‘Did You Just Get Me Fired?’ Don Lemon Busts Out Laughing As He and Colbert Roast CNN Honcho Chris Licht
CNN anchor Don Lemon cracked up as he and Stephen Colbert roasted new CNN CEO Chris Licht over, among other things, his edict against on-air New Year’s Eve boozing.
On Tuesday night’s edition of CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Lemon made an appearance to promote his brand-new program CNN This Morning. But a good chunk of the interview was devoted to Licht — formerly a longtime production honcho for Colbert who has taken over as CNN CEO — that included some good-natured ribbing from current and former colleagues alike.
Colbert brought up the anti-boozing edict, at which point he and Lemon simulated a violation of the policy — and cracked some jokes about Licht:
DON LEMON: Boss. Boss, this is. You know him? He’s going to get me. You’re going to get me in trouble.
STEPHEN COLBERT: He doesn’t work here anymore. He can’t stop me from doing (BLEEP).
DON LEMON: We had a little side-bet if I’m going to win or you’re going to win.
STEPHEN COLBERT: About what?
DON LEMON: So obviously, we had a little conversation.
STEPHEN COLBERT: You and Chris?
DON LEMON: Yeah.
STEPHEN COLBERT: Before you came over?
DON LEMON: He said, If you talk about me, it’ll never make air. And I said, and he said, Because who cares who I am? I said, Well, you’re a different Chris Licht than you were when you worked here.
STEPHEN COLBERT: Yeah. No one cared about him when he worked here. Now. But now he’s a media mogul.
DON LEMON: Yes.
STEPHEN COLBERT: Yes. He’s a titan of the industry.
DON LEMON: Yes. So then this is we’ll pretend this is New Year’s Eve.
STEPHEN COLBERT: Happy New Year Don!
DON LEMON: Did you just get me fired, Stephen Colbert?
STEPHEN COLBERT: I hope so. Not so. Know who really likes a drink? Chris Licht!
DON LEMON: This. You’re making this really easy for me.
STEPHEN COLBERT: He’s going to, you’re loving this, Chris, aren’t you?
DON LEMON: I cannot wait until I talk to him.
STEPHEN COLBERT: They’re telling me to wrap over there.
DON LEMON: NO! No! Let’s get. Can we continue to talk about Chris?
STEPHEN COLBERT: Sure, let’s talk smack, baby!
DON LEMON: What is. So, what should I know about Chris Licht? Give me some advice. I should have done this before I came out.
STEPHEN COLBERT: When he was in high school, he was a radio deejay, on a classic rock station, and went by the name “The LICHT-MAN.” There’s so much more to talk about.
DON LEMON: I know.
STEPHEN COLBERT: But we got to go.
Watch above via CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
