Fired anchor Don Lemon is spotted browsing in Apple store for the first time after being sacked
![Fired anchor Don Lemon is spotted browsing in Apple store for the first time after being sacked](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/25/01/70189689-12009343-Former_CNN_host_Don_Lemon_was_seen_with_his_partner_in_an_Apple_-a-11_1682382754301.jpg)
Former CNN host Don Lemon was spotted in the Apple Store in New York City on Monday hours after he was fired from the network following his disastrous run as a morning show host.
Lemon, 57, was spotted together with his partner, Tim Malone as they could be seen looking at iPhones in the store.
The news anchor attempted to draw as little attention as possibly by hiding his face behind a pair of dark sunglasses and a black baseball cap.
His dismissal from the network comes a little over two months after he apologized for on-air comments about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley being past her prime. The move quickly turned nasty.
While CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht announced, after Lemon had co-hosted the show earlier in the day that they had ‘parted ways,’ Lemon characterized it as a firing and said it was surprise to him.
Former CNN host Don Lemon was seen with his partner in an Apple Store in New York hours after he was removed from his position as morning show host
![The news anchor attempted to draw as little attention as possibly by hiding his face behind a pair of dark sunglasses and a black baseball cap](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/25/00/70189701-12009343-image-a-2_1682379559697.jpg)
The news anchor attempted to draw as little attention as possibly by hiding his face behind a pair of dark sunglasses and a black baseball cap
![Lemon was spotted together with his partner , Tim Malone as they could be seen looking at iPhones in the store.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/25/01/70189677-12009343-Lemon_was_spotted_together_with_his_partner_Tim_Malone_as_they_c-a-15_1682382754489.jpg)
Lemon was spotted together with his partner , Tim Malone as they could be seen looking at iPhones in the store.
![His partner, Tim Malone, right, appeared glued to his phone throughout the pair's time in the Apple Store](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/25/00/70189629-12009343-image-a-9_1682379687426.jpg)
His partner, Tim Malone, right, appeared glued to his phone throughout the pair’s time in the Apple Store
‘After 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have the decency to tell me directly,’ Lemon said. CNN said that Lemon was given the opportunity to meet with management but released a statement on Twitter instead.
CNN offered no public explanation for Lemon’s dismissal.
During a February discussion on CNN This Morning with co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins about the ages of politicians, he said that the 51-year-old Haley was not ‘in her prime.’ A woman, he said, was considered in her prime ‘in her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.’
Harlow challenged Lemon, trying to clarify what he was referencing: ‘I think we need to qualify. Are you talking about prime for childbearing or are you talking about prime for being president?’
‘Don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just saying what the facts are,’ Lemon responded.
![At one stage, Lemon could be seen pointing towards something while waiting for service](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/25/01/70189675-12009343-At_one_stage_Lemon_could_be_seen_pointing_towards_something_whil-a-12_1682382754340.jpg)
At one stage, Lemon could be seen pointing towards something while waiting for service
![At one point Lemon could be seen holding two phones in his hands as he browsed the store](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/25/01/70189647-12009343-At_one_point_Lemon_could_be_seen_holding_two_phones_in_his_hands-a-13_1682382754482.jpg)
At one point Lemon could be seen holding two phones in his hands as he browsed the store
![Lemon appeared to be looking at both of his phones while his partner appears anxious biting his nails](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/25/01/70189639-12009343-Lemon_appeared_to_be_looking_at_both_of_his_phones_while_his_par-a-14_1682382754483.jpg)
Lemon appeared to be looking at both of his phones while his partner appears anxious biting his nails
![A member of staff from the Apple Store, seen in green, came over to assist the pair](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/25/01/70189627-12009343-A_member_of_staff_from_the_Apple_Store_seen_in_green_came_over_t-a-16_1682382754537.jpg)
A member of staff from the Apple Store, seen in green, came over to assist the pair
Lemon issued a statement the same day saying he regretted his ‘inartful and irrelevant’ comments. He was subsequently absent from the show for three days, returning the following week with a tweeted apology but no mention of the episode on air.
Haley, who had criticized Lemon’s statements as sexist and used the incident to fundraise in February, took to Twitter on Monday to call Lemon’s ouster ‘a great day for women everywhere,’ linking to the beverage sleeves emblazoned with ‘Past my prime? Hold my beer.’
Lemon used to host the prime-time Don Lemon Tonight but moved when the network launched CNN This Morning last November, just before the U.S. midterm elections, as one of the first major programming moves under Licht.
![Don Lemon defends his claim that women over 40-years old are 'past their prime'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/24/18/70178489-12008221-image-a-18_1682357298477.jpg)
Don Lemon defends his claim that women over 40-years old are ‘past their prime’
![CNN CEO Chris Licht confirmed the firing of Don Lemon on Monday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/16/15/68779883-11868151-Rumors_have_been_swirling_that_CNN_CEO_Chris_Licht_may_be_fired_-a-1_1678980980812.jpg)
CNN CEO Chris Licht confirmed the firing of Don Lemon on Monday
![Don Lemon tweeted out his outrage that he had been fired from CNN on Monday afternoon](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/24/17/70177649-12008221-image-a-3_1682354872198.jpg)
Don Lemon tweeted out his outrage that he had been fired from CNN on Monday afternoon
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/25/01/70179629-12009343-image-a-10_1682382218229.jpg)
He attracted negative attention last fall by saying that the U.S. men’s soccer team should be paid more than the women’s team, saying that the men were ‘more interesting to watch.’
Lemon also had a well-publicized on-air tiff with Collins last December, when he accused her of trying to interrupt him.
Last week Lemon also a tense on-air interview last week with Republican presidential contender Vivek Ramaswamy where Lemon, who is black, disputed Ramaswamy’s interpretation of racial history.
It’s all a bad look for a morning news show, where the audience is primarily women and the anchors try to depict themselves as one big happy family.
The show has made little headway in the ratings against the more popular Fox & Friends and Morning Joe on cable news competitors.
The lousy vibes were beginning to cost CNN advertising sales and some potential guests were becoming reluctant to appear on CNN This Morning, said a CNN staff member familiar with the decision to oust Lemon but not authorized to speak publicly.
Some people close to Lemon have suggested that the morning job was essentially a demotion for him, and he was given little support to succeed.
Lemon said he learned of his firing from his agent.
‘At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network,’ he said.