Don Lemon once held one of the most recognizable anchor chairs in American media.
After nearly two decades with CNN, Lemon and the network parted ways, leading him to launch his own independent show under his own name.
It hasn’t gone well.
Now Lemon is facing backlash after comments he made about Megyn Kelly during an appearance on the “Clip Farmers” podcast.
The discussion turned to prominent women in conservative media, including Kelly, when Lemon took a shot at her appearance.
“I think she looks trans,” Lemon said, before adding, “Looks clockable.”
The term “clockable” is commonly used within the transgender community to describe a person who does not “pass” as their identified gender.
Critics quickly noted the hypocrisy, pointing to Lemon’s long history of condemning what he’s described as “homophobia” and “transphobia” in others.
Don Lemon says that Megyn Kelly is “not hot and looks trans..”
I thought trans people were beautiful and indistinguishable from normal people?
pic.twitter.com/ddHNXewXJi— Braeden (@BraedenSorbo) October 28, 2025
On June 14, 2016, after the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Lemon questioned whether “homophobia” played a role.
In 2019, he attacked comedian Kevin Hart for resurfaced social media posts, saying, “Someone like Kevin Hart, with one of the biggest megaphones in the entire world, he can be a leader … he can help change homophobia in the Black community.”
“That was a joke to Kevin,” Lemon said then. “The truth is, that is a reality for many little boys in the United States … somewhere a Black dad is beating his Black son.”
Two years ago, Lemon condemned states removing sexually explicit LGBTQ materials from public schools, calling such efforts “rooted in anti-Blackness and transphobia and queerphobia.”
Don Lemon just attacked @MegynKelly, saying she’s no longer “hot” and looks “trans.”
This is how the Left, who claims to be for Women’s empowerment, treats real women.
Don is wrong. Megyn Kelly is beautiful. I stand with Megyn! pic.twitter.com/R3v0SX8krZ
— Danielle D’Souza Gill (@danielledsouzag) October 29, 2025
Despite those past positions, Lemon used “trans” as a slur to insult a fellow journalist.
Lemon’s comments follow a familiar pattern among some on the Left who have used sexual or gender identity as a political insult.
For years, Democrats and liberal figures have targeted Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) with similar mockery.
In 2019, actress Patti LuPone told Graham to “bite the bullet and come out as gay.”
Rosie O’Donnell called Graham a “closeted idiot” for supporting Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Former Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) once said of Graham, “I’m not going to out anybody, but I think people can draw their own conclusions.”
Fitness expert Jillian Michaels blasted Lemon for his remarks, calling him “the ultimate hypocrite.”
“He’s the ultimate hypocrite… identity politics is gross, period.”
Jillian Michaels responds to Don Lemon saying Megyn Kelly ‘looks trans’.
Watch more 👇
📺 https://t.co/h9WoSSKVjE@piersmorgan | @JillianMichaels pic.twitter.com/MdDli7AchW
— Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) October 29, 2025
British commentator Piers Morgan also criticized Lemon’s language.
“What I was struck by … was there’s Don Lemon, you know, the great standard bearer for the Black gay community, seemingly using ‘trans’ as a derogatory way to describe somebody. I’m shocked,” Morgan said.
Michaels responded, “He’s the ultimate hypocrite. I am not a Don Lemon fan.”
She added, “You’ve got a Democratic candidate that’s got a Nazi tattoo … it should be unilaterally condemned. Identity politics is gross, period.”
Critics say Lemon’s comments reveal a double standard among progressives who often label disagreement with LGBTQ policy as hate, while using gender or sexuality as a weapon against opponents.
As author J.K. Rowling once said, “They tell on themselves constantly.”
“They are the bigoted ones,” she wrote.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
