Don Lemon embraces his reinvention in new chapter as independent journalist: ‘I’m emancipated’

GRIO PRIDE SPOTLIGHT: After nearly two decades in network news, Don Lemon is proving that independence and authenticity still have a place in journalism—with millions of viewers tuning in to see it. “Without fear or favor, you gotta tell the people the truth. And that’s what I was doing. So that’s all I’m trying to do with it.”

In a media landscape that’s ever-changing, Don Lemon has found his lane—not behind a news desk, but in front of a streaming camera. With more than 700,000 YouTube subscribers and millions more across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, The Don Lemon Show has become a winning example of how traditional journalists can reinvent themselves and reach audiences directly.

In an interview with theGrio’s Natasha S. Alford, Lemon reflected on his journey from network anchor to independent content creator, sharing the motivations and challenges that came along the way. As one of the few prominent Black gay male anchors on network TV for nearly two decades, Lemon rose through the ranks of mainstream news until his exit from CNN in 2023. But Lemon didn’t fade to black or retire.

“I decided that I wanted to reach the audience no matter where that audience was,” Lemon tells TheGrio. “And that audience now happens to be on social media… YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook. And so I decided that I was going to find that audience, meet them, speak to them, listen to them.”

Lemon’s signature approach of blending seasoned journalism with unfiltered commentary and curiosity is now a hit with his audience. But it wasn’t always easy to break out and build his show. “People doubted me,” Lemon admitted. “And I said, ‘I am not gonna be buried nor killed. I’m gonna do what I wanna do. This is not my last chapter.’ And I believe I have many more chapters in me.”

In the era of internet personalities who are rewarded for shooting straight, The Don Lemon Show gives viewers Lemon at his most candid, a feature that won him both fans and critics when he was on mainstream TV. “Now I can just say what I want,” he said. “But I use the skills that I’ve had in sort of traditional journalism… I use those skills in what I’m doing now.”

Lemon says his political analysis has only been enhanced by his on-the-ground reporting because he broke out of bubbles and spoke with people face-to-face across America. “Was I surprised with the outcome of the election? No, because my reporting showed me that it was definitely a possibility,” he said. “Without fear or favor, you gotta tell the people the truth. And that’s what I was doing. So that’s all I’m trying to do with it.”

Despite the growing audience and praise, Lemon acknowledged that it wasn’t always easy to become CEO of his own media company, overseeing operational demands and serving as talent. “It’s been a learning experience. It has been frightening, thrilling, and terrifying all at the same time,” he said. “Every day, even when people doubt you… just keep going. Because it doesn’t matter. What people think about you doesn’t really matter.”

He also emphasized that journalists doing this kind of work should be protected at all costs. “Journalists are built into the First Amendment of the Constitution,” Lemon tells theGrio. “I have to do this regardless of what my boss says, regardless of what the administration says, regardless of maybe what my political party says, regardless of my people who look like me, from my family, regardless what they say. I am tasked with telling the truth because what I do is protected by the First Amendment.”

Lemon says he worries about threats to press freedom these days, including government pressure to censor criticism and the broader erosion of journalistic independence.

Still, Lemon is hopeful that bold journalism can endure. “There’s still time to fight back… There are still journalists who are eager and ready and willing right now, champing at the bit to do the mission of journalism.”

That mission is personal to Lemon, who was raised in the post-civil rights South and came of age during a time of major social change. “My upbringing, I think the timing of when I was born and what I got to experience… taught me not only how to survive, but to thrive,” he tells theGrio.

For this reason, he understands why not all Black voters and organizers who were rallying before the 2024 election are choosing to be on the frontlines of the Trump era– particularly Black women.

“I can get it mainly for Black women because Black women have really kept Black men, everybody… raised white people’s children, kept our democracy intact,” he tells theGrio. “They’ve been the bulwark between us and autocracy and falling off of a cliff for a long time. I get it, that Black people in general are tired.”

However, in true journalism fashion, Lemon says he understands both sides of the case for resting and rallying as the nation wrestles with autocracy. When some of his white viewers made the argument that John Lewis would want us to rally, Lemon responded with nuance.

“I think John Lewis would understand why people are tired and he would try to motivate them in his own way to do what they thought is best for them. I think he would encourage them probably to protest and remember that you have to be willing to sacrifice something always.”

Whether it’s debating with viewers or saying what everyone else is thinking, Lemon says no matter where you see him, he’s going to be speaking his truth on his own terms.

“When the world comes to an end, it’s gonna be me, Cher, TMZ, and cockroaches,” he joked. “Just surviving, no matter what.”

Watch highlights from the conversation above.