Former CNN host Don Lemon’s street interview with a passerby turns ugly in NYC

WASHINGTON, DC: Former CNN host Don Lemon had a tense street confrontation with a passerby in New York City who branded him a “f*****g moron.” The clash quickly spiraled into a profanity-laced shouting match, which was captured on video.

Lemon approached a man during a man-on-the-street segment in Manhattan for his podcast, and the interview turned ugly almost immediately.

Don Lemon tells passerby 'you’re not making any sense'

The man told Lemon, “You’re a f****ng moron, dude,” cutting him off within seconds of introducing himself.

Lemon shot back, “Thank you. So are you,” and grinned before trying to salvage the interaction.

It all began when Lemon asked the man where he was from and whether he lived in New York. The stranger immediately recognized him and hurled the first insult instead of answering. Lemon tried to defuse the jab, saying, “I’m glad you watch me,” but the man replied, “No, I don’t.”

The man went on to accuse CNN and MSNBC of being “full of s**t.” Lemon responded that both outlets had simply reported on what international courts ruled about the Gaza issue, but the man wasn’t convinced.

He said, “They would never say it’s genocide. They were protecting Israel.” The former CNN host then tried to steer the conversation away from Gaza, pointing out that the man was contradicting himself by claiming not to watch him while referencing his clips. “You must watch me. So you’re not making any sense,” Lemon said.

The man pushed back, comparing it to knowing who George Clooney is without seeing his movies. He added, “And I’ve seen you spouting nonsense.”

Don Lemon launches into mini lecture about self-respect

During the conversation, Lemon asked the man why he would walk up to someone and insult them. The man replied, “Because it just comes out, man. Because you’re big and think you’re something.”

Lemon then launched into a mini lecture about self-respect, suggesting the man only hurled insults because he “didn’t accomplish much” in his own life.

He said, “I would never in a million years walk up to anybody, whether I knew them or not, and call them a f*****g moron.” Lemon added, “Not unless I had terrible self-respect and I wanted to lash out because I felt bad about myself.”

Despite Lemon’s lecture, the man didn’t back down. “I called you a f****ng moron. I don’t need to defend that, cuz it’s accurate,” he said.

The exchange soon devolved into a loop of accusations and denials. Lemon insisted, “It’s on tape. You said it three times,” but the heckler denied it and accused Lemon of insulting him back. “You called me a f*****g moron too,” the man said. Lemon countered that unless the man actually watched him, he had no idea what he really said on-air. 

“If you’re watching clips of me, then you’re watching someone else’s idea of who I am,” the former CNN host said. Nearby onlookers muttered that the man seemed drunk, but Lemon continued the confrontation until the man finally walked away, taunting, “Go find a library.”

Lemon shot back, “You go find a library. There’s a bookstore right there.” He later admitted on camera that the argument was “beneath” him but said he found it “fun.”