shown us that a simple conversation can spark change, not only for the participants but also for an audience. Kamau is bringing all that and more to his new weekly podcast, Who’s With Me?
Inspired by Kamau’s bestselling Substack newsletter of the same name, Who’s With Me? is more than just a simple question. It is an invitation to connect, a call to action, and a reassuring pat on the shoulder in these increasingly hectic times. Every episode, Kamau will sit down with someone he admires deeply to give them their flowers, ask his most burning questions, and invite his guest to give him and his audience homework on how to make the world a better place.
ABOUT W. KAMAU BELL
W. Kamau Bell is a Peabody Award winner, 4X Emmy Award winner, documentary filmmaker, stand-up comedian, Celebrity Jeopardy! champion, Official Ambassador of the band Fishbone, self-proclaimed #1 Bruce Lee Expert (non-Asian division), part-time activist, and full-time family man. Kamau is a 2X New York Times Bestseller with Do The Work! - An Antiracist Activity Book and Who is Government? - The Untold Story of Public Service. Kamau is best known for his CNN docuseries United Shades of America, his four-part docuseries We Need To Talk About Cosby, and for scrawling “HAHA!” over his enemies’ faces on his Instagram account. Kamau is also the ACLU Artist Ambassador for Racial Justice. Kamau is on the Board of Directors for several nonprofit organizations, including DonorsChoose and LiveFree. Kamau has a bestselling Substack called W. Kamau Bell Asks, Who’s With Me?
#FreePress #IndependentJournalism #DonLemon #WhosWithMe #MediaLiteracy