CNN's Don Lemon tells critics they can 'kiss my behind,' declares himself a 'grown-a** man' whom 'a lot of people hate' during on-camera New Year's Eve rant

CNN's Don Lemon delivered an on-camera rant on New Year's Eve in which he told critics they can "kiss my behind" and also declared himself a "grown-ass man" whom "a lot of people hate."

What are the details?

Dressed in a blue sequined jacket and wearing a necklace adorned with a lemon symbol (Cause, you know, Lemon is his last name?), he stood on a stage in New Orleans — with a cup of some liquid in hand — with fellow CNN talking head Alisyn Camerota and comedian Dulcé Sloan.

And Lemon went off on his haters.

"I don’t give a [long pause] what you think about me ... I don't care. I’m a grown-ass man. I don’t care what you think about me," he said.

Lemon added, "I am who I am. I’m a grown, successful black man who a lot of people hate because they’re not used to people seeing me — and people like me — in the position that I am. To be able to share ... my point of view on television, it freaks people out. And you know what? You can kiss my behind. I do not care. I don’t care ... I have one life, and this is who I am, and I feel very, um —"

After another long pause, Sloan offered a descriptor: "Blessed!"

"Blessed," Lemon agreed. "And honored to be in this position, to be able to do this. So all the hate I get? It’s motivation to me. Bring it. I don’t care."

Prior to giving his rant, Lemon popped out of a fake "lemon cake" as onlookers counted down the end of 2021 and as the clock struck midnight, Jan. 1, 2022.

How did folks react to Lemon's rant?

Twitter users reacting to his rant did not spare Lemon in the least:

• "These people need to stop getting ridiculously drunk on the job," one commenter said. "It's unprofessional and inappropriate."
• "Come on Don," another user pleaded. "You’re on camera drunk."
• "What a drunken embarrassing mess," another observed.
• "Someone get this douchebag off the TV," another user declared.

In related CNN-on-New-Year's-Eve news, popular television and radio host Andy Cohen appeared to give a drunken send-off for outgoing New York City mayor Bill de Blasio as CNN host Anderson Cooper looked on.

Anything else?

Lemon has been under fire over a few recent revelations and accusations:

• Last month, Jussie Smollett testified that Lemon texted him during the early days of the Chicago Police Department's investigation into what Smollett falsely claimed was a racist and homophobic hate crime against him — and that Lemon's text tipped off Smollett that police didn't trust his claims.
• It was reported in September that a lawsuit accusing Lemon of a sexually charged assault is expected to land in court.

(H/T: The Daily Wire)