CNN's Don Lemon gets triggered when guest calls out CNN for driving fear, division to sell ads: 'There's nothing fake about CNN!'

CNN anchor Don Lemon became defensive on Monday after a documentary filmmaker called out CNN while being interviewed live on CNN.

Filmmaker Andrew Callaghan appeared on "CNN This Morning" to discuss his forthcoming documentary on Jan. 6. The film, titled "This Place Rules," debuts Dec. 30 on HBO.

When Lemon pressed Callaghan on his interactions with Enrique Tarrio, a leader of the Proud Boys who is facing seditious conspiracy charges related to Jan. 6, Callaghan bluntly informed Lemon that his film is not just about Jan. 6. It also covers the role that media, including CNN, played in constructing an "echo chamber."

"No details about his involvement, his state of mind, or anything?" Lemon asked, referring to Tarrio.

"The movie's not just about like the Capitol riot and all that," Callaghan shot back. "It's also about like media echo chamber and like the dangers of the 24-hour news cycle.

"And how, I think, mainstream media — like Fox and even CNN — competes for views by running constant 24-hour news cycles based upon fear, division, outrage, and panic, probably to sell ads," he explained.

Lemon wasted no time registering his frustration with Callaghan's criticism of CNN and the media in general.

"First of all, I don't agree with what you're saying," Lemon responded. "But I'm not exactly sure of how that played into people going into the Capitol and rioting on Jan. 6.

"There's nothing fake about CNN!" Lemon exclaimed

"I'm not saying, like, fake news," Callaghan pushed back. "I'm just saying, ramping people up and increasing division during that period of time. Just watching people kind of fall down the rabbit hole and be pushed into action — yes, falling down the conspiracy rabbit hole."

Lemon, instead, was anxious to detract from the media's role in Jan. 6 to blame former President Donald Trump. Lemon claimed without evidence that "more people" would blame Trump for what happened on Jan. 6 than the media.