Former CNN host Don Lemon recently spoke out against the left’s obsession with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) during an appearance on HBO’s “Real Time With Bill Maher.” The discussion was sparked by a recent exposé written by NPR’s senior business editor, Uri Berliner, who argued that the media company had lost America’s trust by pushing leftist propaganda instead of focusing on facts.
Berliner was suspended over the essay and later resigned, citing the outlet’s bias and the actions of its far-left, pro-censorship CEO. When asked about NPR’s alleged liberal bias, Lemon acknowledged that the company does have a liberal bent.
My resignation letter to NPR CEO @krmaher pic.twitter.com/0hafVbcZAK
— Uri Berliner (@uberliner) April 17, 2024
“DEI is — look, there’s some great things about DEI, but it’s not all you know, roses and I think we need to take a look at it and do some rejiggering,” Lemon said. He went on to say that DEI has “gone too far” and has “become a religion,” adding, “And if you don’t abide by the religion you get kicked out of the church,” prompting applause from the live audience.
Don Lemon calls out the 'religion of DEI':
Maher: "What do you think of NPR's *alleged* liberal bias?"
Lemon: "Yes it does have a liberal bend. I think a lot of media companies need to do some self examination of what's happening inside the company.
DEI, it's not all roses.… pic.twitter.com/VSAj6i3lOw— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) April 27, 2024
New York University professor Scott Galloway, who was also a guest on the show, argued that NPR should return the 1% of funding they get from the government so they can be transparent about their bias. Maher agreed, saying that if someone said what Lemon had just said on NPR, they would be fired.
Lemon, who was fired from CNN for several controversial reasons, acknowledged that he would likely face backlash from liberals for his comments but stood by his opinion. “I like DEI but when it becomes a religion it can be used as a cudgel,” he said