Fired CNN host Don Lemon says he won’t seek immediate employment in the wake of his sudden termination Monday.“I don’t have to rush to another job, even if I want another job,” Lemon told Extra last night during a red carpet interview at the Time 100 Gala in New York. “I do, I want to work again, but I’m lucky enough to be in a position where I don’t have to worry about those things.”Lemon also swatted away a question about whether he was “going after the company.”“No, no, no,” he responded. “I’m going to spend my summer on the beach and on the boat with my family and just chill out and I’ll see what happens next.”Lemon, who spent 17 years at the network, most recently co-hosted CNN This Morning. In February he made headlines with his on-air comment that Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was past “her prime,” and last fall he drew criticism when he said the U.S. men’s soccer team should be paid more than the women’s team because the men’s team was “more interesting to watch.”On Monday, Lemon tweeted the news about his firing. “I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play. With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run. They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them all the best.”CNN’s initial tweet said, “CNN and Don have parted ways. Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years. We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.” After Lemon’s tweet, CNN said in a statement: “Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate. He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.”On the red carpet last night, Lemon was asked it he’d do anything differently. “I live my life with no regrets and whatever I did, I did, and I own it,” he responded.
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