Last month, controversial CNN anchor Don Lemon made a highly questionable comment about women, which led to plenty of backlash from offended American ladies.
The host of CNN This Morning suggested that women over 50 were “past their prime;” he was referring at the time to new 2024 presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who is 51.
Even some of his colleagues at the network admitted Lemon had made a mistake, and now it’s Hollywood’s turn to take a shot.
It came from new Academy Award Best Actress winner Michelle Yeoh. She earned the honor for starring in the critically acclaimed Everything Everywhere All at Once, and it seemed she had a message to send.
During her acceptance speech, she appeared to take a direct shot at Lemon:
This is proof that if you dream big, dreams do come true.
And ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you are past your prime. Never give up.
After the mistake, Lemon went off the air for a while and reportedly underwent “formal training.”
However, women aren’t likely to soon forget what he said, and Yeoh apparently took the opportunity to return fire. Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley likely applauded Yeoh’s words, too.
CNN’s rating woes have been well-documented in recent years, as the network continues to decline in terms of overall viewers.
Last week, we learned that First Lady Jill Biden’s CNN special tanked badly, and the network typically comes in well behind competitors like Fox News. Sometimes the numbers are quite gaudy.
But no matter what network you’re on, saying women are past their prime after 50 in today’s world probably isn’t a good idea.
It’s especially aggravating for women in industries like Hollywood, who have proven over the decades that 50 is not a barrier for fine performances and awards. Same goes for the business world.
Yeoh was really just saying what everyone already knew — and wanted to drive the point home, possibly at the direct expense of Lemon.
Key Takeaways:
- Best Actress winner Michelle Yeoh (60) evidently took a shot at CNN host Don Lemon during her acceptance speech.
- She sent a message to other women, saying “don’t let anybody tell you you are past your prime.”
- Lemon was widely criticized for suggesting women were past their prime after 50, at the time referring to 2024 GOP candidate Nikki Haley.
Source: Washington Examiner
