Internet Erupts After CNN Host Don Lemon Holds a Sign Featuring Unredacted N-Word

"CNN Tonight" host Don Lemon opened his show on Monday night by holding up both a Confederate flag and an uncensored sign that included the N-word -- an act that is getting quite a bit of attention.

"This is what America is talking about right now. Does this offend you?" Lemon said while holding up a Confederate flag. "It's a Confederate flag. Is it a symbol of southern pride or a symbol of hate?"

But it's what he did next that's sparking fury, as Lemon then proceeded to hold up an unredacted sign with the N-word on it, asking viewers whether the word bothers them.

"Does this offend you -- this word?" Lemon asked. "President Obama said it out loud in an interview, and a lot of people are shocked."

Watch Lemon's opening monologue below:

It didn't take long for people to take to social media to react, with some critics Photoshopping the N-word and replacing it with other images and text, USA Today reported.

Here are just some of the reactions swirling on Twitter:

..and the memes start. Oh, don lemon. pic.twitter.com/kpNYdejEd1

— asshole. (@RemiBLANCO) June 23, 2015

Yes, it does. #DonLemon #CNN #ConfederateFlag pic.twitter.com/S9rrv13Hdj

— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) June 23, 2015

You know the guy at your local store/cafe who's always so incompetent you're stunned he's employed? That's how I feel about Don Lemon.

— Steffani Cameron (@SnarkySteff)

June 23, 2015

I don’t really think Don Lemon messed up, but the memes are fantastic https://t.co/DEyR7Oumhn

— Seth Fiegerman (@sfiegerman) June 23, 2015

@donlemon I understood your point on segment about N-word. It's just embarrassing to see us argue over this on national news.

— Bro. Willie Muhammad (@BroWM46) June 23, 2015

Read the ongoing comments about Lemon's on-air act here.

As TheBlaze previously reported, Obama used the N-word during an interview this week on the "WTF with Marc Maron" podcast.

"Racism, we are not cured of it, and it’s not just a matter of it not being polite to say n***** in public," Obama said. "That’s not the measure of whether racism still exists or not. It’s not just a matter of overt discrimination. Societies don’t, overnight, completely erase everything that happened 200 to 300 years prior."

(H/T: Mediaite)