Former CNN host Don Lemon has denied Chris Cuomo’s allegation that their on-air camaraderie was staged by then-CNN president Jeff Zucker. Cuomo recently claimed Zucker instructed him to linger during the handoff to Lemon’s show in order to manage him, suggesting the “bromance” between the two anchors was manufactured for ratings.
In a response reported by the New York Post, Lemon said the handoff idea was his own and not a directive from management. Lemon explained that Zucker had asked for continuity between programs but left the execution up to the anchors. “I came up with the handoff and went to Chris with it,” Lemon stated, calling Cuomo’s version “sad.”
Lemon emphasized that his friendship with Zucker remains intact and dismissed Cuomo’s allegation that Zucker engineered the segments. According to Lemon, Zucker laughed at Cuomo’s claims when told about them. The once-friendly relationship between Lemon and Cuomo has deteriorated since Cuomo’s 2021 firing over ethical violations tied to his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Lemon confirmed he has not spoken with Cuomo in recent years.
CNN insiders also rejected Cuomo’s claims, describing them as self-serving. Reports earlier this year highlighted lingering tensions between Cuomo and Zucker, with some colleagues accusing Cuomo of “stabbing Zucker in the front” by fueling internal controversy that contributed to Zucker’s resignation in 2022.
The dispute underscores the public unraveling of CNN’s former primetime lineup. Both Cuomo and Lemon have attempted comebacks—Cuomo at NewsNation and Lemon through digital media projects—but their feud over credibility and loyalty has continued to resurface.
